Interactive image thumbnails

Claim 2

A computer-implemented method, comprising: displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; displaying, within the view pane, a first frame represented by a bounded region, wherein the first frame represents a container that comprises a plurality of digital photos; upon detecting a user positioning of a position indicator at a position in the frame, displaying a digital photo in the frame such that the displayed digital photo occupies substantially the entire frame, wherein the digital photos in the frame are displayed sequentially as the detected position indicator position moves within the frame; upon detecting a selection of the first frame, displaying a second frame, represented by a second bounded region, wherein the second frame is larger than the first frame; and concurrently displaying in the second frame the same digital photo being displayed in the first frame.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the second frame is displayed adjacent to the first frame.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein the first frame comprises a poster frame.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the second frame represents a magnification of the first frame.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 further comprising: upon detecting a user positioning of the position indicator at a new position on the first frame, displaying a new displayed digital photo in the first frame, the newly displayed digital photo corresponding to the detected new position of the position indicator; and concurrently displaying the newly displayed digital photo in the second frame.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting the selection of the second frame.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying a tool within the second frame, the tool configured to enable a user to select the second frame.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein detecting the selection of the second frame comprises: a user positioning the position indicator over the tool; and selecting the tool.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 wherein selecting the second frame enables including the displayed digital photo in a group.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 further comprising, upon displaying the second frame, dividing the first frame into a first portion and a second portion.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 further comprising, upon determining the user positioning of the position indicator over the first portion, displaying a digital photo corresponding to a position of the position indicator over the first portion in the first frame and the second frame.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 further comprising, upon determining the user positioning of the position indicator over the second portion, displaying a grid in the first frame, the grid serving as a visual cue indicating the accessibility of the digital photos in the container represented by the first frame.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 further comprising enabling the user to access the digital photos in the container represented by the first frame when the user selects the first frame upon viewing the grid.

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 wherein the grid comprises an array having a plurality of rectangular regions.

Claim 16

The method of claim 14 wherein a digital photo in the container represented by the first frame is displayed in a rectangular region of the plurality of rectangular regions.

Claim 17

The method of claim 10 wherein dimensions of the first portion are larger than dimensions of the second portion.

Claim 18

The method of claim 16 wherein the dimensions of the first portion are two-thirds the dimensions of the first frame.

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the first frame comprises clicking a pointing device configured to control the positioning of the position indicator.

Claim 20

A non-transitory storage medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising: displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; displaying, within the view pane, a first frame represented by a bounded region, wherein the first frame represents a container that comprises a plurality of digital photos; upon detecting a user positioning of a position indicator at a position in the frame, displaying a digital photo in the frame such that the displayed digital photo occupies substantially the entire frame, wherein the digital photos in the frame are displayed sequentially as the detected position indicator position moves within the frame; upon detecting a selection of the first frame, displaying a second frame, represented by a second bounded region, wherein the second frame is larger than the first frame; and concurrently displaying in the second frame the same digital photo being displayed in the first frame.

Claim 21

A non-transitory storage medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising: displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; displaying, within the view pane, a first frame represented by a bounded region, wherein the first frame represents a container that comprises a plurality of digital photos; upon detecting a user positioning of a position indicator at a position in the frame, displaying a digital photo in the frame such that the displayed digital photo occupies substantially the entire frame, wherein the digital photos in the frame are displayed sequentially as the detected position indicator position moves within the frame; upon detecting a selection of the first frame, displaying a second frame, represented by a second bounded region, wherein the second frame is larger than the first frame; and concurrently displaying in the second frame the same digital photo being displayed in the first frame.

Claim 22

The medium of claim 19 wherein the second frame is displayed adjacent to the first frame.

Claim 23

The medium of claim 19 wherein the first frame comprises a poster frame.

Claim 24

The medium of claim 19 wherein the second frame represents a magnification of the first frame.

Claim 25

The medium of claim 19 , the operations further comprising: upon detecting a user positioning of the position indicator at a new position on the first frame, displaying a new displayed digital photo in the first frame, the newly displayed digital photo corresponding to the detected new position of the position indicator; and concurrently displaying the newly displayed digital photo in the second frame.

Claim 26

The medium of claim 19 , the operations further comprising detecting the selection of the second frame.

Claim 27

The medium of claim 24 , the operations further comprising displaying a tool within the second frame, the tool configured to enable a user to select the second frame.

Claim 28

The medium of claim 25 wherein detecting the selection of the second frame comprises: a user positioning the position indicator over the tool; and selecting the tool.

Claim 29

The medium of claim 24 wherein selecting the second frame enables including the displayed digital photo in a group.

Claim 30

The medium of claim 19 , the operations further comprising, upon displaying the second frame, dividing the first frame into a first portion and a second portion.

Claim 31

The medium of claim 28 , the operations further comprising, upon determining the user positioning of the position indicator over the first portion, displaying a digital photo corresponding to a position of the position indicator over the first portion in the first frame and the second frame.

Claim 32

The medium of claim 28 , the operations further comprising, upon determining the user positioning of the position indicator over the second portion, displaying a grid in the first frame, the grid serving as a visual cue indicating the accessibility of the one or more objects in the container represented by the first frame.

Claim 33

The medium of claim 30 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to access the digital photos in the container represented by the first frame when the user selects the first frame upon viewing the grid.

Claim 34

The medium of claim 31 wherein the grid comprises an array having a plurality of rectangular regions.

Claim 35

The medium of claim 32 wherein a digital photo in the container represented by the first frame is displayed in a rectangular region of the plurality of rectangular regions.

Claim 36

The medium of claim 28 wherein dimensions of the first portion are larger than dimensions of the second portion.

Claim 37

The medium of claim 34 wherein the dimensions of the first portion are two-thirds the dimensions of the first frame.

Claim 38

The medium of claim 19 wherein selecting the first frame comprises clicking a pointing device configured to control the positioning of the position indicator.