Compound Lenses for Multi-Source Data Presentation

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an appearance of a lens in an image is displayed. The appearance of the lens includes a focal region having a focal region having a magnification and a plurality of facets. The facets display information from respective layers of the image. The appearance of the lens also includes a base defining an extent of the appearance of the lens in the image. Additionally, the appearance of the lens includes a shoulder region between the focal region and the base. The shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to portions of the image outside of the appearance of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying an appearance of a lens in an image, wherein the appearance of the lens includes:   a focal region having a magnification and a plurality of facets,   a base defining an extent of the appearance of the lens in the image, and   a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to portions of the image outside of the appearance of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region,   wherein the plurality of facets display information from a respective plurality of layers of the image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transitioning from the focal region having the plurality of facets to the focal region having a single facet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving a signal indicating a selection of one of the plurality of facets,
 wherein information displayed in the selected facet is represented in the single facet.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the information displayed in the selected facet comprises at least one of a down-sampled image or a simplified representation, and
 wherein the information displayed in the single facet comprises at least one of a non-down-sampled image or a native image.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder region further comprises a plurality of facets. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising transitioning from the focal region having the plurality of facets to the focal region having a single facet; and
 transitioning from the shoulder region having the plurality of facets to the shoulder region having a single facet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise at least two of a street name layer, an underground plant layer, or a zoning layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of facets displays information from data sources other than the plurality of layers, wherein the data sources relate to travel. 
     
     
         9 . A data processing system comprising a processor and memory having instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the data processing system to perform operations comprising:
 displaying an appearance of a lens in an image, wherein the appearance of the lens includes:   a focal region having a magnification and a plurality of facets,   a base defining an extent of the appearance of the lens in the image, and   a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to portions of the image outside of the appearance of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region,   wherein the plurality of facets display information from a respective plurality of layers of the image.   
     
     
         10 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further cause the data processing system to perform operations comprising transitioning from the focal region having the plurality of facets to the focal region having a single facet. 
     
     
         11 . The data processing system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further cause the data processing system to perform operations comprising receiving a signal indicating a selection of one of the plurality of facets,
 wherein information displayed in the selected facet is represented in the single facet.   
     
     
         12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the information displayed in the selected facet comprises at least one of a down-sampled image or a simplified representation, and
 wherein the information displayed in the single facet comprises at least one of a non-down-sampled image or a native image.   
     
     
         13 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the shoulder region further comprises a plurality of facets. 
     
     
         14 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise at least two of a street name layer, an underground plant layer, or a zoning layer. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium including instructions executable to cause a data processing system to:
 display an appearance of a lens in an image, wherein the appearance of the lens includes:   a focal region having a magnification and a plurality of facets,   a base defining an extent of the appearance of the lens in the image, and   a shoulder region between the focal region and the base, wherein the shoulder region provides context for the focal region with respect to portions of the image outside of the appearance of the lens by preserving visibility of information surrounding the focal region,   wherein the plurality of facets display information from a respective plurality of layers of the image.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further including instructions executable to cause the data processing system to transition from the focal region having the plurality of facets to the focal region having a single facet. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further including instructions executable to cause the data processing system to receive a signal indicating a selection of one of the plurality of facets,
 wherein information displayed in the selected facet is represented in the single facet.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the information displayed in the selected facet comprises at least one of a down-sampled image or a simplified representation, and
 wherein the information displayed in the single facet comprises at least one of a non-down-sampled image or a native image.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the shoulder region further comprises a plurality of facets. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise at least two of a street name layer, an underground plant layer, or a zoning layer.