Magnifier panning interface for natural input devices

Abstract

A magnifier movement system is described herein that provides a more user-friendly experience for users of natural input devices when moving the magnifier and interacting with magnified user interface elements. The system receives an indication that a user has touched the screen with a natural input device at a particular location. The system displays a drag control for moving the magnifier, but does not move the magnifier unless the user selects the drag control and moves the natural input device. If the drag control is unselected and the system receives additional natural input, then the system passes the input on to the magnified application. Thus, the magnifier movement system provides a more satisfying user experience for users of natural input-based computer systems and screen magnifiers.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for controlling magnification of a portion of a graphical display, the method comprising:
 presenting, on a display device, the graphical display and a magnified view of the portion of the graphical display;   receiving a first user input representing a position on the graphical display wherein the first user input was from a first category of input types;   in response to the first user input being at least one of a pen input, a stylus input, or a touch input, presenting a visible drag control element, the visible drag control element facilitating a change to the portion of the graphical display depicted in the magnified view in response to receipt of a second user input indicative of a movement of the visible drag control element; and   in response to another user input, enabling a portion of another graphical display depicted in another magnified view to be changed without presentation of the visible drag control element, wherein the other user input is from a second category of input types.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving the other user input, wherein the other user input represents another position on the graphical display.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a third user input representing another position on the graphical display, the other position not being associated with the visible drag control element; and   passing the third user input to an application depicted in the graphical display.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein passing the third user input to the application includes:
 converting coordinates associated with the third user input to coordinates associated with an underlying portion of the graphical display depicted in the magnified view; and   passing the converted coordinates to the application as an indication of the third user input.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that the coordinates associated with the underlying portion matches coordinates of a user interface element presented in the magnified view; and   actuate the user interface element.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a location of the visible drag control element relative to the magnified view is dependent upon the portion of the graphical display that is magnified in the magnified view. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining the type of the input source via an operating system application-programming interface (API).   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 pass additional received inputs to one or more applications presented in the magnified view in response to determinations that the additional received inputs are not actuations of the visible drag control element.   
     
     
         29 . A computer system for selecting a displayed area to magnify, the system comprising:
 a display device configured to present a graphical display and a magnified view of a portion of the graphical display;   a memory; and   a processing unit, wherein the memory and the processing unit are respectively configured to store and execute instructions that, in response to being executed:
 receive a user input representing a position on the graphical display, wherein the first user input was from a first category of input types; 
 in response to the user input being at least one of a pen input, a stylus input, or a touch input: 
 present the magnified view with an associated drag control; 
 receive an indication of an actuation of the presented drag control; and 
 move the magnified view such that the magnified view magnifies another portion of the graphical display in response to the indication of the actuation of the presented drag control; and 
 in response to another user input, enabling a portion of another graphical display depicted in another magnified view to be changed without presentation of the drag control, wherein the other user input is from a second category of input types. 
   
     
     
         30 . The computer system of  claim 29 , wherein in response to the enabling a portion of another graphical display depicted in another magnified view to be changed without presentation of the drag control the instructions also:
 receive another user input representing another position on the graphical display;   determine that the other received user input is from the second category of input types; and   in response to the determination that the other received user input is from the second category of input types, enable movement of the magnified view without presentation of the drag control.   
     
     
         31 . The computer system of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions also:
 determine that the position on the graphical display matches coordinates of a user interface element as presented in the magnified view; and   actuate the user interface element.   
     
     
         32 . The computer system of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions also:
 pass additional received inputs to one or more applications presented in the magnified view in response to determinations that the additional received inputs are not actuations of the drag control.   
     
     
         33 . The computer system of  claim 32 , wherein the instructions also:
 convert coordinates representing the position on the graphical display from coordinates associated with the magnified view to coordinates associated with an underlying portion of the graphical display that is represented in the magnified view; and   pass the converted coordinates to the one or more applications as indications of the additional received input.   
     
     
         34 . The computer system of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the instructions also determine a varying panning rate that decelerates as the magnified view approaches the other portion; and   the instructions that move the magnified view move the magnified view to the other portion based on the determined varying panning rate.   
     
     
         35 . A method of magnifying portions of a graphical display, the method comprising:
 presenting, on a display device, a graphical display and a magnified view of at least a portion of the graphical display;   receiving a first user input representing a position on the graphical display, wherein the first user input was from a first category of input types;   determining that the first user input was from the first category of input types;   in response to the determination that the first user input was from the first category of input types, presenting a visible drag control element, wherein the visible drag control element enables:
 the magnified view to be changed to magnify another portion of the graphical display in response to receipt of a second user input indicative of a movement of the visible drag control element; and 
 a third user input directed to actuation of a user interface element presented in the graphical display to be distinguished from the second user input that is indicative of the movement of the visible drag control element; and 
   in response to another user input, enabling another magnified view to be changed without presentation of the visible drag control element, wherein the other user input was from a second category of input types.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving the other user input, wherein the other user input represents another position on the graphical display; and   determining that a type of the input source of the other user input was from the second category of input types.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the method further comprises:
 passing the third user input to an application displayed in the magnified view.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein passing the third user input to the application includes:
 converting coordinates associated with the third user input to coordinates associated with an underlying portion of the graphical display represented in the magnified view; and   passing the converted coordinates to the application as an indication of the third user input.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the visible drag control element is presented outside of and adjacent to the magnified view. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining the type of the input source via an operating system application-programming interface (API).