WO2016004601A1

WO2016004601A1 - Dynamic zoom level adjustment during a panning operation

Info

Publication number: WO2016004601A1
Application number: PCT/CN2014/081987
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wei Tian
Original assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy; Navteq (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2014-07-10
Filing date: 2014-07-10
Publication date: 2016-01-14

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the concurrent presentation of two or more portions of content upon a display by providing for the dynamic adjustment of the zoom level while the content is being panned. In the context of a method, an indication of a designated portion of content is received, while the content is presented upon a display. The method also causes the content that is presented upon the display to be panned. Further, the method dynamically adjusts the zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display. The method may therefore permit the location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

Description

DYNAMIC ZOOM LEVEL ADJUSTMENT DURING A PANNING OPERATION

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

[0001] An example embodiment relates generally to the display of content during a panning operation and, more particularly, to the dynamic adjustment of the zoom level during a panning operation.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Computing devices are configured to display a wide variety of content. For example, computing devices may be configured to display maps, photographs or other images, documents or the like. The content that is displayed is oftentimes larger than the display itself such that some portion of the content extends beyond the boundary of the display. A user viewing the content may desire to view different portions of the content. In instances in which the user is viewing a first portion of the content and desires to view a second portion of the content that extends beyond and is not currently presented by the display, the user may modify the content that is presented upon the display in order to see the second portion of the content. For example, the user may cause the content to be panned or scrolled so as to change the content that is presented upon the display.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with an example embodiment in order to facilitate the concurrent presentation of two or more portions of content upon a display. In an example embodiment, the method, apparatus and computer program product may provide for the dynamic adjustment of the zoom level while the content is being panned such that both the first and second portions of the content may be presented upon the display with the user generally required to provide fewer inputs. Moreover, the method, apparatus and computer program product of an example embodiment may dynamically adjust the zoom level while the content is being panned in such a manner that both the first and second portions of content are presented upon the display at a relatively large scale, such as as large a scale as possible based upon the size of the display and the relative positions of the first and second portions of content, without requiring additional user input and/or without requiring a larger display. [0004] In an example embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving an indication of a designated portion of content, while the content is presented upon a display. For example, the content may include a map, a photograph or a document. The method of this example embodiment also causes the content that is presented upon the display to be panned. Further, the method of this example embodiment dynamically adjusts the zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display. In this regard, the method of an example embodiment may permit the location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

[0005] The method of an example embodiment may dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content. In this example embodiment, the method may cause the content that is presented upon the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display. In this example embodiment, the method may dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content. Alternatively, the method may dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming in in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in the direction toward the designated portion of the content.

[0006] In another example embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code with the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least receive an indication of a designated portion of content, while the content is presented on the display. For example, the content may include a map, a photograph or a document. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of this example embodiment to cause the content that is presented upon the display to be panned. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of this example embodiment to dynamically adjust the zoom level associated with the presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of an example embodiment to permit the location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented on the display is panned.

[0007] The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of an example embodiment to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content. The at least one memory and the computer program code may also be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of this example embodiment to cause the content that is presented on the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display. The at least one memory and the computer program code may further be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of this example embodiment to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

Alternatively, the at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus of an example embodiment to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming in in an instance in which the content that was presented upon the display is panned in a direction toward the designated portion of the content.

[0008] In a further example embodiment, a computer program product is provided that includes at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having

computer-executable program code portions stored therein with the computer-executable program code portions including program code instructions for receiving an indication of a designated portion of content while the content is presented upon a display. For example, the content may include a map, a photograph or a document. The computer-executable program code portions of this example embodiment also include program code instructions for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned and program code instructions for dynamically adjusting a zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display. The computer-executable program code portions of an example embodiment may also include program code instructions for permitting a location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

[0009] The program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level may include program code instructions for zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content. In this example embodiment, the program code instructions for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned may include program code instructions for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display. In this example embodiment, the program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level may include program code instructions for zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content. Alternatively, the program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level may include program code instructions for zooming in in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in the direction toward the designated portion of the content.

[0010] In yet another example embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes means for receiving an indication of a designated portion of content while the content is presented upon the display. The apparatus of this example embodiment also includes means for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned. In this example embodiment, the apparatus further includes means for dynamically adjusting at zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 is a representation of a map with the subset of the map that is presented upon a display being designated; [0013] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus that may be specifically configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating operations performed, such as by the apparatus of Figure 2, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 4 is a plan view of the mobile terminal depicting the designation of a first point of interest;

[0016] Figure 5 is a representation of the content presented upon the display following panning of the content in a direction away from the first point of interest with the content having been panned without a change in zoom level until the first point of interest reaches the boundary of the display in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 6 is a representation of the content presented upon the display following further panning of the content in the direction away from the first point of interest which depicts adjustment of the zoom level by zooming out after the first point of interest has reached the boundary of the display such that both the first and second points of interest may be presented upon the display in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 7 is a representation of the content presented upon the display in an instance in which the content is panned in a direction toward the first point of interest with the zoom level being adjusted by zooming in in accordance an example embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the terms "data," "content," "information," and similar terms may be used interchangeably to refer to data capable of being transmitted, received and/or stored in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Thus, use of any such terms should not be taken to limit the spirit and scope of embodiments of the present invention. [0020] Additionally, as used herein, the term 'circuitry' refers to (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (for example, implementations in analog circuitry and/or digital circuitry); (b) combinations of circuits and computer program product(s) comprising software and/or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer readable memories that work together to cause an apparatus to perform one or more functions described herein; and (c) circuits, such as, for example, a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation even if the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of 'circuitry' applies to all uses of this term herein, including in any claims. As a further example, as used herein, the term 'circuitry' also includes an implementation

comprising one or more processors and/or portion(s) thereof and accompanying software and/or firmware. As another example, the term 'circuitry' as used herein also includes, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, other network device, and/or other computing device.

[0021] As defined herein, a "computer-readable storage medium," which refers to a non-transitory physical storage medium (for example, volatile or non-volatile memory device), can be differentiated from a "computer-readable transmission medium," which refers to an electromagnetic signal.

[0022] In instances in which the content that is presented by a display of a computing device is larger than the display itself, a user viewing a first portion of the content may desire to view a second portion of the content that extends beyond and is not currently presented by the display. As the user scrolls or pans the content such that the second portion of the content is presented upon the display, the first portion of the content typically moves beyond the boundary of the display so as to no longer be presented. In this instance, the context of the second portion of the content relative to the first portion of the content may be lost or at least diminished. For example, in an instance in which the content is a map and the first and second portions of content are first and second points of interest with the first point of interest being the current location of the user and the second point of interest being a destination, panning of the map such that the second point of interest is displayed, but the first point of interest moves beyond the boundary of the display may make it difficult for the user to visualize the relative position of the second point of interest with respect to the first point of interest and may similarly make it difficult to understand the route to be taken and the distance between the first and second points of interest.

[0023] In order to concurrently present both the first and second portions of content upon the display, the user has generally taken one of two different approaches. In a first approach, the user who is initially viewing a display that presents the first portion, but not the second portion, of the content may decrease the zoom level until both the first and second portions of the content are presented upon the display. Typically, the zoom level is reduced by an amount that is more than absolutely necessary to view both the first and second portions of the content. As such, once the zoom level has been reduced to such an extent that both the first and second portions of the content are presented upon the display, the user may select a midpoint between the first and second portions of content and may then zoom in on the midpoint until both the first and second portions of the content are positioned close to the boundary of the display.

Alternatively, a user who is viewing the first portion of the content may pan the content until the second portion of the content is presented on the display. The user may then zoom out so that the first portion of the content is also presented by the display. As the resulting scale of the content is typically smaller than necessary to view both the first and second portions of the content, the user may again identify the midpoint between the two portions of content and then may zoom in on the midpoint until the first and second portions of content are proximate the boundary of the display so that the scale of the content is as large as possible while continuing to present both the first and second portions of the content. Both approaches for manually adjusting the content that is presented by the display so as to concurrently cause both the first and second portions of the content to be presented on the display are laborious in that they require a series of user inputs.

[0024] Instead of or in addition to adjusting the scale with which the content is displayed, the computing device may be configured to have a larger display such that more content may be presented on the display at a scale that is acceptable to the user. However, increases in the size of the display may create other issues, such as by posing challenges with respect to the mobility of the computing device and may undesirably increase the costs of the computing device.

[0025] A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with an example embodiment in order to dynamically adjust the zoom level associated with the presentation of content upon a display as the content is panned. As such, a designated portion of the content may continue to be presented upon the display while the zoom level is dynamically adjusted so as to accommodate the panning of the content. The dynamic adjustment may be performed automatically, that is, without manual intervention, such that the adjustment in the zoom level is not laborious for the user. Moreover, by dynamically adjusting the zoom level while the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display, context is retained relative to the designated portion of the content. For example, the relationship, such as the relative positions and distances, between two or more designated portions of the content may be provided by continuing to present a first designated portion of the content upon the display while the content is panned toward a second designated portion of the content. Further, the method, apparatus and computer program product of an example embodiment may dynamically adjust the zoom level so as to concurrently present two or more designated portions of the content upon the display at as large of a scale as permitted by the display to facilitate review by the user of the content, without requiring an increase in the the physical size of the display.

[0026] The method, apparatus and computer program product of example embodiments may dynamically adjust the zoom level associated with the presentation of a variety of different types of content as the content is panned. As shown in Figure 1 , for example, the content may be representative of a map upon which two or more points of interest may be designated as described below. However, the content that is presented upon the display and that is panned and for which the zoom level is dynamically adjusted may be any of a wide variety of different types of content including photographs or other images, documents or the like.

[0027] With respect to the map of Figure 1 , however, the subset of the map that is presented upon a display is depicted by the dashed boundary 10 with a majority of the map extending beyond the boundary and, as a result, not being currently presented upon the display. In the illustrated embodiment, only a segment of the map is presented at any one time, at least at the zoom level depicted in Figure 1. Thus, the other portions of the map that extend beyond the boundary of the display are not currently presented and the user must pan the content, such as by scrolling or otherwise repositioning the content relative to the display, in order to bring other portions of the content within the boundary of the display so as to be presented upon the display.

[0028] As described below, an apparatus 20 that may be specifically configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention in order to dynamically adjust the zoom level as content is panned is depicted in Figure 2. The apparatus may be embodied by or otherwise associated with any of a wide variety of different types of electronic devices including a mobile terminal, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile telephone, smartphone, companion device, for example, a smart watch, pager, mobile television, gaming device, laptop computer, camera, tablet computer, touch surface, video recorder, audio/video player, radio, electronic book, positioning device (for example, global positioning system (GPS) device), or any combination of the aforementioned, and other types of voice and text

communications systems. Alternatively, the apparatus may be embodied by or associated with an electronic device in the form of a fixed computing device, such as a computer workstation, a personal computer, a server or the like. Still further, the apparatus may be embodied by or associated with a plurality of electronic devices that are in communication with or otherwise networked with one another such that the various functions performed by the apparatus may be divided between the plurality of electronic devices that operate in collaboration with one another.

[0029] Regardless of the type of electronic device that embodies or is otherwise associated with the apparatus, the apparatus 20 of an example embodiment is depicted in

Figure 2. The apparatus may include, be associated with or otherwise in communication with a processor 22, a memory device 24, a user interface 26 and optionally a communication interface 28. In some embodiments, the processor (and/or co-processors or any other processing circuitry assisting or otherwise associated with the processor) may be in communication with the memory device via a bus for passing information among components of the apparatus. The memory device may be non-transitory and may include, for example, one or more volatile and/or non-volatile memories. In other words, for example, the memory device may be an electronic storage device (for example, a computer readable storage medium) comprising gates configured to store data (for example, bits) that may be retrievable by a machine (for example, a computing device like the processor). The memory device may be configured to store information, data, content, applications, instructions, or the like for enabling the apparatus to carry out various functions in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. For example, the memory device could be configured to buffer input data for processing by the processor. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device could be configured to store instructions for execution by the processor. [0030] As noted above, the apparatus 20 may be embodied by an electronic device.

However, in some embodiments, the apparatus may be embodied as a chip or chip set. In other words, the apparatus may comprise one or more physical packages (for example, chips) including materials, components and/or wires on a structural assembly (for example, a circuit board). The structural assembly may provide physical strength, conservation of size, and/or limitation of electrical interaction for component circuitry included thereon. The apparatus may therefore, in some cases, be configured to implement an embodiment of the present invention on a single chip or as a single "system on a chip." As such, in some cases, a chip or chipset may constitute means for performing one or more operations for providing the functionalities described herein.

[0031] The processor 22 may be embodied in a number of different ways. For example, the processor may be embodied as one or more of various hardware processing means such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing element with or without an accompanying DSP, or various other processing circuitry including integrated circuits such as, for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an

FPGA (field programmable gate array), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a special-purpose computer chip, or the like. As such, in some embodiments, the processor may include one or more processing cores configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor may enable multiprocessing within a single physical package. Additionally or alternatively, the processor may include one or more processors configured in tandem via the bus to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining and/or multithreading.

[0032] In an example embodiment, the processor 22 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory device 24 or otherwise accessible to the processor.

Alternatively or additionally, the processor may be configured to execute hard coded

functionality. As such, whether configured by hardware or software methods, or by a combination thereof, the processor may represent an entity (for example, physically embodied in circuitry) capable of performing operations according to an embodiment of the present invention while configured accordingly. Thus, for example, when the processor is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA or the like, the processor may be specifically configured hardware for conducting the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when the processor is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor to perform the algorithms and/or operations described herein when the instructions are executed. However, in some cases, the processor may be a processor of a specific device (for example, the computing device) configured to employ an embodiment of the present invention by further configuration of the processor by instructions for performing the algorithms and/or operations described herein. The processor may include, among other things, a clock, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and logic gates configured to support operation of the processor.

[0033] The apparatus 20 of an example embodiment may also include or otherwise be in communication with a user interface 26. The user interface may include a touch screen display, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick or other input/output mechanisms. In some embodiments, the user interface, such as a display, speakers, or the like, may also be configured to provide output to the user. In this example embodiment, the processor 22 may comprise user interface circuitry configured to control at least some functions of one or more input/output mechanisms. The processor and/or user interface circuitry comprising the processor may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more input/output mechanisms through computer program instructions (for example, software and/or firmware) stored on a memory accessible to the processor (for example, memory device 24, and/or the like).

[0034] The apparatus 20 of the illustrated embodiment may also optionally include a communication interface 28 that may be any means such as a device or circuitry embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to receive and/or transmit data from/to other electronic devices in communication with the apparatus. In this regard, the communication interface may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications with a wireless communication network. Additionally or alternatively, the communication interface may include the circuitry for interacting with the antenna(s) to cause transmission of signals via the antenna(s) or to handle receipt of signals received via the antenna(s). In some environments, the communication interface may alternatively or also support wired communication.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the apparatus 20 may include means, such as the processor

22, the user interface 26 or the like, for causing content to be presented upon a display. See block 30 of Figure 3. As described above, a variety of different types of content may be presented upon the display including a map, photographs or other images, documents or the like. In instances in which the content at the current zoom level extends beyond the boundary of the display as shown in Figure 1 , the content may be panned as described below, such as by permitting the user to provide user input to scroll or otherwise reposition the content that is presented relative to the display. For example, in an instance in which the display is a touch screen, the user may provide a swipe input by dragging their fmger across the display in order to provide user input indicative of the direction in which the content that is presented upon the display is to be panned.

[0036] As shown in block 32 of Figure 3, while the content is presented upon the display, the apparatus 20 may include means, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, for receiving an indication of a designated portion of the content, such as a first point of interest. The indication of the designated portion of content may be received in any of a variety of manners. As shown in Figure 4 in which the display 40 is a touch screen, however, the user may touch the designated portion of the content that is presented upon the display (represented by an X designated 42) in order to indicate the designated portion of the content. The designated portion of the content may have various shapes and sizes. In an example

embodiment, the designated portion of the content may be a point of interest, such as designated by the point of contact between the user's fmger, stylus or the like and touch screen.

Alternatively, the designated portion of content may be a region of content. The region of content may be defined about the point of contact between the user's fmger, stylus or the like and the content that is presented on the display, such as a region of content having a predefined radius centered about the point of content with the touch screen. Alternatively, a region of content may be bounded by a border defined by the user, such as may be traced by the user upon the touch screen. Alternatively, the indication of the designated portion of the content need not be based upon user input, but may be provided in other manners. For example, the indication of the designated portion of the content may be provided by a GPS device so as to designate the current location of the electronic device that embodies or is otherwise associated with the apparatus.

[0037] As shown in block 34 of Figure 3, the apparatus 20 may also include means, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned. In this regard, the content may be panned by being moved, scrolled or otherwise repositioned relative to the display. The content that is presented upon the display may be directed to be panned in various manners, including in response to various types of user input. In an instance in which the display is a touch screen, for example, the user may swipe their finger across the display so as to cause the content to be panned in the direction defined by the directional movement of their finger, such as indicated by the dashed arrow 44 in Figure 4. Alternatively, user input to cause panning of the content may be provided via directional arrow keys or other keystrokes instructing movement of the content that is presented upon the display. Still further, user input to cause panning of the content may be provided by movement of the electronic device that embodies or is otherwise associated with the apparatus, such as by tilting the electronic device with the panning performed in a manner defined by the tilt.

[0038] Regardless of the manner in which the content is directed to be panned, such as regardless of the type of user input that is provided to cause panning of the content, the apparatus 20 may include means, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, for dynamically adjusting the zoom level associated with the presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned. See block 38 of Figure 3. This dynamic adjustment may be made while the content is panned and may be performed automatically, that is, without user input directing the rescaling of the content, so as to reduce the user input required. By dynamically adjusting the zoom level as the content is panned, the designated portion of the content, such as a first point of interest, will continue to be presented upon the display, thereby providing context to the remainder of the content that is presented upon the display as a result of the panning.

[0039] In an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in the direction away from the designated portion of the content, such as away from the first point of interest, the apparatus 20, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, may be configured to zoom out such that a greater expanse of the content is presented upon the display, albeit at a smaller scale. In an example embodiment, the apparatus may include means, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, for permitting the location of the designated portion of the content, such as the first point of interest, to change as the content that is presented on the display is panned. See block 36 of Figure 3. By way of example, in an instance in which the content is to be panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may cause the content that is presented upon the display to initially be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches the boundary of the display. In this regard, in an instance in which the designated portion of the content is spaced apart from the boundary of the display prior to panning the content and in which the content is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may be configured to cause the content to be panned across the display at the same zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches the boundary of the display. For example, Figure 5 depicts an instance in which the content including the first point of interest 42 designated in Figure 4 has been panned in a direction away from the first point of interest as indicated by the dashed arrow 44 with the content being panned without a change in the zoom level until the first point of interest reaches the boundary of the display 40. Once the designated portion of the content, such as the first point of interest, has reached the boundary of the display, further panning of the content in the same direction, that is, in a direction away from the designated portion of the content, causes zooming out of the content without further translation of the designated portion of the content. As such, the designated portion of the content remains presented upon the display, albeit at the boundary of the display, and additional content is presented upon the display, albeit at a smaller scale. The apparatus, such as the processer, the user interface or the like, may continue to zoom out in response to further panning of the content in a direction away from the designated portion of the content until all of the content that the user desires to view, including the designated portion of the content proximate the boundary of the display, has been presented upon the display. By insuring that the designated portion of the content remains upon the display, the designated portion of the content is effectively pinned to the display.

[0040] In an instance in which the content is a map and the designated portion of the content is a first point of interest, such as the current location of the user, the user may pan the content that is presented in the direction away from the first point of interest until a second point of interest, such as a destination, is presented upon the display and may thereafter cease panning of the content. As such, the user may thereafter view the relative positions of the first and second points of interest and the route between the first and second points of interest since both points of interest are presented upon the display. Moreover, by halting the panning once the second point of interest is presented upon the display, the zoom level may thereafter remain (absent further user input) at a scale that is as large as possible while presenting both first and second points of interest upon the display. For example, Figure 6 illustrates the content presented upon the display after adjustment of the zoom level in response to further panning of the content in a direction away from the first point of interest, such that a second point of interest, e.g., Springfield, is depicted concurrent with the first point of interest 42. As shown, additional content is presented upon the display, although the scale at which the content is presented is smaller than that in which the content is presented in Figures 4 and 5.

[0041] Conversely, in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction toward the designated portion of the content, the apparatus 20, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, may be configured to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming in. For example, in an instance in which a map is presented upon the display as shown in Figure 6 and the map is panned in a direction toward the first point of interest 42, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may be configured to zoom in in response to the panning of the content so as to show less content, albeit at a larger scale as shown in Figure 7. In this embodiment, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may be configured to zoom in in response to panning of the content in a direction toward the designated portion of the content while ensuring that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display. In this regard, the designated portion of the content may remain presented upon the display by causing the designated portion of the content to remain at the same location relative to the display and by increasing the scale at which the content is presented, thereby causing less content to be presented but at a larger scale.

Alternatively, the designated portion of the content may be permitted to move across the display in the direction in which the content is panned, at least until the designated portion of the content reaches the boundary of the display. Once the designated portion of the content reaches the boundary of the display and if the panning of the content continues, the content may be zoomed in so as to increase the scale at which the content is presented.

[0042] While described heretofore in conjunction with a single designated portion of content, e.g., a first point of interest, that remains upon the display as the content is panned, the method, apparatus 20 and computer program product of other example embodiments may be configured to receive designations of two or more portions of content, e.g., a plurality of points of interest. In these example embodiments and in response to panning of the content, the apparatus, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, may be configured to provide for dynamic adjustment of the zoom level in order to effectively pan the content while insuring that each of the two or more portions of content that have been designated remain presented by the display. For example, if the content is panned in a direction away from the designated portions of content, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may be configured to cause the content to be translated across the display until one or more of the designated portions of content are proximate a boundary of the display prior to zooming out so as to effectuate the panning operation by presenting additional content upon the display. Alternatively, if the content is panned in a direction toward the designated portions of content, the apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface of the like, may be configured to zoom in. In either instance, the plurality of designated portions of content remain presented upon the display as the zoom level of the content is dynamically adjusted so as to effectuate panning of the content.

[0043] Content in the form of a map has been discussed above by way of example.

However, the method, apparatus 20 and computer program product of an example embodiment may be configured to dynamically adjust the zoom level in response to a panning operation for other types of content. For example, the content may be a document and a user may wish to compare two different portions of the document. As such, the user may designate one of the portions of the document and may then pan toward the other portion of the document. As described above, the apparatus, such as the processor 22, the user interface 26 or the like, may be configured to dynamically adjust the zoom level so as to effectuate the panning of the document so as to bring the other portion of the document onto the display, while the designated portion of the document has also remained upon the display. Thus, the user may more readily compare the two portions of the document, which may be presented at as large of a scale as permissible in order to simultaneously view both portions of the document upon the display. As another example, the content may be a photograph and a user may wish to crop the photograph so as to include the faces of two specific people. In this example, the user may designate the face of one person within the photograph and may then pan toward the other person. The apparatus, such as the processor, the user interface or the like, may be configured to dynamically adjust the zoom level so as to effectuate the panning of the photograph so as to bring the face of the other person within the photograph onto the display, while the face of the designated person within the photograph has also remained upon the display. The user may then crop the photograph to include the faces of the two people in an efficient manner. [0044] The method, apparatus 20 and computer program product of an example embodiment facilitate the concurrent presentation of two or more portions of content upon a display even though the two or more portions of content are spaced apart from one another. In an example embodiment, the method, apparatus and computer program product provide for the dynamic adjustment of the zoom level while the content is being panned such that both the first and second portions of the content may be presented upon the display with iterative or sequential panning and zooming operations having to be performed in response to a series of user inputs. Consequently, the method, apparatus and computer program of an example embodiment provides numerous technical advantages including a conservation of processing resources otherwise required to individually respond to each of a plurality of iterative or sequential inputs. Additionally, the method, apparatus and computer program product may conserve processing resources otherwise expended to zoom out more than is necessary to view multiple points of interest prior to being recentered and zoomed back in to a midpoint between the multiple points of interest. Moreover, the method, apparatus and computer program product of an example embodiment may dynamically adjust the zoom level while the content is being panned in such a manner that both the first and second portions of content are presented upon the display at a relatively large scale, such as as large a scale as possible based upon the size of the display and the relative positions of the first and second portions of content, thereby facilitating subsequent review of the content.

[0045] As described above, Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart of an apparatus 20, method and computer program product according to example embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart, may be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, processor, circuitry, and/or other communication devices associated with execution of software including one or more computer program instructions. For example, one or more of the procedures described above may be embodied by computer program instructions. In this regard, the computer program instructions which embody the procedures described above may be stored by a memory device 24 of an apparatus employing an embodiment of the present invention and executed by a processor 22 of the apparatus. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus (for example, hardware) to produce a machine, such that the resulting computer or other programmable apparatus implements the functions specified in the flowchart blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that may direct a computer or other programmable apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture the execution of which implements the function specified in the flowchart blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus to cause a series of operations to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide operations for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks.

[0046] Accordingly, blocks of the flowchart support combinations of means for performing the specified functions and combinations of operations for performing the specified functions for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that one or more blocks of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0047] In some embodiments, certain ones of the operations above may be modified or further amplified. Furthermore, in some embodiments, additional optional operations may be included, some of which have been described above. Modifications, additions, or

amplifications to the operations above may be performed in any order and in any combination.

[0048] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method comprising:

while content is presented upon a display, receiving an indication of a designated portion of the content;

causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned; and

dynamically adjusting a zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display.

2. A method according to Claim 1 further comprising permitting a location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

3. A method according to any one of Claims 1 or 2 wherein dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprises zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

4. A method according to Claim 3 wherein causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned comprises causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display, and wherein dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprises zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

5. A method according to any one of Claims 1 or 2 wherein dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprises zooming in in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction toward the designated portion of the content.

6. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the content comprises a map.

7. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the content comprises a photograph or a document.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

while content is presented upon a display, receive an indication of a designated portion of the content;

cause the content that is presented upon the display to be panned; and

dynamically adjust a zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to permit a location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

10. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 or 9 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

11. An apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause the content that is presented upon the display to be panned by causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

12. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 or 9 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to dynamically adjust the zoom level by zooming in in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction toward the designated portion of the content.

13. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 12 wherein the content comprises a map.

14. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 12 wherein the content comprises a photograph or a document.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory

computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising program code instructions for:

causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned; and

16. A computer program product according to Claim 15 wherein the

computer-executable program code portions further comprise program code instructions for permitting a location of the designated portion of the content to change as the content that is presented upon the display is panned.

17. A computer program product according to any one of Claims 15 or 16 wherein the program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprise program code instructions for zooming out in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

18. A computer program product according to Claim 17 wherein the program code instructions for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned comprise program code instructions for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned without a change in the zoom level until the designated portion of the content reaches a boundary of the display, and wherein the program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprise program code instructions for zooming out, after the designated portion of the content has reached the boundary of the display, in response to further panning of the content that is presented upon the display in a direction away from the designated portion of the content.

19. A computer program product according to any one of Claims 15 or 16 wherein the program code instructions for dynamically adjusting the zoom level comprise program code instructions for zooming in in an instance in which the content that is presented upon the display is panned in a direction toward the designated portion of the content.

20. A computer program product according to any one of Claims 15 to 19 wherein the content comprises one of a map, a photograph or a document.

21. A method comprising:

means for receiving, while content is presented upon a display, an indication of a designated portion of the content;

means for causing the content that is presented upon the display to be panned; and means for dynamically adjusting a zoom level associated with presentation of the content upon the display as the content is panned such that the designated portion of the content continues to be presented upon the display.