Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Character generating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2002-09-17
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2772)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Character generating
C340S007550
Reexamination Certificate
active
06452597
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the display of information on computerized devices, such as automotive computers, that have limited display areas. More particularly, the invention relates to automatically adjusting the size of information being displayed on such a computerized device to effectively utilize the available display area.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computer technology is continually advancing, continually providing new and expanded uses for computers. One such use is in vehicles, such as an automobile or truck. Programmable devices and controllers for controlling various engine and other system functions within a vehicle have been used for a number of years. Additionally, other devices for providing basic feedback to a vehicle operator, such as mileage or number of miles that can be driven before refueling, have also been used for a number of years. However, as computer technology has advanced a new field of use for computers has opened up, allowing more conventional “desktop computer” functionality to be made available to vehicle operators via “vehicle computers”.
One problem experienced with computers in general, and more particularly with vehicle computers, is difficulty reading the information displayed. Information, such as program data or instructions, is typically provided to a user via a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor or a liquid crystal diode (LCD) display. To be useful, such information should be easily readable by the user. This is particularly true in a vehicle computer because the user (e.g., driver of the vehicle) may only be able to take brief glances at the display due to the user's primary focus being on driving the vehicle.
In order to make the information easily readable, it should be displayed in a large size. For example, a vehicle computer may display a street address of a location that the driver is trying to find. However, when a large amount of information is displayed, problems can arise because the computer may not be able to display the information on a single “screen” of the display. For example, if the information is the street address “12345 Washington Street, Building 5”, it may be too much information for a single screen using the desired large font size.
One solution to this problem is to display the information using multiple “screens”. For example, the data “12345 Washington” may be on a first screen and the user can scroll to a second screen to see “Street, Building 5”. However, this can be confusing to the user and requires the user to take attention away from other activities (e.g., his or her driving) to scroll between pages.
Another solution is to display as much of the information as possible and omit the remainder. For example, “12345 Washington” may be displayed and the remainder omitted. This is problematic because important information (e.g., “Building 5”) may be omitted that prevents the user from accurately identifying the address. Furthermore, the omitted information may make the remaining information ambiguous. For example, a city may include a “Washington Street” and a “Washington Court”. If the word “street” is dropped from the display, then the driver would not be able to determine if he or she were supposed to be going to Washington Street or Washington Court.
The invention described below addresses these disadvantages, providing a way to improve the display of information on small display surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns the display of information on small display surfaces in a manner that allows the user to easily read the information. The invention automatically adjusts the size of information being displayed by the computer system in order to make the information easily readable, while at the same time leaving most (or all) of the information displayed on a single screen.
According to one aspect of the invention, any one or more of the font point size, the font, the number of lines used, and the caption (a label that describes the data being displayed) used is automatically adjusted. The font point size can be reduced in order to allow more information to be displayed on the single screen. The font itself can be changed to a font that requires less area (e.g., width) to display. The number of lines can be increased in order to allow the information to be displayed over multiple lines rather than a single line. The caption can be changed by partly or completely truncating the caption in order to provide the more useful information at a larger font size.
According to another aspect of the invention, the size of information being displayed is adjusted using the following process. If all of the information cannot be displayed at a desired font size, then an attempt is made to display the information at the desired font size but with a truncated caption. If that attempt is unsuccessful, then an attempt is made to increase the number of lines used to display the information. If there is insufficient space within the display area to increase the number of lines, then an attempt is made to reduce the font point size. This process continues until a size is determined at which the information can be displayed.
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Cullen Timothy J.
DeSpain Stuart N.
Goldberg Jossef
Rabelos Benjamin N.
Zuberec Sarah E.
Lee & Hayes PLLC
Microsoft Corporation
Yang Ryan
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