Kathleen P Cunningham

US Patent:

6366294, Apr 2, 2002

Filed:

Jun 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/329572

Inventors:

Kathleen Cunningham - New York NY
Kenneth Herndon - Suffern NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06T 340

US Classification:

345666

Abstract:

A computer interface is provided for zooming representation objects in a zooming graphical user interface. Information is displayed as a collection of zooming spaces containing graphical objects that may be manipulated with interactive input devices. The damage handling method of the invention limits data processing undertaken to make the result of user manipulations apparent. A copy of least one instance variable defining a visual characteristic for each zooming object is stored as snapshot data prior to user manipulation. Ensuing modification requiring re-rendering is determined by comparison of snapshot data and current object data. The region to be re-rendered is determined by a bounding box that circumscribes the bounding boxes of the snapshot data and the current object data. In this manner, the region to be re-rendered need only be calculated once, after a series of user manipulations of an object is complete. Timing of the damaging necessary to make the result of user manipulation apparent is also selectively controlled.

US Patent:

6396962, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Jan 29, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/239652

Inventors:

Samuel F. Haffey - New York NY
Jad Nehme - New York NY
Kathleen Cunningham - New York NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06K 948

US Classification:

382298, 382299, 382295, 345660, 345661, 348561

Abstract:

A method for transforming a video file provided to a computer into an object in a zooming universe established in such computer, which zooming object may be enlarged and panned by manipulation by a user via a computer input device. At the time a video file is opened in a video player library on such a computer, a zooming engine is enabled on the computer and a zooming universe is enabled therefrom. Frames of the video file being played on the computer video player library are copied to a video object in the zooming universe and displayed there. By manipulation of the parameters of the bounding box enclosing the zooming video object, through use of a computer input device, the user is able to scale and pan the video image in the zooming universe display up (or down) to a desired viewing size and perspective.

US Patent:

6456296, Sep 24, 2002

Filed:

May 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/321654

Inventors:

Salvatore Cataudella - Brooklyn NY
Kathleen Cunningham - New York NY
Kenneth Herndon - Suffern NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

345619, 345589, 345593, 345835

Abstract:

An object oriented zooming engine provides zooming graphical objects for a zooming graphical user interface. A zooming object residing in a zooming graphical user interface has attributes that are defined by graphical object classes having a particular class hierarchy. Color scheme object classes have a hierarchy that mirrors that of the graphical object classes. This provides an architecture wherein classes of zooming objects can have their own default color schemes, and can inherit the default characteristics of super classes in a predictable fashion. Thus, for example, an instance of an object may inherit the color attributes of other members of its class by default, or may specify an instance color scheme that differs from the default scheme. The architecture provides consistent encapsulation of the color attributes corresponding to graphical objects, and allows color information for the graphical user interface to be stored more efficiently.

US Patent:

63238780, Nov 27, 2001

Filed:

Mar 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/261529

Inventors:

Samuel F. Haffey - New York City NY
Jad Nehme - New York City NY
Kathleen Cunningham - New York City NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345660

Abstract:

A method for transforming a video signal provided to a computer into an object in a zooming universe established in such computer, which zooming object may be enlarged and panned by manipulation by a user via a computer input device. At the time a video file is opened in a video player on such a computer, a zooming engine is enabled on the computer and a zooming universe is enabled therefrom. Frames of the video signal being played on the computer video player are copied to a video object in the zooming universe and displayed there. By manipulation of the parameters of the bounding box enclosing the zooming video object, through use of a computer input device, the user is able to scale and pan the video image in the zooming universe display up (or down) to a desired viewing size and perspective.

US Patent:

6249290, Jun 19, 2001

Filed:

Dec 14, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/211669

Inventors:

Kenneth Herndon - Suffern NY
Salvatore Cataudella - Brooklyn NY
Kathleen Cunningham - NY NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06T 1500

US Classification:

345439

Abstract:

An object oriented zooming engine for providing a zooming graphical user interface is disclosed. The zooming engine includes classes that define zooming objects, an event manager, and a view manager. Events are received by the event manager, and alternatively assigned to the view manager or zooming objects for processing. The view manager and zooming objects have associated event handlers for providing event responsive behavior. Among the event handlers associated with the view manager is a pick handler that determines whether zooming objects in a zooming view have been targeted by an event. Thus, an event can be initially assigned to the view, and then assigned to the zooming objects within the view that may have been targeted. This allows more efficient handling of events and updating of the display, and provides a flexible system, where various behaviors can be variously and individually modified.

US Patent:

62752324, Aug 14, 2001

Filed:

Dec 14, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/211666

Inventors:

Salvatore Cataudella - Brooklyn NY
Kathleen Cunningham - New York NY
Kenneth Herndon - New York NY

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06F 314

US Classification:

345349

Abstract:

Flexible event responsive behavior in an object oriented computing environment is provided by associating a plurality of event handlers to objects. The event handlers can have various event responsive behavior, and can be sequentially invoked in order to provide various different types of behavior responsive to an event. Certain event handlers can consume an event, wherein the event is not processed by remaining event handlers. In certain embodiments, the event handlers can be associated with objects at various levels, such as class and super class levels. In that instance, the event handlers can be invoked starting with the class level, and proceeding to superior classes through the base class corresponding to the object. Alternatively, event handlers are associated with objects at an instance level, wherein the instance level event handlers are invoked prior to the class level ones. Preferably, the event responsive behavior is provided in a zooming engine for a zooming graphical user interface, where zooming objects reside in a zooming space and are displayed in a zooming view.