Magnifying visual information using a center-based loupe

A machine-implemented method for magnifying portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

• an operating system maintaining instructions for displaying, in response to receiving user input, an object, representing a loupe, and switching the displaying of the object from displaying the object in a first input-mode to displaying the object in a second input-mode, wherein the visual information has a first portion and a second portion, comprising:
• while said displayed object is operating in said first input-mode, displaying the displayed object without displaying a separate input focus, and displaying, within a first bounded region, at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of said visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, the first portion of the visual information that is determined by a current location of the displayed object;
• while said displayed object is operating in said first input-mode, in response to a first single user input action, switching from operating in said first input-mode to operating in said second input-mode by ceasing movements of said displayed object in accordance with movements of the input focus and displaying the input focus on the screen separate from said displayed object;
• while said displayed object is in said second input-mode, continuously updating content displayed within the first bounded region as the input focus moves independently of the object;
• wherein, while said displayed object is in said second input-mode, the content displayed within the first bounded region is centered upon a current location of the input focus, and displayed at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region;
• while said displayed object is operating in said second input-mode, in response to a second single user input action, switching form operating in said second input-mode to operating in said first input-mode by resuming movements of said displayed object in accordance with movements of the input focus and ceasing displaying the input focus on the screen separate from the displayed object;
• wherein the method is performed by a computer programmed to be a special purpose machine pursuant to instructions from program software.

A non-transitory volatile or non-volatile medium storing instructions for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes:

• in response to receiving user input, displaying an object, representing a loupe, that includes a first visual indicator indicating a first bounded region for displaying a part of the visual information;
• wherein the visual information has a first portion and a second portion;
• wherein said object operates in a plurality of modes that includes at least a first input-mode and a second input-mode;
• while said object is operating in said first input-mode, displaying the object without displaying a separate input focus, and displaying, within the first bounded region, at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, the first portion of the visual information that is determined by a current location of the object;
• while said object is operating in said first input-mode, in response to a first single user input action, switching from operating in said first input-mode to operating in said second input-mode by ceasing movements of said object in accordance with movements of the input focus and displaying the input focus on the screen separate from the object;
• while said object is in said second input-mode, continuously updating content displayed within the first bounded region as the input focus moves independently of the object;
• wherein, while said object is in said second input-mode, the content displayed within the first bounded region is centered upon a current location of the input focus, and displayed at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region;
• while said object is operating in said second input-mode, in response to a second single user input action, switching from operating in said second input-mode to operating in said first input-mode by resuming movements of said object in accordance with movements of the input focus and ceasing displaying the input focus on the screen separate from the object.

An apparatus for magnifying selected portions of visual information on a screen, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a machine-readable medium carrying instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors causes:
• in response to receiving user input, displaying an object, representing a loupe, that includes a first visual indicator indicating a first bounded region for displaying a part of the visual information;
• wherein the visual information has a first portion and a second portion;
• wherein said object operates in a plurality of modes that includes at least a first input-mode and a second input-mode;
• while said object is operating in said first input-mode, displaying the object without displaying a separate input focus, and displaying, within the first bounded region, at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region, the first portion of the visual information that is determined by a current location of the object;
• while said object is operating in said first input-mode, in response to a first single user input action, switching from operating in said first input-mode to operating in said second input-mode by ceasing movements of said object in accordance with movements of the input focus and displaying the input focus on the screen separate from the object;
• while said object is in said second input-mode, continuously updating content displayed within the first bounded region as the input focus moves independently of the object;
• wherein, while said object is in said second input-mode, the content displayed within the first bounded region is centered upon a current location of the input focus, and displayed at a magnification level that is greater than the magnification level of the visual information that is outside of the first bounded region;
• while said object is operating in said second input-mode, in response to a second single user input action, switching from operating in said second input-mode to operating in said first input-mode by resuming movements of said object in accordance with movements of the input focus and ceasing displaying the input focus on the screen separate from the object.