Method and apparatus for interfacing with a computer user via virtual thumbnails

A method of displaying a virtual thumbnail, the method comprising:

• determining a first plurality of associations between a first plurality of variables and a first plurality of zones for a first size of the virtual thumbnail;
• determining a first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• rendering the virtual thumbnail in the first size to be indicative of the first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• receiving an instruction to change the virtual thumbnail from the first size to a second different size;
• determining a second plurality of associations between a second plurality of variables and a second plurality of zones for the second size of the virtual thumbnail, the second plurality of zones having a different number of zones than the first plurality of zones;
• determining a second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• rendering the virtual thumbnail in the second size to be indicative of the second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• rendering a plurality of additional multi-zone shapes such that the first multi-zone shape is displayed at the same time as the plurality of additional multi-zone shapes;
• generating a first software event in response to receiving a first user action associated with a first zone in the first plurality of zones;
• and
• generating a second software event in response to receiving a second user action associated with a second zone in the first plurality of zones, the second software event being different than the first software event.

An apparatus for interfacing with a computer user, the apparatus comprising:

• a controller;
• a display device operatively coupled to the controller;
• and
• a memory device operatively coupled to the controller, the memory device storing a software program to cause the controller to:
• determine a first plurality of associations between a first plurality of variables and a first plurality of zones for a first size of the virtual thumbnail;
• determine a first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• render the virtual thumbnail in the first size to be indicative of the first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• receive an instruction to change the virtual thumbnail from the first size to a second different size;
• determine a second plurality of associations between a second plurality of variables and a second plurality of zones for the second size of the virtual thumbnail, the second plurality of zones having a different number of zones than the first plurality of zones;
• determine a second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• render the virtual thumbnail in the second size to be indicative of the second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• rendering a plurality of additional multi-zone shapes such that the first multi-zone shape is displayed at the same time as the plurality of additional multi-zone shapes;
• generating a first software event in response to receiving a first user action associated with a first zone in the first plurality of zones;
• and
• generating a second software event in response to receiving a second user action associated with a second zone in the first plurality of zones, the second software event being different than the first software event.

A non-transitory computer readable memory storing software instructions to cause a computing device to:

• determine a first plurality of associations between a first plurality of variables and a first plurality of zones for a first size of the virtual thumbnail;
• determine a first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• render the virtual thumbnail in the first size to be indicative of the first plurality of states associated with the first plurality of variables;
• receive an instruction to change the virtual thumbnail from the first size to a second different size;
• determine a second plurality of associations between a second plurality of variables and a second plurality of zones for the second size of the virtual thumbnail, the second plurality of zones having a different number of zones than the first plurality of zones;
• determine a second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• render the virtual thumbnail in the second size to be indicative of the second plurality of states associated with the second plurality of variables;
• rendering a plurality of additional multi-zone shapes such that the first multi-zone shape is displayed at the same time as the plurality of additional multi-zone shapes;
• generating a first software event in response to receiving a first user action associated with a first zone in the first plurality of zones;
• and
• generating a second software event in response to receiving a second user action associated with a second zone in the first plurality of zones, the second software event being different than the first software event.