Multi-Monitor Screen Magnifier With Locked Stationary View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screen magnification software limits users to visual access of only a portion of the desktop at a time, and in multi-monitor settings, users face challenges in maintaining a stationary view while moving the mouse between monitors, leading to undesired view changes.
Innovation Solution
A view locking feature that restricts mouse movement to the current viewing area, allowing smooth transitions between monitors, and a view predictor function that dynamically sets the initial view based on user interactions, enhancing usability for low vision users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the magnified viewing area tracks mouse movement to allow visual access to the desktop area around the mouse location, then the user can access information across the desktop, but the magnified view cannot remain stationary when the user needs to compare two pieces of information spread apart
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two operational modes: tracking mode where the magnified view follows mouse movement, and locking mode where the magnified view remains stationary. This dynamic switching allows the system to adapt its behavior based on user needs, resolving the contradiction between view stability and mouse movement freedom.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the mouse is restricted to the magnified area in single monitor mode, then the view remains stable, but in multi-monitor settings the user cannot freely move the mouse between monitors while keeping the viewing area static
Solution Approach 1:
The view locking mechanism applies different constraints to different regions of the display. In regions where monitors are adjacent, the mouse can flow freely between them while the view remains locked. In regions where no monitor exists, the mouse is bound to the viewing area. This localized application of constraints resolves the contradiction between view stability and multi-monitor adaptability.
3Area of stationary object
If screen magnification is applied to provide access to the entire desktop area, then the user can access all information, but the user only has visual access to a portion of the desktop area at any given time
Solution Approach 1:
The desktop is segmented into multiple magnified viewing areas, with each monitor displaying a separate magnified view. This allows the user to access different portions of the desktop simultaneously by moving between monitors, effectively resolving the contradiction between covering the entire desktop and maintaining adequate visual access to information.
Data Source
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AI summary
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of running a software program on a computer. The computer operates under an operating system. The method includes issuing instructions from the software program comprising magnifying a portion of a graphic user interface on a monitor to establish a magnified view. The magnified view defines a rectangle having an upper boundary, a lower boundary, a left boundary and a right boundary. The method further comprises responsive to an end-user selectable setting, restricting pointer indicia movement to an area defined by the upper boundary, the lower boundary, the left boundary and the right boundary, and responsive to the end-user input, moving the pointer indicium about the magnified view. The magnified view remains static irrespective of the pointer indicium movement. The method further comprises saving an end-user selected view associated with a preselected application in focus, monitoring the state of the graphic user interface for the reappearance of the preselected application, and automatically invoking the magnified view and restricting pointer indicia movement responsive to the preselected application coming into focus.