Visual expander

1. A computer implemented method for a touchscreen display, comprising:

presenting graphical information on the touchscreen display;

detecting a touch over the touchscreen display;

expanding an area of the touch screen display proximate the location of the touch.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of expanding includes visually expanding a localized portion of the presented graphical information in the region of the touch relative to the remaining portions of the presented graphical information outside the region of the touch.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the expanded portion of the presented graphical information is magnified between about 1× and about 4× the non expanded portion of the presented graphical information.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the expanded portion of the graphical information is raised relative to the non expanded portion of the graphical information.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the expanded portion of the graphical information includes a substantially planar plateau region and a substantially sloped transition region, the transition region providing a gradient of growth between the plateau region and the non expanded portion of the graphical information.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of expanding includes scaling the input sensitivity of the touchscreen display with the expanded portion of the graphical information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of expanding occurs immediately after the touch is detected.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of expanding occurs when the touch is detected for a predetermined amount of time.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

reverting to a non expanded state when the touch is no longer detected.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the step of reverting occurs when the touch is not detected for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving inputs within the localized screen area.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the input is a selection input.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the selection input is implemented with tapping.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the selection input is implemented with increased touch pressure.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the input is a gestural input

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the input is a data entry input.

17. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the expanded localized screen area follows the touch as the touch is moved across the touchscreen display.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the amount of expansion is based on the amount of touch pressure.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a second touch over the touchscreen display;

expanding a second area of the touch screen display proximate the location of the second touch.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the second touch is detected at the same as the first touch, and wherein the first and second areas are expanded simultaneously.

21. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the amount of expansion is based on the location of the touch relative to the graphical information.

22. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the expanded area is a localized area of any portion of the graphical information.

23. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the expanded area corresponds to a particular image embedded in the graphical information.

24. A computer implemented method, comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface (GUI);

sensing an object over the graphical user interface;

visually expanding an area of GUI near the sensed object;

if the expanded area includes a selectable feature, performing an action associated with the feature when the feature is selected;

if the sensed object is moving over the GUI, moving the expanded area in accordance with the moving object; and

if the object is no longer sensed, maintaining the expansion of the expanded area in the last sensed location for a predetermined amount of time.

25. A computer implemented method, comprising:

displaying graphical information;

detecting an object over the graphical information; and

visually expanding portions of the graphical information in close proximity and underneath the detected object.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein the expansion is produced in a localized area of the entire graphical information, the localized area depending on the location of the object.