초록 ▼

A method of human-computer interfacing provides efficient intuitive controls in a three-dimensional space. The method provides a three-dimensional space, characterized by a z dimension approximately parallel to the user's direction of view, and x and y dimensions approximately orthogonal thereto. A

A method of human-computer interfacing provides efficient intuitive controls in a three-dimensional space. The method provides a three-dimensional space, characterized by a z dimension approximately parallel to the user's direction of view, and x and y dimensions approximately orthogonal thereto. A control has x and y coordinate sets, and a z coordinate set that spans a range of values. The range can be infinite, making the control accessible at all depths, or can be a finite range, making the control accessible from that range of depths. Movement of a cursor into the control's region initiates user interaction according to the control. The control depth reduces the precision of depth perception required to find the control. Once the user is in the control region, the effective depth for interaction can be relative to the depth when the user entered, providing control interaction independent of entering depth.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of human-computer interfacing provides efficient intuitive controls in a three-dimensional space. The method provides a three-dimensional space, characterized by a z dimension approximately parallel to the user's direction of view, and x and y dimensions approximately orthogonal thereto. A

A method of human-computer interfacing provides efficient intuitive controls in a three-dimensional space. The method provides a three-dimensional space, characterized by a z dimension approximately parallel to the user's direction of view, and x and y dimensions approximately orthogonal thereto. A control has x and y coordinate sets, and a z coordinate set that spans a range of values. The range can be infinite, making the control accessible at all depths, or can be a finite range, making the control accessible from that range of depths. Movement of a cursor into the control's region initiates user interaction according to the control. The control depth reduces the precision of depth perception required to find the control. Once the user is in the control region, the effective depth for interaction can be relative to the depth when the user entered, providing control interaction independent of entering depth. 1. A method of observing a specimen image using a scanning charged-particle beam instrument having a specimen stage capable of mechanical X- and Y-motions and rotation, said specimen stage holding a specimen thereon, said specimen being illuminated with a charged-particle beam that is scanned in two dimensions across said specimen, said instrument being designed to display a scanned image according to a signal obtained in response to the illumination of the charged-particle beam, said instrument having scan rotation capabilities for rotating the direction of the two-dimensional scan by controlling a scanning signal for said charged-particle beam, said instrument having image shift capabilities for shifting a range in which said charged-particle beam is scanned, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a first scanned image at a first X-Y observational position on the specimen said first scanned image having a first rotational orientation;storing specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information at said first observational position;storing scan shift and rotation information of said first scanned image at said first observational position;displaying a second scanned image at a second observational position on the specimen, said second scanned image having a second rotational orientation;storing specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information at said second observational position;storing scan shift and rotation information of said second scanned image at said second observational position;instructing return from said second to said first observational position; andautomatically returning to said first observational position and displaying a scanned image which has said first rotational orientation according to the stored information about the angle of rotation of the image, the amount of shift, and specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information.2. A scanning charged-particle beam instrument comprising: means for directing a charged-particle beam to a specimen placed on a specimen stage capable of being mechanically moved in the X- and Y-directions and of being rotated;means for scanning the charged-particle beam across the specimen in two dimensions;means for detecting resulting electrons to produce a detector output signal;means for displaying first and second scanned images at first and second X-Y observational positions and having first and second rotational orientations, respectively, of the specimen based on the detector output signal;means having scan rotation capabilities for controlling a scanning signal for the charged-particle beam to rotate the direction of the two-dimensional scan;means having image shift capabilities for controlling a scanning signal for shifting a range in which the charged-particle beam is scanned;memory for storing specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information at said first and second observational positions;memory for storing scan shift and rotation information at said first and second scanned images at said first and second observational positions; andcontrol means for instructing return from said second to said first observational position, and controlling the specimen stage, the scan rotation and image shift, based upon data stored in said memories, said control unit controlling in such manner that, if the instruction which instructs to return to said first position is received, the observational position is returned to said first position and a scanned image which has said first rotational orientation is displayed based on stored information about stage position and amounts of rotation and shift owing to the scan rotation capabilities and image shift capabilities.3. A method of observing a specimen image using a scanning charged-particle beam instrument having a specimen stage capable of mechanical X- and Y-motions and rotation, said specimen stage holding a specimen thereon, said specimen being illuminated with a charged-particle beam that is scanned in two dimensions across said specimen, said instrument being designed to display a scanned image according to a signal obtained in response to the illumination of the charged-particle beam, said instrument having scan rotation capabilities for rotating the direction of the two-dimensional scan by controlling a scanning signal for said charged-particle beam, said instrument having image shift capabilities for shifting a range in which said charged-particle beam is scanned, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a scanned image at an X-Y observational position on the specimen, and displaying being performed at one after the other plural X-Y observational positions including the last observational position, each scanned image having a rotational orientation, respectively;storing specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information and scan shift and rotation information of said scanned image at each of said plural observational positions;instructing return from said last observational position to a selected one of the plural observational positions; andautomatically moving to said selected observational position and reproducing another image which has the same rotational orientation as the rotational orientation of the previously displayed image at said selected position according to the stored information about the angle of rotation of the image, the amount of shift, and specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information.4. A scanning charged-particle beam instrument comprising: means for directing a charged-particle beam to a specimen placed on a specimen stage capable of being mechanically moved in the X- and Y-directions and of being rotated;means for scanning the charged-particle beam across the specimen in two dimensions;means for detecting resulting electrons to produce a detector output signal;means for displaying a scanned image of the specimen at plural X-Y observational positions including the last observational position on the specimen based on the detector output signal, said image having a rotational orientation;means having scan rotation capabilities for controlling a scanning signal for the charged-particle beam to rotate the direction of the two-dimensional scan;means having image shift capabilities for controlling a scanning signal for shifting a range in which the charged-particle beam is scanned;memory for storing specimen stage X- and Y-direction and rotation information at each of said plural X-Y observational positions;memory for storing scan shift and rotation information of said scanned image at each of said plural observational positions; andcontrol means for instructing return from said last observational position to a prior observational position on the specimen, and controlling the specimen stage, the scan rotation and image shift, based upon data stored in said memories, said control unit controlling in such manner that, if the instruction which instructs to return to a prior observational position is received, the observational position is returned to said prior observational position based on stored information about the stage position and amounts of rotations and shift owing to the scan rotation capabilities and image shift capabilities and for displaying another image as was which has the same rotation orientation as the rotational orientation of the previously displayed image at said prior observational position.5. A method of obs