JP2007328456A - Object display processing apparatus, object display processing method, and program for object display processing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and efficiently sort and manage a plurality of objects on a screen. <P>SOLUTION: In a computer 20, icons 10 spatially collected on a display screen 31 are grouped as one group (S130) based on the coordinates on the display screen 31 of the plurality of icons 10, and the icons 10 are displayed on the display screen 31 together with a group-identification-displayed bubble 11 showing the attribution to the group of the icons 10 (Step S140). Thus, in the computer 20, when the icons 10 are spatially collected on the display screen 31, the plurality of icons 10 are grouped, and group processing can be applied to the grouped icons 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an object display processing device, an object display processing method, and an object display processing program for displaying a plurality of objects on a screen and executing processing according to an operation on the object.

In general, in an operating system or the like that implements a graphical user interface (GUI), a large number of files are classified and organized by constructing a hierarchical folder structure and storing icons as objects in the folder. Such a folder structure is suitable for certain deterministic and permanent file classifications, but requires explicit folder creation and file (icon) storage operations in the folder. For this reason, it is not always useful for the classification of files whose relations are relatively ambiguous or the management of files that are frequently reclassified. For this reason, Mander et al. Have created a 'Pile' Metaphor that sorts and organizes many files by creating a 'Pile' (stack of documents) that stacks files as an alternative to folders as a file management method on the desktop. It has been proposed (see Non-Patent Document 1).
R. Mander, G. Salomon, and YY Wong.A 'Pile' Metaphor for Supporting Casual Organization of Information.In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, pp. 13-23, 1994.

  However, in the above 'Pile' Metaphor, files are completely overlapped on the screen, and since specific operations are required for the operation of individual files that are the contents of 'Pile', 'Pile' itself is In effect, it constitutes a unique folder, and as a result, labor saving and convenience improvement of file classification / organization are not so much planned. On the other hand, conventionally, a plurality of icons that are related to each other are arranged together spatially by bringing them close to each other or overlapping each other on the screen, and a group that looks at the group of these icons. The technique expressed as is also widely used. Such a method is convenient and useful in that a group can be expressed by simply moving an icon without an explicit grouping operation. However, since these icons are not recognized as a group by the system, it is impossible to collectively operate the group. In addition, when a large number of icons are overlapped, access and operation for each icon become extremely troublesome.

  Therefore, an object display processing device, an object display processing method, and an object display processing program according to the present invention have an object to enable easy and efficient classification and management of a plurality of objects on a screen. Another object of the object display processing device, the object display processing method, and the object display processing program according to the present invention is to improve operability when classifying and managing objects displayed on a screen.

  The object display processing device, object display processing method, and object display processing program of the present invention according to the present invention employ the following means in order to achieve at least a part of the above object.

An object display processing device according to the present invention includes:
An object display processing device that displays a plurality of objects on a screen and executes processing according to an operation on the object,
Grouping means for grouping objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as one group;
Display means for displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification display indicating attribution of the object to the group;
Group processing means for executing group processing, which is processing for the group according to the operation, when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
Is provided.

  In this object display processing apparatus, objects that are spatially grouped on the screen based on the positions of the plurality of objects on the screen are grouped as one group, and a group identification display indicating attribution of the object to the group At the same time, the object is displayed on the screen. Then, when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen, group processing that is processing for the group corresponding to the operation is executed. Thus, if a spatial group of objects is constructed on the screen, a plurality of objects can be grouped and group processing can be executed on the grouped objects. Therefore, according to this object display processing device, a plurality of objects on the screen can be easily and efficiently classified and managed.

  The grouping means may execute grouping of the objects when the positional relationship of the objects on the screen is changed. In this case, when any object or group is moved on the screen or a new object is created and the positional relationship of the objects on the screen is changed, the grouping of objects is executed. become. Therefore, if a new object is added near an object or group, or if any object or group is brought close to another object or group on the screen, those objects are automatically grouped. Is possible. Further, if any object is separated from a certain group on the screen, the grouping of any object can be released, so that the reclassification of the object can be performed easily and efficiently.

  Further, the object display processing apparatus according to the present invention can select and cancel the group mode in which the grouping by the grouping means, the display processing by the display means, and the group processing by the group processing means are valid. The group mode setting means may further be provided. This makes it possible to arbitrarily select a group mode, and it is also possible to execute construction of a plurality of groups or cancellation of grouping in one action.

  The object display processing apparatus according to the present invention may further include an object position acquisition unit that acquires positions on the screen of the plurality of objects, and the grouping unit includes: A group range that is a range on the screen of objects to be grouped as one group is set based on a position and a predetermined constraint, and whether or not the object is positioned within the group range for each object It is possible to determine whether or not the objects are grouped based on the result of the determination. As a result, objects on the screen can be grouped according to their spatial arrangement.

  Further, the grouping means calculates a potential based on a position on the screen of the plurality of objects and a virtual potential field assigned to each of the objects for a region corresponding to the plurality of objects. And a boundary setting means for setting a boundary surrounding an area where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and objects located within the boundary may be grouped as one group. . In this way, when a virtual potential field is given to each object, and the potential based on the position and potential field of each object is calculated for a region (screen region) corresponding to a plurality of objects, a region with a high object density That is, the calculated potential value increases toward the periphery of the object group spatially grouped on the screen. Therefore, if the objects included in the region where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value are grouped into one group, it is possible to execute more appropriate object grouping according to the spatial arrangement of the objects on the screen. .

  In this case, the display means may display the set boundary on the screen together with the object as the group identification display. As a result, a group identification display surrounding the grouped objects is displayed on the screen, so that one group and an object belonging to the group can be easily identified on the screen. If the boundary based on the potential calculated as described above is displayed on the screen as the group identification display, the group identification display expands and contracts in accordance with the movement of the object or the like on the screen. Since it is displayed on the screen, whether or not the grouping or grouping has been canceled can be presented in a visually easy-to-understand manner.

  The potential field may be defined as a concentration function that maximizes the potential at a predetermined reference position of the object and defines the potential to decrease as the distance from the reference position in the radial direction increases. As described above, if a concentration function obtained by applying a so-called metaball in two dimensions is used as a potential field to be given to each object, the so-called marching square method is used, and according to the spatial arrangement of objects on the screen. Thus, it is possible to more appropriately execute the grouping of objects and the setting of boundaries as group identification display.

  Furthermore, the grouping means may calculate the potential for each grid corresponding to at least each of the objects of a plurality of grids set for the screen.

  In the object display processing device according to the present invention, the group processing means may perform a predetermined expansion request operation when at least a part of a plurality of objects belonging to the group are displayed on the screen so as to overlap each other. Accordingly, the plurality of objects belonging to the group may be redisplayed so that the overlapping of the objects is substantially eliminated. As a result, even if at least some of the plurality of objects belonging to one group are displayed so as to overlap each other, if the expansion request operation is executed, the overlap is substantially eliminated, and the plurality of objects belonging to the group Therefore, it is possible to easily perform access and operation to each of the above, so that it is possible to improve operability when classifying and managing objects displayed on the screen. Note that “overlap is“ substantially eliminated ”” here means that the overlap between objects is completely eliminated, and at least the overlap is eliminated to the extent that access to the lower object is possible. Including that.

  In this case, the group processing means includes an object pair extraction means for extracting a pair of objects from a plurality of objects belonging to the group, and the pair of objects for eliminating overlap between the extracted pair of objects. A relative positional relationship deriving unit for deriving a relative positional relationship between the target, and the target on the screen after cancellation of the overlap of the pair of extracted objects based on the derived relative positional relationship and a predetermined positional constraint And target position setting means for setting the position. As a result, the relative positional relationship of the objects before the overlap cancellation is substantially maintained, and the display range of the group is suppressed from being unnecessarily expanded, and the objects belong to the group so that the overlap between the objects is canceled. A plurality of objects can be displayed again.

  The target position setting means uses the target position as a free variable, and calculates a sum of squares of residuals between the relative positional relationship between the pair of objects based on the target position and the set relative positional relationship. The target position may be set by minimizing the energy function to be expressed by the least square method.

  Further, in the object display processing device according to the present invention, the group processing means may add a plurality of new groups based on the input stroke when an input operation of a stroke for dividing the group is performed on the screen. It may be divided into groups. This makes it possible to easily divide one group constructed according to the spatial arrangement of objects on the screen into a plurality of groups again. In addition, if a group that includes objects that are not intended to be grouped is constructed, if the stroke is entered so as to separate the objects that are not intended to be grouped, the originally intended group It can be easily constructed. Therefore, in the object display processing apparatus provided with such a group processing means, it is possible to improve convenience when classifying and managing objects displayed on the screen. The “new plural groups” here may include only a single object.

  In this case, the group processing means groups the objects located on one side of the stroke among the objects belonging to the group as a new group, and is located on the other side of the input stroke. The objects may be grouped as a new group. In addition, the grouping unit calculates a potential based on a position on the screen of the plurality of objects and a virtual potential field assigned to each of the objects, for a region corresponding to the plurality of objects. And a boundary setting means for setting a boundary surrounding an area where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and when the objects located within the boundary are grouped as one group, The group processing means may group the objects in the loop as one group for every two loops formed based on the boundary and the stroke.

  Furthermore, the object display processing device according to the present invention executes an individual process that is a process for any one of the objects according to the operation when a predetermined operation is performed on any of the objects belonging to the group. Processing means may be further provided.

  The object in the object display processing device according to the present invention may be an icon displayed on the screen. That is, the object display processing device according to the present invention is extremely useful when configured as a device for classifying and managing icons displayed on a desktop or the like.

An object display processing method according to the present invention includes:
An object display processing method for displaying a plurality of objects on a screen and executing processing according to an operation on the object,
(A) grouping objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as a group;
(B) displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification indicating the attribution of the object to the group;
(C) executing a group process that is a process for the group according to the operation when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
Is included.

  According to this object display processing method, if a spatial unit of objects is constructed on the screen, a plurality of objects can be grouped and group processing can be performed on the grouped objects. Multiple objects on the screen can be easily and efficiently classified and managed.

An object display processing program according to the present invention includes:
An object display processing program that causes a computer to function as an object display processing device that displays a plurality of objects on a screen and executes processing according to an operation on the object,
A grouping module that groups objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as one group;
A display module for displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification display indicating attribution of the object to the group;
A group processing module that executes group processing, which is processing for the group according to the operation, when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
Is provided.

  Since the computer in which the object display processing program is installed functions as the object display processing device according to the present invention described above, the object display processing program can be used to easily and efficiently classify a plurality of objects on the screen.・ It becomes possible to manage. This object display processing program may be realized, for example, by adding a plug-in to an existing operating system installed in a computer.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to examples.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a computer 20 as an object display processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a computer 20 of the embodiment is a general-purpose computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, graphic processor (GPU), system bus, various interfaces, storage device (hard disk drive), external storage device, etc. (not shown). It is used by being connected to a display device 30 such as a liquid crystal display, and a keyboard 40 and a mouse 50 as input devices. The computer 20 is installed with an operating system that implements a graphical user interface (GUI) and controls the entire apparatus, and the object display processing program according to the present invention is preinstalled in the operating system. Built in with the addition of plug-ins. The object display processing program categorizes icons by realizing automatic grouping of icons as objects displayed on the desktop and windows on the desktop and group processing that is a batch processing for grouped icons. -Management can be performed easily and efficiently.

  The computer 20 includes an image processing unit 21 in cooperation with one or both of hardware such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, GPU, various interfaces, and a storage device and an installed application program such as an operating system. The image data storage unit 22, the grouping calculation unit 23 including the potential calculation unit 24 and the bubble boundary setting unit 25, the individual processing unit 26, and the group processing unit 27 are constructed as functional blocks. The image processing unit 21 executes image processing related to various tasks, and the image data storage unit 22 stores various generated image data and the like. Further, the grouping calculation unit 23 performs calculation processing for automatic grouping of icons to group icons spatially grouped on the display screen 31, and the potential calculation unit 24 When automatically grouping icons, a potential based on the position (coordinates) of the icon on the display screen 31 and the virtual potential field assigned to each icon is calculated. Based on the calculated potential, a bubble boundary indicating a group range which is a range on the display screen 31 of icons to be grouped as one group is set. The individual processing unit 26 is a process corresponding to the operation when any operation is performed on any one icon via the mouse 50 regardless of whether the individual processing unit 26 is grouped or not. The processing is executed, and the group processing unit 27 executes group processing for the grouped icons. The group processing executed by the group processing unit 27 includes extended display processing for expanding and redisplaying the grouped icons so that the overlap of the icons is eliminated, and further adding the grouped icons to a plurality of groups. Group division processing and the like to be divided into two. Therefore, the group processing unit 27 includes an extended display processing unit 28 that executes an extended display process, a group division processing unit 29 that executes a group division process, and the like.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a desktop displayed on the display screen 31 of the display device 30 connected to the computer 20 described above. This figure exemplifies a desktop normally displayed on the display device 30. On the desktop at the normal time, a desktop displayed on a display screen of a display device basically connected to an existing computer is basically shown. Similarly, icons 10 indicating programs, folders, various files, and the like are arranged according to the user's intention. Here, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, when the mouse 50 is right-clicked on such a normal desktop, a desktop menu DM provided by the operating system is displayed as shown in FIG. The desktop menu DM basically includes the same menu items as the existing ones. However, the desktop menu DM of the embodiment includes the above-described grouping operation unit 23 and group in addition to the general menu items. A menu item “group mode” for enabling the function of the processing unit 27 is prepared. Then, when the user selects (checks) “group mode” as shown in FIG. 2, icons 10 that are brought close to each other on the desktop or overlapped and spatially grouped together have a predetermined grouping condition. As shown in FIG. 3, the desktop when the group mode is selected is instantaneously displayed.

  On the desktop when the group mode is selected, the icons 10 that are displayed in the normal state while maintaining the same arrangement (positional relationship) as in the normal state are displayed as they are, but in addition, the icons 10 are lightly colored around each icon 10. Bubble 11 is displayed. As can be seen from FIG. 3, around the icon 10 (for example, a file such as “DATA” and “memo” in FIG. 3) arranged at a certain distance from the other icons 10, there is a reference position ( In the embodiment, a substantially circular valve 11 centering on the center of the image of the icon 10 is displayed. On the other hand, the icons 10 (for example, the files “abstract” and “figure” or the folder “0825” and the files “bubble”, “004”, “007”, etc.) that are grouped by being close to each other or overlapping each other) are grouped. Around the periphery, a bubble 11 is displayed so as to surround all icons 10 belonging to the group. That is, the bubble 11 functions as a group identification display indicating the attribution of the icon 10 to the group and the range of the group.

In the group mode, the grouped icons 10 can be moved together by dragging the bubble 11 around the grouped icons 10 by left-clicking. Further, when the bubble 11 around the grouped icons 10 is right-clicked, a group menu GM provided by the operating system is displayed as shown in FIG. The group menu GM enables selection of group processing, which is a collective processing for the grouped icons 10, and includes “cut” for the entire group, “copy” for the entire group, and “paste” for the entire group. "Add", ..., "Ungroup", "Create Folder" to make a group into a folder,

A plurality of menu items corresponding to group processing such as “expanded display” for redisplaying the icons 10 so that the overlapping of the icons 10 is eliminated when at least a part of the icons 10 belonging to the group overlap. Including. If a desired group process is selected from such a group menu GM, the icons 10 grouped by the above-described group processing unit 27 and the like are processed in a batch.

  Of course, when any operation is performed on any one of the icons 10 via the mouse 50 regardless of whether they are grouped or not under the group mode, processing corresponding to the operation is performed. It is executed by the individual processing unit 26 described above. For example, when a folder “0825” is double-clicked, a new window showing the contents of the folder is displayed on the display screen 31 as shown in FIG. At this time, under the group mode, even in a newly displayed window, as shown in FIG. 3, a bubble 11 is displayed around the icon 10, and the icons 10 (groups) grouped in the window are displayed. ), A bubble 11 surrounding all the icons 10 belonging to the group is displayed. Further, when a right click on any one of the icons 10, an individual menu (not shown) that enables selection of individual processing for the icon 10 is displayed.

  Further, under the group mode, the grouping of the icons 10 is also executed when the position of any icon 10 or any group on the display screen 31 is changed. That is, under the group mode, if any one icon 10 or any group is brought close to any other icon 10 or group on the display screen 31, the icons 10 are grouped. Can do. Also, if any icon 10 is pulled away from a certain group on the display screen 31, the grouping of any icon 10 can be canceled. At this time, the bubble 11 is deformed according to the position of the moved icon 10 or the like, and the boundary of the bubble 11 is changed according to grouping or release thereof. Therefore, the bubble 11 also plays a role as a connection region that is a clue for visually recognizing whether grouping is possible.

  Next, a grouping display process that is a process for realizing the grouping of icons 10 as described above in the computer 20 of the embodiment will be described. Further, following the description of the grouped display process, an extended display process and a group division process will be described as representative examples of the group process executed by the group processing unit 27.

[Grouped display processing]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the grouping display process executed in the computer 20 according to the embodiment. This grouping display process is executed for one cycle when “group mode” is selected from the desktop menu DM on the normal desktop or when a new icon 10 is created under the group mode. When a moving operation for moving any icon 10 or group on the display screen 31 is performed under the mode, the operation is repeatedly executed from the start to the completion of the moving operation.

  At the start of the grouping display process of FIG. 4, the grouping calculation unit 23 of the computer 20 positions all the icons 10 displayed on the display screen 31 on the display screen 31 at the image center, that is, the coordinate system of the display screen 31. The coordinates of the image centers of all icons 10 based on (for example, a coordinate system in pixel units) are acquired (step S100). The coordinates of all the icons 10 taken into the grouping calculation unit 23 are given to the potential calculation unit 24, and the potential calculation unit 24 adds the coordinates of each icon 10 and the virtual potential assigned to each icon 10. Using the field, a potential based on the coordinates of each icon 10 and the potential field of each icon 10 in each of the plurality of potential grids set for the display screen 31 is calculated (step S110). Here, in the embodiment, as a virtual potential field given to each icon 10, a concentration function obtained by applying so-called metaballs two-dimensionally as shown in FIG. 5 is used. That is, each potential field has a potential at the image center (or image centroid) that is the reference position of the icon 10 as a maximum value Pmax (> 1), and the potential is defined to be smaller in accordance with a predetermined law as the distance from the image center increases in the radial direction. Is. In the embodiment, the potential at a location where the distance from the image center of the icon 10 is a radius r0 of a circle that is slightly larger than the circle that is substantially circumscribed by the image of each icon 10 is 1 and the distance from the image center is the value. The potential at the location where r1 is set to 0. The plurality of potential grids are arranged in parallel at a predetermined number of pixel intervals, for example, and have a corresponding relationship with the coordinate system of the display screen 31. And the potential in one potential grid is calculated | required by adding the value obtained from the potential field as a density function based on the distance of the said one potential grid and the image center of all the icons 10. FIG.

  Thus, when a virtual potential field is given to each icon 10 and potentials based on the coordinates (position) of the image center of each icon 10 and the potential field are calculated for all potential grids, due to the overlapping of the potential fields, The potential increases in the region where the density of the icons 10 is high, that is, the potential grid corresponding to the periphery of the icons 10 spatially arranged on the screen. Therefore, the icons 10 collected on the display screen 31 are included in a region based on the potential grid where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than a certain threshold value Pref. As shown in FIG. , A bubble boundary bb which is a closed boundary surrounding it can be set. If such a bubble boundary bb is set, the icons 10 included in the bubble boundary bb can be grouped as one group. Therefore, the potential of each potential grid calculated by the potential calculation unit 24 is given to the bubble boundary setting unit 25 so as to be used for setting the bubble boundary bb.

  The bubble boundary setting unit 25 receives the calculated potential of each potential grid from the potential calculation unit 24, and uses the marching square method in which the so-called marching cube method is applied in two dimensions to the calculated potential of each potential grid. The bubble boundary bb (see FIG. 6), which is the boundary of the bubble 11 described above, is set by comparison with the threshold value Pref (step S120). In this way, when the potential of each potential grid and the threshold value Pref are compared, the potential of any one potential grid is equal to or higher than the threshold value Pref, whereas the potential grid adjacent to any one potential grid is compared. When the potential is less than the threshold value Pref, a boundary corresponding to an isosurface in the marching cube method exists between these two potential grids. Based on this, in the embodiment, the boundary corresponding to the comparison result between the calculated value of the potential between the four potential grids and the threshold value Pref is patterned as illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7G. A look-up table is stored in the image data storage unit 22 (however, in FIG. 7, a black circle indicates a potential grid where the potential is greater than or equal to the threshold value Pref, and a white circle indicates a potential grid where the potential is less than the threshold value Pref. In step S120, the bubble boundary setting unit 25 refers to the lookup table, and the bubble boundary 11 is displayed on the display screen 31 based on the comparison result between the potential value of each potential grid and the predetermined threshold value Pref. The coordinates of the bubble boundary bb are set. Thereby, with respect to all the icons 10 on the display screen 31, it is possible to set the bubble boundary bb which is a range on the display screen 31 of the icons 10 to be grouped at a higher speed. As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, for the icon 10 arranged at a certain distance from the other icons 10, if the threshold value Pref is 1, the bubble boundary bb has a radius centered on the image center. It is set as a circle of r0.

  When the bubble boundaries bb related to all the icons 10 on the display screen 31 are set in this way, the grouping calculation unit 23 sets the coordinates of each icon 10 acquired in step S100 and all the bubble boundaries set in step S120. Based on the coordinates of bb, it is determined whether or not each icon 10 is positioned within the bubble boundary bb as any group range, and the icons 10 are grouped based on the determination result (step S130). . Grouping here means that all icons 10 located within one bubble boundary bb are one icon for group processing such as “cut”, “copy”, and “paste” included in the group menu GM. It means to associate with each other as considered. When the grouping of the icons 10 is completed, the image processing unit 21 reads out necessary data from the image data storage unit 22, displays each icon 10 based on the coordinates input in step S100, and performs step S120. The bubble 11 corresponding to each icon 10 is displayed based on the coordinates of the bubble boundary bb set in (Step S140), and this process is temporarily terminated. As described above, in the computer 20 according to the embodiment, when the “group mode” is selected from the desktop menu DM on the normal desktop, the above-described grouped display process is executed. It becomes possible to cancel the conversion with one action. In addition, any icon 10 or group is moved on the display screen 31 or a new icon 10 is created on the display screen 31 while the “group mode” is selected. If the positional relationship of the icon 10 in the screen is changed, the above-described grouping display process is executed immediately after the creation of the icon 10 or from the start to the completion of the moving operation, so that the positional relationship of the icon 10 is changed accordingly. It becomes possible to build a group.

  Here, referring to FIG. 8, the above-described grouped display processing is specifically described by taking the display state of the display screen 31 when any one icon 10 is dragged and moved on the display screen 31 as an example. explain. Hereinafter, in each drawing, the bubble boundary bb is clearly indicated by a solid line for easy understanding. As shown in FIG. 8A, when one of the icons 10 (or the surrounding bubble 11) is dragged and brought close to any other group, both of them approach sufficiently on the display screen 31. Sometimes, due to the junction (overlap) between potential fields, these icons 10 are included in a region where the potential is equal to or higher than the threshold value Pref. Accordingly, a bubble boundary bb surrounding the icon 10 dragged based on the potential calculated in step S110 and the icon 10 belonging to any of the groups is set (step S120), and FIG. As shown in b), the bubble 11 of the single icon 10 displayed separately and the bubble 11 surrounding the grouped icon 10 are displayed together as if they were combined with each other in step S140. (See FIG. 8C). Further, at the stage where the two bubbles 11 are combined and the new bubble 11 is displayed in this way, all the icons 10 located within the bubble boundary bb of the new bubble 11 are already grouped. (Step S130). When the dragged icon 10 stops on the display screen 31, the bubble 11 based on the positions (coordinates) of all grouped icons 10 is displayed as shown in FIG. As described above, in the computer 20 according to the embodiment, when any icon 10 or group is brought close to another icon 10 or group on the display screen 31, the icons 10 (group) are automatically grouped. At the same time, the bubble 11 indicating the group range can be displayed on the display screen 31.

  On the other hand, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, when the desired icon 10 is dragged among the grouped icons 10 while pressing the shift key of the keyboard 40, for example, as shown in FIG. 10 can be moved away from other grouped icons 10. When the icon 10 is moved, the valve 11 surrounding the grouped icons 10 is deformed so as to be gradually extended due to a decrease in the overlap between potential fields ( (Refer FIG.8 (f).). Thereafter, when the two are sufficiently separated from each other on the display screen 31, the dragged icon 10 is surrounded based on the potential calculated in step S <b> 110 due to separation of potential fields (elimination of overlap). Since bubble boundary bb and bubble boundary bb surrounding other icons 10 belonging to the group are set (step S120), as shown in FIG. 8G, bubble 11 surrounding dragged icon 10 and the remaining The bubble 11 surrounding the other icon 10 is displayed separately (step S140). In addition, at the stage where two new bubbles 11 are displayed in this way, the grouping of the dragged icon 10 has already been released (step S130). When the dragged icon 10 stops on the display screen 31, as shown in FIG. 8 (h), a generally circular bubble 11 surrounding the icon 10 separated from the group is displayed. Around the icons 10 that are still grouped, a bubble 11 surrounding them is displayed. As described above, in the computer 20 according to the embodiment, if any icon 10 is separated from a certain group on the display screen 31, the grouping of any icon 10 can be released. Classification can also be performed easily and efficiently.

  Furthermore, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, if the icon 10 (group) is moved on the display screen 31 under the group mode, the above-described grouped display process is executed. As shown in FIG. 9 (d), if one of the icons 10 or the group is dragged and sequentially released on the other icons 10 or the group, a new group is constructed every time the release is performed. Therefore, so-called belly picking can be performed easily and efficiently. Thereby, it becomes possible to classify and manage a large number of icons 10 distributed on the display screen 31 very efficiently. In FIG. 9, the hatched icon 10 indicates an icon 10 released on another group. Further, as a case where any icon 10 or group dragged by the user on the display screen 31 is released on another icon 10 or group, a case where the dragged icon 10 or the like is desired to be grouped with another icon 10 or the like. (Grouping) and a case (drag and drop) of dropping the dragged icon 10 or the like onto another icon 10 that is a folder or a folder of another group. Therefore, when the drag and drop is executed, the computer 20 of the embodiment can identify the drop destination folder or the folder so that it can be identified whether the grouping or the drag and drop is executed. The bubble boundary bb of the bubble 11 of the included group is temporarily displayed in a dark color.

  As described above, in the computer 20 according to the embodiment, the icons 10 spatially grouped on the display screen 31 based on the positions (coordinates) of the plurality of icons 10 on the display screen 31 are grouped as one group. The icons 10 are grouped (step S130), and the icons 10 are displayed on the display screen 31 together with the bubble 11 as a group identification display indicating the attribution of the icon 10 to the group (step S140). As a result, the computer 20 can group a plurality of icons 10 by constructing a spatial group of the icons 10 on the display screen 31. In the computer 20 according to the embodiment, when an operation on a group such as a movement operation via the mouse 50 or a menu selection via the group menu GM is performed on the display screen 31, the group is a process for the group corresponding to the operation. Processing is executed. Further, when an operation is performed on any icon 10 belonging to a group, processing corresponding to the operation is performed. Therefore, according to the computer 20 of the embodiment, the plurality of icons 10 on the display screen 31 are easily and efficiently classified and managed, and the classified icons 10 are easily and efficiently reclassified and managed. It becomes possible.

  In other words, the computer 20 groups them as one group based on the coordinates of the icons 10 on the display screen 31 acquired in step S100 and the result of the potential calculation (step S110) as a predetermined constraint. A bubble boundary bb which is a range (group range) on the display screen 31 of the icon 10 to be set is set (step S120), and whether or not the icon 10 is positioned within the bubble boundary bb for each icon 10 is determined. The determination is made, and the icons 10 are grouped based on the determination result (step S130). In this way, a virtual potential field is assigned to each icon 10, and a potential based on the coordinates (position) of each icon 10 and the potential field is calculated for each of a plurality of potential grids set for the display screen 31. If the objects within the bubble boundary bb surrounding the region where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value Pref are grouped into one group, the icon 10 can be more appropriately set according to the spatial arrangement of the icons 10 on the display screen 31. Grouping can be performed. Further, if a concentration function obtained by applying a so-called metaball in a two-dimensional manner is used as a potential field to be given to each icon 10, the so-called marching square method is used so that the icons 10 on the display screen 31 are spatially organized. Accordingly, it is possible to set the bubble boundary bb as a grouping of icons 10 and a group identification display more appropriately. In the embodiment, the potential is calculated for all of the plurality of potential grids set for the display screen 31, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, in consideration of the calculation load and the like, the potential is calculated based on the coordinates of the image center of the icon 10 and the circumscribed rectangle of the circle having the radius r1 with the center of the image as the extension of the potential field of the icon 10. After selecting a potential grid, the potential may be calculated for the selected potential grid.

  Further, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, the bubble boundary bb set in step S120 is displayed around the icon 10 as a group identification display, so that one group and the icon 10 belonging to it are displayed on the display screen 31. It can be easily identified. Since the bubble boundary bb set in step S120 is based on the potential calculated as described above, when the icon 10 or group is moved on the display screen 31, the bubble boundary bb is moved accordingly. The bubble 11 is displayed so as to expand and contract, and it is possible to present visually whether the grouping or the cancellation of the grouping has been performed in an easily understandable manner. However, the group identification display does not necessarily need to be based on the bubble boundary bb. Instead of the bubble 11, some mark is displayed on the grouped icon 10 indicating the group identification display indicating the attribution of the icon 10 to the group. Alternatively, the grouped icons 10 may be displayed by changing the color of the grouped icons 10. Further, when the bubble 11 as the group identification display is not displayed on the display screen 31 in a normal state, the mouse cursor is placed on the inside of the bubble boundary bb of the icons 10 spatially grouped on the display screen 31. Alternatively, the bubble 11 or the bubble boundary bb may be displayed.

[Extended display processing]
Subsequently, an extended display process which is one of the group processes by the group processing unit 27 of the computer 20 according to the embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 10A, the extended display process is performed when the user requests an extended request when at least some of the plurality of icons 10 belonging to the same group are displayed so as to overlap each other. This is a process of redisplaying the plurality of icons 10 belonging to the group so that the overlapping of the icons 10 is eliminated in accordance with the operation (see FIG. 10B). In the embodiment, selecting “extended display” from the above-described group menu GM, placing the mouse cursor on the bubble 11 around the icons 10 grouped as shown in FIG. Double-clicking the bubble 11 around the grouped icons 10 is defined as an expansion request operation that can be executed by the user. When such an extended request operation is executed, the extended display processing shown in FIG. 11 is mainly executed by the extended display processing unit 28 of the group processing unit 27.

  At the start of the extended display process of FIG. 11, the extended display processing unit 28 first coordinates the image center display screen 31 of all icons 10 belonging to the group that has received the expansion request operation (hereinafter referred to as “target group” as appropriate). Is acquired (step S400), and a well-known Delaunay triangulation process using the acquired coordinates of each icon 10 as an input point group is executed (step S410). By executing such Delaunay triangulation processing, as shown in FIG. 12, a pair of icons 10 in which the image centers are connected by Delaunay sides are used to display two icons 10 in all the icons 10 belonging to the target group. It can be extracted as a combination. Subsequently, with respect to all of the extracted pair of icons 10, the icons are based on the coordinates of the image center of each icon 10 acquired in step S400, the distance from the image center of the image periphery of each icon 10 stored in advance, or the like. An ideal relative positional relationship is derived so that the 10s do not overlap (step S420). In the embodiment, in step S420, when a pair of icons 10 overlap each other as illustrated in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, the pair of icons 10 is a Delaunay side corresponding to both (FIG. 13). The relative position vector between the two images is derived as an ideal relative positional relationship when the shortest distance between the outer circumferences of the images is a predetermined value Gmin. If the pair of icons 10 do not overlap, the relative position vector as the ideal relative positional relationship is set as a zero vector. FIG. 14 shows an example of a source code of a program for obtaining such an ideal relative positional relationship.

If the relative position vector as the ideal relative positional relationship is derived for all the pair of icons 10 thus extracted, the new target coordinates of all the icons 10 belonging to the target group, that is, the coordinates of the image center at the time of expanded display are set as free variables. And an energy function represented by the following equation (1) representing the sum of the squares of the residuals between the relative positional relationship between the pair of icons 10 based on the target coordinates and the ideal relative positional relationship set in step S420. All the extracted pairs of icons 10 are created (step S430). Then, these energy functions are minimized by the least square method (step S440), and the least square solution of each energy function is set as the target coordinates of each icon 10 corresponding to the energy function (step S450). Here, in Expression (1), V _i and V _j represent position vectors based on the respective target coordinates of the icons 10 paired with each other, and dV _ij represents the pair of icons 10 set in step S420. Is a relative position vector as an ideal relative positional relationship. In the processing of step S430 in the embodiment, the center of gravity on the display screen 31 of the target group obtained based on the image center of all the icons 10 in the target group immediately before the expansion request operation is assumed to be unchanged (does not move). It is assumed that a simultaneous linear equation obtained by partial differentiation of each energy function with a free variable is solved.

Σ _{i, j} {| Vi -Vj -dVij | ² } (1)

  Next, the target coordinates of all the icons 10 belonging to the target group set in step S450 are given to the potential calculation unit 24, and the potential calculation unit 24 applies the target coordinates and the icons 10 of each icon 10 of the target group. The potential in each of the plurality of potential grids corresponding to the area surrounding the target group on the display screen 31 that is necessary and sufficient is calculated on the display screen 31 (step S460). Here, the area that sufficiently and sufficiently surrounds the target group is set in step S450, for example, with a circumscribed rectangle of a circle with a radius r1 centered on the center of the image that is an extension of the potential field assigned to each icon 10. It can be set based on the target coordinates of all the icons 10 belonging to the target group. The potential of each potential grid calculated in step S460 is given to the bubble boundary setting unit 25. The bubble boundary setting unit 25 uses the marching square method described above to calculate the potential of each potential grid and a predetermined threshold value Pref. By performing the comparison, the coordinates of the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the target coordinates set in step S450 of all the icons 10 belonging to the target group are set (step S470). Then, the image processing unit 21 reads necessary data from the image data storage unit 22, displays the icons 10 of the target group based on the target coordinates set in step S450, and is set in step S470. Based on the coordinates of the bubble boundary bb, the bubble 11 corresponding to each icon 10 is displayed (step S480), and this process is terminated.

  As described above, in the computer 20 according to the embodiment, even when at least a part of the plurality of icons 10 belonging to one group are displayed on the display screen 31 so as to overlap each other, the expansion request operation is executed. The access and operation for each of the plurality of icons 10 belonging to the group can be easily executed. For example, even if there is an icon 10 that is obscured by another icon 10 belonging to the same group, such as the icon 10x in FIG. 10A, by executing the expansion request operation, FIG. ), A plurality of icons 10 belonging to the group are instantaneously expanded and redisplayed so that the overlap between the icons 10 is eliminated (step S480), and thus the mouse cursor is difficult to place until then. It is possible to execute the access and operation for the icon 10x according to the above very easily. Therefore, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, the operability when the icons 10 displayed on the display screen 31 are classified and managed can be improved.

  Further, as described above, the computer 20 of the embodiment extracts the pair of icons 10 from the plurality of icons 10 belonging to the target group (step S410), and eliminates the overlap of all the extracted pair of icons 10. The relative positional relationship between the pair of icons 10 to be derived is derived (step S420), and the derived relative positional relationship and re-display (extended display), for example, under the positional constraint that the center of gravity of the target group is fixed. The target coordinate of each icon 10 is set by minimizing the energy function representing the sum of the squares of the residual between the pair of icons 10 based on the target coordinates at the time by the least square method (step S440). , S450). Thereby, while maintaining the relative positional relationship of the icons 10 in the target group before the overlap cancellation substantially, and suppressing the bubble 11 that is the display range of the target group from being unnecessarily expanded, the overlap between the icons 10 is canceled. As a result, the plurality of icons 10 belonging to the target group can be displayed again.

  It should be noted that if the processing of steps S400 to S440 is executed for one cycle, it is considered that the target group can basically be expanded and displayed to the extent that each icon 10 can be accessed. It is assumed that the overlap of the icons 10 cannot be completely eliminated depending on the spatial arrangement. Therefore, the target coordinates of all the icons 10 of the target group may be set in step S450 after executing the processes of steps S400 to S440 for a plurality of cycles (for example, 10 cycles). In this way, when the processes of steps S400 to S440 are repeated for a plurality of cycles, the target coordinates set in step S450 of the previous cycle may be used as the coordinates of the image center of each icon in step S400 of the next cycle. Furthermore, in the process of step S440, instead of the position constraint of fixing the center of gravity of the target group, the position constraint of fixing the image center or clicked position of the icon 10 clicked by the user may be used.

  In the embodiment, when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the redisplay in step S480, the icon 10 belonging to the target group is displayed on the display screen 31 at the original position before the expansion request operation, and the target group bubble is displayed. 11 is also displayed as indicating the original group range before the expansion request operation. In this case, as a condition for restoring the expanded display, a predetermined time elapses after the redisplay in step S480, and some operation is performed on any icon 10 belonging to the target group after the redisplay in step S480. For example, the mouse cursor is moved away from the bubble 11 of the target group, and some operation is performed outside the bubble 11 of the target group. In addition, after the redisplay in step S480, for example, when the mouse cursor is still placed on the icon 10 or the bubble 11 of the target group that has been expanded, the expanded display may be maintained as it is.

[Group division processing]
Subsequently, a group division process which is one of the group processes performed by the group processing unit 27 of the computer 20 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the group division processing mainly executed by the group division processing unit 29 of the group processing unit 27. In the computer 20 of the embodiment, when “group mode” is selected from the desktop menu DM, for example, when the mouse 50 is left-clicked and moved on the display screen 31, an arbitrary stroke is input on the display screen 31. be able to. In the group division process of FIG. 15, as shown in FIG. 16, the bubbles 11 surrounding the plurality of icons 10 on the display screen 31, that is, the bubbles 11 of any group are divided by the stroke S input by the user. When it starts.

  At the start of the group division processing in FIG. 15, the group division processing unit 29 firstly coordinates the image centers of all icons 10 surrounded by the bubbles 11 divided by the stroke S and the coordinates of the bubble boundary bb of the bubbles. And the coordinates of the input stroke S are acquired (step S500). Next, two closed loops L1 and L2 as shown in FIG. 16B are created based on the acquired coordinates of the bubble boundary bb and the coordinates of the stroke S (S510). If such two loops L1 and L2 are created, it is determined whether each icon 10 is located inside the loop L1 or L2 using the coordinates of each icon 10 acquired in step S500. And grouping the icons 10 based on the determination result (step S520). The grouping here refers to all icons 10 located in one loop L1 or L2 as one icon with respect to the group processing such as “cut”, “copy”, and “paste” included in the group menu GM. It means to associate with each other as considered. When the regrouping of the icons 10 surrounded by the bubbles 11 divided by the stroke S is executed in this way, the above-described potential calculation unit 24 makes the loop L1 set in step S510 necessary and sufficient. The potentials of the plurality of potential grids corresponding to the region on the surrounding display screen 31 and the plurality of potential grids corresponding to the region on the display screen 31 surrounding the loop L2 set sufficiently in step S510 are calculated. (Step S530). In this case, for a plurality of potential grids corresponding to the loop L1, a potential based on the potential field of only the icon 10 positioned in the loop L1 is calculated, and for a plurality of potential grids corresponding to the loop L2, the potential grid is positioned in the loop L2. The potential based on the potential field of only the icon 10 to be calculated is calculated. A region that sufficiently and sufficiently surrounds the loops L1 and L2 is also located within the circumscribed rectangle of the circle with the radius r1 and the loop L1 or L2 around the center of the image that is the extension of the potential field assigned to each icon 10. It can be set based on the coordinates of the image center of the icon 10. Thus, the potential of each potential grid calculated in step S530 is given to the bubble boundary setting unit 25. The bubble boundary setting unit 25 uses the marching square method described above, and the potential of each potential grid and the predetermined threshold value Pref. Are set, the coordinates of the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the icon 10 located in the loop L1 and the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the icon 10 located in the loop L2 are set (step S540). Then, the image processing unit 21 reads out necessary data from the image data storage unit 22, displays each icon 10 based on the coordinates acquired in step S500, and coordinates of the bubble boundary bb set in step S540. Based on the above, the bubbles 11 corresponding to the loops L1 and L2 are displayed (step S550), and this process is terminated.

  As described above, in the computer 20 of the embodiment, when an operation of inputting the bubble 11 surrounding the plurality of icons 10 on the display screen 31, that is, the stroke S for dividing the group, is performed, the bubble boundary bb of the bubble 11 is For each of the two loops L1 and L2 formed based on the stroke S, the objects in the loops L1 and L2 are grouped as one group. That is, in the computer 20, when a stroke S for dividing any of the bubbles 11 is input, as shown in FIGS. 16B and 16C, the computer 20 is positioned on one side (left side in the figure). The icons 10 to be grouped are grouped as a new group, and the icons 10 located on the other side of the input stroke S are grouped as a new group. This makes it possible to easily divide one group constructed according to the spatial arrangement of the icons 10 on the display screen 31 into a plurality of groups again. In addition, when a group including the icons 10 that are not intended to be grouped is constructed, if the stroke S is input so as to separate the icons 10 that are intended to be grouped from the icons 10 that are not intended to be grouped, It is possible to easily construct the group. Therefore, in the computer 20 that can execute such group division processing, it is possible to improve convenience when the icons 10 displayed on the display screen 31 are classified and managed.

  Depending on how the stroke S is input, only one icon 10 may be included in either or both of the two loops L1 and L2 formed by the bubble boundary bb and the stroke S. The “new plurality of groups” includes a group to which only a single icon 10 belongs. Then, depending on the spatial arrangement of the icons 10 on the display screen 31, as shown in FIG. 16C, the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the loop L1 set in step S540 and the bubble corresponding to the loop L2. There is a possibility that the boundary bb intersects the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the loop L1 and the bubble boundary bb corresponding to the loop L2 on the display screen 31. However, even if the bubble boundaries bb overlap each other as described above, it is assumed that both bubbles 11 (groups) will be separated from each other on the display screen 31 by the user, so that there is no practical problem. It is done.

  In addition, as an example of other group processing related to the group division processing based on such a stroke S, the following batch deletion of groups can be given. That is, a stroke S that does not completely divide the bubbles 11 (groups) surrounding the plurality of icons 10, that is, a stroke S that intersects the bubble boundary bb of the bubbles 11 surrounding the plurality of icons 10 only at one point (one place) is input. In this case, the group corresponding to the bubble 11 may be deleted collectively.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above using the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

  For example, the present invention is not applied to the classification and management of the icons 10 on the display screen 31 of the display device 30 connected to the computer 20, but management of text boxes in a chat system or BBS, or bookmark management of web pages. The present invention may be applied to playlist management of a music playback device. FIG. 17 illustrates a display screen of a two-dimensional chat system to which the present invention is applied. When a chat is performed in the two-dimensional chat system of FIG. 17, the user writes his / her own message corresponding to an existing message in the text box 10T as an object, and then places the message around the text box 10T in which the existing message is written. To do. As a result, the existing text box 10T and the new text box 10T related to the common theme are grouped as shown in FIG. 17, and the grouped text box 10T is displayed as a group identification display. Bubble 11 will be displayed. Further, in this two-dimensional chat system, even if there is a text box 10T that is hidden by the overlap of the text boxes 10T, if a predetermined expansion request operation is executed, the entire group is expanded and displayed. It is possible to read a message written in the text box 10T that has been hidden until then. Furthermore, also in this two-dimensional chat system, the text box 10T can be regrouped by inputting the stroke S described above on the display screen.

  The present invention is useful in the field of information processing.

It is a schematic block diagram of the computer 20 which is an object display processing apparatus concerning one Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the desktop displayed on the display screen 31 of the display apparatus 30 connected to the computer 20 of an Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the desktop displayed on the display screen 31 of the display apparatus 30 connected to the computer 20 of an Example, when group mode is selected. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the grouping display process performed in the computer 20 of an Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the potential field provided to each icon 10 in the computer 20 of an Example. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates bubble boundary bb prescribed | regulated by the potential based on the coordinate of each icon 10, and the potential field provided to each icon 10. FIG. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) are explanatory views illustrating a look-up table used when setting the bubble boundary bb. (A), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) are the display screen 31 when the icon 10 is moved on the display screen 31. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates a display state. (A), (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory drawings illustrating the display state of the display screen 31 when so-called belly picking is executed on the display screen 31. (A) And (b) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the extended display process which is one of the group processes in the computer 20 of an Example. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the extended display process performed in the computer 20 of an Example. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating Delaunay triangulation processing. (A) And (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the procedure which derives | leads-out the ideal relative positional relationship which prevents the icons 10 from overlapping. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the source code of the program for calculating | requiring an ideal relative positional relationship. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the group division | segmentation process performed in the computer 20 of an Example. (A), (b) and (c) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the group division | segmentation process performed in the computer 20 of an Example. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates the display screen of the two-dimensional chat system as a modification of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10x icon, 10T text box, 11 bubble, 20 computer, 21 image processing unit, 22 image data storage unit, 23 grouping calculation unit, 24 potential calculation unit, 25 bubble boundary setting unit, 26 individual processing unit, 27 group Processing unit, 28 extended display processing unit, 29 group division processing unit, 30 display device, 31 display screen, 40 keyboard, 50 mouse, bb bubble boundary, L1, L2 loop

Claims (18)

An object display processing device that displays a plurality of objects on a screen and executes processing according to an operation on the object,
Grouping means for grouping objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as one group;
Display means for displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification display indicating attribution of the object to the group;
Group processing means for executing group processing, which is processing for the group according to the operation, when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
An object display processing device.   The object display processing device according to claim 1, wherein the grouping unit performs grouping of the objects when a positional relationship of the objects on the screen is changed.   The group mode setting means which enables selection of the group mode in which the grouping by the said grouping means, the display processing by the said display means, and the group processing by the said group processing means are enabled, and cancellation | release of this selection are possible. 3. The object display processing device according to 1 or 2. In the object display processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An object position acquisition means for acquiring positions of the plurality of objects on the screen;
The grouping means sets a group range that is a range on the screen of objects to be grouped as one group based on the position of each of the acquired objects and a predetermined constraint, and An object display processing device that determines, for each object, whether or not the object is located within the group range, and executes grouping of the objects based on a result of the determination. In the object display processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The grouping means includes
A potential calculation means for calculating a potential based on a position on the screen of the plurality of objects and a virtual potential field assigned to each of the objects for a region corresponding to the plurality of objects;
Boundary setting means for setting a boundary surrounding a region where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold,
An object display processing device for grouping objects located within the boundary as one group.   The object display processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display unit displays the set boundary on the screen together with the object as the group identification display.   The object display process according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the potential field is defined as a concentration function that maximizes the potential at a predetermined reference position of the object and defines the potential to decrease as the distance from the reference position in the radial direction decreases. apparatus.   The object display processing device according to claim 5, wherein the potential calculation unit calculates the potential for each grid corresponding to at least each of the objects of a plurality of grids set for the screen.   The group processing means substantially eliminates overlapping of the objects in response to a predetermined expansion request operation when at least a part of the plurality of objects belonging to the group are displayed on the screen so as to overlap each other. The object display processing device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects belonging to the group are displayed again. In the object display processing device according to claim 9,
The group processing means includes
Object pair extraction means for extracting a pair of objects from a plurality of objects belonging to the group;
Relative positional relationship deriving means for deriving a relative positional relationship between the pair of objects for eliminating the overlap between the extracted pair of objects;
Target position setting means for setting a target position on the screen after the overlap of the extracted pair of objects based on the derived relative positional relationship and a predetermined position constraint;
An object display processing device.   The target position setting means uses the target position as a free variable, and represents the sum of squares of residuals between the relative positional relationship between the pair of objects based on the target position and the set relative positional relationship. The object display processing device according to claim 10, wherein the target position is set by minimizing a function by a least square method.   The group processing means divides the group into a plurality of new groups based on the input stroke when an input operation of a stroke for dividing the group is performed on the screen. The object display processing device according to any one of the above.   The group processing means groups objects located on one side of the stroke among objects belonging to the group as a new group, and newly sets objects located on the other side of the input stroke. 13. The object display processing device according to claim 12, wherein the object display processing device is grouped as a single group. The object display processing device according to claim 12 or 13,
The grouping means is a potential calculation means for calculating a potential based on a position on the screen of the plurality of objects and a virtual potential field assigned to each of the objects, for a region corresponding to the plurality of objects; Boundary setting means for setting a boundary surrounding a region where the calculated potential is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and grouping objects located within the boundary as one group,
The group processing means is an object display processing device for grouping objects in the loop as one group for every two loops formed based on the boundary and the stroke.   15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an individual processing unit that executes an individual process that is a process for any one of the objects according to the operation when a predetermined operation is performed on any of the objects belonging to the group. The object display processing device according to any one of the above.   The object display processing device according to claim 1, wherein the object is an icon displayed on the screen. An object display processing method for displaying a plurality of objects on a screen and executing processing according to an operation on the object,
(A) grouping objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as a group;
(B) displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification indicating the attribution of the object to the group;
(C) executing a group process that is a process for the group according to the operation when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
Object display processing method including An object display processing program that causes a computer to function as an object display processing device that displays a plurality of objects on a screen and executes processing according to an operation on the object,
A grouping module that groups objects spatially grouped on the screen based on positions of the plurality of objects on the screen as one group;
A display module for displaying the object on the screen together with a group identification display indicating attribution of the object to the group;
A group processing module that executes group processing, which is processing for the group according to the operation, when a predetermined operation is performed on the group on the screen;
An object display processing program comprising: