JP2010026883A - Portable information terminal, portable information processing method and portable information processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable information terminal provided with a display part, which is configured to avoid division of a program for each virtual screen and loss of the margin of a memory. <P>SOLUTION: In the portable information terminal, a virtual screen management information storage means stores a virtual screen identifier capable of uniquely identifying each virtual screen and a program identifier capable of uniquely identifying each program which performs display to the virtual screen in association with each other. The display by each program is performed so as to be displayed on the virtual screen of the virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen information storage means. The number of programs to be displayed on one virtual screen is limited, and the virtual screens are assigned to the display part. The virtual screens are ranked, and the memory is assigned to a virtual screen having a predetermined relation with the assigned virtual screen and a program which performs display to this virtual screen, but not to a virtual screen having no predetermined relation therewith and a program which performs display to this virtual screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal, a portable information processing method, and a portable information processing program that have a display unit and operate a program.

  In general, portable portable information terminals such as mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and navigation systems (including car navigation) have LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays, liquid crystals) for displaying various information such as images and characters. A display unit such as a display) is provided. The size of the display unit is smaller than that of a monitor such as a personal computer in order to be portable. For this reason, a virtual screen independent of the display unit is provided, display is performed on the virtual screen, and the virtual screen displayed on the display unit is switched to perform actual display.

  As a technique related to these, for example, in Patent Document 1, even if a device having only a small display screen, such as a mobile phone or a PDA, an area that is not displayed on the display device is visually expanded and reduced. The display area can be moved and displayed without any sense of incongruity, and in response to an instruction to enlarge or reduce the display area displayed on the display device by scrolling the input device for enlargement / reduction, such as a mouse wheel button or jog dial The CPU controls the enlargement or reduction of the display area set in the virtual screen using a predetermined coordinate in the display area designated by a pointing device such as a mouse, a pen input device, or a touch panel as a reference point. A configuration is disclosed.

Further, for example, Patent Document 2 has a problem of switching a screen display with a simple operation without using a screen switching icon or the like in a portable information terminal, and includes an information display screen using a liquid crystal or the like. In a mobile terminal device having a virtual screen larger than the screen, the inclination / direction detection means detects the inclination and direction of the mobile terminal device, and virtual screen area data held in the virtual screen holding means The display area calculation means calculates the virtual screen area to which the display is switched, and the virtual screen control means sets the display area in the virtual screen state control and display area holding means, and the display means is a portable terminal based on this By displaying on the screen of the device, the operator can change the displayed screen in an arbitrary direction in an arbitrary amount with a simple operation, so that the screen can be used effectively, Create properties is disclosed to be improved.
JP 2005-100199 A JP 2000-56893 A

However, in such a conventional technology, in a portable information terminal having a display unit, when the display performed by a plurality of application programs is performed on the display unit in a lump, the screen becomes complicated. There was a problem that sometimes. Furthermore, if the plurality of application programs are operated, the memory in the portable information terminal will be tightened.
The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems of the conventional technology. In a portable information terminal having a display unit, a program is displayed separately for each virtual screen, and the screen is displayed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable information terminal, a portable information processing method, and a portable information processing program that can avoid complications and further avoid a lack of memory.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object lies in the inventions of the following items.
[1] A portable information terminal having a display unit and operating a program, in which a virtual screen identifier that can uniquely identify a virtual screen is associated with a program identifier that uniquely identifies a program to be displayed on the virtual screen Virtual screen management information storage means for storing, virtual screen display means for displaying the display by the program on a virtual screen of a virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means, There is an order between the virtual screen display means, a program number limit means for limiting the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen, a screen assignment means for assigning the virtual screen to the display section, and the virtual screen. A virtual screen having a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen assigned by the screen assigning means and the virtual screen. And a memory allocation means for allocating a memory to a program that is displaying and not allocating memory to a virtual screen that is not in the predetermined relationship and a program that is displaying the virtual screen. Mobile information terminal.

  [2] The virtual screen management information storage means has a layer in which the virtual screen has a layer, stores one program corresponding to one layer, and the screen allocation means stores the virtual screen. The portable information terminal according to [1], wherein an image in which layers corresponding to a screen are superimposed is assigned to the display unit.

  [3] The apparatus further includes an instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction to switch screen display, and the screen allocation unit changes a virtual screen to be assigned to the display unit in response to the switching instruction received by the instruction receiving unit. When the switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving unit, the memory allocation unit is allocated to a virtual screen that is no longer in the predetermined relationship and a program that displays the virtual screen by switching the screen. The memory according to [1] or [2], wherein the memory is released and the memory is allocated to the virtual screen newly having the predetermined relationship and the program displaying the virtual screen Information terminal.

  [4] The order between the virtual screens is a sequence arranged in order, and the predetermined relationship is that the virtual screen assigned to the display unit by the screen assigning means is adjacent to the virtual screen. Any of [1] to [3], wherein the switching instruction received by the instruction receiving means is switching to a virtual screen that is in a relationship adjacent to the virtual screen displayed on the display unit. The portable information terminal according to one item.

  [5] A portable information processing method executed by a portable information terminal having a display unit and running a program, wherein the portable information terminal displays a virtual screen identifier capable of uniquely identifying a virtual screen and the virtual screen. Virtual screen management information storage means for storing a program identifier for uniquely identifying a program for performing the program, and displaying the program corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means Limit the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen, assign the virtual screen to the display unit, there is an order between the virtual screens, and the assigned Allocate memory to a virtual screen that has a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen and a program that displays the virtual screen. Portable information processing method characterized in that the not allocate memory to the virtual screen and program performs display with respect to the virtual screen is not in a relationship.

  [6] A portable information processing program that has a display unit and is executed by a portable information terminal on which the program operates. The portable information terminal displays a virtual screen identifier that can uniquely identify a virtual screen and the virtual screen. Virtual screen management information storage means for storing a program identifier for uniquely identifying a program to be executed, and a virtual screen corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means for display by the program Virtual screen display means for displaying on the virtual screen of the identifier, program number limiting means for limiting the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen by the virtual screen display means, and screen allocation for assigning the virtual screen to the display unit Between the means and the virtual screen, and is assigned by the screen assigning means. A virtual screen that has a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen and a program that displays the virtual screen, and that allocates memory to the virtual screen and the program that displays the virtual screen that are not in the predetermined relationship A portable information processing program that functions as memory allocating means that does not allocate memory.

The present invention operates as follows.
The portable information terminal, portable information processing method, and portable information processing program according to the present invention display the display by the program on the virtual screen of the virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage unit, The number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen is limited, virtual screens are assigned to the display unit, there is an order between the virtual screens, and the virtual screens having a predetermined relationship with the assigned virtual screens and the virtual screens On the other hand, a memory is allocated to a program that is displaying, and control is performed so as not to allocate a memory to a virtual screen that does not have a predetermined relationship and a program that displays the virtual screen. As a result, it is possible to prevent the program from being divided and displayed for each virtual screen and avoid the screen from becoming complicated, and further to prevent the memory from being exhausted.

  The instruction accepting unit accepts an instruction to switch screen display, the screen assigning unit changes a virtual screen assigned to the display unit in response to the switching instruction accepted by the instruction accepting unit, and the memory assigning unit includes: When the switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving means, the screen is switched to release the virtual screen that is no longer in the predetermined relationship and the memory allocated to the program that is displaying the virtual screen. Then, control is performed so that the memory is allocated to the virtual screen newly having the predetermined relationship and the program displaying the virtual screen. As a result, memory can be efficiently allocated to virtual screens within a predetermined relationship.

  Further, the order between the virtual screens is a sequence arranged in order, and being in a predetermined relationship means that the virtual screen assigned to the display unit by the screen assigning means is adjacent to each other, and the instruction receiving means The switching instruction received by is switching to a virtual screen that has a relationship on both sides of the virtual screen displayed on the display unit. As a result, it becomes possible to allocate the memory in advance to the virtual screen that may be switched.

  According to the portable information terminal, the portable information processing method, and the portable information processing program having the display unit according to the present invention, the program is divided and displayed for each virtual screen, and the screen is prevented from becoming complicated. Can be avoided.

Hereinafter, an example of a preferred embodiment for realizing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a conceptual module configuration diagram of a configuration example of the present embodiment.
The module generally refers to a component such as software or hardware that can be logically separated. Therefore, the module in the present embodiment indicates not only a module in a program but also a module in a hardware configuration. Therefore, the present embodiment also serves as an explanation of a program, a system, and a method. However, for the sake of explanation, the words “store”, “store”, and equivalent terms are used. However, when the embodiment is a program, these terms are controlled to be stored in the storage device. I mean. In addition, the modules correspond almost one-to-one with the functions. However, in mounting, one module may be composed of one program, or a plurality of modules may be composed of one program. A plurality of programs may be used. The plurality of modules may be executed by one computer, or one module may be executed by a plurality of computers in a distributed or parallel environment. Note that one module may include other modules. In the following, “connection” includes not only physical connection but also logical connection (data exchange, instruction, reference relationship between data, etc.). The term “predetermined” is used in addition to a predetermined meaning, including the meaning according to the situation / state at that time or the situation / state until then.
Further, the system or apparatus includes a configuration in which a plurality of computers, hardware, devices, and the like are connected via a network and the like, and includes a case where the system or device is realized by a single computer, hardware, devices, and the like.

Hereinafter, a mobile phone will mainly be described as an example of the portable information terminal. An application program will be mainly exemplified and described as a program that operates on the mobile phone.
This embodiment has a display unit, and an application program operates on a virtual screen. As shown in FIG. 1, a virtual screen management information storage module 110, a virtual screen display module 120, a screen allocation A module 130, a memory allocation module 140, an instruction receiving module 150, and a display unit 190 are included.

  The virtual screen is independent of the display unit 190 and can be drawn as if the application program is displayed on the display unit 190. There are a plurality of virtual screens, one of which is assigned as the actual display unit 190. As a result, the content displayed on the virtual screen is displayed on the actual display unit 190. That is, the operator can use the display screen more widely than the actual display screen. Note that the display of the application program on the virtual screen specifically means that the application program performs drawing for display in the memory allocated to the virtual screen, but for the application program, the operation displayed on the display unit 190 Is equivalent to

  The display unit 190 is connected to the screen assignment module 130, has a display such as an LCD, and displays the virtual screen assigned by the screen assignment module 130 on the display. Since this display is attached to a portable information terminal, it is limited to a size that can be placed on the palm of the hand, and display by a plurality of application programs in the display screen can improve visibility. It is better to limit the number of application programs to be displayed on one display screen. However, there is a case where a plurality of application programs are desired to be operated simultaneously as an operator desires. In order to solve this, a virtual screen has been introduced. On the other hand, in order to realize this, a large amount of memory is required, and a load is great for a portable information terminal. The memory allocation module 140 solves this.

The virtual screen management information storage module 110 is connected to the virtual screen display module 120. A virtual screen identifier that can uniquely identify a virtual screen (hereinafter also referred to as a virtual screen ID (IDentification)) and an application program identifier (hereinafter also referred to as an application ID) that uniquely identifies an application program that displays on the virtual screen. Are stored in correspondence with each other and accessed from the virtual screen display module 120. Furthermore, the virtual screen may have layers that are layered and store one application program corresponding to one layer.
For example, the virtual screen management table 800 shown in FIG. 8 is stored. The virtual screen management table 800 has a virtual screen ID column 810, an application ID column 820, a display position column 830, and a layer ID column 840. The virtual screen ID column 810 stores a virtual screen ID, the application ID column 820 stores an application ID, and the display position column 830 displays a position (coordinates, vertically long) displayed by the application program on the virtual screen. , Width, etc.), and the layer ID column 840 stores a layer identifier (hereinafter also referred to as a layer ID) that can uniquely identify the layer displayed by the application program.

  The virtual screen display module 120 is connected to the virtual screen management information storage module 110, the screen allocation module 130, and the memory allocation module 140. The virtual screen display module 120 has a program number limit module 125. The display by the application program is displayed on the virtual screen of the virtual screen ID corresponding to the program ID of the application program stored by the virtual screen management information storage module 110. The virtual screen used for the display is transferred to the screen allocation module 130, the application program operates in the memory allocated by the memory allocation module 140, and the application program displays the virtual screen allocated by the memory allocation module 140. The program number limit module 125 controls the virtual screen display module 120 to limit the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen. For example, control is performed so that up to five application programs can operate on one virtual screen.

  The screen allocation module 130 is connected to the virtual screen display module 120, the memory allocation module 140, the instruction reception module 150, and the display unit 190. The virtual screen displayed by the virtual screen display module 120 is assigned to the display unit 190. That is, one of the virtual screens is displayed on the display of the display unit 190. Further, an image obtained by superimposing layers corresponding to the virtual screen may be assigned to the display unit 190. Further, the virtual screen assigned to the display unit 190 may be changed in accordance with the switching instruction received by the instruction receiving module 150. Further, the screen allocation module 130 passes the virtual screen ID currently allocated to the display unit 190 to the memory allocation module 140.

  The memory allocation module 140 is connected to the virtual screen display module 120, the screen allocation module 130, and the instruction reception module 150. There is an order between the virtual screens, a virtual screen having a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen assigned by the screen assignment module 130, and a memory in the application program that the virtual screen display module 120 displays for the virtual screen. And control is performed so that no memory is allocated to the virtual screen that is not in the predetermined relationship and the application program that the virtual screen display module 120 displays on the virtual screen. When the switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving module 150, the virtual screen that is no longer in a predetermined relationship by switching the screen and the application program that the virtual screen display module 120 displays for the virtual screen are assigned. The allocated memory may be released, and the memory may be allocated to a virtual screen newly having a predetermined relationship and a program displayed by the virtual screen display module 120 for the virtual screen. Note that the order between the virtual screens is specifically a sequence arranged in order, and that the predetermined relationship is specifically assigned to the display unit 190 by the screen assignment module 130. This means that the virtual screen has a relationship on both sides. More specifically, the fact that the predetermined relationship has been lost means that the virtual screen assigned to the display unit 190 has been switched, so that the new virtual screen assigned to the display unit 190 by the screen assignment module 130 is adjacent to both sides. It means not in a relationship, that is, a relationship farther than both neighbors.

  The instruction receiving module 150 is connected to the screen allocation module 130 and the memory allocation module 140. An instruction from an operator using a key of a cellular phone or the like is received, and the instruction is passed to the screen allocation module 130 or the memory allocation module 140. The instruction includes at least an instruction to switch the screen display. That is, there is a switching of the virtual screen (that is, changing the virtual screen currently displayed on the display unit 190 to another virtual screen). In addition, the received switching instruction may be switching to a virtual screen that is in a relationship on both sides of the virtual screen displayed on the display unit 190.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a module configuration example when the embodiment of the present invention is viewed from another viewpoint. In the present embodiment, from another viewpoint, the application program management module 210, the application program storage module 220, the virtual screen single screen management module 230, the virtual screen single screen storage module 240, the virtual screen management module 250, and the virtual screen storage A module 260 is included.

The application program storage module 220 is connected to the application program management module 210 and stores application programs. The application program is activated by access from the application program management module 210.
The application program management module 210 is connected to the application program storage module 220 and the virtual screen single screen management module 230. The application program in the application program storage module 220 is activated, and the interruption, termination, etc. of the application program are managed. In addition, the application ID of the activated application program is passed to the virtual screen single screen management module 230.

The virtual screen single screen storage module 240 is connected to the virtual screen single screen management module 230 and stores an image for one screen of the virtual screen displayed by the application program. Accessed by.
The virtual screen single screen management module 230 is connected to the application program management module 210, the virtual screen single screen storage module 240, and the virtual screen management module 250. 1 has functions corresponding to the virtual screen display module 120, the program number limit module 125, and the virtual screen management information storage module 110 shown in the example of FIG. That is, the application ID passed from the application program management module 210 is received, the image displayed by the application program represented by the application ID is received, and the virtual screen is stored in the virtual screen single screen storage module 240 as a virtual screen, and the virtual screen is displayed. Information about the virtual screen management module 250. That is, the display by the application program for the individual virtual screen is managed. There may be a plurality of application programs, and the number is limited by the program number limit module 125. Furthermore, the virtual screen has a plurality of layers, and one application program performs drawing on one layer.

The virtual screen storage module 260 is connected to the virtual screen management module 250, stores a plurality of virtual screens, and also has a function corresponding to the virtual screen management information storage module 110. Accessed by the management module 250.
The virtual screen management module 250 is connected to the virtual screen single screen management module 230 and the virtual screen storage module 260. 1 has functions corresponding to the screen allocation module 130, the memory allocation module 140, and the instruction reception module 150 shown in the example of FIG. That is, it receives information related to the virtual screen from the virtual screen single screen management module 230, sets the virtual screen to be displayed on the display unit 190, stores the information related to the entire virtual screen in the virtual screen storage module 260, and switches the virtual screen. Manages allocation and release of memory to application programs or virtual screens.

  Note that the mobile information terminal in which the present embodiment is implemented may be a mobile phone 300 as shown in FIG. The mobile phone 300 includes, for example, a microphone 305 that can input voice so as to have a function as a telephone, a speaker 304 that can output voice, and a key 302 that is a character input device for inputting characters into a telephone number or an e-mail. , An antenna 303 for transmitting and receiving radio waves and performing data communication by an application program, and a display 301 that is a display unit 190 for displaying a result of character input by the key 302 and a processing result by the application program. . In addition, a camera or the like may be provided. The mobile phone 300 includes hardware such as a CPU, a memory, and a communication circuit, and stores a computer program, which is software for realizing a mobile information terminal, in the memory. Cooperate to realize a portable information terminal.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the display screen and layers.
The display screen 400 shown in the example of FIG. 4A is displayed on the display 301 of the mobile phone 300 shown in the example of FIG. That is, the display screen 400 has a background screen displayed by the basic program (a background in which “A” is displayed in FIG. 4A), a display content B421 displayed by the application program B, and an application program C. Display contents C431 and 432 displayed by are displayed.
The display screen 400 has three layers. That is, it has a first layer 410 (FIG. 4B), a second layer 420 (FIG. 4C), and a third layer 430 (FIG. 4D). Each layer is displayed by the basic program, application program B, and application program C. Areas other than those displayed by these programs are transparent. That is, when overlapping, the portion of the area displayed in the lower layer that does not overlap with the area displayed in the upper layer is displayed on the display screen 400. Note that the position of the first layer 410 (FIG. 4B) may be fixed at the lowest position, and the order of the higher layers may be switched according to the operation of the operator. In other words, in accordance with the operation of the operator, control is performed so that the layer displayed by the program that is the operation target is the highest level and the other layers are one level lower.

  The virtual screen display module 120 uses the virtual screen management table 800 to provide three application IDs (basic program, application program B, and application program C IDs), three layers (first A hierarchical layer 410, a second hierarchical layer 420, and a third hierarchical layer 430) are managed in association with each other. In other words, using the three rows of the virtual screen management table 800, the virtual screen ID column 810 has one virtual screen ID, the application ID column 820 has the IDs of the basic program, application program B, application program C, and layers. The ID column 840 stores IDs of the first layer 410, the second layer 420, and the third layer 430. The display position that each program performs on each layer is stored in the display position column 830 as coordinates in the layer.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing display transition of the virtual screen. That is, an order of assigning virtual screens to be displayed on the display unit 190 by the screen assignment module 130 is shown.
As shown in the example of FIG. 5, the virtual screens are arranged in one column, and one of these can be displayed on the display unit 190, and switching of the virtual screens (virtual images displayed on the display unit 190 is displayed. The screen change is performed between the adjacent virtual screens.

  For example, the virtual screen 501 is displayed on the display unit 190 and a plurality of application programs are activated to create the virtual screen 502 and display it on the display unit 190. Furthermore, by starting a plurality of application programs, a virtual screen 503 is created and displayed on the display unit 190. Then, in order to see the state of the application program started in the past, the screen moves to the virtual screen 502, and further moves to the virtual screen 501. Here, a virtual screen 504 is created by activating a plurality of application programs and displayed on the display unit 190. As described above, the virtual screen displayed on the display unit 190 is moved to one of the virtual screens on both sides of the virtual screen currently displayed on the display unit 190 among the virtual screens arranged in order in one column. To switch the virtual screen.

  In addition, when the virtual screen is switched, the memory allocation module 140 stores the memory (heap memory, dynamically) in the virtual screen on both sides of the switched virtual screen and the application program displaying the virtual screen. Allotted memory that can be written and read at high speed, such as a semiconductor.

For example, when the virtual screen 501 is assigned to the display unit 190, the virtual screen 504, the virtual screen 502, and the application program displaying on the virtual screen are assigned to the memory. Therefore, when moving to the virtual screen 502 or the virtual screen 504, the display can be switched at high speed.
Next, when the screen is switched to the virtual screen 502, the virtual screen 504 and the memory allocated to the application program displaying on the virtual screen are released, and the virtual screen 503 and the virtual screen are newly displayed. Allocate memory for the application program That is, with respect to a virtual screen in the opposite direction to the virtual screen to which a new memory is allocated, the memory allocated to the virtual screen and the application program displaying on the virtual screen is released.

In the example of FIG. 5, the virtual screens arranged in one column (that is, two switching destination virtual screens) are illustrated, but the virtual screens arranged in the vertical direction, that is, the switching destination virtual screens are illustrated. The number of screens may be four, or may be eight by adding diagonally upward directions. This may be determined according to the amount of memory that can be secured.
Further, in the case of virtual screens arranged in one column, the maximum number of layers is 15 when up to five application programs can be operated by the program number limit module 125. That is, there are two virtual screens that are currently displayed and two virtual screens to be switched to, and one virtual screen has up to five layers, so a maximum of 15 layers are required. Further, the number of programs that can be operated by the program number limiting module 125 may be determined according to the amount of memory that can be secured.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example in the middle of the transition of the virtual screen on the display screen.
The display screen 400 shown in the example of FIG. 6A is the same as the display screen 400 shown in FIG.
When the screen is switched from this state (when transitioning to the adjacent virtual screen), the switching destination is changed according to the operation of the operator (for example, a start instruction of a new application program, a virtual screen switching instruction, a scroll instruction, etc.) Display contents 601 and 602 are displayed (FIG. 6B). At that time, the display content B421 and the like displayed on the display screen 400 may be faded out like the display content 621 and the like. When the switching destination display content 602 is selected according to the operation of the operator, the screen is switched.
When the screen is switched, the virtual content configured by the display content 641 displayed by the application program D and the display content 651 and 652 displayed by the application program E as shown in FIG. The screen is displayed on the display screen 400. Note that the background screen displayed by the basic program (the background in which “A” is displayed in FIG. 6) is managed so as to be displayed in common on any virtual screen.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing in the present embodiment. In particular, a processing example related to management of memory, particularly heap memory, performed by the memory allocation module 140 is shown.
In step S702, the instruction receiving module 150 receives an instruction for starting a process (deployment process) for allocating the target application program to the heap memory. That is, an instruction for a virtual screen switching process is received.
In step S704, the memory allocation module 140 determines whether there is heap memory capacity allocated to the application program. If it is determined in this determination that there is capacity, the process proceeds to step S706, and otherwise, the process proceeds to step S708.

In step S706, the virtual screen display module 120 expands the target application program in the heap memory.
In step S708, the memory allocation module 140 secures a new virtual screen.
In step S710, the memory allocation module 140 sets virtual screen switching. This setting is used in step S714.
In step S <b> 712, the virtual screen display module 120 registers the target application program in the virtual screen management table 800 in association with the new virtual screen. Then, the process proceeds to step S714.

In step S714, it is determined whether there is a setting for switching the virtual screen. If it is determined in this determination that there is switching (when switching is set in step S710), the process proceeds to step S716, and otherwise, the process proceeds to step S718. After the determination is completed, the switching setting is cleared (set to none).
In step S716, the memory allocation module 140 releases the heap memory allocated to the virtual screen in the direction opposite to the new virtual screen. Thereafter, the process returns to step S704. In step S704, it is determined that there is a heap memory capacity (OK in step S704).
In step S718, the virtual screen display module 120 activates the target application program expanded in the heap memory.

  Note that the hardware configuration of the computer on which the program according to the present embodiment is executed is a computer as shown in FIG. 9 built in the portable information terminal. A CPU 910 that executes programs such as the virtual screen display module 120, the screen allocation module 130, and the memory allocation module 140, a RAM 930 that stores the program and data, and a ROM 920 that stores a program and the like for starting up the computer HD 940 which is an auxiliary storage device, UI / F 950 which serves as an interface with the operator by inputting data or outputting data to a liquid crystal display or the like by an operator's operation from a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and a removable such as a CD-R A removable media reader / writer 960 that reads / writes data from / to a medium, a communication line I / F 970 for connecting to a communication network, and a bus 980 for connecting them to exchange data. A plurality of these computers may be connected to each other via a network.

  In the above description of the embodiment, a mobile phone has been mainly described as an example of a mobile information terminal. However, any portable information terminal having a display unit may be used. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to information terminals used for PDA and WLAN (Wireless LAN, wireless LAN) services, so-called PHS, navigation systems, and the like. As for the communication function, it is obvious that the present invention can be applied as long as it provides various services using the line. Note that the term “portable” as used herein does not need to be always carried, and may be installed in an automobile, for example. However, the display is limited to the palm of the hand because of the space of the installation location.

Note that the described program can be stored in a recording medium.
The “computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded” refers to a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, which is used for program installation, execution, program distribution, and the like.
The recording medium is, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD), which is a standard established by the DVD Forum, such as “DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM,” and DVD + RW. Standard “DVD + R, DVD + RW, etc.”, compact disc (CD), read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD recordable (CD-R), CD rewritable (CD-RW), Blu-ray disc ( Blue-ray disk), magneto-optical disk (MO), flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and rewritable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, random Access memory (RAM) etc. are included.
The program or a part of the program can be recorded on the recording medium and stored or distributed. Also, by communication, for example, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wired network used for the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, etc., or wireless communication It can be transmitted using a transmission medium such as a network or a combination thereof, and can also be carried on a carrier wave.
Furthermore, the program may be a part of another program, or may be recorded on a recording medium together with a separate program.

It is a figure which shows the module structural example of one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the module structural example at the time of seeing one embodiment of this invention from another viewpoint. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mobile telephone which is an example of a portable information terminal. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the relationship between a display screen and a layer. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display transition of a virtual screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display in the middle of the virtual screen transition in a display screen. It is a flowchart which shows the process example in this Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a data structure of a virtual screen management table. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structural example of the computer which implement | achieves this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 ... Virtual screen management information storage module 120 ... Virtual screen display module 125 ... Program number limit module 130 ... Screen allocation module 140 ... Memory allocation module 150 ... Instruction reception module 190 ... Display part 210 ... Application program management module 220 ... Application program storage Module 230 ... Virtual screen single screen management module 240 ... Virtual screen single screen storage module 250 ... Virtual screen management module 260 ... Virtual screen storage module

Claims (6)

A portable information terminal having a display unit and running a program,
Virtual screen management information storage means for storing a virtual screen identifier that can uniquely identify a virtual screen and a program identifier that uniquely identifies a program to be displayed on the virtual screen;
Virtual screen display means for displaying the display by the program on the virtual screen of the virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means;
Program number limiting means for limiting the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen by the virtual screen display means;
Screen assigning means for assigning the virtual screen to the display unit;
There is an order between the virtual screens, a virtual screen having a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen assigned by the screen assigning means, and a memory allocated to the program displaying the virtual screen, and the predetermined A portable information terminal comprising: a virtual screen that is not related; and a memory allocation unit that does not allocate a memory to a program that displays the virtual screen. The virtual screen management information storage means has a layer in which the virtual screen has a layer, and stores one program corresponding to one layer,
The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the screen allocation unit allocates an image obtained by superimposing layers corresponding to the virtual screen to the display unit. An instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction to switch the screen display;
The screen assigning unit changes a virtual screen assigned to the display unit according to a switching instruction received by the instruction receiving unit,
When the switching instruction is received by the instruction receiving unit, the memory allocation unit is allocated to a virtual screen that is no longer in the predetermined relationship and a program that displays the virtual screen by switching the screen. 3. The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the memory is released and the memory is allocated to the virtual screen newly having the predetermined relationship and the program displaying the virtual screen. . The order between the virtual screens is an ordered sequence,
The predetermined relationship is the relationship between the virtual screen assigned to the display unit by the screen assigning means and both sides,
4. The switching instruction received by the instruction receiving unit is switching to a virtual screen that is adjacent to the virtual screen displayed on the display unit. 5. Mobile information terminals. A portable information processing method executed by a portable information terminal having a display unit and running a program,
The portable information terminal
Virtual screen management information storage means for storing a virtual screen identifier that can uniquely identify a virtual screen and a program identifier that uniquely identifies a program to be displayed on the virtual screen;
Displaying the display by the program on the virtual screen of the virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means,
Limit the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen,
Assign the virtual screen to the display unit,
There is a hierarchy between the virtual screens, a memory is allocated to a virtual screen that has a predetermined relationship with the allocated virtual screen and a program that is displaying the virtual screen, and is not in the predetermined relationship A portable information processing method, wherein no memory is allocated to a virtual screen and a program that displays the virtual screen. A portable information processing program that is executed by a portable information terminal that has a display unit and that operates the program,
Virtual screen management information storage means for storing the portable information terminal in association with a virtual screen identifier capable of uniquely identifying a virtual screen and a program identifier for uniquely identifying a program to be displayed on the virtual screen;
Virtual screen display means for displaying the display by the program on the virtual screen of the virtual screen identifier corresponding to the program identifier of the program stored by the virtual screen management information storage means;
Program number limiting means for limiting the number of programs that can be displayed on one virtual screen by the virtual screen display means;
Screen assigning means for assigning the virtual screen to the display unit;
There is an order between the virtual screens, a virtual screen having a predetermined relationship with the virtual screen assigned by the screen assigning means, and a memory allocated to the program displaying the virtual screen, and the predetermined A portable information processing program that functions as a memory allocation unit that does not allocate a memory to a virtual screen that is not related and a program that displays the virtual screen.

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