JP3461408B2 - Display method of information processing apparatus and information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display method and an information processing apparatus for an information processing apparatus that displays a plurality of display areas on a display screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in information processing apparatuses such as workstations and personal computers, it has been common practice to use a window system to cause the information processing apparatus to execute a plurality of processing operations in parallel.

The window system is to generate a plurality of windows which are rectangular display areas on a display screen of a display device,
In this system, each window is associated with a processing operation and the processing result is displayed in the corresponding window. The window system includes a tiling window system that divides the display screen and arranges the windows, and an overlapping window system that displays the windows at least partially on the display screen.

When the user selects and executes one processing operation from a plurality of processing operations, a window corresponding to the processing operation to be operated and displaying the processing result is overlaid on the display screen. The plurality of displayed windows are arranged at the uppermost position of the overlap so that a part of the windows is not hidden by other windows, and then an operation for executing the processing operation is performed.

In the window system, a large number of windows are generated on the display screen, and the processing operation corresponding to each window is performed sequentially or in parallel. As the number of generated windows increases, a large number of other windows are displayed in an overlapping manner on a window in which the generation order is old or the operation has not been performed for a long time.

In the moving operation of the window in which the target window is moved to the uppermost position of the plurality of overlapped windows and displayed, for example, a part of the target window is moved within the display screen by using the mouse. After a predetermined arrow mark to be moved is overlaid, a selection operation such as operating a mouse button is executed to cause the apparatus to switch windows. Therefore, when switching windows, at least part of the desired window
It must be displayed on the display screen.

When a large number of other windows are displayed in an overlapping manner on the target window and the target window is not displayed on the display screen at all, another window which is overlapped and hidden by the target window is You need to move it from the top of the desired window. For this reason, the window image may be reduced or the display may be replaced with a predetermined character called an icon. In this way, if you change the position or size of other windows to display the target window on the display screen,
The order and position of overlapping windows is changed.

Therefore, when it is desired to select another window subsequently, many windows must be moved again to search for the target window. For such window selection operation, there is a window system that provides a means for moving the window displayed in the foremost position to the innermost position of the overlapped windows. To do.

As a conventional technique for preventing a newly created window from being displayed in an overlapping manner on a previously created window in this manner, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-5 / 1998
6993 publication is mentioned. In this publication, when a new window is further generated from the state where the window is displayed on the display screen in advance, the position where the new window is generated is avoided by avoiding the position where the previously displayed old window is generated. Decide not to overlap. If there is no blank area in the display area of the display screen to create a new window so that it does not overlap the old window, reduce the size of the old window to create a new blank area. After forming, a new window is formed in the blank area.

A technique for making it easy to see a plurality of windows that are displayed in an overlapping manner is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-134.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 834. In this publication, when a plurality of windows are displayed in a hierarchical manner such as used for displaying a menu of a program, the number of windows that must be generated is calculated in advance from the number of menus, and this number is calculated. The position of each window is determined from. The position is determined so that when all windows are generated on the display screen, they are visually balanced and fit within the display screen. In addition, the most recently created window is displayed with a gap between the edges in the same direction as other stacked old windows, so that the most recently created window can be easily identified. The technology is also disclosed.

[0011]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the technique of Japanese Patent Publication No. 6993, when the number of generated windows is small, it is possible to arrange the windows so that the windows do not overlap each other, but when the number of generated windows increases, the size of the old window is reduced. At the very least, it will not be possible to form a blank area in the newly created window so that it does not overlap other windows, so the problem of having to overlay the new window on the old other window is a problem. is there. Further, the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-134834 is effective only when the number of windows to be opened is known in advance, and it is difficult to apply it when the number of windows to be generated is not limited. There's a problem.

As described above, in order to select an arbitrary window from the windows that have been opened in advance and display it on the top of the windows that are stacked as the operation target, at least a part of the window is displayed on the display screen. Must be displayed. The conventional window system has a problem that the more windows generated in the display screen, the longer it takes to find a target window.

Further, when the stacked windows are chaotically moved to find the target window, the overlapping state of the windows becomes more complicated when the other windows are searched next time. Therefore, it is necessary to move many windows again and search for the target window. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time and labor to find the target window.

It is an object of the present invention to display an information processing apparatus capable of easily selecting a target window from the windows when a plurality of windows are generated in advance on the display screen and switching the windows. A method and an information processing apparatus are provided.

[0015]

According to the present invention, stored contents are read from a memory for storing contents to be displayed for each of a plurality of windows, and a plurality of windows simultaneously displayed on a common display screen of the display means. In the display method of the information processing device capable of displaying on the display device, when a new window is displayed, the window is displayed on the display screen in a predetermined size for the window and is already displayed on the display screen. The display method of the information processing apparatus is characterized in that the displayed window is displayed in a size reduced by a predetermined reduction value.

The present invention is also directed to display means having a display screen, a memory for storing display contents of a plurality of windows displayed in the display screen, reading the stored contents from the memory, and simultaneously displaying the contents on the display screen. Display control means for displaying in a plurality of displayed windows, the display control means, when newly displaying the window, displays the window on the display screen in a predetermined size for the window. In addition, the information processing apparatus is characterized in that the window already displayed on the display screen is displayed in a size reduced by a predetermined reduction value.

According to the present invention, the information processing apparatus executes a plurality of processes in parallel and displays the processing result of each process in the window set on the display screen of the display means. A plurality of windows can be formed on the same display screen for each process. The contents to be displayed in each window are stored in the memory. In the information processing device, when a window is newly displayed, the window is displayed on the display screen in a predetermined size for the window, and the window already displayed on the display screen is reduced in size. Display in reduced size by value. The windows displayed on the display screen are displayed smaller than when the windows are displayed alone, depending on the order in which the windows are opened. The reduction rate is smaller as the opening order is earlier (older). The image displayed in the window may be reduced and displayed similarly to the window. Accordingly, the order in which the windows are opened can be displayed with a pseudo depth so that the windows are moved away from the display screen in accordance with the order in which the windows are opened. Therefore, the user using the information processing apparatus can visually and clearly confirm the order in which the plurality of windows are opened by visually observing the display screen. Also, when multiple windows are displayed overlapping each other, the user
The overlapping order can be visually confirmed clearly by visually observing the display screen depending on the size of each window.

Further, according to the present invention, when the latest window displayed in a predetermined size is erased, the window is erased from the display screen, and the window is already reduced and displayed. The feature is that the existing window is enlarged and displayed to the original size before reduction.

According to the present invention, the display control means, when erasing the latest window displayed in a predetermined size, erases the window from the display screen and at the same time displays the window. It is characterized in that the reduced and displayed window is enlarged to the original size before reduction and displayed.

According to the present invention, when the user gives an instruction to erase the latest window displayed in a predetermined size, the window is erased from the display screen and the window is already displayed. The reduced and displayed window is enlarged and displayed in the original size before reduction. In this way, when the latest window is opened or closed, the remaining windows are displayed with a reduction or expansion of one step, so that the user can visually see that the window is moving back and forth along the depth direction. Can make you feel. Therefore, the order in which the windows are opened or the order in which the windows are overlapped can be pseudo-expressed as the position of the window depth method.

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

[0025]

[0026]

[0027]

[0028]

[0029]

1 is a schematic electrical block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a specific electrical block diagram of the information processing apparatus of FIG. Hereinafter, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be described together.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 1 comprises an input means 2, a window system management means 3, an image processing means 4, and an output means 5. The window system management means 3 executes a process corresponding to a window-related instruction among the instructions from the user of the information processing device 1 based on the data input from the input means 2, and outputs the processing result to the output means 5. Let Further, the processing relating to the image of the window output to the output means 5 is performed by the image processing means 4
Done in. The window system management means 3
In response to the output of the image processing unit 4, the output unit 5 is caused to output the image of the window.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 1 includes a central processing unit 7, memories 9 to 12, and external storage control means 1.
3, external storage unit 14, keyboard control unit 15, keyboard 16, mouse control unit 17, mouse 18, pen control unit 19, pen input unit 20, display control unit 21, display unit 22, print control unit 23, printing unit 24. , A sound control means 25, and a speaker 26.

The central processing unit 7 reads the program stored in the memories 9 and 10 via the bus 8 and executes the program.

Memories 9-12, control means 13, 15,
Data and addresses are mutually exchanged between 17, 19, 21, 23, 25 and the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8. The memory 11 stores data for visually displaying characters and figures by the output means 5, such as bitmap and outline font data of characters that can be displayed and printed by the information processing apparatus 1. The memory 12 has an address configuration corresponding to the coordinates set on the display screen of the output means 5 in a one-to-one correspondence,
The displayed image is held in a format such as a bitmap. The memories 9 and 11 are realized by read-only memories, for example. The memories 10 and 12 are realized by random access memories, for example.

Further, the information processing apparatus 1 has an external storage means 14, and writes data in the external storage means 14 or reads data from the external storage means 14 via the bus 8 and the external storage control means 13. . The external storage means 14 is
For example, it is realized by a disk drive. The keyboard control means 15 gives the key code input from the keyboard 16 to the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8. The mouse control means 17 gives the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8 data such as a rotation angle and a rotation direction of a rotating body, which will be described later, given from the mouse 18. The pen control means 19
The state of the pen input from the pen input means 20, the coordinates when the screen is touched by the pen input means 20, and the like are given to the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8. The input means 2 includes a keyboard 16, a mouse 18, and a pen input means 2.
0, and each control means 15, 17, and 19 are included.

The display control means 21 is supplied with display data for one screen stored in the memory 12 via the bus 8. The display control means 21 gives the data to the display means 22 for visual display. The output of the display control means 21 is given to the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8. The print control means 23 is given the data stored in the memory 10 via the bus 8 by the central processing unit 7, for example, and prints the data on the recording paper by the printing means 24 for visual display. The output from the printing unit 24 is sent to the memory 1 via the print control unit 23 and the bus 8.
0, 12 and so on. The sound control means 25 converts the data given from the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8 into sound, and outputs it as sound from the speaker 26. The output unit 5 includes a display unit 22, a printing unit 24, and a speaker 26.
And each control means 21, 23, 25.

Control means 13, 15, 17, 19, 2
1, 23 and 25 are respectively controlled by the central processing unit 7 via the bus 8.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of generating / deleting the window output to the output means 5 in the processing apparatus of FIG.

For example, on the display screen of the display means 22,
Image 3 of window A, which is the rectangular display area shown in FIG.
A display image 31 including 2 is displayed. Window A
Has a predetermined size and has a title bar 33 and a region 34. A predetermined processing operation is set correspondingly in the window A as described later, and the result is set in the area 3
4 is displayed.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining screen drawing of the display area indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. For example, the display screen of the display means 22 is divided into a number of dots 37, which are fine rectangular areas. Each dot 37 is designated by the XY coordinates set on the display screen. Display screen 2
When the display of No. 2 is monochrome, each dot 37 has one display state of white display and black display.
The memory 12 stores each dot 3 designated by XY coordinates.
The display state of 7 is stored as binary data, for example, "0" for white display and "1" for black display. In the memory 12, the display state of each dot 37 is changed to XY
Stored one-to-one corresponding to the coordinates.

In the image 32 of the window A of the display image 31, the display state of the dot in the black display such as the outline of the window A is "1". Area 3
The display state of the dots that are displayed in white, such as the inside of 4 and the portion of the display image 31 where the image 32 is not displayed, is “0”. In this way, the display image 31 is divided into a plurality of fine dots 37 to be displayed and stored. In FIG. 5, the shaded dots 37 indicate that the dots are displayed in black.

The XY coordinates set in the display image 31 are determined based on the origin 38 set in, for example, the upper left corner of the display image 31 shown in FIG. The X axis 39 is an axis in the horizontal direction of the display image 31 that passes through the origin 38, and is set so that the value increases from the origin 38 to the right in FIG. 4, for example. The Y-axis 40 is an axis in the vertical direction of the display image 31 that passes through the origin 38, and is set so that the value increases as going downward from the origin in FIG.

The operation of generating / disappearing the window output to the output means 5 in the information processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When an event occurs, the process proceeds from step a1 to step a2. The event occurs when the output of the input means 2 is given to the central processing unit 7 or data is exchanged inside the central processing unit 1.
In step a2, it is determined whether or not the generated event is an event related to window output. If the generated event is a window-related event, the process proceeds to step a3. When the event is not the event related to the window, the process proceeds to step a4, and the processing operation related to the event is executed based on the event. When the process is completed in step a4 and an event occurs in the process, the process proceeds to step a2. If not, the process proceeds to step a5 to end the operation of this flowchart.

If the generated event is a window-related event, it is determined in step a3 whether or not the event is an event instructing generation of a window. If the event indicates window generation, the process proceeds to step a6. At step a6, the display image currently displayed on the display screen of the display means 22 of the output means 5 is reduced based on the reduction rate α which is the magnification.

When the display image is reduced, the process proceeds from step a6 to step a7. At step a7, a new window designated by the event is generated and displayed on the display screen.
The image of the window is displayed so as to overlap the reduced display image. The image of the new window generated in step a7 is drawn in a predetermined size for the window. The overlapping portion of the image of the newly created and drawn window and the display image including the window already displayed in step a1 displays only the image of the most recently created window and does not display other images. This makes it possible for the user, who has viewed the display screen, to visually feel that the most recently created window has been placed so as to be superimposed on the windows displayed so far. When the generation and drawing of the window are completed in step a7, the process returns from step a7 to step a2.

At step a1, the display image 31 shown in FIG.
Is displayed, the display image 46 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the display screen by the processing of steps a1 to a7.
Is displayed. In the display image 46, the image 48 of the window B is drawn so as to overlap the image 47 of the window A. The image 47 of the window A is an image obtained by reducing the image 32 of the window A of the display image 31 of FIG. 4 in a similar shape based on a predetermined reduction rate α. The image 48 of the window B is an image having a predetermined size with respect to the window B.

The reduction rate α is, for example, the length parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis of the window image previously displayed on the display screen of the display means 22, and the X-axis and Y-axis of the window image reduced in step a6. It is expressed as a ratio to the length in the direction parallel to the axis. The formula for obtaining the reduction rate α is shown below.

Α = Lx2 / Lx1 = Ly2 / Ly1 (1) For example, Lx1 is the length in the X-axis direction of the image 32 of the window A of FIG. 4 which is an image displayed on the display screen in advance. Lx2 is the length in the X-axis direction of the image 47 of the window A in FIG. 6, which is a reduced image. Ly1 is shown in FIG.
The length of the image 32 of the window A in the Y-axis direction. L
y2 is the length of the image 47 of the window A in FIG. 6 in the Y-axis direction. That is, the reduction rate α is a reduction rate for reducing the display image displayed at that time when the pseudo-set coordinate in the depth direction is moved to the back in the depth direction by one unit. The reduction rate and the position in the depth direction are directly proportional. In this embodiment of the present invention, for example, the reduction rate α
Is set to 90%.

Further, when the display image 46 is displayed on the display screen, the processes of steps a1 to a7 are further executed, and when a new window C is generated by overlapping the window A and the window B, the display screen is displayed. The display image 51 displayed in FIG. The display image 51 is shown in FIG.
The image 52 of the window C having a predetermined size is superimposed and drawn on the image of the similar shape in which the display image 46 of FIG. Image 53 of window B
Is a similar image obtained by reducing the image 48 of the window B in FIG. 6 at a reduction rate of 90%. Image 54 of window A
Is a similar image obtained by reducing the image 47 of the window A in FIG. 6 at a reduction rate of 90%.

As described above, the image of the window is reduced at a predetermined reduction rate α every time the image of the window is displayed while being superimposed on the image of another window. Therefore, each time a new window is created, the window image shrinks in a similar fashion. The user of the information processing apparatus 1 feels that the image of the window is small, and that the coordinate in the depth direction, which is pseudo set orthogonal to the display screen, is behind the window.

As a result, every time a new window is generated and displayed on the display screen of the display means 22, the old window that has already been generated and displayed moves backward along the coordinate axis in the depth direction at a predetermined interval. It can be made to feel visually. Further, although the image of the window in the display image is reduced in a similar shape while keeping the aspect ratio of the figure constant in this embodiment of the present invention, the aspect ratio may be changed.

A method of reducing and drawing the display image displayed on the display screen of the display means 22 in step a6 will be described below. In the first drawing method, the data of the display image newly displayed on the display screen of the display unit 22 and the data of the display image already displayed on the display screen at the time of writing in the memory 12 are sequentially 2 × 2. In this method, a total of 4 dots is used as 1 dot of a new image and data is converted.

For example, if two or more of the four dots are displayed in black, "1" is stored in the area of the corresponding address in the memory 12. When less than 2 dots out of 4 dots are displayed in black, “0” is stored in the area of the corresponding address of the memory 12. As a result, the display data having the number of dots of 1/2 is stored in the memory 12 in each of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction of the display image to be reduced. This data is used to form a newly displayed display image.

As a second example of the drawing method of the display screen, when the reduction ratio is set to 90%, for example, the data of dots arranged in a matrix are sequentially corresponded to the data of 9 dots from the reference position. The data of the 10th dot is not stored by skipping the data of the 10th dot, but the data of the 11th dot is continuously stored with the data of the 9th dot. For example, when writing dot data in the X-axis direction to the memory 12, one dot of the data for 10 dots is skipped and stored. Similarly, with respect to dot data in the Y-axis direction, one line of data out of 10 lines of data is skipped and stored. By using such a method, it is possible to obtain the display image data reduced at a reduction rate of 90% from the display image data to be reduced. Further, as a method of drawing the reduced display screen, a method other than the above-mentioned method may be used.

In the flowchart of FIG. 3, when the event generated in step a3 is not the event instructing the window generation, the process proceeds to step a8. In step a8, it is determined whether or not the event that has occurred is an event that instructs the disappearance of the window that has already been generated and displayed on the display screen of the display means 22. If so, the process proceeds to step a9, and if not, the process returns to step a2.

At step a9, on the display screen of the display means 22, the image of the window arranged at the foremost position in the depth direction, which is pseudo set, is erased. At the same time, the processing operation corresponding to the window in which the image has been deleted is interrupted or terminated, and the process proceeds to step a10. In step a10, the display image in which the frontmost window is deleted is enlarged and displayed at a magnification (1 / α). That is, the display image before the disappeared window is generated is displayed again on the display screen.

For example, when the window is instructed to disappear from the display screen of the display image 51 of FIG. 7 and the processes of steps a8 to a10 are executed, the display screen of the display means 22 is displayed. Is the display image 4 of FIG.
6 is displayed. If the display image 46 of FIG. 6 was previously displayed on the display screen, when the operation ends, the display image 31 of FIG. 4 is displayed on the display screen. When the display image enlargement process is completed, the process returns from step a10 to step a2.

If a plurality of windows displayed in the display image overlap with each other, in step a9, after the image of the window displayed in the foreground is erased, the erased windows overlap and the Redisplay the image in another window that was erased, and then magnify the entire image.

As a result, every time a window is created or disappeared, the image of the window that has been displayed on the display screen is reduced or enlarged, and the window visually moves back and forth along the depth direction. Can make you feel like you are. Therefore, the order and number of overlapping windows can be pseudo-expressed as the position of the windows in the depth direction.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention has an electrical configuration similar to that of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. In the second embodiment of the invention, when a window is created / disappeared and the image of the window displayed on the display screen is reduced or enlarged,
At least one of hue, saturation, and lightness of the reduced image
Change and display one.

For example, when the display means 22 is a display means for displaying in black and white, the image of the reduced window is processed to be whitish. As a method of processing an image, for example, when storing the image data of the reduced window in the memory 12, the data of the display state of the dots is stored every other dot regardless of the data of the image drawn in advance. It is possible to change it to “0” and store it. Further, when the display unit 22 is a display unit that performs color display, for example, the saturation of the entire image of the reduced window is reduced.

FIG. 8 shows a display image 56 displayed on the display screen of the display means in a state in which the window A is generated and then the window B is generated. The display image 56 has a shape similar to the display image 46 of FIG.
The image 57 of the window A of the display image 56 is whitish and the brightness thereof is increased compared to the image 47 of the window A of the display image 46 of FIG. . Image 5 of window A
Image 48 of window B displayed so as to overlap 7
Is displayed in a predetermined size of the window B and is also displayed in a predetermined display color.

In FIG. 9, the display image 56 of FIG.
2 is a display image 61 when a window C is newly generated from the state displayed in the second display image. The display image 61 of FIG. 9 has a shape similar to that of the display image 51 of FIG. 7. In the image 62 of the window B of the display image 61, the blackened portion such as the outline of the image 62 of the window B of the display image 51 of FIG. 7 is displayed with improved brightness as a whole. The image 63 of window A is
The images in window B are displayed so as to overlap. And the image 63 is the image 5 of the window A of the display image 51 of FIG.
4, the lightness of a portion such as the contour line displayed in black is improved and displayed. Further display image 6
Even when compared with the image 62 of the window B of No. 1, the brightness of the entire portion displayed in black is improved and displayed. The image 52 of the window C is displayed in a predetermined size and display color so as to overlap the images 63 and 62 of the windows A and B.

An information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the invention has the same electrical configuration as the information processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, when a window is generated and a new window is generated from the state where the window image is displayed in the display image on the display screen, the previously displayed window image is reduced. , The image in the display area of the part where the window of the display screen is not displayed is reduced at the same reduction ratio as the window and is displayed together on the display screen.

FIG. 10 shows a display image 67 displayed on the display screen of the display means by instructing the generation of the window B when the window A is displayed in advance in this embodiment of the present invention. Is. Display image 67
Is an image similar to the display image 46 of FIG. An image 48 of the window B is drawn on the display image 67 so as to overlap the image 47 of the reduced window A. Further, a frame line 68 is drawn so that the images 47 and 48 of the windows A and B overlap. The frame line 68 corresponds to the outer frame 66 when the entire display image 31 in which only the window A is displayed is reduced at the same reduction ratio α as the reduction ratio of the image of the window A. Further, in the display image 67, an auxiliary line 69 is drawn between each corner of the outer frame 70 indicating the range of the display area of the display image 67 and each corner of the frame line 68.

In this way, by displaying the display area corresponding to the image of the reduced window with the frame line, it is possible to visually emphasize that the window has receded in the depth direction from the original display position.

FIG. 11 is a display image 71 showing a state in which a window C is newly generated and displayed from the state where the windows A and B are generated and displayed on the display screen of the display means 22. The display image 71 has a shape similar to the display image 51 of FIG.

On the display image 71, the image 53 of B which is reduced by being superimposed on the image 54 of the reduced window A is displayed. Further, the window image 52 is displayed so as to be superimposed on the reduced images 54 and 53 of the windows A and B. Further, in the display image 71, a rectangular frame line 72 is drawn and displayed, and a rectangular frame line 73 is drawn and displayed inside the frame line 72. From the four corners of the outer frame 74, auxiliary lines 75 are drawn so as to pass through the corners of the frame line 72 and reach the corners of the frame line 73. Auxiliary line 69, 75
Is drawn by a broken line, for example.

As described above, in this embodiment of the present invention, the image of the window in which the generated windows overlap is reduced and displayed, and the display screen displayed before the reduced window is reduced is displayed. The display area is reduced at the same reduction ratio as the window, and the reduced display area is displayed by, for example, a frame line. As a result, the overlapped and reduced window becomes deeper in the pseudo-set position in the depth direction than the newly created window, and the display screen surface is more than the position before the new window was created. You can visually emphasize that you have gone away from.

When the display means 22 is a display means for performing color display, the reduced display area is displayed by changing any one of hue, saturation and lightness from the display before reduction. You may do it. For example, in the display image 71 of FIG. 11, the frame lines 72 and 73 are not drawn, and the display areas 77 to 79 are displayed in different display colors in at least one of different hue, saturation, and lightness.

The display area 77 has an image 54 of the window A.
Is a rectangular area inside the frame 73. The display area 78 is the image 53 of the window B.
Is a rectangular area having the same reduction ratio and the display area 77.
It is the area excluding. The display area 78 is outside the frame line 73 and inside the frame line 72. Display area 79
Is a rectangular display area of the entire display screen of the display means, and is an area excluding the display areas 77 and 78.

Thus, in addition to reducing the image of the window, by drawing the reduced display area in the background, for example, when the preset sizes of the displayed windows are different, The pseudo positional relationship in the depth direction, that is, the order of overlapping windows and the order of overlapping windows can be visually displayed clearly.

Display images 67 and 71 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
In the case where the window images 47, 48, 52 to 54 and the frame lines 68, 72, 73 overlap each other, the overlapping frame lines 68, 72, 73 are deleted and the window image is displayed. This makes it possible to visually emphasize that the window has moved away in the depth direction without affecting the display of the window itself.

An information processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the invention has the same configuration as the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, the arrangement of the windows is changed to X including the Z axis which is the pseudo depth direction.
It is assumed that they are arranged in the YZ coordinate system. A display showing a whole image of such a window by a front view viewed from a direction in which the Z axis is orthogonal to the display screen of the display means and a perspective view viewed from a direction in which the Z axis intersects the display screen at an angle. Switch between images and display.

In the display image 51 shown in FIG. 7, the images 52 to 54 of the windows A to C are displayed in an overlapping manner. The images 53 and 54 of the windows B and A are reduced and displayed, assuming that the position in the depth direction, which is pseudo set, is deeper than the image 52 of the window C. In such a display image 51, the origin 81 is set in the upper left corner of the rectangular display image, and the X-axis 82 increases in the horizontal direction of the paper passing through the origin 81 and to the right in FIG.
Is set. At the same time, a Y axis 83 is set which passes through the origin 81 and increases downward in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface.

FIG. 12 shows XY set in the display image 51.
It is a figure which shows a coordinate axis. The Z axis, which is the depth direction that is set in a pseudo manner, is orthogonal to the X axis 82 and the Y axis 83, and
In No. 2, it is set so as to intersect perpendicularly to the paper surface.

The windows A to C are displayed on the display screen of the display means.
13 (1) when a key of a predetermined input means is operated or a menu of a menu screen newly displayed on the display screen is selected while the display image 51 in which is displayed is displayed. The display image 86 shown in () is displayed on the display screen. In the display image 86, the windows A to C have the Z-axis coordinates which are the pseudo depth direction and are displayed as being stereoscopically overlapped.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of the window information memory stored in the memory 10, for example. The window information memory 89 has a total recording area 9
0, and the window recording areas 91 to 93 are set. The window recording area includes a number area 94, a name area 95, an x coordinate area 96, ay coordinate area 97, a width area 98,
A height area 99 and a processing means area 100 are provided.

In the window recording areas 91 to 93, window A, window B, and window C are respectively provided.
Each data of is stored. For example, in the window recording area 91 for storing the data of the window A, the name “A” given to the window is stored in the name area 95. In the x-coordinate area 96 and the y-coordinate area 97, the reference position of the rectangular image displayed on the display screen, for example, “220” which is the x-coordinate of the point at the upper left corner of the rectangular image.
And the y coordinate "150" are stored respectively.

In the width area 98, "120" which is the length of the rectangular image of the window in the X-axis direction is stored. In the height area 99, “100”, which is the length of the rectangular image of the window in the Y-axis direction, is stored. Processing means area 1
In 00, data that is set in correspondence with the window A and specifies the processing operation whose processing result is displayed in the window A, for example, “ABC” that is the name of the processing operation is stored. Numerical values stored in the areas 96 to 99 are displayed when the window is displayed alone on the display screen.
A number used to draw a rectangular window.

In the number area 94, the window number "1" is stored. The window number indicates the overlapping order of windows. The larger the window number, the more the windows are stacked and the more the windows are arranged in the upper part of the overlap. For example, the window number “1” is given to the window A. The window B is given “2”. The window C is given the number “3”. As described above, the window numbers given to the windows A, B, and C indicate that the window B overlaps the window A and the window C overlaps the window B.

In the display image 86, which is a perspective view of the entire image of the windows showing the overlapping state of a plurality of windows, images 101 to 103, which are perspective views of the windows A, B, and C, are arranged at predetermined intervals in the depth direction. Are arranged. Further, in the display image 86, the XYZ coordinate axes 104 when viewed from the same viewpoint as the images 101 to 103 are drawn. XYZ
The coordinate axes 104 are an X coordinate axis 104a and a Y coordinate axis 104.
b and the Z coordinate axis 104c. X coordinate axis 104
The a and Y coordinate axes 104b are that the sides parallel to the coordinate axes 104a and 104b of the images 101 to 103 are the sides corresponding to the sides parallel to the coordinate axes 82 and 83 in the images 52 to 54 of the display image 51 of FIG. This is highlighted. The Z coordinate axis 104c is equal to the overlapping direction in which the windows overlap with each other, and represents the depth direction in the overall image of the windows. This depth direction intersects the direction orthogonal to the display screen, which was the depth direction in FIG. 7, and the direction orthogonal to the paper surface indicated by reference numeral 105 in FIG.

As a result, each image is drawn in a diamond shape,
In addition, the images 10 are drawn so as to overlap each other.
It can be emphasized that 1 to 103 are perspective views showing a state in which windows are three-dimensionally arranged at intervals in the depth direction.

The window information memory 89 stores data indicating the state of the window viewed from the front. A method of calculating and drawing the data of the perspective view of the window as shown in the display image 86 from such data will be described below.

First, the z coordinate, which is the coordinate in the depth direction of each window, of a plurality of windows drawn in the display image 86 is obtained. The z coordinate is calculated and determined according to the following equation based on the total number of windows and the window number of each window.

Z = ((Window Count) − (Window No.)) × (constant) (2) Window Count indicates the total number of windows. Window No.
Indicates the window number. The constant is a value determined in advance based on the size of the display screen. That is, the constant indicates the interval between the windows arranged adjacent to each other in the Z-axis direction. The constant is set to a value such that images of all windows are displayed on the display screen when the images of the windows generated on the display screen are shown in a perspective view.

For example, in the display image 86, when the total number of windows, which is the number of generated windows, is 3, the window number is "3". At this time, the z coordinate of the window C is determined to be "0". The z coordinate of the window B having the window number “2” is set to “100”. The z coordinate of the window A whose window number is "1" is set to "200". That is, the z-coordinate of the most recently generated window that is stacked on top of the plurality of windows is 0, and the window number is younger. It is determined that the window becomes larger and is located farther in the Z-axis direction which is the depth direction with respect to the window closest to the depth direction.

In the display image 86, for example, an X-axis 107 is set in the horizontal direction with the point 106 at the upper left corner of the image as the origin. Similarly, the image passes through the origin and becomes Y
The axis 108 is set. Furthermore, it passes through the origin and passes through the X-axis 10.
7 and the Z axis 109 that intersects the Y axis 108 at a predetermined angle is set. FIG. 13B is a diagram showing the x and y coordinates set in the display image 86.

Image 101 of each window of display image 86
In the case of drawing Nos. 103 to 103, the X-axis 107 is set as the coordinate axis in the depth direction, and the z-coordinate obtained from Expression 2 is applied. Further, the Z axis 109 is applied to the X axis coordinate which is the width direction of the images 101 to 103. That is, the X-axis 10
Images 101 to 103 are drawn by regarding 7 as the Z axis that is the depth direction and the Z axis 109 as the X axis that is the width direction. This makes it possible to draw a diamond-shaped figure in which the parallel lines in the X-axis direction and the parallel lines in the Y-axis direction intersect without intersecting each other.

Images 101 and 102 of windows A and B,
That is, the image of the window whose z coordinate is other than 0 is displayed in a reduced size compared to the size of the image drawn when the window is arranged at the position where the z coordinate is 0. The width W1 and the height H1 of the image of the window are calculated and determined according to the following equations based on the width width, the height height, the total number of windows and the window number stored in the window memory 89, respectively.

W1 = (width) × (0.9) ^{(Window Count)-(Window No.)} (3) H1 = (height) × (0.9) ^{(Window Count)-(Window No.)} ... (4) (0.9) is the window reduction ratio α, which is set to 90% in this embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, the calculated z coordinate and the width W
The value of 1 and the height H1 and the data such as the name of the window and the name of the processing operation are stored in the buffer that is set in the memory 12, for example, for storing the data of the display image of the display unit 22.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of the buffer 111. The buffer 111 includes a number area 112, a name area 113, an x coordinate area 114, and ay coordinate area 115, and stores a window number, a window name, and an x coordinate and ay coordinate of a reference position of an image of the window, respectively. . Further, the buffer 111 includes a width area 116 and a height area 117, and stores the values of the reduced width W1 and height H1 of the image of the window determined and calculated based on Expressions 3 and 4, respectively. .
The processing means area 118 stores the name of the program of the processing operation corresponding to the window. Further, the buffer 111 includes a z-coordinate region 119, and stores the z-coordinate calculated and determined based on Expression 2.

For example, in the width region 116, the width value "120" which is the reference of the image of the window A is set to (0.9).
Is the value of the reduced width to ² times "97" is stored.
In the height area 117, “81”, which is a value obtained by reducing the height value “100” that is the reference of the window A by (0.9) ² times, is stored. The central processing unit 7 uses the value stored in the buffer 111 to draw the image of the perspective view of the window on the display screen of the display means 22.

Thus, by displaying the entire image of the window as a perspective view, it is possible to more clearly and visually display the pseudo arrangement of the disposition in the depth direction.
In addition, compared with the whole image of the window seen from the front, the whole image seen from the diagonal direction does not display the pseudo-set position in the depth direction only by the size of the window, Since the z-coordinate indicating the position in the depth direction is also displayed, the position in the depth direction is easier to visually understand. Furthermore, compared to the overall view of the window when viewed from the front, display windows that are completely hidden by the windows that overlay them, so that some of them do not overlap the windows in front and behind. You can

An information processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention has the same electrical configuration as the information processing apparatus of the first embodiment of the invention. In this form of implementation of the invention,
The image of the window is displayed as viewed from the front, and the perspective view showing the overlapping state of the windows is displayed.

FIG. 16 shows a display image 121 displayed on the display screen of the display means in the state where the window A is generated in the information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the invention.
Is. The display image 121 is an image similar to the display image 31 of FIG. The image 32 of the window A is drawn on the display image 121. Further, a perspective view 123 in which an image 122 of the perspective view of the window A is displayed is drawn.
The perspective view 123 is drawn in the lower right corner of the display image 121, for example.

FIG. 17 shows a display image 126 displayed on the display screen of the display means in the state where the window A is newly generated and the window B is newly generated. The display image 126 is an image similar to the display image 46 of FIG. The reduced image 47 of the window A and the image 48 of the window B are superimposed and displayed on the display image 126. Further, a perspective view 129 in which a perspective view image 127 of the window A and a perspective view image 128 of the window B are drawn is drawn.

FIG. 18 shows a display image 131 displayed on the display screen of the display means in the state where the window A and the window B are newly generated and the window C is newly generated. The display image 131 is an image similar to the display image 51 of FIG. The display image 131 includes the image 52 of the window C and the reduced image 5 of the window B.
3 and the reduced image 54 of window A overlap and are drawn. Further, in the lower right corner of the display image 131, for example, the images 132, 1 of the perspective views of the windows A to C are displayed.
A perspective view 135 in which 33 and 134 are drawn is also drawn.

When the window C is extinguished from the state in which the windows A to C are generated in this way, the display image displayed on the display screen of the display means is the display image 13 shown in FIG.
The display image 126 of FIG. 17 is changed from 1. Similarly,
From the state in which the windows A and B have been created, the window B
When is deleted, the display image displayed on the display screen of the display means is changed from the display image 126 of FIG. 17 to the display image 121 of FIG.

As described above, every time a window is generated or disappears, a perspective view showing an overall image of the window from an oblique direction as shown in the fourth embodiment of the invention is displayed with the same display. By always showing in the image,
At that time, it is possible to always stereoscopically check the overlapping state of the plurality of windows generated and displayed in the display image. As a result, the overlapping state of the windows can be more clearly and visually expressed.

An information processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention has the same electrical configuration as the information processing apparatus of the first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, the window displayed at the frontmost position of the display screen, that is, at the position where the z coordinate is 0, which is a pseudo position in the depth direction, is moved relative to a plurality of windows. Change without changing and switch.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart for explaining the window switching operation of this embodiment of the present invention. For example, in step b1, it is assumed that three windows A, B, and C have been generated, and the display image 46 of FIG. 6 is displayed on the display screen of the display means. That is, although the window C is generated, the image is deleted. When an event occurs in this state, the process proceeds from step b1 to step b2. In step b2, it is determined whether or not the event is an event instructing a window switching operation. If so, go to step b3. If the event is an event for instructing another operation, the process proceeds from step b2 to step b4. In step b4, other processing operations other than the switching of the window corresponding to the event are executed, and the process proceeds to step b5.
The process ends. If an event occurs due to the processing operation performed in step b4, step b4
Then, the process returns to step b2 to judge the event that has occurred.

If the event is an instruction to switch windows, in step b3, the event causes the window whose Z coordinate is 0 on the display screen of the display means to be higher than the currently arranged window. It is determined whether or not the event is an instruction to switch to a new window with a large window number. If so, the process proceeds to step b6, and if not, the process proceeds to step b7.

If the event is an instruction to switch to a new window, step b6.
In, the display image currently displayed on the display screen is reduced by a predetermined reduction rate α, and the process proceeds to step b8. This is equivalent to setting the currently displayed window to move one unit inward from the current depth position and reducing the image of each window at a reduction ratio according to the new depth position of the window. .

At step b8, a new window switched so as to overlap the reduced display image is drawn. At the same time, the image of the reduced display image that overlaps the image of the new window is erased, and the new window is switched and displayed. Thereby, for example, the display image displayed on the display screen is switched from the display image 46 to the display image 51. When the window switching and display operations are completed, the process returns from step b8 to step b2.

When it is determined that the event of the window input in step b3 does not indicate switching to a new window, the process proceeds from step b3 to step b7. At step b7, whether or not the input event is an instruction to switch the window whose Z coordinate is 0 to the window whose position in the depth direction of the window is deeper than the currently arranged window. Is judged. If so, step b9
If not, the process returns from step b7 to step b2 to repeat the switching process.

If the event is an instruction to switch to the old window, in step b9, the image of the window whose z coordinate is 0 or close to 0 in the windows currently generated. Erase. At this time, the window is still created. Furthermore, at the same time that the frontmost window is erased, an image of the portion of the display image that has been hidden by the erased window and has been erased from the display screen is drawn.

When the image in the window at the first depth position is erased, the process proceeds to step b10, and the display image currently displayed on the display screen is enlarged at a predetermined enlargement ratio. The enlargement ratio at this time is set by the reciprocal 1 / α of the reduction ratio for reducing the display screen when a new window is generated. Thereby, for example, the display image displayed on the display screen is switched from the display image 46 to the display image 31 of FIG.
When the enlargement of the entire screen is completed, the process returns from step b10 to step b2.

As described above, in this embodiment of the present invention, the image of the window is moved from the depth direction back to the depth direction front or vice versa without changing the window stacking order or the arrangement position. The image of the window in the position of arbitrary overlapping order can be moved to the back in the depth direction from the first position to the first position in the display image where the z coordinate is 0. This makes it possible to easily switch windows when a large number of windows are generated on the display screen.

Therefore, even if the image of the window to be switched is not necessarily drawn on the screen, the window can be moved to the first front of the display screen and switched. To select a window, the switching operation described above is performed, and the window is selected, for example, by aligning the mouse cursor with the title bar and clicking the title bar of the image of the window whose position in the depth direction is changed to the front. Therefore, it becomes easy to select a target window from many windows.

The event for instructing the switching of windows is, for example, to move the mouse in the front direction or the back direction while moving a predetermined cursor to an area in the display screen where the window image is not drawn and clicking. You may make it generate | occur | produce by the thing. Clicking the mouse means, for example, mouse 1 shown in FIG.
8, the cursor that moves in response to the movement of the mouse is placed at a predetermined position, and the user holds the housing 143 and selects either the right button 144a or the left button 144b (collectively referred to as "button 144"). Shows the state in which either one is pressed. Thus, the windows can be sequentially switched based on the overlapping order by an easy operation.

When the housing 143 of the mouse 18 is moved back and forth, the rotating body 145 installed inside the housing 143 is rotated. The rotation angle and the rotation direction of the rotating body 145 are detected by the sensor 146. Button 144
The pulse output generated by pressing the button and the detection result of the sensor 146 are the mouse control means 17 respectively.
Given to. The output of the sensor 146 is also given to the direction detecting means 147. The direction detecting means 147 detects the rotation direction of the rotating body. The direction detecting means 147 detects the direction in which the windows are sequentially switched according to the preset rotating direction of the rotating body.

For example, when the housing 143 is moved in the arrow 148 direction, the rotating body 145 rotates in the arrow 149 direction. When this rotation direction coincides with the predetermined rotation direction, the direction detection means 147 determines that the window switching has been set, and outputs the output to the mouse control means 17.

FIG. 21 (1) is a waveform diagram showing an output given from the button 144 to the mouse control means 17. FIG. 21 (2) is a waveform diagram showing the output given from the sensor 146 to the mouse control means 17. When the push button 144 of the mouse 18 is pressed, a predetermined pulse 150 is given to the mouse control means 17. The sensor 146 generates a rectangular pulse 15 each time the rotating body 145 rotates by a predetermined angle.
3, 154 and 155 are sequentially output. When the pulse 151 indicating that the button 144 has been pressed is given to the mouse control means 17 and the pulses 153 to 155 indicating that the rotating body 145 has rotated by a predetermined angle are input, the central processing unit 7 switches the window. The window is switched when it is determined that the event instructing the operation has occurred.

FIG. 22 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of detecting the timing of window switching from the event input using the mouse 18 of FIG. From step c1 to step c2, the mouse 18
It is determined whether or not the button 144 has been operated. If not operated, the process returns to step c2. Button 144
Is operated and it is detected that a predetermined pulse signal 151 is input, the process proceeds from step c2 to step c3.
At step c3, it is determined whether or not the pulse 153 indicating the rotation angle of the rotating body 145 is detected by the sensor 146. If detected, the display image to be displayed on the display screen of the display means is calculated based on the flowchart of FIG. 19 described above, and the process proceeds to step c5. In step c5, the calculated display image is displayed on the display screen, and the process proceeds to step c6.

At step c6, it is judged whether or not the next pulse 154 following the pulse 153 is detected. If not detected, the process returns to step c5, and the display of the display image calculated in step c4 is continued. When the pulse 154 is detected, the process proceeds from step c6 to step c7, the display image showing the state in which the windows are switched is calculated and determined, and the process proceeds to step c8. In step c8, the calculated display image is displayed on the display screen of the display means, and the process returns to step c6 to wait for the input of the next pulse 155.

By the above operation, by simply moving the mouse 18 toward the front or the back, it is possible to switch the overlapping windows one by one so that the windows are sequentially displayed in front of the display screen. That is, the display image displayed on the display screen in the state where the three windows A, B, and C are generated is the display image 31 of FIG. 4, the display image 46 of FIG. 6, and the display image 51 of FIG. Can be sequentially switched in the order of or vice versa.

In addition, during the window switching operation, the display screen is switched to display a perspective view in order to grasp the entire image of the generated window.
It is also possible to always display a perspective view on a part of the display screen. In this case, even when the display images 31 and 46 are displayed, the windows A, B, and C are displayed as in the perspective view 135 of the display image 86 of (1) of FIG. 13 or the display image 131 of FIG. An image indicating that three of the three are displayed is displayed. This allows a display image for confirmation such as a perspective view to be displayed even if only some of the windows are displayed on the display screen while multiple windows are being generated on the display screen. It is possible to obtain the overlapping state of a plurality of generated windows and data such as the number and position of windows in which images are deleted from the display screen.

An information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention has a configuration similar to that of the information processing apparatus of FIG.
In this embodiment of the present invention, the window numbers that are managed by the window numbers and are numbered according to the generation order are switched to change the overlapping order of the windows.

For example, when an event occurs from the state where the windows A, B and C are generated and the display image 51 is displayed on the display screen of the display means, step d in FIG.
From 1 to step d2. The event for instructing the movement of the window is generated by, for example, moving the mouse forward, backward, leftward or rightward while the title bar, which is a part of the image of the window to be moved, is clicked with the mouse.

At step d2, it is judged whether or not the generated event is an event for instructing the movement of the window. If so, proceed to step d3; otherwise, proceed to step d4. In step d4,
Processing operations other than window movement are executed based on the event that has occurred. When an event occurs in another processing operation, the process returns to step d2. If no event has occurred, the process advances to step d5 to end the processing of this flowchart.

When the generated event is an event for instructing the movement of the window, it is determined in step d3 whether or not the event is for instructing to increase the designated window in the -Z direction. It That is, it is determined whether or not the event is an instruction to move the display screen in the depth direction front direction. This event is generated, for example, by pressing the right mouse button and clicking on the title bar of the window image.

If the generated event indicates that the specified window should be moved to the front in the depth direction, the process proceeds from step d3 to step d6. If not, the process proceeds to step d7. In step d6,
Erases the image currently displayed on the display screen of the window to be moved. From step d6 to step d8, the image of the designated window is compared with the erased image and enlarged and drawn to the size corresponding to the coordinate in the depth direction of the position designated by the event and displayed. , Go to step d9. At step d9, as shown in FIG.
The window number stored in the number area of the window information memory 89 of No. 4 is changed according to the changed depth position, and the process returns to step d2.

If the generated event does not instruct to move the designated window in the depth direction to the front direction, the process proceeds from step d3 to step d7, and the event changes the z coordinate of the designated window. It is determined whether or not the instruction is to increase in the + Z direction. That is, it is determined whether or not the event is an instruction to move the window to the depth side of the display screen. If it moves in the depth direction, the process proceeds to step d10, and if not, step d1.
Go to 1. At step d10, the image of the window currently displayed on the display screen is erased, and then step d12
Proceed to. At step d12, the image of the designated window is reduced to a size corresponding to the depth position designated by the event and displayed, and the process proceeds to step d13. In step d13, the window number is changed in the number area of the information memory according to the changed arrangement position in the depth direction, and the process returns to step d2. Thereby, the arrangement position of the windows can be moved back and forth in the depth direction, and the overlapping order of the windows can be changed.

In this embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 24 is deeper in the depth direction than the position where the image 54 of the window A is displayed from the state displayed in the display image 51 shown in FIG. It is a display image 156 showing the moved state. The display image 156 is the display image 51 of FIG.
The image is similar to the above, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The image 157 of the window B of the display image 156 is displayed smaller than the image 53 of the window B of the display image 51 of FIG. 7. Window B
The image 157 reduction ratio is smaller than the window A image 54 reduction ratio.

As described above, when the overlapping order of windows is changed, the window number managed in the window information memory is changed. Sixth Embodiment of Invention
In the window switching operation described in the above form, the switching order is determined based on the window number. When the window switching operation of the sixth embodiment of the invention is executed after moving the window based on this embodiment of the present invention, the image of the window is
For example, the image of window C, the image of window A, and subsequently the image of window B are switched and moved in this order to the most front position on the display screen.

Therefore, by moving the window, it is possible to change the window number assigned in the order in which the windows were generated. That is, the window switching order can be changed so that the order is easy for the user to use, regardless of the order in which the windows are generated.

In addition, in this embodiment of the present invention, the position of the window can be moved not only in the depth direction or in the front direction, but also at the same depth position, the window can be moved in the X axis direction or the Y axis direction. You can also

In the above-mentioned flowchart of FIG. 23, when it is determined in step d7 that the event does not indicate that the window designated by the event is moved to the back in the depth direction of the display screen, the process proceeds from step d7 to step d11. In step d11, it is determined whether or not the event is an instruction to move the specified window in the XY directions. If so, step d14
Otherwise, return to step d2.

At step d14, the image of the window currently displayed on the display screen is erased and step d1
Go to 5. At step d15, the values of the x coordinate and the y coordinate, which are the reference positions of the image of the window, are changed to the positions designated by the event. Further, based on the changed x and y coordinates, the window image is drawn in the same size as the erased window image. For example, from the state where the display image 156 of FIG. 24 is displayed on the display screen of the display means, for the image 54 of the window A, steps d11 and d1 of the flowchart of FIG.
By executing the processing of 4 and d15 and moving the window in the XY directions, the display image 159 shown in FIG.
To get

The display image 159 is the display image 15 of FIG.
6 is an image similar to that of FIG. 6, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The position in the XY direction where the image 160 of the window A is displayed is the display image 156 of FIG.
The window 54 is moved in the direction in which the x coordinate increases from the displayed position of the image 54 of the window A. in this way,
In the information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention, the window can be moved in the XY directions.

An information processing apparatus according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The information processing apparatus of this embodiment of the present invention has the same electrical configuration as the information processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, when the windows are moved to the front or the rear in the depth direction, the positions of any two windows in the depth direction are arranged at the same position.

The position in the depth direction indicating the order of overlapping windows is recorded and managed by the window number stored in the number area 94 in the window information memory of FIG. The window number indicates a relative position in the depth direction. In the seventh embodiment of the invention described above, when moving the position of the window in the depth direction to the front or the back, the specified depth position of the window to be moved is arranged at the same position as the depth position of another window. To do. At this time, the images of the windows arranged at the same position in the depth direction are arranged so as not to overlap each other. For example, the display image 159 of FIG.
Image 160 of window A and image 5 of window C
It is required that they do not overlap each other, such as 2.

For example, the position of the window A in the depth direction is set to the same position as the position of the window C in the depth direction, and the window A is moved as the window specified as the object to be moved. At this time, the window number of the window C and the window number of the window A are set to the same window number. As a result, as shown in FIG. 26, arbitrary plural windows can be arranged at the same position in the depth direction.

A plurality of windows arranged at the same depth position move to the depth direction or depth side at the same time when the windows are switched as shown in the sixth embodiment of the invention. For example, if the images of any multiple windows are
When it is instructed to move the display screen to the frontmost position in the depth direction and then further to the front in the depth direction, the images in the plurality of windows are simultaneously erased.

Thus, for example, when a plurality of windows displaying the processing results of the related processing operations are arranged at the same position in the depth direction, the window size is changed every time the related windows are switched. Can be prevented. In addition, the window displaying the processing result of the related operation can be switched and moved to the position closest to the depth direction on the display screen at the same time, which makes the operation easier.

In the window switching operation and moving operation shown in the sixth to eighth embodiments of the invention, the display image displayed on the display screen of the display means which is sequentially switched is calculated every time the window is switched. , May be determined. Alternatively, the image data of each display screen may be calculated in advance and stored in the memory based on each display image.

In the sixth to eighth embodiments of the invention, the images displayed on the display screen of the display means are the images described in the second, third and fifth embodiments of the invention. May be

[0140]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a window is newly displayed, the window is displayed on the display screen in a predetermined size and the display screen is already displayed. Since the window displayed in is displayed in a size reduced by a predetermined reduction value, the window displayed on the display screen is
Depending on the order in which the windows are opened, they will appear smaller than they would when displayed alone. The reduction rate is smaller as the opening order is earlier (older). Accordingly, the order in which the windows are opened can be displayed with a pseudo depth so that the windows are moved away from the display screen in accordance with the order in which the windows are opened. Therefore, the user using the information processing apparatus can visually and clearly confirm the order in which the plurality of windows are opened by visually observing the display screen. Further, when a plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, the user can visually and clearly confirm the overlapping order by the size of each window by visually observing the display screen.

Further, according to the present invention, when the user instructs to erase the latest window displayed in a predetermined size, the window is erased from the display screen and the display screen is already displayed. The window that is shrunk and displayed is expanded to the original size before shrinking, so when you open or close the latest window, the remaining windows are shrunk or expanded by one step. To be done. This allows the user to visually feel as if the window is moving back and forth along the depth direction. Therefore, the order in which the windows are opened or the order in which the windows are overlapped can be pseudo-expressed as the position of the window depth method.

[0142]

[0143]

[0144]

[0145]

[0146]

[0147]

[0148]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration of an information processing device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram showing a specific electrical configuration of the information processing device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of generating and disappearing a window output to output means 5 in the information processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a display means 22 in which a window A is displayed alone.
Is a display image 31 of the display screen of FIG.

5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining screen drawing of an area 36 in which an image 32 of a window A is displayed in the display image 31 of FIG.

6 is a display image 46 displayed on the display screen of the display means 22 in which an image 47 of window A and an image 48 of window B are drawn.

7 is a display image 51 in which an image 54 of window A, an image 53 of window B, and an image 52 of window C displayed on the display screen of the display means 22 are drawn.

FIG. 8 is a display image 56 in which an image 57 of window A and an image 48 of window B are displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a drawing of an image 63 of window A, an image 62 of window B, and an image 52 of window C displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The display image 61 is displayed.

FIG. 10 is a window A displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The image 47 is a display image 67 on which the image 47 and the image 48 of the window B are drawn.

FIG. 11 is a window A displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Image 54, window B image 53, and window C image 52 are displayed images 71.

12 is an information processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which the X-axis and the Y-axis set in the display image 31 of FIG.
It is a figure which shows an axis.

FIG. 13 shows images 101, 102, and 103 of windows A, B, and C displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the display image 86 which shows the perspective view drawn so that it may be seen from, and the X, Y, Z coordinate axis set to the display image 86.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of a window information memory 89 of the memory.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of a buffer 111 which stores image information of a perspective view of the memory 12;

FIG. 16 shows a window A displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
Image 32 in which the image 32 of FIG.
It is 1.

FIG. 17 is a display image 126 in which images 47 and 48 of windows A and B and a perspective view 129 displayed on the display screen of the display unit in the information processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention are drawn. Is.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of images 154, 153 and 152 of windows A, B and C displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
35 is the display image 131 in which the drawing is carried out.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining a window switching operation in the information processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a simplified perspective view for explaining the structure of the mouse 18.

FIG. 21 is a waveform diagram for explaining a signal output from the mouse 18.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of detecting a window switching timing in the information processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart for explaining a window moving operation in the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a display image 156 in which images 54, 157 and 52 of windows A, B and C are displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. .

FIG. 25 is a display image 159 in which images 160, 157 and 52 of windows A, B and C are displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. .

FIG. 26 is a display image 162 in which images 163, 157 and 52 of windows A, B and C are displayed on the display screen of the display means in the information processing apparatus according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. .

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Information processing device 2 Input means 3 Window system management means 4 Image processing means 5 Output means 7 Central processing unit 9, 10, 11, 12 Memory 17 Mouse control means 18 Mouse 22 Display means 31, 46, 51, 56, 61, 67,71,86,1
21, 126, 131, 156, 159, 162 Display images 123, 129, 135 Perspective view 144 Button 145 Rotating body 146 Sensor 147 Direction detecting means

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-6-266330 (JP, A) JP-A-6-222899 (JP, A) JP-A-7-141099 (JP, A) JP-A-2-186419 (JP , A) JP 6-180661 (JP, A) JP 6-12213 (JP, A) JP 64-28723 (JP, A) JP 2-189619 (JP, A) JP 4-182721 (JP, A) JP 5-282119 (JP, A) JP 5-20011 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/00 G06F 3/14-3/153

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. Information processing capable of reading stored contents from a memory storing contents to be displayed for each of a plurality of windows and displaying the contents on a common display screen of display means in a plurality of windows simultaneously displayed. In the device display method, when a new window is displayed, the window is displayed on the display screen in a predetermined size and the window already displayed on the display screen is reduced in size. A display method of an information processing device, characterized by displaying in a size reduced by a value. 2. When erasing the latest window displayed in a predetermined size, the window is deleted from the display screen, and the window already reduced and displayed on the display screen is deleted. The display method of the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is enlarged to the original size before reduction and displayed. 3. A display unit having a display screen, a memory for storing display contents of a plurality of windows displayed in the display screen, a stored content read from the memory, and simultaneously displayed on the display screen. Display control means for displaying in a plurality of windows, the display control means, when newly displaying the window, while displaying the window on the display screen in a predetermined size for the window, An information processing apparatus, which displays a window already displayed on the display screen in a size reduced by a predetermined reduction value. 4. The display control means, when deleting the latest window displayed in a predetermined size, deletes the window from the display screen and has already reduced the size to the display screen. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the displayed window is enlarged and displayed in the original size before reduction.