JPH0784725A - Multidisplay system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily move a cursor on the screens of plural displays arranged at arbitrary positions by providing and referring to a position definition table which preliminarily defines the screen of which display the cursor is moved when the cursor is moved from the screen of the display to the outside direction. CONSTITUTION:This system is provided with plural displays 3 arranged at the arbitrary positions, a position definition file 13 which defines the screen of which display 3 the cursor is moved when the movement of the cursor to the outside direction is instructed on the screen of the display 3, and cursor display means 12 which moves and displays the cursor on the screen of the pertinent display 3 by referring to the position definition file 13 when the cursor is moved from the edge of the screen to the outside direction corresponding to the instruction of the cursor movement on the screen of the display 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-display system for displaying a cursor on any of a plurality of displays.

It is desired to connect a plurality of displays to a computer and to easily move the cursor on the plurality of displays arbitrarily arranged by using a pair of keyboard and mouse.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a plurality of displays are arranged on a plane and a mouse cursor which is moved by a mouse operation is displayed on an arbitrary display, it is disclosed in JP-A-4-28.
As described in No. 4527, attach a dedicated screen switching button (movement button between displays) to the mouse,
In response to the pressing of the screen switching button, the screen of the corresponding display is switched to display the mouse cursor. However, when considering the transition from a single display system to a multi-display system, it is costly to install a dedicated screen switching button because it is a hardware modification. Also, button operation is not easy to use for beginners who are unfamiliar with it from the viewpoint of man-machine interface.

[0004] Further, the operation of merely moving the mouse switches the display of the mouse cursor to the screen of another display. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, when it is attempted to move the mouse cursor out of the screen of one display as if the screens of the plurality of displays are continuous in one horizontal line, Move the mouse cursor to the screen. However, in this system, it is assumed that the display is always continuous in one horizontal line or one vertical line, and the mouse cursor is limited to moving in the order of the numbers of the slots connecting the display.

Here, FIG. 5 shows an example in which three displays are arranged in a horizontal row. As shown by the arrow in the figure, the mouse cursor is moved from the screen of one display to the screen of another display according to the mouse operation.

[0006]

If the former mouse described above is provided with a dedicated button for changing the screen of the mouse cursor to the screen of which display, the operation is complicated, and the single display system is changed to the multi-display system. When switching to, there was a problem that the hardware was remodeled and changed easily, and the cost became high.

Further, when a plurality of displays are arranged in a horizontal row or a vertical row as shown in FIG. 5 of the latter case and the mouse cursor is to be moved out of the screen of a certain display, the screen of the display in that direction is displayed. If the display is moved up, the display can be arranged only in the case of a fixed arrangement such as a horizontal row or a vertical row. For example, when the display can be arranged only as shown in FIG. 6 due to the working space, etc. There was a problem that I could not.

Here, FIG. 6 shows an example in which a plurality of displays are arranged in a limited space. The arrow indicates the direction in which the screen is switched according to the movement of the mouse cursor. In order to solve these problems, the present invention provides a position definition file that defines in advance which screen of the display to move to when the cursor points outward from the screen of the display, and refers to the position definition file. It is intended that the cursor can be easily moved on the screens of a plurality of displays arranged at the position.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Means for solving the problems will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the display 3 is a plurality of displays arranged at arbitrary positions.

The cursor display means 12 is a display 3
In response to a cursor movement instruction on the screen of, when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen, the position definition file 13 is referenced to move and display the cursor on the screen of the corresponding display 3, or the cursor is displayed. If the display 3 corresponding to the position definition file 13 is not defined when the arrow heads outward from the edge of the screen, the cursor movement is stopped at the edge of the screen.

The position definition file 13 is displayed on the display 3
It is defined in advance which display 3 screen to move when the cursor is instructed to move outward on the screen.

[0012]

The present invention, as shown in FIG.
In response to a cursor movement instruction on the screen of, the cursor display means 12 moves the cursor to the screen of the corresponding display 3 by referring to the position definition file 13 when the cursor goes outward from the edge of the screen. I am trying to display it.

Further, in response to a cursor movement instruction on the screen of the display 3, the cursor display means 12 refers to the position definition file 13 when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen, and the corresponding display 3 is displayed. When is not defined, the cursor movement is stopped and displayed at the edge of the screen.

Therefore, only by arranging a plurality of displays 3 at arbitrary positions and predefining the cursor movement direction in the position definition file 13, the cursor 3 is referred to when the cursor is directed outward from the screen of the display 3. It is possible to easily move and display the cursor on the screen of the corresponding display 3 regardless of how the display 3 is arranged, or to stop the cursor movement and display it at the end.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the construction and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, the computer main body 11 performs various processes in accordance with a program, and is composed of a cursor display means 12, a position definition file 13 and the like here.

The cursor display means 12 is the display 3
For the cursor (mouse cursor) displayed on the screen, the position definition file 13 is displayed when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen in response to the operator giving a movement instruction using the mouse 4. When the cursor is moved and displayed on the screen of the corresponding display 3 with reference to, or when the corresponding display 3 is not defined in the position definition file 13 when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen, For example, the cursor movement is stopped at the edge of the screen.

The position definition file 13 defines the position when the cursor is moved, and when the cursor is instructed to move outward on the screen of the display 3, the position definition file 13 is displayed. Whether to move to is defined in advance. This position definition file 13
Is the same as the number of displays in a specific subdirectory in the user file system, and each file is given the same name as the slot number (1 to n) of the slot connecting the display to And the user can set the moving direction of the cursor according to the arbitrary arrangement of the display.

The connection cables 21 to 2n are cables for connecting the computer main body 11 and each display 31 or 3n. Connection cable 21 to 2n
And the connection relationship between the displays 31 to 3n are defined in association with the number (slot number) of the position definition file 13.

The displays 31 to 3n are a plurality of displays and are for displaying data by dividing the data into a plurality of displays. The mouse 4 is for moving a cursor (mouse cursor) displayed on the screen of the display 31 to 3n in an arbitrary direction.

The connection cable 5 is connected to the computer main body 11
It is a cable that connects the mouse 4 and the mouse 4. FIG. 2 shows an explanatory view of the present invention. This shows four displays 3
2 (a), the position definition file 13 defines in advance the moving direction of the cursor as shown in FIG. 2 (b), and further the screen of the display 3 as shown in FIG. 2 (c). A correction formula for determining the coordinate position on the other display when the cursor is moved outward from the end is defined in advance. This will be described below.

FIG. 2A shows a state in which four displays are arranged adjacent to each other. The upper left on the screen of each display is the origin (0, 0). X represents the position of the mouse cursor, and coordinates (x1, y1), (x2, y
2), (x3, y3) and (x4, y4). The direction of movement of the cursor between the displays 1, 2, 3, and 4 is indicated by a bidirectional arrow in the figure. 1-2 (horizontal direction). 1-3 (vertical direction). 2-4 (vertical direction). ). 3-4 (horizontal direction) is defined by the position definition file 13 in FIG.

FIG. 2B shows a position definition file. This is defined so that the cursor is moved in the above-mentioned direction indicated by the bidirectional arrow in FIG. Here, 1, 2, 3, and 4 are numbers (numbers corresponding to slot numbers) given to the display. This definition, for example, the definition of "1" on the display Up: Down: 3 Left: Right: 2, "Up:" stops the cursor movement at the top of the screen because there is no upward definition, and "Down: 3" Moves the cursor to the display "3" in the downward direction, and clicks "Left:
“There is no leftward definition, so the cursor movement is stopped at the left edge of the screen, and“ Right: 2 ”indicates that the cursor movement is to the display“ 2 ”in the rightward direction. Therefore, as a result, the display“ 1 ”is displayed. Moves the cursor to the displays "2" and "3" in the right and down directions, and stops the cursor movement at the edge of the screen in the other up and left directions.

FIG. 2C is a correction formula showing the position of the cursor when the cursor is moved to the screen of another display. Here, “1 → 2” in the movement column indicates that the cursor is moved from the display “1” to the display “2” in FIG. 2A, and the x coordinate correction formula and the y coordinate As shown in the figure, the correction formula is set in advance as x2 = x1 + x direction movement amount−W y2 = y1 + y direction movement amount. Here, x1 represents the coordinate position in the x direction on the screen of the display “1” before movement,
The x-direction movement amount represents the x-direction movement amount designated by the cursor, and W represents the X-direction width of the screen of the display. Similarly, y1 represents the coordinate position in the y direction on the screen of the display “1” before the movement, and the y direction movement amount represents the movement amount in the y direction designated by the cursor. Here, since the cursor moved from the display "1" to "2",
The value of the x coordinate is obtained by subtracting the width "W" of the display. Also, when 2 → 4, 4 → 2, 1 → 3, 3 → 1, y
H (display height) is subtracted / added by a coordinate correction formula.

As described above, four displays are arranged as shown in FIG. 2A, and cursor movement between the displays is defined in the position definition file 13 as shown in FIG. 2B. By defining (or selecting from previously created) correction formulas for the cursor position when the cursor moves between the displays as shown in (c) of FIG. 2, the bidirectional arrows in (a) of FIG. As shown, a system in which the cursor arbitrarily moves between the four displays can be created. Similarly, by defining (or selecting from predefined) the position definition file of FIG. 2B and the correction formula of FIG. 2C according to the arbitrarily arranged display, any position can be set. Even if the displays are arranged, the cursor can be easily moved, and the user can easily construct a multi-display system in which a plurality of displays are integrated.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the cursor position after the movement according to the present invention. This shows an example of the cursor position after the movement when the cursor is moved from the display "1" to the display "2" of FIG. When the operator operates the mouse 4 to move the mouse cursor to the outside of the right end of the screen of the display “1”, the computer main body 11
Determines that the display "2" is the display of the movement destination from "Right: 2" of "1" in the position definition file of FIG. Then, a new coordinate value (x2, y2) is calculated based on the correction formula of “1 → 2” in FIG. 2C, x2 = x1 + x direction movement amount−W y2 = y1 + y direction movement amount, and this new coordinate value is calculated. The mouse cursor is displayed at the position of the coordinate value (the mouse cursor is displayed at the position of the tip of the solid arrow on the display "2" in FIG. 2).

Next, according to the order shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4, the display arranged as shown in FIG. 2 (a) according to the position definition file of FIG. 2 (b) and the correction formula of FIG. 2 (c). The procedure when the cursor moves on the screen will be described in detail.

In FIG. 4, S1 displays the mouse cursor at the current coordinate position. In S2, the moving amount and direction of the mouse are read. This is because the amount of movement and the direction of the mouse cursor that the operator tried to move by operating the mouse 4 with respect to the mouse cursor displayed on the screen of a certain display in FIG. 11 reads.

In step S3, a new coordinate value of the mouse cursor is calculated. This calculates the current new coordinate value by adding to the old coordinate value based on the movement amount and the direction of the mouse cursor read in S2.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not it is a movable range. This determines whether the new coordinate value calculated in S3 is a movable range on the screen of the display. In the case of YES, the new coordinate value is set to the current coordinate value in S5, and S1 and subsequent steps are repeated. On the other hand, N
In the case of O, the mouse cursor is going to be moved outward from the edge of the screen of the display, so the process proceeds to S6.

In step S6, it is determined which of the upper, lower, left and right sides the mouse cursor protrudes. (1) If the mouse cursor protrudes to the right (when the mouse cursor attempts to move outward from the right edge of the screen of the display), it is determined in S8 whether the destination display is defined (Fig. 2 (b)
Refer to the location definition file of to determine if the destination display is defined). In the case of YES in S8 (when the movement destination display is defined), the movement destination display number of the corresponding position definition file is read and set as the current display number, and in S10, the correction formula (1) of FIG. → 2) or (3 → 4), the new coordinate value is W-corrected by the amount of display movement to obtain the current coordinate. And
Return to S1. On the other hand, in the case of NO in S8 (when the destination display is not defined), the coordinate value of the screen edge in which the amount of the protrusion is corrected is calculated and set as the current coordinate. And
Return to S1.

As described above, when the mouse cursor protrudes to the right on the screen of a certain display, if the destination display is defined by referring to the position definition file in FIG. Calculate the new coordinate value according to the display number and the correction formula in (c) of FIG.
On the other hand, when the destination display is not defined, the coordinate value at the right end of the screen is calculated as the current coordinate value, and the mouse cursor is displayed at the position of these current coordinate values. As a result, when the mouse cursor protrudes to the right on the screen of a certain display, the cursor moves to the display next to the right, or when there is no display next to the right, the cursor can be displayed at the right edge of the screen. It will be possible.

(2) When the mouse cursor protrudes to the left (when the mouse cursor tries to move outward from the left edge of the screen of the display), S12, S13, S14, S15 and S11 are similarly performed. When the destination display is defined by referring to the position definition file of FIG. 2B, the new coordinate value is calculated according to the destination display number and the correction formula of FIG. On the other hand, when the destination display is not defined, the coordinate value at the left end of the screen is calculated as the current coordinate value and the mouse cursor is displayed at the position of these current coordinate values. As a result, when the mouse cursor protrudes to the left on the screen of a certain display, the cursor moves to the display next to the left, or when there is no display next to the left, the cursor can be displayed at the left edge of the screen. It will be possible.

(3) When the mouse cursor protrudes downward (when the mouse cursor tries to move outward from the lower end of the screen of the display), S16, S17, S18, S19, S11 are similarly performed. When the destination display is defined by referring to the position definition file of FIG. 2B, the new coordinate value is calculated according to the destination display number and the correction formula of FIG. On the other hand, when the destination display is not defined, the coordinate value at the lower end of the screen is calculated as the current coordinate value, and the mouse cursor is displayed at the position of these current coordinate values. As a result, when the mouse cursor protrudes downward on the screen of a certain display, the cursor moves to the display on the next lower display, or the cursor appears at the bottom of the screen when there is no next display. It will be possible.

(4) When the mouse cursor protrudes upward (when the mouse cursor tries to move outward from the upper end of the screen of the display), S20, S21, S22, S23 and S11 are similarly performed. When the destination display is defined by referring to the position definition file of FIG. 2B, the new coordinate value is calculated according to the destination display number and the correction formula of FIG. On the other hand, when the destination display is not defined, the coordinate value at the top of the screen is calculated as the current coordinate value, and the mouse cursor is displayed at the position of these current coordinate values. As a result, when the mouse cursor protrudes upward on the screen of a certain display, the cursor moves to the upper adjacent display and is displayed, or when there is no upper adjacent display, the cursor is displayed at the upper edge of the screen. It will be possible.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Arranging a plurality of displays 3 at arbitrary positions and previously defining the cursor movement direction in the position definition file 13,
When the cursor is pointing outward from the screen of the display 3, the cursor is moved to the screen of the corresponding display 3 or moved to the edge of the screen with reference to this, so multiple displays can be arranged arbitrarily. When you do, you can easily move the cursor across the displays. As a result, (1) The mouse cursor can be moved between multiple displays with a single mouse without using conventional dedicated buttons, which simplifies operation and improves operability, reduces costs, and reduces installation space. It is possible to shift from the conventional single display system to the multi-display system of the present invention without downsizing and hardware modification.

(2) Furthermore, since the arrangement and configuration of a plurality of displays can be user-defined by the position definition file, it is possible to provide an extremely easy-to-use multi-display system that is more flexible and expandable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a cursor position after movement according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: Computer main body 12: Cursor display means 13: Position definition file 21-2n: Connection cable 3, 31-3n: Display 4: Mouse 5: Connection cable

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a multi-display system in which a cursor is displayed on any of a plurality of displays, a plurality of displays (3) arranged at arbitrary positions and the cursor is outwardly displayed on the screens of these displays (3). A position definition file (13) that defines which display (3) to move to on the screen when a movement instruction is given, and the position definition file (13) corresponding to the cursor movement instruction on the screen of a certain display (3). A cursor display means (12) for moving and displaying the cursor on the screen of the corresponding display (3) with reference to the position definition file (13) when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen. A multi-display system characterized by. 2. A display (3) corresponding to the position definition file (13) when the cursor is directed outward from the edge of the screen in response to a cursor movement instruction on the screen of a certain display (3). 2. The multi-display system according to claim 1, further comprising cursor display means (12) for stopping the movement of the cursor at the end of the screen when is not defined.