JPH08171476A - Window management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve work efficiency by starting the measurement of time by detecting that the focus of a window is off or detecting that the window is not displayed in a display means and turning the window to an icon and displaying it at a prescribed position when the measured time exceeds the set time. CONSTITUTION: A window focus detection part 1 detects the focus to the window and a memory 3 stores management data such as time data or the like obtained from a time measurement part 2 for clocking the time. A window management part 5 reads the management data from the memory 3, compares them with the present time obtained from the time measurement part 2, calculates the non-focus time of the window, and when the non-focus time is longer than the set time set beforehand, turns the window to the icon and outputs it to a display device 4. Thus, the display of many windows in a display area is simplified, the management of a work window is facilitated and the work efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a window management system for converting windows into icons in a multi-window system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a multi-window system, in order to reduce the complexity of the display of a plurality of windows displayed in a limited display area and to simplify the work, for example, the work is stopped. There is a window management system that manages some windows by iconizing them and arranging them in the display area without displaying the windows themselves.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, a user operates a pointer 103 provided in a part of a window 102 displayed in a display area 101 to operate a pointer 104 which operates in conjunction with an input device. By explicitly issuing a request for iconification to the window 102, and the window management system receiving the request iconifies the window 102 into an icon 105 and displays the icon at a predetermined position in the display area. 105 is arranged and displayed.

[0004]

However, in the above conventional window management system, the user explicitly
Iconization was not performed unless the window to be iconified was specified.

Therefore, for example, when many windows are open, the windows may overlap with each other, and the operator may not be displayed in the window that is not focused (selected) (window 106 in FIG. 7). In such a case, in the conventional system, the window to be iconified must be refocused in order to be iconified, and then the operator must be operated to iconify the window, which complicates the work. was there.

When the windows displayed at the bottom are smaller than the windows displayed at the top when the windows are displayed overlapping each other, the bottom window is shaded by the top window. Since it may not be hidden and displayed, in order to iconify such a window, it is necessary to search the window again and then refocus, which causes a problem that the iconification operation is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a window management system capable of automatically converting a desired window into an icon even if many windows are open and improving work efficiency. The purpose is to provide.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a multi-window system for displaying a plurality of windows on a display means and performing work while switching the displayed windows. Monitoring means for monitoring the focus on the displayed window, time measuring means for measuring time, time is measured by the time measuring means from the time when the focus on the window is detected by the monitoring means, When the measured time exceeds a preset time, it has an iconification means for iconifying the window.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a multi-window system in which a plurality of windows are displayed on the display means and work is performed while switching the displayed windows, the display area of the displayed windows is monitored. Monitoring means, time measuring means for measuring time, time is measured by the time measuring means from the time when it is detected that the window is not displayed by the monitoring means,
When the measured time exceeds a preset time, it has an iconification means for iconifying the window.

[0010]

According to the structure of the invention described in claim 1, when the monitoring means detects that the window is out of focus, the time measuring means starts measuring the time, and the measured time is measured. When the time exceeds a preset time, the window is iconified and the icon is displayed at a predetermined position on the display means.

According to the configuration of the invention described in claim 2, when it is detected by the monitoring means that the window is not displayed on the display means, the time counting means starts the time measurement at that time, When the measured time exceeds a preset time, the window is iconified and the icon is displayed at a predetermined position on the display means.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a window management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The window management system of this embodiment is a memory for accumulating management data such as time data obtained from a window focus detection unit 1 for detecting focus on a window and a time measurement unit 2 for measuring time. Three
Then, the non-focus time of the window is calculated by reading the management data from the memory 3 and comparing it with the current time obtained from the time measuring unit 2, and if the non-focus time is longer than the preset time, the window is opened. It is configured by a window management unit 5 that makes an icon and outputs it to the display device 4.

The control processing performed by the window management system configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a procedure when the window management section 5 iconizes a specific window.

In the figure, first, the window management unit 4
Generates a series of data groups each consisting of a window ID 11, a focus flag 12, and a non-focus start time 13 shown in FIG. 3 each time a new window is opened (step S1).

Next, it is judged whether or not the window of interest is focused by the window focus detection unit 1 (step S2), and if it is focused, the focus flag is turned off (OFF) (step S).
3) The focus is monitored again. On the other hand, step S2
If it is determined that the focus is not on, the current time measured by the time measuring unit 2 is read (step S4),
The state of the focus flag 12 is inspected (step S
5) If the flag 12 is on (ON), step S
7. If the flag is off, turn it to O
When set to N, the current time is stored in the memory 3 (step S6).

Next, the non-focus time of the window of interest is calculated from the time stored in the memory 3 in step S6 and the current time read in step S4. The set set times are compared (step S7). This step S7
If the non-focus time does not exceed the set time, the process returns to step S2 and the focus is monitored again. On the other hand, if the non-focus time exceeds the set time, the window management unit 4 iconizes the window and displays It is displayed at a predetermined position (step S8).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a window management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the focus on the window is monitored and detected, whereas the present embodiment is different only in that the window is displayed and displayed in the display area. Therefore, instead of the first window focus detection unit 1, a window display detection unit 21 that detects whether or not a window is displayed on the display device is provided. Therefore, in FIG. 4, the components corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The control processing of the window management system configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. That is, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a window such as the window 32 that is opened on the display device 4 but is hidden and hidden by the windows 31 and 32 opened on it is iconified. Is.

The flow chart of FIG. 5 is different only in that step S2 of the flow chart of FIG. 2 is changed. Therefore, the other steps are given the same step numbers as those of FIG. 2 and their explanations are omitted. That is, in step S11, it is detected whether or not the window is displayed.

As described above, according to the first and second embodiments, in a multi-window system, a window whose non-focus period or non-display period exceeds the set time is iconized, so that many windows are displayed. Even if is open, the desired window can be automatically iconified, which simplifies the display of many windows in the display area, facilitates the management of work windows, and improves work efficiency. .

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the monitoring means detects that the window is out of focus or the window is not displayed on the display means, the time measuring means starts measuring the time at that time, and the measured time When the time exceeds a preset time, the window is iconified and the icon is displayed at a predetermined position of the display means. Therefore, even if many windows are open, the desired window is automatically iconified. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the display of a large number of windows in the display area, facilitate the management of the work window, and improve the work efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a window management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure when the window management unit in FIG. 1 iconizes a specific window.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a series of data generated by a window management unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a window management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart showing a procedure when the window management unit in FIG. 4 iconizes a specific window. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a window iconified by the window management system of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which a conventional window management system converts a window into an icon.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Window Focus Detection Unit (Monitoring Unit) 2 Time Measuring Unit (Time Measuring Unit) 4 Display Device (Display Unit) 5 Window Management Unit (Iconization Unit) 21 Window Display Detection Unit (Monitoring Unit)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of windows are displayed on the display means,
In a multi-window system for performing work while switching the displayed windows, a monitoring unit that monitors the focus on the displayed window, a time counting unit that measures time, and a focus on the window are defocused by the monitoring unit. The time measuring means measures the time from the time when it is detected that the window is iconized when the measured time exceeds a preset time. Window management system. 2. A plurality of windows are displayed on the display means,
In a multi-window system for performing work while switching the displayed windows, a monitoring unit that monitors a display area of the displayed window, a time counting unit that measures time, and the window is not displayed by the monitoring unit. The time measuring means measures the time from the time when it is detected, and has an iconizing means for iconifying the window when the measured time exceeds a preset time. Window management system.