WO2007110962A1

WO2007110962A1 - Window selecting device, method and program

Info

Publication number: WO2007110962A1
Application number: PCT/JP2006/306581
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuichi Kato
Original assignee: Fujitsu Limited
Priority date: 2006-03-29
Filing date: 2006-03-29
Publication date: 2007-10-04

Abstract

In a multi-window system, there is used a device such as a slide volume capable of outputting a movement from a reference point. On the basis of the movement and a change, a window is selected and displayed, and is continuously switched so that an arbitrary window can be easily sought for and selected.

Description

Specification

Window selection apparatus, method and program

Technical field

The present invention relates to a window selection device, method, and program in a multi-window system such as a personal computer or a workstation.

Background art

[0002] Currently, multi-window systems are employed in information processing apparatuses such as personal computers and workstations, and a plurality of windows can be displayed. As a method of displaying a plurality of windows, an overlap window method is mainly employed, and it is possible to display the windows in an overlapping manner. In this case, the window (active window) that is the target of the user operation is displayed in the foreground, and the other windows (inactive windows) are displayed so that part or all of them are hidden behind the active window. Is done.

[0003] When windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, the user clicks a button representing a part of the window to be operated or each window on the taskbar with the mouse pointer to display the window in the foreground, thereby making it the active window.

[0004] At this time, if the window overlaps with another window, only a part of the window is displayed, and only the file name is displayed on the button on the taskbar. It was difficult to instantly judge and select the window to be displayed. Also, if you select! /, The window is hidden behind another window! /, You have to move or resize the other window to find the selected window! In the meantime.

[0005] In order to solve such a problem, the state of the overlapping windows when the lateral force is viewed is displayed in a specific window, and the window to be operated is operated by a pointing device such as a mouse. Has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

However, even in such a conventional technique, a window to be displayed is displayed in a specific window. We had to pick up the medium strength of Doe, which was troublesome.

In addition, when creating a document on a personal computer or the like, when creating a document while referring to another document, the most efficient method is to display two documents side by side as shown in Fig. 1. is there. In other words, in a multi-window system, an inactive window that displays a document to be referenced and an active window that inputs text are displayed side by side.

[0007] In Figure 1, when editing point A with reference to point B, point A is actually focused on point A, and point B is in the field of view but is clearly visible. Absent. However, since the portion of point B is roughly visible, when looking at point B to refer to point B, it is not necessary to search for the position of point B again. The eyes can be focused.

[0008] However, if the screen of the computer display device is not sufficiently large or there are no multiple displays, the windows are displayed as shown in FIG. It is necessary to switch.

[0009] However, when the windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, when viewing the point A, the point B is not displayed. Therefore, when you switch windows and refer to point B, you must first find the position of point B. Therefore, every time the window is switched, an operation called “Find” is required, and it becomes easy to cause a transcription mistake just to deteriorate efficiency.

Patent Document 1: JP-A-1-193786

Disclosure of the invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a window selection device, method, and program capable of easily searching and selecting a window when switching windows in a multi-window system.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the window selection device of the present invention selects a desired window from a plurality of windows displayed on the display screen so as to be displayed in front of each other. The means for outputting the amount of movement from the reference point, the means for detecting the outputted amount of movement, and the detection to be changed. Means for selecting a selection window that is a window corresponding to the amount of movement, and window display means for displaying the selection window in the foreground and returning the display window that has been displayed in the foreground until now to the original state. And comprising.

[0012] In addition, in the window selection device of the present invention, it is desirable that the amount of movement from the reference point is the position of the switch of the slide volume.

In the window selection device of the present invention, it is preferable that the amount of movement from the reference point is changed by continuously pressing a switch on the screen.

[0013] Further, in the window selection device according to the present invention, the window display means gradually lowers the transmittance of the window when the selection window is displayed on the front, and the display window is restored to the original state. It is desirable to gradually increase the transmittance of the window when returning to.

[0014] Further, in the window selection device of the present invention, it is desirable that decreasing the transmittance increases the contrast or brightness, and increasing the transmittance decreases the contrast or brightness. .

[0015] Further, in the window selection device of the present invention, the window display means gradually decreases the transmittance of the selection window, and gradually increases the transmittance of the display window. When there is no change in the amount of movement of point power, the display window whose transmittance has been increasing can be made opaque and displayed in the front, and the selection window whose transmittance has been decreased can be returned to the original state. desirable.

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily find and select an arbitrary window.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a window reference method when conventional windows are arranged.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a window reference method when conventional windows overlap each other.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a window selection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between time and window display time in the window selection device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process flow of the window selection device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an algorithm for calculating window number N.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between time and window display time in the window selection device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between time and window contrast in the window selection device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process flow of the window selection device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a pseudo switch on the screen of the display device.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the window switching device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing window switching by the window switching apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing window switching by the window switching apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the window selection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The window selection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention uses, for example, a personal computer. The window selection device is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 301, a memory storing a control program for controlling and executing each function of the window selection device in addition to a program for executing window selection processing described later. 302, display controller 303 that outputs various information, display device 304 that displays information, slide volume 305 used for window selection, AD converter ^ 306 that converts the output signal of slide volume 305 into a digital signal It is configured to be connected to 300, and the CPU 301 controls each part of these.

The slide volume 305 may be externally attached to the computer main body, or may be incorporated in a mouse, keyboard, display device, or the like!

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the time and the window display time in the window selection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, the case where the slide volume switch is driven in a constant direction at a constant speed is shown. [0020] When the user moves the slide volume switch at a constant speed in a certain direction, the Nth window is displayed in front when the Nth window is powered by a certain amount. Returns to the previous state it was in, eg minimized or in the back of another window, and the N + 1st window is brought to the front. Similarly, the N + 2nd window and the N + 3rd window are sequentially displayed in front. Here, the display time of one window is a.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the window selection device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In step S501, the position (L) of the slide volume switch is detected. In other words, L is obtained by converting the position signal of the switch output from the slide volume to a numerical value from 0 to 1 by AD conversion, and obtaining this. Normally, when the switch of the slide volume is at the end, the value of L is 0. When the switch is moved to the other end, the value of L increases, and when the switch reaches the other end, the value of L The value is 1. In this way, the value of L changes based on the amount of movement (change amount) from the reference point.

[0022] In step S502, the switch position in step S501 is compared with the previous switch position (LO). If L and LO are equal, that is, if the switch has not moved, the process proceeds to step S501. If L and LO are different, the process proceeds to step S503. And LO = L.

[0023] In step S503, a window number (N) corresponding to L is calculated (selected). FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an algorithm for calculating the window number N. Referring to Fig. 6, when the total number of windows is S, the force is first judged that the value of L is less than 1ZS. If it is less than 1ZS, the window number (N) is set to 1, otherwise it is less than 2ZS. Determine your strength. If it is less than 2ZS, the window number (N) is set to 2. Otherwise, the force is judged to be less than 3ZS. The same is repeated, and it is determined whether the value of L is less than (S-1) ZS. If (S-1) is less than ZS, the window number (N) is set to S-1; To do.

[0024] The correspondence between window numbers and windows is stored in a table or the like.

In step S504, compare the window numbers (NO) and (N) of the windows that are currently displayed in front of the screen! If N and NO are equal, that is, the currently displayed queue If the window to be displayed matches the window to be displayed, the process proceeds to step S501. If N and NO are different, the process proceeds to step S503.

[0025] In step S505, the window with the window number (NO) is returned to the previous state (eg, minimized, moved to the back of another window, etc.), and the window with the window number (N) is displayed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between time and window display time in the window selection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Here, we show the case where the user moves the switch of the slide volume at a constant speed in a certain direction.

[0027] In the first embodiment, when the window is switched, the next window to be displayed is displayed instantaneously. However, when the window is switched at high speed, the display time of each window is short, so the contents of the window are displayed. The next window is displayed without confirming. In the second embodiment, when switching windows, the current window and the next window to be displayed are made translucent and displayed in a superimposed manner.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 7, the solid line portion indicates a state in which the window is displayed in a normal state (opaque), and the dotted line portion indicates a state in which the window is semi-transparent and superimposed. As time passes and the window switches, the current window becomes gradually transparent and disappears, and the next displayed window becomes gradually opaque and visible. The superimposed display time is b, and the display time of one window is a + b.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between time and window contrast in the window selection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This figure corresponds to Fig. 7, where the part where the window contrast is constant corresponds to the solid line part in Fig. 7, and the part where the window contrast increases or decreases corresponds to the dotted line part in Fig. 7.

In step S901, the position (L) of the slide volume switch is detected. In other words, L is obtained by converting the position signal of the switch output from the slide volume into a numerical value from 0 to 1 by AD conversion, and obtaining this.

[0031] In step S902, the position of the switch in step S901 and the position of the previous switch Compare with position (LO). If L and LO are equal, that is, if the switch has not moved, the process proceeds to step S903, and if L and L0 are different, the process proceeds to step S904. And L0 = L.

In step S903, a window corresponding to the window number (NO) is displayed. In other words, the contrast value of the window with the window number (NO) is set to 100%. If the window number (NO) window and window number (N) window are superimposed, the window contrast value of the window number (NO) is set to 100% and the window number (N) Set the window contrast value to 0%. In other words, if the slide volume switch stops before the window number (NO) window force is completely switched to the window number (N) window, the window number (NO) window (previous window) is displayed. . Alternatively, instead of setting the contrast to 0%, you can restore the original state by minimizing or moving to the back of another window. Note that NO is the current window number. Further, if the transmittance of the window can be changed, the luminance or the like may be changed instead of the contrast, or a different color may be displayed.

In step S904, a window number (N) corresponding to L is calculated. The window number calculation method is the same as that in the first embodiment.

In step S905, the window numbers (NO) and (N) of the window currently displayed in front of the screen are compared. If N and NO are equal, that is, if the currently displayed window matches the window to be displayed, the process proceeds to step S901, and if N and NO are different, the process proceeds to step S906.

In step S906, the window contrast value (CO) of the window number (NO) is decreased, and the window contrast value (C) of the window number (N) is increased. The amount of contrast change is, for example, 1Z16 or 1Z64. That is, the current window becomes translucent, and the next window displayed becomes opaque. Moreover, if the transmittance of the window can be changed, brightness or the like may be changed instead of contrast.

[0035] In step S907, it is determined whether or not the CO power is SO. When CO = 0, the process proceeds to step S908, and when CO ≠ 0, the process proceeds to step S901. When CO = 0, the window number (NO) window is completely transparent and the window number (N) window is completely opaque. In step S908, a window with window number (N) is displayed and becomes an active window. Then, NO = N is set, and the process proceeds to step S901.

In this way, it is possible to easily find and display an arbitrary window by continuously switching and displaying each window according to the slide volume. Also, when switching windows, the current window and the next window are displayed in a superimposed manner, and the contrast is gradually changed, so that it can be displayed for a longer time than when it is switched instantaneously. Therefore, an arbitrary window can be easily found even if the window is switched at high speed.

[0037] Instead of the above-described slide volume, keyboard operation such as pressing the cursor key or a pseudo slide volume or switch displayed on the screen can be replaced by operating a pointing device such as a mouse. it can.

The user can continuously switch the windows by continuously pressing the switch 1001 or 1002 displayed on the screen with a pointing device such as a mouse. When switch 1001 or 1002 is pressed with the mouse pointer, the value of variable L 'used for window selection processing changes. For example, pressing switch 1001 increases the value of L ', and pressing switch 1002 decreases the value of L'. If switch 1001 is held down, L 'increases, and if switch 1002 is held down, L, decreases. Note that L, takes the range of 0 to 1. This corresponds to L representing the position of the slide volume switch of the first or second embodiment. Therefore, by replacing the position (L) of the switch of the slide volume with L, in the processing of the window selection device of the first or second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. Instead of the slide volume, the window can be switched using a pseudo switch on the screen. In this way, since the value of L 'changes only by holding down the switch, the windows can be switched continuously, and the selection of the window becomes easy.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the window switching apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention.

The window switching device according to the embodiment of the present invention uses, for example, a personal computer. Window switching device is CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1 101, a program for executing window switching processing, which will be described later, a memory 1102 containing a control program for controlling and executing each function of the window switching device, a display controller 1103 for outputting various information, and a display for displaying information The device 1104 is referred to !, and a switching switch 1105, which is a selection means for switching windows, is connected to the bus 1100, and the CPU 1101 controls each of these units.

[0040] The switching switch 1105 is configured by a push button switch, a slide switch, or the like, and may be externally attached to the computer main body, or may be incorporated in a mouse, a keyboard, a display device, or the like. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing window switching by the window switching apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] In the present embodiment, the inactive window is displayed so as to overlap with the active window so that the inactive window can be seen even when the window is switched.

Referring to the left figure in Fig. 12, when switch 1105 is off, it refers to point A of window 1 which is the active window, and window 2 which is the inactive window has low contrast and low brightness on the back of window 1. , Or overlaid with another color. At that time, it is not necessary to read the document in window 2, and it is desirable not to impair the visibility of the document in window 1 to the extent that the general layout of the document is divided. Therefore, the position of point B in window 2 referred to before can be recognized while referring to point A.

Then, when the switching switch 1105 is turned on, the window switching device detects this, and turns the window 2 into an active window to refer to the point B as shown in the right diagram of FIG. At that time, display with high contrast or high brightness with a predetermined value that hardly transmits through window 2, and display with low contrast or low brightness with a predetermined value so that window 1 is displayed dimly To do. At this time, if you try to refer to point B in window 2, point B is displayed again when window 2 is an inactive window, as shown in the left figure of Fig. 12. There is no need to search for point B. In addition, even if reference is made to point B in window 2, window 1 is still displayed so that the position of point A can be recognized. Then, when the switch 1105 is turned off again, the state shown in the left diagram of FIG. 12 is restored. In this way, each time the switch 1105 is switched, the window displayed on the foreground is switched. Which window is selected according to the switch status Whether it is displayed on the front side can be set in advance or can be specified by the user.

[0043] According to the window switching device of the embodiment of the present invention, since the point referred to last time can be recognized while referring to the current window, the point referred to last time is searched each time the window is switched. There is no need. Therefore, it is possible to prevent work efficiency deterioration and transcription mistakes.

In the third embodiment, the power to display the next window to be displayed instantly when the window is switched. In the fourth embodiment, the contrast and brightness of the current window are adjusted when the window is switched. While gradually decreasing, the display is superimposed while gradually increasing the contrast and brightness of the next window to be displayed. This increases the display time of each window and makes it easier to find the part you want to reference.

[0045] Referring to the left diagram in FIG. 13, when the switching switch 1105 is off, reference is made to point A of window 1 which is the active window, and window 2 which is the inactive window has a low contrast on the back of window 1. , Low brightness, or superimposed in another color. At that time, it is not necessary to read the document in window 2, and it is desirable not to impair the visibility of the document in window 1 to the extent that the general layout of the document is divided. Therefore, the position of point B in window 2 referred to before can be recognized while referring to point A.

[0046] Then, when the switching switch 1105 is turned on, the window switching device detects this, and as shown in the middle diagram of FIG. 13, while gradually reducing the contrast and brightness of the window 1 to a predetermined value, Next, gradually increase the contrast, brightness, etc. of window 2 to be displayed to the specified values.

[0047] Then, in order to refer to the point B as shown in the right figure of FIG. 13, the window 2 is made an active window. At that time, display with a high contrast or high brightness with a predetermined value that hardly passes through window 2, and display with a low contrast or low brightness with a predetermined value so that window 1 is displayed with a low brightness. . If you try to refer to point B in window 2 at this time, point B is displayed again when window 2 is an inactive window as shown in the left figure of Fig. 13, and the position of point B can be recognized. Need to find point B again There is no. In addition, even when referring to point B in window 2, the position of point A can be recognized because window 1 is still displayed. When the switching switch 1105 is turned off again, the window switching device gradually reduces the contrast, brightness, etc. of window 2 to a predetermined value as shown in the middle diagram of FIG. Gradually increase the contrast, brightness, etc. to the specified values and return to the state shown in the left figure of FIG.

[0048] Instead of the above switching switch, it can be replaced by operating the keyboard, such as pressing the slide volume or cursor key, or operating the pseudo slide volume or switch displayed on the screen with a pointing device such as a mouse. You can also

The embodiment of the present invention described above can be realized by hardware, firmware on a DSP board or CPU board, or software as one function of the window selection device or window switching device.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the window selection device or the window switching device to which the present invention is applied is described above if the function is executed. Even a single device that is not limited to the above embodiment, a system having a plurality of device powers, an integrated device, or a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN or WAN. Oh, needless to say.

[0051] It can also be realized by a system including a CPU, ROM or RAM memory connected to a bus, an input device, an output device, an external recording device, a medium drive device, and a network connection device. That is, the ROM or RAM memory, the external recording device, and the portable recording medium that record the program code of the software that realizes the system of the above-described embodiment is supplied to the window selection device or the window switching device. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the computer of the window selection device or window switching device reading and executing the program code.

[0052] In this case, the read-out program code itself realizes the new function of the present invention, and the portable recording medium on which the program code is recorded constitutes the present invention. Will do.

[0053] Examples of portable recording media for supplying program codes include flexible disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, DVD-s. Use various recording media recorded via ROM, DVD-RAM, magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM card, network connection devices (in other words, communication lines) such as e-mail and personal computer communications. Can do.

[0054] Further, the computer (information processing apparatus) executes the program code read out on the memory, thereby realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment and operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. While the operating system or the like performs part or all of the actual processing, the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by the processing.

[0055] Further, the program code or the program (data) provided by the provider of the portable recording medium read out is connected to the computer with the function expansion board inserted in the computer. After being written to the memory of the function expansion unit, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program code. The function of the above-described embodiment can also be realized by this processing.

That is, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can take various configurations or shapes without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] In a window selection device for selecting the desired force of a plurality of windows displayed on the display screen so as to overlap each other and displaying them in the foreground,

Means for outputting the amount of movement from the reference point, which changes according to the operation of the operator, means for detecting the outputted amount of movement,

Means for selecting a selection window that is a window corresponding to the detected movement amount from the plurality of windows;

A window display means for displaying the selected window in the front and returning the display window, which has been displayed in the front until now, to the original state;

A window selection device comprising:

2. The window selection device according to claim 1, wherein the movement amount from the reference point is a position of a switch of a slide volume.

[3] The window selection device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of movement from the reference point is changed by continuously pressing a switch on the screen.

[4] The window display means gradually lowers the transmittance of the window when displaying the selected window in front, and gradually decreases the transmittance of the window when returning the display window to the original state. The window selection device according to claim 1, wherein the window selection device is raised.

[5] Lowering the transmittance means increasing contrast or brightness;

5. The window selection device according to claim 4, wherein increasing the transmittance is reducing contrast or luminance.

[6] The window display means gradually lowers the transmittance of the selection window! / Wills, and changes the movement amount from the reference point while gradually increasing the transmittance of the display window. If you lose

5. The window selection device according to claim 4, wherein the display window whose transmittance is increasing is made opaque and displayed in front, and the selection window whose transmittance is decreasing is returned to the original state.

[7] In a window selection device that selects the desired force of a plurality of windows displayed on the display screen so as to overlap each other and displays the selected window in the foreground, A step of outputting a movement amount from a reference point that changes according to an operation of the operator; a step of detecting the outputted movement amount;

Selecting a selection window that is a window corresponding to the detected movement amount from the plurality of windows;

A window display step for displaying the selected window in the foreground and returning the display window to the original state;

A window selection method comprising:

[8] In the window display step, the transmittance of the window is gradually lowered when the selected window is displayed on the front, and the transmittance of the window is gradually decreased when the display window is returned to the original state. The window selection method according to claim 7, wherein the window selection method is as follows.

[9] Reducing the transmittance means increasing the contrast or brightness,

The window selection method according to claim 8, wherein increasing the transmittance is reducing contrast or luminance.

[10] In the window display step, the transmittance of the selected window is gradually decreased! /, And the amount of movement from the reference point is changed while the transmittance of the display window is gradually increased. If it ’s gone,

9. The window selection method according to claim 8, wherein the display window whose transmittance is increasing is made opaque and displayed in front, and the selection window whose transmittance is decreasing is returned to the original state.

[11] A window selection program for selecting a desired power of a plurality of windows displayed on the display screen so as to overlap each other and displaying the selected window on the foreground.

A step of outputting a movement amount from a reference point that changes according to an operation of the operator; a step of detecting the outputted movement amount;

The selection window is displayed in the foreground and is the window that has been displayed in the foreground until now. A window display step for returning the display window to the original state;

A program for running

[12] In the window display step, the transmittance of the window is gradually lowered when the selection window is displayed on the front, and the transmittance of the window is gradually decreased when the display window is returned to the original state. 12. The window selection program according to claim 11, wherein

[13] Lowering the transmittance means increasing contrast or brightness;

13. The window selection program according to claim 12, wherein increasing the transmittance is reducing contrast or luminance.

[14] In the window display step, the transmittance of the selected window is gradually decreased! /, And the amount of movement from the reference point is changed while the transmittance of the display window is gradually increased. If it ’s gone,

13. The window selection program according to claim 12, wherein the display window whose transmittance is increasing is made opaque and displayed in front, and the selection window whose transmittance is decreasing is returned to the original state.