Operation method for processing data file

• US 20010024212A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 09/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Akinori
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

In an operation method for processing data file of the present invention, reduced-size images and file icons of small area associated with the reduced-size images are displayed in pairs at predetermined interval between a reduced-size image and a file icon in each pair, and at least the data file is processed with a function as selected or the display position of the reduced-size image is changed by performing drag-and-drop operations on the file icons instead of performing a drag-and-drop operation on the reduced-size image directly as in the conventional method. According to the foregoing arrangement of the present invention, the reduced-size image can be displayed without reducing the size even while a drag-and-drop operation is being performed, and it is therefore possible to identify each data file based on the reduced-size image.

Claims

1. An operation method for processing data file, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a reduced-size image for use in identifying contents of a data file, and a file icon associated with said reduced-size image in pair at a predetermined interval between them, said file icon having a smaller area than said reduced-size image; and

(b) performing at least either one of the operations of i) selecting a function to be applied to said data file and ii) changing a display position of said reduced-size image by a drag-and-drop operation on said file icon.

2. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein:

in said step (b), the reduced-size image is fixed at a current position while a drag operation on said file icon is being performed at a predetermined speed or higher;

on the other hand, when the drag speed is reduced below the predetermined speed, a frame in size of the reduced-size image is displayed.

3. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein:

in said step (b), when said file icon is dropped at position where any function icon representing a kind of a function to be applied to said data file is not displayed, a display position of the corresponding reduced-size image is changed by moving the corresponding reduced-size image to a position at a predetermined interval from a dropped position of said file icon.

4. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 3

, wherein:

said reduced-size image is displayed in an area on the opposite side of a moving region of the file icon where the file icon is moved to a display position of a function icon.

5. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein:

in said step (b), when the file icon has moved to a position more than a predetermined distance apart from the corresponding reduced-size image, an icon return space is displayed at or in a proximity of the original display position of the file icon, at a predetermined fixed interval from the reduced-size image.

6. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 5

, wherein:

in said step (b), when said file icon is dropped in said icon return space, said file icon is moved back to its original display position without moving the associated reduced-size image.

7. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 5

, wherein:

said icon return space is formed in an outstanding pattern.

8. The operation method for processing data file as set forth in

claim 5

, wherein:

said icon return space is larger in size than said file icon.