Information processing apparatus with pointer indicator function

• US 20040004604A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Numano, Fujihito
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method providing a main display for displaying a first operation screen used to perform a first operation and a sub-display separate from the main display for displaying a second operation screen used to perform a second operation. The sub-display is integral with a touch pad pointing device. A processor of the information processing apparatus is programmed to provide notification when the second operation screen is opened or changed. The notification may be selectively provided on the main display such that a user performing touch operation on the sub-display while viewing the main display is notified that the second operation screen has been opened or changed. The notification may be visual, audible or tactile. The second operation may be executed in parallel with the first operation or independently of the first operation. The first operation screen and the second operation screen may be simultaneously displayed.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a main display for displaying a first operation screen used to perform a first operation;

a sub-display separate from the main display for displaying a second operation screen used to perform a second operation; and

a processor programmed to provide notification when the second operation screen is changed.

2. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a touch pad pointing device integral with the sub-display.

3. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide notification when the second operation screen is opened.

4. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is provided on the main display.

5. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is a visual notification.

6. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is an audible notification.

7. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is a tactile notification.

8. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein the tactile notification comprises a vibration of a portion of the information processing apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the first operation is executed in association with the second operation.

10. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the first operation is executed in parallel with the second operation.

11. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the second operation is executed independently of the first operation.

12. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the first operation screen and the second operation screen are simultaneously displayed.

13. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed for displaying a changeover operation screen for changing the second operation screen.

14. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein the changeover operation screen is displayed on at least one of the main display and the sub-display in response to an operation for changing the second operation screen.

15. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the operation for changing the second operation screen is performed on the sub-display.

16. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 14, wherein the changeover operation screen is displayed on the main display as a pop-up screen in the vicinity of a pointer indicator.

17. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein the changeover operation screen is displayed on the main display for a predetermined time period.

18. The information processing apparatus recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is further programmed for selectively displaying the changeover operation screen on the main display.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of user-selectable operators associated with the sub-display, wherein the processor is further programmed for canceling display of the changeover operation screen in response to selection of at least one of the user-selectable operators.

20. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a main display for displaying a first operation screen;

a sub-display for displaying a second operation screen;

a touch pad pointing device integral with the sub-display; and

a processor programmed for;

reflecting a pointing operation performed on the touch pad pointing device using a pointer indicator displayed on the main display; and

displaying on the main display a changeover operation screen for changing the second operation screen in response to an operation performed on the touch pad pointing device.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed for selectively displaying the changeover operation screen.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the changeover operation screen is selectively displayed based on a user setting.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the changeover operation screen is displayed in the vicinity of the pointer indicator.

24. A method of operating an information processing apparatus including a main display, comprising:

providing a sub-display in which a touch pad pointing device is integrally disposed; and

providing notification, when an operation for changing an operation screen displayed on the sub-display is performed on the touch pad pointing device.

25. The method recited in claim 24, further comprising providing notification when the operation screen is opened.

26. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the notification is provided on the main display.

27. A method for operating an information processing apparatus including a main display, comprising:

providing a sub-display in the information processing apparatus separate from the main display;

displaying on the main display a first operation screen used to perform a first operation;

displaying on the sub-display a second operation screen used to perform a second operation; and

providing notification when the second operation screen is changed.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the information processing apparatus comprises a touch pad pointing device integral with the sub-display.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising providing notification when the second operation screen is opened.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising displaying a changeover operation screen for changing the second operation screen.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the changeover operation screen is displayed on at least one of the main display and the sub-display in response to an operation for changing the second operation screen.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the changeover operation screen is selectively displayed on the main display.

33. A computer system comprising:

a main display means;

pointing means in which a sub-display means is integrally disposed;

operation input control means for reflecting a pointing operation of the pointing means in a pointer indicator displayed on the main display; and

display control means for displaying on the main display means a changeover operation screen when an operation for changing an operation screen displayed on the sub-display means is performed using the pointing means.

34. The computer system according to claim 33, further comprising:

setting means for setting the display control means to be valid or invalid.

35. The computer system according to claim 33, wherein the display control means displays the changeover operation screen until the changeover operation screen is operated.

36. The computer system according to claim 33, wherein the pointing means comprises a user-selectable operator, and the display control means performs at least one of displaying the changeover operation screen and canceling the display of the changeover operation screen using the user-selectable operator.

37. The computer system according to claim 34, wherein the setting means is disposed in a menu screen displayed when a specific tray icon displayed on the main display means is selected.

38. The computer system according to claim 34, wherein the operation screen displayed on the sub-display means is temporarily displayed on the main display means following an operation of the changeover operation screen displayed on the main display means in a state when the display control means is set to be valid by the setting means.