Data processing apparatus and display control method

• US 20050071775A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Satoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/920,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071775A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/801
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it

Abstract

A data processing apparatus comprises an operation member which is operated to change a display form of displayed contents and a processing unit which is responsive to an operation of the operation member to change the display form of the displayed contents of an active window.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

an operation member which is operated to change a display form of displayed contents; and

a processing unit which is responsive to an operation of the operation member to change the display form of the displayed contents of an active window.

2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is operated to enlarge or reduce the displayed contents of the window.

3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit enlarges or reduces the displayed contents of the window stepwise.

4. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit enlarges or reduces the displayed contents of the window by a predetermined ratio.

5. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit makes a decision of whether or not the display function of an application in the active window supports the change of the display form commanded by the operation member and, when supported, performs the function.

6. The data processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display function of the application includes a function of enlarging or reducing images.

7. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation member includes an operating button dedicated for enlargement or reduction.

8. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation member includes an operating dial dedicated for enlargement or reduction.

9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation member includes a specific key provided on a keyboard.

10. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is assigned a predetermined display function, and the processing unit includes a unit which obtains an event associated with an operation of the operation member, a unit which searches for an active window in accordance with the obtained event, a unit which identifies an application from the class name or the window name including the class name of the searched window, and a unit which makes a decision of whether or not the identified application is capable of carrying out the display function assigned to the operation member and, when the decision is that it is capable, carries out the display function.

11. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a display unit having a screen capable of displaying windows;

an operation member which is operated to change a display form; and

a processing unit which is responsive to an operation of the operation member to search through the windows displayed on the screen for a window in an active state and changes the display form of displayed contents of the searched window.

12. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a display unit on which an image of a desktop appears;

an operation member which is operated to change the display form of the image of the desktop; and

a processing unit which is responsive to an operation of the operation member to change the display form of the image of the desktop.

13. The data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processing unit is responsive to an operation of the operation member to enlarge or reduce icons on an image of the desktop.

14. The data processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operation member includes an operating button dedicated for enlargement or reduction.

15. A display control method comprising:

obtaining an event associated with an operation on an operation member assigned a predetermined function;

detecting an active window in accordance with the obtained event;

identifying an application from the class name or the window name including the class name of the detected window;

making a decision of whether or not the identified application is capable of carrying out a function corresponding to the obtained event; and

carrying out that function when the decision is that the identified application is capable of carrying out that function.

16. The display control method according to claim 15, wherein the function assigned to the operation member is the display enlargement or reduction function, and the step of carrying out the function involves making a decision of whether or not the mouse cursor is present in the active window on an image of the desktop, enlarging or reducing the display contents of the active window in response to an operation of the operation member when the mouse cursor is present in the active window, and enlarging or reducing icons on an image of the desktop in response to an operation of the operation member when the mouse cursor is present outside the active window.