Information processing apparatus, information processing program, storage medium storing an information processing program and window controlling method

• US 20070198948A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Toriyama, Kazuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/593,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198948A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 (10) includes an LCD (12) as a first display area and an LCD (14) as a second display area, and on the second display area, a touch panel (22) as an input means is set, for example. On the first display area, a plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner or only the top window is displayed, and on the second display area, a plurality of tabs which are respectively corresponded to a plurality of windows are displayed. When it is determined that a predetermined input is present on a tab on the basis of the coordinates data detected according to an operation via the touch panel, a window corresponding to the tab which was displayed on the top on the first display area is displayed on the second display area. Or, an inactive window corresponding to the tab is displayed on the second display area.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows,

a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed,

a detecting means for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a first display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window displayed on said first display area or a window displayed on a forefront by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area. corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on the forefront on said first display area by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said first display area or on the forefront on said first display area.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on the forefront on said first display area by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects an input to an arbitrary position of said second display area, and

further comprising a setting means for setting, when a window is displayed on said second display area by said first display controlling means or said third display controlling means, the window to an inputable state from said detecting means.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to the window displayed on said second display area, the window corresponding to the selection area of the forefront on said first display area.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth display controlling means for displaying, in a case that said window is displayed on said second display area and when it is determined that other window is being displayed on said second display area, the other window on the forefront on said first display area.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects said predetermined input on the basis of the input data from a touch panel which is not set on said first display area but set on said second display area.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores data to display a basic input window to be displayed on said second display area, and

further comprising a basic display controlling means for displaying said basic input window on said second display area when no window to be displayed on said second display area is present.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generating means for, when a predetermined coordinates input is performed to said window displayed on said second display area, generating data to display a new window and data to display a new selection area, and storing the generated data in said storing means by bringing them into correspondence with each other, and

a selection area display controlling means for displaying said selection area generated by said generating means on said second display area.

4. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows,

a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or said plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed,

a detecting means for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a third display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed at a display position of a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on a forefront on said first display area by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a first display controlling means for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window displayed on said first display area or the window displayed on the forefront by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

12. An information processing program of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or said plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, causing a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute

a detecting step for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a first display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window displayed on said first display area or a window displayed on a forefront by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

13. A storage medium storing an information processing program of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, wherein

said information processing program causes a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute

a detecting step for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a first display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window displayed on said first display area or a window displayed on a forefront by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

14. A window controlling method of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, further including:

a detecting step for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a first display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window displayed on said first display area or a window displayed on a forefront by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

15. An information processing program of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, causing a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute

a detecting step for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a third display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed at a display position of a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on a forefront on said first display area by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

16. A storage medium storing an information processing program of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, wherein

said information processing program causes a processor of said information processing apparatus to execute

a detecting step for detecting an input to display positions on said plurality of selection areas, and

a third display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed at a display position of a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on a forefront on said first display area by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

17. A window controlling method of an information processing apparatus comprising a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows, and a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed, including:

a detecting step for detecting an input to a display position of said plurality of selection areas, and

a third display controlling step for displaying, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed at a display position of a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on said first display area and said second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on a forefront on said first display area by said detecting step, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.

18. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a storing means for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which are respectively corresponded to said plurality of windows,

a display means for including a first display area on which only a predetermined window out of the plurality of windows is displayed or the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner, and a second display area on which said plurality of selection areas are displayed,

a detecting means for detecting an input to display positions of said plurality of selection areas, and

a first display controlling means for displaying, when a predetermined input is performed within said selection area by said detecting means, the window corresponding to the selection area on said second display area.