INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM

• US 20070291308A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Daijiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a first selection unit configured to select a first object from a plurality of objects displayed on an operation screen, a second selection unit configured to select a second object which is an object different from the first object and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed, a drawing order determination unit configured to determine whether the first object is drawn in front of the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects, and a drawing order changing unit configured to change the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn behind the second object if the drawing order determination unit determines that the first object is drawn in front of the second object.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a first selection unit configured to select a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

a second selection unit configured to select a second object which is an object different from the first object selected by the first selection unit and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

a drawing order determination unit configured to determine whether the first object is drawn in front of the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

a drawing order changing unit configured to change the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn behind the second object if the drawing order determination unit determines that the first object is drawn in front of the second object.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position changing unit configured to change position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object selected by the first selection unit; and

an overlapping determination unit configured to determine an overlapping state of respective objects,

wherein, if the overlapping determination unit determines that an object overlapping the first object is released from an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object by the position changing unit, the second selection unit selects the object as the second object, and

wherein, if the overlapping determination unit determines that the second object released from the overlapping state is again brought into an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object by the position changing unit, the drawing order changing unit changes the drawing order based on a determination result by the drawing order determination unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the drawing order of the plurality of objects is changed according to a change in the position information for the first object, the position changing unit returns the position information for the first object to previous position information set before the position changing unit executes the change processing.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the overlapping determination unit determines overlapping of respective objects based on a drawing region of each object or a circumscribed rectangle of each object.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determination mode setting unit configured to set a continuous determination mode for causing the drawing order determination unit to continuously operate; and

a storage unit configured to store information indicating that forward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object according to the drawing order changed by the drawing order changing unit,

wherein, after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, the drawing order changing unit changes the drawing order so that the first object is disposed in front of the object other than the second object according to the information stored in the storage unit.

6. An information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a first selection unit configured to select a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

a second selection unit configured to select a second object which is an object different from the first object selected by the first selection unit and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

a drawing order determination unit configured to determine whether the first object is drawn behind the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

a drawing order changing unit configured to change the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object if the drawing order determination unit determines that the first object is drawn behind the second object.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a determination mode setting unit configured to set a continuous determination mode for causing the drawing order determination unit to continuously operate; and

a storage unit configured to store information indicating that rearward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn behind the second object according to the drawing order changed by the drawing order changing unit,

wherein, after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, the drawing order changing unit changes the drawing order so that the first object is disposed behind the object other than the second object according to the information stored in the storage unit.

8. A method for an information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, the method comprising:

selecting a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

selecting a second object which is an object different from the first object and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

determining whether the first object is drawn in front of the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

changing the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn behind the second object if it is determined that the first object is drawn in front of the second object.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

changing position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object;

determining an overlapping state of respective objects;

if it is determined that an object overlapping the first object is released from an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object, selecting the object as the second object; and

if it is determined that the second object released from the overlapping state is again brought into an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object, changing the drawing order based on a determination result of the drawing order.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising, when the drawing order of the plurality of objects is changed according to a change in the position information for the first object, returning the position information for the first object to previous position information set before the change processing is executed.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising determining overlapping of respective objects based on a drawing region of each object or a circumscribed rectangle of each object.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

setting a continuous determination mode for continuously executing determination of the drawing order;

storing information indicating that forward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object; and

after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, changing the drawing order so that the first object is disposed in front of the object other than the second object according to the stored information.

13. A method for an information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, the method comprising:

selecting a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

selecting a second object which is an object different from the first object and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

determining whether the first object is drawn behind the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

changing the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object if it is determined that the first object is drawn behind the second object.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

setting a continuous determination mode for continuously executing the determination of the drawing order;

storing information indicating that rearward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn behind the second object; and

after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, changing the drawing order so that the first object is disposed behind the object other than the second object according to the stored information.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by an information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

selecting a second object which is an object different from the first object and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

determining whether the first object is drawn in front of the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

changing the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn behind the second object if it is determined that the first object is drawn in front of the second object.

16. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

changing position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object;

determining an overlapping state of respective objects;

if it is determined that an object overlapping the first object is released from an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object, selecting the object as the second object; and

if it is determined that the second object released from the overlapping state is again brought into an overlapping state according to a change in the position information for the first object, changing the drawing order based on a determination result of the drawing order.

17. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise, when the drawing order of the plurality of objects is changed according to a change in the position information for the first object, returning the position information for the first object to previous position information set before the change processing is executed.

18. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining overlapping of respective objects based on a drawing region of each object or a circumscribed rectangle of each object.

19. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

setting a continuous determination mode for continuously executing determination of the drawing order;

storing information indicating that forward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object; and

after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, changing the drawing order so that the first object is disposed in front of the object other than the second object according to the stored information.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by an information processing apparatus configured to display a plurality of objects on an operation screen according to a drawing order of the plurality of objects, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting a first object from the plurality of objects displayed on the operation screen;

selecting a second object which is an object different from the first object and is used as a reference when the drawing order of the first object is changed;

determining whether the first object is drawn behind the second object when the first and second objects are drawn according to the drawing order of the plurality of objects; and

changing the drawing order of the plurality of objects so that the first object is drawn in front of the second object if it is determined that the first object is drawn behind the second object.

21. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise:

setting a continuous determination mode for continuously executing determination of the drawing order;

storing information indicating that rearward shift processing has been applied to the first object if the continuous determination mode is set and the drawing order has been changed so that the first object is drawn behind the second object; and

after the information is stored, if the first object overlaps an object other than the second object due to a change in position information indicating a horizontal or vertical position of the first object, changing the drawing order so that the first object is disposed behind the object other than the second object according to the stored information.