Document processing method and system using multiwindow

• US 4,829,294 A
• Filed: 06/23/1987
• Issued: 05/09/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyake, Tuguo, Machida, Tetsuo, Tabata, Kuniaki, Murata, Fumiya, Iwami, Hidefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/065,609
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/723, 340/724, 340/721, 340/706, 340/709, 364/518, 364/521, 364/523
• US Class Current: 715/803
• 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 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

In a document processing method using a multiwindow including a display device having a display screen on which a plurality of windows are established, a virtual screen memory in which a plurality of virtual screens each corresponding to programs are generated to output results of data processing by programs, a memory unit for storing therein a window control table defining corresponding relationships between the virtual screens and the windows, and a control device for referencing the window control table and for outputting contents of each virtual screen in a window associated with the virtual screen on the display screen, copy source attribute data including an identifier of a second window established in the display screen and data defining a second partial region in the second window is memorized in correspondence with a first partial region on the vertical screen so that, in response to a command inputted by an operator while painting to the first partial region displayed in the first window, the display contents of the second partial region of the second window are copied into the first partial region of the first window based on the copy source attribute data stored on the virtual screen corresponding to the first window.

Claims

1. A document processing method using a multiwindow including a display device having a display screen on which a plurality of windows are established and virtual screen memory means for forming a plurality of virtual screens corresponding to the windows, said method comprising the steps of:

a first step for memorizing, in a virtual screen in the virtual screen memory means corresponding to a first window established on the display screen, copy source attribute data including an identifier of a second window established on the display screen and data defining a second partial region in the second window in correspondence with a first partial region in the first window established on the display screen;

a second step for outputting to the second window results of data processing effected by use of a program; and

a third step, responsive to a command inputted by an operator while pointing to an arbitrary point within the first partial region displayed in the first window, for copying the display contents of the second partial region of the second window into the first partial region of the first window based on the copy source attribute data previously memorized corresponding to the first partial region.

2. A document processing method according to claim 1 wherein the first step is executed in response to a command inputted by the operator while specifying a first partial region as a copy destination in the first window and a second partial region as a copy source in the second window.

3. A document processing method according to claim 2 wherein when a command associated with designation of the first partial region and the second partial region is inputted, display contents of the second partial region as the copy source are copied into the first partial region as the copy destination in the display screen.

4. A document processing method using a multiwindow system including a display device having a display screen in which a plurality of windows are established, virtual screen memory means for forming a plurality of virtual screens each of which stores display data obtained by executing a program corresponding to the virtual screen, memory means for storing a window control table to define a corresponding relationship between said virtual screens and said windows, control means for referencing the window control table to output display data in a predetermined region of said virtual screen to a window corresponding to the virtual screen, and data file means for storing data records corresponding to the virtual screens, said method comprising the steps of:

a first step for storing copy source attribute data in a virtual screen in said virtual screen memory means corresponding to a first window established on the display screen with a corresponding with respect to a first partial region on the virtual screen, said copy source attribute including an identifier of a program to generate display information to be copied into the first partial region, a store address of a data record in the data file means to be used by the program, and data defining a second partial region on a virtual screen in which results of execution of the program are stored and

second step, responsive to an operation achieved by an operator to input a command indicating to call a copy source into the display screen while pointing to an arbitrary point within the first partial region displayed in the first window, for activating a program indicated by the copy source attribute data stored in a virtual screen corresponding to the first window and for outputting to a second window in the display screen display information obtained by processing data read from the address.

5. A document processing method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

a third step for modifying the display contents of the second window according to operations of the operator; and

a fourth step, responsive to an operation achieved by an operator to input a command indicating to copy the display data of the copy source into the first partial region, for referencing the copy source attribute data to copy the display contents of the second partial region in the second window into the first partial region of the first window.

6. A document processing method according to claim 4 wherein the first step is executed in response to a command inputted by the operator while specifying a first partial region as a copy destination in the first window and a second partial region as a copy source in the second window.

7. A document processing method according to claim 4 wherein said first step is effected in a course of an operation to display in the first window data read from the data file means.

8. A document processing method according to claim 6 wherein when a command associated with designation of the first partial region and the second partial region is inputted, display contents of the second partial region as the copy source are copied into the first partial region as the copy designation in the display screen.

9. A multiwindow system in which a plurality of windows including at least first and second windows are established on a display screen and the contents of a second partial region in said second window can be copied

a first partial region in said first window comprising:

a display device having said display screen on which said plurality of windows are established;

first memory means for forming a plurality of virtual screens which are respectively provided corresponding to said plurality of windows with first and second virtual screens corresponding to said first and second windows respectively and each of which stores display data obtained by the execution of a program, said first virtual screen storing copy source attribute data inclusive of an identifier of said second window and define data of said second partial region in correspondence with said first partial region;

second memory means for storing a window control table which defines a corresponding relationship between said plurality of virtual screens and said plurality of windows;

input means for inputting a position on said display screen and an operation command; and

a data processor, responsive to the operation command inputted from said input means by an operator with one of said plurality of windows being specified, for executing a predetermined program to output the results of data processing to the specified window and one of said plurality of virtual screens corresponding thereto, said data processor operating to copy the display contents on said second partial region of said second window into said first partial region of said first window on the basis of the copy source attribute data stored in said first virtual screen when a predetermined command is inputted from said input means while said first partial region of said first window on said display screen is designated.

10. A multiwindow system in which a plurality of windows including at least first and second windows are established on a display screen and the contents of a second partial region in said second window can be copied

a first partial region in said first window, comprising:

a display device having said display screen on which said plurality of windows are established;

first memory means for forming a plurality of virtual screens which are respectively provided corresponding to said plurality of windows and each of which stores display data obtained by the execution of a program;

second memory means for storing a window control table which defines a corresponding relationship between said plurality of virtual screens and said plurality of windows;

data file means for reserving the contents of each of said plurality of virtual screens;

input means for inputting a position on said display screen and an operation command; and

a data processor, responsive to the operation command inputted from said input means by an operator with one of said plurality on windows being specified, for executing a predetermined program to output the results of data processing to the specified window and one of said plurality of virtual screens corresponding thereto,

wherein said first memory means stores copy source attribute data in one of said plurality of virtual screens corresponding to said first window in correspondence with said first partial region, said copy source attribute data including an identifier of a program to be executed for said second window, a store address of data in said data file means to be used by said program, and data which defines said second partial region, and wherein said data processor is responsive to the inputting of a predetermined command from said input means by an operator with said first partial region of said first window on said display screen for referring to the virtual screen corresponding to said first window, activating a program indicated by said copy source attribute data, processing data read from said store address and outputting, display information obtained by the data processing, to said second window.