Data processing apparatus for executing data processing using windows displayed on a display apparatus

• US 5,758,111 A
• Filed: 07/20/1995
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Akiyoshi, Masao, Shiratori, Shigeo, Furukawa, Kimikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/504,498
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 395/342, 395/340, 395/346, 395/345, 395/344, 395/347, 395/975, 345/119, 345/120
• US Class Current: 715/788
• 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 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A data processing apparatus connected to at least one input apparatus and a display apparatus and including a window control unit and a data processing unit for executing data processing using one or more windows displayed on the display apparatus, and the window control unit includes; a first detecting unit for detecting the presence or absence of at least one window; a first window generating unit for providing a process selecting window which includes various menus to be selected by a user; and a first erasing unit for erasing the process selecting window; wherein when the first detecting unit detects no window on the display apparatus, the first window generating unit provides the process selecting window on the display apparatus, and when the first detecting unit detect any window, except for the process selecting window, the first erasing unit erases the process selecting window from the display apparatus.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus connected to at least one input apparatus and a display apparatus and including a window control unit and a data processing unit executing data processing using one or more windows displayed on said display apparatus, and said window control unit comprising:

a first detecting unit detecting the presence of at least one window or the absence of any window displayed on said display apparatus;

a first window generating unit, operatively connected to said first detecting unit, selectively providing a particular window for display on the display apparatus; and

a first erasing unit, operatively connected to said first window generating unit, selectively erasing said particular window;

wherein, when said first detecting unit detects no window on said display apparatus, said first window generating unit provides said particular window for display on said display apparatus and, when said first detecting unit detects any window except for said particular window, said first erasing unit erases a displayed said particular window from said display apparatus.

2. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a second detecting unit detecting whether a particular key on said input apparatus is operated by the user; and

a second window generating unit, operatively connected to said second detecting unit, providing said particular window regardless of the presence or absence of other displayed windows when said second detecting unit detects the particular key.

3. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a third detecting unit detecting a switch instruction sent from said input apparatus to switch an active window;

a first decision unit, operatively connected to said third detecting unit, determining the number of windows displayed on said display apparatus when the third detecting unit detects the switch instruction;

a switch unit, operatively connected to said first decision unit selectively switching the active window; and

a first setting unit operatively connected to said first decision unit selectively setting the active window wherein, when the number of windows is two, said first setting unit sets another window to an active state, and when the number of windows exceeds two, said first setting unit sets any one of windows designated by said input apparatus to the active state.

4. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first setting unit displays an identification list of windows which are currently displayed, and selects any one of the windows to be activated in said identification list through said input apparatus to set the active window.

5. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first setting unit eliminates a read only window from being selected as the active window.

6. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a fourth detecting unit detecting a new instruction to provide a new window;

a reducing unit, operatively connected to said fourth detecting unit, selectively reducing the size of each window which is currently displayed when said fourth detecting unit detects the new window; and

a third window generating unit, operatively connected to said reducing unit, providing the new window in a remaining area which is obtained after reduction of windows by said reducing unit.

7. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said reducing unit reduces the size of each window by taking into account the arrangement of each window on said display apparatus.

8. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a fifth detecting unit detecting an erase instruction to erase the window;

a second erasing unit, operatively connected to said fifth detecting unit, selectively erasing the window in which the erase instruction is generated when said fifth detecting unit detects the erase instruction; and

an enlarging unit, operatively connected to said second erasing unit, enlarging windows which are not erased.

9. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said enlarging unit enlarges the size of each window by taking into account the arrangement of each window on said display apparatus.

10. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a second decision unit, operatively connected to said second erasing unit and said enlarging unit, determining whether an erased is a last displayed window; and

said enlarging unit enlarges windows which are not erased in the previous state when the last displayed window is erased.

11. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a second setting unit setting an automatic adjusting mode for instructing the automatic adjusting of the distance between windows;

a defining unit, operatively connected to said second setting unit, defining a pair of windows for which an absolute distance between said pair of windows becomes a predetermined value when said second setting unit sets the automatic adjusting mode; and

an adjusting unit, operatively connected to said defining unit, adjusting the absolute distance so as to become zero between said pair of windows.

12. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a third setting unit setting a one-group moving mode in which a plurality of windows move as one group in response to a one-group moving instruction;

a seventh detecting unit, connected to said third setting unit, detecting whether a moving instruction is generated to any one of windows in which the one-group moving instruction is generated when said third setting unit sets the one-group moving mode; and

a moving unit, connected to said seventh detecting unit, moving a plurality of windows as one group when said seventh detecting unit detects the moving instruction.

13. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a fourth setting unit setting a size-following change mode in which the sizes of adjacent windows are changed by following each other;

an eighth detecting unit, operatively connected to said fourth setting unit, detecting whether the window receiving a size-following change instruction has an adjacent window when the size-following change mode is set by said fourth setting unit; and

a change unit, operatively connected to the eighth detecting unit, changing the size of the window which receives the size-following change instruction in a state of keeping an adjacent relationship.

14. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a fifth setting unit setting an exchange mode between windows;

a ninth detecting unit, operatively connected to said fifth setting unit, detecting whether an exchange instruction between windows is generated for any one of windows to be exchanged when the exchange mode is set by said fifth setting unit; and

an exchange unit, operatively connected to said ninth detecting unit, exchanging the contents or position of windows to be exchanged when said fifth setting unit detects the exchange instruction.

15. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said window control unit further comprises:

a tenth detecting unit detecting whether a display instruction to display hidden windows is generated; and

a display unit, operatively connected to said tenth detecting unit, displaying the contents or a window frame of the window which is hidden by a front window when the tenth detecting unit detects the display instruction of the hidden window.

16. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said display unit displays the window frame of the front window when displaying contents of a window which is hidden by the front window.

17. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said display unit displays sequentially, or at once, the contents of all windows which are hidden by the front window.

18. A data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said particular window is a process selecting window which includes various menus to be selected by a user.

19. A data processing apparatus connected to at least one input apparatus and a display apparatus and including a window control unit and a data processing unit executing data processing using one or more windows displayed on said display apparatus, said window control unit comprising:

a first detecting unit detecting the presence or the absence of at least one window, or the absence of any window displayed on said display apparatus; and

a first window generating unit, operatively connected to said first detecting unit, selectively providing a particular window for display on said display apparatus;

wherein, when said first detecting unit detects no window on said display apparatus, said first window generating unit provides said particular window for display on said display apparatus.

20. A data processing apparatus connected to at least one input apparatus and a display apparatus and including a window control unit and a data processing unit executing data processing using one or more windows displayed on said display apparatus, said window control unit comprising:

a first detecting unit detecting the presence of at least one window or the absence of any window displayed on said display apparatus and producing corresponding window presence and window absence outputs;

a first window generating unit, operatively connected to said first detecting unit and, in response to a window absence output thereof, providing a particular window for display on said display apparatus.