Icon menu display devices and methods

• US 5,847,707 A
• Filed: 08/07/1995
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Hayashida, Yasuto
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/512,111
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 395/348, 395/349, 395/351, 395/350, 395/352, 395/334, 345/348, 345/349, 345/351, 345/352, 345/334, 345/333, 345/347
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

When a menu is displayed, a stored state of a document memory 5 which is capable of storing a plurality of document files is checked. When new document files are creatable in the document memory 5, an icon I, II or III having a different shape indicating a different creatable file count is displayed on the display. If no more new document files are creatable in the document memory, a document-uncreatable icon is displayed on the display.

Claims

1. An icon menu display device for a file processing system which opens a plurality of data files in a memory and processes the opened data files individually, said device comprising:

a plurality of file icons each having a different form, said plurality of file icons corresponding in number to a number of new data files openable in the memory;

detecting means for detecting a number of the data files opened in the memory when a predetermined menu image is displayed on a display screen;

selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of file icons on the basis of the detected number of data files opened; and

display means for displaying the selected file icon on the display screen at a predetermined position;

wherein said detecting means comprises means for detecting whether a new data file is unopenable;

wherein said selecting means comprises means for selecting a particular file icon indicating that a new file is unopenable when said detecting means detects that a new data file is unopenable;

wherein said display means comprises means for displaying the selected particular file icon on the display screen at the predetermined position responsive to said selecting means selecting the particular file icon; and

wherein said icon menu display device further comprises means for displaying a message that a new file is unopenable when the selected particular file icon is pointed out by a pointing device in a state where the selected particular file icon is displayed on a menu display screen.

2. An icon menu display method for a file processing system which opens a plurality of data files in a memory and processes the opened data files individually, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a number of the data files opened in the memory when a basic menu is displayed on a display screen;

selecting one of a plurality of file icons each having a different form based on the detected number of data files opened; and

displaying the selected file icon on the display screen at a predetermined position;

wherein said detecting step comprises detecting whether a new data file is unopenable;

wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a particular file icon indicating that a new file is unopenable when it is detected that a new data file is unopenable;

wherein said display step comprises displaying the selected particular icon on the display screen at the predetermined position responsive to the particular file icon being selected; and

wherein said icon menu display method further comprises the step of displaying a message that a new file is unopenable when the selected particular file icon is pointed out by a pointing device in a state where the selected particular file icon is displayed on a menu display screen.