Information processing device, control method for the same device and control program recording medium for the same device

• US 6,275,218 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Harada, Kouichi, Matsuda, Eichika
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US09/357,760
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/146, 345/172, 345/214, 345/425, 345/334, 345/342
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

An information processing device that can use two different functions for returning an initial screen and a preceding state by a simple method, a control method of the same device and a recording medium for recording a control program for the same device are provided. An information processing device having an initial screen including an initial image presentable after turning on a power supply and having a returning means for returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state or returning from any screen state to the initial screen, wherein it is provided with a key-operation counting portion for counting the number-of-operations of a specific key, a reference storage portion for storing the reference number-of-operations of the specific key, a comparison portion for comparing the number of operations counted by the key-operation counting portion with the reference value stored in the reference storage portion, and a control means for driving the returning means according to the comparison result in such a way that the returning means executes its function for returning to the initial screen state when the counted number matches the reference number and the returning means executes its function for returning to a preceding screen state when the counted number does not match the reference number.

Claims

1. An information processing device having an initial screen presentable just after turning on a power supply and as necessary thereafter and having a preceding-state returning means for executing, after transition of a screen state from one to another, a procedure for returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state and an initial-state returning means for executing a procedure for returning from any screen state to an initial screen state, wherein it is provided with a key-operation counting means for counting the number of successive operations of a specific key, a reference storage means for storing the reference number of operations to be successively made on the specific key, said reference number being necessary for starting the initial-state returning function, a comparison means for comparing the number of operations counted by the key-operation counting means with the reference number stored in the reference storage means, and a control means for driving, according to the comparison result, the initial-state returning means when the counted number matches the reference number and the preceding-state returning means when the counted number does not match the reference number.

2. An information processing device having an initial screen presentable just after switching on power supply and as necessary thereafter and having a preceding-state returning means for executing, after transition of a screen state from one to another, a procedure for returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state and an initial-state returning means for executing a procedure for returning from any screen state to an initial screen state, wherein it is provided with a time-length measuring means for measuring a time-length of operation made on a specific key, a reference storage means for storing the reference time-length of operation made on the specific key, said reference time-length being necessary for starting the initial-state returning function, a comparison means for comparing the key-operation time-length measured by the time-length measuring means with the reference time-length stored in the reference storage means, and a control means for driving, according to the comparison result, the initial-state returning means when the measured time-length is equal to or more than the reference time-length and the preceding-state returning means when the measured time-length is less than the reference time-length.

3. A control method of an information processing device having an initial screen presentable just after switching on power supply and as necessary thereafter, comprising mainly of a preceding-state returning step of returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state after transition of a screen state from one to another and an initial-state returning step of returning from any screen state to an initial screen state, which further comprises, in the execution order, a counting step of counting the number of successive operations made on a specific key, a storing step of storing the reference number of operations to be necessarily made on the specific key to start the initial-state returning function, a comparing step of comparing the counted number of successive operations made on the specific key with the stored reference number, and a control step of driving either of the returning functions according to the comparison result in such a way that the initial-state returning step is executed when the counted number is equal to the reference number and a preceding-state returning step is executed when the counted number is not equal to the reference number.

4. A control method of an information processing device having an initial screen presentable just after switching on power supply and as necessary thereafter, comprising mainly of a preceding-state returning step of returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state after transition of a screen state from one to another and an initial-state returning step of returning from any screen state to an initial screen state, which further comprises, in the execution order, a measuring step of measuring a time-length of operation made on a specific key, a storing step of storing a reference time-length of operation to be necessarily made on the specific key to start the initial-state returning step, a comparing step of comparing the measured key-operation time-length with the stored reference time-length, and a control step of driving either of the returning steps according to the comparison result in such a way that the initial-state returning step is executed when the measured time-length matches the reference value and the preceding-state returning step is executed when the measured time-length does not match the reference time-length.

5. A recording medium storing a program for use in a computer having an initial screen presentable just after switching on power supply and as necessary thereafter and having a preceding-state returning function for returning from a current screen state to a preceding screen state after transition of a screen state from one to another and an initial-state returning function for returning from any screen state to an initial screen state, which program causes the computer to execute a counting function for counting the number of successive operations made on a specific key, a storing function for storing the reference number of successive operations to be necessarily made on the specific key for starting the initial-state returning function, a comparison function for comparing the counted number of operations of the key with the stored reference number, and a control function for driving either of the returning functions according to the comparison result in such a way that the initial-state returning functions is executed when the counted number is equal to the reference number and the preceding-state returning function is executed when the counted number is not equal to the reference number.