Control of window size in response to user operation

• US 6,552,737 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Shuji, Kobayashi, Hirofumi, Sekiya, Yoshimasa, Tabe, Shinichi, Taniyama, Yoshito, Mikami, Koji, Kamada, Masayoshi, Shikama, Takao, Tanaka, Harutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/387,832
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 345/781, 345/784, 345/856, 345/862, 345/764, 345/786, 345/800, 345/801, 345/157, 345/772
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 device for controlling multi-window display on a screen includes a screen-operation detecting unit which detects user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen. The device further includes a control unit which controls a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer into an area of the window.

Claims

1. A device for controlling multi-window display on a screen, comprising:

a screen-operation detecting unit which detects user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

a control unit which controls a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer into an area of the window; and

a time-measurement unit for counting time,

wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted by said time-measurement unit after the move of the pointer into the area of the window,

wherein said control unit controls the window to restore an original state thereof when said screen-operation detecting unit detects no user operation with respect to the window for a predetermined time period.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit further detects a pointer click on a scroll bar of the window after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein by enlarging a size of the window.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit displays a content-display area and a condition setting area within the window, and stores a content screening condition when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a user operation indicating the content screening condition on the condition setting area, said control unit displaying the information in the content-display area after screening the information based on the content screening condition.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit restores the window to an original state thereof when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer out of the area of the window.

6. A device for controlling multi-window display on a screen, comprising:

a screen-operation detecting unit which detects user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

a control unit which controls a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer into an area of the window;

a memory which stores a position indicator indicative of a user-specified portion of the information displayed in the window, and said control unit restores the window to an original state thereof such that the portion of the information indicated by the position indicator is displayed at a top of the information in the restored window, and

a time-measurement unit for counting time,

wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted by said time-measurement unit after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said user-specified portion of the information is a portion displayed at a top of the information in the window before restoration thereof.

8. A method of controlling multi-window display on a screen, comprising:

detecting user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

controlling a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when a move of the pointer into an area of the window is detected;

controlling the window to restore an original state thereof when no user operation with respect to the window for a predetermined time period is detected; and

counting time,

wherein the window is controlled to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said window is controlled to increase the amount of information displayed therein when a pointer click on a scroll bar of the window after the move of the pointer into the area of the window is detected.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said window is controlled to increase the amount of information displayed therein by enlarging a size of the window.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a content-display area and a condition setting area within the window;

storing a content screening condition when a user operation indicating the content screening condition on the condition setting area is detected; and

displaying the information in the content-display area after screening the information based on the content screening condition.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising restoring the window to an original state thereof when a move of the pointer out of the area of the window is detected.

13. A method of controlling multi-window display on a screen, comprising:

detecting user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

controlling a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when a move of the pointer into an area of the window is detected;

storing a position indicator indicative of a user-specified portion of the information displayed in the window;

restoring the window to an original state thereof such that the portion of the information indicated by the position indicator is displayed at a top of the information in the restored window; and

counting time,

wherein the window is controlled to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said user-specified portion of the information is a portion displayed at a top of the information in the window before restoration thereof.

15. A machine-readable medium having a program embodied therein for controlling a computer to control multi-window display on a screen, said program comprising:

a screen-operation detecting unit configured to detect user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

a control unit configured to control a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer into an area of the window; and

a time-measurement unit configured to count time,

wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted by said time-measurement unit after the move of the pointer into the area of the window,

wherein said control unit controls the window to restore an original state thereof when said screen-operation detecting unit detects no user operation with respect to the window for a predetermined time period.

16. The machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit further detects a pointer click on a scroll bar of the window after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

17. The machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein by enlarging a size of the window.

18. The machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control unit displays a content-display area and a condition setting area within the window, and stores a content screening condition when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a user operation indicating the content screening condition on the condition setting area, said control unit displaying the information in the content-display area after screening the information based on the content screening condition.

19. The machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control unit restores the window to an original state thereof when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer out of the area of the window.

20. A machine-readable medium having a program embodied therein for controlling a computer to control multi-window display on a screen, said program comprising:

a screen-operation detecting unit configured to detect user screen operations including a user operation of a pointer on the screen;

a control unit configured to control a window to increase an amount of information displayed therein when said screen-operation detecting unit detects a move of the pointer into an area of the window;

a position indicator unit configured to indicate a user-specified portion of the information displayed in the window, and said control unit restores the window to an original state thereof such that the portion of the information indicated by the position indicator unit is displayed at a top of the information in the restored window; and

a time-measurement unit configured to count time,

wherein said control unit controls the window to increase the amount of information displayed therein when the pointer stays inside the area of the window for a predetermined time period counted by said time-measurement unit after the move of the pointer into the area of the window.

21. The machine-readable medium as claimed in claim 20, wherein said user-specified portion of the information is a portion displayed at a top of the information in the window before restoration thereof.