Display screen split method for a computer system

• US 6,639,606 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Seung-Bum
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Alecia D
• Application Number:
  US09/035,207
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 345/141, 345/340, 345/342, 345/348, 345/700, 345/764-767, 345/676
• US Class Current: 715/700
• 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 1/007 Circuits for displaying split screens

Abstract

A display screen split method for a computer system by which a user can vertically and exactly set two programs on a monitor to the same screen size in a graphic device supporting a wide monitor and a wide function. The display screen split method for a computer system comprises the steps of determining whether a command for setting a split screen exists, and setting the size of the screen to the left half size or the right half size of the entire screen if the command for setting the split screen exists.

Claims

1. A display screen split method for a computer system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether a command for setting a split screen exists; and

setting the size of the screen to one of a left half size and a right half size of an entire screen when the command for setting the split screen exists;

wherein the command for setting the split screen is generated when a split screen setting icon at predetermined coordinates of a display screen of the computer system is pressed; and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining whether an active window is on one of a left half size and a right half size of an entire screen when the split screen setting icon is pressed;

setting the screen to the right split screen when the active window is on the left split screen, and setting the screen to the left split screen when the active window is on the right split screen;

setting one of the left split screen and the right split screen when the active window is not on the left split screen and is not on the right split screen; and

generating the command for setting the split screen according to the state established by the setting steps.

2. The display screen split method for a computer system of claim 1, wherein the split screen setting icon is located in a caption bar.

3. The display screen split method for a computer system of claim 1, wherein the split screen setting icon is located in a job indication line.

4. The display screen split method for a computer system of claim 1, wherein the split screen setting icon includes a left split icon and a right split icon.

5. The display screen split method for a computer system of claim 1, wherein the split screen setting icon comprises a single icon.

6. A display screen split method for a computer system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether one of a left split screen setting icon and a right split screen setting icon has been pressed;

determining whether a screen size of a present active application program is on one of a left half size and a right half size of an entire display screen;

when the screen size of the present active application program is not on one of the left half size and the right half size of the entire display screen, setting a size of the display screen to the left half size of the entire display screen; and

when the screen size of the present active application program is on one of the left half size and the right half size of the entire display screen, setting the size of the display screen by toggling the screen to the right half size when the program is on the left half size, and toggling the screen to the left half size when the program is on the right half size.

7. The display screen split method of claim 6, further comprising the step, after determining whether one of the left split screen setting icon and the right split screen setting icon has been pressed, of checking the present active application program.

8. The display screen split method of claim 7, further comprising the step of returning to the present active application program.

9. The display screen split method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

setting a dimension of the display screen to (X1+Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1),(X1, Y1+VSIZE), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE, Y1+VSIZE) when the screen is set to the left half size of the entire display screen; and

setting the dimension of the screen to (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1),(X1+HSIZE, Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE),(X1+HSIZE, Y1+VSIZE) when the screen is set to the right half size of the entire display screen.

10. The display screen split method of claim 9, further comprising the step of returning to the present active application program.

11. The display screen split method of claim 6, further comprising the step of returning to the present active application program.

12. A display screen split method for a computer system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether one of a left split screen setting icon and a right split screen setting icon has been pressed;

determining whether a screen size of a present active application program is on one of a left half size and a right half size of an entire display screen;

setting a left split screen by setting a dimension of the screen to (X1 ,Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1),(X1, Y1+VSIZE), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE when the screen size of the present application program is on the right half size of the entire display screen; and

setting a right split screen by setting the dimension of the screen to (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1), (X1+HSIZE, Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE),(X1+HSIZE, Y1+VSIZE) when the screen size of the present application program is on the left half size of the entire display screen.

13. The display screen split method of claim 12, further comprising the step of returning to the present active application program.

14. A display screen split method for a computer system, comprising steps of:

determining whether a left split screen icon has been pressed;

calculating an X dimension and a Y dimension of an entire display screen;

setting one of the left X coordinates and the right X coordinates to one-half of an entire screen width; and

setting dimensions of the screen to (X1, Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1), (X1, Y1+VSIZE), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE) when the right X coordinates are set to one-half of the entire screen width and setting dimensions of the screen to (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1), (X1+HSIZE, Y1), (X1+HSIZE/2, Y1+VSIZE), (X1+HSIZE, Y1+VSIZE) when the left X coordinates are set to one-half of the entire screen width.