Device controller, method of displaying user interface, and recording medium in which computer program for displaying user interface is recorded

• US 6,697,090 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nagasaka, Fumio, Katada, Toshiharu, Hisamatsu, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nhon (Gary) D
• Application Number:
  US09/676,810
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/804, 345/853, 345/805
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

When a user drags and drops a digital camera category icon 705 onto a printer category icon 702, an application unit 112 detects the drag and drop action (S106). The application unit 112 gains access to a server 400 (S108), and obtains data regarding the names of individual digital cameras and the names of individual printers present on a network 500 and corresponding icons, out of pieces of information stored in a common database 410 (S110). The application unit 112 subsequently opens a digital camera category window 601 and a printer category window 602 on a screen 182 of a monitor 180, based on the obtained data, and causes device icons of the digital cameras and device icons of the printers to be displayed simultaneously but separately in the window 601 and in the window 602 (step S112). This arrangement ensures the user good usability and operatability when the user requires some operation between an arbitrary set of devices.

Claims

1. A device controller that is capable of controlling at least one first device included in a first category and at least one second device included in a second category, said device controller comprising:

an input unit that inputs an external instruction; and

a user interface display control unit that causes to be displayed on a screen of a display unit a first category symbol corresponding to the first category and a second category symbol corresponding to the second category,

wherein, when the displayed first category symbol is associated with the displayed second category symbol with a drag-and-drop technique based on an external instruction input via said input unit, said user interface display control unit causes to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen at least one first device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one first device included in the first category and at least one second device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one second device included in the second category.

2. A device controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in response to an external instruction that is input via said input unit to select a desired device symbol out of the displayed at least one first device symbols, said user interface display control unit is capable of causing one or more data symbols to be displayed in either one of the first area and a third area that is different from the first area on the screen, the selected desired first device symbol corresponding to a specific first device, the specific first device having at least one data, each of the at least one data symbol corresponding to each of the at least one data.

3. A device controller in accordance with claim 2, wherein one of the first device and the second device is an input device that is capable of at least inputting information, and the other is an output device that is capable of at least outputting information.

4. A device controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the first device and the second device is an input device that is capable of at least inputting information, and the other is an output device that is capable of at least outputting information.

5. A device controller that is capable of controlling a first device and at least one second device included in a specific category, said device controller comprising:

an input unit that inputs an external instruction; and

a user interface display control unit that causes to be displayed on a screen of a display unit a first device symbol corresponding to the first device and a category symbol corresponding to the specific category,

wherein, when the displayed first device symbol is associated with the displayed category symbol with a drap-and-drop technique based on an external instruction input via said input unit, said user interface display control unit causes to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen a data symbol corresponding to a data associated with the first device, and a device symbol corresponding to each of the at least one second device included in the specific category.

6. A device controller in accordance with claim 5, wherein one of the first device and the second device is an input device that is capable of at least inputting information, and the other is an output device that is capable of at least outputting information.

7. A method of displaying a user interface on a screen of a display unit to enable operation of at least one first device included in a first category and at least one second device included in a second category, said method comprising:

(a) causing to be displayed on the screen of said display unit a first category symbol corresponding to the first category and a second category symbol corresponding to the second category; and

(b) when the first category symbol is associated with the second category symbol with a drag-and-drop technique, causing to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen a first device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one first device included in the first category and a second device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one second device included in the second category.

8. A method of displaying a user interface on a screen of a display unit to enable operation of a first device and at least one second device included in a specific category, said method comprising:

(a) causing to be displayed on the screen of said display unit a first device symbol corresponding to the first device and a category symbol corresponding to the specific category; and

(b) when the first category symbol is associated with the second category symbol with a drag-and-drop technique, causing to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen a data symbol corresponding to a data associated with the first device, and a device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one second device included in the specific category.

9. A computer-readable recording medium in which a specific computer program is recorded, said specific computer program causing a user interface to be displayed on a screen of a display unit connected with a computer, the user interface enabling operation of at least one first device included in a first category and at least one second device included in a second category,

said specific computer program causing the computer to attain the functions of:

causing to be displayed on the screen of said display unit a first category symbol corresponding to the first category and a second category symbol corresponding to the second category; and

when the first category symbol is associated with the second category symbol with a drag-and-drop technique based on input instruction, causing to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen a first device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one first device included in the first category and a second device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one second device included in the second category.

10. A computer-readable recording medium in which a specific computer program is recorded, said specific computer program causing a user interface to be displayed on a screen of a display unit connected with a computer, the user interface enabling operation of a first device and at least one second device included in a specific category,

said specific computer program causing the computer to attain the functions of:

causing to be displayed on the screen of said display unit a first device symbol corresponding to the first device and a category symbol corresponding to the specific category; and

when the displayed first device symbol is associated with the displayed category symbol with a drag-and-drop technique based on an input instruction, causing to be displayed substantially simultaneously but separately in a first area and in a second area on the screen of said display unit a data symbol corresponding to a data associated with the first device, and a device symbol corresponding to one of the at least one second device included in the specific category.