Multi-display system and cursor controlling method therefor

• US 6,738,028 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Toshiharu, Fujisaki, Hitomi, Asahi, Hiroyuki, Kawabata, Yoichi, Sakamoto, Naoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/938,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/157, 345/2, 345/1.1, 345/3, 345/118, 345/162, 345/146, 345/160, 345/709, 345/156, 345/167, 345/169
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits

Abstract

A multi-display system includes: first display means and second display means, wherein a cursor is displayed at a first position on the first display means; cursor position conversion means for converting the first position on the first display means at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the second display means; and cursor display means for displaying a reference cursor at the second position on the second display means as converted by the cursor position conversion means. The first position is converted to the second position by the cursor position conversion means in such a manner that the reference cursor displayed at the second position on the second display means uniquely identifies the first position at which the cursor is displayed on the first display means.

Claims

1. A multi-display system comprising:

first display means and second display means, wherein a cursor is displayed at a first position on the first display means;

cursor position conversion means for converting the first position on the first display means at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the second display means; and

cursor display means for displaying a reference cursor at the second position on the second display means as converted by the cursor position conversion means,

wherein the first position is converted to the second position by the cursor position conversion means in such a manner that the reference cursor displayed at the second position on the second display means uniquely identifies the first position at which the cursor is displayed on the first display means.

2. A multi-display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second display means comprises a reference region containing the second position at which the reference cursor is displayed; and

the first position is converted to the second position by the cursor position conversion means in such a manner that the second position in the reference region corresponds to the first position on the first display means.

3. A multi-display system according to claim 1, wherein an angle between the first display means and the second display means is adjustable to any value.

4. A multi-display system according to claim 1, wherein the first display means and second display means are placed back-to-back.

5. A multi-display system according to claim 1, further comprising reference cursor modification means for modifying at least one of color and shape of the reference cursor,

wherein the cursor display means displays the reference cursor at the second position on the second display means in accordance with the at least one of color and shape as modified by the reference cursor modification means.

6. A multi-display system comprising:

first display means and second display means, wherein the second display means includes a reference region in which a cursor is displayed;

cursor position reverse conversion means for converting a first position in the reference region at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the first display means; and

cursor jump means for causing the cursor displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the cursor position reverse conversion means.

7. A multi-display system according to claim 6, further comprising cursor display means for displaying a reference cursor at the first position after the cursor displayed in the reference region has jumped to the second position on the first display means.

8. A multi-display system according to claim 6, wherein a window is displayed in the reference region, the multi-display system further comprising:

window jump means for causing the window displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the cursor position reverse conversion means.

9. A cursor controlling method for a multi-display system comprising:

a first step of displaying a cursor at a first position on the first display means;

a second step of converting the first position on the first display means at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the second display means; and

a third step of displaying a reference cursor at the second position on the second display means as converted by the second step,

wherein the second step comprises converting the first position to the second position in such a manner that the reference cursor displayed at the second position on the second display means uniquely identifies the first position at which the cursor is displayed on the first display means.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein:

the second display means comprises a reference region containing the second position at which the reference cursor is displayed; and

the second step comprises converting the first position to the second position in such a manner that the second position in the reference region corresponds to the first position on the first display means.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein an angle between the first display means and the second display means is adjustable to any value.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the first display means and second display means are placed back-to-back.

13. A method according to claim 9, further comprising a fourth step of modifying at least one of color and shape of the reference cursor,

wherein the third step comprises displaying the reference cursor at the second position on the second display means in accordance with the at least one of color and shape as modified by the fourth step.

14. A cursor controlling method for a multi-display system comprising first display means and second display means, wherein the second display means includes a reference region in which a cursor is displayed, the method comprising:

a first step of converting a first position in the reference region at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the first display means; and

a second step of causing the cursor displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the first step.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising a third step of displaying a reference cursor at the first position after the cursor displayed in the reference region has jumped to the second position on the first display means.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein a window is displayed in the reference region, the method further comprising:

a third step of causing the window displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the first step.