Information processing apparatus with pointer indicator function

• US 7,154,453 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Numano, Fujihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• 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: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method providing a main display for displaying a first operation screen used to perform a first operation and a sub-display separate from the main display for displaying a second operation screen used to perform a second operation. The sub-display is integral with a touch pad pointing device. A processor of the information processing apparatus is programmed to provide notification when the second operation screen is opened or changed. The notification may be selectively provided on the main display such that a user performing touch operation on the sub-display while viewing the main display is notified that the second operation screen has been opened or changed. The notification may be visual, audible or tactile. The second operation may be executed in parallel with the first operation or independently of the first operation. The first operation screen and the second operation screen may be simultaneously displayed.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a main display;

a pointing device in which a sub-display is integrally disposed;

operation input control means for reflecting a pointing operation of the pointing device in a pointer indicator displayed on the main display;

display control means for displaying on the main display a changeover operation screen when an operation for changing an operation screen displayed on the sub-display is performed using the pointing device; and

setting means for setting the display control means to be valid or invalid,

wherein the operation screen displayed on the sub-display is temporarily displayed on the main display following an operation of the changeover operation screen displayed on the main display in a state when the display control means is set to be valid by the setting means.