Multi-window management apparatus and program, storage medium and information processing apparatus
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus allowing input/output through a graphical user interface, comprising:
- a touch-sensitive display screen including a rectangular area with longer and shorter sides; and
a multi-window management apparatus displaying a plurality of windows on said display screen and allocating the plurality of windows to tasks executable on said information processing apparatus, respectively, the multi-window management apparatus includingactivating icon display means for displaying, on said display screen, two or more activating icons arranged with respective areas not overlapping with each other;
window display means responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by a user through said graphical user interface, for opening a new window corresponding to the activating icon next to said designated activating icon and for, after the new window is opened, displaying an operating icon on an opposite side of the new window from the designated activating icon ; and
first window arranging means responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by the user through said graphical user interface, for re-arranging any existing window displayed on said display screen and any activating icon other than said designated activating icon such that they do not overlap on an area on which said new window is opened and the displayed windows are arranged along said longer side, and displaying these on said display screen, whereinthe new window displayed by said window display means has a rectangular shape,said designated activating icon and said operating icon are arranged and displayed on two sides parallel to a shorter side of said new window in a manner that identifies the new window as a currently active window, by way ofsaid operating icon being displayed as the same shape as said designated activating icon, andsaid designated activating icon and said operating icon are being arranged at positions where a segment connecting their centers becomes parallel to said longer side.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-window management apparatus includes: an activating icon display unit for displaying activating icons 60, 62, 64 and 66 on a display screen 56; a window display unit opening, when activating icon 64 is designated, a window 72 corresponding to activating icon 64 next to activating icon 64; and a window arranging unit for rearranging and displaying, when activating icon 64 is designated, a window 68 that has been open, and activating icons 60, 62 and 66 other than the designated activating icon 64, such that these are arranged along the longer side direction of display screen 56 not to be overlapping on an area where the new window 72 is to be opened.
84 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus allowing input/output through a graphical user interface, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive display screen including a rectangular area with longer and shorter sides; and a multi-window management apparatus displaying a plurality of windows on said display screen and allocating the plurality of windows to tasks executable on said information processing apparatus, respectively, the multi-window management apparatus including activating icon display means for displaying, on said display screen, two or more activating icons arranged with respective areas not overlapping with each other; window display means responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by a user through said graphical user interface, for opening a new window corresponding to the activating icon next to said designated activating icon and for, after the new window is opened, displaying an operating icon on an opposite side of the new window from the designated activating icon ; and first window arranging means responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by the user through said graphical user interface, for re-arranging any existing window displayed on said display screen and any activating icon other than said designated activating icon such that they do not overlap on an area on which said new window is opened and the displayed windows are arranged along said longer side, and displaying these on said display screen, wherein the new window displayed by said window display means has a rectangular shape, said designated activating icon and said operating icon are arranged and displayed on two sides parallel to a shorter side of said new window in a manner that identifies the new window as a currently active window, by way of said operating icon being displayed as the same shape as said designated activating icon, and said designated activating icon and said operating icon are being arranged at positions where a segment connecting their centers becomes parallel to said longer side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A tangible non-transitory computer readable recording medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed by an information processing apparatus having a touch-sensitive display screen including a rectangular area with a longer side and a shorter side cause the information processing apparatus to perform a method for displaying a plurality of windows on said display screen and allocating the plurality of windows to tasks executable on said information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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displaying on said display screen two or more activating icons arranged with respective areas not overlapping with each other; receiving input designating of any of said activating icons by a user through a graphical user interface displayed on said display screen; opening a new window corresponding to the activating icon next to said designated activating icon and. after the new window is opened, displaying an operating icon on an opposite side of the new window from the designated activating icon; re-arranging any existing window displayed on said display screen and any activating icon other than said designated activating icon such that they do not overlap on an area on which said new window is opened and the displayed windows are arranged along said longer side responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by the user through said graphical user interface, wherein the new window has a rectangular shape, said designated activating icon and said operating icon are arranged and displayed on two sides parallel to a shorter side of said new window in a manner that identifies the new window as a currently active window, by said operating icon being displayed as the same shape as said designated activating icon, and said designated activating icon and said operating icon being arranged at positions where a segment connecting their centers becomes parallel to said longer side.
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39. An information processing apparatus allowing input/output through a graphical user interface, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive display screen including a rectangular area with longer and shorter sides; and a multi-window controller configured to display a plurality of windows on said touch-sensitive display screen, allocate the plurality of windows to tasks executable by said information processing apparatus, respectively, display on said touch-sensitive display screen two or more activating icons arranged with respective areas not overlapping with each other, receive a designation of any of said activating icons by a user through said graphical user interface, open a new window corresponding-to the activating icon next to said designated activating icon and, after the new window is opened, display an operating icon on an opposite side of the new window from the designated activating icon, re-arrange any existing window displayed on said touch-sensitive display screen and any activating icon other than said designated activating icon such that they do not overlap on an area on which said new window is opened and the displayed windows are arranged along said longer side, and display the re-arranged existing window on said touch-sensitive display screen, wherein the new window displayed has a rectangular shape, said designated activating icon and said operating icon are arranged and displayed on two sides parallel to a shorter side of said new window in a manner that identifies the new window as a currently active window, by, said operating icon being displayed as the same shape as said designated activating icon, and said designated activating icon and said operating icon being arranged at positions where a segment connecting their centers becomes parallel to said longer side.
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40. A method of controlling the display of multiple windows on a touch-sensitive display screen including a rectangular area with longer and shorter sides of an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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displaying on said touch-sensitive display screen two or more activating icons arranged with respective areas not overlapping with each other; receiving input designating of any of said activating icons by a user through a graphical user interface displayed on said touch-sensitive display screen; opening a new window corresponding to the activating icon next to said designated activating icon and, after the new window is opened, displaying an operating icon on an opposite side of the new window from the designated activating icon; re-arranging any existing window displayed on said display screen and any activating icon other than said designated activating icon such that they do not overlap on an area on which said new window is opened and the displayed windows are arranged along said longer side responsive to designation of any of said activating icons by the user through said graphical user interface, wherein the new window has a rectangular shape, said designated activating icon and said operating icon are arranged and displayed on two sides parallel to a shorter side of said new window in a manner that identifies the new window as a currently active window, by said operating icon being displayed as the same shape as said designated activating icon, and said designated activating icon and said operating icon being arranged at positions where a segment connecting their centers becomes parallel to said longer side.
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Specification