Information processing apparatus and method of controlling the same

• US 8,959,446 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2009
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Igeta, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Roswell, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/616,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/821, 715/822, 715/790, 715/794
• US Class Current: 715/769
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

When a plurality of overlapping windows are displayed on a display screen, each window is displayed in a convenient state for a user operation, thereby reducing the load of the user operation. Upon detecting an object drag operation, an information processing apparatus displays the window of a predetermined application, which is displayed behind another window, as the topmost window. At this time, the window of the predetermined application reduces its size or changes the display position so as not to interfere with the other window displayed in front of it.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, comprising:

a drag detection unit that detects a drag operation of an object arranged in a first window;

a direction obtaining unit that obtains moving direction of the drag operation based on positions at start of the drag operation and during the drag operation;

a display control unit that controls to display a second window, which exists within a predetermined range from the obtained moving direction of the drag operation, in a topmost layer of the display screen; and

a determination unit that determines whether or not the first window can receive a drop operation of a target object of the drag operation,

wherein the display control unit controls to display the second window at a predetermined distance from a starting position of the drag operation of the target object if it is determined that the first window cannot receive the drop operation of the target object of the drag operation, and controls to display the second window at a predetermined distance from the first window if it is determined that the first window can receive the drop operation of the target object of the drag operation, and

wherein a processor functions as one or more of the drag detection unit, direction obtaining unit, display control unit, and determination unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a size change unit that changes a display size of the second window,

wherein said size change unit changes the display size of the second window to a smaller size and said display control unit controls to display the second window with the display size changed to the smaller size by said size change unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position change unit that changes display positions of the first window and the second window on the display screen, such that an overlap area between the first window and the second window becomes smaller than before said drag detection unit detects the drag operation,

wherein said display control unit controls to display the first window and the second window at the changed display positions.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first window and the second window are displayed in accordance with operations of a first application program and a second application program which are different from each other and executed by the information processing apparatus,

said drag detection unit executes the detection in accordance with an operation of an operating system executed by the information processing apparatus, and

the information processing apparatus uses a result of the detection in accordance with the second application program.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second window is displayed behind at least one of the plurality of windows displayed on the display screen, when said drag detection unit has detected the drag operation.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an enlargement unit that enlarges a size of a drop area of the second window,

wherein said display control unit controls to display the second window including the enlarged drop area.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection unit that selects a second application based on a first application corresponding to the first window,

wherein said display control unit controls to display the second window in the topmost layer of the display screen, if the second window corresponds to the selected second application.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display control unit controls to display the second window at a position which is translated from an original position of the second window by a minimum moving distance and which is at a predetermined distance from the first window if it is determined that the first window can receive the drop operation of the target object of the drag operation.

9. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, comprising:

a drag detection step of causing a drag detection unit to detect a drag operation of an object arranged in a first window;

a direction obtaining step of causing a direction obtaining unit to obtain moving direction of the drag operation based on positions at start of the drag operation and during the drag operation,

a display control step of causing a display control unit to control to display a second window, which exists within a predetermined range from the obtained moving direction of the drag operation, in a topmost layer of the display screen; and

a determination step of causing a determination unit to determine whether or not the first window can receive a drop operation of a target object of the drag operation,

wherein said display control step causes the display control unit to control to display the second window at a predetermined distance from a starting position of the drag operation of the target object if it is determined that the first window cannot receive the drop operation of the target object of the drag operation, and to control to display the second window at a predetermined distance from the first window if it is determined that the first window can receive the drop operation of the target object of the drag operation.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 9.