Image display apparatus, menu display method therefor, image display system, and storage medium
First Claim
1. An image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area;
- wherein said menu display means displays the menu data such that a plurality of items of the menu data are displayed for at least one hierarchical level, and wherein the menu display means comprises;
individual display width detection means for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data;
total display width detection means for detecting a total display width required for displaying menu data to be displayed in the screen display area;
comparison means for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area; and
display control means that, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, detects the total display width of the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, and if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, carries out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, and then displays the resulting menu data in the screen display area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
There are provided an image display apparatus and method which are always capable of displaying the whole of menus at a plurality of hierarchical levels and realize a user-friendly interface, a menu display system including at least one menu display apparatus of the above type, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing the menu display method. An image display apparatus displays menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area. A plurality of items of the menu data are set to at least one hierarchical level. A display width of each item of the menu data is detected. When new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, a total display width is detected which is required for displaying all the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data. The total display width is compared with an area width of the screen display area. A replacement process is carried out for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area. All the menu data is displayed in the screen display area.
52 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area;
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wherein said menu display means displays the menu data such that a plurality of items of the menu data are displayed for at least one hierarchical level, and wherein the menu display means comprises;
individual display width detection means for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data;
total display width detection means for detecting a total display width required for displaying menu data to be displayed in the screen display area;
comparison means for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area; and
display control means that, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, detects the total display width of the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, and if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, carries out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, and then displays the resulting menu data in the screen display area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area;
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wherein said menu display means comprises;
starting means for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement;
first display control means for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, the first display control means sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level; and
issuing means that, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, issues a command and command parameters for executing the command statement. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 31)
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12. An image display method for an image display apparatus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area;
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the image display method comprising the steps of;
setting a plurality of items of the menu data to at least one hierarchical level;
detecting a display width of each item of the menu data;
detecting, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, a total display width required for displaying the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data;
comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area;
carrying out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area; and
displaying the menu data in the screen display area. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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19. An image display method for an image display apparatus having menus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area;
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the image display method comprising the steps of;
starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement;
displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level;
sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level; and
issuing, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
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23. An image display system including at least one image display apparatus, wherein said image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area;
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wherein said menu display means displays the menu data such that a plurality of items of the menu data are displayed for at least one hierarchical level, and wherein the menu display means comprises;
individual display width detection means for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data;
total display width detection means for detecting a total display width required for displaying menu data to be displayed in the screen display area;
comparison means for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area; and
display control means that, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, detects the total display width of the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data, and if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area, carries out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, and then displays the resulting menu data in the screen display area.
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24. An image display apparatus having menus of a plurality of hierarchical levels, the image display apparatus including menu display means for displaying menu data set to each hierarchical level of the menus in a screen display area;
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wherein said menu display means comprises;
starting means for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement;
first display control means for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level, the first display control means sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level; and
issuing means that, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, issues a command and command parameters for executing the command statement.
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25. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing an image display for an image display apparatus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area;
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the program comprising;
a menu data-setting module for setting a plurality of items of the menu data to at least one hierarchical level;
an individual display width-detecting module for detecting a display width of each item of the menu data;
a total display width-detecting module for detecting, when new menu data at another hierarchical level are to be displayed in addition to menu data at at least one hierarchical level already displayed, a total display width required for displaying the menu data to be displayed including the new menu data;
a comparison module for comparing the total display width with an area width of the screen display area;
a replacement process module for carrying out a replacement process for replacing a plurality of items of the menu data at one of the at least one hierarchical level already displayed, with other menu data set to the one of the hierarchical levels, if the detected total display width is larger than the area width of the screen display area; and
a display module for displaying the menu data in the screen display area. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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32. A computer-readable storage medium storing an image display method for an image display apparatus having menus, for displaying menu data set to each of a plurality of hierarchical levels of menus in a screen display area;
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the program comprising;
a menu-starting module for starting a hierarchical menu at a first level in which an object selected in the screen display area is set to a first-occurring phrase which is first to occur in a statement;
a menu data display module for displaying menu data representative of information items including functions executable on the object and parameters, in the screen display area, in a manner such that the menu data can be sequentially selected as menu options of subsequent phrases of the statement subsequent to the first-occurring phrase from hierarchical menus at subsequent levels subsequent to the first level;
a menu option string display module for sequentially displaying the menu options selected through menu option-selecting operations as a menu option string arranged in line with an menu option at a preceding level; and
an command issue module for issuing, when the menu option string is completed as a command statement after the menu options have been sequentially selected, a command and command parameters for executing the command statement. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification