Device capable of displaying window size and position

• US 4,831,556 A
• Filed: 07/15/1987
• Issued: 05/16/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Oono, Yasukazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lacasse, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US07/073,743
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 364/518, 364/521, 340/721, 340/723, 340/724, 340/799, 340/747, 340/712
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40

Abstract

A document-processing device has a multi-window display function. This device displays an indicia which enables an operator to quickly and easily visually ascertain the positional and size relationship between a window and a window-movable region on an image screen where the window can move or change its size. The indicia includes a first display region, a first display pattern, a second display region, and a second display pattern. The first display pattern is displayed in the first display region. The second display pattern is displayed in the second display region. A ratio of the length of the first display pattern to that of the first display region is equal to the ratio of the length of the window to the length of the window-movable region. The ratio of a length of the second display pattern to that of the second display region is equal to a ratio of the width of the window to the width of the window-movable region. A position of the first pattern displayed in the first display region corresponds to a position of the window set on the window-movable region, with respect to a horizontal direction. A position of the second pattern displayed in the second display region corresponds to a position of the window set on the window-movable region with respect to a vertical direction.

Claims

1. A device having a window display function, comprising:

display means having a visual screen for displaying image data;

window display means for controlling said display means such that a portion of an image screen is displayed on said visual screen, through a window set on said image screen; and

indicia display means for controlling said display means so as to display indicia on said visual screen, said indicia indicating a positional and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region. on said image screen.

2. A device having a window display function, comprising:

display means having a visual screen for displaying image data;

window display means for controlling said display means such that a portion of an image screen is displayed on said visual screen, through a window set on said image screen; and

indicia display means for controlling said display means so as to display indicia on said visual screen, said indicia indicating a positioned and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region on said image screen, in which said window can move and/or change its size, wherein said indicia includes first to fourth patterns, a ratio of the length of said first pattern to that of said second pattern being equal to the ratio of the length of said window to the length of said window-movable region, the ratio of the length of said third pattern to that of said fourth pattern being equal to a ratio of the width of said window to the width of said window-movable region, a position relationship between said first pattern and said second pattern corresponds to a position relationship between said window and said window-movable region, with respect to the horizontal direction, a position relationship between said third pattern and said fourth pattern corresponds to a position relationship between said window and said window-movable region, with respect to the vertical direction.

3. A device having a window display function, comprising:

display means having a visual screen for displaying image data;

window display means for controlling said display means such that a portion of an image screen is displayed on said visual screen, through a window set on said image screen; and

indicia display means for controlling said display means so as to display indicia on said visual screen, said indicia indicating a positional and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region on said image screen, in which said window can move and/or change its size, wherein said indicia includes a first display region, a first display pattern, a second display region, and a second display pattern;

said first display pattern being displayed in said first display region, said second display pattern being displayed in said second display region, a ratio of the length of said first display pattern to that of said first display region is equal to the ratio of the length of said window to the length of said window-movable region, the ratio of a length of said second display pattern to that of said second display region is equal to a ratio of the width of said window to the width of said window-movable region, a position of said first pattern displayed in said first display region corresponds to a position of said window set on said window-movable region, with respect to a horizontal direction, and a position of said second pattern displayed in said second display region corresponds to a position of said window set on said window-movable region with respect to a vertical direction.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said first display region is inclined horizontally on said visual screen, and said second display region is inclined vertically on said visual screen.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said first display region does not intersect a line extending vertically from said second display region, and said second display region does not intersect a line extending horizontally from said first display region.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said first and second display regions are displayed on a peripheral portion of that region of said visual screen of said display means in which said window is displayed.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said device is capable of displaying more than one window, and said first display region, said first display pattern, said second display region, and said second display pattern are provided for each window.

8. The device according to claim 3, wherein said indicia display means comprises:

size-obtaining means for obtaining data of relative coordinates of a predetermined position of said window, with a predetermined point of said window-movable region acting as an origin, sizes of said window-movable region, and sizes of said window;

storage means for storing the data obtained by said size-obtaining means; and

means for displaying said indicia, based on said data stored in said storage means.

9. The device according to claim 3, wherein said device further comprises means for instructing at least one action of movement, expansion, and contraction of said window on said image screen;

and said indicia display means changes the sizes of said first display region, said first display pattern, said second display region, and said second display pattern, in accordance with a change in said window.

10. A method of displaying a window status, comprising:

displaying a portion of an image screen on a visual screen through the window set on the image screen; and

displaying an indicia on said visual screen, said indicia representing a positional relationship and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region on said image screen, wherein the size of said indicia changes proportionally with respect to the size of said window.

11. A method of displaying a window status, comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of an image screen on a visual screen through a window set on the image screen; and

displaying an indicia on said visual screen, said indicia representing a positional relationship and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region on said image screen, where said window can move or change its size, wherein said indicia includes first to fourth patterns, a ratio of the length of said first pattern to that of said second pattern being equal to the ratio of the length of said window to the length of said window-movable region, the ratio of the length of said third pattern to that of said fourth pattern being equal to a ratio of the width of said window to the width of said window-movable region, and a position relationship between said first pattern and said second pattern corresponds to a position relationship between said window and said window-movable region, with respect to the horizontal direction, a position relationship between said third pattern and said fourth pattern corresponds to a position relationship between said window and said window-movable region, with respect to the vertical direction.

12. A method of displaying a window status, comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of an image screen on a visual screen through the window set on the image screen, and

displaying an indicia on said visual screen, said indicia representing a positional relationship and size relationship between said window and a window-movable region on said image screen, where said window can move or change its size, wherein said indicia includes a first display region, a first display pattern, a second display region, and a second display pattern;

said first display pattern being displayed in said first display region, said second display pattern is displayed in said second display region, a ratio of the length of said first display pattern to that of said first display region is equal to the ratio of the length of said window to the length of said window-movable region, the ratio of a length of said second display pattern to that of said second display region is equal to a ratio of the width of said window to the width of said window-movable region, a position of said first pattern displayed in said first display region corresponds to a position of said window set on said window-movable region, with respect to a horizontal direction, a position of said second pattern displayed in said second display region corresponds to a position of said window set on said window-movable region with respect to a vertical direction.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said first display region is inclined horizontally on said visual screen and said second display region is inclined vertically on said visual screen.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said first display region does not intersect a line extending vertically from said second display region, and said second display region does not intersect a line extending horizontally from said first display region.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said first and second display regions are displayed on a peripheral portion of that region of said visual screen of said display means in which said window is displayed.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said displaying of a portion of an image screen contains displaying portions of said image screen through windows, and said displaying of an indicia contains displaying said first display region, said first display pattern, said second display region, and said second display pattern for each window.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said displaying of said indicia comprises:

obtaining data of relative coordinates of a predetermined position of said window, with a predetermined point of said window-movable region acting as an origin, a size of said window-movable region, and a size of said window;

storing the data obtained by said size-obtaining step in storage means; and

displaying said indicia, based on said data stored in said storage means.