Information processor with multi-window display function

• US 4,862,389 A
• Filed: 09/25/1987
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagi, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US07/100,884
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 364/521, 364/300, 364/518, 364/522, 340/721, 340/711, 340/747, 340/750
• US Class Current: 715/794
• 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

Abstract

When a function change key on a keyboard is operated, a key check section detects its operation and sends a function change key code to a function-key-use right changing unit. In response to this code, the unit calculates the window number of a window different from the window currently having the function-key-use right, and notifies a function key notifier that the calculated window is a new window having the function-key-use right. The same unit directs a CRT controller to display a marking frame around the function area of the new window. Upon depression of a function key, the key check section inputs a function key code to the function key identifier. The function key identifier notifies the task operating in the window having the function-key-use right of the input function code.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying a plurality of windows, ordered by a display priority, each of the windows having a processing area that displays information to be processed and a function area that displays a plurality of function commands;

designating means, having a plurality of function keys, for designating one function command by operation of one of the function keys, each of the function commands displayed in the function area of the each window indicating a processing operation that corresponds to each function key of the designating means;

selecting means for selecting the window that contains the function command corresponding to the function key of the designating means that is operated, without changing a display condition of the windows;

distinguishing means for indicating on the display means the function area of the window selected by the selecting means; and

processing means for performing, when one of the function keys is operated, a processing operation according to the function command that is distinctly displayed on the display means and that corresponds to the function key operated.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the windows in a partially overlapping order representative of the display priority of the windows.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing means displays a marking frame on the display means around the function area of the window selected by the selecting means.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selecting means comprises a key switched in the designating means, and in response to the operation of the key switch, the distinguishing means indicates on the display means one of the function areas.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for checking that the selecting means and the function keys are operated;

means, when the selecting means is operated, for operating the distinguishing means; and

means, when any one of the function keys is operated, for operating the processing means.

6. An information processing apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying a plurality of windows, ordered by a display priority, the display means having a window display area that displays information to be processed, and a function area that displays a plurality of function commands each corresponding to one window;

designating means, having a plurality of function keys, for designating one function command by operation of one of the function keys, each of the function commands displayed in the function area of the display means indicating a processing operation that corresponds to each function key of the designating means;

selecting means for selecting the window that contains the function command corresponding to the function key of the designating means that is operated, without changing a display condition of the windows;

changing/displaying means for changing and displaying the function commands in the function area corresponding to the window selected by the selecting means; and

processing means for performing, when one of the function keys is operated, a processing operation according to the function command that is distinctly displayed on the display means and that corresponds to the function key operated.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display means displays the windows in a partially overlapping order representative of the display priority of the windows.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the function area includes a region for displaying an indicative display representing the window selected by the selecting means.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the selecting means comprises a key switch in the designating means, and in response to the operation of the key switch, the changing/displaying means changes the function commands displayed in the function area to other function commands corresponding to the window, selected by the selecting means.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the function area includes a region for displaying an indicative display representing the window selected by said selecting means, and in response to the operation of said key switch, the changing/displaying means includes means for changing the indicative display representing the window selected by the selecting means.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for checking that the selecting means and the function keys are operated;

means, when the selecting means is operated, f operating the changing/displaying means; and

means, when any one of the function keys is operated, for operating the processing means.

12. An information processing apparatus comprising:

means for keying in information;

display means for displaying a plurality of windows, each of the windows having a processing area that displays information to be processed and a function area that displays a plurality of function commands;

designating means, having a plurality of function keys, for designating one function command by operation of one of the function keys, each of the function commands displayed in the function area of the each window indicating a processing operation that corresponds to each function key of the designating means, one of the windows displaying an identifier to indicate that, by operating the function keys of the designating means, a designation of the function command is acceptable;

selecting means for selecting the window that contains the function command corresponding to the function key of the designating means that is operated, without changing a display condition of the windows;

distinguishing means for indicating on the display means the function area of the window selected by the selecting means; and

processing means for performing, when one of the function keys is operated, a processing operation according to the function command that is distinctly displayed by the display means and that corresponds to the function key operated.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the distinguishing means displays a marking frame on the display means around the function area of the window selected by the selecting means.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the selecting means comprises a key switch in the designating means, and in response to the operation of said key switch, the distinguishing means indicates on the display means one of the function areas.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for checking that the selecting means and the function keys are operated;

means, when the selecting means is operated, for operating the distinguishing display means; and

means, when any one of the function keys is operated, for operating the processing means.

16. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for performing a key-input, the input means having a plurality of function keys and a function change key;

window display means for displaying a plurality of windows, each of the windows having an area that displays information to be processed;

means for storing a window number representing the window that corresponds to the key-input function of the input means;

function command display means for displaying onto the window display means a plurality of function commands for the window that is represented by the window number stored in the storing means, each of the function commands indicating a processing operation that corresponds to each function key of that input means;

means for changing the window number stored in the storing means in response to the key-input by the function change key of the input means, without changing a display condition of the windows; and

processing means for performing, when the key-input by one of the function keys is performed, a processing according to the function command that is displayed on the window display means and that corresponds to the key-input by the function key.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window display means includes displaying means for displaying the windows with a display priority that orders the windows, each of the windows having a processing area in which information to be processed is displayed and a function area in which a plurality of function commands is displayed, the function command display means includes distinguishing display means for distinctly displaying onto the window display means the function area of the window that is represented by the window number stored in the storing means, and the processing means includes processor means for performing the processing according to the function command that corresponds to the key-input by the function key.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window display means includes means for displaying the windows in a partially overlapping order representative of the display priority of the windows.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the distinguishing display means includes means for displaying a marking frame around the function area of the window represented by the window number stored in the storing means.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the distinguishing display means includes means for distinctly and successively displaying one of the function areas onto the display means in response to the key-input by the function change key of the input means.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for checking that the key-input by the function keys and the function change key is performed;

means for operating, when the key-input by the function change key is performed, the window number changing means; and

means for operating, when the key-input by the function keys is performed, the processing means.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the window display means includes displaying means for displaying the windows with a display priority that orders the windows, the displaying means having a window display area for displaying the windows and a function area that displays the plurality of function commands, the function command display means includes function command displaying means for displaying, in the function area of the displaying means, the function commands for the window represented by the window number stored in the storing means, and the processing means includes processor means for performing the processing according to the function command that corresponds to the key-input by the function key of the function commands in the function area.

23. The function processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the window display means includes means for displaying the windows in a partially overlapping order representative of the display priority of the windows.

24. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the function area includes a region for displaying an indicative display for indicating the window that is represented by the window number stored in the storing means.

25. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the function command display means includes means for changing the function commands displayed in the function area, in response to the key-input by the function change key, to other function commands for the other window.

26. The information processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the function area includes a region for displaying an indicative display indicating the window represented by the window number stored in the storing means, and the displaying means includes means for changing the indicative display displayed in the function area to other indicative display indicating the other window in response to the key-input by the function change key.

27. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for checking that the key-input by the function keys and the function change key is performed;

means, when the key-input by the function change key is performed, for operating the window number changing means, and

means, when the key-input by the function keys is performed, for operating the processing means.

28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the windows displayed on the window display means has a processing area that displays information to be processed and a function area that displays a plurality of function commands, the window display means includes means for displaying an identifier to indicate that the key-input by the function key to the window represented by the window number stored in said storing means is acceptable, the function command display means includes distinguishing display means for distinctly displaying onto the displaying means the function area of the window, that is represented by the window number stored in the storing means, and the processing means includes processor means for performing the processing according to the function command in the function area distinctly displayed on the displaying means that corresponds to the key-input by the function key.

29. The information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the distinguishing display means includes means for displaying a marking frame around the function area of the window represented by the window number.

30. The information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the distinguishing display means includes means for distinctly and successively displaying one of the function areas onto the display means, in response to the key-input by the function change key of the input means.

31. The information processing apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

means for checking that the key-input by the function keys and the function change key is performed;

means, when the key-input by the function change key is performed, for operating the window number changing means; and

means, when the key-input by the function keys is performed, for operating the processor means.