Information processing device, information processing method, and computer-readable recording medium which records program

• US 9,483,172 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Urawaki, Koji, Yamazaki, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Eurice, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/112,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

An information processing device (100) is configured by: a controller (205); a first touch panel (103); a second touch panel (104); and a storage (213). The controller (205) includes a window controller (212) for controlling display of a plurality of windows, and stores a history of the use of the plurality of windows in a window history storage (214). When a new application is started up, a new window display layout candidate is generated and displayed according to the history. When the displayed window display layout candidate is selected, windows are displayed with the selected display layout.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

a display that displays one or more windows;

a controller that controls the display so as to control display of the windows by the display and a layout of the windows; and

a storage that stores a history of the layout of the windows that is displayed on the display,

wherein the controller comprises;

a window controller that generates one or more candidates of the layout of the one or more windows based on the history of the layout of the windows; and

a display controller that causes the display to display the candidates generated by the window controller,

the window controller issues an instruction to the display controller to display the windows in a layout selected from the candidates displayed on the display, and

the display controller causes the windows to be displayed in the selected layout according to the instruction from the window controller,

wherein

the windows include;

a main window that displays processing details of a main application; and

a pair window that displays processing details of a pair application that is activated in association with the main application,

the storage stores a layout of the main window and the pair window in association with the main application and the pair application,

the window controller, when the main application is newly activated, sets the layouts associated with the main application as the candidates of the layout of the windows among the layouts included in the history stored in the storage, and

the display displays the main window and the pair window in the layout indicated by the selected candidate of the layout,

wherein,

the display comprises;

a first touch panel comprising;

a first liquid crystal panel that displays the main window; and

a first sensor that detects a touch position of the first liquid crystal panel according to touching of the first liquid crystal panel; and

a second touch panel comprising;

a second liquid crystal panel that displays the pair window; and

a second sensor that detects a touch position of the second liquid crystal panel according to touching of the second liquid crystal panel,

wherein

the display controller comprises;

a first touch panel controller comprising;

a first manipulation determiner that determines an operation performed by a user based on the touch position detected by the first sensor; and

a first liquid crystal panel controller that causes the first liquid crystal panel to display the main window; and

a second touch panel controller comprising;

a second manipulation determiner that determines an operation performed by the user based on the touch position detected by the second sensor; and

a second liquid crystal panel controller that causes the second liquid crystal panel to display the pair window.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

when the pair application that is associated with the selected candidate of the layout is not activated, the window controller newly activates the pair application and causes the display to display the pair window.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

when two of the windows are simultaneously displayed and a focus is moved between the two windows, the window controller stores a layout of the two windows as a history in the storage.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the storage stores a template of the layout of the one or more windows, and

the window controller uses the template as the history of the layout of the windows.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing device is a portable appliance comprising a plurality of display screens.

6. An information processing method comprising:

controlling a layout of one or more windows to display the windows;

storing a history of the layout of the displayed windows;

generating one or more candidates of the layout of the windows based on the stored history;

displaying the generated candidates;

displaying one or more windows in a layout indicated by a candidate selected from the displayed candidates, wherein

the windows include;

a main window that displays processing details of a main application; and

a pair window that displays processing details of a pair application that is activated in association with the main application;

storing a layout of the main window and the pair window in association with the main application and the pair application;

when the main application is newly activated, setting the layouts associated with the main application as the candidates of the layout of the windows among the layouts included in the history stored in the storage;

displaying the main window and the pair window in the layout indicated by the selected candidate of the layout;

displaying the main window by a first liquid crystal panel;

detecting, by a first sensor, a touch position of the first liquid crystal panel according to touching of the first liquid crystal panel;

displaying the pair window by a second liquid crystal panel;

detecting, by a second sensor, a touch position of the second liquid crystal panel according to touching of the second liquid crystal panel;

determining, by a first manipulation determiner, an operation performed by a user based on the touch position detected by the first sensor;

causing, by a first liquid crystal panel controller, the first liquid crystal panel to display the main window;

determining, by a second manipulation determiner, an operation performed by the user based on the touch position detected by the second sensor; and

causing, by a second liquid crystal panel controller, the second liquid crystal panel to display the pair window.

7. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute the processing of:

controlling a layout of one or more windows to display the windows;

storing a history of the layout of the displayed windows;

generating one or more candidates of the layout of the windows based on the stored history;

displaying the generated candidates;

displaying one or more windows in a layout indicated by a candidate selected from the displayed candidates, wherein

the windows include;

a main window that displays processing details of a main application; and

a pair window that displays processing details of a pair application that is activated in association with the main application;

storing a layout of the main window and the pair window in association with the main application and the pair application;

when the main application is newly activated, setting the layouts associated with the main application as the candidates of the layout of the windows among the layouts included in the history stored in the storage;

displaying the main window and the pair window in the layout indicated by the selected candidate of the layout;

displaying the main window by a first liquid crystal panel;

detecting, by a first sensor, a touch position of the first liquid crystal panel according to touching of the first liquid crystal panel;

displaying the pair window by a second liquid crystal panel;

detecting, by a second sensor, a touch position of the second liquid crystal panel according to touching of the second liquid crystal panel;

determining, by a first manipulation determiner, an operation performed by a user based on the touch position detected by the first sensor;

causing, by a first liquid crystal panel controller, the first liquid crystal panel to display the main window;

determining, by a second manipulation determiner, an operation performed by the user based on the touch position detected by the second sensor; and

causing, by a second liquid crystal panel controller, the second liquid crystal panel to display the pair window.