Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Light pen for fluid matrix display panel
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-26
2001-09-11
Sax, Steven (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Light pen for fluid matrix display panel
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288702
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information device having an enlargement display function of enlarging/displaying an arbitrary area on the display screen in a window set for enlargement display and an enlargement display control method applied to the device and, more particularly, to an information device and an enlargement display control method which can determine the area to be enlarged/displayed (enlargement display area) on the basis of the display position of the caret indicating the current input position in an input area set on the display screen.
In recent years, various personal computers such as notebook or palm-top type computers which are easy to carry and can be driven by batteries and various compact information terminals called PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) have been developed. Of these portable information devices, some devices have an enlargement display function (implemented by an application program) of setting a window for enlargement display as an independent window, and enlarging/displaying a portion, on the display screen, which is desired by a user in the enlargement display window.
In conventional portable information devices, when the user wants to enlarge/display an input character or the like on the display screen in the enlargement display window, he/she designates two arbitrary points for defining an enlargement display area, i.e., start and end points, with a pointing device such as a mouse. In response to this operation, the application program for implementing the enlargement display function determines the rectangular area defined by the start and end points as an enlargement display area, and operates to enlarge/display the contents displayed in this rectangular area in the enlargement display window at a predetermined magnification. As a result, an input character or the like on the display screen is enlarged/displayed.
When, for example, a character is to be input in an area where displayed characters are too small and illegible, the user must temporarily stop the character input operation to set an enlargement display area. This setting operation greatly deteriorates the operation efficiency. Furthermore, when the input position of a character deviates from the set enlargement display area, a new (enlargement display area must be set, resulting in a deterioration in operability.
The above problems can be summarized as follows.
In a conventional portable information device, every time enlargement display is to be performed, the user must set an enlargement display area with a pointing device or the like. For this purpose, the user must temporarily stop the character input operation he or she is doing, resulting in a great deterioration in processing efficiency.
In addition, when the input position of a character deviates from a set enlargement display area, the user must set a new enlargement display area, resulting in poor operability.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information device and an enlargement display control method which can enlarge/display desired contents while always and automatically setting an enlargement display area at the position desired by a user without requiring the user to set or re-set the enlargement display area on the display screen.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information device having an enlargement display function, comprising: means for determining, on the basis of information indicating a position of a caret movable on a display screen, a range of an enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay in the enlargement display area; and means for enlarging an image in the determined range of the enlargement display area at a predetermined magnifying power.
The device may further comprise means for requesting to display the enlarged image in the range of the enlargement display area in a predetermined enlargement display window. The device may further comprise means for setting the magnifying power and a size of the enlargement display window. In this case, the determining means determines the range of the enlargement display area in accordance with the set magnifying power and the size of the enlargement display window. In the device, it is desirable that the determining means determine the range of the enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay at the center of the enlargement display area.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information device having an enlargement display function, comprising: means for acquiring information indicating a position of an active window on a display screen from an operating system; means for acquiring information indicating a relative position of a caret on the active window from the operating system; means for converting the relative position of the car(at into an absolute position on the display screen on the basis of the acquired information indicating the position of the active window; means for acquiring image information of the display screen from the operating system; means for determining, on the basis of the acquired information indicating the absolute position of the caret, the range of the enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay in the enlargement display area; means for cutting out an image in the determined range of the enlargement display area from the acquired image information of the display screen; means for enlarging the cut image in the range of the enlargement display area at a predetermined magnifying power; and means for requesting to display the enlarged image in the range of the enlargement display area in a predetermined enlargement display window.
The device may further comprise means for setting the magnifying power and a size of the enlargement display window. In this case, the determining means determines the range of the enlargement display area in accordance with the set magnifying power and the size of the enlargement display window. In the device, it is desirable that the determining means determine the range of the enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay at the center of the enlargement display area.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an enlargement display control method for use in an information device having an enlargement display function, the method comprising the steps of: determining, on the basis of information indicating a position of a caret movable on a display screen, a range of an enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay in the enlargement display area; and enlarging an image in the determined range of the enlargement display area at a predetermined magnifying power.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an enlargement display control method for use in an information device having an enlargement display function, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring information indicating a position of an active window on a display screen from an operating system; acquiring information indicating a relative position of a caret on the active window from the operating system; converting the relative position of the caret into an absolute position on the display screen on the basis of the acquired information indicating the position of the active window; acquiring image information of the display screen from the operating system; determining, on the basis of the acquired information indicating the absolute position of the caret, the range of the enlargement display area so as to make the caret always stay in the enlargement display area; cutting out an image in the determined range of the enlargement display area from the acquired image information of the display screen; enlarging the cut image in the range of the enlargement display area at a predetermined magnifying power; and requesting to display the enlarged image in the range of the enlargement display area in a predetermined enlargement dis
Harada Hiroyasu
Tachibana Yoshimi
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Sax Steven
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