Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2002-06-18
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
81, 81, 81
Reexamination Certificate
active
06407760
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer, a work station or the like, a user-interface control method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional user interfaces for information processing apparatuses are configured so as to execute processing by selecting a command from a menu, or by selecting an icon from a tool bar.
Such user interfaces can also perform various settings by displaying a plurality of items on a dialog box (window) followed by the user's input for each item. When there are many setting items on such a dialog box (window), child dialog boxes are opened and displayed from the main dialog box (window) in order to permit the user to see and set more detailed menu of items. In a display method using a dialog box, it is possible to understandably display correlation among setting items within each dialog box.
FIG. 11
is a diagram illustrating a conventional menu display using a dialog. A main dialog
300
has a “menu
1
. . . ” button
301
and a “menu
2
. . . ” button
302
.
By depressing the “menu
1
. . . ” button
301
, a “menu
1
” dialog
310
is opened. The dialog
310
has three group boxes, i.e., an “A-group box”
320
, a “B-group box”
330
, and a “C-group box”
340
.
The “A-group box”
320
has two radio button controls
321
for selecting one of setting
1
and setting
2
. The “B-group box”
330
has a “check box
3
”
331
and a “list box
4
”
333
for performing control. The setting for the “check box
3
”
331
includes ON/OFF, and the setting for the “list box
4
”
333
includes &agr;, &bgr; and &ggr;. The “C-group box”
340
has a “C . . . ” button
341
.
FIG. 12
is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the menus shown in FIG.
11
. The main dialog
300
has two child dialogs, i.e., a “menu
1
” dialog
301
A and a “menu
2
” dialog
302
A.
The “menu
1
” dialog
301
A has the “A-group box”
320
, the “B-group box”
330
and the “C-group box”
340
. The “A-group box”
320
has a setting item (radio button control)
321
, which is currently set to “1”. The “B-group box”
330
has a setting item (“check box
3
”)
331
and a setting item (“list box
4
”)
333
, which are set to OFF and “&agr;”, respectively.
The “C-group box”
340
has the “C . . . ” button
341
. A c-dialog box is present in front of the “C . . . ” button
341
(the description of the c-dialog box will be omitted).
In the conventional user interfaces, however, when the number of setting items is large, it is necessary to perform an operation of opening/closing several dialogs before reaching a setting dialog (window).
Furthermore, it is not clear in which dialog a specific set item is present. It is also difficult to grasp correlation between dialogs. In addition, it is not clear in which menu hierarchy a setting item is present.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus, a user-interface control method and a storage medium which allow shifting to a setting object, such as a dialog or a window having a specific setting item, by a single operation even if the number of setting items is large.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus, a user-interface control method and a storage medium which can clearly indicate the position of a dialog or a group having a specific setting item.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus, a user-interface control method and a storage medium which can clearly indicate correlation among dialogs.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus, a user-interface control method and a storage medium which can clearly indicate that in which menu hierarchy a setting item is present.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus, a user-interface control method and a storage medium which can dissolve demerits of a method for displaying a dialog without imparing merits thereof.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to an information processing apparatus for displaying a menu and setting a setting object developed from the menu. The apparatus includes acquisition means for acquiring a configuration of the menu, block display means for displaying a block menu in which the acquired menu configuration is represented by blocks, and assignment means for assigning a control item included in the displayed block menu.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a user-interface control method for displaying a menu and setting a setting object developed from the menu. The method includes the steps of acquiring a configuration of the menu, displaying a block menu in which the acquired menu configuration is represented by blocks, and assigning a control item included in the displayed block menu.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a storage medium storing a program in which a menu is displayed and a central processing unit within an information processing apparatus sets a setting object developed from the menu. The program-includes a procedure of acquiring a configuration of the menu, a procedure of displaying a block menu in which the acquired menu configuration is represented by blocks, a procedure of assigning a control item included in the displayed block menu, and a procedure of displaying the setting object by segmenting the assigned control item.
The foregoing objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5504853 (1996-04-01), Schuur et al.
patent: 5559945 (1996-09-01), Beaudet et al.
patent: 5701137 (1997-12-01), Kiernan et al.
patent: 5917492 (1999-06-01), Bereieter et al.
patent: 6121966 (2000-09-01), Teodosio et al.
Windows NT 4.0 Explorer (1996).
Bayerl Raymond J.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Luu Sy D.
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