Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Plural display systems
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-28
2004-04-06
Hjerpe, Richard (Department: 2674)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Plural display systems
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06717556
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-display system, and in particular to a technique of moving windows among a plurality of display means in a multi-display system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional multi-display system incorporating a plurality of display means, when an operator wishes to move a window from one display means onto another, the window to be moved must be first designated with the use of a mouse cursor and then a location on the other (destination) display means to which the window is to be moved must be designated, again with the mouse cursor.
However, in order to move a window from one display means onto another in a conventional multi-display system incorporating a plurality of display means, the aforementioned operation of designating a window to be moved and designating a location on another (destination) display means to which the window is to be moved must be repeated for every one of the windows which need to be moved. This is quite cumbersome for the operator.
In addition, when two users are seated across from each other, with their respective display means placed “back to back” (i.e., so that each user can properly see their own display means), for example, the following problems may arise due to the opposite placement of the two display means. That is, a user facing one of the display means cannot easily confirm and designate a destination location on the display means to which the user wishes to move a window because of the opposite placement of the two display means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-display system according to the present invention, comprising: first display means for displaying a plurality of first windows; second display means; and control means for controlling the first display means and the second display means, wherein, in response to a first predetermined input, the control means moves at least two of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means.
In one embodiment of the invention, the control means moves all of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, in response to a second predetermined input, the control means moves at least one of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means, in such a manner that a difference between a number of windows displayed on the first display means and a number of windows displayed on the second display means is one or less.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the control means comprises window movement instruction means for instructing a movement pattern for the at least one first window moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the second predetermined input.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the control means selects the at least one first window to be moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the second predetermined input, based on a predetermined priority level.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the predetermined priority level is determined based on a length of time which has elapsed since a most recent operation was performed to a window.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the second display means displays at least one second window; and the control means controls the second display means so as to display the at least one second window and the at least two first windows moved from the first display means onto the second display means in equal size.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the control means comprises: window movement instruction means for instructing a movement pattern for the at least two first windows moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the first predetermined input; window display means for displaying the at least two first windows on the first display means or on the second display means, based on display coordinate information representing locations at which the at least two first windows are to be displayed; and window destination determining means for updating the display coordinate information based on the movement pattern instructed by the window movement instruction means.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the multi-display system further comprises display region management means for managing a display region for a window to be displayed on the first display means or the second display means, wherein the window display means displays the window based on the display region as managed by the display region management means.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the first predetermined input is input to the control means as a result of a single operation.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the first display means and the second display means are placed back-to-back.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the first predetermined input comprises at least one of: an icon click; a key input; and information representing relative locations of the first display means and the second display means.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for moving windows in a multi-display system, comprising: a first step of displaying a plurality of first windows on first display means; and a second step of for controlling the first display means and the second display means, wherein, the second step comprises, in response to a first predetermined input, moving at least two of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means.
In one embodiment of the invention, the second step comprises moving all of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, the second step comprises, in response to a second predetermined input, moving at least one of the plurality of first windows displayed on the first display means from the first display means onto the second display means, in such a manner that a difference between a number of windows displayed on the first display means and a number of windows displayed on the second display means is one or less.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the second step comprises instructing a movement pattern for the at least one first window moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the second predetermined input.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the second step comprises selecting the at least one first window to be moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the second predetermined input, based on a predetermined priority level.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the predetermined priority level is determined based on a length of time which has elapsed since a most recent operation was performed to a window.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the second display means displays at least one second window; and the second step comprises controlling the second display means so as to display the at least one second window and the at least two first windows moved from the first display means onto the second display means in equal size.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the second step comprises: a third step of instructing a movement pattern for the at least two first windows moved from the first display means onto the second display means in response to the first predetermined input; a fourth step for displaying the at least two first windows on the first display means or on the second display means, based on display coordinate information representing locations at which the at least two fir
Asahi Hiroyuki
Fujisaki Hitomi
Kawabata Youichi
Morishita Shinichiro
Ogawa Isao
Hjerpe Richard
Laneau Ronald
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Snell & Wilmer LLP
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