EP0247827A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer system with multiwindow presentation manager
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1987-05-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-05-26
Abstract
Abstract A terminal computer used as a workstation has a display unit (18) which displays a desired number of windows on its display screen, allowing the windows to overlap one upon another. Plural pieces of data specifying the positions and sizes of the windows are stored into a memory (38). Data representing the display priorities of the windows are stored into another memory (40). A coordinate input device (16), known as "a mouse," is manually operated by an operator, and a cursor displayed on the screen of the display unit (18) moves with movement of the mouse (16) on a flat surface. The most current coordinates of the cursor on the screen are stored as present-cursor position data into a memory (32). A window presentation controlling section (30) is provided for comparing the present-cursor position data with the positions and sizes of the windows. When the cursor is detected to have moved into one window on the screen, the window presentation controlling section controls the display unit to automatically move this window in front of the other windows on the screen. In this case, the frontmost window is entirely visible, while the other windows are hidden at least partially behind that window.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyoshi C/O Patent Division Kikuchi
- 👤 Akio C/O Patent Division Mori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:14
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/14; G06F3/153; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/14; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
A multiwindow display apparatus comprising display means (18) having a display screen (S) for displaying windows (W1, W2, W3) serving as independent image display regions on said display screen (S) in such a manner as to allow said windows (W1, W2, W3) to overlap one upon another, and cursor display means (18, 22) for moving a cursor (C) displayed on said display screen (S) of said display means (18) in accordance with a manual operation by an operator, characterized in that said display apparatus further comprises: first memory means (38), coupled to said display means (18), for storing plural pieces of window coordinate data specifying positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3) displayed on said display screen (S); second memory means (32), coupled to said cursor display means (18), for storing data of most current coordinates of said cursor (C) on said display screen (S), as present-cursor position data; and window control means (42, 50), coupled to said first and second memory means (38, 32) and said display means (18), for comparing said present-cursor position data with said plural pieces of said window coordinate data, detecting when said cursor (C) moves into one of said windows (W1, W2, W3), and controlling said display means (18) so as to automatically move said one of said windows (W1, W2, W3) in front of the other windows on said display screen (S), said one of said windows (W1, W2, W3) being entirely visible while said other windows are hidden at least partially behind said one of said windows.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
257 words
A multiwindow display apparatus comprising display means (18) having a display screen (S) for displaying windows (W1, W2, W3) serving as independent image display regions on said display screen (S) in such a manner as to allow said windows (W1, W2, W3) to overlap one upon another, and cursor display means (18, 22) for moving a cursor (C) displayed on said display screen (S) of said display means (18) in accordance with a manual operation by an operator, characterized in that said display apparatus further comprises: first memory means (38), coupled to said display means (18), for storing plural pieces of window coordinate data specifying positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3) displayed on said display screen (S); second memory means (32), coupled to said cursor display means (18), for storing data of most current coordinates of said cursor (C) on said display screen (S), as present-cursor position data; and window control means (42, 50), coupled to said first and second memory means (38, 32) and said display means (18), for comparing said present-cursor position data with said plural pieces of said window coordinate data, detecting when said cursor (C) moves into one of said windows (W1, W2, W3), and controlling said display means (18) so as to automatically move said one of said windows (W1, W2, W3) in front of the other windows on said display screen (S), said one of said windows (W1, W2, W3) being entirely visible while said other windows are hidden at least partially behind said one of said windows.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when said window control means detects that said cursor moves from that window on which said cursor presently lies, to another window, said window control means makes said another window active and move said active window in front of the other windows.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that when said window control means detects that said cursor moves from that window on which said cursor presently lies, to lie on other windows, said window control means determines whether or not said other windows include said active window, and when the determination is affirmative, said window control means keeps said active window active.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said window control means comprises: first processing means (38) for initially determining display priorities of said windows according to the order said windows are formed, and generating window priority data; third memory means (40), connected to said first processing means, for receiving said window priority data and storing data of said display priorities of said windows; and second processing means (50), connected to said third memory means, for, when said cursor is detected to have moved into one window, rewriting contents of said third memory means in such a manner that said display priorities of said windows are updated to give said one window the highest display priority, said one window having the highest display priority being displayed as an active window.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by further comprising cursor movement instructing means (16), connected to said cursor display means and adapted to be manually operated by said operator to continuously move said cursor displayed on said display screen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said cursor movement instructing means includes a coordinate pointing device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
204 words
A computer system comprising first input means (10) for inputting information, display means (18) having a display screen (S) for displaying said input information on said display screen (S), and second input means (18) adapted to be manually operated by an operator in such a manner that a cursor (C) displayed on said display means (18) is moved as desired and windows (W1, W2, W3) are formed on said display screen (S) of said display means (18) and allowed to overlap one upon another, characterized in that said computer system further comprises: cursor position managing means (20, 32), coupled to said second input means (18) and said display means (18), for calculating in real time most current coordinates of said cursor (C) in response to movement of said cursor (C) defined by said second input means (18), and outputting said calculated coordinates of said cursor as present-cursor position data, said calculated coordinates of said cursor (C) being always subjected to updation; and window presentation managing means (30), coupled to said second input means (16) and said display means (18), for detecting when said cursor (C) moves from one window to another window on said display screen (S) and automatically making said another window active.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
204 words
A computer system comprising first input means (10) for inputting information, display means (18) having a display screen (S) for displaying said input information on said display screen (S), and second input means (18) adapted to be manually operated by an operator in such a manner that a cursor (C) displayed on said display means (18) is moved as desired and windows (W1, W2, W3) are formed on said display screen (S) of said display means (18) and allowed to overlap one upon another, characterized in that said computer system further comprises: cursor position managing means (20, 32), coupled to said second input means (18) and said display means (18), for calculating in real time most current coordinates of said cursor (C) in response to movement of said cursor (C) defined by said second input means (18), and outputting said calculated coordinates of said cursor as present-cursor position data, said calculated coordinates of said cursor (C) being always subjected to updation; and window presentation managing means (30), coupled to said second input means (16) and said display means (18), for detecting when said cursor (C) moves from one window to another window on said display screen (S) and automatically making said another window active.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
190 words
The computer system according to claim 7, characterized in that said window presentation managing means (30) comprises: window managing means (34, 36, 38, 40) for generating plural pieces of window coordinate data defining positions and occupying-areas, on said display screen, of said windows specified by said second input means, and plural pieces of window priority data defining display priorities of said windows on said display screen; arithmetic operation means (42), connected to said cursor position managing means (20) and said window managing means (34, 36, 38, 40), for comparing said present-cursor position data with said plural pieces of said window coordinate data, and detecting when said cursor moves from one window to another window on said display screen and generating a detection signal; and control means (50), connected to said arithmetic operation means (42) and said window managing means (34, 36, 38, 40), for rewriting plural pieces of said window priority data so as to give said another window the highest display priority in response to said detection signal, whereby said another window having the highest display priority is moved in front of the other windows on said display screen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The computer system according to claim 8, characterized in that said cursor position managing means (20, 32) comprises random access memory means (32), connected to said second input means (16), for storing said calculated present-cursor position data and cursor position data immediately preceding to said calculated present-cursor position data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer system according to claim 9, characterized in that said window managing means comprises second random access memory means (38, 40) for storing said plural pieces of window coordinate data and plural pieces of said priority data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
170 words
A multiwindow display method for displaying windows (W1, W2, W3) serving as independent image display regions in such a manner that said windows (W1, W2, W3) are allowed to overlap one upon another on a display screen (S) of a display device and for making any desired window active, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: calculating plural pieces of data specifying positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3) on said display screen (S); detecting coordinates of a movable cursor (C) on said display screen (S); and comparing a present position of said cursor (C) with said positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3), and, when said cursor is detected to have moved into one of said windows on said display screen, controlling said display device so as to automatically move said one window in front of the other windows on said display screen (S), said one window being entirely visible while said other windows are hidden at least partially behind said one window.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
170 words
A multiwindow display method for displaying windows (W1, W2, W3) serving as independent image display regions in such a manner that said windows (W1, W2, W3) are allowed to overlap one upon another on a display screen (S) of a display device and for making any desired window active, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: calculating plural pieces of data specifying positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3) on said display screen (S); detecting coordinates of a movable cursor (C) on said display screen (S); and comparing a present position of said cursor (C) with said positions and sizes of said windows (W1, W2, W3), and, when said cursor is detected to have moved into one of said windows on said display screen, controlling said display device so as to automatically move said one window in front of the other windows on said display screen (S), said one window being entirely visible while said other windows are hidden at least partially behind said one window.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 11, characterized in that when said cursor is detected to have moved from one window to another window, said another window is automatically made active on said display screen and is moved in front of the other windows.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method according to claim 12, characterized in that when said cursor is detected to have moved from one window to lie on other windows, it is determined whether or not said other windows include said active window, and when the determination is affirmative, said active window is kept active.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method according to claim 13, characterized in that display priorities of said windows are initially determined in accordance with the order said windows are formed and are stored in a memory section as window priority data; and when said cursor is detected to have moved to lie on one window on said display screen, said display priorities of said windows are updated to give said one window the highest display priority, said one window having the highest display priority being displayed on said display screen as an active window.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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