Information processing apparatus, system and method for controlling display of windows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9454302-B2
Application number	US-201113164041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2011
Priority date	Mar 22, 2004
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An information processing apparatus ( 10 ) includes an LCD ( 12 ) as a first display area and an LCD ( 14 ) as a second display area, and on the second display area, a touch panel ( 22 ) as an input means is set, for example. On the first display area, a plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner or only the top window is displayed, and on the second display area, a plurality of tabs which are respectively corresponded to a plurality of windows are displayed. When it is determined that a predetermined input is present on a tab on the basis of the coordinates data detected according to an operation via the touch panel, a window corresponding to the tab which was displayed on the top on the first display area is displayed on the second display area. Or, an inactive window corresponding to the tab is displayed on the second display area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a memory for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which respectively correspond to the plurality of windows,
a display for including a first display area on which the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner and a second display area on which the plurality of selection areas are displayed, and
a processor coupled to the memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to:
detect an input to display positions of the plurality of selection areas displayed in the second display area,
when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed within a selection area, displayed in the second display area, corresponding to a forefront window out of the plurality of windows displayed in the overlapping manner on the first display area, display on the second display area the forefront window corresponding to the selection area within which the first predetermined input is performed, and
when it is determined that the first predetermined input is performed within a selection area, displayed in the second displayed area, corresponding to a window a part of which is hidden under the forefront window displayed on the first display area, display on the first display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the first predetermined input is performed as a forefront window overlapping other windows displayed in the first display area.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to, when it is determined that the first predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on the first display area and the second display area, display on the first display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the first predetermined input is performed.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to, when it is determined that a second predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to a window which is not displayed on the first display area and the second display area or a window a part of which is hidden under the window displayed on the forefront on the first display area, display on the second display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the second predetermined input is performed.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the processor is further controlled to:
detect an input to an arbitrary position of the second display area, and
set, when a window is displayed on the second display area, the window to an inputable state.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to, when it is determined that a predetermined input is performed within a selection area corresponding to the window displayed on the second display area, display on the first display area the window, displayed on the second display area, corresponding to the selection area within which the predetermined input is performed as a forefront window overlapping other windows displayed in the first display area.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to, in a case that the window corresponding to the selection area within which the first predetermined input is performed is displayed on the second display area and when it is determined that another window is being displayed on the second display area, display on the first display window the other window as a forefront window overlapping other windows displayed in the first display area.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to detect the first predetermined input on the basis of the input from a touch panel which is not set on the first display area but is set on the second display area.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory stores data to display a basic input window to be displayed on the second display area, and
the processor is further controlled to display the basic input window on the second display area when no window to be displayed on the second display area is present.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to, when a predetermined coordinates input is performed to the window displayed on the second display area, generate data to display a new window and data to display a new selection area, and store the generated data in the memory by bringing the data to display a new window and the data to display a new selection area into correspondence with each other, and
the processor is further controlled to display the generated selection area on the second display area.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first display area is a first display screen and the second display area is a second display screen that is different from the first display screen.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further controlled to:
when it is determined that a second predetermined input, having an operation input that is different from an operation input of the first predetermined input, is performed within the selection area corresponding to the window a part of which is hidden under the forefront window displayed on the first display area, display on the second display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the second predetermined input is performed.

12. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a memory for storing data to display a plurality of windows and data to display a plurality of selection areas which respectively correspond to the plurality of windows,
a display including a first display area on which the plurality of windows are displayed in an overlapping manner and a second display area on which the plurality of selection areas are displayed, and
a processor coupled to the memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to:
detect an input to display positions of the plurality of selection areas displayed in the second display area,
when it is determined that a first predetermined input is performed at a display position of a selection area, displayed in the second display area, corresponding to window a part of which is hidden under a forefront window out of the plurality of windows displayed in the overlapping manners on the first display area, display on the second display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the first predetermined input is performed, and
when it is determined that a second predetermined input, having an operation that is different from an operation of the first predetermined input, is performed at the display position of a selection area, displayed in the second display area, corresponding to the window a part of which is hidden under the forefront window out of the plurality of windows displayed in the overlapping manners on the first display area, display on the first display area the window corresponding to the selection area within which the second predetermined input is performed as a forefront window overlapping other windows displayed in the first display area.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 ,

Assignees

• Toriyama Kazuyoshi
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Toriyama Kazuyoshi

Classifications

• A63F13/92

  Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  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 title

• A63F13/2145

  the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens · CPC title

• A63F2300/301

  using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller · CPC title