US 4,783,648 A · Display control system for multiwindow

Abstract

In a multiwindow system in which a plurality of windows are set on a display screen at positions such that these windows partially overlap and the display priority and position of each window can be arbitrarily changed, when the operator instructs to change the display priority of the window, a check is automatically made to see if there exists the window which will be completely covered by the other windows having priorities higher than that of this window and will fully disappear from the screen if the display priority is changed or not. If such a window is found out, the display priority of this window is changed in the state in which this window is automatically shifted to the position where a part of this window can be seen on the screen, thereafter the window is displayed on the screen. The changing process of the display priority of the window and the automatic shifting process of the position of the window are controlled by referring to and correcting the contents of the window management tables in which the data indicative of the sizes, positions, display priorities, and the like of the respective windows is stored.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A display control method for a multiwindow system in which a plurality of windows are displayed on one display screen at positions such that said windows partially overlap and a display control for each of said windows is executed on the basis of window management data indicative of position, size and display priority of each window, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a command to change the display priority of a first one of said windows;
detecting, on the basis of said window management data, a second window existing at a position where it will be completely covered by at least said first window and will disappear from the screen if the display priority of said first window is changed as instructed by said command;
automatically correcting said window management data for said second window such that at least a part of said second window is displayed at a position where it can be seen on the display screen after the display priority has been changed as instructed by said command;
changing the window management data for said first window in accordance with the display priority instructed by said command subsequent to said detecting step;
and
updating the display screen to the state corresponding to said changed window management data.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Display control system for multiwindow

Life of this patent

Display control system for multiwindow

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9