Patent Application
20140376046
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display controlling method by an information processing apparatus, by which a plurality of data are arranged and displayed like a list.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information processing apparatus such as a computer or the like having a touch panel on which a display and a touch pad are integrally formed is widely used. The information processing apparatus like this can detect an operation of a user such as a drag or a flick to the touch pad by the user's finger, and change a displaying format and a displaying position of an image displayed on the display according to the detected operation. The drag or the flick is widespread as an operation method using the touch panel because the user can intuitively operate, process or treat the displayed image by it. Incidentally, on the premise of the operation by the drag or the flick, the information processing apparatus sometimes arranges and displays data like a list. Here, it should be noted that such arranging and displaying operations may be called “list-displaying” simply. In that case, the user can select, by the drag and/or the flick, the desirable data from the plurality of the list-displayed data and browse the selected data.
There are cases where the list-displayed data is added or deleted irrespective of a direct operation of the user. For example, in a case where job data indicating a printing job are list-displayed on a printer, if a printing request from a PC (personal computer) or the like is accepted by the printer, job data corresponding to the accepted printing request is added to the list-displayed job data. Then, after printing is completed, the job data corresponding to the completed printing is deleted from the list-displayed job data. Such an operation resultantly means for the user who browses the list-displayed job data that the job data are added and deleted although the user oneself does not directly operate the printer.
In the case where the job data is added, the printer updates the list displaying such that the added job data is displayed in the displaying area thereof. On the other hand, in the case where the job data is deleted, the printer updates the list displaying such that list-displayed job data are relocated to cover (or move over) the position corresponding to the deleted job data. Besides, there are cases where the printer updates the list displaying from the head thereof every time the job data increases or decreases in number.
Conventionally, there are cases where, when the list displaying is updated by the addition or the deletion of the job data, the job data displayed till then disappears from the displaying area on the display. For this reason, there are cases where specific job data to which the user pays attention moves outside the displaying area because of the updating of the list displaying and thus disappears. To cope with such inconvenience, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-345061, it is possible to finely control the job data to be displayed, by displaying a scroll bar. Therefore, a user can display the job data to which the user pays attention, by moving or shifting the scroll bar.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-345061, the user again displays the job data disappeared from the displaying area because of the increase or the decrease of the job data irrespective of the direct operation by the user, by operating the scroll bar. However, in this case, it is difficult for the user to know the fact that the list displaying has been updated. Further, if the specific job data to which the user pays attention suddenly disappears from the displaying area, the user feels confusion about the list displaying. Furthermore, in a case where the user selects the displayed job data, there are cases where the list displaying is updated at the timing of the selection of the job data and thus the user resultantly selects another unintended job data. Therefore, there is a problem that such inconvenience results in deterioration of user's operability.
The present invention has been completed in order to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display controlling technique by which list displaying is not updated irrespective of an operation of a user.
To achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus is characterized by comprising: a storing unit configured to store a list of data of which the number increases and decreases irrespective of a direct operation of a user; a displaying unit configured to include a list displaying area for displaying, among the data in the list, a predetermined number of the data in the order of the list; a list updating unit configured to add data to the list or delete the data from the list; and a controlling unit configured to control to update a content to be displayed by the displaying unit, according to the addition or the deletion of the data by the list updating unit, wherein the controlling unit controls not to change the data to be displayed in the list displaying area, when new data is added between data not displayed in the list displaying area and when data not displayed in the list displaying area is deleted.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
<Hardware Constitution>
The CPU 111 controls each of sections in the information processing apparatus 101 by a process that the CPU 111 reads out computer programs stored in the ROM 113 and executes the read out programs by using the RAM 112 as a working area. The ROM 113 is a nonvolatile memory, in which image data and the like other than the above computer programs are stored. The RAM 112 is a volatile memory, which is used as a temporary storage area when the CPU 111 performs various processes. Incidentally, the CPU 111 may read out computer programs from the external memory 121 other than the ROM 113 and execute the read out programs.
The input controlling unit 114 generates a control signal corresponding to a user operation by using an inputting device and transmits the generated signal to the CPU 111. As the inputting device, for example, there is a character information inputting device (not illustrated) such as a keyboard, a mouse (not illustrated), the touch panel 118 or the like. The touch panel 118 is constituted by providing the transparent touch pad 119 on the display 120. The touch panel 118 transmits position information, which represents a position on the touch pad 119 touched by a user, to the input controlling unit 114. The position information on the touch panel 118 can be corresponded to displaying coordinates of an image to be displayed on the display 120. Therefore, the touch panel 118 can constitute such a GUI (graphical user interface) as if a user can directly operate an image displayed on the display 120. The input controlling unit 114 generates a control signal responding to the position information transmitted from the touch panel 118. The CPU 111 performs a process based on the control signal. In this manner, the information processing apparatus 101 can perform a process according to a user operation.
The display controlling unit 115 controls to display an image on the display 120. The display controlling unit 115 receives a display controlling signal generated by the CPU 111, generates a displaying signal based on the received display controlling signal and outputs the displaying signal to the display 120. The display controlling unit 115 controls to display, for example, a GUI screen, which constitutes the GUI, on the display 120 by using the displaying signal.
The external memory 121 can be connected with the external memory I/F 116. The external memory 121 is, for example, a hard disk, a flexible disk, a CD (compact disk), a DVD (digital versatile disk), a memory card, an SSD (solid state drive) or the like. The external memory I/F 116 reads out data from the external memory 121 and writes data in the external memory 121 on the basis of the control of the CPU 111. The communication I/F controller 117 performs communication with other apparatuses through, for example, a LAN (local area network), an internet or a network (a wired network, a wireless network or the like) 102 on the basis of the control of the CPU 111.
Processes to be performed in the touch panel 118 and the CPU 111 will be described in detail. The CPU 111 detects the following operations performed to the touch panel 118 by a user or the state of the touch panel 118. Although a finger of user or a stylus pen can be used for an operation of the touch panel 118, it will be simply written as “finger” in the following description.
The input controlling unit 114 generates a control signal on the basis of these operations or position information representing a touching position of finger on the touching pad 119 and informs the control signal to the CPU 111. The CPU 111 judges that what kind of operation has been performed on the touch pad 119 on the basis of the control signal.
As to the “move”, the CPU 111 also judges a movement direction every vertical component and horizontal component of the movement of a finger, which moves on the touch pad 119, by a temporal change of the position information. A user can obtain such an operation feeling as actually moving an image displayed on the display with a finger by a process that the CPU 111 controls to move an image to be displayed on the display 120 according to the judged result. At this time, the movement distance or the direction in the “move” becomes the same as that of an image on the display. The CPU 111 can calculate the movement distance in the “move” from position information of a finger on the touch panel 118.
As for the touch panel 118, any system may be used among various systems of touch panel such as a resistive type, an electrostatic type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared ray type, an electromagnetic induction type, an image recognition type, an optical sensor type and the like.
<List Displaying Process>
The information processing apparatus 101 illustrated in
In the image forming system, image data generated by optically reading a paper medium by the scanner is stored in the RAM 112 of the information processing apparatus 101. The CPU 111 transmits the image data stored in the RAM 112 to the printer. The printer receives the image data transmitted from the CPU 111 and prints out the image data on another paper medium. In this manner, a series of processes, where the image data obtained by reading the paper medium by the scanner is printed out on another paper medium by the printer, represent a “copying process”. Further, in the image forming system, image data is received from another apparatus such as a PC or the like connected with the network 102 through the communication I/F controller 117 and then the image data is printed out on the paper medium by the printer. A process of printing out the image data received from another apparatus on the paper medium represents a “printing process”. In the present specifications, each process in the copying process and the printing process is called a “printing job”.
The printing jobs are displayed in a list on the display 120 as job data. A list of job data of all the printing jobs which have been input in the image forming system is stored in the RAM 112 as a printing job list. The CPU 111, which performs a list management of the printing job list, adds the concerned job data to or deletes the concerned job data from the printing job list in accordance with addition and deletion of the printing job. Therefore, the job data increases or decreases regardless of a direct operation of a user. The CPU 111 reads out the printing job list from the RAM 112 and creates a list of job data, of which the number is in such a level as can be displayed on the display, in case of displaying a list, and the created list is displayed on the display 120 by the display controlling unit 115.
A displaying screen 201 to be displayed on the display 120 displays the conditions, information and the like of the printing job. A list displaying area 202 is provided within the displaying screen 201. The predetermined numbers of job data are displayed in the order of list in the list displaying area 202. In the present embodiment, job data are displayed in a list with a state of lining up in the vertical direction. In an example of
In
In addition, the job data to be displayed in the list displaying area 202 is selected by an operation that a user touches down a position of the job data. The selected job data indicates that the job data is in a state of being selected by use of the color change or the displaying of a mark or the like. Job data 203 indicates that the job data is being selected by use of the color change. A user can perform a process to the selected job data. Detailed information of a printing job of the selected job data is displayed by an operation that the user selects a detail button 206 after selecting the job data. The printing job of the selected job data is stopped by an operation that the user selects a stop button 207 after selecting the job data. The user can release a selecting state by touching down a position of the selected job data again.
A scroll bar 204 is provided in the list displaying area 202. The user can operate a scroll bar slider 205 in the scroll bar 204. If seven or more printing job data exist, the job data which is in the outside of the list displaying area 202 can be displayed by flicking or moving the scroll bar slider 205.
The length of the scroll bar slider 205 varies in accordance with a rate of the number of job data currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 to the number of all the job data in the printing job list. In a case that all the job data in the printing job list are displayed in the list displaying area 202, the length of the scroll bar 204 coincides with the length of the scroll bar slider 205. In a case that a half of the job data in the printing job list are displayed in the list displaying area 202, the length of the scroll bar slider 205 becomes half of that of the scroll bar 204.
A displaying position of the scroll bar slider 205 indicates a position of the job data currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 for all the job data in the printing job list. In a case that the number of job data in the printing job list is larger than the number of job data which can be displayed in the list displaying area 202 and a former part in the printing job list is displayed in the list displaying area 202, the scroll bar slider 205 is displayed on an upper half position of the scroll bar 204. In a case that a latter part in the printing job list is displayed in the list displaying area 202, the scroll bar slider 205 is displayed on a lower half position of the scroll bar 204.
In a case that the number of job data in the printing job list is larger than the number of job data which can be displayed in the list displaying area 202, when the job data is added to or deleted from the printing job list, the length of the scroll bar slider 205 varies. When a displaying position of the job data changes after an operation of the flick or move is performed in the list displaying area 202, a relative position of the scroll bar slider 205 to the scroll bar 204 varies.
Each job data in the list displaying area 202 includes a data number 303, which indicates that it is what number of the job data from the head in the printing job list, a data ID 304, which is used for identifying the job data, and a data name 305. A value of the data number 303 varies by the addition of job data to or deletion of job data from the printing job list. The data ID 304, which is uniquely determined when adding the job data to the printing job list, does not vary until the job data is deleted. The data name 305, which is a name used for specifying the job data, is not changed until the job data is deleted. Incidentally, the data name 305 may be the same name for a plurality of job data. For example, a name of the printing job, a user name who executed the printing job, a type of the printing job and the like are displayed for the data name 305. For example, a receipt number of the printing job is displayed for the data ID 304. The data number 303, the data ID 304 and the data name 305 are selectively displayed in the list displaying area 202, and also there is a case that these items are not displayed.
As illustrated in
As above, even in a case that the job data is deleted from the printing job list, a displaying position of the job data, which has been already displayed in the list displaying area 202, does not vary. Therefore, even in a case that a user has been paying attention to specific job data, sight of the job data, to which the user has been paying attention, is not lost by the deletion of another job data.
As above, since the displaying is updated regardless of whether or not the job data is displayed in the list displaying area 202 due to the deletion of the job data, this situation becomes the cause that makes the user feel confusion.
According to the present embodiment, even if there occurs the addition or deletion of the job data, if it is not the addition to or deletion from the job data currently displayed in the list displaying area 202, the displaying in the list displaying area 202 is maintained as it is. Therefore, even in a case that the user has been paying attention to the job data to be displayed in the list displaying area 202, the job data, to which the attention has been paid, does not deviate from the list displaying area 202 by the addition or deletion of another job data, and the user does not lose sight of the job data. In addition, an erroneous operation, where the user selects an erroneous job data because a displaying position of the job data is shifted at the moment when the user intends to select the job data, can be prevented.
<Processing Procedure>
The CPU 111 monitors generation of the change of the number of job data included in the printing job list in the course of displaying the displaying screen 201 on the display 120 (S501). The CPU 111 can detect generation of the change of the number of job data by monitoring the addition of the printing job, the completion of the printing job and the deletion of the printing job due to the cancellation. When generating the change of the number of job data (“YES” in S502), the CPU 111 judges whether the job data is added or deleted (S503).
When the job data is added to the printing job list (“ADDED” in S503), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the number of all the job data n in the printing job list before adding the job data is equal to or larger than the number N which can be displayed in the list displaying area 202 (S504).
In a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n<N” (“NO” in S504), the CPU 111 changes a displaying position of the job data and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S509). The CPU 111 determines a displaying position of the job data, which is to be added, based on the data number 303 to be assigned to the job data which is to be added. The CPU 111 displays the job data added to a determined displaying position and changes positions of other job data in accordance with the displaying position of the added job data.
In a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n>N” (“YES” in S504), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the added job data is displayed between the job data currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 (S505). The CPU 111 gives a judgment according to a fact whether or not, for example, the data number 303 to be assigned to the added job data enters between the data number 303 of the job data which are currently displayed in the list displaying area 202. In a case that the added job data is displayed between the job data which are currently displayed (“YES” in S505), the CPU 111 changes a displaying position of the job data and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S509).
In a case that the added job data is not displayed between the job data which are currently displayed (“NO” in S505), the CPU 111 updates the number of all the job data n in the printing job list (S506) and terminates a series of processes. In this case, a displaying position of the printing job list to be displayed in the list displaying area 202 is not changed.
In a case that the job data is deleted from the printing job list (“DELETED” in S503), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the number of all the job data n in the printing job list before deleting the job data is larger than the number N which can be displayed in the list displaying area 202 (S507).
In a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n>N” (“YES” in S507), the CPU 111 confirms whether or not the job data to be deleted is the job data currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 (S508). The CPU 111 confirms whether or not the job data to be deleted is the job data currently displayed based on, for example, the data number of the job data to be deleted. In a case that the job data to be deleted is not currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 (“NO” in S508), the CPU 111 updates the number of all the job data n in the printing job list (S506) and terminates a series of processes. In this case, a displaying position of the printing job list to be displayed in the list displaying area 202 is not changed.
In a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n<N” in S507 (“NO” in S507), or in a case that the job data to be deleted is currently displayed in the list displaying area 202 in S508 (“YES” in S508), the CPU 111 performs a process of S5509. The CPU 111 deletes the job data, which is to be subjected, from the job data displayed in the list displaying area 202 and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 after changing a position of the job data in accordance with necessity (S509).
As above, in a case that the job data to be added is not displayed in the list displaying area 202, the information processing apparatus 101 does not update the job data to be displayed in the list displaying area 202. In addition, in a case that the job data to be deleted is not displayed in the list displaying area 202, the information processing apparatus does not update the job data to be displayed in the list displaying area 202. Therefore, in a case that a user has been paying attention to the job data displayed in the list displaying area 202, even if the addition or deletion of the job data is performed, it become rare to lose sight of the job data. Further, the possibility of an erroneous operation, where the user selects an erroneous job data because a displaying position of the job data is shifted when the user intends to select the job data, can be reduced.
<Process 1 when User is Selecting Job Data>
When the job data displayed in the list displaying area 202 is being selected by a user, if the job data is added to or deleted from the printing job list, the information processing apparatus 101 performs the following processes.
Processes in S801 and S802 are the same as those in S501 and S502 in
After confirming the job data to be selected by the user, the CPU 111 judges whether the job data is added or deleted (S804). In a case that the job data is added (“ADDED” in S804), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the number of all the job data n in the printing job list before adding the job data is equal to or larger than the number N which can be displayed in the list displaying area 202 (S805).
In a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n<N” (“NO” in S805), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the job data to be added is added after the job data which is in a state of being selected (S806). In a case that the job data is added before the job data which is in a state of being selected (“NO” in S806), the CPU 111 changes a displaying position of the job data and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S812). In a case that the job data is added after the job data which is in a state of being selected (“YES” in S806), the CPU 111 adds the job data without moving a position of the job data which is in a state of being selected and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S807). Incidentally, even in a case that the numbers n and N are in a state of “n>N” in S805 (“YES” in S805), the CPU 111 adds the job data without moving a displaying position of the job data which is in a state of being selected and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S807).
In a case that the job data is deleted from the printing job list in S804 (“DELETED” in S804), the CPU 111 judges whether or not the job data, which is in a state of being selected, positions at (N+1)th or more position from the head of all the job data in the printing job list (S809). When it was judged that the job data, which is in a state of being selected, positions at (N+1)th or more position from the head of all the job data in the printing job list (“YES” in S809), the CPU 111 redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 without changing a displaying position of the job data (S811).
When it was judged that the job data, which is in a state of being selected, does not position at (N+1)th or more position from the head of all the job data in the printing job list (“NO” in S809), the CPU 111 performs a process to be performed in S810. In S810, the CPU 111 judges whether the job data to be deleted is the job data, which is in a state of being selected, or positions before that job data (S810). In a case that the job data to be deleted is not the job data, which is in a state of being selected, and does not position before that job data (“NO” in S810), the CPU 111 redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 without changing a displaying position of the job data (S811).
In a case that the job data to be deleted is the job data, which is in a state of being selected, or positions before the job data which is in a state of being selected (“YES” in S810), the CPU 111 changes a displaying position of the job data and redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 (S812). After redisplaying the job data in the list displaying area 202 in S807, 5811 and S812, the CPU 111 updates the number of job data n in the printing job list and terminates a series of processes (S808).
As described above, in a case that the job data, which has been displayed in the list displaying area 202, is in a state of being selected by the user, even if the addition or deletion of the job data is performed, the job data, which is in a state of being selected, can be remained and displayed in the list displaying area 202. Therefore, when the user intends to perform some operation by selecting the job data, a trouble of missing the job data, which is subjected to be operated, due to a fact that the job data is added to the printing job list and deviated from the list displaying area 202 does not occur. When the user intends to perform some operation to the job data which is in a state of being selected, the confusion of a user due to a fact that the selected job data becomes not to be displayed by the unexpected deletion of the job data can be avoided, and operability can be improved.
<Process 2 when User is Selecting Job Data>
When the job data, which has been displayed in the list displaying area 202, is selected by a user, if the job data is added to or deleted from the printing job list, the information processing apparatus 101 may perform the following process instead of the above process.
Processes in S901 to S904 are the same as those in S801 to S804 in
In a case that the job data is added to the printing job list by the process in S904 (“ADDED” in S904), the CPU 111 redisplays the job data in the list displaying area 202 without changing a displaying position of the job data, which is in a state of being selected, in the list displaying area 202 (S906).
After redisplaying the job data in the list displaying area 202 according to the process in S906 or S909, the CPU 111 updates the number of job data n in the printing job list and terminates a series of processes (S907).
In this manner, in a case that the job data, which is in a state of being selected, exists, even if the job data is added to or deleted from the printing job list, a displaying position of the job data, which is being selected, in the list displaying area 202 is not changed. Therefore, when the user is paying attention to the job data being selected, even if the job data is added to or deleted from the printing job list, a displaying position of the job data being selected is not moved. Therefore, the user does not lose sight of the job data being selected. In addition, even in a case that the user intends to perform an operation to the job data being selected, since a displaying position of the job data is not moved, such a trouble of erroneously performing an operation to other job data does not occur.
As above, although it has been described in detail based on a preferable embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment but also includes various forms within a scope which does not deviate from the purpose of the present invention. In addition, a part of the above embodiment may be suitably combined. Further, the above information processing apparatus 101 includes various apparatuses. For example, as the various apparatuses, it is not limited to a personal computer, a PDA (personal digital assistant) or a mobile phone terminal, but includes a printer, a scanner, a FAX (facsimile machine), a copying machine, a multifunction machine, a camera, a video camera, other image viewer and the like.
Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or other circuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separate computer processors. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
According to the present invention, when the new data is added between the data not displayed in the list displaying area and when the data not displayed in the list displaying area is deleted, the displaying of the list displaying area is not updated. Consequently, even in the case where the data increases and decreases in number irrespective of the operation of the user, it is possible to prevent that the list displaying is updated and thus the data to which the user pays attention or which is intended to be manipulated or operated by the user suddenly disappears from the list displaying area. As a result, it is possible to prevent that user's operability deteriorates.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-128476, filed Jun. 19, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-128476 | Jun 2013 | JP | national |
