Information display device   

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information display device for displaying display target information, such as content or the like, obtained from a web server, for example, in a screen element, such as a window or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, an information display device, such as a personal computer (PC) or the like, displays respective kinds of information in independent screen elements each referred to as a window in order to display various kinds of information on a single display screen.

For example, many web browsers or the like which produce information to be displayed (display target information) based on web page data obtained via a network from a web server or the like and display the display target information produced based on the respective web pages, each in each window.

Such an information display device for displaying information in a plurality of windows may need to show notice information asking for user confirmation of their operation or input of a password or the like in connection with display target information shown in any window.

As a specific example, in the case of a web page, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) data describing a web page may contain a description about a program to be processed (a script) for controlling such that display of display target information is not carried out until a password is input.

As such a conventional information display device displays notice information as well in an independent window, when it becomes necessary to display notice information while information items about a plurality of web pages are displayed in the respective windows, the user may not readily know that the notice information to be displayed appears in association with a web page in which window.

The present invention has been conceived in view of the above, and one object thereof is to provide an information display device for explicitly exhibiting the relationship between display target information shown in a screen element and notice information to be notified to the user.

In order to address a shortcoming of the above described related art, according to the present invention, there is provided an information display unit for displaying at least one item of display target information in a respective screen element; a catalog display unit for displaying the screen elements as a catalog; and an execution unit for receiving, while catalog display takes place, an instruction operation which is made utilizing display target information shown in the screen elements displayed as a catalog, and for executing a process based on the instruction operation.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a structure of an information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining an example of a virtual space realized in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining an example of a screen image displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram related to an example of the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart related to an example of a process to display a focused window in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining an example of setting of a virtual space and an example of a corresponding display screen image when changing a focused window according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining an example of content of an object database describing an example of setting of a virtual space in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining an example of a method for forming an area for displaying a menu screen and/or notice information in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining an example of a screen image with an area ensured for displaying a menu screen and/or notice information in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining an example of a menu screen image displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining an example of setting a virtual space in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining an example of notice information displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining another example of notice information displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagram explaining another example of notice information displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram explaining still another example of notice information displayed in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining an example of setting of a virtual space in performing catalog display in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram explaining an example of catalog display shown in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a diagram explaining another example of setting of a virtual space in performing catalog display in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a diagram explaining various examples of catalog display shown in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a diagram explaining an example of a focused window shown in performing catalog display in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a diagram explaining an example of a window other than the focused window, shown in performing catalog display in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a diagram explaining an example of a screen image shown in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a diagram explaining a window shown enlarged in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram explaining an example of a screen image with a window shown enlarged in the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a controller connected to the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a diagram explaining an example of an operation to incline the controller connected to the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a diagram explaining another example of an operation to incline the controller connected to the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 28 is a flowchart related to an example of a process based on an operation to incline the controller connected to the information display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a structure of an information display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information display device 1 comprises a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a network I/F 14, a controller I/F 15, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 21, a VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) 22, and a drive 3. The CPU 11, the ROM 12, the RAM 13, the network I/F 14, the controller I/F 15, the GPU 21, and the drive 3 are mutually connected via a bus 16. The VRAM 22 is connected to the GPU 21, and the controller I/F 15 is connected to a controller 4.

The CPU 11 operates according to a program read from a ROM 12 or a recording medium set in the drive 3 into the RAM 13. The CPU 11 is responsible for overall control of the information display device 1 in this embodiment, and carries out a process to display a plurality of kinds of display target information in respective windows, or screen elements, and a process to display notice information to be displayed in connection with display target information. The CPU 11 carries out a process to display windows in the form of a catalog (catalog display). These processes carried out by the CPU 11 will be specifically described later in detail.

The ROM 12 stores various data and a program to be executed by the CPU 11. The RAM 13 holds a program to be executed by the CPU 11. The RAM 13 also functions as a work memory of the CPU 11.

The drive 3 reads data from a recording medium, such as a DVD-ROM, a CD-ROM, or the like, mounted therein, and outputs the read data to the CPU 11. The drive 3 may be a reader of a recording medium, such as a memory stick (trademark), an SD card (trademark), and so forth, not limited to those described above.

The controller 4 may be a controller of a home-use game machine, including, for example, a key board, a mouse, or the like, of a PC. The controller 4, connected to the bus 16 via the controller I/F 15, has a direction key, other operation key, and an analogue device or the like for outputting a signal in accordance with an inclination and/or movement amount, and outputs a signal indicative of the user\'s operation to the CPU 11.

The network I/F 14 controls data exchange with respect to a web server connected thereto via a network. Specifically, the network I/F 14 sends information (a data acquisition request or the like) via a network according to an instruction input from the CPU 11 and outputs information (HTML data or the like) received via the network to the CPU 11. In this embodiment, the CPU 11 receives HTML data from a web server on a network, such as the Internet or the like, via the network I/F 14.

The GPU 21 carries out a calculation necessary to display graphics. The VRAM 22 is a memory for holding content to be shown on the display and receives image data produced by the GPU 21 and written into the VRAM 22. A display control unit (not shown) produces an image signal based on the image data written into the VRAM 22 and outputs the produced image signal to a television image receiver, a display device, or the like where an image is shown based on the image signal.

In the following, a process to be carried out by the information display device 1 will be described. In the following, an example in which the information display device 1 operates as a web browser controlled by the CPU 11, the GPU 21, or the like, will be described. However, this is not an exclusive example. Any information can be displayed as long as an information display process utilizing a plurality of screen elements (for example, a window) is employed.

It should be noted that the web browser realized by the information display device 1 here is a browser with tabbed interface, or so-called “tabbrowser,” and displays each web page in an independent pane (realized as a window here), or a tab. The respective tabs are displayed and switched according to the user\'s operation.

The information display device 1 in this embodiment carries out an information display process using a plurality of screen elements (hereinafter referred to as a window). In the above, the information display device 1 may render an image of each window into a two dimensional rendering space. However, it is determined here that the information display device 1 disposes a panel object serving as a window in a three dimensional virtual space and render an image to be displayed in a window onto at least one surface of the panel object. For example, the information display device 1 pastes as a texture a two dimensional image expressing content to be displayed.

That is, data produced by the information display device 1 in this embodiment expresses a plurality of windows 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65 (panel objects), each having display target information rendered on the surface thereof, placed in the virtual space 5, as shown in FIG. 2. The information display device 1 additionally disposes a virtual camera 71 in the virtual space 5 and defines a focused area 7, or a virtual image capturing area, of the virtual camera 5. FIG. 2 shows an example in which a window 65 is located at the center of the focused area 7, or an image capturing object of the virtual camera 71, with a part of a window 64 included on the left side in the focused area 7.

The information display device 1 renders the image of a portion contained in the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71, based on the information about the virtual space 5. The rendered image is drawn into the VRAM 22 and displayed on an external display or the like (FIG. 3).

The virtual camera 71 can be set at any position in the virtual space 5. When the virtual camera 71 moves with the focused area 7 thereof accordingly changing, different images are resultantly rendered with accordingly different images shown on the display.

The information display device described as a web browser here comprises, in terms of functions, as shown in FIG. 4, a descriptive information acquisition unit 31, a descriptive information analysis unit 32, a display target information production unit 33, a program processing unit 34, a display control unit 35, a notice information display unit 36, a virtual space setting unit 37, a catalog display setting unit 38, a two dimensional rendering processing unit 41, a three dimensional rendering processing unit 42, and a combining processing unit 43.

These units are realized by the CPU 11, the GPU 21, or the like by means of software, for example, in this embodiment.

The information acquisition unit 31 receives a data acquisition request from the display control unit 35 and/or the display target information production unit 33. The data acquisition request contains a designation of such as an URL or the like. Upon receipt of the data acquisition request, the information acquisition unit 31 acquires the requested data from the designated URL or the like and outputs the acquired data to the display control unit 35 or the display target information production unit 33 having requested the data. It should be noted that data specified by an URL may be a file stored in a recording medium or the like mounted in the drive 3 of the information display device 1, not limited to data from a web server or the like on the network.

The descriptive information analysis unit 32 contains a parser (an analysis function) for HTML data, and receives from the display control unit 35, HTML data and information (an identifier of a screen element, hereinafter referred to as “a window identifier”) identifying a screen element in which to display. The descriptive information analysis unit 32 then analyzes the received HTML data according to a predetermined rule. Generally, the HTML data contains a display instruction data portion instructing display of display target information and sometimes additionally contains a program data portion to be executed.

The descriptive information processing unit 32 extracts a display instruction data portion from the HTML data and outputs the extracted display instruction data portion and the window identifier to the display target information production unit 33. When a program data is additionally included in the HTML data, the descriptive information analysis unit 32 extracts the program data portion as well, and outputs to the program processing unit 34 together with the window identifier.

The display target information production unit 33 extracts information (an image data URL or the like) specifying character string information to be displayed and image data to be displayed, based on the display instruction data input from the descriptive information processing unit 32, outputs the information specifying image data to the information acquisition unit 31 with a request for acquisition of the image data specified by information, and receives image data acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 in response to the request. Moreover, the display target information production unit 33 produces web page descriptive information in which character string information and image data are laid out, based on the display instruction data, and outputs the produced web page descriptive information to the two dimensional rendering processing unit 41 together with the window identifier.

The program processing unit 34 executes the program data input from the descriptive information processing unit 32 and holds data (a pointer indicative of the point being executed in the program and work data such as variable data and so forth) necessary in execution of the program data so as to be associated with the window identifier also input from the descriptive information processing unit 32. That is, with a plurality of windows open (that is, a plurality of web pages on display), the program processing unit 34 may execute the plurality of program data in parallel. As a method for parallel execution, a widely known process such as multithreaded process or the like is available, with detailed explanation thereof omitted here.

When any information need to be notified to the user (that is, notice information to be notified to the user in connection with any display target information) during execution of program data associated with any window identifier (hereinafter referred to as a “focused identifier” for distinction), the program processing unit 34 outputs the information to be notified to the user (hereinafter referred to as “notice information”) and the focused identifier to the notice information display unit 36.

The display control unit 35 instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to produce one window, or a screen element, at the time of activation, then receives information (window identifier) identifying the produced window from the virtual space setting unit 37, and holds the received information.

With a window produced at the time of activation, the display control unit 35 instructs the information acquisition unit 31 to acquire data specified by the URL set in advance. The data specified by the URL is determined here as HTML data. The display control unit 35 outputs the window identifier received from the virtual space setting unit 37 and the HTML data acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 to the descriptive information processing unit 32.

The display control unit 35 controls the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 to render a three dimensional image based on a virtual space set by the virtual space setting unit 37.

The display control unit 35 controls the respective units according to the user\'s instruction. In this embodiment, the user makes the following instructions:

(1) an instruction (hereinafter referred to as a “new window instruction”) to produce a new window (which may be a tab for displaying another web page in a web browser); (2) an instruction (hereinafter referred to as a “catalog display instruction”) to display a plurality of windows in the form of a catalog; (3) an instruction (hereinafter referred to as a “focus instruction”) to designate one of the plurality of windows as an object to be displayed or operated; (4) an instruction (hereinafter referred to as a “content operation instruction”) to input a character string or the like into an input column shown in the selected window or to click a link shown in the selected window; (5) an instruction to close the window; and (6) an instruction (hereinafter referred to as an “end instruction”) to terminate the process carried out as a browser.

These instructions are made using the controller 4, for example. In the following, a tab switching operation (an operation to switch a window positioned directly opposed to the virtual camera 71) will be described as one example operation. The tab switching operation is carried out by pressing the direction key formed on the controller 4. Specifically, where the direction keys are provided in four directions, namely, in the up, down, left, and right directions, the virtual camera 71 is moved to a position directly opposed to a window on the right side relative to the sight line direction of the virtual camera 71 when the right-side direction key is pressed. Similarly, when the left-side direction key is pressed, the virtual camera 71 is moved to a position directly opposed to a window on the left side relative to the sight line direction thereof. This is similarly applied when the respective keys formed in the vertical directions are pressed.

Further, clicking an object (a button, a character string input column, or the like) shown in a window (or a tab) will be described as another example operation. Specifically, an object click operation includes moving a pointer to a click position, and clicking, and is carried out as follows, for example. That is, moving the pointer (a mouse cursor) to designate a click position is carried out by inclining an analogue stick or the like provided in the controller 4 or the like, and pressing a key provided separately from the direction key may be defined as a click operation.

When (1) a new window instruction among the user operations described above is made, the display control unit 35 instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to produce one window, or a screen element, then receives information (a window identifier) identifying the produced window from the virtual space setting unit 37, and holds the information.

The display control unit 35 instructs the information acquisition unit 31 to acquire data specified by the URL set in advance. The data specified by the URL is determined here as HTML data. The display control unit 35 outputs the window identifier received from the virtual space setting unit 37 and the HTML data acquired by the information acquisition unit 31 to the descriptive information processing unit 32.

When (2) a catalog display instruction is made, the display control unit 35 instructs the catalog display setting unit 38 to display a window catalog.

When (3) a focus instruction is made, the display control unit 35 begins the process shown in FIG. 5. In the following, a window selected in response to the instruction is referred to as a focused window. Initially, the display control unit 35 determines whether or not catalog display takes place (101). When it is determined that catalog display does not take place, the display control unit 35 moves the virtual camera 71 to a position directly opposed to the focused window (102) before ending the process. According to the process 102, when an instruction is made to designate the window 63 as a focused window (or an instruction to move to a window at the right, which is made by the user by clicking the window 63 at the right or pressing the right-side direction key on the controller 4 or the like) while the window 62 is shown (that is, the virtual camera 71 is located in the position A in FIG. 6), the virtual camera 71 is moved to a position directly opposed to the window 63 (the position B in FIG. 6), so that the window 63, or the new focused window, is located at the center of the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71.

Meanwhile, it is determined in the process 101 that catalog display takes place, the display control unit 35 instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to render the images of the focused window and other window in mutually distinctive manners (103) before ending the process. The mutually distinctive manner may include, for example, superimposition of a gray image in a semi-transparent manner onto the image shown in the window. A specific example of the process 103 will be described later as well as a catalog display process.

When (4) a content operation instruction is received, the display control unit 35 updates the content shown in the focused window or the like according to the content of the operation. For example, in response to an operation to input a character string into an input column shown in the focused window selected by the user, the input letter is displayed in the input column. Also, in response to a link, a button, or the like being clicked, a process is carried out with reference to the HTML data associated with the clicked link or button. This process is identical to a process carried out as a typical browser, with a detailed description thereof omitted here.

With a link or the like clicked, the display control unit 35 outputs an instruction to acquire data from the URL associated with the clicked link or the like to the information acquisition unit 31 together with the window identifier of the focused window.

When (5) an instruction to close the window is received, the display control unit 35 controls so as not to display the window any longer which is specified as a focused window by the window identifier (an ending window) at that time. For this control, for example, the virtual space setting unit 37 may be instructed to eliminate the panel object of the ending window from the virtual space 5.

When (6) an ending instruction is received, the display control unit 35 produces notice information to confirm the end of the process and outputs to the notice information display unit 36.

The notice information display unit 36 receives, from the program processing unit 34, the window identifier (the above-described focused identifier) of the window showing the display target information associated with the program data in execution and the notice information, and defines, as a focused window, the window specified by the focused identifier (for example, a screen element (or a window) showing the display target information associated with the notice information). Then, the notice information display unit 36 displays the focused window in a distinctive manner from another window, and also displays the notice information. This display manner will be described later in detail.

The notice information display unit 36 may receive an instruction to display notice information not related to any display target information (that is, having nothing to do with any window) from the display control unit 35 or the like. In this case, the notice information display unit 36 displays the notice information in a manner different from notice information related to display target information (that is, notice information related to any window). This display manner will be described later in detail.

According to an instruction input from the display control unit 35 or the like, the virtual space setting unit 37 adds or deletes a panel object serving as a window with respect to the virtual space. Specifically, the virtual space setting unit 37 manages the virtual space 5, using an object database, such as is shown in FIG. 7.

The object database holds, for every virtual object to be contained in the virtual space 5, a unique identifier, the shape and attribute of the object, and the coordinates indicative of the position and posture of the object, all in the manner of being associated with one another. The shape or the like of a virtual object may be determined, for example, in the case of a panel object, as a rectangular parallelepiped which can be defined by the attributes including the width, depth, and height thereof. A virtual camera can be defined by information identifying a virtual camera and attributes thereof, including a sight line direction, a viewing angle, or the like (which define a focused area). The position coordinates can be determined, for every shape, so as to include the central position coordinates and coordinates, such as the main axial direction, which indicate the posture, for example.

When the virtual space setting unit 37 newly adds a panel object, a unique identifier is newly produced (the identifier is usable as a window identifier), and a rectangular parallelepiped shape is added to the object database, such as is shown in FIG. 7. The virtual space setting unit 37 sets a shape having been determined in advance as the shape of a panel object serving as a window, in association with the information describing the newly added shape, then defines the position coordinates or the like of the panel-like rectangular parallelepiped in the virtual space, and records the position coordinates in the object database.

According to an instruction input from the display control unit 35 or the like, the virtual space setting unit 37 changes the relative positions of the virtual camera 71 and the panel object. The change in the relative positions may be carried out as

S → + ( D → - S → )  t T [ Expression   1 ]

with respect to time t (t=0 to T) between the vector S indicative of the coordinates of the initial position before the change and the vector D indicative of those of a target position after the change such that the position changes as time passes, like an animation.

When the display control unit 35 needs to display a menu screen besides a window as so instructed by the user\'s operation, the virtual space setting unit 37 can change the relative positions of the panel object and the virtual camera 71 in the virtual space 5 such that an area for showing a menu screen is ensured on the display screen. A menu screen is a screen image or the like for use in instructing to open a new window or an URL, to close a window, and so forth. Suppose here that the window 61 is displayed at the center of the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71 before update as shown in FIG. 8 (see the upper drawing in FIG. 8). In this case, the display control unit 35 responsive to an instruction to display a menu screen instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to ensure a display area for displaying a menu screen, and the virtual space setting unit 37 updates the relative positions of the window 61 and the virtual camera 71 such that the window 61 is positioned in a peripheral portion in the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71 (see the lower drawing in FIG. 8). With the above, an area (R) for displaying a menu screen is ensured after the update, not overlapping the display area of the window 61, as shown in FIG. 9.

When the menu screen cannot be fully displayed in the area (R) (such as a menu formed in a hierarchical manner and requiring a relatively large area to display), the display control unit 35 may control such that the menu screen (M) is shown partly overlapping the window 61 shown in the peripheral portion after the update, as shown in FIG. 10. Another example of setting the virtual space 5 by the virtual space setting unit 37 will be described later.

The virtual space setting unit 37 receives, from the display control unit 35, a window identifier and an instruction to delete the panel object associated with the window specified by the window identifier. In the above, the virtual space setting unit 37 deletes the entry of the data concerning the input window identifier from the object database.

The catalog display setting unit 38 receives an instruction from the display control unit 35 to display a catalog of windows, then instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to rearrange the plurality of windows in a predetermined manner, and changes the position of the virtual camera 71. That is, the catalog display setting unit 38 instructs to move the virtual camera 71 to a position which allows catalog display of all windows. An operation of the catalog display setting unit 38 and the virtual space setting unit 37 in response to the catalog display instruction will be described later in detail.

The two dimensional rendering processing unit 41 produces a bit map image expressing the content of a web page, based on the web page descriptive information input from the display target information production unit 33, and stores the produced bit map image in the RAM 13 in association with the window identifier input together with the web page descriptive information.

The three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 produces bit map data in which a three dimensional image is rendered, based on the setting of the virtual space 5 by the virtual space setting unit 37. Specifically, the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 carries out the following process with reference to the object database produced by the virtual space setting unit 37. That is, the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 renders an image obtained by projecting a panel object or the like into the field of view (the focused area 7) of the virtual camera 71. Such a rendering process can be made using many available methods, including a scan line algorithm, a ray tracing method, a radiosity method, and so forth, with detailed descriptions thereof omitted here.

In this embodiment, the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 sets the bit map image of a web page, stored in the RAM 13 in association with the identifier (identical to the window identifier here) of each panel object, as a texture of the surface of each panel object, opposed to the virtual camera 71. With the above, each panel object functions as an image element (a window) for displaying a web page.

The combining processing unit 43 receives a character string and/or an image to be superimposed, for display, onto an image rendered by the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42, and superimposes the received character string and image onto the image rendered by the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 to combine them (in the semi-transparent manner, for example).

One example of semi-transparent combination is a process to add the values of pixels corresponding the respective images to be combined to thereby produce a combined image.

In the following, a display manner for notice information in this embodiment will be described. As already described, in the web browser as an information display device in this embodiment, a notice asking for input of a password, or the user\'s confirmation on whether or not jump to another web page, and so forth may be shown (display of notice information) during execution of program data contained in the HTML data.

Such notice information based on HTML data is notified to the user in connection with the display target information based on the HTML data.

In this embodiment, notice information to be notified to the user in connection with any display target information, as described above, is displayed as follows. Here, which display target information the displayed notice information is connected with is determined based on the window identifier (a focused identifier) of the window showing the display target information associated with the program data in execution.

That is, the notice information display unit 36, having received a focused identifier and notice information, determines the window associated with the focused identifier as a focused window, and instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to move the focused window from the central portion of the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71. The virtual space setting unit 37 changes the coordinates of the focused window or the virtual camera 71 in the object database such that the focused window is located in the peripheral portion of the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71, to thereby update the relative positions of the focused window and the virtual camera 71. This is identical to the example of the menu screen shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

With the above, the focused window is located close to any side of the screen of the display or the like, similar to the example shown in FIG. 9, so that an area (R) for displaying the notice information is ensured. The notice information display unit 36 displays the notice information in the area (R).

Here, a case in which the windows 62, 63 and so forth are placed opposed to the virtual camera 71, as shown in FIG. 11, will be considered. In this case, when the virtual camera 71 is moved such that the window 62, or the focused window, is located in the peripheral portion of the focused area 7, the adjacent window 63 may resultantly be located in the focused area 7 of the virtual camera 71. In this case, the three dimensional rendering processing unit 42 may put a gray tone (a solid gray image) in a semitransparent manner on the texture of the display target information shown in a window other than the focused window, as a texture of the surface thereof opposed to the virtual camera 71, so that the display target information appears relatively dark (so-called dim) (FIG. 12). In this case, the display target information shown in the focused window appears relatively bright, so that the user can clearly recognize the window with which the displayed notice information is associated.

Furthermore, the notice information display unit 36 may instruct the combining processing unit 43 to display the notice information overlapping the area (R) where the adjacent window 63 is shown.

Alternatively, the three dimensional rendering unit 42 may be instructed not to render the image of a window other than the focused window. In this case, the screen element other than the focused window is concealed (FIG. 13), and only the focused window and the notice information are thus displayed. This facilitates recognition of the focused window. It should be noted that a distinctive manner of display may be attained using various other methods, such as showing the frame of the focused window in a different color, blinking the focused window, and so forth, not limited to those described above.

As described above, in this embodiment, in displaying notice information, the focused window associated with that notice information is displayed in a distinctive manner from other windows. Therefore, even when a plurality of windows are shown, the displayed notice information is displayed in association with which window can be clearly recognized by viewing.

Moreover, as notice information is displayed adjacent to, but not overlapping, the focused window, the notice information and the display target information shown in the focused window can both be recognized.

It should be noted that in this embodiment control is carried out such that the displayed content of the notice information is not moved through the user\'s operation by employing an arrangement, for example, in which the notice information is displayed overlapping the image rendered by the three dimensional rendering unit 42 and so forth.

The notice information display unit 36 receives the user\'s operation relative to the notice information, and outputs the content of a response operation to the program processing unit 34. For example, when a character string “Accept cookies?” is shown together with the buttons “yes” and “no” serving as notice information, and either button is clicked, information identifying the clicked button is output to the program processing unit 34.

The program processing unit 34 receives information based on the notice information and continues the program data processing.

While the notice information display unit 36 displays notice information, the program processing unit 34 may continue execution of program data associated with other window. In the above, when the need of display of notice information arise due to the program data being executed in association with the other window, the window identifier of that window and the notice information to be displayed are stored so as to be associated with each other in a storage area of a waiting queue for notice information, set up in the RAM 13.

Then, with the ongoing notice information display completed, display of the notice information in the waiting queue begins, beginning with the information contained at the head of the waiting queue.

It should be noted that, in JavaScript or the like, for example, a request for notice information display can be made using a plurality of methods, such as alert, document (document.open), and so forth. Then, in storing into a waiting queue, the program processing unit 34 may determine a priority order (the order of time of generation in the case of the same priority) depending on the method used in requesting the notice information display, and register in the priority order in the queue.

Further, the notice information display unit 36 may instruct the program processing unit 34 to suspend processing of program data while notice information is displayed. The program processing unit 34, having received the instruction, suspends execution of the program data associated with each window on display.

In this case, the notice information display unit 36 instructs the program processing unit 34 to resume processing of the program data when display of notice information is completed, for example, by the user responding to the notice information or the like.

The above-described arrangement can avoid a complicated process that results in cases such as, while notice information is displayed, display of notice information in association with other window becomes necessary as program data associated with the other window is continuously processed.

The notice information display unit 36 may display a selection button X for use in instructing “suspension of program data execution of the window”, together with the notice information (FIG. 14). When the user selects the selection button X to thereby respond to the notice information, the notice information display unit 36 instructs the program processing unit 34 to suspend the ongoing execution of the program data, while giving the window identifier of the focused window.

In response to the received instruction, the program processing unit 34 suspends subsequent execution of the designated program data by, for example, deleting the execution data of the program associated with the window identifier input. In this manner, the above described arrangement can address the deficiency of repetitive display of notice information due to a loop process or the like.

[Notice Information not related to Display Target Information]

The notice information display unit 36 may receive an instruction to display notice information not related to any display target information from the display control unit 35 or the like. For example, when sufficient memory to process program data can be no longer set up, or when an exception (an error or the like) occurs while program data is processed, the program processing unit 34 or the like instructs the notice information display unit 36 to display notice information notifying to that effect.

Such notice information is regarded as notice information not related to display target information because it is associated with the entire operation, though sometimes associated with a particular window.

Moreover, connection failure to the network, production of no window due to failure in analyzing the acquired data, and confirmation as to whether or not to end the process as a browser or the like concern the whole operation as a browser, and notice information to be made in such cases is regarded as not related to display target information.

In displaying notice information not related to display target information, the notice information display unit 36 superimposes a gray tone, by means of semi-transparent manner, onto the texture of display target information set on the surface of each window, opposed to the virtual camera 71, for example, so that the display target information shown in the window is displayed relatively dark (so-called dim). Then, the notice information display unit 36 instructs the combining processing unit 43 to combine the character string of notice information or the like and the rendered image (rendered result by the three dimensional rendering unit 42) shown relatively dark in a respective window.

With the above, the notice information is shown so outstanding, as shown in FIG. 15, that the notice information can be readily recognized as having no relevance to the window. Alternatively, the notice information display unit 36 may instruct the three dimensional rendering unit 42 to render the image of no window, and notice information may be displayed.

As described above, an arrangement in which notice information related to display target information and notice information not related to any display target information (but related to the whole browser) are displayed in different manners can facilitate recognition by the user as to whether or not the displayed notice information is related to display target information.

In the following, a window catalog display process in this embodiment will be described. The catalog display setting unit 38 in this embodiment receives an instruction to display a window catalog from the display control unit 35 and instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to move the virtual camera 71 to a position which enables display of a catalog covering all windows.

In the following, positional change of the virtual camera 71 will be described. Suppose that the respective windows are aligned on a plane, as shown in FIG. 16, when receiving an instruction to apply catalog display. In the above, the angle of the field of view of the virtual camera 71 at that time is determined as θ, and the virtual camera 71 is located at the position A in FIG. 16 (or a position away by the distance rO from the plane with the windows aligned). In this state, one window 63 is recognized at the center with parts of other windows 62, 64 on the right and left sides thereof, respectively, as shown as an image in connection with the position A in FIG. 17.

Then, upon receipt of a catalog display instruction, the catalog display setting unit 38 instructs the virtual space setting unit 37 to change the position of the virtual camera 71. The virtual space setting unit 37 in return instructs to move the virtual camera 71 to a position farther from the plane with the windows aligned (the position away by the distance r from the plane, or the position B in FIG. 16), so that a field of view (a focused area 7) of the virtual camera 71, which is large enough to fully cover the range w larger than the area showing all windows 61 to 65 is ensured. In the above, r can be calculated as

r = w 2   tan  θ 2 . [ Expression   2 ]

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