Patent ID: 7415676
Filing Date: 2008-08-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A visual field changing method comprising, in an image display system having functions of displaying image data in a display window: determining a position of a pointer in the display window by using an operation input part, and receiving a visual field changing instruction from a user and changing a display of the image data based on the visual field changing instruction; displaying one or a plurality of visual field changing start region associated with a visual field changing operation, which defines display update processing contents of the image data, in the display window; determining whether or not the pointer is in the visual field changing start region; activating the visual field changing operation associated with the visual field changing start region immediately when it is determined that the pointer enters the visual field changing start region; while the visual field changing operation is being activated, detecting a relative movement amount of the pointer based on the position of the pointer at a time when the visual field changing operation is activated, and updating the display of the image data in accordance with the display update processing contents defined by the activated visual field changing operation, based on the detected relative movement amount of the pointer; determining whether or not a predetermined condition for deactivating the visual field changing operation is satisfied; immediately when the predetermined condition for deactivating the visual field changing operation is satisfied, deactivating the visual field changing operation; and determining whether or not the pointer is in the display window, wherein determining whether or not a predetermined condition for deactivating the visual field changing operation is satisfied includes determining that the predetermined condition for deactivating the visual field changing operation is not satisfied when the pointer is present outside of the visual field changing start region corresponding to the activated visual field changing operation and outside of the display window and determining that the predetermined condition for deactivating the visual field changing operation is satisfied immediately when it is determined that the pointer is present outside of the visual field changing start region corresponding to the activated visual field changing operation and in the display window, and the visual field changing start region is placed for display so as to be in contact with a boundary between the inside of the display window and the outside of the display window.