Patent ID: 7823080
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An information processing apparatus comprising: display means for displaying a window on a display screen; and control means for controlling the display of the window including a plurality of panel windows, a status bar and a guidance bar, the panel windows are arranged along a predetermined direction which is one of vertical and horizontal directions on the display screen, the plurality of panel windows correspond to a plurality of functions, and the control means causes the display means to display the panel windows immediately adjacent one another and extending between the status bar and the guidance bar, wherein the control means controls a contraction and an expansion of the panel windows the predetermined direction on the display screen, and the control means expands a panel window, which corresponds to a function selected by a user, toward a center of the display screen, displays an expanded setup window immediately adjacent to the expanded panel window, the setup window being associated with the expanded window and allows the user to setup the contents of the expanded panel window, and simultaneously contracts only a width of a plurality of the panel windows that are not the window to be expanded, such that the contracted panel windows are located from a position immediately adjacent a side of the expanded panel window to a first end of the display screen and a side of the setup window to a second end of the display screen, the contraction of the windows to the ends of the display screen hides each button provided inside the contracted panel windows, wherein during contraction and expansion, the guidance bar and status bar remain visible and extend completely across the window on the display screen, the guidance bar being configured to display and control a plurality of functions corresponding to a function for each of the plurality of panel windows, and wherein the plurality of panel windows extend between the status bar and the guidance bar when the panel window is both contracted and expanded.