Abstract:
A display control method includes: receiving a drag operation on a first window displayed on a display screen, the display screen displaying the first window, a second window, and a third window; and when the drag operation releases the first window on one of a plurality of determination lines, rearranging the first window, the second window, and the third window in a preset display area according to a layout corresponding to the one of the plurality of determination lines, the layout automatically determining a size and a location of the first window so as to display the first window in the preset display area in a non-overlapping manner with respect to the second window and the third window.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-194761, filed on Sep. 30, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    The embodiment discussed herein is related to a display control device and a display control method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a known drag-and-drop technique, when a user performs a drag-and-drop operation on a window on a display screen, the window is moved to and dropped at a position according to the user operation, and is displayed at the drop position (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-325054 and 2006-185025). After moving the window, the user manually makes fine adjustments on the window, such as placing the window at a desired position or resizing the window into a desired size. 
         [0004]    In a known technique, when a received drag-and-drop operation on a window specifies switching of windows, a dragged window and a window which is displayed at a position where the dragged window is dropped are switched in their display positions (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-27891). 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to an aspect of the invention, a display control method includes: receiving a drag operation on a first window displayed on a display screen, the display screen displaying the first window, a second window, and a third window; and when the drag operation releases the first window on one of a plurality of determination lines, rearranging the first window, the second window, and the third window in a preset display area according to a layout corresponding to the one of the plurality of determination lines, the layout automatically determining a size and a location of the first window so as to display the first window in the preset display area in a non-overlapping manner with respect to the second window and the third window. 
         [0006]    The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
         [0007]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a display control device according to an embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of the function and configuration of the display control device according to the embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a fitting coordinate table according to the embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an example of display control processing according to the embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an example of fitting processing according to the embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6A to 6C  are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen according to the embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen according to the embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are diagrams illustrating an example of the display screen according to the embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating an example of the display screen according to the embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating an example of the display screen according to the embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating an example of display screen registration according to the embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating an example of an alternative configuration of the display control device according to the embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    However, when there are multiple windows adjacent to, close to, or overlapping with a target window being operated, it is difficult for the above technique to automatically adjust the multiple windows in conjunction with the operation on the target window. 
         [0021]    Thus, an aspect of the technique described in the present disclosure has an object to enable a certain window and two windows to be arranged on a display screen at once in conformity with display areas where the two windows have been displayed, more easily than manually arranging the certain window on the display screen in conformity with the display areas where the two windows have been displayed. 
         [0022]    An embodiment is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that components, herein and in the drawings, having substantially the same function are denoted by the same reference numeral and described only once. 
         [0023]    [Hardware Configuration of the Display Control Device] 
         [0024]    First, an example of the hardware configuration of a display control device  1  according to the present embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The display control device  1  according to the present embodiment is implemented by a personal computer (PC). The display control device  1  is however not limited to this, and may be implemented by a tablet PC, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a portable music reproduction device, a portable video processing device, a portable video game console, or the like. 
         [0025]    The display control device  1  has a central processing unit (CPU)  2 , a memory  3 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  4 , an input device  5 , a display device  6 , a touch screen  7 , a communications interface  8 , and an external interface  9 . All these parts are connected by buses B. 
         [0026]    The memory  3  may be random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM). RAM is a volatile semiconductor memory capable of retaining programs and data temporarily. ROM is a non-volatile semiconductor memory capable of retaining data even after having been turned off. The RAM or ROM stores programs and data for network settings and the like. 
         [0027]    The HDD  4  is a non-volatile recording device and may store programs and data. The programs and data stored in the HDD  4  include control programs for overall control of the display control device  1  and application programs. The control programs include a display control program executed by the CPU  2  or a hardware processor in the present embodiment. 
         [0028]    The CPU  2  or the hardware processor performs overall control of the display control device  1  or implements a display control function installed in the display control device  1 , by reading the control programs and data from the HDD  4 , saving the control programs and data in the memory  3 , and executing predetermined processing based on the control programs and data. 
         [0029]    The input device  5  includes, for example, a keyboard or a mouse, and inputs a drag-and-drop operation according to user operation. The display device  6  includes a display and is capable of displaying multiple windows on a display screen at once. The touch screen  7  is layered on the display screen of the display device  6  and detects a touch operation by the user. The touch screen  7  detects when an operation object, such as a finger of the user, touches the touch screen  7 . Thus, the display device  6  functions also as an input device. The display device  6  may be without the touch screen  7 . 
         [0030]    The communications interface  8  is an interface used to connect the display control device  1  to a network. The communications interface  8  allows the display control device  1  to perform data communications with another device. 
         [0031]    The external interface  9  is an interface used to connect the display control device  1  to an external device. The external device is, for example, a recording medium  9   a . The external interface  9  allows the display control device  1  to read data from the recording medium  9   a  and/or write data to the recording medium  9   a . Examples of the recording medium  9   a  include a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Secure Digital (SD) memory card, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory. 
         [0032]    [Function and Configuration of the Display Control Device] 
         [0033]    Next, an example of the function and configuration of the display control device  1  according to the present embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 2 . The display control device  1  has an initialization unit  11 , an operation reception unit  12 , a recording unit  13 , an information acquisition unit  14 , a determination unit  15 , a specification unit  16 , and a display control unit  17 . 
         [0034]    The initialization unit  11  initializes a fitting coordinate table  20 . The operation reception unit  12  receives a user operation performed on a window displayed on the display screen. The operation reception unit  12  receives a drag operation on a window and then starts monitoring the position (coordinates) of the window which changes as the window moves. The operation reception unit  12  also receives a drop operation on the monitored window, separately from the drag operation. The operation reception unit  12  detects the coordinates of the window when the window is dropped. When the detected coordinates are particular coordinates (e.g., on a determination line to be described later), the display control unit  17  displays, according to a predetermined layout corresponding to the determination line, the window being operated and two adjacent windows whose border is identifiable based on the determination line. Known methods are used to detect the drag-and-drop operations on the window and to control the position and size of the window. Thus, detailed descriptions for such methods are omitted herein. 
         [0035]    The recording unit  13  records the fitting coordinate table  20 , a data management table  30 , a display control program  40 , and other control programs and various pieces of data. Layouts of the certain window and the two windows are recorded in the fitting coordinate table  20  beforehand, each layout arranging the certain window in association with the two windows according to an operation received by the operation reception unit  12 .  FIG. 3  illustrates an example of the fitting coordinate table  20  according to the embodiment. 
         [0036]    The fitting coordinate table  20  has the following data items: determination line information  21 , layout information  22 , coordinates of fitting area  23 , and ratio  24 . The determination line information  21  indicates the name of a determination line and a mark to be displayed on the display screen, the mark indicating the position of the determination line. The determination line is an example of a guide image which guides an operation for selecting a certain window to be displayed in association with two adjacent, close, opposing, or overlapping windows displayed on the display screen. In the present embodiment, the guide image is a linear image located at, e.g., the border of two windows. The embodiment is however not limited to this. For example, the guide image may be the mark of the determination line information  21  displayed between two windows. The guide image does not necessarily have to be displayed. 
         [0037]    The layout information  22  indicates information on a layout (arrangement) of three windows: the certain window and the two adjacent windows. The coordinates of fitting area  23  indicates display positions of the respective three windows. The display areas of the three windows specified by the coordinates of fitting area  23  are set so as not to overlap one another. For example, when a window is dropped on the determination line “L 1 ”, the three windows are arranged and displayed vertically on the left half of the screen based on the layout information  22 . The window dropped on the determination line L 1  (also referred to as an “operated window” hereinbelow) is arranged between the adjacent windows. Among the coordinate sets indicated by the coordinates of fitting area  23 , the operated window is displayed on an area specified by (X 21 ,Y 21 )-(X 22 ,Y 22 ). The adjacent windows displayed adjacently on both sides of the operated window are displayed on areas specified by (X 11 ,Y 11 )-(X 12 -Y 12 ) and (X 31 ,Y 31 )-(X 32 -Y 32 ), respectively. These three windows are displayed in the same size, i.e., the ratio of their display areas is (1:1:1). Thus, the operated window is resized to be displayed in the one-third center area of the left half of the screen. Similarly, the adjacent windows are resized to be displayed in the one-third upper area and the one-third lower area of the left half of the screen, respectively. 
         [0038]    The marks of the determination line information  21  and the layout information  22  do not necessarily have to be recorded in the fitting coordinate table  20 . If the ratio  24  does not vary and is a predetermined fixed value, the ratio  24  does not necessarily have to be recorded in the fitting coordinate table  20 , either. 
         [0039]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the data management table  30  has screen size information  31  on the display device  6 , number of screen divisions  32 , window position information  33 , and favorite layout information  34 . The information acquisition unit  14  acquires, for example the screen size information  31 , the number of screen divisions  32 , the window position information  33 , and the favorite layout information  34 . The window position information  33  indicates the coordinates of the dragged window before the drag. 
         [0040]    The determination unit  15  determines, based on an operation received by the operation reception unit  12 , whether a certain window has been selected to be displayed in association with adjacent windows. When it is determined based on an operation received by the operation reception unit  12  that a certain window has been selected to be displayed in association with adjacent windows, the specification unit  16  refers to the fitting coordinate table  20  and specifies a layout for displaying the adjacent windows and the certain window. 
         [0041]    According to the layout thus specified, the display control unit  17  displays the adjacent windows and the certain window within the areas where the adjacent windows have been displayed. The display control unit  17  displays the three windows within the areas where the adjacent windows have been displayed, by inserting the certain window, dropped at the position of the determination line, between the adjacent windows. 
         [0042]    With this configuration, the CPU  2  or the hardware processor of the display control device  1  according to the present embodiment executes display control processing, to be described later, using the display control program  40  stored in the memory  3  or the like. The display control program  40  according to the present embodiment may be a resident program which is resident in the memory  3  while the OS of the display control device  1  is running. When the user performs a drag-and-drop operation while the display control device  1  is executing a certain application, an interrupt occurs. In response to the interrupt by the drag-and-drop operation, the CPU  2  or the hardware processor executes the display control processing in accordance with the procedures indicated by the display control program  40 . 
         [0043]    The information recorded in the fitting coordinate table  20  illustrated in  FIG. 3  and in the data management table  30  may be recorded in the memory  3  or the HDD  4 , or may alternatively be stored in, for example, a cloud server connected to the display control device  1  via a network. 
         [0044]    [Display Control Processing] 
         [0045]    Next, an example of the display control processing according to the present embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 4 . Once the display control processing is started, the information acquisition unit  14  acquires screen size information (Step S 12 ). The recording unit  13  records the acquired screen size information in the screen size information  31  of the data management table  30 . 
         [0046]    Next, the initialization unit  11  initializes the fitting coordinate table  20  (Step S 14 ). The initialization unit  11  divides the display screen based on the acquired screen size information and sets, for each determination line information  21 , the coordinates of fitting area  23  defining one of the divided display areas. 
         [0047]    Next, the operation reception unit  12  registers a drag operation thread, and starts monitoring a drag operation by the user (Step S 16 ). The determination unit  15  determines whether an interrupt by a drag operation has occurred (Step S 18 ). When the user performs a drag operation, an interrupt occurs for the drag operation thread for executing fitting processing according to the drag operation event. When the determination unit  15  determines that an interrupt has occurred, the fitting processing is performed (Step S 20 ,  FIG. 5 ), and this display control processing ends. 
         [0048]    [Fitting Processing] 
         [0049]    Once the fitting processing in  FIG. 5  is started, the information acquisition unit  14  acquires the coordinates of the pre-drag display position of the window on which the drag operation is being performed (Step S 22 ). The recording unit  13  records the acquired coordinates of the display position of the window in the window position information  33  of the data management table  30 . 
         [0050]    Next, the information acquisition unit  14  acquires the position of a pointer moved by the drag operation (Step S 24 ). In the present embodiment, the position of the pointer is the position of a cursor. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. The position of the pointer may be a position on the touch screen  7  touched or approached by a finger of the user. 
         [0051]    Next, the display control unit  17  reads the fitting coordinate table  20  and displays a determination line according to the position of the pointer (Step S 26 ). For example, in  FIG. 6A , a window W 3  displayed on the display screen is being dragged and is therefore active. In this state, the user moves a pointer P to the upper right of the screen. During this pointer moving operation, in the example in  FIG. 6B , a determination line L 2  is being displayed according to the moving direction of the window W 3 . 
         [0052]    A method of displaying the determination line is, however, not limited to this. For example, without taking the moving direction of the pointer P into consideration, the display control unit  17  may display all the determination lines indicated by the determination line information  21  in the fitting coordinate table  20  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The display control unit  17  may display the determination line L 2  illustrated in  FIG. 6B  at a position where two windows W 1 , W 2  are adjacent to each other as illustrated in  FIG. 6A . When the two windows W 1 , W 2  are close to each other, the determination line L 2  may be displayed at a position where they are close to each other. As illustrated in  FIG. 7A , when the two windows W 1 , W 2  are distanced from each other, the display control unit  17  may display the determination line L 2  at a position across which the windows W 1 , W 2  face each other. As illustrated in  FIG. 8A , when the two windows W 1 , W 2  overlap each other partially, the display control unit  17  may display the determination line L 2  at the overlap position. As illustrated in (a) of  FIG. 9 , when the two windows W 1 , W 2  overlap each other entirely, the display control unit  17  may display the determination line L 2  on the windows W 1 , W 2 . 
         [0053]    The display color or outline of the determination line may darken as the pointer P approaches the determination line and pales as the pointer P moves away from the determination line, or vice versa. 
         [0054]    The coordinates of fitting area  23  in the fitting coordinate table  20  do not have to correspond one-to-one to the determination line information  21 . For example, the coordinates of fitting area  23  may vary depending on whether the pointer P is located on the center of the determination line, the pointer P is located on the right side of the determination line, or the pointer P is located on the left side of the determination line. 
         [0055]    Referring back to  FIG. 5 , next, the determination unit  15  determines whether the pointer P is located on the determination line (Step S 28 ). When it is determined that the pointer P is located on the determination line, the display control unit  17  keeps displaying the determination line (Step S 30 ). When it is determined that the pointer P is not located on the determination line, the display control unit  17  stops displaying the determination line (Step S 32 ). Although the determination line disappears from the screen when the pointer P moves away from the determination line in the present embodiment, the display control unit  17  may keep displaying the determination line even after the pointer P moves away from the determination line, or does not have to display the determination line on the screen at all. 
         [0056]    Next, the determination unit  15  determines whether the window W 3  has been dropped within a predetermined period of time (Step S 34 ). When it is determined that the window W 3  has not been dropped within the predetermined period of time, the fitting processing proceeds back to Step S 24  in which the information acquisition unit  14  acquires the current position of the pointer P, and repeats the steps after Step S 24 . When it is determined that the window W 3  has been dropped within the predetermined period of time, the fitting processing ends. In this case, the window W 3  is displayed at its dropped position with its size unchanged. 
         [0057]    Meanwhile, after the determination line is kept displaying in Step S 30 , the determination unit  15  determines whether the window W 3  has been dropped within a predetermined period of time since the display of the determination line (Step S 36 ). When it is determined that the window W 3  has not been dropped within the predetermined period of time, the fitting processing proceeds back to Step S 24  in which the information acquisition unit  14  acquires the current position of the pointer P, and repeats the steps after Step S 24 . When it is determined in Step S 36  that the window W 3  has been dropped within the predetermined period of time, the determination unit  15  determines that a certain window has been selected to be displayed in association with two windows. Then, the determination unit  15  determines whether there are two windows adjacent to each other (adjacent windows) close to the certain window (Step S 38 ). When it is determined that there are no adjacent windows, the fitting processing ends. In this case, the window W 3  is displayed at its drop position with its size unchanged. 
         [0058]    Meanwhile, when it is determined that there are adjacent windows, the display control unit  17  displays the adjacent windows, based on the fitting coordinate table  20 , after moving and resizing them to fit the fitting areas on which they are to be displayed (Step S 40 ). Next, the display control unit  17  moves and displays the dropped window in an interspace between the adjacent windows after resizing the dropped window to fit its fitting area (Step S 42 ). The fitting processing thus ends. 
         [0059]    To be more specific, in Step S 40 , the specification unit  16  specifies fitting areas corresponding to the determination line on which the pointer P is located, the specification being made based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  in the fitting coordinate table  20 . 
         [0060]    For example, when the window W 3  moves in the lower right direction to follow the movement of the pointer P as illustrated in  FIG. 6A , the display control unit  17  displays the determination line L 2  as illustrated in  FIG. 6B . Then, when the pointer P is placed on the determination line L 2 , the specification unit  16  specifies, in the fitting coordinate table  20 , the coordinates of fitting area  23  corresponding to the determination line information  21  “L 2 ”. 
         [0061]    In the present embodiment, when the window W 3  illustrated in  FIG. 6B  is dropped over the determination line L 2  with the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  being present, the display control unit  17  displays the adjacent window W 1  after moving the window W 1  to a fitting area defined by (X 41 ,Y 41 )-(X 42 ,Y 42 ) based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  and resizing the window W 1  to fit this fitting area. In addition, the display control unit  17  displays the adjacent window W 2  after moving the window W 2  to a fitting area defined by (X 61 ,Y 61 )-(X 62 ,Y 62 ) based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  and resizing the window W 2  to fit this fitting area. 
         [0062]    The display control unit  17  also displays the dropped window W 3  after moving the window W 3  to a fitting area defined by (X 51 ,Y 51 )-(X 52 ,Y 52 ) based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  and resizing the window W 3  to fit this fitting area. Thereby, as illustrated in  FIG. 6C , the window W 3  dragged by the user and the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  are displayed at their display positions according to a particular layout after being resized to fit their respective fitting areas. 
         [0063]    Thus, an operated window and adjacent windows may be arranged at once in conformity with the areas where the adjacent windows have been displayed, more easily than when the operated window is manually inserted between the adjacent windows in conformity with the areas where the adjacent windows have been displayed. 
         [0064]    In  FIGS. 6A to 6C , the operated window W 3  is inserted between the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  so that the three windows W 1  to W 3  may be arranged adjacent to one another. It is also possible for the display control method according to the present embodiment to insert the operated window W 3  between the two windows W 1 , W 2  which are close or opposite to each other so that the three windows W 1  to W 3  may be arranged adjacent to one another. 
         [0065]    For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 7A , the display control unit  17  displays the determination line L 2  in an interspace between the two opposing windows W 1 , W 2 . The pointer P moving the window W 3  by a drag operation is placed over the determination line L 2 , and the window W 3  is dropped there. In response to this, as illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the display control unit  17  displays the window W 3  and the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  adjacently based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  corresponding to the determination line information  21  “L 2 ”. 
         [0066]    It is also possible for the display control method according to the present embodiment to arrange the three windows W 1  to W 3  adjacently by inserting the operated window W 3  between the two windows W 1 , W 2  which partially or entirely overlap each other. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 8A , the display control unit  17  displays the determination line L 2  on an overlap between the two partially overlapping windows W 1 , W 2 . The pointer P moving the window W 3  is placed over the determination line L 2 , and the window W 3  is dropped there. In response to this, as illustrated in  FIG. 8B , the display control unit  17  displays the window W 3  and the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  adjacently based on the coordinates of fitting area  23  corresponding to the determination line information  21  “L 2 ”. 
         [0067]    For example, as illustrated in (a) of  FIG. 9 , the display control unit  17  displays a determination line L 2   a  and a determination line L 2   b  on the upper side and the lower side, respectively, of the two entirely-overlapping windows W 1 , W 2 . In (b- 1 ) of  FIG. 9 , the pointer P moving the window W 3  is placed over the determination line L 2   a . When the window W 3  is dropped here, as illustrated in (c- 1 ) of  FIG. 9 , the display control unit  17  may display the window W 3  adjacent to the overlapping windows W 1 , W 2  on the side where the determination line L 2   a  is displayed. Alternatively, as illustrated in (c- 2 ) of  FIG. 9 , the display control unit  17  may adjacently display the three windows W 3 , W 1 , W 2  with the windows W 1 , W 2  not overlapping each other and the window W 3  being adjacent to the window W 1  on the side where the determination line L 2   a  is displayed. 
         [0068]    Similarly, in (b- 2 ) of  FIG. 9 , the pointer P moving the window W 3  is located on the determination line L 2   b . When the window W 3  is dropped in this state, as illustrated in (c- 3 ) of  FIG. 9 , the display control unit  17  may display the window W 3  adjacent to the overlapping windows W 1 , W 2  on the side where the determination line L 2   b  is displayed. Alternatively, as illustrated in (c- 4 ) of  FIG. 9 , the display control unit  17  may adjacently display the three windows W 3 , W 1 , W 2  with the windows W 1 , W 2  not overlapping each other and the window W 3  being adjacent to the window W 1  on the side where the determination line L 2   b  is displayed. 
         [0069]    In (a) of  FIG. 10 , a window W 1 , a window W 2 , and a window W 3  are displayed in the upper left quarter, the upper right quarter, and the lower right quarter of the screen, respectively. A window W 4  moves, by a drag operation, to follow the movement of the pointer P. In this event, in (a) of FIG.  10 , a determination line L 1  is displayed on the border between the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2 , and a determination line L 2  is displayed on the border between the adjacent windows W 2 , W 3 . 
         [0070]    In an example illustrated in (b- 1 ) of  FIG. 10 , the pointer P moves over the determination line L 1 , and the window W 4  is dropped there. Then, as illustrated in (c- 1 ) of  FIG. 10 , the window W 4  is displayed between the windows W 1 , W 2  adjacently in conformity with the areas where the adjacent windows W 1 , W 2  have been displayed. Thereby, the operated window W 4  and the two windows W 1 , W 2  may be adjacently arranged at once in the areas where the windows W 1 , W 2  have been displayed, more easily than when the operated window W 4  is manually arranged between the two windows W 1 , W 2  adjacently. 
         [0071]    In addition, in an example illustrated in (b- 2 ) of  FIG. 10 , the pointer P moves over the determination line L 2 , and the window W 4  is dropped there. Then, as illustrated in (c- 2 ) of  FIG. 10 , the window W 4  is displayed between the windows W 2 , W 3  adjacently in conformity with the areas where the adjacent windows W 2 , W 3  have been displayed. Thereby, the operated window W 4  and the two windows W 2 , W 3  may be adjacently arranged at once in the areas where the windows W 2 , W 3  have been displayed, more easily than when the operated window W 4  is manually arranged between the two windows W 2 , W 3  adjacently. 
         [0072]    As described above, the display control method according to the present embodiment allows a certain window to be displayed between two windows which are already displayed. This is achieved more easily than displaying the three windows by manually changing their positions and sizes, and without changing other display properties of the two windows. 
         [0073]    The recording unit  13  may register the favorite layout information  34  in the data management table  30 . As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the favorite layout information  34  may have the following data items: favorite number  35 , registered layout  36 , and ratio  37 . Based on the registered layout  36  specified by the favorite number  35 , multiple windows may be displayed after being resized and rearranged according to a specified favorite layout. For example, the multiple windows may be displayed according to a preset layout in the registered layout  36  specified by the favorite number  35 . 
         [0074]    Although the display control device  1  is integral with the display device  6  in the present embodiment, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, a display control device  10  according to the present embodiment may be configured separately from the display device  6 , as illustrated in  FIG. 12 . Examples of the display control device  10  include a stick computer (a mouse computer). 
         [0075]    For example, the display control device  10  is connected to the display device  6  by plugging a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI (registered trademark)) connector of the display control device  10  into an HDMI port of the display device  6 . Examples of the display device  6  include a television, a display, and a projector. An input device such as a mouse  50  may be connected to a USB port of the display control device  10 . The mouse  50  is used to allow the window W displayed on the display device  6  to move. 
         [0076]    The display control device, the display control method, and the display control program have been described above through the embodiment. However, the display control device, the display control method, and the display control program according to the present disclosure are not limited to the ones described in the embodiment, and may be modified and improved variously without departing from the present disclosure. If there are more than one embodiment and modification, they may be combined as long as contradiction does not occur. 
         [0077]    All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.