Mobile terminal device and display method of mobile terminal device

A mobile terminal device includes a display section having a display surface for displaying a screen including information, an accepting section which accepts a moving operation for moving the screen, and a display control section which controls the display section based on the moving operation. When the moving operation for moving an end of the screen inside the end of the display surface is performed, the display control section controls the display section so that the screen is deformed to a moving direction of the screen in a direction of movement of the screen by the moving operation.

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-287959 filed Dec. 24, 2010, entitled “MOBILE TERMINAL DEVICE”. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a display method of the mobile terminal device.

2. Disclosure of Related Art

Conventionally, in a mobile terminal device, when a user performs a predetermined input operation using a touch panel, for example, a data file corresponding to the input operation is read from a memory, and an image representing contents of the data file (hereinafter, referred to as a “contents image”) is displayed on a display surface. At this time, when a data amount of the data file is large and a range of the contents image is larger than a range of the display surface, images displayable within the range of the display surface are extracted from the contents image, and the extracted partial images are displayed on the display surface. When the user performs a predetermined moving operation on the touch panel, a position of the contents image moves with respect to the display surface according to the moving operation. For example, when the operation is performed so that the contents image moves to a left side, a portion on a right side with respect to the portion of the contents image displayed on the display surface is displayed on the display surface. When a right end of the contents image arrives at a right end of the display surface, even if the user tries to further move the contents image left, the contents image does not move left because no image is present on the right side of the right end of the contents image.

Thus, when the end of the contents image arrives at the end of the display surface, the contents image does not move according to the user's moving operation. However, also when the user's moving operation is not accepted by the touch panel, the contents image does not move and is paused. Therefore, when the contents image does not move, the user does not clearly understand whether the end of the contents image arrives at the end of the display surface or the moving operation is not accepted.

In the mobile terminal device where the contents image moves (scroll) on the display surface, when an image that should be displayed on the display surface is present on an upper side or a lower side of the image displayed on the display surface, for example, a constitution such that a mark is displayed on an upper part or a lower part of the display surface may be employed. In such a mobile terminal device, when a mark is displayed on the display surface, the user understands that an image to be displayed on the display surface is present outside the display surface, and thus the end of the contents image does not arrive at the end of the display surface.

In the above constitution, however, when the mark is displayed within the display surface, an area where the contents image is displayed is narrowed by a display area of the mark. Since the display surface is small particularly in mobile terminal devices, the narrowing of the display area for a contents image is desired to be avoided as much as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a mobile terminal device. The mobile terminal device according to this aspect includes a display section having a display surface where a screen including information is displayed, an accepting section which accepts a moving operation for moving the screen, and a display control section which controls the display section based on the moving operation. When the moving operation for moving an end of the screen inside an end of the display surface is performed, the display control section controls the display section so that the screen is deformed on the display surface in a direction of movement of the screen by the moving operation.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a display method of a mobile terminal device including a display section having a display surface for displaying a screen including information. The display method according to this aspect includes the steps of accepting a moving operation for moving the screen, and when the moving operation for moving an end of the screen inside an end of the display surface is performed, deforming the screen in a direction of movement of the screen by the moving operation.

The drawings are, however, for the description, and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings.FIGS. 1A and 1Bare diagrams illustrating an appearance constitution of a mobile phone1.FIGS. 1A and 1Bare a front view and a side view.

The mobile phone1has a cabinet10including a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface of the cabinet10is provided with a touch panel. The touch panel has a display11for displaying an image, and a touch sensor12that is overlapped on the display11.

The display11corresponds to a display section. The display11is composed of a liquid crystal panel11a, and a panel backlight11bfor illuminating the liquid crystal panel11a. The liquid crystal panel11ahas a display surface11cfor displaying an image, and the display surface11cappears outside. The touch sensor12is arranged on the display surface11c. Another display element such as an organic EL may be used instead of the liquid crystal panel11a.

The touch sensor12is formed into a transparent sheet shape. The display surface11cis seen through the touch sensor12. The touch sensor12has first transparent electrodes and second transparent electrodes that are arranged into a matrix pattern, and a cover. The touch sensor12detects a change in a capacitance between the first transparent electrodes and the second transparent electrodes so as to detect a position on the display surface11ctouched by a user (hereinafter, referred to as an “input position”), and outputs a position signal according to the input position to a CPU100, described later. The touch sensor12corresponds to an accepting section for accepting a user's input into the first display surface11c. The touch sensor12is not limited to a capacitance touch sensor, and thus may be an ultrasonic touch sensor, a pressure-sensitive touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, or a photo-detective touch sensor.

That the user touches the display surface11cmeans that, for example, the user touches, slides, and flicks the display surface11cusing a contact member such as a pen, or a finger. Further, to touch the display surface11cactually means to touch a region, where an image on the display surface11cis displayed, on the surface of the cover over the touch sensor12. “Slide” means an operation for continuously moving a contact member or a finger on the display surface11cperformed by the user. “Flick” means an operation for releasing the contact member or the finger from the display surface11cquickly in a flicking manner performed by the user, namely, an operation for moving the contact member or the finger by a short distance for a short time with the contact member or the finger touching the display surface11c.

A microphone13and a speaker14are arranged on the front surface of the cabinet10. The user captures a voice from the speaker14via user's ears, and makes a voice to the microphone13so as to do voice communication.

A lens window (not shown) of a camera module15(seeFIG. 2) is arranged on the rear surface of the cabinet10. An image of a subject is captured through the lens window into the camera module15.

FIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating an entire constitution of the mobile phone1.

The mobile phone1according to the embodiment includes the above components, the CPU100, a memory200, a video encoder301, a voice encoder302, a communication module303, a backlight driving circuit304, a video decoder305, a voice decoder306, and a clock307.

The camera module15includes a photographing section that has an image pickup device such as a CCD, and photographs an image. The camera module15digitalizes an imaging signal output from the image pickup device, and makes various corrections such as a gamma correction on the imaging signal so as to output the signal to the video encoder301. The video encoder301executes an encoding process on the imaging signal from the camera module15so as to output the signal to the CPU100.

The microphone13converts the collected voices into a voice signal so as to output the signal to the voice encoder302. The voice encoder302converts the analog voice signal from the microphone13into a digital voice signal, and executes an encoding process on the digital voice signal so as to output the signal to the CPU100.

The communication module303converts information from the CPU100into a radio signal, and transmits the signal to abase station via an antenna303a. Further, the communication module303converts the radio signal received via the antenna303ainto information so as to output it to the CPU100.

The backlight driving circuit304supplies a voltage signal according to a control signal from the CPU100to the panel backlight11b. The panel backlight11bturns on by means of a voltage signal from the backlight driving circuit304, and illuminates the liquid crystal panel11a.

The video decoder305converts the video signal form the CPU100into an analog or digital video signal that may be displayed on the liquid crystal panel11a, and outputs the signal to the liquid crystal panel11a. The liquid crystal panel11adisplays an image according to the video signal on the display surface11c.

The voice decoder306executes a decoding process on the voice signal from the CPU100and sound signals of various alarm sounds such as a ringtone or an alarm sound, and converts the signals into analog voice signals so as to output them to the speaker14. The speaker14reproduces a voice and an alarm sound based on a voice signal and a sound signal from the voice decoder306.

The clock307counts time, and outputs a signal according to the counted time to the CPU100.

The memory200is a storage section including a ROM and a RAM. The memory200stores control programs for giving control functions to the CPU100. The control programs include a control program for informing that an end of a contents image400displayed on the display11arrives at the end of the display surface11cof the display11.

The memory200stores data files therein. For example, the memory200stores data files including information photographed by the camera module15, data files including information captured from the outside via the communication module303, and data files including information input via the touch sensor12by a user's operation, therein. For example, a data file having contact information includes information such as names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses, and these pieces of information are related to each other.

The memory200stores a position defining table therein. In the position defining table, positions of images displayed on the display surface11care related with contents corresponding to the images. The images include, for example, characters, and pictures such as icons and buttons. The contents corresponding to the images include processes relating to files and programs.

The memory200stores operation moving amount specifying information therein. As described later, when the user changes an input position by means of the slide operation or the flick operation, accordingly as shown inFIG. 3B, the contents image400moves with respect to a display region402. A range of the image to be displayed on the display surface11cis determined as the display region402for convenience of the description. The operation moving amount specifying information is information for specifying an operation moving amount W of the contents image400after a finger or the like is released from the display surface11cbased on a distance moved by the input position in the slide operation or the flick operation for predetermined time before the release (hereinafter, referred to as a “displacement distance IL of the input position”).

For example, the operation moving amount specifying information is a table where the displacement distance IL of the input position is related with the operation moving amount W of the contents image400. The operation moving amount specifying information may be an arithmetic expression for calculating the operation moving amount W of the contents image400based on the displacement distance IL of the input position.

The predetermined time is suitably set. For example, time from previous control timing to current control timing (hereinafter, simply referred to as “control timing interval”) is set as the predetermined time. For example, the operation moving amount W represents a distance by which the contents image400is moved with respect to the display region402(hereinafter, referred to as “an operation moving distance WL”), based on the user's slide operation or flick operation. Alternatively the operation moving amount W represents a speed at which the contents image400is moved (hereinafter, referred to as “an operation moving speed WS”), and time in which the contents image400is moved.

In the operation moving amount specifying information, as the displacement distance IL of the input position is larger, the operation moving speed WS of the contents image400becomes higher, and the operation moving distance WL is set to be longer. As a result, as the user moves the finger touched on the display surface11cmore quickly, the contents image400moves longer and more quickly.

The CPU100refers to the position defining table stored in the memory200so as to specify information input by the user based on a position signal form the touch sensor12. The CPU100operates the camera module15, the microphone13, the communication module303, the panel backlight11b, the liquid crystal panel11a, and the speaker14based on the input information according to the control program. As a result, various applications such as a telephone call function and a texting function are executed.

The CPU100controls the display11as the display control section based on the information or the like input by the user via the touch sensor12. For example, the CPU100outputs a control signal for supplying a voltage to the panel backlight11bto the backlight driving circuit304so as to turn on the panel backlight11b. The CPU100outputs a video signal to the video decoder305, and displays an image on the display surface11cof the liquid crystal panel11a. On the other hand, the CPU100outputs a control signal for preventing supply of a voltage to the panel backlight11bto the backlight driving circuit304so as to turn off the panel backlight11b. The CPU100further makes a control so as to delete an image from the display surface11cof the liquid crystal panel11a.

For example, the CPU100reads a data file from the memory200, and generates the contents image400shown inFIG. 3Busing information in the data file. When the contents image400is larger than the display region402having a basic length H1, the CPU100extracts image portions within the display region402as partial images401from the contents image400. As shown inFIG. 3A, the CPU100displays the extracted partial images401on the display surface11c. The contents image400and the partial images401as parts of the contents image400correspond to “an image including information” of the present invention. The information includes pictures or characters. Examples of the pictures are paintings, figures, photographs, and icons. Examples of the characters are symbols, codes, and emblems representing languages and numerics.

When the partial images401are enlarged to be displayed on the display surface11c, the CPU100sets a length Hx of the display region402to a smaller value than the basic length H1as shown inFIG. 4B, for example. The CPU100extracts the partial images401in the reduced display region402, and enlarges the extracted partial images401so as to display them on the display surface11c.

The length Hx and the basic length H1of the display region402are a length between an upper end and a lower end of the display region402. The length of the display region402represents a distance in a vertical direction, and the vertical direction corresponds to the Y-axis direction shown in the drawing.

At this time, the CPU100may change a magnification percentage of images within the partial images401according to positions in the partial images401. For example, the CPU100sets the magnification percentage of an image so that the magnification percentage becomes gradually smaller along a direction indicated by the Y axis (a lower direction inFIG. 4B). As a result, as shown inFIG. 4A, smaller images are displayed towards the lower direction, and thus the partial images401are displayed so as to extend down from the upper end as a base point.

The partial images401are displayed on the display surface11cby mapping image data of the partial images401in an image memory for image display. A memory region according to the basic length H1is set in the image memory, and the images mapped in this memory region are displayed on the display surface11c. The image data of the contents image400shown inFIG. 3Bare developed in the memory200in a state that they are arranged in one direction as shown inFIG. 3B. Predetermined regions are cut from the image data developed in such a manner, and the cut image data are mapped in the memory region of the image memory. The image memory is also set in the memory200.

In a case of display with a normal magnification, the image data of the partial images401with the basic length H1are cut from the image data of the contents image400, and the cut image data are mapped in the memory region of the image memory.

In a case of enlarged display, image data of the partial images401with a length shorter than the basic length H1, for example, the length Hx are cut from the image data of the contents image400, and the cut image data are mapped in the memory region of the image memory. In this case, since a size of the cut image data is smaller than a size of the memory region of the image memory, the image data of each line in an X-axis direction inFIG. 4Bis mapped repeatedly in the memory region. The number of repeating times at each line is adjusted, so that smaller images are displayed downwards as shown inFIG. 4A, and the partial images401are displayed so as to extend down from the upper end as the base point.

As described later, the partial images401to be displayed on the display surface11cchange according to the slide operation or the flick operation. This occurs due to a change in the cut regions of the image data of the partial images401with respect to the image data of the contents image400.

The partial images401are displayed on the display surface11cby mapping the image data in the image memory. For convenience of the description, the display control of the partial images401with respect to the display surface11cis described below by using not the image data but the contents image400, the partial images401and the display region402.

The CPU100makes a control so that the partial images401displayed on the display surface11care moved according to information input by the user via the touch sensor12.

Concretely, when the slide operation or the flick operation is performed, the CPU100receives signals from the clock307and the touch sensor12, and specifies an input position on the touch sensor12based on the signals so as to obtain the displacement distance IL of the input position in the Y-axis direction at the control timing interval. The CPU100specifies the operation moving distance WL of the contents image400at the control timing interval based on the displacement distance IL.

For example, the CPU100sets the displacement distance IL of the input position to the operation moving distance WL of the contents image400while the user's finger touches the display surface11cin the slide operation or the flick operation. Further, after the user's finger is released from the display surface11cafter the slide operation or in the flick operation, the CPU100specifies the operation moving distance WL according to the displacement distance IL of the input position before the release based on the operation moving amount specifying information in the memory200.

When the input position displaces to the same direction as the Y-axis direction shown inFIG. 3B, the operation moving direction is set to the same direction as the Y-axis direction. As a result, when the displacement direction of the input position is the Y-axis direction, the partial images401move to the Y-axis direction with respect to the display region402.

The CPU100determines a positional relationship between the contents image400and the display region402. When a width of the contents image400is equal to a width of the display region402as shown inFIG. 3B, the CPU100obtains an interval h between the upper end of the contents image400and the upper end of the display region402. The widths indicate distances in a lateral direction, and the lateral direction corresponds to the X-axis direction shown in the drawing.

When the interval h is 0 as shown inFIG. 5A, the CPU100determines that the upper end of the contents image400matches with the upper end of the display region402. When the interval h is H2−H1as shown inFIG. 5B, the CPU100determines that the lower end of the contents image400matches with the lower end of the display region402. Note that, H2indicates a length from the upper end to the lower end of the contents image400.

Processing Procedure in First Embodiment

FIGS. 6 and 7are flowcharts illustrating a processing procedure for displaying an image generated by using information in the data file.FIGS. 8A to 8DandFIGS. 9A to 9Care diagrams where a contact list is displayed on the display surface11c.

When the user performs an operation for opening the data file of the contact information, the CPU100reads the data file of the contact information from the memory200. The CPU100generates a contents image400of a contact list including the contact information using the information in the data file (S101).

As shown inFIG. 5A, the CPU100sets the interval h between the upper end of the contents image400and the upper end of the display region402to “0” as an initial value. Further, the CPU100sets the length of the display region402to the basic length H1. The CPU100extracts the partial images401in the display region402from the contents image400, and displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S102) as shown inFIG. 8A. As a result, images from DATA1to DATA4at the top of the contact list are displayed on the display surface11c.

When the user touches the display surface11cwith a finger, the CPU100specifies an input position based on a position signal from the touch sensor12. When the user moves the finger, the CPU100determines that the input position changes (YES at S103).

When the finger is slid up while touching the display surface11cas shown inFIG. 8A, the CPU100obtains a displacement distance IL:Dy1in the Y-axis direction of the input position at the control timing interval (S104).

When the position signal is input from the touch sensor12here, the CPU100determines that the finger is not released from the display surface11c(NO at S105).

The CPU100obtains an operation moving distance WL:Dy1of the contents image400based on the displacement distance IL:Dy1(S106). The CPU100determines a displacement direction of the input position as a moving direction of the contents image400. At this time, since the displacement direction of the input position is opposite to a direction indicated by the Y axis, the moving direction of the contents image400is also opposite to the direction indicated by the Y axis. The user performs an operation so that the contents image400moves on the display region402to the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the Y axis, namely, to an upper direction by the operation moving distance WL.

The CPU100determines whether the end of the contents image400is going to be moved inside the end of the display region402, namely, the end of the display surface11cby the user's moving operation for moving the part of the contents image400displayed on the display surface11c(S107). For this reason, the CPU100adds the operation moving distance WL:Dy1to a current interval h:0 so as to obtain an interval after moving h:Dy1. The CPU100determines whether the interval after moving h:Dy1is such that “0≦Dy1≦H2−H1”. In this case, the interval after moving h:Dy1is such that “0≦Dy1≦H2−H1”. For this reason, even when the contents image400is moved with respect to the display region402according to the operation moving distance WL:Dy1, the end of the content image400does not arrives at the end of the display region402. Therefore, the CPU100determines that the end of the contents image400is not going to move inside the end of the display region402(NO at S107).

Therefore, the CPU100moves the contents image400down with respect to the display region402by the operation moving distance WL:Dy1, and sets the interval h:Dy1. The CPU100extracts the partial images401from the contents image400in the display region402after moving, and displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S108). As a result, the contents image400is moved up and displayed on the display surface11caccording to the moving-up of the finger on the display surface11cby the user.

When the user performs the slide operation, the CPU100repeats the process from step S103to step S108at each control timing while the finger touches the touch sensor12. As a result, as shown inFIG. 8B, the contents image400moves up on the display region402according to the slide operation for moving the finger up, and images DATA5to7that are hidden under the lower end of the display surface11care displayed on the display surface11c.

As shown inFIG. 8C, in a state that the interval h is set to “0” and the upper end of the contents image400matches with the upper end of the display region402, when the user slides the finger down along the display surface11cwith the finger touching the display surface11c, the CPU100detects a change in the input position (YES at S103). The CPU100obtains a displacement distance IL:Dy2of the input position at the control timing interval (S104).

Since the finger is not released from the display surface11c, the CPU100determines that the release operation is not performed (S105).

The CPU100obtains the operation moving distance WL:Dy2based on the displacement distance IL:Dy2(S107). In this case, since the input position displaces to the same direction as the direction indicated by the Y axis, the CPU100subtracts the operation moving distance WL:Dy2from the interval h before moving so as to obtain an interval h:0−Dy2after moving. Since the interval h after moving is 0 or less, the CPU100determines that the end of the contents image400is going to move inside the end of the display region402(YES at S107).

As shown inFIG. 4B, the CPU100reduces the length of the display region402from the basic length H1by the operation moving distance WL:Dy2, and sets the length of the display region402to Hx:H1−WL. The CPU100extracts the partial images401in the reduced display region402from the contents image400, and displays the extracted partial images401on the display surface11c. As a result, the partial images401are enlarged by the operation moving distance WL and are displayed.

At this time, the CPU100sets an enlargement percentage of the partial images401so that the partial images401closer to the upper end have larger values. As a result, the partial images401are displayed so as to be extended from the upper end of the display surface11c(S109).

The CPU100determines whether the finger is released from the display surface11c(S110). When the finger is not released, the CPU100determines that the release operation is not performed (NO at S110). As a result, the process at step S103is again executed. When the user continues to slide the finger down on the display surface11c, the input position displaces (YES at S103). The CPU100obtains a displacement distance IL:Dy3of the input position (S104), and determines that the release operation is not performed (NO at S105). The CPU100obtains the operation moving distance WL:Dy3based on the displacement distance IL (S106), and determines that the end of the contents image400is going to move inside the end of the display region402(NO at S107). The length of the display region402Hx:H1−Dy2is set, and the size of the display region402is reduced. For this reason, the CPU100reduces the length of the display region402from the length Hx:H1−Dy2of the reduced display region402by the operation moving distance WL:Dy3, and sets the length Hx of the display region402to H1−Dy2−Dy3. The CPU100extracts the partial images401in the further reduced display region402from the contents image400so as to display the partial images401on the display surface11c. As a result, the partial images401are further enlarged to be displayed.

After the partial images401are enlarged, the CPU100repeats the process from S103to S107and S109until the finger is released. As a result, since the display region402is gradually reduced as the finger moves on the display surface11c, the partial images401are gradually extended. As a result, as shown inFIG. 8D, the extended partial images401are displayed.

On the other hand, when the finger is released from the display surface11cafter the slide operation, while gradually changing the length Hx of the display region402to the basic length H1, the CPU100displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S111). As a result, the partial images401shrink to be displayed.

As shown inFIG. 9A, when the user slides the finger down with the finger touching the display surface11c, the CPU100detects a change in the input position (YES at S103), and obtains the displacement distance IL:Dyn of the input position (S104). When the user releases the finger from the display surface11cafter the slide operation, a position signal is not input from the touch sensor12, and the CPU100determines that the finger is released from the display surface11c(YES at S105).

The CPU100obtains the operation moving speed WS and the operation moving distance WL:yn according to the displacement distance IL:Dyn of the input position just before the release based on the operation moving amount specifying information (S112). As a result, the contents image400moves at the operation moving speed WS while the contents image400moved by the operation moving distance WL:yn after the finger is released.

The CPU100subtracts the operation moving distance WL:yn from the interval h:hn before moving so as to obtain the interval after moving h:hn−yn. The CPU100determines whether the interval after moving h is between “0” and “H1−H2” (S113). When the interval after moving h is between “0” and “H1−H2”, similarly to the above, the CPU100determines that the end of the contents image400is not going to move inside the end of the display region402(NO at S113). The CPU100moves the contents image400by the operation moving distance WL, and extracts the partial images401in the display region402after moving so as to display the partial images401on the display surface11c(S114). The CPU100returns to the process at step S103.

On the other hand, when the interval after moving h is not between “0” and “H1−H2”, the CPU100determines that the end of the contents image400is going to move inside the end of the display region402(YES at S113).

While moving the contents image400to the end of the display region402at the operation moving speed WS, the CPU100displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S115). As a result, the partial images401move by the interval h:hn, and the upper end of the display region402arrives at the upper end of the contents image400.

Even when the upper end of the display region402arrives at the upper end of the contents image400, the operation moving distance WL of “yn−hn” remains. For this reason, as shown inFIG. 9B, since the CPU100informs that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display region402, the CPU100processes the images.

As shown inFIG. 4B, the CPU100gradually reduces the length Hx of the display region402from the basic length H1by the operation moving distance WL:yn−hn. The CPU100extracts the partial images401in the reduced display region402from the contents image400, and displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S116). As a result, the partial images401are gradually enlarged according to the operation moving distance WL so as to be displayed. For this reason, the partial images401are gradually extended so as to be displayed on the display surface11c. The enlargement percentages of the partial images401is set so as to be larger on regions closer to the upper end of the partial images401. As a result, as shown inFIG. 9B, the partial images401are extended down from the upper end as the basic point so as to be displayed.

After the length Hx of the display region402arrives at “H1−(yn−hn)” and the partial images401are enlarged, the CPU100gradually changes the length Hx of the display region402from “H1−(yn−hn)” to 0. The CPU100restores the size of the display region402and simultaneously displays the partial images401on the display surface11c(S111). As a result, the partial images401are displayed so as to be reduced towards the upper end of the display surface11c. As shown inFIG. 9C, the partial images401are restored to their original sizes.

The user may flick the display surface11cdown so as to move the partial images401. In the flick operation, the time from the finger's touch on the display surface11cto the release, and the displacement distance IL of the input position are very shorter than the time and the displacement distance IL of the input position in the slide operation. However, similarly to the process in the slide operation, the operation moving distance WL is obtained based on the displacement distance IL of the input position between the finger's touch to the release on/from the display surface11c, and the contents image400are moved according to the operation moving distance WL. After the finger is released from the display surface11c, the operation moving distance WL is obtained based on the displacement distance IL of the input position just before release, and the contents image400is moved according to the operation moving distance WL.

According to this embodiment, when the user performs the moving operation for moving the end of the contents image400inside the end of the display surface11c, the partial images401are displayed in a extendable manner. For this reason, the user understands that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11c, and a user's input is accepted.

According to this embodiment, the partial images401are extended larger towards the end, so that the user easily understands a position of the end of the partial images401.

According to this embodiment, the partial images401are extended larger as a manipulated variable of the moving operation (the displacement distance IL, the operation moving distance WL) is larger. An extension amount of the images to be displayed on the display surface11cchanges according to the user's manipulated variable, so that the user understands more easily that the input is accepted.

According to this embodiment, since the sizes of the enlarged partial images401are restored to their original sizes, the user easily understands that the informing that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11cis completed.

Further, according to this embodiment, a mark or the like for informing that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11cis not displayed on the display surface11c. For this reason, an area on the display surface11cwhere the contents image400is displayed is prevented from becoming narrow due to the mark for informing about the arrival.

Other Embodiments

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the embodiment of the present invention may be variously modified.

For example, after the CPU100informs that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11c, as shown inFIG. 10A, an image of a loop mark M for making the contents image400into a loop shape may be displayed. When the loop mark M is touched by the user's finger, the upper end and the lower end of the contents image400are connected. As a result, when the upper end of the contents image400is moved inside the upper end of the display surface11c, as shown inFIG. 10B, the CPU100makes a control so that the partial images401such that the lower end of the contents image400continues to the upper end of the content image400are displayed on the display surface11c. As a result, after arriving at the upper end of the contents image400, the lower end of the contents image400may be displayed easily. As shown inFIG. 10C, when the lower end of the contents image400arrives at the lower end of the display surface11c, similarly the loop mark M is displayed on the display surface11c. When after the loop mark M is touched, the lower end of the contents image400is moved inside the lower end of the display surface11c, as shown inFIG. 10D, the CPU100makes a control so that the partial images401such that the upper end of the contents image400continues to the lower end of the contents image400are displayed on the display surface11c.

A part of the contents image400to be displayed on the display surface11cafter the arrival of the end of the contents image400at the end of the display surface11cis informed may be preset. For example, when the CPU100sequentially repeats the operation for extending and contracting the partial images401, if the number of repetition times is counted and the number of repetition times exceeds a predetermined number of times, the partial images401as set portions of the contents image400are displayed on the display surface11c. For example, after the partial images401are extended and contracted in a state that the partial images401denoted by DATA1to4shown inFIG. 11Aare displayed on the display surface11c, the partial images401denoted by DATA6to9shown inFIG. 11Bare displayed on the display surface11c. The portions to be moved may be preset by the user. Portions that are displayed for predetermined time or more as the partial images401before the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11cmay be set as portions to be displayed.

In this embodiment, when the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11c, namely, the end of the display region402and the operation moving distance WL remains, the end of the contents image400moves to the end of the display region402, and then the partial images401are enlarged according to the residual operation moving distance WL. On the contrary, even when the operation moving distance WL remains at the time when the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display region402, in the operation at that time, the partial images401may be set not to be enlarged based on the residual operation moving distance WL. As a result, when the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display region402, the partial images401are once paused to be displayed. When the slide operation or the flick operation is again performed in a state that the end of the contents image400matches with the end of the display region402, and the end of the contents image400is moved inside the end of the display region402, the partial images401are enlarged according to the operation moving distance WL.

The above embodiment describes the case where the width of the contents image400is equal to the width of the display region402, and the contents image400is moved with respect to the display region402only in the Y-axis direction. On the contrary, as shown inFIG. 12A, when the size of the contents image400is larger than the size of the display region402in both the X-axis and Y-axis directions, the contents image400may be moved with respect to the display region402in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. As shown inFIG. 12B, the upper end and a left end of the contents image400match with the upper end and a left end of the display region402, respectively. When the user moves the finger down on the display surface11cin this state, as shown inFIG. 12C, the partial images401are enlarged in the Y-axis direction shown in the drawing so as to be displayed. When the finger is slid right on the display surface11c, as shown inFIG. 12D, the partial images401are enlarged in the X-axis direction shown in the drawing so as to be displayed. When the finger is further slid to a right-down direction on the display surface11c, as shown inFIG. 12E, the partial images401are enlarged to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions shown in the drawing so as to be displayed. When the finger is released from the display surface11c, the enlarged images are restored to their original sizes as shown inFIG. 12B. As a result, the user is informed that the end of the contents image400in the Y-axis and X-axis directions arrives at the end of the display surface11c.

In the above embodiment, all the partial images401are enlarged, but some of the partial images401may be enlarged. For example, the partial images401may be enlarged from the end to a position on the display surface11ctouched by the user.

In the above embodiment, the partial images401are enlarged so that their enlargement percentages are larger on positions closer to the end. On the contrary, the enlargement percentages of the partial images401may be uniform.

In the above embodiment, when the end of the contents image400is moved inside the end of the display surface11c, the partial images401are deformed to be extended. On the contrary, as shown inFIG. 13A, when the end of the contents image400is further moved inside in the state that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11c, the partial images401are deformed to contract as shown inFIG. 13B. In this case, the length Hx of the display region402shown inFIG. 4Bis set to be longer than the basic length H1. For this reason, when the partial images401in the lengthened display region402are extracted, the partial images401are contracted to be displayed on the display surface11c. When the partial images401contract in such a manner, the contents image400that is not displayed on the display surface11cuntil now is displayed. As a result, the user understands that the end of the contents image400arrives at the end of the display surface11cand the user's input is accepted.

In the above embodiment, the partial images401extend and then contract to their original size so as to be displayed. On the contrary, the partial images401may extend and then contract to be smaller than the original sizes, and further extend to the original sizes so as to be displayed.

In the above embodiment, the operation moving distance WL along which the contents image400moves is obtained based on the displacement distance IL of the input position. On the contrary, the operation moving distance WL may be obtained based on the speed at which the input position displaces.

In the above embodiment, when the end of the contents image400is moved inside the end of the display surface11c, the contents image400extends to a moving direction of the content image400from the end of the contents image400as the basic point according to the moving operation. On the contrary, when such a moving operation is performed, while the end of the contents image400is moving to the direction of the moving operation, the contents image400may extend to the direction of the moving operation.

Further, in the above embodiment, when the size of the contents image400is larger than the size of the display region402, namely, the size of the display surface11c, the contents image400moves with respect to the display region402. When the end of the content image400arrives at the end of the display region402, the partial images401are enlarged to be displayed. On the contrary, also when the size of the contents image400is the same as the size of the display region402, namely, the size of the display surface11c, the process similar to the above may be executed. In this case, since the end of the contents image400matches with the end of the display region402, when the user performs the moving operation, the contents image400does not move with respect to the display region402, and the partial images401are enlarged to be displayed.

In the above embodiment, the mobile phone1is used, but mobile terminal devices such as PDA and PHS may be used.

The embodiment of the present invention may be modified variously and suitably within the scope of the technical idea described in claims. For example, some parts or all parts in the embodiment may be combined.