Patent Publication Number: US-2005138575-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus with display

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-422351, filed Dec. 19, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND  
      1. Field  
      Embodiments of the present invention relate to a display control technique in an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Generally, an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer for example, has a software-based window system capable of displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen thereof. Each window is a specified display area on the screen. Each window has a work region, and images such as characters and pictures provided by a running application program corresponding to the window are displayed in the work region.  
      The software-based window system enables each window to be resized, and each window to move on the display screen. As the technique for resizing the window, an apparatus for changing the size of a window depending on the manipulation of a mouse button is known (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2000-293287). In this apparatus, while the mouse button is being pressed, the window size is gradually magnified or reduced along with the lapse of the time.  
      However, even if the window size is magnified, the display size of the content (characters, pictures, images, etc.) displayed in the window is not changed. Accordingly, if the display size of the content displayed in the window is small, in spite of magnifying the window size, the ease of seeing the characters, pictures, images, etc. displayed in the window is not improved.  
      In a software-based window system capable of displaying a plurality of windows at the same time, the user often manipulates for data input in a certain window while observing the content displayed in other windows. Under this condition, the certain window is active, but the other windows are inactive. To change the sizing of the content in the inactive window, such window is needed to be active first. Therefore, it is not simple to magnify or to reduce the content displayed in an arbitrary window, especially an inactive window, in this software-based window system.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated within and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram showing the system configuration of a computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary diagram showing configuration of a zooming utility program executed by the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of an application reference table used in the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of a command definition table used in the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of a display screen of the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 7  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which display contents in the window on the display screen of  FIG. 6  are magnified by depressing manipulation of a magnifying button according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 8  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 9  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which display contents in the window on the display screen of  FIG. 8  are reduced by depressing manipulation of a reducing button according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 10  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 11  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which a desktop display image on the display screen of  FIG. 10  is magnified by depressing manipulation of the magnifying button according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 12  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 13  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which a desktop display image on the display screen of  FIG. 12  is reduced by depressing manipulation of the reducing button according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 14  is an exemplary flow chart showing the procedure of adjusting process executed by the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 15  is an exemplary flow chart showing the procedure of process of detecting a window positioned beneath a mouse cursor, the process being executed by the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 16  is an exemplary flow chart showing another example of the procedure of process of detecting a window positioned beneath a mouse cursor executed by the computer according to the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 17  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to a second embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 18  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which display contents in the window and the window size on the display screen of  FIG. 17  are magnified by depressing manipulation of the magnifying button diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to the second embodiment;  
       FIG. 19  is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the display screen of the computer according to the second embodiment;  
       FIG. 20  is an exemplary diagram showing a mode in which display contents in the window and the window size on the display screen of  FIG. 19  are reduced by depressing manipulation of the reducing button according to the second embodiment; and  
       FIG. 21  is an exemplary flow chart showing another example of the procedure of adjusting process executed by the computer according to the second embodiment.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Various embodiments according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general, according to one embodiment of the invention, an information processing apparatus comprises a display which is capable of displaying a display area thereon, the display area being associated with a running program and being either active or inactive. The information processing apparatus further comprises a first user interface to detect an event representing a request to adjust a sizing of content displayed within the display area, a second user interface to receive data indicating a position of a pointer when the first user interface detects the event, and a control unit configured to adjust the sizing of the content in response to detection of the event by the first user interface in the case that the pointer&#39;s position that the second user interface receives is in the display area, regardless of whether the display area is active or inactive.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a configuration of information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. This information processing apparatus is realized, for example, by a notebook type personal computer  10 .  
      The computer  10  comprises a computer main body  11  and a display unit  12 .  FIG. 1  shows a state in which the display unit  12  of the notebook type personal computer  10  is open. The display unit  12  incorporates a display device composed of an LCD (liquid crystal display)  121 , and the display screen of the LCD  121  is positioned nearly in the center of the display unit  12 .  
      The display unit  12  is mounted on the computer main body  11  so as to be pivotable between the opening position and the closing position. The computer main body  11  has a box-shaped casing, and its upper side features a keyboard  13 , a power button  14  for turning on or off the power source of the computer  10 , an input operation panel  15 , and a touch pad  16 .  
      The input operation panel  15  is an input device for inputting an event corresponding to a pressed button, and includes a plurality of buttons for starting multiple functions. The button group includes a magnifying button  15 A and a reducing button  15 B. The magnifying button  15 A is a pushbutton switch for inputting a zoom event for instructing to magnify a content displayed in a window. The reducing button  15 B is a pushbutton switch for inputting a zoom event for instructing to reduce the content displayed in the window. The magnifying and the reducing operation may be referred hereinafter as adjusting a sizing of content.  
      The window means certain display area displayed on the display screen and is associated with a running program. Each window usually has a title bar, menu bar, and a work region. The content displayed in the work region of the window is subject to magnification or reduction. The content displayed in the work region of the window includes characters as well as pictures including graphic images, and photo images. That is, each content displayed in the work region is intended to be adjusted the size.  
      The touch pad  16  is a pointing device for indicating the position on the display screen of the LCD  121 , and indicates the position of a pointer such as mouse cursor or mouse pointer, displayed on the display screen. Depending on the manipulation of the touch pad  16 , the pointer (hereinafter “mouse cursor”) displayed on the display screen is moved on the display screen.  
      In the first embodiment, by input of the zoom event, the window (also called “application window”) positioned under the current position of the mouse cursor on the display window is detected automatically, and the content displayed in the detected window is magnified or reduced. More specifically, when the magnifying button  15 A is pressed, the display size of elements, i.e. characters and/or pictures, composing the content displayed in the window positioned under the current position of the mouse cursor is magnified. When the reducing button  15 B is depressed, the display size of elements, i.e. characters and/or pictures, composing the content displayed in the window positioned under the current position of the mouse cursor is reduced. In this embodiment, the desktop screen is also handled as one of windows. If the current position of the mouse cursor is on the desktop screen, the display size of each icon which includes the icon image and the text showing the icon name, disposed on the desktop screen is also adjusted as magnified or reduced.  
      In the environment of display of plural windows on the LCD  121 , the user often manipulates to input data such as a command and text on the active window while observing the content of other inactive windows. The active window is the window presently subject to input of command or text. The active window is displayed in the foremost screen. When a certain window is clicked by manipulation of the touch pad  16 , the clicked window is a new active window. However, if the mouse cursor is merely moved from the active window to an inactive window without click, the active window is not changed over.  
      In this embodiment, the window whose content is magnified is the window positioned under the current position of the mouse cursor. Hence, without changing the active window, the content may be magnified or reduced not only on the active window but also on a inactive window.  
      At a side face of the computer main body  11 , a dial  17  is rotatably provided. The dial  17 , same as the magnifying button  15 A and reducing button  15 B, functions as an input device for inputting a zoom event. The dial  17 , depending on its rotating direction, inputs a zoom event for instructing either magnification or reduction of the content in the window.  
      Referring next to  FIG. 2 , the system configuration of the computer  10  will be explained. The computer  10  comprises a CPU  101 , a host hub  102 , a main memory  103 , a graphics controller  104 , an I/O hub  105 , a hard disk drive (hereinafter “HDD”)  106 , a sound controller  107 , a BIOS-ROM  108 , an embedded controller/keyboard controller IC (hereinafter “EC/KBC”)  110 , and the like.  
      The CPU  101  is a processor provided for controlling the operation of the computer  10 , and executes an operating system (hereinafter “OS”)  201  and various application/utility programs loaded from the HDD  106  into the main memory  103 . The OS  201  has a software-based window system for displaying a plurality of windows on the display screen. The CPU  101  also executes the Basic Input Output System (hereinafter “BIOS”) stored in the BIOS-ROM  108 .  
      In this computer  10 , a zooming utility program  202  is installed as one of utility programs. This zooming utility program  202  is a program for executing the zoom process for magnifying or reducing the content in the window. The zooming utility program  202  is starting up automatically, for example, when the computer  10  is started up. The zooming utility program  202  can be realized, for example, as terminate-and-stay resident program, so-called TSR.  
      The host hub  102  is a bridge device for connecting between the local bus of the CPU  101  and the I/O hub  105 . The host hub  102  incorporates a memory controller for access control of the main memory  103 . The graphics controller  104  controls the LCD  121  used as a display monitor of the computer  10 . The graphics controller  104  has a video memory (hereinafter “VRAM”), and displays the display data drawn in the video memory by the OS and/or application program in the LCD  121 .  
      The I/O hub  105  controls each device on the peripheral component interconnect (hereinafter “PCI”) bus  1  and each device on the low pin count (hereinafter “LPC”) bus  2 . The I/O hub  105  also incorporates an integrated drive electronics (hereinafter “IDE”) controller for controlling the HDD  106 .  
      The sound controller  107  is provided on the PCI bus  1 . The sound controller  107  is a PCI device functioning as sound source. On the LPC bus  2 , the EC/KBC  110  is provided.  
      The EC/KBC  110  is a one-chip microcomputer integrating an embedded controller for power management, and a keyboard controller for controlling the keyboard  13  and the touch pad  16  that is the pointing device. The EC/KBC  110  has a function of turning on or off the power of the computer  10  depending on manipulation of the power button  14  by the user.  
      Further, the EC/KBC  110  has a function of detecting the depressing manipulation of the magnifying button  15 A and reducing button  15 B by the user, and a function of detecting the rotating manipulation of the dial  17  by the user.  
      When the magnifying button  15 A is depressed, the EC/KBC  110  notifies the zooming utility program  202  of the occurrence of the zoom event, i.e. magnifying event, for instructing to magnify the content displayed in the window by using, for example, an interrupt signal to the CPU  101 . When the reducing button  15 B is depressed, the EC/KBC  110  notifies the zooming utility program  202  of the occurrence of the zoom event, i.e. reducing event, for instructing to reduce the content displayed in the window by using, for example, an interrupt signal to the CPU  101 . When the dial  17  is rotated, similarly, the EC/KBC  110  notifies the zooming utility program  202  of the occurrence of the magnifying event or reducing event depending on the rotating direction of the dial  17  by using, for example, an interrupt signal to the CPU  101 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , the configuration of the zooming utility program  202  will be explained.  
      The zooming utility program  202  includes a cursor position detection module  210 , a window detection module  211 , an application-specifying module  212 , and a zoom process module  213 .  
      The cursor position detection module  210  and window detection module  211  are used for searching the window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor moving on the display screen according to manipulation of the touch pad  16 .  
      The cursor position detection module  210  is a module for detecting the current position, e.g. XY coordinates, of the mouse cursor. When occurrence of the magnifying or reducing zoom event is notified from the EC/KBC  110 , the cursor position detection module  210  acquires the current cursor position, from the OS  201 , whereby the current position of the mouse cursor is detected. The window detection module  211  is a module for detecting the window existing under the detected current position of the mouse cursor. The window detection module  211  inquires the OS  201  of the name of the window existing under the detected current cursor position, thereby acquiring the name of the window existing under the detected current mouse cursor position from the OS  201 . Also, by comparing the position of each window existing on the display screen, e.g. XY coordinates at the upper left end of the window, and window size, with the detected current mouse cursor position, the name of the window existing under the current mouse cursor position can be detected.  
      The application-specifying module  212  is a module for specifying an application program corresponding to the window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor. This application-specifying module  212  refers to an applicable reference table  301 , and specifies the application program corresponding to the window detected by the window detection module  211 . The application reference table  301  defines the application program name corresponding to the window name for each window name as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      The zoom processing module  213  is a module for executing zoom process for magnifying or reducing the content displayed in the window detected by the window detection module  211 . The zoom processing module  213  makes use of the zoom function of magnifying or reducing the content, the function being possessed by each application program, and executes the zoom process. An event or message for starting up the zoom function of the application program differs for each application program. Accordingly, the zoom processing module  213  refers to a command definition table  302 , and executes the command process differing for each application program.  
      The command definition table  302  defines the magnifying command and reducing command corresponding to the application program for each application program name as shown in  FIG. 5 . The magnifying command shows an event for starting up the zoom function, magnifying, of the corresponding application program, and the reducing command shows an event for starting up the zoom function, reducing, of the corresponding application program. An event is expressed by a code showing combination of multiple keys such as “Ctrl+PageUp” and “Ctrl+PageDown.” 
      The zoom processing module  213  issues a magnifying/reducing command corresponding to the application program specified by the application specifying module  212 , to the specified application program, as an event for starting up the zoom function possessed by the specified application program.  
      Referring now to FIGS.  6  to  13 , the magnifying and reducing manner of the content of the window or the icon will be explained below.  
       FIG. 6  shows an example of the display screen of the LCD  121 . The display screen of the LCD  121  displays a desktop screen  500 . On the desktop screen  500 , icon groups  501  to  504  are disposed. Two windows W 1  and W 2  are also displayed on the desktop screen  500 . Contents such as characters and pictures are displayed in the work regions of the windows W 1  and W 2 . In  FIG. 6 , the window W 1  is the active window, and the window W 2  is the inactive window. The window W 1  is displayed in the foremost side, and the text or the like inputted from the keyboard  13  is displayed in the window W 1 . A mouse cursor  600  may be moved at an arbitrary position on the display screen depending on manipulation of the touch pad  16  of  FIG. 1  by the user.  
      In a state in which the inactive window W 2  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , when the magnifying button  15 A is depressed, the content in the window W 2  is magnified. A magnified display screen is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the display size of the content such as characters displayed in the window W 2  is magnified. If a picture such as a graphic image is present as the content in the window W 2 , the display size of the picture is also magnified. The window size of the window W 2  is not changed in this embodiment. The window W 1  remains to be an active window. Every time the magnifying button  15 A is depressed, the content in the window W 2 , that is, the display size of the content displayed in the window W 2  is magnified gradually at a predetermined scaling factor.  
      These operations are performed in the same way even though the numbers of windows displayed on the display screen are three or more.  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show a mode of reduction of the display size in the window. As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the reducing button  15 B is depressed while the inactive window W 2  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , the content displayed in the window W 2  is reduced.  FIG. 9  shows the display screen that the reducing operation to the window W 2  has been performed. The window size of the window W 2  is not changed in this embodiment. The window W 1  still remains to be an active window. Every time the reducing button  15 B is depressed, the content in the window W 2  is reduced gradually at a predetermined scaling factor.  
      These operations are performed in the same way even though the numbers of windows displayed on the display screen are three or more.  
      Thus, in this embodiment, without changing over the active window, the display size of the contents displayed in an arbitrary inactive window may be magnified or reduced.  
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show a mode of magnification of the content on the desktop screen  500 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the magnifying button  15 A is depressed while the desktop screen  500  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , the display size of the icons  501  to  504  on the desktop screen  500  is magnified.  FIG. 11  shows the display screen that the icons  501  to  504  have been magnified. Every time the magnifying button  15 A is depressed, the display size of the icons  501  to  504  is magnified gradually at a predetermined scaling factor.  
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show a mode of reduction of the display image on the desktop screen  500 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , when the reducing button  15 B is depressed while the desktop screen  500  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , the display size of the icons  501  to  504  on the desktop screen  500  is reduced.  FIG. 13  shows the display screen that icons  501  to  504  have been reduced. Every time the reducing button  15 B is depressed, the display size of the icons  501  to  504  is reduced gradually at a predetermined scaling factor.  
      Referring to the flow chart in  FIG. 14 , the procedure of the process executed by the CPU  101  of  FIG. 2  under the control of the zooming utility program  202  of  FIG. 2  will be explained.  
      When the magnifying button  15 A or reducing button  15 B is depressed, the CPU  101  acquires a zoom event indicative of the depression of the magnifying button  15 A or reducing button  15 B from the KBC  110  (operation S 101 ). The CPU  101  processes as follows by executing the zooming utility program  202 .  
      First, the CPU  101  searches for a window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor (operation S 102 ). In the S 102 , the current position of the mouse cursor is detected first, and then the window name of the window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor is detected.  
      The CPU  101  refers to the application reference table  301  of  FIG. 4 , and thereby specifies the application program corresponding to the window name detected in the operation S 102  (operation S 103 ). In consequence, the CPU  101  (see  FIG. 2 ) determines whether or not the application program corresponding to the detected window name is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202  (operation S 104 ). The application program of which application program name is stored in the application reference table  301  is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202 , and the application program of which application program name is not stored herein is an application program not capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202 .  
      If the application program corresponding to the detected window name is not an application program capable of magnifying or reducing (No in operation S 104 ), the CPU  101  terminates the execution of the process corresponding to the zoom event (operation S 106 ).  
      On the other hand, when the application program corresponding to the detected window name is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202  (Yes in operation S 104 ), the CPU  101  executes the magnifying or reducing process corresponding to the application program (operation S 105 ).  
      In the operation S 105 , the CPU  101  acquires the magnifying or reducing command corresponding to the application program name specified in the operation S 103  from the command definition table  302 . The CPU  101  sends the event instructed by the acquired magnifying or reducing command to the application program specified in operation S 103  directly or through the OS  201  of  FIG. 2 . As a result, the zoom function of the application program is executed, and the display size of the contents for composing the display image in the window corresponding to the application program is magnified or reduced.  
      Depending on application programs, the event for starting up the zoom function of the application program may not be defined. In such a case, a process may be executed for rewriting the environment setting information of the application program specified in the operation S 103 . The environment setting information includes the environment setting information showing the display size of characters, and environment setting information showing the display size of the image.  
      A flow chart in  FIG. 15  shows a specific procedure executed in the operation S 102  in  FIG. 14 .  
      The CPU  101  inquires the OS  201  of the current position of the mouse cursor, and acquires the current position of the mouse cursor from the OS  201  (operation S 111 ). Further, the CPU  101  inquires the OS  201  of the window name, e.g., window handle, existing immediately beneath the current position of the mouse cursor, and acquires the window name from the OS  201  (operation S 112 ).  
      A flow chart in  FIG. 16  shows another example of a specific procedure executed in the operation S 102  in  FIG. 14 .  
      The CPU  101  inquires the OS  201  of the current position of the mouse cursor, and acquires the current position of the mouse cursor from the OS  201  (operation S 121 ). Subsequently, the CPU  101  acquires the current position of all windows disposed on the display screen from the OS  201  (operations S 122 , S 123 ). The current position of all windows is, in this embodiment, indicated as XY coordinates at the upper left end of window, and window size. The CPU  101  compares the current position of each window and the current position of the mouse cursor, and determines the window existing immediately beneath the current position of the mouse cursor (operation S 124 ).  
      Referring to FIGS.  17  to  20 , a second embodiment will be explained. In the second embodiment, the system magnifies or reduces the window size, as well as the content displayed in the window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor. The other parts in the second embodiment than adjusting the window size are the same as the first embodiment.  
      When only the content in the window is magnified while maintaining the size of the window, part of characters and pictures displayed before magnification may not be fully displayed after magnification. When magnifying the content displayed in the window, by magnifying also the window size according to the magnification factor of the content, the characters and pictures displayed before magnification of the content may be fully displayed after magnification of the content.  
      As shown in  FIG. 17 , when the magnifying button  15 A is depressed while the inactive window W 2  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , the content in the window W 2  is magnified, and also the window size of the window W 2  is magnified.  FIG. 18  shows the display screen that the window W 2  and the content in the window W 2  have been magnified. As shown in  FIG. 18 , the display size of the content such as characters in the window W 2  is magnified. If a picture such as a graphic image is present as the content in the window W 2 , the display size of the picture is also magnified. Further, the window W 2  is resized such that the window size of the window W 2  is magnified at the same scaling factor as that to the content in the window W 2 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 19 , when the reducing button  15 B is depressed while the inactive window W 2  is present immediately beneath the mouse cursor  600 , the content displayed in the window W 2  is reduced, and the window size of the window W 2  is also reduced.  FIG. 20  shows the display screen that the window W 2  and the content in the window W 2  have been reduced. As shown in  FIG. 20 , the display size of the content such as characters in the window W 2  is reduced. If a picture such as a graphic image is present as the content in the window W 2 , the display size of the picture is also reduced. Further, the window W 2  is resized such that the window size of the window W 2  is reduced at the same scaling factor as that to the content in the window W 2 .  
      Referring next to a flow chart in  FIG. 21 , the procedure is explained about magnification or reduction of content in a window and window size executed by the CPU  101  of  FIG. 2  under the control of the zooming utility program  202  of  FIG. 2 .  
      When the magnifying button  15 A or reducing button  15 B is depressed, the CPU  101  acquires a zoom event indicative of manipulation of the magnifying button  15 A or reducing button  15 B from the KBC  110  (operation S 201 ). The CPU  101  processes as follows by executing the zooming utility program  202 .  
      First, the CPU  101  searches for a window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor (operation S 202 ). In the operation S 202 , the current position of the mouse cursor is detected first, and then the window name of the window existing under the current position of the mouse cursor is detected.  
      The CPU  101  refers to the application reference table  301 , and thereby specifies the application program corresponding to the window name detected in the operation S 202  (operation S 203 ). In consequence, the CPU  101  determines whether or not the application program corresponding to the detected window name is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202  (operation S 204 ).  
      The application program of which application program name is stored in the application reference table  301  of  FIG. 4  is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202 . On the other hand, the application program of which application program name is not stored herein is an application program not capable of magnifying or reducing by the zooming utility program  202  of  FIG. 2 .  
      If the application program corresponding to the detected window name is an application program capable of magnifying or reducing (Yes in the operation S 204 ), the CPU  101  determines whether the zoom event is a magnifying event or a reducing event (operation S 205 ).  
      If the zoom event is a reducing event (No in the operation S 205 ), the CPU  101  acquires the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  from the OS  201  of  FIG. 2 , and detects the window size of the window (operation S 206 ). The CPU  101  executes the reducing process corresponding to the application program specified in the operation S 203  (operation S 207 ).  
      In the operation S 207 , the CPU  101  acquires the reducing command corresponding to the application program name specified in the operation S 203  from the command definition table  302 . The CPU  101  sends the event indicated by the acquired reducing command to the application program specified in the operation S 203  directly or by way of the OS  201 . As a result, the zoom function of the application program is executed, and the content in the window corresponding to the application program is reduced.  
      Next, in order to reduce the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  according to the reduction factor of the content, the CPU  101  executes the resize process for reducing the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  (operation S 208 ). In the operation S 208 , the CPU  101  calculates the window size after resizing from the window size acquired in the operation S 205  and the reduction factor of the content. The CPU  101  requests the resize process for the window detected in the operation S 202  to the OS  201  such that the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  conforms to the calculated size.  
      On the other hand, if the zoom event is a magnifying event (Yes in the operation S 205 ), the CPU  101  acquires the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  from the OS  201 , and detects the window size of the window (operation S 209 ). The CPU  101  executes the magnifying process corresponding to the application program specified in the operation S 203  (operation S 210 ).  
      In the operation S 210 , the CPU  101  acquires the magnifying command corresponding to the application program name specified in the operation S 203  from the command definition table  302 . The CPU  101  sends the event indicated by the acquired magnifying command to the application program specified in the operation S 203  directly or by way of the OS  201 . As a result, the zoom function of the application program is executed, and the content in the window corresponding to the application program is magnified.  
      Next, in order to magnify the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  according to the magnification factor of the content, the CPU  101  executes the resize process for magnifying the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  (operation S 211 ). In the operation S 211 , the CPU  101  calculates the window size after resizing from the window size acquired in the operation S 209  and the magnification-scaling factor of the content. The CPU  101  requests the resize process to the OS  201  such that the window size of the window detected in the operation S 202  conforms to the calculated size.  
      If the OS  201  has a function of resizing the window size in accordance with the magnification or reduction factor specified by the parameter included in the resize request, it is not required to calculate the window size after resizing. Hence, the processes in the operation S 206  and the operation S 209  may be skipped in such case.  
      In the foregoing explanation, the magnifying and reducing buttons  15 A,  15 B, and the dial  17  are used as devices for inputting a zoom event, but a specific combination of keys on the keyboard  13  may be also used as a zoom event. Also, for example, depending on the button manipulation of the touch pad  16 , a menu screen for selecting one of plural functions including execution of zoom event may be displayed on the display screen.  
      A computer program realizes the magnifying or reducing function of the first and second embodiment, and when such a computer program is installed in an ordinary computer using a computer-readable recording medium, the same effects as in the first and second embodiment may be obtained.  
      Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.