Information processing apparatus, storage medium having program recorded thereon, and object movement method

Abstract

An information processing apparatus has a display unit operable to display an object, a contact detection unit operable to detect a plurality of contact points on the display unit, and a control unit operable to control the object displayed on the display unit so as to be movable with use of the contact detection unit. When the control unit detects contact with a display range of the object displayed on the display unit with use of the contact detection unit, detects contact with an active range of a display screen other than the display range of the object, and further detects a movement instruction to the object, then the control unit controls the object so as to be movable within the active range. Thus, use of a contact detection unit capable of a plurality of contact points permits a user's intuitive operation.

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a display unit operable to display an object;   a contact detection unit operable to detect a plurality of contact points on a display screen of the display unit; and   a control unit operable to control the object displayed on the display unit so as to be movable with use of the contact detection unit,   wherein, in a case of detecting a first contact point in an active range of the display screen other than a display range of the object with use of the contact detection unit, detecting a second contact point in the display range of the object, and further detecting a movement instruction to the object, the control unit controls the object so as to be movable within the active range.   
     
     
         2 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a display unit operable to display first display information displayed in a first display range and second display information displayed in a second display range within the first display range;   a contact detection unit operable to detect contact points in a first coordinate area in which the first display information is displayed and in a second coordinate area in which the second display information is displayed and detect coordinates of the contact points; and   a control unit configured such that, in a case of detecting no contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area but detecting a contact point in the other coordinate area and detecting a change of a coordinate of the detected contact point, the control unit moves both of the first and second display information based upon the change of the coordinate, and   in a case of detecting a plurality of contact points in the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area and detecting a change of a coordinate of only one of the plurality of contact points, the control unit moves the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the change of the coordinate of the contact point has been detected, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the control unit provides a movement-fixing coordinate area in the first display range, and   in a case of detecting a first contact point in the movement-fixing coordinate area, a second contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area other than the movement-fixing coordinate area, and a change of a coordinate of the second contact point, the control unit moves the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the second contact point is present, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the control unit displays, as the second display information, one of an icon, a button, a character string, a text box, and area information visually indicated for providing a command to the control unit, or a combination thereof on the display unit.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the control unit displays the first display information and the second display information as combined information.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the control unit sets the second display information as a visible object displayed on an upper layer of the first display information or a visible object displayed such that the second display information is overlaid on the first display information.   
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit, the procedure comprising:
 detecting a first contact point in an active range on a display screen other than a display range of an object displayed on a display unit with use of a contact detection unit;   detecting a second contact point in the display range of the object with use of the contact detection unit; and   controlling the object so as to be movable within the active range when a movement instruction to the object is detected.   
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit, the procedure comprising:
 detecting contact points in a first coordinate area of a first display range in which first display information is displayed and in a second coordinate area of a second display range in which second display information is displayed within the first display range and detecting coordinates of the contact points; and   in a case of detecting no contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area but detecting a contact point in the other coordinate area, and detecting a change of a coordinate of the detected contact point, moving both of the first and second display information based upon the change of the coordinate, and   in a case of detecting a plurality of contact points in the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area and detecting a change of a coordinate of only one of the plurality of contact points, moving the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the change of the coordinate of the contact point has been detected, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit as recited in  claim 8 , the procedure comprising:
 providing a movement-fixing coordinate area in the first display range, and   in a case of detecting a first contact point in the movement-fixing coordinate area, a second contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area other than the movement-fixing coordinate area, and a change of a coordinate of the second contact point, moving the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the second contact point is present, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit as recited in  claim 8 , the procedure comprising:
 displaying, as the second display information, one of an icon, a button, a character string, a text box, and area information visually indicated for providing a command to the control unit, or a combination thereof on the display unit.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit as recited in  claim 8 , the procedure comprising:
 displaying the first display information and the second display information as combined information.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon for executing a procedure with a control unit as recited in  claim 8 , the procedure comprising:
 setting the second display information as a visible object displayed on an upper layer of the first display information or a visible object displayed such that the second display information is overlaid on the first display information.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon as recited in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the program comprises one of a driver for the contact detection unit, an operating system, and an application program, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         14 . An object movement method comprising:
 detecting a first contact point in an active range on a display screen other than a display range of an object displayed on a display unit with use of a contact detection unit;   detecting a second contact point in the display range of the object with use of the contact detection unit; and   controlling the object so as to be movable within the active range when a movement instruction to the object is detected.   
     
     
         15 . An object movement method comprising:
 detecting contact points in a first coordinate area of a first display range in which first display information is displayed and in a second coordinate area of a second display range in which second display information is displayed within the first display range and detecting coordinates of the contact points; and   in a case of detecting no contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area but detecting a contact point in the other coordinate area, and detecting a change of a coordinate of the detected contact point, moving both of the first and second display information based upon the change of the coordinate, and   in a case of detecting a plurality of contact points in the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area and detecting a change of a coordinate of only one of the plurality of contact points, moving the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the change of the coordinate of the contact point has been detected, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         16 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a movement-fixing coordinate area in the first display range, and   in a case of detecting a first contact point in the movement-fixing coordinate area, a second contact point in one of the first coordinate area and the second coordinate area other than the movement-fixing coordinate area, and a change of a coordinate of the second contact point, moving the first or second display information displayed in the first or second coordinate area in which the second contact point is present, based upon the change of the coordinate.   
     
     
         17 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 displaying, as the second display information, one of an icon, a button, a character string, a text box, and area information visually indicated for providing a command to a control unit, or a combination thereof on the display unit.   
     
     
         18 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 displaying the first display information and the second display information as combined information.   
     
     
         19 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 setting the second display information as a visible object displayed on an upper layer of the first display information or a visible object displayed such that the second display information is overlaid on the first display information.   
     
     
         20 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein:
 the object movement method is implemented by one of a driver for a contact detection unit, an operating system, and an application program, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the program comprises one of a driver for the contact detection unit, an operating system, and an application program, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         22 . The object movement method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein:
 the object movement method is implemented by one of a driver for a contact detection unit, an operating system, and an application program, or a combination thereof.