Graphical user interface device

Abstract

In one embodiment, a graphical user interface device comprises an image display device configured to display an operation window including a first operation area which corresponds to a first area and a second operation area which corresponds to a second area. An allocation unit is configured to allocate the graphical user interface device to the first operation area, and to allocate one of a plurality of participant devices to the second operation area. A controller is configured to control a projector to display the combined image in which a first image, that corresponds to the image display device of the graphical user interface device, is displayed in the first area and in which a second image, that corresponds to a participant device allocated to the second operation area, is displayed in the second area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A graphical user interface device configured to control a projector which displays a combined image including a first area and a second area, the graphical user interface device comprising:
 an image display device configured to display an operation window including a first operation area which corresponds to the first area and a second operation area which corresponds to the second area;   an allocation unit configured to allocate the graphical user interface device to the first operation area, and to allocate one of a plurality of participant devices to the second operation area; and   a controller configured to control the projector to display the combined image in which a first image, that corresponds to the image display device of the graphical user interface device, is displayed in the first area and in which a second image, that corresponds to a participant device allocated to the second operation area, is displayed in the second area.   
     
     
         2 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first operation area and the second operation area are arranged in a same positional relation as a layout of the first area and the second area. 
     
     
         3 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a switching unit configured to switch at least one of the first image associated with the first operation area and the second image associated with the second operation area from being displayed on one of the first area and the second area in a split screen display to being displayed in a full-screen display. 
     
     
         4 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 3 , wherein the allocation unit is configured to permit selective association of a new image to the first operation area or the second operation area while the switching unit is switching from displaying at least one of the first image or the second image in the split screen display to displaying the first image or the second image in the full-screen display. 
     
     
         5 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a unit configured to display a thumbnail of the first image in the first operation area, and displays a thumbnail of the second image in the second operation area. 
     
     
         6 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a unit configured to change at least one of a number of split screen forming areas that includes the first area and the second area and a layout of the number of split screen forming areas; and   a unit configured to change a number of operation areas that includes the first operation area and the second operation area in accordance with the changed number of the split screen forming areas and change a layout of the number of operation areas in accordance with the changed layout of the split screen forming areas.   
     
     
         7 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further configured to:
 read a predefined data set;   upon receiving a connection request from a participant device, permit a connection if the participant device belongs to the predefined data set;   select at least two participant devices for display on the image display device and assigning each of these participant devices to one of the first and second operation areas;   receive image data from each of the at least two participant devices;   combine the image data from the at least two participant devices to form the first and second images; and   provide the first and second images for display on the first and second areas.   
     
     
         8 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface device is implemented within a personal computer. 
     
     
         9 . A conference system including:
 the graphical user interface device of  claim 1 ; and   the projector displaying the combined image including the first area and the second area.   
     
     
         10 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further configured to display to a user a list of participant devices that are connected to the graphical user interface device and a status of whether image data from each of the participant devices is being transmitted to the projector. 
     
     
         11 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , further configured to receive a selection of a projector for displaying the first and second images on the image display device, and receiving a selection of a screen display setting for configuring the number of first and second areas of the image display device. 
     
     
         12 . The graphical user interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second operation areas have a colored window and each of the first and second areas include a screen frame having a distinguishing color, each of the windows of the first and second operation areas having a same color as the color of the screen frame of the first or second area associated with the first or second operation area. 
     
     
         13 . A method for controlling a projector which displays a combined image including a first area and a second area by a graphical user interface device, the method comprising:
 displaying, on an image display device of the graphical user interface device, an operation window including a first operation area which corresponds to the first area and a second operation area which corresponds to the second area;   allocating the graphical user interface device to the first operation area;   allocating one of a plurality of participant devices to the second operation area; and   controlling the projector to display the combined image in which a first image, that corresponds to the graphical user interface device, is displayed in the first area and in which a second image, corresponds to a participant device allocated to the second operation area, is displayed in the second area.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first operation area and the second operation area are arranged in a same positional relation as a layout of the first area and the second area. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 switching at least one of the first image associated with the first operation area and the second image associated with the second operation area from being displayed on one of the first area and the second area in a split screen display to being displayed in a full-screen display.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 permitting selective association of a new image to the first operation area or the second operation area while the switching unit is switching from displaying at least one of the first image and the second image in the split screen display to displaying the first image or the second image in the full-screen display.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 displaying a thumbnail of the first image in the first operation area; and   displaying a thumbnail of the second image in the second operation area.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 changing at least one of a number of split screen forming areas that includes the first area and the second area and a layout of the number of split screen forming areas;   changing a number of operation areas that includes the first operation area and the second operation area in accordance with the changed number of the split screen forming areas; and   changing a layout of the number of operation areas in accordance with the changed layout of the split screen forming areas.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 reading a predefined data set;   upon receiving a connection request from a participant device, permitting a connection if the participant device belongs to the predefined data set;   selecting at least two participant devices for display on the image display device and assigning each of these participant devices to one of the first and second operation areas;   receiving image data from each of the at least two participant devices;   combining the image data from the at least two participant devices to form the first and second images; and   providing the first and second images for display on the first and second areas.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 displaying to a user a list of participant devices that are connected to the graphical user interface device and a status of whether image data from each of the participant devices is being transmitted to the projector.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a projector for displaying the first and second images on the image display device; and   receiving a selection of a screen display setting for configuring the number of first and second areas of the image display device.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second operation areas have a colored window and each of the first and second areas include a screen frame having a distinguishing color, each of the windows of the first and second operation areas having a same color as the color of the screen frame of the first or second area associated with the first or second operation area. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first image and the second image are not displayed in the operation window. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the image display device, a preview window that is separate from the operation window, the preview window including at least one of the first image and the second image.   
     
     
         25 . A computer program product comprising instructions recorded on at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and executable by a computer to control a projector which displays a combined image including a first area and a second area, the instructions executable to perform:
 displaying, on an image display device of the computer, an operation window including a first operation area which corresponds to the first area and a second operation area which corresponds to the second area;   allocating the computer to the first operation area;   allocating one of a plurality of participant devices to the second operation area; and   controlling the projector to display the combined image in which a first image, that corresponds to the image display device of the computer, is displayed in the first area and in which a second image, that corresponds to a participant device allocated to the second operation area, is displayed in the second area.   
     
     
         26 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the first operation area and the second operation area are arranged in a same positional relation as a layout of the first area and the second area. 
     
     
         27 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 switching at least one of the first image associated with the first operation area and the second image associated with the second operation area from being displayed on one of the first area and second areas in a split screen display to being displayed in a full-screen display;   
     
     
         28 . The computer program product according to  claim 27 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 permitting selective association of a new image to the first operation area or the second operation area while the switching unit is switching from displaying at least one of the first image or the second image in the split screen display to displaying the first image or the second image in the full-screen display.   
     
     
         29 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 displaying a thumbnail of the first image in the first operation area; and   displaying a thumbnail of the second image in the second operation area.   
     
     
         30 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 changing at least one of a number of split screen forming areas that includes the first area and the second area and a layout of the number of split screen forming areas;   changing a number of operation areas that includes the first operation area and the second operation area in accordance with the changed number of the split screen forming areas; and   changing a layout of the number of operation areas in accordance with the changed layout of the split screen forming areas.   
     
     
         31 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 reading a predefined data set;   upon receiving a connection request from a participant device, permitting a connection if the participant device belongs to the predefined data set;   selecting at least two participant devices for display on the image display device and assigning each of these participant devices to one of the first and second operation areas;   receiving image data from each of the at least two participant devices;   combining the image data from the at least two participant devices to form the first and second images; and   providing the first and second images for display on the first and second areas.   
     
     
         32 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the computer program product is implemented within a personal computer. 
     
     
         33 . A conference system including:
 the computer program product according to  claim 25 ; and   the projector displaying the combined image including the first area and the second area.   
     
     
         34 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 displaying to a user a list of participant devices that are connected to the graphical user interface device and a status of whether image data from each of the participant devices is being transmitted to the projector.   
     
     
         35 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 receiving a selection of a projector for displaying the first and second images on the image display device; and   receiving a selection of a screen display setting for configuring the number of first and second areas of the image display device.   
     
     
         36 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein each of the first and second operation areas have a colored window and each of the first and second areas include a screen frame having a distinguishing color, each of the windows of the first and second operation areas having a same color as the color of the screen frame of the first or second area associated with the first or second operation area. 
     
     
         37 . The computer program product according to  claim 25 , wherein the first image and the second image are not displayed in the operation window. 
     
     
         38 . The computer program product according to claim  25 , wherein the instructions are executable to further perform:
 displaying, on the image display device, a preview window that is separate from the operation window, the preview window including at least one of the first image and the second image.