Input/output controller and input/output control program

Abstract

Provided is an input/output controller including: a touch panel display; and a control section configured to cause the touch panel display to display a first icon at a first position on the touch panel display and, when one or more other positions are touched while the first position is touched, perform a process associated with the first icon and the one or more other positions.

1 . An input/output controller for manipulating icons indicative of application programs within a user interface, the input/output controller comprising:
 a touch panel display; and   a control section including a processor and an input/output control program, the control section configured to:
 cause the touch panel display to display the user interface, the user interface including a plurality of icons, amongst which a first icon is displayed at a first position, the first position including a region comprising the first icon and a first margin of space around the first icon, and a second icon is displayed at a second position, the second position including a region comprising the second icon and a second margin of space around the second icon, wherein the first position is different than the second position; 
 determine a first touch input within the first position; 
 while the first touch input remains within the first position, determine a second touch input on the touch panel display that is within or adjacent to the second position, wherein the second touch input is not within the first position, and wherein the second touch input is not on any of the plurality of icons, and wherein the first and second touch inputs are separate touch inputs; 
 while the second touch input remains within or adjacent to the second position, cause the first icon to move and be displayed at a temporary display position within or proximate to the second position, the move being based on the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position; 
 based on the first icon's movement to the temporary display position, cause another icon that was not displayed at the first position to move to a new position; and 
 cause the first icon to be conclusively positioned within the second position based on the first touch input being removed before the second touch input is removed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The input/output controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the another icon that moves to the new position is the second icon. 
     
     
         3 . The input/output controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the first icon is moved and displayed at the temporary display position within or proximate to the second position in response to the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The input/output controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to:
 cause the touch panel display to display a plurality of different icons on the user interface at a respective plurality of different positions, wherein the plurality of different icons do not include the first and second icons, each of the plurality of different positions including a region comprising the respective one of the plurality of different icons and a margin of space around the respective one of the plurality of different icons; and   rearrange the first icon and one or more of the plurality of different icons based on an order in which the first position and one or more of the plurality of different positions corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of different icons are touched.   
     
     
         5 . The input/output controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the control section is further configured to:
 cause the first icon to return to the first position based on the second touch input being removed before the first touch input is removed.   
     
     
         6 . The input/output controller of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of icons that were not displayed at the first position or the second position are rearranged in response to the first icon's movement based on the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position. 
     
     
         7 . The input/output controller of  claim 1 , wherein a right icon positioned at a right side of the second position shifts to a next position in response to the first icon's movement based on the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The input/output controller of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of right icons, each of which is positioned at a right side of the second position, shift to a respective new position based on the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position. 
     
     
         9 . The input/output controller of  claim 1 , wherein a right icon positioned at a right side of the second position shifts, in response to the first icon's movement, to the first position based on the second touch input having been determined while the first touch input remained within the first position. 
     
     
         10 . The input/output controller according to  claim 1 , wherein, as the first icon is moving toward the second position, trails of the first icon are illustrated. 
     
     
         11 . A mobile terminal, comprising:
 a memory;   a plurality of application programs stored in memory;   a plurality of icons corresponding to at least a portion of the plurality of applications programs;   a plurality of display position data associated with at least a portion of the plurality of icons;   a control section configured to:
 execute the plurality of application programs when selected on an input/output control program; and 
 execute the input/output control program, 
   the input/output control program configured to:
 arrange the plurality of icons in an order based on the plurality of display position data; 
 rearrange a plurality of the plurality of the icons based on a determined order of first and second touch operations on a touch panel display; and 
 update at least a portion of the plurality of display position data corresponding to the rearrangement of the plurality of the plurality of the icons. 
   
     
     
         12 . The mobile terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of display position data corresponds to an array. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the array is a predefined size. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the mobile terminal is a smartphone. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the mobile terminal is a tablet. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile terminal according to  claim 11 , wherein the rearrangement of the plurality of the plurality of the icons does not change a location of the plurality of application programs in memory.