Executing functions associated with icons having overlapping areas

1. A display device comprising:

a display unit including a display that displays an operation screen in which a plurality of icons, each associated with a predetermined function and representing an image indicating the function associated with the icon, are arranged; and

a control unit that includes a CPU and, when the CPU executes a display control program, acts as:

a display control unit that controls a displaying operation of the display unit;

a reception unit that receives an operation inputted through the operation screen; and

a processing unit that executes the operation received by the reception unit,

wherein, the display control unit is configured to (i) enlarge the icon when the reception unit receives a predetermined operation with respect to the icon, (ii) generate, when respective allocated areas of at least two icons overlap owing to the enlarging of the icon, a synthesized icon including a first region where the allocated areas are not overlapping and a second region where the allocated areas overlap, and representing, in the second region, a synthesized image generated according to a plurality of images represented by the at least two icons, and (iii) cause the display unit to display the synthesized icon generated,

the processing unit is configured to (i) execute the function associated with the icon shown in the first region, when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the first region of the synthesized icon, and (ii) execute, when the reception unit receives a slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the function associated with the icon displayed at an end point of the slide operation, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons,

the display control unit generates the synthesized image, by converting the image represented by one of the at least two icons into a semi-transparent image, so that the images represented by remaining icons are visually recognized through the semi-transparent image, and

when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the processing unit executes the function associated with the icon representing the semi-transparent image, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons.

2. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, when respective allocated areas of at least two icons overlap owing to the enlarging of the icon, the display control unit generates the synthesized image, by converting the image represented by one of the at least two icons into the semi-transparent image.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage device containing a plurality of staged values each indicating a clearance between the icons that allows location of the icons adjacent to each other,

wherein the display control unit (i) selects, when the clearance between an enlarged icon and another icon adjacent thereto is changed, one of the plurality of staged values stored in the storage device, according to the clearance that has been changed, (ii) determines the allocated area of the enlarged icon, such that the clearance between the enlarged icon and the icon adjacent thereto accords with the selected value, and (iii) generates the synthesized icon when the allocated areas of the enlarged icon and the icon adjacent thereto overlap as result of the determining of the allocated area.

4. The display device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the display control unit selects a value closest to the changed clearance between the icons, out of the plurality of staged values stored in the storage device.

5. The display device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the predetermined operation to be received by the reception unit includes a pinch-out operation performed on the icon.

6. A display device comprising:

a display unit including a display that displays an operation screen in which a plurality of icons, each associated with a predetermined function and representing an image indicating the function associated with the icon, are arranged; and

a control unit that includes a CPU and, when the CPU executes a display control program, acts as:

a display control unit that controls a displaying operation of the display unit;

a reception unit that receives an operation inputted through the operation screen; and

a processing unit that executes the operation received by the reception unit,

wherein, the display control unit is configured to (i) enlarge the icon when the reception unit receives a predetermined operation with respect to the icon, (ii) generate, when respective allocated areas of at least two icons overlap owing to the enlarging of the icon, a synthesized icon including a first region where the allocated areas are not overlapping and a second region where the allocated areas overlap, and representing, in the second region, a synthesized image generated according to a plurality of images represented by the at least two icons, and (iii) cause the display unit to display the synthesized icon generated,

the processing unit is configured to (i) execute the function associated with the icon shown in the first region, when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the first region of the synthesized icon, and (ii) execute, when the reception unit receives a slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the function associated with the icon displayed at an end point of the slide operation, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons,

the display control unit generates the synthesized image, by converting the image represented by one of the at least two icons into a semi-transparent image, so that the images represented by remaining icons are visually recognized through the semi-transparent image, and

when the reception unit receives a slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the display control unit updates the synthesized image, by converting the image represented by the icon displayed at the end point of the slide operation, out of the at least two icons, into the semi-transparent image, so that images represented by other icons are visually recognize through the semi-transparent image, and causes the display unit to display the synthesized icon in which the updated synthesized image is located in the second region.

7. A display device comprising:

a display unit including a display that displays an operation screen in which a plurality of icons, each associated with a predetermined function and representing an image indicating the function associated with the icon, are arranged; and

a control unit that includes a CPU and, when the CPU executes a display control program, acts as:

a display control unit that controls a displaying operation of the display unit;

a reception unit that receives an operation inputted through the operation screen; and

a processing unit that executes the operation received by the reception unit,

wherein, the display control unit is configured to (i) enlarge the icon when the reception unit receives a predetermined operation with respect to the icon, (ii) generate, when respective allocated areas of at least two icons overlap owing to the enlarging of the icon, a synthesized icon including a first region where the allocated areas are not overlapping and a second region where the allocated areas overlap, and representing, in the second region, a synthesized image generated according to a plurality of images represented by the at least two icons, and (iii) cause the display unit to display the synthesized icon generated,

the processing unit is configured to (i) execute the function associated with the icon shown in the first region, when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the first region of the synthesized icon, and (ii) execute, when the reception unit receives a slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the function associated with the icon displayed at an end point of the slide operation, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons, and

when the reception unit receives the slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the processing unit executes the function associated with a first icon displayed at the end point of the slide operation, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons, and further executes a function associated with a second icon other than the first icon, with lower priority than the function associated with the first icon.

8. The display device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the display control unit generates the synthesized image, by converting the image represented by one of the at least two icons into a semi-transparent image, so that the images represented by remaining icons are visually recognized through the semi-transparent image, and

the processing unit executes, when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the function associated with the icon representing the semi-transparent image, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons, and executes the functions associated with other icons with lower priority than the function associated with the icon representing the semi-transparent image.

9. The display device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the execution of the function with lower priority by the processing unit includes making a size of a window, displayed on the display unit when the function associated with the second icon is executed, smaller than a size of a window displayed on the display unit when the function associated with the first icon is executed.

10. The display device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the execution of the function with lower priority by the processing unit includes executing the function associated with the first icon on a foreground, and executing the function associated with the second icon on a background.

11. A display device comprising:

a display unit including a display that displays an operation screen in which a plurality of icons, each associated with a predetermined function and representing an image indicating the function associated with the icon, are arranged; and

a control unit that includes a CPU and, when the CPU executes a display control program, acts as:

a display control unit that controls a displaying operation of the display unit;

a reception unit that receives an operation inputted through the operation screen; and

a processing unit that executes the operation received by the reception unit,

wherein, the display control unit is configured to (i) enlarge the icon when the reception unit receives a predetermined operation with respect to the icon, (ii) generate, when respective allocated areas of at least two icons overlap owing to the enlarging of the icon, a synthesized icon including a first region where the allocated areas are not overlapping and a second region where the allocated areas overlap, and representing, in the second region, a synthesized image generated according to a plurality of images represented by the at least two icons, and (iii) cause the display unit to display the synthesized icon generated,

the processing unit is configured to (i) execute the function associated with the icon shown in the first region, when the reception unit receives an operation of selecting a point in the first region of the synthesized icon, and (ii) execute, when the reception unit receives a slide operation starting from a point in the second region of the synthesized icon, the function associated with the icon displayed at an end point of the slide operation, out of the functions respectively associated with the at least two icons,

the display unit includes a display panel an inclination of which is variable,

the display control unit enlarges the icon, when the inclination of the display panel is changed, by expanding the icon in a first direction away from an eye of a user on the operation screen, and generates the synthesized icon when the allocated areas of the icons overlap as result of the enlarging of the icon, and

the display control unit enlarges the icon by further expanding the icon in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, such that an expansion length in the second direction increases toward a farther side in the first direction.