In an electronic system having a plurality of function parts, a function display circuit comprising a switching part to select a desired function part, a first display part to display an operating function part, a second display part to display a function of the operating function part and logic control means including a first and a second MICOM parts, said second MICOM part being controlled by the first MICOM part to drive the first and the second display parts respectively, and a function display method comprising a function decision process to decide a switching state, a function stop process to stop driving each of the first and the second display parts for an unselected function part, and a function display process to display an operating state and a function of a selected function part.

When a function change key on a keyboard is operated, a key check section detects its operation and sends a function change key code to a function-key-use right changing unit. In response to this code, the unit calculates the window number of a window different from the window currently having the function-key-use right, and notifies a function key notifier that the calculated window is a new window having the function-key-use right. The same unit directs a CRT controller to display a marking frame around the function area of the new window. Upon depression of a function key, the key check section inputs a function key code to the function key identifier. The function key identifier notifies the task operating in the window having the function-key-use right of the input function code.

A keypad for interacting with a computer system having a display screen. The keypad includes a substantially planar base surface. A numeric/control key cluster is positioned on a first half of said planar base surface. The numeric/control key cluster incudes a 10-digit numeric key set, a plurality of cursor movement keys, and a plurality of control keys. A screen select key cluster is positioned on a second half of said planar base surface. The screen select key cluster includes a plurality of control keys for controlling display of information on the display screen.

A multi-window display control system includes a display area setting device for setting a first display area in the display area on a physical screen and setting a second display area in another area, different than the first display area. A display controller controls display of an active window or windows selected as application software and all the other inactive windows in the second display area so as not to overlap each other.

A data display system in which input-output display devices are connected to a central processor, and users select application programs that are run on the central processor. The control system of the central processor includes a display manager control system and a windowing control mechanism which allows a plurality of tasks to be performed concurrently and the results displayed in areas of a display screen. The windowing control mechanism includes, a task manager control program which runs as an application in the display manager control system and includes means to interact, via the display manager, with the operator to allow applications to be initiated, means to create tasks to control the processing of the application in such a way that the applications can be suspended or resumed according to whether the operator is ready for them, and means to identify to the display manager a coordination controller that the display manager can call to allow the task manager to suspend and resume applications. The display manager includes, means to combine data from each application and build a display representation that shows many windows into the various applications onto a single screen, and means to call the coordination controller identified by the task management application so that the task manager can suspend applications that are waiting for input and resume those applications which have input available.