JP2001282415A - Information selecting method, system therefor and computer readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information retrieving method, system therefor capable of easily selecting desired information by retrieving plural pieces of information and a computer readable storage medium to be used for such information equipment. SOLUTION: Optional information is selected from among plural pieces of the information by using a display screen 13S of a display 13 by this information selection system 1. The system is provided with a computer 5, a VRAM 15 to perform a processing to successively transfer and display plural pieces of contents display information to express the contents of each of the plural pieces of information to be identified from other information on the display screen 13S so that the information passes at least a prescribed position on the display screen 13S, a pointer 16P arranged at the prescribed position on the display screen 13S, a selection instructing part 16 to select and instruct any one piece of contents display information via the pointer 16P when any one of the plural pieces of content display information is transferred and displayed at the prescribed position and the computer 5 executes a processing based on information corresponding to the selected and instructed content display information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information selection method and system for selecting arbitrary information from a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, and a computer-readable storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information device using a computer such as a personal computer and a mobile phone, a user selects desired information (eg, application programs, instructions, etc.) from a plurality of pieces of information (eg, application programs, instructions, etc.) stored in the device (the computer). When the computer selects and executes the information, the information (meaning, function, etc.)
An icon displayed on a display screen of a display (hereinafter, referred to as a display screen) as a pattern symbolizing the above, and a cursor (pointing element; pointer) movable operation input device such as a mouse or a function key are used. ing.

That is, a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of pieces of information are previously displayed on the display screen in a static manner, and the user operates the cursor movement type operation input device to display the still image on the display screen. By moving the cursor over a desired one of the plurality of icons and operating (clicking) the operation input device, the computer executes the contents of the corresponding icon.

[0004]

In recent years, the development of computers and their peripheral technologies has been remarkable, and the rapid spread of small-sized information devices (terminals) such as mobile phones is one of them, and the ease of use for users has been improved. For this purpose, the size and weight of wearable terminals and the like have been further reduced.

[0005] However, a problem in the information equipment which is reduced in size and weight is that the display and the cursor movement type operation input device are also reduced in size as the whole is reduced in size.

That is, in the conventional information equipment, when selecting a desired icon from a plurality of icons displayed on the display screen, the cursor is moved by operating the cursor movement type operation input device. However, the operability of the miniaturized cursor-moving operation input device is poor, making it very difficult to move the cursor smoothly on the miniaturized display screen, and developing a new information selection method that responds to the miniaturization of information equipment. Was requested.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and in an information device using a computer, in particular, in a miniaturized information device, an information retrieval system capable of easily retrieving a plurality of information and selecting desired information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system, and a computer-readable storage medium used for such information equipment.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information selection system for selecting arbitrary information from a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display. , A plurality of content display information sequentially representing at least a predetermined position on the display screen so as to pass through at least a predetermined position on the display screen, the plurality of content display information representing the content of each of the plurality of information in a manner distinguishable from other information on the display screen Moving display means for causing, and a pointer arranged at a predetermined position on the display screen, and when any one of the plurality of content display information is moved and displayed at the predetermined position, the pointer is displayed via the pointer. There is provided a selection instructing means for selecting and instructing any one of the content display information, and a processing executing means for executing a process based on information corresponding to the selected and instructed content display information.

According to the invention described in claim 2, the pointer is fixedly arranged at the predetermined position.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of information includes at least one of application program information to be executed by the processing execution means and content information of a site displayed on the display screen. The content display information is an icon in which at least one of the application program information and the content information is represented as a picture symbolizing the content.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of pieces of information include video information to be displayed on the display screen by the processing execution means, and the content display information is a reduced image of the video information. .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided change information input means for inputting information for changing the moving display speed of the display content information, and the moving display means is adapted to input the moving display speed change information. Means for changing the moving display speed of the content display information on the display screen accordingly.

According to the invention described in claim 6, the moving display means directs the plurality of pieces of content display information from one of an upper side and a lower side of the display screen to the other side of the display screen. Means for sequentially moving and displaying the image so that its size gradually increases.

According to the invention described in claim 7, the moving display means has means for sequentially and repeatedly displaying the plurality of content display information from one side of the display screen to the other side of the display screen. are doing.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the information selecting method for selecting arbitrary information from among a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, the contents of each of the plurality of pieces of information are displayed on the display screen. Sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of pieces of content display information identifiable from other information on the display screen so as to pass at least a predetermined position on the display screen, and any one of the plurality of pieces of content display information
Instructing any one of the content display information via a pointer arranged at a predetermined position on the display screen when one of the content display information is moved to the predetermined position; Executing a process based on the information.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in a computer-readable storage medium for selecting arbitrary information from among a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, the contents of each of the plurality of pieces of information are stored. Causing the computer to execute a process of sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of content display information on the display screen so as to pass through at least a predetermined position on the display screen so that the content display information can be distinguished from other information on the display screen. When any one of the plurality of content display information is moved and displayed at the predetermined position, a pointer disposed at a predetermined position on the display screen is operated to indicate the one of the plurality of content display information. And causing the computer to execute a process based on the information corresponding to the instructed content display information.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information retrieval method and system and a computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information infrastructure including an information selection system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an information selection system 1 is incorporated in an information device (information terminal; hereinafter, referred to as a mobile phone) 2 such as a mobile phone, and displays a display screen (display screen) of the display. It has a function of selecting arbitrary information from among a plurality of pieces of information by utilizing.

That is, the information selection system 1 includes a computer 5 having the above information selection processing function, an OS required for the processing of the computer 5, a program for executing the processing shown in FIG. It includes a plurality of executable application programs, a portable storage medium (such as a CD-ROM) for storing data required for processing by the computer 5 and data at the time of processing, and a memory 6 such as a semiconductor memory.

The information selection system 1 also includes a computer 5 and an information transmission source (information transmission server) 11 (hereinafter, referred to as a WWW server) 11 such as a WWW server via a communication line 10 including a telephone line and ISDN. A communication interface 12 for performing an interface process for causing communication of the information, and an information display 13 having a display screen 13S.

The information selection system 1 further includes a video RAM (VRAM) 15 for storing information (icons and the like) displayed on the display 13 (display screen 13S) as frame image data. That is, the addresses of the frame image data in the VRAM 15 correspond to all the dots on the display screen 13S, and the stored contents are not changed.
S is reflected and displayed.

The information selection system 1 has a pointer 16P fixedly disposed (can be released) at a predetermined position (for example, substantially the center position) on the display screen 13S, and the position of the pointer 16P is manually operated by the user. A selection instructing unit 16 for selecting and instructing a display element on the display screen 13S corresponding to the coordinates is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of application program information for executing the computer 5 (for example, a program for creating a schedule book, a program for creating and sending / receiving mail, etc.) and WWW are stored in the memory 6 as shown in FIG.
Device screen 13 from server 11 via communication line 10
A plurality of pieces of information M1 to Mn including content information of sites that can be displayed in S are stored, and an icon (corresponding to the icon) represented as a picture symbolizing the contents of the plurality of pieces of information M1 to Mn is stored. Data) IC1
ICn is stored in the memory 6 in association with a plurality of pieces of information M1 to Mn.

In the present embodiment, the computer 5 sequentially moves the plurality of icons IC1 to ICn on the display screen 13S by performing the operation processing shown in FIG. 3 according to the processing execution program stored in the memory 6. It is designed to be displayed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the selection instructing section 16 selects (clicks) a display element at a position corresponding to the pointer 16P by a pressing operation of the user, and sends an event corresponding to the display element to the computer. A selection instruction button B1 to be input to the computer 5, an up button B2 to input to the computer 5 a command to increase (up) the moving display speed of the icons IC1 to ICn by a pressing operation of the user,
The computer 5 issues a command to decrease (down) the moving display speed of the icons IC1 to ICn by a user's pressing operation.
And a down button B3 for inputting to the

Next, the overall operation of this embodiment will be described.

The computer 5 turns on the power of the mobile phone 2.
At the time, the first icon IC1 in the memory 6 is read out (FIG. 3; step S1), the size of the icon IC1 is reduced, and stored in the upper right address area in the VRAM 15 (step S2). The image data is displayed on the display screen 13S (step S3). As a result, the display screen 13S
On the upper right side (start position) of the icon, the first icon IC1
Is displayed in a reduced size.

Next, the computer 5 takes out the reduced icon IC1 (data) stored in the upper right address area, and stores the reduced icon IC1 (data) in the lower left address area by several pixels in a state where its size is enlarged (step S4). Then, the next icon IC2 in the memory 6 is read (step S5), and the size of the icon IC2 is reduced to
It is stored in the upper right address area of the RAM 15 (step S6), and the frame image data of the VRAM 15 is displayed on the display screen 13S (step S6).
7). As a result, on the display screen 13S, the icon IC1 displayed at the start position is moved to the lower left side in an enlarged state and displayed, and the next icon IC2 is displayed at the start position at the upper right of the screen.

Then, the computer 5 performs the processing of the above-described steps S4 to S7, that is, the icons IC1 to IC2 already displayed and the icons IC3 to IC
The process of sequentially moving and updating Cn by several pixels from the upper right address area to the lower left address area of the VRAM 15 is performed by the VRAM 15 in which at least all the icons IC1 to ICn correspond to the predetermined positions including the pointer 16P.
Then, the process of moving and updating the icons IC1 to ICn is repeatedly performed (step S8).

As a result, the icons IC1 to ICk to IC
n moves from the upper right side to the lower left side of the display screen 13S while passing through the position corresponding to the pointer 16P,
The display is sequentially and repeatedly moved and displayed so that the size gradually increases (see FIG. 4).

That is, a plurality of icons IC1 to ICn
Are repeatedly displayed from the upper right side (depth side) to the lower left side (front side) of the display screen 13S as if moving three-dimensionally.

As a result, the user operates the display screen 1
By looking at 3S, a plurality of icons IC1 to ICn can be searched sequentially without having to search by themselves.

Note that a plurality of icons I of the computer 5
The C1 to ICn movement display processing (address movement (rewriting processing) on the VRAM 15) is performed at such a speed that the user can easily recognize the movement display change of the icons IC1 to ICn. When the up button B2 of the selection instructing unit 16 is pressed from
The computer 5 increases (increases) the icon IC1 to ICn movement display speed (address movement speed / frame image data update speed), and when the down button B3 of the selection instruction unit 16 is pressed by the user. ,
The computer 5 reduces (downs) the speed of the icons IC1 to ICn movement display.

As a result, the user can select the icons IC1 to IC1
The moving display speed of Cn can be set to a speed that is easy for the user to confirm.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the icon ICk of the content that the user wants to execute passes through the position corresponding to the pointer 16P, the user presses the selection instruction button B1 of the selection instruction section 16 to correspond to the pointer 16P. Is clicked on the icon ICk.

At this time, the computer 5 executes a process corresponding to the information Mk corresponding to the icon ICk by an interrupt process based on an event input in response to the user clicking the icon ICk (FIG. 5, step S1).
0).

For example, the information M corresponding to the icon ICk
If k is an application program, the application program is executed, and the icon ICk
If the information Mk corresponding to is a content information of a predetermined site, the WWW server 11 accesses the WWW server 11 via the communication interface 12 and the communication line 10, and downloads the homepage of the corresponding site from the WWW server 11.

That is, the user can cause the computer 5 to execute a process based on information corresponding to the icon ICk selected and instructed by the user.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
By repeatedly moving and displaying a plurality of icons IC1 to ICn representing a plurality of information three-dimensionally on the display screen 13S so as to pass through a predetermined position, the user can:
Without moving the cursor (pointer) movable operation input device such as a mouse by itself and moving the cursor, the pointer 16P in which a desired icon among a plurality of icons repeatedly moved and displayed in three dimensions is fixedly arranged. When the user moves to the corresponding position, only by pressing the selection instruction button B1 of the selection instruction section 16, the computer 5 can execute the process based on the information corresponding to the desired icon. Even if the size is reduced, a plurality of icons can be easily searched, and a desired icon can be easily selected from the icons, so that information search efficiency and selection efficiency can be improved.

In this embodiment, a plurality of information M1 to M1
Although a plurality of icons IC1 to ICn are stored in the memory 6 as content display information symbolizing the content of Mn, the present invention is not limited to this, and the content of the plurality of information M1 to Mn is not limited to this. On the display screen 13S
Any form of information may be used as long as it can be distinguished from other information above.

In this embodiment, an information device such as a mobile phone is used as hardware for mounting the information selection system 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and uses a display screen of a display. However, the present invention can be applied to other information devices (such as personal computers) that select arbitrary information from a plurality of pieces of information through computer processing.

Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of pieces of information M1 to Mn stored in the memory 6 are converted into a plurality of pieces of application program information for executing the computer 5 and WWW.
Device screen 13 from server 11 via communication line 10
Although the content information of the site that can be displayed in S is used, the present invention is not limited to this, and may include, for example, multi-channel video information transmitted by satellite communication, cable television, or the like.

For example, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an information infrastructure including an information selection system 1A mounted on a computer system 20 as an information device capable of capturing video information and displaying it on a display 13.

As shown in FIG. 6, the information selection system 1A
Has a remote controller 21 in place of the selection instruction unit 16 in the information selection system 1 shown in FIG. 1, and the remote controller 21 includes the above-described selection instruction button B1, up button B2, and down button B3. Each is provided.

In addition to the WWW server 11, the communication interface 12A of the information selection system 1A includes, for example, a multi-channel transmitted from a broadcasting station via a broadcasting satellite, a communication satellite, a satellite communication relay unit, or a communication line 10. The video information (frame video) is sequentially taken into the computer 5A.

Further, the information selection system 1A updates and stores frame images FB1 to FBn based on multi-channel (n-channel) video information sequentially captured via the communication interface 12A for each channel. 22.

That is, the computer 5A shown in FIG.
In addition to the moving display processing of the icons IC1 to ICn shown in FIG. 3, similarly to the moving display processing of the icons IC1 to ICn, frame images FB1 to FBn of a plurality of channels updated and stored in the image memory 22 are displayed. VRAM15
From the upper right address area to the lower left address area of the frame image is sequentially moved and updated several pixels at a time while increasing the size of the frame image. At least all the frame images FB1 to FBn include the pointer 16P. The processing is executed so as to be stored in the address area of the VRAM 15 corresponding to the position.
The movement update processing of n is repeatedly performed.

As a result, the frame images FB1-FBk-
Like the icons IC1 to ICn, the FBn is sequentially and repeatedly moved and displayed so as to gradually increase in size while passing through a position corresponding to the pointer 16P from the upper right side to the lower left side of the display screen 13S. (See FIG. 7).

That is, a plurality of frame images FB1 to FB
Bn is repeatedly displayed from the upper right depth side of the display screen 13S to the lower left front side as if it is moving three-dimensionally.

As a result, the user operates the display screen 1
By looking at the 3S, the frame images FB1 to FBn of a plurality of channels can be sequentially searched without having to search by themselves. As shown in FIG. 7, when the frame image FBk desired to be viewed passes the position corresponding to the pointer 16P. ,
The selection instruction button B1 of the selection instruction section 16 is pressed, and the frame image FBk corresponding to the pointer 16P is clicked.

At this time, the computer 5 displays the frame image FBk in full screen on the display screen 13S by an interruption process based on an event input in response to the user clicking on the frame image FBk.

That is, the user can display the selected frame image FBk on the display screen 13S in full screen.

As described above, also in this modification,
The user operates the cursor (pointer) movement type operation input device such as a mouse by himself without moving the cursor.
Since the computer 5 can execute a process based on a desired frame image and display a frame image that the user wants to see on the display screen 13S in full screen, the information search efficiency and the selection efficiency can be improved, and User satisfaction can be improved.

[0055]

As described above, according to the information selection method and system and the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, the contents of each of a plurality of information can be distinguished from other information on the display screen. By sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of content display information on the display screen so as to pass at least a predetermined position on the display screen, the user can sequentially search the content of the plurality of information,
In addition, when the desired content display information is moved and displayed at a predetermined position without operating a cursor movement type operation input device such as a mouse, the content display information is selected and instructed via a pointer, whereby the content is displayed. The processing based on the information corresponding to the display information can be automatically executed by the processing executing means.

Therefore, even if the information selection method and system of the present invention and the information equipment using a computer equipped with a computer-readable storage medium are downsized, a plurality of pieces of information can be searched very easily to obtain desired information. Can be selected, and the information search efficiency and the information selection efficiency can be greatly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an information infrastructure including an information selection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a part of storage contents of a memory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart showing an example of processing of the computer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view for explaining an icon moving display state on a display screen according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing an example of interrupt processing of the computer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing an information infrastructure including an information selection system according to a modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining an icon moving display state on a display screen according to a modification of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A information selection system 2 mobile phone 5, 5A computer 6 memory 10 communication line 11 WWW server 12, 12A communication interface 13 display 13S display screen 15 VRAM 16 selection instruction section 16P pointer 20 computer system 21 remote controller 22 image memory B1 selection Instruction button B2 Up button B3 Down button

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on front page F term (reference) 5C082 AA01 AA14 AA15 AA24 AA37 BA27 BA43 BA46 CA02 CA33 CA34 CA72 CB06 DA87 MM04 MM09 5E501 AA04 AB03 BA05 CA04 CB03 EA05 EA11 EA32 EB05 FA02 FA04 FB04 FB22

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An information selection system for selecting arbitrary information from a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, wherein the contents of each of the plurality of pieces of information are distinguishable from other information on the display screen. Moving display means for sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of content display information to be displayed on the display screen so as to pass at least a predetermined position on the display screen, and a pointer arranged at a predetermined position on the display screen; Selection instructing means for selecting and instructing any one of the plurality of content display information via the pointer when any one of the plurality of content display information is moved to the predetermined position; An information selection system, comprising: processing execution means for executing processing based on information corresponding to information. 2. The information selection system according to claim 1, wherein said pointer is fixedly arranged at said predetermined position. 3. The plurality of information includes at least one of application program information to be executed by the processing execution unit and content information of a site displayed on the display screen, and the content display information is 2. The information selection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the application program information and the content information is an icon represented as a picture symbolizing the content. 4. The information selection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pieces of information include video information to be displayed on the display screen by the processing execution means, and the content display information is a reduced image of the video information. . 5. A change information input means for inputting information for changing a moving display speed of the display content information, wherein the moving display means displays on the display screen in accordance with the inputted moving display speed change information. And means for changing a moving display speed of the content display information.
Information selection system described. 6. The moving display means gradually increases the size of the plurality of content display information from one of an upper side and a lower side of the display screen to the other side of the display screen. 2. The information selection system according to claim 1, further comprising means for sequentially moving and displaying the information. 7. The moving display device according to claim 1, further comprising means for sequentially and repeatedly displaying the plurality of content display information from one side of the display screen toward the other side of the display screen. 1. The information selection system according to 1. 8. An information selection method for selecting arbitrary information from among a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, wherein contents of each of the plurality of pieces of information are distinguishable from other information on the display screen. Sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of content display information to be displayed on the display screen so as to pass at least a predetermined position on the display screen; and any one of the plurality of content display information is moved and displayed at the predetermined position. Instructing any one of the content display information via a pointer arranged at a predetermined position on the display screen, and executing a process based on the information corresponding to the designated content display information An information selection method, comprising: 9. A computer-readable storage medium for selecting arbitrary information from among a plurality of pieces of information using a display screen of a display, the contents of each of the plurality of pieces of information being displayed on another display screen. A procedure for causing the computer to execute a process of sequentially moving and displaying a plurality of pieces of content display information that can be distinguished from information on the display screen so as to pass at least a predetermined position on the display screen, and the plurality of pieces of content display information When one of the contents is moved and displayed at the predetermined position, when a pointer arranged at a predetermined position on the display screen is operated and the one of the contents display information is specified, the specified content is displayed. Causing the computer to execute a process based on the information corresponding to the display information.