JP2814461B2 - Electronic catalog device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 【Overview】

For an electronic catalog device using a CD-ROM, etc., you can easily check the selected parts on the graphic display screen on the text screen displayed on the window, and scroll through the screen while looking at the text screen to easily find the necessary parts. An electronic catalog device for selecting a desired component from a plurality of components displayed graphically based on image data, with the object of providing an electronic catalog device excellent in operability that can be selected. Scrolling means for scrolling a screen on which a graphic is displayed based on the image data;
Component selection means for selecting a target component from a plurality of components on a screen displayed graphically based on the image data; detection means for detecting character data corresponding to the selected component; A character screen based on the displayed character data is superimposed on a screen on which a graphic is displayed based on the image data, and a window is displayed. When the screen on which the graphic is displayed is scrolled, the character screen displayed on the window is fixed. Window display means for scrolling and displaying only the displayed screen.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic catalog device using a CD-ROM or the like. With the development of new media in recent years, it has become possible to easily convert an enormous amount of information, including image information, into electronic files. For example, catalogs of products and parts made up of booklets and microfilms have become CD-RO
It is about to be replaced with an electronic catalog device using M or the like. In such an electronic catalog apparatus, since the number of users who use it is often unspecified, good operability such as easy handling, easy viewing of catalog contents, or easy confirmation is required. .

[Prior art]

Product and parts catalogs facilitate the distribution of goods, not only for advertising to a wide range of customers, but also for dealers ordering goods from customers or for dealers ordering goods from manufacturers. Often used to do. Therefore, in the catalog, image information such as photos, drawings or illustrations of these products and parts, and text information such as product names, product name codes, part numbers, standards, and prices of products and parts are classified and arranged and posted. It is designed to make it easy to find products that meet customer requirements. For example, an automobile parts catalog is used as an indispensable part for ordering parts at an auto repair shop or an automobile parts dealer, etc. For a large number of parts, a list of product name codes over many pages composed mainly of character information such as the product name of each component, product name code, and product number, and a large group unit such as car body and engine And an illustration showing an exploded view in which each part in the group is further subdivided together with a product name code. By referring to the list of part name codes and illustrations, the person in charge of ordering parts can search for the part name code or part number of the target part, but the number of parts in the car is too large. Because it is huge,
The task is not easy. Therefore, the contents of such a catalog are stored on one or several CD-ROMs, and the computer can be used to search and display the product name code of the target part, and the product name code searched and selected. There has been proposed an electronic catalog device that searches for a product number from vehicle information and vehicle information.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As such an electronic catalog device, image information including illustrations and character information centering on characters are used.
By storing them on a CD-ROM as an image database and a text database, respectively, and by specifying predetermined items from input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse,
It is conceivable to read the data of the corresponding portion of the CD-ROM and display it on the screen of the display device. In this case, for example, a part corresponding to the target part is searched for on the screen displayed graphically by the image information, and the corresponding part name code or the like is input from the screen to obtain the part name code of the target part. Will be selected. However, if one illustration (figure) cannot fit on one screen, it is necessary to scroll the screen on which the figure is displayed. In addition, in order to make it easy to understand what the selected product name code is, it is necessary to display a table of the selected product name codes on a window, for example. When the product name code table is displayed in a window, if the product name code table is scrolled at the same time when the graphic display screen is scrolled, it becomes very difficult to confirm the selected product name code. Therefore, it is necessary to scroll backward to the original position, and the person in charge becomes very tired and the operability is greatly impaired. Also, when scrolling the screen on which a graphic is displayed, the item name code table displayed on the window is temporarily deleted from the screen, and when scrolling is completed, the item name code table is displayed again. Even though the position does not change, the display temporarily disappears from view,
The person in charge must reconfirm the contents, and operability is inevitably reduced. When selecting parts, etc. using an electronic catalog device,
It is considered that it is often the case to check whether or not the selected product name code is correct by looking at the text screen of the product name code or the like by using illustrations. It is a problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described problems, the present invention allows a user to easily confirm a selected component on a graphic displayed screen on a character screen displayed on a window, and to easily select a necessary component by scrolling the screen while viewing the character screen. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic catalog apparatus which is excellent in operability.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to solve the above-described problem by selecting an object from a plurality of parts displayed graphically based on image data DM, as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. An electronic catalog apparatus A for selecting a part to be displayed, a scroll means 31 for scrolling a screen FA1 which is graphically displayed based on the image data DM, and graphically displayed based on the image data DM. Component selection means for selecting a target component from a plurality of components on screen FA1
38, 39 and character data C corresponding to the selected part
A detection means 21 for detecting H, a character screen GH based on the detected character data CH is displayed in a window so as to overlap a screen FA1 graphically displayed based on the image data DM, and the screen FA1 graphically displayed. And a window display means 44 for fixing the window-displayed character screen GH when scrolling and scrolling and displaying only the graphic display screen FA1.

[Action]

Screen FA1 displayed graphically based on image data DM
By operating the component selection means 39 such as a mouse from among the components, a component is selected, and its coordinates and the like are detected.
When a part is selected, the detecting means 21 detects character data CH corresponding to the part by collating coordinate data and the like. When the character data CH is detected, the window display means 44 superimposes a character screen GH based on the detected character data CH on a screen FA1 on which a graphic is displayed based on the image data DM, and displays a window. Screen FA1 displayed graphically based on image data DM
Is scrolled by the scroll means 31. At this time, the character screen GH is fixed in its display state without scrolling, and only the screen FA1 on which the graphic is displayed scrolls. In scrolling the screen FA1, for example, the memory 2
Window display control data D for one line stored in 4
The logical operation of 1 and the image data DM is performed, the result is written to the VRAM 41, and the contents of the VRAM 41 are displayed on the screen.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic catalog device A according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic catalog apparatus A includes CD reading units 13 and 14 for reading predetermined data from an image disk 11 or a text disk 12 each comprising a CD-ROM, and a CD.
An image data storage unit 15 for storing data read by the reading units 13 and 14, a code data storage unit 16, a text data storage unit 17, a decompression processing unit 18 for decompressing data stored in the image data storage unit 15, Decompression processing section
A bitmap memory 19 in which data corresponding to the original image is developed and written by the output data of 18, a CRT display unit 45, and a VRAM (image memory) in which image data for displaying image information is written by the CRT display unit 45
41, character RAM 43, VRAM 41 in which character data for displaying character information is written by the CRT display section 45.
Or, a display control unit 44 for performing a read operation or a window display operation from the character RAM 43, a mask 39 for selecting or inputting data or commands displayed on the screen of the CRT display unit 45, and a VRAM 41 and a character RAM 43 It comprises a control unit 5 for controlling the entire electronic catalog apparatus A, such as writing data. In the image disk 11, the entire picture table of contents, which is composed of a plurality of perspective views of groups of vehicles and engines, which are roughly classified, and the structure of the group units shown in each of the whole picture tables are further subdivided to structurally relate them. As shown in FIG. 6, a detailed picture table of contents composed of a number of outline drawings of detailed structural units and an exploded view of the detailed structural units shown in each detailed picture table, as shown in FIG. A large number of records RC configured in a format in the order of the data DC are stored. The image header HD includes the data length of the entire record RC, the data length of each data, the number of vertical and horizontal pixels, and the like. The image data DM is an image of an illustration (see FIG. 2) including an entire picture table of contents, a detailed picture table of contents, and an exploded view, and illustration characters RM attached to these figures, and the MMR method. It is compressed. The code data DC contains the coordinate position and the like of the illustration character RM in the image data DM. As shown in FIG. 7, an illustration is made with the upper left corner of each illustration as coordinates (0,0). Start coordinate, end coordinate of character RM,
It consists of a character string section and a character code. The illustration characters RM include the frame numbers such as “1” and “2” appended to the entire picture table, the FIG numbers such as “12-34” appended to the detailed picture table, and the enlarged exploded view. There is a corresponding item name code CH such as “12345” appended thereto. The upper left corner of the rectangle surrounding each illustration character RM is the start coordinate position, and the lower right corner is the end coordinate position. Of these data read from the image disk 11, the image data DM is stored in the image data storage unit 15,
The code data DC is stored in the code data storage unit 16, respectively. It should be noted that the text disk 12 stores a database composed of files centering on character information such as the product name of each component, the product name code CH for the product name, and the product number for the same target as the image disk 11 described above. The control unit 5 includes a coordinate detection unit 38 that detects coordinates based on an input from the mouse 39, a detection / collation unit 21 that detects the illustration character RM or the product name code CH based on the coordinate data from the coordinate detection unit 38, A product name buffer 22 for storing the product name code CH detected by the unit 21, a line RAM 24 for providing background color data for window display, a window address setting unit 25 for providing window display addresses, and a bit map memory 19 The VRAM 41 performs various data processing such as thinning / reducing the image data in the memory or partially cutting or scrolling.
And a character output unit 32 that outputs the character data of the text data storage unit 17 and the product name buffer 22 to the character RAM 43 in various formats.
Consists of Among them, the image data storage unit 15, the bitmap memory 19, the product name buffer 22, the VRAM 41, and the character RA
The M43 is a readable / writable memory (RAM), the code data storage unit 16 and the text data storage unit 17 are a magnetic disk device, the decompression processing unit 18 is a logic circuit and a dedicated IC circuit, and the control unit 5 and the display control unit 44. Is composed of a CPU (central processing unit) including a microcomputer, a program stored in a memory, and peripheral circuits thereof. A keyboard and a printer (not shown) are also connected as necessary. I have. Next, the operation of the electronic catalog device A will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen 45a displaying an enlarged exploded view FA1. In the enlarged exploded view FA1 shown in FIG. 2, "item name code search" is selected on a menu screen (not shown), and FIG. 12 "-34" and "exploded view" are selected in the detailed picture table.
Further, this is displayed by selecting “enlarged view” on the entire exploded view screen. In other words, the exploded view displayed on the screen of the CRT display unit 45 includes an entire exploded view and an enlarged exploded view.
By selecting “−34” and “exploded view”, the corresponding image data DM is read from the image disk 11 and written into the bitmap memory 19, and firstly the FI
The overall view (overall exploded view) of the illustration with G number "12-34" is C
It is displayed on the screen of the RT display unit 45. At this time, the total number of pixels of the illustration is much larger than the total number of pixels of the screen of the CRT display unit 45, and the entire illustration does not fit on the screen. On the screen of the entire exploded view, the illustration character RM is difficult to decipher, so that a process is performed so that the illustration character RM is not displayed on the screen. Therefore, the product name code CH cannot be input. By specifying a portion to be enlarged and displayed on the entire exploded view screen, a specified area of about 1/6 of the virtual screen of the bitmap memory 19 is cut out, and the CRT display section 45 is not subjected to reduction processing. An enlarged view (enlarged exploded view) is displayed on the entire screen. Therefore, the FIG.
In order to view all the illustrations of “−34”, either the displayed screen is scrolled, or after returning to the screen of the entire view, an enlarged view of another part is designated. By the way, on the upper right of the screen 45a shown in FIG.
Along with A1, the product name code table GH created by the character output unit 32 is displayed on the window by the display control unit 44. In this product name code table GH, FIG.
The item name code CH selected from the item name codes CH of the parts included in “4” and the quantity input from a keyboard (not shown) are displayed. On the screen 45a, only the enlarged exploded view FA1 can be scrolled in the up, down, left, and right directions with the mouse 39 fixing the product name code table GH displayed in the window. First, a method of selecting the product name code CH in the enlarged exploded view FA1 and the operation of each unit at that time will be described. On the screen 45a on which the enlarged exploded view FA1 is displayed, move the cursor to the position of any of the illustration characters RM, for example, `` 12352 '', and press the entry key of the mouse 39,
The coordinates of the position of the illustration character “12352” in the illustration are detected by the coordinate detection unit 38, and the coordinate data is input to the detection / collation unit 21. The detection / collation unit 21 sequentially compares the coordinate data input from the coordinate detection unit 38 with the start coordinates and end coordinates of the code data DC stored in the code data storage unit 16, and determines the character of the corresponding code data DC. The code, that is, the product name code "12352" in this case is stored in the product name buffer 22 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the product name code “12352” displayed on the screen is surrounded by, for example, a frame WK colored red, and the selection of the product name code is highlighted. Further, the character name output unit 32 provides a product name buffer.
Product name code "12352" stored in 22 is character R
It is written in AM43, and this is displayed in the product name code table GH which is a window. The screen 45a in FIG. 2 shows the product name codes "12352" and "1235".
"4" shows a state after the selection as described above is performed. Next, the operation of each unit when the screen 45a shown in FIG. 2 is scrolled will be described. In the screen 45a of FIG. 2, the cursor 39 is crossed by pressing the cursor CL to the right end of the screen with the mouse 39, and then, when the entry key of the mouse 39 is pressed, the cursor CL moves to the right by about 8 points.
The screen 45b that has been scrolled by a factor of 1 is displayed. FIG. 3 is a view showing a screen 45b after scrolling the screen 45a of FIG. The enlarged exploded view FA2 displayed on the screen 45b in FIG.
The enlarged exploded view FA1 displayed on the screen 45a in the figure has been moved to the left, and the enlarged exploded view FA1 in FIG. 2 shows a part that is hidden and hidden in the product name code table GH. Further, the product name code table GH displayed in the window does not change over both screens 45a and 45b, and is continuously displayed without being erased while scrolling from the enlarged exploded view FA1 to the enlarged exploded view FA2. That is, the display state of the product name code table GH is fixed, and only the enlarged exploded view FA1 is scrolled. The scrolling of the enlarged exploded view FA1 is performed by writing the new enlarged exploded view FA2 after scrolling into the VRAM 41 by the image output unit 31. The signal for scrolling with the mouse 39 is the coordinate detector
When input to the image output unit 31 from 389, the image output unit 31 specifies the address corresponding to the enlarged exploded view FA2 line by line in the bitmap memory 19 and reads it out. The logical product of one line of data read from 19 and one line of data from the line RAM 24 is calculated and output to the VRAM 41. In the line RAM 24, data with the data of the part corresponding to the product name code table GH as the background color of the screen 45 b is set by a signal from the window address setting unit 25, and this image data and the data from the bit map memory 19 are set. By taking a logical product with the image data, the image data whose background color is the part of the product name code table GH is written into the VRAM 41. In the internal memory of the window address setting unit 25, start coordinates and end coordinates of window display read from a window address definition database (not shown) are stored in advance. FIG. 4 shows the image output unit 31 when scrolling.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a state of data written to a VRAM 41. In FIG. 4, the data D set in the line RAM 24
1 is a window display area, that is, a position where the product name code table GH is displayed, and a bit equal to the number of pixels in the horizontal direction is set to “0”, and another area, that is, a bit of the display area of the enlarged exploded view FA2 is set. It is set to “1”. Here, the data “0” corresponds to black, which is the background color of the screen of the CRT display unit 45. By taking the logical product of this data D1 and one line of data D2 from the bitmap memory 19, data D3 is obtained in which the window display area is "0" and the other areas are equal to the data D2. This data D3 is written to the VRAM 41. As described above, for all the areas displayed in the window, the data of the background color “0” is written in the VRAM 41, while the product name code table G written in the character RAM 43 is written.
Since the data of H does not fluctuate, on the screen of the CRT display unit 45, the product name code table GH displayed in the window is continuously displayed without moving and without being deleted,
Only the enlarged exploded view FA1 scrolls. According to the above-described embodiment, even when the screen on which the graphic such as the enlarged exploded view FA1 is displayed is scrolled, the character screen such as the product name code table GH displayed on the window is fixed and does not change. It is not necessary to check the contents of the product name code table GH before and after, and the operator's eyes are not tired, and the operability is excellent. Therefore, the selected product name code CH can be easily confirmed in the product name code table GH displayed on the window, and the required product name code CH can be easily selected by scrolling the enlarged exploded view FA1 while viewing the product name code table GH. be able to.
For this reason, it is possible to prevent an erroneous order from being caused by selecting an erroneous product name code and erroneously placing an order with a part number having a different purpose and part, and to prevent a delivery delay of ordered parts and an unnecessary increase in inventory. In the above-described embodiment, the product name code CH can be selected from the product name code list TH1 based on the text disk 12 or input from a keyboard (not shown), in addition to being selected in the enlarged exploded view. Further, by selecting the selected product name code CH again with the mouse 39, the product name code CH is deleted from the product name buffer 22, deleted from the product name code tables GH and GH1, and the highlighted display disappears from any screen. I do. In the above embodiment, when the background color of the screen of the CRT display unit 45 is white, the data set in the background color area of the line RAM 24 is set to “1”, and the image output unit
At 31, the logical sum of the data of the line RAM 24 and the data of one line of the bit map memory 19 may be obtained. In the above embodiment, from the selected product name code CH,
It may be configured to search for a part number of a target component based on vehicle information or the like. Further, the obtained article number may be automatically ordered via a communication line or the like. In the above-described embodiment, a case has been described where the expressions of the illustration character RM and the product name code CH are the same as each other, but those expressions are different from each other, and a numeral,
Other illustration characters, such as characters, symbols, and figures, and product name codes may be used. The image data DM, the code data DC, the exploded views FA1 and FA2, the product name code list TH1, the product name code tables GH and GH1, and other configurations such as illustrations and character display are arbitrary. Furthermore, the configuration of the entire electronic catalog device A or each part can be various configurations other than those described above, and the present invention can be applied to parts or products other than automobiles.

【The invention's effect】

According to the present invention, when the character screen of the component selected on the graphic display screen is displayed as a window on the graphic display screen, and when the graphic display screen is scrolled, the character screen becomes It is fixed without scrolling and displayed as it is. Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm the component selected on the graphic-displayed screen on the character screen displayed on the window, and to easily select a necessary component by scrolling the screen while viewing the character screen. Therefore, it is easy to find and select a target part, and it is possible to prevent an erroneous part from being selected. As described above, according to the present invention, it is easy to confirm the selected component, and it is not necessary to reconfirm the contents of the character screen for confirming the component before and after scrolling. Excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic catalog apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a screen displaying an enlarged exploded view, FIG. 3 is a view showing a screen after scrolling the screen of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the state of data written to the VRAM at the time of scrolling by the image output unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a product name buffer. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the format of data stored on the image disk. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the format of the code data. In the figure, A is an electronic catalog device, DM is image data, CH is a product name code (character data), FA1 is an enlarged exploded view (screen displayed as a graphic), GH is a product name code table (character screen), D1 is data ( Window display control data), 24 is a line RAM (memory), 31 is an image output unit (scroll means, image writing means), 41 is VRAM, 43 is character RAM, 44 is a display control unit (window display means), 45 is It is a CRT display unit (display unit).

────────────────────────────────────────────────── (5) Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ identification code FIG06F 15/403 320A (56) References JP-A-62-113277 (JP, A) JP-A-61-215919 (JP, A) JP-A-56-164385 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An electronic catalog device (A) for selecting a target component from a plurality of components graphically displayed on the basis of image data (DM), wherein the electronic catalog device (A) is provided based on the image data (DM). Scrolling means (3) for scrolling the screen (FA1),
(1) component selection means (38) (39) for selecting a desired component from a plurality of components on a screen (FA1) displayed graphically based on the image data (DM); Detecting means (21) for detecting character data (CH) corresponding to the detected part; and displaying a character screen (GH) based on the detected character data (CH) graphically based on the image data (DM). When a window (FA1) with a figure is scrolled, the character screen (GH) is fixed and the screen (FA1) is only scrolled. An electronic catalog apparatus, comprising: a window display means (44) for displaying the information.