JP4659931B2 - Browser device and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
The present invention relates to a browser device connected to a server that provides information and a recording medium .
[0002]
[Prior art]
A browser device, such as a personal computer, which is connected to a network such as the Internet and is installed with software for browsing home pages of various servers, has a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a predetermined home page of each server on the Internet. ) A so-called bookmark function having a function of storing addresses is provided.
[0003]
By registering frequently accessed website addresses in the browser device, complicated operations such as inputting the website address using a keyboard, for example, are omitted when browsing the website. The user can browse a desired home page by a simple operation in which the user selects a home page name or home page address registered in advance by the user with a mouse or the like.
[0004]
In order to facilitate the search for a desired home page, a category item indicating a desired category such as “sports”, “news”, “entertainment” is created in advance by the user, and the address of the home page corresponding to the content of each home page Is also known to be registered in an appropriate classification item.
[0005]
A procedure for registering the address of the home page in the classification item will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 11, when the browser device accesses the home page of the desired server in step S20, the user is accessing the home page display area 31 of the window 30 displayed on the display unit of the browser device shown in FIG. The server home page is displayed. The home page address is displayed in the address display area 32.
[0007]
In step S21, when the user selects the home page menu 34 in the menu bar 33 by an input device that is a pointing device such as a mouse, a touch panel, or a pen, a pull-down menu 35 is displayed in step S22.
[0008]
In step S23, when the user selects an additional menu 36 in the pull-down menu 35, a dialog box 37 shown in FIG. 13 is displayed on the window 30 in step S24.
[0009]
When the user selects the classification button 38 in the dialog box 37 in step S25, the classification list 39 shown in FIG. 14 is displayed in step S26. In the category list 39, previously registered category items 40 and unsorted homepage names or homepage addresses that are not classified are displayed.
[0010]
In step S27, when a desired category item 40 is selected from the category list 39 and the OK button 41 is clicked, in step S28, the address displayed in the address display area 32 shown in FIG. The homepage address is registered in the category.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in order for the user to classify and register the opposed addresses provided from a desired server, a very redundant operation is required.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 14, the classification list 39 displays a hierarchical structure, and as the number of classification items increases, the classification list 39 becomes longer below the window 30, covers other areas on the window 30, and is aesthetically pleasing. The appearance was damaged.
[0013]
The present invention simplifies a complicated operation when a user registers in an address classification item corresponding to information provided from a server, and allows a browser device and a recording to register an address in the classification item with a simple operation The purpose is to provide a medium .
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a browser device that displays information supplied from a server via communication means, and is registered by an address corresponding to the information supplied from the server and a user. Storage means for storing the classified items, display means for displaying information supplied from the server in the first area of the screen and displaying icons corresponding to the classification items in the second area; Instruction means for controlling the position of the pointer displayed on the screen of the display means according to the user's operation, and the pointer is displayed in the second area from an arbitrary position of the first area by the instruction means. By dragging and dropping to one of the desired icons, an address relative to the information displayed in the first area is set. Serial to correspond to the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed on the second region and a control means for controlling to store in the storage means. Then, the control means is dragged and dropped by the instruction means from any point on the address display area where the address corresponding to the information is displayed to the desired icon displayed in the second area. Thus, the address relative to the information displayed in the first area is stored in the storage means in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area. To control.
[0015]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention displays information supplied from the server via the communication means in the first area of the screen and is registered by the user in the second area of the screen. The display unit is controlled to display icons corresponding to the classified items, and the pointer displayed on the screen is displayed in the second area from an arbitrary position in the first area in accordance with a user instruction. The classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area is an address relative to the information displayed in the first area by moving to a desired icon of the icons. The pointer is dragged from the arbitrary point on the address display area where the address corresponding to the information is displayed to the desired icon displayed in the second area. By storing and dropping, an address relative to the information displayed in the first area is stored in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area. A storage medium in which browser software for causing a computer to execute is stored.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a browser device, an address registration method, and a browser system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
The browser device to which the present invention is applied is composed of, for example, a personal computer, and as shown in FIG. 1, a hard disk 1 in which a program for operating the browser device is recorded, and a graphical user interface (graphical user interface, Modem that communicates with a display unit 2 that displays a GUI), a mouse 3 that allows a user to operate a browser device using the GUI, and a server that provides, for example, browseable image information on the Internet. 4 and an address storage unit 5 for storing the address of a home page made up of a plurality of images or character information on the Internet.
[0019]
Each part of the browser device is controlled by a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 7 via a bus 6.
[0020]
When the user gives an instruction to start the browser device using the mouse 3 or an input device such as a keyboard, touch panel, or pen (not shown), the CPU 7 stores a necessary file in a random access memory (random access memory). memory: hereinafter referred to as RAM)) 8 is read and the program is executed. The program may be recorded on another recording device such as a floppy disk or a magneto-optical disk. A GUI described later is displayed on the display unit 2 via the bus 6 based on the program by the CPU 7.
[0021]
The browser device is connected from the modem 4 to various servers on the Internet, which is a kind of network, via a provider or the like via a telephone line, for example. When the browser device is in an operable state, the line between the browser device and the Internet provider is automatically connected. However, after the GUI is displayed on the display unit 2, a predetermined operation is performed by the user. By doing so, a line with an Internet provider may be connected.
[0022]
The modem 4 converts a digital signal of information such as an address of a home page into an analog signal that can be transmitted through a telephone line, and supplies the converted signal to the Internet provider via the telephone line. The modem 4 demodulates an analog signal such as image information supplied from the Internet provider into a digital signal that can be used by the browser device. Since a telephone line is used, the transmission signal is an analog signal, but if it is connected to an integrated services digital network (ISDN) or the like via a terminal adapter, it is possible to transmit information using a digital signal. .
[0023]
As described above, the user can browse the home pages of various servers on the Internet using the browser device connected to the Internet provider. A user accesses a desired server's home page by inputting a keyword by using an input device such as a keyboard (not shown) or inputting a home page address, and image information or characters provided by the home page. Browse information. An address that provides a home page that is repeatedly browsed by the user is stored in the address storage unit 5 including, for example, a RAM. The procedure for storing the address of the home page will be described later.
[0024]
When the address of the home page is stored in the address storage unit 5, an arbitrary name is given to the address by the user. The browser device manages a plurality of addresses with names that are easily understood by the user.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 2, a browser window 9 displayed as a GUI on the display unit 2 of the browser device includes a home page display area 10 which is a first area of a screen on which a home page of a server being accessed is displayed, and the home page. Address display area 11 for displaying the address of the user, and a menu bar 12 for selecting various functions by the user. A pointer 13 that is linked to the movement of the mouse 3 shown in FIG. The pointer 13 is operated by the mouse 3 operated by the user, and the part displayed on the GUI can be selected and moved, and various functions can be executed.
[0026]
A procedure for actually storing a desired homepage address by the user in the address storage unit 5 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 as necessary.
[0027]
In step S <b> 1, an operation for accessing a home page of a desired server is performed by the user, and the home page of the server is displayed in the home page display area 10 by the CPU 7. The address display area 11 displays the address of the home page being accessed.
[0028]
In step S2, when an operation for selecting the homepage menu 14 is performed by the mouse 3 operated by the user, the CPU 7 previously stores the pull-down menu 15 and the pull-down menu 15 which are the second areas of the screen in step S3 by the user. A plurality of registered classification items are displayed as, for example, a folder type icon 16.
[0029]
In step S 4, the user drags and drops the desired icon 16 from any point on the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11. That is, when the pointer 13 is moved to an arbitrary position on the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11 by the mouse 3 operated by the user, the button provided on the mouse 3 is pressed, and the pointer remains pressed. Is moved to the icon 16 and the button of the mouse 3 is released.
[0030]
The standard pull-down menu disappears when a location other than the pull-down menu is selected. However, the browser apparatus displays the pull-down menu 15 even when the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11 is selected. There is no control. Alternatively, the pull-down menu 15 may be displayed when the homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11 is selected.
[0031]
In step S5, based on the input signal from the mouse 3 according to the above-mentioned user operation by the CPU 7, the address of the displayed home page is stored in the address storage unit 5 in correspondence with the classification item created in advance by the user. Is done. Here, when the pointer of the mouse 3 operated by the user is dragged and dropped into the pull-down menu 15 area other than the classification item, the address of the displayed home page is not classified and stored in the address storage unit 5. At the same time, a display indicating the home page where the address is stored along with the classification items in the pull-down menu 15 area, for example, a name is displayed.
[0032]
The browser device to which the present invention is applied can store the address of the home page being accessed in the storage unit in association with the classification item by a simple operation.
[0033]
A procedure for browsing the home page of the server whose address is registered by the above-described procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. The browser window 9 shown in FIG. 4 is the same as the browser window 9 shown in FIG. 2, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0034]
When the user selects the homepage menu 14 from the menu bar 12 in step S6 shown in FIG. 5, the pull-down menu 15 is opened by the CPU 7 and a plurality of icons 16 are displayed in step S7.
[0035]
In step S8, when an icon 16 corresponding to a category item in which an address corresponding to a homepage desired to be browsed is selected from a plurality of icons 16 by the user, the CPU 7 selects the icon 16 in FIG. 4 in step S9. A homepage list 17 is displayed. The homepage list 17 displays the addresses or names of homepages registered in the classification item indicated by the icon 16 selected by the user.
[0036]
When an address corresponding to a desired home page is selected from the home page addresses or names displayed on the home page list 17 by the user in step S10, this corresponds to the home page address or name selected by the CPU 7 in step S11. The address to be read is read from the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG. 1, the homepage designated by the read address is accessed, and the desired homepage is displayed in the homepage display area 10. The user can browse the desired home page by a simple mouse operation of selecting the home page menu 14, selecting the icon 16, and selecting a desired address.
[0037]
For convenience of classification by the user, more detailed classification items can be set in the classification items. For example, when the icon 16 is selected, a list of folder-type icons indicating lower classification items is displayed.
[0038]
FIG. 6 shows another display example of the GUI displayed on the display unit 2 of the browser device to which the present invention is applied. In the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 6, the same parts as those in the browser window 9 shown in FIG. In the browser window 9 shown in FIG. 2, the folder-shaped icon 16 indicating the address classification item is displayed in the pull-down menu 15. However, in the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of buttons indicating the address classification item are displayed. A shape icon 19 is always displayed on the browser window 18.
[0039]
Although a plurality of icons 19 are shown in 2 rows and 2 columns, the arrangement may be vertical or horizontal, and the icons may have any shape. A plurality of icons 19 can be freely moved to a desired position on the browser window 18 by the user. The plurality of icons 19 may be displayed so as to be superimposed on the application or the OS.
[0040]
A procedure until the address of the desired homepage is actually stored in the address storage unit 5 by the user using the browser window 18 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In addition, FIG.1 and FIG.6 is referred as needed.
[0041]
In step S12, a desired home page is displayed in the home page display area 10 by the user. In the address display area 11, the address of the homepage displayed in the homepage display area 10 is displayed.
[0042]
In step S13, an arbitrary point on the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11 is dragged and dropped by the user onto the desired icon 19, so that in step S14, the address of the home page displayed by the CPU 7 is previously set by the user. Corresponding to the created classification item, it is stored in the address storage unit 5. Here, when the pointer 13 operated by the user is dragged and dropped on a part of the browser window 18 other than the classification item, the address of the displayed home page is stored in the address storage unit 5 without being classified. A part of the browser window 18, for example, a button type icon for displaying a homepage in which an address is stored, for example, a name or the like, is formed on the right side of the address display area 11.
[0043]
Since the classification item is always displayed by the icon 19, a procedure such as displaying a pull-down menu is omitted, so that the registration procedure of the home page is further simplified.
[0044]
A procedure for registering an address and browsing a home page by the above-described procedure in the GUI 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. The browser window 18 shown in FIG. 8 is the same as the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 6, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted. In the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 8, the plurality of icons 19 are arranged in a horizontal row.
[0045]
When the user selects a desired icon 19 from the plurality of icons 19 in step S15 shown in FIG. 9, the homepage list 20 shown in FIG. 8 is displayed by the CPU 7 in step S16. The homepage list 20 displays the addresses or names of homepages registered in the classification item corresponding to the icon 19 selected by the user.
[0046]
When the user selects a desired homepage address or name from the displayed homepage list 20 in step S17, the homepage address or the address corresponding to the homepage name selected by the CPU 7 in step S18. A home page corresponding to the address read from the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG. 1 is displayed in the home page display area 10.
[0047]
The user can browse a desired home page by a simple mouse operation of selecting the icon 19 and selecting a desired address. That is, the icon 19 indicating the homepage classification item is always displayed, so that a desired homepage can be viewed more easily than the homepage browsing procedure described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0048]
The icon 19 may not be normally displayed but may be automatically displayed when an arbitrary point on the homepage display area or the address display area 11 is instructed by the mouse 3 operated by the user. The home page address is registered by a very simple procedure similar to that shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, and the icon 19 is not normally displayed. Therefore, a part of the home page display area is not hidden by the icon 19. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the pull-down menu 15 may be automatically displayed when an arbitrary point on the homepage display area or the address display area 11 is selected by the user.
[0049]
FIG. 10 shows another display example of the GUI displayed on the display unit 2 of the browser device applied to the present invention. In the browser window 21 shown in FIG. 10, the same parts as those in the browser window 9 shown in FIG. The browser window 21 has a home page display area 10, an address display area 11, and a file display area 22. The file display area 22 is connected to, for example, the hard disk 1, the address storage unit 5 and the browser device shown in FIG. Directories and files in the various auxiliary storage devices displayed are displayed in a tree format.
[0050]
The classification items are displayed as a plurality of subdirectories below the home page directory in the file display area 22. Each directory is indicated by, for example, a folder type icon.
[0051]
The operation of registering the address of the home page being displayed in the home page display area 10 by the user using the window 21 is performed by the user selecting an arbitrary position on the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11 with the mouse 3 and displaying the file. It is only necessary to move to a folder icon indicating a desired directory displayed in the area 22. In the browser device, the address of the home address displayed in the address display area 11 is stored in the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG.
[0052]
Although a browser device including a hard disk and an address storage unit independently is used, for example, the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG. 1 can be provided in the hard disk 1.
[0053]
Although the description has been given using a browser device composed of a personal computer and a browser program, the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, a word processor with a communication function, an Internet television, and a local area provided with necessary input / output devices. The present invention can be applied to a combination of a host computer and an input terminal connected via a network or the like.
[0054]
In the above description, the present invention has been described with respect to the browser device, the address registration method, and the browser system. However, the present invention can also be applied to a storage medium that stores browser software to which the address registration method shown in the present invention is applicable.
[0055]
Although a mouse input device has been described as the input device, for example, a pen-type input device or the like can be used as the input device.
[0056]
Furthermore, although the case where the homepage of the server on the Internet is browsed from the browser device to which the present invention is applied has been described, the present invention is also applied to the case where the information of the server on an independent network that is not connected to the Internet is browsed. Can do.
[0057]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention displays the information provided from the server in the first area of the screen of the display unit, and displays the icon corresponding to the classification item registered by the user in the second area of the screen of the display unit, The pointer is displayed in the first area by being dragged and dropped from one point in the first area to one desired icon among the icons displayed in the second area by a user operation. By storing the address relative to the information in the storage means in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon, the operation when the desired server address is classified and registered by the user is remarkably simplified.
Further, the pointer is dragged and dropped from an arbitrary point on the address display area to a desired icon displayed in the second area, whereby the address relative to the information displayed in the first area is set to the second address. By storing in correspondence with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in this area, the operation when the user categorizes and registers the desired server address is remarkably simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a browser device to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a window displaying a folder type classification item icon.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering an address in a folder type classification item icon.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a window when an address is selected from a folder type classification item icon.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for selecting an address from a folder type classification item icon.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a window displaying a button type classification item icon.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering an address in a button type classification item icon.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a window when an address is selected from a button type classification item icon.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for selecting an address from a button type classification item icon.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another display example of a window.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a conventional address registration procedure;
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a window displayed on a display unit of a conventional browser device.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a window for displaying a conventional address registration dialog box.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a window for displaying a conventional classification item.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 hard disk, 2 display unit, 3 mouse, 4 modem, 5 address storage unit, 6 bus, 7 CPU, 8 RAM.

Claims (7)

A browser device that displays information supplied from a server via a communication means,
Storage means for storing addresses corresponding to information supplied from the server and classification items registered by the user;
Display means for displaying information supplied from the server in a first area of the screen and displaying an icon corresponding to the classification item in a second area;
Instruction means for controlling the position of the pointer displayed on the screen of the display means in accordance with a user operation;
When the pointer is dragged and dropped from any position in the first area to one desired icon among the icons displayed in the second area by the instruction means, the first area Control means for controlling to store an address relative to the information displayed in the storage means in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area. ,
The control means is dragged and dropped by the instruction means from any point on the address display area displaying the address corresponding to the information to the desired icon displayed in the second area. Thus, the address relative to the information displayed in the first area is stored in the storage means in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area. Browser device to control .   The browser device according to claim 1, wherein the second area is always provided on the screen of the display means.   The browser device according to claim 1, wherein the display of the second area is held when an arbitrary position of the first area is instructed by the instruction means.   2. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the arbitrary position of the first area is instructed by the instruction means, the second area is provided on the screen of the display means.   The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the classification is displayed with a folder type icon.   The browser device according to claim 1, wherein the classification is displayed with a button-type icon. The display unit is controlled so that information supplied from the server via the communication means is displayed in the first area of the screen and icons corresponding to the classification items registered by the user are displayed in the second area of the screen. The pointer displayed on the screen is moved from an arbitrary position in the first area to a desired icon among the icons displayed in the second area in accordance with a user instruction. An address relative to the information displayed in the first area is stored in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area ;
The pointer is displayed in the first area by being dragged and dropped from any point on the address display area displaying the address corresponding to the information to the desired icon displayed in the second area. Stored is browser software for causing a computer to store an address relative to the information stored in association with the classification item corresponding to the desired icon displayed in the second area . Storage medium.

Images