JP4809739B2 - User interface changing device and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a user interface changing device and a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to function as a user interface changing device is recorded.

  With the recent development of Web technology, various information can be easily obtained from various sites via a network such as the Internet and an intranet. Typically, a user interface for referring to and possibly setting information available in the network is displayed by obtaining the information from a device that holds information about the user interface. These user interfaces include a portion where the displayed content is fixed and a portion where the displayed content is dynamically changed. In the prior art, the portion where the displayed content is dynamically changed is realized using a script language such as Java (registered trademark) or VBS.

  An apparatus capable of dynamically changing a user interface using a script language or dynamically generating a user interface on a Web server is disclosed in, for example, the following prior art documents. .

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-318842 (Patent Document 1) is a Web page generation device that generates a Web page having an operation item, and is defined corresponding to a device that displays the Web page or a user of the device. In addition, an operation displayed by having a Web page generating unit that generates a Web page for displaying an operation item that needs to be displayed based on operation item display information indicating whether or not the operation item needs to be displayed. Disclosed is a Web page generation apparatus capable of generating a Web page whose items change according to predetermined conditions.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-67428 (Patent Document 2) is based on the user interface configuration information selected by the user interface information management means for managing the user interface configuration information, and thereby medical care is performed according to the user's search intention. A medical information search user interface device capable of dynamically configuring an information search condition input user interface and a search result output user interface is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-288143 (Patent Document 3) receives a call from a running application and automatically generates a user interface according to a data structure specified in an XSD (Extensible Markup Language Scheme Definitions) file. A user interface generator is disclosed.
JP 2004-318842 A JP 2001-67428 A JP 2003-288143 A

  However, the devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are limited to devices that can execute a program (so-called script) written in a script language for dynamically changing a user interface on a network. Since it cannot be executed by a device placed at a different position depending on the operating environment, there is a problem in that the use of the communication path is unstable or the communication speed is low. .

  In view of the above problems, the present invention allows a user interface changing device that can select a position for executing processing for dynamically changing a user interface on a network, and causes a computer to function as such a user interface changing device. An object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program for the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, the user interface changing device of the present invention acquires user interface construction information management means for managing user interface construction information, and the user interface construction information from the user interface construction information management means, A user interface changing device for changing the user interface, provided between the user interface display means for displaying the user interface, and having a complement means for complementing predetermined information to the user interface construction information. .

  Accordingly, it is possible to provide a user interface changing device capable of selecting a position for executing processing for dynamically changing the user interface on the network. That is, as long as the information transmission path is between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means, the user interface is changed. The user interface can be dynamically changed by complementing predetermined information to the information for construction. For example, when the management unit and the display unit are incorporated in different devices and the devices exchange information via the network, the user interface changing device of the present invention includes the management unit and the display unit on the network. As long as it is between, it may be incorporated in either the management means or the display means, or may be provided as a separate device from the apparatus in which the management means and the display means are incorporated.

  Preferably, the user interface changing device according to the present invention further includes a complementing means corresponding unit that associates the location of the portion where the predetermined information needs to be supplemented with the complementing unit in the user interface construction information, The complement means searches for the location of the portion where the predetermined information needs to be complemented in the user interface construction information, and when the location is associated with the complement means by the complement means correspondence means, The predetermined information can be supplemented to the place.

  As a result, the information transmission path between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means is at a predetermined position. It can be determined whether the user interface changing device can operate to supplement the user interface construction information with predetermined information.

  The “location” in the means for solving the claims and the problem means a predetermined location indicated by a mark such as a tag in an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) document in the user interface construction information. I mean.

  Preferably, in the user interface changing device according to the present invention, when there are a plurality of parts in which the predetermined information needs to be supplemented in the user interface construction information, the complementing means includes the plurality of parts. On the other hand, predetermined information can be complemented.

  As a result, the information transmission path between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means is at a predetermined position. Since predetermined information is supplemented to the user interface construction information by the user interface changing device, it can be expected that the performance of the user interface display operation is improved and the number of network accesses is reduced.

  Preferably, the user interface changing device of the present invention can include a plurality of complementing means between the user interface construction information managing means and the user interface display means.

  Thereby, the interface is provided at a plurality of positions on the information transmission path between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means. Since the supplement information can be supplemented to the construction information, such a supplement operation can be executed while flexibly dealing with various environments.

  Preferably, the user interface changing device according to the present invention automatically recognizes the operating environment, and determines a complementing unit used to supplement the user interface information with predetermined information according to the operating environment. Operating environment recognition means can further be provided.

  Thereby, the interface is provided at a plurality of positions on the information transmission path between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means. When supplement information can be supplemented to the construction information, it is possible to select a means for automatically performing a supplement operation according to the operating environment. Accordingly, it is possible to save the setting time and reduce the burden on the user.

  Preferably, in the user interface changing device according to the present invention, supplementary information providing means for providing supplementary information supplemented to the user interface construction information, and the supplementary information needs to be supplemented in the user interface construction information. Complement information providing means corresponding means for associating the location of the part with the supplement information providing means, wherein the complement means specifies the location of the part where the supplement information needs to be supplemented in the user interface construction information. The supplementary information can be acquired from the supplementary information providing means associated with the place by searching for the supplementary information providing means.

  As a result, the information transmission path between the management means for managing information for constructing the user interface and the display means for displaying the user interface using the information managed by such means is at a predetermined position. It can be determined whether the user interface changing device can acquire predetermined information supplemented with the user interface construction information.

  Preferably, the user interface changing device of the present invention can handle a plurality of different user interface construction information.

  This eliminates the need to provide a dedicated user interface changing device according to the user interface.

  Preferably, the user interface changing device of the present invention can incorporate the user interface construction information management means, the complementing means, and the user interface display means.

  Thereby, it is possible to select a position for executing processing for dynamically changing the user interface not only in network communication between apparatuses but also in bus communication within the apparatus.

  Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the user interface changing device of the present invention is realized by a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as the user interface device of the present invention.

  Thereby, the user interface changing device of the present invention can be easily incorporated in each of a plurality of devices on the network.

  According to the present invention, a user interface changing device capable of selecting a position for executing processing for dynamically changing a user interface on a network and a program for causing a computer to function as such a user interface changing device are recorded. It is possible to provide a computer-readable storage medium.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a Web system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a Web system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a Web server 10, a terminal 20, and a document management server connected to each other via a network 60 such as a local area network (LAN) or the Internet. 30, a print server 40, and a document distribution server 50.

  The Web server 10 is an information processing apparatus for generating a user interface (UI) corresponding to information requested by the terminal 20 as a Web page and providing the generated UI to the terminal 20. Here, the Web page refers to a general structured document for display described in a predetermined language such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or XTM (Extensible Markup Language). The data format of the Web page is not limited to the above-described HTML and XML, and any data format can be used as long as it can be referred to by a general-purpose browser. The terminal 20 is a communication terminal such as a personal computer (PC), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or a mobile phone that includes display means such as a Web browser for displaying a UI provided by the Web server 10.

  The document management server 30 has a document management database (DB) 32 for managing document data, and provides information processing functions such as search and update of document information in the document management DB 32 on the network 60 as a so-called Web service. Device. The print server 40 is an information processing apparatus that is connected to a printer 42 that prints document data and provides a print function of the printer 42 on the network 60 as a Web service. The document distribution server 50 provides a document distribution function for transmitting document data to a designated destination on the network 60 as a Web service.

  For example, the functions provided by each of the document management server 30, the print server 40, and the document distribution server 50 can be called by a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOPC) RPC (Remote Procedure Call).

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by taking as an example a case where a UI changing device that dynamically changes the contents of a UI according to the present invention is incorporated in a Web system as shown in FIG.

[Constitution]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a first configuration example when the UI changing apparatus of the present invention is incorporated in the Web system of FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the UI changing device 100 is incorporated so as to extend over the terminal 20, the Web server 10, and the document management server 30 connected via the network 60. Further, the terminal 20 has display means 22 for displaying a UI, and the Web server 10 acquires UI construction information for constructing a UI displayed by the display means 22 of the terminal 20, and displays the UI. The document management server 30 manages the UI construction information stored in the UI construction information DB 34 and the UI construction information database (DB) 34 for storing the UI construction information. And UI construction information management means 36. The UI construction information management means 36 acquires UI construction information corresponding to the request sent from the display means 22 from the UI construction information DB 34 and passes it to the UI changing device 100. The UI construction information describes a procedure indicating where and how to acquire information of a dynamically changed portion as well as contents to be displayed on the UI.

  The UI changing device 100 is a device that dynamically changes the UI displayed by the terminal 20 based on the UI construction information managed in the document management server 30 according to the present invention, and includes a UI construction information complementing unit 110, First and second complementary information providing means 120 and 122, first and second complementary information DBs 130 and 132, complementary means corresponding means 140, complementary information providing means corresponding means 150, first and second Complementary information providing means 160, 162.

  The first and second complementary information acquisition means 160 and 162 are means for acquiring user input information input by a user via a predetermined UI displayed by the display means 22, and in this embodiment, a Web server 10 is incorporated. The display means 22 sends the input information input by the user via the UI, that is, complementary information to the first or second complementary information acquisition means 160 and 162. Note that the complementary information is information of a part of the UI that is dynamically changed, and is finally incorporated into the document management information.

  The other means of the UI changing apparatus 100 is incorporated in the document management server 30 in this embodiment.

  The first and second complementary information DBs 130 and 132 are storage means for storing complementary information. The first and second complementary information providing means 120 and 122 are means for managing the complementary information stored in the first and second complementary information DBs 130 and 132, respectively. Further, the first and second complementary information providing units 120 and 122 respectively use the first and second complementary information DBs 130 as the complementary information acquired by the first and second complementary information acquiring units 160 and 162, respectively. , 132 respectively.

  The UI construction information supplementing unit 110, when there is a part that needs to be supplemented, in the UI construction information acquired from the UI construction information management unit 36, the first construction information providing unit 120, 122 through the first supplementary information providing unit 120, 122. And it is a means which acquires supplement information from 2nd supplement information DB130 and 132, and complements UI construction information.

  The complement means handling means 140 is a means for associating a place where information needs to be complemented in the UI construction information with the UI construction information complementing means 110 that executes the complementing operation. The supplementary information providing means handling means 150 is a means for associating a place where the information needs to be supplemented in the UI construction information with each of the first and second supplementary information providing means 120 and 122 that provide the supplementary information. is there.

  The UI construction information complementing unit 110 refers to the complementing unit handling unit 140 to determine whether or not to perform complementing on predetermined UI construction information. With reference to the providing means correspondence means 150, the complementary information providing means 120 or 122 for managing the complementary information to be supplemented with the UI construction information is found, and appropriate complementary information is acquired therefrom.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a definition example of UI construction information. The UI construction information 300 in FIG. 3 includes a first description 310 that indicates how the UI is dynamically changed, and second and third that respectively represent the contents of the portion that is dynamically changed in the UI. Description 320, 330.

  In the present embodiment, the first description 310 indicates that predetermined data can be input in the edit box displayed in the UI, and the second and third descriptions 320 and 330 are input in the edit box. Represents the contents of predetermined data.

  In addition, the second and third descriptions 320 and 330 each provide a means for performing information supplementation together with a place where the information needs to be supplemented in the UI construction information 300 because the UI is dynamically changed. It has first items 322 and 332 for representing, and second items 324 and 334 representing means for providing complementary information supplemented to the UI construction information 300. For example, when the UI construction information 300 is described in HTML, a place where the information needs to be complemented in the UI construction information 300 is indicated by a tag representing execution of the complementing operation. In the present embodiment, the complementary information corresponds to predetermined data input to the edit box displayed in the UI.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of definition of complementary information. As shown in FIG. 4, the complementary information is composed of a plurality of data indicated by character strings. In the present embodiment, the first complement information 410 in (a) has five data of “apple”, “book”, “child”, “dog”, “egg”, and “fish” ( The second supplement information 420 of b) has three data of “Red”, “Yellow”, and “Green”.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the data structure of the complementary means handling means 140 of FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the complementing means handling unit 140 associates a place where information needs to be complemented in the UI construction information with a unit that performs information complementation, for example, in a table format. A column 510 of the table stores definitions of items representing locations where information needs to be complemented in the UI construction information. The column 520 of the table stores the name of the means for executing the information complement.

  In this case, in FIG. 2, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 searches the UI construction information acquired from the UI construction information management unit 36 for an item described by the definition stored in the column 510. As a result of the search, when the UI construction information complementing unit 110 finds a corresponding item from the UI construction information, next, referring to the column 520, whether or not the unit associated with the item is itself. Determine.

  For example, in this embodiment, the column 510 stores two definitions described as “<action type =“ internal ”>” and “<action type =“ external ”>”, respectively. The UI construction information complementing means 110 is stored so as to be associated with one of these two definitions “<action type =“ internal ”>”. On the other hand, nothing is associated with other definitions “<action type =“ external ”>”. Accordingly, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 determines that the first item 322 of the second description 320 defines “<” when the acquired UI construction information is the UI construction information 300 having the definition as shown in FIG. Since the description type is “action type =“ internal ”>”, the second description 320 operates to complement the information.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the data structure of the complementary information providing means correspondence means 150 of FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the supplement information providing unit 150 provides, for example, a table format, a place where information needs to be supplemented in the UI construction information, and supplement information supplemented to the UI construction information. Associate means. Each of the columns 610 and 620 of the table stores an ID and a name of a means for providing complementary information supplemented to the UI construction information.

  In this case, in FIG. 2, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 searches the UI construction information acquired from the UI construction information management unit 36 for an item in which the ID stored in the column 610 is described. As a result of the search, when the UI construction information complementing unit 110 finds a corresponding item from the UI construction information, next, referring to the column 620, the complementary information providing unit associated with the ID described in the item And get supplementary information from it.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the column 610 stores two IDs described as “holder_a” and “holder_b”, respectively, and the column 620 stores one of these two IDs “holder_a”. The first complementary information providing unit 120 associated with the second supplemental information providing unit 122 associated with the other ID “holder_b” is stored. Therefore, when the acquired UI construction information is the UI construction information 300 having the definition as shown in FIG. 3, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 sets the second item 324 of the second description 320 to the ID “holder_a Since the second item 334 of the third description 330 includes the ID “holder_b”, the supplement information for the second description 320 is the first supplement information providing means 120 only when the supplement is performed by itself. On the other hand, supplementary information for the third description 330 operates to be obtained from the second supplementary information providing means 122.

[Operation]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the Web system in which the UI changing apparatus of the present invention is incorporated as shown in FIG.

  First, in step S701, the UI construction information management unit 36 of the document management server 30 displays a predetermined UI from the display unit 22 of the terminal 20 via the UI acquisition unit 12 of the Web server 10 and the network 60. It is requested to acquire UI construction information. Next, in step S702, the UI construction information management unit 36 acquires, from the UI construction information DB 34, UI construction information 300 corresponding to the request from the display unit 22 and having a definition as shown in FIG. This is sent to the UI changing device 100.

  In the UI changing device 100, the UI construction information complementing means 110 acquires the UI construction information 300 from the UI construction information management means 36, and in step S703, for example, the complementing means corresponding means having a data structure in a table format as shown in FIG. Referring to 140, the UI construction information 300 is searched for a place that needs information supplement. As a result of the search, if a place that needs to be supplemented is found in the UI construction information 300, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 will complement itself to the predetermined UI construction information 300 in the next step S704. Decide whether or not.

  If the item itself is to be complemented, that is, if the item 322 described by the definition “<action type =“ internal ”>” exists in the UI construction information 300, the UI construction information complementing means in step S 705. 110 further refers to complementary information providing means corresponding means 150 having a data structure in a table format as shown in FIG. 6, for example, and complementary information providing means 120 or 122 for managing complementary information to be supplemented to UI construction information 300. Is detected. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the description 320 including the item 322 described by the definition “<action type =“ internal ”>” has the item 324 including the ID “holder_a”. The first complementary information providing means 120 is detected from the table. In the next step S706, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 stores the first supplementary information DB 130 managed by the first supplementary information providing unit 120 from the detected first supplemental information providing unit 120, for example, The supplement information 410 having the definition as shown in FIG. 4A is acquired and supplemented with the description 320 of the UI construction information 300.

  On the other hand, when the device itself does not perform complementation, the above-described complementing operations in steps S705 and S706 are not executed. For example, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 does not complement the description 330 including the item 332 described by the definition “<action type =“ external ”>” in the UI construction information 300.

  Thereafter, in step S707, the UI construction information complementing unit 110 returns the UI construction information supplemented with information to the UI construction information managing unit 36. In step S708, the UI construction information management unit 36 sends the UI construction information to the display unit 22 that has requested to obtain the UI construction information via the UI acquisition unit 12 of the Web server 10 and the network 60.

  As described above, the UI changing device 100 of the present invention is provided in the information transmission path between the UI construction information management means 36 and the display means 22 and dynamically changes the UI by complementing the UI construction information with the complementary information. can do.

  In the present embodiment, the UI changing device 100 is incorporated in the web system by being partly incorporated in the terminal 20, the web server 10, and the document management server 30, but the terminal 20, the web server 10, or the document It is possible to be integrated into any one of the management servers 30, or the respective means included in the UI changing device 100 may be integrated into different devices in a manner different from the present embodiment. . How the UI changing device 100 is incorporated into the Web system is determined according to the network environment of the Web system.

[Constitution]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a second configuration example when the UI changing device of the present invention is incorporated in the Web system of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the UI changing device 200 is incorporated so as to span the terminal 20, the Web server 10, and the document management server 30 connected via the network 60, as in FIG. 2. 2, the terminal 20 includes a display unit 22 for displaying a UI, and the Web server 10 acquires UI construction information for constructing a UI displayed by the display unit 22 of the terminal 20. Thus, the document management server 30 includes a UI construction information DB 34 for storing UI construction information, and UI construction information stored in the UI construction information DB 34. And UI construction information management means 36 for management.

  The UI changing device 200 includes a first UI construction information complementing unit 110, first and second supplemental information providing units 120 and 122, which are incorporated in the Web system in the same manner as the UI changing device 100 of FIG. The first and second complementary information DBs 130 and 132, the first complementary means corresponding means 140, the first complementary information providing means corresponding means 150, and the first and second complementary information providing means 160 and 162 Have. Further, the UI changing device 200 includes a second UI construction information complementing unit 210, a second complementing unit corresponding unit 220, a second supplemental information providing unit target unit 230, and an operating environment incorporated in the Web server 10. Recognition means 240.

  When the UI construction information acquired from the UI acquisition unit 12 includes a part that needs to be supplemented, the second UI construction information supplementing unit 210 changes the second supplementary information providing unit 122 of the first UI changing device 100. It is a means which acquires supplement information from 2nd supplement information DB132 via and complements UI construction information.

  The second complementing means handling means 220 is a means for associating a place where information needs to be complemented in the UI construction information with the UI construction information complementing means 210 for executing the complementing operation. The second supplement information providing means correspondence means 230 is a means for associating a place where information needs to be supplemented in the UI construction information with the second supplement information providing means 122 for providing supplement information.

  When the second UI construction information complementing unit 210 refers to the second complementing unit correspondence unit 220 to determine whether or not to complement the predetermined UI construction information, and performs the complementing itself Further, referring to the second supplement information providing means correspondence means 230, the second supplement information providing means 122 for managing the supplement information to be supplemented with the UI construction information is found, and appropriate supplement information is obtained therefrom. get.

  The operation environment recognizing means 240 recognizes the environment of the network 60, determines a complement means for executing a complement operation according to the environment of the network 60, and changes the second complement means corresponding means 220 based on the complement means. It is.

[Operation]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the Web system in which the UI changing apparatus of the present invention is incorporated as shown in FIG.

  First, in step S901, a request for acquiring UI construction information for displaying a predetermined UI is issued from the display unit 22 of the terminal 20 to the UI acquisition unit 12 of the Web server 10 via the network 60. It is done. Next, in step S902, the UI acquisition unit 12 sends a request issued from the display unit 22 to the UI construction information management unit 36 of the document management server 30 via the network 60. In step S903, the UI construction information management unit 36 acquires the UI construction information 300 corresponding to the request from the display unit 22, for example, having the definition as shown in FIG. Send to 200.

  In the UI changing device 200, the first UI construction information complementing unit 110 acquires the UI construction information 300 from the UI construction information managing unit 36, and in step S904, the first UI construction information complementing unit 110 has a data structure in a table format as shown in FIG. With reference to one complementing means corresponding means 140, the UI construction information 300 is searched for a place where information supplementation is required. As a result of the search, when a place that needs to be supplemented is found in the UI construction information 300, the first UI construction information complementing means 110 complements the predetermined UI construction information 300 in the next step S905. Decide whether or not to perform.

  In the case where self-complementation is performed, that is, when the item 322 described by the definition “<action type =“ internal ”>” exists in the UI construction information 300, the first UI construction is performed in step S906. For example, the information complementing unit 110 further refers to the first supplemental information providing unit corresponding unit 150 having a data structure in a table format as shown in FIG. 6 and manages the supplemental information to be supplemented to the UI construction information 300. The information providing means 120 or 122 is detected. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the description 320 including the item 322 described by the definition “<action type =“ internal ”>” has the item 324 including the ID “holder_a”. The first complementary information providing means 120 is detected from the table. In the next step S907, the UI construction information supplementing unit 110 stores the first supplementary information DB 130 managed by the first supplementary information providing unit 120 from the detected first supplementary information providing unit 120, for example, The supplement information 410 having the definition as shown in FIG. 4A is acquired and supplemented with the description 320 of the UI construction information 300.

  On the other hand, when it does not perform complementation, the complementing operation in steps S906 and S907 described above is not executed. For example, the first UI construction information complementing unit 110 does not complement the description 330 including the item 332 described by the definition “<action type =“ external ”>” in the UI construction information 300.

  Thereafter, in step S908, the first UI construction information complementing unit 110 returns the UI construction information supplemented with information to the UI construction information managing unit 36. The UI construction information management means 36 sends the UI construction information to the UI acquisition means 12 of the Web server 10 that directly requested the UI construction information management means 36 to obtain the UI construction information in steps 909 and S910. send. In step S911, the UI acquisition unit 12 sends the UI construction information to the UI change device 200.

  The UI changing device 200 uses the second UI construction information complementing unit 210 to perform the same complementing operation as that after step S904 described above on the UI construction information acquired from the UI acquisition unit 12. For example, in the UI changing device 200, the second UI construction information complementing unit 210 applies the description 330 of the UI construction information 300 that has not been complemented by the UI construction information complementing unit 110 of the first UI changing device 100. Suppose that completion can be performed. In this case, the second UI construction information complementing unit 210 is supplemented by the UI construction information 300 with reference to the second supplemental information providing unit correspondence unit 230 having a table-type data structure as shown in FIG. The complementary information providing means 120 or 122 that manages the complementary information to be detected is detected. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the description 330 has an item 334 including the ID “holder_b”, so the second complementary information providing unit 122 is detected from the table of FIG. Next, the second UI construction information complementing unit 210 stores the second supplementary information DB 132 managed by the second supplemental information providing unit 122 from the detected second supplemental information providing unit 122, for example, The supplement information 420 having the definition as shown in FIG. 4B is acquired and supplemented with the description 330 of the UI construction information 300.

  The second UI construction information complementing unit 210 returns the UI construction information supplemented with information to the UI acquisition unit 12 after the complementing operation. The UI acquisition means 12 sends the UI construction information to the display means 22 of the terminal 20 that has directly requested the UI acquisition means 12 to obtain this UI construction information.

  As described above, the UI changing apparatus 200 according to the present invention complements the interface construction information with the supplement information at a plurality of positions on the information transmission path between the UI construction information management means 36 and the display means 22, so that the network of the Web system The UI can be dynamically changed according to the environment.

  In this embodiment, the UI changing device 200 is incorporated in the Web system by incorporating a part thereof into the terminal 20, the Web server 10, and the document management server 30, but in a different manner from the present embodiment. Each means included in the UI changing device 200 can be incorporated in different devices. Further, the number of each means included in the UI changing device 200 is not limited to the number shown in the present embodiment.

  Further, the UI changing device 200 includes the operating environment recognition unit 240, which makes it possible to construct an interface at a plurality of positions on the information transmission path between the UI construction information management unit 36 and the display unit 22 as in this embodiment. When the supplement information can be supplemented to the information, it is possible to select a means for automatically executing the complement operation according to the operating environment. Accordingly, it is possible to save the setting time and reduce the burden on the user.

  The present invention may be realized by causing an information processing apparatus to read a computer-readable storage medium that records a program for causing a computer to function as the UI changing apparatus of the present invention.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a basic hardware configuration example of the information processing apparatus that is common to each component of the Web system 1 illustrated in FIG.

  The information processing apparatus 1000 includes a drive device 1100, an auxiliary storage device 1200, a memory device 1300, an arithmetic processing device 1400, an interface device 1500, and a bus 1600 that connects these devices. A program for realizing the functions of the information processing apparatus 1000 is provided by a recording medium 1700 such as a CD-ROM.

  The drive device 1100 is a device for reading the recording medium 1700. When the recording medium 1700 on which the program is recorded is set in the drive device 1100, the program is installed from the recording medium 1700 to the auxiliary storage device 1200 via the drive device 1100.

  The auxiliary storage device 1200 is a device that stores an installed program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 1300 is a device that reads and stores a program from the auxiliary storage device 1200 when a program activation instruction is issued.

  The arithmetic processing device 1400 is a device that controls the entire information processing device 1000 by executing a program stored in the memory device 1300.

  The interface device 1500 is a device that connects the information processing apparatus 1000 to the network 60 in FIG.

  When the recording medium 1700 records a program for causing a computer to function as the UI changing device of the present invention, the Web server 10, the terminal 20, the document management server 30, and the print server 40 in the Web system 1 of FIG. By causing the document distribution server 50 to read the recording medium 1700, these can function as the UI changing device of the present invention.

[Modification]
Although the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described in the best mode. Modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the management means for managing the UI construction information and the display means for displaying the UI based on the UI construction information are placed in separate devices, but these means are the UI of the present invention. It may be incorporated in one device together with the changing device. In this case, the present invention is not limited to network communication between devices as in the above-described embodiment, but can select a position for executing processing for dynamically changing the UI in bus communication within the device. it can.

  Also, the UI changing device of the present invention can handle a plurality of pieces of UI construction information.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the Web system in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a first configuration example when the UI changing device of the present invention is incorporated in the Web system of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the example of a definition of UI construction information. It is a figure which shows the example of a definition of complementary information. An example of the data structure of the complement means corresponding means 140 of FIG. 2 is shown. An example of the data structure of the supplement information provision means correspondence means 150 of FIG. 2 is shown. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the Web system incorporating the UI change apparatus of this invention like FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the 2nd structural example when the UI change apparatus of this invention is integrated in the Web system of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the Web system incorporating the UI change apparatus of this invention like FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a basic hardware configuration example of an information processing apparatus that is common to each component of the Web system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Web system 10 Web server 12 User interface acquisition means 20 Terminal 22 UI display means 30 Document management server 34 User interface construction information database 36 User interface construction information management means 40 Print server 50 Document distribution server 100, 200 User interface change device 110, 210 User interface construction information complementing means 120, 122 Supplementary information providing means 130, 132 Supplementary information database 140, 220 Supplementing means corresponding means 150, 230 Supplementary information providing means corresponding means 160, 162 Supplementary information obtaining means 240 Operating environment recognition means 300 User Interface construction information 410, 420 Supplementary information 1000 Information processing apparatus 1700 Recording medium

Claims (6)

A user interface changing device that changes the user interface displayed by the user interface display means based on the user interface construction information managed by the user interface construction information management means ,
When there is a request to the user interface construction information management means to acquire user interface construction information for displaying the user interface from the user interface display means, the user interface construction information management means sends the user interface construction information. receive, to the user interface building information, and a plurality of complementary means to complement the predetermined information preliminarily input by the user,
Possess a complementary means corresponding means for associating each location of the portion where the predetermined information needs to be complemented in the user interface construction information and one of the plurality of complementary means,
Each complement means searches for the location of the portion where the predetermined information needs to be complemented in the user interface construction information, and the retrieved location is associated with itself by referring to the complement means correspondence means. A user interface changing device characterized in that the predetermined information is supplemented to the searched place when it is determined whether or not it is associated with itself . In the case where there are a plurality of parts that need to be supplemented with the predetermined information in the user interface construction information,
The user interface changing device according to claim 1, wherein the complementing unit supplements predetermined information for the plurality of portions. Complementary information providing means for providing complementary information supplemented to the user interface construction information;
A supplementary information providing means corresponding means for associating the location where the supplementary information needs to be supplemented with the complementary information providing means in the user interface construction information;
The complement means searches for the location of the portion where the supplement information needs to be complemented in the user interface construction information, and the complement information provision means associated with the location by the supplement information provision means correspondence means The user interface changing device according to claim 1, wherein complementary information is acquired.   The user interface changing device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of different user interface construction information is handled. Wherein the user interface construction information management unit, the complementary means, the user interface changing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that incorporated between the user interface display unit. Computer
A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for functioning as the user interface changing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

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