JPH08212162A - General-purpose application share system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To ensure common execution of a general-purpose application at respective user terminals. CONSTITUTION: Each user terminal is provided with an input hook means for copying an input event or preventing the input event from being provided to the application, input simulating means for simulating the input event to the application, operation right control means for controlling the presence/absence of an operation right for permitting the input event, and communication control means for transmitting information through a network to the opposite side user terminal. The input event to the first user terminal set in the state of operation right presence is provided to the application, copied by the input hook means and continuously transferred to the second user terminal set in the state of operation right absence. The input simulating means simulates that event to the application so that the application can be executed at the second user terminal similarly to the first user terminal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a general-purpose application sharing system, and more specifically, processing by a general-purpose application such as a word processor or a spreadsheet is commonly executed by a plurality of user terminals connected via a network. General-purpose application sharing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are a so-called centralized system and a distributed system as a system in which a general-purpose application is shared by a plurality of user terminals without modification. In the centralized system, an application is placed in one user terminal, and the result of processing by the application is transferred to another user terminal. Therefore, a large amount of information is transferred and a high speed communication line is required. On the other hand, in a distributed system that does not require a high-speed communication line, the same application is placed in each user terminal, and an input event at a certain user terminal is not only supplied to the application at that terminal, but also at other users. It is supplied to the application of the terminal through the communication line. As a result, the processing by the application according to the input event from a certain user terminal is commonly executed by a plurality of user terminals. Such distributed systems include, for example, JP-A-3-17763 (dialog support device), JP-A-4-186456 (joint information processing system and workstation), JP-A-4-307648 (group collaboration device), It is disclosed in JP-A-5-233507 (group communication message communication system).

Further, in order to display handwritten comments, pointers, etc. on a screen displayed by a general-purpose application having no handwriting function or pointer function, bitmap information of the screen displayed by the general-purpose application or a print command for the general-purpose application. A system has been developed in which the bitmap information generated by giving is displayed on a shared electronic blackboard that has been specially developed, and then handwritten comments and pointers are displayed.

[0004]

First, in the conventional distributed system, the concept of the operation right which allows event input is proposed in order to avoid collision of events simultaneously input to a plurality of user terminals. Has been done. That is,
Event input is allowed only on the user terminal that has the operation right. Then, the event input to the user terminal for which the event input is permitted is simulated and executed by the application of another user terminal that does not have the operation right. However, in the conventional system in which the collision of input events is avoided by such an operation right, no processing is proposed when an event is input to an application of a user terminal that does not have the operation right.

Secondly, in such a distributed system, an event input from a user terminal having an operation right is provided to the application of the own terminal, and
It is also provided to applications of other user terminals via the network. However, when the operating environment of the application of the other user terminal (for example, the window size in the initial state, the font size used by the application, and other operating conditions for user customization) is different from that of the application of the user terminal having the operation right. There is. In this case, the same operation is not performed even if the same event is transferred.

Further, thirdly, when drawing a handwritten comment or a pointer on a display screen created by a general-purpose application, a common screen created by the dedicated shared electronic blackboard application is The display screen created by the application is copied and drawing is performed on the common screen. However, the operation is complicated, such as copying a display screen created by a general-purpose application onto a common screen created by a dedicated application.

[0007] Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a so-called distributed general-purpose application sharing system in which processing of an event input to a user terminal without an operation right is established. A second object of the present invention is to provide a so-called distributed general-purpose application sharing system that guarantees that the same general-purpose application always operates in each user terminal under the same environmental conditions.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a so-called distributed general-purpose application sharing system capable of easily drawing handwritten comments and pointers on a display screen created by a general-purpose application. That is.

[0009]

In order to achieve the first object of the present invention, as described in claim 1, a general purpose is provided in at least first and second user terminals connected via a network. In a general-purpose application sharing system in which all applications are executed in common, each user terminal copies an input event or input hook means for preventing the input event from being provided to the application and an input event for the application. The input right simulation means, the operation right control means for controlling the presence or absence of the operation right for allowing the event input, and the communication control means for transmitting the information to the user terminal of the other party through the network are provided. The input event to the first user terminal set to the state with the operation right by the means is the application. Provided to the user and copied by the input hook means, the communication control means transfers the copied input event to the second user terminal set to the state without the operation right by the operation right control means, and inputs it. The simulation means simulates the transferred event with respect to the application, the application is executed on the second user terminal in the same manner as the first user terminal, and the operation right control means sets the state without the operation right. The input event to the second user terminal is prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook means.

The basic functions of the system described in claim 1 are shown in FIG. From the viewpoint that the operation right on the first user terminal can be automatically changed when the operation right is changed on the second user terminal, the operation input from the user is set as described in claim 2. The operation right acquisition request message issued from the operation right control means of the second user terminal is transferred to the first user terminal by the communication control means based on the operation of the first user terminal which has received the operation right acquisition request message. The right control means sets the first user terminal in a state without the operation right and issues a reception message of the operation right acquisition request, the reception message is transferred to the second user terminal by the communication control means, and the reception message is transmitted. The received operation control means of the second user terminal sets the second user terminal to the state with the operation right.

Further, from the viewpoint of simplifying the operation of changing the operation right, as described in claim 3, the input hook means of the second user terminal should prevent the input event from being provided to the application. When the operation right acquisition request message is detected, the operation right acquisition request message is transferred to the first user terminal by the communication unit, and the operation right control unit of the first user terminal which receives the operation right acquisition request message operates the first user terminal. The operation control means of the second user terminal which sets the state without authority and issues a reception message of the operation right acquisition request, the reception message is transferred to the second user terminal by the communication control means, and the reception message is received Set the second user terminal to the state with the operation right.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to scroll the display screen of the application shared by both the first and second user terminals by operating the user terminal having no operation right. In addition, at least the second user terminal set to the state without the operation right is provided with scroll input means for inputting a scroll request for scrolling the screen of the general-purpose application, and when the scroll request is input by the scroll input means. In addition, when the scroll request is transferred from the second terminal unit to the first user terminal that is set to have the operation right by the communication control means, and the first user terminal receives the scroll request, the scroll request is sent. Provided to the application and scroll on the application of the first user terminal When the processing is executed, the communication control means transfers the scroll request from the first user terminal to the second user terminal, and the second user terminal receives the scroll request, the second user terminal receives the scroll request and then the second scroll command is issued based on the scroll command. Scroll processing is now executed on the application of the user terminal.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, as described in claim 5, an operating environment file defining an operating environment of the application from the first user terminal set to the state with the operation right. Is transferred to the second user terminal set by the communication control means to have no operation right, and the second user terminal receiving the operating environment file replaces its own operating environment file with the received operating environment file. I did it.

From the viewpoint that the window size of the application in the first and second user terminals can be changed by the operation in one of the user terminals, the first and second aspects are set. User terminal further includes window size changing means for changing the window size of the application, and window size change detecting means for detecting that the window size of the application has been changed. When the window size change detection means detects that the size of the application window has been changed in one of the user terminals, the changed window size is transferred to the other user terminal by the communication means, and the other user terminal is changed. When the window receives the window size The size of the application window was set to match the size of the application window in one of the user terminals the the size changing means.

In order to achieve the third object of the present invention,
As described in claim 7, in a general-purpose application sharing system in which at least first and second user terminals connected via a network commonly execute general-purpose applications, each user terminal is: Pointing means for designating a position on the display screen and copying an input event generated by the designation of the position on the display screen by the pointing means, or preventing the pointing position information from being provided to the application Input hook means, a mode setting means for setting the operation mode to either the drawing mode or the normal mode, a drawing means for drawing an image on the display screen based on the specified position information from the pointing means, and an input event for the application. Input simulation means to simulate When the first user terminal is set to the normal mode by the mode setting means, the communication means is transmitted to the user terminal of the other party via the network, and the pointing means on the display screen of the application The input event generated by the position designation is provided to the application and copied by the input hook means, the communication control means transfers the copied input event to the second user terminal, and the input simulation means transfers it. When the application is executed on the second user terminal in the same manner as the first user terminal by simulating the event with respect to the application, and the drawing mode is set by the mode setting means of the first user terminal, The specified position information from the pointing means on the display screen of the application is input by the input hook means. The image is drawn on the display screen by the drawing means on the basis of the specified position information whose supply to the application is blocked, and the specified position information is displayed by the communication control means on the second user terminal. In the second user terminal transmitted to the second user terminal, the drawing means draws an image on the display screen based on the specified position information.

The basic functions of the system described in claim 7 are shown in FIG. Further, from the viewpoint that the size and / or the position of the window of the application can be changed in each user terminal even when there is no operation right, each user terminal further includes: A window size input means for designating the size of the display window of the application, a window position input means for designating the position of the window, and a window state setting means for setting the size and position of the window. Alternatively, the window state setting unit changes the size and / or position of the display window of the application based on the size and / or position designated by the window position input unit.

From the viewpoint that the user can always recognize the application window and the control window as a pair, each user terminal further has a window formed on the display screen. State detecting means for detecting the size and position of the window, window state setting means for setting the size and position of the window displayed on the display screen, and a control window for generating a control event on the display screen. Control window forming means, and when the position and / or size of either the application window or the control window is changed, the window state setting is performed based on the size and position of each window obtained by the window state detecting means. The means are application windows and control windows. Window was made to set the size and position of their windows to be adjacent.

The control window is specifically defined by claim 1.
As described in 0, a window for receiving an operation mode setting request, a window for receiving an operation right acquisition request, a window for instructing scrolling of an application window, and an application window size are specified. Window for specifying the position of the window of the application.

Further, from the viewpoint of allowing the control window to be displayed on the display screen even when the size of the application window is maximized, the present invention is preferable.
As described in 1, each user terminal further has a first window operation detecting means for detecting that a control operation for expanding the window of the application to the entire display screen is performed, and the first window When the operation detecting means detects that the control operation has been performed, the window state setting means sets the size of each window so that the entire display screen is occupied by both the application window and the control window adjacent thereto. I did it.

Further, from the viewpoint of preventing only the control window from remaining on the display screen when the application window is made into an icon, claim 1
As described in 2, each user terminal further detects second window operation detecting means for detecting that a control operation for iconifying the window of the application is performed, and iconizes or erases the control window. The second window operation detecting means has the first window changing means, and when the second window operation detecting means detects that the control operation of iconification has been performed, the window changing means iconifies or erases the control window.

Further, from the viewpoint that when a window of an application that has been iconified as described above is played back, a pair of control windows can also be played back, each user terminal can be played back. Is
Furthermore, a third window operation detecting means for detecting that a control operation for windowing the icon converted from the application window is performed, and the icon converted or erased from the control window by the first window changing means. A second window changing means for reproducing the created control window to the original control window, and when the third window operation detecting means detects that the control operation for windowing is performed, the second window changing means The window changing means of (3) replays the control window on the display screen.

Further, when the iconized or erased control window is reproduced on the display screen before the iconified application window is reproduced on the display screen, the application is automatically displayed. From the perspective of making windows playable,
As described in claim 14, the second window change control means displays the control window on the display screen before the third window operation detection means detects that the control operation for windowing is performed. When replayed, the window state setting means replays the window of the general-purpose application on the upper side of the display screen.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, from the viewpoint that the sharing state of the application in each user terminal can be automatically ended when the application ending operation is performed in any one of the user terminals. In addition, each user terminal further has an application end detection means for detecting that an application end operation is performed, and when the application end detection means detects an application end operation in the first user terminal, a window is displayed. The control window is erased by the state setting means, the sharing end message is transmitted from the first user terminal to the second user terminal by the communication control means, and the window state setting is performed in the second user terminal which receives the sharing end message. If the control window is deleted by Shared state of the application has to be terminated.

[0024] In the system in which the operation right can be set as described in claim 1 and the operation mode can be set as described in claim 7, both sides can be easily set. Therefore, as described in claim 16, each user terminal is set to the normal mode when the operation right is acquired, and is set to the drawing mode when the operation right is transferred.

From the viewpoint of enabling suspension and resumption of the shared state of the application in each user terminal, as described in claim 17, each user terminal further suspends and resumes the shared state of the application. The shared suspend / resume control means for controlling the general-purpose application is released by the suspend instruction from the user, the shared state of the general-purpose application is released, the event input from the user is enabled individually, and the general-purpose application is restarted by the resume instruction from the user. A command to save the current file is issued to the application, the current file is transferred to the partner user terminal by the communication control means, and a file open command is executed by the input simulation means in the partner user terminal to The shared state is restarted.

Further, in a system for executing a general-purpose application, from the viewpoint of making it possible to draw an image on the display screen of the general-purpose application, the position on the display screen is designated as described in claim 18. An input hook means for copying the input event generated by the position designation on the display screen by the pointing means, or an input hook means for preventing provision of the designated position information from the pointing means to the application; The mode setting means for setting the mode to either the drawing mode or the normal mode, the drawing means for drawing an image on the display screen based on the designated position information from the pointing means, and the normal mode for the mode setting means. If so, the pointing method on the display screen of the application When the input event generated by specifying the position of is input to the application, the application is executed according to the input event, and the drawing mode is set by the mode setting means, the specified position from the pointing means on the display screen of the application Information is prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook means, and an image is drawn on the display screen by the drawing means on the basis of the designated position information which is prevented from being provided to the application.

[0027]

In the general-purpose application sharing system according to the present invention, the application is placed in each user terminal and the general-purpose application is executed while giving and receiving the operation right.

In the system according to the first aspect, the input event generated in the user terminal without the operation right is surely prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook means. In the system according to claim 5, the operating environment file of the application is transmitted from the user terminal having the operation right to the user terminal having no operation right, and the operating environment file of the own terminal is sent to the user terminal having no operation right. The operating environment is replaced by the operating environment file, and the operating environment is the same in each user terminal sharing a general-purpose application.

Further, in the system according to the seventh and the eighteenth aspects, the drawing means of each user terminal draws an image in the window of the application according to the designated position information from the pointing means. In the system according to claims 8 to 15, the application window and the control window paired with the application window are controlled so as to be always integrated.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows the basic configuration of the system according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, in the system, a plurality of user terminals 200 are connected via an ISDN line 100. Each user terminal 200 is composed of a so-called personal computer and has a handset 214 for conversation.

The detailed structure of each user terminal 200 is shown in FIG.
Shown in. In FIG. 4, the user terminal 200 has a CP
U (central processing unit) 201, memory 202, display control unit 203, image memory 204, display unit 205, keyboard interface 206, keyboard 207, mouse interface 208, mouse 209, file interface 210, file device 211, ISDN line interface 212, a dial key 213, a handset 214, and a hook switch 215. CPU 201, memory 202, display control unit 203, keyboard interface 206,
A mouse interface 208, a file interface 210 and an ISDN line interface 212 are connected via the system bus.

The display control unit 203 controls writing and reading of image information to and from the image memory 204, and the image information in the image memory 204 is displayed on the display unit 20.
5, the image memory 204 and the display unit 205 are controlled so as to be displayed on the screen 5. As the display unit 205, a CRT, a liquid crystal panel, an EL display panel,
A plasma display or the like is used.

Key input information from the keyboard 207 and pointing information from the mouse 209 are supplied to the system bus via the keyboard interface 206 and the mouse interface 208, respectively. Also,
The file device 211 is composed of a floppy disk unit or the like, and stores a file created by the user terminal 200 or a file received from the ISDN line 100.

Dial keys 213 and handset 214
And the hook switch 215 is connected to the ISDN line interface 212. The ISDN line interface 212 is connected to the ISDN line 100 and controls communication of voice and data. The general-purpose application shared by each user terminal 200 is stored in the memory 202. The operating environment conditions of each user terminal 200 are also stored in the memory 202.

The application sharing system is started up, for example, according to the procedure shown in FIG. The user terminal of the transmission source will be described as a primary side terminal, and the partner terminal will be described as a secondary side terminal. In FIG. 5, the mark ● is input by the user,
▲ indicates network input, ○ indicates screen output and △
The marks represent the outputs to the network, respectively. The same applies to FIGS. 6, 7, 9, and 10 below.

In FIG. 5, when the handset 214 is off-hook at the primary terminal in the initial state (S ₀₀ ), the display unit 205 is displayed, for example, as shown in FIG.
The initial screen as shown in is automatically displayed. On this initial screen, a list of shareable applications and a list of telephone numbers (phonebook) of the parties to whom the application can be shared are displayed (S ₁₁ ). In this initial screen, select the application and partner by pointing the pointer to the application name you want to share and double-clicking the mouse 209, or by pointing the pointer to the shared partner name and double-clicking the mouse 209. Then, a voice line connection request is issued to the partner terminal (secondary terminal). After that, the primary side terminal waits for connection of the line (S ₁₂ ).

On the other hand, when the secondary side terminal in the initial state receives a line connection request from the primary side terminal (S ₀₀ ), a ringing tone is generated and a screen as shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the display unit 205. To be done. Thereafter, the secondary-side terminal is in a state of waiting for a response from the user (S _21). On this screen, the name of the caller, the name of the application desired to be shared, and the dialog boxes of "response" and "not respond" are displayed. Here, when the user of the secondary side terminal selects the “response” dialog box with the mouse 209 or raises the hook switch 215 of the handset 214, a line connection request acceptance is transmitted to the primary side terminal, and the primary side terminal is transmitted. The side terminal and the secondary side terminal are in a state where they can have a voice conversation using the handset 214.

In this way, when the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal are connected by the voice line, the primary side terminal issues a data line connection request. Then, a data call connection waiting state is set (S ₁₃ ). On the other hand, the secondary side terminal is in a waiting state for receiving a data call after connecting the voice line (S ₂₂ ).
In this state, when a data call from the primary terminal arrives,
Returns the incoming call response to the primary terminal.

When the primary side terminal receives the incoming response from the secondary side terminal and the data line between the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal is connected, the primary side terminal secondary the shared application name. Send to the side terminal. Then, the waiting state of the verification of whether the application is present on the secondary side terminal (S _14). The secondary side terminal is in a state of waiting for the application name to be received after the above-mentioned incoming call response (S ₂₃ ). In this state, when the application name is received from the primary side terminal, the primary side terminal makes a request. Confirm that the application exists in the local terminal, and store the operating environment file of the corresponding application as a temporary file. Then, the shared application existence confirmation message is transmitted from the secondary side terminal to the primary side terminal. At this time, the secondary side terminal is in a state of waiting for reception of the operating environment file (S ₂₄ ).

Upon receiving the shared application existence confirmation message from the secondary side terminal, the primary side terminal transmits the operating environment file of the shared application to the secondary side terminal. In this operating environment file, for example, the font type, font size, customized menu, etc. used in the primary terminal are defined. When the operation environment file is sent, the primary terminal, a waiting state of the operating environment acknowledgment from the secondary side terminal (S _15).

When the secondary side terminal receives the operating environment file from the primary side terminal, the operating environment file already stored as a temporary file is saved in a predetermined storage location and replaced with the received operating environment file. Then, the secondary side terminal sends a reception confirmation of the operating environment file to the primary side terminal and activates the shared application and the shared agent. The shared agent started on the secondary terminal controls the operation right control function that controls whether or not the application has the operation right, the operation mode (drawing mode, normal mode) setting function, and prevents the input event from being provided to the application. , Input hook function to copy input event, input event simulation function to simulate input event.

Further, when the primary side terminal receives the receipt of the operating environment file from the secondary side terminal, the shared application and the shared agent are activated. In this state, the designated application (shared application) becomes operable in the primary terminal and the secondary terminal in the same operating environment (shared state S _c ). Then, when the user of the primary side terminal hooks the handset 214 on-hook, the voice line between the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal is disconnected. The shared agent on the primary side has an operation right control function for controlling the presence / absence of an operation right, an operation mode (drawing mode, normal mode) setting function, a scroll request input function, a window size input function, and a window position input function. Is equipped with.

In the initial state, the shared agent on the primary side sets the state of the operation right to "with operation right" and the operation mode to "normal mode", respectively. In the initial state, the shared agent on the secondary side sets the operation right state to “no operation right” and the operation mode to “drawing mode”.
Are set respectively. In this initial state, the input to the user's application is blocked by the input hook function, and the input mask is masked. Further, the input button of the control panel displayed on the display unit 205 is also in an invalid state.

For example, when the word processor application is shared by the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal, the display screens of the respective terminals are as shown in FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b). 13A shows the display screen of the primary side terminal, and FIG. 13B shows the display screen of the secondary side terminal. In FIGS. 13A and 13B, a portion surrounded by a thick frame is a word processor application window. A control panel is displayed at the top of this window. A scroll bar and a size change bar are displayed at the bottom and sides of the word processor window. The control panel and scroll bar are displayed adjacent to the word processor window by the function of the shared agent of each terminal.

The control panel displays the state of the application and also displays control buttons for switching the operation right and the operation mode. Until the applications of both the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal confirm their respective startup states (initial state), the state of the application on the control panel is as shown in FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b). , "Initializing" is displayed.

The control buttons of the control panel are, for example, "application" button, "draw" button,
These are an "erase" button, a "pencil case" button and an "operation right" button. Other control buttons can be provided.
The “application” button is a button for setting the normal mode as the operation mode, and when the “application” button is clicked with the mouse, the operation mode is set to the normal mode. The "draw" button is a button for setting the drawing mode as the operation mode. When the "draw" button is clicked with the mouse, the operation mode is set to the drawing mode. The "erase" button is enabled in the drawing mode and is used to delete the image drawn in the application window. The "brush box" button is used to set the line thickness and color in the drawing mode.

The scroll bar located on the right side of the application window is provided with an up scroll button and a down scroll button for scrolling the display in the window up and down. The scroll bar located under the window is provided with a left scroll button and a right scroll button for scrolling the display in the window left and right.

Each shared agent is a control panel,
The scroll bar and the resize bar are controlled so as to be adjacent to the application window. It should be noted that the application of the primary-side terminal can scroll buttons and change the window size by operating the buttons in the window. Therefore, the primary terminal does not necessarily need to have the scroll bar and the size change bar around the window of the application.

The state of the shared agent of the primary side terminal is
The transition is made according to the state transition diagram shown in FIG. The state of the shared agent of the secondary side terminal transits according to the state transition diagram shown in FIG. Shared Agent of the primary terminals in the initial state (S _10), the application of the primary-side terminal confirms that it is activated, transmits the application start confirmation message to the common agent of the secondary side terminals.

When the shared agent of the secondary terminal in the initial state (S ₂₀ ) confirms that the application has been activated, it waits for the application activation confirmation of the primary terminal (S ₂₀₁ ). In this state, the shared agent of the secondary terminal receives the activation confirmation message and confirms that the application of the secondary terminal has been activated. And "No operation right" is displayed on the control panel.
Is displayed, the control button on the control panel is enabled, and a start confirmation response message is sent to the shared agent of the primary terminal.

After transmitting the activation confirmation message, the shared agent of the primary side terminal waits for the application activation confirmation of the secondary side terminal (S ₁₀₁ ). In this state, the shared agent from the secondary side terminal When the startup confirmation response message is received, "operation right" is displayed on the control panel and the state of blocking the input of the event to the application is released. Then, enable each control button on the control panel. As a result, the display screens of the primary and secondary terminals are updated as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, respectively.

When the file menu is selected in the application of the primary side terminal and the document to be displayed is selected, the document is transferred from the primary side terminal to the secondary side terminal, and the document is opened on both applications. As a result, the display screen of the primary side terminal becomes as shown in FIG. 15 (a), and the display screen of the secondary side terminal becomes as shown in FIG. 15 (b).

In the above state, the shared application of the primary side terminal is in the normal mode shown in FIG.
The shared application of the secondary side terminal is in the drawing mode shown in FIG. In this state, mouse input and keyboard input to the application of the primary side terminal are supplied to the application of the primary side terminal, and the processing corresponding to the input is executed. That is, the document opened on the application of the primary side terminal is edited according to mouse input and keyboard input. Also, mouse input and keyboard input are copied by the input event copying function of the shared agent. Then, the copied mouse input and keyboard input are transmitted from the primary terminal to the network 1.
00 to the secondary side terminal.

In the secondary side terminal, the input hook function of the shared agent causes the mouse pointer to be drawn at a position corresponding to the display position of the mouse cursor of the primary side terminal of the application window based on the received mouse input information. . Furthermore, the input simulation function of the shared agent simulates the input to the application based on the received keyboard input information, and the same document editing as the document editing on the primary side terminal is performed on the application on the secondary side terminal.

When a keyboard input is made to the application in the "no operation right" secondary side terminal, the input hook function of the shared agent prevents the keyboard input information from being provided to the application. It This input hook function can be realized by, for example, an input device driver, and can also be realized by an API of the window system.

When a mouse input is made in the secondary terminal set in the drawing mode, the input hook function of the shared agent prevents the mouse input information from being provided to the application. And, the mouse input information is also not provided to the application by the input hook function of the shared agent. Then, the shared agent performs a drawing process on the window of the application based on the mouse input information whose provision to the application is blocked. Further, a drawing command is transmitted from the secondary side terminal to the primary side terminal via the network 100. As a result, the drawing process similar to that of the secondary side terminal is executed in the primary side terminal.

When the "draw" button is clicked with the mouse on the primary side terminal, the shared agent switches from the normal mode to the draw mode (see FIG. 6). In this state, when a mouse input is made at the primary side terminal, the mouse input information is prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook function of the shared agent. Then, based on the mouse input information, similarly to the above, the drawing processing on the window of the application of the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal is executed.

FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b) show the display screens of the secondary side terminal and the primary side terminal, respectively, when mouse input is made at the secondary side terminal in the drawing mode. The application (word processor) window is formed at an arbitrary position on each screen of the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal. On the secondary side terminal, when the mouse is moved while pressing the mouse button and the mouse button is released while the mouse is stopped, a line drawing is drawn according to the movement trajectory of the mouse cursor. In the primary side terminal, the mouse pointer corresponding to the mouse cursor of the secondary side terminal moves with the movement of the mouse, and a line drawing corresponding to the movement locus of the mouse pointer is drawn on the window of the application in the primary side terminal.

When the "operation right" button is clicked by the mouse on the secondary terminal, an operation right acquisition request message is sent from the common agent of the secondary terminal to the common agent of the primary terminal. The Common Agent of the secondary-side terminal is waiting for a response of the state of the operation right request (Figure 7S _202).

When this operation right acquisition request message is received at the primary side terminal, the "operation right" button is validated,
The display on the control panel is changed to "No operation rights". Then, in the state where the input to the application is blocked, the response message of the operation right acquisition request is transmitted from the primary side terminal to the secondary side terminal.

When the shared agent of the secondary side terminal receives the response message of the operation right acquisition request from the primary side terminal, the "operation right" button is invalidated and the display of the control panel is changed to "the operation right is present". It Then, the input blocking state for the application is released.

In this way, the common agent of the terminal which newly obtained the operation right is automatically set to the normal mode,
In addition, the common agent of the terminal to which the operation right has been passed is automatically set to the drawing mode. As described above, in this embodiment, the operation right is transferred by clicking the “operation right” button with the mouse. However, the application of the input event is applied by the input hook function of the common agent in the secondary side terminal. The operation right acquisition request message may be automatically transmitted when the provision to the user is blocked.

In a terminal that does not have the operation right, it may be desired to scroll the screen in order to point to a part of the display screen of the application on the other terminal. In this case, a scroll command is issued by operating the scroll bar around the window of the application.

For example, when the mouse is clicked on the scroll button of the scroll bar added around the window of the application (word processor) in the secondary terminal, a scroll request message is sent to the common agent in the primary terminal. When the common agent of the primary side terminal receives this scroll request message, the event simulation function is requested to generate an event of a scroll instruction. As a result, a scroll instruction event is simulated, and the simulated scroll event scrolls the screen of the application window on the primary terminal.

The input hook function of the common agent in the primary side terminal detects the scroll instruction event simulated as described above and transmits the detected scroll instruction event to the secondary side terminal. Upon receiving this scroll event at the secondary terminal, the scroll event is provided to the application. As a result, the screen of the application window is scrolled on the secondary side terminal as well as on the primary side terminal.

In a general window system, the window size and position can be changed by dragging the window frame or clicking the window frame size change button with the mouse. When such a system is applied to each user terminal, when the window frame of the application in the primary terminal is changed, the shared agent is notified by the window information notification means that the window frame has been changed. This window information notifying means can be realized by using the API of the window system, or by a method of periodically checking the window size by monitoring a timer. When the common agent is notified of the change of the window frame, the common agent of the primary terminal sends a window size change message to the common agent of the secondary terminal. The common agent of the secondary terminal is
When the change message is received, the window state setting means changes the window size of the application in the secondary terminal according to the received change message. This window setting means can be realized by the API of the window system.

On the other hand, since the application window of the application on the secondary side terminal is prevented from being provided with an input event, the size or position of the window is directly changed by this input event (change of window size or position). It is not possible. Therefore, the size and position of the window are indirectly controlled using a control panel, a scroll bar and a size change bar adjacent to the window of the application.

On the display screen of the display unit 205 in the secondary side terminal, for example, when the control panel is moved by dragging the mouse, as shown in FIG.
The scroll bar and the size change bar move as shown in FIG. 17B, and the control panel, the scroll bar, and the size change bar are in the original state in which they are adjacent to the application window at the moving position.

The process for moving the window in this way is performed according to the following procedure. When the control panel window is moved by dragging the mouse,
The window operation information notifying means notifies the shared agent of the movement of the control panel. Then, the shared agent causes the window setting means to move the window of the application so that the upper left edge of the window of the application is located at the same coordinate position as the lower left edge of the destination control panel. Next, the scroll bar and the size change bar are sequentially moved to the right end and the bottom end of the destination window. The window operation information notifying means and the window setting means can be realized by the API of the window system.

When changing the window size of the application on the display screen of the display unit 205 in the secondary side terminal, as shown in FIG. 18A, the size change bar adjacent to the window of the application is dragged. When moved, the size of the application window, the size of the scroll bar, and the size of the control panel are changed, as shown in FIG.

The processing for changing the size of the window in this way is performed according to the following procedure. When the size change bar is moved by dragging the mouse, the window status notification means notifies the shared agent of the position of the destination window. Then the shared agent
Resize the window of the application so that the lower right corner of the window is located at the upper left corner of the destination resize bar. At this time, the shared agent also
Resize adjacent control panels and scrollbars to fit the size of the application's window.

Note that if the resize bar is moved to the left of the left edge of the application window or above its upper edge, the shared agent will not resize the application window. In this case, the resize bar is returned to its original position.

As described above, the windows (control panel, scroll bar, and size change bar) adjacent to the application window not only control the operation mode, operation right and scroll, but also prevent the input event from being provided to the application. In this state, it has the function of changing the position and size of the application window. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 19A, when the window size of the application is changed on the display screen of the display unit 205 in the primary side terminal, the control panel, the scroll bar, and the size change bar are changed accordingly. It moves as shown in (b) and is adjacent to the destination window.

Further, the general window system is provided with a maximize button for maximizing the window size. When this maximize button is clicked with the mouse, the window is spread over the entire display screen of the display unit 205. At this time, the area for displaying the window of the control panel, the scroll bar, and the size change bar added around the window disappears. Therefore, when the shared agent detects an input event of maximizing the window of the application, the shared agent causes the window setting means to set a size smaller than the maximum size by the size of the control panel, the scroll bar, and the resize bar. Instruct. As a result, when the maximize button is clicked with the mouse, the size of the application window is enlarged to a size slightly smaller than the maximum size, as shown in FIG. 20, and the screen is displayed together with the control panel, the scroll bar, and the resize bar. Displayed throughout.

Further, a general window system is provided with a button for converting a window into an icon. Clicking this button with the mouse will iconify the window. At this time, as shown in FIG.
The control panel, scroll bar, and resize bar added around the application window remain on the display screen. To prevent this, when the common agent detects an application iconification input event, it changes the control panel, scroll bar, and resize bar to predetermined icons. At this time, the control panel, the scroll bar, and the size change bar may be deleted.

When a button for returning the icon to the window is clicked after the window is iconized, the shared agent that detects the input event windows the control panel, scroll bar, and size change bar, and they are , Control to be adjacent to the application window.

If the iconized control panel, scroll bar, and size change bar are made into windows before returning the converted icon from the application window to the window, the converted icon from the application window returns to the window. The window is controlled so as to be integrally displayed with the control panel, the scroll bar, and the resize bar.

When the end button of the application window is operated, the application window is deleted on the display screen. At this time, the shared agent detects this input event, and the control panel, scroll bar, and resize bar are deleted. Then, the link between the shared agents of the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal is disconnected.

As described above, the windows (control panel, scroll bar, and size change bar) displayed by the shared agent and the application window are controlled to be integrated. Therefore, even when a plurality of applications are shared by a plurality of user terminals, the user can always easily determine the correspondence between the window of the application and the window of the shared agent on the display screen.

Depending on the general-purpose application, the operating environment file may be the same on the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal, and some kind of input event to the primary side terminal may be obtained on the secondary side terminal even if it is simulated on the secondary side terminal. The result obtained may not be the same as that of the primary terminal. In this case, it is necessary to prevent the input event (input operation) from being provided to the application. However, even in this case, the window of the general-purpose application can be scrolled and drawn, but the processing (document editing, etc.) corresponding to the input event whose provision to the application is blocked cannot be performed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, a suspend / resume button is provided on the control panel.

FIG. 9 shows the state transition of the primary side terminal in this suspending / resuming process, and FIG. 10 shows the state transition of the secondary side terminal in the same process. In the primary-side terminal, the suspend / resume button is normally displayed as “suspend” (suspend button), and when clicked, an input event corresponding to the “suspend” process is generated. When the suspend button is clicked in this state, the state in which the input event is prevented from being provided to the application is released. At this time, the suspend / resume button is displayed as "resume" (resume button), and when clicked, an input event corresponding to the "resume" process is generated. Then, the interruption request message is transmitted from the primary side terminal to the secondary side terminal.

On the control panel on the display screen of the secondary terminal, a message indicating that the shared state of the general-purpose application by the partner terminal (primary terminal) is suspended is displayed, and the operation right button is disabled. . During that interruption, input events to the primary terminal are not forwarded to the secondary terminal. In this state, the primary side terminal performs processing (for example, document editing) according to the input event provided to the application.

When the resume button is clicked, the shared agent provides the simulated file save command to the application on the primary terminal. The application will then save the file created during the interruption. When this file saving is completed, the saved file is transferred from the primary side terminal to the secondary side terminal.

The shared agent of the secondary side terminal imitates the event requesting to open the received file and validates the operation right button on the control panel. Then, the secondary side terminal transmits a restart processing completion message to the primary side terminal. When the restart processing completion message is received at the primary side terminal, the state in which the input event is prevented from being provided to the application is released again, and the “pause” button is displayed on the control panel.

As described above, the sharing state of the general-purpose application between the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal is temporarily suspended,
The file created on the primary terminal is transmitted to the secondary terminal according to the input event in the local state. Therefore, even if there is an event in which the operating environment cannot match between the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal, the result of the processing according to the event can be matched between the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal. . Then, after that, by the restart processing, the shared state of the general-purpose application in the primary-side terminal and the secondary-side terminal can be restarted.

In the above embodiment, it is not possible to make a suspend / resume request at the secondary side terminal that does not have the operation right. However, the system can be configured to make it possible. Further, the above-described system for drawing in the window of the general-purpose application is applied to a general-purpose application sharing system composed of a plurality of user terminals connected via a network, but is not limited thereto. It can also be applied to a stand-alone system that simply executes.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since an application is placed on each user terminal and a general-purpose application is executed while giving and receiving the operation right, it is possible to commonly execute a general-purpose application on each user terminal by using a low-speed communication line. become.

In the system according to the first aspect, the input event generated at the user terminal without the operation right is surely prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook means. In the system according to claim 5, the operating environment file of the application is transmitted from the user terminal having the operation right to the user terminal having no operation right, and the operating environment file of the own terminal is sent to the user terminal having no operation right. Since it is replaced with the operating environment file, the operating environment can be made the same in each user terminal sharing the general-purpose application.

Further, in the system according to the seventh and the eighteenth aspects, the drawing means draws an image in the window of the application according to the designated position information from the pointing means, so that the drawing can be performed in the window of the general-purpose application. Further, in the system according to claims 8 to 15, the window of the application and the control window paired therewith are controlled so as to be integrated, so that the user interface is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing basic functions of each user terminal of a general-purpose application sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another basic function of each user terminal of the general-purpose application sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a general-purpose application sharing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of each user terminal in the general-purpose application sharing system shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a procedure for starting up a general-purpose application sharing system.

FIG. 6 is a state transition diagram showing a state of a sharing agent of a primary side terminal in a general-purpose application sharing system.

FIG. 7 is a state transition diagram showing a state of a sharing agent of a secondary side terminal in the general-purpose application sharing system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a user terminal provided with a control button that realizes a suspend / resume function.

FIG. 9 is a state transition diagram showing the state of the primary-side terminal in the suspend / resume processing.

FIG. 10 is a state transition diagram showing the state of the secondary side terminal in the suspend / resume processing.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an initial screen on the primary side terminal in the general-purpose application sharing system.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an initial screen on the secondary side terminal in the general-purpose application sharing system.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing display screens of the primary side terminal and the secondary side terminal during initialization.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a display screen of each terminal in a state where the primary terminal and the secondary terminal are linked.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a display screen of each terminal after transferring a document created by a general-purpose application shared from the primary terminal to the secondary terminal.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a display screen of each terminal when drawing is performed in the window of a general-purpose application.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining movement of a control panel and an application window.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating movement of a size change bar and an application window.

FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining movement of an application window and each control window.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a state of a control window when the application window is maximized.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a state of a control window when an application window is iconized.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 network (ISDN line) 200 user terminal 201 CPU (central processing unit) 202 memory 203 display control unit 204 image memory 205 display unit 206 keyboard interface 207 keyboard 208 mouse interface 209 mouse 210 file interface 211 file device 212 ISDN line interface 213 Dial key 214 Handset 215 Hook switch

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. In a general-purpose application sharing system in which general-purpose applications are commonly executed by at least first and second user terminals connected via a network, each user terminal copies an input event. , Or an input hook means for preventing the input event from being provided to the application, an input simulation means for simulating the input event for the application, and an operation right control means for controlling the presence or absence of the operation right for allowing the event input, A communication control means for transmitting information to the user terminal of the other party via the network, and the input event to the first user terminal set to the state with the operation right by the operation right control means is provided to the application and It is copied by the input hook means, and the communication control means controls the operation right. The copied input event is transferred to the second user terminal set to the state without the operation right by the means, and the input simulation means simulates the transferred event with respect to the application and the first user terminal Similarly, the application is executed by the second user terminal, and the input event to the second user terminal set to the state without the operation right by the operation right control unit is prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook unit. General-purpose application sharing system. 2. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 1, wherein an operation right acquisition request message issued from the operation right control means of the second user terminal based on an operation input from a user is transmitted by the communication control means. The operation right control means of the first user terminal, which has been transferred to the user terminal of No. 1 and received the operation right acquisition request message, sets the first user terminal to the state without the operation right and issues the operation right acquisition request reception message. , So that the reception message is transferred to the second user terminal by the communication control means, and the operation control means of the second user terminal that has received the reception message sets the second user terminal to the state with the operation right. General-purpose application sharing system. 3. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 1, wherein when the input hook means of the second user terminal detects an input event that should be prevented from being provided to the application,
The operation right acquisition request message is transferred to the first user terminal by the communication means, and the operation right control means of the first user terminal receiving the operation right acquisition request message sets the first user terminal to the state without operation right. Then, a reception message of the operation right acquisition request is issued, the reception message is transferred to the second user terminal by the communication control means, and the operation control means of the second user terminal which has received the reception message is transferred to the second user terminal. A general-purpose application sharing system that sets to the state with operation authority. 4. The general-purpose application sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a scroll request for scrolling a screen of the general-purpose application is input to at least a second user terminal set to a state without operation authority. When a scroll request is input by the scroll input means, a scroll request is sent from the second terminal unit to the first user terminal set to have the operation right by the communication control means. When the scroll request is transferred and the first user terminal receives the scroll request, the scroll request is provided to the application, the scroll processing is executed on the application of the first user terminal, and the communication control unit causes the second user terminal to send the scroll request. The scroll request is transferred to the user terminal of When chromatography The terminal receives the scroll request, a general purpose application sharing system adapted scroll process on the application of the second user terminal is executed based on the scrolling request. 5. The general-purpose application sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an operation environment file defining an operation environment of the application is set by the communication control means from the first user terminal set to the operation right enabled state. A general-purpose application that is transferred to a second user terminal that is set to have no operation right, and the second user terminal that receives the operating environment file replaces the operating environment file of its own terminal with the received operating environment file Sharing system. 6. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second user terminals change a window size of the application and a window size of the application. Window size change detecting means for detecting that the window size of the application has been changed in any one of the first and second user terminals. Upon detection, the changed window size is transferred to the other user terminal by the communication means, and when the other user terminal receives the window size, the window size changing means changes the window size of the application to the one user terminal. In A general-purpose application sharing system designed to match the application window size. 7. A general-purpose application sharing system in which at least first and second user terminals connected via a network commonly execute general-purpose applications, and each user terminal has a position on a display screen. Pointing means for designating an input event, and an input hook means for copying an input event generated by the position designation on the display screen by the pointing means, or for blocking provision of designated location information from the pointing means to an application. , Mode setting means for setting the operation mode to either the drawing mode or the normal mode, the drawing means for drawing an image on the display screen based on the specified position information from the pointing means, and the input simulation for simulating the input event to the application Means and information on the network If the first user terminal is set to the normal mode by the mode setting means, the communication means is transmitted to the user terminal of the other party via the network and the pointing means on the display screen of the application is used. The input event generated by the position designation is provided to the application and copied by the input hook means, the communication control means transfers the copied input event to the second user terminal, and the input simulation means transfers it. If the application is executed on the second user terminal in the same manner as the first user terminal by simulating the event with respect to the application, and the drawing mode is set by the mode setting means of the first user terminal, The specified position information from the pointing means on the display screen of the application is input by the input hook means. Is provided, and an image is drawn on the display screen by the drawing means based on the specified position information whose supply to the application is blocked, and the specified position information is transmitted to the second user terminal by the communication control means. The general-purpose application sharing system in which the image is drawn on the display screen by the drawing means on the basis of the designated position information at the second user terminal which has received the designated position information. 8. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 1, wherein each user terminal further comprises window size input means for designating a size of a display window of the application, and window position for designating a position of the window. An input means and a window state setting means for setting the size and position of the window, wherein the window state setting means is an application based on the size and / or position designated by the window size input means and / or the window position input means. A general-purpose application sharing system that changes the size and / or position of the display window. 9. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 1, wherein each user terminal further includes window state detection means for detecting the size and position of a window formed on the display screen, and the display screen. A window state setting means for setting the size and position of the window displayed above and a control window forming means for forming a control window for generating a control event on the display screen are provided. When either position and / or size is changed,
General-purpose application sharing in which the window state setting means sets the size and position of the application window and the control window so that the window and the control window are adjacent to each other based on the size and position of each window obtained by the window state detection means. system. 10. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 9, wherein the control window is a window for receiving an operation mode setting request, a window for receiving an operation right acquisition request, and an application window scroll command. A general-purpose application sharing system including at least one of a window for specifying a window size of an application, a window for specifying a window size of an application, and a window for specifying a position of a window of an application. 11. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein each user terminal further detects a control operation for expanding the application window to the entire display screen. When the first window operation detecting means detects that the control operation is performed, the window state setting means causes the window state setting means to display the entire display screen by both the application window and the control window adjacent to the window. A general-purpose application sharing system that sets the size of each window so that it can be occupied. 12. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 9, wherein each user terminal further detects a second window operation for detecting that a control operation for iconifying an application window is performed. The detecting means and the first window changing means for iconifying or deleting the control window are provided, and when the second window operation detecting means detects that the iconizing control operation is performed, the window changing means A general-purpose application sharing system that iconizes or erases control windows. 13. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 12, wherein each user terminal further detects a third window for detecting a control operation for windowing the icon converted from the application window. An operation detecting means and a second window changing means for reproducing the icon converted from the control window by the first window changing means or the deleted control window to the original control window, and a third window operation detecting A general-purpose application sharing system, wherein the second window changing means reproduces a control window on a display screen when the means detects that a control operation for windowing is performed. 14. The general-purpose application sharing system according to claim 13, wherein the second window change control means controls before the third window operation detection means detects that a control operation for windowing is performed. A general-purpose application sharing system in which when a window is reproduced on a display screen, the window state setting means reproduces the window of the general-purpose application on the upper side of the display screen. 15. The general-purpose application sharing system according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein each user terminal further includes an application end detection unit that detects that an application end operation has been performed, and the first user When the application end detection means detects an application end operation in the terminal, the window state setting means deletes the control window, and the communication control means sends a sharing end message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal. A general-purpose application sharing system, wherein the control window is erased by the window state setting means in the second user terminal which is transmitted and receives the sharing end message, and the sharing state of the application is ended. 16. A general-purpose application sharing system having the functions according to both claims 1 and 7, wherein each user terminal is set to a normal mode when the operation right is acquired, and drawn when the operation right is transferred. A general-purpose application sharing system that is set to mode. 17. The general-purpose application sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein each user terminal further has a sharing suspension / resuming control means for controlling suspension and resumption of an application sharing state, and Command to cancel the shared state of the general-purpose application, enable the input of events from the user individually, and to restart the user, issue a command to save the current file to the general-purpose application and communicate. A general-purpose application sharing system in which a current file is transferred to a partner user terminal by the control means, and a file open command is executed by the input simulation means in the partner user terminal to restart the sharing state of the application. 18. In a general-purpose application system adapted to execute a general-purpose application, a pointing means for designating a position on a display screen, and an input event generated by the designation of the position on the display screen by the pointing means are copied. Input hook means for preventing the application of the designated position information from the pointing means, mode setting means for setting the operation mode to either the drawing mode or the normal mode, and the designated position from the pointing means. When the drawing mode for drawing an image on the display screen based on the information and the normal mode is set by the mode setting mode,
When the input event generated by the position specification by the pointing means on the display screen of the application is provided to the application, the application is executed according to the input event, and the drawing mode is set by the mode setting means,
The specified position information from the pointing means on the display screen of the application is prevented from being provided to the application by the input hook means, and the image is displayed on the display screen by the drawing means based on the specified position information which is prevented from being provided to the application. A general-purpose application system designed to be drawn.