JPH1173432A - Browser device, address registering method and browser system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To register an address in a sorting item by simple operation by simplifying operation for registering an address corresponding to information provided from a server in the sorting item. SOLUTION: This browser device for displaying information supplied from a server through a communication means is provided with a sorting part 7 for sorting information supplied from the server at least to one sort, a memory 5 for storing an address corresponding to sorting information supplied from the sorting part 7 together with the information, a display part 9 for displaying information supplied from the server on a 1st area of a screen and displaying the sort corresponding to the information on a 2nd area, an instruction part 7 for controlling the position of a pointer displayed on the screen of the display part 9 in accordance with user's operation, and a control part 7 for controlling the address relative to the information displayed on the 1st area 10 so as to store the address in the memory 5 correspondingly to the sort displayed on the 2nd area 15 in accordance with the movement of the pointer 13 from the 1st area 10 to the 2nd area 15 by the instruction part 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a browser device connected to a server that provides information, an address registration method, and a browser system using the browser device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A browser device, such as a personal computer, which is connected to a network such as the Internet and has installed therein software for browsing homepages of various servers, is provided with a predetermined home page of each server on the Internet. URL (Uniform Res
ouce Locator) has a so-called bookmark function having a function of storing an address.

[0003] By registering the address of a frequently accessed homepage in a browser device, the user does not have to perform complicated operations such as inputting the homepage address using a keyboard, for example, when browsing the homepage. The user can browse a desired homepage by a simple operation such as selecting the homepage name or homepage address registered in advance by the user with a mouse or the like.

[0004] In order to facilitate a search for a desired homepage, a category item indicating a desired category such as "sports", "news", or "entertainment" is created in advance by a user, and a corresponding item is prepared according to the content of each homepage. A function of registering a homepage address in an appropriate classification item is also known.

A procedure for registering a homepage address in a classification item will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the browser device accesses the home page of the desired server in step S20 as shown in FIG. 11, a home page display area 31 of window 30 displayed on the display unit of the browser device shown in FIG. The home page of the server being accessed is displayed. The address of the home page is displayed in the address display area 32.

In step S21, the user
When the homepage menu 34 in the menu bar 33 is selected by an input device such as a pointing device such as a mouse, a touch panel, or a pen, a pull-down menu 35 is displayed in step S22.

When the user selects the additional menu 36 in the pull-down menu 35 in step S23, a dialog box 37 shown in FIG. 13 is displayed over the window 30 in step S24.

When the user selects the classification button 38 in the dialog box 37 at step S25, the classification list 3 shown in FIG.
9 is displayed. The classification list 39 displays the classification items 40 registered in advance and the names or addresses of unorganized homepages that have not been classified.

In step S27, a desired classification item 40 is selected from the classification list 39, and an OK button 41 is selected.
Is clicked, in step S28, FIG.
The address displayed in the address display area 32, that is, the address of the home page being accessed is registered in the classification item.

[0011]

As described above, it takes a very lengthy operation for a user to classify and register opposing addresses provided from a desired server.

As shown in FIG. 14, the classification list 39 displays a hierarchical structure. As the classification items increase, the classification list 39 becomes longer below the window 30.
It covered other areas on the window 30 and impaired its aesthetic appearance.

According to the present invention, a browser which simplifies a complicated operation when a user registers an address classification item corresponding to information provided from a server and can register an address in the classification item by a simple operation. It is an object to provide an apparatus, an address registration method, and a browser system.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a browser apparatus for displaying information supplied from a server via communication means, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object. A classifying unit for classifying the information into at least one class, a memory for storing an address corresponding to the information together with the classification information supplied from the classifying unit, and displaying the information supplied from the server in a first area of the screen and a second
A display unit for displaying the classification corresponding to the information in the area, an instruction unit for controlling the position of the pointer displayed on the screen of the display unit in accordance with the operation of the user, and the instruction unit moving the pointer from the first area to the second area. And a control unit that controls to store an address corresponding to the information displayed in the first area in the memory in accordance with the shift to the area in accordance with the classification displayed in the second area. The present invention is to provide a browser device provided.

Further, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-described object, information provided from a server is displayed in a first area of a screen of a display unit, and a classification corresponding to the information is displayed on the screen of the display unit. Displaying in the second area, and dragging and dropping an arbitrary point in the first area to one of the categories displayed in the second area, thereby displaying the point in the first area. Storing the address corresponding to the information in the memory in correspondence with the classification.

Further, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a server for providing information, a classification unit for classifying information supplied from the server into at least one classification, and a supply unit for the classification unit. A memory for storing an address corresponding to the information together with the classified information to be displayed, and displaying the information supplied from the server in a first area of the screen and a second area.
A display unit for displaying the classification corresponding to the information in the area, an instruction unit for controlling the position of the pointer displayed on the screen of the display unit in accordance with the operation of the user, and the instruction unit moving the pointer from the first area to the second area. To the realm of
Provided is a browser system having a browser device having a control unit for controlling an address corresponding to information displayed in a first area to be stored in a memory in accordance with a classification displayed in a second area. Things.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a browser device, an address registration method and a browser system according to the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

A browser device to which the present invention is applied is, for example, a personal computer. As shown in FIG. 1, a hard disk 1 on which a program for operating the browser device is recorded, and a graphical user interface (graphical user interface) based on the program. user interfac
e, hereinafter referred to as GUI. ) And a GU
A mouse 3 for the user to operate the browser device using I, a modem 4 for communicating with a server for providing image information that can be browsed on the Internet, and a plurality of images or character information on the Internet. And an address storage unit 5 for storing the address of the homepage.

Each unit of the browser device is controlled by a central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a CPU) 7 via a bus 6.

When the user issues an instruction to start the browser device by using a mouse 3 or an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard, a touch panel, or a pen, the CPU 7 stores necessary files among the programs recorded on the hard disk 1, for example, in a random access memory. (Random
access memory: hereinafter referred to as RAM. ) 8 is read and the program is executed. The program may be recorded on another recording device such as a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like. A GUI described later is displayed on the display unit 2 via the bus 6 by the CPU 7 based on a program.

The browser device is connected from the modem 4 to various servers on the Internet, which is a type of network, via a provider or the like via a telephone line, for example. When the browser device is made operable, the line between the browser device and the Internet provider is automatically connected. However, after the GUI is displayed on the display unit 2, a predetermined operation is performed by the user. By doing so, a line with an Internet provider may be connected.

The modem 4 converts a digital signal of information such as a homepage address into an analog signal that can be transmitted via a telephone line, and supplies the converted signal to an Internet provider via the telephone line. The modem 4 demodulates an analog signal such as image information supplied from an Internet provider into a digital signal usable by a browser device. Since the telephone line is used, the transmission signal is an analog signal. However, through a terminal adapter, an integrated services digital network is used.
work: ISDN), information can be transmitted by digital signals.

The user can browse homepages of various servers on the Internet using the browser device connected to the Internet provider as described above. The user uses a keyboard or other input device (not shown) to enter a keyword to perform a search or to enter a homepage address to access a desired server homepage, and to provide image information or text provided by the homepage. Browse information. An address for providing a homepage repeatedly browsed by the user is stored in an address storage unit 5 including, for example, a RAM.
The procedure for storing the homepage address will be described later.

When the address of the homepage is stored in the address storage unit 5, an arbitrary name is given to the address by the user. The browser device manages a plurality of addresses with names that are easy for the user to understand.

The browser window 9 displayed as a GUI on the display unit 2 of the browser device is, as shown in FIG.
A home page display area 10 which is a first area of a screen on which a home page of a server being accessed is displayed, an address display area 11 where the address of the home page is displayed, and a menu bar 12 where various functions are selected by a user. And The pointer 1 linked to the movement of the mouse 3 shown in FIG.
3 is displayed. Mouse 3 operated by user
By operating the pointer 13, the part displayed on the GUI can be selected or moved, and various functions can be executed.

The procedure for actually storing the address of a desired homepage in the address storage unit 5 by the user will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2 as necessary.

In step S1, a user performs an operation to access a desired server home page. The CPU 7 displays the server home page in the home page display area 10. Address display area 1
1 displays the address of the home page being accessed.

In step S2, when the operation of selecting the homepage menu 14 is performed by the mouse 3 operated by the user, the CPU 7 causes the CPU 3 to execute step S3.
In the pull-down menu 1 that is the second area of the screen
5 and a plurality of classification items registered in advance by the user in the pull-down menu 15 are displayed as, for example, folder-type icons 16.

In step S4, the user drags and drops the desired icon 16 from an arbitrary point on the homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11. That is, when the pointer 13 is moved to an arbitrary position on the homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11 by the mouse 3 operated by the user, the button provided on the mouse 3 is pressed, and the pointer is held while the button is pressed. Is moved to the icon 16 and the button of the mouse 3 is released.

The standard pull-down menu disappears when a place other than the pull-down menu is selected.
Alternatively, control is performed so that the display of the pull-down menu 15 does not disappear even when the address display area 11 is selected. Alternatively, when the homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11 is selected, the pull-down menu 1
5 may be displayed.

In step S5, based on the input signal from the mouse 3 in response to the above-mentioned operation of the user by the CPU 7, the address of the displayed home page is stored in an address storage unit corresponding to the classification item created by the user in advance. 5 is stored. Here, when the pointer of the mouse 3 operated by the user is dragged and dropped into the pull-down menu 15 area other than the classification items, the address of the displayed homepage is stored in the address storage unit 5 without being classified. At the same time, a display indicating the homepage in which the address is stored, for example, a name is displayed along with the classification items in the pull-down menu 15 area.

The browser apparatus to which the present invention is applied can store the address of the homepage being accessed in the storage unit in association with the classification item by a simple operation.

The procedure for browsing the homepage of the server whose address has been registered according to the above procedure will be described with reference to FIGS. The browser window 9 shown in FIG.
It is similar to the browser window 9 shown in FIG.
The same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.

In step S6 shown in FIG.
Is selected, in step S7, the pull-down menu 15 is opened by the CPU 7 and a plurality of icons 16
Is displayed.

In step S8, when the icon 16 corresponding to the classification item in which the address corresponding to the homepage desired to be browsed is registered is selected from the plurality of icons 16 by the user, in step S9, the CPU 7 A home page list 17 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. The homepage list 17 displays addresses or names of homepages registered in the classification items indicated by the icon 16 selected by the user.

In step S10, when the user selects an address corresponding to a desired homepage from the addresses or names of the homepages displayed in the homepage list 17, the user selects C in step S11.
The address corresponding to the address or name of the homepage selected by the PU 7 is read from the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG. 1, the homepage specified by the read address is accessed, and the desired homepage is displayed in the homepage display area 10. Is displayed. The user
A desired home page can be browsed by a simple mouse operation of selecting the home page menu 14, selecting the icon 16, and selecting a desired address.

For convenience of classification by the user, more detailed classification items can be set in the classification items. For example, when the icon 16 is selected, a list of folder-shaped icons indicating lower-level classification items is displayed.

FIG. 6 shows another display example of the GUI displayed on the display unit 2 of the browser device to which the present invention is applied. FIG.
In the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 2, the same parts as those in the browser window 9 shown in FIG. In the browser window 9 shown in FIG. 2, a folder-shaped icon 16 indicating an address classification item is displayed in the pull-down menu 15, but in the browser window 18 shown in FIG. A shape icon 19 is always displayed on the browser window 18.

Although the plurality of icons 19 are shown in two rows and two columns, the arrangement may be vertical or horizontal, and the icons may have any shape. The plurality of icons 19 can be freely moved to a desired position on the browser window 18 by the user. Multiple icons 19
May be displayed so as to be superimposed on the application or the OS.

The procedure until the user actually stores the address of the desired homepage in the address storage unit 5 through the browser window 18 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In addition, FIG. 1 and FIG. 6 are referred to as needed.

In step S12, a desired homepage is displayed on the homepage display area 10 by the user. In the address display area 11, the address of the home page displayed in the home page display area 10 is displayed.

In step S13, the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11
By dragging and dropping an arbitrary point on the desired icon 19, in step S14, C
The address of the homepage displayed by the PU 7 is stored in the address storage unit 5 corresponding to the classification item created in advance by the user. Here, when the pointer 13 operated by the user is dragged and dropped on a part of the browser window 18 other than the classification items, the address of the displayed homepage or the address is stored in the address storage unit 5 without being classified. A part of the browser window 18, for example, a display showing a home page in which addresses are stored side by side on the right side of the address display area 11,
For example, a button-type icon displaying a name or the like is formed.

Since the classification items are always displayed by the icons 19, procedures such as displaying a pull-down menu are omitted, so that the procedure for registering a home page is further simplified.

FIG. 8 shows a procedure for registering an address and browsing a home page in the GUI 18 according to the above-described procedure.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The browser window 18 shown in FIG. 8 is the same as the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 6, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of icons 19 are arranged in a horizontal row.

In step S15 shown in FIG.
In step S16, when a desired icon 19 is selected from the plurality of icons 19, the process proceeds to step S16.
7, a home page list 20 shown in FIG. 8 is displayed. The homepage list 20 displays addresses or names of homepages registered in the classification items corresponding to the icon 19 selected by the user.

In step S17, the user
When a desired homepage address or name is selected from the displayed homepage list 20, in step S18, an address corresponding to the homepage address or homepage name selected by the CPU 7 is stored in the address storage unit shown in FIG. 5, the home page corresponding to the address is displayed in the home page display area 10.

The user can browse a desired homepage by a simple mouse operation of selecting the icon 19 and selecting a desired address. That is, since the icon 19 indicating the classification item of the homepage is always displayed, the desired homepage can be viewed more easily than the homepage browsing procedure described with reference to FIGS.

The icon 19 is not normally displayed, and may be automatically displayed when an arbitrary point on the homepage display area or the address display area 11 is designated by the mouse 3 operated by the user. . The homepage address is registered in a very simple procedure similar to that shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, and the icon 19 is not normally displayed, so that the homepage display area is not partially hidden by the icon 19. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the pull-down menu 15 may be automatically displayed when an arbitrary point on the homepage display area or the address display area 11 is selected by the user.

FIG. 10 shows another display example of the GUI displayed on the display unit 2 of the browser device applied to the present invention. In the browser window 21 shown in FIG. 10, the same parts as those in the browser window 9 shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted. Browser window 21
Has a home page display area 10, an address display area 11, and a file display area 22. The file display area 22 includes, for example, the hard disk 1, the address storage unit 5, and various devices connected to the browser device shown in FIG. Directories and files in the auxiliary storage device are displayed in a tree format.

The classification items are displayed as a plurality of subdirectories below the homepage directory in the file display area 22. Each directory is indicated by, for example, a folder type icon.

The operation of registering the address of the home page displayed on the home page display area 10 by the user using the window 21 is performed by selecting an arbitrary position on the home page display area 10 or the address display area 11 with the mouse 3 by the user. All that is necessary is to move to the folder-shaped icon indicating the desired directory displayed in the file display area 22. In the browser device, the address of the home address displayed in the address display area 11 is stored in the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG.

Although a browser device having a hard disk and an address storage unit independently of each other is used, for example, the address storage unit 5 shown in FIG.

Although the present invention has been described using a browser device composed of a personal computer and a browser program, the present invention is not limited to such a form.
The present invention can be applied to a combination of a host computer and an input terminal connected via Internet television, a local area network, or the like.

In the above description, the present invention relates to a browser device,
Although the address registration method and the browser system have been described, the present invention can also be applied to a storage medium storing browser software to which the address registration method according to the present invention can be applied.

Although a mouse input device has been described as the input device, a pen-type input device, for example, may be used as the input device.

Further, the case has been described where the browser of the server to which the present invention is applied browses a server homepage on the Internet. However, the present invention is also applicable to the case where information of a server on an independent network not connected to the Internet is browsed. Can be applied.

[0057]

According to the present invention, the information provided from the server and the address of the server are displayed in the first area of the screen of the display unit, and the classification items for classifying the addresses of the plurality of servers are displayed in the second area. The control unit responds to the information displayed in the first area by displaying and dragging and dropping an arbitrary point on the first area to the classification item displayed in the second area by the operation unit. The stored server address is stored in association with the classification item, so that the operation when the user classifies and registers the desired server address is significantly simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a browser device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a window displaying a folder-type classification item icon.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering an address in a folder-type classification item icon.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a window when an address is selected from a folder-type classification item icon.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for selecting an address from a folder-type classification item icon.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a window displaying a button-type classification item icon;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering an address in a button-type classification item icon.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a window when selecting an address from a button-type classification item icon.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for selecting an address from a button-type classification item icon.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another display example of the window.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a conventional address registration procedure.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a window displayed on a display unit of a conventional browser device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a window displaying a conventional address registration dialog box.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a conventional window for displaying classification items.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 hard disk, 2 display, 3 mouse,
4 Modem, 5 Address storage, 6 Bus, 7
CPU, 8 RAM.

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A browser device for displaying information supplied from a server via a communication means, comprising: a classification means for classifying the information supplied from the server into at least one classification; Storage means for storing an address corresponding to the information together with the classification information, and a display for displaying information supplied from the server in a first area of the screen and displaying a classification corresponding to the information in a second area. Means, instruction means for controlling the position of the pointer displayed on the screen of the display means in accordance with the operation of the user, and the pointer being shifted from the first area to the second area by the instruction means. Accordingly, an address corresponding to the information displayed in the first area is stored in the storage means in association with the classification displayed in the second area. Browser apparatus and control means for controlling. 2. The first area is dragged and dropped from an arbitrary point in the first area to one of the categories displayed in the second area. 2. The browser device according to claim 1, wherein an address corresponding to the information displayed in the storage device is controlled so as to be stored in the storage unit in association with the classification. 3. The browser device according to claim 1, wherein said second area is always provided on a screen of said display means. 4. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display of the second area is held when an arbitrary position in the first area is instructed by the instruction means. 5. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when an arbitrary position in the first area is instructed by the instruction means, the second area is provided on a screen of the display means. 6. The browser device according to claim 1, wherein the classification is displayed by a folder type icon. 7. The browser device according to claim 1, wherein the classification is displayed by a button-type icon. 8. Displaying information provided from a server in a first area of a screen of a display unit, and displaying a classification corresponding to the information in a second area of the screen of the display unit; By dragging and dropping an arbitrary point in the first area to one of the categories displayed in the second area, the address corresponding to the information displayed in the first area is classified into the class. And storing the data in a memory in association with the address. 9. The address registration method according to claim 8, wherein the classification is displayed by a folder type icon. 10. The address registration method according to claim 8, wherein the classification is displayed by a button-type icon. 11. A server for providing information, classification means for classifying information supplied from the server into at least one classification, and an address corresponding to the information together with the classification information supplied from the classification means. Storage means; display means for displaying information supplied from the server in a first area of the screen and displaying a classification corresponding to the information in a second area; Instruction means for controlling the position of the displayed pointer; and the pointer is displayed in the first area in response to the pointer being moved from the first area to the second area by the instruction means. A browser device comprising control means for controlling an address corresponding to the information to be stored in the storage means in association with a classification displayed in the second area. Obtain browser system. 12. When the indicating means is dragged and dropped from an arbitrary point in the first area to one of the classifications displayed in the second area,
12. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein control is performed such that an address corresponding to information displayed in said first area is stored in said storage means in association with said classification. 13. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein said second area is always provided on a screen of said display means. 14. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein the display of the second area is maintained when an arbitrary position in the first area is instructed by the instruction means. 15. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein said second area is provided on a screen of said display means when an arbitrary position of said first area is indicated by said instruction means. 16. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein said classification is displayed by a folder type icon. 17. The browser system according to claim 11, wherein the classification is displayed by a button-type icon. 18. A method for displaying information supplied from a server via a communication means in a first area of a screen and a second area of the screen.
The area corresponding to the information is displayed in the area, and the pointer displayed on the screen is moved from the first area to the second area in accordance with a user's instruction. A storage medium for storing browser software for storing an address corresponding to the displayed information in association with the classification displayed in the second area.