JPS6249528A - Help guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability with a help guidance system by giving the definite explanation to the contents requested by a user. CONSTITUTION:A guidance request code supplied from an input part 1 is applied to an internal storage part 3 and the guide information is displayed at an output part 2 after the guide information and a correspondence table are read out of an external storage part 4. If an indefinite part is included in each word of the explanation, a user points out the area where the guidance is needed. Thus the position information is delivered to a guide control function part. Then the guidance position is detected on a picture and the corresponding item is detected by means of the correspondence table. Thus the guidance explanation is displayed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention provides a help guide method that provides appropriate help guide information to a user when the user makes a guide request regarding how to use an information processing device, etc. 1 to 1.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Information processing devices such as computer systems, word processors, information retrieval devices, facsimile machines, and telephones are designed to be easy for users to understand (i.e., each key or button on the keyboard has a meaning, such as (i, (m), etc.). , icons representing functions are displayed on the screen for selection.

However, using only function keys and icons, the user cannot understand how to use the information processing/processing device, its contents, etc.

Under these circumstances, it has become an important issue in terms of user interfaces to make each function as easy as possible and to provide help guides that satisfy the user's needs.

However, in the conventional help guide system, explanations on how to use each function's keys and individual icons are simply displayed on screen C2 in advance. The related guide information ranges from a few screens to dozens of screens, from general meaning to step 9 exception conditions, restriction conditions, and examples.Users need to read the entire help guide before using this extensive help guide. Therefore, in the past, only simple guide information was issued, but this did not provide detailed explanations that met the needs of users, making the guide less effective.

Another improved help guide system is a multi-step help guide system that displays basic guide information and provides more detailed guide explanations upon request.

This is excellent in that it provides a more detailed guide, but it does not provide the information that users request.

However, the content of the help guide itself is often difficult for users to understand. For example, some users may find that some guide messages contain content that is unclear to them, or they would like to find out more about the content of that word. If you think,
With the conventional method, it was often necessary to read the manual and search for the relevant item.

Since there is no means for displaying an appropriate guide message according to the user's wishes, the user's proficiency level is low and the operating efficiency is reduced.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on these conventional problems, and its purpose is to prevent the user from understanding guide information when guiding commands that the user is unfamiliar with or during incorrect help guides. This allows for a more detailed explanation of the points that are missing. In other words, by clearly explaining what the user wants, ease of use (
; To provide an excellent information processing device.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides an information processing device such as Calculation 4, when a user is displaying a guide explanation or a help explanation, 1.
If you do not understand technical expressions such as indentation and ruled lines, method C for explaining this matter to the user: Related.

For this purpose, each guide will explain the steps and symbols.

For diagrams, etc., there is a correspondence table consisting of one type of item name, position in the guide text, text number, etc., and the user can specify the part of the screen that requires guidance such as ruled lines (using a pointing device, cursor, etc.) At that point, the position of the guide on the screen is detected, the corresponding JA item is determined from the correspondence table, and the guide explanation for that item is displayed. The display method is the top, bottom,
Appropriate ranking is done for the left and right, and it is checked whether there is a certain space, and if there is a space, the guide explanation of the corresponding item is displayed.This allows the user to find the item they want to know. Displayed according to the user's needs.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to explain in more detail the word schemes, symbols and diagrams used in guide explanations and help explanations by indicating them. Therefore, depending on the user's needs, specific (specialized)
A description will be displayed. For this reason, in the past, even if you looked at the guide explanation written for a certain number of users, there were still parts that many users did not understand, whereas with this method, each user did not understand the 65 minutes and 2 parts. , you can see instructions and explanations for each. In addition, the explanation items in the help guide can be simplified by making them explanations that include keywords that are well-conceived to some extent. When a condensed keyword is unknown, it can be viewed as a detailed explanation, greatly improving the user's proficiency and operating efficiency.Also, the user's anxiety is greatly reduced and they can feel at ease. Its practical advantages are extremely large, such as the ability to develop information processing equipment from 1 to 5 times a year.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.1 This embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a Japanese word processor.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. Here, it consists of an input section l for inputting data into the device, an output section 2 for displaying necessary f# information, an external storage section 4 and an internal storage s3, and a control R5 for controlling each of these sections. has been done. The input unit l is an input device such as a keyboard or a mask, and inputs necessary commands and characters.

It is used to input numerical values, position coordinates, etc. The output s2 is a display device such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display, which has a display area capable of displaying the necessary message. Also, the external storage s4 is for storing guide and help information) such as a floppy disk, hard disk, etc.
It is a large capacity memory like an IC card. Reference numeral 3 denotes an internal storage section for temporarily storing and processing the contents stored in the external storage section 4. The control unit 5 controls these.

FIG. 2 specifically shows the configuration of the internal memory s3. The internal storage section 3 is divided into a code storage section 31 and a data storage section 32. The east ζ code storage section 31 stores the input section 1. Output section 2. I10 control function 5311 for controlling external storage s4, guide control function section for controlling guide help display 12. Consists of 5313 components. The data storage unit 32 includes a guide stack 321 for sequentially temporarily storing guide information, a correspondence table stack 322 for sequentially temporarily storing correspondence tables, and an application data storage unit 323 for application processing functions. be done.

The third factor is a concrete list of the guide text and correspondence table, which is one of the stored information in the external storage unit 4ζ. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing each guide text and a corresponding table in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanation of the guide help display displayed on the output section. Here, (5-a) is an example of the display when the first level guide is displayed, and (s-b) is an example where the guide of the guide item is displayed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the determination of the position of the guide display.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the processing of the guide control function section.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 7. In particular, the processing performed by the guide control function section (FIG. 7) will be specifically explained. Here, to make the explanation easier to understand, we will use an example of a guide on how to create a table while using Japanese Word Brosetuna.

First, the guide request code input from the input section 1 is
The signal is passed to the guide control function section 312 via the zero control function section 311 (step 71 in FIG. 7). Then, the guide control function starts operating (step 72 in FIG. 7). Then, the guide level h is set to 1 (step 73 in FIG. 7). Here, the guide level h is rH, which is a pointer for the guide stack and correspondence table stack. Then, the guide information and the correspondence table are read from the external storage s4, and the guide stack 321 and the correspondence table stack 322 are stacked.
FIG. 7 step 74).

Then, the prepared information is displayed from the output unit 2 (step 75 in FIG. 7).

At this point, as an example, (5-a) is displayed in the output section 2 (=), and the guide stack 321 and the correspondence table stack 322 are loaded with the correspondence table 1 of the guide text l of (4-a), respectively. While the user is looking at the guide display screen shown in FIG. The (relative) position for the window is 1!(,,.

bt) is detected (step 77 in FIG. 7). Then in the (h=1) level correspondence table of the correspondence table stack.

For the target position ("tsbt), for example, in the case of a tab, XL≦11, a1≦zl, and Y,≦b.

By confirming that ≦W (see table 4-1), it can be determined that the user has selected the target ward. Therefore, the text number and correspondence table number are searched (step 78 in FIG. 7). In this example, guide text) 1.1. Correspondence table 1.
1 is retrieved (FIG. 4-4-b).

Here, it is determined whether a target has been designated (step 79 in FIG. 7).

If the target is specified (in this example, a tab.

Guide text 1.1. Correspondence table 1.1), set the level of the stack pointer to h 4 - h + 1 (step 710 in Fig. 7), read the guide information and correspondence table, and place them on the guide stack and correspondence table stack, respectively (Step 7 in Fig. 7).
Figure step 711). Next, decide whether to display the guide below, above, or below the object you want to guide (in this example? ) (Step 712 in Figure 's7)
@An example of this determination method is to calculate the length from the position of the target you want to guide on the entire screen to the bottom, right, top, and left edges of the screen, and calculate this and the width of the guide display window.
Decide by comparing the sizes. For example, in Figure 6, from the ward to the bottom end.

The lengths to the right edge, top edge, and left edge are 4 and 431, respectively.
.

IJm--1, and the guide fin-doc you want to display as a guide is at a height of 1. −, and so on. At this time, as an example of a determining method, it is first determined that -gt>Δα+.

Here, Δα ensures that the guide window does not overlap the object to be explained. If this is true, a guide will be displayed below the target. ! .

If =Δα0, then look and determine 〉Δα0. If this is established, a guide is displayed on the right side of the target. Otherwise, am > Δα+ kt,
p, )Δα+, and are determined in this order. In this way, a guide display is made at a displayable position.

For example, in this embodiment, tab guide information is displayed below the target "tab" (FIG. 5 (5-b)).

(N117 diagram step 713).

and wait for the user's next instruction 1. In this way, if the content of a partial target in the displayed guide information is difficult to understand, the user can nest it one after another and issue a guide request (=
Therefore, the stack level h is increased and the guide explanation can be viewed.

do.

When O is specified, it is confirmed (step 714 in Figure 17), the h-level guide window is deleted from the first page (step 715 in Figure 7), and the h-level guide information is removed from each stack. The corresponding table is removed (step 716 in Figure 7), and if h≧2, h is also removed.

←h-x (previous guide window state) i2 Return (
! ! 7 step 718). Also, if h=i or none (step 717), guide end processing is performed.4. (Step 721 in Fig. 7), the entire guide fin is erased (Step 722 in Fig. 7), and the original work returns to the processing of the guide control function. End of Part 1 In this way, a series of guide help processing is completed.
As an illustration, the method of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, a guide stack and a correspondence table stamp are not both necessary. On the other hand, it is sufficient if there is a means to search for such information.

Further, the present invention does not necessarily have to be a stack.

The preview of the correspondence table is not limited to the position, text number, and correspondence table, and may be another item.

It may be something that can be searched dictionary-wise from the subject.

However, it is not necessary to limit the ID display method to the above display method. Changes may be made without changing the gist of the invention.

Brief explanation of the head Figure 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram of the internal memory ta group, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the guide text and correspondence table of the external memory p. , 4th, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing each guide text and its corresponding table, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of guide help, Fig. 6 is a diagram explaining the determination of the guide display position, and the second is a diagram showing the guide text of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a two-dimensional diagram of processing in one embodiment of the method.

1... Input section 2... Output section 3... Internal storage section 4... External storage section 5... Control section 313... Application processing function g 321... Guide stack 322...・Correspondence table stack 313...Application data storage agent Patent attorney Nori Chika Kikuo Takehana Figure 1 Figure 6 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 (54 (5-b) Figure 5 figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] an input means for inputting a guide request signal and a display target designation signal; a storage means storing help guide information corresponding to display targets such as sentences, vocabulary, diagrams, images, tables, symbols, etc. in the guide information; a display means for displaying guide information; and when a guide request signal and a display target designation signal are inputted from the input means with respect to the guide information displayed on the display means, the storage means stores help guide information corresponding thereto; a means for determining a relationship between a portion of the guide information displayed on the display means that corresponds to the display target designation signal and a display area of the help guide information; A help guide system comprising: means for displaying help guide information retrieved by the search means on the display means.