GB2322779A

GB2322779A - Character-based information retrieving apparatus and method therefor

Info

Publication number: GB2322779A
Application number: GB9720836A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sung-Hyn Ahn
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-30
Filing date: 1997-10-02
Publication date: 1998-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-02
Also published as: JPH10143518A; GB2322779B; CN1181558A; KR19980031010A; GB9720836D0

Abstract

A character-based information retrieving apparatus using a pointing means and a method therefor. The character-based information retrieving apparatus includes: a display 100 for displaying character-based information; a screen storing unit 120 for storing information displayed on a screen of the display; pointing means for pointing to a predetermined position of the screen of the display; a position detection unit 140 for detecting a position pointed to by the pointing means; a command reading unit 130 for reading out from the screen stormy unit 120 a character-based command corresponding to the position detected by the position detection unit 140; and a data transmitting and receiving unit 150 for transmitting the character-based command read out by the command reading unit. Therefore, a character-based command can be input by the user without a keyboard if usable commands are displayed on the screen. Also, even when the keyboard can be readily used, the number of manipulative steps to be performed by a user can be reduced by using a pointing device instead of the keyboard.

Description

f' novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or

process so disclosed.

commands are displayed on the screen. Also, even when the keyboard can be used easily, the number of manipulative steps to be performed by a user can be reduced by using a pointing device instead of a keyboard. Thus, user interface of the many current character retrieving systems can be used conveniently without being changed into a graphics-based system.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

is All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any C) storing unit 120 to determine whether the character corresponding to the coordinates (L,Cl) is one of the set of predetermined characters (step 620). If the character at the position (L,Cl) is one of the set of predetermined characters, the steps 615 and 620 are repeatedly carried out until the character at the position (L,Cl) is not one of the set of predetermined characters.

When a character at the position (L,Cl) is not one of the set of predetermined characters, the column C input in the step 600 is increased by 1 and is stored as a variable C2 (step 625). Then, a character corresponding to a coordinat (L,C2) is read out from the screen storing unit 120 to determine whether the read character is one of the set of predetermined characters (step 630). If the character at the position (L,C2) is one of the set of predetermined characters, the steps 625 and 630 are repeated until the character at the position (L,C2) is not one of the set of predetermined characters. As a result, when the final column coordinates Cl and C2 are determined, the start position of a command, detected by the start position detection unit 146, is to be Cl+ l, and the end position of the command, detected by the end position detection unit 148, is to be C2-1 (step 635). Also, C2-Cl-1 characters corresponds to the length of the command pointed by the pointing device at (L,C).

Afterwards, the command corresponding to the start and end positions is read out from the screen storing unit 120 and then transmitted to the server via a modem in the step 540.

As described above, according to the character-based information retrieving apparatus and the method therefor, a command can be input without a keyboard if usable and column coordinates (L,C) of the character unit. Here, the following conversion expressions are used.

L = ylh C = X/W where h and w represent the number of pixels occupied by one character in the vertical and horizontal direction, respectively.

After obtaining the line and column coordinates (L,C) using the above method, a command corresponding to the position is obtained (step 520). Here, it is determined whether a command exists or not (step 530). If a command exists, the command is transmitted to the server via the data transmitting and receiving unit 150 (step 540).

otherwise, the process stops without execution of any operation.

Meanwhile, Figure 6 shows in detail the step 520 of obtaining a command existing at the line and column coordinates (L, C).

The decision unit 144 receives coordinates obtained by the line and column converting unit 142 in step 510 (step 600), and reads out data at the coordinates (L,C) to determine whether the read data is one of a set of predetermined characters (step 605). If it is determined in the step 605 that the read out data is not one of a set of predetermined characters, a determination is made that a command does not exist at the corresponding position (step 610), and the procedure is terminated. otherwise, the column coordinate C is decreased by one and stored as a variable Cl (step 615). Then, a character corresponding to a coordinates (L,Cl) is read out from the screen Referring to the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6, the operation of the character-based information retrieving apparatus of the preferred embodiment will be described.

It is assumed that the main menu screen shown in Figure 2 is displayed on the display device 100. In Figure 2, reference numeral 200 represents selection numbers to be selected by a user for receiving desired information, and reference numeral 210 represents a series of commands for retrieving stored data, changing menus, etc. When a user inputs a selection number of the data among the numbers shown in Figure 2, the user may directly input the selection number for the desired data by using the keyboard. However, in the present invention. the selection number can be selected by the pointing device 110. For example, when a user wishes to retrieve "news /weather" information by selecting the data number 111111 from the main menu, the user can point the pointing device to the number 111111 on the screen.

Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the character-based information retrieving apparatus of the present embodiment. First, the user points the portion of I'll" on the screen by the pointing device 110 (step 500). Here, a signal is sent to the position detection unit 140. The position detection unit detects the position input by the pointing device 110 in response to the signal. The line and column converting unit 142 converts the position pointed by the pointing device 110 into line and column coordinates (L,C) (step 510). Assume that the horizontal and vertical position input by the pointing device 110 are x and y in a pixel unit, respectively. Since the main menu of Figure 2 is stored in the screen storing unit 120 in a character unit, the pixel unit coordinates (x,y) is converted into line 142 converts the pixel coordinates of the screen, designated by the pointing device 110, into line and column coordinates. Also, the decision unit 144 reads out data corresponding to the coordinates converted into the line and column coordinates from the screen storing unit and determines whether the read data is one of a predetermined set of characters. the characters of the set are typically alphanumeric characters of a kind known to be used as commands by the relevant information providing system. In the example of Figure 2, the commands are mostly numerical plus a select few alphabetical characters. The start position detection unit 146 detects a column coordinate of the start position of the command by decreasing the column coordinate by one until the read data is determined to be not one of the predetermined characters by the decision unit 144. Also, the end position detection unit 148 detects a column coordinate of the end position of the command by increasing the column coordinate by one until the read data is determined to be not one of the predetermined characters by the decision unit 144.

The data reading unit 130 is a processor which receives the line and column coordinates of the screen, corresponding to the start and end positions detected by the position detection unit 140 and reads out the data or command stored in the screen storing unit 120 using the input line and column coordinates.

The data transmitting and receiving unit 150 transmits the command read out by the data reading unit 130 to a communications source, and receives data from the communications source. Preferably, a modem or a RS232C port is used for the data transmitting and receiving unit 150.

1 is device 110, a screen storing unit 120, a data reading unit 130, a position detection unit 140 and a data transmitting and receiving unit 150.

The display loo is for displaying character-based information when character-based information retrieval is desired. Preferably, the display 100 is a liquid crystal display (LCD). However, a cathode ray tube (CRT) may be used alternatively.

Figure 2 is an example of a screen displayed in the display 100, which is the main menu for receiving a user command of a communication service UNITEL provided in Korea.

The pointing device 110 is used to point to a command on the screen displayed in the display device 100. Preferably, the pointing device 110 comprises a pen and a touch panel screen. Alternatively, a mouse may be used for the pointing device. The screen storing unit 120 is a memory for storing information displayed on the screen of the display 100 by using line and column coordinates of a character unit as address information, wherein the screen is composed of character arrays of 24 lines and 80 columns. Figure 3 shows BOX24 array of characters expressed as coordinates (L,C).

The position detection unit 140 is a processor for determining the coordinates of the start and end positions of a command by receiving pixel coordinates designated by the pointing device 110 on the screen. Ref erring to Figure. 4, the posi tion detection unit 140 includes a line and column converting unit 142, a decision unit 144, a start position detection unit 146 and an end position detection unit 148. The line and column converting unit 1 (b5) increasing the column coordinate calculated in said step (bl) by one unit and reading out data corresponding to the line and increased column coordinates from the screen storing unit to determine whether the read data is one of the predetermined set of characters; and (b6) repeating said step (b5) until the read data is not one of the predetermined set of characters to thereby determine the column coordinate as the end position.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a characterbased information retrieving apparatus; Figure 2 shows an example screen from an information providing server; Figure 3 is a diagram showing a 80X24 text display array expressed as coordinates (L,C); Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of a position detection unit of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the character-based information retrieving apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the step of obtaining a command located in line L and column C.

In Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of a characterbased information retrieving apparatus according to the 35 present invention includes a display 100, a pointing According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a character-based information retrieving method for use in a character- based information retrieving apparatus including a display for displaying character- based information, a screen storing unit for storing information to be displayed on a screen of the display, a pointing means for pointing to predetermined positions of the screen of the display, and a data transmitting unit for transmitting a character-based command displayed on 10 the display said method comprising the steps of:

(a) designating a position on the screen of the display using the pointing means; (b) retrieving position data corresponding to said position designated by said pointing means; (c) retrieving from the screen storing unit a character-based command corresponding to the retrieved position data; and (d) transmitting the command read in step (c) to an external source.

Preferably, step (b) comprises the steps of:

(bl) calculating line and column coordinates of the position designated by the pointing means; (b2) reading out data corresponding to the line and column co-ordinates from the screen storing unit to determine whether the read data is one of a predetermined set of characters; (b3) repeating said step (b2) while decreasing the column co-ordinate by one unit if it is determined in said step (b2) that the read data is one of the set of predetermined characters; (b4) determining the column coordinate as a start position when it is determined the said step (b2) that the read data is not one of the predetermined set of characters; a display having a screen for displaying character- based information; a screen storing unit f or storing character-based information for display on said screen of said display; pointing means for pointing to a predetermined position of the screen of said display; a position detection unit for detecting a position on said screen pointed to by said pointing means; a command reading unit for retrieving from said screen storing unit a character-based command corresponding to the position data detected bysaid position detection unit; and a data transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting the command obtained by said command reading unit.

Preferably, the position detection unit comprises: a line and column converting unit for converting pixel coordinates of the display designated by said pointing means into line and column coordinates; a decision unit for retrieving data corresponding to the converted line and column coordinates f rom said screen storing unit and determining whether said retrieved data is one of a predetermined set of characters; a start position detection unit for detecting a column coordinate of a start position of a character-based command by decreasing the column coordinate until the read data is determined to be one not included in the predetermined set of characters; and an end position detection unit for detecting a column coordinate of an end position of the command by increasing the column coordinate until the read data is determined to be one not included in the predetermined set of characters.

Meanwhile, when a physical keyboard is not provided as in the case of many portable terminals, a pointing means must be used for character- based information retrieval.

For example, many personal portable terminals adopt a user input method using a digitized pen. In this case, software designed for use with the portable terminal commonly allows for easy input using the pen. However, when an external application program is connected via a communication network, a keyboard is required for character-based information retrieval services. Here, a software-emulated keyboard may be used instead of the physical keyboard, however the following problems occur.

First, the sof tware-emulated keyboard is activated only as required and is turned of f during normal operation. Thus, the activation and deactivation processes for the software-emulated keyboard is timeconsuming. second, it is impossible to display the entire screen provided from a server since the activated software-emulated keyboard occupies a portion of the screen. Also, the user must give additional commands for moving the screen to see the hidden portions of the entire screen from the server.

With the above problems in mind, it is an aim of at least the preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a character-based information retrieving apparatus using a pointing device and a method therefor, in which a command displayed on a screen is selected using a pointing device instead of a software-emulated keyboard for character-based information retrieval.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a character-based information retrieving apparatus comprising:

2322779 CHARACTER-BASED INFORMATION RETRIEVING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREFOR The present invention relates to an information retrieving apparatus and a method therefor, and more particularly, to a character-based information retrieving apparatus adopting a pointing device and a method therefor.

Character-based information retrieving apparatus are widely used, often involving a dumb terminal coupled to a central information processing and storage facility. Also, as the number of information providing services has increased together with the development of communication systems, terminal-emulators using software for emulating a terminal on a personal computer have been developed and are being used. Particularly, the terminal emulator has been used as a major means for current character-based information retrieval under various circumstances including portable terminals, personal computers and main computers, most of which adopt a pointing device such as a digitized pen or a mouse.

However, in character-based information retrieval, the pointing device is not frequently used since the terminal is a device for character-based interaction.

Generally, character-based information retrieval is performed through a command-oriented retrieving method. Due to the command-oriented retrieving method, input is performed using a keyboard even though many terminal emulators are capable of adopting a pointing device. That is, the convenience of adopting the pointing device is not utilized sufficiently for character-based information retrieval.

Claims

A character-based information retrieving apparatus comprising:

a display having a screen for displaying character based information; a screen storing unit f or storing character-based information for display on said screen of said display; pointing means for pointing to a predetermined position of the screen of said display; a position detection unit for detecting a position on said screen pointed to by said pointing means; a command reading unit for retrieving from said screen storing unit a character-based command corresponding to the position data detected bysaid position detection unit; and a data transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting the command obtained by said command reading unit.
2. The character-based information retrieving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said position detection unit comprises: a line and column converting unit for converting pixel coordinates of the display designated by said pointing means into line and column coordinates; a decision unit for retrieving data corresponding to the converted line and column coordinates from said screen storing unit and determining whether said retrieved data is one of a predetermined set of characters; a start position detection unit for detectinga column coordinate of a start position of a character-based command by decreasing the column coordinate until the read data is determined to be one not included in the predetermined set of characters; and 11 14 an end position detection unit f or detecting a column coordinate of an end position of the command by increasing the column coordinate until the read data is determined to be one not included in the predetermined set of characters.
3. A character-based information retrieving method for use in a characterbased information retrieving apparatus including a display for displaying character-based information, a screen storing unit for storing information to be displayed on a screen of the display, a pointing means for pointing to predetermined positions of the screen of the display, and a data transmitting unit for transmitting a character-based command displayed on the display said method comprising the steps of:

(a) designating a position on the screen of the display using the pointing means; (b) retrieving position data corresponding to said position designated by said pointing means; (c) retrieving from the screen storing unit a character-based command corresponding to the retrieved position data; and (d) transmitting the command read in step (c) to an external source.
4. The character-based information retrieving method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said step (b) comprises the steps of:

(bl) calculating line and column coordinates of the position designated by the pointing means; (b2) reading out data corresponding to the line and column co-ordinates from the screen storing unit to determine whether the read data is one of a predetermined set of characters; (b3) repeating said step (b2) while decreasing the column co-ordinate by one unit if it is determined in said step (b2) that the read data is one of the set of predetermined characters; (b4) determining the column coordinate as a start position when it is determined the said step (b2) that the read data is not one of the predetermined set of characters; (b5) increasing the column coordinate calculated in said step (bl) by one unit and reading out data corresponding to the line and increased column coordinates from the screen storing unit to determine whether the read data is one of the predetermined set of characters; and (b6) repeating said step (b5) until the read data is not one of the predetermined set of characters to thereby determine the column coordinate as the end position.
5. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.