JP2000029727A - Information processor and information processing method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To send a part of a document processed in a prescribed process to the other process and to execute a processing corresponding to data. SOLUTION: A character string compilation means 6 in a word processor process 5 specifies a character string during compilation, and writes the specified character string in a character string queue 9 in an English/Japanese dictionary process 8, when retrieval is operated. The English/Japanese dictionary process 8 reads the character string written from the character string queue 9 and retrieves an English/Japanese file 12. When a display process 13 is started, a retrieval result is written into the display data queue 14 of the display process 13. The display process 13 reads display data from the display data queue 14 and starts a window thread. The window thread opens a window for each display data and executes the operation corresponding to each window.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method capable of executing a plurality of processes in parallel, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus capable of exchanging data and processing results between processes. And its method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a new information processing function is added to a single program, a so-called application program used in a personal computer is developed as an independent program including that function. I needed to. For example, when an English-to-Japanese translation function is added to an application program such as a word processor that supports creation and browsing of documents, the English-to-Japanese translation function has been developed to operate only in the word processor.

[0003]

However, in the conventional information processing apparatus and method as described above, only dedicated information processing means designed from the beginning can be used.
There is a problem that the efficiency of program creation is poor when a new information processing means is added.

[0004] In recent years, with the spread of operating systems capable of parallel processing such as multitasking, personal computers in recent years are connected to large computers, other computers, and large-capacity storage devices, and become enormous network components. Information can be used.

[0005] In addition, on an operating system that enables parallel processing, information exchange between programs is performed using a function called inter-process communication. Therefore, it has been noted that more general-purpose information processing means can be provided by using the inter-process communication function.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and a method thereof capable of performing the information processing using the enormous information described above by using the above-mentioned inter-process communication.

[0007]

In order to achieve at least a part of the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus capable of executing a plurality of processes in parallel, and comprises a document processing apparatus. First editing means for selecting a part of the document data being processed in a possible first process and providing the selected data to a second process; and the second editing means corresponding to the selected data. Output means for outputting a processing result of the process.

An information processing method according to the present invention is an information processing method for executing a plurality of processes in parallel, wherein (a) selecting a part of document data being processed by a first process capable of processing a document; Providing the selected data to a second process; and (b) outputting a processing result of the second process corresponding to the selected data.

In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the information processing apparatus further includes second editing means for providing a selected processing result among the processing results output from the output means to the first process.

The information processing method according to the present invention preferably further comprises the step of: (c) providing the selected processing result among the processing results output in the step (b) to the first process.

Here, a process refers to an independent processing unit activated by an operating system capable of parallel processing. A process is an information processing means specific to one or more processes for specific information (for example, in a voice processing process, input information is interpreted as a code string representing a voice and electronically converted to generate a voice. Processing means).

[0012] In the information processing apparatus and method according to the present invention, a process (first process) having a means for selecting certain information from a group of information to be handled, and a process for information specified by the process. And a process (second process) that performs processing in accordance with information processing means unique to each other. Thereby, an application program (for example,
A worker using a word processor, for example, selects certain information (such as a character string) from the document being processed and sends it to a second process (dictionary, photo, music search, etc.) as input information, and processes the information. It is possible to provide information obtained by various processing means such as search to a user using means such as images and sounds.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in which a word processor process started in an operating system capable of parallel processing and a Japanese-English dictionary process are used for inter-process communication to perform a Japanese translation search of an English word operated. This will be described in detail based on a practical example of a possible system.

FIG. 1 shows a screen state according to a first practical example of the search method according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a state where a document is edited by a word processor, 2 is a state where a character string is selected, 3 is a state where a search result is displayed, and 4 is a state where a search result is displayed.
Indicates a state in which the search result is selected for use in document editing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram according to the above embodiment. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a word processor process, which is application software used in document creation assumed to be the final purpose of the user;
Is a character string editing means constituting a part of the document editing means in the word processor process 5. Here, the character string editing means has been conventionally used,
These functions are for moving, deleting, and copying character strings, and have means for selecting a specific character string in order to use this function. The character string editing means is a storage area having a function of sharing and exchanging data among a plurality of processes in an operating system capable of parallel processing;
A so-called shared memory 7 is used. Here, the shared memory is an area that can be used in any process by using a format (character string, drawing, voice, etc.) prepared in advance in the operating system and using a predetermined procedure. Hereinafter, the operation on the shared memory is performed in accordance with the above-described predetermined procedure. Reference numeral 8 denotes an English-Japanese dictionary process for performing a search based on the character string specified by the character string editing means 6 and performing a Japanese translation of an English word. Reference numeral 9 denotes a queue used for inter-process communication in an operating system capable of parallel processing, which is a character string queue using a storage area called a queue. Reference numeral 11 denotes a dictionary search unit for searching for the corresponding Japanese translation data based on the character string read from the character string queue, and reference numeral 12 denotes an English-Japanese dictionary file referred to by the dictionary search unit. 1
Numeral 0 is a means for starting a search result display process described later.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a search result display process which is activated by the activation means 10 so that the user can refer to the Japanese translation data given by the dictionary retrieval means 11. This process is a child process which is one of the process starting means in the operating system capable of parallel processing, and is started as an asynchronous (parallel) process with respect to the English-Japanese dictionary process 8 which is the parent process. Reference numeral 14 denotes a display data queue for writing search results in accordance with the format shown in FIG. Reference numeral 15 denotes a search result display process 13 using the shared memory 7 similarly to the character string editing means 6.
Is a character string editing means for editing the Japanese translation data given in and using it through the shared memory 7 in the word processor 5. An arrow 16 indicates that the character string is specified by the character string editing means 6 and is written in the character string queue 9.
Indicates that the English-Japanese dictionary file is searched. Arrow 18 indicates that the display process 13 is started by the display process starting means 10. Arrow 19 indicates that the search result is to be written to the display data queue. An arrow 20 indicates that the character string editing means 6 and 15 read and write data from and to the shared memory 7.

Next, the contents of the processing operation of the character string editing means in the word processor 5 designed according to the specifications of the operating system capable of parallel processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The functions of other word processors not directly related to the present invention are omitted. Here, only the specification of deletion, copying, and replacement of a character string and the specification of a search among character string editing means will be described. Now, in the state 2 in which the English word "word" is specified by the character string selecting means, a branch is made by a subsequent operation (1). When the delete operation is performed, the character string is selected (2), so "word" is copied to the shared memory 7 (3), and then the character string "word" is deleted (4). When a copy operation is performed, if a character string is being selected (5), the character string is copied to the shared memory 7 in the same manner as (3) (6). When the replacement is operated, if the character string is being selected (7), the character string "word" is deleted in the same manner as in (4) (8), and the character string "word" is given from the shared memory 7 by the deletion or copy operation. The inserted character string is inserted in place of the character string deleted in (8) (9). Here, if the character string is not being selected, the insertion operation is performed at the position where the user is inputting. When the search is operated, if the character string is being selected (10), the character string "wor" specified in the character string queue is displayed.
d "is written (11).

Next, the operation of the English-Japanese dictionary process 8 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the character string "word" written by the process (11) is read from the character string queue 9 (12). It is determined whether or not the character string has been read (13). If the character string has not been read, the process returns to step (12). (12), (1)
The processing of 3) is processed by a wait instruction provided by the operating system. If the character string does not exist in the character string queue 9, the process enters a waiting state and the operation stops. When the reading is performed, the English-Japanese dictionary file 12 is searched (14). Next, it is checked whether the display process 13 is running (15), and if not, the display process 13 is started (16).
Further, the search result is written in the display data queue of the display process in the format shown in FIG. 5 (17). According to this example, data such as “English-Japanese dictionary, 8, words, words,..., Lyrics” is written.

Next, the operation contents of the display process 13 are shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. (17)
The display data is read from the display data queue written in step (18), and when the display data is read, a window thread, which will be described in detail later, is started. A window is an explicit division indicating that it operates separately on the screen (1 and 3 shown in FIG. 1 are windows, respectively). A thread is a processing unit that operates in parallel within a process. The window thread opens a window for each display data and performs an operation corresponding to each window. In this example, a window as shown in 3 is to be opened by this window thread. The operation of the window thread will be described with reference to FIG. First, open the display window shown in 3 (21),
Wait for an operation on the window (22), (23). If the window operation is "close" (24), the display process is terminated if the thread corresponding to another window is not running (26), and if there is a running thread, the window corresponding to this thread is closed. , Terminate the thread. In the case of a character string editing operation (27), FIG.
It operates by the same character string editing means as (28). Other window operations are performed according to the respective processing procedures (29). As described above, windows corresponding to a plurality of words can be displayed by performing parallel processing for each window.

Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the search method according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the present embodiment. A word processor process which is an application program as process A, and a first process as process B
The English-Japanese dictionary process used in the embodiment is used. Further, a photograph process is used as the process C, and a music process is used as the process D. These processes C and D have basically the same structure as the English-Japanese dictionary process B, and each has an information providing means in place of the display process 13. Further, the processing selection process shown in the process E has the multiple process selection means according to the second aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a process having information processing means currently activated by selecting a character string 21 "Beatles" and transmitting it as a message to an information processing selection process, that is, an English-Japanese dictionary process B, a photograph process C, Processing selection window 2 for music process D selection
2 is displayed. The operation of the process selection process E will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The character string "Beatles" from the word processor process A is obtained by the same means as (12) and (13),
The selection window 22 is opened (30). A selection is input (31), and the selection window is closed (32). Next, the character string "Beatles" is written to the character string queue of the selected processing process (33).

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the "beatles" 21 is selected, and a picture process is selected, and image data 23 as a result of processing is displayed. FIG. 12 shows “Yester
"day" is selected, an English-Japanese dictionary process is selected, the result 25 of the English-Japanese translation search is displayed, and a music process is selected. This process shows that the song "Yesterday" is being played.

[0022]

According to the present invention, there is an effect of having a so-called object-oriented operability of selecting and operating an object.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily design an additional function when developing software, and it is possible to perform general-purpose development.

Further, according to the present invention, process B,
Additional processes such as C and D can be developed to operate on a large computer existing on a network, and the utility value of a personal computer in such a network is further improved.

In recent years, it has become extremely difficult to create information input / output means for various types of computers, such as window operations and file input / output, as programs corresponding to each model. I have. When a programmer or a general user who is not an expert in the program related to the model creates a program for performing a certain process, the program cannot be created unless knowledge about these input / output parts is obtained rather than the process itself. In such a situation, according to the present invention, an existing program can be used for the input / output portion, so that the program can be easily created without knowledge of input / output. As described above, in order to show the improvement of the efficiency and the easiness of the creation, by making the present invention a part of the operating system, it is possible to construct a more versatile system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a display state according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a relationship between processes in the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a processing operation of a character string editing unit in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a processing operation of an English-Japanese dictionary process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing specifications of transmission data to a display process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of a processing operation of a display process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of a processing operation of a window thread in a display process.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a relationship between processes in an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a display state of a process selection window in the process selection process of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing operation of the processing selection process of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a display state of an image by the photographic process of FIG. 8;

12 is an explanatory diagram showing a display state of an English-Japanese translation search result by the English-Japanese dictionary process in FIG. 8 and a state in which a music process is being performed;

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Word processor process 6 Character string editing means 7 Shared memory 8 English-Japanese dictionary process 9 Character string queue 10 Display process starting means 11 Dictionary search means 12 English-Japanese dictionary file 13 Search result display process A Word processor Process B: English-Japanese dictionary process C: Photography process D: Music process E: Process selection process

Claims (4)

[Claims] An information processing apparatus capable of executing a plurality of processes in parallel, wherein a part of document data processed by a first process capable of processing a document is selected and selected by a second process. An information processing apparatus comprising: first editing means for providing data; and output means for outputting a processing result of the second process corresponding to the selected data. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second editing unit that provides a selected processing result among the processing results output from the output unit to a first process. Processing equipment. 3. An information processing method for executing a plurality of processes in parallel, comprising: (a) selecting a part of document data being processed by a first process capable of processing a document, and proceeding to a second process; An information processing method comprising: providing the selection data; and (b) outputting a processing result of the second process corresponding to the selection data. 4. The information processing method according to claim 3, further comprising: (c) providing a selected processing result among the processing results output in the step (b) to a first process. Information processing method.