JP2003076820A - Schedule management device, schedule management method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically provide a user with comparatively new information on the contents of a schedule. SOLUTION: A schedule management device automatically collects information related to the contents of the schedule from the Internet or the like. A user can set the time when the information collection starts and the information is collected from the set start time to the current day in the schedule with a given frequency of, for instance, once a day. Accordingly, the newest information is acquired on the current day in the schedule.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a technique for managing a schedule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of managing a schedule on a computer, for example, a process of inputting schedule contents by designating a date on a calendar and highlighting the schedule on the day of the schedule is proposed as the processing. Has been done.

Further, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-184924, a search function for searching various information related to the contents of each schedule by using a search engine on the Internet is provided, and the search result is displayed. It is also proposed to display the schedule in association with each schedule. By providing such a search function, for example, when the content of the schedule is a business trip, it is possible to easily obtain information on accommodation facilities, transportation facilities, etc. at the business trip destination. Therefore, it is more convenient than the case where only deadline management is performed.

[0004]

Information provided on the Internet or the like usually changes day by day. In this regard, according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-184924, information is searched only at the time of initial information input (at the time of OCR processing). Or there is a problem that the latest information cannot be obtained on the day of the schedule.

In this case, information retrieval may be performed immediately before the day of the schedule, but in some cases, the user may inadvertently forget information retrieval, or the information retrieval time may not be available.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to automatically provide a user with relatively new information regarding the contents of a schedule.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a schedule management device which manages a schedule based on schedule information set by a user, and within a predetermined period until the schedule day, at a predetermined frequency, Search processing means for transmitting a search request for information related to the schedule information to an information search server on the network based on the schedule information and receiving a search result from the search server;
There is provided a schedule management device including display processing means for displaying the search result on a display.

Further, according to the present invention, in order to perform schedule management based on the schedule information set by the user, within a predetermined period until the day of the schedule,
A search processing step of transmitting a search request for information related to the schedule information at a predetermined frequency to an information search server on a network and receiving a search result from the search server, and displaying the search result. And a program for causing a computer to execute the display processing step displayed on.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a schedule management method for managing a schedule based on schedule information set by a user, wherein the schedule is carried out at a predetermined frequency within a predetermined period until the day of the schedule. A search processing step of transmitting a search request for information related to the information to an information search server on the network based on the information, and receiving a search result from the search server; and a display processing step of displaying the search result on a display. , A schedule management method is provided.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a schedule management device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a system in which the device is used.

The schedule management device 1 can be configured as a personal computer or a portable terminal device and has the following hardware.

The CPU 11 controls the entire schedule management apparatus 1, and particularly executes the processing described later. RAM
A memory 12 mainly functions as a work area of the CPU 11. The ROM 13 is a memory that stores fixed programs and data. The hard disk (HDD) 14 stores various programs such as an OS and a Web browser, or information acquired on the network.

A database of schedule information is built in the HDD 14. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the database. As shown in the figure, the database 501 is configured as a set of schedule information for each date (year, month, day). Each schedule information 502 includes date, day of the week,
A content part in which the contents of the schedule are described, a search start date part for starting a search for information related to the contents of the schedule, a keyword part (1 to 3) in which a keyword for the search is stored, and a search result. Is included in the search result information section (link information section).

The input interface 15 is an interface between the keyboard / mouse 16 and the CPU 11, and the user can input various instructions and data from the keyboard / mouse 16.

The communication device 17 can send and receive data to and from the server 2 via a communication network such as the Internet as shown in the figure. In this embodiment, the server 2
As, a server that provides a search site having a search engine is assumed. Examples of the communication device 17 include a modem, DSU and TA, or a network interface, which are appropriately selected depending on the communication environment.

The display driver 18 includes the CPU 11
The information is displayed on the display 19 in response to the command of.
The display 19 is, for example, a CRT or a liquid crystal display. The RTC 20 outputs date and time information indicating the current date and time.

Next, the schedule management function of the schedule management device 1 having such a configuration will be described. In the present embodiment, the schedule management device 1 can execute three processes of a schedule information setting process, a schedule notification process, and a search information display process.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the display 19 when the schedule management function is executed. The display screen is roughly divided into three display areas of a calendar unit 201, a schedule notification unit 209, and a search information display unit 210.

In the example of the display screen of FIG. 2, the current time display section 202 displays the current date and time. The month selection buttons 204 and 205 are buttons for selecting the month of the calendar displayed on the calendar unit 201, and the calendar displayed on the calendar unit 201 is updated by operating this button.

The frame of each date of the calendar section 201 has a display mode in the case of the current day (203), the schedule information has been set (207), or the schedule information is being input (208). It is displayed differently so that it is visually easy to understand.

Next, the schedule information setting process will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a schedule information setting process.

In step S601, it is determined whether the date on which the schedule information is set is selected by the user.
The date is selected by pressing the month selection button 204 or 205 on the display screen of FIG. 2 from the keyboard / mouse 16 to select the input month, and then selecting the date frame. In FIG. 2, January 30, 2001 is selected.

In S602, it is determined whether the schedule information for the date selected by the user has been input. Schedule information is keyboard / mouse 16
You can enter from. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a mode in which the schedule information is input on the selected date.

In FIG. 3, "child birthday (5 years old)" is entered as the content of the schedule on January 30, 2001. Also, as the notification start date, “January 10, 2001
"Day" has been entered. Furthermore, as a search keyword,
"Birthday cake", "present", and "child" are entered. In this embodiment, the user inputs the search keyword, but the keyword may be automatically extracted from the contents of the schedule input by the user.

Returning to FIG. 6, if it is determined in S602 that the input of the schedule information is completed, the process proceeds to S603, and the input information is stored in the database of schedule information (FIG. 5).

Next, the schedule notification process will be described. In this process, the user is notified of a schedule whose deadline is approaching, and within the period from the notification start date set by the user to the schedule day, information related to the contents of each schedule is displayed on the Internet at a predetermined frequency. Search for. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the schedule notification process and the process of the server 2 associated therewith.

In step S701, date and time information is acquired from the RTC 20. In S702, was the date updated?
Time) or not. If the date has been updated, S7
Go to 03. That is, in the present embodiment, the following processing is executed once a day. However, the following process
It may be performed once every several days or several times a day. The frequency can also be set by the user. In this case, for example, in the above-mentioned schedule information setting process, “every day 1
The user may arbitrarily select from “Once (0:00 AM)”, “Once every hour (00:00 every hour)”, and “Once every minute (00 seconds per minute)”.

In step S703, first, the schedule information to be notified is retrieved from the schedule information database (FIG. 7). Here, the schedule information whose notification start date set in each schedule information is before the current date is searched. Further, in S703, the keywords set in the retrieved schedule information are read out.

In step S704, in order to cause the server 2 to search for information based on the keyword read in step S703, the server 2 is connected to and a search request is transmitted. The search request is made for each schedule, and the keyword set in the schedule information is designated.

The server 2 receives the search request (S70).
5) Then, an information search is performed based on the keyword specified in the received search request (S706). Then, the search result is transmitted to the schedule management device 1 (S70).
7). In the present embodiment, link information to the website (website title, URL, summary, etc.) is assumed as the search result.

In S708, the search result from the server 2 is received and stored in the schedule information database (search result information section in FIG. 5). In S709, the display 19 displays the schedule notification and the search result summary.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display 19 by the processing of S709. Four schedules are displayed in the schedule notification unit 209, and the number of remaining days until the current day of the schedule, the number of days for which information is searched, and the number of searched information (the number of link information) are respectively displayed. It is displayed. By this display, the user can recognize the period until the day of the schedule and the number of the latest information regarding the contents of the schedule.

In this state, for example, as shown in FIG.
When the user selects the part of the second schedule, the search result display section 210 displays a list of search results (link information list) searched for the schedule, as shown in FIG. .

Next, the search information display processing will be described. This process is a process of accessing the website displayed on the search result display unit 210 of FIG. 4 and displaying the information. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the search information display processing.

In step S801, it is determined whether or not information has been selected by the user. The user can select information by selecting one of the link destinations displayed on the search result display unit 210 on the display screen of FIG. 4 with the keyboard / mouse 16.

When information is selected in S801, S802 is selected.
Then, the process proceeds to step S4 and the web browser program stored in the HDD 14 is started. In step S803, the link destination selected in step S801 is accessed via the Internet to acquire information. In S804, the information acquired in S803 is displayed on the screen of the Web browser.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the browser displayed on the display 19 by the processing of S804. The web browser 902 includes a search result display unit 210.
The web page of the 10th link destination of is displayed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the information relating to the contents of the schedule can be automatically collected. Further, since the information related to the contents of the schedule is collected at a predetermined frequency during the period from the notification start date set by the user to the schedule day, the collected information is always the latest information. Furthermore, since the collection of information is automatically started from the notification start date set by the user,
Even if you set a fairly long schedule such as a few months later, you will never forget to collect information.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the object of the present invention is to supply a system or apparatus with a software program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and to execute the system or apparatus's operation. It goes without saying that this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) reading and executing the program.

In this case, the program itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program, the storage medium storing the program, or the program product constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where some or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing is also included.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, this also includes a case where a CPU or the like included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically provide the user with relatively new information regarding the contents of the schedule.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a schedule management device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a system in which the device is used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display screen example of a display 19 when a schedule management function is executed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a mode in which schedule information is input on a selected date.

FIG. 4 shows the display 19 by the processing of S709 of FIG.
It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen displayed on.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a database of schedule information.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a schedule information setting process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a schedule notification process and a process of the server 2 accompanying it.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a search information display process.

9 shows the display 19 by the processing of S804 in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the browser displayed on.

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Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A schedule management device for performing schedule management based on schedule information set by a user, wherein the schedule management device relates to the schedule information at a predetermined frequency within a predetermined period until the day of the schedule. A schedule management device comprising: a search processing unit that transmits a search request for information to be performed to an information search server on a network and receives a search result from the search server; and a display processing unit that displays the search result on a display. 2. The schedule management device according to claim 1, further comprising input means for inputting the schedule information. 3. The schedule management device according to claim 1, wherein the schedule information includes a search keyword, and the search processing unit transmits the search request based on the search keyword. 4. The schedule according to claim 1, wherein the schedule information includes information designating the frequency, and the search processing unit transmits the search request at the designated frequency. Management device. 5. The schedule information includes information designating a start date of the predetermined period, and the search processing means sets the search request within the period from the designated start date to the schedule day. The schedule management device according to claim 1, wherein the schedule management device transmits. 6. The schedule management device according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. 7. The schedule management device according to claim 6, wherein the search result is information indicating a link to a website. 8. The apparatus further comprises means for accessing the website selected by the user and acquiring the information, and the display processing means displays the acquired information on the display. 7. The schedule management device described in 7. 9. In order to perform schedule management based on the schedule information set by the user, within a predetermined period until the day of the schedule, at a predetermined frequency, based on the schedule information, a search for information related thereto. A program that causes a computer to execute a search processing step of transmitting a request to an information search server on a network and receiving a search result from the search server, and a display processing step of displaying the search result on a display. 10. A schedule management method for performing schedule management based on schedule information set by a user, the method being based on the schedule information at a predetermined frequency within a predetermined period until the day of the schedule. Schedule management including a search processing step of transmitting a search request for information related to the search to an information search server on the network and receiving a search result from the search server, and a display processing step of displaying the search result on a display. Method.