JP2008171341A - Multi-window control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-window control system which reduces loss of input work even when an input focus of window moves during input operation. <P>SOLUTION: The multi-window control system is provided with an active window changing detection means 9 which detects an active window among windows and detects that the input focus changes, a first output time measurement means 4 which measures the first output time from the time when the changing of the active window is detected to the time when output signal from an input part 2 is newly outputted, and an output signal delivery means 11 which delivers output signal to the just before window just before the input focus changes to another window at changing of the active window when the first output time is shorter than a first standard time set beforehand. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-window control system in a computer.

  Conventionally, in a computer having a multi-window function, when a user inputs a character by operating a keyboard, control is performed so that the input character is displayed in a window (active window) having an input focus. Similarly, when an input unit other than the keyboard is operated, an output signal from the input unit is delivered to the active window.

As a multi-window display system, an active window having an input focus is detected from a plurality of windows, and when there is no operation for another window partially or completely hidden by the active window for a predetermined time. A multi-window display system that improves visibility by erasing display of a window hidden by an active window has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-330684 A

  However, in the conventional multi-window, as shown in FIG. 2, when an e-mail is received while an input operation is being performed on the window W2, the window W3 is automatically displayed in the foreground as shown in FIG. There is a case. At this time, when the user removes his / her line of sight from the display unit and performs an input operation while looking at the keyboard or the document, the input operation is performed on the window W3 displayed on the forefront. That is, when the user does not notice that the active window has been switched, the input operation after switching has been wasted, and the same operation has to be repeated. In addition, when inputting again, it is necessary to confirm the contents to be input again from the display contents of the window W2, and it is necessary not only to repeat the same work but also to prevent erroneous input when inputting again. Therefore, it was a burden on the operator.

  In addition, as described above, a method of preventing the dialog window W3 from popping up can be considered, but a dialog window such as a warning in the operation of the computer may be displayed. Otherwise, the warning cannot be recognized by the user and there is a risk of serious negligence, and a method of suppressing the pop-up of the dialog window has not been practical.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a multi-window control system that reduces the loss of input work even when the input focus of the window moves during an input operation.

The multi-window control system according to the present invention detects an active window from a window and detects an active window switching detecting means for detecting that an input focus is switched, and the active window switching detecting means detects a switching of an active window. A first output time measuring means for measuring a first output time from when the output signal from the input unit is newly output, and a first output time measured by the first output time measuring means, When the time is shorter than the first reference time set in advance, the computer includes output signal delivery means for delivering the output signal to the immediately preceding window immediately before the input focus is switched to another window in the switching of the active window. And
Therefore, even when the input operation is continued without noticing that the active window has been switched, the operation content can be reflected in the immediately preceding active window.

  A second output time measuring means for measuring an output time interval of an output signal from the input section; and whether or not a second output time by the second output time measuring means is shorter than a preset second reference time. The output signal delivery means delivers the output signal to the immediately preceding window when the input state judgment means judges that the input state is present. May be.

  Further, an active window switching unit may be provided that switches a window to which an output signal is delivered by the output signal delivery unit to an active window.

  When the active window switching detecting unit detects switching of the active window, the active window switching detecting unit includes an output signal storing unit that stores an output signal from the input unit, and the output signal delivering unit stores the output signal stored in the output signal storing unit. May be delivered to the active window switched by the active window switching means.

  Context determination means is provided for analyzing whether the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means and the character string immediately before the input position of the immediately preceding window match to determine whether the contexts match. The output signal delivery means may deliver the output signal to the immediately preceding window when the context matches by the context determination means.

  Analyzing the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means and the character string immediately before the input position of the current active window, and including context determination means for determining whether or not the contexts match, The output signal delivery means may deliver the output signal to the current active window when the context matches by the context determination means.

  The multi-window control system according to the present invention as described above determines a window for delivering an output signal based on a time from when the active window is switched to when an input operation is performed. Therefore, even if an input operation is performed without noticing that the active window has been switched, the input operation can be reflected in the active window immediately before the operator intends, and work loss due to re-input can be reduced. In addition, input errors can be reduced.

Also, it is determined whether or not the input state is based on the output time interval of the output signal, and in the input state, the output signal is delivered to the previous active window, so that it corresponds to the operation state when the active window is switched. Thus, the window for delivering the output signal can be switched. That is, the input operation is reflected in the current active window in the standby state, and the input operation is reflected in the immediately preceding active window in the input state.
For example, even if the active window is switched while the input operation is continued while viewing the material, the input operation is reflected in the immediately preceding active window. Further, when an input operation is performed after the operator has switched the desired window to the active window, the operation is reflected in the current active window.

  Further, since the window to which the output signal has been delivered is switched to the active window, the input operation can be reflected in the active window even when the input operation is further continued.

  Also, the output signal output after the active window is switched is stored, and the character string of the stored output signal and the character string immediately before the input position of the immediately preceding active window are analyzed to determine whether the contexts match. When the context matches, the output signal is delivered to the immediately preceding active window, so that erroneous input to the immediately preceding active window can be prevented.

  Also, the character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means and the character string immediately before the input position of the current active window are analyzed to determine whether or not the context matches. Since the output signal is delivered to the current active window, erroneous input can be reduced.

A user who operates the keyboard while looking at documents etc. tends to perform an input operation without checking the state of the screen. In such a user, if the active window is switched during the input operation, the output signal from the keyboard is not delivered to the target window, but the output signal is delivered to the window not intended by the user.
As shown in FIG. 2, the multi-window control system 1 according to the present invention is a computer window system capable of displaying a plurality of windows W1, W2,... On the display unit 13 (see FIG. 1). Even when the active window is switched from the window W2 to the window W3, the input character from the input unit 2 (see FIG. 1) is reflected in the window W2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-window control system 1 according to the present invention includes an input means 3, a first output time measurement means 4, an output signal storage means 5, a second output time measurement means 6, a context determination means 7, and an input. The computer includes a state determination unit 8, an active window switching detection unit 9, a display unit 10, an output signal delivery unit 11, and an active window switching unit 12, which receives an output signal from the input unit 2 and is displayed on the display unit 13. Display in window.

  The input unit 2 is an input device such as a keyboard for inputting characters. The keyboard may be a hardware keyboard connected to a computer, or a software keyboard that inputs characters by touching keys displayed on the display unit 13 configured by a touch screen or the like. . Further, when the computer is provided with voice recognition means (not shown) and the voice is converted into character data by the voice recognition means, the input unit 2 may be constituted by a microphone or the like.

The input means 3 is means for receiving an output signal from the input unit 2.
The active window switching detection means 9 is a means for detecting an active window from one or a plurality of windows displayed on the display unit 13 and detecting that the input focus has been switched. That is, the movement of the input focus is detected by the active window switching detection means 9. More specifically, when the input focus is moved from the window W1 to the window W2 in FIG. 2, it is detected that the active window is switched from the window W1 to the window W2. Further, when the active window is the window W2 as shown in FIG. 2, when the window W3 pops up and becomes the active window as shown in FIG. 3, the active window is switched from the window W2 to the window W3. Detect that.

  The first output time measuring unit 4 calculates a first output time from when the active window switching detection unit 9 detects switching of the active window to when the output signal from the input unit 2 is newly output. It is time to measure. That is, the time from when the active window is switched until the user inputs a character is measured.

The output signal storage means 5 is means for storing an output signal from the input unit 2 after detecting switching of the active window. The output signal storage means 5 may store an output signal having a preset capacity, and when the storage capacity is exceeded, the storage may be temporarily stopped, or the storage may be erased in order from the oldest output signal. Further, only signals output within a preset time may be stored.
When active window switching by the active window switching detection means 9 is not detected, the same processing as that of a conventional computer is performed.

The context determination means 7 obtains the character string immediately before the input position (input cursor position) of the active window immediately before the active window is switched and the character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5. It is a means for analyzing and determining whether the contexts match. As an example of the context determination means 7, whether or not the context matches depending on whether or not it violates the function for detecting the continuous use of particles in sentences provided in an existing Japanese input program or the like, and whether or not the rules for using punctuation marks are violated Determine whether. In the case of English, it can be determined by performing a spell check of the character string stored in the output signal storage means 5 by the spell check function and the character string immediately before the character string is input.
The context determination means 7 analyzes the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5 and the character string immediately before the input position (input cursor position) of the current active window. It is also a means for determining whether or not match. When the contexts match, the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5 is delivered to the current active window.

The second output time measuring means 6 is a means for measuring the output time interval (second output time) of the output signal from the input unit 2.
The input state determination means 8 compares the output time interval (second output time) measured by the second output time measurement means 6 with a preset second reference time, and when it is shorter than the second reference time The input state is determined, and when it is longer than the second reference time, the standby state is determined. For example, when the second reference time is set to 5 seconds, if there is a next input within 5 seconds, it is in an input state, and if there is no input within 5 seconds, the user waits without performing any key operation. It is determined that it is in a state.

The output signal delivery means 11 delivers the output signal to the immediately preceding window immediately before the active window is switched when the first output time is shorter than a preset first reference time. That is, the time from when the active window is switched to the window W3 shown in FIG. 3 from the state of the window W2 shown in FIG. 2 until the output signal from the input unit 2 is newly output (first output time) is obtained. When the time is shorter than the first reference time, the output signal is delivered to the window W2. When the time is longer than the first reference time, the output signal is delivered to the window W3, and the input contents are reflected as in the window W2 in FIGS. The
The output signal delivery unit 11 is also a unit that delivers the output signal to the immediately preceding window when the input state determination unit determines that the input state is established. That is, when the output time interval of the output signal from the input unit 2 is shorter than the second reference time, if the immediately preceding active window is the window W2, the output signal is delivered to the window W2.

  The active window switching means 12 is a means for switching the window to which the output signal is delivered to the active window. For example, when the output signal is delivered to the window W2 shown in FIG. 3, the output as shown in FIG. The signal is reflected in the window W2, and the window W2 located on the back surface of the window W3 is displayed on the foreground, and the input focus is forcibly moved to the window W2.

  Hereinafter, processing of the multi-window control system according to the present invention will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 6 and the screen diagrams of FIGS. 2 is a screen diagram when an input operation is performed on the window W2, FIG. 3 is a screen diagram when the active window is switched from the window W2 to the window W3, and FIG. 4 is an output signal to the window W2. And FIG. 5 is a screen diagram in which the output signal is delivered to the window W2.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which “of the 120 proposed inventions” is input by operating the keyboard, and the interval at which the keyboard is pressed at this time is measured as the second output time (S1).
When the second measurement time is shorter than the second reference time (for example, 10 seconds), the input state is determined and the process proceeds to step 3 (S3) (S2). Otherwise, it is determined as a standby state, and the process proceeds to step 7 (S7) (S2). That is, if the input operation is performed within a predetermined interval, it is determined that the input operation is continuously performed, and if the input operation is not less than the predetermined interval, the standby state in which the input operation is not continuously performed is determined. judge.
If the input state is determined, it is detected whether or not the active window has been switched. If it has not been switched, the process proceeds to step 7 (S7), and if it has been switched, the process proceeds to step 4 (S4).
That is, when the processing shifts to step 4, it is an input state in which the keyboard is operated and the active window is switched.

Then, the first output time from when the active window is switched to when the keyboard is pressed is measured (S4), and it is determined whether or not the first output time is shorter than the first reference time (for example, 30 seconds). When the time is shorter than the first reference time, the process proceeds to step 6 (S6). When the time is longer than the first reference time, the process proceeds to step 7 (S7) (S5).
That is, by determining whether or not an input operation is performed immediately after the active window is switched, it is determined whether or not the input operation is continuously performed without noticing that the active window has been switched.

  When the first output time is shorter than the first reference time in step 5 (S5), the output signal from the input unit 2 is stored in the output signal storage means 5 (S6). Then, the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5 and the character string before the input cursor 14 of the immediately preceding active window W2 are analyzed to determine whether or not the context matches, When they match, the process proceeds to step 9 (S9), and when they do not match, the process proceeds to step 10 (S10) (S8).

  On the other hand, when the process proceeds to step 7 (S7) based on the determination in step 2 (S2), step 3 (S3), and step 5 (S5), the output signal is delivered to the current active window W3. That is, when the key operation is not continuously operated, when the active window is not switched, or when a predetermined time or more has elapsed after the active window is switched, it is determined that the operation is for the current active window W3. The output signal is delivered to the window W3, and the next output signal is waited (S7).

When the contexts match in step 8 (S8), the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5 is delivered to the immediately preceding active window W2 (S9), and the input focus is given to the window W2 as shown in FIG. Move and switch to active window (S11).
On the other hand, when it is determined in step 8 (S8) that the contexts do not match, the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means 5 and the character string before the input cursor of the current active window W3 are obtained. Analysis is performed to determine whether or not the contexts match. When they match, the process proceeds to step 12 (S12), and when they do not match, the process proceeds to step 13 (S13) (S10). If the window W3 is a screen in which only buttons and messages are displayed and characters cannot be input, the process proceeds to step 13.
When the contexts match in step 10 (S10), the output signal stored in the window W3 of the current active window is delivered, and when the contexts do not match, the stored output signal is deleted from the output signal storage means 5 (S13). .

In step 11 (S11), the window W2 for delivering the output signal is switched to the active window. However, as shown in FIG. 5, only the output signal is delivered to the window W2, and the input focus is not moved. The window W3 may remain the active window. Thus, by not switching the active window, the display content of the window W3 can be presented to the operator. In particular, in the case of a window displaying contents such as a warning, the operator can be alerted.
In step 8, when the character string of the previous active window W2 does not match the character string of the output signal, the output signal is delivered to the current active window W3 without performing the process of step 10 (S10). May be.

Since the processing is performed according to the flow as described above, the operator gives the window W2 “Of the 120 proposed inventions, 60 are currently filed for application, accounting for 50% of the total. Even if the active window is switched from the window W2 to the window W3 while the input is continuously being performed, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. The input content is reflected in W2.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, after inputting “among 120 proposed inventions”, the input operation is not performed continuously or after the active window is switched to the window W3. When resuming, the output signal is delivered to the window W3. That is, when resuming the input work after a certain amount of time has elapsed, the input work is performed after confirming the state of the screen, so that the current active window W3 is recognized and the window W3 is operated, After the input focus is moved to the window W2 by the operator, it is also possible to input that “60 applications are currently scheduled for application, accounting for 50% of the total.”

  As described above, the window for delivering the output signal is selected according to the keyboard operation interval (key press interval) and the time interval from when the active window is switched to when the key is pressed. Even if the active window is switched when the input operation is performed at a distance, the operation content can be reflected in the window intended by the operator. Therefore, it is possible to reduce input loss and erroneous input, and it is possible to increase work efficiency.

It is a block diagram of a multi-window control system. It is a screen figure when performing input operation to the window W2. It is a screen figure when an active window switches from window W2 to window W3. It is the screen figure which delivered the output signal to window W2 and displayed it on the forefront. It is a screen figure when an output signal is delivered to the window W2. It is a flowchart of a process of a multi-window control system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multiwindow control system 2 Input part 3 Input means 4 1st output time measurement means 5 Output signal storage means 5 Output signal storage means 6 2nd output time measurement means 7 Context determination means 8 Input state determination means 9 Active window switching detection means DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Display means 11 Output signal delivery means 12 Active window switching means 13 Display part 14 Input cursor W1-W3 Window

Claims (6)

A multi-window control system for controlling a plurality of windows displayed on a display unit of a computer,
Active window switching detection means for detecting an active window from the window and detecting that the input focus has been switched,
First output time measuring means for measuring a first output time from when the active window switching detection means detects switching of the active window until when an output signal from the input unit is newly output;
When the first output time measured by the first output time measuring means is shorter than a preset first reference time, the window immediately before the input focus is switched to another window in the switching of the active window is described above. An output signal delivery means for delivering an output signal is provided in a computer. Second output time measuring means for measuring an output time interval of an output signal from the input unit;
Input state determination means for determining whether or not the input state is based on whether or not the second output time by the second output time measuring means is shorter than a preset second reference time;
2. The multi-window control system according to claim 1, wherein the output signal delivery means delivers the output signal to the immediately preceding window when the input state judgment means judges the input state.   3. The multi-window control system according to claim 1, further comprising an active window switching unit that switches a window to which an output signal is delivered by the output signal delivery unit to an active window. When the active window switching detection unit detects switching of the active window, the active window switching detection unit includes an output signal storage unit that stores an output signal from the input unit,
4. The multi-window control system according to claim 3, wherein the output signal delivery means delivers the output signal stored in the output signal storage means to the active window switched by the active window switching means. Analyzing the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means and the character string immediately before the input position of the previous window, and including a context determination means for determining whether or not the contexts match,
5. The multi-window control system according to claim 4, wherein the output signal delivery means delivers the output signal to the immediately preceding window when the context matches by the context determination means. Analyzing the input character string of the output signal stored in the output signal storage means and the character string immediately before the input position of the current active window, and including context determination means for determining whether or not the contexts match,
5. The multi-window control system according to claim 4, wherein the output signal delivery means delivers the output signal to a current active window when the context matches by the context determination means.

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