JP2010134880A - Information processing apparatus and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To present to a user a trajectory command which is easy to memorize and easy to input. <P>SOLUTION: The information processing apparatus includes: a generation means for combining a plurality of trajectory commands for calling setting information to generate a new trajectory command; and a presentation means for presenting the new trajectory command generated by the generation means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.

  In recent years, many devices incorporating handwriting input technology have been introduced. The handwriting input is to use a finger or a stylus pen and write an object on the touch panel as an input of the device. Handwriting input is a very intuitive input method, and is an effective input method for users who are unfamiliar with devices. In addition, it can be realized simply by providing a device such as a touch panel or a digitizer as hardware, and is a technology that contributes to downsizing of the device.

  In general, handwriting input is divided into input of characters using handwritten character recognition and input of some locus commands using handwriting locus command recognition (hereinafter, locus command recognition). Character recognition is used as a substitute for a keyboard in a form system or PDA. On the other hand, the trajectory command recognition is used in a scene such as a mouse gesture of a Web browser, and is used for a purpose of performing a shortcut for a complicated operation with a pointing device.

  As described above, the handwriting input operation using the trajectory command recognition is suitable for use as a shortcut for a complicated operation. There is also a technique in which the user sets what operation is assigned to a specific trajectory command. In this case, a scene in which a trajectory command is assigned to a specific operation is called a trajectory command registration phase, and a scene that uses a registered trajectory command is called a call phase. For example, Patent Literature 1 exists in the prior art relating to this registration phase. Further, for example, Patent Literature 2 exists as a prior art of a handwriting input method using a registered trajectory command.

JP 2007-299226 A Japanese Patent No. 3704777

Assume a device that allows a user to register favorite trajectory commands for a plurality of operations. At this time, the user may be anxious about what kind of locus command is assigned. For example, consider a case in which a locus command that can set the following set of copy settings at the same time is registered in a copying machine.
Double-sided: double
Format: 2 in 1
Note that “Double-sided” is a setting item for double-sided printing, and “double” indicates that double-sided printing is performed. “Format” is a column setting item, and “2 in 1” indicates that two pages are printed on one sheet.

  As a user, it should be desirable to register a trajectory command that is easy to remember and input. However, it is difficult to set such a trajectory command unless the user is accustomed to the trajectory command input. A general user registers a trajectory command that is very difficult to remember or difficult to input after being troubled. As a result, the trajectory command input itself is smoked.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to present a user with a trajectory command that is easy to remember and input.

  Therefore, the present invention includes a generating unit that generates a new trajectory command by combining a plurality of trajectory commands related to the setting information call, and a presentation unit that presents the new trajectory command generated by the generating unit. And

  With this configuration, it is possible to present a user with a trajectory command that is easy to remember and easy to input.

  The present invention may be an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to present a user with a trajectory command that is easy to remember and easy to input.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
An example of a hardware configuration of a handwriting input device (hereinafter referred to as an input device) 101 which is an example of an information processing device is shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the input device 101. The CPU 3 performs processing based on the information processing program according to the embodiment, and performs control to temporarily store information necessary for executing the program in the RAM 2. The ROM 1 stores programs such as basic I / O programs and various data. The RAM 2 functions as a main memory and work area for the CPU 3.

  The storage device (for example, HD) may be hardware configuring the input device 101 or may be a device (hardware) that can be externally attached to the input device 101. In this specification, the storage device is described as an externally attachable device (hardware) for simplification of description. Similarly, a display / touch panel and a stylus pen, which will be described later, may be hardware constituting the input device 101 or may be a device (hardware) that can be externally attached to the input device 101. In the present specification, the display / touch panel and the stylus pen are described as devices (hardware) that can be externally attached to the input device 101 for the sake of simplicity.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the input device. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the input device 101 includes a setting capturing unit 104, a trajectory command selection unit 105, a trajectory command generation unit 107, and a trajectory command presentation unit 108 as functional configurations. It is assumed that the trajectory command database 106 and the setting data 102 are stored in, for example, an external HD or an HD of a copier described later.
Details of each functional configuration and the like will be described in conjunction with the explanation of a flowchart to be described later.
The input device 101 can be incorporated in, for example, a copying machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel of a copying machine in which the input device 101 is incorporated. A touch screen 302 corresponding to the display / touch panel 103 is disposed on the operation panel 301. The user performs copy setting on the touch screen 302 using a finger or the attached stylus pen 303. The current copy setting 304 is typically presented on a touch screen. However, the copy setting may be expressed by the preview 305.

In conventional copying machines, copying settings are generally performed by operating GUI parts (buttons, sliders, check boxes, etc.) expressed on a touch screen. However, as shown in FIG. 4, copy setting can be performed by inputting a trajectory command in the preview. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trajectory command input. In FIG. 4A, the user inputs a trajectory command for dividing the preview by a line, and the trajectory command 401 is displayed.
At this stage, it is assumed that the trajectory command, which is a known technique, is recognized by the input device 101 and the setting “Format: 2 in 1” is recognized as a recognition result. Then, the input device 101 outputs the fact as text information 403 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the input apparatus 101 attaches a print frame 402 expressing “2 in 1” on the preview. Accordingly, it is possible to set “2 in 1” by an intuitive operation of dividing the preview area. The fact that the trajectory command to divide the preview is “2 in 1” can be checked by the input device 101 searching the trajectory command database 106 as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the trajectory command database 106. As shown in FIG. 5, the trajectory command database 106 includes a plurality of settings (copy settings in the example of FIG. 5) and trajectory commands corresponding to each setting.

On the other hand, the user can also register a trajectory command in a plurality of copy settings.
For example,
Size: A4
Num: 1
Format: 2 in 1
Double-sided: double
Suppose you want to call these settings (setting information) with a single trajectory command from the next time.
At this time, for example, the user presses a trajectory command registration button displayed on the touch panel to call a trajectory command registration screen 501 as shown in FIG. Here, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen at the time of locus command registration. The user can define a favorite trajectory command on the preview of this screen and register it in the input device 101. For example, FIG. 6B shows a scene immediately after inputting the locus command 502 to be registered. By registering the trajectory command, the user can set the above setting information at a time by inputting a trajectory command such as 502 from the next time.

  However, it is difficult for a user who is not used to inputting a trajectory command to consider such a trajectory command that is easy to remember and easy to input. Therefore, when it is determined that the user's skill in inputting the trajectory command is low, it is effective for the input device 101 to present a recommended trajectory command on the trajectory command registration screen. For example, in the locus command registration screen of FIG. 6A, if there is no input from the user for a predetermined time, the input device 101 determines that the skill level with respect to the locus command input is low, and the recommended locus command is selected. Present.

Presentation of this recommended trajectory command is the main feature of the input device 101. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of recommended locus command presentation processing.
When the recommended locus command presentation process is started, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 7 is started. First, the trajectory command presentation unit 108 clears a memory area (hereinafter referred to as trajectory data) in which recommended trajectory commands are stored (S201).
Next, the setting capturing unit 104 captures a setting group (a plurality of setting information) set by the user (S202). For example, as in the previous example, Size: A4
Num: 1
Format: 2 in 1
Double-sided: double
Is set by the user. The setting information set by the user is included in the setting data 102. The setting data 102 may be stored in the RAM 2 or the like instead of the external HD or the like. The setting capturing unit 104 accesses the setting data 102 and acquires a setting group set by the user.

  Next, the setting capturing unit 104 extracts one piece of unprocessed setting information in order from the top of the captured setting group (S203). Here, first, the setting capturing unit 104 extracts the setting information “Size: A4”. Subsequently, the trajectory command selection unit 105 accesses the trajectory command database 106 and acquires a trajectory command corresponding to the extracted setting information (S204). Note that when the trajectory command database 106 is that of FIG. 5, there is no trajectory command corresponding to the setting information of “Size: A4”.

Next, the trajectory command generation unit 107 adds the acquired trajectory command to the trajectory data (S205). In the case of the above example, since no trajectory command corresponding to “Size: A4” exists, nothing is added to the trajectory data.
These processes are performed for all acquired settings. When the processing is completed for all settings, the input apparatus 101 exits the loop of S203 to S206 (S206). By this loop, a trajectory command corresponding to the following two settings is added to the trajectory data.
Format: 2 in 1
Double-sided: double

FIG. 8 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining the synthesis of the trajectory command. The trajectory command 1 (701) corresponding to “Format: 2 in 1” and the trajectory command 2 (702) corresponding to “Double-sided: double” are added to the trajectory data, and the resultant trajectory command 703 is combined. become that way. The numbers in the figure represent the writing order of the trajectory commands.
Finally, the trajectory command presenting unit 108 presents trajectory data to the user (S207). This processing is realized by presenting trajectory data from the trajectory command presenting unit 108 to the display or the touch panel 103. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which trajectory data 801 is presented on the touch panel. The user can register a trajectory command with reference to the trajectory data. Further, when the user determines that the presentation from the input device 101 may be left as it is, the user may press the OK button as it is without adding anything.

  The trajectory command presenting unit 108 may present the trajectory command input stroke as an animation when presenting the trajectory command. For example, in the example of FIG. 9, the trajectory command presentation unit 108 first presents one stroke corresponding to “Format: 2 in 1”, and then presents two strokes corresponding to “Double-sided: double”. You may do it.

As described above, the following effects can be obtained in the registration phase in which locus commands corresponding to a plurality of operations of the device are registered.
1. The device will present the recommended trajectory commands. As a result, the user does not have to worry about the locus command to be registered.
2. Furthermore, the trajectory command presented by the device is a combination of trajectory commands corresponding to each operation, and is easy to remember.

<Embodiment 2>
In the first embodiment, the trajectory commands registered in the trajectory command database 106 are simply combined. For this reason, the trajectory command presented by the system is easy to remember, but is not guaranteed to be easy to write. For example, the trajectory command presented in FIG. 9 is a trajectory command that draws a large stroke at the center position of the preview in the first stroke, and a trajectory command that draws a small stroke at the end of the preview area. In this way, if the trajectory commands having different positions and sizes are simply combined, it becomes difficult for the user to write. Therefore, the trajectory command acquired from the trajectory command database 106 may be normalized with respect to position and size, and may be combined and presented to the user.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a recommended locus command presentation process incorporating a process such as normalization. Note that the same numbers are assigned to the same processes as those in FIG.
When the recommended locus command presentation process is started, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 10 is started. First, the trajectory command presentation unit 108 clears trajectory data in which recommended trajectory commands are stored (S201).
Next, the setting capturing unit 104 captures a setting group (a plurality of setting information) set by the user (S202). For example, as in the previous example, Size: A4
Num: 1
Format: 2 in 1
Double-sided: double
Is set by the user.

Next, the setting capturing unit 104 extracts one unprocessed setting from the top of the captured setting group (S203). Here, first, the setting capturing unit 104 extracts the setting information “Size: A4”. Subsequently, the trajectory command selection unit 105 accesses the trajectory command database 106 and acquires a trajectory command corresponding to the extracted setting information (S204). When the trajectory command database 106 is that of FIG. 5, there is no trajectory command corresponding to the setting information of “Size: A4”.
Next, the trajectory command generation unit 107 normalizes the position and size of the acquired trajectory command (S901). Since no trajectory command corresponding to “Size: A4” exists, nothing is performed here. Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 adds the normalized trajectory command to the trajectory data (S902). Again, since no trajectory command corresponding to “Size: A4” exists, nothing is added to the trajectory data.

These processes are performed for all acquired settings. When the processing is completed for all settings, the input apparatus 101 exits the loop of S203 to S206 (S206). By this loop, a trajectory command corresponding to the following two settings is normalized with respect to position and size and added to the trajectory data.
Format: 2 in 1
Double-sided: double

FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the synthesis of the trajectory command. The trajectory command generation unit 107 normalizes the trajectory command 1 (901) corresponding to “Format: 2 in 1” and the trajectory command 2 (902) corresponding to “Double-sided: double” with respect to position and size. Turn into. Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 adds each to the trajectory data. As a result, the combined trajectory command becomes 905. The numbers in the figure indicate the order of writing.
Finally, the trajectory command presenting unit 108 presents trajectory data to the user (S207). For example, the trajectory command presenting unit 108 presents trajectory data such as 905 superimposed on the preview.

As described above, in the registration phase in which one trajectory command is registered for a plurality of operations of the device, the following effects are produced in addition to the effects of the first embodiment.
3. Since the input position and size of the trajectory command are corrected and a combination thereof is presented, the trajectory command is easy to input with little movement of the stylus pen.

<Embodiment 3>
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the input device 101 presented a combination of a plurality of trajectory commands. For example, when the input device 101 simply combines a two-stroke trajectory command and a one-stroke trajectory command, a three-stroke trajectory command is obtained. However, such an increase in the number of strokes causes a problem that it is difficult to understand how to write. Therefore, the input device 101 may deform the trajectory command by performing a post process after combining a plurality of trajectory commands.
For example,
Size: A4
Num: 1
Format: 4 in 1
Double-sided: single
Sample: Yes
It is assumed that the input device 101 registers a corresponding trajectory command in the setting group. Among these, the settings registered in the trajectory command database 106 in FIG.
Format: 4 in 1
Sample: Yes
The input device 101 generates and presents a new trajectory command from the trajectory command corresponding to the two setting information.

FIG. 12 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining the synthesis of the trajectory command. The trajectory command generation unit 107 normalizes the trajectory command 1 (1101) corresponding to “Format: 4 in 1” and the trajectory command 2 (1102) corresponding to “Sample: Yes” with respect to position and size. . Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 adds each to the trajectory data. As a result, the combined trajectory command becomes 1105. Then, the trajectory command in the trajectory data is post processed to generate a trajectory command such as 1106.
The post process performed here is the following process.
・ Combine strokes ・ Extract feature points ・ Delete feature points ・ Generate trajectory commands that satisfy feature points ・ Smooth

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the post process. First, the trajectory command generation unit 107 combines strokes from the combined trajectory command 1201 (1202). This process is realized by connecting the end point of the stroke and the start point of the next stroke with a straight line.
Next, the trajectory command generation unit 107 extracts feature points from the combined stroke (1203). A feature point is a point that represents the feature of the trajectory. For example, the stroke start point, end point, inflection point, and the like. The numerical value in 1203 represents the inflection point number. Next, the trajectory command generation unit 107 deletes feature points (1204). For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 deletes odd-numbered inflection points.

Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 generates a trajectory command that satisfies the start point, end point, and inflection point remaining in 1204 (1205). For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 generates a trajectory command by connecting each point with a straight line in order. By the process of reducing the feature points, the synthesized trajectory command can be simplified. Finally, the trajectory command generation unit 107 smoothes the trajectory command (1206) and generates a new trajectory command.
It should be noted that a part of the technique described here may be used for the process performed in the post process. For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 may employ a post process in which only trajectory command combination and smoothing are performed without operating the feature points.
By transforming the new trajectory command in this manner, it is possible to generate a trajectory command having a higher abstraction level while maintaining the characteristics of the synthesized trajectory command (new trajectory command). Since such a trajectory command is very simplified, it has a feature that it is easy to understand and easy to remember.

<Embodiment 4>
The post process described in the third embodiment is a concept independent of the normalization of the trajectory command described in the second embodiment. For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 can perform the post process without normalizing the trajectory command.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example in which post processes are performed by combining trajectory commands to be combined without normalization. First, the trajectory command generation unit 107 combines the trajectory command 1 (1301) and the trajectory command 2 (1302) (1303), and performs a post process for the trajectory command (1304).
In this example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 performs post-joining / smoothing as a post process.

Combining strokes is not just combining the end point of a stroke and the start point of the next stroke. For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 may ignore the writing order and generate a shortest path including all strokes (around all strokes).
Further, the trajectory command generation unit 107 may dynamically determine whether or not to perform the post process. For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 determines whether or not a trajectory command similar to the generated new trajectory command is recorded in the trajectory command database 106. Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 may perform the post process only when a similar trajectory command exists.
For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 divides the generated new trajectory command at regular intervals, and calculates the relative movement amount (ΔX, ΔY) of the pen for each time. The trajectory command generation unit 107 sets the features arranged for each time as a feature parameter string P of a new trajectory command. Similarly, the trajectory command generation unit 107 also generates characteristic parameters (Qk1 to Qkn) for the trajectory commands (k1 to kn) recorded in the trajectory command database 106 in the same manner as described above. Then, the trajectory command generation unit 107 calculates the degree of similarity between the feature parameter sequence P and the feature parameter sequences Qk1 to Qkn using Dynamic programming, which is a known technique. Finally, the trajectory command generation unit 107 considers that the trajectory command similar to the generated new trajectory command exists in the trajectory command database 106 when the largest numerical value among the respective similarities is larger than a predetermined constant.
Note that these characteristic parameters are used as examples, and the processing according to the present embodiment is not limited to the relative movement amount of the pen every fixed time. For example, the trajectory command generation unit 107 can also use a coordinate position for each fixed time as a feature parameter string. In addition, the trajectory command generation unit 107 can use HMM (Hidden Markov Model) in addition to Dynamic programming as a method for calculating similarity.

<Embodiment 5>
Note that the trajectory command associated with the setting information in the input device 101 is not limited to one input using a stylus pen. For example, it is possible to process a trajectory input directly with a finger on the touch panel. Alternatively, the input device 101 may process a trajectory input by dragging with a mouse. Alternatively, the input device 101 can acquire the position of the user's hand in the air with a camera or some sensor and process the trajectory input in this way.

<Other embodiments>
The object of the present invention is achieved by the following. That is, a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus. Then, the central processing means (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium recording the program code constitutes the present invention.

  In addition, by executing the program code read by the central processing means of the system or apparatus, an operating system (OS) or the like operating on the system or apparatus performs actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Do some or all. The case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

  Furthermore, it is assumed that the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the system or apparatus or a function expansion unit connected thereto. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. It is.

  When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the program code corresponding to the flowchart described above is stored in the storage medium (computer-readable storage medium).

As described above, according to each of the above-described embodiments, the following effects are obtained in the registration phase in which one trajectory command is registered for a plurality of operations.
1. The device will present the recommended trajectory commands. As a result, the user does not have to worry about the locus command to be registered.
2. Furthermore, the trajectory command presented by the device is a combination of trajectory commands corresponding to each operation, and is easy to remember.
3. Further, since the device corrects the input position and size of the trajectory command and presents a combination thereof, the trajectory command is easy to input with little movement of the stylus pen.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.
Moreover, you may make it implement each embodiment mentioned above combining arbitrarily.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the input device 101. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the input device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel of a copying machine in which the input device 101 is incorporated. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trajectory command input. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the trajectory command database 106. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen when registering a trajectory command. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of recommended locus command presentation processing. It is FIG. (1) for demonstrating the synthesis | combination of a locus | trajectory command. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which trajectory data 801 is presented on the touch panel. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a recommended locus command presentation process incorporating a process such as normalization. FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the synthesis of the trajectory command. FIG. 12 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining the synthesis of the trajectory command. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the post process. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example in which post processes are performed by combining trajectory commands to be combined without normalization.

Explanation of symbols

1 ROM
2 RAM
3 CPU

Claims (14)

Generating means for generating a new trajectory command by combining a plurality of trajectory commands related to the setting information call;
Presenting means for presenting a new trajectory command generated by the generating means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: A capturing means for capturing a plurality of setting information set by the user;
Selecting means for selecting a plurality of trajectory commands for respectively calling the plurality of setting information captured by the capturing means;
Further comprising
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates a new trajectory command by combining a plurality of trajectory commands selected by the selection unit.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the generation unit normalizes and combines a plurality of trajectory commands selected by the selection unit with respect to position or size. The generating means transforms the generated new trajectory command,
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presenting unit presents a new trajectory command generated and deformed by the generating unit. 5.   5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates a trajectory command of a shortest path around a stroke of the plurality of trajectory commands as the new trajectory command. A determination unit for determining a skill level with respect to the input of the user's trajectory command according to whether there is no input from the user for a predetermined time;
The generation unit generates the new trajectory command when the determination unit determines that the skill level is low,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presenting unit presents a new trajectory command generated by the generating unit. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus,
A generation step of generating a new trajectory command by combining a plurality of trajectory commands related to the setting information call;
A presenting step for presenting the new trajectory command generated in the generating step;
An information processing method characterized by comprising: Importing a plurality of setting information set by the user,
A selection step for selecting a plurality of trajectory commands for respectively calling the plurality of setting information captured in the capturing step;
Further comprising
8. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein in the generation step, a new trajectory command is generated by combining a plurality of trajectory commands selected in the selection step.   9. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein in the generation step, the plurality of trajectory commands selected in the selection step are normalized and combined with respect to position or size. In the generation step, the generated new trajectory command is transformed,
The information processing method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, in the presenting step, the new trajectory command generated and deformed in the generating step is presented.   11. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein, in the generation step, a trajectory command of a shortest path around a stroke of the plurality of trajectory commands is generated as the new trajectory command. A determination step for determining a skill level of the user's input of the trajectory command according to whether or not there is an input from the user for a predetermined time;
In the generation step, when it is determined in the determination step that the skill level is low, the new trajectory command is generated,
12. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the presenting step presents the new trajectory command generated in the generating step. Computer
Generating means for generating a new trajectory command by combining a plurality of trajectory commands related to the setting information call;
Presenting means for presenting a new trajectory command generated by the generating means;
A program characterized by making it function.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 13.

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