JP3074795B2 - Character input method in multi-window - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of operating a keyboard, a mouse, etc., through a plurality of windows displayed on a display device, to convert programs corresponding to each window into programs such as an editor, a mail processing program, and a document creation program. And a character input method in a multi-window for inputting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a screen for inputting and outputting characters, there is a concept of a position where a next character will be input or a position where a next character will be output, that is, a text cursor position. When windows corresponding to individual programs such as an editor, a mail processing program, and a document creation program are displayed on the screen of the display device, a text cursor position exists for each window.

[0003] By operating an input device such as a keyboard through a window displayed on the display device, a character string (a character string entered from a keyboard or the like in response to an instruction from the input device) is input to a program corresponding to the window. A character string edited in the input front-end part, or a candidate kanji converted from it in a kana-kanji conversion part)
Is input, the following two methods are conventionally used as a method of displaying and inputting a character string being input.

(1) First method One input window common to each window is placed in a fixed area on the screen (for example, the bottom of the screen), a character string being input is displayed there, and a line feed key is displayed. A method in which a character string being input at the time of performing a predetermined key operation such as a key operation or a confirmation key is sent to a program corresponding to an active window indicated by a pointer using a pointing device such as a mouse.

(2) Second system An input management unit is provided for each window, that is, for each program, and when a character string is input from a keyboard or the like, it corresponds to the current active window pointed by a pointer by a pointing device. The character string is input to the input management unit to be displayed, and the character string is displayed at the text cursor position of the active window by the input management unit, and when a predetermined key operation such as a line feed key or a confirmation key is performed, the character string is displayed. A method in which the input management unit sends a character string to a program corresponding to the own input management unit.

[0006]

Conventionally, the above two methods have been adopted, but each has the following problems.

In the first method, the character string being input is displayed in the input window at a position distant from the text cursor position of the input window.
The operator has to move his / her line of sight from the text cursor position of the window to the input window or vice versa, which is difficult to operate.

[0008] On the other hand, in the second method, the character string being input is displayed at the text cursor position, so that the movement of the line of sight is minimized. However, since input management is performed independently for each window, if you accidentally input characters without noticing that the window specified by the pointing device is different from the window you originally want to input, However, even if the user notices this, there is a problem in that the already input character cannot be treated as the input character for the window to which the user originally wants to input, and the user must restart the operation from the beginning.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to display the character string being input at a text cursor position to minimize the movement of the operator's viewpoint during character input. And to allow a character being input in an erroneous window to be directly handled as input to another window.

[0010]

The character input method in the multi-window according to the present invention employs the following configurations (A) and (B) to achieve the above object.

(A) Recognizing an active window among a plurality of windows corresponding to a program displayed on a display device, and inputting a character string inputted from an input device and an input front end according to an instruction from the input device. The input window displaying the character string edited by the unit, an input management unit that always positions the text cursor position of the active window, recognizes the active window of the plurality of windows, and triggered by a predetermined operation in the input device And a selector for sending a character string displayed in the input window to a program corresponding to the active window.

(B) Recognizing an active window among a plurality of windows corresponding to the program displayed on the display device, and a kana character string input from the input device and a character string converted from the kana to kanji by the kana / kanji conversion unit. An input management unit that always puts the conversion window displaying the text cursor position of the active window, and recognizes the active window among the plurality of windows, and triggered by a predetermined operation on the input device, the conversion window A selector for sending the displayed character string to a program corresponding to the active window.

[0013]

In the multi-window character input method having the configuration (A), the operator selects a window to be input with a pointer of a pointing device such as a mouse and inputs characters from an input device such as a keyboard. The input management unit recognizes the window pointed to by the pointer as the active window, and places the input window displaying the input character string at the text cursor position of the active window. Also,
When an editing instruction such as deletion of a character being input is input from the input device, the input front end unit edits the character string being input based on the instruction, and the edited character string is also a text in the active window. Displayed in the input window located at the cursor position.

During input of characters, the operator notices that the selected window is different from the original intended window, and when the original intended window is selected by the pointer of the pointing device, the input management unit is selected. The input window displaying the character string being input is moved from the original active window to the text cursor position of the new active window.

[0015] Thereafter, when the operator performs a predetermined operation such as pressing a line feed key, the select unit recognizes the active window and changes the character string displayed in the input window positioned at the text cursor position. Send to the program corresponding to the active window.

In the multi-window character input method having the configuration (B), an operator selects a window to be input by a pointer of a pointing device such as a mouse and inputs kana characters from an input device such as a keyboard. Then, the input management unit recognizes the window designated by the pointer as the active window, and places the input window displaying the input kana character string at the text cursor position of the active window. When a conversion instruction is input from the input device, the kana-kanji conversion unit converts the input kana character string into kana-kanji characters to generate candidate kanji characters. Displayed in the input window located at the cursor position.

During input of characters, the operator notices that the selected window is different from the original intended window, and when the original intended window is selected by the pointer of the pointing device, the input management unit is selected. The input window displaying the input kana character string or the candidate kanji, etc., which is being input is moved from the original active window to the text cursor position of the new active window.

Thereafter, when the operator performs a predetermined operation such as pressing the enter key, the selector recognizes the active window, and changes the character string displayed in the input window placed at the text cursor position to the active window. Send to the program corresponding to the active window.

[0019]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention is:
An input device 7 such as a keyboard, a pointing device 8 such as a mouse, and a display device 9 such as a CRT.
And a program 1 and a program 2 such as an editor, a mail processing program, and a document creation program; a window resource 15 such as a memory for displaying a window 11 corresponding to the program 1 on the display device 9; A window resource 16 such as a memory for displaying the window 12 on the display device 9, an input window resource 17a such as a memory for displaying the input window 13a on the display device 9, and an input device 7 for managing the entire window system. , Window system management unit 6 which provides an input interface with pointing device 8 and an output interface with display device 9
A window control unit 10 for controlling the resources 15, 16 and 17a, buffering of a character string input from the input device 7, and responding to the instruction from the input device 7 Front end unit 3a for editing by the user and a plurality of windows 1 displayed on the display device 9 by a notification from the window control unit 10.
Recognize the active window among the windows 1 and 12 and notify each window 1 by the notification from the programs 1 and 2.
An input window 1 for recognizing 1, 12 text cursor positions and displaying a character string input from the input device 7 and a character string edited by the input front end unit 3a.
The input management unit 4 that always performs processing such as placing the 3a at the text cursor position of the active window, and recognizes the active window by a notification from the window control unit 10, and triggered by the pressing operation of the line feed key on the input device 7, And a selector 5 for sending a character string displayed in the input window 13a passed from the input management unit 4 to the program 1 or 2 corresponding to the active window.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a display screen of the display device 9. The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Now, the window 1 displayed on the display device 9
When the window 12 is the active window among the windows 1 and 12, the window control unit 10 superimposes the window 12 on the window 11 as shown in the upper display screen example of FIG. Is displayed on the display device 9, and the input management unit 4 and the selector 5 are notified that the window 12 is the active window. Note that reference numeral 14 in FIG. 2 denotes a pointer controlled by the pointing device 8.

On the other hand, the input management unit 4
2 has received the notification of the current text cursor position of its own program from the window control unit 10. When the window control unit 10 has received a notification that the window 12 is the active window, the text cursor position notified from the program 2 corresponding to the window 12 , The input window display position control information in the input window resource 17a is set to a position corresponding to the notified text cursor position.

The input window resource 17a holds a character string being input, in addition to the input window display position control information, and the window control unit 10 controls the input window to display the held character string. 13a
Is displayed at the location indicated by the input window display position control information. As a result, the input window 13a for displaying the character string being input is placed at the text cursor position of the window 12, which is the active window, as shown in the example of the upper display screen in FIG.

When the operator inputs the character "S" from the input device 7 in the above state, the character is transmitted to the input management unit 4 through the input interface of the window system management unit 6, and the input management unit 4 transmits the character. Is input to the input front-end unit 3a, and is set as an input character in the input window resource 17a. As a result, under the control of the window control unit 10, the character "S" is displayed at the position of the input window 13a on the display screen. On the other hand, the input front end unit 3a stores the input “S” therein.

Hereinafter, "O", "M",
"E", "space", "I", "N", "P",
When "U" and "T" are sequentially input, the same operation as described above is performed, and a character string "SOMEINPUT" is displayed in the input window 13a as shown in the example of the upper display screen in FIG. Similar character strings are stored in the input front end unit 3a.

It should be noted that the input window 13 is input from the input device 7.
When an edit instruction such as deletion is input to the character string displayed in a, the input management unit 4 transmits the instruction to the input front-end unit 3a, and the input front-end unit 3a inputs the instruction according to the edit instruction. Edit the character string inside. The input front-end unit 3a stores the edited character string therein, and the input management unit 4 replaces the input character string in the input window resource 17a with the edited character string. As a result, the display of the input window 13a is also switched to the edited character string.

Now, when a character string as shown in the upper display screen example of FIG. 2 is displayed in the input window 13a placed at the text cursor position of the window 12, the operator sets the character string in the window. It is assumed that the user has noticed that the input should have been made in the window 11 instead of the window 12, and the pointer 14 was moved to the window 11 by operating the pointing device 8 to perform a click operation to make the window 11 the active window.

In response to the click operation, the window control unit 10 reverses the vertical relationship between the windows 11 and 12, as shown in the example of the lower display screen of FIG.
Each window is displayed on the display device 9 in a state where the window 11 is overlaid on the window 12. Further, the input management unit 4 and the selector 5 are notified that the window 11 is the active window.

In response to this, the input management unit 4 updates the input window display position control information in the input window resource 17a based on the text cursor position notified from the program 1 corresponding to the window 11. As a result, the input window 13a for displaying the character string being input moves to the text cursor position of the window 11 as shown in the example of the lower display screen of FIG. The entered character string disappears.

Next, when the operator presses a line feed key on the input device 7 in this state, it is transmitted to the input management unit 4 through the input interface of the window system management unit 6, and the input management unit 4 is operated by the input front end unit. The character string stored in 3a, that is, the character string currently displayed in the input window 13a is passed to the selector 5.

The selector 5 sends the character string passed from the input management unit 4 to the program 1 corresponding to the window 11, which is the active window notified from the window control unit 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention comprises an input device 7 such as a keyboard, a pointing device 8 such as a mouse, a display device 9 such as a CRT, an editor, and a mail processing program. And a program 2 such as a document creation program, a window resource 15 such as a memory for displaying a window 11 corresponding to the program 1 on the display device 9, and a window 12 corresponding to the program 2 on the display device 9. A window resource 16 such as a memory for displaying, a conversion window resource 17b such as a memory for displaying the conversion window 13b on the display device 9, and an input to the input device 7 and the pointing device 8 by managing the entire window system. Interface and output interface with the display device 9 A window system management unit 6 for providing the information, a window control unit 10 for controlling the resources 15, 16 and 17b, and a kana-kanji conversion of the kana character string input from the input device 7 to generate candidate kanji and the like. The kana-kanji conversion unit 3b and the plurality of windows 1 displayed on the display device 9 by the notification from the window control unit 10.
Recognize the active window among the windows 1 and 12 and notify each window 1 by the notification from the programs 1 and 2.
The conversion window 13b that recognizes the text cursor positions 1 and 12 and displays the kana character string input from the input device 7 and the candidate kanji generated by the kana kanji conversion unit 3b is always set to the text cursor position of the active window. The input management unit 4 that performs processing such as placing, and the active window is recognized based on a notification from the window control unit 10, and the conversion window 13 a passed from the input management unit 4 when the operation of pressing the enter key on the input device 7 is triggered. And a selector 5 for sending the candidate kanji or the like being displayed to the program 1 or 2 corresponding to the active window.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen of the display device 9. The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Now, the window 1 displayed on the display device 9
When the window 12 is the active window among the windows 1 and 12, the window control unit 10 sets the window 12 in a state where the window 12 is partially overlapped on the window 11 as shown in the example of the upper display screen in FIG. Is displayed on the display device 9, and the input management unit 4 and the selector 5 are notified that the window 12 is the active window.

The input management unit 4 receives notification of the current text cursor position of its own program from each of the programs 1 and 2, and receives a notification from the window control unit 10 that the window 12 is the active window. Based on the text cursor position notified from the program 2 corresponding to No. 12, the conversion window display position control information in the conversion window resource 17b is set to a position corresponding to the notified text cursor position.

The conversion window resource 17b holds a character string being input, in addition to the conversion window display position control information, and the window control section 10 displays the conversion window for displaying the held character string. 13b
Is displayed at the location indicated by the conversion window display position control information. As a result, the conversion window 13b for displaying the character string being input is placed at the text cursor position of the window 12, which is the active window, as shown in the upper display screen example of FIG.

When the operator inputs the kana character "HI" from the input device 7 in the above state, this is transmitted to the input management unit 4 via the input interface of the window system management unit 6, and the input management unit 4 The characters are input to the kana-kanji conversion unit 3b and set as input characters in the conversion window resource 17b. As a result, under the control of the window control unit 10, the kana character of "hi" is displayed at the position of the conversion window 13b on the display screen. On the other hand, the kana-kanji conversion unit 3b accumulates the input “hi” therein.

In the following, the input device 7 outputs “cho”, “u”,
"Ji", "wo", "oh", "ko", "na", "tsu",
When “ta”, “to”, and “ki” are sequentially input, the same operation as described above is performed, and a kana character string “when a hyouji is performed” is displayed in the conversion window 13b.
Similar character strings are stored in the kana-kanji conversion unit 3b.

In this state, when a kana-kanji conversion instruction is input from the input device 7 to the kana character string displayed in the conversion window 13b by pressing a conversion key or the like, the input management unit 4 converts the instruction into a kana-kanji conversion. The kana-kanji conversion unit 3b performs kana-kanji conversion on the input character string in accordance with the instruction. Then, the kana-kanji conversion unit 3b stores the obtained candidate kanji and the like inside, and the input management unit 4 replaces the input character string in the conversion window resource 17b with the candidate kanji and the like. Thereby, the conversion window 13
The display of b is also switched to the edited character string, and a character string after “kana kanji conversion” such as “when display is performed” is displayed, for example, as shown in the upper display screen example of FIG.

At this point, the operator notices that the character strings should have been input not in the window 12 but in the window 11, and the pointer 14 was moved to the window 11 by operating the pointing device 8, so that the window 11 was moved. If a click operation is performed to make an active window, the window control unit 10
As shown in the lower display screen example, each window is displayed on the display device 9 in a state where the window 11 is partially overlapped with the window 12, and the window 11 is displayed in the input management unit 4 and the selector 5 as an active window. Is notified.

In response, the input management unit 4 updates the conversion window display position control information in the conversion window resource 17b based on the text cursor position notified from the program 1 corresponding to the window 11. As a result, the conversion window 13b for displaying the character string being input moves to the text cursor position of the window 11 as shown in the lower display example of FIG. The entered character string disappears.

Next, when the operator presses the enter key on the input device 7 in this state, it is transmitted to the input management unit 4 through the input interface of the window system management unit 6, and the input management unit 4 converts the kana-kanji conversion unit. The character string stored in 3b, that is, the character string currently displayed in the conversion window 13b is passed to the selector 5.

The selector 5 sends the character string passed from the input management unit 4 to the program 1 corresponding to the window 11, which is the active window notified from the window control unit 10.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Input windows such as the character string being input, the character string being edited, the candidate kanji after kana-kanji conversion, and the input window such as the conversion window are placed at the text cursor position of the active window. The movement of the viewpoint of the operator at the time can be minimized.

In addition, an input window such as an input window and a conversion window is always placed at the text cursor position of the active window.
That is, when the active window is changed by a pointing device such as a mouse, the input window is moved to the text cursor position of the active window after the change, and a predetermined operation such as pressing a line feed key or an enter key is performed. As a result of the operation, the character string displayed in the input window at that time is sent to the program corresponding to the active window, so if it is before pressing the line feed key or the confirmation key, Characters that have been typed into a window can be used as input in another window.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen in the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 ... program 3a ... input front-end section 3b ... kana-kanji conversion section 4 ... input management section 5 ... selector 6 ... window system management section 7 ... input device 8 ... pointing device 9 ... display device 10 ... window control section 11, 12 ... windows corresponding to programs 1 and 2 13a ... input window 13b ... conversion window 14 ... pointer 15, 16 ... window resources 17a ... input window resources 17b ... conversion window resources

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An input front end unit for recognizing an active window among a plurality of windows corresponding to a program displayed on a display device, and inputting a character string input from an input device and an instruction from the input device in response to an instruction from the input device. An input window that displays the edited character string in the input management unit that always positions the text cursor position of the active window, and recognizes the active window of the plurality of windows, triggered by a predetermined operation in the input device, A character input system in a multi-window including a selector for sending a character string displayed in the input window to a program corresponding to an active window. 2. Recognizing an active window among a plurality of windows corresponding to a program displayed on a display device, and recognizing a kana character string input from an input device and a character string obtained by converting the same into a kana-kanji character by a kana-kanji conversion unit. An input management unit that always places the conversion window to be displayed at the text cursor position of the active window, and recognizes the active window of the plurality of windows, and displays the conversion window on the input device as a trigger in a predetermined operation. A character input method in a multi-window including a selecting section for sending a character string to a program corresponding to the active window.