JP3473112B2 - Multi-level menu selection system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-layer menu selection system suitable for use in OA equipment having a graphical user interface for providing a menu screen for interactively setting various operation modes.

[0002]

As is well known, GUI (graphical
Various OA devices having a user interface) have been developed. In this type of OA equipment, various operation modes can be set by a simple menu selection operation.

Generally, many menus displayed on the GUI have a hierarchical structure associated with each other in a tree structure.
FIG. 8 shows an example of the structure of such a menu. In the example shown in this figure, submenus 1 to 4 exist under the main menu A, and submenus 1.1 and 1.2 further exist under the submenu 1. Submenus 3.1 and 3. are subordinated to submenu 3.
2 exists, and submenus 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 are further present under the submenu 3.2.

In such a hierarchically structured menu, when the operator sequentially selects a desired menu on each menu screen, the screen sequentially transitions to lower (or higher in some cases) menus. Then, various operation modes are set by the operator selecting a desired menu on the lowest menu screen.

[0005]

By the way, in the conventional multi-layer menu illustrated in FIG. 8, for example, when a screen transition is made from submenu 3.2 to submenu 1.1, 3.2 → 3 → A It is necessary to go back to the main menu A through the route of, and then go down to the sub menu 1.1 via the route of A → 1 → 1.1. That is, in the conventional multi-layered menu, when screen transitions occur between submenus belonging to different systems in the tree structure, it is necessary to always go back to these common branch points (main menu A in the above example). Therefore, in the conventional multi-layered menu, there is a problem that the number of operations for menu selection for performing screen transitions increases and the operation load is heavy.

Conventionally, in order to reduce such a burden, a method of jumping to the main menu A by selecting a predetermined menu (or pressing a hardware switch) on an arbitrary submenu screen has been adopted. However, with this method, even if it is possible to return to the main menu A with a single operation, if the target sub-menu screen is located deep in the hierarchy, many operations are still necessary, which is a sufficient solution. Does not reach.

Further, as described in 1.1 and 3.2 above, it may be desired to display and select submenus belonging to different systems in the tree structure on the same screen. For example, in a copier or the like, paper size settings and copy position (margin) settings often belong to submenus of completely different systems, but I want to select the desired setting status while mutually referencing the setting status of both. ,
In some cases. However, the conventional multi-layer menu cannot satisfy such a demand.

The present invention has been made under such a background, and provides a multi-layer menu selection system capable of dynamically switching the hierarchical structure of menus and reducing the operation load in the screen transition between submenus. It is intended to be provided.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a multi-layer menu screen information constituted by hierarchically associating a plurality of menu screen information . Hierarchical structure and the first hierarchical structure
In the second hierarchical structure below a predetermined middle layer in
Storage means for storing a multi-level menu screen information, an operation unit for accepting a menu selection operation by the operator,
Said reading means for reading the next menu screen information to be displayed from said storage means in response to the operating means, selection means for selecting one of the hierarchical structure in response to an instruction operation, before
When the second hierarchical structure is selected by the selection means,
Of the menu screen information included in the first hierarchical structure
It is characterized by comprising control means for controlling the reading means so as to read out menu screen information corresponding to the predetermined intermediate layer, and display means for displaying a menu screen based on the read menu screen information.

The invention according to claim 2 is the same as that of claim 1.
In the above invention, the control means is the selection means.
After selecting the second hierarchical structure from the first floor
When the layer structure is selected again, the selection means causes the first
Just before the hierarchical structure of 2 is selected, it is read from the storage means.
To read the issued menu screen information again,
It is characterized by controlling the steps. Also, claim 3
The invention of claim 1 is the invention according to claim 1,
The menu screen information is the predetermined information in the first hierarchical structure.
A hierarchical structure corresponding to a lower part than the middle layer,
A hierarchical structure different from the second hierarchical structure is further added with 1 or 2
It is characterized by having the above.

[0011]

According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, when the hierarchical structure of the multi-layer menu is switched to the second hierarchical structure, the predetermined hierarchical structure of the first hierarchical structure is obtained. The menu screen is displayed from the middle hierarchy.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A: Hardware Configuration of Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of hardware of a multi-layer menu selection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, 11 is a CPU (central processing unit)
And controls each unit of the device (described later) connected via the bus BUS. This CPU 11 is a ROM (Read Only
A predetermined control program stored in the memory 12 is executed to realize the operation described later.

In addition to the above control program, the ROM 12 stores data for displaying the two types of multi-layer menus M1 and M2 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the multi-layer menu M1 is a menu having the same hierarchical structure as the conventional example shown in FIG. 8, and the main menu A is displayed in the initial state. The multi-layer menu M2 is composed of sub-menus below the second layer of the multi-layer menu M1. In the main menu B, a sub-menu 1.1 corresponding to the second layer of the multi-layer menu M1. , 1.2, 3.1, 3.2 are selected. The multi-layered menu M2 is displayed in place of the multi-layered menu M1 in response to a hierarchical structure switching instruction from the changeover switch SW (see FIG. 1).

A RAM (Random Access Memory) 13 is used as a work area for the CPU 1. This R
The AM 13 temporarily stores various register values and calculation results in addition to the control program read out from the ROM 12 and data for displaying the multi-layered menus M1 and M2.

Reference numeral 14 is a display unit for displaying each menu screen constituting the multi-layer menus M1 and M2. Reference numeral 15 denotes an operation unit that receives a menu selection operation by the operator. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 15 is defined as a touch panel on the menu display area of the display unit 14 and includes various operation elements such as a numeric keypad.

B: Screen transition operation of the embodiment Next, referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the operation of the embodiment when the screen transitions from the submenu 3.2 shown in FIG. 2 to the submenu 1.1. explain. However, in FIGS. 4 to 6 below,
A menu screen for setting the operation mode of the copying machine is taken as an example.

B-1: (Operation When Hierarchical Structure Is Not Switched) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing screen transitions when the hierarchical structure is not switched. As shown in the figure, in the first state, the sub-menu screen 3.2 of the multi-level menu M1 is displayed.
("Paper / Magnification" selection screen) is displayed.

On this screen, "end setting" key K1
Alternatively, when the "cancel setting" key K2 is pressed, the screen transitions to the upper submenu screen 3 ("basic copy" screen). On this screen, submenus such as "copy density" and "document type" are displayed in addition to the menu for selecting the "paper / magnification" selection screen. Further, on this screen, the main menu A is also displayed at the same time, and a menu in the same hierarchy as the "basic copy" such as "image quality adjustment" and "application copy" can be selected.

When the "application copy" menu K3 is selected, the screen transitions to the submenu screen 1 ("application copy" screen) in the same layer as the "basic copy" screen. On this screen, subordinate submenus such as "copy position", "composite copy", and "edit copy" are displayed. Here, when the menu "K4" of "copy position" is selected, the screen transitions to the submenu screen 1.1 ("copy position" setting screen) of the lower order.

In this way, when the hierarchical structure is not switched, as in the conventional example, 3.2 → 3 → A → 1 → 1.1.
The screen transition is performed via the route.

B-2: (Operation When Switching Hierarchical Structure) Next, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing screen transitions when switching the hierarchical structure. As shown in the figure, when the changeover switch SW (see FIG. 1) is pressed on the sub menu screen 3.2 (“paper / magnification” selection screen), the hierarchical structure mode changes from the multi-level menu M1 to the multi-level menu M1. The menu M2 is switched to, and the main menu screen B is displayed.

In the main menu screen B, in addition to the submenus of the "basic copy" screen, such as "paper / magnification", "copy density", and "document type", the "copy" submenu of "applied copy" is displayed. "Position", "composite copy",
All submenus corresponding to the second layer of the multilevel menu M1 such as "edit copy" are displayed. On this screen, if the "Copy position" menu K5 is selected,
The screen changes to the lower submenu screen 1.1 (“Copy position” setting screen).

In this manner, when the changeover switch SW is instructed to switch the hierarchical structure, the mode of the hierarchical structure is switched from the previously displayed multi-layered menu M1 to the multi-layered menu M2, and the main menu screen B is displayed. Therefore, it is possible to directly select the sub-menu 1.1 in the main menu B after switching without going back to the upper hierarchy as in the conventional case.

B-3: (Operation when returning to the original screen again after switching) Next, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing screen transitions when returning to the original screen again after switching. As shown in the figure, in the state where the main menu screen B is displayed by pressing the changeover switch SW (see FIG. 1) on the sub menu screen 3.2 (“paper / magnification” selection screen), the changeover switch is again displayed. When SW is pressed, the original sub-menu screen 3.2 (“paper / magnification” selection screen) before switching is restored.

Although not shown, when any menu is selected on the main menu screen B after switching and the screen transitions to a sub-menu screen of a lower level,
The mode of the hierarchical structure is automatically switched, and thereafter, screen transition is performed based on the hierarchical structure of the multi-layer menu M1.

C: Detailed Operation of the Embodiment Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

C-1: (Normal Operation Before Depressing Changeover Switch SW) First, when the hardware is powered on, the CPU 11
Loads the control program from the ROM 12 and executes it. As a result, the processing of the CPU 11 is performed in step S
1 (see FIG. 7).

In step S1, the main menu A of the multi-layer menu M1 is displayed as an initial state, and
An identification code indicating that the current mode of the hierarchical structure is the multi-level menu M1 is set in the static variable b. Here, the static variable b is a register assigned to the RAM 13, and by referring to the content of the variable b, it is possible to identify which of M1 and M2 the current mode has a hierarchical structure.

Then, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the changeover switch SW is pressed. In this case, since the changeover switch SW has not been pressed yet, the result of this determination is “No”. After that, changeover switch SW
The determination in step S2 is repeated until is pressed. When a menu is selected during this period, screen transition is performed based on the hierarchical structure of the multi-layer menu M1 as illustrated in FIG.

C-2: (Operation when the changeover switch SW is pressed during the normal operation) When the changeover switch SW is pressed in the above step S2, the determination result here becomes "Yes", and step S3 Proceed to. In step S3, the identification code set in the static variable b is referenced. And step S
In 4, it is determined which mode of the multi-layer menu M1 or M2 the identification code indicates.

In this case, since the identification code indicating the multi-layer menu M1 is set in the static variable b, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the identification code corresponding to the currently displayed menu screen is acquired. This identification code is acquired by referring to a table (a predetermined area of the RAM 13) that holds the identification code in association with each menu screen in advance. Then, in step S6, the acquired identification code is set in a static variable a as information indicating the currently displayed menu screen. The static variable a is also a register assigned to the RAM 13, like the static variable b.

Next, in step S7, the main menu B (see FIG. 2) of the multi-layer menu M2 is displayed.
As a result, the display is switched from one of the menu screens of the multi-layer menu M1 that was displayed before the changeover switch SW was pressed to the main menu screen of the multi-layer menu M2. Then, in step S8, the identification code of the multi-layer menu M2 is set in the static variable b, and the multi-layer menu M2 after switching the mode of the hierarchical structure is set.

Next, in step S9, it is determined whether or not any one of the main menus B has been selected. Here, if there is no menu selection, the determination result is "No", and the process returns to step S2.
After that, the determination in step S2 is repeated until the changeover switch SW is pressed.

C-3: (Operation when the changeover switch SW is pressed in the main menu B) Then, in the above step S2, the changeover switch S
When W is pressed, the determination result here becomes "Yes", and after passing through steps S3 and S4, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the identification code set in the static variable a is referenced. Then, in step S11,
A menu screen corresponding to this identification code is displayed. That is, since the identification code corresponding to the menu screen displayed before switching to the main menu B in step S6 is set in the static variable a, the original menu before switching to the main menu B is set. It will return to the screen.

In step S12, the identification code of the multi-layered menu M1 is set in the static variable b, and the initial multi-layered menu M1 before switching the mode of the hierarchical structure is set. After that, the determination in step S2 is repeated until the changeover switch SW is pressed. When a menu is selected during this period, screen transition is performed based on the hierarchical structure of the multi-layer menu M1.

C-4: (Operation when any menu is selected in the main menu B) When any menu in the main menu B is selected in step S9, the determination here The result is "Yes", and the process proceeds to step S12. Step S
At 12, the identification code of the multi-layered menu M1 is set in the static variable b to be the initial multi-layered menu M1 before switching the mode of the hierarchical structure.

That is, when the screen is changed by the menu selection in the main menu B, the multi-layer menu M is automatically generated even if the changeover switch SW is not pressed.
It is designed to switch to 1 mode. Then, thereafter, the determination of step S2 is repeated until the changeover switch SW is pressed.

D: Summary As described above, according to this embodiment, the changeover switch SW
Multi-layer menu M1 and multi-layer menu M
Since it is possible to dynamically switch between No. 2 and 2, it is possible to perform screen transition without being limited to a hierarchical structure that is uniquely determined in advance as in the conventional case, and the operation load is reduced.
In particular, in the multi-layered menu M2, since the sub-menu in the middle layer of the multi-layered menu M1 is the main menu B, it is extremely easy to operate the changeover switch SW without going back to the upper menu screen (for example, main menu A) Screen transitions between submenus can be performed.

E: Modified Example The multi-layer menu according to the present invention is not limited to the multi-layer menus M1 and M2 of the embodiment shown in FIG. Also, if necessary, three or more types of hierarchical structures may be used and these may be switched.

Further, in the above embodiment, the switching of the hierarchical structure is performed by the hardware changeover switch SW, but the invention is not limited to this, and it may be displayed as a menu on the screen of the display unit 15.

Further, the setting state of each sub-menu may be displayed on the main menu screen B of the multi-layer menu M2. That is, if the main menu screen B is configured so that the setting states such as “paper / magnification”, “copy density”, and “document type” can be referred to,
Further, the operability is improved.

[0043]

As described above , according to the present invention.
Thus, it is possible to provide a multi-layer menu selection system that dynamically switches the hierarchical structure of menus and reduces the operation load in screen transition between menus.

[0044]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of hardware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a structure of a multi-layer menu according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an external configuration of hardware of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen transition operation before switching in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen transition operation after switching in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a screen transition operation when returning a menu screen after switching to a menu screen before switching in the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a conventional multi-layer menu.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 CPU (reading means, control means) 12 ROM (storage means) 13 RAM (storage means) 14 Operation part (operation means) 15 Display unit (display means) SW selector switch (selection means)

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Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multi-level menu screen information a plurality of menu screen information constituted by associating hierarchically, first
Of the predetermined hierarchical structure and the first hierarchical structure
Storage means for storing multi-layered menu screen information composed of a second hierarchical structure below the middle layer, operation means for accepting menu selection operation by an operator, and next display from the storage means according to the operation means Read-out means for reading out menu screen information to be performed, selection means for selecting one of the hierarchical structures according to an instruction operation, and the selection means for selecting the second hierarchical structure.
Of the menu screen information included in the first hierarchical structure
It is characterized by comprising control means for controlling the reading means so as to read out menu screen information corresponding to the predetermined intermediate layer, and display means for displaying a menu screen based on the read menu screen information. Multi-layer menu selection system. 2. The control means is controlled by the selecting means.
The first hierarchical structure after the second hierarchical structure is selected
Is selected again, the second floor is selected by the selecting means.
Just before the layer structure is selected, it is read from the storage means.
Control the reading means to read the menu screen information again.
The multi-layered menu according to claim 1, wherein
-Selection system. 3. The multi-level menu screen information is the first
It corresponds to the lower part than the predetermined middle layer in the hierarchical structure of 1.
A hierarchical structure different from the second hierarchical structure
Characterized by further having one or more layered structures
The multi-layer menu selection system according to claim 1.