JPH05265682A - Menu hierarchy changing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the procedure of selection by omitting the halfway hierar chy of menues to be frequently used at the time of selecting hierarchical menues in a menu hierarchy changing system for an information processor for selecting plural hierarchical menues and selecting an objective application. CONSTITUTION:The system is constituted of a history information storing part 1 for successively executing menu selection and storing a selected menu item, the frequency of selection, operation procedure up to a screen displaying the selected menu, and menu hierarchy as the history information of menu selection, a menu selecting frequency information knowledge forming part 4 for forming menu selecting frequency information knowledge based upon the history information of the menu selection and a menu hierarchy changing part 5 for forming menu hierarchy omitting the halfway hierarchy up to the hierarchy of the specified menu screen by means of the menu selecting frequency information knowledge. Thus, the menu hierarchy is changed by means of the history information or the frequency information in accordance with a request, and in the case of using the frequency information, the hierarchy with higher frequency is selected and changed based upon inference.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a menu hierarchy changing system in an information processing device. In recent years, sophisticated information processing systems having various functions have been realized by the sophistication of computers, but the operation has become complicated with the sophistication of the systems. In order to eliminate the complication of this operation, improvement of the human machine interface (HMI) is required. Correspondingly, in advanced systems with various functions, selection methods by menus are provided on text terminals and window systems. However, as the system becomes more sophisticated and complicated, the number of menu types, selection items, and menu hierarchy increases, and the operation of the system has become more complicated than ever, so that easier-to-use menu control is realized. Is desired.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional menu selection function of a system is to hierarchically arrange menus and sequentially trace the hierarchical menus from a higher hierarchy to a lower hierarchy. Thus, when the user arrives at the menu screen in which the selection items of the function (application) to be executed are displayed, the target function (application) is executed by selecting one menu item from the menu screen.

[0003]

However, as the system becomes more sophisticated, the number of functions that can be executed by one system is increased, and the menu items are increased by the increased amount. For this reason, the menu selection operation when tracing the menu items and the menu hierarchy increased until the application is started becomes complicated. In addition, even for functions that are frequently selected, it is necessary to follow the menu hierarchy and select functions.

Therefore, in the conventional menu selection method, even if the system is advanced, the menu selection operation is complicated, and even when similar operations are repeatedly performed, selection must be made for each menu item or menu hierarchy required. Must be
There was a problem that it was difficult to use because the operation during system control was repeated many times.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a menu hierarchy changing method capable of simplifying a selection procedure by omitting an intermediate hierarchy of a menu frequently used when selecting a hierarchical menu.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a basic block diagram of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a history information file 1b,
A history information storage unit including a menu history calling unit 1a and a menu history recording unit 1c, 2 is a menu control unit, 3
Is an input / output unit, 4 is a menu selection frequency information knowledge generating unit including a frequency information creating means 4a and a frequency information knowledge file 4b, and 5 is a menu hierarchy changing unit. The menu hierarchy changing unit 5 uses the menu hierarchy knowledge file 5b to infer the menu hierarchy, the menu hierarchy inference means 5a, the frequency detection rule knowledge file 5d, the search condition setting means 5e, and the frequency information knowledge file 4b. It is composed of a menu selection frequency inference means 5c which infers the frequency.

According to the present invention, when similar operations are repeatedly performed, the previously selected menu selection item or its number and menu hierarchy are recorded as history information, and the history information is used to generate frequency information knowledge of menu selection. When a menu is selected for, a menu hierarchy is generated that omits the middle hierarchy in the menu selection operation with high usage frequency information,
By assigning to the menu key, selection in the middle hierarchy of frequently used menus is omitted, and the procedure of function selection is simplified and easy-to-use menu selection is realized.

[0008]

[Function] The menu is displayed on the input / output unit 3, and the menu selection and function selection by the operator are input, and the menu control unit 2 determines the contents of the menu and controls the menu input such as menu items and menu hierarchy. It also controls the menu selection. When the history information is used as the menu selection, the history information file 1b in the history information storage unit 1
When the input of the history information of the key is controlled and the middle hierarchy is omitted depending on the frequency, the menu hierarchy inference of the menu hierarchy changing unit 5 is activated and the menu is displayed to perform the control. When the history information storage unit 1 receives a menu history selected and executed by key input in the menu control unit 2, the menu history recording unit 1c is activated and stores it in the history information file 1b. When there is a call, the menu history calling means 1a is activated to read the necessary history information from the history information file 1b and send it. Also,
When writing the menu history information to the history information file 1b, the menu selection frequency information knowledge generation unit 4 is driven to supply the history information. As a result, the menu selection frequency information knowledge generating unit 4 activates the frequency information creating means 4a to create knowledge of frequency information based on the inputted menu selection history information and stores it in the frequency information knowledge file 4b.

The menu hierarchy knowledge file 5b of the menu hierarchy changing unit 5 stores knowledge about the menu hierarchy necessary for inferring the menu hierarchy, and the frequency search rule knowledge file 5d contains search conditions for inferring menu selection frequency. Further, the knowledge about the inference rule is stored, and the search condition setting means 5e sets the search condition and the inference rule for omitting the middle hierarchy inputted by the operator from the input / output unit 3. The frequency search rule knowledge file 5d is created, modified, or deleted according to the setting contents of the search condition setting means 5e.

The menu hierarchy changing unit 5 is the menu control unit 2
When activated by a request from the user, the menu selection frequency inference that infers the one with a high menu selection frequency or the menu hierarchy inference that infers the hierarchy structure and infers the menu selection frequency is performed. The menu selection frequency inference means 5c uses the frequency information knowledge file 4b in the menu selection frequency inference means 5c.
Based on the frequency information knowledge and the inference result by the menu hierarchy inference means 5a using the menu hierarchy knowledge of the menu hierarchy knowledge file 5b, a menu with a high frequency of menu selection is inferred according to the frequency search rule of the frequency search rule knowledge file 5d. .. Inference for each hierarchy is performed by the menu hierarchy inference means 5
In step a, the menu hierarchy knowledge file 5b is used. The menu hierarchy in which the middle hierarchy of the menu hierarchy is omitted is displayed on the input / output unit 3 via the menu control unit 2.

In this way, the contents of the menu history can be reproduced as they are, or an arbitrary menu hierarchy can be reproduced by inference. Also, by inferring menu selections and hierarchies that are frequently selected according to search conditions and inference rules, the menu hierarchies that are frequently used and the activation of applications are reproduced.

[0012]

2 is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus in which the present invention is implemented. In FIG. 2, 20 is a CPU, 21 is a memory, 22 is a display, 23 is an input device such as a mouse and keyboard, and 24 is a magnetic disk device. Files 24a to 24d are stored in the magnetic disk device 24, and 24a is a history information file (1b in FIG. 1) and 24b.
Is a frequency information knowledge file (4b in FIG. 1), 24c is a menu hierarchy knowledge file (5b in FIG. 1), and 24d is a frequency search rule knowledge file (5d in FIG. 1).

In this embodiment, the history information storage unit 1, menu control unit 2, menu selection frequency information generation unit 4 of FIG.
The function of each means of the menu hierarchy changing unit 5 is the CP of FIG.
The program is executed in U20 and the memory 21.

Next, the structure of each of the files 24a to 24d will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows the structure of the history information file (24a). This history information file records a history of menu selections when a function (application) is executed through menu selections. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, in the set of history information 30, the history number 30a assigned at the head and the number of menu layers 3
0b is stored, and after that, data for one layer formed by three pieces of information of a menu number 31a, a menu name 31b, and a menu selection item (item selected in this menu) 31c is stored. After that, 32a ~
The data of the next layer constituted by 32c is stored, and the “execution application” 33 selected and executed last in this history is stored. The history number 30a is a serial number indicating the recording order of the history and is used when searching for the history. The number of menu layers 30b is the number of menu layers until the application is started, and the number of menu numbers and menu selection items is determined by this numerical value. The menu number and menu name are numbers and names given to the menus, and are unique numbers and names except for the same item from different layers, and the menu number and name of the selected item are recorded. The execution application is an application started from the item selected from the menu. Such history information is stored sequentially as it occurs,
When a certain capacity (capacity can be specified) is reached, the old data that was previously stored is erased and written on it.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the frequency information knowledge file (24b). A. of FIG. Shows the structure (format) of the frequency information knowledge file. In this file, after the title of "frequency knowledge", the top menu name 4
0 and each selection item 41 included in the menu are arranged in order, and the selection number 42 indicating the number of times each selection item 41 is selected is stored. This menu name information is followed by similar information 4 for the menu name 40 ', which is the lower hierarchy.
1 ', 42', etc. are stored, and the frequency knowledge about each menu is sequentially stored. B. of FIG. Is a specific example of the frequency information knowledge file, and the selection items in the menu name “TOP” are 4 from “SUB-1” to “SUB-4”.
There is one, and the item “SUB-1” indicates that the item has been selected 10 times. In addition, the menu name "SUB-1" displayed when this item is selected includes a plurality of selection items "" S
UB-1-1 "to" SUB-1-4 ", and the number of times each is selected is" 3 "," 3 "," 3 "," 3 ",
Is an example.

FIG. 5 shows a menu hierarchy knowledge file (24
It is explanatory drawing of c). A. of FIG. Structure of menu hierarchy knowledge file, B. A specific example is shown in. This file records information about the hierarchy of menus in the form of knowledge used in menu hierarchy inference, and stores information about the hierarchy of menus determined when the system was developed. The name of the file or "execution application" is stored after "Menu hierarchy". Next, "mode" is stored, which stores a display indicating whether the layer is a menu selection or application execution, and then, in the case of menu selection, selection items are stored in order, and in the case of an execution application, its name is stored. To be done. Also, when the same menu and execution application that are called from different layers exist, there is no need to perform duplicate registration because they are derived by inference.

B. In the example, a mode called menu is displayed after the first menu name "TOP", "SUB-1" ... Is stored as a selection item, and B. A menu name "SUB-1-1-5" is stored in the center of the box, indicating that the mode is the execution application name "APP1".

FIG. 6 shows a frequency search rule knowledge file (24
It is a block diagram of d). This file is the knowledge used to infer the menu selection frequency, and the system user can set whether the hierarchical level of the search destination is T (specified numerical value is set by input condition) or NIL (not set), Setting whether the relative hierarchy level of the search destination is T or NIL, whether to execute when the search destination is an application (T) or to stop before that (NIL), cannot be omitted (need to clarify the progress in the middle) It is possible to set conditions necessary for inference, such as setting whether or not it is a menu (when setting, set the menu name). In principle, in inference using frequency, select the one with the highest frequency.

Menu selection is performed in the information processing apparatus of FIG. 2 using each of the above files, and FIG. 7 is a processing flow of an embodiment of menu selection. When the process starts, the initial menu selection is first performed and displayed on the display (22 in FIG. 2) (S1 in FIG. 7), and then it is determined whether or not the condition input for menu selection is performed (S).
2). At this time, in the case of selecting a menu omitting the middle hierarchy or setting the condition of the inference rule (see the rule in FIG. 6), an instruction to select the condition input is input (S3 of the same).

Specifically, when a message asking whether or not to input the condition is displayed on the screen, or when a mark for designating the condition input is displayed on a part of the screen, the former input device (Fig. 2 of 23) to “YES” or “NO”
In the latter case, the condition is entered by hitting that mark, and the condition input menu is displayed. For example, "history selection", "frequency inference", "condition setting", etc. are displayed.

At the time of this condition input, if the user wants to change the menu hierarchy without omitting the middle hierarchy due to the inference using the history information, "History selection" is selected, and the middle hierarchy is omitted by the inference using the frequency information. If you want to select the menu, select "Frequency inference", and if you want to set the conditions of the inference rule, select "Condition setting" and enter it.

When the condition input is completed, it is judged whether or not the history is selected (at step S4). When history selection is selected by the above condition input, or when the target application name is input, the menu history information file 24a is searched and read (S5), and the history corresponding to the condition is selected. The menu hierarchy is changed to the change destination menu obtained by performing (S6).
If history selection is not specified, it is determined whether hierarchy omission is specified (S7). Here, if "frequency inference" is set by the above condition input, or if the menu is specified by omitting the middle hierarchy, inference of the menu selection frequency (see FIG.
5c) is executed. With this inference, the selection frequency using the frequency search rule knowledge file 24d is inferred, and the menu having the highest frequency and meeting the conditions is selected (S
8).

The item to be selected next is judged to infer the menu hierarchy using the menu hierarchy knowledge file 24c (see FIG. 1).
5a) is executed (at step S9). The result obtained by this inference is judged whether or not the input condition (input in S3) is satisfied (at step S10), and if not satisfied, further inference is performed on the next layer. If the condition is satisfied, it is determined whether the destination selected by the shortcut (halfway omitted) is the menu (application if not) (S1 in the same step).
1) In the case of a menu, the process returns to S7 and the menu selection is continued.

If the layer omission is not designated in the above S7, the menu of the next layer is selected as usual (S12), and it is judged whether the menu is an execution application (S13). In the case of S7, in the case of an execution application, in order to write it in the history information file 24a, it is first checked whether the history information is a prescribed number (corresponding to the file capacity) or more, and if it is the prescribed number or more, the prescribed information is prescribed. The number is deleted (S14), and the menu history information until reaching this application is written in the history information file 24a (S15). Next, frequency information is created corresponding to the written history information and the frequency information knowledge file 24
The contents of b are updated (at step S16). Then, the selected application is activated (S17).

Next, a simple operation example of menu selection using the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 shows an example of normal menu selection. Screen A on the first display
Displays a menu named "TOP" at the highest level, and a plurality of selection items "SUB-1" to
"SUB-4" is displayed. In addition, in the upper right corner, a display (□ for specifying the auxiliary menu for specifying the condition input)
Mark) is displayed. The display of this auxiliary menu is present in all menus in order to allow omission from the middle hierarchy.

When "SUB-2" is selected in this menu as shown in B, a menu such as C in which the name of the lower layer menu is "SUB-2" is displayed. From the selection items in this C menu, select "SUB-2-
When "1" is selected, the menu of the lower layer of C is displayed as shown in D. The selection items of this D are all applications, and the desired application (A
When PLI2) is specified, the corresponding application is executed. In addition, "QUIT" at the bottom of the screen of C and D is used to return this to the layer one level higher than the current layer,
It is executed by selecting this.

FIG. 9 shows an example of executing history selection in the menu hierarchy changing method. 9A shows a state in which the mark of the auxiliary menu is selected (hit) in the initial menu (A in FIG. 8) and the auxiliary menu is selected. This auxiliary menu a may be displayed by a multi window. In this auxiliary menu a, three items of condition input, history execution, and frequency inference are displayed, and in this example, history execution is selected. Then, in B of FIG. 9, the history execution selection display menu is displayed in the auxiliary menu as shown in b. As for this content, the history for reaching each previously executed application is displayed in order.

When one desired history is selected from these, the middle layer is automatically specified up to the menu for specifying the application according to the contents of the history information, and the target application is executed. In the case of FIG. 9, the change of the two layers C and D from the state of B is automatically expanded and the target E menu is executed.

FIG. 10 shows an example of executing frequency inference in the menu hierarchy changing method. 10A is an initial menu. At this time, when "SUB-1" is designated, and then the mark of the auxiliary menu is selected as in the case of FIG. 9A, the auxiliary menu a is displayed.

When frequency inference is selected in this auxiliary menu a, frequency inference is executed, and a menu in which an application that is frequently used is designated based on the menu hierarchy knowledge, frequency search rule knowledge, and frequency information knowledge is displayed in the middle hierarchy. The designation is done automatically. As a result, the menu in the state B ("SUB-2") in Fig. 10 automatically shifts to the application layer "SUB-2-1" in C, and the menu "SUB-2-1" is displayed. When the application "APLI2" is selected here, it is executed.

In the above embodiment, when changing the menu hierarchy, the middle hierarchy is omitted (the middle hierarchy is automatically specified).
It does not show the configuration that assigns the generated menu hierarchy to the menu key.

[0032]

According to the present invention, when a function is selected by a menu and a similar operation is repeated, the selection item at the time of selecting the menu and the hierarchy of the menu are recorded as selection operation keys and history information of the number of operations. , It is frequently used because it can generate the frequency information knowledge of menu selection from the history information and reproduce the frequently used menu selection operation by inference according to the user's request when the menu is selected later. It is possible to simplify the procedure of function selection by omitting selection in the middle hierarchy of the menu. Then, the occurrence of repetition is reduced and the menu selection operation is simplified.

Further, even if the system becomes more sophisticated and the number of function items to be selected increases, it is possible to construct a system in which the operability of menu selection is maintained well, and a human machine of a system for selecting a function using a menu. -It is possible to improve the interface (HMI).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an information processing device in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 3 is a structure of a history information file.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a frequency information knowledge file.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a menu hierarchy knowledge file.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a frequency search rule knowledge file.

FIG. 7 is a process flow of an example of menu selection.

FIG. 8 is an example of normal menu selection.

FIG. 9 is an example of executing history selection in the menu hierarchy changing method.

FIG. 10 is an example of executing frequency inference in the menu hierarchy changing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 history information storage unit 1a menu history calling unit 1b history information file 1c menu history recording unit 2 menu control unit 3 input / output unit 4 menu selection frequency information knowledge generating unit 4a frequency information creating unit 4b frequency information knowledge file 5 menu hierarchy changing unit 5a menu hierarchy inference means 5b menu hierarchy knowledge file 5c menu selection frequency inference means 5d frequency detection rule knowledge file 5e search condition setting means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A menu hierarchy changing method in an information processing apparatus in which a target application is selected by selecting a menu of a plurality of layers, wherein the menu items are selected sequentially, the number of selections, and the selected menu. A history information storage unit that stores the operating procedure up to the screen in which items are displayed and the menu hierarchy as history information for menu selection, and menu selection frequency information knowledge that generates menu selection frequency information knowledge based on menu selection history information. A generation unit, a menu hierarchy change unit that generates a menu hierarchy that omits the middle hierarchy up to the hierarchy of the menu screen specified using the menu selection frequency information knowledge and the menu hierarchy knowledge,
The menu control unit includes an input / output unit and a menu control unit connected to the menu control unit. The menu control unit uses the history information of the history information storage unit to change the menu hierarchy in response to a request for selecting a change of the menu hierarchy based on a history. The menu in the information processing apparatus is characterized in that the menu hierarchy changing unit is driven in response to a request to change the menu hierarchy, and the menu hierarchy is generated by inference using the frequency information knowledge to change the menu hierarchy. Hierarchy change method.