JPH06139040A - Function selection screen managing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To generate the function selection screen of a user specification, and to use the picture of the function selection screen for many purposes by allowing it to have the elements of an interior and a picture. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with a character picture managing means 103 which manages each kind of character picture and the character number, a background picture managing means 104 which manages a background picture and the background number, and a name and picture managing means 105 which manages a function name, the picture, and the address of a control program which executes the function. When the background number, the character number, the function name, and the designated area of the background picture are set from a picture information setting means 106, a screen generating means 107 reads the background picture, character picture, and function name and picture from each picture managing means 103-105, and generates the function selecting screen by synthesizing those pictures in the designated area of the background picture. A display control means 108 allows a display means 101 to display the picture of the generated function selecting screen on the screen, and outputs the address of the control program selected by an output from a selecting means 102 to a function executing means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a function selection screen management device for managing a function selection screen mounted on a word processor having various functions, an information processing device or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a first conventional example in function selection from a function selection screen of a word processor, an information processing apparatus, etc., as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, a character in a designated frame created on a fixed screen is displayed. A method is known in which a function is selected by instructing the function name portion of an image with a cursor, a tablet pen, or the like to execute the function. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing Example 1 of the function selection screen of Conventional Example 1, and FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing Example 2 of the function selection screen of Conventional Example 1.

As another conventional example 2, as shown in FIG. 19, when the design of the character frame of the function selection screen is designated by the cursor, some of the designs are changed and the function is stopped during execution. In some cases, the user is informed of the processing stage in the middle of execution. FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a character image on the function selection screen of the second conventional example. Also, FIG.
6 is a schematic flow chart showing the processing operation of function selection and function execution on the function selection screens of Conventional Example 1 and Conventional Example 2. In FIG. 20, step 201: When a function key is input, the function function is executed (the same applies to Conventional Example 1 and Conventional Example 2). Step 202: In the conventional example 1, when the function is designated with the execution key, the designated function is executed, but in the conventional example 2, when the function is being executed and the function is stopped, the character image showing the processing stage in the middle of execution is sequentially changed ( 19a → 19b → 19
c).

Further, as another conventional example 3, for the purpose of protecting the display unit and saving power, there is one in which the image of the function selection screen becomes thin and disappears when the operation is not performed for a predetermined time. Particularly, in the operation confirmation of the function selection screen which is completely inorganic except the original function like the function selection screen of the conventional example 2, a little character change is given to a part of the character image to make it interesting. It is attached.

[0005]

However, in the conventional example 2 as well, the character image is a pattern exchange in the character image frame which is fixedly fixed in advance for operation confirmation, and can be freely created by the user. It is not a function selection screen. The function selection screen is a screen that is always displayed when the power is turned on, and it is not necessary to fix the image of the function selection screen. Originally, if the image can be changed to an image that suits the user's taste in each situation, further Another added value is created.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and enables the creation of a user-specific function selection screen, and the created image of the function selection screen depends on factors such as season / time. By automatically changing,
Provided is a function selection screen management device capable of using a versatile function selection screen which can have elements of interior and painting from a simple image of an information processing device.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the present invention is an information processing apparatus having a function executing means for executing various information processing functions, and a display means 101 for displaying a function selection screen for selecting a desired function from the various information processing functions.
A selection means 102 for selecting a desired function from the function selection screen, and a character image management means 1 for managing various character images indicating the types of functions and their character numbers.
03, a background image management unit 104 that manages a background image that is the background of the character image and its background number, a function name that indicates the function name of the character image, the image, and the address of the control program that executes the function. Name image managing means 105, image setting means 106 for setting a background number, a character number, a function name and a designated area for the background image for creating a function selection screen, and each image management based on each set image number. A screen creating means 107 which reads out a background image, a character image, and a function name image from the means and synthesizes the character image and the function name image in a designated area of the background image to create an image of the function selecting screen.
And the display control means 108 for displaying the created image of the function selection screen on the screen of the display means 101 and outputting the address of the control program selected by the output from the selection means 102 to the function execution means. It is a characteristic function selection screen management device.

An image reading means 109 for reading the background image and the character image is further provided, and when the background image and the character image are read from the image reading means 109, the background image management means 104 changes the background image to the read background image. The background number is preferably set and managed, and the character image management means 103 is preferably configured to set and manage the character number for the read character image.

The image setting means 106 can further set the operator name and the season / time as the display condition of the function selection screen, and when the display condition is set,
The screen creating means 107 replaces the background image, the character image and the function name image based on the set display condition and each image number to create the image of the function selecting screen, and the display control means 108 displays the season / time of the display condition. It is preferable that the image of the function selection screen is periodically switched based on the above.

When the display control means 108 determines that no selection operation is performed on the function selection screen from the selection means 102 for a predetermined time, the screen selection means 107 displays the function selection screen only on the background image. It is preferable that the screen is created and displayed on the display means 101, and when any input operation is performed, the previously selected function selection screen is called and displayed from the screen creation means 107.

In the present invention, as the display means 101, a display device such as a CRT display device, an LCD (liquid crystal display device) or an EL display device is used. As the selection unit 102 and the image information setting unit 106, an input device such as a keyboard, a tablet pen, a pointing device, a mouse, and a function selection screen of the display unit 101 are used. The character image management means 103, the background image management means 104, the name image management means 105, the screen creation means 107, and the display control means 108 are CPs.
It is preferable to use a microcomputer including U, ROM, RAM and I / O ports. In particular, the storage unit provided in the character image management unit 103, the background image management unit 104, and the name image management unit 105 includes a RAM,
An external storage device such as an FDD (floppy disk device) or an HDD (hard disk device) is used. An image scanner is generally used as the image reading unit 109.

[0012]

According to the present invention, referring to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a function selection for selecting a desired function from various information processing functions in an information processing apparatus having a function executing means for executing various information processing functions. A screen is displayed by the display means 101, and the selection means 102 selects a desired function from the function selection screen. Character image management means 103 that manages various character images indicating the type of function and their character numbers, background image management means 104 that manages the background image that is the background of the character image and its background number, and the function name of the character image. A name image management unit 105 that manages the function name to be displayed, its image, and the address of the control program that executes the function is provided, and the image information setting unit 106
When the background number, the character number, the function name, and the designated area of the background image for creating the function selection screen from are set, the screen creating means 107 causes the background image from each image managing means based on each of the set image numbers. , Character image,
The function name image is read and the character image and the function name image are combined in the designated area of the background image to create the image of the function selection screen. Therefore, the display control means 108 can display the created image of the function selection screen on the screen of the display means 101 and output the address of the control program selected by the output from the selection means 102 to the function execution means.

Image reading means 109 for reading the background image and the character image is further provided, and when the background image and the character image are read from the image reading means 109, the background image management means 104 changes the background image to the read background image. A background number is set and managed, and the character image management means 103 is configured to set and manage a character number for the read character image. Therefore, the user-specified function selection not installed in the apparatus is selected. The screen can be created.

The image setting means 106 can further set the operator name and the season / time as the display condition of the function selection screen, and when the display condition is set,
The screen creating means 107 replaces the background image, the character image and the function name image based on the set display condition and each image number to create the image of the function selecting screen, and the display control means 108 displays the season / time of the display condition. Since the image of the function selection screen is periodically switched based on the above, it is possible to display the function selection screen that is varied depending on the season / time.

When the display control means 108 determines that the selection operation is not performed from the selection means 102 on the function selection screen for a predetermined time, the screen selection means 107 displays the function selection screen of only the background image. When the screen is created and displayed on the display means 101, and when any input operation is performed, the previously selected function selection screen is called from the screen creation means 107 and displayed. In addition to showing, it is possible to display a screen with elements of interior and painting.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the function selection screen management apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the configuration is as follows in order to realize this embodiment. 1 is C
It is a PU (Central Processing Unit), and reads a character image, a background image, a name image, and a function selection screen by the image data management program of the function selection screen of the present invention, the screen data creation program, and the control program for executing various functions Screen management such as creation, registration, screen switching, various information processing, display data processing, and print data processing are performed. Two
Is a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a memory that stores the data of the main control program and the image data of the function selection screen that is installed in advance. 3 is RAM
(Random access memory), character image data area for managing character image / character number data, background image data area for managing background image / background number data, name image / name number data / program address The memory includes a name image data area, a screen creation data area in which a function selection screen is created, display data, an area in which print data is stored, and the like.

A keyboard 4 is provided with a kana character key, a numerical key, a conversion key, and a function key for instructing / executing a series of operations for function selection and display conditions from the function selection screen. An image scanner 5 is an apparatus for freely inputting image data of a character image and a background image from the outside in order to create a user-specified function selection screen. A display unit 6 is composed of an LCD, a CRT display, etc. for displaying display data of a function selection screen and an execution screen of various information processing functions. Reference numeral 7 is a tablet pen 7a, a tablet 7b, and a tablet controller 7.
It is a tablet device composed of c, and image data is input and corrected.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an external storage device, which is an image data management program of the present invention, a control program such as a screen data creation program, and a character image / character number,
Background image / background number, name image / program address,
A memory that stores the image data of the created function selection screen, usually FDD (floppy disk device) or HD.
D (hard disk device). A printing unit 9 is composed of a printer such as a thermal transfer printer, a laser printer, or an inkjet printer that outputs print data. Reference numeral 10 denotes a mouse, which is an auxiliary input device used similarly to the keyboard 4 and the tablet device 10.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a function selection screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the function selection screen includes a background image 3a, a character image 3b, and a name image 3c.
It is composed of images of three elements. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a background image of the function selection screen of the first embodiment. Figure 5
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a character image of a function selection screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a function name image on the function selection screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the definition frame (designated area) of the space in which the character image and the function name image are arranged in the background image of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment according to the present invention.
It is an explanatory view showing a function selection screen of. As shown in FIG. 8, it is a function selection screen in which the character image of FIG. 5 and the name image of FIG. 6 are arranged in another designated area in the background image of FIG.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a background image different from the background image of the first embodiment. As described above, for example, various function selection screens can be provided by combining various character images and name images with the background images of FIGS. 4 and 9.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of image data when creating a function selection screen according to the present invention. Figure 10
In the background image data area, there is a background image which is installed in advance and a background image which can be registered by the user by individually inputting the background image using an image scanner, a tablet device, or the like, if necessary. Further, the user background image is not limited to a still image, and can be a moving image.

In the name image data area, a display image of the function name, a function accepting area of the image, and a program destination that executes the function when the function name is selected are registered in association with each other. In the character image data area, there are a character image that is installed in advance and a character image that can be registered by the user by inputting the character image if necessary. Each of these image data is managed by the setting data (background number, character number, function name and designated area of the background image) for creating the function selection screen, and is further created in the screen creation data area to finally be created. It is displayed on the display.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a character registration screen when registering a character image. As shown in FIG. 11, the start address, registered size, and image width of each character image are set. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a creation screen when creating the function selection screen. As shown in FIG. 12, there is a function selection guidance section at the bottom of the creation screen, and in cooperation with the function keys, the functions other than the function name of the character image are designated. Each character image defines the origin with respect to the background image and is arranged in the designated areas A1 to n. Each function name image defines the origin with respect to the background image and is arranged in the designated areas B1 to n. Here, the function name image below the character image is automatically positioned so as to be located at the center of the lower part of the character image.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart showing the processing operation of function selection and function execution on the function selection screen of the present invention. In FIG. 13, step 301: A function selection screen is created in the screen specified situation. Here, the function selection screen (shown in FIG. 7) is defined by the screen designation in the guidance section in FIG. Further, the function selection screen management device of the present invention includes a timer-
It is possible to switch screens depending on the season / time factor in the function selection screen specification process. Step 302: When the function designation by guidance and the function name are selected, the function is executed.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an example of the condition setting screen when the screen is designated in FIG. The name of the function selection screen is defined by the screen number given to the finally created function selection screen. Here, if there are 10 images of the function selection screen to be managed, one of the screen numbers 1 to 10 is input. The conditions (display conditions) of the function selection screen include operator name (user name), season, and time conditions. When the operator name is specified by the guidance in FIG. 12, the operator name is specified so that a screen corresponding to the operator name to be subsequently input is specified, and the screen is switched by the function key input in FIG. It becomes a condition. Enter the month from 1 to 12 when there is no need to specify the season and when there is no season. When there is no need to specify the time, enter nothing. If there is, enter the time from what time.

As a result, the effective time for which the image of the function selection screen is displayed is managed by the timer, and the image replacement is realized. However, if the next image is not defined, the previous image is valid. That is, the defined image becomes valid.

As the background image, either the user background image of FIG. 10 or the serial number of the background number given to the device-mounted background image is designated. For the function name designation, one of the predetermined function names (may be the name number of the function name) is designated. In the character designation, either the user character image of FIG. 10 or the serial number of the character numbers given to the device-installed character image is designated. When the position is designated after these are designated, an image of the function selection screen in the range defined in the shapes of FIGS. 3 and 8 is displayed.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a position designation screen when the character image and the function name image are designated. As shown in FIG. 15, the function name image being defined is displayed below the character being defined, and the position can be freely designated in the image in accordance with the cursor designation.
Then, when the position designation is confirmed, if the execute key is operated, the screen returns to the screen of FIG. When the guidance end key is pressed after all the function names have been defined, the originally selected function selection screen (FIG. 3, FIG. 8, etc.) is displayed. Therefore, it is possible to provide various function selection screens.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the switching display operation of the function selection screen. In FIG. 16, step 401: It is determined whether or not there is key input for a certain period of time on the function selection screen. Step 402: When there is no key input for a certain period of time, the character image and the function name image are omitted from the screen at the stage of image creation, and the function selection screen only for the background image is displayed. If there is any key input, the original function selection screen is displayed. Return to.

[0031]

According to the present invention, it is possible to create a user-specified function selection screen, and the created function selection screen image is periodically changed according to factors such as season / time. It is intended to provide a versatile function selection screen that enables an image of an information processing device to have elements of interior and painting.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a function selection screen management device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a function selection screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a background image of a function selection screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a character image of a function selection screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a function name image on the function selection screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a definition frame (designated area) of a space in which a character image and a function name image are arranged on a background image according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a function selection screen according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a background image different from the background image of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of image data when creating a function selection screen according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a character registration screen when registering a character image.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a creation screen when creating a function selection screen.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart showing the processing operation of function selection and function execution on the function selection screen of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a condition setting screen when a screen is designated in FIG.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a position specifying screen when specifying a position of a character image and a function name image.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a switching display operation of a function selection screen.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of a function selection screen of a first conventional example.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the function selection screen of the first conventional example.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a character image on a function selection screen of Conventional Example 2.

FIG. 20 is a schematic flowchart showing processing operations of function selection and function execution on the function selection screens of the conventional example 1 and the conventional example 2.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 keyboard 5 image scanner 6 display unit 7 tablet device 8 external storage device 9 printing unit 10 mouse

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus comprising a function executing means for executing various information processing functions, a display means for displaying a function selection screen for selecting a desired function from the various information processing functions, and the function selection screen. Selection means for selecting a desired function from among, a character image management means for managing various character images indicating the types of functions and their character numbers, and a background image management for managing a background image as a background of the character image and its background number. Means, a function name indicating the function name of the character image, a name image managing means for managing the image and the address of a control program for executing the function, and a background number, a character number, and a function name for creating the function selection screen. And image information setting means for setting a designated area for the background image, and managing each image based on each set image number A screen creating means for reading a background image, a character image, and a function name image from the means to create a function selecting screen image by combining the character image and the function name image in a designated area of the background image, and the created function selecting screen image Is displayed on the screen of the display means, and the function selection screen management device is provided with display control means for outputting the address of the control program selected by the output from the selection means to the function execution means. 2. The image reading means for reading the background image and the character image is further provided, and when the background image and the character image are read from the image reading means, the background image management means sets a background on the read background image. 2. The function selection screen management device according to claim 1, wherein a number is set and managed, and the character image management means sets and manages a character number for the read character image. 3. The image information setting means can further set an operator name and a season / time as a display condition of the function selection screen, and when the display condition is set,
The screen creating means replaces the background image, the character image and the function name image based on the set display condition and each image number to create the image of the function selecting screen, and the display control means based on the season / time of the display condition. The function selection screen management device according to claim 1, wherein the function selection screen management device controls to switch the image of the function selection screen periodically. 4. The display control means creates a function selection screen of only the background image by the screen creation means when it is determined that the selection operation is not performed from the selection means on the function selection screen for a predetermined time. 2. The function selection according to claim 1, wherein the function selection screen displayed before is displayed from the screen creating means when any input operation is performed, and the function selection screen is controlled to be displayed. Screen management device.