JPH06259216A - Method and device for audibly recognizing window - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To recognize the selection of a window without visually confirming a picture by outputting sound data corresponding to window identification information in response to the window identification information, converting the sound data into voice signals and supplying them to an alarm. CONSTITUTION:In a multiwindow displayed on the screen of a display device, the window identification information to identify the window at the time of positioning a pointer is outputted and outputted from a window identification information reporting means 8. The window identification information is used for outputting a sound code corresponding to the window identification information. The sound code read from a sound code storage means 10 is transferred from a window display control means 4 to a window display program 1 corresponding to the window identification information, and the sound data corresponding to the sound code are read from the sound code storage means. The sound data are converted to voice signals and supplied to the alarm and corresponding to a sound generated from the alarm, a user recognizes the window where the pointer is positioned.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a window listening method and apparatus for recognizing a window displayed in a multi-window format by voice.

With the widespread use of workstations and personal computers, great interest has been given to their user-friendly interfaces. One form of that interface is the multi-window display system. This multi-window display system is capable of displaying on the screen in a multi-window format via a keyboard or console provided in a conventional display device. Then, the multi-window display system enables the user of the system to execute different processes in a plurality of windows displayed on the screen of one display device. For example, it becomes possible to perform compilation of a certain program in one window and edit a sentence in another window at the same time. At that time, the user needs to recognize each window being used.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a multi-window device,
The selection method by which the user selects a desired window from among a plurality of windows displayed on the screen of the display device is as follows.

For example, when a mouse is used as a pointing device, a mouse cursor (pointer) for selecting a window can be displayed on the screen of a display device.

First, the user operates the mouse to move the mouse cursor into a desired window while gazing at the mouse cursor displayed on the screen of the display device. Then, the user clicks the mouse to select the desired window. At that time, in order to make the user recognize that the window has been selected, a means for thickening the frame of the window or changing the color of the frame is used as a signal of the selection. That is, the operator needs to operate the pointing device while visually confirming the position of the pointer on the screen of the display device in order to select the window.

[0006]

In this visual recognition technique, the pointer is moved to select a window,
It is essential that the user visually confirms the result.
Therefore, if you frequently select windows,
Eye fatigue occurs because the result must be visually recognized for each selection.

Even if a person who can perform a blind touch (a person who can type each key on the keyboard without looking at the screen), the window is switched every time the window is switched when inputting while referring to a certain document. Since the user has to look away from the screen, movement of the neck causes fatigue.

The present invention was created in view of the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a window recognizing method and an apparatus for recognizing a window selection without visually recognizing the screen. .

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows a principle block diagram of the invention according to claims 3, 5, and 6. FIG. 2 shows a principle block diagram of the invention according to claims 4 to 6.

The invention according to claim 1 outputs the window identification information of the window where the pointer is located among the multi-windows displayed in the multi-window format,
It is characterized in that sound data corresponding to the window identification information is output in response to the window identification information, the sound data is converted into an audio signal and supplied to a sounding device.

The invention according to claim 2 outputs the window identification information of the window where the pointer is located among the multi-windows displayed in the multi-window format,
A sound code corresponding to the window identification information is output in response to the window identification information, sound data corresponding to the response code is output in response to the sound code, and the sound data is converted into an audio signal to output a sound signal. It is characterized by supplying to.

The invention according to claim 3 is, as shown in FIG. 1, window display control means 4 for displaying the contents of each window display program 1 to be executed on the screen of the display device 2 in a multi-window format, Indicator 6 for instructing one of the multi-windows displayed in the multi-window format, and window identification information for notifying the window display control means 4 of the window identification information in response to the output of the indicator 6. Notification means 8
In a multi-window display device having, a sound code storage means 10 for storing a sound code provided for the window display program 1, a sound data storage means 12 for storing sound data corresponding to the sound code, and a sound generator 14. And a drive means 16 for converting sound data into a sound signal and supplying the sound signal to the sound generator 14, and the window display control means 4
Responds to the window identification information from the window identification information notifying means 8 and requests the window display program 1 corresponding to the window identification information to read out the sound code, and the window display program 1 corresponding to the window identification information The sound data corresponding to the read sound code is read from the sound data storage means 12 and supplied to the drive means 16.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the window display control means 4 for displaying the contents of each window display program to be executed on the screen of the display device 2 in a multi-window format, and the multi-window control means. 1 of the multi-windows displayed in window format
In the multi-window display device having an indicator 6 for indicating one window and a window identification information notifying means 8 for notifying the window display control means 4 of the window identification information in response to the output of the indicator 6, the window A sound code storage means 10A for storing a sound code provided corresponding to the identification information, a sound data storage means 12 for storing sound data corresponding to the sound code, a sound generator 14, and a sound data converted into a sound signal. A drive means 16 for supplying to the sound generator 14 is provided, and the window display control means 4 is
In response to the window identification information from the window identification information notifying means 8, the sound code corresponding to the window identification information is read from the sound code storage means 10A, and the read sound data corresponding to the sound code is stored in the sound data storage means. 12
It is characterized in that it is read out from and supplied to the driving means 16.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the window listening apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, the drive means 16 can set the time for supplying the audio signal to the sound generator 14. Characterize that.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the window listening apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, the window display control means 4 controls the sending of sound data to the driving means 16 or a sound code. It is characterized in that the setting is performed so that the reading control of is not performed.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the pointer is located in a window among the multiple windows displayed on the screen of the display device in the multi-window format, window identification information for identifying the window is output. It This window identification information is output from the window identification information notifying means 8 in the invention according to claims 3 to 6.

The window identification information is used to output sound data corresponding to the window identification information. In the inventions according to Claims 3, 5, and 6, the sound code storage unit 10 responds to the sound code read request from the window display control unit 4 to the window display program 1 corresponding to the window identification information. After transferring the sound code read from the window display control means 4 to the window display control means 4, the window display control means 4 receiving the sound code from the window display program 1 causes the sound data storage means 12 to generate a sound corresponding to the sound code. This is done by reading the data. In claims 4 to 6, after the sound code corresponding to the window identification information by the window display control means 4 in response to the window identification information is read from the sound code storage means 10A, it is read from the sound code storage means 10A. This is done by reading the sound data corresponding to the sound code from the sound data storage means 12 using the sound code that has been issued.

The sound data is converted into an audio signal and supplied to the sounding device, and the sound emitted from the sounding device enables the user to recognize the window in which the pointer is located.
The conversion of sound data into a voice signal is performed by any one of claims 3 to 6.
Then, the driving means 16 is used.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the pointer is located in a window among the multiple windows displayed on the screen of the display device in the multi-window format, window identification information for identifying the window is output. It This window identification information is output from the window identification information notifying means 8 in the invention according to claims 3 to 6.

The window identification information is used to output a sound code corresponding to the window identification information. In the inventions according to claims 3, 5, and 6, the output of this sound code responds to the request for reading the sound code from the window display control means 4 to the window display program 1 corresponding to the window identification information. Then, the sound code read out from the sound code storage means 10 is transferred to the window display control means 4. In the fourth to sixth aspects, the window display control means 4 responding to the window identification information reads out the sound code corresponding to the window identification information from the sound code storage means 10A. In the invention according to claim 6, the drive circuit 16 in the window display control means 4
The processing for the multi-window is performed by not sending the sound data to the drive circuit 16 or by not reading the sound code by the setting that does not control the sending of the sound data to or the reading of the sound code. You can also do it.

The read sound code is used to output sound data corresponding to the sound code. In the inventions according to claims 3, 5, and 6, the output of the sound data is performed by the window display control means 4 which has received the sound code from the window display program, and is read from the sound data storage means 12. In the invention according to claims 4 to 6, the sound code storage means 10 is performed.
It is performed by reading from the sound data storage means 12 using the sound code read from A.

The sound data is converted into an audio signal and supplied to the sounding device, and the sound emitted from the sounding device enables the user to recognize the window where the pointer is located.
The conversion of sound data into a voice signal is performed by any one of claims 3 to 6.
Then, the driving means 16 is used. In the invention according to claim 5, the audio signal is supplied to the sound generator 14 for the sending time set in the driving means 16 described above.

As described above, the designated window can be recognized by voice. Therefore, it is not necessary to stare at the screen, which helps reduce eye fatigue. In addition, a person who can perform blind touch can easily input necessary items while looking at documents and the like without looking at the screen.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention according to claims 1 to 3. In FIG. 3, 30 is a window server, and the window server 30 is a display device 32.
Display each window displayed on the screen. A window display program (task) 34 is prepared for each window, and each window display program performs display processing of the window under the control of the operating system 36. The operating system manages memory and disks for multi-window processing. Window display program 34
In addition to the conventional configuration, the sound code storage area 35
It also reads the sound code from. This reading is performed in response to a sound code reading request from the window server 30. The display program 37 is for displaying a background on the screen of the display device 32. The display program 37 also reads the sound code from the sound code storage unit 39.

The window server 30 has a mouse 3 again.
8, a keyboard 40, and a speaker 42 are connected. The mouse 38 is used for selecting a window or the like. The keyboard 40 is used to input a predetermined command or the like in a character format. The speaker 42 sounds the voice in response to the voice signal described later.

The window server 30 includes a window display control means 44, a display driver 46 and a signal coding circuit 4.
8, a sound data storage unit 50, and an audio signal output circuit 52. The window display control means 44 controls the display driver 46, the signal coding circuit 48, the sound data storage unit 50, the audio signal output circuit 52, and the window display program 34. The control operation also includes setting of sending or stopping a read request of the sound code to the window display program 34, or sending or stopping of sound data to the audio signal output circuit 52. The display driver 46 converts the coded display control signal from the window display control means 44 into a display sweep signal and supplies it to the display device 32. Signal coding circuit 4
Reference numeral 8 codes the signals from the mouse 38 and the keyboard 40 and supplies them to the window display control means 44. The sound data storage unit 50 stores sound data corresponding to sound codes. The audio signal output circuit 52 converts the sound data supplied from the window display control means 44 into an audio signal and supplies it to the speaker 42. The audio signal output circuit 52 also sets the sending time of the audio signal to the speaker 42.

In FIG. 3, the display processing corresponding portions of the window display program 34 and the operating system 36 correspond to the window display program 1 of FIG. The window display control means 44 corresponds to the window display control means 4 in FIG. The mouse 38 corresponds to the indicator 6 of FIG. 1, and the signal coding circuit 48 corresponds to the window identification information notifying means 8 of FIG. Sound code storage unit 3
Reference numeral 5 corresponds to the sound code storage means 10 in FIG. 1, and the sound data storage section 50 corresponds to the sound data storage means 12 in FIG. The audio signal output circuit 52 corresponds to the drive circuit 16 of FIG. 1, and the speaker 42 corresponds to the sound generator 14 of FIG.

The operation of the multi-window display system having the above configuration will be described below. For convenience of description, it is assumed that display data is displayed on the screen of the display device 32 in a multi-window format.

In this operating state, the user uses the mouse 3
It is assumed that the pointer is moved to a window in the multi-window by using 8. The signal encoding circuit 48 detects the amount of movement of the mouse 38 moved during the movement and passes it to the window display control means 44 (see S1 in FIG. 4). When the amount of movement is received (see yes in S2 of FIG. 4), the window display control means 44 determines whether the pointer has entered another window (see S3 of FIG. 4).
When the pointer enters another window (S3 in Fig. 4
The window display control means 44 requests the sound code to the window display program 34 corresponding to the entered window (see S4 in FIG. 4).

Upon receiving the sound code, the window display control means 44 reads out the sound data corresponding to the sound code from the sound data storage unit 50 and outputs the sound data to the sound signal output circuit 5.
Transfer to 2. The audio signal output circuit 52 converts the sound data into an audio signal and supplies the audio signal to the speaker 42. The sound data is melody data whose timbre or maximum length is determined.

The operation flow from the above-mentioned instruction to the supply of the audio signal to the speaker 42 is shown by a dotted line in FIG.
Thus, the speaker 42 emits a tone color or melody corresponding to the window designated by the mouse 38,
By listening to it, the user can recognize the window where the pointer is located without looking at the screen. It helps reduce eye fatigue because it eliminates the need to stare at the screen. A person who can perform blind touch does not need to look at the screen, and can easily perform input while viewing documents and the like. Only by changing the sound code, it becomes possible to change the timbre or melody heard by the user.

Next, FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention according to claim 1, claim 2 and claim 4. This embodiment is characterized in that the window display control means 44 itself reads the sound code to be read in response to the entry into another window. Therefore, the sound code storage unit 54 storing the sound code is directly accessed by the window display control means 44.

In FIG. 5, the display processing corresponding portions of the window display program 34 and the operating system 36 correspond to the window display program of FIG.
The window display control means 44 corresponds to the window display control means 4 in FIG. The mouse 38 is the indicator 6 of FIG.
The signal coding circuit 48 corresponds to the window identification information notifying means 8 in FIG. Sound code storage 54
2 corresponds to the sound code storage unit 10A in FIG. 2, and the sound data storage unit 50 corresponds to the sound data storage unit 12 in FIG. The audio signal output circuit 52 corresponds to the driving means 16 in FIG. 2, and the speaker 42 corresponds to the sound generator 14 in FIG.

The other operations except for the above-mentioned configuration change are the same as those described with reference to FIG. That is, when it is recognized that the pointer has entered another window by moving the mouse 38 (see yes in S3 of FIG. 6),
The sound code corresponding to the window is the sound code storage unit 5.
4 is read by the window display control means 44. The subsequent operation is the same as that described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 shows the flow of operations from the above-mentioned instruction to the supply of the audio signal to the speaker 42 in the operation of this embodiment.
Is indicated by a dotted line.

Therefore, in this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the embodiment of FIG. 3, the structure of the window display program is simplified accordingly, and the load on the window display program is lightened accordingly. is there.

In the above two embodiments, the sound data is obtained via the sound code. However, it is desirable to variably set the sound data and the sound data as in the above embodiments. If not, the sound data fixedly associated with the other window is supplied to the audio signal output circuit 52 in response to the determination that the window display control means has entered another window. May be.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to recognize by voice which window among the multiple windows displayed in the multiple window format the pointer is located. Therefore, it is not necessary to stare at the screen, which helps reduce eye fatigue. In addition, a person who can perform blind touch can easily input necessary items while looking at documents and the like without looking at the screen.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a principle block diagram of the invention according to claim 3, claim 5, and claim 6;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a principle block diagram of the invention according to claims 4 to 6;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the invention according to claims 1 to 3, claim 5, and claim 6;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the invention according to claim 1, claim 2, and claims 4 to 6;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 window display program 4 window display control means 6 indicator 8 window identification information notifying means 10 sound code storage means 10A sound code storage means 12 sound data storage means 14 sound generator 16 driving means 34 window display program 35 sound code storage section 36 Operating system 44 Window display control means 38 Mouse 48 Signal coding circuit 50 Sound data storage unit 52 Voice signal output circuit 54 Sound code storage unit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Noriko Ikeda 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fujitsu Limited

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Outputting window identification information of a window where a pointer is located among multi windows displayed in the multi-window format, and outputting sound data corresponding to the window identification information in response to the window identification information. A window recognizing method characterized by converting the sound data into a sound signal and supplying the sound signal to a sounding device. 2. The window identification information of the window where the pointer is located among the multi windows displayed in the multi-window format is output, and the sound code corresponding to the window identification information is output in response to the window identification information. A window listening method characterized by outputting sound data corresponding to the sound code in response to the sound code, converting the sound data into a sound signal, and supplying the sound signal to a sounding device. 3. Window display control means (4) for displaying the contents of each window display program (1) to be executed on the screen of the display device (2) in a multi-window format, An indicator (6) for instructing one of the existing multi-windows, and a window identification information notification for notifying the window display control means (4) of the window identification information in response to the output of the indicator (6). In a multi-window display device having means (8), a sound code storage means (10) for storing a sound code provided for a window display program and a sound data storage means (12) for storing sound data corresponding to the sound code. ) And a sounding device (14) and a driving means (16) for converting sound data into a sound signal and supplying the sound signal to the sounding device (14). The window display control means (4) responds to the window identification information from the window identification information notifying means (8) with a sound code for the window display program (1) corresponding to the window identification information. A request is made for reading, and sound data corresponding to the sound code read by the window display program corresponding to the window identification information is read from the sound data storing means (12) and supplied to the driving means (16). Window listening device. 4. Window display control means (4) for displaying the contents of each window display program to be executed on the screen of the display device (2) in a multi-window format.
An indicator (6) for designating one of the multi-windows displayed in the multi-window format, and window identification information for displaying window identification information in response to an output of the indicator (6). In a multi-window display device having a window identification information notifying means (8) for notifying (4), a sound code storage means (10A) for storing a sound code provided corresponding to the window identification information, and a sound code correspondence means A sound data storage means (12) for storing sound data; a sounding device (14); and a driving means (16) for converting the sound data into a sound signal and supplying the sound signal to the sounding device (14). The window display control means (4) produces a sound code corresponding to the window identification information in response to the window identification information from the window identification information notifying means (8). The sound data corresponding to the read sound code is read from the chord storage means (10A), the sound data is read from the sound data storage means (12), and the drive means (16) is read.
Window listening device characterized by supplying to. 5. The window listening apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the driving means (16) is capable of setting a time for supplying an audio signal to the sound generator (14). Characterizing window listening device. 6. The window listening apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the window display control means (4) controls the sending of sound data to the driving means (16) or reads the sound code. A window listening device, which is characterized in that settings are made without controlling the above.