JPH08292870A - Device and method for displaying operation symbol - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a means which easily discriminates an operation symbol by enlarging and displaying the operation symbol displayed on a screen indicated with a pointer. CONSTITUTION: This device is equipped with a display screen 11 where the operation symbol representing information processing operation is displayed, an operation symbol display means 12 which displays the operation symbol, a pointer operating means 13 which operates the pointer for selecting and indicating the operation symbol, a pointer sending means 14 which detects the pointer indication point being present in the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol, and an operation symbol display enlarging means 15 which enlarges and displays the display of the operation symbol when the pointer sensing means 14 senses the presence of the pointer indication point in the pointer sensing area.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention displays an operation symbol representing an information processing operation on a display screen, operates a pointer to select the displayed operation symbol, and gives an instruction to start the corresponding information processing. The present invention relates to an operation symbol display device that starts an operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The spread of graphical user interfaces (hereinafter referred to as GUI) in computers has greatly improved the operability of computers. For example, in the GUI, operation symbols such as a picture of a button on the operation unit of the hardware device or a picture of an information processing operation that is intuitively recognized are displayed on the screen, and the screen is displayed by a pointing device called a mouse. The information processing operation can be easily performed by pointing the position to be displayed above with a pointer such as an operated arrow or a finger picture and requesting execution of activation such as pressing a mouse button.

[0003]

In recent years, with the advent of high-resolution display devices, it has become possible to display a large amount of information on a single screen, and by reducing the size of the symbols displayed for the operation symbols in the GUI, it is possible to limit the number of information items. More information is displayed on the screen of a given size. However, although the pattern is clearly displayed, its small size makes it difficult to identify it visually, causing a problem of operability.
As a method to solve this, there is also a method of adding a brief description by adding a balloon like in a cartoon when the pointer points to a small operation symbol, but by reading the description, For each linguistic area, the flow of thought and operation are interrupted, and the advantage of the GUI that can intuitively identify the operation based on the pattern is lost, or the operation based on the GUI pattern can be performed with a common interface regardless of the linguistic range. There was also a new problem that the software had to be modified.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide means for easily identifying the content of an operation symbol pointed by a pointer such as an arrow or a picture of a finger.

[0005]

The above problems can be solved by an operation symbol display device configured as follows.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention. The display screen 11 displays an operation symbol representing an information processing operation, the operation symbol display means 12 displays an operation symbol on the display screen 11, and the pointer operation means 13 displays a pointer indicating the operation symbol. The pointer sensing means 14 detects that the pointer pointing point indicating the coordinate position of the pointer exists within the pointer sensing area for sensing the pointer of the operation symbol.

The operation symbol display enlarging means 15 detects that the pointer pointing point of the pointer operated by the pointer operating means 13 is within the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol displayed by the operation symbol displaying means 12. When the means 14 is sensing, the sensed operation symbol is enlarged and displayed.

[0008]

When the operation symbol display means 12 displays an operation symbol representing an information processing operation on the display screen 11 and the pointer operation means 13 operates the pointer to indicate the displayed operation symbol, the pointer sensing means 14 causes the pointer to be detected. It is adapted to detect that the pointer pointing point indicating the coordinate position of is present in the pointer sensing area for sensing the pointer of the operation symbol.

The operation symbol display enlarging means 15 indicates that the pointer pointing point of the pointer operated by the pointer operating means 13 is within the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol displayed by the operation symbol displaying means 12. When the sensing means 14 senses, the display of the operation symbol sensed by the pointer is enlarged and displayed.

[0010]

EXAMPLE FIG. 2 shows an example of a screen displaying operation symbols and a pointer. (A) is a start-up selection screen of the sample program. Three information processing operations are displayed here as operation symbols having a pattern. For example, 21 indicates that the process of outputting data to the floppy disk is started,
Reference numeral 22 represents input processing of data from the floppy disk.

Reference numeral 24 is a pointer for pointing these operation symbols. When a user operates a mouse, which is a pointing device, the pointer moves while changing its position on the screen.

Although not shown in the figure, when the pointing point at the head of the pointer is overlaid and displayed in the sensing area of each operation symbol, it is instructed that the mouse button is operated. The execution of the information processing operation corresponding to the existing operation symbol is requested, and the output processing of the data to the floppy disk is started.

The operation symbols 21, 22, 23 and the like are displayed as a considerably small picture on the actual screen, but the originally intended display content is, for example, as shown by the arrow 25, for example, a floppy of 22. In the data input processing from the disk, as shown in FIG. 2B, the floppy medium and the input of data from the floppy medium are indicated by the arrows.

On a high-resolution display device, the same contents are displayed when the displayed operation symbol is magnified with the magnifying glass. However, the pattern to be expressed has complicated contents, and when it becomes a large amount of information, it may be possible to convey only a rough meaning by simply enlarging it.

Therefore, the figure to be displayed is not limited to the accurate similar enlarged figure, but may be a more detailed figure or another figure representing the same information processing operation. For example, if it is an operation symbol that executes the operation of ejecting a floppy disk,
Due to the limited display area, you can only use the picture of the floppy disk as the operation symbol in the normal state, but in the enlarged view you can display the picture of the floppy disk by hand and assign it to the operation symbol. Function can be shown more clearly.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the sensing area of the operation symbol and the pointing point of the pointer. (A), (b), (c) are examples of operation symbols. For example, (a) is the activation of a card game, and (c) is the calling of a help function. A dotted frame 31 around the picture of each operation symbol
Actually, a to 31c are not displayed on the screen and are invisible. This frame is the sensing area of each symbol described above.

FIGS. 3D and 3E show pointers. Vertical and horizontal dotted lines indicate the coordinates at which the intersection points sense the pointing area of the pointers 35a and 35b, that is, the sensing area for each operation symbol. In this embodiment, the head of the arrow of the pointer is the pointing point as in (d), but (e)
Some are located in the center of the pointer like.

FIG. 4 shows an explanatory view of the display enlargement of the operation symbol. Taking the above sample program screen as an example, the change of the operation symbol on the screen corresponding to the change of the position of the pointer will be described. In the figure, the procedure is divided into procedure-1 to procedure-5.

In procedure-1, the leftmost one of the three displayed operation symbols is pointed by the pointer moved by operating the mouse. When pointed, the operation symbol at the left end is enlarged and displayed, and the screen becomes as in step-2, and it is clearly understood that the operation symbol indicates output to the floppy disk.

Knowing that the enlarged operation symbol does not represent the desired operation, the user moves the pointer with the mouse. When the pointer comes out of the pointer sensing area of the leftmost operation symbol, that is, when the leftmost operation symbol is no longer pointed, the enlarged pattern returns to its original state, and the screen becomes as in step-3.

In step-4, the user points the design of the operation symbol in the middle with the pointer with the mouse. By this operation, the picture in the center is enlarged and displayed, as shown in the figure of step-5.

Knowing that the enlarged operation symbol represents a desired operation, the user performs an operation requesting execution of processing such as clicking a mouse button. The requested operation is executed, but the enlarged display is continued while the operation symbol is pointed by the pointer on the screen.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, which constitutes a part of an information processing device (not shown). Only the configuration of the device according to the present invention is shown in this figure. The display screen 51 is for displaying information from the information processing apparatus. It is a basic GUI device for displaying an operation symbol representing an information processing operation of the present invention and communicating with a user.

The control unit 52 is provided in the main body of the information processing device.
It controls the operating system including UI operation and various application programs, and includes each means of the present invention, that is, the operation symbol display means, the control portion of the pointer operation means, the pointer sensing means, and the operation symbol display enlarging means. It is a waste.

The storage unit 53 is for temporarily storing and delivering data and status when each unit operates,
A memory device required for the operation of another information processing device is shared. The pointing device 54 is an input unit of the above-mentioned pointer operating means and is used by the user to move the position of the pointer while looking at the pointer displayed on the display screen 51, and is usually called a mouse.

The operation symbol table 55 is displayed on the display screen 51.
It holds information about the operation symbol to be displayed on, and uses a part of the memory of the information processing device. Details of this operation symbol table are shown below.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation symbol table. In FIG. 6A, A indicated by the operation symbol name 62,
Three operation symbols B and C are illustrated. 6
Reference numeral 1 represents a display image of each operation symbol and is not stored in the memory. 63 is a dotted line surrounding the display shown in the image of 61, that is, the range of the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol is the coordinates (x1, x2, y1, y2) on the screen.
Format. Further, since the operation symbols are displayed in this range, it also serves as a screen area for displaying the operation symbols. Reference numeral 63 indicates two rows, and the lower row shows the display coordinates of the operation symbol to be enlarged and displayed in the same format.

The display data of the picture to be displayed is stored in the storage section 53, but its address is held in the operation symbol table as the display data storage address 64. 64 also has two upper and lower rows corresponding to 63, the upper row is the storage address of the display data of the operation symbol first displayed by the operation symbol display means, and the lower row is the enlarged operation symbol displayed by the operation symbol display enlarging means. Is the storage address of the display data of.

The activation program ID 65 is an identification number (ID) of the program activated when the operation symbol on the screen is designated by the pointer and the user requests execution of the program by pressing the mouse button. is there.

The operation symbol currently pointed to by the pointer is detected as shown in FIG. 6 (c), where the coordinates 67 of the pointing point of the pointer at the present time and the pointer detection of the operation symbol in the upper part of 63 in FIG. 6 (a) are detected. By comparing the ranges of the areas, it is possible to know which operation symbol is designated and to know the activation program ID 65 indicating the program of the information processing operation corresponding to the operation symbol, so that it is activated.

FIG. 6B shows how to display the coordinates representing the range 66 of the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol in 63. 6D, which will be referred to later in the description of the operation, saves the area on the screen occupied when the display of the operation symbol is enlarged and displayed on the same screen. A size including the largest area of the enlarged operation symbol is secured in the storage unit 53. The area indicated by the dotted line 69 indicates the data of the screen area of the enlarged display that has been saved.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the operation symbol display enlarging operation. The operation of enlarging the display of the operation symbol in accordance with the movement of the pointer will be described with reference to the operation symbol table described above.

This flowchart is called when the system for controlling the information processing operation indicated by the group of operation symbols is started. For example, in a multi-window system, that is a subsystem that controls a window, displays several operation symbols in one window, and monitors and instructs to be pointed by a pointer that is moved by the mouse 54 and displayed. When the activation of the selected operation symbol is requested by the button of the mouse 54, the execution of the information processing operation corresponding to the operation symbol is activated.

In step S71, it is determined whether the coordinates 67 pointed by the pointing point of the pointer are not within the range indicated by the coordinates 63 of the pointer sensing area of any operation symbol in the operation symbol table 55 shown in FIG. 6A. It is always monitored.

When it is determined that any one of the operation symbols is pointed, the operation symbol is enlarged and displayed in step S72. For example, the coordinate 67 of the pointing point of the pointer has an x coordinate of 0200 and ay coordinate of 0100, and the operation symbol A of FIG.
The x coordinate indicated by the coordinates of the upper sensing area of 63 is 01.
Since the range of 00 to 0300 and the y coordinate is in the range of 0050 to 0150, this operation symbol is designated.

The corresponding display data to be enlarged and displayed is 64.
Since it is stored in the address 123450 in the column of, the display data displayed on the screen in the range of the enlarged display coordinates in the lower part of 63 is read from the screen data buffer, but the enlarged display save area of 68 is not shown. Evacuate to.

Next, the display data to be newly enlarged and displayed is read out from the address 123450, which is displayed at the bottom of the 64 display data addresses, of a size as large as the data displayed therein, and The enlarged display coordinates 63 are displayed.

In step S73, it is checked whether or not the execution of the information processing operation function represented by the instructed and enlarged operation symbol is instructed by the operation of the mouse button. The instruction from the operation button can be understood by a separate flag.

When there is a start instruction, step S77
Proceed to step S74 to start the corresponding information processing operation.
Proceed to. Similarly, if there is no start instruction in step S73, the process similarly proceeds to step S74.

In step S74, similarly to step S71, it is checked whether or not the pointing point of the pointer is within the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol. While the instruction is continued, the process returns to step S73 and the confirmation of whether there is a new instruction for execution is repeated.

When it is determined that the pointer has moved to a position away from the operation symbol, the process proceeds to step S75, and the enlarged and displayed operation symbol is returned to the original standard operation symbol. This is performed by redisplaying the display data on the screen saved in the enlarged display save area 68 on the read screen.

In step S76, when an instruction to end the process, that is, an end to the system for controlling the information processing operation indicated by the group of operation symbols is instructed, the process ends. When continuing, the first step S of the flowchart
71, that is, return to the monitoring of the position of the pointer.

In this embodiment, whether or not the pointer is in the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol is controlled by the subsystem for controlling the operation symbols of the group of one window. A method in which management is commonly controlled for all windows may be adopted.

Although the operating environment is the GUI, it may be a device having a character interface, and the operating symbol may be a pattern, but may be a character string.

Although the pointer sensing area has been described as being square, it may have another shape and include a visible display portion, but the sensing area may be smaller.

Although it has been described that the enlarged display position is the position covering the corresponding operation symbol, the position may be any position. Moreover, the pointing device is not limited to the mouse.

[0047]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the information processing operation is performed using the operation symbol on the screen of the information processing apparatus, which operation symbol is the pointer pointing to? To display clearly
By making it possible to easily recognize the contents of the displayed operation symbols, regardless of the user's language range,
Finding operation symbols Without interrupting the flow of operations and the flow of thought, erroneous operations can be prevented, easy and reliable operations can be performed, and the efficiency of information processing equipment can be improved, and the efficiency of operations can be improved to improve economic efficiency. There is a remarkable industrial effect of making the production activity environment comfortable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention

[Fig. 2] Example of screen displaying operation symbols and pointers

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a sensing area of an operation symbol and a pointer pointing point.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of enlargement of operation symbol display.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation symbol table.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation symbol display enlarging operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Display Screen 12 Operation Symbol Display Means 13 Pointer Operating Means 14 Pointer Sensing Means 15 Operation Symbol Display Enlarging Means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A display screen for displaying one or more operation symbols representing an information processing operation, an operation symbol display means for displaying the operation symbols on the display screen, and a pointer operation means for operating a pointer for pointing the operation symbols. And the pointer pointing point that shows the coordinate position of the pointer on the screen,
An operation symbol display device comprising: a pointer sensing means for detecting the presence of the pointer of the operation symbol in a pointer sensing area; and a pointer sensing means for detecting the presence of the pointer in the pointer sensing area of the operation symbol displayed by the operation symbol displaying means. When the pointer sensing means senses that the pointer pointing point of the pointer operated by the pointer operating means is included, the operation symbol display enlarging means for enlarging and displaying the sensed operation symbol is provided. An operation symbol display device characterized by the above. 2. The operation symbol display enlarging means displays a pattern reminiscent of an information processing operation represented by the operation symbol indicating the display of the operation symbol sensed by the pointer. Operation symbol display device. 3. One or more operation symbols representing an information processing operation are displayed on a screen, the position of a pointer pointing to the operation symbol is operated, and the coordinates pointed to by the pointer are the pointers indicated by the displayed operation symbols. A method for displaying an operation symbol, wherein the operation symbol is enlarged and displayed when it is detected that the operation symbol is within a pointer detection area for detecting that the operation symbol is instructed. 4. The expansion of the operation symbol display displays a pattern reminiscent of an information processing operation represented by the operation symbol indicating the display of the operation symbol sensed by the pointer. Operation symbol display method.