JPH08339287A - Data input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the visual confirmation of an input character from being interfered by a pointing cursor and to improve input operation efficiency by moving the pointing cursor to a cursor storage area specified beforehand inside a character input area when the overlapping of the pointing cursor and the input character is detected. CONSTITUTION: By the control of a CPU 100, whether or not positions indicated by mouse cursor position information and character cursor position information match is judged. When they match, that is when the overlapping of the input character and a mouse cursor occurs, the cursor storage area information of a mouse cursor information table is referred to and whether or not a mouse cursor storage area is specified is checked. When the mouse cursor storage area is specified, the mouse cursor is moved to the position and character input is continued. When it is not specified, the attributes of the mouse cursor are changed from the normal attributes specified by cursor attribute information to special attributes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data input device in which a cursor (pointing cursor) of a pointing device such as a mouse is displayed in a character input area on a display screen, and more particularly to a character input operation in such a data input device. Controlling the pointing cursor at time.

The data input device to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a device dedicated to inputting character data, and various terminal devices having the same character data input function, personal computers, workstations, etc.
Includes a variety of equipment.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art When a character inputting operation is performed in a data input device of this type, the pointing cursor and the input character may be overlapped with each other and the input character may not be confirmed. In this case, a pointing device such as a mouse is operated in order to move the pointing cursor so that it does not overlap the input character, but this deteriorates the efficiency of character input.

In order to avoid such an inconvenience, a method has been proposed in which, when the pointing cursor and the character cursor overlap each other while inputting a character, the pointing cursor is automatically erased from the screen for a certain period of time (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-1999). 5-257638). However, this has the following problems.

[0005]

In recent data input devices, a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse are often used together. In such an operating environment, if the pointing cursor disappears from the screen even while the character is being input, the position of the pointing cursor cannot be recognized immediately when the pointing device needs to be operated. However, it is necessary to reconfirm the position of the pointing cursor, which is not preferable in terms of operability.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the control method of the pointing cursor in the data input device in which the cursor of the pointing device such as a mouse is displayed in the character input area on the display screen to improve the operability of the pointing device. It is to improve the input work efficiency by preventing the visibility of the input characters from being obstructed by the pointing cursor without deteriorating.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a data input device in which a pointing cursor is displayed in a character input area on a display screen. A means for checking the overlap between the pointing cursor and the input character is provided, and when the overlap is detected by the means, a means for moving the pointing cursor to a predetermined cursor storage area in the character input area (claim 1). ), Or means for changing the attribute and displaying the pointing cursor in a shape or the like that does not hinder the visibility of the input character (claim 2).

[0008]

According to the present invention, when a character is input at a position overlapping the pointing cursor during character input work,
The pointing cursor is automatically moved to eliminate the overlap with the input character, or attributes such as the shape of the pointing cursor are changed so as not to hinder the visual recognition of the input character.

Therefore, it is not difficult to confirm the input character due to the overlapping with the pointing cursor,
In addition, since it is not necessary to operate the pointing device to avoid the overlap, it is possible to efficiently input characters. Further, since the pointing cursor is left on the screen, the position of the pointing cursor can be confirmed immediately when the pointing device needs to be operated, so that the operability of the pointing device does not deteriorate.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic hardware configuration of a data input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 is a CPU that controls processing and control relating to data input, and 101 is a bus that connects the CPU 100 and each unit of the apparatus. This bus 101 has a CPU 10
A main memory 102 for storing programs such as 0 and input data is connected, and a keyboard 103 for inputting characters is connected via a keyboard port 104, and a mouse 105 which is a kind of pointing device is connected.
Are connected via the mouse controller 106.
The CPU 100 can read the moving amount, moving direction, and button operation of the mouse 105 via the mouse controller 106. Further, as a portion related to display, a CRT 109 that provides a display screen, a video RAM (VRAM) 107 for storing display information of the CRT 109,
A display controller 108 for controlling screen display of display information in the VRAM 107 is connected to the bus 101.

Although the hardware configuration itself is not particularly new, as will be described later, the contents of programs and control information related to data input and screen control stored in the main memory 102 are the same as those of the conventional one. Part is different. It should be noted that although the configuration in which the text VRAM is not used for screen display is shown here, this is merely an example.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart for explaining cursor control at the time of character input of the data input device according to the present invention. The procedure shown here is for the main memory 1
This is performed by the CPU 100 according to the information stored in 02 and the screen control including the cursor control. An example of information related to screen control is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, 331 is a screen control table, 332 is a character cursor information table, and 333 is a mouse cursor information table. Screen control table 33
1 stores information such as pointers 302 and 303 pointing to the head positions of the tables 332 and 333 and cursor control designation information 301 that designates whether or not special control of the mouse cursor on the screen is performed. The character cursor information table 332 stores character cursor position information 304 on the screen. The mouse cursor information table 333 includes position information of the mouse cursor on the screen, attribute information 306 such as the shape of the mouse cursor, and a cursor storage area for moving the mouse cursor when the mouse cursor and the input character on the screen overlap. Information 307 and the like are stored.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing a character input area for explaining the relationship between the input character and the mouse cursor and the control of the mouse cursor during the character input work. In FIGS. 4 and 5, 400 is a character input area on the display screen of the CRT 109, 411 is a character cursor, 412 is a mouse cursor, and 413 is an input character. Reference numeral 415 is a mouse cursor storage area.

Next, with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 2, the operation at the time of character input will be described focusing on the control of the mouse cursor.

First, it is determined whether special control of the mouse cursor is designated (ST1). This determination is made by referring to the cursor control designation information 301 in the screen control table 331. Here, the description will be continued assuming that the special control is designated.

The position of the mouse cursor 412 in the character input area 400 is set in the cursor position information 305 of the mouse cursor information table 333 (ST3), and the next character input position (= character cursor position) in the character input area 400 is set. It is set in the character cursor position information 304 of the character cursor information table 332. (ST5). And 1
A character is input and the input character is displayed at the position of the character cursor 411 (ST6).

Here, it is determined whether the position indicated by the mouse cursor position information 305 and the character cursor position information 304 match (ST7). If they do not match, that is, if the input character and the mouse cursor 412 do not overlap with each other, the process returns to step ST4 to continue the character input.

If a match is found in step ST7, that is, if the input character and the mouse cursor 412 overlap, the cursor storage area information 307 of the mouse cursor information table 333 is referred to, and the mouse cursor storage area 4 is displayed.
It is checked whether 15 is designated (ST8). The position of the mouse cursor storage area 415 may be a fixed position in advance or an arbitrary position (within the character input area 400) designated in advance by the user.

When the mouse cursor storage area 415 is designated, the mouse cursor 412 is moved to that position (ST9). Then, returning to step ST5, the character input is continued.

The operation up to this point will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, when three characters are input and the next one character is input, the mouse cursor 412 and the input character overlap each other. Then, the mouse cursor 412 is moved to the mouse cursor storage area 415. 4B and 4C show a state in which two more characters have been input and a total of six input characters 413 are displayed, but FIG. 4B shows the mouse cursor 412.
Is moved, the mouse cursor 41 is displayed in (c).
This is the case when the movement of 2 is not performed.

When the mouse cursor 412 is not moved, the input character 413 is displayed as shown in FIG.
Is partially overlapped with the mouse cursor 412, which hinders visual recognition. However, when the mouse cursor 412 is moved, overlapping of the input character 413 and the mouse cursor 412 is avoided as shown in FIG. 4B, and the mouse cursor 412 does not hinder the visual recognition of the input character 413.
Moreover, since the mouse cursor 415 is displayed,
The user can confirm the position of the mouse cursor 415.

Returning to FIG. When it is determined in step ST8 that the mouse cursor storage area 415 is not designated, the attribute of the mouse cursor 412 is changed from the normal attribute designated by the cursor attribute information 306 to a special attribute (ST10). Specifically, the mouse cursor 41
The shape and color of 2 are changed or blinked so that the mouse cursor 412 does not interfere with the visual recognition of the input character 413.

When such an attribute change of the mouse cursor 412 is made (a flag indicating this is displayed in the main memory 102, for example, the mouse cursor information table 33).
3), step ST4 or step ST
After it is judged that the character input is completed in 11, the mouse cursor 4
The 12 attributes are returned to normal attributes (ST12).

The attribute change of the mouse cursor 412 will be described with reference to FIG. When the next one character is input in the state of FIG. 5A, the attribute of the mouse cursor 412 is changed. FIG. 5B shows a state in which two more characters have been input after changing the attribute. The mouse cursor 412 is displayed at the same position and overlaps with the input character 413, but since the shape is changed to a horizontal bar pattern like an underbar, it does not hinder the visual recognition of the input character 413. Also, since the mouse cursor 412 is displayed, the user can easily confirm the position. The shape of the mouse cursor 412 should not be confused with the character cursor 411.

When the character input is completed in the state of FIG. 5B, the mouse cursor 412 is returned to the normal shape, and the character input area 400 becomes the state shown in FIG.

When the special control of the mouse cursor 412 is not designated, the process flow proceeds to step ST2 and the character input process similar to the conventional one is performed.

Even when the mouse cursor 412 is moved to the mouse cursor storage area 415, after the character input is completed, the mouse cursor 415 is automatically set to the original position (cursor position information 305) in step ST12. It is also possible to return to a position where

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even when a pointing cursor such as a mouse cursor and the input character overlap in the character input area of the display screen during character input work, the pointing cursor does not hinder the visual recognition of the input character, and
Since the pointing cursor is not erased from the screen, the position of the pointing cursor is not lost, so that the efficiency of character input work can be improved and the operability of a pointing device such as a mouse can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a data input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart for explaining a character input operation in the data input device according to the present invention, focusing on cursor control.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an information table related to screen control including cursor control.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing how an input character and a mouse cursor overlap each other in a character input area. (B) It is a figure which shows a mode that the mouse cursor was moved to the mouse cursor movement area in the character input area. (C) It is a figure which shows the state in which the mouse cursor had overlapped with the input character in the character input area.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing how an input character and a mouse cursor overlap each other in the character input area. (B) It is a figure which shows the state in which the shape of the mouse cursor was changed in the character input area. (C) It is a figure which shows the state in which the mouse cursor was returned to the normal shape in the character input area.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 CPU 102 Main memory 103 Keyboard 104 Keyboard port 105 Mouse 106 Mouse controller 107 VRAM 108 Display controller 109 CRT 301 Cursor control specification information 307 Cursor storage area information 331 Screen control table 332 Character cursor information table 333 Mouse cursor information table 400 Character input area 411 Character cursor 412 Mouse cursor 413 Input character 415 Mouse cursor storage area

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a data input device in which a pointing cursor is displayed in a character input area on a display screen, a means for checking the overlap between the pointing cursor and the input character in the character input area during character input work, and the means. And a means for moving the pointing cursor to a cursor storage area designated in advance in the character input area when an overlap is detected by the data input device. 2. In a data input device in which a pointing cursor is displayed in a character input area on a display screen, a means for checking the overlapping of the pointing cursor and the input character in the character input area during character input work, and the means. And a means for changing the attribute and displaying the pointing cursor in a shape or the like that does not hinder the visibility of the input character when the overlap is detected.