JPH0869364A - Exhibiting method for history of information output - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To allow the user to easily grasp the entire image of the history and to observe details of a required part by summarizing sequentially a partial graph representing an information output not in the preceding/succeeding/parallel relation to an information output displayed at present. CONSTITUTION: A partial graph summarizing means 3 searches a partial graph being an object of summary among graphs representing a history of information outputs and summarizes the partial graph into a new node when nodes in the partial graph are not directly linked with a current node. A summarized node expansion means 4 expands the summarized node into the original partial graph when a current node indicated by an identification code 101 of the information output is an existing node and the node is included in the partial graph summarized into one summarized node. The partial graph is displayed on a graph display means 2 through the expansion of the summarized node and the user identifies the current node.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information output history presentation method, and more particularly to an information output history presentation method for an interactive information processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the conventional method of presenting the information output history in the information processing system, the unit of the information output history is fixed to each window or the entire screen of the display device. In the "screen search device of the interactive information providing system" (JP-A-5-120350), a reduced image of the output screen is displayed as an icon on the screen of the display device, and the icon is displayed each time the screen display is switched. Are added in order on the screen.

[0003]

When the conventional technique is applied to the past information output that is output in the information processing system, since the history is displayed by the number of the information output, when the number of the information output increases. However, there is a problem that the history becomes large and it becomes difficult for the user to grasp and use the whole image of the history.

An object of the present invention is to present an information output history so that the user can easily grasp the whole image of the history even when the number of the information outputs becomes large, and can see the details about necessary parts. To provide a method.

[0005]

The information output history presenting method of the first invention is an information output history presenting method for displaying a history of past information output in a predetermined display format. One node, expressing the history of the information output by a graph connecting the relationships between these nodes with a history management means for managing the history, and for any node or subgraph in the graph,
A graph operation means that the user gives an instruction, and a subgraph contraction in which a subgraph separated from the current node by a certain distance or more, or a subgraph designated by the graph operation means is reduced to a new node in the graph. Means, a contraction node expanding means for expanding the node contracted by the subgraph by the subgraph to the original subgraph as necessary, and the information output of the graph represented by the history managing means. Graph display means for displaying the history to the user.

In the information output history presentation method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the subgraph contracting means sets the number of N equal to or more than 2 preset by the user, in the graph representing the information output history according to claim 1. If there is a subgraph consisting of N or more nodes that are continuously linked, and none of the nodes in the subgraph are directly linked to the node that represents the latest information output at that time, the subgraph 1
Reduce to one node.

In the information output history presentation method of the third invention, when the distance between the nodes is set to the minimum value of the number of links connecting the nodes in the information output history, the subgraph contracting means sets the subgraph. The label of the node in the subgraph having the smallest distance to the node corresponding to the latest information output at the present time is applied as the label for identifying the node contracted with.

In the information output history presentation method of the fourth invention, the contracted node expanding means allows the user to output past information corresponding to any node in the subgraph that has already been contracted into one node. By specifying again, the node obtained by contracting the subgraph is automatically expanded to the original subgraph.

In the information output history presenting method of the fifth invention, the contracted node expanding means uses the graph operating means for the user for one node in which the subgraph in the information output history display is contracted. Directly expands the node into the original subgraph.

Further, in the information output history presenting method of the sixth invention, the graph display means causes the column of nodes which are in the order of processing order and the column of nodes which are in the order of processing parallel to each other. Arrange to do.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

In the following, the node corresponding to the latest information output at each point in time will be referred to as the current node. Note that the information output here means each window in a multi-window system, each screen output when the whole screen represents one state like a CD of a bank, individual data obtained by database search, or the like, or It refers to a set of data presented at the same time, the contents of individual files output on the screen, and the like.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the information output history presentation method of the present invention.

The method of presenting the information output history according to this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), when it is determined that there has been a change in the information output of the information processing system, the history management means 1 outputs the newly output information output at that time or the past information output again referred to by the user. The identification code 001 to be represented is obtained. The history management means 1 creates a new node if the information output is new, adds a label of the information output determined from the identification code 001 to the node,
Let the node be the current node. The information output is
If the user referenced the existing information output again,
A node having the same label as the above label is searched from the history of information output, and the node is set as the current node. In the history management unit 1, when a new node is created, a link connecting the node and the node corresponding to the information output from which the information output corresponding to the node is derived is created. The link is a directed link from the node corresponding to the derivation source of the new information output to the current node corresponding to the new information output.

The graph display means 2 displays the information output history graphically represented by the history management means 1 to the user.

The subgraph contraction means 3 searches for a subgraph which is a candidate for contraction from the graph representing the history of information output, and finds that no node in the subgraph is directly linked to the current node. , The subgraph is reduced to one new node. Here, the subgraph is a graph which is composed of some nodes and links connecting those nodes in the entire graph showing the history. Hereinafter, the new node is referred to as a contracted node. The contracted node is displayed using the graph display unit 2 after the identification code and the label are added by the history management unit 1. The contraction node is also a target of the subsequent contraction.

In the contracted node expanding means 4, when the current node indicated by the identification code 001 of the information output is an existing node and the node is included in the contracted subgraph into one contracted node. Then, the contracted node is expanded into the original subgraph. By expanding the contracted node, the subgraph is displayed by the graph display means 2, and the user can identify the current node.

The user can reduce and expand an appropriate portion on the graph by using the graph operation unit 5 with respect to the information output history displayed by the graph display unit 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment of the subgraph contracting means 3 in the information output history presentation methods of the second and third inventions.

In this embodiment, the subgraph contracting means 3 shown in FIG. 1 first finds the node PN that is two nodes before the current node in processing order (step 11). If the node PN is detected, then the node PN
It is checked whether or not the number of nodes is a part of a subgraph SG that is continuous in the order of processing in a front-back relation or a parallel relation (step 12). If it is a part of the subgraph SG, the portion is The graph SG is replaced with one node CN (step 13). The label of the node PN is added to the label of the node CN. However, the N is a preset integer of 2 or more.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment of the contracted node expanding means 4 in the information output history presentation methods of the fourth and fifth inventions.

In this embodiment, the contracted node expanding means 4 shown in FIG. 1 first checks whether or not the current node is a part of a subgraph contracted into one node (step 21). If Yes, the node obtained by contracting the subgraph including the current node is expanded to the original subgraph (step 23). If No in step 21, it is checked whether or not the user has instructed to expand a specific node (step 2).
2) If Yes, the node designated by the user is expanded into the subgraph before contraction. If the node determined to be designated by the user in step 22 is not the node contracted from the subgraph, the process of step 23 is not performed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which the unit of information output is limited to each window displayed on the display device, as an embodiment of the information output history presenting method of the present invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the display device comprises an information output screen 100 and a history display screen 200. Normally,
The information output screen 100 is displayed, and the history display screen 2
00 is displayed only when the user requests history display by button or menu selection. Similarly, if the history display is requested to be canceled, the history display screen 200 is closed and the information output screen 100 is displayed. The user operates a window on the information output screen 100,
A graph operation on the history display screen 200 using the graph operation means 5 shown in FIG. 1 is possible. In the present embodiment, the information output screen 100 and the history display screen 200 are separated. However, as another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, both information output and history display can be performed on the same screen. .

When a new window is opened on the information output screen 100, the data displayed in the existing window is exchanged with different data, or the previously displayed window or data is displayed again, the information output is terminated. The identification code 001 is passed to the history management unit 1 shown in FIG. 1, and the history display screen 20 is displayed by the graph display unit 2, the partial graph reduction unit 3, and the reduction node expansion unit 4 shown in FIG.
The display content of 0 is added or changed. Information output screen 100
The labels a to j of the above information outputs 101 to 107 are added for convenience in order to indicate the correspondence with the nodes 201 to 207 on the history display screen 200. History display screen 20
Labels aj of each node on 0 are actually displayed on each node.

Information output 10 which is in the order of processing
When 1, 102 and 103 are displayed on the information output screen 100, nodes 201,
202 and 203 are added in order. These nodes 201, 202, and 203 are connected by a directional link for indicating the output order of the corresponding information output on the history display screen 200. On the other hand, information output 104, 105, 10
Since 6 is an information output selected from the information output 103, it is considered that there is a parallel relationship in the processing order, and in the history display screen 200, according to the sixth invention, the parallel nodes 204, 205, 206 is the serial node 201,
They are arranged in a direction orthogonal to 202 and 203, and both are linked to the node 203 corresponding to the information output 103.

The change of the display contents on the history display screen 200 as described above can be confirmed by the user's eyes only when the user displays the history display screen 200 by a predetermined means.

On the information output screen 100, a history display screen 200 corresponding to the latest information output 107 at the present time.
The upper node 207 has a display form that can be distinguished from other nodes.

As the information output unit, in addition to the window as in the above example, it is possible to select audio output at each point in time or individual scenes in the video.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of operations of the subgraph contracting means 3 and the contracted node expanding means 4 in the information output history presentation method of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 6, N
= 3, that is, a subgraph in which three or more nodes are continuously linked is a target of contraction. Here, in FIG. 6, nodes drawn in double frames are nodes representing information output at the present time, that is, current nodes, and nodes drawn in thick single frames are reduced nodes.
The nodes drawn with a thin line single frame are other nodes that represent past information output.

On the history display screen 01, nodes 011, 0
Although 12,013 forms a three-dimensional chain, it is not reduced because the current node 016 is directly linked to the node 013.

In the history display screen 02, since the current node is 027, the nodes 011, 012 and 013 are reduced to the node 21.

Nodes 014 and 01 in the history display screen 02
Numerals 5 and 016 represent three types of information outputs derived from the information output represented by the node 013.

In the case of the history display screen 02, the history display screen 0
At 3, when the current node shifts from 027 to 038, the three nodes are reduced to node 031. Note that the node 21 and the nodes 014, 015, 01
Since node 6 is orthogonal to node 6, node 021 is not reduced to node 031.

On the contrary, on the history display screen 04, the user reselects the past information output 012, so that the node 0
21 is automatically expanded, and the current node is moved to 012.

[0036]

As described above, the information output history presenting method of the present invention is currently presented in displaying the information output history even when the information processing system presents many new information outputs. Since the subgraphs representing the information output that are not directly in the front-rear relationship or the parallel relationship with the information output are sequentially reduced, an increase in the number of nodes in the information output history can be suppressed. Further, by the user's operation, the contracted arbitrary subgraph can be expanded, and the details of the past information output history included in the subgraph can be known.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information output history presentation method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment of the subgraph contracting means in the information output history presentation methods of the second and third inventions.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment of the contracted node expanding means in the information output history presentation methods of the fourth and fifth inventions.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a case where a unit of information output in the information output history presentation method of the present embodiment is limited to each window displayed on the display device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a case where both information output and history display are performed on the same screen in the information output history presentation method of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of operations of a subgraph reduction unit and a reduction node expansion unit in the information output history presentation method according to the present exemplary embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 History Management Means 2 Graph Display Means 3 Subgraph Reduction Means 4 Reduced Node Expansion Means 5 Graph Manipulation Means 01-04,200 History Display Screen 001 Information Output Identification Code 100 Information Output Screens 101-107 Information Output 201-207 , 011 to 038 nodes

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information output history presentation method for displaying a history of past information output in a predetermined display format, wherein each of the information outputs is a node, and a graph connecting the relationships between these nodes by a link. A history management unit that expresses the history of the information output and manages the history, a graph operation unit that a user gives an instruction to an arbitrary node or subgraph in the graph, and a current node in the graph. From a certain distance or a subgraph contracting means for contracting the subgraph designated by the graph manipulating means into a new node, and the subgraph contracting means for contracting the subgraph. Reduced node expansion means for expanding the nodes into the original subgraph as necessary, and a graph representation by the history management means. And graph display means for displaying to the user a history of the information output was,
An information output history presentation method comprising: 2. The subgraph contracting means, for a number N equal to or greater than 2 preset by the user, is N consecutively linked in the graph representing the history of information output according to claim 1. If there is a subgraph consisting of the above nodes, and if none of the nodes in the subgraph are directly linked to the node that represents the latest information output at that time point, it is possible to reduce the subgraph to one node. The information output history presenting method according to claim 1, characterized in that. 3. The information output history according to claim 1, wherein when the distance between nodes is set to the minimum value of the number of links connecting the nodes, the subgraph contracting means contracts the subgraph. 2. The information output history presentation method according to claim 1, wherein the label of the node in the subgraph having the smallest distance to the node corresponding to the latest information output at the present time is applied as the label for identifying . 4. The contracted node expanding means re-designates the past information output corresponding to any node in the subgraphs already contracted to one node by the user, and thereby the subgraph is expanded. 2. The information output history presentation method according to claim 1, wherein the contracted nodes are automatically expanded into the original subgraph. 5. The contracted node expansion means directs a node to which one of the contracted subgraphs in the information output history is contracted, by the user directly using the graph operation means. The method for presenting information output history according to claim 1, wherein the method is expanded to the original subgraph. 6. The graph display means arranges a column of nodes that are in a front-rear relationship in the processing order and a column of nodes that are in a parallel relationship in the processing order so as to be orthogonal to each other. The information output history presentation method described in 1.