JPH09114726A - Hypertext system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute an appropriate procedure for linking corresponding to various conditions every time for respective links and to automatically change another node to be linked from a certain node. SOLUTION: A node management means 1 manages respective node names L1, L2 and L3 and data contents recorded in the respective nodes in correspondence and a virtual link management means 2 manages virtual link names VL1 and VL2, the procedure for converting the virtual links VL1 and VL2 to real links L1, L2 and L3 and information required for executing the conversion procedure in correspondence. Then, for the request of node reference from clients A and B, a first request processing means 4 obtains the data contents of the corresponding nodes L1, L2 and L3 from the node management means 1, and when the virtual link names VL1 and VL2 are included in the obtained data contents, a second request processing means 5 converts the virtual link names VL1 and VL2 to the real link names L1, L2 and L3 by executing the conversion procedure and provides the client of a request origin with the contents of the node.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hypertext composed of a node for recording data and a link indicating the relationship between the nodes, and more particularly to linking a node included in the text to another node. Regarding hypertext system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hypertext is a data structure in which a plurality of nodes recording data are associated with each other by a link and one data can be accessed to another data via the link. For example, "Hype
rtext: An Introduction an
d Survey, IEEE Computer, 2
0, 9, 17-41. Chapel Hill, NC.
Those described in "September 1987" are known. With respect to such hypertext, various inventions for controlling links have been conventionally proposed.

For example, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 01-293433 (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 1), a set of a subject item indicating a purpose of presenting data and data presented by selecting the subject. Are recorded in the selection file, and when a certain data is presented by referring to this selection file, the set of nodes corresponding to the subject item for selecting the data to be presented next is recorded in the selection table. Then
When the user selects one of the subject items, other corresponding data is presented according to the selection table.
As a result, in the conventional example 1, the information presentation sequence intended by the information creator side can be easily realized only by creating and registering the selection file.

Further, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-149634 (hereinafter, Conventional Example 2), the default path information for designating the order of tracing between nodes as a guideline and the past access history for each node are related. Information and context information regarding what context is currently being followed between nodes is stored in the storage unit, and when determining the next node traced from a certain note based on default path information, The inference unit refers to the access history information and the context information, and determines the node to be followed next according to the knowledge and request of the user. by this,
In the conventional example 2, even if the user does not select the link, the node to be next traced is automatically determined according to the knowledge and request of the user.

Further, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-34067 (hereinafter referred to as Conventional Example 3), the link information and the information about the user are registered in advance in the link management table so that the user is the user. When the information is input, if the information matches the information registered in the management table, linking to another node is performed based on the link information related to the matched information. As a result, in Conventional Example 3, even if one hypertext is shared by a plurality of users, link management convenient for each user is performed.

[0006]

Here, in order to expand the usage mode of hypertext, linking is performed according to the user, the position of the user, the time zone to be used, the type of data to be used, and the like. It is required to execute an appropriate procedure for each link each time to automatically change another node linked from one node. However, in the above-described conventional example 1, the link relationship between the nodes is fixedly set in advance, and the information presenting sequence as to which link to follow is only intended by the information creator. It was not possible to change the link relation to the node for each link according to various situations.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example 2, the link relationship between the nodes is fixedly set in advance, and the sequence of which link is followed is simply set according to the knowledge and request of the user. It was not possible to change the link relation for the node for each link according to various situations each time. Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example 3, the link relationship between the nodes is fixedly set in advance, and the sequence of which link to follow is set in accordance with the user, so that various situations can be set at each time. Accordingly, the link relation for the node for each link cannot be changed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to extend the utilization mode of hypertext. That is, the present invention provides a hypertext system in which an appropriate procedure for linking is executed for each link depending on various situations, and another node linked from a certain node is automatically changed. The purpose is to do.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a virtual link in which a node is in an undecided state in order to change the link, and an appropriate procedure is performed each time according to various situations. Execute to convert the virtual link into a real link whose node destination has been determined. This conversion process is executed by the conversion procedure according to the information obtained from the request source such as the user, the position of the user, the time zone to be used, the type of data to be used, etc., and the acquired data contents include the virtual link. In such a case, the data content obtained by converting the virtual link into the actual link is provided without making the requester feel that the conversion process has been performed.

That is, in the hypertext system according to the present invention, the node management means manages the name of each node and the data content recorded in each node in association with each other, and the virtual link management means manages the name of the virtual link. , A procedure for converting a virtual link into an actual link and information necessary for executing the conversion procedure are managed in association with each other. Then, in response to a request from the user for node reference,
The first request processing unit acquires the data content of the corresponding node from the node management unit, and if the acquired data content includes a virtual link, the first request processing unit determines the first content based on the information obtained from the request source. The second request processing means executes a conversion procedure to convert the virtual link into a real link and provides the content of the node to the request source.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A hypertext system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the hypertext system of this embodiment includes a node management unit (NM) 1 that manages information about nodes associated with data contents, and a virtual link that manages information about virtual links whose nodes are undecided. Management means (VLM)
2 and hypertext management means 3 for processing node reference requests from clients A and B based on the information managed by these management means 1 and 2.

The node management means 1 manages the name of each node and the data content recorded in the node in association with each other, and the link may be considered as the name of the corresponding node. Therefore, in this embodiment, The node name is managed by link names L1, L2, and L3 corresponding to the node. Therefore, the node management means 1 of this embodiment manages the link names L1, L2, L3 and the data contents recorded in the nodes corresponding to the links L1, L2, L3 in association with each other.

The virtual link management means 2 manages the name of a virtual link whose node is undecided, the procedure for converting a virtual link into an actual link, and the information necessary for executing the conversion procedure in association with each other. doing. Considering the link as the name of the corresponding node as described above, the virtual link is the name of a node that does not actually exist, and it can be considered that the conversion procedure to the actual link corresponds instead of the node. . The virtual link management means 2 of the present embodiment manages the time TIME, which is information necessary to execute the conversion procedure, and the conversion procedure based on this time information, in association with the virtual link name VL1, and the virtual link. The client identifier ID, which is information necessary for executing the conversion procedure, and the conversion procedure based on this ID information are managed in association with the name VL2.

Therefore, as will be described later, when a data reference request is issued from the client, the virtual link name VL1 is converted based on the time when this request is issued, and the time is from 1:00 am After (TIME> 0
If it is 1:00), it is converted to the link name L1 of the actual link, and if it is before 1 am on the same day (other), it is converted to the link name L2 of the actual link. Also, the virtual link name V
Similarly, for L2, conversion processing is performed based on the ID of the client that issued the data reference request, and when the client ID is idA indicating the client A, it is converted to the link name L1 of the actual link, and the client ID is the client B. When it is idB shown, it is converted to the link name L2 of the real link, and when the client ID indicates another client, it is converted to the link name L3 of the real link.

The hypertext management means 3 comprises a first request processing means 4 and a second request processing means 5, and the first request processing means 4 causes the node management means 1 to respond to a node reference request from a client. When the data content of the corresponding node is acquired from the node, and when the acquired data content includes the virtual link name, the conversion managed by the virtual link management unit 2 is performed based on the information obtained from the requesting client. The procedure is executed to convert the virtual link name into a real link name, and the contents of the node are sent to the requesting client.

In this embodiment, the information necessary for the conversion process is obtained from the requesting client at the time when it is necessary. However, if the information is included in the data reference request, the requesting client can obtain the information. Request information from the client,
It is possible to omit the process in which the client transmits the requested information again. Further, the time information TIME included in the information necessary for conversion can be obtained by managing the time when the original data reference request is received, without requesting the requesting client at the time when it is needed. However, in any case, since this time information TIME is due to the data reference request, it remains the information obtained from the requesting client.

Next, specific processing operations will be described with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the node management unit 1 manages the data content of the node including the virtual link name VL2 corresponding to the real link name L1, and the virtual link name VL1 corresponding to the real link name L2. It is assumed that the data content of the node including the virtual link name VL1 and the real link name L1 corresponding to the real link name L3 is managed.

The client A and the client B perform the same processing as shown in FIG. 3, and send a data reference request including the node name (that is, the link name) L1 to the hypertext management means 3 (step S31). ), And acquires the data content of the node L1 returned from the hypertext system based on this request (step S
32), display and output the data contents on a display device or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the node management means 1
The virtual link name VL2 is included in the data content of the node L1 under the control of the virtual link name VL2. However, when the client A and the client B acquire the data content, the virtual link name VL2 is Converted to the actual link name L1 or L2.

When the above data reference request is received, FIG.
As shown in, the first request processing means 4 of the hypertext management means 3 requests the node management means 1 for the data content corresponding to the node name L1 designated by the request (step S41). As shown in FIG. 5, the node management means 1 accepts the request from the first request processing means 4 (step S51), retrieves information held and managed, and retrieves data corresponding to the node name L1. The contents are returned to the first request processing means 4 (step S52).

As shown in FIG. 4, when the first request processing means 4 receives this data content, it searches for a virtual link name included in this data content (step S4).
2) Determine whether there is a virtual link name (step S4)
3). If the result of this determination is that the virtual link name is not included, the first request processing means 4 returns the data contents to the requesting client and ends the processing (step S44). That is, the data content is transmitted to the client A when processing the data reference request from the client A, and the data content is transmitted to the client B when processing the data reference request from the client B. To send.

On the other hand, as a result of the above judgment, when the data content corresponding to the node name L1 includes the virtual link name, the following processing (steps S45 to S49) is performed to make the virtual link name an actual link. The data content converted into the name is transmitted to the client A when processing the data reference request from the client A, and is transmitted to the client B when processing the data reference request from the client B.

That is, in this embodiment, since the data content of the node name L1 includes the virtual link name VL2, the second request processing means 5 of the hypertext management means 3 converts the virtual link name VL2. And request information necessary for the conversion procedure from the virtual link management means 2 (step S45). The virtual link management means 2
Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the request from the second request processing unit 5 is accepted (step S61), the information held and managed is searched, and the conversion procedure and the conversion procedure corresponding to the virtual link name VL2 are obtained. The necessary information is returned to the second request processing means 5 (step S62).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, when the second request processing means 5 receives this conversion procedure and the information necessary for the conversion procedure, the second request processing means 5 sends the information necessary for the conversion procedure to the client who requested the data reference. The contents are requested (step S46). As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the information necessary for the conversion procedure of the virtual link name VL2 is the client I.
Since it is D, the client ID is requested to the client A or B that is the request source of the data reference. In addition, in the client A or B, as shown in FIG.
A request from the request processing means 5 is accepted (step S7).
1), its own ID (idA or idB) is returned to the second request processing means 5 (step S72).

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the second request processing means 5 executes a conversion procedure based on this client ID (step S47), and converts the virtual link name VL2 into a real link name (step S48). . That is, in response to the data reference request from the client A, the virtual link name VL2 is the real link name (node name) based on idA.
In response to the data reference request from the client B, the virtual link name VL2 is converted into the real link name (node name) L2 based on idB. Therefore,
Depending on the client that has requested the data reference, the process of converting each virtual link into a real link is executed each time, and the virtual link name in the data content can be automatically changed.

Next, the second request processing means 5 generates the data content in which the virtual link name VL2 in the data content is replaced with the actual link name, and sends it to the requesting client as the data content of the node name L1 (step S49). ). That is, in response to the data reference request from the client A,
The data content obtained by converting the virtual link name VL2 into the actual link name L1 is transmitted, and in response to the data reference request from the client B, the data content obtained by converting the virtual link name VL2 into the actual link name L2 is transmitted. Therefore, by executing the conversion process via the virtual link for each data reference request, the data contents including the different actual link names are provided to the client A and the client B, and the hypertext is used in a novel manner. Is realized.

The above embodiment uses the virtual link name VL2.
However, when the data content requested by the client includes the virtual link name VL1, the conversion process based on the time information TIME is performed to convert the virtual link name VL1 into the real link name L1 or L2. It In addition, the conversion procedure and information necessary for executing the conversion procedure can be set in various ways other than the above. For example, according to the address of the client device in the network (that is, the position information of the user). The virtual link name may be converted into a different real link name. Furthermore, in this case, if a link representing a node that is easily accessible to the client is selected as a real link name corresponding to the virtual link name, for example, a hypertext node is copied to create a mirror link. If you do, you will be able to remove the node from a nearby mirror site.

Further, when the data content includes fine data with a large volume such as an image, the client has a display means having a resolution sufficient for displaying or printing the data content, and the network is Since it is necessary to have sufficient communication quality for transferring data, the virtual link name may be converted into a different real link name according to the resolution of the display means provided in the client and the communication quality of the network. . Further, as a result of executing the conversion procedure, the virtual link name may be converted into a plurality of real link names, or the data content including these plurality of real link names may be transmitted to the client. Further, one real link name may be selected from a plurality of converted real link names by an appropriate procedure, and the data content including the selected real link name may be transmitted to the client.

[0028]

As described above, according to the hypertext system of the present invention, a virtual link whose node is in an undecided state is used, the user, the position of the user, the time zone used, the type of data used. In order to convert a virtual link into an actual link whose node destination has been determined, an appropriate procedure is executed each time according to various information obtained from the request source, such as It is possible to provide the data content obtained by converting the virtual link into various real links according to the information without feeling the fact that the hypertext is used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a hypertext system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of information managed by a node management unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of a data reference request by a client.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for a data reference request by the hypertext management means.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of request processing by a node management unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of request processing by virtual link management means.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of request processing by a client.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Node management means, 2 ... Virtual link management means, 3 ... Hypertext management means, 4 ... 1st request processing means, 5 ... 2nd request processing means, A, B
... Client, L1, L2, L3 ... Real link name (node name), VL1, VL2 ... Virtual link name,

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a hypertext system for processing a hypertext composed of a node for recording data and a link indicating a relation between the nodes, the name of each node and the recorded data content are managed in association with each other. Node management means, a virtual link name for which a node is undecided, a procedure for converting a virtual link into an actual link, and virtual link management means for managing the information necessary to execute the conversion procedure in association with each other. A first request processing means for acquiring the data content of the corresponding node from the node management means in response to the node reference request, and a virtual link included in the data content acquired by the first request processing means. , Converting a virtual link into a real link by executing a procedure managed by the virtual link management means based on information obtained from a request source, Hypertext system characterized by comprising a second request processing means for providing the contents of the node to the requesting, the.