JPH09190444A - System for visualizing retrieval information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To visualize a retrieval result as against various kinds of retrieval objects by the various contents of three-dimensional shape expression regardless of the height of abiliby in the user terminal of a retrieval request source. SOLUTION: A system is constituted by separating a database server 100, a visualizing server 200 and the user terminal 300. A shape description database 204 holds the shape description of various kinds of parts forming a body. A shape generating rule holding part 205 holds a shape generating rule giving a method for generating three-dimensional shape description based on data attribute information of the retrieval result. A retrieval executing part 201 issues a retrieval request to the proper database server 100 in accordance with the retrieval request from the user terminal 300 and arrange the retrieval results from the database server 100. A three-dimensional shape description generating part 202 refers to the shape description database 204 and the shape generating rule holding part 205 so as to generate three-dimensional shape description based on the retrieval result.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information retrieval system for retrieving information via communication and displaying the retrieval result, and particularly to the type of retrieval result for a user (for example, "author name" in book retrieval). Also, the present invention relates to a search information visualization method that makes it possible to visualize and display a distribution (for example, “page number” in a book search) as a three-dimensional object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the following techniques and the like have been known as those using a three-dimensional display mode in a method of visualizing data.

A virtual library system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-230477 (Japanese Patent Application No. 6-311693) using three-dimensional computer graphics simulating an actual library.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of such a virtual library system. This virtual library system is configured to include an information storage device that stores information on books and a user terminal device that displays search results.

The display means in the user terminal device displays the open library by three-dimensional computer graphics.

[0006] The user gives a search instruction by moving through the open library by operating the input means. Further, the user gives a search instruction by sending a search command to the information storage device by input from the input means.

The extraction processing unit in the information storage device executes a search based on these instructions and sends the bookshelf information, the book information, and their image data to the user terminal device (thus, the search result is 3 It is displayed by the display means in a three-dimensional display mode).

In this virtual library system, the data to be searched is limited to the information of the book, and the search result (search result regarding the information of the book) and its three-dimensional display format are handled with a fixed correspondence. .

A specific search result is expressed by synthesizing a cover image stored in the book information storage base and a shelving image on the generation base (see FIG. 8 in the above publication).

An interface for displaying the directory structure of UNIX (“UNIX” is a registered trademark of X / Open Company Limited in the United States and other countries) in three-dimensional computer graphics (reference: IPSJ Human Interface Research Group) Report, Vol.93, NO.15, pp85-91)

The above-mentioned interface, IVI
(Information Visual Inter
The interface called "face" targets the UNIX file system and features and hierarchy of files.
Features of (directory) and features of hierarchical structure (relationship between files and directories) are visualized in a three-dimensional display mode.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a mode of visualizing the characteristics of a file by IVI. In IVI, file size, file contents, file attributes, file creation date, etc. are set as file characteristics, and these characteristics are used as object attributes (shape, size, color, etc.) when displaying a three-dimensional object. Has been. The hierarchical structure is displayed as a three-dimensional tree structure.

In IVI, display contents (file characteristics)
Various features are associated with attributes such as shape and size and color upon three-dimensional visualization, and many features can be visualized at once. However, the correspondence between each feature and the display attribute in three-dimensional visualization is fixedly given by the system (information processing system to which IVI is applied).

[0014]

The conventional data visualization method described above has the following problems.

In the above-mentioned virtual library system, the user can issue a search request for the information of the book (data to be searched) via communication, and the search result can be sent to the user in a three-dimensional representation form. Can be displayed. However, the data to be displayed or searched is limited to the information of the book, and cannot be applied to the search of the file system or the search of the document file, for example. In addition, search results (search results of information in books) and their three-dimensional display formats are handled with a fixed correspondence, and the search results display reflects the search conditions and various attributes of the searched data. Difficult to do.

In the above-mentioned IVI, in three-dimensional visualization, the displayed shape and attributes such as size and color are associated with non-visual attributes such as the size of data to be displayed and the date and time of data creation. Is performed and it is possible to provide non-visual data as visual three-dimensional image information. However, processing such as retrieval cannot be performed on this three-dimensional image information (thus, depending on IVI, the "retrieval information visualization method" as in the present invention cannot be constructed). Further, in the IVI, data acquisition of file information and its visualization are configured as an integrated system, so that the display target is changed, or the method or mode of visualizing the display target data is changed. I can't.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide the three-dimensional display capability of a user terminal (user terminal device) that issues a search request by having the following technical features. An object of the present invention is to provide a search information visualization method that enables visualization of search results for various search targets, regardless of height, by three-dimensional shape representation of various contents.

A three-dimensional shape description is created from a database server that holds the data to be searched / displayed (such as the information on the book and the characteristics of the file in the above-mentioned conventional technology) and the attributes of the data obtained from the database server. A visualization server (a server that has a search execution unit, a three-dimensional shape description generation unit, a communication management unit, a shape description database, and a shape generation rule holding unit) that is generated and sent to the user terminal, and a user that executes a search It is configured separately from the person's terminal.

Separated from the search for the database server, a three-dimensional shape in which the attributes of non-visual data are appropriately associated with the three-dimensional shape, size, color, motion, voice, etc. in the visualization server Generate a description.

By requesting the search request issued from the user terminal to the visualization server via the network,
The search result corresponding to the search request is provided to the user terminal as a three-dimensional shape description (the search result is not generated as image data but is generated as a three-dimensional shape description and sent to the user terminal).

[0021]

A search information visualization system of the present invention is an information search system for searching information through communication and displaying search results, and a database server for holding data to be searched. , A visualization server,
Shape description in the visualization server, which is configured separately from a user terminal capable of three-dimensional display of search results and holds shape descriptions of various parts forming an object for visualizing search results A database, a shape generation rule holding unit in the visualization server that holds a shape generation rule that gives a method for generating a three-dimensional shape description based on attribute information of search result data, and a search request from the user terminal. The search execution unit in the visualization server that issues a search request to an appropriate database server and summarizes the search results from the database server, and the shape description database and the shape generation rule holding unit are referenced to execute the search. 3D shape description generation in the visualization server, which generates a 3D shape description having attributes of shape and size based on a search result by the section Parts and, 3 as a search result to the reception and the user terminal of the search request from the user terminal
And a communication management unit in the visualization server for transmitting the dimensional shape description.

[0022]

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

(1) Regarding the first embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the retrieval information visualization system of the present invention.

The search information visualization method of this embodiment is a database server 100 (a plurality of database servers 100-which is a database holding data to be searched).
1, 100-2, ..., 100-n (n can be a positive integer) and a three-dimensional shape description is generated from the attribute of the data obtained from the database server 100 and sent to the user terminal 300. The visualization server 200 and the user terminal 300 (a plurality of user terminals 300-
1, 300-2, ..., 300-m (m can be a positive integer).

The internal structure of the visualization server 200 includes a search execution unit 201 which issues a search request to an appropriate database server 100 according to a search request from the user terminal 300 and collects the search results from the database server 100.
A three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 that generates a three-dimensional shape description based on the search result, reception of a search request from the user terminal 300, and a search result to the user terminal 300 (search expressed as a three-dimensional shape description A communication management unit 203 that transmits a result), a shape description database 204 that manages the shape description of the part of the object indicating the search result, and attribute information (data of the database of the data sent from the three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202. 3 based on type and data attributes)
A shape generation rule holding unit 205 that holds a shape generation rule that gives a method of generating a three-dimensional shape description (a method that indicates what kind of component should be selected and arranged).

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing of the visualization server 200. This process is the search request acceptance step 3
01, and a search request / user terminal correspondence holding step 302
A proper database server determination step 303, a database server search step 304, a shape generation rule acquisition step 305, a three-dimensional shape description generation step 306, and a three-dimensional shape description notification step 307.

4 to 6 are diagrams for explaining the specific operation of the retrieval information visualization system of this embodiment.

Next, the operation of the retrieval information visualization system of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

In the following, the operation (processing flow) when a search is performed from the user terminal 300 will be described by taking as an example the case where the book information is held in the database server 100.

From any of the user terminals 300, the user inputs a search request for information on a desired book by the author name, book title, or the like.

This search request is transmitted to the visualization server 200 via the communication line.

An example of the search request transmitted as described above is shown in FIG. The search request shown in FIG. 4 specifies book data as the data to be searched (this is done by specifying "book" as the database type), and "author name" is specified as the search type. The author name that starts with "Suzuki" is specified as the actual search key, and the "author name" and "publishing year" are specified as the sort key (the key when sorting the presentation order of the search results). There is.

The visualization server 200 performs the following processing (see FIG. 3).

First, the communication management section 203 receives the above-mentioned search request (step 301).

The communication management unit 203 receives the search requests from the plurality of user terminals 300, holds the correspondence between each search request and each user terminal 300, and obtains the search result as described later. At times, the search result is returned to the appropriate user terminal 300 with reference to the correspondence.

The communication management unit 203 has such a "correspondence".
An ID (IDentifice) peculiar to the search request received for holding (the correspondence between the search request and the user terminal 300)
Cation) number is given and the correspondence between the ID number and the identification information (user terminal ID) of the requesting user terminal 300 is held (step 302), and the search request and the ID number are searched and executed. Send to section 201.

The search execution unit 201 determines the type of the received search request, and determines the appropriate database server 100 as the one corresponding to the search request from the database server list internally held by the search execution unit 201. (Step 303).

The search execution unit 201 executes, for example, SQL (Structured Query) with respect to the database server 100 determined as “appropriate” in step 303.
A search via a communication line is performed by generating a search statement such as "Language" (step 30).
4).

It should be noted that when there are a plurality of database servers 100 (database servers 100 determined to be “appropriate” in step 303) that are candidates for retrieval (for example, two database servers 100-1 and databases in FIG. 1). When the server 100-2 is a search target candidate), the above-described search is performed on each database server 100 (each of the database server 100-1 and the database server 100-2 in the above case).

The search execution unit 201 sets the search result in step 304 to 3 with the ID number corresponding to the search request.
It is sent to the three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202.

The three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 acquires, from the attribute of the search result data, the shape generation rule indicating the correspondence between the shape of each part and the attribute of the data from the shape generation rule holding unit 205 ( Step 305).

The shape generation rule in the shape generation rule holding unit 205 includes a part (final part) used for three-dimensional display of search results for each database type (for example, a type such as "book" in FIG. 4). The correspondence between the type of the object constituting the object to be displayed), the attribute of the data included in the search result, and the attribute used for the display is described. Have been given).

An example of such a shape generation rule is shown in FIG. In the shape generation rule shown in FIG. 5, the following contents are expressed.

The database type of the search target is “b
If it is “ook”, the parts used for display are “B
OX ”(box or rectangular parallelepiped) is used.

Among the attributes of the search result data, “author name” is displayed in text.

Of the attributes of the search result data, “publisher” is displayed in text and
PUB held in the shape generation rule holding unit 205
A database named LISER-DB is searched to associate the publisher name with the color.

B among the attributes of the search result data
Similarly, regarding the “plate type” such as 5 size or A5 size, the database named SIZE-DB held in the shape generation rule holding unit 205 is referred to,
"BOX" parameters "HEIGHT" and "D"
EPTH "(height and depth of a rectangular parallelepiped).

The “number of pages” among the attributes of the search result data is expressed as “WIDTH” (width of a rectangular parallelepiped) of the “BOX” parameter.

The three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 acquires the shape description of a predetermined part from the shape description database 204, and applies the shape generation rule obtained from the shape generation rule holding unit 205 to the search result data. To generate a three-dimensional shape description (step 306). That is, the various attributes of the data included in the search result are the attributes of shape and size (minimum attributes necessary to enable three-dimensional visualization) and the accompanying attributes such as color, motion, and voice. A three-dimensional shape description corresponding to is generated. As attributes for expressing the three-dimensional shape description, the attributes of shape and size are indispensable, but the accompanying attributes are optional and optional.

FIG. 6 shows an example of data (shape description of parts) in the shape description database 204. That is,
In FIG. 6, “BOX” (a rectangular parallelepiped) and “CONE” are shown.
The shape description of the part showing (cone) is shown. The attribute values such as WIDTH, HEIGHT, and DEPTH indicating the shape and size and COLOR indicating the color are filled with the values obtained from the shape generation rule when the three-dimensional shape description is actually generated. is there.

The generated three-dimensional shape description is sent to the communication management section 203 together with the ID number corresponding to the search request.

The communication management unit 203 notifies (transmits) the search result as the three-dimensional shape description to the user terminal 300 requesting the search (user terminal 300 of the request source) (step 307). At this time, the communication management unit 203 refers to “correspondence between the search request and the user terminal 300 that has issued the search request” that is held when the search request is received, and refers to the appropriate use. The search result is transmitted to the worker terminal 300.

As a result of the series of processing by the visualization server 200 as described above, the user terminal 300 that issued the search request
Receives a three-dimensional shape description indicating the search result.

Based on the three-dimensional shape description, the user terminal 300 displays the object three-dimensionally according to the three-dimensional display function of the user terminal 300. The display mode is, for example, similar to the mode of FIG. 9 mentioned in the description of the related art.

(2) Regarding the second embodiment

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the retrieval information visualization system of the present invention.

The search information visualization method of the present embodiment is a database server 100 (a plurality of database servers 100-which is a database holding data to be searched).
1, 100-2, ..., 100-n (n can be a positive integer) and a three-dimensional shape description is generated from the attribute of the data obtained from the database server 100 and sent to the user terminal 300. The visualization server 200 and the user terminal 300 (a plurality of user terminals 300-
1, 300-2, ..., 300-m (m can be a positive integer).

The internal structure of the visualization server 200 includes a search execution unit 201 which issues a search request to the appropriate database server 100 in accordance with the search request from the user terminal 300 and collects the search results from the database server 100.
A three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 that generates a three-dimensional shape description based on the search result, reception of a search request from the user terminal 300, and a search result to the user terminal 300 (search expressed as a three-dimensional shape description 3D display type selection request to the 3D shape description generation unit 202 in response to a request from the user terminal 300 (a request indicating “a method / aspect selection method for visualization of search results”). 40
1 and the shape description database 20 that manages the shape description of the parts of the object showing the search result.
4 and a method of generating a three-dimensional shape description based on the attribute information of the data (database type or data attribute) sent from the three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 (what kind of parts should be selected and arranged. The shape generation rule holding unit 205 holds the shape generation rule that gives the The system configuration of the search information visualization system of this embodiment is the same as the system configuration of the search information visualization system of the first embodiment (the components corresponding to each other are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). In which the same symbols are used).

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views for explaining a specific operation of the search information visualization system of this embodiment.

Next, the operation of the retrieval information visualization system of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described.

As described above, the system structure of the retrieval information visualization system of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.
A three-dimensional visualization function of search results similar to that of the first embodiment is provided.

In addition, in the search information visualization method of the present embodiment, the user sends a “visualization of search result” from the user terminal 300 to the visualization server 200 before, during, or after the search is executed. A request indicating “selection method / mode selection instruction” can be sent.

Communication management unit 203 in visualization server 200
Receives the request sent from the user terminal 300, and the three-dimensional display type selection request 401 based on the request.
Is sent to the three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202.

In the three-dimensional display type selection request 401, the detail level of the shape and the number of colors are used as parameters for changing various display modes such as the operation speed and appearance of the object showing the retrieval result according to the user's preference. Etc. can be set.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show examples of the three-dimensional display type selection request 401. The three-dimensional display type selection request 401 shown in FIG. 7A is an example of the three-dimensional display type selection request 401 in the case of responding to a request from the user terminal 300 or the like having a high graphics display capability. A real shape description is used as a three-dimensional shape of the target object (“DETAIL-L” in FIG. 7A).
“EVEL: REAL”) and that image data is also used (see “TEXTURE: ON” in FIG. 7A). FIG. 7B is an example of a three-dimensional display type selection request 401 in the case of responding to a request from the user terminal 300 or the like having a low graphics display capability or in the case of prioritizing a high-speed operation. A simple shape description is used as the shape ("DETA" in FIG. 7B).
IL-LEVEL: SIMPLE ”) and does not use image data (“ TEXTURE: OF ”in FIG. 7B).
F ”)).

3D display type selection request 4 as described above
By making it possible to set the content of 01 according to a request from the user (user terminal 300) side, it is possible to take a display form according to the function of the user terminal 300 and the user's preference. .

The three-dimensional shape description generation unit 202 controls the generation of the three-dimensional shape description based on the three-dimensional display type selection request 401 from the communication management unit 203, and functions of the user terminal 300 that is the request source of the search request. And 3 to suit user preferences
Generate a dimensional shape description.

[0069]

As described above, according to the retrieval information visualization method of the present invention, the attributes possessed by the data included in the retrieval result are searched for the information through communication, and the shape, size,
By generating a three-dimensional shape description corresponding to display attributes such as color, action, and sound and transmitting it to the user terminal,
Visualize the search results for various types of search targets with various 3D shape representations regardless of the 3D display capability of the user terminal that issues the search request. There is an effect that it is possible to visually display as a three-dimensional object and provide a search facility.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a search information visualization system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the search information visualization system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of a visualization server in FIG.

4 is a diagram showing an example of a search request in the search information visualization system shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing an example of a shape generation rule in a shape generation rule holding unit in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing an example of the shape description of a part in the shape description database in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional display type selection request in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a virtual library system which is an example of a conventional technique.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an aspect of visualization of characteristics of a file by IVI which is another example of the conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100, 100-1 to 100-n database server 200 visualization server 201 search execution unit 202 three-dimensional shape description generation unit 203 communication management unit 204 shape description database 205 shape generation rule holding unit 300, 300-1 to 300-m use Person terminal 401 3D display type selection request

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An information retrieval system for retrieving information via communication and displaying retrieval results, wherein a database server holding data to be retrieved, a visualization server, and three-dimensional display of retrieval results are possible. Of the search result data and the shape description database in the visualization server that holds the shape description of various parts that form an object for visualizing the search result A shape generation rule holding unit in the visualization server that holds a shape generation rule that gives a method for generating a three-dimensional shape description based on attribute information, and a search request to an appropriate database server according to a search request from the user terminal Is issued to collect the search results from the database server, the search execution unit in the visualization server, the shape description database and the A three-dimensional shape description generation unit in the visualization server for generating a three-dimensional shape description having attributes of shape and size based on a search result by the search execution unit, by referring to a shape generation rule holding unit; And a communication management unit in the visualization server that receives a search request from a user terminal and transmits a three-dimensional shape description as a search result to the user terminal. 2. A communication management unit in the visualization server that issues a three-dimensional display type selection request based on a “selection method of search result visualization method / mode” from a user terminal; and the communication management unit. 3. The retrieval information visualization system according to claim 1, further comprising a 3D shape description generation unit that controls generation of a 3D shape description based on the 3D display type selection request. 3. A three-dimensional shape description to be generated is not a “three-dimensional shape description having attributes of shape and size”, but “an attribute of shape and size and an accompanying attribute consisting of color, action, voice, and the like. 3. The retrieval information visualization system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a three-dimensional shape description generation unit that is a "three-dimensional shape description having".