JPH09212503A - Information input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the input of an input element such as an address and the update of an inputted input character string in an information input device. SOLUTION: This device is provided with an input element dictionary 2 arranging the input element to be tree hierarchical structure, a selective input means 3 selecting the input element of a high-order hierarchy through the use of this input element dictionary 2 so as to automatically display and select-input the input element of a low-order hierarchy and a free input means 4 inputting an optional partial character string without using the input element. Then, when the selective input means 3 select-inputs the input element of a lowest layer, inputting is switched to the free input means 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information input device for input information arranged from upper layers to lower layers. For example, there is address information as an input element that is associated with the upper hierarchy and is arranged in the lower hierarchy in a tree structure. At present, due to frequent changes in addresses due to relocations and disasters, office workers and residents often change their addresses. It is required that the place name etc. can be updated easily.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional information input device, an address,
For example, in the case of inputting "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo", the first character is input using the address dictionary which is the input element dictionary. Further, when the input character string that has been input once, that is, the address character string is updated, it is re-entered from the first character at the beginning as in the case of the initial address input.

[0003]

However, according to such an information input device as described above, since the address character string is updated again from the first character in the address update, the state of the input address before the update is restored. Since it is not possible and the address character string before update cannot be utilized, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to input a new address.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information input device capable of easily inputting an input element such as an address and updating an input character string that has been input.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the information input device of the present invention, an input element dictionary in which input elements are arranged in a tree hierarchical structure, and an input of an upper hierarchy using the input elements are provided. By selecting the element, the input element of the lower hierarchy is automatically displayed and the selection input means for selecting and inputting,
Free input means for inputting an arbitrary partial character string without using the input element, and when the input element of the lowermost layer is selectively input by the selection input means, the free input means is switched and input. Configure.

With this configuration, the input element dictionary is searched by using the selection input means, the input element is selected and input, and the hierarchy of the input element dictionary is automatically set to the lowest level and further lower levels. If there is not, the next step is to automatically switch to the free input means and to move to the lower substring, for example ○.
Since fixed phrases such as chome, address, and dormitory can be entered, the time and effort required to switch to the next input means can be greatly reduced.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The gist of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 (a), (b), (c)
Is a block diagram of an information input device manufactured based on a pen input personal computer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The input element is a place name element and will be described in address input. Note that the reference numerals used in FIG. 1 are referred to for the reference numerals of the constituent elements described below.

As shown in FIG. 1 (a), this information input device includes an input character string buffer 1 provided inside the device body 10, namely an address character string buffer and an input element dictionary 2, namely an address dictionary. , Selection input means 3 provided in the display device 11
And the free input means 4.

The address character string buffer 1 stores an input character string whose input place name has been fixed, that is, a fixed character string storage area 1a for storing the entire address character string and a partial character string that has been input using the selection input means 3 each time. It is composed of a storage area 1b for each layer that is stored as it is for each layer, and a free input storage area 1c for storing a partial character string input using a free input means.

As shown in FIG. 2, the address dictionary 2 associates the place name elements with the upper hierarchy and arranges them in a tree structure up to the lower hierarchy. As shown in FIG. 3B, the selection input means 3 selects and inputs the place name element of the upper hierarchy of the address dictionary 2 which is displayed in the list frame so that it can be input on the screen of the display device 11 to lower the place. The place name element of the hierarchy is automatically selected and displayed to enable input.

As shown in FIG. 1C, the free input means 4 includes a button group 4a for selecting and inputting numbers (numerical keypad) 0 to 9 and hyphens "-" and "no", and fixed phrases. A list box 4b for selecting and inputting, an input field 4c for inputting other characters by the mouse 12 or the keyboard 13 and a handwriting input field 4d for inputting by using handwritten character recognition by the light pen 14. It consists of.

The place name element of the address dictionary 2 is displayed by the display character string of the place name element and its reading, and the fixed phrase is displayed by the phrase itself and its reading. Next, the operation of inputting an address and deleting / updating will be described below. The constituent elements are given the same reference numerals as in FIG.

First, the address input operation of, for example, "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" will be described with reference to the flow chart of character string input by the selection input means 3 shown in FIG. The mouse 12 is used for input operation.

As shown in the figure, the selection input means 3 initially sets the hierarchy of the address dictionary 2 to the highest hierarchy, that is, the prefecture level (step 1). Selection input means 3
Is the place name element group "Shizuoka" that belongs to this hierarchy ...
"Hyogo prefecture" is displayed in the list frame of the address input screen of FIG. 4 (step 2).

From the displayed place name elements, the corresponding place name element, "Hyogo prefecture", is selected and input (step 3).
When "Hyogo Prefecture" is selected, the partial character string entered so far (empty character string because nothing has been entered here) and the place name element "Hyogo Prefecture" selected (determined) now Are connected (step 4).

This partial character string "Hyogo" is stored in the fixed character string storage area 1a and the hierarchical storage area 1b in the address character string buffer 1, that is, the current hierarchy, that is, the first highest hierarchy area 1b.
-1 and -1 (step 5).

Next, by examining the hierarchical structure of the address dictionary 2,
It is checked whether there is a lower input hierarchy (step 6). In the case of this example, the second layer under "Hyogo prefecture" on the first layer
Since there is an input hierarchy consisting of place name elements such as "Kobe city", "Nishinomiya city" ... "Akashi city" of the hierarchy, it becomes "YES", and the input hierarchy is lowered by one and the process returns to step 2 The place name element group is displayed in the list frame of the address input screen of FIG. 5 (step 8).

[Akashi City] from the displayed place name elements
Is selected, the first input is made in the first storage area 1b of the hierarchy.
The partial character string "Hyogo prefecture" stored in the hierarchical area 1b-1 and the place name element "Akashi city" selected just now are connected, and the partial character string "Hyogo prefecture" stored in the fixed character string storage area 1a is connected. Is rewritten to "Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture", and the partial character string "Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture" is stored in the current hierarchy of the storage area 1b for each hierarchy, that is, the second hierarchy area 1b-2.

Similarly, "Okubo-cho" and "Nishiwaki" are sequentially input and connected, and the partial character string "Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" is stored in the third tier area 1b-3 of the tier-specific storage area 1b.
The partial character string "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" is stored in the fourth layer area 1b-4. On the other hand, the fixed character string storage area 1
The partial character string stored in a is rewritten every time the place name element of the next lower hierarchy is input.

Therefore, at this point, the first hierarchical area 1b-1 of the hierarchical storage area 1b of the address character string buffer 1
Is "Hyogo Prefecture", second-tier area 1b-2 is "Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture", third-tier area 1b-3 is "Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo", and fourth-tier area 1b-4 is "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" is stored, and the partial character string "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" is stored in the fixed character string storage area 1a.

Thus, in this example, since there is no lower layer in the address dictionary 2 under "Nishiwaki", "NO" is entered, and the free input means 4 is automatically entered. (Step 7) That is, the input screen of the selection input means 3 is automatically switched to the input screen of the free input means 4 shown in FIG. 6, and the fixed character string storage area 1a is provided in the address character string frame of the free input screen. The partial character string "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" displayed by the selection input means 3 stored in is displayed. If there is a lower hierarchy, the area up to the nth hierarchy area is stored.

Then, "64" is selected and input by the ten keys of the button group 4a, and then "address" of the list box 4b is selected and input, as shown in the input screen of FIG.
The partial character string "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture" stored in the fixed character string storage area 1a of the address character-string buffer 1 is the entire address string "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture"
In addition to rewriting and storing, the partial character string "64" by the free input means 4 is stored in the free input storage area 1c and the input of the entire address is completed.

As described above, according to the selection input means and the free input means of the present invention, when the place name element of the upper hierarchy is selected and input, the screen is automatically switched to the next lower hierarchy screen.
It is possible to significantly reduce the time and labor required for screen transition.

Next, according to the flowchart for deleting the address character string shown in FIG. 8, for example, the address character string "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture" is already stored in the address character string buffer by the selective input means and the free input means. Will be described. In addition, the deletion operation
Is used.

First, when a character deletion request is made to the entire address character string stored in the address character string buffer 1 by the selection input means 3 "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture", the free-input means 4 makes an input. Character deletion is detected and characters are deleted one by one from the last character (step 1).

Deletion is always performed character by character from the last character of the entire address character string. That is, in this example, the fixed character string storage area 1a and the free input storage area 1 of the address character string buffer 1 are
"64" stored in c is changed to "ground""number""4"
Delete in order of "6".

At this time, it is checked whether the entire address character string is a character string input by the selection input means 3 (step 2). That is, while the free inputting means 4 is deleting one character at a time, every time one character is deleted, the current address character string is stored from the beginning as a partial character string in the hierarchical storage area 1b. The lowest hierarchical level, in this example, the fourth hierarchical level area 1b-
It compares with the substring "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" stored in No. 4 and checks whether the deletion cursor is on the character "Waki" in the stored substring. If the address character string has been deleted up to "6", the partial character strings are exactly the same when compared, and the deletion cursor is "side" input by the selection input means 3.
Since it is determined to be "YES" due to the letter "", the process automatically proceeds to the selection input means 3 (step 3).

If it is "NO" that is not applied,
Returning to (step 1), the remaining partial character string input by the free input means 4 is further deleted character by character. Next, the partial character string of the lowest hierarchy inputted by the selection input means 3 is called (step 4).

When a deletion request for a partial character string of the layer is detected (step 5), in this example, "west side" of the lowest layer is deleted. Deletion is performed for each place name element. Further, when the deletion request is detected, the deletion is continued from the lowest layer to the upper layer.

Next, it is checked whether or not the hierarchy of the current partial character string has reached the highest hierarchy (step 6). If "NO" that is not the highest layer, the partial character string of the next upper layer is deleted, so that the input character string of the layer one level higher is called (step 7) and the deletion is continued. if,
If "YES", an empty character string with no contents is displayed (step 8).

In this way, the partial character string to be deleted or the entire address character string is deleted, and the address character string can be updated by the input of the selection input means 3 described above. That is, a correct place name element can be selected and input from the deleted place name element group of the current layer and updated.

In the case of deleting the above, if it is not necessary to delete the partial character strings such as the place name and the fixed phrase input by the free input means 4 into the address character string, they are deleted in the free input storage area 1c of the address buffer 1. Since it can be transferred to the selection input means 3 while being stored in, the partial character strings input by the free input means 4 can be deleted or updated without deleting the partial character strings such as prefectures, municipalities, etc. By restoring the partial character string stored in the free input storage area 1c, it is possible to quickly delete or update the entire input address character string.

The above description is about the operation of deleting and updating the address character string input by the selection input means 3. For example, the address information created by another character creating means such as a document processing device (word processor) is used. It can be deleted and updated by the selection input means 3 as if it were stored in the address character string buffer 1.

That is, the place name element of the address character string is collated with the address dictionary 2 in order from the highest hierarchy to the lower hierarchy,
By considering the matched place name element to have been input by the selection input means 3 and the free input means 4, the externally input address character string can be deleted or updated in the same manner as the deletion and updating operations described above.

The entire externally input address character string is selected by dividing it into an input address by the selection input means 3 and the free input means 4, that is, a partial character string existing in the address dictionary 2 and a partial character string not existing. In order to regard the address character string as being input by the input means 3, the address character string buffer 1
Is stored in the definite character string storage area 1a, and each partial character string is stored in the hierarchical storage area 1b by collation with the address dictionary 2 as if they were input by the selection input means 3. Enables recognition of.

Next, the entire address string externally input, for example, "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" and the address dictionary 2
The collation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The entire address character string input by the outside is collated with the place name element in the address dictionary 2 one by one. At the time of collation, the address character string in the address dictionary 2 starts from the highest hierarchy, so first the address dictionary 2
Is set to the highest level at the prefecture level. (Step 1) Next, the place name element group of the current hierarchy in the address dictionary 2 is read. That is, a group of "Hokkaido" to "Hyogo" is read (step 2).

Then, from the beginning of the address character string, each of the place name elements of the place name element group read from the address dictionary 2 is collated character by character. That is, from "Hyogo prefecture", the place name elements "Hokkaido" to "Hyogo prefecture" in the place name element group are sequentially compared with each other (step 3).

As a result of the collation, whether all the characters in the address character string match (step 4). If it matches, "Y
If it is "ES", delete the matched "Hyogo prefecture" part and make it "64 Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi".
The matched "Hyogo prefecture" is concatenated with the character string that has been matched so far (in this case, since the matching has just started, it becomes an empty character string). (Step 5) The consolidation result is "Hyogo Prefecture".

The partial character string of this concatenation result is stored in the current hierarchical level of the address character string buffer 1, that is, the first hierarchical level storage area 1b.
The data is stored in the hierarchical area 1b-1 (step 6). Next,
Whether the hierarchy in the address dictionary 2 has reached the lowest hierarchy for the current partial character string (step 7).

Since the lower level second and third level place name elements still exist in the hierarchy in the address dictionary 2, the result is "NO", and the hierarchy in the address dictionary 2 is lowered by one step (step 8), (step 2). Then, the same collation is repeated for the place name element of the lower hierarchy, and the second hierarchy area 1b-
"Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture" is stored in 2, "Okubo Town, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture" is stored in the third layer area 1b-3, and "Okubo Town Nishiwaki, Akashi City, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture" is stored in the fourth layer area 1b-4.

If the lowest level is reached and "YES", the partial character strings of each matched layer are considered to have been input by the selection input means 3, and the remaining unmatched partial character strings "address 64". Is regarded as input by the free input means 4, and is stored in the free input storage area 1c (step 9).

As a result of the above collation, the address character string buffer 1
In the storage area 1b for each hierarchy, "Hyogo Prefecture" is in the first hierarchy area 1b-1, "Akashi City" in the second hierarchy area 1b-2, and "Hyogo Prefecture" in the third hierarchy area 1b-3. "Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi", fourth-tier area 1b-4 is "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo", free input storage area 1c is "64", and fixed character string storage area 1a is "Akashi-shi, Hyogo Prefecture""64, Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho" is stored in each.

Therefore, the entire address character string by external input is divided into a portion "Nishiwaki, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo" obtained by the selective input means 3 and a portion "64th address" obtained by the free input means 4. The address character string can be deleted or updated as described above.

Although the above description is based on the instruction input using the mouse 12, it is displayed by inputting handwritten characters with the keyboard 13 or the light pen 14 into the input field 4c. You can select and input from the place name element group in the list frame.

That is, the place name element of the address dictionary 2 of the selection inputting means 3 includes a place name and a Japanese syllabary (kana), and a part of the Japanese syllabary is input by using the keyboard 13 in the syllabary input box 4c. It is possible to collate Yomigana with the Yomigana of each place name element of the place name element group of the hierarchy that is currently displayed and can be selected, display only the matched place name element group on the screen, and select and input the desired place name element. it can.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the selection input means 3
If the place name element group displayed in the list frame of the input screen of the includes a place name that starts with "A", the element is automatically entered by entering "Yomigana" in the Yomigana input field 4c. Only the place name where the Yomigana begins with "A" in the group is extracted, displayed and made selectable.

Further, it has a function of deleting the yomi gana input in the yomi gana input field 4c, and when the yomi gana is deleted, the display selectable place name element can be restored. In addition, the reading can be input by using handwritten character recognition. The same thing as this can be done by matching with a fixed phrase even with the fixed phrase by the free input means 4.

As described above, when inputting an address, the selection input means selects and inputs the place name elements from the upper hierarchy to the lower hierarchy such as prefectures stored in the address dictionary, so that the lower hierarchy and the free hierarchy are automatically selected. Since the screen can be changed to the input means, the input operation can be performed quickly and easily.

Also, when deleting or updating an already entered address character string, the entire address character string by the already entered selection input means and free input means, or the entire address character string by another character creating means is used as the address dictionary. It is possible to update the new address character string by checking the partial character string one layer at a time and saving the time and effort.

In the above description of the embodiment, the input information is address information, but it can also be applied to input information having a tree hierarchical structure arranged from a higher hierarchy to a lower hierarchy such as a company organization and biological classification. Needless to say.

[0051]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
The input character string can be easily input, and the already input character string can be easily updated, which greatly contributes to speeding up the input and improving the accuracy, which is extremely useful in the industry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an address dictionary according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of character string input by the selection input means according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an address input screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an address input screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an address input screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an address update screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of deleting an address character string according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for comparing a partial character string with an address dictionary according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an address input screen by Yomigana according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Input character string buffer (address character string buffer) 1a: Confirmed character string storage area 1b: Hierarchical storage area 1c: Free input storage area 2: Input element dictionary (address dictionary) 3: Selection input means 4: Free input means 4a: Button group 4b: List box 4c: Yomigana input field 4d: Handwriting input field

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An input element dictionary in which input elements are arranged in a tree hierarchical structure, and selecting an input element in an upper layer by using the input element automatically displays an input element in a lower layer to select and input. The input means and free input means for inputting an arbitrary partial character string without using the input element are provided, and when the input element of the lowermost layer is selectively input by the selection input means, the free input means An information input device characterized by inputting by switching to. 2. The selection input means deletes the input element selected and input at the end of the address character string and the partial character string stored in the definite character string storage area and the hierarchical storage area of the input character string buffer. Meanwhile, the input element group lower than the upper input element of the input element has a function of displaying again the deleted input element including the deleted input element, and deleting or updating the input element. It has a function to delete and update the string one character at a time from the end, and when further deletion is requested when there is no character in the partial character string input by the free input means, the selection input means is automatically operated. The information input device according to claim 1, further comprising a switching function. 3. The partial character string input by the free input means is stored in the free input storage area of the input character string buffer as it is, and has a function of moving to the selective input means and deleting or updating. The information input device according to claim 2. 4. The input character string given by another character creating means is sequentially collated from the input element dictionary from the highest level, and the matched partial character string is regarded as obtained by the selection input means. The information input device according to claim 2, which has a function of deleting and updating.