JPH10207676A - Guidance type application support device and recording medium with recorded program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve learning effect, etc., by providing a means which instructs an operating method for application software operated directly by a communicating means with video or voice as operation that a user performs for a user interface according to guide information in a data base. SOLUTION: In the data base 10, guidance execution information is defined and registered previously by application. A user selecting means 11 takes guide execution information of application that the user specifies out of the data base 10, and passes guide information included in the guide execution information to a display means 12 for the user and operation procedure information to an application communicating means 13. The user display means 12 is a function for providing the guide information for the user with video or voice and the application communicating means 13 is a function which directly operates the application 3 according to the operation procedure. Indications and results are sent and received through paths L1 and L2 in normal operation mode and through paths L3 and L4 in guidance mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guidance-type application support device for supporting work performed using software having application-specific functions (so-called application software (hereinafter referred to as "application")).
And a recording medium on which a program for operating the guided application support apparatus is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, applications having various functions are distributed on the market. The user prepares a work environment in which an application having a desired function is installed in a machine so that an application suitable for the work can be used. When using an application for the first time, it is necessary to prepare for learning and understanding the operation method using a manual or the like prior to the actual work. Some demonstrate a series of movements of the application to assist the user in learning. This is to execute the software on a document prepared for the demonstration and provide the user with appropriate operation guidance.

[0003] After understanding the operation method of the software using such a demonstration document, the application is executed and operated again in actual work.

However, in the above-described method, since the actual work and the learning work for operating the application are separated, the operation method must be understood before starting the actual work. There is a disadvantage that it takes time before.

[0005] In addition, there is an online help function as a function for instructing a user on an operation method when the operation method cannot be understood while using an application in actual work. This online help function teaches the user how to operate by displaying on the screen a document describing usage related to the current state of the application.

However, even if the online help function is used, the operation is resumed after reading and understanding the usage that appears on the screen, so that there is essentially no difference from reading and operating the manual.

[0007] A macro function is a function that can reduce the user's application operation. This macro function executes a series of movements of an application with simple commands. A series of movements is executed without inputting a series of user operations such as a menu operation by simply inputting a command consisting of a series of several numerical values from a keyboard or selecting from a list of registered macros.

[0008] However, in many cases, the macro function is intended to perform at high speed without doing anything that can be actually performed by menu operation. Therefore, even if the user can execute the macro function, This means that the user has not learned the operation method of the application and cannot expect a learning effect.

[0009]

As described above, in the conventional application learning method, since the learning of the operation method and the actual work are separated, it takes time to understand the operation method and actually work. Was hanging.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can combine learning of an operation method of an application with actual work, and can learn the operation method while performing the actual work. It is an object of the present invention to provide a guided application support device capable of improving learning effect and work efficiency, and a recording medium storing a program for operating the guided application support device.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following measures. The present invention is directed to a guided type that supports operations performed using application software on a computer that passes operation contents input by a user to application software via a user interface and executes the application software according to the operation contents. In the application support apparatus, a selection unit for selecting an application software to be executed based on a user input from a plurality of application software, and a series of procedures for operating the application software for each of the application software selectable by the selection unit Is stored, and guide information that expresses a user's input operation on the user interface in accordance with the operation procedure with video and / or audio is stored in the database. Communication means for directly operating the application software in accordance with the operation procedure stored in the database; and a method for operating the application software directly operated by the communication means in accordance with the guide information stored in the database. There is provided a means for instructing with a video and / or a voice as an operation performed on the user interface.

In the present invention, the operating procedure and the guide information relating to a plurality of application software are prepared in the database, and the application software to be executed by the user is selected from the plurality of application software by the selection means. The application software selected by the selection means is directly operated according to the operation procedure stored in the database by the communication means, and in parallel with the direct operation, the user is operated by the teaching means in accordance with the guide information stored in the database. An operation to be performed on the interface is virtually taught by video and / or audio.

Therefore, the application software desired by the user is executed by the communication means in the actual work, and the operation content for the user interface corresponding to the direct operation is taught by the teaching means by video and / or audio. The learning of the operation method can be combined with the actual operation, and the operation method can be learned while performing the actual operation.

Further, the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium recording a guidance-type application support program. Then, the guidance-type application support program passes the operation content input by the user to the application software through a user interface to the computer, and executes the application software on a computer that executes the application software according to the operation content. A recording medium on which a guidance-type application support program for supporting a task performed by using is selected, wherein a selection unit for selecting an application software to be executed based on a user input from a plurality of application software, and a selection unit. For each selectable application software, an operation procedure that describes a series of procedures for operating the application software,
A storage unit in which guide information in which a user's input operation on the user interface in accordance with the operation procedure is expressed by video and / or audio is stored, and an operation method of the application software selected by the selection unit is stored in the storage unit. Means for teaching by video and / or audio as an operation performed by the user on the user interface in accordance with the given guide information.

By using a recording medium on which the guidance-type application support program configured as described above is recorded, the same operation and effect as those of the invention described above can be easily obtained.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a hierarchical model of application execution on a computer equipped with a guided application support apparatus according to an embodiment. An operating system (OS) 2 installed in the hardware 1 of the computer controls the hardware 1 in accordance with a command from the application 3, and the operation contents of the user for the application 3 are represented by a graphical user interface (GU).
I) is transmitted to the application 3 via 4 (L
1) The processing result of the application 3 is transmitted to the user via the GUI 4 or the audible user interface (AUI) 4 (L2). Such a hierarchical model is a typical structure of one of the existing computers.

The present invention provides an application 3 and a GUI.
/ IUI (Interactive Layer)
in Introduction mode) 5. ILI5
Executes a procedure corresponding to the application 3 in the guidance mode to directly issue a command to the application 3 (L3), and a keyboard for the user to input the same command as the command given to the application 3;
The user is taught how to operate the mouse or the like (L4).

FIG. 2 mainly shows an ILI of an interactive user interface composed of a GUI / AUI 4 and an ILI 5.
5 shows a functional block relating to FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a database in which guidance execution information for each application is defined and registered in advance. The user selecting unit 11 extracts the guidance execution information of the application (function) designated by the user from the database 10,
The guide information included in the guidance execution information is passed to the user presentation display means 12, and the operation procedure information is passed to the application communication means 13. The user presenting means 12 is a function for providing guide information to the user by video or audio, and the application communication means 13 is a function for directly operating the application 3 in accordance with an operation procedure.

In a normal operation (normal mode), instructions, results, and the like are exchanged via the L1 and L2 paths shown in FIG. 1, and in the guidance mode, instructions and results are exchanged on the L3, L4 paths.

Here, desktop publishing
One of the software, Japanese word processor software, is 1
It is well known that one application is composed of a plurality of functions. This is not limited to word processing software, but applies to various applications. Since the individual functions included in the application are also a kind of application, the present invention does not distinguish between the application and the individual functions included therein.

The guide execution information stored in the database 10 is defined by the procedure definition means 14. FIG. 3 shows details of the guidance execution information defined by the procedure definition means 14.
As shown in FIG. 3, the guidance execution information of one function includes an operation procedure for directly operating the function by the application communication unit 13 and a command transmitted to the function by executing the operation procedure, such as a keyboard and a mouse. And guide information for instructing the user on an operation method for inputting from the user. Since the operation content for operating one function can be described as a series of steps, the operation procedure is defined so that when the series of steps is executed, the work of the function is performed.

A command for instructing the operation contents to the application is generated by the application communication means 13 and transmitted to the application, so that the user need not input the instruction. However, if the user inputs the same command as the command transmitted to the application for the user's learning, the operation content of the keyboard 23 and the mouse 24 that the user performs is defined in the guide information in the form of video information and audio information. I do. It is assumed that the operation content for all steps is defined and stored in the form of video information and audio information.

FIG. 4A shows a guidance execution information management table held in the user selection means 11. As shown in FIG. 3B, storage areas A1, A2,... Of the guidance execution information of a plurality of functions stored are registered and managed for each function. When the registration function is added by the procedure definition means 14, the storage area of the guidance execution information of the additional function is additionally set in the guidance execution information management table.

FIG. 5 shows a hardware configuration of a computer having the above-described interactive user interface. CPU 21, display device 22, keyboard 2
3, a mouse 24 and a speaker 25.

Next, an example of an operation for guiding and executing an operation of “centering”, which is one of the functions of the Japanese word processing software, while creating a document using the Japanese word processing software, will be described. It will be described as.

Now, referring to FIG.
It is assumed that the document under preparation shown in is displayed. FIG.
The actual operation for centering a predetermined paragraph in the document shown in FIG. 1 at the center is as follows. First, place a caret on the paragraph where you want to center
Pressing 4 and inverting the selection, select "paragraph ..." from the format menu window on the menu bar as shown in FIG. 12, and display the paragraph format dialog window shown in FIG. Then, in the paragraph format dialog window, select "Basic Format" for the "Attribute ..." item, and select "Center" for the "Alignment:" item.
And then press the “Apply” button. It is necessary to input the above series of operations by operating the keyboard 23 and the mouse 24.

If the user wants to center (center) a certain line of the document being created, but knows that there is a centering function, but does not know how to operate it, he follows the flowchart shown in FIG. Guidance and execution. In this case, the user inputs a request for the guidance mode from the keyboard 23 or the mouse 24.

When the guidance mode request is generated, the user selection means 11 of the ILI 5 is activated to execute a process for allowing the user to select a menu of a function executable in the current state of the application. As shown in FIG. 7, the upper functions of the executable functions are displayed in the main menu (FIG. 7A).
To allow the user to select a predetermined function from the main menu. If a sub-menu is prepared for the selected function, the sub-menu ((b) in FIG. 4) is displayed.
The user is caused to select a predetermined function from the submenu. If a lower submenu is prepared for the selected function, the lower submenu (FIG. 10C) is displayed. In the example shown in this embodiment, the centering function included in the word processing software belongs to the lower submenu.

If the function (centering) desired by the user can be recognized by the above menu selection,
In the guidance execution information management table, the storage area on the database 10 of the guidance execution information related to the function desired by the user is confirmed. Centering guidance execution information is extracted from the confirmed storage area of the database 10, the operation procedure information is passed to the application communication unit 13, and the guide information is passed to the user presentation unit 12.

The application communication means 13 executes the processing of the first step of the operation procedure information and issues a command corresponding to a keyboard event or a mouse event to the application 3. Therefore, the application 3 operates as if the user is operating according to a command from the application communication unit 13.

If there is a process in the operation of the application 3 for requesting information input from a user who cannot be set in advance, the process is transmitted from the application 3 to the user via the user presenting means 12. Since the output unit of the user presenting means 12 is the display device 22 or the speaker 25, the display unit 22 or the speaker 25 outputs or outputs sound. In this example, the centering position corresponds. Therefore, the window of the video in which the paragraph selection message shown in FIG. 8 is described is displayed.

On the other hand, the user presenting means 12 inputs the image information included in the guide information to the display device 22, and displays the instruction image of the keyboard 23 or the mouse 24 in step 1. As shown in FIG. 9, an instruction image indicating the operation position of the keyboard 23 or the mouse 24 is displayed in response to a keyboard event and a mouse event of a command given by the application communication unit 13 to the application 3. The user presenting means 12 inputs voice information to the speaker 25 and
As shown by 0, an audio corresponding to the instruction video is output.

After the first operation procedure has been executed as described above, the next step number is designated,
The operation procedure of the next step is passed to the application communication means 13,
The same application operation and guidance are executed by passing the guide information to the user presenting means 12. When all the steps are completed, the execution and guidance of the function of “centering” are completed.

If the execution result is not satisfactory to the user, the cancellation is performed. If the execution result is satisfied, the guidance mode is ended. According to such an embodiment, an operation procedure and guide information are defined corresponding to an application, and a command corresponding to a keyboard event and a mouse event is given to the application 3 according to the operation procedure to perform an actual operation. In addition to providing the instruction and the instruction video or audio corresponding to the keyboard event and the mouse event according to the guide information, even the user who does not know the operation method can perform the desired function by performing the desired function.

In addition, since the actual operation contents such as input from the keyboard and the mouse can be visually confirmed on the screen by the instruction image and can be confirmed by the ear by the instruction voice, the operation method can be learned at the same time as performing the work with the desired function. be able to.

Therefore, since the learning of the operation method of the application and the actual work are integrated, the operation method can be learned while performing the actual work, and the learning effect and the work efficiency can be improved.

In the above embodiment, a menu selection method is used for selecting a function desired by the user. However, a keyword search method can be used. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the above embodiment, Japanese word processor software has been described as an example of an application, but the present invention can be similarly applied to various other applications.

For example, the functions of the database 10, the user selecting means 11, the user presenting means 12, and the application communicating means 13 of the guidance-type application supporting apparatus shown in FIG. 2 are programmed and recorded in advance on a CD-ROM or the like. Write this CD-ROM to a CD-RO
Loaded into a computer equipped with an M drive, and the computer
By loading a program from the ROM, the same functions as those of the above embodiment can be realized.

As a recording medium, the above-mentioned CD-RO
In addition to M, a magnetic tape, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, MO, MD, CD-R, memory card, etc. may be used.

[0040]

As described above in detail, according to the guidance-type application support apparatus and the recording medium in which the program is recorded according to the present invention, the learning of the operation method of the application and the actual operation are merged to realize the actual operation. It is possible to learn an operation method while performing and to provide a guided application work support device that can improve the learning effect and the work efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hierarchical model of a guided application work support device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows functional blocks of the guided application work support device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of guidance execution information stored in a database provided in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a guide execution information management table and a storage area for guide execution information provided in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a hardware configuration of a computer equipped with the guided application work support device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of guidance and work execution in the guidance-type application work support device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a menu display example for selecting a function.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a message display example for selecting a paragraph.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an instruction video.

FIG. 10 is a diagram conceptually showing an output example of an instruction voice.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of a created document.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a window display example of a format menu for selecting a function.

FIG. 13 is a window display example of a paragraph format dialog.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Hardware 2 ... OS 3 ... Application 4 ... GUI / AUI 5 ... ILI 10 ... Database 11 ... User Selection Means 12 ... User Presenting Display Means 13 ... Application Communication Means 21 ... CPU 22 ... Display Device 23 ... keyboard 24 ... mouse 25 ... speaker

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of passing operation contents input by a user to application software via a user interface and guiding the operation performed by using the application software on a computer that executes the application software in accordance with the operation contents. In the type application support device, a selection unit for selecting an application software to be executed based on a user input from a plurality of application software, and a series of operation of the application software for each application software selectable by the selection unit A database in which an operation procedure in which a procedure is described, and guide information expressing a user's input operation on the user interface in accordance with the operation procedure with video and / or audio are stored; Communication means for directly operating the application software according to the operation procedure stored in the database; and a user operating the operation method of the application software directly operated by the communication means in accordance with the guide information stored in the database. A guidance-type application support device, comprising: means for instructing the user interface by video and / or audio. 2. An operation content input by a user is transferred to application software via a user interface, and a computer that executes the application software in accordance with the operation content supports operations performed using the application software. A recording medium on which a guidance-type application support program is recorded, comprising: a selection unit that selects an application software to be executed based on a user input from a plurality of application software; and individual application software selectable by the selection unit. An operating procedure in which a series of procedures for operating the application software are described, and storage means in which guide information in which a user's input operation on the user interface according to the operating procedure is represented by video and / or audio is stored, Before Means for instructing the operation method of the application software selected by the selection means by video and / or audio as an operation performed by the user on the user interface according to the guide information stored in the storage means. A computer-readable recording medium on which a guidance-type application support program is recorded.