JPS6136868A - Information retriever - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a retrieving efficiency of software, etc. by reading out and displaying a still picture information, selecting successively the still pictures for sorting and reduction and finally displaying a continuous pictures and the character information. CONSTITUTION:The still pictures are displayed on a CRT10 to show symbolically the sorting items stored in a still picture information memory part 7. Plural still pictures of lower sorting are displayed every time a still picture is selected by an operator. When a still picture where the lower sorting is not set is selected, an access signal generating part 4 gives accesses to an individual character information memory part 8 and a continuous picture information memory part 9. Then the continuous pictures showing the outlines of each unit are displayed at the position of the selected still picture, and the individual characters specifying a subject are displayed. Thus it is possible to improve the retrieving efficiency of the software having a sequence function, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an information search device used when searching for, for example, software that has been created and stored in advance.

[Technical Background of the Invention] In recent years, the demand for software has increased with the demand for speeding up various information processing.

In order to meet this increasing demand, several methods have been proposed to reduce the time required to create new software, one of which is to reuse part of existing software to create new software. There is a method.

This method was proposed based on the fact that there are many functionally similar software that have already been created and stocked. A search for software is performed.

Generally, a dedicated information retrieval device is used to perform this search efficiently.

This information retrieval device includes a storage means, a display means, a control means, and an input means, and a CRT display device is often used as the display means. The storage means stores a group of information that specifies each of a plurality of pieces of software to be searched, and a group of information that symbolically indicates each of the graded classification items of the software.

An operator operating the information retrieval device checks the information on the CRT display device and repeatedly selects categories as he approaches the desired target.

By the way, in conventional information retrieval devices, the information obtained at each stage of the search is displayed on the screen as characters or sentences, but since these characters or sentences were created by the software developer, it is difficult to use the device. Even if an operator refers to the information, it is not always possible to judge the information content. In particular, when technical terms and the like that the operator cannot understand appear in the text, it becomes very difficult to judge the information content.

Under these circumstances, a method has recently been developed for displaying information such as the outline, functions, and classification items of software using still images called icons. According to this method, the information content can be visually determined, which increases the appeal and improves efficiency.

[Problems with the background technology] However, at present, all icons showing information such as the overview, functions, and classification items of these software are made into a single still image, so the amount of information that can be expressed is limited. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to express all the contents of software with complex functions, especially software with sequence functions.

Even if the content of a single still image were complicated, there was a risk that the operator would not be able to judge the content, so the reality was that a compromise was found at an appropriate level.

[Object of the invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide an information retrieval device that greatly improves retrieval efficiency by displaying detailed and easy-to-understand overviews and functions of search targets such as existing software with sequence functions.

[Summary of the Invention] That is, the information retrieval device of the present invention includes a group of individual character information that specifies each of a plurality of existing objects, a group of continuous image information that shows an outline of each unit of the plurality of objects, and a group of continuous image information that specifies each of the plurality of existing objects. A storage means for storing a group of still image information symbolically representing each of classification items classified into a plurality of stages, a display means for displaying characters and images, and a continuous image and a still image displayed on the display means at the same time. a signal processing means, and the display means display still images of a plurality of higher classifications, each time one of these still images is selected, a plurality of still images of lower classifications are displayed; When one of the still images is selected at the stage of reaching the unit, a continuous image showing an overview of each unit of the target is displayed at the position of the selected still image while maintaining the display of the unselected still image. and control means for controlling display of individual characters specifying the object at the position.

[Embodiments of the Invention] Details of the present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

The information retrieval device of this embodiment includes an input section A, a III control section B,
It consists of a storage section C1 and a display section.

The input section A consists of an instruction section 1 and an input processing section 2, and the control section B consists of a signal determination section 3, an access signal generation section 4, an information temporary storage section 5, and a CRT control section 6. Further, the storage section C includes a still image information storage section 7, an individual character information storage section 8, and a continuous image information storage section 9. The display section is a CRT display device 10.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the form of an initial image on the display section at the time of starting the operation of the information retrieval device of this embodiment.

As shown in the figure, at the start of operation, a still image 1 symbolically showing each of the classification items for roughly classifying (6 classifications in this example) the software that has been created and stocked in advance on the screen. -1 to 6-1 are displayed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing each piece of information stored in the storage section C.

In this embodiment, software that has been created in advance and is stocked in other dedicated 4s devices is broadly categorized (
First stage classification, 1-1 to 6-1) L.

After that, the software belonging to each classification is further classified into multiple categories (second stage classification, 1-21 to 1-26...)
Then, the software belonging to this classification is further classified to the nth stage, that is, until the number of software belonging to that classification reaches one or a predetermined number.

Then, a still image symbolically representing each classification item is created, and the created still image is stored in the still image information storage section 7 as an image signal. Further, the individual character information storage section 8 stores a group of individual character information specifying each piece of software that has been created and stored in advance. Further, continuous images showing the outline and functions of each of these software programs or a predetermined number of software programs are created, and the created continuous images are stored in the continuous image information storage section 9 as image signals. In Fig. 3, one continuous image is 8
1 to am1b1 to bm1...

FIG. 4 is a flowchart specifically showing the operation of the information retrieval device of this embodiment.

In the information retrieval device of this embodiment, when the operator inputs a search start signal from the instruction unit 1, the device starts operating.In step a), the CRT display device 10 displays a second
The image shown in the figure is displayed (step b). These images are still images 1-1 to 6-1 of the first stage classification.

Next, the operator operates the operation section of the instruction section 1 while checking the CRT display viIif10, or depending on the system of the device, the operator touches the tip of an input pen (not shown) to the screen of the CRT display device 10 to display the displayed information. one of the still images 1-1 to 6-1 is selected (step C).

Then, a signal corresponding to this selection is output to the control unit B via the input processing unit 2, and the access signal generation unit 4 of the control unit B
outputs an access signal to the still image information storage section 7 to search for still image information (step d). At this time, the signal determination unit 3 determines whether or not a lower classification is set (
Step e), if a subclassification has been set, 1
The still image information of the lower classification is read out and written into the information temporary storage unit 5 (step ``).

Further, the still image information written in the information temporary storage unit 5 that is classified one level lower is read out by the CRT control unit 6 and output to the CRT display device 10, and the still image information that is classified one level lower is displayed on the screen. displayed (step g).

Then, when the operator selects one of the still images, in step h), a signal corresponding to the operation is again output to the control section B via the input processing section 2, and the access signal generation section 4 generates the still image information. In step i), an access signal is output to the storage unit 7 to search for classification information, and in step J), the signal determination unit 3 roughly determines whether or not a lower classification has been set. If so, return to step f and repeat the same operation.

Here, if a lower classification has not been set, that is, if the selection progresses until the number of software belonging to the classification reaches one or a predetermined number, the access signal generation unit 4 outputs the individual character information storage unit 8 and Continuous image information storage section 9
The continuous image information and individual character information are read by outputting an access signal to and temporarily stored in the information temporary storage section 5 (step k).

As shown in FIG. 5, when, for example, 1-05 is selected among the displayed still images 1-n1 to 1-n6, the CRT control unit 6 controls the still image 1 that is not selected. -nl-1-n4.1 While maintaining the display of n6, read the continuous image information corresponding to 1-05 from the information temporary storage unit 5, and place the continuous images e1 to em at the position of the selected still image 1-n5. (Step 1).

Subsequently, the CRT control section 6 reads out the corresponding individual character information from the information temporary storage section 5, and displays individual characters specifying each software at the position where the continuous images are displayed (step IB).

Here, the operator judges whether the software displayed as a continuous image and specified by individual characters matches the purpose (Step 0), and if it matches the purpose, terminates the operation (Step 0). If the still image does not match the purpose, the process returns to step h, selects another still image, and displays the continuous image and individual characters corresponding to that position. This operation is repeated until software matching the purpose is found.

As explained above, the information retrieval device of this embodiment collectively shows still image information that symbolically shows classification items of software created and stocked in advance, and software functions and summaries for each predetermined unit. Continuous image information and individual character information specifying each software are stored, the classification is selected using still images, and each content is judged using continuous images, so the operator can classify software easily. can be easily determined.

Moreover, the continuous images allow detailed judgment of the contents of software, especially those with sequence functions, and the efficiency of search work is greatly improved.

Furthermore, while continuous images and individual characters are displayed at the position of the selected still image, other still images that were not selected remain displayed, indicating that the software specified by the selection does not meet the purpose. Even if
You can immediately select another category and display the corresponding continuous images and individual characters in the software belonging to it.

Note that the above-mentioned continuous image may be a moving image such as an animation or a decomposed image in which a plurality of still images are displayed in succession, but any of these may be adopted.

In this embodiment, the case where the information search device of the present invention is used to search for existing software has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

The information retrieval device of the present invention can be widely applied to retrieval of various objects, such as retrieval of Ill in a library or retrieval of drawings in a design department.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the information retrieval device of the present invention includes a group of individual character information that specifies each of a plurality of existing objects, and a group of continuous image information that collectively shows a summary of each unit of the objects. A group of still image information symbolically representing each of the classification items for classifying these objects into multiple stages is stored in a storage means,
First, the still image information is read out and displayed on the display means, the still images are selected one after another, the classification is reduced, and finally the continuous image and text information are displayed at the position where the still image of the selected classification was displayed. Since the system is configured to perform a search for a target, the efficiency of searching for a target, particularly software having a sequence function, can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the display mode on the display section, and FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing the information stored and stored in the storage section. ,
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation in order, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the final display mode of the display unit. 1...Instruction section 2...Input processing section 3...
...... Signal judgment section 4 ...... Access signal generation section 5 ...... Information temporary storage section 6 ...... ......CRT control section 7...Still image information storage section 8.
......Individual character information storage section 9...
...Continuous image information storage unit 10...
・・・・・・Patent attorney representing CRT display device
Satoshi Suyama - Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Symbols each of an individual character information group that specifies each of the existing multiple objects, a continuous image information group that provides an overview of each unit of the multiple objects, and a classification item that classifies the multiple objects into multiple stages. a storage means for storing a group of still image information shown in FIG. A still image of a higher classification is displayed, and each time one of these still images is selected, still images of a plurality of lower classifications are displayed, and when the selection of classification reaches the unit of the target, the still image is When one is selected, display a continuous image showing a summary of each unit of the object at the position of the selected still image while maintaining the display of the unselected still images, and then identify the object at the position. 1. An information retrieval device comprising: control means for controlling display of individual characters. (2) The information retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein the target is software having a sequence function.