JPS6318428A - Menu controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a displaying area and, at the same time, to make the depth of selection clear, by displaying a menu from large items to small items accompanying the large items at every selected depth in accordance with selection and simultaneously displaying the depth of selection and number of small items. CONSTITUTION:Upon receiving a menu displaying instruction, a menu displaying selection controller 20 sets addresses to large item data in a menu item pointer storage device 18, displays large items of menu stored in a menu data managing device 16 by using a menu display device 19, and sets initial value in a menu level storage device 17. Then the controller selects a menu by using a pointing device controller 15. When one of the large items is selected, the controller 20 fetches data of intermediate item accompanying the large item from the device 16 and sets the addresses of the data in the storage device 18. The controller 20 then increases the content of the storage device 17 by '1' and causes the display device 19 to display the menu of the intermediate items accompanying the large item. Therefore, a menu is displayed to small items at every selected level and, at the same time, the depth of selection and number of accompanying small items are also displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a computer device that displays a menu using a pointing device and selects and processes functions. Displays each selected level, and displays the depth of selection that has been selected from the large item in the currently displayed menu, and the number of small items attached to the currently displayed item, and controls selection behavior. The present invention relates to a menu control device.

Conventional technology FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a conventional computer device, and 1 is a CPU.
, 2 is a memory, 3 is a display memory, 4 is a CRT device, and 6 is a CRT device 4 that generates a video signal from the contents of the display memory 3.
6 is a pointing device control device that controls the pointing device and manages data input; 7 is a menu display device that displays a menu; 8 is a menu data management device that stores and manages menu data; 9 is a menu control device that controls a menu display device, a pointing device control device, etc., and a menu data management device 8.

The menu selection operation of the conventional computer device configured as described above will be explained below.

The menu control device 9 receives signals from buttons attached to pointing devices from the pointing device control devices, and when the command is a menu selection command, retrieves menu display data from the menu data management device 8 and displays the menu display data. 7 to display a menu on the CRT device 4.

Thereafter, the menu control device 9 inputs the position of the cursor linked by the pointing device from the pointing device control device 6, and detects the position where the button attached to the pointing device is pressed. The menu control device 9 controls the cursor position and the menu data management device 8.
The specified menu is detected using the menu data in the system, and this information is returned to the computer system. After that, the menu display device 7 is used to erase the menu display.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a menu display of a conventional computer device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, when selecting multiple menu items, a very large menu must be displayed each time the selection process is performed. You cannot see the screen where it is located while selecting the menu. Furthermore, when a menu with multiple levels is configured to avoid a large menu, there are problems such as the depth of the current menu selection becoming unclear during the menu selection process.

In view of the above, the present invention, in a computer device that selects and processes functions using a pointing device, displays a menu from a large item to its attached small items at each selected depth according to selection instructions, And the currently displayed menu displays the depth of selection that has been made from the large item and the number of small items that are attached to the currently displayed item, and controls the selection behavior. The display area is reduced, and even in menus with multiple hierarchical structures, the depth of menu selections is clearly indicated.
The purpose is to provide a menu control device.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a menu display device that controls the display of a menu on a CRT, a pointing device control device that manages information from a pointing device, and a menu display device that controls the display of menus on a CRT. a menu level storage device that stores and manages the selection depth of the selected menu from the currently displayed major menu item to its attached minor items; a menu item pointer storage device that stores and manages locations where menu items currently displayed are stored in a menu data management device; the pointing device control device; the menu data management device; the menu level storage device; and the menu item pointer storage device. Controls the storage device Displays the menu from the major item to the minor items attached to each item level according to the selection instructions, and displays the currently displayed menu according to the depth of selection from the major item and the current display This menu control device includes a menu display control device that displays the number of sub-items attached to the selected item and controls the selection operation.

Operation According to the present invention, when a menu display command is given, the menu display selection control device sets an address to large item data in the menu item pointer storage device, and stores the address in the menu data management device. Large menu items are displayed using the menu display device, and initial values are set in the menu level storage device.

Next, the menu display selection control device uses the pointing device control device to perform a menu selection operation based on the position of the pointing device and the 0N10FF state of the button attached thereto.

First, when one item in a large item is selected, the menu display selection control device retrieves the menu data of the medium item attached to the selected large item from the menu data management device, and stores the data in the menu item pointer storage device. , the contents of the menu level storage device are incremented by 1, and a menu of medium items attached to the selected large item is displayed using the menu display device.

If no selection is made within the menu area, the menu display selection control device clears the menu using the menu display device and clears the contents of the menu level storage device and the menu item pointer storage device.

If the function to return to the menu above the displayed item in the menu (for example, an item larger than a medium item) is selected,
The menu display selection control device retrieves the upper menu data using the menu data management device, sets the address to the data in the menu item pointer storage device, subtracts 1 from the contents of the menu level storage device, and then outputs the menu data to the menu display device. Use to display the top menu.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a menu control device in an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1o is a CPU, 11 is a memory, 12 is a display memory, 13 is a CRT device, and 14 is a display memory 12.
15 is a display control device that generates a video signal from the contents and displays it on the CRT device 13; 15 is a pointing device control device that controls the pointing device and manages the input of data such as position information and attached button information; 16 is menu data Menu data management device for storing and managing
Reference numeral 7 indicates a menu level storage device for storing the selection depth of the currently selected menu from the large menu item to the sub-item attached thereto; 18 indicates the menu data currently displayed in the menu data management device 16; 19 is a menu display device that displays the menu indicated by the menu item pointer storage device 18 on the screen; 2o;
controls the pointing device control device 15, menu data management device 16, menu level storage device 17, menu item pointer storage device 18, and menu display device 19, displays menus for each selection depth, and controls selection operations. This is a menu display selection control device.

The operation of the menu control device in this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

First, the shape of the menu of this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 2.

21 is an area for displaying the upper level item of the currently displayed menu, 22 is an area for displaying the selection depth of the currently selected menu, and 23 is for displaying items attached to the upper level item displayed at 22. 24 is an area indicating the number of small items that the item 23 has.

When selecting an attached item, move the cursor to the attached item display area to be selected and press the button attached to the pointing device. To return to the higher level item menu, move the cursor to the higher level item display area 21 and press the button attached to the pointing device to return to the higher level menu.

Next, the menu selection operation of this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 3.

When a menu selection is instructed using a button attached to the pointing device, the menu shown in a of FIG. 3 is displayed on the CRT. Since the menu indicated by a in FIG. 3 is an initial menu, the depth of selection is 1, and in this example, the major items consist of 4 items. Each major item has a number of medium items indicated by the rightmost number.

When the cursor is moved to major item 1 and the button attached to the pointing device is pressed, the menu display changes to that shown by b in FIG. 3. The menu displayed in b shows the menu contents composed of a group of medium items attached to the large item 1. The menu displayed in b is composed of three medium items.

When the cursor is moved to middle item 1 in b of FIG. 3 and the button attached to the pointing device is pressed, middle item 1 is selected because the middle item has no attached item.

Next, the operation of the menu control device configured as described above in this embodiment will be explained based on the menu data structure shown in FIG. 4 and the structure shown in FIG.
This will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, Figure 4 shows the structure of menu data.

This data is managed by the menu data management device 16. The menu data is composed of a plurality of menu item data. One menu item data includes an area 26 for storing item title data and an area 26 for storing the number of attached items that the item has.
It consists of the attached item data that exists for the number of attached items.

The attached item data includes an area 27 for storing the title data of the attached item and an area 28 for storing the address indicating the position where the attached item data exists in the menu data.

The operation of each device in selection by the menu selection device of this embodiment will be explained using the flowchart of FIG.

At step 29, the menu display selection control device 2° sets the menu level storage device 17 to 1 as an initial value;
Using the menu data management device 16, the address where the menu data exists on the memory is retrieved, and the start address of the menu data is set in the menu item pointer storage device 18.

At 3o, the menu display selection control device 2° displays a menu on the CRT device 13 using the menu display device 19.

Next, a menu selection process is performed at 31, and if the selection process is to be executed further, the process returns to 30. When the selection process is completed, the process moves to step 32.

At 32, the menu display selection control device 2° resets the storage contents of the menu level storage device 17 and the storage contents of the menu item pointer storage device 18. and,
At step 33, the menu display device 19 is used to erase the menu display, and the menu selection process ends.

The menu selection process of step 30 will be explained in detail using the flowchart of FIG.

At 34, the menu display selection control device 2° uses the pointing device control device 15 to input cursor position information and button information linked to the pointing device.

At 36, the menu display selection control device 2° checks whether the button is pressed, and if it is pressed, the process moves to 36. If the button has not been pressed, the process returns to 34 and this process is repeated until the button is pressed.

At 36, the menu display selection control device 2° analyzes the position of the cursor input at 34 and determines the positional relationship between the cursor and the displayed menu. Then, in step 37, if the cursor position is not within the menu display area on the GRT 13, the process ends. If the cursor is within the menu display area, the process moves to 38.

At 38, the menu display selection control device 2°
Using the analysis result, it is confirmed whether the cursor position is within the upper item display area within the menu display area, and if it is within the upper item display area, the process moves to 43. If it is not the upper item area, the process moves to 39.

At 39, the menu display selection controller 20 uses the menu item pointer storage 18 to determine the current OR'l
'Get the menu data of the menu item displayed above, check which attached item the cursor is on in the attached item display area, and check the selected menu item (attached item)
Determine.

At 40, the menu display selection control device 20 extracts the number of attached items attached to the selected menu item (attached item) data, and if the number of attached items is 0, the process moves to 42. If it is not 0, the process moves to 41.

41, in order to change the menu to be displayed to a group of items attached to the selected menu item (attached item), the menu display selection control device 20 stores the selected menu selection (attached item) in the menu item pointer storage device 18. ) address to data, menu level storage 1
7 is incremented by 1, and the selection process is continued.

42, the item with the number of attached items of 0 is selected, which means that this item is automatically selected. Therefore, the computer system is notified of the selected menu data and the menu selection process is ended.

In step 43, the process to return to the higher level item was selected, so
The menu display selection control device 20 sets the address to the upper item data in the menu item pointer storage device 18, decrements the storage content of the menu level storage device 17 by 1, and executes the selection process.

As described in detail, according to the present invention, a menu is displayed for each level selected according to a selection instruction from a large item to its attached small items, and the currently displayed menu is while displaying the selection depth that has been selected and the number of subitems attached to the currently displayed item.
Selection processing can be performed, the display area consumed for menu selection is small, and the depth of selection in the menu is clear even in menus with multiple hierarchical structures, so its practical effects are significant.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a menu control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a menu displayed on a CRT in the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a menu selection operation in the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a structure diagram of the menu data of the same embodiment, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the selection processing operation of the menu control device of the same embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 8, which is a block diagram of a conventional computer device, is an explanatory diagram of a conventional menu display. 1...CPU, 2...Memory, 3...
...Display memory, 4...CRT device, 6.
... Display control device, 6 ... Pointing device management device, 7 ... Menu display device, 8 ... Menu data management device, 9 ...
... Menu control device, 10 ... Control device, 1
1... Memory, 12... Display memory,
13... CRT device, 14... Display control device, 15... Pointing device management device, 16... Menu data management device, 17
...Menu level storage device, 18...
- Menu item pointer storage device, 19... Menu display device, 2o... Menu display selection control device. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 2nd
Figure 2z Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] A menu display device that controls the display of menus on a CRT, a pointing device control device that manages information from a pointing device, a menu data management device that manages data on large menu items and small items attached to them; A menu level storage device that stores and manages the selection depth of the selected menu from the large item of the displayed menu to its attached small items, and the data of the currently displayed menu is stored in the menu data management device. a menu item pointer storage device for storing and managing the position of a menu item, the pointing device control device, the menu data management device, the menu level storage device, and the menu item pointer storage device; The currently displayed menu displays the depth of selection from the major item and the number of minor items attached to the currently displayed item. What is claimed is: 1. A menu control device comprising a menu display control device that displays and controls selection operations.