JPH0261061B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an information retrieval device such as an electronic dictionary, an electronic translator, an electronic encyclopedia, etc., which performs a predetermined search operation based on input information and outputs the retrieved information. In particular, character strings consisting of multiple characters are sequentially specified in a predetermined order by operating the input string search key, and when the desired character string is specified, the input instruction key is operated. This provides an information retrieval device characterized by having a configuration in which the above-mentioned character string is input.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on Examples.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the appearance of an electronic English-Japanese dictionary with a computer function, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is the power on/clear key, 2 is the power off key, 3 and 4 are the return search key and forward search key for inputting characters, and 5 is the headword display key which is the instruction key for searching the dictionary. , 6 is the translation key, 7 is the display section, 8 is the letters "A to Z" (index) printed around the display section 7, and 9 is the current translation key in relation to the letters "A to Z" above. , a display of dots (pointers) indicating which character string is specified in alphabetical order, and 10 is a display of the currently specified character string.

Note that keys other than the above-mentioned keys are keys to be operated when using this embodiment as a computer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed display pattern configuration of the display section 7. As shown in FIG.

A 5x7 dot matrix with 12 digits is provided for character display. Then, around it, there are 5 dot display patterns per character,
There are a total of 130.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the correspondence between designated characters or character strings and the display of the above-mentioned dots.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the key operations and the display based on the key operations when displaying the translation of the word "BOAT."

First, if you press the feed search key (ⓓ) once, the leftmost dot of the five dots corresponding to the letter A printed around the display section 7 will be displayed (lit) and the , the letter "A" is displayed as a dot in the leftmost digit (first digit) of the display section 7.
Next, if you press the above feed search key 4 again, the above 5
The display of the two dots remains the same, but the two dots from the left
The character A is also displayed in the digit (second digit), and the character string “AA” is displayed on the display section 7. In other words, every time you press the feed search key, from A to AZ, B,
BA...BZ, then...Z, ZA...ZZ are displayed in alphabetical order. Corresponding to this display, the display of the dots is also sequentially changed. That is, by operating the feed search key 4, the display of character strings is switched, and the display of five dots corresponding to the printed characters around the display section 7 is sequentially moved. This will be explained in detail with reference to FIG.

3.1 shows an example of displaying dots corresponding to printed characters A to L, FIG. 32 shows an example of displaying dots corresponding to printed character M, and FIG. 3 shows printed characters N to Y.
Further, FIG. 3 shows an example of the display of dots corresponding to the printed character Z.

Therefore, according to FIG. 3, when A to L are displayed in the first digit (leftmost digit) of the display section 7, the printed character corresponding to the displayed character in the first digit is 5
One of the dots will be displayed. In this case, the displayed character in the second digit (second digit from the left) is A, including no display.
~E, the leftmost dot is displayed.
Then, if the display character of the second digit is F~J,
The second dot from the left is the center dot if the character displayed in the second digit is K to O, and the second dot from the right is the character if the character displayed in the second digit is P to T. If the display character of the second digit is U to Z, the rightmost dot is displayed.

In addition, in Figure 3 2, the first digit is the letter M.
is displayed, and if the displayed character of the second digit is A to E, including no display, as in the above case, the top dot is displayed, and the displayed character of the second digit is F to J.
In the case of , the dots in the next row are displayed, and in the case of U to Z, the dots in the bottom row are sequentially displayed.

In Fig. 3, the characters N to Y are displayed in the first digit, which is the opposite of the case in Fig. 3, and if the second digit is A to E, including no display. The rightmost dot is displayed sequentially moving from right to left as the characters displayed in the second digit are sequentially switched in alphabetical order.

Furthermore, in FIG. 3 4, contrary to FIG. 3 2, Z
With the character ``'' displayed in the first digit, the second digit is sequentially switched in alphabetical order, thereby moving the dot from the bottom dot to the top dot.

In short, by operating the feed search key 4, the five dots arranged around the display section 7 are sequentially moved, thereby causing the first and second dots to move.
It will display an indication of the input status of the character string with digits. In FIG. 2, arrows shown with solid lines indicate the state of dot movement when the forward search key 3 is operated, and arrows shown with broken lines indicate the state of dot movement when the return search key 4 is operated.

Continue to press the forward search key, and when the displayed character string becomes "BO", press the entry word display key (word).
If you press , the specified character string, ie, the first entry word starting with "BO", "BOARD", will be displayed. If you then press the headword display key, the word "BOAT", which is the next word after "BOARD" in alphabetical order, will be displayed. When the desired word is displayed, press the translation key (translation) and the translated word will be displayed. Further, as a character string, as described above, only the first digit of a selected character from A to Z may be displayed in response to the operation of the forward search key 4. Even in this display state, by operating the headword key 5, it is possible to search and display the first headword starting with the displayed character.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of this embodiment.

In the figure, 11 is a microprocessor, 12
1 is a key input device, 13 is a memory for storing dictionary information, 14 is a display control section, 7 is a display section, 15 is an address bus, and 16 is a data bus.

The microprocessor 11 is a key input device 12
The pressed key is determined by outputting the key strobe signal KS to the key input signal KI and reading the key input signal KI. It also specifies the address of the memory 13 and reads its contents. The display control section 14 is a type of memory that stores whether each dot on the display section 7 is lit or not, and the microprocessor 11 writes information corresponding to the display pattern to the display control section 14. to perform the desired display.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing part of the contents stored in the memory 13.

Pairs of English words and their translations are stored in alphabetical order of the English words.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the microprocessor 11. However, only the parts related to the present invention are described.

In the figure, F ₁ is a flag that remembers that the forward search key or return search key was pressed, and F ₂
is a flag that remembers that the headword display key was pressed, _F3 is a flag that remembers that the forward search key or return search key was pressed for a predetermined period of time, and _S1 is a specified character or one of the specified character strings. Character number buffer that stores the character number of the first character, _S2 is a character number buffer that stores the character number of the second character in the specified character string, C is a counter,
Cm is a set value corresponding to the predetermined time.

The correspondence between characters and character numbers is “A←→1, B←→2,
C←→3,..., X←→24, Y←→25, Z←→26". Note that character number 0 corresponds to blank.

After the power is turned on, flags F ₁ , F ₂ and F ₃ are reset. When the feed search key (ⓓ) is pressed, "1" is entered in the character number buffer _S1 , "0" is entered in _S2 , and the flag _F1 is set. Then S ₁ ,
The display dot is determined based on the contents of _S2 and displayed (Fig. 4, 1).If you press the feed search key again, _F1 is set this time, so
A count-up in _S2 is performed, and display dots are similarly determined and displayed (FIG. 4, 2).
From then on, each time you press the feed search key, S ₁ and S ₂
The count up is performed sequentially, and a display corresponding to the content is performed.

The feed search key has a repeat function,
When it is detected that the press has continued for a predetermined period of time (that is, when it is detected that the content of counter C has become "Cm"), as long as the feed search key is pressed, , S ₁ and S ₂
A count-up is performed, and the display changes at regular intervals in accordance with the content.

The processing executed based on the operation of the return search key (ⓓ) is also substantially the same as the case of the above-mentioned operation of the forward search key, and the items from ZZ to A are sequentially displayed.

When the desired character string is called up by operating the forward search key or return search key, press the headword display key (word) to search for the first headword starting with that character string and set flag _F2 . After that, the display is performed [Fig. 4, 5].

When you press the entry word display key again, _F2 is set, so the entry word stored next to the entry word above (that is, the entry word next to the entry word in alphabetical order) is read out. and displayed [Fig. 4, 6]. Thereafter, each time the headword display key is pressed, the headwords are successively read out and displayed.

If you press the translation key (translation) when the desired entry word is displayed, the translation word stored along with the entry word will be read out, and the flags F ₁ , F ₂ ,
The display will take place after _F3 is reset.
[Figure 4 7].

As explained above, according to the information retrieval device of the present invention, in response to the operation of an input key for inputting one character string, it is possible to easily select, for example, two characters that are combined from 26 alphanumeric characters. this is,
Compared to the conventional method of inputting one character at a time, only one input key is required, which simplifies the input operation.

Furthermore, when searching for a character string (word, etc.) containing the two characters, the number of characters can be said to be optimal in terms of the amount of time and effort involved in inputting characters and the amount of characters to be searched, and the present invention can be applied to this character unit. electronic dictionary,
It can be an effective search device for electronic devices such as electronic translators.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the external appearance of an electronic English-Japanese dictionary with a computer function that is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the detailed display pattern configuration of the display section of the embodiment, and FIG. A diagram showing the correspondence between specified characters or character strings and dots indicating their positions in alphabetical order in the same example, and Figure 4 shows the translation of the word "BOAT" in the same example. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the same embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing one of the stored contents of the memory for storing dictionary information in the same embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the control procedure of the microprocessor in the same embodiment. Code, 1: Power on and clear key, 2: Power off key, 3: Return search key, 4: Forward search key, 5: Headword display key, 6: Translation key, 7:
Display section, 8: “A to Z” characters (index), 9: “A
~ Display of a dot (pointer) indicating which character string is currently specified in alphabetical order in relation to the character ``Z'', 10: Display of currently specified character string, 11: Micro program setter, 12: key input device, 13: memory for storing dictionary information, 14: display control unit, 15: address bus, 16: data bus, KS: key strobe signal, KI: key input signal, F ₁ , F ₂ , _F3 ,: Flag, _S1 , _S2 : Character number buffer, C: Counter, Cm: Setting value.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A character input key that sends characters in one direction in a predetermined order; a display section that displays characters; 1st and 2nd of the above display section
Characters are displayed by switching sequentially in the digits, or in response to continuous operation of the character input key for a predetermined time, the first and second digits of the display section are displayed in a fast-forward state according to a predetermined order of characters. a switching display means for sequentially switching and displaying characters; a memory for storing dictionary information; a search instruction key for searching for desired information from the memory; and a character input key in response to the operation of the search instruction key. a search means for searching the memory for the first information starting with the character string displayed in the first and second digits displayed on the display unit specified by the above; and a search means for searching the information searched by the search means. An information retrieval device comprising: means for displaying information on the display unit;