JPH05120406A - User interface system for electronic filing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change a user interface without affecting a functional module by independently providing a user interface control mechanism. CONSTITUTION:An electronic filing system 7 is equipped with an application group 1 constituted of each kind of functional module 11, 12,... and a request is issued from each functional module 11, 12,... through a common function 2 to a file control mechanism 3, input and output control mechanism 4, and image control mechanism 5, so that a filing function using each kind of peripheral equipment 9 can be provided. Then, an interface between a user inputting and outputting device 8 constituted of a monitor 81, keyboard 82, and mouse 83, and each kind of module 11, 12,... can be controlled in a batch by a user interface control mechanism 6 provided independently of each kind of functional module 11, 12,....

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvement of a user interface system in an electronic filing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional electronic filing system includes an electronic filing device 7'and a CRT.
A user input / output device 8 including a monitor 81, a keyboard 82, and a mouse 83, a hard disk device 91 that stores a database 911 that holds search information and a file 912 that temporarily holds processing data and the like. , Optical disk 92, printer 93, scanner 94
The electronic filing device 7 ′ includes an application group 1 ′ including a plurality of functional modules 11 ′, 12 ′, ..., A common function 2 for access to each input / output mechanism, and the like. Database 911 and file 912 and optical disk 92 in the hard disk device 91
File operation mechanism 3 for controlling file input / output processing
And an input / output operation mechanism 4 for controlling input / output processing of the optical disk 92, the printer 93, and the scanner 94, and an image operation mechanism 5 for controlling a memory 95 including an image memory for image processing.

A function module 11 'for providing a document management function is composed of a document management function unit 111 and a user interface control unit 112, and a function module 12' for providing a document display function is a document display function unit 121 and a user. The function module 13 ′ including the interface control unit 122 and providing the image editing function includes an image editing function unit 131 and a user interface control unit 132.
And a functional module 14 'that provides various utility functions for supporting the operation of the system is composed of a utility function unit 141 and a user interface control unit 142. , ... In addition to the functional units unique to the functional module, each has a user interface control unit for controlling the interface between the user input / output device 8 and the functional units in the own module. The data from the user by the keyboard 82 and the mouse 83 is transmitted to the functional unit of the own module through the units 112, 122, 132, 142, ... And the processing result obtained by the functional unit of the own module is displayed on the monitor 81. Was there.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional electronic filing system, the user interface control unit that receives an instruction from the user and transmits it to the functional unit, and that informs the user of the obtained result, etc. Since it is built into each function module individually,
When the user interface is changed according to a request from the user, it is necessary to modify each functional module and recreate the application, which is a problem that it is actually difficult to change the user interface.

The present invention has solved the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to make it possible to easily change a user interface.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises an application group composed of various functional modules, each functional module having a file operating mechanism, an input / output unit via a common function. An electronic filing device that provides a filing function using various peripheral devices by issuing a request to an operation mechanism and an image operation mechanism, is provided with a user interface control mechanism independent of each functional module, and is used by this user interface control mechanism. The interface between the user input / output device and each functional module of the application group is collectively controlled.

[0007]

In the user interface method of the electronic filing device of the present invention, the user interface control mechanism independent of each functional module of the application group is provided between the user input / output device such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse and each functional module. Control the interface collectively.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example of an electronic filing system to which the present invention is applied is an electronic filing device 7 and a user input / output device 8 including a monitor 81 such as a CRT, a keyboard 82 and a mouse 83. The hard disk device 91 stores a database 911 and files 912, an optical disk 92, a printer 93, a peripheral device 9 such as a scanner 94.

The electronic filing apparatus 7 includes an application group 1 including a plurality of functional modules 11, 12, ..., A common function 2 for accessing each input / output mechanism,
From the file operation mechanism 3 that controls the file input / output processing of the hard disk device 91 and the optical disk 92, the input / output operation mechanism 4 that controls the input / output processing of the optical disk 92, the printer 93, and the scanner 94, and the image memory for image processing. The image manipulation mechanism 5 for controlling the memory 95 and the user interface control mechanism 6.

The user interface control mechanism 6 includes functional modules 11, 12, ... In the application group 1.
Is a mechanism independent from the user input / output device 8 and all the functional modules 11 and 12 in the application group 1.
Collectively controls the interface with. Therefore, in this embodiment, the function module 11 that provides the document management function is configured by the document management function unit 111, and the function module 12 that provides the document display function is configured by the document display function unit 121, and the image editing function is performed. The function module 13 to be provided is composed of the image editing function unit 131, the function module 14 to provide various utility functions for supporting the operation of the system is composed of the utility function unit 141, and so on. , ... are user interface control units (112 in FIG. 3) that control the interface between the user input / output device 8 and the functional units in the own module.
Etc.).

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the user interface control mechanism 6. In the figure, S1 to S7 are processes performed by the user interface control mechanism 6, M is a common memory provided in the user interface control mechanism 6, and P is each functional module 11, 1 in the application group 1.
Indicates the function execution by 2, ...

In the common memory M, control information necessary for the user interface control mechanism 6 to collectively control the interfaces between all the functional modules 11, 12, ... And the user input / output device 8 is stored in advance. It is stored in. In addition, the common memory M temporarily stores various data generated as the processing progresses.

In particular, in this embodiment, the common memory M
Has default information D, and this default information D
Learning to provide the user preferentially the operation method used immediately before among multiple kinds of operation methods prepared in advance for performing the same work by changing the operation method according to the operation method immediately before the user. It realizes the function.

The process S1 is a keyboard 82 and a mouse 83.
Is a process of determining which key of which screen is displayed on the monitor 81 has been operated when there is a key input in the state of waiting for a key input from, and processes S2 and S3 are executed according to the determination result. The processes S4 and S5 are executed in parallel.

In process S2, necessary information such as information given by the user through the current screen is held in the common memory M.

In step S3, the information and the like held in step S2 are transferred to the plurality of functional modules 1 of the application group 1.
It transmits to the necessary function module of 1, 12, ...
Activate the function module. As a result, the function execution P is performed.

On the other hand, in step S4, the screen to be displayed next on the monitor 81 is created based on the information stored in the common memory M.

In step S5, the screen created in step S4 is displayed on the monitor 81.

In step S6, the execution result is determined. If there is no error (OK in S6), the state returns to the key input waiting state, and if an error occurs (NG in S6), the error message is monitored 81 Error processing displayed on S7
To return to the key input waiting state.

By repeating the above processing, the user interface control mechanism 6 causes the user input / output device 8 and all the functional modules 11, 1 in the application group 1 to operate.
Controls the interface between 2, ...

Next, the operation of this embodiment is performed by using the registration function in the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 to register the image on the paper in the optical disc 92 and the search information in the database 911. A case will be described as an example.

As a registration operation method, in this embodiment,
The following two methods shall be provided. A method of first loading an image and then registering search information. A method of first registering search information and then loading an image.

At present, it is assumed that the default information D indicates that the method (1) is preferentially used.

Now, on the monitor 81, "search" and "register"
And a screen (hereinafter referred to as the initial screen) displaying a menu and information on the registration destination location of the image to be registered this time (for example, hierarchical information indicating in which folder of which cabinet, etc. are stored) Then, when the user selects the "registration" menu with the keyboard 82 or the mouse 83, the user interface control mechanism 6 proceeds to step S1 at this point and determines that the menu "registration" has been pressed on the initial screen.

Then, in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5, the following processes are performed.

Process S2: The information that the menu "Register" is pressed on the initial screen and the registration destination location displayed on the initial screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: Based on the control information stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "registration" is pressed on the initial screen, the registration destination stored in the common memory M is stored in the function module 11 of the application group 1. The information on the place is transmitted and the search of the database 911 is instructed.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 searches the database 911 with the information of the registration destination location using the file operation mechanism 3 via the common function 2 and finds the corresponding parent record ( (Record above the record that stores the search information this time) is acquired.

Process S4: An image input screen, which is the next screen according to the registration method, based on the control information and default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "register" is pressed on the initial screen. To create.

Process S5: The image input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. The displayed image input screen includes areas for setting the size, density, resolution, magnification, etc. of the image to be read. Further, menus such as “start” and “end” are displayed, and a button “image → search information” showing the current registration method is displayed. How to use this button will be described later.

Next, the user interface control mechanism 6
Assuming that the above process is executed correctly, the process S6 is performed.
Return to the state of waiting for key input via.

Next, the user operates the keyboard 82 to set the image size and the like on the image input screen displayed on the monitor 81, sets the paper surface on which the image to be read is described in the scanner 94, and inputs the image. When the menu "Start" on the screen is clicked with the mouse 82, the user interface control mechanism 6 proceeds to step S1 at this point and determines that the menu "Start" has been pressed on the image input screen.

Then, in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5, the following processes are performed.

Process S2: Information such as that the menu "start" is pressed on the image input screen and the size of the image set on the image input screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: Menu "Start" on the control information and image input screen stored in the common memory M
Application group 1 based on the information that is pressed
The information such as the size of the image stored in the common memory M is transmitted to the function module 11 and the reading from the scanner 94 is instructed. It also instructs the image operating mechanism 5 to display the image read by the input / output operating mechanism 4 on the monitor 81.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 receives the input / output operation mechanism 4 via the common function 2.
Is used to read an image from the scanner 94, and then the image operation mechanism 5 is used to store the read image in the memory 95 and display it on the monitor 81.

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "start" is pressed on the image input screen, the image confirmation which is the next screen according to the registration method is performed. Create a screen for use.

Process S5: The image confirmation screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. The image read by the scanner 94 is displayed in the window opened on the image confirmation screen. Further, on the image confirmation screen, menus such as "OK" and "Re-enter" are displayed.

Next, the user interface control mechanism 6
Assuming that the above process is executed correctly, the process S6 is performed.
Return to the state of waiting for key input via.

Next, the user confirms the image displayed on the monitor 81, and if this is acceptable, the user clicks the menu "OK" on the image confirmation screen with the mouse 83, and the user interface control mechanism 6 at this point proceeds to step S1. Then, it is determined that the menu "OK" is pressed on the image confirmation screen.

Then, the following processing is performed in the processing S2, S3, S4 and S5.

Process S2: The fact that the menu "OK" is pressed on the image confirmation screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: Based on the control information stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "OK" is pressed on the image confirmation screen, the image displayed on the monitor 81 is displayed on the function module 11 of the application group 1. Instruct to store in a file.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 uses the image operating mechanism 5 and the file operating mechanism 3 via the common function 2 to scan the scanner 94.
The image read from the storage device and stored in the memory 95 is stored in the file 912 of the hard disk device 91.

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "OK" is pressed on the image confirmation screen,
A search information input screen, which is the next screen according to the registration method, is created.

Process S5: The search information input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. This search information input screen has an area for setting the title and keywords of the image to be registered. In addition, a menu such as "confirm" is displayed.

When the above process is executed correctly, the user interface control mechanism 6 returns to the key input waiting state via the process S6.

Next, the user operates the keyboard 82 to set the image title and the like on the search information input screen displayed on the monitor 81, and clicks the menu "OK" with the mouse 82.
When the button is clicked, the user interface control mechanism 6 proceeds to step S1 at this point, and determines that the menu "fix" is pressed on the search information input screen.

Then, in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5, the following processes are performed.

Process S2: Information such as that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the search information input screen and information such as the title of the image set on the search information input screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: Based on the control information stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the search information input screen, the function module 11 of the application group 1 stores the information in the common memory M. Information such as image title is transmitted and registration is instructed.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 uses the file operation mechanism 3 via the common function 2 to use the file 91 of the hard disk device 91.
The image stored in No. 2 is recorded on the optical disc 92, and the title of the image or the like is registered in a predetermined record of the database 911 (subordinate record of the parent record).

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M, and the information that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the search information input screen,
An image input screen, which is the next screen according to the registration method, is created.

Process S5: The image input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. This image input screen is the same as the previously displayed image input screen.

This completes the one-time image reading operation and the search information registration operation, and the screen of the monitor 81 is the image input screen again. By repeating the same operation as, it is possible to successively register a plurality of images.

Next, a method for prioritizing the registration method when the registration method is prioritized by the default information D will be described.

As described above, when the menu "Register" is selected on the initial screen, the image input screen is initially displayed as a screen that matches the registration method. On this screen, the button "Image → Search information" is displayed. It was displayed. Therefore, to change the registration method to, click this button with the mouse 83.

At this point, the user interface control mechanism 6 proceeds to step S1 and determines that the button "image → search information" has been pressed on the image input screen.

Then, in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5, the following process is performed.

Process S2: The fact that the button "image → search information" has been pressed on the image input screen is stored in the common memory M, and the default information D of the common memory M is stored.
Change to the registration method.

Process S3: In this case, no particular process is performed. Therefore, the function execution P is not substantially performed.

Process S4: A search information input screen is created based on the control information and default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the button "image → search information" has been pressed on the image input screen. ..

Process S5: The search information input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. This search information input screen has an area for setting the title and keywords of the image to be registered. In addition, a menu such as "start" and a button "search information → image" indicating the current registration method are displayed. Click this button to change to the registration method.

When the above process is executed correctly, the user interface control mechanism 6 returns to the key input waiting state via the process S6.

Next, the user operates the keyboard 82 to set the title of the image or the like on the search information input screen displayed on the monitor 81, and clicks the menu "Start" with the mouse 83 to select the user interface control mechanism 6 At this point, the process proceeds to step S1, and it is determined that the menu "start" is pressed on the search information input screen.

Then, the following processes are performed in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5.

Process S2: Information such as the fact that the menu "start" is pressed on the search information input screen and the title of the image set on the search information input screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: The menu "Start" is displayed on the control information and search information input screen stored in the common memory M.
Application group 1 based on the information that is pressed
The information such as the title of the image stored in the common memory M is transmitted to the function module 11 of FIG.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 stores the image title and the like in the file 912 of the hard disk device 91 using the file operation mechanism 3 via the common function 2.

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "start" has been pressed on the search information input screen, the next screen image input according to the registration method Create a screen for use.

Process S5: The image input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81.

Next, the user operates the keyboard 82 to set the image size and the like on the image input screen displayed on the monitor 81, sets the paper on which the image to be read is described in the scanner 94, and inputs the image. When the menu "start" on the screen is clicked with the mouse 83, the user interface control mechanism 6 proceeds to step S1 at this point and determines that the menu "start" has been pressed on the image input screen.

Then, in the processes S2, S3, S4 and S5, the following processes are performed.

Process S2: Information such as that the menu "start" is pressed on the image input screen and the size of the image set on the image input screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: Menu "Start" on the control information and image input screen stored in the common memory M
Application group 1 based on the information that is pressed
The information such as the size of the image stored in the common memory M is transmitted to the function module 11 and the reading from the scanner 94 is instructed. It also instructs the image operating mechanism 5 to display the image read by the input / output operating mechanism 4 on the monitor 81.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 receives the input / output operation mechanism 4 via the common function 2.
Is used to read an image from the scanner 94, and then the image operation mechanism 5 is used to store the read image in the memory 95 and display it on the monitor 81.

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "start" is pressed on the image input screen, the next screen for image confirmation according to the registration method Create the screen.

Process S5: The image confirmation screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. The scanner 94
The image read from is displayed in the window opened on this image confirmation screen. The image confirmation screen displays menus such as "confirm" and "re-enter".

Next, the user interface control mechanism 6
Assuming that the above process is executed correctly, the process S6 is performed.
Return to the state of waiting for key input via.

Next, the user confirms the image displayed on the monitor 81, and if this is acceptable, the user clicks the menu "confirm" on the image confirmation screen with the mouse 83, and the user interface control mechanism 6 goes to step S1 at this point. Then, it is determined that the "confirm" menu has been pressed on the image confirmation screen.

Then, the following processing is performed in the processing S2, S3, S4 and S5.

Process S2: The fact that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the image confirmation screen is stored in the common memory M.

Process S3: The registration is instructed based on the control information stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the image confirmation screen.

As a result, the document management function unit 111 of the function module 11 uses the image operating mechanism 5 and the file operating mechanism 3 via the common function 2 to scan the scanner 94.
The image read from the memory 95 and stored in the memory 95 is recorded on the optical disc 92, and the title of the image stored in the file 912 is recorded in the database 911.
Predetermined record (subordinate record of the parent record)
To store.

Process S4: Based on the control information and the default information D stored in the common memory M and the information that the menu "confirm" is pressed on the image input screen,
Follow the registration method and create the next screen for entering search information.

Process S5: The search information input screen created in process S4 is displayed on the monitor 81. This search information input screen is the same as the previously displayed search information input screen.

This completes the one-time search information registration operation and the image reading operation, and the screen of the monitor 81 is the search information input screen again. For example, a plurality of images can be continuously registered by repeating the above process.

[0089]

As described above, according to the user interface method of the electronic filing apparatus of the present invention, the user interface control mechanism independent of each function module of the application group allows the user input / output device to communicate with each function module. Since the interfaces are controlled collectively, changes to the user interface can be handled by changing only the user interface control mechanism, and it is not necessary to change each functional module itself, which makes it easy to change the user interface. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electronic filing system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a user interface control mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional electronic filing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Application group 11, 12, 13, 14 ... Function module 111 ... Document management function unit 121 ... Document display function unit 131 ... Image editing function unit 141 ... Utility function unit 2 ... Common function 3 ... File operation mechanism 4 ... Input / output Operation mechanism 5 ... Image operation mechanism 6 ... User interface control mechanism 7 ... Electronic filing device 8 ... User input / output device 81 ... Monitor 82 ... Keyboard 83 ... Mouse 9 ... Peripheral device 91 ... Hard disk device 911 ... Database 912 ... File 92 ... Optical disc 93 ... Printer 94 ... Scanner 95 ... Memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An application group including various functional modules is provided, and each of the functional modules requests various file operations, input / output operations, and image operations through a common function to enable various peripheral devices to operate. An electronic filing device that provides a used filing function, comprising a user interface control mechanism that is independent of each of the function modules, and uses the user interface control mechanism to connect a user input / output device and each function module of the application group. A user interface method for an electronic filing device that controls the interfaces collectively. 2. The user interface control mechanism comprises:
2. The user interface method in the electronic filing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of operation methods for achieving the same purpose are provided, and the operation method used immediately before of the plurality of operation methods is preferentially provided. 3. The user interface system in an electronic filing device according to claim 2, wherein the user input / output device comprises a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse.