JPS6238976A - Information retrieval terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve input operability by selecting a character string corresponding to a designated coordinate designated by a coordinate designation inputting device from a character position storing means and selecting the character string corresponding to a retrieval item out of the character string. CONSTITUTION:Picture information received from a communication control means 1 is decoded by a terminal control means 2 and is displayed on a display device 4 by a picturing/display means 3 and at the same time, the position, the size and the character code of the displayed character string are stored at a character position storing means 5. After the designated coordinate inputted by a user with a coordinate designation inputting device 6 is tested on the correspondence between the stored content on the character position storing means 5 by a display character selecting means 7, the character string corresponding to the designated coordinate is selected. Out of the selected character strings the character string corresponding to the retrieval item is selected by a retrieval item character string selecting means 8, and is transmitted as a response input by the communication control means 1 through the terminal control means 2. Meanwhile, a character inputted by a key input device 9 is also transmitted by the communication control means 1 through the terminal control means 2 in the same manner.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an information search terminal device.

(Prior Art) A Videotex terminal device is known as a typical example of a conventional information retrieval terminal device.

For example, in a CAPTAIN system terminal device, when searching for information, image information is displayed that requests the user to input search items, as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the user operates the key-powered device attached to the terminal device according to the displayed information, and selects the desired item by keying in the corresponding character string (hereinafter referred to as the search item character string). (Hereinafter, the operation of selecting this item will be referred to as response input.) The input search item character string is transmitted by the terminal device to a center having a database. The center receives this search item character string, sends the corresponding image information to the terminal device, and displays it on the terminal device. For example, in FIG. 6, if the search item "News J" is desired, if the search item character string "1#" is input, image information as shown in FIG. 7 will be displayed as the next image information. In the CAPTAIN system, the information desired by the user can be obtained by repeating this key-in response input operation.

In this way, when searching for information, the information retrieval system requires the user to select the information displayed on the terminal device, and the user inputs a response to the request and proceeds with the process interactively. go. In this case, in the conventional information retrieval terminal device, the user performs the above-mentioned response input operation by pressing a key on a key-powered device attached to the terminal device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in this response input operation, the user is required to move his/her line of sight to the keys of the key-powered device every time a response is requested. Therefore, for the user, the display device that displays the content requested to be input and the key-powered device do not visually match, resulting in errors in input operations and fatigue due to frequent movement of the user's line of sight. It had the disadvantage of being

An object of the present invention is to reduce the movement of the line of sight by visually matching a display device on which information requiring a response is displayed and an input device for performing an input operation, or a cursor or pointer indicated by the input device. However, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information retrieval terminal device that improves input operability and reduces fatigue due to movement of the line of sight.

(Means for Solving the Problems) An information retrieval terminal device of the present invention includes a coordinate instruction input device for inputting display coordinates of display image information, and a character position input device for storing display positions of characters in the display image information. a display character selection means for selecting a character string corresponding to the specified coordinates specified by the coordinate specifying input device from the character position storage means; and a character corresponding to the search item from among the selected character strings; and search item character string selection means for selecting a column.

(Function) When drawing and displaying image information, the information search terminal device of the present invention stores the position, size, and character code of the character string to be displayed in the character position storage means. The operation for inputting a response is performed by the user using the coordinate indicating input device to indicate the corresponding position of the display content of the information for which a response is requested. For example, when a mouse is used as a coordinate input device and is used as a terminal device of the CAPTATN system, in the example in which information as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed, if the item "News" is desired, As shown in the figure, operate the mouse to move the mouse cursor 101 and specify "1". Here, the position indicated by the user is transmitted as indicated coordinates to the display character selection means by the coordinate instruction input device, and the display character selection means examines the correspondence between the indicated coordinates and the stored contents of the character position storage means. A character string corresponding to the indicated coordinates is selected. The selected character string is handled by the search item character string selection means as a response input in which only character strings that correspond to the search item are selected.

For example, in the example shown above, "1" is selected as the character string, and [1#] is treated as the search item character string for response input. In this way, the user's response input operation is
This can be done by pointing to the relevant position in the displayed content of the information for which a response is requested.

(Example) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention.

Image information received by the communication control means 1 is decoded by the terminal control means 2 and displayed on the display device 4 by the drawing/display means 3. At the same time, the character position storage means 5 stores the position and size of the displayed character string as well as the character code. The indicated coordinates inputted by the user using the coordinate indicating input device 6 are checked by the display character selection means 7 for correspondence with the stored contents of the character position storage means 5." In step 2, a character string corresponding to the indicated coordinates is selected. Ru. Among the selected character strings, only the character strings corresponding to the search item are selected by the search item character string selection means 8 and are transmitted by the communication control means 1 via the terminal control means 2 as response inputs.

Further, characters inputted by the key input device 9 are similarly transmitted by the communication control means 1 via the terminal control means 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which the present invention is embodied as a terminal device of the CAPTAIN system using a mouse as a coordinate input device.

In FIG. 2, 20 is a microprocessor, which interfaces with peripheral devices via a bus. 21 is a read-only memory (ROM) in which a processor control program is stored. A random access memory (RAM) 22 is used as a data memory of the processor. 23 is a random access memory (VRAM) dedicated to video display, in which display data is stored. A display device 24 displays a video signal. A graphic display controller (GDC) 25 stores display data in the VRAM 23 + and converts the data in the VRAM 23 into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the display device 24 . 26 is a modulation/demodulator (MODEM) for the communication line, which modulates and demodulates data signals on the communication line. A communication control processor (ccp) 27 provides an interface between the MODEM 26 and the microprocessor 20.

28 is a keyboard for inputting characters and control keys. A keyboard interface (KTF) 29 provides an interface between the keyboard 28 and the microprocessor 20. 30 is a mouse, which is used for inputting coordinate instructions.

A mouse interface 31 provides an interface between the mouse 30 and the microprocessor 20.

The present invention will be specifically explained below using the embodiment shown in FIG.

The information search terminal device according to the present invention has two functions: a function of displaying received image information and a function of transmitting input character information. Therefore, first, the function of displaying received image information will be explained.

The microprocessor 20 inputs and decodes the image information received by the MODEM 26 via the CCP 27 according to the control program stored in the ROM 21, and inputs and decodes the image information received by the MODEM 26.
A command is output to the DC 25 to draw and display. In the present invention, at the same time, the position and size of the character=1 column to be displayed in the character display, the size, and the character code are stored in the RAM 22.

Next, the function of transmitting input character information will be explained.

When the user inputs characters using the keyboard 28, the microprocessor 20 converts the input characters into the KIF according to the control program stored in the ROM 21.
Read via CCP29 and MODEM via CCP27
26. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is possible to transmit characters specified by a mouse, which is a coordinate input device. The contents will be explained below.

The coordinates indicated by the mouse 30 are input by the microprocessor 20 via the mouse interface 31 according to a control program stored in the ROM 21. The microprocessor 20 compares the position and size of the character string among the character string data already stored in the RAM 22 with the input coordinates according to the control program stored in the ROM 21, and determines whether the input coordinates are the character string. The designated character string is selected by checking whether it is included in the display area of the product name character string indicated by its position and size. In this case, the selected character string may or may not include the search item. Therefore, in order to check the selected character string, the microprocessor 20, according to the control program stored in the ROM 21, selects "#", which is a valid character string as a response input character string in the CAPTAIN system.
Select only the number string that contains the sign or [ri sign, and if the selected character string does not include the "#" sign required for response input in the CAPTAIN system, add this [f] sign at the end. Above, in the same way as for keyboard input, input the selected character string to MOD via CCP27.
Transmitted by EM26. If it is determined that the selected character string does not include the search item, the selected character string is discarded and no transmission is performed.

Similarly, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a terminal device of the CAPTAIN system using a light pen as a coordinate input device.

In FIG. 3, a light pen 32 and a light pen interface 33 are used in place of the mouse 3o and mouse interface 31 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a terminal device of the CAPTAIN system using a touch panel as the coordinate input device.

In FIG. 4, a touch panel 34 and a touch panel interface 35 are used in place of the mouse 3o and mouse interface 31 in FIG.

As is clear from a comparison with FIG. 2, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. It is. Although the input control method and input coordinate calculation method of the coordinate indicating input device on each side are different, the present invention is not concerned with these differences.

Therefore, it is possible to implement the present invention even if a joystick, tablet, digitizer, trackball, etc. are used as the coordinate instruction input device.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, a display device on which information requesting a response is displayed using a coordinate indicating input device, and an input device for performing an input operation or a cursor or pointer indicated by the input device can be visually connected. By aligning the lines with
It is possible to provide an information retrieval terminal device that reduces fatigue caused by shifting the line of sight.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention using a mouse, and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention using a mouse.
The figure is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention using a light pen, Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention using a touch panel, and Figure 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention using a touch panel. FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing an example of inputting instructions on the display screen in the information search terminal device of the invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing examples of information display on the information search terminal device. In the figure, 1 is a communication control means, 2 is a terminal control means, and 3 is a communication control means.
4 is a drawing/display means, 4 is a display device, 5 is a character position storage means, 6 is a coordinate instruction input device, 7 is a display character selection means, 8
9 is a key manual device, 20 is a microprocessor, and 21 is a read-only memory (RO).
M), 22 is arbitrary access memory (RAM), 23 is arbitrary access memory (VRAM) for video display only, 24
25 is a display device, 25 is a GTSWICK display controller (GDC), and 26 is a modulation demodulator (MOD) for communication line.
EM), 27 is a communication control processor (CCP), 28 is a keyboard, and 29 is a keyboard interface (KIF).
), 30 is a mouse, 31 is a mouse interface, 32
is a light pen, 33 is a light pen interface, 34
is a touch panel, 35 is a touch panel interface,
Reference numeral 101 indicates a mouse cursor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A coordinate instruction input device for inputting display coordinates of display image information, a character position storage means for storing display positions of characters in the display image information, and characters corresponding to the specified coordinates specified by the coordinate instruction input device. Information characterized by comprising display character selection means for selecting a string from the character position storage means, and search item character string selection means for selecting a character string corresponding to a search item from among the selected character strings. search terminal device