JPH11102277A - Information device, user interface, input / output operation method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an information device and a user interface capable of improving usability. When an event is detected in a user interface applied to a small information device while waiting for an input from a pointing device, it is determined whether or not the event is due to a click on an icon. If the icon is clicked, the application corresponding to the clicked icon is started. If the movement is on a polygon rather than a click on the icon,
The polygon corresponding to the moved direction is rotated by 90 °. When an area other than the icons arranged on each side of the polygon is clicked, it is determined whether or not the image is currently being enlarged and displayed, and if the image is being enlarged, the display is returned to the polygon display and the polygon is being displayed. If, the clicked surface is enlarged and displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an information device, a user interface, an input / output operation method, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as typified by Windows of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, an application using a graphical user interface (GUI) is activated by displaying a group of icons arranged in a two-dimensional display on a display screen. This was done by selecting one of them.

[0003]

However, the number of icons that can be displayed on the screen of a display generally corresponds to the size of the display, and the number of icons to be displayed on a display having a small screen is limited. ,
There was a problem that the usability was not good.

In electronic notebooks, personal digital assistants, pagers, and the like, physical limitations are imposed on input devices and display devices due to miniaturization. Gave the user the impression that it was not good.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information device, a user interface, an input / output operation method, and a storage medium which can improve the usability with respect to the problem of the user interface that these small devices have.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an information apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a display means for displaying an icon on a screen, and a display means for displaying an icon on the screen. In an information device provided with a designating means for designating and an activating means for activating an application corresponding to the designated icon, a multi-dimensional display apparatus for displaying a polygon having the icons arranged on each surface in three dimensions on the screen. A polygon display unit; display operation instruction unit for instructing a display operation such as rotation and enlargement of the displayed polygon; and display operation execution unit for executing the indicated display operation. And

[0007] In the information equipment according to claim 2, the information equipment according to claim 1
Wherein the icon group for each application is arranged on each surface of the polygon.

[0008] In the information equipment according to the third aspect, the first aspect
When an area other than the icon is designated by the designation means in the information device according to the above, the display operation instruction means instructs an enlarged display operation of the polygonal surface including the designated area, and executes the display operation. The means enlarges and displays the surface of the polygon.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the information device according to the first aspect, further comprising a registration unit for registering the type of the application for each surface of the polygon.

[0010] In the information equipment according to claim 5, the information equipment according to claim 1 is provided.
Wherein the icon group is arranged on each surface of the polygon based on the similarity and relevance of the application.

[0011] The user interface according to the present invention is applied to an information device that operates by activating an application, a display means for displaying an icon corresponding to the application on a screen, and a display means for displaying the icon on the screen. A user interface provided with a designating means for designating an icon; a polygon display means for displaying a polygon in which the icons are arranged on each surface in three dimensions on the screen; A display operation instructing means for instructing a display operation such as rotation and enlargement, and a display operation executing means for executing the instructed display operation are provided.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the input / output operation method, an icon is displayed on a screen, the icon displayed on the screen is designated, and the information device activates an application corresponding to the designated icon. At this time, a polygon in which icons are arranged on each surface is displayed in three dimensions on the screen, a display operation such as rotation and enlargement is instructed for the displayed polygon, and the indicated display operation is executed. It is characterized by doing.

[0013] In the storage medium according to the present invention, a procedure for designating an icon displayed on a screen and a procedure for activating an application corresponding to the designated icon are provided.
In a storage medium storing a program to be executed by a CPU in an information device, the program includes a procedure for instructing a display operation such as rotation / enlargement on a polygon having icons arranged on each surface, And performing a display operation.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of an information device, a user interface, an input / output operation method, and a storage medium according to the present invention will be described. The user interface according to the present embodiment is applied to small information devices such as an electronic organizer, a portable information terminal, and a pager. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a small information device to which a user interface is applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes an operation unit including a pointing device. A control unit 12 includes a CPU and a ROM. Reference numeral 13 denotes a memory including a normal RAM and a backup RAM.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a display unit composed of an LCD. Reference numeral 15 denotes a control signal bus, and reference numeral 16 denotes a data bus.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the concept of the user interface. In the present embodiment, 3D display is performed as 3D display.
Virtual Reality Modeli, one of the modeling languages
ng Language (VRML) description language version 2.0
Use In this example, a description of Behavior is added to the conventional VRML1.0 object rotation and movement based on an event from a pointing device or the like.

In the present embodiment, the polygons and the icons arranged on each surface are described in VRML, and the input from the pointing device is processed as an event to the VRML, so that the icons arranged on the polygons can be displayed. Select and launch the application corresponding to the icon.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a polygon described in VRML 2.0 and a group of icons arranged on each surface. Input 22 from a pointing device or the like is passed to a script 23 that describes Behavior as an event from a sensor. In the split 23, a polygon is rotated based on an event, an application is started, and the like.
Control returns to RML 2.0.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the user interface. This processing program is stored in the ROM in the control unit 12, and
2 is executed by the CPU. In this processing program, a step S31 described later is a part described in VRML 2.0, and the subsequent steps are parts described in the script 23 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a polygon and an icon group displayed on the display unit 14.

First, it waits for an event to be detected while waiting for an input from the pointing device (step S).
31). When an event is detected, it is determined whether or not the event is caused by clicking the icon (step S).
32).

If the icon is clicked, an application corresponding to the clicked icon is started (step S33). On the other hand, if the movement is not caused by clicking the icon, it is determined whether or not the movement is on a polygon (step S34).

If the movement is on a polygon, the polygon corresponding to the moving direction is rotated by 90 ° (step S3).
5). FIG. 5 is a view showing the screen after the plane a in FIG. 4 has been rotated clockwise by 90 °.

On the other hand, if the event is not a movement on a polygon, it is determined whether the event is a click other than an icon on the polygon (step S36). When a place (area) other than the icon on the polygon is clicked, it is determined whether or not the display is currently enlarged (step S37). If the display is enlarged, the display is returned to the polygon display (step S3).
8). On the other hand, if the polygon is being displayed, the clicked surface is enlarged and displayed (step S39). FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the surface b of FIG.

Next, a case where an icon and an application are registered on each surface of a polygon will be described. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a polygon and an icon group displayed on the display unit 14 when an icon and an application are registered on each surface of the polygon.

In the figure, A and B indicate polygon names,
a, b, and c identify each surface of the polygons A and B. Here, the face a of the polygon A is selected, and in this state, if “word processor” 72 is selected in the “registration” / “icon” 71 of the menu bar, the face a is registered with an application name (type) 81 of word processor. You. Similarly, it is possible to register all the faces of the polygons A and B. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between each face of the polygon stored in the memory 13 and the icon.

Next, a case where icons and applications are rearranged and registered on each surface of the polygon will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing polygons and icons displayed on the display unit 14 when icons and applications are rearranged on each surface of the polygon.

When “Setting” and “Reset Icon” on the menu bar are selected in a state where an application is registered on each face of the polygons A and B, each face of the polygon and the icon stored in the memory 13 are selected. And the relationship is rebuilt. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between each face of a polygon reconstructed and stored in the memory 13 and an icon. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing polygons and icon groups displayed on the display unit 14 after rearrangement. That is, the icon group is arranged on each surface of the polygon based on the similarity and relevance of the application.

In the above embodiment, polygons and icons are described in VRML, but they may be described in a wire frame or the like. Further, a keyboard may be used instead of the pointing device.

Further, in the present embodiment, a cube shown by the isometric projection method is shown as a polygon, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a polygonal prism or polygonal pyramid including a rectangular parallelepiped may be used.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices, or may be applied to an apparatus composed of one device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, by reading out a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into a system or an apparatus, the system or the apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a ROM is used as a storage medium.
However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, or the like can be used.

[0033]

According to the information device of the present invention, the icon is displayed on the screen by the display means, the icon displayed on the screen is specified by the specifying means, and the icon is displayed by the starting means. When the application corresponding to the designated icon is started, a polygon in which the icons are arranged on each surface is displayed three-dimensionally on the screen by the polygon display means, and the displayed polygon is displayed by the display operation instruction means. The display operation such as rotation and enlargement is instructed for the polygon, and the display operation instructed by the display operation execution means is executed.
By selecting an icon arranged on a polygon displayed in a two-dimensional image, a device such as a portable information terminal or a pager having a small display area can be provided with a highly operable GUI in selecting an application and the like. Can be improved.

The same effect can be obtained in the user interface according to the sixth aspect and the input / output operation method according to the seventh aspect.

According to the information device of the present invention, since the icon group for each application is arranged on each surface of the polygon, the number of icons that can be displayed can be increased.

According to the information device of the third aspect, when an area other than the icon is specified by the specifying means, the display operation instructing means enlarges the polygonal surface including the specified area. Since the display operation is instructed and the display operation execution means enlarges and displays the surface of the polygon, even an information device having a small display area can be enlarged and viewed, and the usability can be further improved.

According to the information apparatus of the fourth aspect, the type of the application is registered for each surface of the polygon by the registration means, so that the application can be registered freely and the usability is further improved. it can.

According to the information device of the fifth aspect, the icon group is arranged on each surface of the polygon based on the similarity and relevance of the application, so that the registered application can be easily grasped. it can.

According to the storage medium of the present invention, the procedure for designating the icon displayed on the screen and the procedure for activating the application corresponding to the designated icon are performed by the CPU in the information device. In a storage medium storing a program to be executed, the program executes a procedure for instructing a display operation such as rotation / enlargement on a polygon having icons arranged on each surface, and executes the indicated display operation. Since the procedure includes the procedure, the extensibility and versatility of the information device can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a small information device to which a user interface is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a concept of a user interface.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a user interface.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a polygon and an icon group displayed on a display unit 14;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a screen after the plane a in FIG. 4 is rotated by 90 ° to the right.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a surface b of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a polygon and an icon group displayed on the display unit 14 when an icon and an application are registered on each surface of the polygon.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between each face of a polygon and an icon stored in a memory 13;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a polygon and an icon group displayed on the display unit 14 when icons and applications are rearranged on each surface of the polygon.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a relationship between each face of a polygon reconstructed and stored in the memory 13 and an icon.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing polygons and icon groups displayed on the display unit after rearrangement.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 operation unit 12 control unit 13 memory 14 display unit

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Information comprising display means for displaying an icon on a screen, designation means for designating an icon displayed on the screen, and activation means for activating an application corresponding to the designated icon. In the device, polygon display means for displaying a polygon in which the icons are arranged on each surface in three dimensions on the screen, and display for instructing a display operation such as rotation / enlargement on the displayed polygon An information device comprising: an operation instructing unit; and a display operation executing unit that executes the indicated display operation. 2. The information device according to claim 1, wherein an icon group for each application is arranged on each surface of the polygon. 3. When a region other than the icon is designated by the designation unit, the display operation instruction unit instructs an enlarged display operation of the polygonal surface including the designated region, and executes the display operation. 2. An information device according to claim 1, wherein said means enlarges and displays said polygonal surface. 4. The information device according to claim 1, further comprising a registration unit that registers a type of the application for each surface of the polygon. 5. The information device according to claim 1, wherein the icon group is arranged on each surface of the polygon based on the similarity and relevance of the applications. 6. A display unit, which is applied to an information device that operates by activating an application and displays an icon corresponding to the application on a screen, and a specifying unit that specifies an icon displayed on the screen. A polygon display means for three-dimensionally displaying on the screen a polygon in which the icons are arranged on each surface, and a display operation such as rotation / enlargement of the displayed polygon. A user interface comprising: a display operation instructing unit that instructs; and a display operation executing unit that executes the indicated display operation. 7. An icon is displayed on a screen, an icon displayed on the screen is specified, and when the information device starts an application corresponding to the specified icon, the icon is arranged on each surface. An input / output operation method comprising: displaying a polygon in three dimensions on a screen; instructing the displayed polygon to perform a display operation such as rotation / enlargement; and executing the indicated display operation. . 8. A storage medium storing a program for causing a CPU in an information device to execute a procedure for designating an icon displayed on a screen and a procedure for activating an application corresponding to the designated icon. The program includes a procedure of instructing a display operation such as rotation / enlargement on a polygon having an icon arranged on each surface, and a procedure of executing the instructed display operation. Medium.