JPH1139132A - Interface system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an interface system capable of efficiently displaying a large number of icons arranged in a virtual space and improving the selectivity of the icons. SOLUTION: Selection means 5 for selecting an arbitrary icon from a plurality of icons arranged in a virtual space.
And a storage unit 2 storing data associated with the icon selected by the selection unit 5, and reads out the data associated with the icon selected by the selection unit 5 from the storage unit 2. In an interface system capable of displaying, a time axis is set in the virtual space, and time information detecting means 3 for detecting time information when the icon is recorded and stored; and the time information detecting means. And display means 7 for displaying the icon on the time axis based on the time information detected in step 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an interface system for selecting an arbitrary icon from a plurality of icons displayed in a virtual space.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an interface system for displaying a plurality of data and files as icons in a virtual space and selecting an arbitrary one of these icons, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-49764 discloses An icon menu display device has been proposed that displays icons that are also three-dimensionally displayed in the background of a three-dimensionally represented work room three-dimensional view, thereby specifically storing the display positions of the icons. .

[0003] However, this icon menu display device provides a three-dimensional representation visually, but is actually a two-dimensional display that looks like a three-dimensional image. Is not effectively used. Further, since the space is limited to a specific space such as a work room, there is a problem that, for example, when an icon having no relation to the work room is displayed, the space becomes unnatural.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-84746 discloses that, by arranging three-dimensional icons and windows in an image displaying a three-dimensional CG space, the screen is occupied two-dimensionally by the icons. However, it is possible to use the depth to wrap around and look at the icon from an obliquely upward direction, making it easy to understand the relationship between information and freeing the size and design of the icon. Something that can be done is proposed.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7-84746, it is described that the importance of information is indicated by the depth of the arrangement in the information space to be searched. However, there is no disclosure of efficiently arranging a large number of icons in a three-dimensional space.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and efficiently displays a large number of icons in a three-dimensional space according to a time axis and a classification area, thereby enhancing the selectivity of the icons. It is an object of the present invention to provide an interface system capable of performing such operations.

[0007]

The interface system according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a selecting means for selecting an arbitrary icon from a plurality of icons arranged in a virtual space, and Storage means for storing data associated with the icon selected by the selection means, wherein the data associated with the icon selected by the selection means can be read from the storage means and displayed. In the system, a time axis is set in the virtual space, and based on time information detected by the time information detecting means for detecting time information when the icon is recorded and stored, and based on the time information detected by the time information detecting means. Display means for displaying the icon on the time axis.

Accordingly, based on the time information at the time when the icons are recorded and stored, each icon can be displayed at an appropriate position on the time axis set in the virtual space. Can be efficiently displayed in the three-dimensional space, and the selectivity of the icons can be increased.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the interface system according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising a scroll means for arbitrarily scrolling the icons in a time axis direction. .

Thus, the icons can be arbitrarily scrolled in the time axis direction, so that the icons can be displayed in a limited time range or by scrolling a large number of icons that cannot be displayed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the interface system according to the first or second aspect, an area divided for each classification is set in the virtual space and the icon is displayed. Classification information detecting means for detecting the classification information possessed by the apparatus, and display means for displaying the icon in the area based on the classification information detected by the classification information detecting means.

Thus, the icons are arranged in the set classification area based on the classification information possessed by the icons, so that the icons can be arranged and classified in an easy-to-understand manner, and the selectivity of the icons can be improved. .

An interface system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the interface system according to the first to third aspects, further comprising an operation means for operating an enlargement cursor for selecting and enlarging and displaying the icon. It is a thing.

[0014] This makes it possible to enlarge and display an arbitrary icon by operating the enlargement cursor, so that the contents of the icon displayed small can be enlarged to make it easier to see, and the icons can be selected while confirming the contents. Can be.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the interface system according to the fourth aspect, when the icon selected by the magnifying cursor has a plurality of pages of data, Model data generating means for visually displaying icon model data of a page using animation is provided.

With this, when the icon selected by the operation of the enlargement cursor has data of a plurality of pages, the icon model data of the plurality of pages can be visually displayed using animation. This makes it easy to grasp the amount of data and the presence of a plurality of data.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the interface system according to the first to fifth aspects, the area of the display surface on which the icons are displayed is determined according to the number of icons arranged. And a data model setting means for changing the size to an appropriate size.

This makes it possible to change the area of the display surface on which the icons are displayed to an appropriate size in accordance with the number of the icons to be arranged. It is possible to efficiently select icons and visually recognize the amount of data based on the display area by eliminating useless looking around.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the interface system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, when each of the icons has a hierarchical structure, the icon is in a lower hierarchy of the selected icon. Is provided with a model data generating means for arranging the icons in the above-mentioned area on the newly generated icon display surface.

Thus, the lower hierarchy of the selected icon can be arranged and displayed on the newly generated icon display surface, so that the selectivity of the icon can be improved even when displaying data having a hierarchical structure. It is possible to do.

An interface system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the interface system according to the first to seventh aspects, is a moving means for moving in a virtual space in which the plurality of icon display surfaces are arranged. Is provided.

Thus, the operator can move between a plurality of icon display surfaces, so that the operator can move while visually confirming the hierarchical structure, and can follow the history intuitively.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of an interface system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the interface system of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a data model setting unit that arbitrarily sets an area, an angle, a range of a time axis, and the like with respect to model data of an icon display surface on which icons are arranged and displayed. Storage means for storing data associated with the icon and image data used for a virtual space model to be displayed,
Reference numeral 3 denotes a time information detecting unit for detecting the time at which the icon was recorded and stored in order to arrange the icon on an appropriate time axis in accordance with the time range set by the model data setting unit 1.

4 is a classification information detecting section for detecting the classification information of the icons in order to arrange the icons in an appropriate classification area in accordance with the classification set by the data model setting section 1, and 5 is displayed in a virtual space. Selecting means such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse for operating a magnifying cursor for selecting and magnifying and displaying the selected icon; And a selection signal control unit that appropriately converts and controls the signal of the selected icon for use in software to be used.

Numeral 7 denotes a signal from the model data setting unit 1, the time information detecting unit 3, the classification information detecting unit 4, the selection signal control unit 6, and a moving means (not shown) for moving in the virtual space. A model data generation unit for generating model data in a three-dimensional virtual space; an image processing unit for converting the three-dimensional virtual space model generated by the model data generation unit into a two-dimensional image; A display control unit that displays an image on the display unit 10 based on a signal from the image processing unit 8.

In the above configuration, the model data setting unit 1
As shown in FIG. 2, a time range setting unit 11 for setting a period for displaying data, a classification content setting unit 12 for setting a classification for displaying data, and an icon display surface for displaying data A model display setting unit 13 for setting an area and an angle of the model;
Necessary data in accordance with the output from
And sends a signal to each of the time information detecting unit 3, the classification information detecting unit 4, and the model data generating unit 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, the time information detecting section 3
According to the signal from the model data setting unit 1, the storage unit 2
A time detecting unit 31 for detecting time information of data read from the CPU; a time position calculating unit 32 for calculating a position on a time axis based on a signal from the time detecting unit 31; It has a time range determination unit 33 that determines whether the signal is within a set time range, and sends a signal to the model data generation unit 7.

As shown in FIG. 4, the classification information detecting section 4
According to the signal from the model data setting unit 1, the storage unit 2
A classification content detection unit 41 for detecting the classification information of the data read from the storage unit, and a classification content determination unit 42 for determining whether or not the set classification content is satisfied based on a signal from the classification content detection unit 41. And sends a signal to the model data generation unit 7.

As shown in FIG. 5, the model data generator 7 generates an icon display surface model based on the transmitted signal, and the icon display surface model generator 71 generates the icon display surface model. An icon display surface model arranging unit 72 for appropriately arranging the generated icon display surface model in the virtual space, an icon model generating unit 73 for generating an icon model, and an icon generated by the icon model generating unit 73. An icon model arranging section 74 that appropriately arranges the generated icon display surface model according to the time information and the classification information;
An enlarged cursor generator 75 for generating an enlarged cursor for enlarging and selecting an icon model; an enlarged cursor arranging unit 76 for arranging the enlarged cursor generated by the enlarged cursor generator 75 in a virtual space. have.

Next, an example of display by the interface system configured as described above will be described. FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a specific display example according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 6, the display screen has an inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user in a circular shape, and is divided into a plurality of areas by a preset classification. The classification display 101 shows the contents of each classification area.

On the icon display surface 100, a time axis 102 is set in the depth direction.
The icon 103 on the icon 00 is arranged at an appropriate position on the icon display surface 100 according to the time information and the classification information when the icon 103 was recorded and stored. Further, on the icon display surface 100, an enlarged cursor 104 for selecting an arbitrary icon for enlarged display is displayed, and is operated by an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse. Then, in the enlargement window 105, an image 106 in which the icon selected by the enlargement cursor 104 is enlarged is displayed.

Here, when there is an icon having a plurality of pages, a plurality of icons are sequentially exchanged at a fixed time interval, or the icon is rotated about a vertical center axis to obtain one icon.
A plurality of pages are visually displayed by successively exchanging icons for each rotation to create an animation.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when the three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment is cut in the vertical direction and viewed from the horizontal direction. A time axis 102 is set in the depth direction on the inclined icon display surface 100 that surrounds the user 110 in a circumferential shape, and icons that have been recorded and stored earlier are displayed deeper in the back. Here, the most recently stored icon 103a is displayed closer to the user 110 than the previously recorded and stored icon 103b.

The three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment is:
As shown in FIG. 8, the slope angle of the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 110 in a circular shape can be arbitrarily adjusted. That is, by increasing the slope angle 111 of the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 100 in a circle in FIG. 8A as shown by the slope angle 112 in FIG. Can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment shows the classification area 113 on the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 110 in a circular shape, with the depth indicated by the arrow 114 as the depth. You can scroll back and forth in any direction. Here, the hidden icon 103c can be displayed by scrolling the classification area 113 forward.

In the three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the depth of the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 110 in a circular shape can be arbitrarily adjusted. That is, FIG.
By increasing the distance 115 in FIG. 10A to the distance 116 in FIG. 10B, the depth of the icon display surface 100 can be increased, and the number of icons that can be displayed on the icon display surface 100 increases. It becomes possible.

Further, in the three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the divergence angle of the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 110 in the circumferential direction is displayed. It can be adjusted arbitrarily according to the number of classification areas. That is, in FIG. 11A, since the number of classification areas is large, the icon display surface 100
Surrounds the periphery of the user 110 by 360 ° (entire circumference). However, in FIG. 11B, since the number of classification areas is small, the icon display surface 100 surrounds the periphery of the user 110 by one.
It only surrounds 80 ° (half a circle). By setting the display area of the icon display surface according to the number of icons, it is possible to grasp the data amount by looking at the area of the icon display surface.

The three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment is:
As shown in FIG. 12, the display area in the circumferential direction of the classification area of the inclined icon display surface 100 surrounding the user 110 in a circumferential shape and the icon size can be arbitrarily adjusted. That is, by adjusting the display area in the circumferential direction and the size of the icon, FIG.
The area of the icon display surface 100 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 12B, the size of the icon 103 is changed to half, and the icon 103 in FIG.
It is displayed small like. As a result, the icons displayed outside the viewing angle can be eliminated, and the necessity of looking around can be eliminated.

Further, in the three-dimensional model according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, by selecting an arbitrary icon, a lower hierarchy of the icon can be displayed. That is, by selecting the icon 103, the icon display surface 100a in which a lower hierarchy newly occurs is displayed above, and the viewpoint position of the user is also moved upward to the position shown by 110a.

As described above, the newly generated icon display surface may be displayed at a place different from the original icon display surface, or may be displayed over the same place as the original icon display surface. When a newly generated icon display surface is generated in a place different from the original icon display surface, an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse is used as a moving unit for moving the viewpoint position.

Next, a second embodiment of the virtual space interface system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 14, but the configuration thereof is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example by the virtual space interface system of the present embodiment. The display screen has a rotation axis 200 crossing the center of the screen, and a circumferential time axis 202 is set around the rotation axis 200 and orthogonal to the rotation axis 200. On the right side is a dial 210 that rotates around the rotation axis 200,
Rotates in response to input devices such as a mouse, joystick, and data glove. By rotating the dial 210, the time axis 200 is rotated, and the icons 203 are displayed on the time axis 200 from the classification areas 201 arranged in a row.
Appears on the front of the screen from behind.

Here, the more recently recorded and stored thumbnails appear earlier, the older the thumbnails appear. As described above, by operating the dial 210, the icons 203 that are superimposed and difficult to see can be moved to a position where the icons 203 can be easily viewed, or the desired icons 203 can be moved to the front and the thumbnails can be displayed in a large size and visually recognized. Further, the icon 203 is selected by the enlargement cursor 204 and is enlarged and displayed so that the icon 203 can be more easily recognized.

A third embodiment of the virtual space interface system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 15, but the configuration thereof is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example by the virtual space interface system of this embodiment. The display screen has an icon display surface 300 for displaying icons, and is divided into a plurality of areas according to a preset classification. The classification display 301 shows the contents of each classification area. On the icon display surface 300, a time axis 302 is set in the depth direction, and the icon 303 on the icon display surface 300 is displayed on the icon display surface 300 in accordance with the time information and the classification information when the icon is recorded and stored. Placed in the appropriate position.

On the icon display surface 300, an enlargement cursor 304 for selecting an arbitrary icon for enlargement display is displayed.
Is displayed, and is operated by an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse. Then, arbitrarily scroll the time axis 302,
Icons not displayed on the icon display surface 300 can be displayed. In addition, another icon display surface can be newly generated and displayed in order to display a thumbnail in a lower hierarchy of the selected thumbnail.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the virtual space interface system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 16. The configuration is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example by the virtual space interface system of the present embodiment. The display screen has a time axis 4 in the depth direction from the front of the screen.
02, and there are several layers of invisible icon display surfaces 400 that are invisible for each time, orthogonal to the time axis 402. Since each icon 403 is displayed on the icon display surface corresponding to the time at which the image was recorded and saved, the more recently recorded thumbnail is displayed on the icon display surface 400 in front of the thumbnail, and the older the thumbnail, the more the thumbnail is displayed on the icon display surface in the rear. .

The icon display surface 400 is divided into a plurality of areas according to a preset classification, and a classification display 401 shows the contents of each classification area. An enlarged cursor 404 for selecting an arbitrary icon for enlarged display is displayed on the icon display surface 400, and is operated by an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the virtual space interface system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 17, but its configuration is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example by the virtual space interface system of the present embodiment. Above the display screen, there are a plurality of folders according to a preset classification, and a classification display 501 shows the contents of each classification area. By selecting a desired classification folder, an icon 503 stored therein is displayed.
Falling down the screen.

There is a time axis 502 from the lower part of the screen to the upper part.
Newer recorded thumbnails appear earlier and appear below, and older thumbnails appear later and appear above. On the icon display surface 500, an enlargement cursor 504 for selecting an arbitrary icon for enlargement display is displayed.
Is displayed, and is operated by an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a three-dimensional mouse.

[0053]

Since the interface system according to the first aspect of the present invention has the above-described configuration, the time set in the virtual space based on the time information when the icon is recorded and stored. At the appropriate position on the axis,
Since each icon can be displayed, a large number of icons can be efficiently displayed in the three-dimensional space, and the selectivity of the icons can be improved.

The interface system according to the second aspect of the present invention is provided with scroll means for scrolling icons arbitrarily in the time axis direction.
It is possible to limit the time range in which icons are displayed, and to display many icons that cannot be displayed by scrolling.

The interface system according to the third aspect of the present invention arranges the icons in the set classification area based on the classification information possessed by the icons, so that the icons can be displayed in an organized and classified manner. And the selectivity of the icons can be increased.

In the interface system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the selecting means for selecting and enlarging and displaying the icons is provided, the contents of the icons displayed in a small size are enlarged to make them easy to see, and the contents are displayed. You can select while checking.

According to the interface system of the present invention, when the icon selected by the enlargement cursor has a plurality of pages of data,
Since the model data generating means for visually displaying the icon model data of a plurality of pages using animation is provided, the amount of data and the presence of a plurality of data can be easily grasped.

An interface system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a data model setting means for changing the area of the display surface on which icons are displayed to an appropriate size in accordance with the number of icons arranged. Is provided, when the number of icons is small, it is possible to reduce the display range and eliminate useless look, efficiently select icons, and visually recognize the amount of data based on the display area. .

The interface system according to the present invention is provided with model data generating means for arranging an icon in a lower hierarchy of the selected icon on a newly generated icon display surface. The lower layers of the selected icons can be arranged and displayed on the newly generated icon display surface, and the operability can be improved even in displaying data having a hierarchical structure.

The interface system according to the invention of claim 8 of the present application has moving means for moving in a virtual space in which a plurality of icon display surfaces are arranged, so that the hierarchical structure is visually confirmed. While moving, you can intuitively follow the history.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of an interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a model data setting unit in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a time information detecting unit in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a classification information detection unit in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a model data generation unit in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when the three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention is cut in the vertical direction and viewed from the horizontal direction.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram when the three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention is cut in the vertical direction and viewed from the horizontal direction.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram when the three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention is cut in the vertical direction and viewed from the horizontal direction.

FIG. 10 is a perspective explanatory view of a three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory perspective view of a three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory perspective view of a three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory perspective view of a three-dimensional model in the first embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example in the second embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example in a third embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example in a fourth embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific display example in a fifth embodiment of the interface system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Model data setting part 2 Storage means 3 Time information detection part 4 Classification information detection part 5 Selection means 6 Selection signal control part 7 Model data generation part 8 Image processing part 9 Display control part 10 Display part 11 Time range setting part 12 Classification contents Setting unit 13 Model display setting unit 31 Time detection unit 32 Time position calculation unit 33 Time range determination unit 41 Classification content detection unit 42 Classification content determination unit 71 Icon display surface model generation unit 72 Icon display surface model placement unit 73 Icon model generation unit 74 Icon Model Arrangement Unit 75 Enlarged Cursor Generator 76 Enlarged Cursor Arrangement

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued from the front page (72) Inventor Hiroaki Yabe 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Sharp Corporation

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A storage for storing a selection means for selecting an arbitrary icon from among a plurality of icons arranged in a virtual space, and data associated with the icon selected by the selection means. Means for reading out and displaying data associated with the icon selected by the selection means from the storage means, wherein a time axis is set in the virtual space, and Time information detecting means for detecting time information at the time of recording and saving, and display means for displaying the icon on the time axis based on the time information detected by the time information detecting means are provided. An interface system characterized by that: 2. The interface system according to claim 1, further comprising a scroll unit that allows the icon to be arbitrarily scrollable in a time axis direction. 3. The interface system according to claim 1, wherein an area divided for each classification is set in the virtual space, and classification information detecting means for detecting classification information of the icon. And a display unit for displaying the icon in the area based on the classification information detected by the classification information detection unit. 4. The interface system according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit for operating an enlargement cursor for selecting the icon and enlarging and displaying the icon. 5. The interface system according to claim 4, wherein when the icon selected by the magnifying cursor has data of a plurality of pages, the icon model data of the plurality of pages is visually displayed by using animation. An interface system provided with model data generating means for displaying the data on a computer. 6. The data model according to claim 1, wherein an area of a display surface on which the icons are displayed is changed to an appropriate size according to the number of icons arranged. An interface system provided with setting means. 7. The interface system according to claim 1, wherein each of the icons has a hierarchical structure.
An interface system comprising a model data generating means for arranging an icon in a lower hierarchy of a selected icon on a newly generated icon display surface. 8. The interface system according to claim 1, further comprising a moving unit for moving in a virtual space in which the plurality of icon display surfaces are arranged.