JP2586382B2 - Search condition specification method and device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a search condition specifying method and apparatus, and more particularly to a search condition specifying method and apparatus for specifying conditions for searching for various types of information stored in a database.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional search condition designating device includes a storage device having a database storing various types of information, a keyboard for inputting search data, and a display device for displaying search input / output. A controlling CPU. Then, as a search condition designating method, a method of directly inputting a conditional expression with a keyboard when creating a search expression for searching information in a database has been adopted.

[0003]

In the conventional search condition designating method and apparatus of the present invention, the direct input using the keyboard requires accurate input for the search, which imposes a burden on the user. Had occurred. Further, for example, when it is known that the image has the same attribute as the image on the screen but the attribute name is not well remembered, there is a problem that a search formula cannot be created.

[0004]

A search condition designating method according to the present invention comprises a plurality of images relating to a preselected field, a plurality of texts each including a plurality of texts described by predetermined information elements, and a plurality of keywords. Displaying, on a screen, a media object composed of elements, an attribute table indicating a plurality of first attributes of each of the constituent elements, and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes of interest as search conditions; Selecting and specifying the second attribute in the table and the image and information element in the media object or the first attribute in the attribute table, and associating the specified both on the screen Thus, a search condition is designated and stored, and a search formula is created based on the stored search condition.

[0005] A search condition designating method according to the present invention provides a medium comprising a plurality of images relating to a preselected field and a plurality of texts each of which is described by a predetermined information element and a plurality of keywords. Displaying, on a screen of a display device, an object, an attribute table indicating a plurality of first attributes of each of the constituent elements, and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes focused on search conditions; The image and the information element or the first attribute in the attribute table are virtually grasped by a first designation of a pointing device, and the first designated information virtually grasped is retrieved in the search table. Virtually by the pointing device up to a display area of the second attribute of the second designation by the pointing device Kizuri, wherein the second designated second
The display of the association is performed by virtually releasing the first specified information with the pointing device in the display area of the attribute, and the information is virtually dragged in the display area of the second attribute. The first designated information is virtually grasped by the pointing device, and the pointing device moves into or out of the display area of the object medium or the attribute table based on the grasped first designated information. When the display of the association is deleted by virtually dragging and removing the display, the display of the association is displayed between the information of the first specification and the second attribute of the second specification. A search formula corresponding to a logical operation of the relationship between the two is created.

Further, a search condition designating apparatus according to the present invention provides a media object comprising a plurality of images relating to a plurality of fields and a plurality of texts each described by a predetermined information element and a plurality of keywords. When,
First attribute information storage means for storing an attribute table indicating a first attribute of each of the constituent elements, a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes for designating search conditions, A second attribute information storage for storing an attribute name or an attribute value associated in advance between each of the constituent elements and each of the first attributes of the attribute table and each of the second attributes of the search table. Means for selecting each component of the media object of interest, the attribute table, and the search table from the first attribute information storage means for display on the display means, and the selected information on the screen of the display means First operation means for designating the position of each display area of the media object, each component of the media object selected by the first operation means, the attribute table, and the search table. A display position information storage unit for storing position information of the media object with the display area; a component of the media object selected by the first operation unit; the attribute table; and the search table. The display means for displaying according to the position information of the display area and displaying the association between the display areas; and the component of the media object displayed on the display means and the first of the search table. Select one or more from among the attributes of
This virtually grasped information is virtually dragged down to the display area of interest and virtually released to give the instruction for the association, and the information in the display area already virtually dragged is replaced with the original display area. A second operation unit for virtually dragging in or out to release the association by virtually separating the attribute information; attribute information of the display area virtually grasped by operation of the second operation unit; Attribute information extracting means for extracting attribute information of the displayed display area from the display position information storage means, and the attribute information of the virtually grasped display area and the display area of the virtually dragged display area. An attribute deriving unit that derives an attribute name or an attribute value from the second attribute information storage unit according to the instruction of the association with the attribute information; A search condition storage means for 憶, and a search formula generating means for outputting to create the search condition plurality of attribute names stored in the storage unit or retrieval of a logical expression from the attribute value.

[0007]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an application example of the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process showing the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a display device of the application example shown in FIG. It is a figure showing an example of a screen display.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present application example is a media object composed of components related to images related to a plurality of fields, a plurality of texts each described by a predetermined information element, and a plurality of keywords. A file device 4 storing an attribute table indicating each first attribute, a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes for designating search conditions, and information stored in the file device 4 is displayed. Display device 1, a keyboard 2 for selectively calling information stored in the file device 4, and one of a plurality of information displayed on the screen of the display device 1.
A mouse 3 for selecting one or a plurality of pieces of information and relating the selected pieces of information, a storage device 5 for storing search conditions and the like based on a result of the related information, and a plurality of search conditions stored in the storage device 5. It is provided with a central processing unit 6 for controlling the operation of the retrieval formula and the whole application example.

Next, a method for specifying a search condition according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

On the screen 11 of the display device 1, there are tables showing various media objects (images, texts, keywords in FIG. 3) and attributes (attribute tables for explaining the images in FIG. 3). These are referred to as components on the screen 11. (Only the media object or only the attribute table may be used.) These are, for example, stored and managed in the file device 4 separately or collectively in a file format. Is selected on the screen 11 and called.
(For example, the file name of interest may be input using the keyboard 2 or may be displayed on the screen 11 based on a program created in advance by the system builder.) An area (search table in FIG. 3) indicating an attribute of interest as a search condition is prepared. (This may also be called using the keyboard 2 or may be displayed on the screen 11 based on a program created in advance by the system builder.) First, the components using the pointing device of the mouse 3 One or more are selected (S11). (For example, it is realized by moving the mouse 3 on the screen 11 and clicking the mouse on an element to be selected.) The selected component and the area on the search table ("age" in FIG. 3,
(The area in which “author” is written) (S1)
2). In this case, as a method of associating, for example, the operation of clicking the mouse 3 at the correspondence source, moving the mouse 3 while holding down the button, and releasing the button of the mouse 3 in the corresponding area is performed. As a feedback to the user, a line segment may be drawn on the screen 11 from the corresponding source and connected to the corresponding destination.
May be realized by dragging an element such that the display position of the clicked object is linked to the movement of the mouse 3 and brought to the corresponding display area.

The attribute information described in the display area of the other component associated with one component is extracted (S13) and stored in the storage device 5 (S14).
For example, when the image information is associated with the “author” in the display area of the search table in FIG. 3, “Taro Yamada”, the author of the picture, is stored as the search condition.

The search conditions from S11 to S14 are repeatedly stored in the storage device 5 until the input is completed, and at the end (S15), a search formula is created and displayed on the display device 1.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a search condition designating method in the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of the display means in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4, a second embodiment is a medium comprising a plurality of images relating to a plurality of fields and a plurality of texts each of which is described by a predetermined information element and a plurality of keywords. A first attribute information storage unit 31 for storing an object, an attribute table indicating a first attribute of each of the constituent elements, and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes for specifying a search condition; A second storing attribute names or attribute values pre-associated between each component of the media object and each first attribute of the attribute table and each respective second attribute of the search table.
The attribute information storage unit 32 and the component attribute table and the search table of the media object of interest are stored in the first
The first operation means 33 for specifying the position of each display area of the selected information on the screen of the display means 35 to be selected and displayed from the attribute information storage means 31, and the first operation means 33 selected by the first operation means 33 A display position information storage unit 34 for storing position information of each component of the media object, the attribute table, and the display area of the search table; each component and attribute table of the media object selected by the first operation unit 33; Display means for displaying the search table in accordance with the position information of the respective display areas, and displaying the relation between the display areas; and the components of the media object displayed on the display means and the second part of the search table. One or a plurality of attributes is selected and virtually grasped, and the virtually grasped information is virtually grasped to a display area of interest. Then, the information in the display area, which has already been virtually dragged, is virtually drawn out into or out of the original display area, and the link is virtually released to establish the association. The second operation means 36 to be released and the attribute information of the display area virtually grasped by the operation of the second operation means 36 and the attribute information of the virtually displayed display area are extracted from the display position information storage means 34. Attribute information extracting means 37, and an instruction for associating the attribute information of the virtually grasped display area with the attribute information of the virtually dragged display area by the second attribute information storing means 32, Or, an attribute deriving unit 38 for deriving an attribute value, a search condition storing unit 39 for storing a plurality of derived attribute names or attribute values, and a search condition storing unit 39
And a search formula creating means 40 for creating and outputting a logical formula for search from a plurality of attribute names or attribute values stored in the storage device.

Next, a method for specifying a search condition according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The first attribute information storage means 31 stores attribute information for each element in the database.

FIG. 6 shows a screen display example of the display means 35 for showing an example of an actual operation. On the screen 351 of the display means 35, there are tables showing various media objects (images, texts, keywords in FIG. 6) and attributes (attribute tables for explaining the images in FIG. 6). 351 are referred to as constituent elements. (Only a media object or only an attribute table may be used.) A display area (a search table in FIG. 6, hereinafter referred to as a search table) showing an attribute of interest as a search condition at the time of a search is prepared on the screen 351. I do.

These are performed by using the first operating means 33.
The screen 351 is displayed by displaying a desired display by specifying a file name or a search command.
It may be displayed on the top, or may be displayed by a program preset by the system builder.

The first and second operation means 33 and 36 are means for selecting and moving components, and include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel.

Next, the second operating means 36 selects one or a plurality of components on the screen 351 (text window in FIG. 6) (Pick) (S21), and selects the selected component from the search table. Drag the user to the display area indicating the attribute of interest (Drag) (S22),
The display area is dropped (Drop) (S23).

In a series of these processes, for example, a mouse is moved to a target display area, and a state in which a mouse button is pressed on a component is regarded as a selection. Then, the display position of the component is changed and re-displayed in real time, and the display is realized by assuming that the mouse button is released at the released position.

The attribute information extracting means 37 extracts the dropped display area from the position information storing means 34 and outputs the attribute (FIG. 6).
Inside, “place” is derived (S24). (In this case, for example, there is a method of judging the type and area of the window from the configuration of the screen 351 and the current position of the mouse.) The configuration in which the attribute deriving unit 38 is operated from the second operating unit 36 The information on the element is received, the type of the attribute of interest is received from the attribute information extracting unit 37, and the attribute name of the component of interest is received from the second attribute information storage unit 32 using the information on the component and the type of the attribute of interest. Alternatively, an attribute value is derived (S25). As an example, in the example of FIG. 6, the position information of the text window is received from the second operation means 36, the attribute type “place” is received from the position information storage means 34, and the position information of the text window and the attribute type “ The attribute name “Yokohama” of the corresponding text window is derived from the second attribute information storage unit 32 using the information “place”.

Search condition storage means 39 is attribute deriving means 38
And stores the attribute name. Further, the display means 35 receives the information on the components from the second operation means 36, and displays the components as icons (S2).
6). In FIG. 6, "Yokohama" is stored in the search condition storage means 39, and an icon of a text window is displayed in a display area in the search table.

Hereinafter, steps S21 to S26 are repeated until the search conditions are completely input.

The deletion of the search condition is based on the following steps.

One or a plurality of icons displayed by the display means 35 are selected by the second operation means 36 (S2).
7). The user drags the selected icon out of the search table (S28) and makes it outside the display area (S29).
Thereby, the attribute deriving unit 38 receives the information on the operated icon from the second operating unit 36, the search condition storing unit 39 deletes the information on the corresponding component from the stored information, and the display unit 35 is operated. The deleted icon is deleted (S30).

The search condition expression generating means 40 receives all the search conditions stored from the search condition storage means 39 (S31), and creates and outputs a conditional expression corresponding to the logical operation of the attribute (S32).

The attribute described in the second embodiment is an attribute of character information, but is also valid for media information.

[0031]

As described above, the present invention provides a medium comprising a plurality of images related to a field selected in advance, and a plurality of texts each of which is described by a predetermined information element and a plurality of components including a plurality of keywords. An object, an attribute table indicating a plurality of first attributes of each of the constituent elements, and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes of interest as search conditions are displayed on a screen. An attribute and the image and the information element in the media object or the first attribute in the attribute table are selected and specified, and the specified two are related on a screen to specify and store a search condition. By creating a search formula based on the stored search conditions, as in the past,
Since there is no need to input a search formula with the keyboard, it is possible to create a search formula by a visual operation, and it is possible to improve the man-machine interface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an application example of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a display device in the application example shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a search condition designating method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display of a display unit according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 display device 2 keyboard 3 mouse 4 file device 5 storage device 6 central processing unit 11 screen 31 first attribute information storage unit 32 second attribute information storage unit 33 first operation unit 34 position information storage unit 35 display unit 36 Second operation means 37 Attribute information extraction means 38 Attribute derivation means 39 Search condition storage means 40 Search formula creation means 351 Screen

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A media object consisting of a plurality of images relating to a field selected in advance, a plurality of texts each described by a predetermined information element, and a plurality of keywords, and a media object including each of the plurality of keywords. An attribute table indicating a plurality of first attributes and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes of interest as search conditions are displayed on a screen, and the second attribute in the search table and the media object And selecting and specifying the image and the information element or the first attribute in the attribute table, and specifying and storing a search condition by associating the specified two with each other on the screen. A search condition designating method, wherein a search formula is created based on the search condition. 2. A media object consisting of a plurality of images relating to a field selected in advance, a plurality of texts each described with a predetermined information element and a plurality of keywords, and a media object comprising each of said components. An attribute table indicating a plurality of first attributes and a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes focused on search conditions on a screen of a display device, and displaying the image and the information element or A first attribute in the attribute table is virtually grasped by a first designation of a pointing device, and the information of the first designation virtually grasped is designated by a second designation by the pointing device in the search table. Virtually dragging the display area of the second attribute to the display area of the second attribute by the pointing device; The display of the association is performed by virtually releasing the first specified information with the pointing device in the display area of the attribute, and the information is virtually dragged in the display area of the second attribute. The first
Is virtually grasped by the pointing device, and the pointing device virtually moves into or out of the display area of the object medium or the attribute table based on the grasped first designated information. The display of the association is erased by dragging out and when the association is displayed between the information of the first specification and the second attribute of the second specification, the display of the association is performed. A search condition specification method characterized by creating a search expression corresponding to a logical operation of the relationship 3. A media object including a plurality of images relating to a plurality of fields, a plurality of texts each described by a predetermined information element, and a plurality of keywords, and a media object including each of the plurality of keywords. An attribute table indicating a first attribute, a first attribute information storage unit storing a search table indicating a plurality of second attributes for designating a search condition, each component of the media object, and the attribute table Second attribute information storage means for storing an attribute name or an attribute value associated in advance between each of the first attributes and each of the second attributes of the search table; Each constituent element of the object, the attribute table and the search table are selected from the first attribute information storage means, displayed on a display means, and displayed on a screen of the display means First operation means for designating the position of each display area of the selected information; each of the components of the media object selected by the first operation means, the attribute table, and the display area of the search table Display position information storage means for storing position information of each of the following: position information of each of the components of the media object selected by the first operation means, the attribute table, and the search table; And display means for displaying the association between the display areas, and among the constituent elements of the media object displayed on the display means and the first attribute of the search table. One or more are selected and virtually grasped, and the virtually grasped information is virtually dragged to the display area of interest. Virtually instructs the association and virtually drags the information in the display area that has already been virtually dragged into or out of the original display area and virtually cancels the association. Extracting from the display position information storage means the attribute information of the display area virtually grasped by the operation of the second operation means and the attribute information of the virtually displayed display area by operating the second operation means. Means for extracting attribute information from the second attribute information storage means in response to an instruction for the association between the attribute information of the virtually grasped display area and the attribute information of the virtually dragged display area. An attribute deriving unit that derives an attribute name or an attribute value; a search condition storing unit that stores the plurality of the derived attribute names or attribute values; The attribute name or search condition specifying device, characterized in that it comprises a search expression creation means creates and outputs a search logical expression from the attribute value of.