JP2970743B2 - Data communication 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 data communication device, and more particularly to a data communication device for displaying a message transmitted from a host device in accordance with a menu designation on a display unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a data communication apparatus, non-procedure is generally widely used as a communication protocol because of its simplicity. A typical example is personal computer communication.

Generally, in personal computer communication, a data message transmitted from a host is received by a data communication device, displayed on a display screen from left to right, and when a return / line feed code is detected, a message is displayed on the screen. It returns to the lower left one line and repeats the display of the next message.

[0004] Messages transmitted from the host side include menu messages and normal messages other than menu messages. The operator visually confirms the desired menu number or the like by looking at the menu message, transmits the number or the like to the host side, and receives the next message from the host side as a response thereto. As a means for transmitting this number and the like, a keyboard is generally used.

For this reason, in a non-procedural data communication device,
Generally, a keyboard is required. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the device, and it is difficult for a general operator who is not familiar with operating the keyboard to easily use the data communication device.

As means for solving such inconveniences,
Conventionally, a data communication system described in JP-A-3-223788 has been proposed. In this disclosed data communication method, a menu message is displayed at a display position designated by a communication device of the other party, and the position coordinates (x,
y) is transmitted to the communication device of the other party as position information.

For this reason, it is necessary for the communication device of the other party to analyze the received position coordinates to specify the specified menu, and to change the execution program according to various menus. In particular, since the position coordinates are transmitted and received between the communication devices, the communication protocol is complicated,
There was a problem of lack of versatility.

[0008]

A first problem is that, in a conventional non-procedural data communication device, a menu transmitted from a communication partner device while continuing a simple communication protocol and processing of the communication device. In general, a keyboard is required to select a desired item from a message and to notify the communication partner device of the item. The reason is that, in the conventional technology, there is no means for easily identifying only the menu message in the message transmitted in a non-procedural manner. For this reason, the menu is visually inspected from the message displayed on the operator or the display. This is because a means for identifying a message and inputting a corresponding number of a desired menu from the keyboard from a keyboard is common.

[0009]

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular, to provide a menu-selectable data transfer with a host device without adding a new function to the host device and without using input means such as a keyboard. The purpose is to do.

[0010]

Therefore, according to the present invention, as a first means, a receiving unit for receiving and modulating a message (data) transmitted from a host device, and transmitting a message modulated by the receiving unit, The control unit includes a control unit that controls display according to a control code in the message and transmits a predetermined specified menu code to the host device, and a display unit that displays a message output from the control unit. Moreover, the display unit includes a coordinate input unit for inputting coordinate information of a designated position on the display unit. Furthermore, in the control unit,
A menu information storage unit for storing predetermined menu information
Has been established. Then, the control unit is controlled by the control unit.
The menu is displayed in the message based on the control code in the message.
If it is determined that there is a message,
Line position of each menu of the menu message on the display unit
To store the menu code and menu code in the menu information storage unit
It has the ability. A control unit configured to calculate a line position of the designated position based on the coordinate information input to the coordinate input unit; and a line position of the designated position calculated by the designated line position calculation unit. And a menu code specifying means for specifying a menu code of the menu message at the line position based on the menu information stored in the menu information storage unit based on the
I have.

In the first means, the control section controls the display of the menu message received from the host device on the display section.
At this time, the control unit stores the menu code specifying the menu message and the position on the display unit where the menu message is displayed as menu information in the menu information storage unit.

The user reads the menu message displayed on the display unit, and selects the type of the message to be subsequently received from the menu. This selection is made by designating a menu message displayed on the display unit. Then, the coordinate input means outputs the designated coordinates on the display unit to the control unit. If the coordinate input means is a touch panel, touching a part displaying a menu means that the menu is selected.

When the coordinate information is input from the coordinate input means, the control section first calculates the line position of the designated position based on the coordinate information by the designated line position calculating means. Further, the menu code specifying unit specifies the menu code of the menu message at the line position based on the menu information stored in the menu information storage unit based on the line position of the specified position calculated by the specified line position calculation unit. Then, the control unit transmits the specified menu code to the host device. As described above, the present invention does not require input from the keyboard, and realizes menu-selection type data transfer with the host device.

In the second means, the coordinate input means is constituted by a touch panel for outputting a position touched by a finger as coordinates.

In the third means, in addition to the items for specifying the first or second means, when the control unit changes the display line of the menu message based on a control code in the message or an external command, a menu is displayed. Menu information updating means for changing the line position information in the information storage unit according to the change amount of the display line is provided.

In the third means, when the display of the message is scrolled by receiving the message one after another,
When the message already received and displayed by the external command is displayed again, the menu information is updated in accordance with the scroll of the display.

In the fourth means, in addition to the items for specifying the third means, the control unit may be configured to execute the menu code specifying means after the prompt is transmitted from the host device when the coordinate information is input from the coordinate input means. A prompt waiting function for transmitting the specified menu code to the host device is provided.

In the fourth means, even when the menu code is specified, the transmission of the menu code is waited until an input request (prompt) comes from the host device. Therefore, the menu code is reliably transmitted to the host device.

In the data communication apparatus constituted by these means, the return / line feed code in the message transmitted without any procedure is determined to be a code indicating the end of display of one line, and the next data is determined by the specific control. Identify whether it is a code. If it is a specific control code, it is determined that the subsequent message is a menu message up to the next return / line feed code. Also,
If it is not a specific control code, it is determined that the message is a normal message other than the menu message. Both menu messages and normal messages are displayed on the display unit. For menu messages, the number of display lines in the display unit and the number of the menu included at the beginning of the menu message are paired in the menu information storage unit. Remember.

By the above means, the relationship between the number of display lines of the menu on the display unit and the number of the menu is stored in the menu information storage unit. Next, when the display unit is touched with a finger, the coordinates are detected by the touch panel. If the coordinates are the menu line, the menu number or the like corresponding to the number of lines is read from the menu information storage unit and transmitted to the communication device of the other party. Sent.

As described above, in the non-procedural data communication apparatus, the menu can be selected by touching the menu with a finger, and a keyboard is not required.

[0022]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the data communication device according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the data communication device includes a receiving unit 10 for receiving and modulating a message transmitted from the host device 1, and transmitting a message modulated by the receiving unit 10 to a control code in the message. And a display unit (display) 16 for displaying a message output from the control unit 12 and a control unit 12 for controlling display according to the above and transmitting a predetermined specified menu code to the host device 1. Moreover, the display 16 is a coordinate input means 18 for inputting coordinate information of a designated position on the display 16.
It has.

The receiving unit 10 is a modem that demodulates data transmitted via a telephone line or the like, and is also performed via the modem when a menu code is transmitted from the control unit 12 to the host device.

When the control unit 12 determines that there is a menu message in the message based on the control code in the message, the control unit 12 stores the line position information on the display 16 of the menu message and Menu information storage unit 14 for storing the menu code of the menu message
Is attached.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Is a designated line position calculating means 2 for calculating the line position of the designated position based on the coordinate information input to the coordinate input means 18
Menu code specifying means 2 for specifying the menu code of the menu message at the line position based on 0 and the line position of the specified position calculated by the specified line position calculating means 20
2 is provided.

The modem 10 as a receiving unit receives data transmitted from a communication host device through a public line in a non-procedural manner and demodulates the data into a telegram. Also, the modem 10
The non-procedural data transmitted from the data communication device side is modulated and transmitted to the host device 1 through a public line.

The control unit 12 (computer circuit) analyzes the message demodulated by the modem 10 and displays the message on the display 16. If the received message is a menu message, the control unit 12 stores the number of display lines (display position) of the menu message on the display 16 and the menu number (menu code) in the menu information storage unit 14.

Touch panel 18 as coordinate input means
Touches the desired menu message with your finger and the coordinates (x,
y) to the control unit 12.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display contents of the received message. The control unit 12 displays the message output from the receiving unit 10 from left to right on the display 16 until a line feed code (hereinafter referred to as CR / LF code) is detected following the return code in the message. . When the CR / LF code is detected, the cursor is returned to the left side of the display 16 and one line down, and the display control is continued.

By the display control based on the control code (CR / LF), the first to third lines in FIG. 3 are displayed. In FIG. 3, data enclosed in parentheses is a control code, and is not actually displayed on the display 16.

While the above operation is repeated, CR / LF
When detecting the code, the control unit 12 stores the number of the menu message following the control code in the menu information storage unit 14 when reading out the control code indicating the menu message following the CR / LF code. Along with
The menu message is displayed on the display 16.

Here, it is assumed that a menu number (menu code) is described after a control code indicating a menu message, but a menu for identifying each menu by two control codes. The code may be inserted.

When the menu message is displayed on the display 16, the number of display lines of the menu message on the display is determined. Therefore, the control unit 12 determines the display position of the menu message along with the menu code in the menu information storage unit 14.
To be stored. Then, the menu information storage unit 14 stores the number of the menu message and the display position of the menu message as a pair. Specifically, the number of display lines and the number of the menu message are stored in pairs such as 4, 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 7, 4,.

As a control code indicating a menu message, a control code that is not used normally and is non-procedural is used. In the example shown in FIG. 3, DC2 (code 12HEX) is assigned to this control code.

The above operation is repeated until no message is sent from the host device 1. Further, when the display is scrolled by receiving the message, the contents of the menu information storage unit 14 are updated each time the display is scrolled. That is,
When scrolling is performed by a control code in a message or based on an external command, the line position information in the menu information storage unit 14 is changed according to the scroll amount (menu information updating unit).

When the display of the message is scrolled by successively receiving the message by the menu information updating means 28, or when the message already received and displayed by the external command is displayed again, the display of the message is displayed. The menu information can be updated according to the scroll. Therefore, the menu information is sequentially updated with the contents displayed on the display 16.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for transmitting the menu seed of the menu selected by the touch panel 18 to the host device.

The message is no longer sent from the host,
When the operator touches a desired menu message displayed on the display 16 with a finger, the touch panel 18 inputs the coordinates touched by the finger to the control unit 12 (step S).
1).

Next, in the control unit 12, the designated line position calculating means 20 calculates the line position of the designated position based on the coordinate information (x, y) input from the touch panel 18 (step S2). In other words, it calculates the line on the display unit where the position touched on the touch panel 18 falls.

Further, in the control unit 12, the menu code specifying unit 22 uses the menu information in the menu information storage unit 14 based on the line position calculated by the designated line position calculating unit 20 to generate the menu message of the line position. The menu code is specified (step S3). That is, the menu message number stored in the menu information storage unit 14 is read in pairs corresponding to the number of display lines specified.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the fifth line of the display is touched by a finger, the menu number “2” corresponding to the fifth line is read from the menu information storage unit 14.

Further, the control unit 12 adds a return code (CR code) to the read number (menu code 22a), modulates the data with the modem 1, and transmits the modulated code to the host device 1 through the public circuit. At this time, if the menu is selected by the touch panel 18 during the menu display process and the menu is not ready to be transmitted to the host device 1, after the prompt is transmitted from the host device 1, the menu code specifying means 22 The specified menu code 22a is transmitted to the host device (prompt waiting function).

Even when the menu code is specified by the prompt waiting function 24, the transmission of the menu code is waited until an input request (prompt) is received from the host device. Therefore, the menu code is reliably transmitted to the host device. As described above, in this embodiment, the input from the touch panel 18 is valid while the menu is being displayed, and the menu code is transmitted after the prompt is displayed from the host.

In the above description, an example has been described in which a touch panel is used as position designation means on a display, but other pointing devices and devices such as a mouse and a line pen can be similarly realized.

The communication line to be used is not limited to the public line, but may be a dedicated line or a LAN.
Various things can be applied.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even in a widely used non-procedural data communication apparatus, a special control code indicating a menu message is simply searched without any special plural controls, and the searched menu is used. The number of display lines of the message and the menu number of the message are stored in the menu information storage unit, and then the menu number and the like corresponding to the number of display lines of the menu message touched by the user are read from the menu information storage unit. , A keyboard for selecting a menu is not required. In addition to this, it is possible to save the space of the device and to improve the operability.

That is, the device automatically identifies the menu message as being a menu message, and by simply touching the menu message with a finger, the menu number or the like which has been input from the keyboard can be automatically transmitted to the communication device of the other party. it can.

Further, the communication device of the other party transmitting the menu message can also be realized by simply adding a special control code agreed with the data communication device preceding the menu message without any special complicated control.

[0050]

The present invention is constructed and functions as described above. According to this, when coordinate information is input from coordinate input means such as a touch panel, the designated line position calculating means is operated based on the coordinate information. Calculate the line position of the specified position,
The menu code specifying unit specifies the menu code of the menu message at the line position based on the menu information based on the line position of the specified position calculated by the specified line position calculation unit. Selection control is possible, and menu information is stored based on the control code every time a message is received .
Therefore, it is not necessary to add a new control function to the host device, this keyboardless data transfer can be performed only by adding a control code to the menu message, and the display area of the display unit and the communication protocol Regardless, since menu-selective data transfer can be performed, versatility can be dramatically expanded. As described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an unprecedented superior data communication device capable of performing menu-selective data transfer with a host device without adding a new function to the host device and without using input means such as a keyboard. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a message on a display unit in the configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of menu code transmission control in the configuration shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host apparatus 10 Receiving part (modem) 12 Control part (computer circuit) 14 Menu information storage part 16 Display part (display) 18 Coordinate input means 20 Designated position calculating means 22 Menu code specifying means 24 Prompt waiting means 26 Menu information updating means

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A receiving unit for receiving and modulating a message transmitted from a host device, controlling the display of the message modulated by the receiving unit according to a control code in the message, and changing a predetermined specified menu code. In a data communication device including a control unit that transmits to the host device and a display unit that displays a message output from the control unit, the display unit may display coordinate information of a designated position on the display unit. Menu information storing coordinate information input means for storing predetermined menu information in the control unit;
A storage unit is also provided, and the control unit controls the control command in the message by the control unit.
Judge that there is a menu message in the message based on the code
The menu message for each menu message
Position and menu code of each menu in the display section
With the function of storing
A control unit configured to calculate a line position of the designated position based on the coordinate information input to the coordinate input unit; and a line of the designated position calculated by the designated line position calculation unit. A data communication device comprising: a menu code specifying unit that specifies a menu code of a menu message at a line position based on menu information stored in the menu information storage unit based on the position. 2. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate input means is constituted by a touch panel that outputs a position touched by a finger as coordinates. 3. When the control unit changes the display line of the menu message based on a control code or an external command in the message, changes the line position information in the menu information storage unit to the display line. 3. The data communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a menu information updating unit that changes according to the amount. 4. The control unit transmits the menu code specified by the menu code specifying unit to the host device after a prompt is transmitted from the host device when the coordinate information is input from the coordinate input unit. 4. The data communication device according to claim 3, further comprising a prompt waiting function for transmitting.