JP3425873B2 - Data input method for terminal device connected to host computer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal device connected online with a host computer, and more particularly to a data input method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a data input method technology for shortening the waiting time required from the input / transmission of data to the input of the next data in an online system, a keyboard buffer is provided without waiting for an input request from the host computer. A method that allows you to enter data into
There has been a method of defining a fixed input process that a user frequently performs as a macro. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-175049
Japanese Patent Publication discloses a method of shortening the waiting time by inputting offline. Hereinafter, JP-A-1-17
The conventional data input method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5049 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a data input method in an online system. Terminal device 200
1 is connected to the host system 2003 online, and the terminal device 2001 allows the user to sequentially input transaction data from the input unit 2001_2 of the terminal device 2001, and adds transaction information to the transaction file unit 2001_4 of the terminal device 2001. The offline input unit 2001_A that stores records one after another and the operations of the offline input unit 2001_A operate in parallel, read transaction records from the transaction file unit 2001_4 in the order stored by the offline input unit 2001_A, and through the communication line 2004. The online transmission means 2001_B for transmitting to the host system 2003, and the transaction record transmitted by the online transmission means 2001_B to the host system 2003. Receive over de from the communication line 2004, line reception means for selecting the processing operations are described in the transaction record 2002_
C and the transaction record, the update processing means 2002_D1 to 2002_D for each processing operation for updating the master files 2002_21 to 2002_2n of the processing operation selected by the online receiving means 2002_C.
n.

The user is made to sequentially input data from the input section 2001_2, and the offline input means 2001_A refers to the input check file section 2001_3 to perform a check at the time of input, and the transaction file section 200.
Transaction records in which management information is added to 1-4 are stored one after another. Online transmission means 2001_
B operates in parallel with the offline input means 2001_A, and the transaction file 200 is stored in the stored order.
The transaction record is read from 1_4 and transmitted to the host system 2003 through the communication line 2004. On the other hand, the online receiving means 2002_C on the host system 2003 receives the transmitted transaction record from the communication line 2004. Then, according to the processing task identification data described in the transaction record, the corresponding processing task is selected, the update processing sections 20002_D1 to 2002_Dn are operated, and the update processing sections 2002_D1 to 2002_Dn are used to store the master files 2002_21 to 2002_2n. Perform update processing.

This conventional method uses the offline input means 2
Input operation by 001_A and online transmission means 20
Since the transmission operation by 01_B can be performed independently and in parallel with each other, input from the terminal device can be efficiently and promptly performed without being influenced by the load of the host system, and the host system can be operated. There is an advantage that input processing can be performed even when not doing.

[0006]

However, the following problems have been encountered in the above-described method of providing the keyboard buffer and performing the preceding input and the conventional method of defining the macro.

[0007] The first problem is that it can handle only fixed standard data and data that is repeatedly input. The reason is that this conventional method is not suitable for inputting data such as numerical data that cannot be determined in advance.

The second problem is that it is not possible to collectively input data of a plurality of screens in advance. The reason is that data cannot be input and saved for each screen.

The third problem is that the operability when inputting data is not good. The reason is that data cannot be input on the screen image to be actually input.

Further, the conventional method of performing the above-mentioned offline input has the following problems.

The first problem is that resources on the host computer side cannot be effectively used. The reason is that the host application on the host computer needs to be modified, and the application used up to now cannot be used as it is.

The second problem is that data cannot be input interactively in accordance with an input request from the host application. The reason is that the data continuously input in the offline state is transferred to the host computer and is collectively processed on the host computer side.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the waiting time required from the input / transmission of data to the input of the next data without changing the system on the host computer side, and to input data in a terminal device connected to the host computer. It is to provide a method.

Another object of the present invention is to be connected to a host computer capable of pre-inputting data on a screen to be actually used in an offline state and storing the input data for each screen. It is to provide a data input method in a terminal device.

Still another object of the present invention is a terminal device connected to a host computer for automatically transmitting data inputted in advance when online connected to the host application in an interactive manner according to an input request from the host application. Is to provide a data input method.

[0016]

A data input method for a terminal device connected to a host computer according to the present invention is as follows.
Display means for displaying on the terminal device the same screen as the screen displayed on the terminal device when the host computer and the terminal device are online connected, and on the screen displayed on the terminal device for offline Input the input data of , indicating the position on the screen where the input data is input
A storage unit for storing the position data in association with the position information, and the same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline when the input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device is offline is online. The input associated with the input data of the screen displayed in the online connection state when displayed in the connection state
Substitution means for substituting for the position indicated by the position information .

The data input method in the terminal device connected to the host computer according to the present invention comprises means for setting the substitution condition of the input data by the substitution means,
Means for storing the substitution condition, and when the same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline is displayed in the online connection state with the host computer, the substitution condition is further satisfied The substituting means associates the input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device when offline with the input data associated with the input data on the screen displayed in the online connection state.
It is characterized by substituting for the position indicated by the position information .

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is a host computer 1 and a host computer 1.
And a terminal 2 connected online to the input data editing information section 3 for storing input data.

The host computer 1 has a host communication control unit 4, a host application 5, and screen definition information 6
It has and. The host communication control unit 4 performs input / output data transmission / reception processing and communication control processing between the host computer 1 and the terminal 2. The host application 5 is
An application on the host computer 1 that realizes online work by creating a screen based on the screen defined in the screen definition information 6 and input / output information, and inputting / outputting data to / from the terminal 2 via the screen. It is a program. The screen definition information 6 is a screen information file having a screen used by the host application 5 and input / output information.

The terminal 2 comprises a data input / output control section 7, an input data edit processing section 8 and an input data management processing section 9. The data input / output control unit 7 is provided with input / output means for displaying screen data sent from the host application 5 and allowing the user to input and send data on the display screen. Two
It processes input / output data transmission / reception to / from and communication control processing. In addition, the screen data received from the host computer 1 is passed to the input data management processing unit 9 and the input data is received from the input data management processing unit 9. In the offline state, the input data edit processing unit 8 extracts a screen identifier unique to the screen from the screen definition information 12 and displays it as a list. When the user selects a screen for prior input from the list, the selected screen is read from the screen definition information 12 of the input data edit processing unit 3 Terminal 2
Displayed on the screen, the user edits and saves the input data on the screen. When connected online, the input data management processing unit 9 receives the screen data sent from the host computer 1 via the data input / output control unit 7, and analyzes the received screen data. When the input data corresponding to the received screen is previously stored in the input data information 11, the input data is automatically set on the screen on the data input / output control unit 7 and transmitted to the host computer 1.

The input data editing information section 3 comprises an input data management table 10, input data information 11 and screen definition information 12. Input data management table 10
Is an information management table file for associating the data input from the input data edit processing unit 8 with the input screen in the offline state. The input data information 11 is a file that stores the data input from the input data edit processing unit 8 as input data. The screen definition information 12 is
It is a screen information file including a screen used by the host application 5 and input / output information.

Next, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the file format of the input data management table 10 shown in FIG. Here, the record structure of the data file is shown, and is composed of management information 1001, a screen identifier 1002 and an input data identifier 1003. Management information 1
001 includes a management number 1004, a registration date / time 1005, and user information 1006. When registering the input data, the information necessary for managing the table is stored in the management information 1001, the screen identifier information used at the time of input is stored in the screen identifier 1002, and the identification information of the input data is stored in the input data identifier 1003. To do.

Next, FIG. 5 shows the input data information 1 shown in FIG.
It is an example which shows an example of the file format of 1. Here, the record structure of the data file is shown, and the input data identifier 1101 and the input data 1102_1 to 1-10
102_n and transmission information 1103. Further, the input data 1102_1 to 1102_n are composed of data 1104 input in the input field on the input screen and input position information 1105 indicating the position of the input field on the screen. The data entered in the input field on the input screen is
Input data 1102_1 to 1102_n for each field
Stored in. The transmission information 1103 stores information such as how the input data is transmitted to the host computer 1 and designation of a transmission key.

Next, FIG. 6 shows the screen definition information 12 shown in FIG.
It is an example showing the file format of. Here, the record structure of the data file is shown, and is composed of a screen identifier 1201 and screen data 1202. The screen identifier 1201 stores screen-specific information for identifying a screen, and the screen data 1202 stores information such as screen display text data and input field information.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

In the offline state, the input data edit processing unit 8 is activated, the screen identifier in the screen definition information 12 is extracted from the input data edit processing unit 8, and the input screen selection list is displayed (see FIG. 2). Step S101). The user is made to select a screen for performing prior input from the selection list (step S102), the display text of the selected screen and input field information are read from the screen definition information 12, and the read screen is displayed on the terminal 2 (step S102). S10
3). The user inputs and edits data on the displayed screen (step S104). Also at this time,
Specify the send key and specify how to send the input data to the host. After inputting the data, the input data is stored in the input data edit information section 3 (step S105). The input data is first stored in the input data information 11 in record units shown in FIG. 5 for each input screen. At this time, in order to identify the input data, the input data identifier 1 unique to the record
101 is assigned, and input data for each input field on the input screen 1104 and input position information 1105 indicating the position of the input field are input data 11
Stored in 02_1 to 1102_n, and the transmission designation is transmission information 1
It is stored in 103. Next, information for associating the input data with the input screen is registered in the input data management table 10 for each record shown in FIG. The management number 1004, the registration date and time 1005 and the user information 1006 necessary for managing the table are stored in the management information 1001, the identification information of the screen used at the time of input is stored in the screen identifier 1002, and the input data registered in the input data information 11 is stored. The identification information is stored in the input data identifier 1003.

When data is further input to another screen (step S106), the processes of steps S101 to S105 are repeated. When the input is ended, the input data edit processing unit 8 is ended.

When screen data is transmitted from the host computer 1 to the terminal 2 while the terminal 2 is online connected to the host computer 1, the input data management processing section 9
Receives screen data via the data input / output control unit 7 (step S201 in FIG. 3), analyzes the received screen data, and extracts a screen identifier (step S202). Next, whether or not the input data is registered for the received screen is searched and confirmed in the input data management table 10 using the screen identifier of the received screen (step S203). When a record having the same screen identifier as the received screen exists in the input data management table 10 , the retrieved record is read and a record having the same identifier as the input data identifier 1003 in the record is read from the input data information 11. . Input data 1 of read record
102_1 to 1102_n are set on the screen of the data input / output control unit 7. Input data 1102_1 to 1102_
After setting the data 1104 in the input field on the screen at the position designated by the n input position information 1105, the data input / output control unit 7 is requested to transmit according to the transmission information 1103 (step S205).

Further, when the input data for the screen received from the host computer 1 is not registered in the input data management table 10 (step S203), the input data management processing section 9 controls the data input processing by the data input / output control. The user directly inputs data from the screen of the data input / output control unit 7 by entrusting it to the unit 7.

Next, the effect of this embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, the host computer 1
By providing the screen definition information 6 defined in 1. in the terminal 2 as well, the business screen can be displayed on the terminal 2 even in the offline state, and data can be pre-input for each screen. Can be input efficiently. In addition, since the screen received from the host computer 1 can be identified by the screen definition information 12 on the terminal 2, it is possible to automatically set the previously input data on the screen.

[0033]

[Embodiment 1] Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described using a specific embodiment.

In FIG. 7, in the off-line state, the input data edit processing unit 8 reads a screen having the selected screen identifier -08 from the screen definition information and displays the screen data as an input screen on the terminal. “123” and “ABC” in input field A and input field B on the input screen respectively
Is input as data, the transmission key is set, and then stored in the input data information. The input data information stores the input data of each of the input field A and the input field B, the column position of the field, the information of the transmission key and the input data identifier -02 for identifying the input data. Next, in order to associate the input data with the input screen, the input data management table stores the screen identifier -08, the input data identifier -02, the management number -01 for managing the table, the registration date and time and the user information. To be done. In the online state, when the input data management processing unit 9 receives the screen having the screen identifier -08 from the host computer 1, the input data management processing unit 9 retrieves the screen identifier -08 from the input data management table.
Is read, and data having the same identifier as the input data identifier-02 in the record is read from the input data information 11. Based on the input data stored in the read record and the column position of the input field, the read input data is set on the output screen of the data input / output control unit 7, and the send key is sent to the host computer.

[0035]

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 8, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the input data edit information section 3 has the same configuration as the input data edit information section 3 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. In addition, it is different in having the execution condition definition information 13. Further, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the input data edit processing unit 8 and the input data management processing unit 9 of FIG. 8 are the same as those of the input data edit processing unit 8 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. In addition to the functions of the data management processing unit 9, the following functions are different.

The input data edit processing unit 8 defines a condition for extracting specific input data from the input data edit information unit 3 when connected online, and stores the defined condition in the execution condition definition information 13. Equipped with. The input data management processing unit 9 reads the input data satisfying the conditions defined in the execution condition definition information 13 from the input data information 11 when online and sets the input data on the screen of the data input / output control unit 7. Equipped with.

The execution condition definition information 13 is an information file defining conditions for extracting specific input data from the input data edit information section 3 when online connection is made. When a plurality of users input different data in advance on the same input screen, the data input by a specific user may be transmitted to the host computer 1 according to the condition defined in the execution condition definition information 13. It will be possible.

FIG. 10 shows the execution condition definition information 1 shown in FIG.
It is an example which shows an example of the file format of No. 3. Here, the record structure of the data file is shown, and management information 1301, execution condition title 1302 and condition 13 are shown.
It is composed of 03.

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the off-line state, the input data edit processing unit 8 in FIG. 8 edits and saves the input data, and then sets the condition for extracting the input data from the input data edit information unit 3 and sets the execution condition. It is stored in the definition information 13. By defining the condition 1303 using the screen identifier registered in the input data management table 10, the registration date and time, and the user information, a plurality of previously input screens for the screen received from the host computer 1 when online connection is made. It is possible to set only specific input data on the screen from the above data.

Steps S301, S302, S3 of FIG.
Since the operation of the input data management processing unit 9 of FIG. 8 in the present embodiment shown in 05 and S306 is the same as the operation of the input data management processing unit 9 of FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted. To do.

In the first embodiment, when the screen is received from the host computer 1 during the online connection, the screen identifier corresponding to the received screen is searched from the input data registered in the input data management table 10. . In the present embodiment, the input data management processing unit 9 receives the screen data (step S301), analyzes the received data (step S302), then reads the execution condition definition information 13 (step S303), and receives it. It is checked whether or not the input data having the same screen identifier as that of the screen that satisfies the condition 1303 exists in the input data management table 10 (S304). Data is set on the screen (step S305), and the data is transmitted to the host computer 1 (step S30).
6).

[0044]

[Embodiment 2] Next, a specific embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 11, in the off-line state, the input data edit processing unit 8 reads the screen having the screen identifier -08 selected by the user "USER2" from the screen definition information and displays the screen data on the terminal as the input screen. To do. In this input screen, another input data is already registered by the user "USER1". User "US
By "ER2", "300" and "XYZ" are input as data to the input field A and the input field B on the input screen respectively, and after the transmission key is set, they are saved in the input data information. Stores the input data of each of the input fields A and B, the column position of the field, the information of the transmission key and the input data identifier -03 for identifying the input data. In order to correlate, in the input data management table, a screen identifier-08 and an input data identifier-03, a management number-02 for managing the table,
The registration date and time and the user information user name-USER2 are stored. Furthermore, when online, the user information is "US
Define in the execution condition definition information so that only the ER2 ”input data is set on the screen.

In the online state, the input data management processing unit 9 sends the screen identifier -08 from the host computer 1.
When a screen with is received, the execution condition definition information is read, a record of management information-02 that satisfies the condition that the user information is USER2 is read from the data whose screen identifier is 08, and is read from the input data management table. The input data identifier 11 reads data having the same identifier as the input data identifier -03. The input data "300" and "XYZ" are set on the output screen of the data input / output control unit 7 from the input data stored in the read record and the column position of the input field, and the transmission key is transmitted to the host computer.

The functions of the data input / output control unit 7, the input data edit processing unit 8 and the input data management processing unit 9 of the terminal 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 and the functions performed by these units shown in FIGS.
In the method shown in FIG. 9, the CPU reads and executes the program from a recording medium in which a program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM for realizing these functions and methods is recorded. It can also be realized by doing.

[0048]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

The first effect is that data to be transmitted to the host computer can be input in the offline state. As a result, when connected online with the host computer, the data previously input in the offline line state can be used to efficiently input and transmit the data.

The reason is that the input screen can be displayed on the terminal even in the offline state by providing the screen definition information used by the host application on the host computer also on the terminal side.

The second effect is that data can be input in advance on a screen-by-screen basis, and inputs of a plurality of screens can be input in advance. As a result, it is possible to reduce the time required for data input when connecting online.

The reason is that by providing the screen definition information used by the host application on the host computer also on the terminal side, the input screen can be displayed on the terminal even in the offline state, and the screen can be displayed on a screen-by-screen basis. This is because the previously entered data can be stored and the previously entered data can be automatically set on the screen when online.

The third effect is that it is not necessary to change the program on the host computer side for offline input. As a result, the resources on the host computer side can be effectively used.

The reason is that data can be transmitted and received in the conventional interactive form in accordance with the input request from the host computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of an input data edit processing unit according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the input data management processing unit according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a record structure of an input data management table file according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a record structure of an input data information file according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a record structure of a screen definition information file according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of the operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a record structure of an execution condition definition information file according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the operation of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Host computer 2 terminals 3 Input data edit information section 4 Host communication controller 5 Host application 6 screen definition information 7 Data input / output control unit 8 Input data edit processing section 9 Input data management processing unit 10 Input data management table 11 Input data information 12 screen definition information 13 Execution condition definition information

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-7-152465 (JP, A) JP-A-62-194532 (JP, A) JP-A-10-254665 (JP, A) JP-A-9-269858 (JP , A) JP 6-250975 (JP, A) JP 4-104352 (JP, A) JP 3-235153 (JP, A) JP 3-222054 (JP, A) JP 2-85913 (JP, A) JP-A-63-282514 (JP, A) JP-A-63-269857 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 15/00 , 19/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. Display means for displaying on the terminal device the same screen as that displayed on the terminal device when the host computer and the terminal device are online connected, and display means for displaying the same screen on the terminal device when offline. Indicates the input data on the displayed screen and the position on the screen where the input data is input.
A storage unit for storing the input data in association with the input position information, and the same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline, the same input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device when offline Is displayed in the online connection state, and is associated with the input data of the screen displayed in the online connection state.
And a substituting means for substituting into a position indicated by the input position information , and a data input method in a terminal device connected to a host computer. 2. The method further comprising: a means for setting a substitution condition for the input data by the substitution means, and a means for storing the substitution condition, the same screen as when the input data is input offline. When the substitution condition is further satisfied when it is displayed in the online connection state with the host computer, the substitution means changes the input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device in the online connection state when it is offline. Input data of the screen displayed in
The data input method in the terminal device connected to the host computer according to claim 1, wherein the data is substituted into the position indicated by the input position information associated with . 3. A display step of displaying on the terminal device the same screen as the screen displayed on the terminal device when the host computer and the terminal device are online connected, and a display step of displaying the same screen on the terminal device when offline. Indicates the input data on the displayed screen and the position on the screen where the input data is input.
A storage step of storing the input data in association with the input position information; and the same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline, the same input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device when offline Is displayed in the online connection state, and is associated with the input data of the screen displayed in the online connection state.
And a substituting step of substituting into the position indicated by the input position information , the data inputting method in the terminal device connected to the host computer. 4. The same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline, further comprising a step of setting a substitution condition of the input data in the substitution step and a step of storing the substitution condition. Is displayed in an online connection state with the host computer, and when the substitution condition is further satisfied, in the substitution step, the input data on the screen displayed by the terminal device when offline is connected to the online connection. Screen displayed in status
To the input position information associated with the input data of
4. Substituting in the position indicated by
A data input method in a terminal device connected to the host computer described in. 5. A display step of displaying on the terminal device the same screen as that displayed on the terminal device when the host computer and the terminal device are online connected, and a display step of displaying on the terminal device when offline. Indicates the input data on the displayed screen and the position on the screen where the input data is input.
A storage step of storing the input data in association with the input position information; and the same screen as the screen when the input data is input offline, the same input data on the screen displayed on the terminal device when offline Is displayed in the online connection state, and is associated with the input data of the screen displayed in the online connection state.
And a substituting step for substituting at a position indicated by the input position information , and a program for causing a computer to execute the recording step. 6. A program for causing a computer to further execute a step of setting a substitution condition of the input data in the substitution step and a step of storing the substitution condition, and the input data is input offline. When the same screen as the screen displayed at the time of being displayed is further connected to the host computer when the substitution condition is further satisfied, in the substitution step, on the screen displayed on the terminal device when offline. said the input data, the screen displayed in the online connection status
Indicated by the input position information associated with the input data
A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 5, characterized in that substituted in position to be.