JP2003029931A - Information processor, information processing method, recording medium and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a user efficiently select a program having a prescribed function. SOLUTION: A start menu 1 is displayed. Further, the program list 72 of a hierarchy under the item of the start menu 1 present at a position where an anchor 101 is displayed is displayed. In the program list 72, the respective programs are displayed at the item 81 of the displayed program list 72 by an 'icon image' 91 of the program, 'content explanation' 92 for explaining the contents of the program and a 'name' 93 of the program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program, and more particularly, an information processing apparatus and a method capable of allowing a user to efficiently select a program having a predetermined function. Method,
The present invention relates to a recording medium and a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Using an OS (Operating System) having a GUI (Graphical User Interface), for example, a computer in which Windows (registered trademark) is installed,
When activating the program installed in the computer, the user performs an operation as shown in FIG. 1, for example.

That is, the user operates the mouse to display the start menu 1 first, and then selects the "program" item in the start menu 1 to display the program list 2. Depending on the case, an arbitrary item of the program list 2 (in the case of the example in FIG. 1, an item of “accessory”) is further selected to display the sub program list 3 as well.

In the conventional start menu 1, program list 2, and sub-program list 3, as shown in FIG. 1, a program that can be started is displayed by its "icon image" and "name". For example, in the item 3a of the subprogram list 3, "memo pad" which is the "name" of the text input program and its "icon image" are displayed.

The user operates the mouse to select an item in which an arbitrary "name" is displayed from among a plurality of "names" displayed in those items, thereby selecting the program of the "name". To start.

[0006]

By the way, in recent years, the storage capacity of hard disks and the like has increased dramatically,
As a result, the number of programs installed on computers is very large.

Along with this, the number of “names” of programs displayed in the program list 2 (or sub-program list 3) of the conventional start menu 1 is very large.

That is, it is difficult for the user to select a desired program based on the "name" (or "icon image") of such a large number of programs.

For example, when the user activates the text input program by using the conventional start menu 1, program list 2, and subprogram list 3, the "name" of the text input program is used.
Suppose you did not know (for example, "Notepad").

At this time, the user relies on only the "names" (or "icon images") of the plurality of programs displayed in the start menu 1, the program list 2, and the sub-program list 3 to start the program from one end. Was started, and the work was repeated endlessly until a desired program (for example, “notepad”) was started.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and makes it possible for a user to efficiently select a program having a predetermined function.

[0012]

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises first display means for displaying a start menu,
When the determination means for determining the position of the mouse cursor and the determination means determines that the mouse cursor is placed on the item of the program of the start menu,
A second display unit for displaying a list of the programs, wherein the list displays the programs by words and phrases explaining the contents of the programs and the names of the programs.

According to the information processing method of the present invention, a first display step of displaying a start menu, a determination step of determining the position of the mouse cursor, and a step of determining the position of the mouse cursor by the determination step of the program item of the start menu. And a second display step of displaying a list of the programs when it is determined that the programs are arranged on the list. It is characterized by displaying.

The program of the recording medium of the present invention includes a first display step for displaying a start menu, a determination step of determining the position of the mouse cursor, and a step of the program of the start menu for the mouse cursor by the determination step. And a second display step of displaying a list of the program, the list including the program, a word describing the content of the program, and a name of the program. It is characterized by displaying in.

According to the program of the present invention, a first display step for displaying a start menu, a determination step for determining the position of the mouse cursor, and the determination step allows the mouse cursor to be displayed above the item of the program of the start menu. When it is determined that the program is arranged, the computer is caused to execute a second display step of displaying the program list, and the list includes the program, a word explaining the content of the program, and a name of the program. It is characterized by displaying in.

In the information processing apparatus and method, the recording medium, and the program of the present invention, the program is displayed by words and phrases that explain the contents of the program and the name of the program.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of an information processing apparatus 11 to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 2, a CPU (Central Processing)
Unit) 21 is a program stored in ROM (Read Only Memory) 22 or RAM (Ran
Various kinds of processing are executed according to the program loaded in the dom access memory) 23. RAM23 also has a CPU
Data and the like necessary for the 21 to execute various processes are also stored as appropriate.

The CPU 21, ROM 22, and RAM 23 are connected to each other via a bus 24. An input / output interface 25 is also connected to the bus 24.

The input / output interface 25 includes an input unit 26 including a keyboard and a mouse, a display including a CRT and an LCD, an output unit 27 including a speaker, and a storage unit 28 including a hard disk.
In addition, a communication unit 29 including a modem or a terminal adapter is connected.

A drive 30 is connected to the input / output interface 25 as required, and a magnetic disk 41,
The optical disc 42, the magneto-optical disc 43, the semiconductor memory 44, or the like is appropriately mounted, and the computer program read from them is installed in the storage unit 28 as necessary.

Now, "Navin'You (trademark)" recorded on the above-mentioned recording medium, for example, the optical disc 42.
A program with the name (hereinafter, simply referred to as Navin'You) is installed in the information processing device 11.

In this example, the information processing device 11 is
Windows (registered trademark) is installed as the OS.

Navin'You is a program managed by Windows (registered trademark) having a function of "browse map and search route", and includes an installer therein. The installer is a program for installing Navin'You in the information processing device 11.

First, the user mounts the optical disc 42 on which Navin'You is recorded in the drive 30 of the information processing apparatus 11.

Therefore, the CPU 21 reads the Navin'You installer from the mounted optical disc 42 and stores it in the RAM.
23, and execute.

While the installer is installing the Navin'You, the "name" and "content description" of the Navin'You
Get the data of.

In this example, "Navi" is used as the "name".
"n'You" is acquired as "contents description" and "view map / search route".

The means by which the installer obtains the data of "name" and "content description" of Navin'You is not limited.

For example, the user may operate the keyboard to input "name" and "contents description", and the installer may convert the input data into data and acquire the data.

Alternatively, when the data of “name” and “contents description” is recorded on the optical disc 42 on which Navin'You is recorded, the installer reads the recorded data from the optical disc 42 and obtains them. You may.

The installer then acquires the “name”, the acquired “contents description”, and the “icon image of Navin'You (for example, an image read from the optical disc 42 on which Navin'You is recorded)”. The data is recorded as one file in the "VAIO (registered trademark) software is here" folder in the hierarchy below the "start menu" folder of the storage unit 18.

In the "VAIO software here" folder of this example, a plurality of files including data of "contents description", "name" and "icon image" of other programs are also recorded.

The series of processes in which the data of "contents description", "name", and "icon image" of the program described above are recorded may be performed as a process independent of the installation process. That is, the process may be performed after installing a program such as Navin'You.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the information processing device 11 of FIG. 2 will be described.

Now, it is assumed that the above-mentioned Navin'You is installed in the information processing apparatus 11.

The user operates the mouse constituting the input section 26 to place the mouse cursor on the start button 71 shown in FIG. 4 and left-clicks.

Therefore, in step S51, the CPU 2
1, the start menu 1 is displayed on the display of the output unit 27, as shown in FIG.

The user operates the mouse to place the mouse cursor on an arbitrary item in the displayed start menu 1.

Therefore, in step S52, the CPU 2
1 determines the position of the placed mouse cursor and specifies the term in which the mouse cursor is placed. And CPU2
1 displays an anchor at that position.

In the example of FIG. 4, the item "here is VAIO software" is specified, and the anchor 1 is placed at the position of the item.
01 is displayed.

In step S53, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the specified item (item at the position where the anchor is displayed) has a lower hierarchy.

When it is determined in step S53 that the specified term does not have a lower hierarchy, the CPU 21 determines in step S56 whether the specified term is selected. In addition, when the mouse is left-clicked in the state where the item is specified (the anchor is displayed at the position of the item), the CPU 21 determines that the item is selected.

When it is determined in step S56 that the specified item is not selected, the CPU 21 returns to step S52 and repeats the subsequent processing.

In this way, when the mouse cursor is moved to another item of the start menu 1, the same processing is repeated.

When it is determined in step S56 that the specified item is selected, the CPU 21 determines in step S57.
At, the corresponding process is executed. For example, a search process, a setting process, a program starting process of the specified item, etc. are performed here.

When it is determined in step S53 that the specified item has the lower layer, the CPU 21 displays the lower layer on the display in step S54.

In this example, the program list 72 in the layer below the above-mentioned item "VAIO software is here" (the item at the position where the anchor 101 is displayed) is displayed.

Specifically, the CPU 21 performs the following processing to display the program list 72.

That is, in step S54, the CPU 21
Reads all the files recorded in the above "VAIO software here" folder.

Further, the CPU 21 records each data in the read file in the area (item) designated for each program, and generates a table in which those items are summarized.

Then, the CPU 21 causes the display to display the generated table as the program list 72.

For example, the item in which information about Navin'You is displayed is displayed in the item 81 at the bottom of the program list 72. Item 81 includes Navin'You's "icon image" 91, "view map / search route", Navi
The "contents description" 92 of n'You and the "name" 93 of Navin'You, "Navin'You", are displayed side by side.

Then, the user operates the mouse to place the mouse cursor on an arbitrary item in the displayed program list 72.

Therefore, in step S55, the CPU 2
1 determines the position of the placed mouse cursor and specifies the term in which the mouse cursor is placed. And CPU2
1 displays an anchor at that position.

In this example, the "utility" item is specified and the anchor 102 is displayed at that position.

Then, as described above, step S56.
If the CPU 21 determines that the specified item is selected in the process of step S57,
The corresponding process, that is, the program of the specified term is started.

In this example, the subprogram list 73 under the "Utility" section (the section at the position where the anchor 102 is displayed) is displayed, and further,
The item "BlueSpace (trademark)" is selected, and the anchor 103 is displayed at the position of the item.

If the mouse is left-clicked in that state, as described above, in step S56, the CPU 2
1 determines that the item of BlueSpace is selected, and starts the program of BlueSpace in step S57.

As described above, the start menu 1, the program list 72, or the subprogram list 73.
In addition to displaying the "name" 93 of the program, the "contents description" 92 is also displayed in the section ".". By referring to the displayed "contents description" 92, the user can
The content (function) of each program can be easily estimated. Therefore, the user can efficiently select and start a program having a desired function.

The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware, but can also be executed by software. When a series of processes is executed by software, a program that constitutes the software executes a variety of functions by installing a computer in which dedicated hardware is installed or various programs. It is installed from a network or a recording medium into a general-purpose personal computer or the like capable of performing the above.

This recording medium, as shown in FIG.
A magnetic disk 41 (including a floppy disk) on which a program is recorded, which is distributed in order to provide the program to the user separately from the apparatus body, and an optical disk 42.
(CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digita
(including Versatile Disk)), magneto-optical disk 43 (M
D (including Mini-Disk)) or semiconductor memory 44
In addition to being configured by a package medium such as the above, it is configured by a ROM 22 in which a program is recorded, which is provided to the user in a state of being pre-installed in the apparatus body, a hard disk included in the storage unit 28, and the like.

In the present specification, the steps for writing the program recorded in the recording medium are not limited to the processing performed in time series in the order of inclusion, but are not necessarily performed in time series, but may be performed in parallel. Alternatively, it also includes processes that are individually executed.

[0064]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus and method, the recording medium, and the program of the present invention, in the program list in the start menu, the program is defined by the words and phrases explaining the contents of the program and the name of the program. Since it is displayed by, the user can efficiently select a program having a predetermined function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display example of a conventional start menu.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a starting process of a program installed in the information processing device of FIG.

4 is a display example of a start menu generated by the information processing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Start menu, 72 program list,
73 subprogram list, 81 program list section, 91 icon, 92 description, 93 name, 101 to 103 anchor

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first display unit for displaying a start menu, a determination unit for determining the position of a mouse cursor, and a determination unit for determining that the mouse cursor is placed above the item of the program of the start menu. And a second display unit for displaying a list of the programs, the list displaying the programs by words and phrases explaining the contents of the programs and the names of the programs. Information processing device. 2. A first display step of displaying a start menu, a determination step of determining the position of the mouse cursor, and a determination step of determining that the mouse cursor is placed above the program item of the start menu. And a second display step of displaying a list of the programs, the list displays the programs by words and phrases explaining the contents of the programs and the names of the programs. Information processing method of information processing apparatus. 3. A first display step of displaying a start menu, a determination step of determining the position of the mouse cursor, and a determination step of determining that the mouse cursor is placed above the program item of the start menu. And a second display step of displaying a list of the programs, the list displays the programs by words and phrases explaining the contents of the programs and the names of the programs. A recording medium on which a computer-readable program is recorded. 4. A first display step of displaying a start menu, a determination step of determining the position of the mouse cursor, and a determination step of determining that the mouse cursor is placed above the program item of the start menu. A second display step of displaying the list of the programs, the list displaying the programs by words and phrases that explain the contents of the programs and the names of the programs. A program characterized by.