JP4496517B2 - Search character input device, method, program, and WWW browser device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention has been developed for the purpose of facilitating the operation of inputting a character string into a search character input window set on the WWW browser when performing a WWW search using a WWW (World Wide Web) browser. The present invention relates to an input device, a method, a recording medium, and a WWW browser provided with a search character input window.
[0002]
[Prior art]
To perform a WWW search, which is a service on the Internet, Yahoo! A search server such as (trademark) is connected using a WWW browser, and a search character input window displayed therein is used to input a word (search word) to be searched by typing on the keyboard. In this case, the problem is that it is necessary to connect to the search server each time a search is required.
[0003]
Therefore, software that adds a search character input window and a search button to the toolbar of the WWW browser has appeared. By installing this, regardless of which WWW site you are browsing, enter the word you want to search in the search character input window and click the search button with a pointing device such as a mouse. Sends via WWW browser. The designation of the search server is determined to be one or can be selected or added. Search servers are not limited to those on the Internet, but may be those on a LAN or built on a local computer.
[0004]
This software is generally called add-on software or plug-in software, and is incorporated into a WWW browser and operates together with the WWW browser. When the WWW browser is started, the software starts up at the same time, and when the WWW browser is ended, the software is ended simultaneously. Therefore, it can be said that a sense of unity with the WWW browser leads to a good feeling of use.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to this, although it is certainly not necessary to connect to the search server every time a search is performed, the words to be checked must still be entered by typing the keyboard into the search character input window. In the hypertext displayed by the WWW browser, an anchor tag is described in the source code of HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), and the point corresponding to the link in the sentence on the display of the WWW browser is clicked using a pointing device such as a mouse, You can enjoy free WWW surfing. However, you must release your mouse and type the keyboard each time you need to search.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to make it easier to use a keyboard so as to avoid using a keyboard as much as possible when inputting a search word in a search character input window.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The inventor has found that many of the words he wants to examine are in the sentence he is reading. This is because in many cases there is a tendency to retrieve search terms from what is actually being read. Therefore, when a word to be examined is found in the sentence that is being read, it has been thought that it is only necessary to input it into the search character input window as it is. Although this can be performed by a copy and paste operation, a cumbersome operation such as displaying a context menu, executing a copy command, displaying a context menu again, and executing a paste command is required.
[0008]
That is, the above problem is that a search character input window is displayed at an arbitrary location in the WWW browser, preferably a location where a tool bar is displayed, and when a character string is selected by a pointing device on the WWW browser, the character string is searched for. Input to the character input window, and when the search character input window is in focus, when a switch of an input device such as a keyboard, preferably the enter key of the keyboard is pressed, the selected character string is sent to the delivery destination. Is achieved. When a search button that can be clicked with a pointing device is provided in the vicinity of the search character input window, the selected character string is sent to the delivery destination when the search button is clicked.
[0009]
New functions can be added later to IE (Internet Explorer: trademark) and NN (Netscape Navigator: trademark), which are typical WWW browsers. Therefore, if a search character input window is newly provided in the WWW browser and a search word is input here and the enter key is pressed, or if there is a search button, a click operation is performed with a pointing device, the above search word is displayed. It can be sent to a search server. If there is a word to be searched in the sentence being read, the search word is selected using a pointing device. When this selection operation is performed, the present invention inputs the character string into the search character input window. Therefore, there is no hassle of typing a search word using the keyboard and putting it in the search character input window. This search term can be edited in the search character input window.
[0010]
Also, the above problem is that when a character string is selected by the pointing device on the WWW browser using the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) input window of the WWW browser as a search character input window, the character string is input to the URL input window. When the URL input window is focused, if a switch of an input device such as a keyboard, preferably an enter key of the keyboard is pressed, the selected character string is sent to the delivery destination. When a search button that can be clicked by a pointing device is provided in the vicinity of the URL input window, the selected character string is sent to the delivery destination when the search button is clicked. As the search button, for example, a move button provided on the right side of the URL input window of the IE can be used.
[0011]
The URL input window is mainly used for inputting a WWW address (for example, the address of the JPO homepage http://www.jpo.go.jp/indexj.htm). Then, the homepage can be received by pressing the enter key of the keyboard or by clicking the moving button when it is displayed with a pointing device. Such a URL input window is used as a search character input window, and a search word selected by a pointing device on the WWW browser is input to the URL input window. Therefore, there is no hassle of typing a search word using the keyboard and putting it in the search character input window. This search term can be edited in the search character input window.
[0012]
In any of the above solutions, when a character string is displayed on the WWW browser, the character string is subjected to range division according to a predetermined rule, and an arbitrary division range among the plurality of division ranges is determined. A cursor key of an input device such as a keyboard, preferably a character string can be selected when instructed by the pointing device.
[0013]
For example, if Japanese text is to be split, morphological analysis is performed to put the document in a so-called split state, and if Western text is to be split, words are separated by spaces, for example by placing the mouse cursor (pointer) or clicking By doing this, or by pressing the tab key or the right and down arrow keys on the keyboard, you can move the specified range one after another. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of performing the range designation by the drag operation, and it is easy to re-do the range designation. It is a suitable user interface for a touch panel operated with a fingertip. Note that after the morphological analysis, a process may be performed in which an adverb after a common noun is connected to a common noun, or a final particle after an adjective is connected to an adjective.
[0014]
Further, it is determined whether or not the coordinates when the click operation by the first button switch of the pointing device is performed are within the range of the character string selected by the pointing device prior to the switch operation, and are within the selection range. If it is determined, the selected character string can be sent to the delivery destination.
[0015]
This is an application of the present invention to what has been continuously researched since it was filed as Japanese Patent Application No. 10-320055, 377205, etc. by the present inventor. That is, after selecting an arbitrary character string, the selected character string can be handed over to the delivery destination simply by performing a click operation. Therefore, the operation is easy, easy, smooth and convenient for anyone. The software that realizes such a good operability is currently disclosed on the inventor's home page http://www.establink.com/, but is still not seen elsewhere. When the character string is selected, this character string is input to the search character input window. Here, the search word can be edited.
[0016]
The present invention can be incorporated in a conventional search assisting tool having a search character input window and a search button as the plug-in software described above. That is, a search character input device that operates with a WWW browser, comprising a search character input window and a search button, and when a word to be searched is input to the search character input window and the search button is clicked, the search word is sent to a delivery destination In this case, when a character string is selected by a pointing device on the WWW browser, the character string may be input to the search character input window.
[0017]
Although the present invention can be provided as so-called plug-in software, it may be provided as a WWW browser incorporating this function from the beginning.
[0018]
In the above, “selecting a character string” means designating a range of the character string, and by visually inverting the selected character string, it is made visible that the character string has been selected. The “delivery destination of the selected character string” is a search server of the search site, but when sending using the function of the WWW browser (using an HTTP request), the delivery destination is this WWW browser. You can see that there is. The search server is not an essential requirement of the present invention.
[0019]
As described above, according to the present invention, the search character input window is integrated with the WWW browser, and has an advantage that it can be used as soon as the WWW browser is started up, and an easy-to-use location within the WWW browser is obtained, which is also smart. Such convenience will not be obtained unless it is integrated with a WWW browser. Although the present invention uses the operation of specifying the range of a character string, according to the current search technology, it is possible to receive a series of sentences, not so words, so-called natural sentences and return appropriate search results. Therefore, the range designation operation in the present invention has effectiveness and future potential.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
[0021]
(First embodiment)
This embodiment relates to a search character input device 1, and FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the search character input device. The search character input device 1 includes a search character input window generation unit 10 and a character processing unit 11, to which an input device 12 and a display device 13 are connected. The input device 12 includes a keyboard and a mouse (not shown), and receives input to the WWW browser 2 as shown in FIG. The WWW browser 2 has an upper URL input bar 20 and a lower search bar 4 at the top thereof. The URL input bar 20 is under the control of the WWW browser device 14, and the search bar 4 is a search character input window generation unit 10. Is what it produces. Reference numeral 21 denotes a movement button of the URL input bar 20, and reference numeral 40 denotes a search button. Reference numeral 41 denotes a search character input window in the search bar 4.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2, when a part of a document displayed on the WWW browser 2, “Specify a character string with a mouse” is specified by operating the mouse of the input device 12, the character processing unit 11 performs this specification. The character string 30 in the range is input to the search character input window 41. The mouse pointer 3 is at the end point of the designated range, and the character string 30 in the designated range is highlighted. Therefore, when a click operation is performed with the mouse on the search button 40 of the search bar 4 at this time, the character processing unit 11 transmits the character string 30 to the search server via a communication device (not shown). Prior to this click operation, the character string 30 can be edited in the search character input window 41. If a URL address is entered in the URL input bar 20 and the move button 21 is clicked, the WWW browser 2 acquires and displays the corresponding WWW document.
[0023]
(Second Embodiment)
Next, FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration when the search character input device of FIG. 1 is realized by using the CPU 5. The search character input device may be constituted by hardware logic without using the CPU 5. Also, what is characteristic of this embodiment is that it is connected to the Internet via the modem 52, displays a WWW document by the browser program 60, and searches the character string 30 selected in the WWW document by the search character input program 61. When the character is input to the character input window 81 and the enter key is pressed while the search character input window 81 is focused or the search button 80 is pressed, the character string input to the search character input window 81 is sent to the search server.
[0024]
In FIG. 3, the CPU 5 has a memory 50, a hard disk 51 as a storage device, a modem 52 as a connection device with the Internet, a keyboard and mouse 12 as input devices, a display 13 as a display device, and a CD-ROM drive 53. It is connected. The hard disk 51 stores an operating system (OS) 6, a communication program 62, a WWW browser program 60, and a search character input program 61. The search character input program 61 and the like are installed from the CD-ROM 54 via the CD-ROM drive 53.
[0025]
When the browser program 60 is activated, the WWW browser 7 is displayed on the display 13 as shown in FIG. At this time, the URL input bar 70 is displayed in the upper part of the upper part of the WWW browser 7, and the search bar 8 is displayed in the lower part thereof. That is, the search character input program 61 operates as plug-in software for the browser program 60. When a URL address is input to the URL input bar 70 from the keyboard 12 and the enter key is pressed or the move button 71 is pressed, the corresponding WWW document is read and displayed. When the character string 30 is selected in the document (step S1), the search character input program 61 inputs the character string 30 into the search character input window 81 of the search bar 8 (step S2). Therefore, the trouble of typing the same phrase as the character string 30 with the keyboard 12 and inputting it into the search character input window 81 can be saved. By eliminating the troublesome smell of re-input, the threshold for WWW search can be lowered.
[0026]
(Third embodiment)
This embodiment relates to the search character input device 15, and FIG. 6 shows the overall configuration of the search character input device. The search character input device 15 includes a search character input window generation unit 16 and a character processing unit 17, to which an input device 12 and a display device 13 are connected. The input device 12 includes a keyboard and a mouse (not shown), and receives input to the WWW browser 22 as shown in FIG. The WWW browser 22 has a URL input bar 23 in the upper part thereof, and the URL input bar 23 is under the control of the WWW browser device 14, but the search character input window generation unit 16 of the search character input device 15 can be used as necessary. The URL input window 24 of the URL input bar 23 is used as a search character input window, and the character processing unit 17 inputs a character string into the URL input window 24. Reference numeral 25 denotes a movement button of the URL input bar 20.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 7, when a part of the document displayed on the WWW browser 22 “designates a range of a character string with the mouse” is designated by operating the mouse of the input device 12, the character processing unit 17 designates this designated range. Is input to the URL input window 24. The mouse pointer 3 is at the end point of the designated range, and the character string 30 in the designated range is highlighted. Accordingly, when the URL input bar 23 is focused at this point and the enter key of the keyboard of the input device 12 is pressed, the character processing unit 17 transmits the character string 30 to the WWW browser 22. Therefore, the WWW browser 22 transmits this character string 30 to a predetermined search server. Prior to the operation of pressing this enter key, the character string 30 can be edited in the URL input window 24. When a new URL address is input to the URL input bar 23 and a WWW document is to be acquired, the user clicks the move button 25 using the mouse. In the URL input mode, a new WWW document can be acquired by pressing the move button 25 or focusing on the URL input window 24 and pressing the enter key. If a URL address is described in the document displayed on the WWW browser 22 and this is designated by the mouse, this is input to the URL input window 24 and the URL input window 24 is changed to the URL input mode. It is like that.
[0028]
(Fourth embodiment)
Next, FIG. 8 shows a hardware configuration when the search character input device of FIG. 6 is realized by using the CPU 5. Although most of the configuration follows that of the second embodiment, the browser program 63 and the search character input program 64 stored in the hard disk are different. The search character input device may be constituted by hardware logic without using the CPU 5. The search character input program 64 and the like are installed from the CD-ROM 54 via the CD-ROM drive 53, and the search character input program 64 operates as plug-in software for the browser program 63.
[0029]
When the browser program 63 is activated, a WWW browser 72 is displayed on the display 13 as shown in FIG. Note that the URL input bar 70 shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the WWW browser 72 in this state. Therefore, when a URL address is input from the keyboard 12 to the URL input window 77 of the URL input bar 70 and the enter key is pressed, or when the move button 71 provided on the right side of the URL input window 77 is pressed, the corresponding WWW is displayed. Read and display the document. When the character string 30 is selected in the WWW document (step S3), the search character input program 64 changes the URL input window 77 to the search character input window 74 (step S4). The character string 30 is written in (Step S5). In step S4, the “address” on the left side of the URL input window 77 is rewritten to the “search window”, and the “move” display move button 71 on the right side of the URL input window 77 is set to “search” display. The search button 75 is replaced. The URL button 76 on the right side is left as it is. When the search character input window 74 is focused and the enter key is pressed or the search button 75 is clicked, the character string 30 in the search character input window 74 is passed to the browser program 63. Thus, by using the place where the URL input bar 70 is displayed as the place where the search bar 73 is displayed, the screen display of the WWW browser 72 can be clearly displayed.
[0030]
If a new URL address is input to the URL input bar 70 and a WWW document is to be obtained, the URL button 76 is clicked using the mouse. Separately, the search character input program 64 starts measurement from the time when the display is changed to the search character input window 74 (step S6), waits for input to the search word input window 74 (step S7), and nothing is input. It is monitored whether or not the time set in the timer elapses without being performed (step S8), and when this time has passed, the display is switched to the display of the URL input bar 70 shown in FIG. 12 (step S9). ). If there is an input within the set time, the process loops to step S6. If there is no input but the set time has not passed, the process loops to step S7. The state where there is no input to the search word input window 74 refers to a state where there is no click operation to the search character input window 74 or input by the type from the keyboard, or a state where the character string 30 is not selected in the WWW document. To tell.
[0031]
(Fifth embodiment)
This embodiment utilizes the technology disclosed by the present inventors in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-122774, 2000-200277, and 2000-311040. That is, when the user clicks on a character string whose range is specified with a pointing device such as a mouse, the character string is sent to, for example, a WWW search engine. FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show this embodiment. A range designation using the mouse, that is, a character string selection operation is performed (step S10), and then a click operation using the left button of the mouse, that is, the first button is performed. When it is performed (step S11), it is determined whether or not the position of the mouse pointer 3, that is, the position where the mouse up event that occurs at the end of the click operation at this time is overlapped with the selected character string 30. (Step S12) If they overlap, the selected character string 30 is sent to the WWW server (Step S13), and the selected state is canceled (Step S14). If they overlap, do nothing. The selected state is canceled as it is (step S14). In the process of step S10, the character string 30 is input to the search character input window.
[0032]
The feature of this embodiment is that when there is no need to edit the character string 30 in the search character input window, the character string 30 can be simply clicked on the character string 30 at the selected location. Is that you can turn it into a search. As a result, the search operation can be performed with an extremely simple operation.
[0033]
(Sixth embodiment)
In this embodiment, when the HTML source code is read by the WWW browser (step S15), morphological analysis is performed, and words that are not displayed on the screen are put in a sentence (step S16), and this is written in a temporary memory. (Step S17). In this way, when a mouse click operation is performed in the WWW document displayed by the WWW browser, the range is not specified at this time, but the selected range is selected with the mouse. That is, when a click operation is performed with the mouse (step S18), the character string in the segment range corresponding to the position is selected, highlighted, and written in the URL input window (step S19).
[0034]
Therefore, it is possible to select a character string by a click operation without performing a range specifying operation using a pointing device such as a mouse. On touch panels, you can select a range by simply tapping with your fingertip or pen tip.
[0035]
(Seventh embodiment)
The search character input device of FIG. 18 is obtained by incorporating the search character input device 19 of the present invention into the search assisting device 18 incorporated as plug-in software in the WWW browser device 14. The search assisting device 18 includes a search character input window and a search button.
[0036]
(Eighth embodiment)
FIG. 19 includes a browser program 60 installed on the hard disk 51 and a search auxiliary program 9 that is installed in the same manner and operates as plug-in software of the browser program 60. The search character input of the present invention is input to the search auxiliary program 9. The program 65 is incorporated. The search assistant program 9 displays a search character input window and a search button on the WWW browser together with the WWW browser.
[0037]
(Ninth embodiment)
In this embodiment, a search server menu 82 is provided on the search bar 8 installed in the WWW browser 7 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. When the search character input window 81 is focused and the enter key is pressed or the search button 80 is clicked with the mouse, a delivery destination to which the character string 30 is sent is set in advance using the search server menu 82.
[0038]
In addition, the WWW browser apparatus 14 of 1st Embodiment can provide the WWW browser apparatus provided with the mechanism of the search character input device 1 of this invention itself. Further, the browser program 60 of the second embodiment itself can have a search character input program 61 therein. In addition, the WWW browser device 14 according to the third embodiment can increase the WWW browser device incorporating the mechanism of the search character input device 15 of the present invention. In addition, the browser program 63 according to the fourth embodiment itself can be provided with the search character input program 64 therein. In either case, the WWW browser itself implements the present invention.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention includes a search character input window (which may be a URL input window) displayed in a WWW browser, and when a character string is selected by a pointing device on the WWW browser, When the input operation is performed and a transmission operation is performed, the selected character string is sent to the delivery destination.
[0040]
As a result, in most cases, it is not necessary to type using the keyboard when inputting a search term in the search character input window (which may be a URL input window), and the input operation becomes easy. And contributed to the development of the industry.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a search character input device according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the display device 13;
FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram when a CPU according to a second embodiment is used.
4 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the display device 13. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of search character input processing.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a search character input device according to a third embodiment.
7 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the display device 13. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a hardware configuration diagram in the case of using a CPU according to a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the display device 13;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of search character input window display processing;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a URL input window display process.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a URL input bar.
FIG. 13 is an operation explanatory diagram of the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart of determination processing.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of processing according to the sixth embodiment.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a split writing process.
FIG. 17 is a flowchart of URL input window display processing;
FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a search character input device according to a seventh embodiment.
FIG. 19 is a hardware configuration diagram of an eighth embodiment.
FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen of the display device 13 according to the ninth embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Search character input device
10 Search character input window generator
11 Character processing part
12 input devices
13 Display device
14 WWW browser device
15 Search character input device
16 Search character input window generator
17 Character processing part
18 Search assistance device
19 Search character input device
2 WWW browser
20 URL input bar
21 Move button
22 WWW browser
23 URL input bar
24 URL input window
25 Move button
3 Mouse pointer
30 character string
4 Search bar
40 Search button
41 Search character input window
5 CPU
50 memory
51 hard disk
52 modem
53 CD-ROM drive
54 CD-ROM
6 Operating system
60 browser program
61 Search character input program
62 Communication program
63 Browser program
64 Search character input program
65 Search character input program
7 WWW browser
70 URL input bar
71 Move button
72 WWW browser
73 Search bar
74 Search character input window
75 Search button
76 URL button
77 URL input window
8 Search bar
80 Search button
81 Search character input window
82 Search server menu
9 Search assistance program

Claims (8)

A search character input device that operates together with a WWW browser device. When a character string is selected on the WWW browser by a pointing device, the URL input bar in the WWW browser displayed on the display by the WWW browser device is changed to a search bar. , enter the character string selected in the search character input window of the search bar with monitors whether the setting time set in the timer started measuring from the time elapses, focus on the search character input window When there is a switch of an input device such as a keyboard, preferably when the enter key of the keyboard is pressed , the character string in the search character input window is sent to the delivery destination, but otherwise the set time has passed. is changed displays the search bar to the URL input bar, that has a character processing apparatus Search character input device for the butterflies. The character processing apparatus, the coordinates when the click operation of the first button switch of the pointing device is performed, determines whether it is within range of the character string selected by the pointing device prior to this switch operation 2. The search character input device according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the character string is within the selection range, a process of sending the selected character string to a delivery destination is performed . A search character input method that is processed by a computer. When a user selects a character string with a pointing device on a WWW browser, the URL input bar in the WWW browser displayed on the display is changed to a search bar. , enter the character string selected in the search character input window of the search bar with monitors whether the setting time set in the timer started measuring from the time elapses, focus on the search character input window When there is a switch of an input device such as a keyboard, preferably when the user presses the enter key of the keyboard , the character string in the search character input window is sent to the delivery destination, but otherwise the set time has passed Search character input, characterized in that the changed display the search bar to the URL input bar in Method. Coordinates when a click operation by the first button switch of the pointing device is performed, determines whether it is within range of the character string selected by the pointing device prior to this switch operation, it is within the selected range If it is determined, transmitting the character string selected to delivery destination, a search character input method of claim 3. A program for causing a computer equipped with a pointing device to perform processing for sending a character string range-designated by the pointing device to a delivery destination , wherein the user selects the character string with the pointing device on a WWW browser Then, the URL input bar in the WWW browser displayed on the display by the WWW browser is changed to the search bar , the measurement is started from this time, and it is monitored whether the set time set in the timer elapses and the search bar search character enter the selected character string in the input window, the search character input preferably switch the user input device such as a keyboard when the focus is on window the search character input in the window by pressing the enter key on the keyboard While sending a string to the delivery destination, it is not place of Program for causing the process to instead display the search bar in the URL input bar on your computer if it has passed the set time in. Coordinates when a click operation by the first button switch of the pointing device is performed, determines whether it is within range of the character string selected by the pointing device prior to this switch operation, it is within the selected range it if is determined, so that the line of causes I the process sending the character string selected to delivery destination, the program of claim 5. When the string is selected by the pointing device on the WWW browser, or to instead display the URL input bar in the WWW browser displayed on the display in the search bar, set the time that has been set on the timer started measurement from this time has elapsed the search by entering the bar the character string selected in the search character input window, the switch preferably enter key of the keyboard of the input device such as a keyboard when the focus is on the search character input window is pressed together to monitor whether but send by After a string of the search character input in the window to the delivery destination, and instead of displaying the search bar in the URL input bar when it has passed the set time if it is not, the character processing apparatus A WWW browser device comprising: Coordinates when a click operation by the first button switch of the pointing device has been performed, the process of determining whether or not within the range of the selected character string by the pointing device prior to this switch operation, in the selection If it is determined in, and a process of sending the character string selected to delivery destination, the so said character processing apparatus performs, WWW browser apparatus as claimed in claim 7.

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