Information display device, information display method, and program

Abstract

Easily confirm whether markers have been added to the detailed information of the headwords in the dictionary being searched. [Solution] When displaying a list of headwords searched in response to user operations from dictionary content specified by the user in the headword list Lw, if the string in the detailed information of the headword to be displayed contains markers (e.g., pink marker Pm / yellow marker Ym / blue marker Bm) that the user has added in a color corresponding to importance, the display line of the headword will be identified and displayed by the color of the registered marker (Ph / Yh / Bh). If multiple colored markers are registered in one or more places in the detailed information of the headword, the display line of the headword will be identified and displayed by color-coding it according to the proportion corresponding to the number (quantity) or length (quantity) of markers registered for each different color (i.e., reflecting the color and quantity of markers for each different color).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an information display device, an information display method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a conventional electronic dictionary, when displaying a list of headwords, there is a technology that enables grasping the search status for each headword by displaying the headwords in color-coded with color markers according to attribute information (search count) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional technology is only a color-coded marker display corresponding to the search count of the headwords. Even if the user adds a marker to the detailed information corresponding to the headword, the marker addition status in the detailed information cannot be grasped only by subsequently displaying the headword.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to enable easy confirmation of the status where markers are added to the detailed information of the headwords of the dictionary to be searched.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] When the information display device according to the present invention causes a display unit to display headwords corresponding to detailed information with a plurality of color information added at a plurality of locations, a control unit is provided that controls to display the headwords on the display unit in a display mode reflecting the color and amount of the added color information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily confirm that markers have been added to the detailed information of the headwords in the dictionary being searched. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing the external configuration of an electronic dictionary 10 according to an embodiment of the information display device, information display method, and program of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the contents of the marker data for each dictionary content (English-Japanese 1 / English-Japanese 2 / Japanese 1 / Japanese 2 / ...) stored in the marker data storage area 22d of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the headword search process according to the dictionary control program 22a of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the process of displaying a list of headwords according to the dictionary control program 22a of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 6] This figure shows the contents of the filtering condition data for each dictionary content stored in the filtering condition data storage area 22e of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows the headword filtering process according to the dictionary control program 22a of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 8A] This figure shows the headword search screen GS, which is displayed according to the headword search process of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 8B] This figure shows the detailed information screen GE displayed according to the headword search process of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the display state of the headword list Lw displayed on the headword search screen GS according to the headword list display processing of the electronic dictionary 10. [Figure 10] This figure shows the headword filtering screen GN displayed according to the headword filtering process of the electronic dictionary 10. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the information display device, information display method, and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The information display device is configured as a dedicated electronic dictionary 10, as shown in Figure 1.

[0010] The electronic dictionary 10 is constructed with a foldable case in which the main body case 11 and the lid case 12 can be opened and closed via a hinge 13. The main body case 11 is provided with a keyboard 14, which includes a home key 14a, a function selection key 14b, a character input key 14c, a select key 14d, a back key 14e, and cursor keys 14f. The lid case 12 is provided with a touch panel display 17. The stylus pen P is inserted into and housed in the main body case 11 through an opening on its right side. The function selection key 14b of the keyboard 14 is used to directly select the dictionary content, the category of the dictionary content, the content list, and one of the tool categories, the learning notebook, as indicated on each key. The various types of content displayed in response to the [Content List] operation include various dictionary contents such as Japanese Language Dictionary 1, Japanese Language Dictionary 2, English-Japanese Dictionary 1, and English-Japanese Dictionary 2, as well as various learning contents such as Japanese Language, Mathematics, English, and Science.

[0011] Figure 1 shows the electronic dictionary 10 with the headword search screen GS, which targets the user-specified dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1], displayed on the touch panel display unit 17. On the headword search screen GS, when the user enters the characters (search string) of the headword (word) they want to search for into the search string input area As, headwords corresponding to the entered search string (in this case, a match at the beginning) are searched from the specified dictionary content (in this case, [English-Japanese Dictionary 1]), and a list of the searched headwords is displayed as the headword list Lw. In the headword list Lw, the headword selected by the cursor CR and some of its detailed information, including its definition and examples, are displayed in the preview area PV. In the headword list Lw in Figure 1, the pink tag (pink tag) Pt attached to the beginning of the line of the headword "take" selected by the cursor CR indicates that a pink marker (pink marker) Pm has been attached (drawn) in the detailed information of the headword "take". Furthermore, the yellow indicator Yh for the entire line of the headword "taken" indicates that a yellow marker Ym (not shown) has been added to the detailed information of the headword "taken". Similarly, the yellow indicator Yh for the first half of the line of the headword "take over" and the blue indicator Bh for the second half of the line indicate that an equal number (n locations each) of yellow markers Ym (not shown) and blue markers Bm (not shown) have been added to the detailed information of the headword "take over". The pink marker Pm, yellow marker Ym, and blue marker Bm are all color information.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the hardware (electronic circuitry) of the electronic dictionary 10 includes a control unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 21, which is a computer. The control unit 21 controls the operation of each part of the circuitry according to a dictionary control program 22a pre-stored in a storage unit 22 such as a flash ROM. The control unit 21 is connected to the storage unit 22, the recording medium reading unit 24, and the communication unit 25 via data and control buses, as well as to the key input unit 14 and the touch panel display unit 17.

[0013] The memory unit 22 includes a program memory area for storing the dictionary control program 22a, as well as a dictionary data memory area 22b, a search headword data memory area 22c, a marker data memory area 22d, a filtering condition data memory area 22e, a work data memory area 22f, and the like. The dictionary control program 22a includes a system program that controls the overall operation of the electronic dictionary 10, a program for communicating with external electronic devices via the communication unit 25, a program for performing headword searches based on dictionary data of various dictionary contents stored in the dictionary data memory area 22b, and at least a program for executing various functions described in the operation description below. The dictionary control program 22a may be stored on a memory card readable by the electronic dictionary 10 and read by connecting to it, or it may be downloaded via the communication network N and stored in the memory unit 22.

[0014] The dictionary data storage area 22b stores various dictionary data (dictionary content). The search headword data storage area 22c stores the headwords (search headwords) found in response to the search target characters (search string) entered by the user (in this case, a starting match) when a headword search is performed on the dictionary data of a dictionary content arbitrarily specified by the user. The marker data storage area 22d stores, for each type of dictionary content, when a marker of an arbitrary color is added to an arbitrary string in the detailed information of an arbitrary headword according to the user's operation, as shown in Figure 3, the string to which the marker was added (target string: may also be position information in the detailed information), the color of the added marker, and the date and time when the registration of the marker was instructed (registration date and time) in association with the headword corresponding to the detailed information to which the marker was added. The filtering condition data storage area 22e stores, for each type of dictionary content, data for conditions to filter headwords corresponding to detailed information to which a marker was added based on the color of the marker, as shown in Figure 6, the filtering targets that can be arbitrarily selected and set by the user, and the display order. The working data storage area 22f temporarily stores (holds) various data as needed, such as data entered in response to user operations or data acquired or generated by the control unit 21, in accordance with the control of the operation of each part of the circuit by the control unit 21 according to the dictionary control program 22a. The electronic dictionary 10 configured in this way enables various functions, including the headword search function (Figure 4), headword list display function (Figure 5), and headword filtering function (Figure 7), as described in the operation description below, through the cooperation of the software and hardware, with the control unit 21 controlling the operation of each part of the circuit according to the instructions written in the dictionary control program 22a.

[0015] Next, the operation of the electronic dictionary 10 (information display device) of the embodiment will be described. For example, when dictionary content to be searched ([English-Japanese Dictionary 1] here) is specified according to a user operation on the function designation key 14b, the control unit 21 causes the heading word search screen GS of [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] to be displayed on the touch panel display unit 17 as shown in FIG. 8A (step S1 in FIG. 4). When a character to be searched (search character string) (“take” here) is input to the search character input area As of the heading word search screen GS according to a user operation (step S2), the control unit 21 searches for a heading word that matches the beginning of the input search character string from the specified dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] (step S3), and displays a list of the searched heading words (“take”, “take away”, “take-change”,...) as the heading word list Lw (step S4). The control unit 21 displays a part of the detailed information of the heading word including at the head the heading word selected by the purple (V) cursor CR in the heading word list Lw in the preview area PV. Here, it is assumed that marker data (22d) has not yet been registered for the detailed information of each heading word (“take”, “take away”, “take-change”,... “take over”) displayed in the heading word list Lw of FIG. 8A. The display processing based on the marker data (22d) performed for each heading word when displaying the heading word list Lw will be described later with reference to FIG. 5.

[0016] When a headword is selected in the headword list Lw by cursor CR, for example, in response to a user operation such as pressing the [OK] key 14d (step S5), the control unit 21 displays a detailed information screen GE containing detailed information corresponding to the selected headword on the touch panel display unit 17, as shown in Figure 8B (step S6). In the detailed information screen GE corresponding to the searched headword "take", if any character (string) "guide" is selected by tracing with the touch pen P (the selected range is displayed in inverted), and if any color (pink) is selected from, for example, a menu of marker colors displayed in a window (not shown) (step S7 (Yes)), the control unit 21 adds a pink marker Pm of the selected color to the selected string "guide" and displays it (step S8). The control unit 21 associates the selected headword "take" from the specified dictionary content [English-Japanese 1 dictionary] with the target string "to guide", to which the marker Pm has been added, along with the color (pink) and the registration date and time, and stores and registers them in the marker data storage area 22d (see Figure 3) (step S9).

[0017] In the headword search screen GS, where the dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] is specified, when the search string "variable" is entered (steps S1, S2), as shown in Figure 9(A) or Figure 9(B), the control unit 21 searches for headwords that match the search string "variable" at the beginning and displays the found headwords as the headword list Lw (steps S3, S4). When displaying the headword list Lw, the control unit 21 checks the marker data (22d: see Figure 3) for each found headword (step S41 in Figure 5). If the control unit 21 has registered a marker attached to the detailed information of the confirmed headword (step S42 (Yes)), it determines whether the registered marker is one color or multiple colors (step S43). If the registered marker has only one color (step S43 (one color)), the control unit 21 identifies and displays the target headword by the color of the registered marker (step S45). If the registered marker has multiple colors (step S43 (multiple colors)), the control unit 21 identifies and displays the target headword by color-coding it in proportion to the number of markers of each different color registered (step S46).

[0018] For example, as shown in FIG. 9(A), for the detailed information of the target heading word "var-i a-ble" in the heading word list Lw, as shown in FIG. 3, when three pink markers Pm, two yellow markers Ym, and one blue marker Bm are added (registered), the display line of the heading word "var-i a-ble" (not selected by the cursor CR here) is color-coded and displayed by the discrimination displays Ph / Yh / Bh of pink, yellow, and blue at a ratio (3:2:1) corresponding to the number of markers (3 / 2 / 1) for each marker color (pink / yellow / blue) (step S46). Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, for the detailed information of the target heading word "taken" in the heading word list Lw, as shown in FIG. 3, when a yellow marker Ym is added (registered), the display line of the heading word "taken" (not selected by the cursor CR here) is discriminated and displayed in yellow (Yh) (step S45).

[0019] On the other hand, when no marker is added (registered) to the detailed information of the target heading word for which the marker data (22d) has been confirmed (step S42 (No)), the control unit 21 causes the target heading word to be displayed as it is without being discriminated (step S44).

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(B), when the target headword "var-i a-ble" (which has three pink markers Pm, two yellow markers Ym, and one blue marker Bm attached (registered)) in the headword list Lw is selected (step S47(Yes)), the control unit 21 identifies and displays the display line of the selected headword "var-i a-ble" with a purple (V) cursor CR indicating selection (step S48). In addition, the control unit 21 adds and displays the pink tag Pt with the numerical value "3", the yellow tag Yt with the numerical value "2", and the blue tag Bt with the numerical value "1" at the beginning of the line of the selected headword "var-i a-ble", indicating the color and number of markers attached (registered) in the detailed information of the headword (three pink markers Pm, two yellow markers Ym, and one blue marker Bm) (step S49). If no markers have been added (registered) to the detailed information of the headword selected by cursor CR(V), the process in step S49 is omitted (see Figure 9(A)). This allows the user to easily check the marker status—how many markers of what color have been added to the detailed information of each headword displayed in the headword list Lw of the headword search screen GS—when searching for a headword by specifying any dictionary content, thereby aiding in effective learning.

[0021] Next, we will describe a headword filtering function that narrows down the headwords corresponding to detailed information with markers attached to a specified dictionary content, based on the color of the markers. The headword filtering function is selected, for example, from a menu of content lists that are displayed in response to user operation of the function specification key 14b. The control unit 21 displays a list of dictionary content on the touch panel display unit 17 and allows the user to specify the dictionary content to be filtered.

[0022] When a dictionary content to be filtered (in this case, [English-Japanese Dictionary 1]) is specified in response to user operation (step S11 in Figure 7), the control unit 21 checks the filtering conditions for the specified dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] stored in the filtering condition data storage area 22e (see Figure 6) (step S12). Here, it is assumed that the filtering conditions for [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] are set as follows, as shown in Figure 6: the color of the marker to be filtered is (all), and the display order is (ABC / alphabetical order). Based on the marker data of the specified dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] stored in the marker data storage area 22d (see Figure 3), the control unit 21 filters the headwords according to the filtering conditions (filter target (all), display order (ABC / alphabetical order)) confirmed in step S12 and displays the headword filtering screen GN (step S13), as shown in Figure 10.

[0023] In other words, the control unit 21 displays all the headwords "access," "take," ... "var-i a-ble" with markers stored in the dictionary content [English-Japanese Dictionary 1] (see Figure 3) of the marker data storage area 22d in ABC order (alphabetical order) as the headword list Lw on the headword filtering screen GN, as shown in Figure 10, according to the headword list display process shown in Figure 5. Note that even if the display order of the filtering condition is (by number of colors), the display will be the same as the headword list Lw shown in Figure 10. In this case, a pink tag Pt is added to the beginning of the line of the headword "access" (which is selected here by the cursor CR(V)) that has a pink marker Pm attached (registered) in one place (steps S47-S49), and the display line of the headword "take" (which is not selected here by the cursor CR) that has a pink marker Pm attached is highlighted in pink (step S45), and similarly, the display line of the headword "taken" (which is not selected here by the cursor CR) that has a yellow marker Ym attached is highlighted in yellow (step S45). Furthermore, the display rows for the headword "take over," which have yellow markers Ym and blue markers Bm attached respectively, are color-coded using the yellow and blue identification indicators Yh / Bh in a ratio (1:1) corresponding to the number of markers of each color (step S46). Similarly, the display rows for the headword "var-i a-ble," which have three pink markers Pm, two yellow markers Ym, and one blue marker Bm attached, are color-coded using the pink, yellow, and blue identification indicators Ph / Yh / Bh in a ratio (3:2:1) corresponding to the number of markers of each color. Note that if the filtering target is one color, at least the headwords with markers of that color registered are displayed in the headword list Lw according to the same headword list display process as described above. If the filtering target is multiple colors (in this case, two or three colors), at least the headwords with markers of those multiple colors attached are displayed in the headword list Lw.

[0024] As described above, according to the electronic dictionary 10 (information display device) of this embodiment, when a user searches for a dictionary content specified by the user and displays the searched headwords in the headword list Lw, if a marker is registered in the string of text in the detailed information of a headword to be displayed in a color corresponding to its importance, for example, the display line of that headword is displayed in the color of the registered marker. Furthermore, if multiple types of colored markers are registered in the detailed information of a certain headword, the display line of that headword is color-coded and displayed for identification purposes according to the proportion corresponding to the number (quantity) or length (quantity) of markers registered for each different color. In addition, if a headword in the headword list Lw has one or more colored markers registered in one or more locations in its detailed information using the cursor CR(V), a tag is displayed at the beginning of the line of that headword that reflects the color and number (quantity) of the registered markers. This makes it easy for the user to check whether markers have been attached to the detailed information of the headwords in the dictionary being searched, and for example, the user can easily find headwords corresponding to the importance they need to review and learn them effectively.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the electronic dictionary 10 (information display device) of this embodiment, in accordance with the filtering conditions for headwords based on the color of the marker set according to user operation for each of the multiple types of dictionary content, the system filters out headwords to those with a marker of a color desired by the user attached (registered) in their detailed information, and displays them in the headword list Lw of the headword filtering screen GN. At this time, the headwords in the headword list Lw are identified and displayed (Ph / Yh / Bh) so that the color of the attached marker and the proportion of each color can be confirmed, similar to the display of headwords in the headword list Lw corresponding to headword searches. The user can easily check headwords filtered by, for example, the color of the marker or a combination of those colors that serves as an indicator of importance to the user in any dictionary content, and can effectively use this to their own learning.

[0026] In the headword list display process of the embodiment described above (Figure 5), when displaying headwords with multiple colored markers attached (registered) in the detailed information, the headwords were identified and displayed by color-coding them in proportion to the number (quantity) of markers of each different color. However, the headwords may also be identified and displayed by color-coding them in proportion to the length (quantity) of markers of each different color (or the total length if there are multiple markers of the same color). In this case, the marker data storage area 22d may store position information corresponding to, for example, the start and end points of the target string to which the markers are attached, as information that replaces the target string to which the markers are attached, and determine the length (quantity) of markers of each different color. Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the marker colors are not limited to pink, yellow, and blue, but may be other colors, and the number of colors may be not limited to three, but may be four or more.

[0027] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, dictionary data (22b), search headword data (22c), marker data (22d), and filtering condition data (22e) are stored in an electronic device (information display device) such as an electronic dictionary 10 or a tablet-type PDA, PC, mobile phone, e-book, or portable game console equipped with a dictionary function, and the electronic device (10) alone is configured to realize various functions including a headword search function (Figure 4), a headword list display function (Figure 5), and a headword filtering function (Figure 7). However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the aforementioned dictionary data (22b), search headword data (22c), marker data (22d), and filtering condition data (22e) are stored in a database of a server device (information display device) (30) provided on a communication network N, and a communication terminal (user terminal) such as a tablet terminal or PC that can connect to the communication network N communicates with the server device (30) to realize various functions similar to those in the embodiment described above.

[0028] The processing methods performed by the electronic dictionary 10 (information display device) as described in each of the above embodiments, namely the headword search process shown in the flowchart of Figure 4, the headword list display process shown in the flowchart of Figure 5, and the headword filtering process shown in the flowchart of Figure 7, can all be distributed as programs that can be executed by a computer, stored on the media of an external recording device such as a memory card (ROM card, RAM card, etc.), magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), or semiconductor memory. The control unit (CPU) of the information display device (electronic device) reads the program recorded on the media of this external recording device into its storage device, and its operation is controlled by this read program, thereby realizing the various functions described in each embodiment and executing the same processing using the methods described above.

[0029] Furthermore, the program data for realizing each method can be transmitted over a communication network (N) in the form of program code, and the program data can be taken in by a computer device (program server) (30) connected to this communication network (N) and stored in a memory device, thereby realizing the various functions described above.

[0030] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from its essence. The embodiments may also be combined as appropriate, and in that case, combined effects can be obtained. Moreover, the embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting combinations from the multiple disclosed constituent elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and effects obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiments, then the configuration with these deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 10...Electronic dictionary (information display device), 17...Touch panel display unit, 21...Control unit (CPU), 22a...Dictionary control program, 22b...Dictionary data storage area, 22c...Search headword data storage area, 22d...Marker data storage area, GS...Headword search screen, Lw...Headword list, GE...Detailed information screen, Pm...Pink marker, Pt...Pink tag, Ph...Pink identification display.

Claims

1. An information display device comprising a control unit that controls the display unit to display a headword corresponding to detailed information to which multiple color information has been added in multiple locations, in a display manner that reflects the color and amount of the added color information.

2. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display the headword in a display manner that reflects the proportion of each color corresponding to all the added color information.

3. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a list of multiple heading words corresponding to detailed information to which color information of the specified color has been added, based on the color set according to user operation.

4. The information display device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the display order of the headwords to be displayed in the list, based on the number of colors set according to user operation.

5. An information display method in which, when the control unit of an information display device displays a headword corresponding to detailed information to which multiple color information has been added to multiple locations, the headword is displayed on the display unit in a display manner that reflects the color and amount of the added color information.

6. A program for causing the control unit of an information display device to function such that, when displaying a headword corresponding to detailed information with multiple color information added to multiple locations on the display unit, the headword is displayed on the display unit in a display manner that reflects the color and amount of the added color information.

Images