GUI control method and apparatus and recording medium

• US 20020054148A1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Hidehiko
• Application Number:
  US09/758,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A GUI control method and apparatus and a program facilitating the use of a software even by a beginner user, clarifying the software use, guiding the user in the operating sequence and enabling operation on a screen different from an inherent screen. The use of the software is displayed on a screenshot. If a use is selected, a widget to be operated next is highlighted on the screen in accordance with a pre-registered operating sequence to guide the user in his or her operating sequence. A cover screen hiding the inherent screen of the software is displayed, and the software use is displayed on the cover screen by a menu. If an operation is performed on the cover screen, an operation equivalent to that performed on the cover screen is executed on the inherent screen of the software.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface, termed herein throughout the claims “

GUI”

, control method comprising the processings of;

(a) displaying the applicable use, previously registered in a storage unit, of a software running on a computer, on a screen of a display apparatus in a menu form, and

(b) displaying a GUI widget to be operated next in a display style highlighting said widget from other widgets on said screen, in accordance with an operating sequence previously registered in said storage unit, on selection of the use on said menu,

wherein said processing of displaying of the applicable use and said processing of displaying the GUI widget are performed from one processing to another upon each operation to guide the operating sequence of realizing said selected use.

2. A GUI control method comprising,

displaying a cover screen hiding an inherent screen of a software on a display device;

and

displaying the applicable use of said software in a menu form on said cover screen;

wherein if an operation on the menu on said cover screen is performed, an operation equivalent to the operation performed on said cover screen is executed on the inherent screen of said software in accordance with previously registered widget-relation information.

3. A graphical user interface GUI control method comprising:

(a) a step of previously registering in a storage unit the applicable use of a software adapted for running on a computer, said software having a GUI;

(b) a step of displaying the registered use as a menu on a screen of a display device, inputting an operational sequence of said software, as required for utilizing said software in said use, to register in said storage unit, for each use displayed on said menu; and

c) a step comprising;

booting, on selection of the use from said menu, the software as required for the selected use;

detecting in what location in the screen a GUI widget to be acted on next, in accordance with the operating sequence previously registered for the selected use, is displayed; and

displaying the detected GUI widget in a highlighted fashion on the screen in accordance with a detected display location of said GUI widget; and

(d) a step comprising;

detecting an action on said GUI widget, instructing, in accordance with said previously registered operating sequence, to detect in what position on the screen a GUI widget to be acted on next; and

displaying said GUI widget in a highlighted fashion on said screen, in accordance with the detected display location of said GUI widget.

7. The GUI control method as defined in claim 3 wherein. in executing said GUI control, there is no necessity to modify said software.

4. A graphical user interface GUI control method comprising:

(a) a step of previously registering in a storage unit the applicable use of a software adapted for running on a computer, said software having a GUI;

(b) a step of detecting, on booting said software, such booting of said software, and displaying the applicable use of said software on a screen of a display device;

(c) a step of registering in the storage unit the operating sequence of said software for utilizing the software in said use, for each of the use displayed on said menu;

(d) a step comprising;

detecting, on selection of the use from said menu, in what location in the screen a GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed, in accordance with the operating sequence previously registered for the selected use, and of displaying the detected GUI widget in a highlighted fashion on said screen in accordance with the detected display location of said GUI widget;

(e) a step of detecting an action on said GUI widget; and

(f) a step of instructing, in accordance with said previously registered operating sequence, to detect in what position on the screen a GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed, and displaying said GUI widget in a highlighted fashion on said screen, in accordance with the detected display location of said GUI widget.

5. A graphical user interface GUI control method comprising:

(a) a step of previously registering in a storage unit the applicable use of at least one software adapted for running on a computer, said software having a GUI;

(b) a step of displaying the registered use in a menu on a screen the display device and booting, on selection of the use from said menu, a software as required for the selected use;

(c) a step of previously registering in a storage unit a screenshot for utilizing the booted software in the selected uses as a cover screen;

(d) a step of hiding an inherent screen of the software booted from view and visibly displaying said registered cover screen;

(e) a step of detecting an action on a GUI widget displayed on said cover screen, followed by displaying the next cover screen;

(f) a step of previously registering in said storage unit widget-relation information as to what GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be acted on upon acting onto any GUI widget on said cover screen;

(g) a step of detecting, in accordance with the registered widget-relation information, in what location on the inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is being displayed;

(h) a step of issuing an operating event to the detected GUI widget,

(i) a step of previously registering the widget-relation information as to in which GUI widget on said cover screen the data displayed on a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be copied; and

(i) copying the data displayed on the GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in said GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with the registered widget correspondence information.

6. A graphical user interface GUI control method comprising

(a) a step of previously registering in a storage unit the applicable use of a software adapted far running on a computer, said software having a GUI,

(b) a step of previously registering a screenshot for utilizing said software in said use as a cover screen in said storage unit;

(c) a step of detecting, on booting said software, such booting, to hide an inherent screen of the software booted from view, thereby visibly displaying said registered cover screen in place of said inherent screen and displaying the applicable use of said booted software in a menu on the cover screen in a menu;

(d) a step of displaying, on selection of use from said menu, said cover screen being registered for the selected use;

(e) a step of detecting an action on a GUI widget displayed on said cover screen to display a next cover screen;

(f) a step of previously registering in said storage unit the widget-relation information as to what GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be actuated upon actuation of any GUI widget on said cover screen;

(g) a step of detecting in what location on the inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be actuated next is to be displayed in accordance with the registered widget-relation information;

(h) a step of issuing an operating event on said detected GUI widget;

(i) previously registering in said storage unit the widget correspondence information as to in what GUI widget on said cover screen data displayed on the GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be copied; and

(j) a step of copying data displayed in the GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in the GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with the registered widget correspondence information.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a controller managing control so that the applicable use of a software is displayed in a menu form on a screen of a display device, and so that, if one use is selected on said menu. a graphical user interface widget, termed “

GUI widget”

to be acted on next is displayed in a highlighted fashion from others on a screen, in accordance with a previously registered operating sequence,

said controller guiding the operating sequence for realizing said selected use.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a controller managing control so that a cover screen hiding the inherent screen of a software on a display device is displayed on a display device to display the applicable use of said software in a menu form on said cover screen, and so that, if an action is made on said menu of said cover screen, an action equivalent to an action on said cover screen is executed on an inherent screen of said software in accordance with a previously registered operating sequence.

10. A GUI control apparatus comprising:

(a) a use menu display unit displaying, in a menu, the applicable use of a software adapted for running on a computer, said software having a graphical user interface GUI;

(b) a use menu registration unit previously registering a use menu displayed by said use menu display unit;

(c) a use selection detection unit detecting, on selection of one use from the use menu displayed on said use menu display unit, which use has been selected;

(d) a software booting unit booting the software required for the selected use,

(e) an operational sequence registration unit previously registering the operational sequence for acting on said software in the selected use;

(f) a widget detection unit detecting in what location on the screen the GUI widget to be acted on next is to be displayed on a screenshot, in accordance with an operating sequence registered for the selected use by said operational sequence registration unit;

(g) an operation target widget indicating unit displaying the GUI widget detected by said widget detection unit in a highlighted fashion on a screenshot; and

(h) an operation detection unit detecting an action made on a GUI widget detected by said widget detection unit and instructing the widget detection unit to detect, in accordance with an operating sequence registered by said operational sequence registration unit, in what location on the screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed.

12. The GUI control apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising:

means for displaying a GUI widget for notifying the completion of processing on a current screen;

said operation detection unit detecting an operation performed on the GUI widget detected by said widget detection unit or on the GUI widget displayed on the screen.

11. A graphical user interface GUI control apparatus comprising;

(a) software booting detecting means for detecting booting of a software adapted for running on a computer, said software having a GUI;

(b) use menu display means for displaying, in a menu, the applicable use of a booted software;

(c) use menu registration means for previously registering a use menu displayed by said use menu display means;

(d) use selection detection means for detecting, on selection of the use from the use menu displayed by said use menu display means, which use has been selected,.

(e) operational sequence registration means for previously registering an operational sequence for acting on said software in the selected use;

(f) widget detection means for detecting, in accordance with an operational sequence registered for the selected use, by said operational sequence registration means, in what location on a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed;

(g) operation target widget indicating means for displaying the GUI widget detected by said widget detection means in a highlighted fashion on a screenshot;

(h) operation detection means for detecting an action on a GUI widget detected by said widget detection means and for instructing said widget detection means to detect, in accordance with an operational sequence registered by said operational sequence registration means, in what location on the screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed.

13. The GUI control apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising:

means for displaying a GUI widget for notifying the completion of processing on a current screen;

said operation detection unit detecting an operation performed on the GUI widget detected by said widget detection unit or on the GUI widget displayed on the screen.

18. The recording medium having recorded thereon a program as defined in claim 16, said step further comprising:

widget displaying step of displaying a GUI widget for notifying the completion of the step on a current screen;

said operation detection step causing said computer to execute detecting an operation on a GUI widget detected by said widget detection step or a GUI widget demonstrated by said widget display step.

19. The recording medium having recorded thereon a program as defined in claim 17, said step further comprising:

widget displaying step of displaying a GUI widget for notifying the completion of the step on a current screen;

said operation detection step causing said computer to execute detecting an operation on a GUI widget detected by said widget detection step or a GUI widget demonstrated by said widget display step.

14. A graphical user interface GUI control apparatus comprising;

(a) use menu displaying means for demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software operating on a computer, said software having a GUI;

(b) use menu registration means for previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying means;

(c) use selection detection means for detecting the use selected from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying means;

(d) software booting means for booting a software necessary for the selected use;

(e) cover screen registration means for previously registering, as a cover screen, a screenshot for utilizing the booted software in the selected use;

(f) cover screen display means for hiding an inherent screen of said booted software and for visibly demonstrating the cover screen registered by said cover screen registration means in place of the inherent screen;

(g) operation detection means for detecting an operation on the GUI widget demonstrated on said cover screen to instruct said cover screen display means to display a next cover screen;

(h) widget-relation information registration means for previously registering widget-relation information as to which GUI widget on said inherent screen of said software is to be acted on depending on any GUI widget on said cover screen that has been acted on;

(i) widget detection means for detecting, depending on said widget-relation information registered by said widget-relation information registration means, in what location on the inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is demonstrated; and

(j) operation event issuing means for issuing an operating event on said GUI widget detected by said widget detection means;

(k) wherein the widget correspondence information is previously registered by said widget-relation information registration means, said information being as to data displayed in any GUI widget on said inherent screen is to be copied in which GUI widget on the cover screen of said software; and

(l) wherein there is provided displayed data copying means for copying the data displayed in a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in said GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with said widget correspondence information.

15. A GUI control apparatus comprising:

(a) use menu registration means for previously registering the applicable use of a software;

(b) cover screen registration means for previously registering a screenshot for using said software for said use as a cover screen;

(c) cover screen displaying means for detecting the booting of said software, hiding an inherent screen of said booted software and for visibly demonstrating the cover screen registered by said cover screen registration means in place of the inherent screen;

(d) use menu displaying means for demonstrating the applicable use of said booted software as a menu on the cover screen demonstrated by said cover screen display means;

(e) use selection detection means for detecting, on selection of a use from said menu, which use has been selected;

(f) operation detection means for detecting an operation on a graphical user interface GUI widget displayed on s aid cover screen;

(g) widget-relation information registration means for previously registering widget-relation information indicating which GUI widget on an inherent screen on said software is to be actuated on actuation of any GUI widget on said cover screen;

(h) widget detection means for detecting in what location on an inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is demonstrated in accordance with widget-relation information registered by said widget-relation information registration means; and

(i) operating event issuing means for issuing an operating event for a GUI widget detected by said widget detection means;

(j) wherein the widget correspondence information is previously registered by said widget correspondence information registration means such that data displayed in any GUI widget on said inherent screen is to be copied in which GUI widget on the cover screen of said software; and

(k) wherein there is provided displayed data copying means for copying the data displayed in a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in said GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with said widget correspondence information.

16. A computer readable program product for causing a computer h having at least a display device and an input device to execute the processing comprising the steps of:

(a) use menu displaying step of demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software having a graphical user interface GUI;

(b) use menu registration step of previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying processing;

(c) use selection detection step of detecting the use selected from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying step;

(d) software booting step of booting a software necessary for the selected use;

(e) operating sequence registration step of previously registering an operating sequence for acting on said software in the selected use;

(f) widget detecting step of detecting in which location on a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed in accordance with an operating sequence registered for the selected use;

(g) operating target widget indication step of demonstrating the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting step in a highlighted fashion on a screenshot; and

(h) instructing the widget detecting step of detecting an operation on the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting step to detect in which location in a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed.

17. A computer readable program product for causing a computer having at least a display device and an input device to execute the processing comprising the steps of:

(a) software booting detection step of detecting booting of a software having a graphical user interface GUI;

(b) use menu displaying step of demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software having the GUI;

(c) use menu registration step of previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying step;

(d) use selection detection step of detecting the use selected from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying step;

(e) operating sequence registration step of previously registering an operating sequence for acting on said software in the selected use;

(f) widget detecting step of detecting in which location on a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed in accordance with an operating sequence registered for the selected use;

(g) operating target widget indication step of demonstrating the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting step in a highlighted fashion on a screenshot; and

(h) operation detection step instructing the widget detecting step to detect an operation on the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting step to detect in which location in a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed.

20. A computer readable program product for causing a computer having at least a display device and an input device to execute the processing comprising the steps of:

(a) use menu displaying step of demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software having a graphical user interface

(b) use menu registration step of previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying step;

(c) use selection detection step of detecting the use selected from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying step;

(d) software booting step of booting a software necessary for the selected use;

(e) cover screen registration step of previously registering, as cover screen, a screenshot for exploiting the boated software in the selected use;

(f) cover screen display step of hiding an inherent screen of said booted software and for visibly demonstrating the cover screen registered by said cover screen registration step in place of the inherent screen;

(g) operation detection step of detecting an operation on the GUI widget demonstrated on said cover screen to instruct said cover screen registration step to display said cover screen;

(h) widget-relation information registration step of previously registering widget-relation information as to which GUI widget on said inherent screen of said software is to be acted on depending on any GUI widget on said cover screen has been acted on;

(i) widget detection step of detecting, depending on said widget-relation information as to in what location on the inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is demonstrated; and

(j) operation event issuing step of issuing an operating event on said GUI widget detected by said widget detection step;

(k) a step of previously registering said widget-relation information as to data displayed on any GUI widget on said inherent screen of said software is to be copied in which GUI widget on the cover screen; and

(l) wherein displayed data copying step of copying the data displayed in a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in said GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with said widget-relation information.

21. A computer readable program product for causing a computer having at least a display device and an input device to execute the processing comprising the steps of:

(a) use menu registration step of previously registering the applicable use of a software;

(b) cover screen registration step of previously registering a screenshot for using said software for said application as a cover screen;

(c) cover screen displaying step of detecting the booting of said software, hiding an inherent screen of said booted software and for visibly demonstrating the cover screen registered by said cover screen registration step in place of said inherent screen;

(d) use menu displaying step of demonstrating the applicable use of said booted software as a menu on the cover screen demonstrated by said cover screen display step;

(e) use selection detection step of detecting, on selection of a use from said menu, which use has been selected;

(f) operation detection step of detecting an operation on a graphical user interface GUI widget displayed on said cover screen;

(g) widget-relation information registration step of previously registering widget-relation information indicating which GUI widget on an inherent screen on said software is to be actuated upon actuation of any GUI widget on said cover screen;

(h) widget detection step of detecting in what location on an inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is demonstrated in accordance with said widget-relation information; and

(i) operating event issuing step of issuing an operating event for a GUI widget detected by said widget detection step;

(j) previously registering, by said widget-relation information registration step, in which GUI widget on said cover screen data displayed any GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be copied; and

(k) displayed data copying step of copying the data displayed in a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software in said GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with said widget-relation information.

22. A graphical user interface GUI control apparatus for an information processing apparatus having a display device, a storage device, and a program-controlled processing device, comprising:

(a) a use menu displaying unit demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software having a GUS;

(b) a use menu registration unit previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying unit in a use menu;

(c) a use selection detection unit detecting the use selected from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying unit on said display device;

(d) a software booting unit booting a software necessary for the selected use,

(e) an operating sequence registration unit previously registering an operating sequence for acting on said software in the selected use;

(f) a widget detecting unit detecting in what location on a screenshot the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed in accordance with an operating sequence registered for the selected use by said operating sequence registration unit;

(g) an operating target widget indication unit demonstrating the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting unit in a highlighted fashion on a screenshot of said display device; and

(h) an operation detecting unit detecting an operation on the GUI widget detected by said widget detecting unit to instruct the widget detecting unit to detect in what location in said screen the GUI widget to be acted on next is displayed in accordance with an operational sequence registered by said operating sequence registration unit.

23. A graphical user interface GUI control apparatus for an information processing apparatus having a display device, an input device, a storage device, and a program-controlled processing device, comprising:

(a) a use menu displaying unit demonstrating on a menu the applicable use of a software having a GUI;

(b) a use menu registration unit previously registering the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying unit in a use menu;

(c) a use selection detection unit detecting the use selected through said input unit from the use menu demonstrated by said use menu displaying unit;

(d) a software booting unit booting a software necessary for the selected use.

(e) a cover screen registration unit previously registering a screenshot for using said booted software in the selected use as a cover screen;

(f) a cover screen displaying unit hiding an inherent screen of said booted software and visibly demonstrating the cover screen registered by said cover screen registration unit in place of the inherent screen on said display device;

(g) an operation detection unit detecting an operation on a GUI widget displayed on said cover screen;

(h) a widget-relation information registration unit previously registering widget-relation information indicating which GUI widget on an inherent screen on said software is to be actuated upon actuation of which GUI widget on said cover screen;

(i) a widget detection unit detecting in which location on an inherent screen of said software the GUI widget to be acted on next is demonstrated in accordance with said widget-relation information; and

(j) an operating event issuing unit issuing an operating event for a GUI widget detected by said widget detection unit;

(k) wherein it is previously registered by said widget-relation information registration processing unit, in GUI widget on said cover screen data displayed in any GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software is to be copied; and

(l) wherein there is provided a displayed data copying unit copying the data displayed in a GUI widget on the inherent screen of said software into a GUI widget on said cover screen in accordance with said widget-relation information.