INFORMATION TERMINAL AND SOFTWARE OPERATION-CONTENT INSTRUCTING METHOD

• US 20110173611A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: TAKEBE, Akio, SHIMOGAWA, Kenichiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,027,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 9/45545 Guest-host, i.e. hypervisor is an application program itself, e.g. VirtualBox

Abstract

A master selecting unit selects master software from pieces of software that perform a computing process. A screen control unit displays an operation screen for the master software that is selected by the master selecting unit on a screen. A software search unit searches, when an instruction operation is detected on the operation screen for the master software, for any piece of software that displays an operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives. An operation-content instructing unit instructs the master software and each piece of software that is found by the software search unit about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.

Claims

1. An information terminal comprising:

a master selecting unit that selects master software from pieces of software that perform a computing process;

a screen control unit that displays an operation screen for the master software that is selected by the master selecting unit on a screen;

a software search unit that searches, when an instruction operation is detected on the operation screen for the master software, for any piece of software that displays an operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives; and

an operation-content instructing unit that instructs the master software and each piece software that is found by the software search unit about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.

2. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the operation-content instructing unit includes

a screen comparing unit that compares the operation screen for the master software with the operation screen for each piece of software that is found by the software search unit;

and

a mapping unit that identifies, in accordance with a comparison result obtained by the screen comparing unit and the position of the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software, a relative position corresponding to the instruction operation on the operation screen for each piece of software, performs mapping so that operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software is assigned to the identified relative position of each piece of software, and instructs each piece of software about the operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.

3. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the screen control unit displays not only the operation screen for the master software but also the operation screen for each piece of software that displays the operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives.

4. The information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a mode setting unit that sets either an individual operation mode or a simultaneous operation mode, wherein

if the simultaneous operation mode is set by the mode setting unit, the operation-content instructing unit accepts an instruction operation made using the operation screen for the master software and instructs, in accordance with the instruction operation, the master software and pieces of software that display the operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software,

if the individual operation mode is set by the mode setting unit, the operation-content instructing unit cancels an instruction operation that is made using the operation screen for any piece of software other than the master software, and

if the individual operation mode is set by the mode setting unit, the operation-content instructing unit instructs, in accordance with an instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the piece of software, the piece of software about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation.

5. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein, in a real-machine environment that includes a plurality of real machines each having a piece of software, when the real machine detects operation content related to the corresponding piece of software coming from the operation-content instructing unit, the real machine causes the corresponding piece of software to perform a process corresponding to the operation content.

6. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein, in a virtual-machine environment that includes host software that controls the pieces of software, when the host software detects operation content coming from the operation-content instructing unit, the host software causes the pieces of software to perform a process corresponding to the operation content.

7. The information terminal according to claim 6, wherein the host software includes

an identification-information managing unit that manages accessible software on an identification information basis, the identification information being information for identifying the information terminal, and the accessible software is software to which the information terminal is permitted to send an instruction;

and

an accessibility determining unit that acquires, when a request is detected that comes from the information terminal for access permission to target software, the identification information for identifying the information terminal and determines whether the target software is accordant with the accessible software corresponding to the identification information, wherein

if the accessibility determining unit determines that the target software is accordant with the accessible software, the operation-content instructing unit permits access from the information terminal to the target software, and

if the accessibility determining unit determines that the target software is not accordant with the accessible software, the operation-content instructing unit denies access from the information terminal to the target software.

8. The information terminal according to claim 7, wherein the identification information is communication address information for identifying the information terminal.

9. A software operation-content instructing method, comprising:

selecting master software from pieces of software that perform a computing process;

displaying an operation screen for the selected master software on a screen;

searching, when an instruction operation is detected on the operation screen for the master software, for any piece of software that displays an operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives; and

instructing the master software and each piece software that is found at the searching about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.

10. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing a software operation-content instructing program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising:

selecting master software from pieces of software that perform a computing process;

displaying an operation screen for the selected master software on a screen;

searching, when an instruction operation is detected on the operation screen for the master software, for any piece of software that displays an operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives; and

instructing the master software and each piece software that is found at the searching about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.

11. A computing comprising:

a processor for executing a process comprising;

selecting master software from pieces of software that perform a computing process, an operation screen for the selected master software being displayed on a screen of a display;

searching, when an instruction operation is detected on the operation screen for the master software, for any piece of software that displays an operation screen that receives the same instruction operation that the operation screen for the master software receives; and

instructing the master software and each piece software that is found at the searching about operation content corresponding to the instruction operation that has been detected on the operation screen for the master software.