Data processor having page turning function for managing a plurality of data sets

• US 5,586,245 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yagishita, Eiko, Nagae, Masao, Sugai, Toshimi, Kobayashi, Fumihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/233,422
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155-161, 395/600, 358/403
• US Class Current: 715/807
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

A data processor having a page turning function, for managing a plurality of data sets each containing a plurality of data units of different kinds, has an extraction portion, a decision portion, and an output control portion. The extraction portion is used to extract a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction, and the decision portion is used to determine whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted by the extraction portion is equal to the kind of a data unit in the present page. The output control portion is used to provide the data unit extracted by the extraction portion if the decision portion determines that they are equal to each other, and if the decision portion determines that they are unequal to each other, restarting the extraction process of the extracting portion. Therefore, the page turning operation can be rapidly and easily carried out.

Claims

1. A data processor having a page turning function, for managing a plurality of data sets each containing a plurality of data units of different kinds, wherein said data processor comprises:

extraction means for extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction;

decision means for determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

output control means for providing the data unit extracted by said extraction means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of the data unit in the present page, and restarting the extraction process of said extracting means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of the data unit in the present page.

2. A data processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and a terminal;

data management means for managing said plurality of data sets; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on a display of said terminal.

3. A data processor having a page turning function, for managing a plurality of data groups each containing a plurality of data units of the same kind, wherein said data processor comprises:

extraction means for extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction;

decision means for determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is unequal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

output control means for providing the data unit extracted by said extraction means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of data unit in the present page, and restarting the extraction process of said extracting means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of data unit in the present page.

4. A data processor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and a terminal;

data management means for managing said plurality of data groups; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on a display of said terminal.

5. A data processor having a page turning function, for managing copies of a set of different data units, wherein said data processor comprises:

reception means for receiving the number of the data units in said set; and

extraction means for specifying a data unit in a page calculated by adding the number received by said reception means to the number of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or by subtracting the number received by said reception means from the number of the present page in response to a previous page instruction, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.

6. A data processor as claimed in claim 5, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and a terminal;

data management means for managing the copies of said set; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on a display of said terminal.

7. A data processor having a page turning function, for managing a plurality of groups each containing copies of a data unit, wherein said data processor comprises:

reception means for receiving the number of the copies in each group; and

extraction means for specifying, according to the number of the present page and the number received by said reception means, a different data unit in a page that is in front of and nearest to the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page that is behind and nearest to the present page in response to a previous page instruction, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.

8. A data processor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and a terminal;

data management means for managing said plurality of groups; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on a display of said terminal.

9. A data processor system including a data processor, a terminal unit connected to said data processor having a display for displaying a data unit, and an input unit connected to said terminal unit for inputting page turning instructions, wherein said data processor comprises:

extraction means for extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction of said page turning instructions, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction of said page turning instructions;

decision means for determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

output control means for providing the data unit extracted by said extraction means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of data unit in the present page, and restarting the extraction process of said extraction means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of data unit in the present page.

10. A data processor system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and said terminal unit;

data management means for managing a plurality of data sets each containing a plurality of data units of different kinds; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on the display of said terminal unit.

11. A data processor system including a data processor, a terminal unit connected to said data processor having a display for displaying a data unit, and an input unit connected to said terminal unit for inputting page turning instructions, wherein said data processor comprises:

extraction means for extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction of said page turning instructions, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction of said page turning instructions;

decision means for determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is unequal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

output control means for providing the data unit extracted by said extraction means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of data unit in the present page, and restarting the extraction process of said extracting means if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of data unit in the present page.

12. A data processor system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and said terminal unit;

data management means for managing a plurality of data groups each containing a plurality of data units of the same kind; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on the display of said terminal unit.

13. A data processor system including a data processor, a terminal unit connected to said data processor having a display for displaying a data unit, and an input unit connected to said terminal unit for inputting page turning instructions, wherein said data processor comprises:

reception means for receiving a number of data units in a set; and

extraction means for specifying a data unit in a page calculated by adding the number received by said reception means to the number of the present page in response to a next page instruction of said page turning instructions, or by subtracting the number received by said reception means from the number of the present page in response to a previous page instruction of said page turning instructions, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.

14. A data processor system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and said terminal unit;

data management means for managing copies of said set of different data units; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on the display of said terminal unit.

15. A data processor system including a data processor, a terminal unit connected to said data processor having a display for displaying a data unit, and an input unit connected to said terminal unit for inputting page turning instructions, wherein said data processor comprises:

reception means for receiving a number of copies in each group; and

extraction means for specifying, according to the number of the present page and the number received by said reception means, a different data unit in a page that is in front of and nearest to the present page in response to a next page instruction, of said page turning instructions, or in a page that is behind and nearest to the present page in response to a previous page instruction of said page turning instructions, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.

16. A data processor system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said data processor further comprises:

input/output control means for controlling input/output processes between said data processor and said terminal unit;

data management means for managing a plurality of groups each containing copies of a data unit; and

display control means for displaying a data unit on the display of said terminal unit.

17. A method of turning pages among a plurality of data sets each containing a plurality of data units of different kinds, wherein said method comprises:

a first step of extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction;

or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction;

a second step of determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted in said first step is equal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

a third step of providing the data unit extracted in said first step if said second step determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of data unit in the present page; and

restarting the extraction process of said first step if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of data unit in the present page.

18. A method of turning pages among a plurality of data groups each containing a plurality of data units of the same kind, wherein said method comprises:

a first step of extracting a data unit in a page ahead of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page behind the present page in response to a previous page instruction;

a second step of determining whether or not the kind of the data unit extracted in said first step is unequal to the kind of a data unit in the present page; and

a third step of providing the data unit extracted in said first step if said second step determines they the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is equal to the kind of data unit in the present page, and restarting the extraction process of said first step if said decision means determines that the kind of the data unit extracted by said extraction means is not equal to the kind of data unit in the present page.

19. A method of turning pages among copies of a set of different data units, wherein said method comprises:

a first step of receiving the number of the data units in said set; and

a second step of specifying a data unit in a page calculated by adding the number received in said first step to the number of the present page in response to a next page instruction, or by subtracting the number received by said first step from the number of the present page in response to a previous page instruction, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.

20. A method of turning pages among a plurality of groups each containing copies of a data unit, wherein said method comprises:

a first step of receiving the number of the copies in each group; and

a second step of specifying, according to the number of the present page and the number received in said first step, a different data unit in a page that is in front of and nearest to the present page in response to a next page instruction, or in a page that is behind and nearest to the present page in response to a previous page instruction, extracting the specified data unit, and providing the extracted data unit.