Information processing system

• US 6,266,057 B1
• Filed: 04/05/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kitamura, Tadaaki, Arai, Toshifumi, Shojima, Hiroshi, Kuzunuki, Soshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/286,323
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/334, 345/350, 345/352, 345/358, 345/357, 345/351, 345/335, 345/968, 707/501, 707/506, 707/513, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An information processing system includes a desk with a planar display unit which also accommodates physical objects to be manipulated by the operator. The physical objects are representative of physical objects normally used in office environments when handling paper files. A camera is provided which continuously monitors the desk display surface and is coupled to an electronic computer which can be controlled by the operator by moving the physical objects and the operator hands to simulate paper processing tasks, such as mailing, faxing, filing, opening files, editing and the like. An operator driven menu is provided on the desk display surface for facilitating operator classification and storage of physical object shapes of those physical objects which are to be used.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a display device;

a file storage unit for storing electronic information;

a discrimination unit for discriminating an actual object presented key a user;

a link storage unit for storing link information that designates a linking relation between said actual object and at least a portion of said electronic information stored in said file storage unit; and

a file operation unit, which, if no linking information linked with said actual object discriminated by said discrimination unit exists in said link storage unit, starts a link definition function to cause said display device to display a link editing sheet for permitting the user to input link information to be linked with said actual object in the displayed link editing sheet which is to be stored in said link storage unit for subsequent processing.

2. An information processing system according to claim 1 wherein said actual object comprises a card describing a pattern of said actual object.

3. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic information comprises a document file including information in characters and numerals.

4. An information processing system according to claim 3, wherein said file operation unit, when no link information linked unit a result of discrimination by said discrimination unit exists in said link storage unit, causes said display unit to display a List of said document files.

5. An information processing system according to claim 3, wherein said file operation unit, when link information linked with a result of discrimination by said discrimination unit exists in said link storage unit, causes said display unit to display a corresponding document in a corresponding file.

6. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic information comprises a program for executing process.

7. An information processing system according to claim 6, wherein said file operation unit, when no link information linked with a result of discrimination by said discrimination unit exits in said link storage unit, causes said display unit to display a list of file names of said program.

8. An information processing system according to claim 6, wherein said file operation unit, when link information linked with a result of discrimination by said discrimination unit exists in said link storage unit, causes a corresponding program to be executed.

9. An information processing system comprising:

a display unit;

an input unit for discriminating information including information concerning an actual object presented by a user;

a storage unit for storing information such as data and programs; and

a file operation unit which, in order to correlate information entered from said input unit with any data or program information stored in said storage unit, causes display of the data or program information stored in said storage unit on said display unit, generates a link information that associates a piece of information selected from among the displayed information with the information entered from said input unit, and further causes said link information to be stored in said storage unit,

wherein said file operation unit, if no link information linked with said actual object discriminated by said input unit exists in said storage unit, starts a link definition function to cause said display device to display the data or program information for permitting the user to select a portion of the information to be linked with the actual object which is to be stored in said storage unit for subsequent processing.

10. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit comprises a camera, and wherein said file operation unit generates a link information that associates an image entered from said camera with a piece of data or program information stored in said storage unit, and stores said link information in said storage unit.

11. An information processing system according to claim 10, wherein said file operation unit, on the basis of said image entered from the camera and said link information stored in said storage unit, causes a corresponding data associated with said image entered from the camera to be displayed on said display unit, and/or to execute a corresponding program.

12. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit includes a bar-code reader, and wherein said file operation unit generates a link information that associates bar-code information entered from said bar-code reader with a piece of data or program information stored in said storage unit, and causes said link information to be stored in said storage unit.

13. An information processing system according to claim 12, wherein said file operation unit, on the basis of bar-code information entered from said bar-code reader and said link information stored in said storage unit, causes a corresponding data associated with the bar-code information entered from said bar-code reader to be displayed on said display unit, and/or to execute a corresponding program.

14. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit includes a receiver unit, and wherein said file operation unit generates a link information that associates discrimination information entered from said receiver unit with a piece of data or program information stored in said storage unit, and causes said link information to be stored in said storage unit.

15. An information processing system according to claim 14, wherein said file operation unit, on the basis of said discrimination information entered from said receiver unit and said link information stored in said storage unit, causes data corresponding to said discriminations information entered from the receiver unit to be displayed, and/or to execute a program corresponding thereto.

16. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit includes a camera for entering a pattern information attached to the actual object.

17. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit includes a bar-code reader for entering bar-code information attached to the actual object.

18. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit includes a receiver unit for entering discrimination information attached to the actual object and transmitted via a transmitter unit.