Information processing apparatus, information search method and program

One embodiment provides an information processing apparatus, including: a search module configured to perform a search on a plurality of pages with a designated search condition, the pages being managed by an application program capable of managing information by arranging at least one object in any desired layout on each page; and a display controller configured to display at least one object extracted through the search on a screen of a display module as a search result, with a layout of each object on the page kept unchanged.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-288383 filed on Dec. 24, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to an information processing apparatus, an information search method and a program.

BACKGROUND

Heretofore, information search wherein desired information is searched for from among a large number of information items has been often performed by utilizing a computer. A person (“user”) who performs the search designates a desired search condition and searches the information items stored in a storage device built in or connected to the computer, whereby he/she can extract the information complying with the search condition. Besides, in recent years, the user has been in an environment where he/she can perform the information search through a network or the Internet.

For example, the user searches displayed electronic documents by designating a keyword of any desired character string, whereby he/she can know if the keyword exists in the electronic documents. And, in a case where the keyword exists in the electronic documents, the character string is highlighted, and the user can easily extract the keyword from within the electronic documents.

The user can also search WEB pages registered on a network such as the Internet, by designating any desired keyword. In that case, when plural WEB pages have been hit, the plural WEB pages are displayed in a list form on the screen of the monitor of the computer.

Recently, there is provided a software item in which plural objects are laid out on each page at any desired positions, and information items can be managed with the respective objects. In such software, the user can store and manage the information items by arranging the respective information items or the respective objects at any desired positions of any desired pages.

In such software, the user can remember the information items together with the positions of the objects within the pages, and he/she can conveniently put the information items as in an actual space.

However, in a case where the search over plural pages is made with such software, it is necessary to search every page and to display the hit pages containing the objects, while changing-over the pages, such that arrival at the objective information has not been easy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, one embodiment provides an information processing apparatus, including: a search module configured to perform a search on a plurality of pages with a designated search condition, the pages being managed by an application program capable of managing information by arranging at least one object in any desired layout on each page; and a display controller configured to display at least one object extracted through the search on a screen of a display module as a search result, with a layout of each object on the page kept unchanged.

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1illustrates a configuration of the information processing apparatus according to this embodiment. The information processing apparatus1is, for example, a personal computer (“PC”) capable of executing various sorts of information processing.

The information processing apparatus1includes a body2, a monitor3, an input device4and a storage device5. The body2includes a central processing unit (“CPU”)2a, a ROM2band a RAM2c. A keyboard4a, and a mouse4bas a pointing device are connected to the body2, as the input device4.

Various programs and various information items are stored in the storage device5connected to the body2. Further, the body2is connected to the Internet6as a network. The storage device5is, for example, a hard disk drive, and it may be built in the body2or may be a so-called “SSD” as a drive employing a flash memory storage medium.

In the information processing apparatus1, the CPU2ais capable of running the various programs by reading them from the storage device5and expanding them on the RAM2c. Information management software5ato be stated later, and management data5bwhich are managed by the information management software5aare also stored in the storage device5.

For example, a user can execute the information management software5a, search the management data5bby a search function installed in the program, and display the result of the search on the screen3aof the monitor3.

The information management software5aof this embodiment is stored in the storage device5and is read and executed by the CPU2a, and the management data5bthereof are also stored in the storage device5. The information management software5awill be described about an example in which the user manages information and performs the search of the information by using this information management software5a.

The information management software5ais an application program which can manage information by arranging at least one object in any desired layout on each page. This information management software5ahas the search function of searching plural pages as managing target, in accordance with a designated search condition.

FIG. 2illustrates the configuration of information items which are managed by the information management software5a. The information management software5amanages the information items in page units. This information management software5ais, for example, so-called “corkboard software” in which the user can register the various information items as objects in any desired layouts on any desired pages, in such a feeling that he/she pastes memoranda on an actual corkboard with the information items as the objects. Each of the objects can contain a character string as data, and thus can be a search target as to which whether or not the character string designated as the search condition is contained is checked, in the search function of the information management software5a.

As shown inFIG. 2, the information management software5ais capable of managing the information items of a page group11consisting of plural pages, and it is also capable of performing the addition, deletion etc. of pages. Further, the information management software5astores the layouts of the respective objects arranged by the user, every page.

The user can arrange at least one object within the page in any desired layout, that is, at a position, in a sense and in a size as desired.

Each page has a layout region21. When the user designates and displays the page, he/she can register any desired objects in any desired layouts on the layout region21. That is, the user is capable of performing the generation, selection, deletion etc. of the pages by using the information management software5a, and he/she can manage the information items by arranging at least one object in any desired layout on each page.

When the user designates any page, the object registered on the page is displayed on the layout display region21in the set layout, that is, the registered layout. Besides, the user can add a new object and move or delete the object already registered.

FIG. 3illustrates the data structure of the management data5bwhich are managed by the information management software5a.

As shown inFIG. 3, the management data5bcontain plural object data. These management data5bare table form data each of which contains an object ID31as the identifier of an object, a page No.32, layout information33and data34. Incidentally, although the management data5bare the table form data here, they may have a data structure different from a table form.

As shown inFIG. 3, regarding an object P1-1, for example, it is indicated that it belongs to a page whose page No. is “1” (hereinafter, termed “Page 1”, and also, a page whose page No. is “i” (i is an integer) will be termed “Page i”), that its layout is arranged at a position of (10, 110) in the layout region of a two-dimensional plane, that it has a size of 35×20 and an inclination of 0°, and that its data are “ . . . AAA . . . ”. For example, the position is defined on an x-y two-dimensional plane within the layout region21, the size is a height and a width in predetermined units, and the inclination is a counterclockwise angle relative to the direction of an x-axis. More specifically, the management data5bcontain the information items of the page No., the layout and the content every object. InFIG. 3, the object ID “P1-1” indicates that object of Page 1 whose object No. is “1”. It is indicated that an object ID “P2-1” belongs to Page 2, that its layout is arranged at a position of (15, 95) in the layout region of the two-dimensional plane, that it has a size of 35×15 and an inclination of 0°, and that its data are “AABB . . . ”.

WhileFIG. 3illustrates only the information items of the position, size and inclination of the object as the layout information, any other information may be contained. For example, the layout information may be the combination of the position of the object and the size or inclination thereof, and it may further contain any other information.

FIG. 4illustrates a display example of Page 1 on the screen3aof the monitor3.FIG. 5illustrates a display example of Page 2 on the screen3aof the monitor3.

Each page contains a page No. display region22for displaying the page No., and a search instruction region23, in addition to the layout region21for pasting the objects. The page No. display region22is a region which displays the page No. displayed on the screen3a. The search instruction region23is provided with an input field24for inputting the search condition, and a search execution button25.

In case ofFIG. 4, five objects P1-1, P1-2, P1-3, P1-4and P1-5are registered on Page 1, and they are respectively arranged in set layouts within the layout region21. In case ofFIG. 5, six objects P2-1, P2-2, P2-3, P2-4, P2-5and P2-6are registered on Page 1, and they are respectively arranged in set layouts within the layout region21. The user can display any desired page on the screen3aby designating the page, and he/she can perform the addition, deletion, layout alteration, etc. of the object in any desired layout.

Next, there will be described a case where the information management software5aperforms the search for the information containing the plural pages as shown inFIG. 2.

In a state where the display ofFIG. 4or the display ofFIG. 5is presented, the user inputs the search condition onto the input field24, manipulates the mouse4bdisplayed on the screen3aand moves a cursor (not shown) so as to press the search execution button25, namely, to click this button. Then, the search process is executed.

The information management software5aexecutes the search process for the plural pages in accordance with the designated search condition. In the search process, whether or not any object agreeing with the search condition exists is checked as to all the objects within each page.

FIG. 6illustrates the flows of the search process and display process of the information management software5a. The search process and display process of the information management software5aare executed by the CPU2a. A case where the user wants to extract the object containing a desired character string, from within the management data5b, will be exemplified below.

It is assumed that the user has inputted the search character string, for example, “AA” as the search condition, onto the input field24, and then clicked the search execution button25. The CPU2adecides whether or not the search condition has been inputted (S1). In a case where the search execution button25has been pressed without the input of the search condition (S1: NO), the process performs nothing. In a case where the search execution button25has been pressed with the input of the search condition (S1: YES), a variable i is set to “1” (S2), and a variable k is set to “1 (S3). The variable i is an integer indicating the page No., while the variable k is also an integer indicating the object ID.

The CPU2adecides whether or not the object data of the object ID “k” on the page i agree with the designated search condition, here, whether or not the object data contain the search character string “AA” (S4). The decision is rendered in such a way that the object data in the management data5bare read based on the variables i and k, and that whether or not the search character string “AA” is contained in the data34is checked. First of all, the processing of the step S4is executed as to the object data of the object ID “1” on Page 1.

In a case where the search character string “AA” is contained in the data34(S4: YES), the CPU2atemporarily stores the object data in the RAM2c(S5).

Subsequently, whether or not the agreement of the search condition has been checked as to all the object data within the page i is judged (S6). In a case where the agreement of the search condition has not been checked as to all the object data within the page i (S6: NO), the variable k is incremented “1” (S7), and the process shifts to the step S4. When the existence of the search character string “AA” has been checked as to the object data of the object ID “1” on Page 1, the same check is executed as to the object data of the object ID “2” on Page 1. In this way, the existence of the search character string “AA” is checked as to all the object data within the page.

When the existence of the search character string “AA” has been checked as to all the object data of Page 1 (S6: YES), whether or not the check of the agreement of the search condition has been performed as to all the pages is judged (S8).

In a case where the check of the agreement of the search condition has not been performed as to all the pages (S8: NO), the variable i is incremented “1” (S9), and the process shifts to the step S3. In a situation after the existence of the search character string “AA” has been checked as to all the object data of Page 1, a check similar to that of Page 1 is executed as to all the object data of Page 2.

Consequently, the processing of the step S4is executed as to all the objects of the respective pages, and all the object data agreeing with the search condition are stored in the RAM2cas search result data. The processing steps S2to S8constitute the search module which searches the plural pages in accordance with the designated search condition.

In a case where the check of the agreement of the search condition has been performed as to all the pages (S8: YES), the CPU2agenerates display data every page, based on the search result data (S10), and it displays the generated display data of every page on the screen5aof the monitor5(S11). The processing steps S10and S11constitute the display controller which displays at least one object searched for and extracted by the search module, as a search result on the screen of the display module with the layout of each object on the page kept unchanged.

FIG. 7illustrates a display example of a search result. More specifically,FIG. 7shows the screen of the search result in the case where objects containing the search character string “AA” exist on two pages. The screen of the search result contains the search instruction region23, a search result display region31, and a region32which indicates the display of the search result. The search result display region31displays the respective pages searched and hit, in a state where the objects containing the search character string “AA” maintain their layouts within the pages. As exemplified inFIG. 7, the character string “AA” in the hit objects may be displayed in bold letters, or in a color different from that of any other character string.

As shown inFIG. 7, two page display regions41are displayed within the search result display region31. As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the respective page display regions41display the individual hit objects (that is, objects containing the search character string “AA”), in the same layouts as in the layout regions21of the pages where the corresponding objects exist. The page display region41-1corresponds to Page 1, and the page display region41-2to Page 2.

In the case where the objects containing the search character string “AA” exist on the two pages of Page 1 and Page 2, Page 1 and Page 2 are displayed on the two page display regions41while maintaining the layout images of the objects contained in the respective pages.

As shown inFIG. 7, the page display region41-1of Page 1 displays only the objects P1-1and P1-4which contain the search character string “AA”, while the page display region41-2of Page 2 displays only the object P2-1which contains the search character string “AA”.

In that state ofFIG. 7in which the search result is displayed, the user can input a search character string “AAB” to the input field24as an additional search condition to perform a fined search.

FIG. 8illustrates a display example of the result of the fined search. As shown inFIG. 8, the page which has the object containing the search character string “AAB” is displayed on the page display region41-2, in the same layout as in the layout region21of the page where the corresponding object exists.

As stated above, on the screen of the search result, each hit page is displayed in the page image, and each object is displayed in the same layout as the arrangement of the hit object within each page.

In this embodiment, on the screen of the search result, one or more pages which contains at least one extracted object are displayed on the search result display region31of the screen3ain an arrangement in which the pages are not superposed on each other. Therefore, the plural extracted pages are displayed on a reduced scale so that the individual pages are displayed on the screen3a.

Accordingly, when the user looks at the search result, he/she can visually recognize the position and the like layout of the object within each page, so that he/she can easily find the object within each page, based on the layout image of the search result.

For example, when the user recalls the layout image of the search result while looking at a certain page, he/she understands what part should be looked at within the page to quickly find the object having the desired character string.

According to the information processing apparatus of the above-described embodiment, in the case where the user has searched for the management data of the information management software which can freely layout the object on each page, he/she can easily find the desired information since the search result is displayed with the layout of each object on each page kept unchanged.

As a modified embodiment, any object disagreeing with the search condition may be also displayed in the search result, and any object agreeing with the search condition may be highlighted as compared with the object disagreeing with the search condition.

FIG. 9illustrates a display example of the search result according to the embodiment. The display example of the search result inFIG. 9corresponds to the display example inFIG. 7. As shown inFIG. 9, the objects P1-1, P1-4and P2-1containing the search character string “AA” are displayed so that they can be distinguished from the other objects.

InFIG. 9, the eight objects P1-2, P1-3, P1-5, P2-2, P2-3, P2-4, P2-5and P2-6indicated by dotted lines as do not contain the search character string “AA” are displayed at an intensity lower than that of the three objects P1-1, P1-2and P2-1which contain the search character string “AA”.

As described above, at least one object which has not been extracted on account of the disagreement with the search condition may be displayed with its layout on each page kept unchanged, and at least one extracted object may be displayed in the manner to be highlighted more than at least one object not having been extracted.

In this case, the same advantages as those of the foregoing embodiment can be attained also by the search result display as in this modification.

Second Embodiment

Next, the second embodiment will be described. In the information processing apparatus of the first embodiment, the search result is displayed every page, but in the information processing apparatus of the second embodiment, objects which have been hit in plural pages are displayed in superposed fashion on the search result display region31of one page.

FIG. 10illustrates a display example of the search result according to this embodiment. The display example of the search result inFIG. 10corresponds to the display example inFIG. 7. InFIG. 10, the three objects P1-1, P1-4and P2-1having been hit in Page 1 and Page 2 are displayed in superposed fashion on the search result display region31of one page.

FIG. 11illustrates a display example of the result of a fined search. The display example of the search result inFIG. 11corresponds toFIG. 8. InFIG. 11, only one object P2-1having been hit in Page 2 is displayed on the search result display region31.FIG. 11exemplifies a case where one page contains the object having been hit by one time of fined search. However, in a case where plural pages contain the objects having been hit by executing the fined search, the plural objects are displayed in superposed fashion in one display region31as shown inFIG. 10.

FIG. 12illustrates the flows of the search process and display process of the information management software5aaccording to this embodiment. InFIG. 12, the same processing steps as inFIG. 6are indicated by identical reference signs and shall be omitted from description.

FIG. 12differs fromFIG. 6merely in the point that the step S10is altered to the step S21, and the other processing steps are the same as inFIG. 6.

In this embodiment, when the existence of the search character string has been checked as to all the pages (S8: YES), the CPU2agenerates the display data of one page as shown inFIG. 10, based on the stored object data (S21). Thus, the processing steps S21and S11constitute a display controller which displays one or more pages containing at least one extracted object, in a superposed arrangement on the screen3a.

Also in this embodiment, accordingly, the position of the hit object can be visually recognized by looking at the search result, so that the object within each page can be easily found based on the layout image of the search result.

Also in this embodiment, the object having disagreed with the search condition may be displayed by, for example, making the intensity lower than that of the object having agreed with the search condition, as in the modification of the first embodiment.

According to any of the embodiments and their modifications stated above, it is possible to realize an information processing apparatus, an information search method and a program therefor, in which when plural pages managed by an application program that can manage information by arranging at least one object in any desired layout on each page have been searched, the position etc. of each object on the page can be found in a search result.

Further, the program for executing the above operation is wholly or partly recorded or stored in a portable medium such as flexible disk or CD-ROM, or a storage medium such as hard disk, as a computer program product. The program is read by a computer, whereby the whole or partial operation is executed. Alternatively, the whole or partial program can be distributed or provided through a communication network. A user downloads the program through the communication network and installs it into the computer, or he/she installs the program from the record medium into the computer, whereby he/she can easily realize the information processing apparatus or the method of any of the foregoing embodiments.

While any of the above embodiments has been described by exemplifying the PC as the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus may be an apparatus other than the PC.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the search has been performed with the search condition over all the plural pages managed by the information management software, but the search may be performed with the search condition as to only pages designated by the user.

Further, each of the foregoing embodiments has been described by exemplifying the information management software which can manage information by arranging objects in any desired layout on each page, but the information search process and the display process described above can be applied also to so-called “spreadsheet software” and “presentation software”.

In the spreadsheet software, information can be arranged in cell units on each page, or objects can be arranged in any desired layouts separately from cells. Also in the presentation software, objects can be similarly arranged in any desired layouts every page.

Therefore, when the user applies the information search process in any of the foregoing embodiments and modifications, to such software, he/she can display the search result as described above, by designating the search condition and searching the plural pages. As a result, the user can know the positions etc. of the hit objects on each page.

Although several embodiments are exemplified, they are not intended to restrict the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in various other aspects, and they can perform various omissions, replacements and alterations within the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications shall be covered within the scope of the invention, and they shall be covered within the invention defined in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.