Screen display control and transition method and its system

An image display control method and its system for this method in an information processing unit sequentially changing a series of image contents to display images on the screen. Image content information for displaying image contents on the information processing unit and screen transition process information for performing an screen transition process on a series of image contents are made separate and generated separately. One frame of the display image of the information processing unit consists of one parent frame and two child frames in the parent frame. The image content information is stored in one child frame and the screen transition process information is stored in the other child frame, and a series of image contents is sequentially moved to display images on the screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for realizing screen transitions on the WWW (World Wide Web) browser on the screen of an automatic teller machine (hereafter referred to as a Web-compatible ATM), which incorporates a WWW browser to make use of the Internet.

Of late the spread of the Internet is remarkable indeed, and progress has been made in the use of the Internet by ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) and the terminals of information supply service.

It is possible to easily create a home page using HTML (HyperText Markup Language) to transmit information over the Internet.

If a WWW browser is loaded in the ATM, information available over the Internet can be displayed on the ATM screen. Moreover, financial institutions are expected to become capable of providing new service by use of the Internet, and adding and changing the screen images of the ATM by adopting HTML.

A file written in HTML (a HTML file) has a layout of objects (keys and specific areas of text) and describes the processes to be executed when events (a key being pressed, the occurrence of time-out, etc.) related to the objects occur.

To show a process which is executed when an event occurs as an example, when a given key is pressed, the characters corresponding to this key are displayed sequentially or the current image shifts to the next image on the WWW browser screen.

In an screen transition control unit disclosed in JP-A-10-143359, it is proposed to provide an image content generator, an screen transition process generator and a process module generator, and arrange for an screen transition program to be created when an screen transition process is generated supposing that the designer has prepared a flowchart showing an screen transition process.

Generally, in an HTML file, even when an image of the same content is used several times, if the image differs at the transition destination depending on the situation where the image is used, a problem is that original images must be prepared as many as are required at the transition destination.

On the other hand, in the screen transition control unit in JP-A-10-143359, though the screen transition process is shown as a flowchart, this method leaves a possibility of omitting a description of some process corresponding to an event that occurs in a given image and another problem with this method is that it requires specific process modules when generated screen transitions are put into practice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to divide HTML information into an HTML file describing an image content and an HTML file describing an screen transition process to thereby increase the independence and reusability of images.

Another object of the present invention is to adopt a table form to create an HTML file describing an screen transition process to thereby eliminate an omission of description of transition destinations corresponding to events.

To achieve the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a screen display control method in an information processing unit sequentially changing over a series of image contents to display images on the screen, wherein image content information and screen transition process information, said screen transition process information being used to perform the screen transition process, are separate and generated separately, and wherein the frame layout of an image is composed of a parent frame and two child frames in the parent frame and the above-mentioned image content information is stored in one child frame and the above-mentioned screen transition process information is stored in the other child frame.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for generating an screen transition program to carry out the screen transition process in an information processing unit sequentially shifting a series of image contents to display images on the screen. This method comprises storing a sheet describing the processing items in the screen transition process in a table form and an screen transition program generator in a file, wherein the screen transition program generator sequentially reads the processing items from the sheet, sequentially writes in the file a necessary program descriptions corresponding to the read processing items, and generates an screen transition program on the file.

In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for generating an screen transition program to carry out the screen transition process in the information processing unit sequentially changing a series of image contents to display images on the screen. This method comprises storing content-parts in the screen transition process and a manager sheet describing in table form events that occur in the content part as processing items, and a controller sheet describing the processing items in the content part in table form and an screen transition program generator in a file, wherein the screen transition program generator sequentially reads the processing items described in the manager sheet, sequentially writes, in the file, necessary program descriptions corresponding to the read processing items, generates a manager, and sequentially reads the processing items described in the controller sheet, sequentially writes, in the file, necessary program descriptions corresponding to the read processing items, generates a controller, and generates an screen transition program consisting of the manager and the controller on the file.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram showing an example of system configuration of a Web-compatible ATM to which the present invention is applied.

In a bank101, Web-compatible ATMs102ato102nare connected through LAN103to a WWW server104.

The Web-compatible ATMs102ato102n, by using information (HTML file, for example) downloaded from the WWW server104, show information on the screen, handle transactions and provide various kinds of services to customers.

The Web-compatible ATMs102ato102nmake use of services by WWW servers108ato108nunder affiliation with the bank101through the proxy server106and the circuits of the Internet107and so on.

The WWW servers104,108ato108nare connected to hard drives105and109, which contain the image contents (HTML file)110and the screen transition program (HTML file)111.

The screen transition program111is generated by an screen transition program generator112, which characterizes the present invention.

This screen transition program generator112generates an screen transition program (HTML file) based on a manager sheet/controller sheet113in table form stored in the hard drive114. The manager sheet/controller sheet113will be described later on. In this embodiment, the manager sheet/controller sheet113is stored in the hard drive114, but may be stored in the hard drive109.

In this embodiment, the ATMs102ato102nare designated as Web-compatible ones and the organization101as a bank. However, the ATMs are in a trend toward diversification in service and differentiation in function, so that the equipment to which the present invention is applied may cover items of equipment which are designated as other than ATM and the installation site may be other sectors other than banking facilities.

FIGS. 2A and 2Bshow frame layouts in the present invention. The frames are the demarcation units of the ATM screen, and there is a hierarchical structure for the frames.

With a Web-compatible ATM, the screen appears as indicated at201. With regard to its hierarchical structure, there is one parent frame202and at a lower level, there are a child frame203that contains screen transition process information and another child frame204that contains image content information.

When the child frame203is set to size ‘0’, only the child frame204appears on the screen.

FIGS. 3A to 3Fshow the screen transitions in banking transactions provided by Web-compatible ATMs102ato102n.

As an example, a balance inquiry operation is shown in the following.

The screen shows the transaction selection image301, in which there are the message display area302and transaction selection keys303(FIG. 3A).

When the balance inquiry key304is pressed on the transaction selection image301, a card insertion waiting image311appears (FIG. 3B).

The card insertion-waiting image311has an illustration312that asks the customer to insert a card, a delete key313, and a message display area314.

When a card is inserted, the identification input image321appears (FIG. 3C).

When personal identification number keys322are pressed to enter four digits on the identification input image321, the host-related transmission-reception image331appears (FIG. 3D).

At the end of transmission or reception to or from the host, the balance display image341is shown on the host-related transmission-reception image331(FIG. 3E).

The balance display image341shows the balance on its message display area343.

When the Confirm key342is depressed, the card reception-waiting image351appears (FIG. 3F). While the card reception-waiting image351is being shown, when the customer receives the medium such as a card, the transaction selection image301appears again (FIG. 3A).

Description will now be made of the method by which to realize changes of images that handle the banking transactions.

FIG. 4shows the call relations by which to realize the image contents and the screen transitions that appear on the Web-compatible ATMs102ato102n.

The manager401controls the flow of steps of each transaction.

The controller402ato402ndecides the next image from the image currently displayed and from an event that occurs in that image and causes an image switchover.

The image content404alto404nmcauses an image to be displayed and performs a process corresponding to an event.

Note that the image content404alto404nmcan be generated by using an ordinary home page generating tool.

The content part403ato403nis one process unit in a transaction, such as amount input, identification number input and putting in cash.

For example, in the amount input content part, the amount input image is displayed and the user inputs an amount of money.

If the entered sum of money is incorrect, the amount reentry image appears, and the user inputs an amount of money again. These steps occur in a set sequence.

Generally, one content part consists of a plurality of images.

FIG. 5shows how HTML files are loaded to realize the frame layout shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B.

HTML information is divided by a FRAMESET tag into child frames, one called Manager and the other called View.

The Manager frame is currently set to size 0.

FIG. 6shows a manager sheet601, in other words, an screen transition table that tabulates the processes of the manager401to execute the screen transitions in the example shown inFIGS. 3A to 3F.

The rows603, vertically stacked, are the content parts, such as “Waiting for card insertion”.

The columns604, horizontally arranged, show the events, such as the “End of process”, which occur in each content part.

The squares605show the row (line) numbers as transition destinations, which indicate what content part is the next destination when an event occurred in the content part.

If a square605is blank, this means that if the specified events have occurred in the content part, this transaction (balance inquiry in the case shown inFIG. 6) is terminated at this point.

FIG. 7is a controller sheet701, in other words, an screen transition table tabulating the processes of the controller402to execute screen transitions in the content part in the example ofFIG. 3.

The content part name702is “Waiting for card insertion” in this example.

The rows703, vertically stacked, are the images, such as the Card-insertion-waiting image1.

The column704lists the events, such as waiting for card insertion, which occur in each image.

The squares705show the row numbers as transition destinations, which indicate what content part is the next destination when an event occurred in the content part.

If a square605is blank, this means that if the specified events have occurred in the content part, this transaction (waiting for card insertion in the case ofFIG. 7) is terminated at this point.

Note that generally there are a plurality of controller sheets with respect to one manager sheet.

FIG. 7shows only one content part titled Waiting for card insertion.

FIG. 8is an screen transition program901generated from the manager sheet601, simply referred to as a manager.

FIG. 9is an screen transition program1001generated from the controller sheet701, simply referred to as a controller.

Because generally there are a number of controller sheets, there are controllers, namely, screen transition programs as many as the controller sheets.

FIG. 9shows only the CardSounyuu.asp portion of the screen transition program.

FIG. 10Ais a flowchart showing the steps for generating an screen transition program901, in other words, a manager from a manager sheet601.

At Step1101, a transaction name is obtained from a manager sheet601.

At Step1102, a file titled Manager.asp is opened to write a generated program.

At Step1103, <HTML>,<SCRIPT languag=“VBScript”> is written as a character string.

At Step1104, variable Y is set as Y=1.

At Step1105, a content part name at the line Y of the manager sheet601is obtained.

At Step1106, by referring to a dictionary sheet801, the English name of the content part obtained at Step1105is obtained.

At Step1107, <!--#INCLUDE FILE=“, the English name of the content part obtained at Step1106, asp”--> is written as a character string in a file.

At Step1108, the variable Y is incremented by 1, i.e. Y=Y+1.

At Step1109, the variable Y is compared with the number of lines of the manager sheet, and if the variable Y is smaller or equal to the number of lines, the processes from Step1105to1108are repeated.

At Step1110, <!--#INCLUDE FILE=“Shougai.asp”---> is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1111, Sub Manager (ManagerID, ContentsParts, Code) is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1112, If (Code=“Fault”) then, Shougai “Start”, “, the transaction name obtained at Step1101, ”, End if, Select Case ManagerID are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1113, Case “, the transaction name obtained at Step1101,” is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1114, Select Case ContentsParts is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1115, Case “Start” is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1116, the content part name at the first line of the manager sheet601is obtained and its English name is obtained by referring to the dictionary sheet801.

At Step1117, the English name of the content part obtained at Step1116, “Start”, “, the transaction name obtained at Step1101,” are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1118, the variable Y is set as Y=1.

At Step1119, a content part name at the line Y of the manager sheet601is obtained.

At Step1120, Case “, the content part name obtained at Step1119written as a character string in the file.

At Step1121, Select Case Code is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1122, the variable X is set as X=1.

At Step1123, the event name at the column X of the manager sheet601is obtained.

At Step1124, the transition destination, the line Y and the column X, in the manager sheet601is obtained.

At Step1125, if the transition destination obtained at Step1124is blank, the following processes from Step1126to1128are skipped.

At Step1126, Case “, the event name obtained at Step1123is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1127, the content part name at that line number of the transition destination in the manager sheet601which was obtained at Step1124is obtained, and its English name is obtained by referring to the dictionary sheet801.

At Step1128, the English name of the content part, obtained at Step1124, “Start”, the transaction name obtained at Step1101are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1129, the variable X is incremented by 1, i.e. X=X+1.

At Step1130, the variable X is compared with the number of columns of the manager sheet601and if the variable X is smaller than or equal to the number of columns, the processes from Step1123to Step1129are repeated.

At Step1131, End Select is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1132, the variable Y is incremented by 1, i.e., Y=Y+1.

At Step1133, the variable Y is compared with the number of lines of the manager sheet601, and if the variable Y is smaller or equal to the number of lines, the processes from Step1119to Step1120are repeated.

At Step1134, End Select is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1135, End Select is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1136, End Sub, </SCRIPT>, </html> are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1137, the file is closed.

FIGS. 11A and 11Bare flowcharts showing the steps for generating the screen transition program1001, in other words, the controller1001from the controller sheet701.

At Step1201, a content part name is obtained from the controller sheet701, and its English name is obtained by referring to the dictionary sheet801.

At Step1202, a file with the English content part name, obtained at Step1201and added with .asp is opened.

At Step1203, Sub, the English content part name obtained at Step1201, (Gamen Code) are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1204, Select Case Gamen is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1205, Case “Start”, Session “YobidashiManager”)=Code are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1206, the image name at the first line of the controller sheet701, and its English name is obtained by referring to the dictionary sheet801.

At Step1207, top.View.location=“, the English image name obtained at Step1206, .html” are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1208, set the variable Y=1.

At Step1209, an image name at the line Y of the controller sheet701is obtained.

At Step1210, Case “, the image name obtained at Step1209is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1211, Select Case Code is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1212, set the variable X=1.

At Step1213, an event name at the column X of the controller sheet701is obtained.

At Step1214, the transition destination, the line Y and the column X, in the controller sheet701is obtained.

At Step1215, if the transition destination obtained at Step1214is blank, the following processes from Step1126to1128are skipped.

At Step1216, Case “, the event name obtained at Step1213is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1217, the content part name at the transition destination obtained at Step1214in the manager sheet601is obtained and its English name is obtained with reference to the dictionary sheet801.

At Step1218, top.View.location=“, the English image name obtained at Step1217, html” is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1219, the variable X is incremented by 1, i.e., X=X+1.

At Step1220, the variable X is compared with the number of columns of the controller sheet17, and if the variable X is smaller than or equal to the number of columns, the processes from Step1213to1219are repeated.

At Step1221, Case Else, Top.Manager.Session (“YobidashiManager”), “, the content part name obtained at Step1201, ”, Code, End Select are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1222, the variable Y is incremented by 1, i.e., Y=Y+1.

At Step1223, the variable Y is compared with the number of lines of the controller sheet701, and if the variable Y is smaller than or equal to the number of lines, the processes from Step1209to Step1222are repeated.

At Step1224, Case Else, top.Manager.Manager Session(“YobidashiManager”), “, the content part name obtained at Step1201, , ”, Code, End Select are written as a character string in the file.

At Step1225, End Sub is written as a character string in the file.

At Step1226, the file is closed.

Description has been made of the Web-compatible ATM according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the Web-compatible ATM, and can be applied to other business systems or various kinds of information terminals.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the images and the screen transition information of the Web-compatible ATM can be generated and managed independently of each other. Therefore, it becomes possible to prepare image description files in advance and select which file to use.

Further, it becomes possible to easily control the screen transitions according to an screen transition table.

It is easy to divide work between ATM image generation and screen transition table generation.

The scope of application of the present invention is effective not only to Web-compatible ATMs but also to other business systems and various kinds of information terminals.