A data input system

Abstract: A data input system useful in a data base such as an address data management system. This data input system can reduce the number of key operation and the possibility of erroneously inputting data. This system comprises: a display means for displaying input data; a first memory for storing data displayed on the display means; a second memory for temporarily storing the displayed data; and a control means for displaying the data stored in the second memory.

Description: This invention relates to a data input system, and more particularly to a data input system which is useful in a data management system such as an address data management system. A data management system such as an address data management system has been widely employed. In an address data management system for a business purpose, for example, data on each person contain many items such as his or her name, name of company, section, post, address of the company, telephone number, etc. Hereinafter, such a set of data on one person is referred as "a personal data set". A personal data set is usually input by using a display means such as a CRT on which a format containing blank columns is displayed. These blank columns correspond respectively to each of the items in the personal data set and are arranged in a predetermined layout pattern. The contents of each item of the data set are written in a column corresponding to the item, by operating a keyboard. When all items of the personal data set have been input, a quit command is input to cease the data input operation, thereby the input data are stored in predetermined locations of a memory and the display is cleared. It is known from IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol 24 no. 9 'Column Revision Without Regard to Adjoining Columns' by K.O. Shipp, Feb '83, to copy and edit such columns thus creating new columns with similar content. In such an address data management system, it is often that a plurality of personal data sets contain the same data. For example, when inputting data on persons who work in the same company, the name and address of the company must be input for each person. In other words, the same contents must be repeatedly input for each personal data set. Hence, a prior art data input system often requires cumbersome repeated key operations, causing the possibility of erroneously inputting data to increase. Telefacsimile (telefax) apparatus (telecopiers) are widely used today. In most address data management systems, therefore, a telefax number is also input in addition to a telephone number. Usually, the out-of-town exchange number of a telefax number is same as that of the telephone. In such an address data management system, however, the out-of-town exchange number of a telefax number must be input even when the same number has been input as a part of the telephone number. In this way, a conventional data input system has a drawback in that the same data rust be input many times. In accordance with a first aspect of this invention, which aims to overcome the above-discussed and numerous other disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art, a data input system comprises a data input means; a display means for displaying a data set including data items, said data set being input through said data input means by an operator, and for displaying sequentially a plurality of images for inputting data, the plurality of images for inputting data including a plurality of areas for displaying data items, the display means displaying inputted data in the plurality of areas corresponding to the inputted data; and a means for displaying an inputted data set on a selected area on said display means as at least a part of another data set, when the other data set contains a data item of a predetermined type. Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the objectives of: (1) to provide a data input system which can reduce the necessity of inputting repeatedly the same data, (2) to provide a data input system which can decrease the burden of an operator; (3) to provide a data input system which is easy to operate, (4) to provide a data input system which can decrease the number of key operations; (5) to provide a data input system which can eliminate the possibility of erroneously inputting data; and (6) to provide a data management system which can easily retrieve desired data. By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a data input system according to the invention. Figure 2 is a flow chart of the system of Fig. 1. Figure 3A to 3C show the format for inputting data in the system of Fig. 1. Figures 4A and 4B show the flow of retrieving data in the system of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a block diagram of another data input system according to the invention. Figures 6A to 6C show the format for inputting data in the system of Fig. 5. Figures 7 to 9 show the flow charts of inputting data in the system of Fig. 5. A data input system according to the invention is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1. The system of Fig. 1 is a data input system for an address data management system, and comprises: a main control unit 1 for controlling the system as a whole; an input unit 2 such as a keyboard for inputting data; a display unit 3 such as a CRT or LCD for displaying data; and a print unit 4 which produces a hard copy of data. The input unit 2 , display unit 3 and print unit 4 are connected to the main control unit 1 . To the main control unit 1, also connected is an address data control unit 5 which controls, under the control of the main control unit 1 , the processes (display, print, input, etc.) for address data. Three memory devices, an address data memory 6 , an input data temporary memory 7 and an input data memory 8 are connected to the address data control unit 5 . Upon starting this system, the address control unit 5 fetches a part of address data stored in the address data memory 6 , to display them in a list format as shown in Fig. 3A. When a function key F7 (INPUT) is pressed, the operation enters into the input mode. In the input mode, as shown in Fig. 3B, a window W is opened on a display 3 to display items of data and blank columns which are to be filled, and the functions of the function keys on a keyboard 2 are changed as indicated in the lower portion of the display 3 . The contents of each items are entered through the keyboard 2 into the blank columns. The reference C designates a cursor. The flow of the data input mode in this system will be described with reference to Fig. 2. As mentioned above, the window W is opened (step 21 ), then the system awaits a key operation (step 22 ). Depending upon the kind of a key operated, the following processes are conducted. (a) When an alphanumeric key is pressed: Conventional processes are performed to process character signals from the keyboard 2 (step 24 ) so that input data are stored in the input data memory 8 (step 25 ). The contents of the input data memory 8 are displayed (step 26 ), and then the operation returns to step 22. (b) When a function key F6 (END) is pressed: The contents of the input data memory 8 are stored in the input data temporary memory 7 and address data memory 6 (steps 28 and 29 ). The input data memory 8 is cleared (step 30 ) to cease the data input mode. (c) When a function key F11 (NEXT) is pressed: The contents of the input data memory 8 are stored in the input data temporary memory 7 and address data memory 6 (steps 37 and 38 ). The input data memory 8 is cleared, and the contents of the memory 8 are displayed (steps 39 and 40 ). Namely, the state of the display 3 becomes as shown in Fig. 3B to display no data. Thereafter, the operation returns to step 22 . (d) When a function key F10 (DITTO) is pressed: The main control unit 1 judges whether the input data memory 8 contains input data or not (step 32 ). When input data are stored in the input data memory 8 , an alarm is sounded (step 41 ) to prevent the input data from being erroneously erased, and then the operation returns to step 22 . When the input data memory 8 contains no input data, a further judgement whether the input data temporary memory 7 contains data or not is conducted (step 33 ). When no data are stored in the input data temporary memory 7 , an alarm is sounded (step 41 ), and then the operation returns to step 22 . When the input data temporary memory 7 contains data, the data are transferred to the input data memory 8 (step 34 ). The contents of the input data memory 8 are displayed (step 35 ), and the operation returns to step 22. Figure 3C illustrates the display 3 in the case that the data for Mr. Ampere have been input just before. In order to complete another personal data set, therefore, it is sufficient for the operator to input only the data contents which are different from those displayed at present on the display 3 . The operation in the data input mode is conducted as follows: The data on the person are entered. When data on only one person are to be entered, the END key F6 is pressed to cease the data input mode. When data on two or more persons are to be entered, the NEXT key F11 is pressed so that the display 3 becomes as shown in Fig. 3B. The data on the second person can be input through the keyboard 2 . In the case where the data on the first person and those on the second person have common data, the display 3 is changed, by pressing the DITTO key F10, as shown in Fig. 3C to show the personal data set of the preceding person (i.e., the first person). Among the data displayed in the window W , only those items which are not common to both the first and second persons are changed to complete the personal data set for the second person. Then, the END key F6 is pressed. As described above, the data which are transferred from the input data temporary memory 7 to the input data memory 8 by the operation of the DITTO key F10 are those which have been transferred from the input data memory 8 by the operation of the END key F6 or NEXT key F11 (namely, a personal data set which have been input and stored in the address data memory 6 immediately before). When personal data sets on two or more persons who work in the same company are to be entered sequentially, the input operation of data for some items such as the name, address and telephone number of the company can be eliminated in the data input for the second or later person, thereby increasing the efficiency of the data input. The system of Fig. 1 has a data retrieving function by which one or more personal data sets satisfying given retrieval condition can be searched from stored personal data sets. The operation of the data retrieval will be described with reference to Figs. 4A and 4B . Hereinafter, a data group which is to be subjected to the retrieval is referred as "data group A". In the first stage, all the data stored in the address data memory 6 belong to the data group A. A conditional expression for retrieval is entered (step 42 ) to start a retrieval routine (step 43 ). Figure 4B illustrates the flow in the retrieval routine. A datum in the data group A is judged whether it satisfies the condition or not (step 46 ). If the datum satisfies the condition, it is set as a retrieval result (step 47 ). These processes are repeated until all data in group A are treated. Then, the obtained retrieval results are displayed (step 49 ). When the retrieval routine is finished, the operator is requested to decide whether the retrieval is to be continued or not (step 44 ). When the obtained retrieval results are not sufficiently narrowed, an instruction for conducting a new retrieval process with data group A based on the obtained retrieval results may be input through the keyboard 2 so that the operation returns to step 42 (steps 44 and 45 ). In step 42 , an additional retrieval condition is entered to make the range of the retrieved data sufficiently narrow. As seen from the above, this system can easily retrieve data step by step using a complicated condition such as "P and Q and R". In the prior art, since a retrieval operation is conducted against data group A which is the same as that used in the preceding retrieval operation, it is impossible to retrieve data step by step. Figure 5 illustrates another data input system according to the invention. The system of Fig. 5 also is the one for an address data management system. In the same way as the system of Fig. 1, the system of Fig. 5 comprises a main control unit 51 to which an input unit 52, a display unit 53 , a print unit 54 , and an address data control unit 55 are connected. To the address data control unit 55, connected are an address data memory 56 storing all address data, an address data buffer 57 , and a screen format memory 58 storing formats for screen display. When address data are input using this system, the display unit 53 displays an input format in the window W as shown in Fig. 6A . The items of a personal data set include a telephone number (column 61 ) and a telefax number (column 62 ). Figure 6B shows the input format in the state wherein a telephone number has been input in the column 61 . The cursor C is displayed immediately after the telephone number. In the telephone number, the out-of-town exchange number "06" and the in-town exchange number "123" are separated from each other by a hyphen. Figure 7 shows the flow of inputting a telephone number and a telefax number. The telephone number is input (step 71 ), and then checked to see whether a hyphen is contained in the input telephone number (step 72 ). When at least one hyphen is contained, the telephone number is checked further to see whether it includes an out-of-town exchange number or not (step 73 ). This check may be done by searching a sequence of numerals which exists before the first hyphen in the questioned telephone number and begins with zero. When the input telephone number contains an out-of-town exchange number, the out-of-town exchange number "06" is stored in the address data buffer 57 (step 74 ). When the input telephone number does not contain a hyphen or an out-of-town exchange number, the address data buffer is cleared (step 75 ). When the cursor C is moved from the column 61 (telephone number) to the column 62 (telefax number), the processes shown in Fig. 8 are conducted. The system detects in step 81 that the cursor C has moved to the column 62 , and checks in step 82 to see whether the address data buffer 57 is in the cleared state or not. When the address data buffer 57 is in the cleared state, the cursor C is moved to the top position in the column 62 to prompt the input of all the numerals of the telefax number (step 86 ). When the address data buffer 57 is not in the cleared state, the contents "06" of the address data buffer 57 are displayed at the top portion of the column 62 , as the out-of-town exchange number of the telefax number, and the cursor C is moved behind the out-of-town exchange number "06" in the column 62 (steps 83 and 84 ) so that the operator can input the remaining numerals of the telefax number through the input unit 52 (Fig. 6C). If the telefax number and the telephone number have a common out-of-town exchange number, therefore, it is unnecessary to input twice the common out-of-town exchange number, resulting in reducing the number of input operations. When the cursor C has moved to a column 63 (zip code) which is positioned after the column 62 (telefax number), the processes shown in Fig. 9 are conducted. The system checks whether the column 62 contains only the out-of-town exchange number or not (step 92 ). If the column 62 contains only the out-of-town exchange number, the system judges that a telefax number has not ben input, and clears the contents of the column 62 from the display 53 (step 93 ). When it is not required to input a telefax, hence, the system can proceed to the step of inputting a zip code into the column 63 , only by moving the cursor C from the column 62 to the column 63. The present invention has been described as related to the systems for an address data management system, it is believed obvious that the invention is applicable to data management systems of other kinds. Moreover, it will be easily understood to a person skilled in the art that the above-described two systems can be combined. It is understood that various other modifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope as defined by the claims of this invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims appended hereto be limited to the description as set forth herein, but rather that the claims encompass all the features of patentable novelty that reside in the present invention.

Claims: A data management system comprising: a data input means; a display means for displaying a data set including data items, said data set being input through said data input means by an operator, and for displaying sequentially a plurality of images for inputting data, the plurality of images for inputting data including a plurality of areas for displaying data sets, the display means displaying inputted data in the plurality of areas corresponding to the inputted data; and a means for displaying an inputted data set on a selected area on said display means as at least a part of another data set, when the other data set contains a data item of a predetermined type. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises: a determination means for determining whether a data item among said data set displayed on the areas for displaying data sets on said display means contains a data string of a predetermined type or not; and wherein the display means displays the plurality of images for inputting data including a plurality of areas for displaying data items; the means for displaying including a control means for displaying said data string on one of the areas of the selected areas of said display means as at least a part of the contents of the data item in said data set other than said predetermined data item, when said determination means determines that said predetermined data item contains said data string of said predetermined type, and when other areas are selected on which the inputted data sets are displayed. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said system further comprises a retrieval means for retrieving one or more data sets selected from a plurality of data sets stored in a first memory means according to a predetermined criteria thereby forming a first group of data sets, and for retrieving one or more data sets selected from said first group according to another predetermined criteria to form a second group of data sets. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a first memory means for storing data including a plurality of data sets; a data input means; a second memory means for storing a data set input through said data input means by an operator, said display means displaying the contents of said second memory means; a third memory means; a first processing means for storing the contents of said second memory means into said first memory means as a first data set and into said third memory means in response to a first operation of said data input means, said first processing means being operatively connected to said first to third memory means; a second processing means for transferring the contents of said third memory means to said second memory means in response to a second operation of said data input means, said second processing means operatively connected to said second and third memory means; means for editing and storing the contents of said second memory means after said second operation to form a second data set which is stored in said first memory means without affecting the contents of said first data set; and means for erasing an image of inputted data sets on the plurality of areas of the display means, and displaying transferred data into the second memory means on the plurality of areas corresponding to the transferred data in a case that inputted data in the third memory means are transferred into the second memory means. A system according to claim 4, wherein said system further comprises a retrieval means for retrieving one or more data sets selected from a plurality of data sets stored in said first memory means according to a predetermined criteria thereby forming a first group of data sets, and for retrieving one or more data sets selected from said first group according to another predetermined criteria to form a second group of data sets. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a first memory means for storing data including a plurality of data sets, a data input means, a second memory means for storing a data set input through said data input means by an operator, said display means displaying the contents of said second memory means including said data set stored therein; a third memory means; a first processing means for storing the contents of said second memory means into said first memory means and said third memory means in response to an operation of said data input means, said first processing means operatively connected to said first to third memory means; a second processing means for transferring the contents of said third memory means to said second memory means in response to an operation of said data input means, and second processing means operatively connected to said second and third memory means; a determination means for determining whether a data item among said data set displayed on the areas for displaying data sets on said display means contains a data string of a predetermined type or not; and a control means for displaying said data string on one of the areas of the selected areas of said display means as at least a part of the contents of a data item other than said predetermined data item, when said determination means determines that said predetermined data item contains said data string of said predetermined type, and when other areas are selected on which the inputted data items are displayed. A system according to claim 6, wherein said system further comprises a retrieval means for retrieving one or more data sets selected from said plurality of data sets stored in said first memory means according to a predetermined criteria thereby forming a first group of data sets, and for retrieving one or more data sets selected from said first group according to another predetermined criteria to form a second group of data sets. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises data input means for entering data sets including data items and a first memory for storing said data sets, the data management system further comprising: a second memory connected to said data input means for receiving and storing entered data items of said data sets entered at said data input means, said display means displaying data information stored in said second memory; a third memory for temporarily storing said entered data items; control input means for entering control information including at least a repeat control signal and an enter control signal for controlling data transfers to said first, second and third memories; first processing means interconnecting said second memory with said first and said third memory for transferring data items stored in said second memory to said first memory to store as a first data set and to said third memory, in response to receiving said enter control signal from said control input means; second processing means interconnecting said third memory with said second memory for transferring data items stored in said third memory to said second memory in response to receiving said repeat control signal from said control input means; means for editing and storing the contents of said second memory after said response to said repeat control signal to form a second data set which is stored in said first memory without affecting the contents of said first data set; and means for erasing the image of inputted data sets on the plurality of areas of the display means, and displaying transferred data into the second memory means on the plurality of areas corresponding to the transferred data in a case that inputted data in the third memory means are transferred into the second memory means. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a first memory for storing a plurality of data sets each including data items, data input means for entering said data set including said data items, at least some of said data items comprising data elements including selected data elements, a second memory for storing input data forming all or part of an input data set, said display means displaying said input data stored in said second memory; a third memory for temporarily storing said input data, said input data including said selected data elements transferred from said third memory; control input means for entering control information including at least a control signal for controlling data transfers to said first, second and third memories; first processing means for transferring said input data stored in said second memory to said first memory in response to receiving said control signal from said control input means; second processing means including means for detecting the presence of selected data elements stored in said second memory prior to said first processing means effecting said transfer, and for copying one or more of said data items from said second memory to said third memory if said selected data elements have been detected in said second memory, and for clearing said third memory if said selected data elements have not been detected in said second memory; and third processing means for scanning said data items copied to said third memory by said second processing means, and for transferring said data item or items from said third memory to said second memory prior to said first processing means effecting said transfer. A data management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said third processing means transfer said data items from said third memory to a location in said second memory corresponding to a different data item.

Inventors: HIRANO KENJI, KAKUDA KIYOSHI, KITAMURA KOZO, KURATA MASAAKI, TANAKA JUNJI, YANARU HIROFUMI, HIRANO, KENJI, KAKUDA, KIYOSHI, KITAMURA, KOZO, KURATA, MASAAKI, TANAKA, JUNJI, YANARU, HIROFUMI
Applicants: SHARP KK, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G06F3
IPC codes: G06F17, H03M11, G06F3