History content representation system for information processors

Abstract: In an information processor which manages operational history data or status data to revert an application back to any desired point in the past or make use of the past operations, an interface screen 1 has thereon cards 2 as an object which is manipulated by the user to make use of the history, and the contents of the history are represented, while the order of said cards 2 being put one upon another is associated with the time series of the history. A card representation is provided on the screen presented by the application to the user at any point in the past, or the screen to provide a card representation is defined by images which display alternately screen representations before and after a change in the application screen by the operation performed by the user at any point in the past, while the before- and after-change representations are displayed for different periods of time. A tag 5 to be provided to the card is incorporated in the interface screen, and objects of stacks 3 and 4, which are a location where a bundle of cards arranged according to the time series of the card history is placed and to which instructions as to an user's operation performed on said card bundle are inputted, are incorporated on the user's interface screen. The stack 3 cooperates with the application, letting the application execute an operational history corresponding to a card sequence on said stack and the results be represented on said cards, and the card sequence is inserted into the stack cooperative with the application, thereby letting the application execute the operational history.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a history content representation system for information processors, which incorporates editing functions and enables operational histories to be managed to revert applications back to any desired point in the past or make effective use of the past operations. So far, systems creating a character string of programs or data or documents, patterns, images or sounds have incorporated editing functions for shift, insertion, deletion, substitution, and so on. For making effective use of the past operations done by users or reverting current applications back to any point in the past in using these editing capabilities, undo/redo and history functions have been used in the art. These are designed to revert patterns back to any desired point in the past or output the command sequence the user typed in a history list format, enabling the user to reexecute any desired one of the commands for reuse. An exemple is described in JP-A-60-130 789. For instance, one example of systems so far designed as graphical user interfaces is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. This system is designed to be capable of making use of the history of edited text. As shown in Fig. 1A, a text history data block 51 incorporates the function capable of managing the history data of edited text and, for instance, has such internal data as mentioned below: Insertion "Line (0,0) - (10,10)" Deletion "Circle (Center: 5,5; Radius: 3)" ····· ····· A text-processing block 52 incorporates the function of creating, deleting and otherwise processing text and, for instance, has internal data regarding text such as one mentioned below: Insertion "Line (0,0) - (10,10)" Deletion "Circle (Center: 5,5; Radius: 3)" And a control block 53 incorporates the function of interpreting and executing a user's operations, displaying the results of execution, and so on. When making use of operational history with the system mentioned above, the user issues instructions to output a history list, and the application side responds to them, displaying the results of execution, as typically shown in Fig. 1B, and giving the following history list in a character string: 1. Insertion "Circle (Center: 10,10; Radius: 3)" 2. Insertion "Circle (Center: 20,10; Radius: 3)" ( 3. Insertion "Circle (Center: 20,20; Radius: 3)" 4. ····· 5. ····· 6. ····· 7. Insertion "Character" Element: A" " ····· 12.Insertion "Character" Element: F"" Then, as the user types "Reexecution 1", the application responds to this, executing 1. Insertion "Circle (Center: 10,10; Radius: 3)" of the operational history. In order to correct an error and redo the application, the user issues the revert command before one point of time. The application side responds to this, executing Deletion "Character" Element: F" from the latest operation of the operational history 12 Insertion "Character" Element: F", and adding to the operational history 13. Deletion "Character" Element: F". By repeatedly issuing the revert commands before one point of time in the manner mentioned above, the user reverts the application back to where errors have occurred. For redoing the application, the user is let select pertinent operation from a character string of the operational history and execute it or, in the alternative, the user herself or himself is let retype commands. In the conventional systems, however, correcting a part of the past has to be achieved by reverting the application back to where to be corrected and redoing whatever is required from there; that is, the user has to perform the same operations. A problem with displaying the operational history list, as shown in Fig. 1B, is that it is awkward to the user, because the user must discriminate the operations on the screen presenting the user with the results of execution by making comparison between the history list and the results of execution. Another problem is that it is unable to edit a plurality of command histories. Needed for reusing operational history or reverting an application back to any point in the past is a method of presenting the user with history, which is easy not only to understand but to handle as well. However, conventional applications incorporating graphical interfaces such as depicting applications teach nothing as to how to effectively present users with the contents of history. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to built a user interface which makes it easy for a user to understand and handle the histories of applications and operations done by the user, both stored in a computer. In order to accomplish the object mentioned above, the invention provides a processing history content representation method for use in an information processing system, said method comprising the step of: a) displaying an operational history, based on history data and status data, which are maintained in said information processing system in connection with an application being implemented, thereby enabling a user to restore application status to a past status or to utilize a past user manipulation, characterized in that step a) comprises the step of: al) displaying said operational history in the form of a bundle of cards, arranged one upon another in accordance with the time sequence of said operational history, such cards further constituting operational objects enabling the user to utilize said operational history, and said method further comprises the steps of: b) displaying a tag on said screen, said tag being adapted to enable the user to designate a selected card in said bundle, and, upon designation of a card with said tag by the user: b1) displaying the card designated by the tag, with the displayed card comprising a past application screen, as presented by the application to the user, b2) selectively flashing the changing portion of said application screen, due to the user operation corresponding to said designated card, while repeatedly alternating between the screen display before and after the user operation corresponding to said designated card. Preferably flashing of step b2) has different durations, depending upon whether the changing portion is shown after the change of said application screen, or before the change of said application screen. Preferably step al) comprises arranging said bundle of cards as a stack on the screen, said stack being an object where user's operational instruction to said bundle of cards is inputted. Preferably the stack is interlocked with the application, and step al) comprises executing said operational history in correspondence with the stacking order of the bundle of cards, and displaying the result on said stack. Preferably step al) comprises inserting a card corresponding to an operation of the operational history into said stack interlocked with the application. Preferably a history content representation method further comprises the steps of: c1) providing a further tag for temporarily stopping execution of said operational history on the screen, and c2) displaying a card provided with the tag on the screen. Preferably a history content representation method further comprises the following steps, operable when an error message or an alarm message is outputted from said application: d1) providing a further tag for temporarily stopping execution of said operational history and for indicating on the screen that said message has been outputted from the application, and d2) displaying a card provided with said tag on the screen. According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a processing history content representation system for use in an information processing system having means adapted for maintaining operational history data and status data, enabling to restore the application status to a past status and/or to utilize a past operation, said system comprises: a user interface block, for interpreting user operations and controlling display on the screen, a status data control block for controlling status data necessary for restoring the past status of the application; an operational history control block for controlling operational history data of the user; and an application block operated according to user operation inputted via the user interface block and operation data from the operational history control block, and for outputting display image through said user interface block, characterized in that said user interface block is a card type interface block, adapted for maintaining card display data corresponding to the operational history, and capable of displaying a card on the screen as an object of operation of history utilisation of the user, using image display data from said application block to show operational history corresponding to each of the operation data in a sequential presentation on the screen, based on each operation data, and further capable of displaying on said screen an history content, in which the order of stacking of the cards is matched to the time sequence of the operational history, in that said system has a normal operation mode in which the operation data of the user is sent from the card type interface block to the application block and operational history control block, while display image data displayed on the interface screen is sent to the card type interface block from said application block, and data necessary for restoring the past status of the application is maintained,in that said system has a revert-to-past mode in which, pursuant to the input to the card type interface block of a control instruction data, selecting a card at a designated time of restoration, corresponding status data of said application is inputted to the application block from the status data control block, based on request from said card type interface block, and in that said system has an operational history mode in which, pursuant to the input to the card type interface block of a control instruction data to re-utilize the designated operational history, the operational history block is inputted from said operational history control block to the application block based on a request from the card type interface block, while a display image data is presented to the interface screen via the card type interface block from said application block. By locating the bundle of cards arranged according to the time series of history within the stack, order is created on the interface screen, making it easy for the user to have an understanding of the contents of what is displayed on the interface screen, and by defining operating a plurality of card bundles as being tantamount to operating the stack, stack, the user's operation on the card bundles is made easy. By stacking cards corresponding to operational history with respect to the stack in operative association with the application, the contents of operations contained in the operational history can be easily provided to the application. Furthermore, since the card is provided with a tag, it is easy to draw a particular card from the card bundle. It is also possible to pause the execution of the operational history corresponding to the tagged card or pause the application so as to have the user confirm on whether or not the application is to be continued. This pausing makes it possible to input an operation different from the operational history to be reused in the course of inputting the operational history to the application, or enables the user to confirm a message from the application and perform pertinent input operation on the application. Still objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification. The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 represents an example of the prior art system construction designed to make use of the edit history of text, FIGURE 2 illustrates one embodiment of the history content representation system according to the invention, FIGURE 3 illustrates an example of repeatedly using the operational history for depicting, FIGURE 4 illustrates an example of performing the same operation on a plurality of files, using the operational history, FIGURE 5 illustrates one embodiment of the construction of the history content representation system according to the invention, and FIGURE 6 illustrates a processing flow through the data processor. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Fig. 2, a history window 1 is a user interface screen for making use of history, enabling the user to revert an application back to any point in the past and reuse the operation input by the user. This interface screen has cards 2 and stacks 3 and 4 as objects which are manipulated by the user to make use of history. The cards 2 present the user with the contents of history, while the order of the cards being put one upon another is let correspond to time series, one card associated with one operational history. The unit of operational histories is optimized every application, taking the user's work into consideration. The stack 3, to which instructions as to the operation to be performed by the user on a bundle of cards are inputted, incorporates the function of cooperating with an application, letting the application execute an operational history corresponding to a card sequence and allowing the result to be represented by a card. Thus, the leading card of the stack 3 represents the results of the operation sequence of all the card sequence on the stack, which is given to the application. The stack 4 is a location where the bundle of cards 2 arranged according to the time series of history is placed. The cards on this stack 4 are copies obtained from the stack 3, and are represented, as is the case where the stack 3 is copied. For card representation, the states before and after an operation corresponding to the card is given to an application are alternately displayed, as shown in Fig. 2A. Discriminating between the before- and after-states easily, for instance, is achieved by making the display time of the latter twice as long as that of the former. Accordingly, some flickering area of the card represents a change by the operation and the rest shows the state where the operation have been done. In order to manipulate the card bundle, for instance, a mouse cursor is first located at the edge of the card, as shown in Fig. 2C. Then, the mouse is moved (or otherwise dragged), while pressing the mouse buttons, so that the underlying card can be horizontally drawn out of the card stack in association with mouse movements. This enables the user to see the underlying card easily and so confirm the past state of the application and the past operations easily. Because the cards are put up in a bundle, only with the use of the dragging movements mentioned above, many manipulations are needed to find out the desired card from the card bundle and perform another operation on that card. As means for allowing the user to find out the desired card from the card bundle and see it easily, there is provided a tag 5 that is movable with the card 2 on the interface screen. As this tag 5 is dragged, the card 2 is moved correspondingly, so that the user can easily draw the desired card from the card bundle. This tag 5 may also serve as a pause tag 6 allowing the execution of operational history corresponding to the card to be paused. Besides, it may be designed as a message tag 7, which lets the execution of operational history be paused with the card corresponding to the point of time when an error or warning message is produced from the application, indicating that the message has been produced from the application. The computer can present the user with operational history data at each point in time by representing the card 2 corresponding to history at each point in time on the interface screen, while the user can move the card 2 with the mouse to give the computer instructions as to what processing is to be performed on the history data. Here, in what order the cards 2 are put one upon another is defined as in what order the user reuses operational histories. Then, as shown in Figs. 2D and 2E, it is possible to indicate in what order the user reuses the operational histories by editing how the cards 2 are put one upon another and give the computer instructions as to where to revert the application by offering a selection of the cards 2. In what follows, this invention will be explained with reference to a more specific example of operation. As an example, now consider the case where a circle is depicted for duplication, characters are then entered in each duplicated circle, and each circle is finally transformed to a rectangle with or without round corners for viewing. In this case, for instance, the user manipulates the mouse to select a symbol " " from within a tool box as shown in Fig. 3A, depicting a circle. A card corresponding to these operations is created. Subsequently, the user moves the mouse cursor over "Edition" in a pull-down menu area, as shown in Fig. 3B, and clicks on it to display an edition menu, from which the duplication function is selected to prepare a circle duplicate and locate it in place. Again, a new card'is created. Moreover, the user selects a letter "A" from within the tool box, as shown in Fig. 3C, and then types letters "Element: A", "Element: B", ··· in the circles. Still again, a new card is created to form a basic format. Then, each circle is transformed to a rectangle. To do this, as shown in Fig. 3D, the underlying card is withdrawn to look for a card corresponding to the operation which the user wants to change and the first card which has selected circle depicting. Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 3E, the circle depicting selection is changed to the rectangle depicting selection, and the card is returned to the original location after tagging. This lets the applications be operatively associated with each other, so that the results of having transformed circles to rectangles can be reflected on the overlying card, as shown in Fig. 3F. In addition, as shown in Fig. 3G, the tagged card is withdrawn to change the rectangle depicting selection to the rectangle-with-round-corners depicting selection, and is then returned to the original location. In consequence, the results of having transformed rectangles into rectangles-with-round-corners can now be reflected on the overlying card. In the ensuing description, reference will be made to an example wherein operations of underlining letters are repeatedly used and executed on a plurality of files which have already been saved. First, as the mouse cursor is moved over "Edition" in the pull-down menu area and clicked on, the edition menu appears, triggering file reading, as shown in Fig. 4A, typing "Figure 1" as a file name and tagging the card with "Pause" through the history window menu. Then, as "OK" is clicked on, "Figure 1" is read in, as shown in Fig. 4B. Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 4C, the underline is selected from the font menu, each letter is underlined, as shown in Fig. 4D and the menu "File Save" is accessed, as shown in Fig. 4E, for saving. For the above operational histories to be used for "Figure 2 and "Figure 3" as well, all cards from the the card tagged with "Pause" to the leading card are copied in the history stack, as shown in Fig. 4F. As the stacks are put one upon the other and the operational histories corresponding to the card are inserted, pausing takes place at the card tagged with "Pause", as shown in Fig. 4G. Then, as the insertion pause is released by changing the file name to "Figure 2", as shown in Fig. 4H, the operational histories corresponding to the remaining cards are executed, as shown in Fig. 4I. In consequence, "Figure 1" in which "Element: A" is connected to its adjacent "Element:B" is underlined, while "Figure 2" in which "Element: A" is cross-connected to "Element:F" is underlined. Then, consider the case where the stacks are put one upon the other and the operational histories corresponding to the cards are again inserted to perform similar operations on the file name of "Figure 3". Here, assume that as shown in Fig. 4J, "Figure 33" is accidentally typed in as the file name. Then, an error check message is sent out due to the absence of the indicated file name, as shown in Fig. 4K, providing the card with a message tag. In this case, the card corresponding to the accidentally inputted operation is deleted to change the file name to "Figure 3", as shown in Fig. 4L, so that the operational histories can be used as well. Referring now to Fig. 5, a data processor 11 includes a card type interface block 16, an application block 18, a status data management block 17 and an operational history management block 19, and is connected to a mouse 14 and a keyboard 15 with which the user sends commands, etc. to the system, a display 13 which presents the user with input menus and processed results or other data, and a storage device 12 which stores processed data or other necessary data. And as the user manipulates the mouse 14 or the keyboard 15, the data processor 11 interprets the operations done by the user to process the data, manages displays on the screen of the display 13, manage status data and operational history data stored in the storage device 12 and holds card representation data. The card type interface block 16 in the data processor 11 interprets the user's operations to control each block, holds card representation data corresponding to histories and manages representations displayed on the screen. The application block 18 operates following the user's operations inputted through the card type interface block 16 and operation data coming from the operational history management block 19, and sends images displayed on the screen after its operation to the card type interface block 16. The operational history management block 19 manages the data of the user's operational histories, and sends the operational history data to the application block 18 on demand from the card type interface block 16. The status data management block 17 manages the status data required for reverting a current application back to any point in the past, and sends the status data to the application block 18 on demand from the card type interface block 16. A processing through the data processor will now be explained with reference to Fig. 6. When it operates normally, the user's operation data is sent from the card type interface block 16 to the application and operational history management blocks 18 and 19. Then, the image data displayed on the application block 18 is sent to the card type interface block 16, and the status data of the application is sent to the status data management block 17. In order to revert the application back to any point in the past, control instruction data is sent from the card type interface block 16 to each block and the status data of the application is sent from the status data management block 17 to the application block 18, as shown in Fig. 6C. In order to give the operational history to the application, control instructions are sent from the card type interface block 16 to each block and the operational history data is sent from the operational history management block 19 to the application block 18, as shown in Fig. 6D. In addition, the image data displayed on the application block 18 is sent from it to the card type interface block 16 and the status data of the application is sent to the status data management block 17. Referring to a processing flow through the application block 18, it receives, interprets and execute the user's operations and updates the data displayed, as can be best seen from Fig. 6E. Here, a value at a point of time A is regarded as the status data. Given this status data, the status data of the application block 18 is a set of data capable of reverting the application back to the point A. And this status data is understood to include data of text, parameters or attribute data relating to text edition, flags and other data required for internal control of the application program, management data concerning computer resources, management data regarding display, and so on. As has been explained above, according to the present invention wherein the user is presented with history data with visual objects, that are cards, appearing on the interface screen, it is possible for the user to have a ready understanding of the history contents and provide easy determination of to which point in the past the application is reverted back and in what order the operational histories are used. In addition, since the image displayed on the card is that the user saw through the application operations in the past and before-and-after flickering card representations allow the user to easily cognize and understand portions that change by the past flow of processing or operations and the contents of operations, the user can give the computer more pertinent instructions as to the operational history. Managing the card bundle by the stacks makes it possible to perform operations on a plurality of operational histories and it easy to reuse the operational histories. In addition, tagging the cards makes it easy to have access to the desired card in the card bundle or rearrange the card bundle. Besides, when the user reuses a plurality of operational histories and inputs them to an application, the user can use the tag to give the computer an input pause command, thereby inputting to the application an operation different from the operational histories reused. Thus, not only can a simple operational history be reused, but also the operational history and a user's new operation can be given to the application, enabling the user to use the operational history more flexibly. When reusing a plurality of operational histories and inputting them to the application, an exclusive tag corresponding to an application output message is provided to the card. This makes it easy for the user to confirm the message from the application. Besides, such as when it is required to have the user confirm whether or not the application is to be continued, the application is let pause the inputting of the operational history thereto, informing the user of the content, so that the user can confirm it and perform pertinent input operation on the application. This makes it easy to guide the application to the result demanded by the user. Thus, even when wrong operational history is inserted in reusing the operational history, it is easy to correct that error and obtain the desired result. Since the system manages status data and operational history data, it is possible to revert the application back to any point in the past and input the operations inputted by the user in the past to the application.

Claims: A processing history content representation method for use in an information processing system, said method comprising the step of: a) displaying an operational history, based on history data (19) and status data (17), which are maintained in said information processing system in connection with an application (18) being implemented, thereby enabling a user to restore application status to a past status or to utilize a past user manipulation, characterized in that step a) comprises the step of: a1) displaying said operational history in the form of a bundle of cards (3;4), arranged one upon another in accordance with the time sequence of said operational history, such cards further constituting operational objects enabling the user to utilize said operational history, and said method further comprises the steps of: b) displaying a tag (5) on said screen, said tag being adapted to enable the user to designate a selected card in said bundle, and, upon designation of a card with said tag by the user: b1) displaying the card (3;4) designated by the tag, with the displayed card comprising a past application screen, as presented by the application to the user, b2) selectively flashing the changing portion of said application screen, due to the user operation corresponding to said designated card, while repeatedly alternating between the screen display before and after the user operation corresponding to said designated card. A processing history content representation method according to claim 1, wherein said flashing of step b2) has different durations, depending upon whether the changing portion is shown after the change of said application screen, or before the change of said application screen. A processing history content representation method according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein step a1) comprises arranging said bundle of cards as a stack (3;4) on the screen, said stack being an object where user's operational instruction to said bundle of cards is inputted. A processing history content representation method according to claim 3, wherein said stack is interlocked with the application, and step a1) comprises executing said operational history in correspondence with the stacking order of the bundle of cards, and displaying the result on said stack. A processing history content representation method according to claim 4, wherein step a1) comprises inserting a card corresponding to an operation of the operational history into said stack interlocked with the application. A processing history content representation method according to any of claims 4 and 5, further comprising the steps of: c1) providing a further tag (6) for temporarily stopping execution of said operational history on the screen, and c2) displaying a card provided with said tag (6) on the screen. A processing history content representation method according to any of claims 4 and 5, further comprising the following steps, operable when an error message or an alarm message is outputted from said application: d1) providing a further tag (7) for temporarily stopping execution of said operational history and for indicating on the screen that said message has been outputted from the application, and d2) displaying a card provided with said tag (7) on the screen. A processing history content representation system for use in an information processing system having means adapted for maintaining operational history data (19) and status data (17), enabling to restore the application status to a past status and/or to utilize a past operation, said system comprising: a user interface block (16), for interpreting user operations (14,15) and controlling display on the screen (13), a status data control block (17) for controlling status data necessary for restoring the past status of the application; an operational history control block (19) for controlling operational history data of the user; and an application block (18) operated according to user operation inputted via the user interface block and operation data from the operational history control block, and for outputting display image through said user interface block, characterized in that said user interface block is a card type interface block (16), adapted for maintaining card display data corresponding to the operational history, and capable of displaying a card on the screen as an object of operation of history utilisation of the user, using image display data from said application block to show operational history corresponding to each of the operation data in a sequential presentation on the screen, based on each operation data, and further capable of displaying on said screen an history content, in which the order of stacking of the cards is matched to the time sequence of the operational history, in that said system has a normal operation mode in which the operation data of the user is sent from the card type interface block (16) to the application block (18) and operational history control block (19), while display image data displayed on the interface screen is sent to the card type interface block (16) from said application block (18), and data necessary for restoring the past status of the application is maintained (17), in that said system has a revert-to-past mode in which, pursuant to the input to the card type interface block (16) of a control instruction data, selecting a card at a designated time of restoration, corresponding status data of said application is inputted to the application block (18) from the status data control block (17), based on request from said card type interface block, and in that said system has an operational history mode in which, pursuant to the input to the card type interface block (16) of a control instruction data to re-utilize the designated operational history, the operational history block is inputted from said operational history control block (19) to the application block (18) based on a request from the card type interface block, while a display image data is presented to the interface screen via the card type interface block (16) from said application block (18).

Inventors: HIDAI YUTAKA, UEDA HIROTADA, UYAMA MASASHI, YOSHIMURA TETSUYA, HIDAI, YUTAKA, UEDA, HIROTADA, UYAMA, MASASHI, YOSHIMURA, TETSUYA, Hidai, Yutaka, c/o Institute for Personalized, Ueda, Hirotada, c/o Institute for Personalized, UYAMA, MASASHI, C/O INSTITUTE FOR PERSONALIZED, Yoshimura, Tetsuya, c/o Institute for Personalized
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, TOSHIBA KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06F17, G06T11, G06F11, G06F3