Patent Publication Number: US-2020301580-A1

Title: Electronic device and information processing method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-051201, filed Mar. 19, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure herein relates to an electronic device and an information processing method. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-123349 discloses a system, in which a camera as an electronic device and a personal computer as an information processing apparatus are communicably connected to each other. When the electronic device is set in a help display mode, and then subjected to a key operation, information about the operated key is sent to the information processing apparatus, and the information processing apparatus displays help information for this key on its screen. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device includes an input device configured to receive an operation, and a processor which performs a function according to the operation input via the input device. The processor is configured to: in response to an input of a first operation indicative of a function to perform via the input device, perform the function specified based on the first operation; and in response to an input of a predetermined trigger operation via the input device in conjunction with the first operation, generate first information corresponding to the first operation. 
     According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method is implemented in an electronic device which includes an input device configured to receive an operation and a processor configured to perform a function according to the operation input via the input device. The method includes: in response to an input of a first operation indicative of a function to perform via the input device, performing, by the processor, the function specified based on the first operation; and in response to an input of a predetermined trigger operation via the input device in conjunction with the first operation, generating, by the processor, first information corresponding to the first operation. 
     According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a method is implemented in an information outputting system which includes an electronic device and an information processing apparatus configured to communicate with the electronic device. The electronic device includes an input device configured to receive an operation and a processor configured to perform a function according to the operation input via the input device. The method includes: in response to an input of a first operation indicative of a function to perform via the input device, performing, by the processor of the electronic device, the function specified based on the first operation; in response to an input of a predetermined trigger operation via the input device in conjunction with the first operation, generating and outputting, by the processor of the electronic device, first information corresponding to the first operation so that the first information is received by the information processing apparatus; acquiring, by the information processing apparatus, the first information; extracting, by the information processing apparatus and based on second information corresponding to the first information, an information portion corresponding to the second information from information about the electronic device, stored in a memory of the information processing apparatus or acquired via a network; and outputting, by the information processing apparatus, information indicative of the information portion corresponding to the second information. 
     Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically showing exemplary architecture of an information outputting system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematically showing an exemplary functional configuration of the information outputting system. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary storage configuration of a function/search key DB appearing in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart schematically showing an exemplary operation of the information outputting system. 
         FIG. 5A  is a diagram showing an example of an output of a search result. 
         FIG. 5B  is a diagram showing an example of an output when a select action is performed on the search result. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart schematically showing an exemplary operation of an information outputting system according to a modification of one embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary storage configuration of a function/search key DB in an information outputting system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing exemplary architecture of an information outputting system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The information outputting system includes an electronic device  10  and an information processing apparatus  20 . The electronic device  10  and the information processing apparatus  20  are communicably connected to each other by wire or in a wireless manner. The electronic device  10  is a device with multiple keys, and by way of non-limiting example, the embodiment will assume the electronic device  10  to be a scientific electronic calculator. The information processing apparatus  20  may be any apparatus such as, for example, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a smartphone, or an electronic book, as long as it has a function of allowing information viewing. Note that the information processing apparatus  20  is adapted to communicate with a web server  40  via a network  30 . The network  30  is, for example, the Internet. The web server  40  offers, for example, a variety of application programs (which may be simply called “app” or “apps”) for the information processing apparatus  20  to execute. The web server  40  may be a server run by the manufacturer or the like of the electronic device  10 , and provides an electronic manual (operation manual) of the electronic device  10 . As such, the information processing apparatus  20  can download the operation manual of the electronic device  10  from the web server  40  via the network  30 , and present it for viewing. 
     The electronic device  10  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  11 , a ROM  12 , a RAM  13 , a storage  14 , an input unit  15 , an output unit  16 , and a communication unit  17 . These components are connected to one another via a system bus  18 , and each adapted to operate on a supply of power from a power source  19 . 
     The CPU  11  is a processor for controlling the electronic device  10  for various operations. The ROM  12  stores a boot program, etc. The RAM  13  functions as a main storage unit for the CPU  11 . The storage  14  stores various programs, parameters, etc., the programs including control programs for use by the CPU  11  and arithmetic programs for conducting various operations. The storage  14  may be a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. These programs such as control programs, parameters, etc., may instead be stored in the ROM  12  so that the storage  14  is omitted. The CPU  11  controls operations of the electronic device  10  by executing the programs according to input signals from the input unit  15 , or receive signals via the communication unit  17 . 
     The input unit  15  may include any given number of hard keys, as well as a touch panel (with soft keys) arranged on a screen of a liquid-crystal display, i.e., the output unit  16 . The input unit  15  may also include a voice input part such as a microphone (which may be simply called “mic”), a sensor for detecting the posture of the electronic device  10  such as an acceleration sensor, and so on. With this input unit  15  operated, input signals are provided to the CPU  11  via an input interface (not illustrated) and then the system bus  18 . 
     The output unit  16  includes a liquid-crystal display, a speaker, etc. The output unit  16  may also include a vibrator for generating vibrations. The output unit  16  receives output signals transmitted from the CPU  11  via the system bus  18  and then an output interface (not illustrated). 
     The communication unit  17  includes, for example, one or more wired or wireless communication interface units to enable transmission and reception of various information sets with external devices including the information processing apparatus  20 . The wired interface may adopt, for example, a universal serial bus (USB), etc., and the wireless interface may adopt, for example, a wireless LAN, a low-power wireless data communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. 
     The information processing apparatus  20  includes a processor  21 , a ROM  22 , a RAM  23 , a storage  24 , an input unit  25 , an output unit  26 , and a communication unit  27 . These components are connected to one another via a system bus  28 , and each adapted to operate on a supply of power from a power source  29 . 
     The processor  21  may be an integrated circuit such as a CPU. The ROM  22  stores information used for operations of the processor  21 . The RAM  23  functions as a main storage unit for the processor  21 . The storage  24  stores control programs, various apps, parameters, etc., for use by the processor  21 . These apps may be downloaded to the storage  24  from the web server  40  via the network  30  and the communication unit  27 . The processor  21  controls the information processing apparatus  20  to operate according to the programs stored in the storage  24 . The processor  21  may be other than a CPU, and the examples of the processor  21  include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. 
     The input unit  25  may include a keyboard and a mouse, as well as a touch panel arranged on a screen of a liquid-crystal display, i.e., the output unit  26 . The input unit  25  may also include input means for multimedia information, such as a microphone, camera, etc. With the input unit  25  operated, input signals are provided to the processor  21  via an input interface (not illustrated) and then the system bus  28 . 
     The output unit  26  may include an external display device adopting a liquid-crystal display, etc., or a display component of the information processing apparatus  20  which may also adopt a liquid-crystal display, etc. The output unit  26  receives output signals transmitted from the processor  21  via the system bus  28  and then an output interface (not illustrated). 
     The communication unit  27  includes, for example, one or more wired or wireless communication interface units to enable communication with external devices including the electronic device  10  and communication with external communication networks including the network  30 . The wired interface may adopt, for example, a wired LAN, a USB, etc., and the wireless interface may adopt, for example, a wireless LAN, a low-power wireless data communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematically showing an exemplary functional configuration of the information outputting system with the above architecture. 
     The CPU  11  of the electronic device  10  executes the control programs stored in the storage  14  (or the ROM  12 ) so that it can function as an operation acceptor  110 , a first determiner  120 , a second determiner  130 , a search information generator  140 , and a search information transmitter  150 . 
     The operation acceptor  110  accepts user operations via the input unit  25 . 
     The first determiner  120 , in response to the operation acceptor  110  having accepted an operation (first operation) from a user, refers to a function/search key database (DB)  160  stored in the storage  14  (or the ROM  12 ) to specify a function to perform according to the contents of the accepted user operation. 
     The second determiner  130 , in response to the operation acceptor  110  having accepted the first operation from the user, determines whether or not the operation acceptor  110  has also accepted a predetermined trigger action in conjunction with this user operation. If it is determined that the predetermined trigger action has not been accepted, the second determiner  130  passes the information about the function to perform, specified by the first determiner  120 , to a corresponding executing part (not illustrated) so that the function will be performed by this part. If, on the other hand, it is determined that the predetermined trigger action has been accepted, the second determiner  130  informs the search information generator  140  of the first operation and the trigger action accepted by the operation acceptor  110 . 
     The search information generator  140 , in response to the second determiner  130  having determined that the operation acceptor  110  has accepted the trigger action, refers to the function/search key DB  160  to generate information (first information) corresponding to the user operation accepted by the operation acceptor  110 . 
     The search information transmitter  150  transmits this information generated by the search information generator  140  and corresponding to the user operation, namely, search information, to the information processing apparatus  20  through the communication unit  17 . 
     The function/search key DB  160  stores information about the function referred to by the first determiner  120  and performed by the CPU  11  according to the respective first operation, and the first information referred to by the second determiner  130  and corresponding to the respective first operation. The first information may be any of information specifying the first operation, information specifying a function, or information corresponding to a function. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary storage configuration of the function/search key DB  160 . The figure shows, as a typical example, the case with a [[log]] key which is one of many keys constituting the input unit  15 . The description will assume instances where the first information is information corresponding to a function, and in particular, the first information is in the form of text data for use as a search key in text searches. Note that use of a double bracket pair ([[ . . . ]]) herein indicates that the term or symbol inserted therein is assigned a single key. 
     The function/search key DB  160  is adapted to retain records for hard keys, records for soft keys implemented with the liquid-crystal display and the touch panel, and records for microphone-input voices obtained through voice recognition, but it is not a requisite for the function/search key DB  160  to have all of such records. As items in each record, the function/search key DB  160  stores corresponding operation contents, function, display contents, trigger action, and search key (text) information. Each trigger action includes a first action and/or a second action. 
     The function/search key DB  160  retains the records in association with respective cases. For example, the records for a hard key [[log]] include a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key solely operated, a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key operated in combination with a [[SHIFT]] key (that is, the case where it is operated subsequently to or concurrently with the [[SHIFT]] key), and a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key operated in combination with an [[ALPHA]] key (that is, the case where it is operated subsequently to or concurrently with the [[ALPHA]] key). 
     For the record associated with the case of the sole [[log]] key operation, the function/search key DB  160  stores “log” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “log[ ]” as the display contents, “hold down log” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with log pressed down” as the second trigger action, and text data “log” as the search key (text) information. For the record associated with the case of the combined [[SHIFT]] key and [[log]] key operation, the function/search key DB  160  stores “SHIFT” and “log” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]” as the display contents, “hold down log” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with log pressed down” as the second trigger action, and text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x” as the search key (text) information. For the record associated with the case of the combined [[ALPHA]] key and [[log]] key operation, the function/search key DB  160  stores “ALPHA” and “log” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “B” as the display contents, “hold down log” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with log pressed down” as the second trigger action, and text data “B” as the search key (text) information. Here, the tilt of the electronic device  10  as the second trigger action can be detected by the acceleration sensor in the input unit  15 . 
     In the function/search key DB  160  of this example, the records for a soft key [[log]] include, similar to the storage configuration for the hard key, a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key solely operated, a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key operated in combination with a [[SHIFT]] key (that is, the case where it is operated subsequently to or concurrently with the [[SHIFT]] key), and a record associated with the case of the [[log]] key operated in combination with an [[ALPHA]] key (that is, the case where it is operated subsequently to or concurrently with the [[ALPHA]] key). Items in each record for the soft key is the same as the respective items for the hard key, except the trigger action. For each record, the function/search key DB  160  stores “flick down log” as the first trigger action, and “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with log pressed down (with flick)” as the second trigger action. 
     In the function/search key DB  160 , the records for microphone-input voices obtained through voice recognition include a record associated with the case of an utterance “log” solely input, a record associated with the case of the utterance “log” input in combination with an utterance “shift” (that is, the case where the utterance “log” is made subsequently to the utterance “shift”), and a record associated with the case of the utterance “log” input in combination with an utterance “alpha” (that is, the case where the utterance “log” is made subsequently to the utterance “alpha”). 
     For the record associated with the case of the sole “log” utterance input, the function/search key DB  160  stores “log (utterance)” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “log[ ]” as the display contents, “say ‘log’ in high tone” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with ‘log’ utterance” as the second trigger action, and text data “log” as the search key (text) information. For the record associated with the case of the combined “shift” utterance and “log” utterance input, the function/search key DB  160  stores “shift (utterance)” and “log (utterance)” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]” as the display contents, “say ‘log’ in high tone” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with ‘log’ utterance” as the second trigger action, and text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x” as the search key (text) information. For the record associated with the case of the combined “alpha” utterance and “log” utterance input, the function/search key DB  160  stores “alpha (utterance)” and “log (utterance)” as the operation contents, “display given character string on screen (input area)” as the function, “B” as the display contents, “say ‘log’ in high tone” as the first trigger action, “tilt electronic device (calculator) forward with ‘log’ utterance” as the second trigger action, and text data “B” as the search key (text) information. 
     The processor  21  of the information processing apparatus  20  runs the apps stored in the storage  24  so that it can provide various functions. One of such apps is an operation manual retrieval app  210 , and the processor  21 , by running this app, can function as a search information receiver  211 , an information extractor  212 , and an extract result outputter  213 . The operation manual retrieval app  210  may be downloaded by the communication unit  27  from the web server  40  via the network  30 , and stored in the storage  24 . 
     The search information receiver  211  receives information (first information) corresponding to a user operation, e.g., the search key (text) information, from the electronic device  10  through the communication unit  27 . 
     The information extractor  212  searches an operation manual information DB  220  stored in the storage  24  using, as a search key, information (second information) corresponding to the first information received by the search information receiver  211 , and extracts a portion corresponding to the second information from operation manual information contained in the operation manual information DB  220 . 
     Note that the operation manual information DB  220  retains electronic data of the operation manual of the electronic device  10 , which may be, for example, a pdf-format electronic manual. Similar to the operation manual retrieval app  210  for example, this operation manual information DB  220  may be downloaded by the communication unit  27  from the web server  40  via the network  30  and stored in the storage  24 . 
     The extract result outputter  213  causes the output unit  26 , which may be a liquid-crystal display, to present a display of the portion of the operation manual information that has been extracted by the information extractor  212  and that corresponds to the second information. 
     The second information corresponding to the first information (information transmitted from the electronic device  10  and corresponding to a user operation) here may be the same as the first information. That is, if the first information is text data (e.g., text “10{circumflex over ( )}x”) corresponding to a function as discussed, this first information can be employed as a search key in text searches as it is. 
     The information processing apparatus  20  may be provided with a pdf viewer app  230  for viewing pdf-format electronic manuals, i.e., electronic data of operation manuals stored in the operation manual information DB  220 . 
     Now, as one example, the description will be given of how the information outputting system with the above configuration operates.  FIG. 4  is a flowchart schematically showing an exemplary operation of this information outputting system. 
     In the electronic device  10 , the CPU  11  as the operation acceptor  110  stands by for a user operation (first operation) to be accepted through the hard keys, the soft keys, or the microphone (step S 11 ). In response to the operation acceptor  110  accepting the first operation, the CPU  11  as the first determiner  120  refers to the function/search key DB  160  and specifies the function to perform according to the contents of the accepted user operation (step S 12 ). The CPU  11  as the first determiner  120  determines whether or not the function to perform has been successfully specified (step S 13 ). For example, the function cannot be specified based on the operation of the hard key [[SHIFT]] alone, until a given subsequent operation is done. If it is determined that the function has not been specified, the CPU  11  returns the processing to step S 11 . 
     In the event that the operation acceptor  110  accepts an operation of, for example, the hard key [[log]] subsequently to the operation of the hard key [[SHIFT]], the CPU  11  can specify in step S 12  that the function to perform is displaying “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]” on the screen (input area) of the liquid-crystal display as the output unit  16 . 
     If it is determined that the function has been specified, the CPU  11  as the second determiner  130  determines whether or not the operation acceptor  110  has accepted a predetermined trigger action (first action or second action) in conjunction with the user operation (step S 14 ). If it is determined that the predetermined trigger action has not been accepted, the CPU  11  as the second determiner  130  sends the information about the function to perform, specified by the first determiner  120 , to a corresponding executing part (not illustrated) so that the function, e.g., displaying “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]” on the display screen (input area), will be performed by this part. 
     If, on the other hand, it is determined that the predetermined trigger action, e.g., holding down the [[log]] key, has been accepted, the CPU  11  as the second determiner  130  determines whether or not a connection to the information processing apparatus  20  is established via the communication unit  17  (step S 15 ). If it is determined that the connection to the information processing apparatus  20  is not established, the CPU  11  as the second determiner  130  sends the information about the function to perform, specified by the first determiner  120 , to the corresponding executing part (not illustrated) so that the function will be performed by the part. 
     If it is determined that the connection to the information processing apparatus  20  is established, the CPU  11  as the second determiner  130  informs the search information generator  140  of the first operation and the trigger action accepted by the operation acceptor  110 , so that the search information generator  140  is caused to generate output information (step S 16 ). For example, in the event that the hard keys [[SHIFT]] and [[log]] have been operated and further the [[log]] key has been held down, the search information generator  140  acquires text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x” from the function/search key DB  160 , and uses this text data as the output information indicative of the information (first information) corresponding to the user operation accepted by the operation acceptor  110 . 
     Then, the CPU  11  as the search information transmitter  150  transmits this output information to the information processing apparatus  20  (step S 17 ), and the CPU  11  returns the processing to step S 11 . 
     Meanwhile, in the information processing apparatus  20  where the processor  21  has launched the operation manual retrieval app  210 , the processor  21  as the search information receiver  211  stands by for the output information to be received from the electronic device  10  (step S 21 ). 
     In response to the search information receiver  211  receiving the output information from the electronic device  10 , the processor  21  as the information extractor  212  searches the operation manual information DB  220  based on the output information received by the search information receiver  211  to acquire a search result (step S 22 ). For example, if the search information receiver  211  receives text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x”, then the pdf-format electronic manual stored in the operation manual information DB  220  is searched for with this text data. 
     The processor  21  as the extract result outputter  213  causes the liquid-crystal display, i.e., the output unit  26 , to display the search result (step S 23 ). 
       FIG. 5A  is a diagram showing an example of the output of the search result, given by the extract result outputter  213 . As shown in this figure, an output screen  261  for the pdf-format electronic manual stored in the operation manual information DB  220  presents the search result through a search result list display area  263  located on the right side of a content display area  262 . More specifically, the search result list display area  263  displays, in the form of a list, indications of the pages containing a hit for the text, e.g., “10{circumflex over ( )}x” as the output information from the electronic device  10 , together with a part of the respective explanatory sentence that contains the text. Here, the part of the explanatory sentence displayed in the list may distinctly show the hit text portion. 
     After the search result is displayed in the manner as discussed, the processor  21  may transition to an operation for jump designation that uses this output screen  261  for the electronic manual. The jump designation operation may follow the generally employed operations, so its detailed description will be omitted. The jump designation operation here is intended to be, for example, an operation in which a select action is performed on any of the search result displayed in the list as shown in  FIG. 5A  with an arrow  264 , and thereby the corresponding page is displayed on the content display area  262  as shown in  FIG. 5B . 
     As described above, the first information corresponding to the first operation is output from the electronic device  10  to the information processing apparatus  20  in response to the predetermined trigger information input together with the first operation at the electronic device  10 . Accordingly, the information processing apparatus  20  can present the information related to the first operation in response to the first information. Consequently, the user is allowed to view the information related to key operations while continuing the normal operations, without the need of mode switching. 
     For example, in operating an electronic device with many keys such as a scientific electronic calculator, a user needs to refer to the manual until functions of the respective keys are made familiar. The user in this situation could conduct a text search on the pdf-format electronic operation manual downloaded to an information processing apparatus such as a tablet PC, quickly browse the whole of the resultant several to several tens of hits to spot the likely important portions, and read the portions. However, such a measure as conventionally employed requires the electronic device and the information processing apparatus to be both operated, and must proceed with the steps of inputting characters, etc. printed on the keytops and housing of the electronic device to the information processing apparatus for conducting the search; thus, it poses a burden on user operations. 
     According to the embodiment, with the connection between the electronic device  10  and the information processing apparatus  20  established, a user can readily refer to the applicable portions in the operation manual for the user&#39;s ongoing key operation, only by operating the electronic device  10  in a manner that is substantially in line with the normal operations. Only a slight change (e.g., applying a holding down, a tap, etc.) in the operation manner for the input of the trigger information enables switchover between normal operations and displaying the operation manual, and as such, the embodiment can improve usability (ease of making reference to operation manuals) without sacrificing user operability. 
     The foregoing embodiment has assumed the instances where the first information is information corresponding to a function, for example, text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x” which can be used as a search key in text searches as it is. 
     Besides such information corresponding to a function, the first information may be the operation contents stored in the function/search key DB  160  as the information specifying the first operation, for example, information indicative of the combination of the [[SHIFT]] key and the [[log]] key. Or, the first information may be the display contents stored in the function/search key DB  160  as the information specifying a function, for example, “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]”. If the first information is the information specifying the first operation or the information specifying a function, the information extractor  212  of the information processing apparatus  20  should convert the first information into the second information for use as a search key for searching the operation manual information DB  220 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart schematically showing an exemplary operation performed by the information outputting system in such cases. The electronic device  10  operates in the same way as in the foregoing embodiment, but the output information generated by the search information generator  140  in step S 16  here is the information specifying the first operation, e.g., information indicative of the combination of the [[SHIFT]] key and the [[log]] key, or the information specifying a function, e.g., “10{circumflex over ( )}[ ]”. 
     Here, the processor  21  that runs the operation manual retrieval app  210  in the information processing apparatus  20  converts the received output information (first information) into the second information, for example, text data “10{circumflex over ( )}x” serving as a search key for searching the operation manual information DB  220  (step S 24 ). In order to enable this conversion, the information processing apparatus  20  may be, for example, provided with a database corresponding to the function/search key DB  160  in the electronic device  10 . Similar to the operation manual retrieval app  210  and the operation manual information DB  220  for example, this database may be downloaded by the communication unit  27  from the web server  40  via the network  30  and stored in the storage  24 . 
     The processor  21 , using this second information after the conversion as a search key, searches through the pdf-format electronic manual stored in the operation manual information DB  220  to acquire search results (step S 25 ) 
     As such, the same advantages as in the foregoing embodiment can be realized in also the cases with the first information being the information specifying the first operation or the information specifying a function. 
     The first information for the foregoing embodiment has been described as the information for allowing the information processing apparatus  20  with the operation manual retrieval app  210  to perform text searches in the operation manual information DB  220 , but the first information may be of a different type of information. For example, the first information may be information for specifying locations in the pdf-format electronic operation manual stored in the operation manual information DB  220 , where the explanatory information for a corresponding user operation is given. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary storage configuration of a function/search key DB in the information outputting system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in this figure, the function/search key DB stores such specifying information in lieu of the search key (text) information as described for the exemplary storage configuration of  FIG. 3 . The specifying information may contain a page number, a line number, and a character number (e.g., “P7L4C6-8”) to directly specify the location in an operation manual. Also, the specifying information may contain a page number and an illustration number (e.g., “P15I2”) to specify the location of a figure or an image that cannot be spotted by text searches. 
     With such specifying information employed as the first information, the information extractor  212  of the information processing apparatus  20  can use the first information as the second information so that a portion corresponding to the second information is extracted from the operation manual information stored in the operation manual information DB  220 . 
     Electronic manuals as the operation manual information stored in the operation manual information DB  220  may be of a file format other than the pdf format. The electronic manuals here may contain tag information, and the first information may be information for specifying the tag information. As a matter of course, pdf-format electronic manuals may also contain such tag information if possible. 
     As such, the same advantages as in the foregoing embodiment can be realized in also the cases with the first information being the specifying information for specifying locations of the explanatory information for a user operation. 
     Note that the first information may be encrypted for transmission from the electronic device  10  to the information processing apparatus  20 . More specifically, the search information transmitter  150  of the electronic device  10  may have an information encrypting function, and the search information receiver  211  of the information processing apparatus  20  may have an information decrypting function. This configuration enhances the communication security. 
     Moreover, the first information may be provided from the electronic device  10  to the information processing apparatus  20  through a technique other than the communication technology. For example, the search information transmitter  150  of the electronic device  10  may encode given information to generate a QR-code image and cause the liquid-crystal display as the output unit  16  to display the QR-code image, and the search information receiver  211  of the information processing apparatus  20  may take the QR-code image using the camera as the input unit  25  and decode the QR-code image into the original information. It is also possible to adopt a technique of converting the first information into a sound (e.g., ultrasound) or vibrations (e.g., Morse code utilizing on/off vibrations) by the speaker or the vibrator as the output unit  16  of the electronic device  10 , and detecting the sound or the vibrations by the microphone as the input unit  25  of the information processing apparatus  20 . In this manner, the first information can be provided from the electronic device  10  to the information processing apparatus  20  through a technique other than the communication technology. 
     The foregoing embodiment has assumed that the operation manual information DB  220  is stored in the storage  24 , but the operation manual information DB  220  may be arranged on the web server  40 . In this case, the information extractor  212  of the information processing apparatus  20  may extract a portion corresponding to the second information via the network  30  by the communication unit  27 . 
     According to the present disclosure, the first information is generated by the search information generator  140  and then transmitted to the information processing apparatus  20  by the search information transmitter  150 , and the information processing apparatus  20  implements extraction and output of a portion of the operation manual information that corresponds to the second information. The disclosure intends no limitation by this. The electronic device  10  may take over at least part of the functions of the information processing apparatus  20 . For example, the processor (CPU  11 ) of the electronic device  10  may perform the function of the information extractor  212 . With such a configuration, the electronic device  10 , using the processor (CPU  11 ), extracts a portion corresponding to the second information (information corresponding to the first information) from the explanatory information about the electronic device  10 , stored in the storage  14  of the electronic device  10  or acquired via the network, instead of transmitting the first information to the information processing apparatus  20 . The electronic device  10  then transmits the extracted information to the information processing apparatus  20  by the search information transmitter  150 . Subsequently, the extracted information is displayed on the output unit  26 , such as a liquid-crystal display, in the information processing apparatus  20 . Moreover, the electronic device  10  may itself output the explanatory information extracted by the processor (CPU  11 ) as, for example, a display presented through the liquid-crystal display, etc. of the electronic device  10 . 
     In the present disclosure, the information related to the first operation has been described as, by way of example, explanatory information appearing in an operation manual. However, the information related to the first operation is not limited to such explanatory information in an operation manual, and may be other types of information including, for example, explanatory information about formulas or knowledge associated with a function specified by the first operation. 
     Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to the foregoing embodiments. For practical implementation, various modifications may be adopted without departing from the gist of the disclosure. Also, the embodiments may be discretionarily combined for implementation, and such combinations will produce combined effects. Still more, the foregoing embodiments involve various inventive aspects, and appropriate combinations of the features disclosed herein shall permit various inventions to be derived. For example, one or more of the features discussed for a certain embodiment may be omitted, and provided that such modification can solve the intended problem and bring the intended effects, the modification should be deemed an invention. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.