Patent Publication Number: US-2013239054-A1

Title: Method And Device Of Operation Menu Display Control For Analyzer

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an operation menu display control method and an operation menu display control device for analyzers that measure samples to acquire data and analyze the acquired data to obtain results. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A personal computer is frequently utilized as a data processing device for use with analyzers such as liquid chromatography systems and gas chromatography equipment. A data processing program installed in that personal computer is used to control the analyzer and to acquire and analyze data thereby. 
     In recent years, data processing devices have not only performed analyzer control, data collection and analysis but also incorporated diverse functions such as those for preparing reports and managing data. With this trend have come numerous operation menus getting displayed on an operation screen. Generally, the sequence in which operation menus are displayed and the way they are arranged on the screen are all fixed. 
     In these circumstances, there is no problem if users are fully cognizant of the arrangement of operation menus being displayed on the screen. If not cognizant of the display arrangement of such operation menus, the users can waste much time in searching for a specific operation menu desired to be used. 
     Also, some operation menus are frequently used while others are rarely utilized depending on the nature of the user&#39;s work. When these operation menus are displayed in mixed fashion, the users can be further burdened with the problem of how to handle them. 
     Means for solving these problems have been proposed (e.g., see Patent Document 1) whereby operation menus are rearranged in descending order of their usage count when displayed, with the most frequently used operation menu preferentially displayed at the top of a displayed menu hierarchy. 
     Also, methods have been proposed (e.g., see Patent Document 2) whereby operation menus are displayed not only in rearranged fashion but also in such a manner that infrequently used operation menus are displayed on hierarchical levels different from those of the ordinary menu display. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: JP-11-53155-A 
         Patent Document 2: JP-9-128189-A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Problem to be Solved by the Invention 
     The method of having all operation menus rearranged depending on their usage count, as per the above prior art, is effective for general application software that is installed in personal computers for use. 
     However, the above method is not necessarily effective for analyzers. 
     That is, in the case of analyzers, a plurality of users each playing a different role of work use the same equipment. These users may use significantly different operation menus depending on the roles they play. 
     Also, in recent years, operation menus have been arranged in a deeply hierarchical manner. The operation menu desired to be used can thus be reached only after a plurality of operations have been carried out. 
     An object of the present invention is to realize an operation menu display control method and an operation menu display control device capable of changing the order in which operation menus are displayed preferentially depending on their usage count. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows: 
     An operation menu display control method according to the present invention is a method for displaying a plurality of operation menus of an analyzer on display means. A motion control unit of the analyzer makes a storage means to store a usage count of each of the plurality of operation menus and a ranking of the plurality of operation menus in order of usage count with regard to each of a plurality of operating roles played by an operator operating the analyzer, making the display means to display the operation menus successively in descending order of usage count starting from the highest-ranked operation menu with regard to the input operating role in order of the usage count ranking stored in the storage means in accordance with the operating role of the operator input through an input means. 
     Further, an operation menu display control device of the present invention includes an operation input means which allows an operator operating the analyzer to input operations, a storage means which stores a usage count of each of the operation menus and a ranking of the operation menus in terms of usage count with regard to each of a plurality of operating roles based on operation role information input through the input operation means, and a motion control means which, in accordance with the operating role of the operator input through the input means, causes the display means to display the operation menus successively in descending order of usage count starting from the highest-ranked operation menu with regard to the input operating role in accordance with the usage count ranking stored in the storage means. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an operation menu display control method and an operation menu display control device capable of changing the ranking of operation menus to be displayed preferentially in accordance with the frequency of their use by users who handle an analyzer used in conjunction with the method or device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a general block diagram of a liquid chromatography system to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing an initial screen of a data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a main screen of the data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an operation menu usage count management information table of the data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a motion flowchart of the data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a motion function block diagram of the data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a main screen in effect when a shortcut is selected on the data processing device as one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing a typical display screen for making preferential registrations with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Some embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Embodiments 
       FIG. 1  is an overall block diagram of a liquid chromatography system to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
     In  FIG. 1 , an eluant  1  is forwarded by a pump  2  to flow through a sampler  3 , a separation column  4  and a detector  5 , in that order. A measurement sample is injected by the sampler  3  into the flow of the eluant  1 , the flow being separated into components by the column  4 . 
     The sample separated by the column  4  is detected by the detector  5  which in turn sends a detection signal to a data processing device  6 . 
     Generally, a personal computer  7  is used as the data processing device  6 . The personal computer  7  includes a CPU  8  that processes data, a RAM  9  that serves as a storage area for temporarily storing data, and a storage device (storage unit)  10  that serves as a data storage area. A display unit  11  such as a liquid crystal monitor and an input device  12  such as a keyboard and a mouse are connected to the personal computer  7 . 
     A data processing program is installed in the storage device  10 . In response to the operations performed by the user operating the input device  12  such as the mouse or keyboard, the data processing program causes the display unit  11  to display screens associated with the operations. 
     First, the user starts the data processing program held in the storage device  10  by means of the input device  12 . With the data processing program started, an initial screen shown in  FIG. 2  is displayed on the display unit  11 . 
     Operating the input device  12 , the user selects his or her role from a list box  13  on the initial screen and inputs to an input box  14  a password set for the role in question. 
     The user&#39;s major roles include a system administrator, an analytical procedure (method) developer, and an operator. The input of the password is requested here for the purpose of reinforcing security; the input of the password is not mandatory. 
     Thereafter, pressing a login button  15  starts the main screen of the data processing device  6 . Pressing a cancel button  16  cancels the main screen and terminates the data processing program. 
       FIG. 3  shows a typical main screen displayed on the display unit  11  of the data processing device  6 . In  FIG. 3 , an area  17  is a tool bar in which operation menus are placed. 
     A display area  18  displays a screen for setting analytical parameters such as analysis conditions, a screen for displaying a chromatogram, and a screen for displaying status of devices connected to the data processing apparatus such as the flow rate of the eluant. 
     Every time an operation menu is selected in the display area  17 , the data processing device  6  records the usage count of the selected operation menu to the storage device  10 . The usage count is recorded in a management table such as one shown in  FIG. 4 , with regard to each role of the user who logged in. 
     A usage count  23  and a ranking  24  in terms of usage count are managed with regard to each of the operation menus  22  for each role, such as a user&#39;s role  20  (system administrator) or a user&#39;s role  21  (operator) shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Also the presence and absence of registrations of the operation menus are managed, the operation menus being desired to be displayed preferentially regardless of usage count. An operation menu desired to be displayed preferentially is registered by resorting to a dedicated registration screen or by dragging the operation menu of interest into a designated area or the like to put a marking in a registered/unregistered column  25  (a circle is placed here for registration). 
     The management table shown in  FIG. 4  can also be displayed on the display unit  11 . 
     Typical operation menus include a waveform processing setting menu, a concentration table setting menu, a data file opening file, a method file opening menu, and an electronic approval menu. There also exist operation menus that need to be displayed preferentially regardless of usage count. 
     For example, a user who carries out the routine work of data collection and analysis repeatedly performs the duties designated for an administrator ranging from the collection and analysis of data to the reporting of analysis results. For this reason, the operation menus usually used by that user are limited. 
     However, there may be a rare case in which the result of the measurement is different from what is usually expected. For example, impurities may be found contained in the measured sample. 
     In such a case, within a framework stipulated for the administrator of the data processing device  6 , it is necessary to change the conditions for analyzing data in preparing the result as well as the content of the report on the data analysis. In carrying out these changes that are different from the routine work, the user may not be fully cognizant of the arrangement of relevant operation menus and the procedure for handling them. 
     Also, since the operations involved are not part of the usual ones, the operation menus for making the changes are located on low levels of an operation menu hierarchy based on the method of changing the arrangement of operation menus in accordance with their usage counts. Thus it may take a long time for the user to search for and reach the relevant operation menus, which can be an extra burden on the user. 
     The administrator of the data processing device  6  has the major duties of managing the user (operator) information and user rights registered with the device  6  and inspecting the device  6 . The major operations performed by the administrator are those of verifying the data processing device  6  in use and the status of device use by the user. 
     But when the users who use the data processing device  6  are changed, as in a personnel reshuffle, the registered user information needs to be changed. This operation is not an ordinarily performed one. As such, the operation is not located on a high level in the operation menu hierarchy as with the above-mentioned operation of changing the users who perform routine work. As a result, it may take a long time for the user to search for and reach the relevant operation menus. 
     As explained above, the operation menus for use by users differ significantly from one role to another of the user handling the analyzer. It is thus important that the preferential ranking of operation menus should be changed with regard to each role and that the operation menus that can be placed preferentially on high levels in the hierarchy regardless of their usage counts should be set. 
     Thus one embodiment of the present invention permits registration of the operation menus to be displayed preferentially regardless of the frequency of their use. 
       FIG. 5  is a motion flowchart of one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a motion function block diagram of the CPU  8 . In  FIG. 6 , the CPU  8  includes as function blocks an operation input determination unit  8   a , a user determination unit  8   b , a display control unit  8   c , a menu count reading unit  8   d , and a preferential registration setting unit  8   e.    
     In the motion flowchart of  FIG. 5 , the role of the user who logs in from the initial screen shown in  FIG. 2  is first determined (step  28 ). It is then determined whether the user has given an instruction to place operation menus into a dedicated area (step  29 ). 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 5 , whether or not the user has given the instruction is determined by verifying whether a shortcut button  19  in  FIG. 3  is pressed. The determination is made by the operation input determination unit  8   a  and user determination unit  8   b.    
       FIG. 7  shows a typical display format in effect when the instruction is given to place operation menus into dedicated areas, i.e., when the shortcut button  19  on the main screen is pressed. When the shortcut button  19  shown in  FIG. 3  is pressed, dedicated display areas  26  and  27  appear on the left-hand side of the main screen in  FIG. 7  (step  30 ). These dedicated areas are called the shortcut window hereunder. 
     After this, it is determined whether the usage count of all operation menus statistically collected for the role of the user currently logging in is larger than zero, i.e., whether any one of these operation menus has been used at least once. The determination is made by the menu count reading unit  8   d  verifying information about the operation menu usage counts recorded in an operation menu usage count management information table ( FIG. 4 ) stored in the storage unit  10  with regard to each role of the user (step  31 ). 
     If the usage count is zero, i.e., if none of the operation menus has been used yet (this is the first time to use), then no operation menu is displayed (placed) in the area  26  of the shortcut window in  FIG. 7 , and the next process  37  is reached. 
     If the usage count is larger than zero, then the highest-ranked “n” operation menus in terms of the usage counts statistically collected for the login user are extracted (step  33 ). 
     The user may designate the “n” operation menus. For example, when the shortcut button  19  is pressed, a screen asking the user the desired number of the highest-ranked operation menus to be displayed in the shortcut window is displayed prompting the user to make the settings. The number that has been set here is “n.” 
     It is then verified whether there exists an operation menu with zero usage count among the extracted operation menus (step  34 ). If there is no operation menu with zero usage count, the menu count reading unit  8   d  instructs the display control unit  8   c  to extract the highest-ranked “n” operation menus from the storage unit  10  and display the extracted menus in the area  26  of the shortcut window (step  35 ). 
     If in step  34  there are found operation menus with zero usage count, the menu count reading unit  8   d  instructs the display control unit  8   c  to display the operation menus other than the those with zero usage count in the area  26  of the shortcut window (step  36 ). 
     Next, the menu count reading unit  8   d  queries the storage unit  10  to see if there exist registered operation menus to be display preferentially regardless of the usage counts registered earlier (step  37 ). If there is no preferentially registered operation menu, the processing is terminated with nothing displayed in the area  27  of the shortcut window (step  38 ). 
     If the preferentially registered operation menus are found in step  37 , the preferential operation menu processes (i.e., operation menus each with a circle marked in the registered/unregistered column of  FIG. 4 ) registered in the area  27  of the shortcut window are displayed (step  39 ). 
       FIG. 7  shows the state in effect after the above processes have been completed. The area  26  in the shortcut window displays the designated number of operation menus in descending order of their usage counts corresponding to the role of the user currently logging in. The area  27  displays the user-registered operation menus regardless of their usage counts. When any of the operation menus displayed in the shortcut window is selected, the same processing as that of an operation menu in the ordinary tool bar is carried out. 
     The operation menus displayed in the shortcut window are recorded to and retained in the storage unit  10  until the shortcut button  19  is pressed the next time. The information is recorded here for each role of the user, so that the operation menus are stored in a manner suitable for the role of the login user. 
     A method for setting preferential registrations is explained here. When the user presses a shortcut window preferential registration button  40  shown in  FIG. 7 , the operation input determination unit  8   a  determines that the button is pressed. The preferential registration setting unit reads preferential registration information from the storage unit  10  and instructs the display control unit  8   c  to display the registration information shown in  FIG. 8  on the display unit  11 . 
     And the user operates the input device  12  to put a check (circle) to the operation menus desired to be displayed preferentially and have these menus stored into the storage unit  10 . The storing of the menus into the storage unit  10  is performed by the preferential registration setting unit  8   e  in accordance with the instructions supplied via the operation input unit  12  and operation input determination unit  8   a.    
     The menu count reading unit takes menu usage counts with regard to each user, determines the ranking of the usage counts taken and the ranking of operation menus in terms of their usage counts, and stores these settings into the storage unit  10 . 
     As explained above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the shortcut window displays the frequently used operation menus and the designated operation menus with regard to each role of the user. Also, if there exist the operation menus to be displayed preferentially regardless of the frequency of their use, these menus can be set for preferential display. This makes it possible for an analytical instrument for use by users of different roles to be handled with enhanced ease of use for each role played by each user. 
     That is, it is possible to implement an operation menu display control method and an operation menu display control device whereby the user handling the analyzer can change the preferential display ranking of operation menus in accordance with the frequency of their use and can also set the operation menus that will be displayed preferentially regardless of their frequency of use. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  Eluant 
           2  Pump 
           3  Sampler 
           4  Separation column 
           5  Detector 
           6  Data processing device 
           7  Personal computer 
           8  CPU 
           8   a  Operation input determination unit 
           8   b  User determination unit 
           8   c  Display control unit 
           8   d  Menu count reading unit 
           8   e  Preferential registration setting unit 
           9  RAM 
           10  Storage device (storage unit) 
           11  Display unit 
           12  Input device 
           13  List box 
           14  Password input box 
           15  Login button 
           16  Cancel button 
           17  Tool bar 
           18  Display area 
           19  Shortcut button 
           20 ,  21  Display of user&#39;s role 
           22  Operation menu 
           23  Usage count 
           24  Usage count ranking 
           25  Registered/unregistered indication 
           26 ,  27  Shortcut window area 
           40  Preferential registration button