Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-28
2002-10-22
Metjahic, Safet (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06470341
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data transferring and/or receiving apparatus, method, and program storage medium, all in which data is transferred either within a single computer or among a number of computers.
Up until now, for transferring information displayed on a screen within a single computer, a user interface technique, which is referred to as “drag and drop”, has been used. In the drag and drop technique, a subject that is being displayed on a computer screen, for example an icon, which represents information concerning a file stored in, for example, a hard disk, is clicked and dragged to a desired folder with a mouse and then dropped there. According to the drag and drop technique, the user is able to handle a subject displaced on a computer screen as if he/she were moving a real object, thereby enabling the user to naturally operate the computer.
However, if it is desired that a subject displayed on a screen is to be transferred to a different screen, i.e., when data, such as a file, is to be transferred between different computers, a natural user interface technique, such as the drag and drop technique, is not conventionally provided. For example, if a subject is to be transferred between different screens, the user is required to execute a command, such as a remote file copy command or an information transfer command.
In this manner, conventionally, even though a file transfer operation is performed between different computers, an op ration is disadvantageously conducted on the screen of a single computer. This type of user interface technique is far from representing the concept that a real object is being moved. Thus, the user is unable to perform a natural and simple operation in order to transfer a file between different computers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data transferring and/or receiving apparatus, method, and program storage medium, all of which use a user interface that enables natural and simple data transfer in a single computer or natural and simple data transmission among a number of computers.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data transferring apparatus including a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via a network that is provided with a management table in which management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered. A controller registers in the management table, upon selecting by the input operation unit the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data. The controller also transfers, upon obtaining a data transmission request that has been provided by the input operation unit from a device on the network, data corresponding to the information indicating the presence of the data represented by the registered management information from the data storage unit to the device on the network.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the operation input unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared with other apparatuses connected to the network. In the above-described data transferring apparatus, when the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data is registered in the management table. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit, the selected apparatus checks for the management information in the management table and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicted by the management information in the management table. Then, the data transferring apparatus of the present invention transmits the data corresponding to the management information to the apparatus that has requested data transmission.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, the display/input unit may be operated by a single input operation unit or a number of input operation units, each having an ID number. The controller may identify, upon selecting by the input operation unit the information concerning the presence of the data displayed on the display/input unit, the ID number of the operated input operation unit and may register the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data in the management table in correspondence with the identified ID number.
In the aforementioned data transferring apparatus, the management table in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered is provided on the network according to the ID number of the input operation unit. In this data transferring apparatus, when the information concerning the presence of the data is selected by the input operation unit, the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the selected data is registered in the management table in correspondence with the ID number of the input operation unit. When the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus is selected by the input operation unit having the above ID number, the selected apparatus checks for the management information registered in they management table having the above ID number and requests the apparatus of the present invention to transmit data indicated by the management information registered in the management table having the above ID number.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving apparatus including a data storage unit for storing data. A display/input unit displays information concerning the presence of the data stored in the data storage unit and is operated by an input operation unit. A network connector transmits data via a network that is provided with a management table in which management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data is registered. A controller requests, upon performing an input operation on the display/input unit by the input operation unit, a device on the network indicated by the management information registered in the management table to transmit data corresponding to the management information. The controller also receives the data from the device on the network and stores it in the data storage unit.
In the aforementioned data receiving apparatus, there is provided a management table on the network in which the management information representing the information concerning the presence of the data selected by the input operation unit is registered. The management table on the network is shared with other apparatuses connected to the network. In this data receiving apparatus, when the display/input unit is selected by the input operation unit, the management information registered in the management table is checked, and a request is provided to the apparatus of the present invention or another apparatus indicated by the management information registered in the management table to transmit data corresponding to the management information. The apparatus that has received the data transmission request transmits the data corresponding to the management information. The data receiving apparatus then receives the data and stores it.
According to the aforementioned data receiving apparatus, the display/input unit may be operated by a single input operation unit or
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Chen Susan
Metjahic Safet
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