Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-01
2001-01-09
Black, Thomas G. (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173285
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with bookmark function which allows a user to freely place a bookmark, for example, in data of high frequency in use and then to search for the data marked with the bookmark.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional portable electronic devices such as electronic memo device and electronic pocket device allow a user to freely input and store data, and to search for the stored data in a desired order. For example, when the stored data are data of phone book, it is possible to search for the data in order of Japanese kana syllabary, alphabetical order, etc.
Other methods for searching data are, for example, schedule data search, first letter search, and keyword search.
There is a device having a bookmark function for searching purposes. Japanese publication of unexamined patent application (Tokukaihei) No. 5-101038 discloses a word processor having such a bookmark function.
This device is a word processor provided with a bookmark function for adding a mark or memo to a created document, and a bookmark edit function for searching for a bookmark. This device achieves laborsaving in creating a document, and improves the accuracy of proofreading a document.
Besides, regarding display devices such as a document processor with a driving device for manipulating document information, Japanese publication of unexamined patent application (Tokukaihei) No. 6-231186 discloses a display device that displays a state showing a visually recognizable mark, for example, bookmark, for reference.
However, with the above-mentioned conventional structure, in a portable electronic device having a plurality of modes, when data marked with a bookmark is retrieved by the bookmark function, i.e., in a state in which a bookmark mode is selected, if the data is simply displayed, an operator cannot know a mode to which the data belongs. Therefore, the conventional structure is unsatisfactory in terms of the improvement of the facility of operations using the bookmark function.
Moreover, in the bookmark function, if the number of data marked with bookmarks increases, even when only data marked with bookmarks are searched, it is necessary to deal a large amount of data. Therefore, the primary merit of bookmark is lessened.
Furthermore, as to the methods of searching the bookmark data, there is a method in which bookmark data of a particular mode are sequentially searched, and then bookmark data of another mode are sequentially searched. When this method is employed, for example, bookmark data in data of a phone book {circle around (1)} mode are searched in order of Japanese kana syllabary, and then bookmark data in data of a phone book {circle around (2)} mode are searched in order of Japanese kana syllabary. Subsequently, bookmark data in data of a phone book {circle around (3)} mode are searched in order of Japanese kana syllabary.
Such a searching method is inefficient because data having low priority order for sorting may be retrieved first and then data of higher priority order than the previously retrieved data may be retrieved from the next mode.
Besides, although above mentioned Japanese publication of unexamined patent application (Tokukaihei) No. 5-101038 discloses placing a bookmark, it does not mention outputting of a mode of the retrieved data and the number of bookmarks placed.
Moreover, the above-mentioned publication does not mention giving a warning at the time the number of bookmarks placed exceeds the upper limit, nor retrieving data marked with a bookmark according to a predetermined sorting rule.
Furthermore, although Japanese publication of unexamined patent application (Tokukaihei) No. 6-231186 discloses placing a bookmark, it does not teach a structure of marking each data with a bookmark for data search purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a function for retrieving data marked with a bookmark and simultaneously displaying the retrieved data and a mode to which the data belongs so as to achieve an improvement of the function of retrieving data marked with a bookmark.
A second object of the present invention is to realize a bookmark function of easy use by setting the upper limit in respect of the number of bookmarks to be placed, and giving a warning when an attempt to place bookmarks more than the upper limit is made so as to prevent the placement of bookmarks more than the upper limit.
A third object of the present invention is to realize a function of retrieving all data marked with bookmarks in a plurality of modes in order according to a predetermined sorting rule, by adopting the predetermined sorting rule for all of the plurality of modes. With this function, it is possible to prevent the user from having a sense of difference in order of retrieving data.
In order to achieve the above objects, a first information processing apparatus with a bookmark function of the present invention includes:
a memory;
a display section;
a control section for placing a bookmark in data, which are stored in the memory in a plurality of modes, respectively, storing specific information for specifying data marked with the bookmark in the memory, retrieving the stored data marked with the bookmark based on the specific information, and displaying the retrieved data in the display section, wherein when the stored data marked with the bookmark is retrieved based on the specific information, the control section displays in the display section a mode to which the retrieved data belongs together with the retrieved data.
With this structure, when the data marked with the bookmark is retrieved, the display section displays the retrieved data and the mode of the retrieved data. Therefore, the user can easily know the mode to which the data retrieved based on the bookmark belongs. It is thus possible to improve the utility of the bookmarks and the facility of the apparatus.
A second information processing apparatus with a bookmark function of the present invention includes:
a memory; and
a control section for placing a bookmark in data, which are stored in the memory section in a plurality of modes, respectively, according to an input instructing placement of the bookmark, storing specific information for specifying data marked with the bookmark in the memory section, retrieving the stored data marked with the bookmark based on the specific information, and outputting the retrieved data, wherein the control section counts the number of bookmarks placed, sets the upper limit on the number of bookmarks to be placed, and gives a warning when an instruction to place bookmarks more than the upper limit is input.
With this structure, when an attempt to place a number of bookmarks more than the upper limit is made, a warning is given so as to prevent placement of bookmarks more than the upper limit. It is thus possible to prevent the number of bookmarks from being excessively large and the facility of bookmarks, i.e., the apparatus, from being degraded.
A third information processing apparatus with a bookmark function of the present invention includes:
a memory; and
a control section for placing a bookmark in data, which are stored in the memory in a plurality of modes, respectively, storing specific information for specifying data marked with the bookmark in the memory, retrieving the stored data marked with the bookmark based on the specific information, and outputting the retrieved data, wherein the control section retrieves data marked with the bookmark in a predetermined sorting rule from all of data of the plurality of modes in the memory section, irrespective of mode.
With this structure, when retrieving data marked with a bookmark from data of the plurality of modes, all of the data with the bookmark of the plurality of modes are retrieved in order corresponding to the sorting rule. It is therefore possible to retrieve data of different modes by keeping the order of priority. This structure prevents the user from having a sense of difference in order of retrieving
Ikeda Kazunori
Nakahara Shingo
Nishita Taizo
Black Thomas G.
Do Thuy
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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