JPH1031732A - Document fetching and displaying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly start a display when a client fetches and displays a document stored in a server side by computer communication. SOLUTION: Documents to be stored are previously stored in a document storing means 48 in a server part 22 in each page, and in the case of fetching a certain document by a request from a client part 21, the document is fetched not by each document but by each page. Namely when the client part 21 outputs a document fetching request, based on a user's instruction, a file list means 45 in the server part 22 sends information such as the number of pages of the document. A page request means 37 in the client part 21 requests only a page specified by the user, fetches the page from the server part 22 and displays the fetched page. When time required up to the display is less than allowable time, the client part 21 requests and fetches the next page and stores the fetched page in a document storing means 38, so that display can be instantaneously started in accessing the next page.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a document retrieval and display system in an electronic library system, an electronic filing system, or the like, which comprises a computer and a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional document retrieval and display systems are, for example, World Wide Web on the Internet.
(= WWW) As shown in the system, the entire document to be displayed is taken into a terminal side hard disk device or the like and then displayed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing this in a model.
11-1, 11-2,... Indicate pages of a document stored on the server side. A storage device 12 stores these documents. Reference numeral 13 denotes a state in which a document in page units transferred on a network is one continuous file. 14-1, 14-2,... Indicate the state of reception on the client side, and indicate the state of division into page units again. Reference numeral 15 denotes a client-side storage device in which these documents are stored.

[0004]

In such a conventional document retrieval and display system, it is relatively easy to display the data once captured on the client side at a high speed. Since it takes a long time (usually about 10 seconds or more) until the data is stored in the storage device 15, it takes time until the display is started, and there is a demand for improvement.

An object of the present invention is to provide a document retrieval and display system capable of performing the above-described improvement and capable of starting display of a document at high speed.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for making a document retrieval request from a client to a server in computer communication, and retrieving a document retrieved from the server based on the request. Storage means for dividing a document into a plurality of pages, storing each page as a file, and storing information including a file list of the file, and File list acquiring means for acquiring the file list at the time of a document retrieval request from the client side and transmitting the file list to the client side, wherein at the client side, the file list reading means for reading the file list sent from the server side And the required page from the read file list Page requesting means for requesting only the required pages, page storing means for storing the pages retrieved from the server based on the request for the necessary pages, and page displaying means for displaying the stored pages. And

The page request means requests one page and displays the retrieved page, and then requests the next page. The page storage means requests the next page. It is characterized in that the retrieved pages are stored.

According to the present invention, a document to be stored in the server is stored in advance in units of pages, and when this document is retrieved at the request of the client, it is performed not in units of documents but in units of pages. Start display at high speed. That is,
The client first obtains information such as the number of pages of a document at the time of a document retrieval request (at the time of document access). Next, only the page requested by the user or the like is accessed, taken out, and immediately displayed. For example, when the time until this display is less than the allowable time (for example, 2 seconds or less), the next page is requested and taken out (hereinafter referred to as pre-reading), and stored in the page storage means. Display starts instantly when accessing.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a server unit, 23 is a client unit 21 and a server unit 2
2 is a network connecting them. This configuration is usually called a client-server configuration or a client-server system. A server is a system that waits for requests from a plurality of clients and responds to the requests.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of an embodiment of the present invention. The client unit 21 is configured as follows.
That is, the client unit 21 includes an input unit 31 for instructing input and execution of characters, a menu display unit 32, a document display unit 33 for displaying a document, a decoding unit 34 for expanding a compressed document, and a transfer from the server side. File list storage means 35, file list reading means 36 for reading this list, page request means 37 for requesting pages from the server, storage means 38 for documents transferred from the server side, client control for controlling the entire client section 21 Means 39 and means 40 for sending and receiving various data.
Reference numeral 41 denotes a transmission unit configured by a network, for example. Further, the server unit 22 includes a transmission / reception unit 42, a server control unit 43, a reception content identification unit 44, a file list acquisition unit 45, a page acquisition unit 46, a DB (database) management unit 47, and a document storage unit 48.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a client unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. An input unit 51 generally corresponds to a keyboard, a mouse, or the like. Reference numeral 52 denotes a menu display unit, which is typically a CRT display as hardware, and here further includes a processing unit for displaying a menu. Reference numeral 53 denotes an image document display unit.
2 uses the same hardware, but includes a processing unit for displaying an image document. Reference numeral 54 denotes a decoding unit which has a function of expanding a compressed image document. 55
Is a file list storage unit, a hard disk drive,
Any of virtual memory and the like may be used. Reference numeral 56 denotes a file list reading unit which reads the contents of the file list. 57
Denotes a page request unit, which requests the server unit 22 for the page requested by the user by the page number in the file list. Reference numeral 58 denotes a document memory unit, which is constituted by a device such as a semiconductor memory capable of high-speed storage and reading. Reference numeral 59 denotes a client control unit, which is a control unit for the entire client unit 21. Reference numeral 60 denotes a transmission / reception unit that passes or receives various data to the transmission unit 41.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a server unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 71 denotes a transmission / reception unit, which corresponds to the transmission / reception unit 60 of the client unit 21. Reference numeral 72 denotes a server control unit, which is a control unit for the entire server unit 22. A reception content identification unit 73 identifies the content transmitted from the client 21 and received by the transmission / reception unit 71, and determines the next processing content. Reference numeral 74 denotes a file list acquisition unit which operates first when a document is requested. Reference numeral 75 denotes a page acquisition unit. Reference numeral 74 denotes an operation of the file list acquisition unit 74. After the file list has been acquired, it operates only when requested according to the contents. Reference numeral 76 denotes a DB management unit that functions when a file list, page, or the like is requested, returns data, and also has a role of managing a database so that documents stored in the document storage unit 77 can be easily searched.

FIG. 5 shows the flow of processing according to the embodiment of the present invention. On the client unit 21, the program 81
Is working. The program 81 receives a command from the user and requests a document from the server unit 22 (S-
1). This request acts on the program 82 running on the server unit 22. As a result, the file list data of the requested document is transferred to the client unit 21 (S-
2). The client unit 21 stores this data (S-3). When the accumulation is completed, the operation of the client unit 21 proceeds to the program 83. This program 83
The file list data received from the server unit 22 is read, and the actual data of the first page is requested to the server unit 22 (S-4). The server unit 22 transfers the requested actual data to the client unit 21 (S-5). This actual data is stored in the memory unit of the client unit 21 (S-
6). Thereafter, processing for displaying the actual data (for example, when compressed, decompression (decoding processing), etc.)
Is displayed on the screen of the display unit (S-
7). Thereafter, the client unit 21 requests the actual data of the next page (S-8), receives the transfer from the server unit 22 (S-9), and stores it in the memory unit (S-10).
The processing is terminated. Here, in the case where the pre-reading is not performed, one process is terminated in S-7.

FIG. 6 is an operation time chart of the present invention. Reference numeral 91 denotes a page operation for requesting a page of a document by using one of the input means (input unit), for example, a mouse. 91-1 and 91
-2 and the like indicate the timing of requesting a page. Reference numeral 92 denotes the timing of receiving a page by the page operation 91 when there is no pre-reading, and 92-1 and 92-2 indicate that the next page is being received. Reference numeral 93 denotes a display operation of the display unit, and the inclined unit 9
3-1 is displayed on the display screen from the screen currently displayed,
Indicates that the screen is being switched to the next screen. 93-2
Is the time until the start of the display switching operation, during which the display screen remains stationary. Reference numeral 94 denotes the next page reception timing when there is a prefetch operation, which corresponds to 92 without prefetch. 94-3 is the time from the mouse operation 91-1 until the reception of the next page is completed, and this time indicates the time during which the operation of the next page is impossible. Reference numeral 95 denotes a display operation. The switching operation is performed almost simultaneously with the page operation.

If there is no pre-reading due to the timing 91-1 of the page operation by the user's mouse or the like, 92-1
During this time, the receiving operation is continued. The corresponding static display 93-
Thereafter, the display switching operation is started. Switching operation is 9
The process ends at 3-1. On the other hand, if there is pre-reading, page operation 9
At timing 94-1 before timing 1-1, the document has been received and is stored in the memory unit. Therefore, the display switching operation 95-1 is entered in a short time 95-2 immediately after the page operation.

[0017]

As described in detail above, in the present invention, a document to be stored is stored in units of pages in advance, and when this document is retrieved, information such as the number of pages of the document is first obtained. Next, only one page is accessed and displayed. At the same time, the next page is taken out (called pre-reading) and stored in the page storage means.
With these, the effect that display of a document is started at high speed can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a client unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a server unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an operation time chart of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a model diagram of a conventional document retrieval and display system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Client part 22 ... Server part 23 ... Network 31 ... Input means 32 ... Display means 33 ... Document display means 34 ... Decryption means 35 ... File list storage means 36 ... File list reading means 37 ... Page request means 38 ... Document storage means 39 client control means 40 transmission / reception means 41 transmission means 42 transmission / reception means 43 server control means 44 reception content identification means 45 file list acquisition means 46 page acquisition means 47 DB management means 48 document storage means 51 Input unit 52 Menu display unit 53 Image document display unit 54 Decoding unit 55 File list storage unit 56 File list reading unit 57 Page request unit 58 Document memory unit 59 Client control unit 60 Transmission / reception unit 71 ... Transceiving unit 72 ... Server control unit 73 ... Received content identification unit 74 File list acquisition unit 75 ... Page acquisition unit 76 ... DB management unit 77 ... Document storage unit 81,83 ... Client side program 82 ... Server side program 91 ... Page operation timing 92,94 ... Page reception timing 93,95 ... Display unit display Operation timing

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Ikuo Namiki 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Masami Ujiie 1-14-5 Kichijoji Honmachi, Musashino City, Tokyo No. NTT Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A document retrieval and display system which requests a document retrieval from a client to a server in computer communication and displays a document retrieved from the server on the basis of the request on a terminal of the client. Storing means for dividing the document into a plurality of pages, storing each page as a file, and storing information including a file list of the file; acquiring the file list upon a document retrieval request from the client side; File list obtaining means for transmitting to the client side, on the client side, a file list reading means for reading the file list sent from the server side, and a page requesting only necessary pages from the read file list. Request means and request for the required page Article extraction display system wherein a page storage means for storing the pages retrieved from the server side, a page display means for displaying the accumulated page has, that based. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said page request means requests one page, displays a page taken out, and then requests the next page. The page storage means requests the next page. The document retrieval display system according to claim 1, wherein the retrieved pages are stored.