Minoru Tanaka

An iconic programming system, HI-VISUAL

A framework for icon management which is quite object-oriented is proposed, and an iconic programming system named HI-VISUAL is presented on the basis of the framework. In the framework, icons represent real objects or concepts already established in a target application environment, whereas icons representing functions are not provided. A function is represented by a combination of two different icons. Each icon can take an active or a passive role against the other. The role sharing is determined dynamically, depending on the environment in which the icons are activated. Programming in HI-VISUAL and implementation issues of the system prototype, now in operation in a laboratory environment, are extensively discussed. >

KDA: a knowledge-based database assistant

A knowledge-based database assistant, KDA, is described that has a query-guide function, an SQL-like database query generator, and an interface for subset-English. KDA can be used to design the front end of an SQL database system or a computer-based SQL tutorial system. A method is discussed for transforming a semantic network representing a users conceptual query into one providing the information required by the system to respond to a query. The query pattern is an expression in natural language representing the semantic structure of concepts. The user expresses queries by filling parentheses in the query patterns with appropriate words. The query-pattern instances thus obtained are then translated into SQL-like relational database queries. The translation is carried out by evaluating operations defined on a semantic network named G-Net which conveys knowledge about application fields, the database schema, and the syntax of SQL.<<ETX>>

IconicBrowser: an iconic retrieval system for object-oriented databases

The IconicBrowser, which allows the user to retrieve objects in a database by means of icons, is described. Icons represent classes and objects in the database. Queries are specified by overlapping one icon over another. The system then interprets them into database operations, depending on their combination. At the same time, the system generates predicate-based (text-base) queries which can be used in other applications of the database.<<ETX>>

A visual user interface for map information retrieval based on semantic significance

User-interface facilities of a map information system HI-MAP that provide visual feedback to the user are presented. The facilities include semantic panning and zooming, overlaying of thematic maps, etc., and are available through an interactive menu system. HI-MAP retrieves map elements in a specified region on the basis of their relevance and their categorical classification. It has a data structure that includes logical and physical hierarchies for the management of semantic relationships and graphic map elements. The software for implementing these facilities is well modularized, and a variety of interfacing modes can be realized by simple communication between modules. The system contributes toward a reduction of the difficulties in obtaining what is really required from databases. >

A framework for construction of icon systems

The authors propose a framework for the construction of icon systems. An icon system is composed of icons and rules. Icons represent real objects such as sales books, folders, calculators, etc. Functions associated with an object are associated with an object are specified in the icon representing the object. Icons therefore have both data and function properties. Icons may in fact have several functions. The behavior of an icon is not fixed but is determined at the time of programming by being combined with another icon. Rules are provided to make flexible interpretation of icons feasible depending on the application, the status of the system, and so on. The behavior of the system can be changed by replacing icons and/or rules with new ones. Implementational issues are also described. A system prototype is now in an actual operation on a workstation in laboratory environment.<<ETX>>

IconicBrowser: An iconic retrieval system for object-oriented databases

From the point of view of the ability to manage complex data, object-oriented database systems are superior to conventional database systems. Query languages for object-oriented databases, however, tend to be overly complicated for the casual user unfamiliar with sophisticated database manipulation. This paper describes an IconicBrowser which allows the user to retrieve objects in a database by means of icons. Icons represent classes and objects in the database. Queries are specified by overlapping one icon over another. The system then interprets them into the database operations depending on their combination, and at the same time generates predicate-based (text-base) queries which can be used in other applications of the database.

A system for generating language-oriented editors

The authors seek to establish a simple and flexible framework for internal representation of language-dependent information, and the behavior of language-oriented tools for users operations. They present a system for generating language-oriented editors based on object-oriented concepts. Features of the target language are represented as classes and their relations. A program is represented as an abstract syntax tree. Each node in the tree belongs to a node class. For generating more advanced editors, probes, internal-classes, and gates are incorporated into the system. The system generates a flexible and easily extendable language-oriented editor from a target language description in a highly modularized fashion by using the description language which the system provides. >

MORE: an object-oriented data model with a facility for changing object structures

An object-oriented data model, MORE, in which the database specification facilities have been extended so that users can specify an object with various structures is presented. The structure of an object is changed by passing messages. MORE also provides a classtype, a user-defined type for classes with similar structures, in order to simplify the specification of class descriptions. The system generates operations useful for the classes by referring to a corresponding classtype. A prototype system and an example application are described. >

hi-visual Iconic Programming Environment

We earlier proposed a visual programming language, hi-visual. hi-visual supports visual interaction in programming whereby objects such as data and functions are represented in terms of icons. Programming is carried out simply by arranging icons on the display screen.

A framework of expert system with strategic knowledge

The purpose of this study is to construct a system (an Extended Production System, for short, EPS) which selects a desirable strategy dynamically depending on its current state in the process of problem solving. In EPS, a special purpose production interpreter, which directs the system to change its strategies in cooperation with strategic rules, is provided on top of a Conventional Production System (for short, CPS). Furthermore, a set of tactic rules which is appropriate for the strategy is selected from a rulebase and used in order that CPS can restrict search space under the current strategy. This has made EPS capable of following up various problem solving requirements flexibly. A reduction of the number of comparisons between the tactic rules and Short Term Memory (STM) has been attained by declaration of a rule subset appropriate for the strategy in each strategic rule. These advantages have been examined through experiments in image data retrieval by examples.