1. A computer-implemented method of displaying search results in a search and display window, the method comprising:
a) receiving a primary search query from a user;
b) determining a primary search result using a processor executing the primary search query;
c) displaying a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;
d) receiving a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;
e) determining a secondary search result using the processor executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of: (i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and
f) displaying a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result;
wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and
wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.
2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
displaying the primary electronic representation selected by the user in a feature portion of the search and display window.
3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
displaying each primary electronic representation selected by the user in a selection history portion of the search and display window.
4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
receiving a subsequent secondary search query; and
determining a subsequent secondary search result.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent secondary search query comprises a user selection of another one of the plurality of primary electronic representations.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of secondary electronic representations.
7. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:
displaying a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent second secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations are displayed in a preview secondary search results portion of the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.
8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
displaying each primary electronic representation and each secondary electronic representation selected by the user in the selection history portion of the search and display window.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising
receiving a selection of one of the primary or secondary electronic representations displayed in the selection history portion; and
displaying a previous search result associated with the selection.
10. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:
displaying the plurality of secondary electronic representations and the plurality of the primary electronic representations in the primary search result portion of the search and display window; and
displaying a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations are displayed in the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:
displaying a first subset of the primary search result for a predetermined amount of time; and
displaying a next subset of the primary search result after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary search result is determined using a primary search algorithm, and the secondary search result is determined using a secondary search algorithm.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the primary search algorithm and the secondary search algorithm is customizable by the user.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.
15. A system for displaying search results in a search and display window, the system comprising:
a database for storing data in a memory;
a display adapted to display the search and display window; and
a processor configured to:
receive a primary search query;
determine a primary search result by executing the primary search query;
display a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in a primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;
receive a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;
determine a secondary search result by executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of: (i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and
display a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result, wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display the primary electronic representation selected by the user in a feature portion of the search and display window.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display each primary electronic representation selected by the user in a selection history portion of the search and display window.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a subsequent secondary search query; and
determine a subsequent secondary search result by executing a subsequent secondary search query.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one subsequent secondary search term comprises a user selection of another one of the plurality of primary electronic representations.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one subsequent secondary search term comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of secondary electronic representations.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent second secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent electronic representations is displayed in a preview secondary search results portion of the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.
22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display each primary electronic representation and each secondary electronic representation selected by the user in the selection history portion of the search and display window.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a selection of one of the primary or secondary electronic representations displayed in the selection history portion; and
display a previous search result associated with the selection.
24. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display the plurality of secondary electronic representations and the plurality of the primary electronic representations in the primary search result portion of the search and display window; and
display a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent secondary search result in the secondary search results portion.
25. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:
display a first subset of the primary search result for a predetermined amount of time;
display a next subset of the primary search result after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.
26. The system of claim 15, wherein the primary search result is determined using a primary search algorithm, and the secondary search result is determined using a secondary search algorithm.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the primary search algorithm and the secondary search algorithm is customizable by the user.
28. The system of claim 15, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.
29. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for performing a method of displaying search results in a search and display window, the method comprising:
a) receiving a primary search query from a user;
b) determining a primary search result using a processor executing a primary search query;
c) displaying a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;
d) receiving a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;
e) determining a secondary search result using the processor executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of: (i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and
f) displaying a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result;
wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and
wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.
30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A packing method using a palette on which an article to be packed can be placed, and an article-fixing member which fixes the article on the palette, wherein
the article-fixing member is accommodated in the palette such that the article-fixing member can be pulled out when the article is to be packed and is wound around the article to firmly fix the article on the palette.
2. The packing method according to claim 1, wherein the article-fixing member is wound around the article at least in a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the palette, and when the article-fixing member is wound around the article, the article-fixing member pushes the article against the palette.
3. The packing method according to claim 1, wherein a ceiling plate which can be opened and closed is used, when the article is packed, the ceiling plate is opened, the article-fixing member is wound around a surface of the article below the ceiling plate and then, the ceiling plate is closed, a cover which covers an outer periphery of the closed ceiling plate is disposed, the surface of the article below the ceiling plate and the ceiling plate are fixed to each other through the cover.
4. The packing method according to claim 3, the article is an image forming apparatus, the surface of the article is a document table located below the ceiling plate, the image forming apparatus is provided at its upper surface with an automatic document feeder having a document catch tray which can open and close with respect to the document table, and the document catch tray has a shape which stands up, the article-fixing member is wound around the document table located below the automatic document feeder having the article-fixing member which can open and close, thereby fixing the image forming apparatus on the palette.
5. The packing method according to claim 3, wherein the document table corresponding to the surface below the automatic document feeder corresponding to the ceiling plate is provided with a sheet material whose covering area can be changed, the article-fixing member is wound around an upper surface of the sheet material, the sheet material and a cover which covers an upper portion of the automatic document feeder are integrally formed together, and the automatic document feeder is fixed.
6. A packing tool comprising:
a palette to place an article;
an article-fixing member accommodated in an accommodating section provided in the palette such that the article-fixing member can be pulled out from the accommodating section; and
a plurality of posts mounted on the palette, wherein
a length of the article-fixing member is adjusted in accordance with a height and a size of the article, and the article-fixing member pushes the article against the palette in the vertical direction.
7. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein the palette is provided with the accommodating section for the article-fixing member, the accommodating section is provided with a structure which adjusts the pulling-out amount of the article-fixing member.
8. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein the article-fixing member comprises a plurality of bands which can be wound around the article in parallel to each other in at least a horizontal direction.
9. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein the article-fixing member comprises a band which is wound around sidewalls of the article in the horizontal direction.
10. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein a portion of each the post is provided with a groove, and surface plates which can be stretched between the posts can be mounted in the grooves.
11. The packing tool according to claim 10, wherein a height of each the surface plate is lower than a height of the article.
12. The packing tool according to claim 10, wherein one of the surface plate which is opposed to a back surface of the article is provided with an insertion section for the band which is wound around sidewalls of the article in the horizontal direction, the band which was inserted through the insertion section and was pulled out from the accommodating space of the article can be tied in accordance with a circumference length of the article, the band pushes the article against the palette and pushes the article against the surface plate and fixes the article.
13. The packing tool according to claim 10, wherein each of the surface plate is made of synthetic resin, plate metal or plate material, and the surface plate can be press-fitted to the posts or palette.
14. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein when the article is an image forming apparatus provided at its upper surface with an automatic document feeder having a document catch tray, which can open and close with respect to a document table corresponding to a surface of the article below the ceiling plate, and when the document catch tray has a shape which stands, the band used as the article-fixing member is integrally provided with a sheet material which can cover the document table and which has a variable covering surface, or the band can slide on the sheet material, the band is wound around the document table and pushes the image forming apparatus in the vertical direction and fixes the same.
15. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein when the article is an image forming apparatus provided at its upper surface with an automatic document feeder having a document catch tray which can open and close with respect to a document table corresponding to a surface of the article below the ceiling plate, and when the document catch tray has a shape which stands, the band used as the article-fixing member is wound around the document table, a sheet material for covering the document table is disposed on the document table, the sheet material is provided at its upper surface with a tunnel through which the band can pass, the sheet material can slide on the band.
16. The packing tool according to claim 14, wherein the sheet material which covers the document table is provided with a joint member which attachably and detachably supports a cover, the cover can cover an upper portion of the automatic document feeder which is put on an upper surface of the sheet material.
17. The packing tool according to claim 15, wherein the sheet material which covers the document table is provided with a joint member which attachably and detachably supports a cover, the cover can cover an upper portion of the automatic document feeder which is put on an upper surface of the sheet material.
18. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein a ceiling plate is mounted on the posts, the palette can be placed on the ceiling plate.
19. The packing tool according to claim 18, wherein heights of the posts can be changed in accordance with a height of the article.
20. The packing tool according to claim 18, wherein each the post has a relatively movable overlapped or superposed frames, the height of the post is changed in accordance with the height of the article by moving one of the frame with respect to the other frame, and the frames are fixed to each other at the height-changed position, thereby maintaining the position.
21. The packing tool according to claim 6, wherein the surface plate stretched between the posts is provided at one surface with a leg which is connected to the surface in a hinged manner so that the leg can fall and stand up, the leg can be used as a landing leg which can support the surface plate which was removed from between the posts as a slope plate.