Program and information processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique for allowing a user to easily register a user account in a system requiring the registration of the user account.SOLUTION: A client application 13 acquires printer information from a label printer 11. The client application 13 is capable of receiving a new creation instruction to create a new user account via an embedded browser 15 launched by the client application 13, if the new creation instruction is received, the embedded browser 15 displays a new account registration screen 330 provided by a management server 26 that manages user accounts, and the printer information acquired from the label printer 11 is entered in an entry field for accepting the printer information included in the new account registration screen 330.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The technical field disclosed in this specification relates to a program and an information processing device for registering a user account required for using a system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a system for utilizing content data is known in which a server for storing content data is provided on the Internet, content data is posted from a user's device, i.e., uploaded to the server, and the content data is then downloaded to another user's device.

[0003] An example of a document disclosing the above-mentioned system is Patent Document 1. In the point management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, when photo data is uploaded from User A's PC to a WWW server and purchased by User B's PC and downloaded from the WWW server, points are added to User B, the purchaser, according to the purchase amount, and further points are added to User A, the contributor, according to the data size of the photo data when the photo data is uploaded or downloaded. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-99746 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, systems that share label data used to print labels with a label printer have been considered, and in such systems, it is necessary to register a user account to use the system. When registering a user account, the user is required to input various information, and it is troublesome for the user if there are many input items. Patent Document 1 discloses a system that shares photo data via a WWW server, but does not disclose a mechanism for registering a user account. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The program aimed at solving the above problems is A program executable by a computer of an information processing device, the information processing device being capable of communicating with a server; The computer includes: The information processing device may execute an acquisition process for acquiring printer information from a printer connected to the information processing device, The computer further comprises: When access to the server is requested, a screen provided from the server can be displayed, and after the screen provided from the server is displayed, an instruction to create a new user account can be accepted; The computer further comprises: When the new creation instruction is received, an account creation screen for receiving input of various information necessary for creating a user account can be displayed, and the account creation screen includes an input field for receiving printer information; The computer further comprises: When the account creation screen is displayed, an input process can be executed to input the printer information acquired in the acquisition process into the input field of the account creation screen. It is configured as follows.

[0007] According to the above program, printer information is acquired from the printer in advance, and when creating a new user account, the program inputs the printer information into the printer information field on the account creation screen, eliminating the need for the user to perform an operation to input the printer information. This reduces the user's effort when creating a user account.

[0008] A control method for realizing the functions of the program, an information processing device capable of executing the processing of the program, and a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program are also novel and useful. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the technology disclosed in this specification, a technology is realized that allows a user to easily register a user account in a system that requires the registration of a user account. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an account database (account DB). [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a user database (user DB). [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a label database (label DB). [Diagram 5] 11 is a sequence diagram showing a process from the start of a user registration procedure to the display of a login screen. FIG. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions from the start of a user registration procedure to a login screen. [Figure 7A] 11 is a sequence diagram showing a user registration procedure from displaying a login screen to registering a user account. FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a user registration procedure from registration of a user account to completion. [Figure 8A]FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a new account registration screen. [Figure 8B] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an entire new account registration screen. [Figure 8C] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user information input screen. [Figure 9] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions in a procedure for posting label data. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for posting label data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a program for registering a user account will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This specification discloses a procedure for creating a user account for use in a label data sharing system that connects a server and multiple information processing devices via a network to share label data used for printing labels with a label printer.

[0012] A label data sharing system 100 (hereinafter referred to as "system 100") according to this embodiment is a system provided by a vendor of a label printer 11, as shown in Fig. 1. The system 100 comprises a plurality of terminals 12, a label server 22, and a management server 26, which are connected via an Internet line 21. Each terminal 12 is connectable to at least one label printer 11.

[0013] The terminal 12 is a device having a communication function, a display function, and an operation receiving function. The terminal 12 has a controller 120 including a CPU 121 and a memory 122. The terminal 12 is an example of an information processing device. The CPU 121 is an example of a computer. The terminal 12 also has a user interface (hereinafter, referred to as a "user IF") 123 and a communication interface (hereinafter, referred to as a "communication IF") 124, which are electrically connected to the controller 120. Note that the controller 120 in FIG. 1 is a collective term for hardware and software used to control the terminal 12, and does not necessarily represent a single piece of hardware actually present in the terminal 12. The terminal 12 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, or may be a personal computer.

[0014] The user IF 123 includes hardware for displaying a screen for notifying the user of information and hardware for accepting operations by the user. The user IF 123 may be a combination of a display capable of displaying information and a mouse, keyboard, or the like having an operation acceptance function, or may be a touch panel having a display function and an operation acceptance function.

[0015] The communication IF 124 includes hardware for communicating with external devices such as the label printer 11 and the server 22. The communication standards of the communication IF 124 are Ethernet (registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), USB, etc. The terminal 12 may be equipped with multiple communication IFs 124 compatible with multiple communication standards.

[0016] A client application program (hereinafter referred to as a "client application") 13 is installed in the memory 122 of each terminal 12. The client application 13 is an example of a program. Each terminal 12 is also capable of storing label data 14. The label data 14 is data that can be printed by the label printer 11, and is data that is created using the client application 13.

[0017] The client application 13 is an application program provided by the vendor of the label printer 11. The client application 13 has various functions, such as an editing function for creating and editing label data 14 based on instructions from a user, a storage function for storing the created label data 14 in memory 122 of the terminal 12, and a printing function for sending print data based on the created label data 14 to the label printer 11 for printing.

[0018] Furthermore, the client application 13 communicates with the label server 22 via the Internet line 21, and can use services provided by the label server 22. In this embodiment, the label server 22 provides services related to label data, and the client application 13 has a function of uploading the label data 14 stored in the memory 122 of the terminal 12 to the label server 22, and a function of downloading the label data registered in the label DB 25 from the label server 22 to the terminal 12. In this specification, uploading label data to the label server 22 is sometimes described as "posting" the label data.

[0019] The label printer 11 is a device that includes, for example, a thermal transfer print head and is capable of printing on a roll of label paper while unwinding it. For example, the label printer 11 prints images on the stored label paper and transports the label paper based on label data received from the terminal 12, and can cause the printed portion to protrude outside the machine. The label printer 11 can communicate with the terminal 12 via wireless LAN communication such as Wi-Fi, or short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The label printer 11 may also be capable of communicating with the terminal 12 via wired communication based on the USB standard.

[0020] The management server 26 has at least a storage function and a communication function, and is a server constructed, for example, by the manufacturer of the label printer 11. The manufacturer of the label printer 11 provides various services including the services provided by the label server 22, and the management server 26 manages common user accounts used in each service. A management server program 27 is built into the management server 26.

[0021] The management server 26 also has an account database (hereinafter, referred to as "account DB") 28. The account DB 28 is a database that stores information for each user account. As shown in FIG. 2, the account DB 28 can register a record for each user account, which is composed of a user ID 280, an email address 281, a password 282, personal information 283, product information 284, and a registration date 285. The user ID 280 is a serial number that is assigned to each registered user account in the order of registration, and is identification information for the user account. The email address 281 is information that indicates the contact information of the user. Note that the email address 281 may also serve as identification information for the user account. In this case, registration of a user account with the same email address is restricted. The password 282 is information used for authentication. The personal information 283 is personal information of the user, such as a name, a date of birth, and a telephone number. The product information 284 is information that indicates a printer purchased by the user, such as a model name, a product serial number, a purchase date, and a purchase store. The registration date 285 is information indicating the date and time when the user account was registered.

[0022] The label server 22 has at least a storage function and a communication function, and is a server constructed, for example, by the manufacturer of the label printer 11. The manufacturer of the label printer 11 provides a service that enables label data to be shared by the label server 22. The label server 22 has a label server program 23 built in.

[0023] The label server 22 also has a user database (hereinafter referred to as "user DB") 24 and a label database (hereinafter referred to as "label DB") 25. The user DB 24 is a database that stores user information for each user account when using the services provided by the label server 22. The label DB 25 is a database in which label data can be registered. Note that the label data registered in the label DB 25 is not limited to label data posted from the terminal 12, but may be label data provided by the vendor (manufacturer) of the label printer 11, for example.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, the user DB 24 can register a record for each user account, the record being composed of a user ID 241, a user name 242, an icon 243, and local information 244. The user ID 241 is information for identifying a user account, and a user ID 280 of a user account registered in the account DB 28 of the management server 26 is written in the user ID 241. If an email address also serves as identification information for a user account, the email address may be written in place of the user ID. The user name 242 is the name or nickname of an individual or group (corporation) of a user. The icon 243 is an icon arbitrarily set by the user. The local information 244 is information indicating the environment in which the user is used, such as language and region.

[0025] The user DB 24 is a database that manages user information about users of the services provided by the label server 22, and does not necessarily manage user information corresponding to all user accounts registered in the account DB 28 of the management server 26. In other words, when a user of the services provided by the label server 22 performs an operation to register user information for the label server 22, a record corresponding to the user's user account is registered in the user DB 24.

[0026] The label server 22 uses the user account registered in the management server 26 to authenticate the service user, and when registering the service user, requests input of the user account managed by the management server 26. Then, the user ID of the user account registered in the account DB 28 of the management server 26 is written into the record of the user account registered in the user DB 24.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, the label DB 25 can register a record consisting of a label ID 251, creator information 252, label data 253, supplementary information 254, and posting date 256 for each label data. The label ID 251 is a serial number assigned to each registered label data in the order of registration. The creator information 252 is information indicating the user who created the registered label data, and the user ID 241 in the user DB 24 (user ID 280 in the account DB 28) is written. Note that the user name 242 in the user DB 24 may be written instead of the user ID. In the creator information 252 for label data created by a user other than a user with a user account, identification information indicating the administrator, identification information indicating the vendor who created the data, or the field is left blank.

[0028] The label data 253 is the label data itself created by the client application 13. The label data stores information indicating the configuration of the label. The information indicating the configuration of the label includes, for example, the type of object set, parameters set for each object, and the arrangement of each object. The supplemental information 254 stores information supplemented when the label data is uploaded to the label server 22. The posting date 256 is information indicating the date when the label data was uploaded.

[0029] The user of the terminal 12 can use the services provided by the label server 22 by accessing the label server 22 via the client application 13. The label server 22 registers the label data transmitted from the terminal 12, i.e., the posted label data, in the label DB 25, and downloads the label data registered in the label DB 25 to the terminal 12. These are part of the services provided by the label server 22.

[0030] For example, user X of a terminal 12 can create label data Y using the client application 13 and post the label data Y to the label server 22. User Z of another terminal 12 can download the label data Y from the label server 22 using the client application 13. This allows user Z of another terminal 12 to use the label data Y created by user X, and the label data Y is shared via the label server 22.

[0031] The services provided by the label server 22 include services that require user authentication using a preregistered user account, i.e. services that require logging in. Among the services provided by the label server 22 described above, the registration of posted label data and the downloading of registered label data are also among the services that require logging in.

[0032] Next, the procedure for creating a new user account and registering user information corresponding to the user account on the terminal 12 included in the system 100 will be described with reference to a sequence diagram and a diagram showing screen transitions. The procedures and processing steps of each program described below basically indicate processing by the CPU 121 of the terminal 12, the CPU of the label server 22, and the CPU of the management server 26 according to instructions written in each program. Processing by each CPU also includes hardware control using the API of the OS. In this specification, the operation of each program will be described without describing the OS. Processing by the label server 22 is executed by the program 23 for the label server, and processing by the management server 26 is executed by the program 27 for the management server.

[0033] In the system 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the user first starts the client application 13 on the terminal 12 (A01). As part of the startup process, the client application 13 accesses the label printer 11 connected to the terminal 12 and requests printer information (A02). In response to the request, the label printer 11 responds with its own printer information (A03). In this way, the client application 13 obtains the printer information from the label printer 11 connected to the terminal 12. A02 and A03 are examples of the obtaining process. The printer information is information stored in the label printer 11 and may be any information that is required to be input when creating a new user account, which will be described later, and may include, for example, model information and a product serial number.

[0034] After being started, the client application 13 displays a home screen 200 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12 as shown in FIG. 6A, and accepts various operations from the user. For example, when the client application 13 accepts an operation on the label creation button 201, the client application 13 displays an editing screen (not shown) for editing label data on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12. The user can edit the label data on the displayed editing screen. When the client application 13 accepts an operation to save the label data being edited on the editing screen, the client application 13 can save the label data being edited in the memory 122, and when the client application 13 accepts an operation to print, the client application 13 can pass print data based on the label data being edited to the label printer 11, and the label printer 11 can print the label indicated in the label data. When the client application 13 accepts an operation to select one of the label data 14 stored in the memory 122, the client application 13 reads out the selected label data 14 and displays an editing screen for editing the read label data 14 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12.

[0035] Furthermore, the client application 13 can accept an operation on a server use button 203 from among the menu icons displayed at the bottom of the screen. When the user operates the server use button 203 via the user IF 123 of the terminal 12 (A11), the client application 13 starts the embedded browser 15, which is a program incorporated in the client application 13, and passes a URL for accessing the label server 22 to the embedded browser 15 (A12). The embedded browser 15 is a program that operates as a part of the client application 13, and has a function of displaying a screen based on a web page on the screen of the client application 13.

[0036] The embedded browser 15 accesses the label server 22 based on the passed URL (A13), obtains the web screen 300 from the label server 22 (A14), and displays the obtained web screen 300 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, as shown in Fig. 6(B). The web screen 300 includes a list of label data registered in the label DB 25, as well as a user information button 301 showing information about the logged-in user and a post button 302 for posting label data. The web screen 300 is an example of a screen passed from a server, and the label server 22 is an example of a server.

[0037] After acquiring the web screen 300, the embedded browser 15 notifies the client application 13 to display the web screen 300 (A15). Upon receiving the notification from the embedded browser 15, the client application 13 passes the printer information previously acquired from the label printer 11 to the embedded browser 15 (A16). A16 is an example of a notification process. The embedded browser 15 then temporarily stores the passed printer information.

[0038] If the client application 13 does not acquire the printer information because it was not connected to the label printer 11 at the time of startup, for example, the client application 13 may access the label printer 11 in response to a notification from the embedded browser 15 to acquire the printer information and pass the acquired printer information to the embedded browser 15. If the client application 13 is unable to acquire the printer information, the client application 13 may pass information indicating that there is no printer information to the embedded browser 15. The client application 13 may also pass information held by the client application 13, such as regional information, to the embedded browser 15 together with the printer information.

[0039] When the embedded browser 15 accepts an operation on the user information button 301, it displays a user information screen 310 showing information of the logged-in user on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, as shown in Fig. 6(C). The user information screen 310 includes the user information of the logged-in user registered in the user DB 24, and also includes a printer system button 311 for accessing the management server 26. The user information screen 310 shown in Fig. 6(C) shows a state where the user is not logged in, and information as a guest user is displayed as the information of the logged-in user. On the other hand, in the case of a logged-in state, the user information screen 310 displays the user name 242 and icon 243 registered in the user DB 24 for the logged-in user.

[0040] When the user operates the printer system button 311 (A21), the embedded browser 15 sends a login acceptance request to the label server 22 (A22). The login acceptance request to the label server 22 is an example of a first login request. The login acceptance request is associated with printer information and region information. The region information is a parameter for specifying an authentication server, such as JP or US.

[0041] In this system 100, when logging in to use the label server 22, user authentication using a user account registered in the management server 26 is required. Therefore, when the label server program 23 receives a login acceptance request from the embedded browser 15 of the terminal 12, it acquires a login URL for accessing the management server 26 based on the area information associated with the login acceptance request (A23). The label server program 23 stores login URLs for each area, and reads out the login URL suitable for the area information passed from the embedded browser 15 of the terminal 12.

[0042] The label server program 23 then sends a redirect request to the embedded browser 15 that sent the login acceptance request (A24). The redirect request is associated with the login URL obtained based on the area information, the printer information associated with the login acceptance request, and the callback URL.

[0043] The embedded browser 15 that has received the redirect request accesses the management server 26 based on the received login URL (A25), acquires the login screen 320 from the management server 26 (A26), and displays the acquired login screen 320 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, as shown in FIG. 6(D). The login screen 320 is an example of a login screen provided by another server, and the management server 26 is an example of another server. The request to access the management server 26 by A25 is an example of a second login request. When accessing the management server 26 based on the login URL, the embedded browser 15 transmits the printer information and the callback URL transmitted from the label server 22 to the management server 26. When the embedded browser 15 receives the login screen 320, the printer information is transmitted from the management server 26 in association with the login screen 320.

[0044] The login screen 320 includes items for inputting login information such as an email address and a password, a login button 322 for instructing login, and a new registration button 321 for registering a new user account. When the login button 322 is operated, user authentication is performed by the management server 26 based on the input login information. When the new registration button 321 is operated, the process proceeds to a procedure for creating a new user account.

[0045] The following describes the procedure for registering a new user account in response to the new registration button 321. Authentication for registering a new user account is performed according to the authorization code flow of OAuth2.0. The operation of the new registration button 321 is an example of a new creation instruction. Note that a description of the procedure for user authentication by the management server 26 in response to the login button 322 will be omitted.

[0046] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7A, when the user operates the new registration button 321 (A31), the embedded browser 15 transmits an account creation request to the management server 26 (A32). The printer information is associated with the account creation request. When the management server 26 receives the account creation request, the management server program 27 passes the new account registration screen 330 to the embedded browser 15 (A33), and the embedded browser 15 displays the acquired new account registration screen 330 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, as shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. Note that the new account registration screen 330 has many input items, and it is difficult to display the entire screen on the user IF 123. FIG. 8A illustrates an example in which the new account registration screen 330 is displayed on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, where a part of the new account registration screen 330 is displayed on the user IF 123, and the entire screen is displayed by scrolling the screen. FIG. 8B illustrates the entire new account registration screen 330 including a part not displayed on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12. The new account registration screen 330 is an example of an account creation screen. When the embedded browser 15 receives the new account registration screen 330, the printer information is also passed from the management server 26 in association with the new account registration screen 330.

[0047] The new account registration screen 330 includes items that serve as input fields for inputting various information required for creating an account, such as an email address 331, a password 332, personal information 333, and product information 334, as well as a registration button 335 for instructing the user to register a new account. The product information 334 is an example of an input field for receiving printer information. When the embedded browser 15 displays the new account registration screen 330 in A34, the embedded browser 15 automatically inputs the model name and serial number contained in the printer information passed from the management server 26, that is, the printer information passed from the client application 13 when the web screen 300 at the time of startup was displayed and acquired again via the label server 22, into the input field for the product information 334 item (A34). A34 is an example of input processing. For example, if the model name is "XYZ" and the serial number is "1234567890", then "XYZ" is entered in the product model number field and "1234567890" is entered in the serial number field in product information 334 shown in Fig. 8B. Note that although the model name and serial number are automatically entered, they can be manually changed by the user, and changes are not rejected. Also, if printer information is not passed from client application 13, the product model number and serial number in product information 334 are displayed as blanks and are available for manual input by the user.

[0048] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 7A, the user performs an input operation for items that are requested to be input on the new account registration screen 330. Then, when the user operates the registration button 335 (A41), the embedded browser 15 transmits an account registration request to the management server 26 (A42). The account registration request is an example of a registration request, and A42 is an example of a registration request process. The account registration request is associated with the information input on the new account registration screen 330, i.e., email address 331, password 332, personal information 333, and product information 334.

[0049] When the management server 26 receives the account registration request, the management server program 27 verifies the various pieces of information that have been entered (A43). For example, the management server program 27 verifies whether there are any items that have not been entered, whether the entered email address is the same as an existing email address, etc. If there is a problem with the entered information, the management server program 27 responds to the embedded browser 15 that the entered information is incomplete, and asks the user to enter information again on the new account registration screen 330.

[0050] If the entered information is correct, the management server program 27 sends an authentication code to the entered email address (A51) and passes a code entry screen for entering the authentication code to the embedded browser 15 (A52), and the embedded browser 15 displays the acquired code entry screen on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12. When the user enters the authentication code (A54), the embedded browser 15 sends a request to verify the authentication code (A55). The verification request is associated with the entered authentication code.

[0051] When the management server 26 receives the request to verify the authentication code, the management server program 27 verifies the entered authentication code (A56). The management server program 27 verifies whether the authentication code sent to the email address matches the entered authentication code. If the entered authentication code does not match the sent authentication code, the management server program 27 responds to the embedded browser 15 that there is a problem with the entered authentication code, and asks the user to enter the code again on the code input screen.

[0052] If the input authentication code matches the transmitted authentication code, the management server program 27 creates a new user account and registers it in the account DB 28 (A57). In this embodiment, a new record having a new user ID is created in the account DB 28 as a record corresponding to the new user account, and various information input on the new account registration screen 330 is written into that record. This means that a user account for using the system 100 has been registered.

[0053] After a new user account is registered, a procedure is performed for passing an access token from the management server 26 to the embedded browser 15. That is, as shown in Fig. 7B, the management server 26 sends a redirect request to the embedded browser 15 that sent the account registration request (A61). The redirect request is associated with an authorization code. The embedded browser 15 that receives the redirect request accesses the label server 22 and passes the authorization code (A62), and the label server program 23 associates the passed authorization code and sends a token request to the management server 26 (A63). When the management server 26 receives from the label server 22 the authorization code passed to the embedded browser 15, the management server program 27 passes the access token and refresh token to the label server 22 (A64).

[0054] The label server program 23 uses the received access token to request the management server 26 to obtain an ID that identifies the user account (A65), and obtains the user ID of the newly registered user account from the management server 26 (A66). If the email address also serves as the user ID, the email address is obtained. The label server 22 then passes the access token and refresh token to the embedded browser 15 (A67).

[0055] When an access token or the like is passed from the label server 22, the embedded browser 15 sends to the label server 22 a request to obtain user information managed by the label server 22 (A71). When the label server 22 receives the request to obtain user information, the label server program 23 creates a record in the user DB 24 corresponding to the user account that was just newly registered in the management server 26, and writes the user ID passed from the management server 26 as the user ID of the record corresponding to that user account (A72). The label server program 23 then sends a user information input screen 340 to the embedded browser 15 (A73), and the user information input screen 340 is associated with the ID of the user account.

[0056] 8C, the embedded browser 15 displays the acquired user information input screen 340 on the user IF 123 of the terminal 12. The user information input screen 340 includes the user ID acquired from the management server 26, and further includes, as input items, a user name 341 and an icon 342, and further includes a user registration button 343. If the email address doubles as the user ID, the email address is displayed instead of the user ID.

[0057] The user performs input operations for the items for which input is required on the user information input screen 340. Then, when the user operates the user registration button 343 after input has been made for all items (A81), the embedded browser 15 transmits a user registration request to the label server 22 (A82). The user registration request is associated with the information input on the user information input screen 340, i.e., the user name 341 and the icon 342.

[0058] When the label server 22 receives the user registration request, the label server program 23 registers the user information corresponding to the new user account in the user DB 24 (A83). That is, the various pieces of information entered on the user information input screen 340 are written into the record corresponding to the new user account. This means that the user information for using the label server 22 has been registered. After registering the user information, the label server program 23 notifies the embedded browser 15 of the completion of registration (A84), and the procedure for registering a new user account is completed.

[0059] Thereafter, the user can use the services provided by the label server 22. When logging in again after logging out, the user can log in by inputting the email address and password of the registered user account on the login screen 320 shown in Fig. 6(D) and operating the login button 322. If the login is successful, the user can use the services provided by the label server 22.

[0060] Next, the procedure for posting label data 14 on the terminal 12 included in the system 100 will be described with reference to diagrams showing screen transitions and sequence diagrams. In the following description, the processing of the embedded browser 15 in the exchange between the client application 13 and the label server program 23 will be omitted, but in reality, the display of a web screen provided by the label server 22 and the transfer of data between the client application 13 and the label server program 23 are performed via the embedded browser 15 launched by the client application 13. Also, the client application 13 is in a state where user authentication has been performed using the user account created in the above description, i.e., the user of that user account is logged in.

[0061] For example, when the client application 13 accepts an operation of the server use button 203 displayed on the home screen 200 shown in Fig. 9(A) using the user IF 123 of the terminal 12, the client application 13 connects to the label server 22 and displays the web screen 300 shown in Fig. 9(B) on the user IF 123. On the web screen 300, it is possible to search for label data registered in the label DB 25. On the web screen 300, label data registered in the label DB 26 and a post button 302 are displayed.

[0062] When the client application 13 receives an instruction to display the posting screen by operating the post button 302, it displays a saved label list screen that displays a selectable list of label data stored in the terminal 12. The client application 13 receives an operation to select one piece of label data to be uploaded from the displayed list of label data.

[0063] As shown in Fig. 10, when a user selects label data to be uploaded (B01), the client application 13 requests the label server 22 to display a posting screen (B03). In response to the request, the label server program 23 provides the client application 13 with a posting screen 350 as shown in Fig. 9(C) (B04), and the client application 13 displays the posting screen 350 on the user IF 123. If the user is not logged in, before B03, the label server program 23 displays the login screen 320 provided by the management server 26 by a redirect request on the client application 13, and requests the user of the client application 13 to perform an operation to log in. The client application 13 proceeds to B03 on the condition that the user has already logged in.

[0064] The client application 13 can accept supplemental information for the label data 14 selected as the upload target via the posting screen 350. For example, the posting screen 350 displays a label name input field 353, a label description input field 354, a tape type setting field 355, a usage example photo image setting field 356, and a new posting button 361. The posting screen 350 may display an image 352 of the label indicated by the label data 14 selected in B02. The client application 13 accepts the input label name and the like as supplemental information for the label data 14 selected in B02 by inputting the label name indicating the name of the label data 14, the label description input field 354, the tape type setting field 355, and the usage example photo image setting field 356 into the label name input field 353, the label description input field 354, the tape type setting field 355, and the usage example photo image setting field 356 (B11). The supplemental information is displayed, for example, on the web screen 300 to help the user select the download target. The supplemental information is not limited to this form.

[0065] When the user operates the new post button 361 on the posting screen 350 (B12), the client application 13 sends a label registration request to register the label data to the label server 22 (B13). The label registration request is associated with the label data selected in B01 and the supplemental information entered in B11.

[0066] The label server program 23 stores the label data associated with the received label registration request in the label DB 26 (B14). Specifically, the label server program 23 creates a new label ID and registers in the label DB 26 a record that associates the label ID with the user ID of the logged-in user, the received label data, and the received supplementary information.

[0067] When the registration of the posted label data is completed, the label server program 23 notifies the terminal 12 of the completion of the registration (B15). The client application 13 causes the terminal 12 to display a message indicating that the registration of the posted label data is completed. This allows the user to know that the posting is completed.

[0068] The terminal 12 can also download label data registered in the label DB 25 via the client application 13. That is, by selecting the label data to be downloaded from the web screen 300 shown in Fig. 9(B) and sending a download instruction to the label server 22, the selected label data 14 is downloaded to the terminal 12. This allows the label data to be shared in the present system 100.

[0069] As described above in detail, according to the client application 13 of this embodiment, the client application 13 acquires printer information from the label printer 11 in advance, passes the printer information to the embedded browser 15 launched by the client application 13, and when creating a new user account, the printer information is automatically input by the embedded browser 15, thereby eliminating the need for a user to perform an operation to input printer information. This reduces the user's effort when creating a user account.

[0070] Printer information is composed of complex codes. Furthermore, printer information is often written in a manual or on the back of the printer itself, making it easy for users to lose track of where the printer information is located. For this reason, it is very time-consuming for users to manually input printer information, which may cause users to give up using services provided by the present system 100. As in this embodiment, the client application 13 eliminates the time and effort required for inputting printer information, eliminating such barriers to using services, and as a result, promoting the use of services provided by the present system 100.

[0071] It should be noted that the present embodiment is merely an example and does not limit the present invention in any way. Therefore, the present invention can be improved and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the printing method of the label printer 11 is not limited to the thermal transfer method, but may be, for example, an inkjet method, an electrophotographic method, or a thermal method. Furthermore, the printing medium is not limited to label paper, but may be, for example, rolled paper or fanfold paper of ordinary paper, or cut paper. Furthermore, the screens shown in each figure are all examples, and the wording in the figures, the arrangement of each piece of information, the shape of the buttons, etc. are not limited to the examples shown in the figures.

[0072] In the embodiment, a server (management server 26) that manages user accounts and a server (label server 22) that manages label data are provided separately, and user accounts that can be used for other services are created, but a user account may be created exclusively for the server that manages label data. In that case, a redirect request to move from the server that accepts the login acceptance request from the client application 13 to another server is not necessary, and for example, the label server 22 provides a screen for creating a user account (login screen 320 and new account registration screen 330 in the embodiment), automatically inputs printer information that needs to be input on that screen, and creates and registers a user account based on the input information. In that case, the information registered in the user account (information registered in the account DB 28 in the embodiment) and the information registered in the user DB 24 may be integrated and registered in one database.

[0073] In the embodiment, the present invention is applied to a user account used in a system for sharing label data, but the present invention is not limited to a system for sharing label data. For example, the present invention may be applied to a system for sharing image data or document data, in which case the printer is not limited to a label printer and may be a general printer.

[0074] Furthermore, in the embodiment, the embedded browser 15 immediately passes the printer information passed from the client application 13 to the label server 22, and thereafter passes the printer information passed from the label server 22 or the management server 26 each time it communicates with these servers, and finally inputs the printer information passed from the management server 26 into the new account registration screen 330. However, the embedded browser 15 may continue to hold the printer information in a separate memory area and read out that printer information when entering the printer information into the new account registration screen 330.

[0075] In addition, in any of the flowcharts disclosed in the embodiments, the order of execution of multiple processes in any of the steps can be arbitrarily changed or the processes can be executed in parallel as long as no contradiction occurs in the process content.

[0076] The processes disclosed in the embodiments may be executed by a single CPU, multiple CPUs, hardware such as ASIC, or a combination of these. The processes disclosed in the embodiments may be realized in various forms, such as a recording medium having a program for executing the processes recorded thereon, or a method. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 11. Label Printer 12 Terminal 13 Client Apps 15 Embedded Browser 22 Label Server 24 User DB 25 Label DB 26 Management Server 28 Account DB 100 Label Data Sharing System

Claims

1. A program executable by a computer of an information processing device, the information processing device being capable of communicating with a server; The computer includes: The information processing device may execute an acquisition process for acquiring printer information from a printer connected to the information processing device, The computer further comprises: When access to the server is requested, a screen provided from the server can be displayed, and after the screen provided from the server is displayed, an instruction to create a new user account can be accepted; The computer further comprises: When the new creation instruction is received, an account creation screen for receiving input of various information necessary for creating a user account can be displayed, and the account creation screen includes an input field for receiving printer information; The computer further comprises: When the account creation screen is displayed, an input process can be executed to input the printer information acquired in the acquisition process into the input field of the account creation screen. A program that is configured to:

2. The program according to claim 1, The computer includes: a login instruction can be accepted after the screen provided by the server is displayed, and when the login instruction is accepted, a login screen provided from a server different from the server can be displayed, and the new creation instruction can be accepted via the login screen; The computer further comprises: When the new creation instruction is accepted, the account creation screen transferred from the other server can be displayed, and an instruction to register a new user account can be accepted via the account creation screen. The computer further comprises: when the new registration instruction is received, various pieces of information entered on the account creation screen, including the printer information entered in the input process, are transmitted to the other server, and the other server that receives the various pieces of information entered on the account creation screen is capable of creating and registering a new user account; The computer further comprises: After the new user account is registered in the other server, input of user information and a registration instruction can be accepted, and when the registration instruction is accepted, a registration request process can be executed to send a registration request to the server, the registration request being associated with the input user information, and the server receiving the registration request registers the user information in association with the new user account registered in the other server. A program that is configured to:

3. The program according to claim 1, The computer includes: When access to the server is requested, an embedded browser having a function as a web browser is started, and the embedded browser displays the screen transferred from the server; The computer further comprises: a notification process can be executed to pass the printer information acquired in the acquisition process to the embedded browser in response to the embedded browser displaying the screen delivered from the server, and after the screen provided by the server is displayed, the embedded browser can receive the new creation instruction, and when the new creation instruction is received, the embedded browser can display the account creation screen, In the input process, inputting the printer information into the input field of the account creation screen using the embedded browser; A program that is configured to:

4. The program according to claim 3, The computer includes: the embedded browser is capable of accepting a login instruction after displaying the screen provided by the server, and when the login instruction is accepted, the embedded browser is capable of displaying a login screen provided from a server different from the server, and the new creation instruction is capable of being accepted via the login screen; The computer further comprises: When the new creation instruction is accepted, the embedded browser can display the account creation screen sent from the other server, and an instruction to register a new user account can be accepted via the account creation screen; The computer further comprises: when the new registration instruction is received, the embedded browser transmits various pieces of information input on the account creation screen, including the printer information input in the input process, to the other server, and the other server that receives the various pieces of information input on the account creation screen is capable of creating and registering a new user account; The computer further comprises: After the new user account is registered in the other server, the embedded browser can be made to accept input of user information and a registration instruction, and when the registration instruction is accepted, the embedded browser can be made to execute a registration request process for transmitting a registration request to the server, the registration request being associated with the input user information, and the server receiving the registration request registers the user information in association with the new user account registered in the other server. A program that is configured to:

5. The program according to claim 4, The computer includes: When the login instruction is accepted, the embedded browser is caused to output a first login request to the server, and in response to a redirect request output from the server in response to the first login request, the embedded browser is caused to output a second login request to the other server, and the login screen passed from the other server in response to the second login request is displayed. A program that is configured to:

6. The program according to claim 5, The computer includes: when the login instruction is accepted, the embedded browser is caused to output the first login request to the server, and the printer information is associated with the first login request; The computer further comprises: In response to the redirect request output from the server in response to the first login request, the embedded browser outputs the second login request to the other server, the redirect request output from the server is also associated with the printer information associated with the first login request, and the second login request is also associated with the printer information associated with the redirect request; The computer further comprises: A login screen delivered from the other server in response to the second login request can be displayed, and the login screen delivered from the other server is also associated with the printer information associated with the second login request, The computer further comprises: when the new creation instruction is accepted, an account creation screen request is output to the other server by the embedded browser, and the printer information associated with the login screen is associated with the account creation screen request; The computer further comprises: The account creation screen transmitted from the other server in response to the account creation screen request can be displayed, and the printer information associated with the account creation screen request is also associated with the account creation screen transmitted from the other server, In the input process, When displaying the account creation screen, the printer information associated with the account creation screen is input into the input field of the account creation screen. A program that is configured to:

7. The program according to claim 1, The computer includes: Executing the acquisition process when the program is started. A program that is configured to:

8. The program according to claim 1, In the acquisition process, acquiring the printer information from a label printer as the printer connected to the information processing device; In the input process, inputting the printer information of the label printer acquired in the acquisition process into the input field of the account creation screen; A program that is configured to:

9. The program according to claim 8, The computer includes: A new user account registration instruction can be received via the account creation screen, and after various information including the printer information is input in the input process, when the new registration instruction is received, a new user account is registered in the server; The computer further comprises: The information processing device is capable of accepting editing of label data, and further capable of storing the edited label data in a memory of the information processing device, the label data being data that can be printed by a label printer, The computer further comprises: The label data stored in the memory can be uploaded to the server while logged in using the user account registered in the server, and when the label data is uploaded to the server, the uploaded label data is associated with the user account of the logged-in user and registered in the server. A program that is configured to:

10. An information processing device capable of communicating with a server, The information processing device includes: The information processing device is capable of executing an acquisition process for acquiring printer information from a printer connected to the information processing device, When access to the server is requested, a screen provided by the server can be displayed, and after the screen provided by the server is displayed, an instruction to create a new user account can be received; The information processing device further comprises: When the new creation instruction is received, an account creation screen for receiving input of various information required for creating a user account can be displayed, and the account creation screen includes an input field for receiving printer information; The information processing device further comprises: When the account creation screen is displayed, an input process can be executed to input the printer information acquired in the acquisition process into the input field of the account creation screen. The information processing device is configured as follows.

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