Information processing device, service provision system, method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, system, method, and program that propose plans based on the number of times each application is executed.SOLUTION: A service provision system includes one or more image forming devices located in a user environment and an information processing device located in a service provision environment, so as to operate in cooperation with the one or more image forming devices via a network. The information processing device is a device that proposes changes to contract details, and includes an application execution data storage database 72 that functions as storage means for storing information on executed applications, in a contract in which multiple applications are used; and a proposal unit 81 configured to propose changes to the contract details based on the number of times each application is executed obtained from the stored information on each application.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a service providing system, a method, and a program for causing a computer to execute the proposed process for proposing changes to contract contents. [Background technology]

[0002] Some devices, such as MFPs (Multi-Function Peripherals), can link with cloud services to provide services such as distributing scanned documents and printing saved documents. The functions provided as services are realized by applications, and a fee plan is set for using the applications. Users can select a fee plan, sign a contract for the selected plan, and use the applications in accordance with the terms of the contract.

[0003] Depending on the usage of the application, there may be a plan available that is cheaper than the contracted plan, and if the contents of that plan can be proposed to the user, user satisfaction can be improved.

[0004] A known technique for proposing changes to contract content is to count the number of calls to an API (Application Programming Interface), and when the upper limit of the number of calls is reached, display a UI (User Interface) that allows the user to select whether to increase the upper limit of the number of calls (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the above technology has a problem in that, in a configuration in which a plurality of applications are collectively provided to a user as a plan (package), it is not possible to propose a different plan depending on the number of times each application is executed.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an information processing device, a service providing system, a method, and a program that can propose a plan according to the number of times each application is executed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided an information processing device that proposes changes to contract contents, comprising: In a contract for using a plurality of applications, a storage means for storing information on executed applications; A proposal means for proposing changes to the contract contents according to the number of executions of each application obtained from the accumulated information of each application. The present invention provides an information processing device including: [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to propose a plan according to the number of times each application is executed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a service providing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing apparatus. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of a data accumulation process. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in an application execution data storage database. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for setting the frequency of rate plan proposals, etc.; [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a user license fee plan registered in the user device license fee database. [Figure 9]A diagram showing an example of a device license fee plan registered in the user device license fee database. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the number of executions for each application. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the number of executions of application A for each user. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for proposing a rate plan with a reduced number of users. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that proposes switching to a device license agreement. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing the process of proposing a rate plan with fewer apps. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a process for proposing a rate plan with a reduced number of users. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that proposes changing the contract contents when a user license contract is linked to a tenant. [Figure 17] A figure showing an example of a screen that proposes changes to the contract contents if packages and applications can be reduced. [Figure 18] A diagram explaining a comparison of fees. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that proposes a device license agreement. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that proposes a user license agreement. [Figure 21] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for creating a reason for deleting an application. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that suggests deleting an application without giving a reason for doing so. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that suggests deleting an application along with the reason for doing so. [Figure 24] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for creating a reason for reducing the number of users. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that suggests a reduction in the user's spending, along with the reason for the reduction. [Figure 26]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that suggests reducing guest users along with the reason. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a service providing system. The service providing system includes one or more image forming devices 10 arranged in a user environment E1 and an information processing device 11 arranged in a service providing environment E2. The one or more image forming devices 10 and the information processing device 11 are connected by a network 12 such as the Internet and communicate via the network 12. The information processing device 11 operates in cooperation with the one or more image forming devices 10 via the network 12.

[0012] Here, the device placed in the user environment E1 will be described as an image forming device 10 such as an MFP, but the device that operates in cooperation with the information processing device 11 is not limited to the image forming device 10 as long as it is a device with a communication function. The device may be, for example, a PJ (Projector), an IWB (Interactive White Board: an electronic white board with a blackboard function that allows mutual communication), industrial machinery, an imaging device, a sound collection device, a medical device, a network home appliance, an automobile (Connected Car), a notebook PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a game console, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a wearable PC, a desktop PC, or the like.

[0013] The image forming device 10 is a device that forms images and has multiple functions, such as a scanning function, a copying function, a printing function, a fax sending / receiving function, and a communication function. The image forming device 10 includes an operation unit that accepts user input and displays the processing status and errors, and an image forming unit that realizes each function. The image forming device 10 accesses the information processing device 11 using a web browser and executes various applications (hereinafter, abbreviated as apps) implemented in the information processing device 11 to realize each function.

[0014] The information processing device 11 is a device that implements a web server, communicates with the image forming device 10, executes various application processes, and provides services to users. Examples of application processes include saving files to specific directories in cloud storage, reading data, and distributing data to specific destinations. Note that these processes are merely examples, and application processes are not limited to these.

[0015] The information processing device 11 manages users who use apps in units called tenants. One or more users can belong to a tenant. Apps can be registered in a tenant, but apps cannot be registered directly to a tenant. Apps are grouped together in units called packages and registered to a tenant. A package is a grouping of one or more apps. Therefore, a package can consist of one app or multiple apps.

[0016] There are free and paid packages, and paid packages have pricing plans such as monthly or yearly charges, and can be subscribed to on a per-device basis. Packages can also be subscribed to on a per-user license basis. With per-device billing, the number of devices that can be used is set, while with per-user license billing, the number of users that can be used is set. When using a paid package, customers can enter into a usage contract based on the pricing plan, deciding whether to use it on a per-device or per-user license basis. A customer is the entity that enters into a contract, and can be an individual user or a company that allows multiple users to use the package.

[0017] When using a package, the user inputs user information determined at the time of contract into the image forming apparatus 10, specifies an application, and requests execution. The image forming apparatus 10 transmits the input user information to the information processing apparatus 11 and requests authentication processing. The user information includes a user ID, password, and the like required for authentication. Here, the user inputs the user information, but this is not limited to this. User information registered on an IC (Integrated Circuit) card or the like may be read by a reading device, or biometric information may be used instead of the user ID and password.

[0018] When the information processing device 11 concludes a service contract with a user, the information processing device 11 accepts registration of user information and registers the user information. Therefore, the information processing device 11 compares the user information received and transmitted by the image forming device 10 with the registered user information, and if they match, the authentication is successful and the information processing device 11 can permit use of the app. On the other hand, if they do not match, the information processing device 11 considers the authentication to be unsuccessful and denies use of the app.

[0019] The service providing system is not limited to a system configured with one or more image forming apparatuses 10 and one information processing apparatus 11, but may be configured only with one or more image forming apparatuses 10, with the functions of the information processing apparatus 11 implemented in one or more of the one or more image forming apparatuses 10. Also, the service providing system may be configured such that the information processing apparatus 11 directly receives an execution request for an application and executes the processing of the application, or may be configured only with the information processing apparatus 11. Note that the number of information processing apparatuses 11 is not limited to one, and may be multiple.

[0020] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 constituting a service providing system. Here, the image forming apparatus 10 will be described as an MFP. The MFP includes a controller 20, a short-range communication circuit 21, an engine control unit 22, an operation panel 23, and a network I / F 24.

[0021] The controller 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, which is the main part of the computer, a system memory (MEM-P) 31, a north bridge (NB) 32, a south bridge (SB) 33, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 34, a local memory (MEM-C) 35, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controller 36, and an HD 37. The NB 32 and the ASIC 34 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus 38.

[0022] The CPU 30 is a control unit that performs overall control of the MFP. The NB 32 is a bridge that connects the CPU 30 with the MEM-P 31, the SB 33, and the AGP bus 38, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to and from the MEM-P 31, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

[0023] The MEM-P31 includes a ROM 31a, which is a memory for storing programs and data for realizing the functions of the controller 20, and a RAM 31b, which is used for expanding the programs and data and as a drawing memory during memory printing. The programs stored in the RAM 31b may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD.

[0024] The SB33 is a bridge connecting the NB32 with PCI devices and peripheral devices. The ASIC34 is an IC for image processing applications that has hardware elements for image processing and functions as a bridge connecting the AGP bus 38, PCI bus 39, HDD controller 36, and MEM-C 35. The ASIC34 includes a PCI target and AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that forms the core of the ASIC34, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 35, and multiple DMACs (Direct Memory Access Controllers) that rotate image data using hardware logic, etc. The ASIC34 also includes a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 40 and the printer unit 41 via the PCI bus 39. The ASIC34 may be configured to connect to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface or an IEEE1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394) interface.

[0025] MEM-C35 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying and a code buffer. HD37 is a storage for storing image data, font data used during printing, and forms. HD37 controls the reading and writing of data from and to HD37 under the control of CPU30. AGP bus 38 is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card proposed to speed up graphics processing. By directly accessing MEM-P31 at high throughput, the graphics accelerator card can be made faster.

[0026] The short-distance communication circuit 21 is a communication circuit that uses NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like.

[0027] The engine control unit 22 is made up of a scanner unit 40 and a printer unit 41. The operation panel 23 is equipped with a panel display unit 23a such as a touch panel that displays current setting values, selection screens, etc. and accepts input from the user, and an operation panel unit 23b that includes a numeric keypad that accepts setting values ​​for image formation conditions such as density setting conditions, a start key that accepts a copy start instruction, etc.

[0028] The controller 20 controls, for example, drawing, communication, and input from the operation panel 23. The scanner unit 40 or the printer unit 41 includes an image processing unit for error diffusion, gamma conversion, and the like.

[0029] The MFP can be switched between document box function, copy function, printer function, and facsimile function in sequence using the application switching key on the operation panel 23. When each function is selected, the corresponding mode is entered.

[0030] The network I / F 24 is an interface for performing data communication using the network 12. The short-range communication circuit 21 and the network I / F 24 are electrically connected to the ASIC 34 via a PCI bus 39.

[0031] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 11. The information processing device 11 is a general-purpose computer, and includes a CPU 50, a ROM 51, a RAM 52, a HD 53, an HDD controller 54, a display 55, an external device connection I / F 56, a network I / F 57, a data bus 58, a keyboard 59, a pointing device 60, a DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disk Rewritable) drive 61, and a media I / F 62.

[0032] The CPU 50 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 11. The ROM 51 stores programs used to drive the CPU 50, such as an IPL (Initial Program Loader). The RAM 52 provides a work area for the CPU 50. The HD 53 stores various data such as programs. The HDD controller 54 controls the reading and writing of various data from and to the HD 53 under the control of the CPU 50. The display 55 displays various information such as a cursor, menus, windows, characters, and images.

[0033] The external device connection I / F 56 is an interface for connecting various external devices. Examples of external devices include a USB memory and a printer. The network I / F 57 is an interface for communicating data using the network 12. The data bus 58 is an address bus, a data bus, or the like for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 50.

[0034] The keyboard 59 is a type of input means equipped with multiple keys for inputting characters, numbers, various instructions, etc. The pointing device 60 is a type of input means for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving a cursor, etc. The DVD-RW drive 61 is an example of a removable recording medium, and controls reading and writing of various data from and to a DVD-RW 63. While a DVD-RW 63 is used here as an example, this is not limiting and a DVD-R or the like may also be used. The media I / F 62 controls reading and writing of data from and to a recording medium 64 such as a flash memory.

[0035] The information processing device 11 can use the HD 53 as a database, but the database may be provided separately from the information processing device 11.

[0036] 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 11. Each function of the information processing device 11 can be realized by a processing circuit such as a CPU 50. The processing circuit includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, and devices such as an ASIC, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and a conventional circuit module designed to execute each function described above.

[0037] The information processing device 11 includes, as the database 70, a user device license fee database 71, an application execution data accumulation database 72, and a tenant database 73.

[0038] The user / device license fee database 71 registers fee information when the package is under a user license agreement and fee information when the package is under a device license agreement. The application execution data accumulation database 72 stores information such as the time when the application is executed. The tenant database 73 stores information on multiple tenants. The example shown in Figure 4 shows only tenant A, but it can also include information on other tenants such as tenant B.

[0039] The tenant database 73 includes a user database 74 that stores information about users who belong to the tenant, a package database 75 that stores information about packages, and a device database 76 that stores information about devices.

[0040] The user information includes information about the tenant administrator and general users. The package information is information about each package that is the sales unit of the app, and includes information about which apps are registered in the package. The device information includes individual information (such as a device ID) about the image forming device 10 that can use the app.

[0041] The contract information 77 includes information indicating whether the tenant has a device license contract or a user license contract, and information indicating whether the license contract can be switched. The contract information 77 is registered at the time of contract and is updated when the contract is renewed.

[0042] The information processing device 11 includes a display unit 78 , an execution unit 79 , an authentication unit 80 , a suggestion unit 81 , a collection unit 82 , and a setting unit 83 .

[0043] The display unit 78 displays the proposed pricing plan to the administrator on a website that is published on the Web. The timing for displaying the proposed pricing plan may be set by a general user or by the administrator. The content to be displayed may use the results of calculations performed by the proposal unit 81.

[0044] The proposal unit 81 refers to the database, compares the rate plan subscribed to by the user with the rate plan derived by calculation, generates a proposal proposing an inexpensive plan, and notifies and displays the generated proposal to the display unit 78. The calculation and generation of the proposal performed by the proposal unit 81 may be performed at any time before the display unit 78 notifies.

[0045] The authentication unit 80 acquires information about the user who executed the application from the image forming apparatus 10. The user information can be acquired from information (login information) input to the image forming apparatus 10 by the user as authentication information.

[0046] The setting unit 83 manages settings when the application is executed. An example of the setting contents is the setting of the storage location, i.e., the directory in the cloud storage to save the file when uploading the file. However, the setting contents are not limited to this, and may also be the setting of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the distribution destination when distributing data.

[0047] The execution unit 79 communicates with the image forming apparatus 10 and executes the processing of the application executed by the image forming apparatus 10. The processing of the application includes a process of uploading a document file to cloud storage. In the upload process, the document file is saved in a storage location set by the setting unit 83.

[0048] The collection unit 82 collects the execution details of the application executed by the execution unit 79 as data, and stores the information on the execution details of the application in the application execution data accumulation database 72 that functions as a storage unit.

[0049] The proposal unit 81 calculates the number of times an application is executed based on the information stored in the application execution data accumulation database 72. The proposal unit 81 determines whether to change the rate plan based on the calculated number of times the application is executed, and proposes the change of the rate plan.

[0050] The information processing device 11 receives an application execution request from the image forming device 10, executes the application, accumulates data while the application is running, and proposes a change in the rate plan based on the accumulated data. To achieve this, the information processing device 11 executes a data accumulation process while the application is running, and a rate plan proposal process. Below, the process is divided into two parts, and each process will be described in detail in order.

[0051] First, the data accumulation process when an application is executed will be described. Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of the data accumulation process. User 90 executes application 91 (S1), and application 91 transmits an execution request to execution unit 79 (S2). When user 90 requests application 91 to perform a process of uploading a document file to cloud storage, application 91 requests execution unit 79 to execute the process. Upon executing the requested process, execution unit 79 notifies collection unit 82 that the execution request has been received, the execution time of application 91, the application ID for identifying application 91, and authentication information (S3).

[0052] The collection unit 82 sends authentication information to the authentication unit 80 and requests an inquiry about user information (S4). The authentication unit 80 inquires about which user executed the application 91 based on the authentication information received from the collection unit 82, and notifies the collection unit 82 of the user information (S5). The collection unit 82 also sends an application ID to the setting unit 83 and requests an inquiry about the application information (S6). The setting unit 83 inquires about which application was executed based on the application ID received from the collection unit 82, and notifies the collection unit 82 of the application information (S7).

[0053] The collection unit 82 transmits the user information and application information collected from the authentication unit 80 and the setting unit 83 to the application execution data accumulation database 72 for accumulation (S8).

[0054] 6 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the application execution data accumulation database 72. In the application execution data accumulation database 72, the execution time of the application 91, the application ID, the application type, the application IDs of compatible applications, and the associated package ID are registered as application information, and the user ID, the user role, the guest user, and the tenant ID are registered as user information. These pieces of information are collected by the collection unit 82 and stored in the application execution data accumulation database 72.

[0055] Compatible apps are replaceable apps, including apps with additional functions. For apps that link with external storage services, compatible apps include apps with additional functions such as receipt recognition and barcode reading. App type indicates the type of app, including scan, print, scan and print, process execution, and device management.

[0056] A user role indicates a user group, such as a tenant administrator, a general user, etc. A guest user is a user who does not belong to a tenant.

[0057] Next, the pricing plan proposal process will be described. A pricing plan is the sum of the device license contract fee, user license contract fee, contract fees for each package, and contract fees for each app (individual app package). Among these, it detects whether there are any unnecessary contracts that the customer is not using, deletes any unnecessary contracts that are detected, and proposes a low-cost pricing plan as one option. Unnecessary contracts are detected by calculation using data accumulated in the database 70, and the calculation results are used. The data used in the calculation can be data accumulated for a set period. The period is input in advance by the customer, and a set value can be used.

[0058] Fig. 7 shows an example of a screen for setting the frequency of rate plan proposals, etc. The screen shown in Fig. 7 has fields for inputting the period and the threshold value of the number of uses. The period is the period inspected to propose a rate plan.

[0059] The number of uses includes the number of times a specific app was used and the number of times a specific user used the app. The number of times a specific app was used is the number of times all users who can use the specific app have used it, and the number of times a specific user used the app is the number of times a specific app has been used is the number of times a specific user has used the app. The threshold for the number of times a specific app was used indicates a criterion for determining whether or not the specific app is unnecessary, and if the number of times the specific app was used is below the threshold, the specific app can be considered unnecessary for all users. The threshold for the number of times a specific user used the app indicates a criterion for determining whether or not the specific app is unnecessary for a specific user, and if the number of times the specific app was used is below the threshold, the specific app can be considered unnecessary for a specific user.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows an example of a user license fee plan registered in the user / device license fee database 71. The user license fee plan includes a fee per user per package, the number of contracted users, and a total fee per app. The fee per user may be a fee per month, or a fee per three months, six months, or year. The total fee is calculated by multiplying the fee per user by the number of contracted users. The user / device license fee database 71 is referenced when obtaining fees for a user license agreement.

[0061] FIG. 9 shows an example of a device license fee plan registered in the user / device license fee database 71. The device license fee plan includes the fee per device for each package, the number of contracted devices, and the total fee per app. The fee per device, like the fee per user, may be a fee per month, or may be a fee per three months, six months, or year. The total fee is calculated by multiplying the fee per device by the number of contracted devices. The user / device license fee database 71 is referenced when obtaining fees for a device license agreement.

[0062] The number of times each app is used is counted as the number of times each app is executed during a set period of time. Figure 10 shows a graph of an example of the number of times each app is executed. A package contains three apps: app A, app B, and app C. The graph shows the apps included in the package on the horizontal axis and the number of times each app is used on the vertical axis. In this example, apps A and B are used, but app C is not used.

[0063] In the example shown in FIG. 10, since application C has not been used for a certain period of time, a rate plan that does not include application C can be proposed to the customer.

[0064] The number of times each app is used is counted for each user who can use that app. Figure 11 shows a graph of an example of the number of times a specific app (app A) is executed by each user. Users who use app A include user A, user B, and user C. The graph shows the users who use app A on the horizontal axis and the number of times app A is used on the vertical axis. In this example, user A and user B use app A, but user C does not use it.

[0065] In the example shown in FIG. 11, since user C does not use application A, it is possible to propose to the customer that the number of user licenses that can use application A be reduced.

[0066] Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process for proposing a rate plan with a reduced number of users. The process for proposing a rate plan is carried out every time the period set on the screen shown in Fig. 7 elapses. The process starts from step 100, and the contract information 77 in the tenant database 73 is referenced to confirm the tenant's contract type. In this example, the tenant's contract type is a user license contract.

[0067] In step 101, only information about the tenant currently being processed is extracted from the information stored in the application execution data storage database 72. Then, the number of uses of each application is calculated for each user belonging to the tenant currently being processed. Based on the calculation results, it is determined whether there is a user whose number of uses for each application is below a certain value. If not, the process proceeds to step 106 and ends. This is because all users are using all applications more than the certain value, and there is no need to reduce the number of users.

[0068] If there are users whose usage count is below a certain value in step 101, the process proceeds to step 102, where the users whose usage count is below the certain value are determined to be unnecessary, and a user list is created excluding the users determined to be unnecessary.Then, based on the created user list, the fee for entering into a user license contract is calculated.

[0069] The following describes the process of determining whether an application is unnecessary in step 102. Note that the process differs depending on whether the user license is linked to a tenant, a package, or an application, so the process for each case will be described in order.

[0070] When tied to a tenant (when the number of licenses to be contracted for each tenant is determined), the contract stipulates that all apps in the package will be used with the same number of licenses as the number of users managed by the tenant. Therefore, even if a specific user only uses specific apps in the package, the license is still necessary for that specific user as long as the number of uses over a certain period is not below a certain value. Therefore, for each user, it is determined whether the number of uses of all apps is below a certain value, and users below that value are deemed unnecessary. After determining all users, the fee for reducing users deemed unnecessary is calculated.

[0071] When linked to a package (when the number of licenses to be contracted for each package is determined), the contract allows any number of users to use all apps in the package, regardless of the number of users in the tenant. A list of apps that are used less than a certain number of times per user is created, and based on the list of apps created, it is determined whether the number of times all apps are used for each user is less than a certain value. If there is a user who has used all apps less than a certain value, that user is deemed unnecessary. After determining all users, the fee for reducing the users deemed unnecessary is calculated.

[0072] If all the apps that a user does not use belong to one package, and if the apps that are used more than a certain value do not belong to that package, the user is determined to not need them.

[0073] When linking to an app, a list of apps that have been used by each user less than a certain number of times is created, and based on the list of apps, users who have used each app less than a certain number of times are determined to be unnecessary, and the fee for reducing the number of users for each app is calculated.

[0074] The cases where a service is linked to a tenant and the cases where a service is linked to a package or an app cannot occur simultaneously. On the other hand, the cases where a service is linked to a package and the cases where a service is linked to an app can occur simultaneously because there are cases where sales are made on a package basis and sales are made on an app basis.

[0075] In step 103, it is determined whether or not it is possible to switch to a device license contract with the reduced number of users. Whether or not it is possible to switch to a device license contract is determined by referring to the contract information 77 in the tenant database 73. If it is determined that it is possible to switch, the process proceeds to step 104; if it is determined that it is not possible to switch, the process proceeds to step 105.

[0076] In step 104, the fee for switching to a device license contract is calculated. If it is possible to switch to a device license contract, the fee is first calculated for one device. The fee is compared with the fee for the user license contract when the number of users is reduced, and if the calculated fee for one device is cheaper, the number of devices is increased by one and the fee for the device license contract is calculated again. This process is repeated until the fee becomes higher than the fee for the user license contract, and the number of devices when it becomes higher is subtracted by one and this number is set as the maximum number of devices for which a device license contract is possible.

[0077] The maximum number of devices for which a device license can be signed can be determined using a method that uses data on customers who have signed device licenses. For example, a binary search can be performed using the number of devices of the customer who uses the most devices to find the maximum number of devices for which a device license can be signed. Note that if the maximum number of devices for which a device license can be signed is 0, it is possible to switch to a device license, but it is determined that it is better not to switch.

[0078] In step 105, the amount of reduction in the fee is calculated based on the contracted fee and the calculated fee, and the calculation result is displayed. Also, if switching to a device license contract will result in a lower fee than a user license contract, this fact and the amount of reduction will be displayed. This suggests a change in the contract contents.

[0079] When the maximum number of devices that can be licensed is compared with the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant, if the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant is greater, a warning can be displayed during the proposal. In this case, a message can be displayed stating that it is better not to switch. If the maximum number of devices that can be licensed is greater, the usage fee is calculated based on the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant. When making a proposal, both the fee for a contract with the maximum number of devices and the calculated fee for the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant can be presented, or only one of them can be presented.

[0080] The proposed content may be displayed to the administrator on a website, or may be displayed on the operation panel 23 of the image forming apparatus 10 when the administrator logs in.

[0081] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal to switch to a device license contract. FIG. 13(a) is a diagram showing an example of a screen proposing switching to a device license contract, and FIG. 13(b) is a diagram showing a modified version of that screen. The screen shown in FIG. 13(a) shows the calculation result of adding one more device than the number of devices currently contracted by the tenant, and displays the resulting fee as is. It also displays the difference in price if the number of devices currently contracted by the tenant is kept the same. Based on this proposal, the customer can switch to a device license contract that adds one more device, or to a device license contract without changing the number of devices.

[0082] The screen shown in FIG. 13(b) also displays the difference in price if the calculation result shows that the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant can be increased by one, and the number of devices currently subscribed to by the tenant is kept unchanged. Furthermore, a button for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan is displayed. By selecting the YES button, the user transitions to a web page for changing the contract plan, and the web page can be displayed. On the other hand, by selecting the NO button, the screen can be closed. For this reason, the information processing device 11 may include an input unit that accepts a selection of whether or not to change to the plan proposed by the proposal unit 81. The display unit 78 can switch screens depending on the selection result accepted by the input unit. In other words, upon receiving the selection result of the change, the display unit 78 transitions the screen to a web page for changing the contract plan.

[0083] This screen also displays a button to hide the section that allows you to select whether or not to change the contract plan. By pressing this button, the screen will show only the switching proposal, as shown in Figure 13(a).

[0084] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process of proposing a rate plan with fewer applications. The process of proposing a rate plan is performed every time the period set on the screen shown in FIG. 7 elapses. The process starts from step 200, and the contract information 77 in the tenant database 73 is referenced to confirm the tenant's contract type. In this example, the tenant's contract type is a user license contract.

[0085] In step 201, only the information of the tenant currently being processed is extracted from the information accumulated in the application execution data accumulation database 72. Then, it is determined whether there are any applications registered in the tenant currently being processed whose usage count is below a certain value. If there are no applications whose usage count is below the certain value, the process proceeds to step 206 and ends. This is because all applications are being used more than the certain value, and there is no need to reduce the usage count on a package or application basis.

[0086] If there is an application whose number of uses is less than a certain value in step 201, the process proceeds to step 202, where applications registered in the tenant that are less than the certain value are determined to be unnecessary, and an application list is created excluding the determined unnecessary applications.

[0087] In step 203, when a package contract is made on a tenant-by-tenant basis or when a package contract is made on a user-by-user basis, it is determined whether there are any unnecessary applications that can be reduced. If there are any unnecessary applications, the process proceeds to step 204; if there are no unnecessary applications, the process proceeds to step 206, where the process ends.

[0088] In step 204, if reduction is possible only on a package basis or on an application basis, only one of the processes can be performed. Note that if reduction is possible on both a package basis and an application basis, both processes can be performed.

[0089] Packages and applications may be linked to tenants or users, so the respective processes will be explained below.

[0090] If a package is linked to a tenant and can be reduced on a package-by-package basis, a list of apps whose total usage count for each user belonging to the tenant is below a certain value is created. If the usage count for all apps in a package registered to the tenant is below a certain value, the package is determined to be unnecessary. Then, the fee when unnecessary packages are removed is calculated. This determination and calculation is performed for all users belonging to the tenant, and the total fee is calculated.

[0091] If packages are linked to users and can be reduced on a package-by-package basis, a list of apps with usage counts below a certain value is created for each user. If the usage counts of all apps in a package registered to a tenant are below a certain value, the package is determined to be unnecessary. Then, the fee when unnecessary packages are removed is calculated. This is done for all users belonging to the tenant, and the total fee is calculated.

[0092] If apps are linked to a tenant and can be reduced on an app-by-app basis, a list of apps with a usage count below a certain value is created for each user. Apps with a total usage count below a certain value for each user belonging to the tenant are deemed unnecessary. Then, the fee when unnecessary apps are removed is calculated. This is done for all users belonging to the tenant, and the total fee is calculated.

[0093] If apps are linked to users and can be reduced on an app-by-app basis, apps that are used less than a certain number of times for each user are deemed unnecessary.Then, calculate the fee after excluding unnecessary apps.This is done for all users belonging to the tenant, and the total fee is calculated.

[0094] In step 205, the amount by which the fee can be reduced is calculated based on the contracted fee and the calculated fee, and the calculation result and the amount by which the fee can be reduced are displayed, thereby proposing changes to the contract contents.

[0095] 12 to 14 have described the process of switching from a current user license agreement to a device license agreement, the process of reducing the number of users, and the process of reducing packages and applications. Next, we will describe the process of switching from a current device license agreement to a user license agreement, the process of reducing users, and the process of reducing packages and applications.

[0096] The process of reducing users and packages and applications is the same as steps 101, 102, and 105 in FIG. 12 and the process shown in FIG. 14. Therefore, only the part of switching to a device license contract will be described with reference to FIG. 15. In step 303 in FIG. 15, it is determined whether or not switching to a user license contract is possible with the reduced number of users. Whether or not switching to a user license contract is possible is determined by referring to the contract information 77 in the tenant database 73. If it is determined that switching is possible, proceed to step 304; if it is determined that switching is not possible, proceed to step 305.

[0097] Fig. 16 shows an example of a proposal to change the contract contents when a user license agreement is linked to a tenant. Fig. 16(a) shows an example of a screen for proposing a change to the contract contents, and Fig. 16(b) shows a modified version of that screen. The example shown in Fig. 16(a) displays a message indicating that the number of user licenses linked to the tenant will be reduced from 150 to 100, and the difference in fees between the current user license agreement and the reduced number of user licenses.

[0098] The screen shown in Figure 16(b) also reduces the number of user licenses and displays the difference in fees that would result from the reduction, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. Selecting the YES button will take you to a screen for changing the contract plan, and selecting the NO button will close the screen. This screen also displays a button to prevent the display section for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. Pressing this button will take you to a screen that only displays a proposal for changing the contract details, as shown in Figure 16(a).

[0099] FIG. 17 shows an example of a proposed contract change that allows packages and applications to be reduced. FIG. 17(a) shows an example of a screen for proposing a contract change, and FIG. 17(b) shows a modified version of that screen. The example shown in FIG. 17(a) shows that by reducing package D and application E, the fees for the current user license contract will be reduced by 10,000 yen and 20,000 yen, respectively. This also shows that the number of user licenses will be reduced by approximately 25.

[0100] The screen shown in FIG. 17(b) also reduces package D and application E, and displays how much the fee will be reduced if the reduction is made, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. By selecting the YES button, the user can transition to a screen for changing the contract plan, and by selecting the NO button, the screen can be closed. This screen also displays a button to prevent the display section for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. By pressing this button, the screen will then display only the proposal for changing the contract details, as shown in FIG. 17(a).

[0101] 18 is a diagram illustrating the price comparison performed by the proposal unit 81. Consider a case where user license agreements are made for users A, B, and C, and the user license agreement for user C is cancelled due to the fact that the number of times user C uses the service is low, as a result of the execution of the process of proposing a price plan.

[0102] The proposal unit 81 estimates the fees when a user license contract is made and when a device license contract is made, and compares each estimated fee with the fee of the currently subscribed rate plan. If the estimated fee is cheaper than the currently subscribed rate plan, the proposal unit 81 proposes the cheaper plan to the customer. This can improve customer satisfaction.

[0103] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of proposing a device license contract. FIG. 19(a) is a diagram showing an example of a screen for proposing a device license contract, and FIG. 19(b) is a diagram showing a modified version of that screen. In the example shown in FIG. 19(a), a comparison shows that a device license is 40,000 yen cheaper per month than the currently contracted user license. Therefore, the screen proposing the contract to the customer displays the device license contract as the proposed contract plan, and also displays how much cheaper it is than the current contract.

[0104] The screen shown in FIG. 19(b) also displays the device license agreement, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. Selecting the YES button will take you to a screen for changing the contract plan, and selecting the NO button will close the screen. This screen also displays a button to prevent the display portion for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. Pressing this button will take you to a screen that only displays the device license agreement proposal, as shown in FIG. 19(a).

[0105] FIG. 20 shows an example of a proposed user license agreement. FIG. 20(a) shows an example of a screen for proposing a user license agreement, and FIG. 20(b) shows a modified version of that screen. In the example shown in FIG. 20(a), a comparison shows that a user license is 50,000 yen cheaper per month than the device license currently under contract. Therefore, the screen proposing the user license to the customer displays the user license agreement as the proposed contract plan, along with how much cheaper it is compared to the current contract.

[0106] The screen shown in FIG. 20(b) also displays the user license agreement, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. Selecting the YES button will take you to a screen for changing the contract plan, and selecting the NO button will close the screen. This screen also displays a button to prevent the display portion for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. Pressing this button will take you to a screen that only displays the user license agreement proposal, as shown in FIG. 20(a).

[0107] A cheaper plan will have fewer users, packages, and apps than the current plan. When suggesting that customers delete apps, they may be hesitant to do so because they fear that the price will be cheaper and that their actual work efficiency will decrease. If they know the reason for deleting the app, this anxiety can be alleviated. Therefore, along with deleting the app, the reason for deleting the app can be displayed using accumulated data.

[0108] One reason is the use of compatible apps. Apps include relatively simple apps that connect to external storage services, as well as apps with additional processing functions such as receipt recognition and barcode reading. In this sense, simple apps and apps with additional processing functions can be said to be compatible apps.

[0109] The initial contract included both a simple app and an upwardly compatible app with additional processing capabilities, but when actual business data is reviewed, it may be found that only one of the backward-compatible or upward-compatible apps is being used. In such cases, the use of a compatible app can be used as a reason for deleting the app.

[0110] Another reason is that a device management app is not being used. Apps are classified into various types depending on what they do. App types include scan, print, scan and print, process execution, and device management. The initial contract may have been signed with the intention of using a paid device management app, but when actual business data is reviewed, there may be no evidence that the device management app has been executed. In such cases, not using a device management app can be considered a reason for deleting the app.

[0111] 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the process for creating a reason for app deletion. When the proposal unit 81 performs the above comparison and proposes a change to the contract contents, if the proposed change involves deleting the app, the process starts from step 400. If the fee for deleting the app has been calculated, it can be determined that the app should be deleted. Data indicating whether the fee has been calculated may be registered in a database and referenced, or a variable in the program may be referenced to determine whether the calculation result is available.

[0112] Note that this process does not have to be executed. If it is not executed, it will not be possible to display the reason together with the reason. An example of when it is not executed is when including the reason together with the reason would result in too much information being displayed on the screen, making it difficult to convey the content of the proposal. If it is executed, this process can be executed between step 204 and step 205 in FIG. 14. This reason creation process can be executed by a creation unit that is separately provided.

[0113] In step 401, it is determined whether there is an application that is upwardly or downwardly compatible with the application to be deleted. This can be determined by determining whether there is a compatible application ID that corresponds to the application ID of the application to be deleted in the accumulated data shown in Fig. 6. If there is an upwardly or downwardly compatible application, the process proceeds to step 402; if not, the process proceeds to step 404.

[0114] In step 402, it is determined whether the frequency of use of an app that is upwardly or downwardly compatible with the app to be deleted exceeds a certain value. If it does, the process proceeds to step 403, where the use of a compatible app is added to the reasons for suggesting app deletion. If the frequency of use is equal to or less than the certain value in step 402, the process proceeds to step 404.

[0115] In step 404, it is determined whether the application type of the application proposed for deletion is different from the other application types. It is checked whether the application type of the application to be deleted is different from the application types of applications available in the tenant (applications other than the application to be deleted). Only when the application type of the application to be deleted is different from the application types of all other applications, is it determined that the application type of the application to be deleted is different from the application types of the other applications. If they are different, proceed to step 405; if they are not different, proceed to step 406.

[0116] In step 405, the reason for proposing the deletion of the application is added, that the specific application type is not used in business. In step 406, the added reason is also displayed when proposing the deletion of the application. Then, in step 407, the reason creation process ends.

[0117] Fig. 22 shows an example of a suggestion to delete an app without giving a reason. Fig. 22(a) shows an example of a screen suggesting the deletion of an app, and Fig. 22(b) shows a modified version of that screen. Fig. 22(a) shows that package C will be deleted instead of the app, and indicates how much cheaper it will be than the current rate plan.

[0118] The screen shown in FIG. 22(b) also displays the option to delete the app and package and how much it will save, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. Selecting the YES button will take you to a screen for changing the contract plan, and selecting the NO button will close the screen. This screen also displays a button to hide the display for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from now on. Pressing this button will take you to a screen that only suggests deleting the app, as shown in FIG. 22(a).

[0119] Fig. 23 shows an example of a screen suggesting the deletion of an app, along with the reason for doing so. Fig. 23(a) shows an example of a screen suggesting the deletion of an app, and Fig. 23(b) shows a modified version of that screen. In Fig. 23(a), in addition to the message that package C will be deleted and how much cheaper it will be compared to the current rate plan, the reason for doing so is added. In the example shown in Fig. 23(a), the reason for doing so is also displayed, stating that a compatible app is being used in place of the app to be deleted.

[0120] The screen shown in Figure 23(b) also displays information about deleting the package, how much it will save, and the reason for deleting it, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. By selecting the YES button, you can transition to a screen for changing the contract plan, and by selecting the NO button, you can close the screen. This screen also displays a button to prevent the display section for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. By pressing this button, the screen will then display only the suggestion to delete the app, as shown in Figure 23(a).

[0121] We have explained how to create reasons for deleting an app, but now we will explain how to create reasons for reducing the number of users. Reasons for reducing the number of users include users with a specific role no longer using the app, or only guest users using the app.

[0122] In the initial contract, the pricing plan allowed users of any role to use the app, but when actual business data is referenced, it may be found that users of a specific role are not using the app. In such cases, the lack of use of the app by users of a specific role can be used as a reason to reduce the number of users. For example, this may be the case when the initial contract included a pricing plan that allowed tenant administrators to use the app, but the customer's business changed and tenant administrators almost never used the app.

[0123] In the initial contract, all users belonging to the tenant were given a user license or device license for the app so that apps available to guest users could also be used within the tenant. However, when looking at actual business data, it may be found that only guest users are using the app. In such cases, it is possible to propose reducing the number of user licenses, for example, to a user license agreement for only one user, and the fact that only guest users are using the app can be used as a reason for reducing the number of users.

[0124] 24 is a flowchart showing an example of the process for creating a reason for user count deletion. When the proposal unit 81 performs the above comparison and proposes a change to the contract contents, if the contents involve deleting the number of users, the process starts from step 500. If the fee for deleting the number of users has been calculated, it can be determined that the number of users needs to be deleted. Data indicating whether the fee has been calculated may be registered in a database and referenced, or a variable in the program may be referenced to determine whether the calculation result is available.

[0125] Note that this process does not have to be executed. If it is not executed, it will be impossible to display the reason together. An example of when it is not executed is when including the reason together would result in too much information being displayed on the screen, making it difficult to convey the content of the proposal. If it is executed, this process can be executed between step 204 and step 205 in FIG. 14.

[0126] In step 501, it is determined whether the role of the user to be deleted differs from the roles of other users in the tenant. The user data of the tenant is referenced and the role of the user to be deleted is compared with the roles of the other users. If there is no user among the other users whose role is the same as that of the user to be deleted, it is determined that the role of the user proposing deletion is different from the roles of the other users. If the roles are different, proceed to step 502; if there is a user with the same role, proceed to step 503.

[0127] In step 502, the reason for proposing user deletion is added as "users of a certain role are not using the app."

[0128] In step 503, it is determined whether the user to be deleted is not a guest user and whether only guest users are using the app. By referencing the user data of the tenant, if all the users to be deleted are not guest users and all the users not to be deleted are guest users, it is determined that only guest users are using the app. Conversely, if all the users to be deleted are guest users and all the users not to be deleted are other than guest users, it is determined that guest users are not using the app.

[0129] In step 504, the reason for proposing user deletion is added, "No one other than guest users is using the app," or "Only guest users are using the app." In step 505, the added reason is also displayed when proposing user deletion. Then, in step 506, the reason creation process ends.

[0130] Fig. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal to reduce users, along with the reason. Fig. 25(a) is a diagram showing an example of a screen for proposing a reduction in users, and Fig. 25(b) is a diagram showing a modified version of that screen. Fig. 25(a) proposes a plan to reduce the number of users to 50, and displays the reason that the administrator user is not using the app.

[0131] The screen shown in FIG. 25(b) also proposes a plan and displays the reason for the proposal, but also displays a button to select whether or not to change the contract plan. Selecting the YES button will take you to a screen for changing the contract plan, and selecting the NO button will close the screen. This screen also displays a button to prevent the portion for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from being displayed again. Pressing this button will take you to a screen that only suggests deleting the app, as shown in FIG. 25(a).

[0132] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal to reduce guest users, along with the reason. FIG. 26(a) is a diagram showing an example of a screen proposing a reduction in guest users, and FIG. 26(b) is a diagram showing a modified version of that screen. In FIG. 26(a), the proposal to reduce guest users is made with the authority of the guest users being more restricted than that of normal users. The guest users may be users with restricted authority, or may be provided as a service called anonymous users linked to the tenant. In the case of anonymous users, a message is displayed asking whether or not to stop the guest user service.

[0133] The screen shown in FIG. 26(b) also displays a reduction proposal for the guest user, but also displays a button for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan. By selecting the YES button, the user can transition to a screen for changing the contract plan, and by selecting the NO button, the screen can be closed. This screen also displays a button for hiding the display portion for selecting whether or not to change the contract plan from now on. By pressing this button, the screen will then display only the reduction proposal for the guest user, as shown in FIG. 26(a).

[0134] As explained above, by proposing changes to the contract terms, customers can receive a pricing plan from the service provider that is commensurate with the value they are receiving, preventing a decline in customer satisfaction.

[0135] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified within the scope conceivable by a person skilled in the art, such as by changing or deleting components of the present embodiment, or by adding other components to the components of the present embodiment. In any aspect, as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, it is included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 10...Image forming device 11...Information processing device 12…Network 20...Controller 21...Near field communication circuit 22...Engine control unit 23...Operation panel 23a...Panel display section 23b...Operation panel section 24...Network I / F 30...CPU 31...MEM-P 32…NB 33…SB 34...ASIC 35...MEM-C 36...HDD controller 37…HD 38...AGP bus 39...PCI bus 40...Scanner section 41...Printer section 50...CPU 51...ROM 52...RAM 53…HD 54...HDD controller 55...Display 56...External device connection I / F 57...Network I / F 58...Data bus 59...Keyboard 60...Pointing device 61...DVD-RW drive 62...Media I / F 63...DVD-RW 64...Recording media 70...User / Device License Fee Database 71...Database storing data during application execution 72...Tenant database 73...Contract information 74...User database 75...Package database 76...Device database 77...Contract information 78…Display section 79...Executive Department 80...Authentication Department 81…Proposal Department 82...Collection Department 83...Settings section 90...Users 91...App [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0137] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-4307

Claims

1. An information processing device that proposes changes to contract contents, In a contract for using a plurality of applications, a storage means for storing information on executed applications; a proposal means for proposing changes to the contract contents according to the number of executions of each application obtained from the accumulated information of each application; An information processing device comprising:

2. a display means for displaying the plan proposed by the suggestion means; The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the suggesting means generates a proposal in which applications that have been executed a certain number of times or less are deleted from the plurality of applications, and notifies the display means of the generated proposal.

3. the contract is a contract for multiple users to use the multiple applications, the storage means stores information about users who have executed applications; 3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the proposal means generates a proposal in which the number of users to use the application is changed depending on the number of times each user has executed each application, which is obtained from the accumulated information on the plurality of applications and the information on the plurality of users.

4. 4. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a creating unit that creates a reason for change when proposing a change to the contract contents.

5. the storage means stores, for each of the applications, information indicating whether or not there is an application that is compatible with the application; 5. The information processing device of claim 4, wherein when the suggestion means proposes the deletion of an application included in the contract content and there is an application that is compatible with the application to be deleted, the creation means creates a reason for change stating that there is a compatible application based on the number of executions obtained from the accumulated information on the compatible application.

6. the storage means stores information indicating the type of each application; 5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein when the suggestion means proposes the deletion of an application included in the contract content, the creation means creates a reason for change indicating that the application is an unused type of application based on the number of executions obtained from the accumulated information on each application.

7. the storage means stores information indicating the type of each user who executes each of the applications; 5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the creation means, when proposing a reduction in the number of users using the application, creates a reason for change that none of the users belonging to the type to be reduced are using the application, based on the accumulated number of times each application has been executed by each user.

8. the storage means stores information indicating whether each user who executed each application is a guest user; 5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the creating means creates a reason for change indicating that the application is being used only by the guest user or that the guest user is not using the application, depending on the accumulated number of times each application has been executed by each user.

9. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input means for receiving a selection of whether or not to change to the plan proposed by said proposing means.

10. A service providing system for providing a service, In a contract for using a plurality of applications, a storage means for storing information on executed applications; a proposal means for proposing changes to the contract contents according to the number of executions of each application obtained from the accumulated information of each application; A service delivery system, including:

11. A method executed by an information processing device that proposes changes to contract contents, In a contract for using a plurality of applications, storing information on executed applications in a storage means; a step of proposing changes to the contract contents according to the number of times each application is executed obtained from the accumulated information on each application; A method comprising:

12. A program for causing a computer to execute each step included in the method according to claim 11.

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