Management server system and computer program

Abstract

To provide a management server system that can provide a customer with integrated management contents for enabling management of a plurality of service items.SOLUTION: A management server system 1 executes: contract information registration processing S1 for receiving and registering contract information from a business operator terminal BM; registration transition information issuing processing S2 for issuing registration transition information; service item registration processing S3 for providing registration contents 20 to a customer terminal CM to which registration transition information has been input and registering a service item I in association with an identified member; authentication processing S4 for providing authenticated contents 30 to the customer terminal CM and authenticating a right; integrated management content creation processing S5 for creating integrated management contents 40 that can be managed collectively by integrating all service items I associated with an authorized member; and integrated management content providing processing S6 for providing the integrated management contents 40 to the customer terminal CM.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management server system and a computer program, and more particularly to a management server system that provides management content that enables users to manage things like viewing the usage status of service items for which they have contracted with a service provider, and a computer program that is installed on a user terminal to make such management content available on the user terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] To use various services such as water, gas, electricity, communication lines, video distribution, etc. (referred to herein as "service items"), a subscriber must enter into a contract with a service provider that provides the service item and then use the service item. In recent years, subscribers or users, including those who manage the usage status of service items, can access a management server system via a communication line using a mobile terminal or personal computer, and manage the usage status of the service item, such as the amount of usage and usage fees, using management content provided by the management server system.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a management server system (centralized monitoring and data server). Users (customers) can access the management server system using a user terminal (customer communication terminal) and view usage status (meter reading slip and billing data, daily data, detailed data) using managed content.

[0004] For security reasons, traditionally, managed content has been made available to users through the following process: First, the service provider provides the user with registration instructions for each service item. The user then registers as a member based on the registration instructions, and completes the membership registration process to obtain access to managed content, including setting member authentication information such as a user ID and password for each service item. After this, when a registered user uses managed content, they are required to enter their member authentication information into the management server system, and after the management server system has authenticated their access, they are able to use the managed content. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-089008 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] For example, if a service item is gas usage, a contract is made between the user and the service provider for each gas meter. However, a single user often enters into contracts for the use of multiple gas meters, and the same is true for service items such as water usage or communication line usage. Furthermore, a user such as a landlord who has contracts with multiple tenants may wish to view the usage status of service items contracted by multiple users. In other words, a single user often wants to manage multiple service items using managed content. However, in such cases, when managing multiple service items, the user must first undergo authorization authentication to use the managed content corresponding to each service item, which is cumbersome.

[0007] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to propose a management server system capable of providing users with integrated management content that enables management of multiple service items while ensuring security, and to propose a computer program to be installed on a user terminal to enable the use of such integrated management content on the user terminal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The management server system of the present invention is a management server system that can be connected via a communication line to a user terminal used by a user and a provider terminal used by a service provider, and provides management content to the user terminal via the communication line, including enabling the user to view the usage status of service items for which the user has contracted with the service provider. This management server system is connected via a communication line. a contract information registration process in which the service provider receives contract information relating to the service items contracted with the user from the provider's terminal and registers the information; a registration transition information issuing process for issuing registration transition information indicating the address of registration content for registering service items corresponding to the contract information registered in the contract information registration process so that the service items can be managed by the management content, and transmitting the registration transition information to the business operator terminal; a service item registration process that provides a user terminal to which registration transition information notified to the user via the service provider has been input with registration content that requests the input of user information about the user, determines whether the person identified from the input user information is a registered member who has already been issued member authentication information, and if the person is not a member, registers a new member and issues member authentication information, and registers the service item corresponding to the registration transition information in a state that can be managed by the management content, linking it to the member identified from the user information; an authentication process in which, when a request to use the managed content is received from the user terminal, authentication content that requests input of member authentication information is provided to the user terminal, and authority is authenticated based on the input member authentication information; an integrated management content creation process for creating integrated management content as management content that can be collectively managed by integrating all of one or more service items registered in association with the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process; an integrated management content providing process for providing the integrated management content created in the integrated management content creating process to the user terminal used for authentication in the authentication process; The present invention is characterized by carrying out the following.

[0009] In this management server system, it is preferable that a two-dimensional barcode be used as the transition information for registration notified from the service provider to the user.

[0010] In this management server system, it is preferable that the user information that is requested to be entered in the registration content includes user identification information such as an email address or other information for identifying the user, as well as confidential information such as a password or other information that only the user can know.

[0011] In this case, it is preferable that the registration content requires the user to repeatedly input at least one of the user identification information and the secret information multiple times.

[0012] In this management server system, it is preferable that the authentication process requires the input of user identification information and secret information as member authentication information in the authentication content, and performs authorization authentication based on the input user identification information and secret information.

[0013] Such a management server system is suitable for managing service items related to at least either a water meter contract or a gas meter contract.

[0014] The computer program of the present invention is a computer program that is installed on a user terminal used by a user, connects to a management server system via a communication line, and enables the user to use managed content, including allowing the user to view the usage status of service items that the user has contracted with a service provider. This computer program is installed on the user's terminal, a service item registration application process that indicates the address of registration content created by the management server system individually for registering managed content for each service item so that it can be used, displays the registration content for inputting user information about the user upon input of registration transition information notified by the service provider, and transmits the input user information to the management server system; an authentication application process in which the management server system determines whether a person identified from the user information sent in the service item registration application process is a member who has already been issued member authentication information and registered; if the person is not a member, a new member registration is made and member authentication information is issued; one or more service items corresponding to the registration transition information linked to the member identified from the user information are registered in a state that can be managed by the integrated management content as managed content; and then the management server system displays authentication content that requests the user to input member authentication information to request use of the integrated management content, and transmits the input member authentication information to the management server system; an integrated management content display process in which the management server system displays integrated management content created for the member whose authority has been authenticated based on the member authentication information transmitted in the authentication application process; The method is characterized in that:

[0015] In this computer program, it is preferable that the registration content is displayed upon reading a two-dimensional barcode as the registration transition information notified by the service provider.

[0016] In this computer program, it is preferable that the user information to be entered in the registration content includes user identification information such as an email address or other information for identifying the user, as well as confidential information such as a password or other information that only the user can know.

[0017] In this case, it is preferable that the registration content requires the user to repeatedly input at least one of the user identification information and the secret information multiple times.

[0018] In this computer program, it is preferable that the authentication application process requires input of user identification information and secret information as member authentication information for the authentication content, and transmits the input user identification information and secret information to the management server system.

[0019] Such a computer program is suitable for managing service items related to at least one of a water meter contract and a gas meter contract using a user terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, a management server system can be provided that can provide users with integrated management content that enables management of multiple service items while ensuring security. Also, according to the present invention, a computer program can be provided that is installed on a user terminal to enable the integrated management content to be used on the user terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a network system centered around a management server system to which the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart showing a pre-registration process before providing integrated management content in the management server system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3]3 is a transition diagram showing an example of a screen transition presented on the user terminal during the advance registration process of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a providing process when providing integrated-management content in the management server system of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 is a transition diagram showing an example of a screen transition presented on the user terminal during the provision process of FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] With reference to the drawings, the following describes an embodiment of a management server system to which the present invention is applied, which provides managed content for managing service items for which a user has made a contract with a service provider, and a computer program installed on a user terminal to enable the user terminal to use the managed content provided by the management server system. Note that the following embodiment shows an example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention to the configuration of the embodiment.

[0023] (Configuration of Management Server System 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a network system centered around a management server system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the network system including the management server system 1 includes a gas supply system 2 including a gas meter installed at a gas usage location of a user C (a contract holder), a service provider system 3 installed at the side of a service provider B serving as a gas supplier that supplies gas to each gas usage location, and a management server system 1 installed at the side of a management provider M that is entrusted by each service provider B to centrally monitor the gas usage status at each gas usage location. Note that user C may manage multiple gas supply systems 2 installed at multiple gas usage locations. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, as an example, user C manages gas supply systems 2 installed at three locations. The gas supply system 2, the service provider system 3, and the communication lines connecting each system are the same as those described in Patent Document 1, and therefore, a description thereof will be omitted below.

[0024] The management server system 1 can be connected via a communication line to a user terminal CM used by a user C and a provider terminal BM used by a service provider B included in the provider system 3. The management server system 1 is a server system that can provide the user terminal CM with management content via a communication line, including a content that allows registered user C to view the usage status of a gas contract for service item I that the user C has signed with service provider B on a members-only portal site. Communication between the management server system 1 and the user terminal CM used by user C is carried out via a communication line, such as an Internet network or a mobile phone communication network. Communication between the management server system 1 and the provider terminal BM used by service provider B is carried out via a communication network, such as a VPN. User C, who has signed a contract with service provider B to use service item I, registers as a member by registering user information about user C, such as an email address, on the user terminal CM, such as a smartphone or PC, as described below. As a result, the user can access management content for managing service item I, including viewing the usage status of service item I, provided by the management server system 1. The management company M collects data on gas usage status at gas usage locations by transmitting meter reading data collected by a meter reader from the meter reader terminal, or by automatically transmitting meter reading data from the gas supply system 2 configured with an automatic meter reading function that automatically reads and communicates meters, and the management server system 1 receives this transmitted meter reading data directly or via the company system 3. Note that with regard to service item I, there are cases where a person other than a contract holder who has entered into a contract with service company B uses the managed content to manage it. For this reason, in this specification, a person who uses and manages the managed content is referred to as "user C," and although the contract holder is often the same as user C, he or she is treated as one of "persons on user C's side."

[0025] The management server system 1 is a computer system having a control unit, a memory unit, a communication unit, etc., and includes a member management database 11 that stores information about registered user C, a provider management database 12 that stores information about service provider B that provides service item I, a service item management database 13 that stores information about the management of the contracted service item I, such as usage fees and billing amounts, and other databases (not shown) necessary for management as appropriate. Each database that stores these contents may be configured as separate databases that automatically link with each other, or may be configured as an integrated database. The management server system 1 also includes a processing unit 14 that creates various content and provides it to user C, while executing various processes to enable user C to view and manage (hereinafter simply referred to as "management") the service item I.

[0026] Member management database 11 is a database related to registered member user C. Member management database 11 stores information appropriately selected from user ID, password, user name, user address, telephone number, destination such as email address, nickname, age, gender, and other information for identifying the user.

[0027] The business operator management database 12 is a database related to the service business operator B that provides the service item I. The business operator management database 12 stores information appropriately selected from the administrator information of each service item, the contract status of each service item, retailer information, the number of service users, the number of users to be billed, the payment agent, the notification history to members, and other information for the service business operator B to provide the service related to the service item I.

[0028] The service item management database 13 stores, for each service item I, information appropriately selected from among contract information, linked members, service provider B providing the service, service provision location, usage status, operation status (maintenance and safety data) of the meter that measures usage, fee menu information used to calculate usage fees, past usage fees, and other information for managing the service item I.

[0029] Here, a gas contract as a service item I is concluded for each gas meter used. For each contract (for each gas meter), a meter reader periodically (e.g., monthly) reads the meter, or the usage data transmitted daily or periodically from a gas meter equipped with a communication function is compiled. A management company M or the like issues a bill to each user C for an amount corresponding to the amount of usage. For example, a user C, such as a company constructing multiple buildings on a large site, may enter into multiple contracts to supply gas to each building. Usage data is compiled for each contract (for each gas meter), and the user C receives a bill for each usage amount. For example, a user C, such as a landlord of an apartment building, may collectively manage the gas contracts signed by each resident. In other words, a single user may use or manage multiple service items I. In such cases, in the past, the user C would use management content for each service item I to check usage and check and process billing amounts for each service item I. However, the management server system 1 according to the embodiment provides integrated management content 40 to centrally manage these service items I.

[0030] The processing unit 14 has a function of executing various processes while the control unit issues commands to the communication unit and the like in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage unit. The processing unit 14 executes various processes while referencing, registering, and updating each database, such as the member management database 11, the provider management database 12, and the service item management database 13, and while providing various content to the user C via the communication unit. The processing unit 14 executes at least various processes when providing the integrated management content 40 that enables the collective management of multiple service items I, various processes performed while providing the registration content 20 for pre-registration before providing the integrated management content 40, and various processes performed while providing the authentication content 30 for authorization authentication when providing the integrated management content 40. The various processes related to the integrated management content 40 will be described below, divided into a pre-registration process stage before providing the integrated management content 40 and a provision process stage when providing the integrated management content 40.

[0031] (Pre-registration process before providing integrated management content 40) Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the pre-registration process before the integrated management content 40 is provided in the management server system 1, and Fig. 3 is a transition diagram showing an example of the screen transitions presented on the user terminal CM during the pre-registration process. In order to make the integrated management content 40 available for use, the processing unit 14 in the management server system 1 executes a contract information registration process S1, a registration transition information issuance process S2, and a service item registration process S3, in that order, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0032] In the contract information registration process S1, the service provider B receives contract information relating to the service item I contracted with the user C from the provider terminal BM and registers it in the service item management database 13.

[0033] In the registration transition information issuance process S2, registration transition information indicating the address of registration content 20 (see FIG. 3) for registering service items I corresponding to the contract information registered in the contract information registration process S1 so that they can be managed in the management content (integrated management content 40) is issued and transmitted to the service provider terminal BM. This registration transition information is character data of a URL providing the registration content 20, or, for example, a two-dimensional barcode obtained by encoding the character data of this URL. Note that the registration content 20 is created individually for each contract and has a different address for each contract. The registration transition information transmitted to the service provider terminal BM is individually notified by service provider B to user C by means of, for example, a pressure-sensitive postcard, e-mail, or the like. When the registration transition information notified to user C via service provider B is input by reading or typing into user terminal CM (S21), the process proceeds to service item registration process S3.

[0034] In the service item registration process S3, first, the user terminal CM, to which the registration transition information notified to the user C via the service provider B has been input, is provided with registration content 20 (S31), which prompts the user to input user information for the service item I corresponding to the registration transition information. In one example of the registration content, an initial screen 20A, as shown in FIG. 3(a), displays a contract content identification display 21, such as the contractor's name and contract number, based on the contract information received from the service provider terminal BM in the contract information registration process S1. Then, the user is prompted to input user information, such as an email address, customer ID, or other information for identifying user C, as well as confidential information 23, such as a password or other information known only to user C. Here, for security reasons and to prevent erroneous registration, it is preferable to prompt the user to repeatedly input the user information 22 and the confidential information 23 multiple times (first input 22a and second input 22b for the user information 22, and first input 23a and second input 23b for the confidential information 23). In the registration content 20, when the user identification information 22 and confidential information 23 are entered, the next screen 20B shown in Fig. 3(b) prompts the user to enter user information such as nickname 24, telephone contact information 25 such as mobile phone number 25a and home phone number 25b, date of birth 26, and gender 27. When this user information is entered, the next screen 20C shown in Fig. 3(c) displays contract content specification display 21 and the user information that has been entered so far, including user identification information 22, confidential information 23, nickname 24, telephone contact information 25, and date of birth 26, and accepts the entry of administrator information by confirming whether or not the user wishes to register with this content (S32).

[0035] Next, in the service item registration process S3, once the intention to register user information is confirmed using the registration content 20, the member management database 11 is checked to determine whether the person identified from the input user information is a registered member for whom member authentication information has already been issued (S33). If it is determined that the person is an already registered member, the service item I is registered in the service item management database 13, linked to the registered member (S34). On the other hand, if it is determined that the person is not a member, a new member is registered based on the user information and member authentication information is issued (S35). Then, the service item I corresponding to the newly registered member and linked to the registration transition information is registered in the service item management database 13 (S36). In this way, even when a new member is registered, by linking the service item I corresponding to the registration transition information to the member identified from the user information and registering it in the service item management database 13, the service item I is registered in a state that can be managed by the integrated management content 40 created below. After registration, the user C notifies the user terminal CM that he has been registered together with information necessary for using the managed content, such as member authentication information required for logging in (S37).

[0036] (Provision process when providing integrated management content 40) Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the provision process when providing integrated-management content 40 in the management server system 1, and Fig. 5 is a transition diagram showing an example of screen transitions presented on the user terminal CM during the provision process. When the processing unit 14 in the management server system 1 receives a request to use managed content from the user terminal CM, it executes authentication process S4, integrated-management content creation process S5, and integrated-management content provision process S6 in order as shown in Fig. 4 in order to provide integrated-management content 40.

[0037] In authentication process S4, when user C uses managed content, authentication content 30 is provided to the user terminal CM (S41) to prompt for input of member authentication information in order to determine whether the user has permission to use the managed content and the content of the managed content to be provided. The input of the member authentication information is accepted (S42), and the authorization is authenticated based on the input member authentication information (S43). In a specific example of authentication content 30, a screen such as that shown in Fig. 5(a) prompts for input of user identification information 22 and secret information 23 registered in service item registration process S3 as member authentication information. In this example, authentication process S4 refers to service item management database 13 based on the input user identification information 22 and secret information 23 to determine whether the user is a member and then authenticates the authorization.

[0038] In the integrated management content creation process S5, one or more service items I registered in association with the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process S4 are integrated to create an integrated management content 40 as a managed content that can be managed collectively.

[0039] In the integrated management content provision process S6, the integrated management content 40 created in the integrated management content creation process S5 is provided to the user terminal CM used for authentication in the authentication process S4. In one example of the integrated management content 40, a service item selection screen 40A is first presented, listing all registered service items I associated with the member whose authority was authenticated in the authentication process S4, as shown in FIG. 5(b), and the user is prompted to select a service item I to manage (S61). When a service item I to manage is selected (S62), the integrated management content 40 transitions to an individual management content screen 40B, as shown in FIG. 5(c) (S63). The individual management content screen 40B displays a contract details specification display 21 and other information corresponding to the selected service item I, and also accepts input for meter reading download 41, allowing the user to confirm management details, such as the usage amount of the selected service item I. The individually managed content screen 40B also accepts input of a contract selection 42, and when user C has completed management of the selected service item I (S64) and wishes to manage another service item I associated with the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process S4 (S65), the screen can return to presenting the service item selection screen 40A (S61). The individually managed content screen 40B also accepts input of a logout 43, and when user C has completed management of the selected service item I (S64) and no longer needs to manage any other associated service items I other than the selected service item I (S65), the provision of the integrated management content 40 is terminated. In other words, the integrated management content 40 is configured so that the individually managed content screen 40B of the multiple service items I associated with the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process S4 and registered can be used without requiring the authentication process S4 again until logout 43 is input.

[0040] (Using the integrated management content 40 via the user terminal CM) As described above, the management server system 1 can provide the integrated management content 40, which includes enabling a user C to view the usage status of a service item I for which the user C has made a contract with the service provider B, to a user terminal CM connected via a communication line. By installing a predetermined computer program on the user terminal CM, the user C can receive the integrated management content 40 from the management server system 1.

[0041] This computer program corresponds to the service item registration process S3 in the management server system 1, and causes the user terminal CM on which it is installed to display the address of registration content 20 created by the management server system 1 individually for registering managed content for each service item I so that it can be used; upon receiving input of registration transition information notified by the service provider B, the computer program causes the user terminal CM to display the registration content 20, which prompts the user C of the service item I corresponding to the registration transition information, and executes service item registration application processing for transmitting the input user information to the management server system 1. Note that in the service item registration application processing, upon reading a two-dimensional barcode as the registration transition information notified by the service provider B, the computer program displays the registration content 20, and prompts the user to repeatedly input user identification information 22 and secret information 23 multiple times in the registration content 20.

[0042] Furthermore, this computer program executes authentication application processing on the user terminal CM in which it is installed, so as to correspond to the authentication processing S4 in the management server system 1, by displaying authentication content 30 that prompts the user to input member authentication information for requesting use of the integrated management content 40 after the service item I requested in the service item registration application processing has been registered in a state that makes it manageable by the integrated management content 40, and transmitting the input member authentication information to the management server system. Note that the authentication application processing prompts the user to input user identification information 22 and secret information 23 as the member authentication information for the authentication content 30.

[0043] In addition, this computer program executes an integrated management content display process that displays the integrated management content 40 provided by the integrated management content provision process S6 on the user terminal CM in which it is installed, in response to the integrated management content provision process S6 in the management server system 1.

[0044] (Actions and Effects) In the management server system 1 according to the embodiment, a contract information registration process S1 is executed in which a service provider B receives contract information relating to a service item I contracted with a user C from a service provider terminal BM and registers the contract information. A registration transition information issuance process S2 is executed in which registration transition information indicating the address of registration content 20 for registering the service item I corresponding to the contract information registered in the contract information registration process S1 so that it can be managed using managed content is issued to the service provider terminal BM. The registration transition information issued here is notified to the user C via the service provider B. The management server system 1 then provides registration content to the user terminal CM to which the registration transition information notified to the user C via the service provider B has been input, prompting the user to enter user information for the service item I corresponding to the registration transition information. Thus, the management server system 1 ensures security when notifying the user C to privately register the service item I so that it can be managed using managed content. This allows the subsequent registration process to be performed securely and with erroneous registration prevented.

[0045] Furthermore, the management server system 1 determines whether or not a person identified from the input user information is a member, and if not a member, performs a service item registration process S3 to register the person as a new member, issue member authentication information, and link the service item I corresponding to the registration transition information to the member identified from the user information so that it can be managed by the managed content. As a result, the management server system 1 registers the service item I linked to the user C (member), so that multiple linked service items I can be registered from the perspective of each user C (member).

[0046] Furthermore, when the management server system 1 receives a request to use managed content from a user terminal CM, it executes an authentication process S4 in which it provides the user terminal CM with authentication content 30 that prompts the user to enter member authentication information and authenticates the user's authority based on the entered member authentication information, an integrated management content creation process S5 in which it creates integrated management content 40 as managed content that integrates all of one or more service items associated with the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process S4 and can be managed collectively, and an integrated management content provision process in which it provides the integrated management content 40 created in the integrated management content creation process S5 to the user terminal CM used for authentication in the authentication process S4. That is, even during provision, the management server system 1 can ensure security by authenticating the authority in the authentication process S4 and can reliably identify user C, create multiple service items I associated with the reliably identified user C in the integrated management content creation process S5, and provide the integrated management content 40 to user C in the integrated management content provision process S6.

[0047] Therefore, the management server system 1 becomes a management server system that can provide the user C with the integrated management content 40 that enables the management of a plurality of service items I while ensuring security.

[0048] In this management server system 1, a two-dimensional barcode is used as the transition information for registration notified from service provider B to user C. As a result, according to the management server system 1, the entry point for registration to enable use of managed content for managing service item I contracted between service provider B and user C is an individual notification from service provider B to user C, which allows security to be maintained and the risk of erroneous registration to be reduced. Furthermore, since a two-dimensional barcode is used as the transition information for registration, it is difficult for information to leak from the outside, and individual registration content 20 can be easily provided by reading it with a camera on a mobile terminal or the like without the risk of inputting information incorrectly, which allows security to be maintained and the risk of erroneous registration to be reduced.

[0049] In this management server system 1, the user information that the registration content 20 requests the user to input includes user identification information 22, which is an email address or other information for identifying the user, and secret information 23, which is a password or other information that only the user knows. In this case, the registration content 20 requests the user to repeatedly input at least either the user identification information 22 or the secret information 23 multiple times. According to the management server system 1, the service items I to be managed by the integrated management content 40 are registered in this way with the utmost care, thereby maintaining security and preventing erroneous registration.

[0050] In this management server system 1, the authentication process S requires the input of user identification information 22 and secret information 23 as member authentication information in the authentication content 30, and performs authorization authentication based on the input user identification information 22 and secret information 23. As a result, the management server system 1 can provide the integrated management content 40 to members while maintaining security, and can also easily extract the service items I linked to each member.

[0051] The computer program according to the embodiment is a computer program that is installed in the user terminal CM to enable use on the user terminal CM of the integrated management content 40 by the management server system 1. The computer program according to the embodiment defines the content that enables use on the user terminal CM of the various contents provided by the management server system 1 in correspondence with the various processes by the management server system 1 described above, and therefore, the effects of the management server system 1 can be enjoyed.

[0052] [Other forms] Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0053] (1) The database configuration, number of repeated inputs, electrical connection method, contract contents, content display items and display contents, methods for verifying and authenticating users and members, management items, etc. described in the above embodiment are examples only and can be changed within the scope that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0054] (2) In the above embodiment, the service provider B and the management provider M are described as separate businesses, but the present invention is not limited to this. The service provider and the management provider may be the same business. In this case, the management server system and the business system may be integrated.

[0055] (3) In the above embodiment, the service provider B is a gas supplier, but the present invention is not limited to this. The service provider may be a water supplier, an electric power supplier, a telecommunications supplier, or any other service provider that provides services other than gas supply. In other words, the management server system to which the present invention is applied is also suitable for managing other service items, such as water meter contracts, electricity usage contracts, and communication line contracts, in addition to gas meter contracts, for which one user often has multiple contracts.

[0056] (4) In the above embodiment, the management server system 1 is described as providing integrated management content 40 capable of integrated management of multiple service items I with similar service content provided by the same service provider B. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the server system may be configured to integratedly manage service items with different service content, such as gas meters and water meters, provided by the same service provider. Furthermore, the present invention is also applicable to integrated management of service items with similar service content provided by different service providers, or integrated management of service items with different service content provided by different service providers, although this is difficult due to issues of security and information management between the providers.

[0057] (5) In the above embodiment, the service item registration process S3 is performed by reading the registration transition information in the form of a two-dimensional barcode and providing the individual registration content 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is sufficient to guide the user C to register the service item I in the service item management database 13 without duplication. For example, the registration transition information may be a two-dimensional barcode indicating the address of the shared registration content and an authentication key for inputting the shared registration content to the user C, and the user may enter the authentication key into the shared registration content using the user terminal CM, thereby registering the service item I individually. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1...management server system, 2...gas supply system, 3...operator system, 11...membership management database, 12...operator management database, 13...service item management database, 14...processing unit, 20...registration content, 30...authentication content, 40...integrated management content, B...service operator, BM...operator terminal, C...user, CM...user terminal, I...service item, M...management operator, S1...contractor information registration process, S2...registration transition information input process, S3...service item registration process, S4...authentication process, S5...integrated management content creation process, S6...integrated management provision process

Claims

1. A management server system that can be connected to a user terminal used by a user and a provider terminal used by a service provider via a communication line, and provides managed content to the user terminal via the communication line, the managed content including enabling the user to view the usage status of a service item that the user has contracted with the service provider, the system comprising: a contract information registration process in which the service provider receives contract information relating to the service item contracted with the user from the provider terminal and registers the contract information; a registration transition information issuing process for issuing registration transition information indicating an address of registration content for registering the service item corresponding to the contract information registered in the contract information registration process so that the service item can be managed by the management content, and transmitting the registration transition information to the business operator side terminal; a service item registration process that provides the registration content, which requests input of user information about the user, to the user terminal into which the registration transition information notified to the user via the service provider has been input, determines whether a person identified from the input user information is a registered member who has already been issued member authentication information, and if not a member, registers a new member and issues member authentication information, and registers the service item corresponding to the registration transition information in a state that can be managed by the management content, linking it to the member identified from the user information; an authentication process in which, when a request to use the managed content is received from the user terminal, authentication content is provided to the user terminal, requesting input of the member authentication information, and authority is authenticated based on the input member authentication information; an integrated management content creation process for creating integrated management content as the managed content that can be collectively managed by integrating all of one or more service items that are linked to the member whose authority has been authenticated in the authentication process and registered; an integrated management content providing process for providing the integrated management content created in the integrated management content creation process to the user terminal used for authentication in the authentication process; A management server system comprising:

2. 2. The management server system according to claim 1, A management server system in which a two-dimensional barcode is used as the registration transition information notified from the service provider to the user.

3. 2. The management server system according to claim 1, A management server system in which the user information requested to be entered in the registration content includes user identification information such as an email address or other information for identifying the user, as well as confidential information such as a password or other information known only to the user.

4. 4. The management server system according to claim 3, The registration content requires the user to repeatedly input at least one of the user identification information and the secret information multiple times.

5. 4. The management server system according to claim 3, In the authentication process, the management server system requests input of the user identification information and the secret information as the member authentication information in the authentication content, and authenticates the authority based on the input user identification information and the secret information.

6. The management server system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A management server system, wherein the service items include at least one of a water meter contract and a gas meter contract.

7. A computer program that is installed on a user terminal used by a user, connects to a management server system via a communication line, and enables the user to browse the usage status of a service item that the user has contracted with a service provider, and enables the user to use managed content, the computer program comprising: a service item registration application process that indicates an address of registration content individually created by the management server system in order to register the managed content for each service item so that it can be used, displays the registration content for inputting user information about the user in response to input of registration transition information notified by the service provider, and transmits the input user information to the management server system; an authentication application process in which the management server system determines whether a person identified from the user information transmitted in the service item registration application process is a registered member who has already been issued member authentication information, and if the person is not a member, a new member registration is made and member authentication information is issued, and one or more service items corresponding to the registration transition information are linked to the member identified from the user information and registered in a state that can be managed by integrated management content as the managed content, and then displays authentication content that requests input of the member authentication information to request use of the integrated management content, and transmits the input member authentication information to the management server system; an integrated management content display process in which the management server system displays the integrated management content created in correspondence with the authorized member based on the member authentication information transmitted in the authentication application process; A computer program characterized by causing a computer to execute the following.

8. 8. The computer program of claim 7, A computer program that displays the registration content in response to reading a two-dimensional barcode as the registration transition information notified by the service provider.

9. 8. The computer program of claim 7, A computer program in which the user information to be entered in the registration content includes user identification information such as an email address or other information for identifying the user, as well as confidential information such as a password or other information known only to the user.

10. 10. The computer program of claim 9, The registration content is a computer program that allows a user to repeatedly input at least one of the user identification information and the secret information multiple times.

11. 10. The computer program of claim 9, A computer program that, in the authentication application process, requests input of the user identification information and the secret information as the member authentication information for the authentication content, and transmits the input user identification information and the secret information to the management server system.

12. A computer program according to any one of claims 7 to 11, The computer program product, wherein the service items include at least one of a water meter contract and a gas meter contract.

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