SaaS provisioning systems, systems, information processing devices, and SaaS provisioning programs

Abstract

This invention provides a SaaS delivery system, a system, an information processing device, and a SaaS delivery program that can facilitate the association between SaaS sellers and buyers. [Solution] The SaaS providing system 20, which provides SaaS, is characterized in that when it is instructed from the outside to generate a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser, and when it is notified from the outside (S132) that it has a device ID as identification information of an image forming apparatus used by the purchaser to utilize SaaS, it generates a buyer tenant in the seller device related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID, associating it with the seller associated with the device ID notified from the outside (S133~S134).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a SaaS providing system, a system, an information processing apparatus, and a SaaS providing program for providing SaaS.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional SaaS providing system, a cloud system used by a plurality of tenants is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a conventional SaaS providing system, when the provider of the SaaS providing system is different from the seller who sells the SaaS to the purchaser of the SaaS, there is a problem that it is necessary to associate the seller and the purchaser of the SaaS.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a SaaS providing system, a system, an information processing apparatus, and a SaaS providing program that can facilitate the association between the seller and the purchaser of the SaaS.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The SaaS provisioning system of the present invention is a SaaS provisioning system comprising a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, wherein the SaaS provisioning unit is instructed from outside the SaaS provisioning system to generate a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser, and when a device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to utilize the SaaS is notified from the outside, the SaaS provisioning unit generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from the outside in the seller device related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

[0007] With this configuration, the SaaS provisioning system of the present invention can generate a buyer tenant when the creation of a buyer tenant is instructed from an external source, and when the device ID of an electronic device used by the buyer to access the SaaS is notified from an external source, it generates a buyer tenant by associating the notified device ID with the seller associated with the seller device-related information, thereby facilitating the association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0008] In the SaaS provisioning system of the present invention, when the SaaS provisioning unit generates the buyer tenant in association with the seller, it may notify the administrator of the buyer tenant that the buyer tenant has been generated in association with the seller.

[0009] This configuration allows the SaaS provisioning system of the present invention to improve convenience by notifying the administrator of the buyer tenant that a buyer tenant has been created in association with a seller when a buyer tenant has been created in association with a seller.

[0010] The present invention comprises a SaaS provisioning system having a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, and an electronic device used by a purchaser of the SaaS to utilize the SaaS, wherein the electronic device instructs the SaaS provisioning system to generate a purchaser tenant as the tenant of the purchaser, and notifies the SaaS provisioning system of a device ID as identification information of the electronic device itself, and the SaaS provisioning unit, when instructed by the electronic device to generate the purchaser tenant and when the device ID is notified by the electronic device, generates the purchaser tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified by the electronic device in the seller device-related information that associates the seller of the SaaS with the device ID.

[0011] With this configuration, the system of the present invention allows for the creation of a buyer tenant to be instructed from the electronic device to the SaaS provider system, and when the device ID of the electronic device is notified from the electronic device itself to the SaaS provider system, a buyer tenant is generated by associating the notified device ID with the seller associated in the seller device-related information, thereby facilitating the association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0012] The present invention comprises a SaaS provisioning system having a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, an electronic device used by a purchaser of the SaaS to utilize the SaaS, and a purchaser terminal used by the purchaser, wherein the electronic device includes a device ID as identification information of the electronic device as additional information in the URL of a tenant generation site, which is a website for generating a purchaser tenant as a tenant of the purchaser, the purchaser terminal obtains the URL including the device ID from the electronic device, and by accessing the URL obtained from the electronic device, instructs the SaaS provisioning system to generate the purchaser tenant via the tenant generation site and notifies the SaaS provisioning system of the device ID included in the URL, and the SaaS provisioning unit generates the purchaser tenant in association with the seller associated with the device ID notified by the purchaser terminal in seller device-related information that associates the seller of the SaaS with the device ID.

[0013] With this configuration, the system of the present invention allows for the creation of a buyer tenant when the buyer terminal instructs the SaaS provider system to do so, and when the device ID of an electronic device is notified from the buyer terminal to the SaaS provider system, the system generates a buyer tenant by associating it with the seller associated with the device ID notified from the buyer terminal in the seller device-related information, thereby facilitating the association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0014] In the system of the present invention, the electronic device displays a screen with a code image, which includes a code image showing the URL including the device ID, and the purchaser terminal may obtain the URL shown in the code image by taking a picture of the code image.

[0015] With this configuration, the system of the present invention can improve convenience because the electronic device itself displays a screen with a code image that includes a URL containing the device ID of the electronic device, and the purchaser's terminal obtains the URL shown in the code image by taking a picture of the code image.

[0016] In the system of the present invention, if the screen with the code image is a screen relating to a specific application of the SaaS, the electronic device includes an application ID as identification information for the specific application as additional information in the URL, the buyer terminal obtains the URL including the device ID and the application ID from the electronic device, and by accessing the URL obtained from the electronic device, instructs the SaaS provider to generate the buyer tenant via the tenant generation site and notifies the SaaS provider of the device ID and the application ID included in the URL, and the SaaS provider may generate the buyer tenant when the buyer terminal instructs the buyer terminal to generate the buyer tenant and the device ID and the application ID are notified from the buyer terminal, by associating the seller associated with the device ID notified from the buyer terminal in the seller device-related information and the application ID notified from the buyer terminal.

[0017] With this configuration, the system of the present invention, when the creation of a buyer tenant is instructed from the buyer terminal to the SaaS provider system, and when the device ID of an electronic device and the application ID of a SaaS application are notified from the buyer terminal to the SaaS provider system, generates a buyer tenant by associating the seller associated with the device ID notified from the buyer terminal to the SaaS provider system in the seller device-related information and the application ID notified from the buyer terminal to the SaaS provider system, thereby facilitating the association between the seller and the buyer of the SaaS application.

[0018] In the system of the present invention, the purchaser terminal may obtain the URL including the device ID from the electronic device via NFC.

[0019] This configuration allows the system of the present invention to improve convenience because the purchaser's terminal obtains a URL containing the device ID of the electronic device from the electronic device itself via NFC.

[0020] The present invention relates to an information processing device comprising a SaaS providing unit, wherein the SaaS providing unit is instructed from outside the information processing device to generate a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser, and when a device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to utilize the SaaS is notified from the outside, the SaaS providing unit generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from the outside in seller device-related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

[0021] With this configuration, the information processing device of the present invention, when the creation of a buyer tenant is instructed from an external source, and when the device ID of an electronic device used by the buyer to access SaaS is notified from an external source, generates a buyer tenant by associating it with the seller associated with the externally notified device ID in the seller device-related information, thereby facilitating the association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0022] The SaaS providing program of the present invention realizes a SaaS providing part for providing SaaS on a computer. When the generation of a purchaser tenant as a tenant of the purchaser of the SaaS is instructed from outside the computer and device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to use the SaaS is notified from outside, in the seller device association information that associates the seller of the SaaS with the device ID, the purchaser tenant is generated in association with the seller associated with the device ID notified from outside. It is characterized by that.

[0023] With this configuration, when a computer executing the SaaS providing program of the present invention is instructed from outside to generate a purchaser tenant and the device ID of an electronic device used by the purchaser to use the SaaS is notified from outside, the purchaser tenant is generated in association with the seller associated with the device ID notified from outside in the seller device association information. Therefore, it is possible to facilitate the association between the seller and the purchaser of the SaaS.

Effect of the Invention

[0024] The SaaS providing system, system, information processing apparatus, and SaaS providing program of the present invention can facilitate the association between the seller and the purchaser of the SaaS.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between system users of the system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram of an example of the system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram of an example of the SaaS providing system shown in FIG. 2 when configured by one computer. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of the tenant management information shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] Figure 2 shows an example of the relationships between tenants in the system shown. [Figure 6] Figure 3 shows an example of tenant user management information. [Figure 7] Figure 3 shows an example of device management information. [Figure 8] Figure 3 shows an example of seller device-related information. [Figure 9] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus that is composed of MFPs. [Figure 10] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of a seller's terminal. [Figure 11] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of a purchaser's terminal. [Figure 12] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of an external system consisting of a single computer. [Figure 13] Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a device ID is added to the seller's device-related information. [Figure 14] Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation screen displayed by an image forming apparatus. [Figure 15] Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a buyer's terminal reads a code image containing information including the URL of the tenant generation site, and a buyer's tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer's terminal. [Figure 16] Figure 15 shows an example of a screen with a code image that is displayed during the operation shown in Figure 15. [Figure 17] Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a buyer's terminal receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC, and a buyer's tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer's terminal. [Figure 18] This is a block diagram of an example of a system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] Figure 18 is a block diagram of an example of a SaaS delivery system that is configured on a single computer. [Figure 20] Figure 19 shows an example of tenant management information. [Figure 21] Figure 18 shows an example of the relationships between tenants in the system shown. [Figure 22] Figure 19 shows an example of seller device-related information. [Figure 23] Figure 18 is a block diagram of an example of an external system that consists of a single computer. [Figure 24] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a device ID is added to the seller's device-related information. [Figure 25] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation screen displayed by an image forming apparatus. [Figure 26] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a buyer's terminal reads a code image containing information including the URL of the tenant generation site, and a buyer's tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer's terminal. [Figure 27] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the system when a buyer terminal receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC, and a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] (First Embodiment)

[0028] First, the relationships between users of the system according to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "system users") will be described.

[0029] The system users of the system according to this embodiment include, for example, a seller who sells SaaS (Software as a Service) and a buyer who purchases SaaS from the seller. The form of sale of SaaS by the seller is, for example, a subscription.

[0030] As a seller of SaaS, for example, there can be both SaaS sales companies and dealers that are not sales companies.

[0031] As for sales companies, for example, there may be regular sales companies and a central sales company that oversees multiple regular sales companies.

[0032] As for dealers, for example, there may be primary dealers directly managed by the sales company, secondary dealers managed by primary dealers, and tertiary dealers managed by secondary dealers.

[0033] The buyer can be a company or other legal entity.

[0034] Figure 1 shows an example of the relationships between system users of the system according to this embodiment.

[0035] In the example shown in Figure 1, the general distributor is at the top level. The general distributor may directly manage at least one regular distributor. The general distributor may directly manage at least one primary dealer. The general distributor may directly manage at least one buyer.

[0036] A typical dealership may directly manage at least one primary dealer. A typical dealership directly manages at least one buyer.

[0037] A primary dealer may directly manage at least one secondary dealer. A primary dealer directly manages at least one buyer.

[0038] A secondary dealer may directly manage at least one tertiary dealer. A secondary dealer directly manages at least one buyer.

[0039] The third-tier dealer has direct control over at least one buyer.

[0040] Next, the configuration of the system according to this embodiment will be described.

[0041] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of the system 10 according to this embodiment.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, System 10 includes a SaaS delivery system 20 that provides SaaS. The SaaS delivery system 20 may consist of one computer, such as a PC (Personal Computer), or it may consist of multiple computers. The SaaS delivery system 20 may also be configured on the cloud.

[0043] System 10 includes an image forming apparatus 30 as an electronic device used by a purchaser and utilizing SaaS. System 10 may also include at least one other image forming apparatus with a similar configuration to the image forming apparatus 30. The image forming apparatus may be, for example, a dedicated printer or an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral).

[0044] System 10 includes a seller terminal 40 used by the seller. System 10 may also include at least one other seller terminal with a configuration similar to that of seller terminal 40. The seller terminal may be configured as a computer, such as a PC.

[0045] System 10 includes a buyer terminal 50 used by the purchaser. System 10 may also include at least one other buyer terminal with a similar configuration to the buyer terminal 50. The buyer terminal may consist of, for example, a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.

[0046] System 10 includes an external system 60 as an external system to the SaaS provisioning system 20. The external system 60 may consist of one computer such as a PC, or it may consist of multiple computers. The external system 60 may be configured on the cloud. The external system 60 may consist of, for example, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

[0047] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example of a SaaS delivery system 20 that is configured on a single computer.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the SaaS provisioning system 20 includes an operation unit 21 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or mouse into which various operations are input; a display unit 22 which is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that displays various information; a communication unit 23 which is a communication device that communicates with external devices via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet, or directly via wired or wireless connection without going through a network; a storage unit 24 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores various information; and a control unit 25 which controls the entire SaaS provisioning system 20.

[0049] The memory unit 24 is capable of storing a SaaS provisioning program 24a for providing SaaS. The SaaS provisioning program 24a may, for example, be installed on the SaaS provisioning system 20 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed on the SaaS provisioning system 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or it may be additionally installed on the SaaS provisioning system 20 from a network.

[0050] The memory unit 24 is capable of storing tenant management information 24b for managing tenants of the SaaS provisioning system 20.

[0051] Figure 4 shows an example of tenant management information 24b.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4, the tenant management information 24b includes, for each tenant, a tenant ID as identification information for the tenant, a direct tenant ID indicating the tenant ID of the tenant directly above the tenant, a direct tenant ID indicating the tenant ID of the tenant directly below the tenant, and identification information of the SaaS applications that the tenant has contracted for among the SaaS applications provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20 (hereinafter, the application identification information is referred to as the "application ID"). In Figure 4, the tenant management information 24b is depicted with some information omitted.

[0053] Figure 5 shows an example of the relationships between tenants in System 10.

[0054] In the example shown in Figure 5, the General Sales Company tenant is at the top level. Directly below the General Sales Company tenant are the tenants of regular sales companies directly managed by the General Sales Company (hereinafter referred to as "regular sales company tenants"), the tenants of primary dealers directly managed by the General Sales Company (hereinafter referred to as "primary dealer tenants"), and the tenants of buyers directly managed by the General Sales Company (hereinafter referred to as "buyer tenants"). The General Sales Company tenant, regular sales company tenants, and primary dealer tenants are all seller tenants (hereinafter referred to as "seller tenants").

[0055] Typically, directly below a distributor tenant, there are primary dealer tenants, which are directly managed by the same distributor as the distributor that the distributor tenant is targeting, and buyer tenants, which are directly managed by the same distributor as the distributor that the distributor tenant is targeting.

[0056] Directly below the primary dealer tenants are secondary dealer tenants directly managed by the primary dealers that the primary dealer tenants themselves target (hereinafter, secondary dealer tenants are referred to as "secondary dealer tenants") and buyer tenants directly managed by the primary dealers that the primary dealer tenants themselves target. The secondary dealer tenants are seller tenants.

[0057] Directly below each secondary dealer tenant are tertiary dealer tenants directly managed by the same secondary dealer that the secondary dealer tenant itself is targeting (hereinafter, tertiary dealer tenants are referred to as "tertiary dealer tenants") and buyer tenants directly managed by the same secondary dealer that the secondary dealer tenant itself is targeting. The tertiary dealer tenants are seller tenants.

[0058] Directly below a third-tier dealer tenant are buyer tenants, which are directly managed by the third-tier dealer that the third-tier dealer tenant itself is targeting.

[0059] Users of a seller tenant can view information about buyer tenants located directly under their own seller tenant, but they cannot view information about buyer tenants that are not located directly under their own seller tenant. For example, even a higher-level seller cannot view information about buyer tenants located directly under the seller tenants of lower-level sellers.

[0060] The relationships between tenants shown in Figure 5 correspond to the relationships between the system users of each tenant (see Figure 1).

[0061] As shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 24 is capable of storing tenant user management information 24c for managing tenant users (hereinafter referred to as "tenant users").

[0062] Figure 6 shows an example of tenant user management information 24c.

[0063] As shown in Figure 6, the tenant user management information 24c includes, for each tenant user, the tenant ID of the tenant to which the tenant user belongs, the tenant user ID as identification information for the tenant user, the tenant user's password, the tenant user's email address, and the tenant user's role. Examples of tenant user roles include tenant administrator and general user. In Figure 6, the tenant user management information 24c is depicted with some information omitted.

[0064] Furthermore, general users of a tenant can be added, for example, by the tenant's administrator via the tenant's website. The tenant's website is provided by the SaaS provider section 25a described below.

[0065] As shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 24 is capable of storing device management information 24d for managing the image forming apparatus.

[0066] Figure 7 shows an example of device management information 24d.

[0067] As shown in Figure 7, the device management information 24d includes the tenant ID of the tenant to which the image forming apparatus belongs, i.e., the purchaser tenant, and the device ID of the image forming apparatus for each image forming apparatus. The device ID may be, for example, the serial number of the image forming apparatus. The device management information 24d shown in Figure 7 is depicted with some information omitted.

[0068] As shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 24 is capable of storing seller device-related information 24e that associates the seller with the image forming apparatus.

[0069] Figure 8 shows an example of seller device-related information 24e.

[0070] The seller device-related information 24e shown in Figure 8 includes the tenant ID of the seller tenant and the device ID of the buyer's image forming apparatus for each seller. Some information is omitted in the depiction of the seller device-related information 24e shown in Figure 8.

[0071] The control unit 25 shown in Figure 3 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and various data, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a working area for the CPU of the control unit 25. The CPU of the control unit 25 executes programs stored in the storage unit 24 or the ROM of the control unit 25.

[0072] The control unit 25 implements a SaaS provisioning unit 25a that provides SaaS by executing a SaaS provisioning program 24a.

[0073] Figure 9 is a block diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus 30 that is configured with an MFP.

[0074] As shown in Figure 9, the image forming apparatus 30 is a computer comprising: an operation unit 31 which is an operation device such as buttons into which various operations are input; a display unit 32 which is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) which displays various information; a printer 33 which is a printing device which prints images onto a recording medium such as paper; a scanner 34 which is a reading device which reads images from an original document; a communication unit 35 which is a communication device which communicates with external devices via a network such as a LAN or the Internet, or directly by wired or wireless connection without going through a network; a fax communication unit 36 ​​which is a fax device which communicates with an external facsimile device (not shown) via a communication line such as a public telephone line; an NFC communication unit 37 which communicates by NFC (Near Field Communication); a storage unit 38 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) which stores various information; and a control unit 39 which controls the entire image forming apparatus 30.

[0075] The memory unit 38 can store a SaaS user program 38a for using SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20 (see Figure 2). The SaaS user program 38a may be installed in the image forming apparatus 30 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed in the image forming apparatus 30 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or it may be additionally installed in the image forming apparatus 30 from a network.

[0076] The control unit 39 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and RAM as memory used as a workspace for the CPU of the control unit 39. The CPU of the control unit 39 executes programs stored in the storage unit 38 or the ROM of the control unit 39.

[0077] The control unit 39 implements a SaaS utilization unit 39a that utilizes SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20 by executing a SaaS utilization program 38a.

[0078] Figure 10 is a block diagram of an example of a seller terminal 40.

[0079] As shown in Figure 10, the seller terminal 40 includes an operation unit 41 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or mouse into which various operations are input, a display unit 42 which is a display device such as an LCD that displays various information, a communication unit 43 which is a communication device that communicates with external devices via a network such as a LAN or the Internet, or directly by wired or wireless connection without going through a network, a storage unit 44 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores various information, and a control unit 45 that controls the entire seller terminal 40.

[0080] The memory unit 44 is capable of storing a web browser program 44a as a program for a web browser. The web browser program 44a may, for example, be installed on the seller terminal 40 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed on the seller terminal 40 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or it may be additionally installed on the seller terminal 40 from a network.

[0081] The control unit 45 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and RAM as memory used as a workspace for the CPU of the control unit 45. The CPU of the control unit 45 executes programs stored in the storage unit 44 or the ROM of the control unit 45.

[0082] The control unit 45 implements a web browser 45a by executing a web browser program 44a.

[0083] Figure 11 is a block diagram of an example of a purchaser terminal 50.

[0084] As shown in Figure 11, the purchaser terminal 50 includes an operation unit 51 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or mouse into which various operations are input, a display unit 52 which is a display device such as an LCD that displays various information, a camera 53, a communication unit 54 which is a communication device that communicates with external devices via a network such as a LAN or the Internet, or directly by wired or wireless connection without going through a network, an NFC communication unit 55 which communicates by NFC, a storage unit 56 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores various information, and a control unit 57 that controls the entire purchaser terminal 50.

[0085] The storage unit 56 is capable of storing a web browser program 56a as a program for a web browser. The web browser program 56a may, for example, be installed on the purchaser terminal 50 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from a network.

[0086] The memory unit 56 is capable of storing an image processing program 56b for processing images captured by the camera 53. The image processing program 56b may, for example, be installed on the purchaser terminal 50 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from a network.

[0087] The memory unit 56 is capable of storing an NFC communication control program 56c for controlling communication by the NFC communication unit 55. The NFC communication control program 56c may, for example, be installed on the purchaser terminal 50 during the manufacturing stage, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or it may be additionally installed on the purchaser terminal 50 from a network.

[0088] The control unit 57 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and RAM as memory used as a workspace for the CPU of the control unit 57. The CPU of the control unit 57 executes programs stored in the storage unit 56 or the ROM of the control unit 57.

[0089] The control unit 57 implements a web browser 57a by executing a web browser program 56a.

[0090] The control unit 57 implements an image processing unit 57b that processes images captured by the camera 53 by executing an image processing program 56b.

[0091] The control unit 57 implements an NFC communication control unit 57c that controls communication by the NFC communication unit 55 by executing an NFC communication control program 56c.

[0092] Figure 12 is a block diagram of an example of an external system 60 consisting of a single computer.

[0093] As shown in Figure 12, the external system 60 includes an operation unit 61 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or mouse into which various operations are input; a display unit 62 which is a display device such as an LCD that displays various information; a communication unit 63 which is a communication device that communicates with external devices via a network such as a LAN or the Internet, or directly by wired or wireless connection without going through a network; a storage unit 64 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores various information; and a control unit 65 that controls the entire external system 60.

[0094] The storage unit 64 is capable of storing seller device-related information 64a that associates the seller with the image forming apparatus. The configuration of the seller device-related information 64a is the same as the configuration of the seller device-related information 24e (see Figure 8).

[0095] The control unit 65 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and RAM as memory used as a workspace for the CPU of the control unit 65. The CPU of the control unit 65 executes programs stored in the storage unit 64 or the ROM of the control unit 65.

[0096] Next, we will describe the operation of system 10.

[0097] In the following, the image forming apparatus 30 will be described as a representative of the image forming apparatus. Similarly, the seller terminal 40 will be described as a representative of the seller terminal. Similarly, the buyer terminal 50 will be described as a representative of the buyer terminal.

[0098] First, we will explain the behavior of System 10 when a device ID is added to the seller device-related information 24e.

[0099] Figure 13 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 10 when a device ID is added to the seller device-related information 24e.

[0100] The seller can access the login web page (hereinafter referred to as the "login page") provided by the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 via the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40. That is, the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 accesses the login page as shown in Figure 13 (S101). When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives the access in S101, it sends the login page data to the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 (S102). When the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 20 in S102, it displays the login page on the display unit 42 of the seller terminal 40 based on the received data (S103).

[0101] A seller can request to log in to the SaaS provisioning system 20 by entering their own tenant user ID and password on the login page. The SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 grants the login if the combination of tenant user ID and password entered on the login page is included in the tenant user management information 24c. If the SaaS provisioning unit 25a grants the seller's login via the login page, it sends the website data for the seller's tenant to the web browser 45a of the seller's terminal 40 (S104). When the web browser 45a of the seller's terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 20 in S104, it displays the website for the seller's tenant on the display unit 42 of the seller's terminal 40 based on the received data (S105).

[0102] The seller can instruct the seller terminal 40 via the web browser 45a to move to the customer management page, which is a web page for managing the seller's own customers, the buyers, on the seller's own seller tenant website. When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 is instructed to move to the customer management page, it sends the data for the customer management page to the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 (S106). When the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 20 in S106, it displays the customer management page on the display unit 42 of the seller terminal 40 based on the received data (S107). The customer management page displays a list of customers. The SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 includes in the list on the customer management page customers corresponding to buyer tenants that are indicated in the tenant management information 24b as being tenants directly under the seller tenant of the target seller of the customer management page.

[0103] The seller can select a specific customer from the customer list on the customer management page. When a specific customer is selected from the customer list on the customer management page, the SaaS provision unit 25a of the SaaS provision system 20 sends data for a device list page, which is a web page showing a list of device IDs of image forming apparatuses associated with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant of the selected customer in the device management information 24d, to the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 (S108). When the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provision system 20 in S108, it displays the device list page on the display unit 42 of the seller terminal 40 based on the received data (S109).

[0104] The seller can instruct the addition of an image forming device by entering the device ID of the image forming device they wish to add on the device list page. For example, if the seller has sold an image forming device to a buyer, the seller can know the device ID of the image forming device sold to the buyer. When the SaaS provision unit 25a of the SaaS provision system 20 instructs the addition of an image forming device on the device list page, it adds the device ID entered on the device list page to the device management information 24d, associating it with the tenant ID of the target buyer tenant on the device list page (S110). When the processing in S110 is completed, the SaaS provision unit 25a of the SaaS provision system 20 adds the device ID added to the device management information 24d in S110 to the seller device related information 24e, associating it with the tenant ID of the seller tenant of the target seller on the device list page (S111).

[0105] Next, we will describe the operation of the system 10 when a buyer tenant is generated via a screen for generating a buyer tenant (hereinafter referred to as the "tenant generation screen") displayed by the image forming apparatus 30.

[0106] Figure 14 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 10 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation screen displayed by the image forming apparatus 30.

[0107] The purchaser can instruct the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 to display the tenant generation screen via the operation unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 30. When the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 is instructed to display the tenant generation screen, it displays the tenant generation screen on the display unit 32 as shown in Figure 14 (S131).

[0108] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation screen and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation screen. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When tenant creation is instructed via the tenant creation screen, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 executes a call to the tenant creation API, which serves as an API (Application Programming Interface) for creating the tenant, adding the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S132). The tenant creation API is provided by the SaaS provision unit 25a of the SaaS provision system 20. The SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 adds the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation screen to the call to the tenant creation API in S132.

[0109] When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives a call to the tenant generation API in S132, it identifies the tenant ID of the seller tenant associated with the device ID attached to the call to the tenant generation API in S132 in the seller device-related information 24e (S133).

[0110] When the processing in S133 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a adds the buyer tenants corresponding to the various values ​​attached to the tenant generation API call in S132 to the tenant management information 24b so that these buyer tenants are placed directly under the tenant indicated by the tenant ID identified in S133 (S134). The processing in S134 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S134 and the seller tenant directly above it, that is, the association between the buyer targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S134 and the seller who sold the SaaS to that buyer.

[0111] When the processing in S134 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a associates the tenant administrator information, which was attached to the tenant generation API call in S132, with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S134 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S135).

[0112] When the processing in S135 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a sends an email (hereinafter referred to as the "association completion email") to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer of the completion of the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer (S136). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize the completion of the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider unit 25a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0113] Next, we will explain the operation of System 10 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50, after the buyer terminal 50 reads a code image showing information including the URL of the website for generating the buyer tenant (hereinafter referred to as the "tenant generation site").

[0114] Figure 15 is a sequence diagram of the operation of System 10 when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50, after the buyer terminal 50 reads a code image containing information including the URL of the tenant generation site.

[0115] When a specific operation is input via the operation unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 30, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 as additional information in the URL of the tenant-generated site, as shown in Figure 15 (S151). For example, the specific operation may be an operation to start the execution of a specific SaaS application provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20.

[0116] When the processing of S151 is completed, the SaaS utilization unit 39a displays a screen with a code image 70 (see, for example, Figure 16) on the display unit 32 as a screen containing a code image that shows information including a URL with a device ID included by S151 (S152). Here, the screen with a code image 70 may be, for example, a screen introducing SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20. If the screen with a code image 70 is a screen relating to a specific app of SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20, the SaaS utilization unit 39a may include the app ID of this app as additional information in the URL included in the information shown in the code image included in the screen with a code image 70. For example, a QR code (registered trademark) may be used as the code image.

[0117] Figure 16 shows an example of a screen 70 with a code image that is displayed during the operation shown in Figure 15.

[0118] The screen 70 with a code image shown in Figure 16 is a screen that introduces App A, which is a SaaS application provided by the SaaS provisioning system 20. In other words, screen 70 with a code image is a screen related to App A. Screen 70 with a code image includes a code image 71 that shows information including a URL that includes a device ID, as indicated by S151.

[0119] The purchaser can capture the code image displayed in S152 using the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50. When the code image is captured by the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50, the image processing unit 57b of the purchaser terminal 50 acquires the information indicated in the code image captured by the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50, as shown in Figure 15 (S153).

[0120] When the processing in S153 is completed, the image processing unit 57b of the purchaser terminal 50 instructs the web browser 57a to access the URL of the tenant generation site included in the information obtained in S153. Therefore, the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 accesses the URL of the tenant generation site, which includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S154).

[0121] When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives an access in S154, it sends the data of the tenant-generated site to the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 (S155).

[0122] When the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 receives data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 20 in S155, it displays the tenant generation site on the display unit 52 of the purchaser terminal 50 based on the received data (S156).

[0123] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation site, and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation site. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When the purchaser's terminal 50's web browser 57a instructs tenant creation via the tenant creation site, it notifies the SaaS provisioning system 20 of the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation site (S157).

[0124] When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives the notification in S157, it identifies the tenant ID of the seller tenant that is associated in the seller device-related information 24e with the device ID included in the URL accessed in S154 (S158).

[0125] When the processing in S158 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a adds the buyer tenant corresponding to the various values ​​notified in S157 to the tenant management information 24b so that the buyer tenant is placed directly under the tenant indicated by the tenant ID identified in S158 (S159). The processing in S159 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S159 and the seller tenant directly above it, that is, the association between the buyer targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S159 and the seller who sold the SaaS to that buyer. If the URL accessed in S154 contains an application ID, the SaaS provider unit 25a may also associate this application ID with the buyer tenant and add it to the tenant management information 24b when adding the buyer tenant to the tenant management information 24b in S159.

[0126] When the processing in S159 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a associates the tenant administrator information notified in S157 with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S159 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S160).

[0127] When the processing of S160 is completed, the SaaS provider 25a sends an association completion email to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer that the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete (S161). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize that the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider 25a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0128] Next, we will describe the operation of System 10 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50 after the buyer terminal 50 receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC.

[0129] Figure 17 is a sequence diagram of the operation of System 10 when a buyer terminal 50 receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC, and a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50.

[0130] The purchaser can initiate NFC communication between the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 and the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30 by bringing the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 close to the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30. When NFC communication is established between the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 and the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 adds the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 as additional information to the URL of the tenant generation site, as shown in Figure 17 (S181).

[0131] When the processing in S181 is completed, the SaaS user unit 39a transmits information including a URL containing the device ID to the purchaser terminal 50 via NFC (S182).

[0132] When the NFC communication control unit 57c of the purchaser terminal 50 receives information transmitted by NFC from the image forming apparatus 30 in S182, it instructs the web browser 57a to access the URL of the tenant generation site included in the received information. Therefore, the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 accesses the URL of the tenant generation site, which includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S183).

[0133] When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives an access in S183, it sends the data of the tenant-generated site to the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 (S184).

[0134] When the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 receives data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 20 in S184, it displays the tenant generation site on the display unit 52 of the purchaser terminal 50 based on the received data (S185).

[0135] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation site, and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation site. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When the purchaser's terminal 50's web browser 57a instructs tenant creation via the tenant creation site, it notifies the SaaS provisioning system 20 of the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation site (S186).

[0136] When the SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 receives the notification in S186, it identifies the tenant ID of the seller tenant that is associated in the seller device-related information 24e with the device ID included in the accessed URL in S183 (S187).

[0137] When the processing in S187 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a adds the buyer tenants corresponding to the various values ​​notified in S186 to the tenant management information 24b so that these buyer tenants are placed directly under the tenant indicated by the tenant ID identified in S187 (S188). The processing in S188 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S188 and the seller tenant directly above it, that is, the association between the buyer targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S188 and the seller who sold the SaaS to that buyer.

[0138] When the processing in S188 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 25a associates the tenant administrator information notified in S186 with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S188 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S189).

[0139] When the processing in S189 is completed, the SaaS provider 25a sends an association completion email to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer that the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete (S190). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize that the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider 25a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0140] In the above, the SaaS provider system 20 refers to its own seller device-related information 24e in S133 (see Figure 14), S158 (see Figure 15), and S187 (see Figure 17). However, the SaaS provider system 20 may also refer to the seller device-related information 64a of the external system 60 instead of its own seller device-related information 24e in S133, S158, and S187. If the SaaS provider system 20 does not refer to its own seller device-related information 24e, the operation shown in Figure 13 is unnecessary.

[0141] As explained above, the SaaS provisioning system 20 allows the buyer to instruct the creation of the buyer tenant themselves.

[0142] When the SaaS provisioning system 20 is instructed from an external source to generate a buyer tenant (S132, S157, S186), and when the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 used by the buyer to utilize the SaaS is notified from an external source (S132, S154, S183), the system generates a buyer tenant associated with the seller linked to the externally notified device ID in the seller device-related information 24e or seller device-related information 64a (S133-S134, S158-S159, S187-S188), thus facilitating the association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0143] The SaaS provisioning system 20 generates a buyer tenant by associating the device ID notified from an external source with the seller associated in the seller device-related information 24e or seller device-related information 64a, thereby reducing the possibility of incorrect association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0144] The SaaS provisioning system 20 can improve convenience by notifying the administrator of the buyer tenant that a buyer tenant has been created in association with the seller (S136, S161, S190) when a buyer tenant has been created in association with the seller.

[0145] The system 10 improves convenience because the image forming apparatus 30 itself displays a screen 70 with a code image, which includes a code image 71 showing a URL containing the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S152), and the purchaser terminal 50 obtains the URL shown in the code image 71 by taking a picture of the code image 71 (S153).

[0146] When the buyer terminal 50 instructs the SaaS provisioning system 20 to generate a buyer tenant (S157), and the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 and the application ID of the SaaS application are notified to the SaaS provisioning system 20 from the buyer terminal 50 (S154), the system 10 generates a buyer tenant by associating the seller associated with the device ID notified to the SaaS provisioning system 20 from the buyer terminal 50 in the seller device-related information 24e or seller device-related information 64a with the application ID notified to the SaaS provisioning system 20 from the buyer terminal 50 (S159). This makes it easier to associate the seller of the SaaS application with the buyer.

[0147] System 10 improves convenience because the purchaser terminal 50 obtains a URL containing the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 from the image forming apparatus 30 itself via NFC (S182).

[0148] (Second Embodiment)

[0149] First, the relationships between system users of the system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0150] As shown in Figure 1, the relationships between system users in the system according to this embodiment are the same as the relationships between system users in the system according to the first embodiment.

[0151] Next, the configuration of the system according to this embodiment will be described.

[0152] Figure 18 is a block diagram of an example of the system 210 according to this embodiment.

[0153] The components of system 210 shown in Figure 18 are the same as those of system 10 (see Figure 2) according to the first embodiment, except for the components described below. For components of system 210 that are the same as those of system 10, the same reference numerals are used, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0154] The configuration of system 210 is the same as that of system 10, which has a SaaS provisioning system 220 and an external system 260 instead of the SaaS provisioning system 20 (see Figure 2) and external system 60 (see Figure 2).

[0155] Figure 19 is a block diagram of an example of a SaaS delivery system 220 that is configured on a single computer.

[0156] The configuration of the SaaS provisioning system 220 shown in Figure 19 is the same as that of the SaaS provisioning system 20 (see Figure 3), in which the SaaS provisioning program 224a, tenant management information 224b, and seller device-related information 224e are stored in the storage unit 24 instead of the SaaS provisioning program 24a (see Figure 3), tenant management information 24b (see Figure 3), and seller device-related information 24e (see Figure 3).

[0157] The control unit 25 implements a SaaS provisioning unit 225a that provides SaaS by executing a SaaS provisioning program 224a.

[0158] Figure 20 shows an example of tenant management information 224b.

[0159] As shown in Figure 20, the tenant management information 224b includes, for each tenant, the tenant ID as identification information for the tenant, the identification information of the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer corresponding to the buyer tenant (hereinafter, the seller's identification information is referred to as the "seller ID"), and the application ID of the application that the tenant has contracted for among the SaaS applications provided by the SaaS provisioning system 220. In Figure 20, the tenant management information 224b is depicted with some information omitted.

[0160] Figure 21 shows an example of the relationships between tenants in system 210.

[0161] In the example shown in Figure 21, the general sales company tenant is at the top level. All buyer tenants are directly below the general sales company tenant. In System 210, there are no other seller tenants besides the general sales company tenant, such as regular sales company tenants, primary dealer tenants, secondary dealer tenants, or tertiary dealer tenants. In other words, the relationships between tenants shown in Figure 21 are different from the relationships between system users who are the target of each tenant (see Figure 1).

[0162] In this embodiment, sellers other than the general distributor do not have their own seller tenants. Sellers other than the general distributor are general users of the general distributor's tenant.

[0163] Users of a central distributor tenant can view information about buyer tenants associated with their own seller ID, but they cannot view information about buyer tenants not associated with their own seller ID. For example, even a higher-level seller cannot view information about buyer tenants associated with the seller ID of a lower-level seller.

[0164] Figure 22 shows an example of seller device-related information 224e.

[0165] The seller device-related information 224e shown in Figure 22 includes the seller ID and the device ID of the buyer's image forming apparatus for each seller. Some information is omitted in the seller device-related information 224e shown in Figure 22.

[0166] Figure 23 is a block diagram of an example of an external system 260 consisting of a single computer.

[0167] The configuration of the external system 260 shown in Figure 23 is the same as the configuration in which the external system 60 (see Figure 12) stores seller device-related information 264a in place of seller device-related information 64a (see Figure 12) in the storage unit 64.

[0168] The configuration of the seller device-related information 264a is the same as the configuration of the seller device-related information 224e (see Figure 22).

[0169] Next, we will describe the operation of system 210.

[0170] In the following, the image forming apparatus 30 will be described as a representative of the image forming apparatus. Similarly, the seller terminal 40 will be described as a representative of the seller terminal. Similarly, the buyer terminal 50 will be described as a representative of the buyer terminal.

[0171] First, we will explain the operation of system 210 when a device ID is added to the seller device-related information 224e.

[0172] Figure 24 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 210 when a device ID is added to the seller device-related information 224e.

[0173] The seller can access the login page provided by the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 via the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40. That is, the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 accesses the login page as shown in Figure 24 (S301). When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives the access in S301, it sends the login page data to the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 (S302). When the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 220 in S302, it displays the login page on the display unit 42 of the seller terminal 40 based on the received data (S303).

[0174] The seller can request to log in to the SaaS provisioning system 220 by entering their own tenant user ID and password on the login page. The SaaS provisioning unit 25a of the SaaS provisioning system 20 grants the login if the combination of tenant user ID and password entered on the login page is included in the tenant user management information 24c. If the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 grants the seller login via the login page, it sends the website data for the general sales company tenant to the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 (S304). When the web browser 45a of the seller terminal 40 receives the data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 220 in S304, it displays the website for the general sales company tenant on the display unit 42 of the seller terminal 40 based on the received data (S305).

[0175] The seller can instruct the distributor tenant's website to add the device ID of the image forming apparatus that the seller has sold to the buyer to the seller's device-related information 224e, associated with the seller's own seller ID. When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives instructions from the seller, it adds the instructed device ID to the seller's device-related information 224e, associated with the instructed seller ID (S306).

[0176] Next, we will describe the operation of the system 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation screen displayed by the image forming apparatus 30 for generating a buyer tenant.

[0177] Figure 25 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation screen displayed by the image forming apparatus 30.

[0178] The purchaser can instruct the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 to display the tenant generation screen via the operation unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 30. When the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 is instructed to display the tenant generation screen, it displays the tenant generation screen on the display unit 32 as shown in Figure 25 (S331).

[0179] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation screen and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation screen. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When tenant creation is instructed via the tenant creation screen, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 makes a call to the tenant creation API to create the tenant, adding the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S332). The tenant creation API is provided by the SaaS provision unit 225a of the SaaS provision system 220. The SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 adds the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation screen to the call to the tenant creation API in S332.

[0180] When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives a call to the tenant generation API in S332, it identifies the seller ID associated in the seller device-related information 224e with the device ID attached to the call to the tenant generation API in S332 (S333).

[0181] When the processing in S333 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a adds the buyer tenants corresponding to the various values ​​attached to the tenant generation API call in S332 to the tenant management information 224b, associating them with the seller ID identified in S333 (S334). The processing in S334 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S334 and the seller, that is, the association between the buyer targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S334 and the seller who sold the SaaS to that buyer.

[0182] When the processing in S334 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a associates the tenant administrator information, which was attached to the tenant generation API call in S332, with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S334 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S335).

[0183] When the processing of S335 is completed, the SaaS provider 225a sends an association completion email to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer that the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete (S336). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize that the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider 225a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0184] Next, we will describe the operation of the system 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50, by the buyer terminal 50 reading a code image that contains information including the URL of the tenant generation site for generating the buyer tenant.

[0185] Figure 26 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via a tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50, after the buyer terminal 50 reads a code image containing information including the URL of the tenant generation site.

[0186] When a specific operation is input via the operation unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 30, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 as additional information in the URL of the tenant-generated site, as shown in Figure 26 (S351). For example, the specific operation may be an operation to start the execution of a specific SaaS application provided by the SaaS provisioning system 220.

[0187] When the processing of S351 is completed, the SaaS utilization unit 39a displays a screen with a code image 70 (see, for example, Figure 16) on the display unit 32 as a screen containing a code image that shows information including a URL with a device ID included by S351 (S352). Here, the screen with a code image 70 may be, for example, a screen introducing SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 220. If the screen with a code image 70 is a screen relating to a specific app of SaaS provided by the SaaS provisioning system 220, the SaaS utilization unit 39a may include the app ID of this app as additional information in the URL included in the information shown in the code image included in the screen with a code image 70. For example, a QR code (registered trademark) may be used as the code image.

[0188] The purchaser can capture the code image displayed in S352 using the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50. When the code image is captured by the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50, the image processing unit 57b of the purchaser terminal 50 acquires the information indicated in the code image captured by the camera 53 of the purchaser terminal 50 (S353).

[0189] When the processing in S353 is completed, the image processing unit 57b of the purchaser terminal 50 instructs the web browser 57a to access the URL of the tenant generation site included in the information obtained in S353. Therefore, the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 accesses the URL of the tenant generation site, which includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S354).

[0190] When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives an access in S354, it sends the data of the tenant-generated site to the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 (S355).

[0191] When the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 receives data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 220 in S355, it displays the tenant generation site on the display unit 52 of the purchaser terminal 50 based on the received data (S356).

[0192] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation site, and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation site. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When the purchaser's terminal 50's web browser 57a instructs tenant creation via the tenant creation site, it notifies the SaaS provider system 220 of the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation site (S357).

[0193] When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives the notification in S357, it identifies the seller ID associated in the seller device-related information 224e with the device ID included in the accessed URL in S354 (S358).

[0194] When the processing in S358 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a adds the buyer tenants corresponding to the various values ​​notified in S357 to the tenant management information 224b, associating them with the seller ID identified in S358 (S359). The processing in S359 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S359 and the seller, that is, the association between the buyer targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S359 and the seller who sold the SaaS to that buyer. If the URL accessed in S354 contains an app ID, the SaaS provider unit 225a may also add this app ID to the tenant management information 224b in association with this buyer tenant when adding the buyer tenant to the tenant management information 224b in S359.

[0195] When the processing in S359 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a associates the tenant administrator information notified in S357 with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S359 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S360).

[0196] When the processing of S360 is completed, the SaaS provider 225a sends an association completion email to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer that the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete (S361). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize that the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider 225a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0197] Next, we will describe the operation of the system 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50 after the buyer terminal 50 receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC.

[0198] Figure 27 is a sequence diagram of the operation of System 210 when a buyer tenant is generated via the tenant generation site accessed by the buyer terminal 50 after the buyer terminal 50 receives information including the URL of the tenant generation site via NFC.

[0199] The purchaser can initiate NFC communication between the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 and the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30 by bringing the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 close to the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30. When NFC communication is established between the NFC communication unit 55 of the purchaser terminal 50 and the NFC communication unit 37 of the image forming apparatus 30, the SaaS utilization unit 39a of the image forming apparatus 30 includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 as additional information in the URL of the tenant generation site, as shown in Figure 27 (S381).

[0200] When the processing of S381 is completed, the SaaS user unit 39a transmits information including a URL containing the device ID to the purchaser terminal 50 via NFC (S382).

[0201] When the NFC communication control unit 57c of the purchaser terminal 50 receives information transmitted via NFC from the image forming apparatus 30 in S382, it instructs the web browser 57a to access the URL of the tenant generation site included in the received information. Therefore, the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 accesses the URL of the tenant generation site, which includes the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S383).

[0202] When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives an access in S383, it sends the data of the tenant-generated site to the web browser 57a of the purchaser terminal 50 (S384).

[0203] When the web browser 57a of the buyer terminal 50 receives data sent from the SaaS provisioning system 220 in S384, it displays the tenant generation site on the display unit 52 of the buyer terminal 50 based on the received data (S385).

[0204] The purchaser can input values ​​for various items necessary for tenant creation into the tenant creation site, and then instruct the creation of the tenant via the tenant creation site. The items necessary for tenant creation include information about the tenant administrator, including the email address of the tenant administrator. When the purchaser's terminal 50's web browser 57a instructs tenant creation via the tenant creation site, it notifies the SaaS provider system 220 of the various values ​​entered into the tenant creation site (S386).

[0205] When the SaaS provisioning unit 225a of the SaaS provisioning system 220 receives the notification in S386, it identifies the seller ID associated in the seller device-related information 224e with the device ID included in the accessed URL in S383 (S387).

[0206] When the processing in S387 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a adds the buyer tenants corresponding to the various values ​​notified in S386 to the tenant management information 224b, associating them with the seller ID identified in S387 (S388). The processing in S388 completes the association between the buyer tenant generated in S388 and the seller, that is, the association between the buyers targeted by the buyer tenant generated in S388 and the seller who sold the SaaS to these buyers.

[0207] When the processing in S388 is completed, the SaaS provider unit 225a associates the tenant administrator information notified in S386 with the tenant ID of the buyer tenant generated in S388 and adds it to the tenant user management information 24c (S389).

[0208] When the processing in S389 is completed, the SaaS provider 225a sends an association completion email to the email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant to notify the buyer that the association between the buyer and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete (S390). The email address of the administrator of the buyer's tenant is included in the tenant user management information 24c. By receiving the association completion email, the administrator of the buyer's tenant can recognize that the association between the buyer to which the administrator belongs and the seller who sold the SaaS to the buyer is complete. Therefore, for example, if general users cannot use all or part of the functions of a particular SaaS application provided by the SaaS provider 225a until a specific setting has been performed by the administrator for that application, the likelihood of the administrator performing that specific setting for the application earlier can be improved.

[0209] In the above, the SaaS provider system 220 refers to its own seller device-related information 224e in S333 (see Figure 25), S358 (see Figure 26), and S387 (see Figure 27). However, the SaaS provider system 220 may also refer to the seller device-related information 264a of the external system 260 instead of its own seller device-related information 224e in S333, S358, and S387. If the SaaS provider system 220 does not refer to its own seller device-related information 224e, the operation shown in Figure 24 is unnecessary.

[0210] As explained above, the SaaS provisioning system 220 allows the purchaser to instruct the creation of the purchaser tenant themselves.

[0211] The SaaS provisioning system 220 generates a buyer tenant when it is instructed from an external source to generate a buyer tenant (S332, S357, S386) and when it is notified from an external source of the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 used by the buyer to utilize the SaaS (S332, S354, S383), by associating it with the seller associated with the externally notified device ID in the seller device-related information 224e or seller device-related information 264e (S333-S334, S358-S359, S387-S388). This makes it easier to associate SaaS sellers with buyers.

[0212] The SaaS provisioning system 220 generates a buyer tenant by associating the device ID notified from an external source with the seller associated in the seller device-related information 224e or seller device-related information 264e, thereby reducing the possibility of incorrect association between SaaS sellers and buyers.

[0213] The SaaS provisioning system 220 can improve convenience by notifying the administrator of the buyer tenant that a buyer tenant has been created in association with a seller (S336, S361, S390) when a buyer tenant has been created in association with a seller.

[0214] The system 210 allows the image forming apparatus 30 itself to display a screen 70 with a code image, which includes a code image 71 showing a URL containing the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 (S352), and the purchaser terminal 50 can acquire the URL shown in the code image 71 by taking a picture of the code image 71 (S353), thus improving convenience.

[0215] When the buyer terminal 50 instructs the SaaS provisioning system 220 to generate a buyer tenant (S357), and the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 and the application ID of the SaaS application are notified to the SaaS provisioning system 220 from the buyer terminal 50 (S354), the system 210 generates a buyer tenant by associating the seller associated with the device ID notified to the SaaS provisioning system 220 from the buyer terminal 50 in the seller device-related information 224e or seller device-related information 264e with the application ID notified to the SaaS provisioning system 220 from the buyer terminal 50 (S359). This makes it easier to associate the seller of the SaaS application with the buyer.

[0216] The system 210 allows the purchaser terminal 50 to obtain a URL containing the device ID of the image forming apparatus 30 from the image forming apparatus 30 itself via NFC (S382), thereby improving convenience.

[0217] In the embodiments described above, the case where the electronic device used by the purchaser to access SaaS is an image forming apparatus is explained. However, the electronic device used by the purchaser to access SaaS may be an electronic device other than an image forming apparatus, such as a tablet. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0218] 10 Systems 20 SaaS-provided systems (information processing equipment, computers) 24a SaaS Provisioning Program 24e Seller Device-Related Information 25a SaaS provision department 30 Image forming equipment (electronic equipment) 50 Purchaser's device 64a Seller device-related information 70 Screenshots with Code Images 71 Code Images 210 System 220 SaaS-provided systems (information processing equipment, computers) 224a SaaS Provisioning Program 224e Seller Device Information 225a SaaS provision department 264a Seller device-related information

Claims

1. A SaaS provisioning system comprising a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, The SaaS provisioning unit is characterized in that, when the generation of a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser is instructed from outside the SaaS provisioning system, and when a device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to utilize the SaaS is notified from the outside, the SaaS provisioning unit generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from the outside in the seller device-related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

2. The SaaS provisioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that when the SaaS provisioning unit generates the buyer tenant in association with the seller, it notifies the administrator of the buyer tenant that the buyer tenant has been generated in association with the seller.

3. A SaaS provisioning system comprising a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, Electronic devices used by the purchaser of the SaaS and utilizing the SaaS Equipped with, The electronic device instructs the SaaS provider to generate a buyer tenant as the buyer's tenant, and also notifies the SaaS provider of its own device ID as identification information of the electronic device itself. The SaaS provider unit is characterized in that, when the creation of the buyer tenant is instructed from the electronic device and the device ID is notified from the electronic device, the system generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from the electronic device in the seller device-related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

4. A SaaS provisioning system comprising a SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS, Electronic devices used by the purchaser of the SaaS and utilizing the SaaS, The purchaser's terminal used by the aforementioned purchaser and Equipped with, The electronic device includes, as additional information, a device ID as identification information of the electronic device in the URL of the tenant generation site, which is a website for generating a buyer tenant as a tenant of the purchaser. The purchaser terminal obtains the URL including the device ID from the electronic device, and by accessing the URL obtained from the electronic device, instructs the SaaS provider to generate the purchaser tenant via the tenant generation site, and also notifies the SaaS provider of the device ID included in the URL. The SaaS provider unit is characterized in that, when the creation of the buyer tenant is instructed from the buyer terminal and the device ID is notified from the buyer terminal, the system generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from the buyer terminal in the seller device-related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

5. The electronic device displays a screen with a code image, which includes a code image showing the URL including the device ID. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the purchaser terminal obtains the URL shown in the code image by taking a picture of the code image.

6. The electronic device, when the screen with the code image is a screen relating to a specific application of the SaaS, includes the application ID as identification information for the specific application as additional information in the URL. The purchaser terminal obtains the URL including the device ID and the application ID from the electronic device, and by accessing the URL obtained from the electronic device, instructs the SaaS provider to generate the purchaser tenant via the tenant generation site, and also notifies the SaaS provider of the device ID and the application ID included in the URL. The system according to claim 5, wherein the SaaS provider unit generates the buyer tenant when the buyer terminal instructs the buyer terminal to generate the buyer tenant, and when the device ID and application ID are notified from the buyer terminal, it generates the buyer tenant in association with the seller associated with the device ID notified from the buyer terminal in the seller device-related information, and the application ID notified from the buyer terminal.

7. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the purchaser terminal obtains the URL including the device ID from the electronic device via NFC.

8. An information processing device comprising a SaaS providing unit that provides SaaS, The SaaS provisioning unit is characterized in that, when the generation of a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser is instructed from outside the information processing device, and when a device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to utilize the SaaS is notified from outside, the information processing device generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from outside in the seller device-related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

9. The SaaS provisioning unit that provides SaaS is implemented on a computer. The SaaS provisioning unit is a SaaS provisioning program characterized in that, when the creation of a buyer tenant as a tenant of the SaaS purchaser is instructed from outside the computer, and when a device ID as identification information of an electronic device used by the purchaser to utilize the SaaS is notified from outside, the SaaS provisioning unit generates the buyer tenant in relation to the seller associated with the device ID notified from outside in the seller device related information that associates the SaaS seller with the device ID.

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