Print settings system, print settings method, and program

Abstract

This improves the flexibility of print settings for various information items, thereby enhancing the convenience of information output. [Solution] A print setting system for setting the print settings for a form comprises a management unit for managing information of a form which consists of one or more information items, and a display control unit which displays a screen for receiving print settings for a form based on the information managed by the management unit, wherein the screen includes a first screen for receiving a selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that constitute the form, and a second screen for displaying a print preview of the form which consists of one or more information items that have been selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, wherein the second screen is configured to receive a specification of whether or not to apply black fill processing to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing setting system, a printing setting method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in regional support services, systems for quickly sharing information among organizations have been used. In regional support, for example, in the support for children, maternal and child health, response to DV (Domestic Violence), response to sexual violence, delinquency and bullying, crime response, response to developmental disabilities and elderly welfare, welfare for the disabled, livelihood protection, treatment and support for mental disorders, etc., it is necessary to respond based on various target persons and situations. In such support, a lot of information that needs to be handled with care, including personal information, is utilized.

[0003] When using various information related to support, output such as printing may be performed for information sharing, various applications, approvals, etc. In such output, generally, forms in a predetermined format including required information items are used. On the other hand, considering the disclosure range of the content of the information to be handled, etc., there may be a need for operations such as not outputting a part of each information item or blackening it. [[ID=第十七条]]

[0004] For example, in Patent Document 1, an image processing apparatus that receives designation of an area to be masked for a scanned image is disclosed. Also, in Patent Document 2, an image forming system that specifies an area to be masked based on a pre-registered confidential word and performs image generation is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0006] In the community support services described above, when outputting reports containing information obtained through surveys and other means, the decisions and responses regarding which information items should be kept confidential and which parts of each information item should be disclosed vary depending on the situation of the person being supported. Therefore, there is a need for a function that allows for more flexible responses based on such on-site decisions. In particular, there is a need to be able to easily specify which information items should be output and which should be redacted when printing reports. Patent documents 1 and 2 did not adequately consider these points.

[0007] In view of the above issues, the present invention aims to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items and to improve the convenience of information output. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, one embodiment of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, A print settings system for configuring the print settings of forms, A management unit that manages the information of a form that consists of one or more information items, A display control unit that displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, Equipped with, The aforementioned screen is, A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is configured to accept a user's specification of whether or not to apply a blacking-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present invention has the following configuration: namely, a print setting method for setting the print settings of a form, The system includes a display control process that displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form, based on information managed by a management unit that manages information for a form consisting of one or more information items. The aforementioned screen is, A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is configured to accept a user's specification of whether or not to apply a blacking-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

[0010] Another embodiment of the present invention has the following configuration: namely, a program, Computers, A management unit that manages the information of a form that consists of one or more information items. Based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, a display control unit displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form. To make it function as, The aforementioned screen is, A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is configured to be able to receive a designation as to whether to apply a blackening process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items and improve the convenience of information output.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1] Block configuration diagram showing a configuration example of a business support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] Functional block configuration diagram showing a server terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 3] Functional block configuration diagram showing a user terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 4] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 5] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 6] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 7] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 8] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 9A] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 9B] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 10] Illustration showing a configuration example of a print preview screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 11] Illustration showing a configuration example of a UI screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 12] Illustration showing a configuration example of a print preview screen according to a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 13]This diagram shows an example configuration of the print preview screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This diagram shows an example configuration of the print preview screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] This diagram shows an example configuration of the print preview screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] Flowchart showing the process according to the first embodiment of the present invention [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and other documents. The embodiments described below are merely examples for illustrating the present invention and are not intended to be interpreted as limiting the invention. Furthermore, not all configurations described in each embodiment are necessarily essential for solving the problems of the present invention. In each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numeral to indicate their correspondence. To avoid unnecessary redundancy and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, some parts of the description may be omitted or simplified. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted.

[0014] <First Embodiment> [System Configuration] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a business support system (information processing system) according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The business support system may be a system whose main functions are, for example, communication with users and support for decision-making, enabling input / output, viewing and sharing of records inside and outside child guidance centers, and performing chat communication among staff, registration and sharing of various information related to children, and simulations of past temporary protection trends, etc. Here, a child guidance center is given as an example of an organization to which this system can be applied, but it is not limited to this. This system may be applied to or configured to link with systems of organizations such as municipal offices, maternal and child health centers, schools, kindergartens, nurseries, medical institutions, police, prosecutors, fire departments, child welfare agencies, and NPOs (Non-Profit Organizations). The business support system 1 also operates as a print setting system that provides functions according to the print setting method described later. The business support system 1 is composed of a server device 100, multiple user terminals 200, a linkage system 300, and a printing device 350. Each device constituting the business support system 1 is configured to communicate via a network (NW).

[0015] The server device 100 is a device for providing various functions provided by the business support system 1 to user terminals 200. The server device 100 provides applications for supporting business efficiency to each user terminal 200 and manages information registered through each user terminal 200. Note that some or all of the functions described later may be provided on the user terminal 200 side or on the linked system 300 side, which can be linked via a network NW. The server device 100 may be configured on-premises using a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or personal computer, or it may be logically implemented through cloud computing. In this embodiment, for the sake of explanation, one server device 100 is shown as an example, but it is not limited to this; there may be multiple devices, and there may be servers with different roles, such as an authentication server and a database server.

[0016] The user terminal 200 is an operating terminal used by users such as staff of the child guidance center. The user terminal 200 may consist of information processing devices such as a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, or POS terminal. The user terminal 200 provides users with the functions of Web services provided by the server device 100 and applications installed and running on the user terminal 200. In the example in Figure 1, two user terminals 200a and 200b are shown, but many more user terminals may be used. The configurations of multiple user terminals 200 may be different or the same. Also, the available functions may differ depending on the role and authority of the user using the user terminal 200. For convenience, here they will be described collectively as user terminal 200. When it is necessary to explain each user terminal separately, subscripts (a, b, ...) will be added. In addition, the user terminal 200 can issue print commands to the printing device 350 using the UI screen described later.

[0017] The collaborative system 300 is an external system that functions in conjunction with the server device 100 via a network NW. The collaborative system 300 may be configured, for example, as a child consultation record system, primarily providing functions such as recording child consultations and issuing administrative documents. The child consultation record system may perform functions such as issuing child numbers and reception numbers related to children, issuing medical examination tickets and temporary protection decision notices, managing family information and fees linked to administrative information, and managing the progress of procedures. The configuration of the collaborative system 300 is not particularly limited, and it may be configured to provide various functions related to business support, for example. Although only one collaborative system 300 is shown, it is not limited to this configuration and may be composed of one or more devices depending on the functions and services.

[0018] The printing device 350 performs the printing process of the desired document based on instructions from the user terminal 200. The printing function provided by the printing device 350 may use known methods and is not particularly limited. The printing device 350 may be a printer with only printing functions, or it may be a multi-function device (MFP: Multi-Function Peripheral) that also has scanning and faxing functions. Although only one printing device 350 is shown in Figure 1, multiple printing devices 350 may be available for use.

[0019] A network (NW) consists of the Internet, intranet, wireless LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), etc. The communication standards and wired / wireless connections used in a network (NW) are not particularly limited, and a network (NW) may be composed of a combination of multiple communication standards.

[0020] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server device 100 according to this embodiment. The server device 100 is composed of a control unit 110, a communication unit 120, and a storage unit 130. Each part is configured to communicate with each other via an internal bus or the like.

[0021] The control unit 110 is responsible for controlling the operation of the server device 100. The control unit 110 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and provides various functions by reading and executing various programs and data stored in the storage unit 130. The control unit 110 functions as a data management unit 111, a display control unit 112, a print item control unit 113, a blackout processing unit 114, and a communication control unit 115.

[0022] The data management unit 111 works in conjunction with the storage unit 130 to manage various types of data and provides, registers, updates, etc., data as requested. The display control unit 112 controls the display of the UI (User Interface) screen shown on the user terminal 200 based on user operations performed via the user terminal 200. An example of the UI screen configuration will be described later.

[0023] The print item control unit 113 embeds information registered in the basic information DB 131 and support information DB 132 into the format of various forms registered in the form DB 133 based on user instructions, etc. The print item control unit 113 also controls the switching of information items to be output from one or more information items constituting various forms, based on user instructions, etc., and information registered in the item DB 134. Information items to be output are included in the form, for example, as rectangular cells. Specific examples will be described later, but cells of information items that are instructed not to be included in the form will be hidden in the print preview screen, etc.

[0024] The blackout processing unit 114 performs blackout processing on one or more information items that make up various forms, based on user instructions and information registered in the item DB 134. Examples of blackout processing will be described later along with the UI screen. The communication control unit 115 controls communication with external devices (for example, user terminals 200 and linked systems 300) and sends and receives data.

[0025] The communication unit 120 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices via a network NW. The communication unit 120 may be configured to support multiple communication standards depending on the configuration of the network NW.

[0026] The memory unit 130 is a storage device for storing programs, data, etc., for executing various control processes and functions within the control unit 110. The memory unit 130 is composed of volatile / non-volatile storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and flash memory. The memory unit 130 includes a database (hereinafter referred to as DB) for managing data corresponding to the functions described later.

[0027] Basic Information DB131 manages basic information about individuals, including those receiving support and their related parties. Support Information DB132 may manage information related to support, such as the content of surveys conducted on the person receiving support, information on survey items, information on responses considered based on the survey results, and approval information. Various types of information registered in Basic Information DB131 and Support Information DB132 are configured to be output in the reports described later.

[0028] The form database (DB133) manages various forms (formats) used for output such as printing. For example, since the format to be output may differ depending on the purpose, such as application or information sharing, various formats may be defined in advance. One format contains one or more information items. The item database (DB134) manages the information for each of the multiple information items included in the various formats registered in the form database (DB133). For example, for each information item, the following may be managed: whether or not to switch between printing and not printing, whether or not to apply blacking out, whether or not to apply blacking out at a predetermined unit in the information (e.g., one character), and the arrangement, size, and shape of each information item (cell) in the format. The arrangement, size, and shape of the information items here may also include arrangement patterns and conditions that are adjusted when the display / hide status of each information item is switched.

[0029] For convenience, in the following explanation, the various types of information managed in Form DB133 and Item DB134 will be collectively referred to as "Form Information." Based on the Form Information and user settings, a form containing the information items to be printed is constructed. In addition, various types of information managed in Basic Information DB131 and Support Information DB132 are embedded in the information items included in the form and displayed on the print preview screen described later.

[0030] Each database is configured to be interconnected and accessible, allowing it to be displayed on the UI screen described later. The information managed in each database is used, for example, as information displayed on the UI screen described later. Note that the database configuration is just one example; multiple databases as shown in Figure 2 may be combined into one, or one database may be divided into multiple databases.

[0031] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 200 according to this embodiment. The user terminal 200 is composed of a control unit 210, a storage unit 220, a communication unit 230, an operation unit 240, a display unit 250, and an external IF (Interface) 260.

[0032] The control unit 210 is responsible for controlling the operation of the user terminal 200. The control unit 210 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and provides various functions by reading and executing various programs and data stored in the memory unit 220. For example, it may output a print command to the printing device 350 based on user operations as described later.

[0033] The memory unit 220 is a storage device for storing programs, data, and other information necessary for executing various control processes and functions of the control unit 210. The memory unit 220 is composed of volatile / non-volatile storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and flash memory.

[0034] The communication unit 230 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices via a network NW. The communication unit 230 may be configured to support multiple communication standards depending on the configuration of the network NW.

[0035] The operation unit 240 is an interface for receiving operations from the user of the user terminal 200. The operation unit 240 may consist of a mouse, keyboard, etc. The display unit 250 is an interface for displaying various screens and consists of a display, etc. A touch panel display that integrates the operation unit 240 and the display unit 250 may be used. The external IF 260 is an interface for connecting to various devices and may be a connection interface to, for example, an imaging unit (not shown) for taking images or sensors for acquiring predetermined information.

[0036] [UI screen example] An example of the configuration of a UI screen according to this embodiment will be described. Each UI screen described in this embodiment is displayed on, for example, the display unit 250 of the user terminal 200 and operated by the user. In this embodiment, each UI screen is displayed through cooperation between the user terminal 200 and the server device 100, and is switched as appropriate based on the user's operation. Although this description focuses on the functions according to this embodiment, each UI screen may be equipped with many more functions.

[0037] First, the user accesses the server device 100 via the user terminal 200 and performs operations related to using the business support service according to this embodiment. Examples include logging in to the business support service and accessing the top screen (not shown) of the business support service.

[0038] Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of UI screen 400 for displaying and editing the basic information of a person receiving support. For example, by selecting the desired person receiving support from the TOP screen (not shown) and instructing the user to view the basic information, UI screen 400 is displayed. The header 401 shows the personal ID, case number, latest response date, last update date, and name. The personal ID is identification information to uniquely identify a person. The case number is a number to uniquely identify the support case for that person. Even for a single person, multiple support sessions may occur over time. To account for such cases, a case number is assigned and managed as the number of times a person has received support. The latest response date indicates the most recent date and time when some kind of action was taken for that person. The last update date indicates the most recent update date of the person's basic information. In this example, the person receiving support is "Taro Agawa," and his basic information has already been registered.

[0039] Tab 402 is used to switch the display of UI screen 400. Note that the types of tabs provided on UI screen 400 are not limited to those shown in Figure 4, and may be added depending on other functions or screen configurations. In Figure 4, the "Basic Information" tab is specified, and area 403 for displaying basic information is shown. Basic information of the person receiving support may include name, name remarks, gender, relationship, relationship from the child's perspective, guardian information, nationality, residence status, date of birth, age, food allergies, disability certificate acceptance, identification number, benefit status, telephone number, address (current address), address (registered domicile), family tree, etc. Note that these items are just examples and may be increased or decreased. In addition, there may be items that are required to be entered and items that are optional.

[0040] Transfer information 404 indicates information regarding the transfer of support between multiple organizations. For example, it may indicate the source of the transfer or the destination of the transfer. Alternatively, it may include historical information on past transfers. Affiliation information 405 indicates information about the school to which the person receiving support belongs if the person receiving support is a student. Affiliation information 405 may include the school name, grade level, homeroom teacher's name, and enrollment information. Affiliation information 406 indicates information about the company to which the person receiving support belongs if the person receiving support is employed. Affiliation information 407 indicates information about related organizations that collaborate when providing support to the person receiving support. Affiliation information 407 may include affiliation, job title, qualifications, willingness to cooperate with investigations, and willingness to be contacted from the beginning. In addition, the system may be configured to allow for the setting of classification information (tags, etc.) for the person receiving support.

[0041] The report printing button 408 is used to instruct the system to print reports containing various information about the currently displayed person receiving support. The operation when the report printing button 408 is pressed will be described later.

[0042] Figure 5 shows an example configuration of a UI screen 400 for displaying and recording safety assessments. In Figure 5, the "Safety Assessment & Recording" tab is selected from the tabs 402 of the UI screen 400, and an area 410 for displaying information related to safety assessments is displayed.

[0043] The timeline button 411 toggles the display of timeline 412. Timeline 412 displays past events and date information in chronological order, starting from the present (in this example, "R6 / 09 / 15"). In addition to events, timeline 412 also shows registered related documents. For example, it shows that the event "Aid Policy Meeting" was held on "R6 / 09 / 04". In this example, timeline 412 is arranged vertically in the UI screen 400, following its chronological order, but this is not the only option; it could also be arranged horizontally.

[0044] In UI screen 400, the horizontal axis shows the already registered report information. In this example, "Physical Abuse A" and "Intellectual Disability Consultation A" are currently registered as report information, and areas 413 and 414 corresponding to these are displayed. For example, area 413 indicates that the response to "Physical Abuse A" is "Under Protection." A button (shown as "Show Details" in the diagram) is also provided to display more detailed information.

[0045] When the Safety Assessment Progression button 415 is pressed, the system transitions to a UI screen (not shown) that displays the progress of the Safety Assessment. When the Survey Completion Status button 416 is pressed, the input status (not shown) for multiple survey items is displayed. The Restore button 417 is used to revert information that has been changed by editing, etc., back to its original state.

[0046] If the notification information shown on UI screen 400 in Figure 5 is selected and the acceptance button 418 is pressed, a UI screen for registering, updating, etc., related to the notification will be displayed.

[0047] Figure 6 shows an example configuration of UI screen 500, which displays a list of information registered in association with "Physical Abuse A" shown in Figure 5. By selecting area 413 on UI screen 400 in Figure 5 and pressing the reception button 418, UI screen 500 is displayed. UI screen 500 includes a report summary 501, response start date and time 502, protection information 503, edit button 504, delete button 505, chief complaint information 506, and list 507.

[0048] Report Summary 501 shows a summary of the report, and in this example, "Physical Abuse A" is displayed. Response Start Date and Time 502 shows the date and time when the response to the report began. Protection Information 503 indicates whether protection was provided. The Edit Button 504 is a button for editing information related to the report. The Delete Button 505 is a button for deleting specified items from the items shown in List 507. Chief Complaint Information 506 shows the chief complaint related to the report. If there is a lot of information in the chief complaint, only a portion may be displayed in Chief Complaint Information 506.

[0049] List 507 may include one or more events corresponding to a report. These events can be categorized into three types: investigation, safety assessment, and meeting. These events may have predefined default values ​​that can be changed by the user. If the investigation button 508 is pressed, an investigation event is added. If the safety assessment button 509 is pressed, a safety assessment event is added. If the meeting button 510 is pressed, a meeting event is added.

[0050] Each item shown in list 507 is associated with an icon 511, a checkbox 512, an event button 513, a name 514, an update date and time 515, an edit button 516, and a delete button 517. The icon 511 indicates whether the content for the corresponding item has been entered or not. The checkbox 512 is used to specify items to be deleted in bulk using the delete button 505. The event button 513 indicates the classification of the event, and in this example, it indicates one of "Survey," "Safety Assessment," or "Meeting." When the event button 513 is pressed, a screen is displayed to view the content of the currently registered event. The name 514 indicates the name (summary) of the corresponding event. The update date and time 515 indicates the update date and time of the information for that event. When the edit button 516 is pressed, the screen transitions to a screen for editing information about that event. When the delete button 517 is pressed, the item for that event is deleted.

[0051] Figure 7 shows an example configuration of UI screen 600 for referencing information related to already registered surveys. UI screen 600 is displayed, for example, when the event button 513 corresponding to "Survey" is pressed in the list 507 of UI screen 500 shown in Figure 6. UI screen 600 displays items such as survey overview 601, bibliographic information 602, survey results information 603, assessment information 604, future action information 605, and checklist information 606.

[0052] Survey Overview 601 shows an overview and title of the survey. Bibliographic Information 602 includes the type, date and time of entry, person in charge, and person who entered the information. Survey Results Information 603 shows the survey results entered by the surveyors who conducted the survey. Assessment Information 604 shows the assessment based on the survey results, entered by the surveyors who conducted the survey. Future Action Information 605 shows information on future actions based on the survey results, entered by the surveyors who conducted the survey. Checklist Information 606 shows the content of the checklist items based on the survey results, entered by the surveyors who conducted the survey. In addition to the values ​​of the selectable checklist items, Checklist Information 606 may also include comments entered by the surveyors. In this example, Checklist Information 606 only displays information on the items entered as survey results, but all checklist items may be displayed.

[0053] It should be noted that the information referenced and entered may differ for each event, such as "survey," "safety assessment," and "meeting." Furthermore, even within surveys, for example, the information referenced and entered may differ between a "survey of parents" and "nursery school information." Therefore, the configuration of UI screen 600 and the format of the reports described later may be changed according to the purpose.

[0054] Figure 8 shows an example configuration of a UI screen 700 for printing various types of information. The UI screen 700 is displayed, for example, when the report printing button 408 on the UI screen 400 shown in Figure 5 is pressed. The print button 701 is a button for issuing a print command for all reports that have not yet been printed. The types of reports to be printed may be predetermined, or the user may set the target reports. Whether or not a report has not been printed may be determined based on past print history. Also, if the content of a certain type of report is updated after it has been printed, that report may be treated as unprinted. The advanced settings button 702 is a button for making more detailed print settings when printing reports.

[0055] Figures 9A and 9B show an example configuration of a UI screen 800 for making more detailed print settings when printing a report in this embodiment. The screens shown in Figures 9A and 9B may be configured as a single screen, but are shown separately here for convenience. The UI screen 800 is displayed, for example, when the advanced settings button 702 of the UI screen 700 shown in Figure 8 is pressed.

[0056] In Figure 9A, the UI screen 800 displays name information 801, print history information 802, and print item settings 803. Name information 801 displays the name of the person corresponding to the information related to the report printing. Print history information 802 shows the date and time of the most recent print history. Print item settings 803 displays a list for specifying the information items to be printed in the report printing. In the example in Figure 9A, an example of information items related to basic information is shown. Note that the information items that can be selected as basic information shown in Figure 9A are just an example, and other items may be included.

[0057] Each information item 804 is displayed with a corresponding checkbox, item name, and setting value. Each information item can be specified as an output target for report printing using its respective checkbox. Even if the setting value for an information item is not entered, selecting it as an output target will result in the item being output with its setting value left blank. Furthermore, information items that are always to be printed may be displayed in the print item settings 803 but disabled for selection via the checkbox. Additionally, the batch selection checkbox 805 allows for switching between selecting and deselecting all information items.

[0058] Figure 9B shows the print item settings 806, 807, 808, and 813 on UI screen 800. Print item settings 806, 807, 808, and 813 show examples of information items related to survey records, survey details, response history, and related organizations, respectively. As with Figure 9A, the information items shown in Figure 9B are examples only and are not limiting. The cancel button 814 is used to cancel the settings and move to another screen (for example, UI screen 400). The next button 815 is used to move to the print preview screen, which will be described later.

[0059] In the print item settings 808, items related to notification information similar to the list 507 of the UI screen 500 shown in Figure 6 are displayed. Each item is associated with a checkbox, response name, name, type, response date and time, update date and time, and a selection button 812. The selection button 812 is used to specify which of the various pieces of information associated with each item (event) should be included in the print report. In this example, the selection buttons 812 include a "Investigate" button, an "Assessment" button, a "Future" button, a "List" button, and a "File" button.

[0060] The "Investigate" button corresponds to investigation results information 603 among the items shown in UI screen 600 in Figure 7. The "Assessment" button corresponds to assessment information 604 among the items shown in UI screen 600 in Figure 7. The "Future" button corresponds to future action information 605 among the items shown in UI screen 600 in Figure 7. The "List" button corresponds to checklist information 606 among the items shown in UI screen 600 in Figure 7. The "File" button corresponds to a file (not shown) associated with the notification information. Note that the buttons that can be selected as selection buttons 812 may differ depending on the type of event and the information set.

[0061] Filter setting 809 is used to filter each item shown in print item setting 808 by event type. For example, it may be configured to allow filtering from each item shown in print item setting 808 by "All responses", "Meeting", "Safety assessment", or "Investigation". Filter setting 810 is used to filter each item shown in print item setting 808 by type of abuse, etc. For example, it may be configured to allow filtering from each item shown in print item setting 808 by "All types", "Physical abuse", or "Psychological abuse". Filter setting 811 is used to filter each item shown in print item setting 808 by a predetermined period of time.

[0062] Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration of the print preview screen 900 that is displayed when the desired information items to be printed are selected on the UI screen 800 shown in Figures 9A and 9B, and the Next button 815 is pressed. The print preview screen 900 consists of a Cancel button 901, a Back button 902, a Print button 903, and a Preview display area 904. The Cancel button 901 is a button for instructing the user to cancel printing. The Back button 902 is a button for returning to the UI screen 800, for example, to change settings. The Print button 903 is a button for instructing the user to print based on the current settings.

[0063] The preview display area 904 is an area for displaying the print content based on the current settings. In this example, all information items 816 to 823 shown in the print item settings 806 of the UI screen 800 shown in Figure 9B are checked as print targets. In addition, item 824 corresponding to "Investigation" among the items shown in print setting item 808 is checked as a print target. Furthermore, all selection buttons 812 (five in this example) corresponding to item 824 are selected, and then the Next button 815 is pressed, which displays the contents of the preview display area 904 in Figure 10.

[0064] As described above, the format for printing reports and the information items included therein are predetermined. Users can select the information items to be printed using the settings on the UI screen 800. For example, the correspondence between the information items in print item settings 806 and 808 shown in Figure 9B and the information items shown in the preview display area 904 shown in Figure 10 is as follows. Note that only a partial correspondence is shown here.

[0065] Information item 816: Information item 906, 907 Information item 817: Information item 908, 909 Information item 818: Information item 910, 911 Information item 819: Information item 912, 913 Information item 820: Information item 914, 915 Information item 821: Information item 916 Information item 822: Information item 917, 919, 921 Information item 823: Not shown in the example in Figure 10 (not in the "Investigation Completed" status) "Investigation" button under selection button 812: Information item 918 Selection button 812, "Assessment" button: Information item 920 Select button 812, "Next" button: Information item 922

[0066] As shown in Figure 11, suppose the information items to be printed are changed on the UI screen 800. Specifically, information items 816, 817, 818, and 821 in the print item settings 806 are checked as print items. Furthermore, among the selection buttons 812 corresponding to item 824 shown in print setting item 808, only the "Investigate" button 825 is selected, and the Next button 815 is pressed. As a result, the print preview screen 900 shown in Figure 12 is displayed. Corresponding to the print item settings shown in Figure 11, information items 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 916, and 918 are displayed in the preview display area 904.

[0067] As shown in Figure 12, the information items that can be selected for printing are not limited to specific setting values ​​(for example, values ​​entered as survey results) such as information items 907, 909, 911, and 918. It may also be possible to specify whether or not to print item names such as information items 906, 908, and 910 individually.

[0068] Furthermore, if there are information items that have not been selected for printing, the arrangement of other information items selected for printing may be adjusted according to the arrangement of those information items in the predetermined form format. The method of adjustment here is not particularly limited, but the arrangement of information items to be printed may be rearranged based on a predetermined pattern. For example, as shown in information item 918 in Figure 12, information items may be arranged to fill the space at the top. Alternatively, as shown in the cell to the right of information item 911 in Figure 12, the area where information items not selected for printing were placed may be left as blank cells.

[0069] Figure 13 shows an example of another print preview screen 1000. The print preview screen 1000 consists of an approval field display setting 1001, a message field 1002, a cancel button 1003, a print button 1004, a search field 1005, a search button 1006, a batch black fill button 1007, and a preview display area 1008. The approval field display setting 1001 is a checkbox for setting whether or not to display the approval field (for example, corresponding to information item 916 in Figure 10). For example, it may be displayed to check the approval status when printing. Alternatively, it may be displayed to add the approval field to the form displayed in the preview display area 1008 in order to make it the target of printing.

[0070] The message field 1002 displays a predetermined message for the print preview screen 1000. In this embodiment, a message is displayed informing that it is possible to specify black fill for the information items of the form displayed in the preview display area 1008 of the print preview screen 1000. More specifically, the message field 1002 indicates that the display / hide of black fill can be specified by specifying the information item ("Tap inside the cell to toggle between displaying / hiding black fill").

[0071] The Cancel button 1003 is used to cancel printing with the current settings. The Print button 1004 is used to print based on the current settings. The Search field 1005 is used to specify the desired characters in order to search for those characters among the characters contained in the document displayed in the Preview area 1008. By entering the desired characters in the Search field 1005 and pressing the Search button 1006, the desired characters in the document displayed in the Preview area 1008 will be highlighted. Furthermore, if the All Blackout button 1007 is pressed while the desired characters are highlighted, those characters will be displayed all together in black.

[0072] In the preview display area 1008, a print preview of the form to be printed under the current settings is displayed. The form contains multiple pairs of information item names 1009 and their setting values ​​1010. As mentioned above, the included item names, setting values, and their arrangement change depending on the selection of information items to be printed by the user.

[0073] Furthermore, the configuration of the print preview screen 900 shown in Figure 10 and the configuration of the print preview screen 1000 shown in Figure 13 may be switched depending on the type of document, or even if it is the same type of document, it may be switched depending on user operation. Therefore, the display / hide of components other than the preview display area in the print preview screen may be set arbitrarily by the user.

[0074] Figure 14 shows an example of specifying a black fill in the print preview screen 1000. In the preview display area 1008, the user specifies the desired information item using the mouse cursor 1011. For example, if a setting value 1010 is specified, a black fill 1012 will be displayed for the specified setting value 1010. The user operation here is not limited to mouse operation, but may also be a tap operation using a touch panel display, etc.

[0075] Furthermore, the control over whether or not blacking out is applicable to each information item may be based on information managed in item DB134. Therefore, the display / hide of the blacked-out item name (e.g., item name 1009) and the setting value (e.g., setting value 1010) shown in the preview display area 1008 may be toggled separately. Alternatively, the system may be controlled so that the corresponding item name and setting value pair can be blacked out together.

[0076] Figure 15 shows an example of applying blacking to multiple locations in the preview display area 1008. Blacked-out areas 1012, 1013, 1014, and 1018 black out information items that are setting values ​​included in the form. Blacked-out area 1015 blacks out the corresponding item name and setting value pair together.

[0077] Furthermore, if the string "〇〇" is entered into the search field 1005 and the search button 1006 is pressed, the string "〇〇" is searched for within the document displayed in the preview display area 1008. In this example, as shown in Figure 14, the string "〇〇" exists in two places within the document, and their locations are identified. Then, when the all-in-one blackout button 1007 is pressed, blackout areas 1016 and 1017 are displayed corresponding to the locations of the string.

[0078] Furthermore, the blacking out process is not limited to text only. For example, forms may include images or graphs such as genograms (relationship diagrams). These may also be blacked out, as shown in blacking out 1019.

[0079] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the units to which the blacked-out areas are applied. As mentioned above, these can be arbitrarily set to units such as information items, pairs of item names and settings, one or more characters, words, images, or predetermined size units. These blacked-out units may be predetermined and managed in the form DB133 or item DB134.

[0080] [Processing flow] Figure 16 is a flowchart of the control process including print item settings according to this embodiment. This process flow is realized, for example, by the control unit 110 of the server device 100 reading and executing programs and various data stored in the storage unit 130. The UI screen is displayed on the display unit 250 of the user terminal 200, and user operations are received via the UI screen and instructed to the server device 100. Print instructions received via the UI screen are also transmitted from the user terminal 200 to the printing device 350. For the sake of simplicity, the server device 100 is described as the processing entity here. As mentioned above, depending on the system configuration, some or all of each operation may be performed on the user terminal 200 side, in which case the entity responsible for each processing step in this flowchart may also change.

[0081] Before this processing flow begins, it is assumed that at least the basic information of the person to be supported, support information, and report information are registered in each database and configured to be accessible on the server device 100. Furthermore, the server device 100 is configured to allow access to various types of information. As mentioned above, it is assumed that various types of information can be registered, edited, deleted, and accessed through each UI screen.

[0082] In step S1601, the server device 100 displays various information on UI screens as shown in Figures 4 to 7, based on user instructions. The content displayed on each UI screen can be switched based on user operations.

[0083] In step S1602, the server device 100 determines whether or not it has received a report printing instruction based on user instructions. Specifically, the server device 100 determines whether or not the report printing button 408 on the UI screen 400 has been pressed. If the report printing instruction has been received (step S1602: YES), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1603. On the other hand, if the report printing instruction has not been received (step S1602: NO), the server device 100 returns to step S1601 and repeats the process.

[0084] In step S1603, the server device 100 displays a UI screen 700 for selecting print settings, as shown in Figure 8.

[0085] In step S1604, the server device 100 determines whether or not it has received an instruction for advanced settings via the UI screen 700. Specifically, the server device 100 determines whether or not the advanced settings button 702 on the UI screen 700 has been pressed. In this example, if an instruction for advanced settings has not been received, it is assumed that the print button 701 is pressed to print all unprinted forms. If an instruction for advanced settings has been received (step S1604: YES), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1605. On the other hand, if an instruction for advanced settings has not been received (step S1604: NO), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1607.

[0086] In step S1605, the server device 100 displays a UI screen 800 as shown in Figures 9A and 9B. This allows the server device 100 to accept the specification of information items to be printed in the report.

[0087] In step S1606, the server device 100 determines whether it has accepted the selection of print items in the report via the UI screen 800. The selection here is indicated by pressing the Next button 815 after confirming the selection of checkboxes for each information item. If the selection of print items has been accepted (step S1606: YES), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1607. If the selection of print items has not been accepted (step S1606: NO), the server device 100 returns to step S1605 and repeats the process.

[0088] In step S1607, the server device 100 displays a print preview screen 900 as shown in Figure 10, or a print preview screen 1000 as shown in Figure 13. The configuration and content of the print preview screen may change depending on user settings and the type of document.

[0089] In step S1608, the server device 100 determines, via the print preview screen, whether or not it has received an instruction to black out an information item included in the form. As shown in Figure 14, the instruction to black out may be made by tapping the relevant area, using the batch black out button 1007, or by specifying a range for a predetermined string. If the instruction to black out is received (step S1608: YES), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1609. On the other hand, if the instruction to black out is not received (step S1608: NO), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1610.

[0090] In step S1609, the server device 100 performs blacking out on the specified area based on the received blacking out instruction. In the blacking out process performed based on a single blacking out instruction, the scope and unit to which blacking out is applied may be defined based on information managed in the report DB 133 and item DB 134. After that, the server device 100 proceeds to step S1610.

[0091] In step S1610, the server device 100 determines whether or not it has received a print command. Specifically, it determines whether the print button 903 on the print preview screen 900 or the print button 1004 on the print preview screen 1000 has been pressed. If a print command has been received (step S1610: YES), the server device 100 proceeds to step S1611. On the other hand, if a print command has not been received (step S1610: NO), the server device 100 returns to step S1607 and repeats the process.

[0092] In step S1611, the server device 100 executes the printing process based on the content currently displayed on the print preview screen. For example, the printing device 350 is instructed to print the target form via the user terminal 200. Note that "printing" here is not limited to physically printing the form data onto paper. In addition, based on the content currently displayed on the print preview screen, the server device may perform actions such as outputting the form to a predetermined storage location in a predetermined data format (for example, PDF (Portable Document Format) format). Then, this processing flow ends.

[0093] After the printing process is complete, the server device 100 may return to step S1601 and continue to display various UI screens. Furthermore, the processing flow and screen transitions shown in Figure 16 focus only on a part of the printing function according to this embodiment. Therefore, further screen transitions may occur depending on the various functions provided by the server device 100 and the UI screens. In addition, this processing flow may end if the user instructs to stop using the various functions.

[0094] In summary, this embodiment makes it possible to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items and enhance the convenience of information output.

[0095] <Other Embodiments> The above embodiment was described using an example of use in a child abuse case, but it is not limited to this. As mentioned above, the present invention can be applied to various settings where support is provided while conducting investigations, such as child support other than child abuse, maternal and child health, domestic violence response, sexual violence response, delinquency and bullying response, crime response, developmental disability support, elderly welfare, disability welfare, public assistance, and treatment and support for mental disorders. The UI screen configuration, investigation items, and method of displaying the transition of investigation results may be adjusted according to these settings.

[0096] Furthermore, in the present invention, the functions of one or more embodiments described above can also be realized by supplying a program or application to a system or device using a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of that system or device reading and executing the program.

[0097] Alternatively, it may be implemented by a circuit that performs one or more functions (for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)).

[0098] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited to these examples. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents can occur within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the various embodiments described above can be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0099] Furthermore, in this specification, expressions such as "first" and "second" are used merely for convenience to distinguish them from other elements. Therefore, they are not intended to be interpreted as limiting the scope to specific components. Accordingly, it goes without saying that if there are more components, these expressions may be reinterpreted as appropriate depending on the configuration to which they apply.

[0100] Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is also intended and within the scope of protection to be provided for the combination of each configuration of the embodiments, as well as for modifications and applications by those skilled in the art based on the description in the specification and well-known technology.

[0101] As described above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification:

[0102] (Technology 1) A print settings system (for example, 1) for configuring the print settings of a form, A management unit (for example, 130, 133, 134) that manages the information of a form consisting of one or more information items, Based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, a display control unit (for example, 112, 113, 114) displays a screen for accepting print settings for the form, Equipped with, The aforementioned screen is, A first screen (e.g., 800) that accepts the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen (e.g., 900, 1000) for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is a print setting system configured to accept a specification of whether or not to apply a black-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview. This configuration makes it possible to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items, for example, and enhance the convenience of information output.

[0103] (Technology 2) The print setting system according to Technical Reference 1, wherein the display control unit switches the display / hide of the blacked-out area in the print preview of the second screen based on the specified setting. This configuration makes it easier for users to identify the areas to be blacked out in the print preview of a document, for example, improving the convenience of specifying the blacked-out areas.

[0104] (Technology 3) The print setting system according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, wherein in the print preview of the second screen, it is possible to specify the range to which black fill processing is applied in units of information items, pairs of information items, images, or characters. This configuration makes it possible, for example, to specify the scope of the blacking-out process in predetermined units.

[0105] (Technology 4) A print setting system according to any one of the technologies 1 to 3, wherein the second screen provides a search function (for example, 1005, 1006) for searching for a specified string among the forms displayed in the print preview. This configuration allows users, for example, to easily search for and identify desired text within the forms displayed in the print preview.

[0106] (Technology 5) A print setting system according to any one of the technologies 1 to 4, wherein the second screen provides a function (e.g., 1007) for instructing the application of black fill to multiple information items specified in the form displayed in the print preview all at once. This configuration allows, for example, a user to specify the scope of the blacking-out process for desired strings located in multiple places within a document displayed in the print preview.

[0107] (Technology 6) A print setting system according to any one of the technologies 1 to 5, further comprising an instruction unit (e.g., 210, 230) that causes the printing process to be executed based on the information of the form displayed in the print preview. This configuration makes it possible to issue print instructions based on user-desired print settings, such as the information items to be included in a report and the scope of blacking out.

[0108] (Technology 7) The information items constituting the aforementioned form are items relating to personal information, as described in any of the print setting systems described in Technology 1 to Technology 6. This configuration makes it possible, for example, to display a print preview and configure print settings for documents that contain sensitive personal information that requires careful handling.

[0109] (Technology 8) The aforementioned form is a form that includes information items related to surveys concerning child support, maternal and child health, domestic violence, sexual violence, delinquency, bullying, crime, developmental disorders, elderly welfare, disability welfare, public assistance, or treatment for mental disorders, as described in any of the print setting systems described in Technology 1 to Technology 7. This configuration makes it possible, for example, to display a print preview and configure print settings for forms used in support settings that handle sensitive information requiring careful handling.

[0110] (Technology 9) A method for configuring print settings for forms, The system includes a display control step that displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form based on information managed by a management unit (e.g., 130, 133, 134) that manages information for a form consisting of one or more information items, The aforementioned screen is, A first screen (e.g., 800) that accepts the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen (e.g., 900, 1000) for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is configured to accept a specification of whether or not to apply a black-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview, and is a print setting method. This configuration makes it possible to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items, for example, and enhance the convenience of information output.

[0111] (Technology 10) A computer (for example, 100), Management units (e.g., 130, 133, 134) that manage the information of forms consisting of one or more information items, Based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, a display control unit (for example, 112, 113, 114) displays a screen for accepting print settings for the form. To make it function as, The aforementioned screen is, A first screen (e.g., 800) that accepts the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen (e.g., 900, 1000) for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is a program configured to accept a user's specification of whether or not to apply a black-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview. This configuration makes it possible to improve the flexibility of print settings for various information items, for example, and enhance the convenience of information output. [Industrial applicability]

[0112] The present invention is useful, for example, as an apparatus, system, or method for improving the flexibility of print settings for various information items and for improving the convenience of information output. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0113] 1…Business support system (print settings system) 100…Server device 110... Control Unit 111...Data Management Department 112...Display Control Unit 113...Print Item Control Unit 114...Black painted section 115...Communication Control Unit 120... Communications Department 130...Storage section 131…Basic information DB 132…Support information DB 133...Document Database 134…Item DB 200... User terminals 210... Control Unit 220...Storage section 230... Communications Department 240...Operation unit 250...Display section 260...External IF 300... Integration System 350…Printing device NW...Network

Claims

1. A print settings system for configuring the print settings of forms, A management unit that manages information in a form that consists of one or more information items, A display control unit that displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, Equipped with, The aforementioned screen is A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is a print setting system configured to accept a specification of whether or not to apply a black-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

2. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit switches the display / hide of the blacked-out area in the print preview of the second screen based on the specified setting.

3. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein in the print preview of the second screen, it is possible to specify the range to which black fill processing is applied in units of information items, pairs of information items, images, or characters.

4. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein the second screen is provided with a search function to search for a specified string from among the forms displayed in the print preview.

5. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein the second screen provides a function for instructing the application of black fill to multiple information items specified in the form displayed in the print preview all at once.

6. The print setting system according to claim 1, further comprising an instruction unit that causes the system to execute a print process based on the information of the form displayed in the print preview.

7. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein the information items constituting the aforementioned form are items relating to personal information.

8. The print setting system according to claim 1, wherein the form is a form that includes information items related to the content of a survey concerning child support, maternal and child health, domestic violence, sexual violence, delinquency, bullying, crime, developmental disorders, elderly welfare, disability welfare, public assistance, or treatment for mental disorders.

9. A method for configuring print settings for forms, The system includes a display control process that displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form, based on information managed by a management unit that manages information for a form consisting of one or more information items. The aforementioned screen is A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is configured to accept a specification of whether or not to apply a black-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview, and is a print setting method.

10. Computers, A management unit that manages the information of a form that consists of one or more information items. Based on the information managed by the aforementioned management unit, a display control unit displays a screen for accepting print settings for a form. To make it function as, The aforementioned screen is A first screen for accepting the selection of whether or not to print each of the one or more information items that make up the form, A second screen for displaying a print preview of a form that includes one or more information items selected to be printed based on the selection received via the first screen, Includes, The second screen is a program configured to accept a user's specification of whether or not to apply a blacking-out process to one or more information items included in the form displayed in the print preview.

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