Information Processing Systems

Abstract

To provide an information processing system capable of improving convenience for a user.SOLUTION: An information processing system 1 includes a user terminal 5 on which an application having a plurality of functions has been installed, and a server device 2. The user terminal 5 includes a display unit, a display control unit controlling the display unit, and a function execution unit which transmits, to the server device 2, an available function information acquisition request including information indicating the user terminal 5. The server device 2 includes: a user registration unit which registers the user terminal 5 in association with a contractor who is different from a user of the user terminal 5; and a function management unit which registers a function for which the contractor has made a contract, out of the functions, and transmits, when receiving the available function information acquisition request from the user terminal 5, available function information including the function for which the contractor has made a contract, as a function available on the user terminal 5, to the user terminal 5. The display control unit of the user terminal 5 causes the display unit to display only the function available on the user terminal 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART In a device having a display unit, a technique is known in which a plurality of functions are displayed on the display unit and a function selected by a user from among the functions is executed (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-120091 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As with the above-described technology, some applications used on smartphones and the like display multiple functions of the application on the display unit of the smartphone or the like, and execute a function selected by the user from among those functions. Furthermore, the multiple functions displayed on the display unit of the smartphone or the like may include functions that are available and functions that are unavailable depending on conditions. In such cases, because unavailable functions are displayed in the same way as available functions, the user may not know which functions are available, which can be inconvenient.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide an information processing system that can improve user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device having an application having multiple functions installed thereon, characterized in that it comprises a display unit and a control unit that displays on the display unit only those functions of the multiple functions that can be used on the information processing device.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for an information processing device having a display unit and having an application having multiple functions installed, the information processing method comprising the step of displaying on the display unit only those functions of the multiple functions that can be used on the information processing device.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a program is provided for causing an information processing device having a display unit and having an application having multiple functions installed to execute a step of displaying on the display unit only those functions of the multiple functions that can be used by the information processing device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve convenience for users. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server device of the information processing system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 illustrates a user management table. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a function management table. [Figure 5] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a user terminal of the information processing system shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation when subscribing to a service function in the information processing system shown in FIG. [Figure 7]1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation of displaying functions that can be used by an application on a user terminal of the information processing system shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a home screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the home screen. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing yet another example of the home screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or equivalent parts or components are designated by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings, and their description will be omitted or simplified.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server device in the information processing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a user management table. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a function management table. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a user terminal in the information processing system shown in Fig. 1.

[0013] 1, an information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes a server device 2, an operations manager terminal 3, a contractor terminal 4, and a user terminal (corresponding to an information processing device) 5. The operations manager terminal 3, the contractor terminal 4, and the user terminal 5 are connectable to the server device 2 via a network 6 such as the Internet.

[0014] In the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, a service operated by a plurality of operation managers is provided to a subscriber. This service includes a plurality of functions. Each operation manager operates at least one function. In other words, some of the functions and at least some of the other functions are operated by different operation managers.

[0015] A contractor enters into a contract with the operations manager to use each function. A contractor is a person who has entered into a contract with the operations manager to use at least one of the functions included in the above service. However, in the following, a person who is at the stage of applying for a function for the first time before a contract for the function is concluded may also be referred to as a "contractor." Each function included in the above service may be available under a paid contract or a free contract.

[0016] In this embodiment, the information processing system 1 is provided with a plurality of operation manager terminals 3 owned by the above-mentioned plurality of operation managers, respectively. Also, while Fig. 1 shows a plurality of contractor terminals 4 owned by contractors, the number of contractor terminals 4 may be one or more. Also, Fig. 1 shows a plurality of user terminals 5 owned by users (described later), the number of user terminals 5 may be one or more.

[0017] The server device 2 is a server for providing each function of the service operated by the operations manager to the subscriber. The server device 2 is configured by a computer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, a hard disk, etc. The server device 2 may also be a cloud server provided on a cloud.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 2 includes a control unit 11, a database unit 12, a storage unit 13, and an external communication unit .

[0019] The control unit 11 controls the overall operation of the server device 2. The control unit 11 is configured to include a CPU and the like. The control unit 11 includes a user management unit 21 and a function management unit 22. Each unit of the control unit 11 is configured by the CPU executing a program stored in the storage unit 13.

[0020] The user management unit 21 performs processing for user registration for services in the information processing system 1 (services operated by the operations manager described above).

[0021] The function management unit 22 manages functions to be provided to each subscriber from among the multiple functions of the services in the information processing system 1. The function management unit 22 also performs various processes for executing each function.

[0022] The database unit 12 stores a user management table 31 and a function management table 32. The database unit 12 is configured with a hard disk or the like.

[0023] 3, the user management table 31 is a table that associates subscriber IDs with terminal IDs. The subscriber ID is information for uniquely identifying a subscriber of a service in the information processing system 1. The terminal ID is information for uniquely identifying each user terminal 5.

[0024] 4, the function management table 32 is a table that associates subscriber IDs with the contract status of each function of the service for the subscriber corresponding to each subscriber ID. The contract status of a function indicates whether the function has been contracted or not.

[0025] The storage unit 13 stores various programs executed by the CPU of the server device 2. The storage unit 13 is configured by a hard disk or the like.

[0026] The external communication unit 14 performs communication processing with external devices via the network 6 .

[0027] The operations manager terminal 3 is a terminal device for performing operations related to the functions of the service operated by the operations manager. The operations manager terminal 3 is composed of a computer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, hard disk, a display unit consisting of an LCD panel, etc., and an input unit having a keyboard, mouse, etc.

[0028] The contractor terminal 4 is a terminal device for the contractor to perform operations related to the service functions in the information processing system 1. Like the operations manager terminal 3, the contractor terminal 4 is configured by a computer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, a hard disk, a display unit configured with a liquid crystal display panel, etc., and an input unit having a keyboard, a mouse, etc.

[0029] The user terminal 5 is a terminal device that allows a user to use a dedicated application to access the functions of the services in the information processing system 1. The user terminal 5 is a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal 5 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, a display unit 43, an input unit 44, and an external communication unit 45.

[0031] The control unit 41 controls the overall operation of the user terminal 5. The control unit 41 is configured to include a CPU and the like. The control unit 41 includes a display control unit 51, a registration processing unit 52, and a function execution unit 53. Each unit of the control unit 41 is configured by the CPU executing a dedicated application program stored in the storage unit 42 for using the functions of the services provided by the server device 2.

[0032] The display control unit 51 controls the display unit 43 to display screens such as a home screen 61 of an application, which will be described later.

[0033] The registration processing unit 52 performs processing related to user registration for using the service functions in the information processing system 1 in a dedicated application on the user terminal 5.

[0034] The function execution unit 53 performs various processes for executing a function selected from the home screen 61 by a user operation.

[0035] The storage unit 42 stores various programs such as application programs for using each function of the service provided by the server device 2. The storage unit 42 is configured with a flash memory or the like. Dedicated application programs for using each function of the service provided by the server device 2 can be acquired, for example, from any app store server via the network 6. The storage unit 42 also stores various information such as the terminal ID of the user terminal 5.

[0036] The display unit 43 displays various screens and is configured with a liquid crystal display panel or the like.

[0037] The input unit 44 accepts various input operations to the user terminal 5. The input unit 44 includes a touch panel (not shown). The touch panel is disposed over the display unit 43. The touch panel detects a touch operation by the operator.

[0038] The external communication unit 45 performs communication processing with external devices via the network 6 .

[0039] Next, the operation of the information processing system 1 when subscribing to a service function will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

[0040] First, in step S1 of FIG. 6, the contractor terminal 4 transmits to the server device 2 application information indicating a function designated by an operation by the contractor for which application for use (contract) is to be made.

[0041] Here, when applying for a function, there are cases where a function is applied for the first time and cases where an application is made to add a function. A plurality of functions may be applied for at once.

[0042] Prior to applying for a function for the first time, the customer terminal 4 accesses the server device 2 and receives a customer ID from the server device 2. The application information includes the customer ID.

[0043] As mentioned above, the term "contractor" also refers to a person who is at the stage of applying for a function for the first time before the contract for the function is concluded. Similarly, the terminal device of the contractor is referred to as the contractor terminal 4, and the ID issued to the contractor is referred to as the contractor ID.

[0044] When the server device 2 receives the application information, in step S2, the function management unit 22 of the server device 2 transmits an application notification to the operations manager terminal 3 of the operations manager who operates the function applied for by the application information. The application notification includes the applied for function and the subscriber ID of the subscriber who applied for the function.

[0045] If the application information includes multiple functions operated by different operation managers, the function management unit 22 transmits application notifications to the operation manager terminals 3 of the multiple operation managers who operate each of the functions.

[0046] Upon receiving the application notification, in step S3, the operations manager terminal 3 concludes a contract with the contractor to use the applied function and transmits an application function activation instruction to the server device 2. The application function activation instruction includes the applied function and the contractor ID of the contractor who applied for the function.

[0047] When the server device 2 receives the instruction to activate the requested function, in step S4, the function management unit 22 of the server device 2 activates the requested function for the contractor who applied for the function and registers it as a contracted function for the contractor. Specifically, the function management unit 22 changes the contract status of the requested function in the function management table 32 corresponding to the contractor ID of the contractor who applied for the function to "contracted." As a result, a contract allowing the use of the requested function has been concluded with the operations manager. As a result, the series of processes is completed.

[0048] Next, a user registration process for using the service functions in the information processing system 1 with a dedicated application on the user terminal 5 will be described.

[0049] Here, a user having a user terminal 5 is a person who uses one of the functions of the services in the information processing system 1 as a contractor who has concluded a contract with the operations manager to use the function.

[0050] The user operates the user terminal 5 to install a dedicated application on the user terminal 5. After that, the user starts the application on the user terminal 5 and performs a user registration operation in a predetermined procedure. This user registration operation includes an operation to obtain the subscriber ID of the subscriber with whom the user intends to use the service functions, and an operation to input predetermined information about the user.

[0051] When the above user registration operation is performed, the registration processing unit 52 of the user terminal 5 transmits to the server device 2 user information including the contractor ID and predetermined information about the user.

[0052] The user management unit 21 of the server device 2 that has received the user information issues a terminal ID for the user terminal 5 that has sent the user information, and stores this terminal ID in the user management table 31 in association with the subscriber ID included in the user information. This completes the user registration, and the user terminal 5 is associated with the subscriber. Note that the user management table 31 may also store predetermined information about the user that was entered in the above-mentioned user registration operation in association with the subscriber ID and terminal ID.

[0053] Furthermore, the user management unit 21 of the server device 2 transmits the terminal ID issued to the user terminal 5 to the user terminal 5. Upon receiving the terminal ID, the registration processing unit 52 of the user terminal 5 stores the terminal ID in the storage unit 42.

[0054] In the user registration operation, the user terminal 5 may acquire information other than the subscriber ID that can identify the subscriber, and then transmit user information including this information to the server device 2.

[0055] Next, an operation of displaying functions available in an application on the user terminal 5 of the information processing system 1 will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

[0056] When an operation to start up a dedicated application is performed on the user terminal 5, the function execution unit 53 of the user terminal 5 transmits a request to obtain usable function information to the server device 2 in step S11 of FIG.

[0057] Here, the request to obtain usable function information inquires of the server device 2 about functions that can be used on the user terminal 5 that sent the request to obtain usable function information, out of the multiple functions that the dedicated application has. The multiple functions that the dedicated application has correspond to the multiple functions that the service in the information processing system 1 has. The functions that can be used on the user terminal 5 are functions that the contractor associated with the user terminal 5 has signed a contract for use with the operations manager. The request to obtain usable function information includes the terminal ID of the user terminal 5 that sent the request.

[0058] When the server device 2 receives the request to obtain usable function information, in step S12, the function management unit 22 of the server device 2 transmits usable function information indicating functions usable in the user terminal 5 that has sent the request to obtain usable function information to the user terminal 5. Specifically, the function management unit 22 refers to the user management table 31 and the function management table 32 to determine the functions usable in the user terminal 5 that has sent the request to obtain usable function information, and transmits usable function information indicating the usable functions to the user terminal 5.

[0059] When the user terminal 5 receives the usable function information, in step S13, the function execution unit 53 of the user terminal 5 enables the usable function indicated by the usable function information, thereby making it possible to execute the usable function indicated by the usable function information.

[0060] Next, in step S14, the display control unit 51 causes the display unit 43 to display only the available functions indicated by the available function information, out of the multiple functions that the dedicated application has.

[0061] The available functions are displayed by displaying a home screen 61 of the dedicated application on the display unit 43, as shown in Figs. 8 to 10. In the examples of Figs. 8 to 10, the dedicated application has three functions, functions A to C. Function buttons 62A to 62C shown in Fig. 10 are buttons for selecting and executing functions A to C, respectively. Note that the alphabetical subscripts in the reference numerals of the function buttons 62A to 62C may be omitted to collectively represent them.

[0062] When only function A of functions A to C can be used with a dedicated application on user terminal 5, function button 62A is displayed on home screen 61, but function buttons 62B and 62C are not displayed, as shown in Fig. 8. When only functions A and B of functions A to C can be used with a dedicated application on user terminal 5, function buttons 62A and 62B are displayed on home screen 61, but function button 62C is not displayed, as shown in Fig. 9. When functions A to C can be used with a dedicated application on user terminal 5, function buttons 62A to 62C are displayed on home screen 61, as shown in Fig. 10.

[0063] When a function to which the contractor subscribes is added, a function button 62 displayed on the home screen 61 is added accordingly.

[0064] When an operation of pressing a function button 62 displayed on the home screen 61 is performed, the display control unit 51 of the user terminal 5 transitions the display screen of the display unit 43 to a screen of the function corresponding to the pressed function button 62.

[0065] Thereafter, various operations for the function are performed by the user. The function execution unit 53 performs various processes in response to the user operations for the function. Furthermore, the function management unit 22 of the server device 2 performs various processes in response to the processing of the function execution unit 53 of the user terminal 5 for the function.

[0066] Here, in this embodiment, the contractor is, for example, a school, and the user is, for example, the guardian of the children or students at the school.

[0067] In this case, an example of a service function (a dedicated application function) in the information processing system 1 is a function for a school to communicate information to parents in the form of printed matter and digital distribution.

[0068] Another example of the service's function is the ability to send and receive various information about the health status and attendance of children and students between schools and their parents.

[0069] Furthermore, as yet another example of the function of the service, there is a function that allows parents to browse an advertising site on the user terminal 5 and give points to the school that can be exchanged for goods, services, etc.

[0070] In addition, if the service has a function to grant the above-mentioned points to schools, and if other functions of the service include paid functions, the school may be able to use the points granted to enter into a contract to use the paid functions.

[0071] As described above, in the information processing system 1, the display control unit 51 of the user terminal 5 displays only the functions that can be used by the user terminal 5, out of the multiple functions that the application has, on the display unit 43. This allows the user to easily recognize the functions that can be used by the application, thereby improving user convenience.

[0072] Furthermore, the available functions displayed on the user terminal 5 are those that have become available based on a contract between the operations manager who manages the available functions and the contractor associated with the user terminal 5. Therefore, the contract for using the functions between the operations manager and the contractor can be reflected in the display of available functions on the user terminal 5.

[0073] In addition, in the information processing system 1, some of the functions of an application (the functions of a service in the information processing system 1) and at least some of the other functions are operated by different operation managers. Therefore, the functions operated by different operation managers can be displayed on the user terminal 5 as functions that can be used by the application.

[0074] It should be noted that all of the functions of the dedicated application (the functions of the service in the information processing system 1) may be managed by a single operations manager.

[0075] As an example of a subscriber of the functions of the service (functions of the dedicated application) in this embodiment and a user associated with the subscriber, as described above, there is a case where the subscriber is a school and the user is a parent or guardian of a child or student at the school. In this example, the school includes an elementary school, a junior high school, a high school, a university, etc. The user may also be a child or student of the school, a graduate, or their family member.

[0076] Furthermore, the contractor is not limited to the above examples, and may be a nursery school, kindergarten, hospital, company, department within a company, public fire station, mutual aid organization such as a fire brigade, health center, or the like.

[0077] If the Contractor is a nursery school or kindergarten, the users may be children or their parents, graduates or their parents, or their families. If the Contractor is a hospital, the users may be patients, their caregivers, caregivers, those who have completed treatment, or their families. If the Contractor is a company or a department within a company, the users may include employees, full-time employees, temporary employees, shareholders, retirees, alumni, and their families. If the Contractor is a local government or other organization based in the community, such as a public fire department, health center, or mutual aid organization like a fire brigade, the users may be local residents, visitors, or their families.

[0078] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be created by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments.

[0079] [Note] The present application discloses the following inventions.

[0080] (Appendix 1) An information processing device in which an application having a plurality of functions is installed, A display unit; a control unit that displays only functions that can be used by the information processing device among the plurality of functions on the display unit; An information processing device comprising:

[0081] (Appendix 2) The information processing device described in Appendix 1, characterized in that the available functions are made available through a contract between an operations manager who manages the available functions and a subscriber to which the information processing device is associated.

[0082] (Appendix 3) 3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein some of the plurality of functions and at least some of the other functions are operated by different operations managers.

[0083] (Appendix 4) An information processing method for an information processing device having a display unit and having an application having a plurality of functions installed therein, displaying on the display unit only functions that can be used by the information processing device out of the plurality of functions; An information processing method comprising:

[0084] (Appendix 5) An information processing device having a display unit and having an application having multiple functions installed therein, displaying on the display unit only functions that can be used by the information processing device out of the plurality of functions; A program to execute. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Information Processing Systems 2. Server device 3. Operation manager terminal 4. Subscriber terminal 5. User terminal 6 Network 11 Control section 12 Database Department 13 Storage section 14 External Communications Department 21 User Management Department 22 Functional Management Department 31 User Management Table 32 Function Management Table 41 Control Unit 42 Storage section 43 Display section 44 Input section 45 External Communications Department 51 Display control unit 52 Registration processing section 53 Function Execution Department 61 Home screen 62, 62A~62C Function buttons

Claims

[Claim 1] an information processing device in which an application having a plurality of functions is installed; a server device; The information processing device includes: A display unit; a display control unit that controls the display unit; a function execution unit that, when an operation to start the application is performed, transmits to the server device a request to obtain available function information, the request including information indicating the information processing device; The server device a registration unit that registers the information processing device in association with a contractor different from a user who owns the information processing device; a function management unit that registers functions that the contractor has contracted for among the plurality of functions, and that, upon receiving the usable function information acquisition request from the information processing device, transmits usable function information to the information processing device, the usable function information including the functions that the contractor has contracted for as functions that can be used by the information processing device; the function execution unit, upon receiving the available function information, enables the available function to be executed; The information processing system is characterized in that the display control unit causes the display unit to display only the available functions that have been enabled by the function execution unit.

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