Application management system, application management method, and program

Abstract

The application management system (10) includes a storage unit (100) that stores a plurality of templates related to application settings, where each template corresponds to each use case of a plurality of use cases; a construction unit (102) that constructs the application usage environment based on the template corresponding to the use case based on the user input among each template and the parameters based on the user input; and an execution unit (103) that executes the application based on the application usage environment constructed by the construction unit (102).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an application management system, an application management method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, there has been a practice of constructing an application usage environment on an external server and providing it to users. For example, a cloud server is used to provide applications that can be used by users regardless of location, time, device, etc. In such applications, if the application can be customized by the user, it becomes possible to provide an application that further meets the user's requirements.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a software market system that can be easily customized even by users without specialized knowledge. According to the software market system of Patent Document 1, by the user operating a user terminal to change parameters, it is possible to easily confirm the operation of the software when customized.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the software market system of Patent Document 1, since the user changes various parameters by themselves to confirm the operation, there is a problem that the user's effort during customization is large.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an application management system, an application management method, and a program capable of providing an application that meets the user's requirements without significantly increasing the user's effort. **Means for Solving the Problems**

[0007] To achieve the above object, an application management system according to the present disclosure includes: a storage means for storing a plurality of templates related to the settings of an application, each template storing a plurality of templates associated with each of a plurality of use cases; Save a unit price table that associates use cases and parameters with unit prices a construction means for constructing a usage environment of the application based on the template corresponding to the use case based on the user's input among the plurality of templates and the parameters based on the user's input; an execution means for executing the application based on the usage environment of the application constructed by the construction means; A fee calculation means for referring to the unit price table and calculating the usage fee of the application executed by the execution means based on the unit price corresponding to the use case and the parameter related to the application and is provided with. **Advantages of the Invention**

[0008] According to the present disclosure, an application that meets the user's requirements can be provided without significantly increasing the user's effort. **Brief Description of the Drawings**

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an application management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0011] (Embodiment) With reference to FIG. 1, the application management system 10 according to the embodiment will be described. The application management system 10 constructs a usage environment for one or more applications related to the device 30 and provides one or more applications to the user. More specifically, when the user operates the user terminal 20 to input a usage case of an application and parameters related to the application, the application management system 10 constructs a usage environment of the application based on the usage case and parameters input by the user, and provides the application to the user. The user can use the application by accessing the application management system 10 via the user terminal 20. The application management system 10 is an example of the application management system according to the present disclosure.

[0012] The application management system 10 includes a database server 11, an application server 12, and a web server 13. The application management system 10 may include, for example, a single server computer and may implement the functions of the database server 11, the application server 12, and the web server 13. Alternatively, for example, the application management system 10 may include a plurality of server computers, and each server computer may implement the functions of the database server 11, the application server 12, and the web server 13. For simplicity hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the application management system 10 is implemented by a single server computer.

[0013] The application management system 10, the user terminal 20, and the device 30 are communicably connected to the network NT. The application management system 10 communicates with the user terminal 20 and the device 30 via the network NT. The network NT is, for example, the Internet. Alternatively, the network NT may be a local network provided at the production site. When the network NT is the Internet, the application management system 10 is implemented by, for example, one or more server computers provided on the cloud.

[0014] The database server 11 is a database server that manages data related to the application. In particular, the database server 11 manages a template and a price unit table, which will be described later.

[0015] The application server 12 executes internal processing other than the processing related to the interfaces for the user terminal 20 and the device 30 among the processing to be executed by the application management system 10. The processing related to the interfaces is executed by the web server 13. The application server 12 accesses the database server 11 as necessary. In particular, the application server 12 executes processing for constructing the usage environment of the application and executes the internal processing of the constructed application. Also, the application server 12 obtains, as necessary, the data acquired by the web server 13 from the user terminal 20 and the device 30 from the web server 13. Further, the application server 12 outputs, as necessary, the data to be output to the user terminal 20 and the device 30 to the web server 13.

[0016] The web server 13 executes processing related to the interfaces for the user terminal 20 and the device 30. The web server 13 provides, for example, an interface for the user terminal 20 and the device 30 to access the application management system 10 through a web page and an API (Application Programming Interface). The data acquired by the web server 13 from the user terminal 20 and the device 30 is output to the application server 12 as necessary, and the data output by the application server 12 to the web server 13 is output to the user terminal 20 and the device 30 as necessary.

[0017] In this way, each function of the application management system 10 is realized by the database server 11 managing the data related to the application, the application server 12 executing the internal processing, and the web server 13 executing the processing related to the interfaces.

[0018] The user terminal 20 is a terminal device owned by a user who uses the applications provided by the application management system 10. The user terminal 20 includes at least a display device for displaying a screen and an input device for receiving user input. The user terminal 20 is, for example, a personal computer provided at the user's workplace, a smartphone carried by the user, or the like. The user operates the user terminal 20 to input the usage case of the application via, for example, the usage case selection screen 21 shown in FIG. 2, and inputs parameters via the parameter input screen 24 shown in FIG. 3. The screens shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are provided by the web server 13 in response to the user terminal 20 accessing the application management system 10 via the network NT.

[0019] In the usage case selection screen 21 shown in FIG. 2, the user can notify the application management system 10 of the usage case by checking the check box 22 and pressing the determination button 23. Similarly, in the parameter input screen 24 shown in FIG. 3, the user can notify the application management system 10 of the parameters by inputting the parameters in the parameter input field 25 and pressing the determination button 26.

[0020] The device 30 is a device related to the application provided by the application management system 10. The device 30 is, for example, a programmable logic controller provided at the production site. For example, when the application management system 10 constructs a usage environment for an application that visualizes the information of the device 30 and provides it to the user, the device 30 periodically or in response to a request from the application management system 10 transmits information about itself to the application management system 10 via the network NT. The device 30 is an example of the device according to the present disclosure.

[0021] While referring to FIG. 4, the functional configuration of the application management system 10 will be described. The application management system 10 includes a storage unit 100, an interface unit 101, a construction unit 102, an execution unit 103, a fee calculation unit 104, and a template management unit 105. Each functional configuration shown in FIG. 4 is realized by a database server 11, an application server 12, and a web server 13.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5, the storage unit 100 stores a plurality of templates TP and a fee unit price table RT. Each template TP and the fee unit price table RT are created in advance by, for example, an administrator of the application management system 10. However, as will be described later, the template TP can be changed, added, or deleted by the user as needed by the template management unit 105. In addition, the storage unit 100 stores, as needed, data generated during the construction of the application usage environment by the construction unit 102 described later and data generated during the execution of the application by the execution unit 103. The storage unit 100 is realized by, for example, a database server 11. The storage unit 100 is an example of the storage means according to the present disclosure.

[0023] Each template TP is used when constructing the application usage environment by the construction unit 102 described later. Each template TP is a template regarding the settings of the application, such as which application to construct and how to construct each application. Each template TP is respectively associated with each of a plurality of usage cases. For example, a certain template TP is associated with the usage case of "managing the history of project files incorporated in a device", and another certain template TP is associated with the usage case of "visualizing device information". The reason why each template TP includes information regarding the settings of one or more applications is that multiple applications may be required depending on the usage case. For example, in the usage case of "visualizing device information", multiple applications such as an application that simply displays device information numerically and an application that displays device information in a graphed form can be assumed. In such a usage case, the user can simply select the usage case, thereby simplifying the effort of constructing the usage environment of multiple applications.

[0024] The rate unit price table RT is a table that associates usage cases and parameters with rate unit prices, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. According to this rate unit price table RT, the rate unit price can be specified from the usage case and parameters input by the user.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4 again. The interface unit 101 communicates with the user terminal 20 and the device 30 via the network NT. In particular, the interface unit 101 receives data including the usage case and parameters input by the user from the user terminal 20, and transmits to the user terminal 20 the data necessary for constructing the screen to be output to the user terminal 20. The data necessary for constructing the screen to be output to the user terminal 20 is, for example, the information that needs to be presented to the user and the data of the web page representing the screen for presenting the information. The interface unit 101 is realized by, for example, the web server 13.

[0026] Based on the template TP corresponding to the use case input by the user via the user terminal 20 among the templates TP stored in the storage unit 100 and the parameters input by the user via the user terminal 20, the construction unit 102 constructs the usage environment of one or more applications. The construction unit 102 stores, in the storage unit 100 as necessary, the data generated during the construction of the usage environment. For example, the construction unit 102 stores in the storage unit 100 the use case and parameters input by the user, the setting information necessary for the execution of each application, and the like. The construction unit 102 is realized, for example, by the application server 12. The construction unit 102 is an example of the construction means according to the present disclosure.

[0027] The execution unit 103 executes an application based on the usage environment of the application constructed by the construction unit 102. The execution unit 103 communicates with the interface unit 101 as necessary. For example, the execution unit 103 communicates with the interface unit 101 to execute processing according to the user's input. Also, for example, the execution unit 103 communicates with the interface unit 101 to output to the user terminal 20 the data necessary to construct a screen showing the execution result. The execution unit 103 stores, in the storage unit 100 as necessary, the data generated during the execution of the application. For example, the execution unit 103 stores in the storage unit 100 the information acquired from the device 30. The execution unit 103 is realized, for example, by the application server 12. The execution unit 103 is an example of the execution means according to the present disclosure.

[0028] The charge calculation unit 104 refers to the charge unit price table RT stored in the storage unit 100, and calculates the usage charge of the application executed by the execution unit 103 based on the charge unit price corresponding to the usage case and parameters related to the application. Further, the charge calculation unit 104 causes the interface unit 101 to display on the user terminal 20 a screen for presenting the calculated usage charge. For example, when a trial period of a certain period is provided at the time of providing the application, the charge calculation unit 104 can present to the user an estimate of the usage charge after the expiration of the trial period based on the charge unit price. The charge calculation unit 104 is realized, for example, by the application server 12. The charge calculation unit 104 is an example of the charge calculation means according to the present disclosure.

[0029] The template management unit 105 can change, add, or delete the template TP stored in the storage unit 100 based on the input to the user terminal 20 by the user. Thereby, the user can flexibly customize the application according to the request while using the existing template TP. In particular, the user can change, add, or delete the template TP without having special authority regarding the application management system 10. The template management unit 105 is realized, for example, by the application server 12 and the database server 11. The template management unit 105 is an example of the template management means according to the present disclosure.

[0030] An example of the hardware configuration of the application management system 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The application management system 10 shown in FIG. 7 is realized, for example, by a server computer as described above. When the application management system 10 is realized by a plurality of server computers, each server computer is realized by the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 7.

[0031] The application management system 10 includes a processor 1001, a memory 1002, an interface 1003, and a secondary storage device 1004, which are connected to each other via a bus 1000.

[0032] The processor 1001 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). By the processor 1001 reading the operation program stored in the secondary storage device 1004 into the memory 1002 and executing it, each function of the application management system 10 is realized.

[0033] The memory 1002 is a main storage device constituted by, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 1002 stores the operation program read by the processor 1001 from the secondary storage device 1004. Further, the memory 1002 functions as a working memory when the processor 1001 executes the operation program.

[0034] The interface 1003 is an I / O (Input / Output) interface such as a serial port, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, or a network interface, for example.

[0035] The secondary storage device 1004 is, for example, a flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The secondary storage device 1004 stores the operation program executed by the processor 1001.

[0036] With reference to FIG. 8, an example of the operation of application management by the application management system 10 will be described. The application management referred to here includes construction of the application use environment, execution of the application, and estimation of the application usage fee. Also, here, the period within a certain period from the start of application use is the trial period, and no payment of the usage fee occurs before the application is executed. The operation shown in FIG. 8 starts, for example, when a user operates the user terminal 20 to access the application management system 10 and inputs the application use case and parameters.

[0037] The construction unit 102 of the application management system 10 identifies the use case and parameters input by the user through the operation of the user terminal 20 via the interface unit 101 of the application management system 10 (step S1).

[0038] The construction unit 102 identifies the template TP corresponding to the use case identified in step S1 from each template TP stored in the storage unit 100 (step S2).

[0039] The construction unit 102 constructs the application usage environment based on the template TP identified in step S2 and the parameters identified in step S1 (step S3).

[0040] The execution unit 103 of the application management system 10 executes the application based on the usage environment constructed in step S3 (step S4).

[0041] The charge calculation unit 104 of the application management system 10 refers to the charge unit price table RT stored in the storage unit 100 and identifies the charge unit price based on the use case and parameters identified in step S1 (step S5).

[0042] The charge calculation unit 104 estimates the usage charge based on the charge unit price identified in step S5 (step S6).

[0043] The interface unit 101 presents the execution result by the execution unit 103 and the estimate of the usage charge by the charge calculation unit 104 to the user by transmitting to the user terminal 20 the data necessary for constructing a screen for presenting them to the user (step S7). Then, the application management system 10 ends the operation of the application management. Note that thereafter, for example, in response to access from the user terminal 20, steps S4 to S7 can be executed as appropriate.

[0044] The application management system 10 according to the embodiment has been described above. According to the application management system 10, the usage environment of the application is constructed based on the template TP corresponding to the use case input by the user. Therefore, the user can receive the provision of the application corresponding to the use case from the beginning, and the labor of changing parameters and checking the operation is reduced. That is, according to the application management system 10, an application that meets the user's requirements can be provided without increasing the user's labor.

[0045] Also, according to the application management system 10, the user can receive the provision of the application corresponding to the use case only by selecting the necessary use case from the plurality of use cases presented on the use case selection screen 21 shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the user does not need to consider which application should be selected for the use case.

[0046] Also, according to the application management system 10, the user can immediately receive the provision of the application and obtain an estimate of the usage fee only by inputting the use case and parameters input by the user. Therefore, the user can easily try out the application.

[0047] (Modification example) In the application management system 10 according to the embodiment, instead of the user directly inputting the parameters, the parameters may be automatically determined based on the setting file regarding the device 30.

[0048] For example, as shown in FIG. 9, assume that the application management system 10 further includes a parameter determination unit 106. The parameter determination unit 106 reads a configuration file related to the device 30 and automatically determines parameters based on the read configuration file. The configuration file related to the device 30 is, for example, a project file incorporated in the device 30 and subject to management by an engineering tool. The parameter determination unit 106 may read the project file incorporated in the device 30 by communicating with the device 30 via the interface unit 101 based on an input operation of the user terminal 20 by the user. Alternatively, the user may copy the project file to the user terminal 20 and transmit it to the application management system 10, and the parameter determination unit 106 may read the project file via the interface unit 101. In any case, based on the user's input, the parameter determination unit 106 reads the project file and automatically determines the parameters. The parameter determination unit 106 is an example of the parameter determination means according to the present disclosure.

[0049] In the embodiment, the application provided by the application management system 10 was an application related to the device 30, but the application provided by the application management system 10 does not necessarily have to be an application related to the device 30. For example, it may be a general-purpose application such as a schedule management application or a chat application.

[0050] In the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 7, the application management system 10 includes a secondary storage device 1004. However, it is not limited to this, and the secondary storage device 1004 may be provided outside the application management system 10, and the application management system 10 and the secondary storage device 1004 may be connected via the interface 1003. In this form, removable media such as a USB flash drive or a memory card can also be used as the secondary storage device 1004.

[0051] Alternatively, instead of the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 7, the application management system 10 may be configured by a dedicated circuit using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like. Also, in the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 7, a part of the functions of the application management system 10 may be realized by a dedicated circuit connected to, for example, the interface 1003.

[0052] The program used in the application management system 10 can be stored and distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a USB flash drive, a memory card, an HDD, etc. And by installing such a program on a specific or general-purpose computer, it is possible to make the computer function as the application management system 10.

[0053] Also, the above-described program may be stored in a storage device of another server on the Internet so that the above-described program can be downloaded from the server.

[0054] The present disclosure can be implemented in various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Also, the above-described embodiments are for explaining the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than the embodiments. And various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the scope of the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0055] 10 Application management system, 11 Database server, 12 Application server, 13 Web server, 20 User terminal, 21 Use case selection screen, 22 Check box, 23 Decision button, 24 Parameter input screen, 25 Parameter input field, 26 Decision button, 30 Device, 100 Memory unit, 101 Interface unit, 102 Construction unit, 103 Execution unit, 104 Charge calculation unit, 105 Template management unit, 106 Parameter determination unit, 1000 Bus, 1001 Processor, 1002 Memory, 1003 Interface, 1004 Secondary storage device, NT Network, RT Charge unit price table, TP Template.

Claims

1. A storage means that stores multiple templates relating to application settings, each template being associated with a specific use case of multiple use cases, A construction means for constructing an application usage environment based on the template corresponding to a use case based on user input from among the multiple templates, and the parameters based on the user input. An execution means for executing the application based on the application usage environment constructed by the construction means, An application management system equipped with the following features.

2. Each of the aforementioned templates is a template for configuring multiple applications. The construction means constructs the usage environment for the multiple applications. The application management system according to claim 1.

3. The storage means further stores a price table that associates usage cases and parameters with price units. The system further includes a fee calculation means that, by referring to the aforementioned fee table, calculates the usage fee for the application executed by the execution means based on the fee unit price corresponding to the use case and parameters related to the application. The application management system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The aforementioned application includes an application for managing the device, The system further includes a parameter determination means for automatically determining the parameters based on a configuration file for the device input by the user. The application management system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The system further includes a template management means for modifying, adding, or deleting the templates stored in the storage means based on the user's input. The application management system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. Computers Multiple templates relating to application settings, where each template is associated with a specific use case among multiple templates, the application usage environment is constructed based on the template corresponding to the use case based on user input and the parameters based on the user input. The application is executed based on the application usage environment that has been constructed. Application management methods.

7. On the computer, Multiple templates relating to application settings, where each template is associated with a specific use case among multiple templates, the application's usage environment is constructed based on the template corresponding to the use case based on user input and the parameters based on the user input. The application is executed based on the application usage environment that has been constructed. program.

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