JP2002024417A - Asp system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ASP system capable of releasing an ASP from a complicated and additional job such as 'collection of charges' and concentrating the human/money resources of the ASP to the main job thereof by making such a job performed by a third person. SOLUTION: An ASP system 1 is provided with an ASP server A for storing application software and providing an ASP service to a user and a managing server K, which is managed by the third person (manager), for managing the charges of the application software.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Regarding service provider support systems,
The present invention relates to a support system capable of seizing the right to use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with advances in semiconductor technology, computer equipment such as personal computers has become inexpensive, and computers have been used throughout society, such as office management of companies.

In order to use a word processor, a spreadsheet, a database, and the like in a computer such as a personal computer, application software (hereinafter, abbreviated as an application) such as a word processor and a spreadsheet is installed on a hard disk of the computer in advance. Need to be kept.

[0004] Such an installation work is not limited to the case where the number of personal computers to be installed is about several, but in a system having tens to hundreds of personal computers such as an intranet of a large company, individual installation is required. A great deal of effort is required when installing an application, and it is necessary to repeat the installation work for each application and each time the application is upgraded.

[0005] In addition, in the above-described intranet, an expensive server computer is required as a storage location of data, and it is necessary to allocate a management staff having specialized knowledge to manage these.

As described above, the introduction and maintenance of a computer system involves a great deal of management cost, and thus interest in ASP services has recently been increasing.

[0007] Here, the ASP is an abbreviation of "application service provider" and means a provider of an application service. Also,
As shown in FIG. 3, the "service by ASP"
The SP arranges the server A storing the application on the LAN or the Internet, and the user who wants to use the application accesses the server A from his / her client computer C to use the application, and the ASP uses the application. It is outsourcing of information systems, in which fees are collected from users. Since the application is stored on the server A managed by the ASP, the user does not need to install the application or manage the server. it can.

[0008]

Because of these excellent points, the ASP business has many expectations,
Although the number of users who want to use the service is steadily increasing, the ASP, which is the business entity, has its main business of “server operation” and “proposal of the services to be provided”.
In addition, the company must perform complicated and incidental tasks such as "payment of license fees from ASPs to application software vendors" and "management of accounts receivable and billing for users". There was a problem that it was not possible to concentrate on the main business.

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention allows a third party to perform the complicated and incidental work of the ASP, thereby releasing the ASP from the work and allowing the human and financial resources of the ASP to be concentrated in its main business. It is an object to provide an ASP system that performs

[0010]

That is, an ASP system according to the present invention stores an application software, provides an ASP server for providing an ASP service to a user, and manages a usage fee of the application software. AS comprising a server
P system, wherein the management server stores a usage time of each application software for each ASP user, and a unit price storage unit storing a usage fee per unit time of each application software. Based on the information stored in the user information storage unit storing the name, address, etc. for each user, and the usage storage unit and the unit price storage unit, the usage fee of each user is calculated for each application, and the calculation result is calculated. A totalizing means for totalizing and totalizing the total, and a billing means for performing a billing process for each user based on the calculated and totalized usage fee and information stored in the user information storage unit. .

As described above, the management server managed by the third-party administrator performs complicated and incidental operations such as “payment of license fee from ASP to application software vendor” and “user receivable management and billing processing”. As a result, the ASP is freed from these tasks and concentrates its own human and financial resources on its main business of "server operation" and "proposal of the services to be provided". Can be further developed.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an ASP system 1 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system includes an ASP server A managed by an ASP, a management server K managed by an administrator, Client C used by user
And a lease server R managed by a leasing company, which are connected by the Internet I.

ASP server A is a word processor, spreadsheet,
An application such as scheduling software, an authentication unit for authenticating a user of the application by a user ID, and the like are provided.

The management server K includes, for each user of the ASP, a use storage unit for storing a use time of each application software, and a unit price storage unit for storing a use charge per unit time of each application software. Based on the user information storage unit that stores the name, address, etc. for each user, and the information stored in the usage storage unit and the unit price storage unit, the usage fee for each user is calculated for each application, and the calculation results are totaled. And a billing means for billing each user based on the calculated and compiled usage fee and the information stored in the user information storage unit. In addition, the administrator server K includes an administrator ID storage unit that stores an administrator ID. Here, the administrator ID includes application fee information and is paired with a specific user ID. When a user uses an application, both IDs are required.

The lease server R is provided with a credit information storage unit for storing a charge amount and a collection amount for each user, and a credit management unit for inputting and changing the charge amount and the collection amount in the bond information storage unit. ing.

Each of these servers is provided with ordinary servers such as a means for displaying data on a monitor, a means for connecting to the Internet, and a means for transmitting a web page, in addition to the above-mentioned information storage units and means. Various means.

The clients C _{1 to} C _n are personal computers having a WWW browsing function (browser). The clients C _{1 to} C _n use applications stored in the respective ASP servers A via the Internet, and data created using the applications. (Such as a spreadsheet).

Next, a procedure for providing an ASP service by the system 1 configured as described above will be described.
A description will be given based on FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ASP service is provided by (1) signing a license contract and installing an application on the ASP server A, (2) signing an ASP service introduction contract, and (3) leasing contract. (4) the conclusion of the management contract is not via a computer network,
This is done by so-called offline.

Next, (5) the administrator issues a user ID to the user, and (6) the management server K stores a pair of management IDs with the user ID.

When the user enters (7) the AS by the user ID
When the user accesses the P server A, (8) the management ID paired with the user ID is called from the management server and is authenticated together with the user ID.
The service can be provided, and the use start time is stored in the use storage unit of the management server K.

When the user finishes using the application,
(10) The end time is stored in the use storage unit,
Information on the usage fee is also entered in part of the management ID,
It is returned to the management server K.

As described above, when the user uses the ASP service, (11) the management server K issues a bill to the user at regular intervals, for example, every month, and (12) the administrator And sell the credit corresponding to the billed amount, and store the amount of the credit for each user in the lease server R.

In this way, when the user's usage fee is sold as a receivable to the leasing company, (13) the user pays the usage fee to the leasing company, and (14) the leasing company determines the amount of the paid amount. A part is paid as a fee to the administrator, and the use procedure is completed.

Here, if the user has performed an unfair act such as not paying the ASP service usage fee, the management ID forming a pair with the user ID of the user is changed or deleted from the management server K. By doing so, you can also prohibit the use of apps.

As described above, in the system 1, the administrator server K performs complicated and incidental tasks associated with the services provided by the ASPs, and the ASPs are released from these tasks. Concentrate financial resources on core business.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the ASP
Does not mention the payment of the license fee to the application vendor, but this may be managed by the administrator server K so that the license fee is paid to the vendor and the difference is paid to the ASP.

In the above embodiment, the ASP server A
Stored only one application, but may store a plurality of applications, and the administrator server K may manage a plurality of ASP servers A.

Further, in the above embodiment, the usage fee is charged based on the usage time of the application. However, the usage fee may be charged based on the number of accesses and the amount of data stored in the hard disk.

In addition, the administrator and the leasing company may be the same person, the administrator server K and the lease server R may be the same server, and the client C may be a dedicated terminal other than a personal computer or a game machine. Is also good.

[0032]

In the ASP system according to the present invention, the administrator who is a third party performs complicated and incidental tasks associated with the services provided by the ASP, and the ASP is released from these tasks. Our main business is "operating servers" and "providing services to be provided" for human and financial resources.
You can concentrate and develop your business more.

Further, the information necessary for using the application includes information on the ASP service usage fee, and the ID can be changed or deleted, so that the right to collect the usage fee is transferred to a third party. And the use of the ASP service can be restricted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an ASP system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of an ASP service using an ASP system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a conventional ASP service.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ASP system A ASP server K Administrator server C Client computer R Lease server

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ASP system comprising: an ASP server that stores application software and provides an ASP service to a user; and a management server that manages a usage fee of the application software. A server, for each user of the ASP, a usage storage unit for storing usage time of each application software, a unit price storage unit for storing usage fee per unit time of each application software, and a name for each user , A user information storage unit storing addresses and the like, and a usage fee of each user is calculated for each application based on information stored in the usage storage unit and the unit price storage unit,
A totalizing means for totalizing the calculation results and totaling the sum, and a billing means for performing a billing process for each user based on the calculated and totalized usage fee and the information stored in the user information storage unit. ASP system characterized. 2. When a user uses application software, a user I manages the user.
2. The ASP system according to claim 1, wherein the ASP system is paired with D and the user ID, and requires two IDs of an administrator ID managed by an administrator. 3. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manager ID includes information on a usage fee of a user who manages a user ID paired with the manager ID, or link information for accessing the information. The ASP according to claim 2,
system. 4. The system according to claim 2, wherein when the user does not pay the usage fee to the ASP, the administrator side ID is changed or deleted so that the user cannot use the application software. The ASP system according to any one of the above.