JP2002074245A - System for utilizing electronic form - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic form utilizing system, by which an electronic document generated by a user is electronically presented via a network or the like. SOLUTION: The user of a client 2 obtains a required electronic form from a server system 10 via a network 1 and inputs required matters in it. In an electronic form system 3, characters inputted at each input blank are controlled and displayed in accordance with an attribute which is described by a form with a tag for controlling a character display form being set for field data of the received electronic form. When the user inputs data to an input item name, for example, the electronic form system 3 displays input data to an input item by a character display form such as a character font (MS Ming type), a character size and an aligning way (left alignment) in accordance with an attribute which is described by a form with a tag for controlling the character display form embedded in field data of the received electronic form.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for utilizing an electronic form via a network, and more particularly to an electronic document creation process in a terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many documents have been managed and used as electronic data. Documents containing prescribed forms and descriptions, such as applications submitted to ministries and financial institutions, are stored as electronic data, and required items are entered and printed when necessary, and applications are submitted and reported. You can create a book.

[0003]

However, at present, such documents are still submitted by submitting paper documents. With the development of networks such as the Internet, it is desirable that such documents can be submitted to government agencies as financial documents in the form of electronic data to financial institutions.

[0004] In addition, applications and reports to be submitted to ministries and financial institutions tend to be difficult for those who are unfamiliar with the items and methods of entry, and problems such as omissions and errors in the items are liable to occur. Therefore, in order to allow users to easily and accurately enter necessary items to create electronic documents, they must set appropriate formats that conform to the data structure, format them, and make it easy to read and enter efficiently. Is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an electronic form using system in which a user can easily create an electronic document and submit it electronically via a network or the like. The purpose is to:

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic form utilizing system comprising a server and a terminal device connected via a network, wherein the server comprises a plurality of types of servers. A database that stores an electronic form corresponding to a document, and a transmitting unit that acquires an electronic form specified by a user from the database in response to a user request, and transmits the electronic form to a terminal device via a network, The apparatus includes: a transmission unit that transmits a transmission request of an electronic form specified by a user to the server; a display unit that displays data of the electronic form received from the server on a display device; Character display control means for receiving character input data and controlling character display of the input data; By combining with the electronic form and over data, a synthesizing means for displaying on said display device is an electronic form using system, characterized in that it comprises a.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic form using system including a server connected via a network, a first terminal device, and a second terminal device.
The server, a database that stores electronic forms corresponding to a plurality of types of documents, a transmission unit that acquires an electronic form specified by a user in response to a user request from the database, and transmits the electronic form to a terminal device via a network. Wherein the first terminal device includes: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a transmission request of an electronic form specified by a user to the server; a display unit configured to display an electronic form received from the server on a display device; Character display control means for receiving input data of necessary items by the user with respect to the electronic form, controlling character display of the input data, synthesizing the input means and the electronic form, and synthesizing means for displaying on the display device Transmitting the input data to the second terminal device determined by the type of the document corresponding to the input data. An electronic form using system, characterized in that a transmission unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a server of an electronic form utilizing system connected to a terminal device via a network, a database storing electronic forms corresponding to a plurality of types of documents, and A server comprising: a transmission unit that acquires an electronic form specified by a user and a character display control program of input data of the user from the database, and transmits the electronic form to a terminal device via a network.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a terminal device of an electronic form utilizing system connected to a server via a network, transmitting means for transmitting a transmission request of an electronic form designated by a user to the server, Receiving means for receiving an electronic form and a character display control program sent from a display means for displaying the received electronic form on a display device; receiving input data of necessary items by the user for the electronic form; A character display control means for controlling character display.

[0010]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an electronic form utilizing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This electronic form using system is used when a user who makes a predetermined application or the like obtains an electronic form of the application, creates an electronic application document, and submits it to a government office or the like. In the present specification, the “electronic form” refers to data corresponding to a portion such as a frame of a normal document (a blank document) (also referred to as “design data” as described later). Data such as necessary items input by the user is referred to as “input data”. Data obtained by combining an electronic form and input data is called an “electronic document”.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this system, a server system 10 is connected to a plurality of clients 2 and 5 (only two are shown in FIG. 1 for convenience of explanation) via a network 1 such as the Internet. Be composed. The server system 10 is a server operated by a company that provides a service of providing electronic form data for a fee or free of charge according to a user's request.
And an electronic form library 13. The electronic form library 13 stores electronic forms such as various application forms and notification forms. The navigation system 12 receives the request from the user, accesses the electronic form library 13, reads out the electronic form specified by the user, and transmits the electronic form to the user's client 2. Also, at this time, processing of the funds is performed as needed.

In this example, the client 2 is a terminal of a general end user, and has an electronic form system 3.
The electronic form system 3 allows the user to use the server system 1
0 is used to obtain a predetermined electronic form, fill in necessary items to create an electronic document, and transmit it to a predetermined destination. Client 2
Has a database 4 for storing input data created by the user. Note that the client 2 is usually a personal computer or the like installed at the home or office of the user, and functions as the electronic form system 3 by executing a predetermined program. In that case, the database 4 can be a predetermined holder created on the hard disk of the personal computer.

In this example, the client 5 is a terminal to which an electronic document created by the user is submitted, and may be, for example, a terminal of a ministry or a financial institution. The client 5 also has an electronic form system 6 and a database 7. The database 7 stores electronic form data unique to ministries and financial institutions. That is, an electronic form in a format different from the electronic form in the electronic form library 13 of the server system 10 is stored. This will be further described later. The electronic form system 6 receives input data of a predetermined application transmitted by the user of the client 2, reads out an electronic form corresponding to the input data from the database 7, and synthesizes the read out electronic form.
Create electronic documents.

Next, the data structure of the electronic form according to the present invention will be described. In the following example, it is assumed that the user who uses the client 2 makes an application for using the bicycle parking lot to the ward office in the place of residence.

According to the present invention, the electronic document is composed of an electronic form (design data) including a frame, necessary characters and decorations, and input fields for necessary items, and input data indicating items input by the user. Be composed. The design data corresponds to an unfilled document in an ordinary paper application form, and the input data corresponds to a handwritten entry by the user. Then, the electronic document obtained by synthesizing the design data and the input data corresponds to the application document after the user has filled in the necessary items.

FIG. 2A conceptually shows the data structure of the design data. The design data 14 is described in a markup language with a tag, and includes frame data 16 including decorations such as ruled lines, characters, and shaded images of the document;
Field data 17 indicating an attribute described in a tagged format for controlling an input position (input field) and character display of an item to be input by the user, and invisible field data 18 including management information of the electronic form are included. Including. Both the frame data 16 and the field data are visible data (data that can be viewed by a user in use).
By combining the two, data in the form of a document is created and displayed to the user.

FIG. 2B conceptually shows an example of field data. The field data 17 is configured by associating the tag 30 with the input field 19 for each input item in the electronic form. That is, a tag is prepared for each necessary input item such as a name tag ({name}) and an address tag ({address}).

The invisible field data 18 includes management information of the electronic form, for example, a version number of the electronic form, a creation date, and a form I for specifying the form.
D, attribute information, transmission destination information, and the like. The transmission destination information refers to a submission destination of a document corresponding to the electronic form.
In this example, the ward office to which the application for use of the bicycle parking lot is submitted corresponds. When the destination information is included in the invisible field data 18, the system is configured to automatically transmit the input data of the created electronic document to the destination without the user having to specify the destination. Can be. On the other hand, the transmission destination information can be included in the field data 17 as visible data (see FIG. 2, parentheses in the field data). In this case, the user can confirm the transmission destination information. When there are a plurality of submission destinations of the document, the user can select a desired submission destination and transmit the input data of the electronic document.

FIG. 3A conceptually shows the data structure of input data. The input data 26 is data corresponding to an input item input by the user while viewing the design data, and includes character data 27 and attribute data 28. Character data 2
7 is also described in the markup language added in the evening. An example of the character data 27 is conceptually shown in FIG. The character data 27 includes an evening 30 corresponding to each input item.
And input character data 32. The items entered by the user are the corresponding tags 30
Is managed as the character data 27 in a state where the character data 27 is associated. The attribute data 28 includes management information of the input data 26 and the like, and includes, for example, an electronic form ID corresponding to the input data 26 and a position (for example, a folder name or the like) in the terminal device or database where the input data is stored. .

Next, the synthesis of the design data and the character data will be described. When the user acquires an electronic form (design data) specified from the electronic form library 13 of the server system 10, the electronic form system 3 of the client 2 transmits the frame data 1 in the design data 14.
6 and the field data 17 are combined to display an image as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, a field indicating a required item input field is inserted and displayed in the frame data of the electronic form. Although tags are shown in parentheses in the figure, the tags corresponding to the fields are shown for convenience of explanation, and are not displayed on the display screen of the client 2.

FIG. 5A shows an example of a display screen when the user inputs necessary items on the display screen. When the user clicks the save button in this state, only the input items are stored as input data 26 in the folder designated by the user in the client 2. Then, when the user clicks the application button, the input data 26 is transmitted to the client 5 via the network 1 and the server system 10.

Next, an electronic form utilizing process according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following example, it is assumed that the user obtains an electronic form of a use application form of a bicycle parking lot in front of the station and makes a use application to the ward office. First, the user of the client 2 activates the electronic form system 3, connects to the server system 10 via the network 1, and requests an electronic form of a bicycle parking lot use application (step S2). This can be performed by connecting to the server system 10 and specifying or selecting the electronic form of the application form from a displayed menu screen or the like.

The navigation system 12 of the server system 10 receives this request, acquires a corresponding electronic form (design data) from the electronic form library 13 (step S4), and transmits it to the requesting client 2 (step S6). Electronic form library 13
Various electronic forms are stored in association with the form ID, and the navigation system 12 acquires the corresponding electronic form from the electronic form library 13 using the form ID of the electronic form specified by the user. When transmitting the electronic form to the client 2, the navigation system 12 can also conspire for the electronic form providing service.

Electronic form system 3 of client 2
Combines the field data 17 with the frame data 16 of the received electronic form (design data) and displays it on the display screen. This display example is shown in FIG. The user inputs necessary items according to the display screen and creates an electronic application form (step S8). When the input is completed, the display screen becomes as shown in FIG. Here, the user clicks the save button and instructs to save (step S1).
0). By this processing, the items input by the user are displayed in FIG.
The data is stored in a predetermined folder of the client 2 as input data 26 in the form shown in FIG. At this time, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, each item to be input by the user is associated with a tag, and the items input by the user are shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), it is stored as input data 26 in association with each evening. Note that items input by selecting an option on the electronic form, such as input item 5 (sex) and input item 6 (use period) in FIG. 5A, are automatically handled on the electronic form system 3 side. The data is converted into a character string and used as character data 27 (see FIG. 3B). Such processing facilitates user selection and reduces input errors. For example, when there are only three types of usage contracts of three months, six months, and one year, it is possible to prevent the user from specifying other periods (for example, four months).

When the user clicks the save button, only the input data entered by the user is saved, and the electronic form data (design data) received from the server system 10 is not saved in the client 2 itself.

Next, when the user clicks the application button, the electronic form system 3 of the client 2 refers to the destination information in the invisible field data 18 of the design data received from the server system 10 and converts the input data 26 into the network 1. (Step S12). As described with reference to FIG. 2, when the transmission destination information is included in the visible field data 17,
The transmission destination is shown on the display screen of (A). Further, when the user can select one of the plurality of transmission destinations, FIG.
A plurality of destination options are displayed on the display screen of (A), and the input data is transmitted to one destination selected by the user.

When the transmission of the input data is completed in response to the click of the application button, the electronic form system 3 deletes the electronic form data received from the server system 10 from the work memory of the client 2 or the like. Therefore,
The user can save the input data 26 input by himself, but cannot save the electronic form data itself obtained from the server system 10. Thereby, when the server system 10 provides the electronic form data for a fee, it is possible to prevent the user from being repeatedly used illegally.

In the client 5, the electronic form system 6 receives the input data transmitted from the client 2 (Step S14). Then, as shown in FIG. 3A, reference is made to the corresponding form ID of the attribute data 28 in the input data 26, the design data corresponding to the ID is read from the database 7, and displayed on the display device ( Step S16). FIG. 4 shows an example of the display screen at this time.
It is shown in (B). FIG. 4B also shows the tag data in parentheses for convenience of explanation, and is not actually displayed.

Next, the electronic form system 6 combines the received input data 26 with the design data and displays it (step S18). As shown in FIG. 4B, a tag is associated with this design data for each input field. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the input data 26 transmitted from the client 2, a tag is associated with each input item. Therefore, the electronic form system 6 uses each tag to associate an input item in the input data with a field in the design data, and inserts each input item into a corresponding location. FIG. 5B shows a display example of the electronic document thus synthesized. Looking at this screen, the person in charge of the ward office examines the adequacy of the application contents and performs an application receiving process (step S20).

As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 4A and 4B, the electronic form 45 prepared in the electronic form library 13 of the server system 10 and the database 7 of the client 5 (ward office) are prepared. Although the electronic form 46 is an electronic form of a use application form of the same bicycle parking lot, the contents thereof are different.
Since the electronic form in the server system 10 is used by the user who is the applicant at the time of creating the application form, the explanation of the input items is added or the options are provided, so that the user can easily omit the electronic form. It is designed so that necessary items can be entered without error. On the other hand, the electronic form provided by the ward office is used by the ward office staff to determine the suitability of the application, so if it is clear that the necessary items have been correctly entered good. Therefore, there is no need to explain the input method or the like, and it is sufficient that necessary items are simply displayed. In this way, the applicant can input easily, and the person in charge of the ward office can quickly perform the reception processing and the like. However, as a matter of course, the input items included in both are common. In this way, by preparing a plurality of electronic forms for the same document with common input items for each purpose, the electronic form can be used in an optimal state according to a person who uses the electronic document and a purpose of use. Will be able to

In the above example, the destination information of the input data created by the user is included in the electronic form data (design data). Instead, if the electronic form system used by the user has a table indicating the correspondence between each electronic form and its destination in advance, the electronic form system refers to the table and refers to the corresponding destination. Can automatically send input data to In this case, the destination information may not be included in the design data.

In the above example, the electronic form system 6 of the client 5 (ward office) reads out the design data from the database 7 in the client 5.
Without providing the database 7 in the client 5, the electronic form system 6 may be configured to acquire design data from the electronic form library 13 in the server system 10 via the network 1.

Next, a detailed description will be given of the character display function in the process of inputting necessary items according to the display screen and creating an electronic application form, which is the process of step S8 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
When the user creates an electronic application form according to the display screen, the input character string is displayed in various character display formats. First,
The server system 10 stores an electronic form including data corresponding to a document and an attribute described in a tagged format for controlling a character display format in an electronic form library 13 which is a database. The user of the client 2 sends an electronic form necessary for a prescribed application or notification to the network 1
Through the server system 10, and input necessary items into the information. The electronic form system 3 controls and displays characters input for each input field in accordance with an attribute described in a tagged format that controls a character display format set in the field data 17 of the received electronic form.

The character display format includes setting of display format such as character font, size, modification, alignment, multiple lines, character type, and the like. When the character type is a numeric item, whether three-digit commas are edited, decimal point position, , Display of currency symbol, presence or absence of minus sign, etc. are set.

Character fonts are MS Mincho, MS
P Mincho, MS Gothic, etc. As the character size, the font size (5, 6, 7,...) Of the character is set and displayed. There are settings such as bold, italic, and underline for character modification. Characters are displayed in bold and italic, and character strings are displayed with an underline. The alignment method sets the arrangement of character strings on the input field, and includes left alignment, center alignment, right alignment, and the like. In the case of a plurality of lines, the input field is set to a plurality of lines, and a setting for permitting a line feed during data input is performed. The character type includes a character item and a numerical value item. For example, in the case of a numerical value item, it is necessary to enter only a numeral.

For example, in the field data 17 of the electronic form, the character display format 47-1 of the input item 1 (name) in FIG. An attribute described in a tag-attached format for controlling the display format such as left-justified) is set. When data is input in the input item 1 (name), the electronic form system 3 receives the field data 17 of the received electronic form.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the input item 1 includes a character font (MS Mincho) and a character size according to the attribute described in a tagged format that controls the character display format 47-1 embedded in (9) The input data (Taro Yamada) of the alignment (left alignment) is displayed.

Similarly, the character display format 47-2 of the input item 4 (age) includes a character font (MS Mincho),
Character size (7), alignment (center alignment), character type (numerical item), etc. are set. In accordance with the attribute described in a tagged format that controls the character display format 47-2, the input field of the input item 4 is set to contain only numbers, and the character font (MS Mincho), character size (7), The input data (35) of the alignment method (center alignment) is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the user acquires and inputs an electronic form 55 such as an estimate, the character type (numerical item), currency symbol, Display, edit three-digit commas, set alignment (right alignment), etc. In accordance with the attributes described in a tagged format that controls the character display format 57, input data ($ 104,000) is displayed right-aligned in the input field (total) so that only numbers are entered.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the attribute described in the tagged format for controlling the character display format is embedded in the field data 17 of the electronic form stored in the electronic form library 13, The user obtains an electronic form required for a predetermined application or notification via the network 1 and inputs necessary items into the electronic form. The electronic form system 3 controls and displays characters input for each input field in accordance with an attribute described in a tagged format that controls a character display format set in the field data 17 of the received electronic form. Thus, the format of the electronic document is adjusted, and the user can easily and accurately input necessary items to create the electronic document.

[0042]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic form using system in which a user can easily create an electronic document and electronically submit the electronic document via a network or the like. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic form using system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the contents of design data constituting an electronic document.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the contents of input data constituting an electronic document.

FIG. 4 shows a display example of an electronic form.

FIG. 5 shows a display example of an electronic form in a state where a user has input necessary items.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an electronic form use process.

FIG. 7 shows a display example of an electronic form in a state where a user has input necessary items.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Network 2, 5 ... Client 3, 6 ... Electronic form system 4, 7 ... Database 10 ... Server system 12 ... Navigation system 13 ... Electronic form library 14 ... Design data 26 ... Input data

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An electronic form utilizing system comprising a server and a terminal device connected via a network, wherein the server comprises: a database for storing electronic forms corresponding to a plurality of types of documents; Transmitting means for acquiring an electronic form specified by a user from the database and transmitting the electronic form to a terminal device via a network, wherein the terminal device transmits a transmission request for the electronic form specified by the user to the server. Transmission means, display means for displaying data of the electronic form received from the server on a display device, and character display control means for receiving input data of necessary items by the user for the electronic form and controlling character display of the input data And synthesizing the input data and the electronic form, and displaying on the display device Electronic forms utilization system, characterized by comprising, a synthesizing unit that presents. 2. A character display control program embedded in the electronic form is sent from the server to the terminal device together with the electronic form, and the character display control means inputs the character form according to the attribute described in the character display control program. 2. The electronic form utilizing system according to claim 1, wherein character display of data is controlled. 3. An electronic form utilizing system comprising a server connected via a network, a first terminal device, and a second terminal device, wherein the server comprises: an electronic form corresponding to a plurality of types of documents; And a transmission means for acquiring an electronic form specified by the user in response to a request from the user from the database and transmitting the electronic form to a terminal device via a network, wherein the first terminal device comprises a user Transmitting means for transmitting a transmission request of the specified electronic form to the server, display means for displaying the electronic form received from the server on a display device, receiving input data of necessary items by the user for the electronic form, Character display control means for controlling the character display of input data; and synthesizing the input means and the electronic form Combining means for displaying on the display device, and transmitting means for transmitting the input data to a second terminal device determined by a type of a document corresponding to the input data. Electronic form utilization system. 4. A character display control program embedded in the electronic form is sent from the server to the terminal device together with the electronic form, and the character display control means performs character display of input data by the character display control program. The electronic form using system according to claim 3, wherein the electronic form is controlled. 5. A server of an electronic form utilizing system connected to a terminal device via a network, wherein a database storing electronic forms corresponding to a plurality of types of documents, an electronic form designated by a user in response to a user request And a transmission unit for acquiring a character display control program of user input data from the database and transmitting the acquired program to a terminal device via a network. 6. The character display control program includes a display format such as character font, character size, character modification, alignment method, multi-line editing, character type, three-digit comma editing, decimal point position, currency symbol display, and minus sign display. The server according to claim 5, wherein the server is controlled. 7. The server according to claim 6, wherein the character modification is bold, italic, underline, or the like. 8. The server according to claim 6, wherein the alignment is left alignment, center alignment, right alignment, or the like. 9. The server according to claim 6, wherein the character type is a character item, a numerical item, or the like. 10. A recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to function as the server according to claim 5 is recorded. 11. A terminal device of an electronic form utilizing system connected to a server via a network, wherein: a transmitting means for transmitting a transmission request of an electronic form designated by a user to the server; and an electronic form transmitted from the server. Receiving means for receiving a character display control program; display means for displaying the received electronic form on a display device; characters for receiving input data of required items by the user with respect to the electronic form and controlling character display of the input data A terminal device, comprising: display control means. 12. A recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to function as the terminal device according to claim 11 is recorded.