JP2003030119A - Server, system, and method for electronic file browsing, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily complete circulation after a member is made to smoothly browse a circulated file even when the member does not log in on his or her information terminal. SOLUTION: An electronic file circulation server when recognizing that one member does not log in on a fixed information terminal by a log-in state recognizing function sends electronic mail having position information on the electronic circulated file to the portable information terminal address of the member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic file circulation server, an electronic file circulation system, an electronic file circulation method, a program, and a recording medium for circulating an electronic file on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic circulation system on an information network such as the Internet has been conventionally used. In this system, a plurality of members sequentially browse circulation data such as approval documents on their own information terminals, enter comments in the circulation data, and approve the contents. Depending on the content of the approval document, there are many cases that require quick decision making.
It is important that the circulation file does not become stagnant and is quickly viewed by all members.

For example, in Japanese Patent No. 2621586, when a member does not log in to the information system and the circulation file becomes stagnant, the circulation file is transferred to a designated agent. , A notification transmission system capable of quickly ending the circulation is disclosed. However, in this conventional technique, even if an important member such as a top management is not logged in, the circulation file is transferred to the agent. In many cases, such as important approval documents, the member concerned must approve, but this conventional technology cannot meet such a need.

[0004]

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and even when a member is not logged in to his or her own information terminal, the circulation file can be stored without delay. (EN) An electronic file circulation server, an electronic file circulation system, an electronic file circulation method, a program, and a recording medium that allow the circulation to be quickly terminated after being browsed.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first invention of the present application is an electronic circulation file position information for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members. A memory function, a database function for storing the addresses of fixed information terminals and portable information terminals possessed by each of the plurality of members, and a login status recognition function for knowing whether or not each of the plurality of members is logged in to the fixed information terminal And a browsing information recognition function of acquiring information indicating that each of the plurality of members has browsed the electronic circulation file, and by the browsing information recognition function, recognizing that a member has browsed the electronic circulation file, Enter the location information of the electronic circulation file for the fixed information terminal address or mobile information terminal address of the next browsing member It was an electronic file circulation server having an electronic mail transmission function to send an e-mail,
When the member recognizes that the member has not logged in to the fixed information terminal by the login status recognition function, the electronic mail is sent to the member to the address of the portable information terminal. It is a file circulation server.

According to the first aspect of the invention, when a member is out and is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, a circulation notice is sent to the portable information terminal carried by the member. As a result, the circulation file of the urgent contents can be circulated quickly without delay.

A second invention according to the present application is, in the electronic file circulation server according to the first invention, having a browsing order receiving function for receiving the order of browsing the electronic circulation file from the fixed information terminal of the member, The electronic file circulation server is characterized in that the electronic mail is transmitted in the order of reception. According to the second invention, the member can freely specify the browsing order and can circulate the electronic files in the specified order.

A third invention according to the present application is the first or second invention.
The electronic file circulation server according to the invention described in claim 1, wherein the electronic circulation file is stored. According to such a third invention,
The confidentiality of electronic circulation files can be more easily guaranteed.

A fourth invention according to the present application is (11) an electronic circulation file position information storage function for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members, and a fixed function of each of the plurality of members. A database function for storing addresses of information terminals and mobile information terminals, a login status recognition function for knowing whether each of the plurality of members is logged in to the fixed information terminal, and each of the plurality of members for the electronic circulation file By the browsing information recognition function of acquiring information indicating that the user has browsed, and when the recognition that a member has browsed the electronic circulation file by the browsing information recognition function, the fixed information terminal address or mobile information of the next browsing member E-mail sending function that sends an e-mail containing the location information of the electronic circulation file to the terminal address When the member recognizes that the member has not logged in to the fixed information terminal by the login status recognition function, the electronic file circulation server having: An electronic file circulation server that transmits the electronic mail, (12) a fixed information terminal that can receive the electronic mail from the electronic file circulation server, and (13) a mobile phone that can receive the electronic mail from the electronic file circulation server An electronic file circulation system comprising an information terminal.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, when a member is out and is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, a circulation notice is sent to the portable information terminal carried by the member. As a result, the circulation file of the urgent contents can be circulated quickly without delay.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic file circulation system according to the fourth aspect, the electronic file circulation server receives the order of browsing the electronic circulation file from a member's fixed information terminal. An electronic file circulation system having an order receiving function and transmitting the electronic mails according to the order of reception. According to the fifth aspect, the member can freely specify the browsing order and can circulate the electronic files in the specified order.

A sixth invention according to the present application is the fourth or fifth invention.
In the electronic file circulation system according to the invention, the electronic file circulation server stores the electronic circulation file, which is an electronic file circulation system. According to the sixth aspect, the confidentiality of the electronic circulation file can be more easily guaranteed.

A seventh invention according to the present application is an electronic circulation file position information storage function for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members, a fixed information terminal possessed by each of the plurality of members, A database function for storing the address of the portable information terminal, a login status recognition function for knowing whether each of the plurality of members has logged in to the fixed information terminal, and each of the plurality of members browsed the electronic circulation file. By the browsing information recognition function for acquiring information indicating that, and by the browsing information recognition function, when recognizing that one member has browsed the electronic circulation file, the fixed information terminal address or mobile information terminal address of the next browsing member. On the other hand, an e-mail sending function for sending an e-mail describing the position information of the electronic circulation file. When the electronic file circulation server having the above-mentioned means recognizes by the login status recognition function that a member is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, the electronic file circulation server sends the electronic mail to the address of the portable information terminal to the member. It is an electronic file circulation method characterized by transmitting.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, when a member is out and is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, a circulation notice is sent to the portable information terminal carried by the member. As a result, the circulation file of the urgent contents can be circulated quickly without delay.

An eighth invention according to the present application is the electronic file circulation method according to the seventh invention, wherein the electronic file circulation server receives the order of browsing the electronic circulation file from a member's fixed information terminal. It is an electronic file circulating method characterized by having an order receiving function and transmitting the electronic mail in accordance with the order of reception.

According to the eighth aspect, the member can freely specify the browsing order and can circulate the electronic files in the specified order.

A ninth invention according to the present application is the seventh or eighth invention.
In the electronic file circulation method according to the invention, the electronic file circulation server stores the electronic circulation file, and the electronic file circulation method is characterized in that. According to the ninth aspect, the confidentiality of the electronic circulation file can be more easily guaranteed.

A tenth invention according to the present application is a program for causing a server to execute the electronic file circulating method according to any one of the seventh to ninth inventions.

An eleventh invention according to the present application is a server-readable recording medium in which the program of the tenth invention is recorded.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION == System Configuration == First, the configuration of a system using the electronic file circulation server of the present invention will be described. The content of the circulation will be a kind of approval document. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of such a system configuration.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic file circulation system according to the present embodiment includes a server 10 and a personal computer which is a fixed information terminal of each member connected to the server 10 through a communication line such as the Internet. It has 14a and 14b, portable information terminals 16a and 16b of each member connected to the server 10 via a communication line (wireless line), and a database 12 that can be referred to by the server 10.

The server 10 displays a Web page format electronic circulation file described in HTML or the like We.
It has a server function and a mail server function for managing the sending and receiving of electronic mail.

In the electronic circulation file, in addition to the approval content displayed in the form of text or image data, a browsing check box indicating that each member has browsed and a comment entry column in which each member writes a comment are provided. Has been. This electronic circulation file is a database 12
Alternatively, it is stored in the server 10.

In addition to the above-mentioned two functions, the server 10 has a login status recognition function for knowing whether each member is logged in to a fixed information terminal (personal computer etc.) owned by the member, and a circulation file for each member. It has a browsing information recognition function to know that the browsing check box has been checked.

In addition, it has a database management function for managing data exchange with the database 12 described later, a circulation process management function for managing the progress of the entire circulation process, and the like. An internal configuration image diagram of the circulation server including these functions is shown in FIG.

In the situation shown in FIG. 1, the member A is logged in to the personal computer 14a, and the member B is logged in to the personal computer 14b. Members C and D are out of the office and carry mobile information terminals 16a and 16b such as mobile phones and PDA terminals. Although not shown, the members A and B also have their own personal digital assistants, and carry these while they are out. Similarly, member C and member D each have a fixed information terminal such as a personal computer in their office.

In the database 12, the mail addresses of the fixed information terminals and the portable information terminals owned by the members A to D are recorded. When each member writes a comment in the circulation file, the comment data is recorded in the database 12. FIG. 4 shows an image diagram of a portion storing a mail address list in the database 12. Note that this email address list may be stored in the server 10.

== Processing Flow == Next, the processing flow of this embodiment will be described with reference to the server processing flow chart of FIG. In this embodiment, the member A is a circulation requester who creates a circulation file and makes a circulation request to the server. Circulation file is Member A
Is a Web page format file created in advance and is stored in advance at a predetermined position (URL) in the server 10 by the member A. If the circulation file is stored in the server 10 as described above, the circulation file can be easily protected from unauthorized access by a person other than the member by providing the server with an appropriate security function. However, as described above, the circulation file may be stored in the database 12. FIG. 5 shows an image diagram of the circulation file.

First, the member A who is the circulation requester registers the circulation request for the file on the circulation request Web screen stored in the server 10 using the Web browser of his / her personal computer 14a (S10). Alternatively, the circulation request may be made by sending an electronic mail to a predetermined address.

Next, the member A uses the same method.
The order of members who transmit the circulation file, that is, the browsing order data is registered in the server 10 (S12). In the present embodiment, the first browsing member is member B, the next browsing member is member C, and the final browsing member is member D.

Next, the server 10 confirms the login status of the member B who is the first viewer to the personal computer by the login status recognition function (S1).
4). In the present embodiment, since member B is logged in, the address of the personal computer which is the fixed information terminal is selected as the destination of the e-mail (S
16), send an e-mail to the address (S18). At this time, the address recording file of the database 12 is inquired. In this e-mail, the URL of the circulation file is described as a hyperlink, and Member B can browse the circulation file with a Web browser by clicking this.

Member B browses the contents of the circulation file and writes a comment in the comment entry field if necessary. Finally, check the browse check box to indicate that it has been browsed.

The server 10 first confirms whether or not the member B has browsed the circulation file by using the browsing information recognition function (S19). When it is confirmed that the member B has read the information, then it is confirmed whether or not there is a comment entered by the member B. If there is a comment, the comment is saved in a predetermined position in the database 12 (S
22).

When the storage of the comment is completed or there is no comment, it is confirmed whether the member B, who is a viewer who has just finished browsing, is the last viewer designated by the browsing order data. Yes (S24). Yes
In the case of, the electronic mail notifying the end of the circulation is transmitted to the member A who is the circulation requester (S28), and the circulation processing is terminated. In the present embodiment, since the last viewer is designated as member D, the process proceeds to the login status confirmation step (S26) of member C who is the next viewer. Then, the process returns to the notification destination selection step (S16), and steps up to step S24 are repeated for the browsing process by the member C.

Unlike the member B, the member C is in the process of carrying out the portable information terminal 16a and is in the process of going out. Therefore, the address of this portable information terminal is selected as the e-mail destination. Then, the electronic mail with the URL of the circulation file is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 16a. In the subsequent steps, the processing proceeds as in the case of the member B. Even when the member C is out, the member C immediately knows that there is a circulation addressed to himself and can read the circulation file on the liquid crystal display or the like of the portable information terminal 16a. And again, the server 10 determines in step s26.
At this time, the login status of member D is confirmed.

Since member D, like member C, has not logged in to the fixed information terminal, an electronic mail is sent to the portable information terminal 16b. Then, when the member D finishes browsing, it is confirmed in step S24 that this is the final browsing person. Finally, an e-mail is sent to the member A, who is the circulation requester, informing that all members have finished browsing (S28).

== Modifications == In the above embodiment, the server 10 and the database 12 have separate hardware configurations, but the server computer may simultaneously have a database function. Further, when the number of users of the system is large and a large amount of access occurs, a plurality of server computers may be provided and each server computer may have various server functions separately.

Although the circulation file is stored in the server 10 in the above embodiment, it may be stored in a computer other than the server 10. In that case, the server 10 does not necessarily have a Web server function, but has a function of storing the URL of the circulation Web file, creating an e-mail describing the URL, and transmitting the e-mail to each member. All you have to do is do it. The circulation file does not have to be a Web file written in HTML or the like, and may be a file created by word processor software that can be linked with a Web browser.

It is also possible to display the fixed terminal login status of each member in real time in the circulation file. In this case, instead of the server selecting each member's accessible information terminal and sending an e-mail to that address, each member sends an e-mail independently to the next browsing member. May be

A program for causing the server 10 to execute the electronic file circulation method described above can also be realized, and the server 10 may download the program via a communication line such as the Internet.

Further, a recording medium readable by the server 10 in which a program for causing the server 10 to execute the electronic file circulating method described above is recorded can be realized, and the program recorded in the recording medium can be stored in the server. 10 may be read.

[0042]

According to the electronic file circulation server of the present invention, even when a member is not logged in to his or her information terminal, the circulation file can be browsed by the member himself without delay, and the circulation can be speeded up. Can be ended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a system configuration using an electronic file circulation server of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the electronic file circulation server according to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an image diagram showing an internal configuration of a circulation server of the electronic file circulation server according to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a database 12 in the embodiment of FIG.
It is an image figure of the part which stored the mail address list.

5 is an image diagram of an electronic file circulation according to the embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 servers 12 Database 14a, 14b personal computer 16a, 16b portable information terminal

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An electronic circulation file position information storage function for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members, and addresses of fixed information terminals and mobile information terminals possessed by each of the plurality of members. Database function, login status recognition function for knowing whether each of the plurality of members has logged in to the fixed information terminal, and browsing for acquiring information indicating that each of the plurality of members has browsed the electronic circulation file When an information recognition function and the browsing information recognition function recognize that one member has browsed the electronic circulation file, the electronic circulation file of the next browsing member is assigned to the fixed information terminal address or the mobile information terminal address of the next browsing member. An electronic file that has an e-mail sending function for sending an e-mail containing location information When the server recognizes that the member is not logged in to the fixed information terminal by the login status recognition function, the electronic mail is sent to the member to the mobile information terminal address. An electronic file circulation server featuring. 2. The electronic file circulation server according to claim 1, further comprising a browsing order reception function of receiving the order of browsing the electronic circulation file from a member's fixed information terminal, and the electronic mail according to the received order. An electronic file circulation server characterized by transmitting a file. 3. The electronic file circulation server according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic file circulation server stores the electronic circulation file. 4. An electronic circulation file position information storage function for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members, and addresses of a fixed information terminal and a mobile information terminal possessed by each of the plurality of members. A database function for storing, a login status recognition function for knowing whether each of the plurality of members has logged in to the fixed information terminal, and information indicating that each of the plurality of members has browsed the electronic circulation file. When the browsing information recognition function to acquire and the browsing information recognition function recognize that a member has browsed the electronic circulation file, the electronic information is transferred to the fixed information terminal address or the mobile information terminal address of the next browsing member. An electronic file having an e-mail sending function for sending an e-mail containing the position information of the circulation file In the circulation server, when the login status recognition function recognizes that a member is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, the electronic mail is sent to the member to the mobile information terminal address. An electronic file circulation server; (12) a fixed information terminal capable of receiving the electronic mail from the electronic file circulation server; and (13) a portable information terminal capable of receiving the electronic mail from the electronic file circulation server. An electronic file circulation system characterized by that. 5. The electronic file circulation system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic file circulation server has a browsing order reception function for receiving the order of browsing the electronic circulation file from a member's fixed information terminal, An electronic file circulation system, wherein the electronic mail is transmitted in the order of the above. 6. The electronic file circulation system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the electronic file circulation server stores the electronic circulation file. 7. An electronic circulation file position information storage function for storing position information of an electronic circulation file for circulation to a plurality of members, and an address of a fixed information terminal and a mobile information terminal held by each of the plurality of members. Database function, login status recognition function for knowing whether each of the plurality of members has logged in to the fixed information terminal, and browsing for acquiring information indicating that each of the plurality of members has browsed the electronic circulation file When an information recognition function and the browsing information recognition function recognize that one member has browsed the electronic circulation file, the electronic circulation file of the next browsing member is assigned to the fixed information terminal address or the mobile information terminal address of the next browsing member. An electronic file that has an e-mail sending function for sending an e-mail containing location information When the server recognizes by the login status recognition function that a member is not logged in to the fixed information terminal, the server sends the e-mail to the mobile information terminal address of the member. How to circulate electronic files. 8. The electronic file circulation method according to claim 7, wherein the electronic file circulation server has a browsing order reception function of receiving the order in which the electronic circulation file is browsed from a member's fixed information terminal. An electronic file circulating method, characterized in that the electronic mail is transmitted in the order of the steps. 9. The electronic file circulating method according to claim 7, wherein the electronic file circulating server stores the electronic circulating file. 10. A program for causing a server to execute the electronic file circulating method according to any one of claims 7 to 9. 11. A server-readable recording medium in which the program according to claim 10 is recorded.