JP2003140903A - Setting up method of software based on bar code - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically access to a server for supplying a program from a personal computer and to automatically set up the program to the personal computer. SOLUTION: A setting up method comprises a step of reading a bar code, a step of accessing to the predetermined server based on the read data, a step of obtaining information required for downloading software, a step of accessing to the predetermined server based on the obtained information and downloading the software, and a step of setting up the software.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for automatically setting up software on a personal computer by reading a bar code printed on a manual included in a software package.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many computer softwares are on the market. Conventionally, the package has contained a medium such as a CD-ROM in which software is recorded. Insert this into the CD drive of the personal computer, read the contents,
Install the software on your computer.

[0003]

In the past, when the software was upgraded, it was necessary to collect the old version of the software or to provide a free version upgrade option to the new version.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for enabling efficient software sales.

[0005]

The method according to the present invention comprises:
A first step of reading a bar code, a second step of accessing a predetermined server based on the read data of the bar code, and a third step of acquiring information necessary for downloading software from the server. It comprises a fourth step of accessing a predetermined server based on the acquired information and downloading software, and a fifth step of setting up the software.

Preferably, the second step includes a step of receiving the read data, a step of composing the data with a predetermined URL to create a URL conversion request, and a step of sending the URL conversion request. And the third step includes the step of receiving the converted URL.

The method according to the present invention comprises a step of reading a bar code with a bar code reader and a U prepared in advance.
Obtaining the RL, sending the URL and the barcode number included in the barcode to the personal computer, accessing the URL conversion server based on the URL, and sending the barcode number to the URL conversion server. Requesting that it be converted into a URL, converting the barcode number into a corresponding URL, searching for information for downloading software based on the barcode number, the URL And sending the information to the personal computer, accessing the software download server based on the URL,
The method comprises the steps of authenticating a user, setting software setup parameters, sending the software together with the setup parameters to a personal computer, and setting up the software in the personal computer.

Preferably, there is a step of sending at least one of information of OS type, CPU type, speed, memory capacity, hard disk capacity and communication speed of the personal computer to the software download server, and the setup parameter is , Generated based on the information.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1 of the Invention Embodiment 1 of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic procedure of a method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This method is to automatically access a server providing a program from a personal computer and automatically set up the program in the personal computer.

S1: Connect the bar code reader to the personal computer. S2: Scan the barcode included in the software package with a barcode reader. When you purchase the software, you will find a bar code reader (shown in Figure 4) on the package and a bar code printed sheet or an instruction manual to access the server where the software is prepared. It is included. Conventionally, a package contains a medium such as a CD-ROM in which software is recorded. In the embodiment of the present invention, such a medium is unnecessary. Instead, it accesses a given server and downloads the software. That is, the bar code reader is connected to a personal computer and the bar code included in the bar code reader is read. The barcode includes information necessary for setup, for example, an identification code indicating that the customer is a legitimate purchaser, server information for downloading software, and the like. Hereinafter, the data included in the barcode will be referred to as a barcode number.

S3: Access the server based on the bar code number. S4: Acquire information necessary for downloading the software. A predetermined server for converting the bar code into a URL is accessed, and the bar code number is acquired as the URL of the predetermined server. The server is accessed based on the acquired URL to download the software. By preparing the conversion server, it is possible to guide the user's request to the optimum server and to distribute the load. The detailed procedure will be described later.

S5: Based on the obtained information, a predetermined server is accessed to download the software. At this time, various parameters of the personal computer are sent to the server, optimal software is selected, and parameters required for setup are obtained. Based on the software and setup parameters, the PC automatically sets up the software.

This method has the following advantages. (1) By keeping the server software up to date, users can always set up the latest software. In the past, when the software was upgraded, the old version of the software had to be collected, or the option of free upgrade to the new version had to be added. This is not necessary according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is possible to improve the efficiency of software sales.

(2) The information necessary for downloading the software is acquired, the appropriate software is downloaded based on the information, and the setup is automatically performed. Therefore, the user can set various parameters by himself. Setup is done automatically without any settings. For example, conventionally, so-called PC / AT personal computers and Macintosh (trademark) personal computers differ in the software to be installed. Also, the OS type of the personal computer, C
Although it was necessary to select parameters at the time of setup depending on the performance of the PU type, speed, memory capacity, hard disk capacity, communication speed, etc., such an operation becomes unnecessary.

(3) It is possible to prompt the user to register when accessing the server, and the software provider can easily obtain the user information.

FIG. 2 shows the whole system in which the bar code reader 1 of FIG. 4 is used. A personal computer 2 to which a barcode reader 1 is connected, a barcode-URL conversion server 3
, And the S / W download server 4 are connected to the Internet 7, and these can perform data communication with each other.

The conversion server 3 includes a bar code-URL conversion table 3a and a S / W download information table 3b. The table 3a stores in advance the relationship between the bar code number and the corresponding URL. Table 3
In b, information of software to be downloaded (server to be accessed) corresponding to information of the purchaser is stored in advance. For example, if the purchased software is the Japanese version, Japanese option information (for example, the URL of the Japanese site) is provided, and if it is the English version, English option information is provided. For example, if the purchased software is a complete version, information for full installation (for example, the URL of a server with high processing capacity) is provided, and if it is a limited version, information for partial installation is provided. For example, when there are a plurality of S / W download servers, the URL of the specific server assigned according to the load status of the servers is provided.

The S / W download server 4 includes a S / W storage unit 4a and a S / W setup information table 4b. The S / W storage unit 4a stores software in advance.
Even if it is the same software, prepare multiple types of software depending on the type of PC (full version, limited version, etc.). The S / W setup information table 4b stores information for optimal setup according to the personal computer environment of the user. For example, information for selecting software according to the CPU type, speed, memory capacity, hard disk capacity, communication speed, and setup parameters thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a specific processing procedure in the system of FIG. S101: The barcode is read by the barcode reader 1. S102: UR for accessing the URL conversion server
Get L. S103: Send the URL and the barcode number to the personal computer. S104: Access the URL conversion server based on the URL, and send the barcode number to request conversion to the corresponding URL. S105: Convert the barcode number into the corresponding URL. S106: The S / W download information is searched based on the barcode number. S107: Send the URL and S / W download information to the personal computer. S108: Access the S / W download server. S109: Authenticate the user. S110: Set up software setup parameters based on the authentication result. S111: Send the software together with the setup parameters to the personal computer. S112: Set up software.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the bar code reader according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The barcode reading unit 11 reads the software barcode printed on the surface of the software package, the instruction manual included in the package, or the user registration card. The analysis unit 12 analyzes the read barcode. In particular,
While extracting the barcode number that indicates the software to be set up and its conditions from the barcode,
Referring to the URL table stored in the storage unit 13, U
Obtain the URL of the RL conversion server. The communication unit 14 receives the URL of the conversion server and the barcode number from the analysis unit 12, and transmits them to the client personal computer. When this bar code reader is used for other purposes, the URL conversion server is not used, so the information to that effect is output. The storage unit 13 includes an E2PROM,
It is electrically rewritable. The communication unit 14 receives the updated table information from the information server (not shown) and stores it in the storage unit 13.

FIG. 5 shows a processing flowchart of the barcode 1. S11: Read the barcode. S13: Determine whether to use the URL conversion server. If the above identifier exists, the conversion server is used. The identifier does not exist, or a special identifier (for example, "4
0 ") is present, the conversion server is not used. Or do not use (or use) the conversion server when reading a specific type of barcode. For example, the case where the bar code is simply used as the data reading means corresponds to the case where the conversion server is not used.

S14: When the conversion server is used, the table of the storage unit 13 is searched, and the URL of the URL conversion server is searched.
To get. For example, convert as follows. S15: The URL of the conversion server and the barcode number (the above-mentioned xxxxxxxxxxxx portion) are transmitted. S16: When the conversion server is not used, the server non-use code and the bar code number are transmitted. Alternatively, only the barcode number may be transmitted.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart in the personal computer. S20: Receive data from the barcode reader. S21: Analyze the received data and determine whether to use the URL conversion server. S22: When the conversion server is used, the received conversion server URL and barcode number are combined to create a conversion request to the conversion server. For example: http://www.mediapj.com/bar.php?kind=01&sno=xxx&bno
= yyyyy In addition, yyyy is a code corresponding to the barcode number.

S23: Access the conversion server and request to convert the barcode number into a URL. S24: Receive the converted URL. S25: Access the software download server based on the received URL. S26: When the conversion server is not used, the received barcode number is used in another application.
For example, this is the case of inputting a membership number, a password and the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that this is what is done.

Further, in this specification, the means does not necessarily mean a physical means, but also includes the case where the function of each means is realized by software.
Further, the function of one means may be realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or more means may be realized by one physical means.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a specific processing procedure of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a barcode reader according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of a barcode according to the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a processing procedure in a personal computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Bar code reader 2 PC 3 Barcode-URL conversion server 3a Bar code-URL conversion table 3b Software download information table 4 Software download server 4a Software storage unit 4b Software setup information table 7 Internet

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06F 9/06 610L

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first step of reading a bar code, a second step of accessing a predetermined server based on the read data of the bar code, and acquisition of information necessary for downloading software from the server. A method of setting up software based on a bar code including a third step, a fourth step of accessing a predetermined server based on the acquired information to download the software, and a fifth step of setting up the software . 2. The second step includes a step of receiving the read data, and a UR having a predetermined value.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a step of combining with L to create a URL conversion request; and a step of sending the URL conversion request, and the third step includes a step of receiving the converted URL. How to set up software based on barcode. 3. A bar code reader for reading a bar code, a step of acquiring a URL prepared in advance, a step of sending the URL and a bar code number included in the bar code to a personal computer, and based on the URL. Accessing a URL conversion server; sending the barcode number to the URL conversion server and requesting to convert the barcode number into a URL; converting the barcode number into a corresponding URL; Retrieving information for downloading software based on the code number, sending the URL and the information to the personal computer, accessing a software download server based on the URL, and authenticating the user. The steps to take, Step a, sending a software together with the set-up parameters to the computer, how to set up the software on the basis of the bar code and a step of setting up the software in the computer to set up parameters of Futouea. 4. The OS type, CPU type, speed of the personal computer is stored in the software download server.
The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of transmitting at least one of information on a memory capacity, a hard disk capacity, and a communication speed, wherein the setup parameter is generated based on the information. How to set up.