JP2003241971A - Information display system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information display system usable even during the download of a client program. <P>SOLUTION: In this information display system 40 comprising a client 60 and a server 50 for transmitting data to the client 60 according to a data transmission request, the server 50 stores the latest client program and the information related to the latest client program, and transmits them to the client 60 according to a request from the client 60. The client 60 downloads and temporarily stores the latest client program from the server 50 on the basis of the comparison result of the information related to the present client program with the information related to the latest client program downloaded from the server 50, and changes the present client program to the latest client program. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a server for requesting data for dealing business such as stock quotes, commodity quotes, bond quotes, and foreign exchange quotes received from the outside. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information display system for efficiently transmitting a version of a program used by a server and a client by transmitting the transmitted data and displaying the transmitted data by a client. 2. Description of the Related Art First, an information transmission system will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the information transmission system. As shown in FIG. 3, the information transmission system includes a computer center 1, a branching device 2, a communication line 3, and an information display system 4. Next, the operation of the conventional information transmission system will be described. The computer center 1 transmits to the branching device 2 data obtained by performing computer processing on information such as a stock price that changes every moment on stock exchanges nationwide and various news. The branching device 2 relays data, and branches and transmits the data to a plurality of communication lines 3. Each communication line 3 transmits data to each information display system 4. The information display system 4 installed in the vicinity of the user in each place displays data according to the request of the user. Next, the configuration of the information display system 4 will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional information display system. As shown in FIG. 4, the information display system includes a server 5 and a client 6, and the server 5 and the client 6 are connected via a LAN 7. The server 5 includes a communication line receiving unit 51
, A storage unit 52, a LAN transmission / reception unit 53, and a control unit 54. The client 6 includes a LAN transmitting / receiving unit 61
, An editing unit 62, a display unit 63, an operation unit 64, and a control unit 65. The control unit 54 of the server 5 operates according to the contents of the server program and controls each unit in the server 5. The control unit 65 of the client 6 operates according to the contents of the client program and controls each unit in the client 6. Next, the operation of the information display system 4 will be described. First, in the client 6, the user performs an operation such as code input using the operation unit 64. Operation unit 6
4 outputs an operation from the user to the control unit 65. The control unit 65 controls the LAN transmission / reception unit 6
1 is instructed to transmit a data transmission request. The LAN transmission / reception unit 61 transmits a data transmission request via the LAN 7. Next, in the server 5, the LAN transmission / reception unit 53 receives a data transmission request from the client 6 via the LAN 7, and outputs the data transmission request to the control unit 54. The communication line receiving unit 51 outputs the data received via the communication line 3 to the storage unit 52, and the storage unit 52 stores the data. The control unit 54
Accumulating unit 5 according to a data transmission request from client 6
2 and instructs the LAN transmission / reception unit 53 to transmit data, and the storage unit 52 outputs the stored data to the LAN transmission / reception unit 53. The LAN transmitting / receiving unit 53 transmits the data to the client 6
Via the LAN 7. Next, in the client 6, the LAN transmitting / receiving unit 61 outputs the data received via the LAN 7 to the editing unit 62. The editing unit 62 edits the data according to the instruction of the control unit 65, and outputs the result to the display unit 63. The display unit 63 displays the edited data. As described above, in the information display system 4, the data such as the stock price transmitted from the server 5 according to the operation of the operation unit 64 by the user is displayed on the display unit 63 in real time. In the information display system 4 described above, the programs of the server 5 and the client 6 are frequently upgraded due to the addition of service information and the addition of service functions. In order to cope with the frequently occurring version upgrade of the program, the conventional information display system 4 employs a method of automatically upgrading the client program when, for example, upgrading the server program. [0008] However, in the conventional information display system 4 as described above, when the version of the server program is upgraded, the client program is forcibly downloaded to the client 6. . Therefore, there is a problem that the user cannot use the information display system 4 while downloading the client program. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an information display system that can be used even while a client program is being downloaded. [0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method of transmitting a data transmission request, receiving the data, and displaying the data in accordance with a client program stored in advance. And a server that transmits the data to the client in response to the data transmission request. The server displays the latest client program, the version information of the latest client program, and the switching date and time. Storing information on at least the version information and the switching date and time in response to a request from the client to the client, wherein the client transmits at least the version information and the information on the switching date and time transmitted from the server. When temporarily stored In both cases, the latest client program has not been downloaded based on the version information and the switching date and time of the current client program, and the latest client program version information and the switching date and time information transmitted from the server. In the case, the latest client program is downloaded from the server and temporarily stored, and the stored latest client program is used in place of the current client program based on the information on the switching date and time. It is characterized by the following. According to such a configuration, even during downloading of the latest client program, the user can use the information display system because the current client program is running. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information display system of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the information display system 40 includes a server 50 and a client 60, and the server 50 and the client 60 are connected via the LAN 7. 1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 4 denote the same or corresponding components as those shown in FIG. 4, and a description thereof will be omitted. The server 50 is a conventional information display system 4
, The client program information storage unit 501 and the client program storage unit 5
02. Further, the server 50 includes a conventional control unit 54.
Is provided with a control unit 503 instead of. The control unit 503 of the server 50 operates according to the contents of the server program and controls each unit in the server 50. Here, the client program information is information relating to the client program, and includes a version and a switching date and time.
Hereinafter, for the sake of explanation, the client program currently operating on the client 60 is referred to as a current client program, and the latest client program to be upgraded from now on is referred to as a new client program. When upgrading the server program, the server 50 stores the new client program in the client program storage unit 502 and stores the client program information of the new client program in the client program information storage unit 501. The client 60 includes, in addition to the function of the client 6 in the conventional information display system 4, a receiving client program information storage unit 601, a stored client program information storage unit 602, a receiving client program storage unit 603, and a client program information comparison unit 604. Is provided. Further, the client 60 includes a control unit 605 instead of the conventional control unit 65. The control unit 605 of the client 60 operates according to the contents of the client program and controls each unit in the client 60. The stored client program information storage unit 602 stores client program information of the current client program downloaded in advance. Next, the operation of upgrading the version of the client program will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of activating a client program in the information display system of the present invention. First, in the client 60, the user performs an operation for starting the client program using the operation unit 64. The client 60 issues a client program start instruction (S1), and transmits a client program information transmission request to the server 50 (S1).
2) The client program information stored in the client program information storage unit 501 of the server 50 is downloaded and stored in the reception client program information storage unit 601 (S3). Here, the client program information comparing section 604 is provided with the receiving client program information storing section 6.
01 is compared with the version stored in the storage client program information storage unit 602, and it is determined whether they match (S4).
Here, the necessity of downloading the new client program is determined. If the versions match (S4,
Y), the control unit 605 determines that it is not necessary to download the new client program, starts the current client program (S11), and ends this flow. On the other hand, if the versions do not match (S4, N), the control unit 605 determines that a new client program needs to be downloaded, and the client 60 transmits a client program transmission request to the server 50. (S5). The client program information comparison unit 604 compares the machine date and time of the client 50 with the switching date and time stored in the receiving client program information storage unit 601 and determines whether the machine date and time has reached the switching date and time. Is determined (S6). If the machine date and time have not reached the switching date and time (S6, N), the control unit 605 activates the current client program (S21), and the client 60 is stored in the client program storage unit 502 of the server 50. The new client program is downloaded (S22), and the received client program information storage unit 6
01, the client program information stored in
The data is copied to the storage client program information storage unit 602 (S23), and the flow returns to the processing S6. On the other hand, if the machine date and time has reached the switching date and time (S6, Y), the client program information comparison unit 604 again checks the version stored in the reception client program information storage unit 601 and the stored client program information. The versions stored in the storage unit 602 are compared to determine whether they match (S7). Here, it is confirmed whether or not the new client program has been normally downloaded. If the versions of the client programs do not match (S7, N), the control unit 605 determines that the new client program has not been normally downloaded, and the client 60 stores the new client program in the client program information storage unit 502 of the server 50. The stored new client program is downloaded (S31), and the client program information stored in the receiving client program information storage unit 601 is copied to the stored client program information storage unit 602 (S32), and the process proceeds to S8. . On the other hand, if the versions of the client programs match (S7, Y), the control unit 605 determines that the new client program has been normally downloaded, and the control unit 605 determines the client program to be started by the current client program. A switching process for switching from the client program to the new client program is performed (S
8) Start the new client program (S
9), this flow ends. As described above, even during the download of the new client program, the user can use the information display system 40 because the current client program is running. As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Even while downloading the client program,
There is an effect that an information display system that can be used can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information display system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a start operation of a client program in the information display system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information transmission system. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a conventional information display system. [Description of Signs] 40 information display system, 50 server, 51 communication line receiving unit, 52 storage unit, 53 LAN transmitting / receiving unit, 50
1 client program information storage unit, 502 client program storage unit, 503 control unit, 60 clients, 61 LAN transmission / reception unit, 62 editing unit, 6
3 display unit, 64 operation unit, 601 reception client program information storage unit, 602 storage client program information storage unit, 603 reception client program storage unit, 604 client program information comparison unit, 605 control unit.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Shinji Saijo             3-14-20 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo Stock             Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. F term (reference) 5B076 AB10 AB17 AC05 BB06

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A client for transmitting a data transmission request, receiving the data, and displaying the data in accordance with a client program stored in advance, and the client in response to the data transmission request. In the information display system comprising a server that transmits the data to the server, the server stores the latest client program, version information of the latest client program, and information about the switching date and time, and responds to a request from the client. Transmitting at least the version information and the information on the switching date and time to the client, the client temporarily storing at least the information on the version information and the switching date and time transmitted from the server; If the latest client program is not downloaded based on the version information and the switching date and time, and the latest client program version information and switching date and time information transmitted from the server, The information characterized in that the latest client program is downloaded and temporarily stored, and the stored latest client program is used in place of the current client program based on information on the switching date and time. Display system.