JP2003256213A - Application starting method and system, application starting program, and storage medium stored with application starting program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to start an application on a client computer without considering whether the application is configured to be started after being installed in a client or the application is configured to be started after being downloaded from a server computer through a network. <P>SOLUTION: The start information of an application to be operated on a client computer is managed on a server computer, and the start information is downloaded to the client computer so that the application can be started by the client computer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an application starting method and system, an application starting program, and a storage medium storing the application starting program, and more particularly, to an application starting method for starting an application operated on a client computer. The present invention relates to a system and an application starting program, and a storage medium storing the application starting program.

[0002] More specifically, in an application running on a client computer, the user is not aware of the form and characteristics of the application, such as the application installed on the client computer or the application downloaded from the server computer. The present invention relates to an application activation method and system for activating an application, an application activation program, and a storage medium storing the application activation program.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are two main types of operations for operating an application on a client computer: an application that is installed and activated on a client and an application that is downloaded and activated from a server computer via a network. There are forms.

When activating an application, the application user determines which form the application to be activated is, and selects the activation method of the application according to the type to activate the application.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, it is necessary to select the application starting method according to the two modes, that is, the one already installed in the client computer or the one downloaded.

Further, a user who is not familiar with the application to be started often starts in a prescribed state provided by the vendor of the application, and a user's skill is required to control the operation after starting by the application start parameter. Is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a user who starts an application on a client computer installs the application on the client and starts the application, or is downloaded from a server computer via a network. It is an object of the present invention to provide an application starting method and system capable of starting an application without being aware of whether or not the application is to be started up later, an application starting program, and a storage medium storing the application starting program.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is that a user who starts an application on a client computer can start the application without knowing the start parameters peculiar to the application, and the setting of the start parameter is performed by an administrator who is familiar with the application. An object of the present invention is to provide an application starting method and system, an application starting program, and a storage medium storing the application starting program.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention.

According to the present invention (claim 1), in an application starting method for starting an application operating on a client computer, start information of an application operating on the client computer is managed on the server computer, and the application information is transmitted from the client computer. When the activation information is requested (step 1), the application is activated on the client computer by downloading the activation information to the client computer (step 2).

According to the present invention (claim 2), as the start information,
It includes information for activating an application that is installed and activated on the client computer, or information for activating an application that is downloaded and activated from the server computer via the network.

According to the present invention (claim 3), as the start information,
A program that includes a startup parameter that determines the operation after the startup of the application and controls the startup of the application according to the content of the startup parameter is downloaded.

According to the present invention (claim 4), the registration information necessary for starting the application is input from the screen on the client computer, and the registration information input from the client computer on the server computer is converted into the start information format. Process and save.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

The present invention (claim 5) provides a client computer 100 and the client computer 100.
An application activation system comprising a server computer 200 for activating an application operating on the server computer 200, wherein the server computer 200 stores activation information storage means 202 for storing activation information of an application operating on a client computer, and the activation information for the client computer. The client computer 100 has start-up information download means 201 for downloading to 100, and the client computer 100 requests start-up information for causing the server computer 200 to start an application, and the start-up information downloaded from the server computer 200. And an activation unit 102 that activates the application using the.

According to the present invention (claim 6), in the boot information storage means 202, as boot information, information for booting an application that is installed and started in the client computer 100, or a server via a network It includes information for activating an application that is downloaded from the computer 200 and activated.

According to the present invention (claim 7), the start information storage means 202 includes, as the start information, a start parameter for determining the operation of the application after starting, and the download means 201 starts the application according to the content of the start parameter. And means for downloading a program for controlling the.

According to the present invention (claim 8), in the client computer 100, the registration information necessary for starting the application is provided.
0 has a registration means for inputting from a screen on the server computer 200, and the client computer 10
The registration information input from 0 is processed into the format of startup information,
It has means for storing it in the boot information storage means.

The present invention (claim 9) is an application starting program executed by the server computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer. A startup information storing process for processing the registration information required to start the application input from the device into a predetermined startup information format and storing it in the storage means; and a startup information download process for downloading the startup information to the client computer. Have.

According to the present invention (claim 10), in the boot information storage process, as boot information, information for booting an application that is installed and booted in a client computer, or from a server computer via a network. It includes a process of storing information for activating an application in a form of being downloaded and activated in a storage means.

The present invention (claim 11) includes, in the startup information storage process, a process of storing startup parameters that determine the operation of the application after startup in the database as startup information, and the contents of the startup parameters in the download process. Includes the process of downloading a program that controls the launch of the application.

The present invention (Claim 12) is an application starting program executed by the client computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer. A registration process for registering information necessary for starting an application with a computer, a start information request process for requesting start information for causing a server computer to start an application when the application is started, and a server computer And an activation process for activating the application using the activation information downloaded from.

The present invention (claim 13) is a storage medium storing an application starting program executed by the server computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer. Therefore, the program according to claims 9 to 11 is stored.

The present invention (claim 14) is a storage medium storing an application starting program executed by the client computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer. Therefore, the program according to claim 12 is stored.

As described above, according to the present invention, the client computer specifies the application to be started, and the start information is downloaded from the server computer to the client computer to determine whether the application is an installed application or an application to be downloaded and used. You don't need to be aware.

Further, when the application is activated for the first time, the activation information necessary for activation is registered in the server computer, so that the user does not need to specify the activation information when the application is activated for the second time or later.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 shows a system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The system shown in the figure comprises a client computer 100 and a server computer 200.

The client computer 100 has a communication client program 110 for making a processing request to the server computer 200 and a start program 120 for starting an application using start information obtained from the server computer 200.

The server computer 200 is a communication server program 210 that performs a process in response to a process request from the client computer 100 and returns a result, a startup information DB 260 that stores application startup information, and a program that controls application startup. It has a proxy 240.

The activation information DB 260 stores application activation information A that is installed and activated in the client computer 100 and application activation information B that is downloaded and activated from the server computer 200 via the network.

The startup information A includes a proxy identification name, a storage location of an application startup file, a startup command, an application startup parameter, etc., and the startup information B includes a proxy identification name, a file name of an application to be downloaded, It consists of preset information for downloading the application and the startup parameters of the application.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart of the operation in the embodiment of the present invention.

First, in order to activate each application from the client computer 100 to the server computer 200, activation information is registered in advance.
The client computer 100 sends a start information registration request to the server computer 200 (step 101).

As a result, the server computer 200
Upon receiving the activation information registration request, determines whether the request is activation information A or activation information B, and registers it in activation information DB 260 according to the contents of each (step 102).

Next, the communication client program 110 of the client computer 100 transmits a start information acquisition request to the server computer 200 (step 103).

The communication server program 210 of the server computer 200 transmits the activation information A and the activation information B stored in the activation information DB 260 to the client computer 100 in response to the activation information acquisition request (step 104).

The communication client program 110 of the client computer 100 which has received each activation information.
Creates and displays a list of startup applications including startup information (step 105).

When the user of the client computer 100 selects an application to be activated from the list of activated applications (step 106), the communication client program 110 is activated by the communication server program 210 of the server computer 200 based on the corresponding activation information. The request is transmitted (step 107). The server computer 200 determines whether the activation request is activation information A or activation information B (step 108). When the activation request is the activation information A, the program for activating the application in the installed form and the activation information are downloaded to the client computer 100 (step 110). On the other hand, when the activation request is the activation information B, the proxy 240 for activating the application downloaded from the network is activated (step 109).

The proxy 240 downloads the program for downloading the application and the activation information to the client computer 100 (step 110).

The communication client program 110 of the client computer 100 downloads the program for downloading the application and the activation information from the proxy 240, and activates the application on the client computer 100 (step 111).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows the system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a plurality of client computers 100 are connected to a server computer 200 via a network.

On the client computer 100,
Web browser 110, Java (registered trademark) Network Lau
A JNLP application 120 that is a program that implements nching Protocol (hereinafter referred to as JNLP) technology,
And an application A130 installed and activated on the client computer 100.

On the server computer 200, the Web
Server 210, application list display processing unit 22
0, a boot information registration processing unit 230, a proxy A 240, a proxy B 250, a boot information DB 260, and an application B 270 downloaded to the client computer 100 via the network and booted.

Application list display processing section 220,
The startup information registration processing unit 230 is a Java (registered trademark) Serve.
It is assumed that r Pages (hereinafter, referred to as JSP) is used, the application list display unit 220 provides a list for selecting an application to the client computer 100, and the activation information registration processing unit 230 in the client computer 100. Based on the input boot information, the boot information is created and registered in the boot information DB 260.

Here, the operation of the boot information registration processing section 230 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining the activation information registration operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

From the client computer 100, select menu creation from the management menu selection screen.

Next, the Web application addition is selected.

On the GUI screen, the startup information registration processing unit 230 performs URL acquisition of the acquired information by performing a series of operations of: -adding menu / item name of startup information; -inputting the URL of the Web application; It is edited in a format that can be read in the format and registered in the activation information DB 260.

There is another operation for registering the boot information of the client computer 100 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The boot information registration processing section 230 registers in the boot information DB 260 by the same operation as described above.

Proxy A240 uses JNL to JNL
JNLP file generation unit 280 that generates a P file
And an activation module 290 for activating an application installed in the client computer 100. Further, the proxy B250 is JS
Create an HTML file with P.

The boot information DB 260 holds the boot information registered by the boot information registration processing section 230 in the URL format, and at the same time holds the application display name corresponding to them. FIG. 9 shows an example of data stored in the activation information DB 260. As shown in the figure, the startup information DB 26
For 0, a URL is registered for each activation name to be activated, and in the client computer 100, the U
When the URL corresponding to the RL is designated, the corresponding application is activated.

A series of operations will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart of a series of operations according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The Web browser 110 displays the form of the application to be started, the start command, on the start information registration screen 40 as shown in FIG. 11 displayed based on the HTML document passed from the start information registration processing unit 230.
Input registration information such as start-up parameters and press the "register" button (step 201). As a result, the input information is transmitted to the server computer 200 (step 202). The activation information registration processing unit 230 of the server computer 200 adds proxy activation information to the content input from the Web browser 110 on the activation information registration screen 40, formats the URL, and activates the activation information DB 26.
It is stored in 0 (step 203).

It is assumed that the above processing has been executed before the following processing.

The URL of the application list display processing section 220 as shown in FIG. 12 is designated from the Web browser 110 and transmitted to the server computer 200 as a start information acquisition request (step 204).

Application list display processing section 220
Searches the startup information DB 260 based on the URL received from the Web browser 110, acquires the startup information and the application display name corresponding to the URL (step 205), and the W of the Web client computer 100.
It is returned as an HTML document for displaying the application list on the eb browser 110 (step 20).
6).

FIG. 13 shows an example of the application list screen displayed by the Web browser according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The Web browser 110 displays the application list 30 as shown in FIG. 13 (step 2).
07). In the application list 30, the “app A” 31 is linked to the URL for starting the application A 130, and the “app B” 32 is
A link is provided to the URL that starts the application B270.

In the application list 30, A3
When 1 is selected (step 208), the web browser 110 sends the URL corresponding to the “app A” to the web server 210 as a start request to the server computer 200 (step 209).

The server computer 200 uses the JN of the proxy A240 indicated by the URL acquired as the activation request.
The LP file generation unit 280 is activated, and the JNLP file generation unit 280 generates a JNLP file based on the activation parameters (step 210), and the Web browser 11
It is returned to 0 (step 211).

Upon receiving the JNLP file, the Web browser 110 activates the JNLP application 120 (step 212) and sends the activation parameter of the activation module 290 to the server computer 200 (step 213). The server computer 200 activates the activation module 290 of the proxy 240 (step 214) and activates the application A (step 2).
15).

When the "app B" 32 is selected from the application list 30 in the web browser 110 (step 216), the web browser 11
0 indicates to the Web server 210 that “app B”
Is sent to the server computer 200 as an activation request (step 217). Web server 210
Activates the proxy B250 indicated by the URL. The proxy B250 downloads the application B270 and generates an HTML file required for execution (step 218), and returns it to the Web browser 110 (step 219). The web browser 110 executes the downloaded application B270 (step 220).

As a result, the client computer 1
00 to request the server computer 200 for start-up information and make a start-up request based on the start-up information acquired from the server computer 200, whereby an application that is installed and started or an application that is downloaded and started Can be executed. That is, the user of the client computer 100 requests the screen information of the application list from the server computer 200, selects the application to be executed from the application list, and notifies the server computer 200 of the selected application. In the case of an application that is downloaded and activated from the server computer 200 via the network, the application is downloaded from the server computer 200.

If the selected application is already installed on the client computer 100, the installed application is started.

As described above, the client computer 100 inputs the activation information from the activation information registration screen shown in FIG. 13 and transmits it as the activation information to the server computer 200, whereby the server computer 200
By determining the downloaded / installed forms of the startup information, converting it into a storable form, and accumulating it, the startup information is converted into the downloaded / installed forms in response to a startup request from the client computer 100. The corresponding application can be started.

The constituent elements of the client computer 100 and the server computer 200 shown in FIG. 5 of the above embodiment are constructed as one program and installed in the client computer 100 and the server computer 200, or in the network. It is also possible to distribute via.

Further, all or a part of the constructed program is stored in a hard disk device connected to a client computer or a server computer, a flexible storage medium such as a flexible disk or a CD-ROM, and a book. The present invention can be easily realized by installing it when carrying out the invention.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0073]

As described above, according to the present invention, a user who launches an application on a client computer downloads it from a server computer via a network, or an application in which the application is installed and launched on the client. The application can be started without being aware of whether or not the application is started.

The user who starts the application on the client computer can start the application without knowing the start-up parameters specific to the application. The setting of the startup parameter is performed by an administrator who is familiar with the application.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart of the operation in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining the activation information registration operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram (No. 2) for explaining the activation information registration operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining the registration operation of the activation information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a data example of a boot information DB according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing a series of operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an example of a screen of an application list displayed by the Web browser according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an example of a screen for acquiring activation information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an example of a startup information registration screen displayed by the Web browser according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

30 Application List 31 “App A” 32 “App B” 40 Start Information Registration Screen 100 Client Computer 101 Start Information Request Means 102 Start Means 110 Communication Client Program, Web Browser 120 Start Program, JNLP Application 130 Application A 200 Server Computer 201 Startup information download means 202 Startup information storage means 200 Server computer 210 Communication server program, Web server 220 Application list display processing section 230 Startup information registration processing section 240 Proxy, Proxy A 250 Proxy B 260 Startup information DB 270 Application B 280 JNLP file Generation unit 290 Activation module

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Sesha Iemitsu             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Norimasa Ujiie             4-1, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             No. 1 within Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Minoru Takimoto             4-1, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa             No. 1 within Fujitsu Limited F term (reference) 5B076 AB10 AB18 BB06

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. An application startup method for starting an application running on a client computer, wherein startup information of an application running on the client computer is managed on the server computer, and the startup information is downloaded to the client computer. An application starting method, wherein the application is started by the client computer. 2. The start information is information for starting an application installed and started in the client computer, or an application downloaded and started from the server computer via a network is started. The application starting method according to claim 1, including information for executing the application. 3. The application starting method according to claim 1, wherein the starting information includes a starting parameter that determines an operation of the application after starting, and a program for controlling the starting of the application is downloaded according to the contents of the starting parameter. . 4. The registration information necessary for starting the application is input from a screen on the client computer, and the registration information input from the client computer on the server computer is processed into a format of the start information. The method for activating an application according to claim 1, wherein the application is saved. 5. An application activation system comprising a client computer and a server computer for activating an application operating on the client computer, wherein the server computer is an activation system for storing activation information of an application operating on the client computer. Information storage means, and boot information download means for downloading the boot information to the client computer, the client computer, boot information request means for requesting boot information for causing the server computer to start an application, An application launching system comprising: a launching unit that launches an application by using launching information downloaded from the server computer. 6. The activation information storage means uses, as activation information, information for activating an application that is installed and activated in the client computer, or downloaded from the server computer via a network and activated. 6. The application launching system according to claim 5, including information for launching an application of the form. 7. The start-up information storage means includes, as the start-up information, a start-up parameter that determines an operation after the start-up of the application, and the download means controls start-up of the application according to the content of the start-up parameter. The application starting system according to claim 5, further comprising means for downloading a program. 8. The client computer has a registration unit for inputting registration information necessary for starting the application from a screen on the client computer, and the server computer has the registration unit input from the client computer. 6. The application launching system according to claim 5, further comprising means for processing the registration information into the format of the launching information and storing it in the launching information storage means. 9. An application starting program executed by the server computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer, wherein the application input from the client computer is A boot information storing process for processing registration information required for booting into a predetermined boot information format and storing the boot information in a storage means, and a boot information downloading process for downloading the boot information to the client computer. And the application launcher. 10. The boot information storage process uses, as boot information, information for booting an application that is installed and booted in the client computer, or downloaded from the server computer via a network and booted. 10. The application starting program according to claim 9, further comprising a process of storing information for starting an application in the form of storing in said storage means. 11. The startup information storage process includes a process of storing, as the startup information, a startup parameter that determines an operation of the application after startup in the database, and the download process includes the startup parameter according to the content of the startup parameter. The application launching program according to claim 9, comprising a process of downloading a program that controls the launching of the application. 12. An application launching program executed by the client computer in an application launching system comprising a client computer and a server computer that launches an application running on the client computer, wherein the application is executed in advance for the server computer. A registration process for registering registration information necessary for starting the application, a start information request process for requesting start information for causing the server computer to start the application when the application is started, and a start information request process downloaded from the server computer. And an activation process for activating an application using the activation information. 13. A storage medium storing an application starting program executed by the server computer in an application starting system comprising a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer, wherein A storage medium storing an application starting program, characterized in that the program according to any one of items 1 to 11 is stored. 14. A storage medium in which an application starting program executed by the client computer in an application starting system including a client computer and a server computer for starting an application operating on the client computer is stored. A storage medium storing an application start program, which stores the program of.