JP2003316709A - Groupware program with messenger function and groupware system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a groupware program with a messenger function executable under a multi-platform environment. <P>SOLUTION: The groupware program allows a plurality of computer terminals connected to the Internet to share a database stored in an Internet server connected thereto and is characterized in that the server is provided with the messenger function to perform connection management to the program all the time. When a change is made to the database, data related to the change is transmitted to the corresponding computer terminal in real time and displayed on the screen thereof. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a groupware program and a groupware system having a messenger function which can be executed under a multi-platform environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A program called groupware (hereinafter referred to as groupware) is software of a computer that enables a plurality of users to share data resources.
Groupware program) is known. The conventional groupware program shares a common database among computers connected to a limited computer network such as a LAN. However, these have drawbacks that the area of the network is limited and that the OS used by the server computer is restricted. Therefore, it is desired that the groupware program can be used in a multi-platform environment such as the Internet, and as a groupware program that does not depend on the OS, for example, HOT B
IZ (trademark: manufactured by the applicant) and the like have been gradually developed. As an example of this content, various functions such as a calendar function, a mail function, a bulletin board function, a conference room function, and a workflow function are known. Then, as personal information of each person, a predetermined content such as a new mail or a message location is registered as personal information, and the latest and unprocessed history is sequentially recorded. Therefore, there is no restriction on the usable area of the groupware program, but if the user does not access it, the data recorded in the personal information, that is, the notification, the contact, and the change of the data cannot be understood and the user recognizes the data. There was a problem that it was not swift to do.

[0003]

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and its main problem is to
When there is a change in the data in the common database of the groupware program, the message data is transmitted in real time to the computer terminal for the change.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the invention of a groupware program having a messenger function of claim 1, the Internet is always connected to and accessible from a computer terminal on the client side. A server, a database to which data can be freely accessed from the Internet server, a groupware program provided in the Internet server, a program resident in the groupware program for monitoring, and a client side browser are executed. If there is a change in the data in the database, which consists of a messenger program
The message data regarding the change is transmitted in real time to all or a part of preset computer terminals, and the computer terminal receiving the message data can automatically display the message data on a screen by using a messenger program. It has taken the technical measure of having a messenger function to do so. In the invention of claim 2, the messenger function is technically opened and displayed as a pop-up screen on the screen of the groupware. According to the invention of claim 3, a CGI function for performing processing related to transmission and reception of instruction data and processing result data between the Internet server and each computer terminal, and a display screen generation for describing and generating a display screen based on a processing result from the CGI function. It has the technical means of having the function. Further, in the invention of the groupware system having the messenger function according to claim 4, an internet server which is always connected to the internet and is accessible from a computer terminal on the client side, and a database which is freely connected to call data from the internet server A groupware program provided in the Internet server, a program resident in the groupware program for monitoring, and a messenger system executed by a browser on the client side, wherein the Internet server is provided with a messenger program, When connection data to the above groupware program is constantly managed and there is a change in the data in the database, the corresponding computer terminal receives message data regarding the change. Sent in real time, can automatically screen display message data by executing the messenger program is the computer terminal which has received this takes the following technical means of.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a groupware program and a groupware system having a messenger function of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the groupware system 1 of this embodiment has a computer terminal 3a for a user connected to a local area network (LAN) 2 and a server computer (not shown) of the LAN. An Internet 4 as a computer network connected to the Internet 4, a computer as an Internet server 5 constantly connected to the Internet 4, a database 6 connected to the Internet server 5, and a stand-alone computer connected to the Internet 4. It is composed of a client side computer, a PDA, and a computer terminal 3b such as a mobile phone.

A groupware program 7 of this embodiment is installed in the Internet server 5 to open a groupware homepage, and the user has a contract to use the groupware. . This groupware program is
Database 6 connected to Internet server 5
In addition, the data on the home page of the groupware is recorded. In addition, the Internet server 5 includes
A resident monitoring program 8 for the groupware program 7 is provided. This constant monitoring program 8
Sends and receives data to and from the messenger program M of the client. The resident monitoring function enables connection management of the groupware program 7 and the database 1
6 constantly monitors changes such as additions, changes, and deletions of the above data.

On the other hand, the computer terminals 3a and 3b serving as clients are equipped with browser software B corresponding to respective OSs and platforms and capable of displaying by screen data transmitted from the Internet server 5, It is possible to connect to the groupware home page of the Internet server 5. Also,
The computer terminals 3a and 3b store a messenger program M including a JAVA applet (registered trademark) that executes a messenger function, and is started on the browser of the client computer terminals 3a and 3b. .

Further, the groupware program 7 installed in the Internet server 1 has a client authentication function for authenticating the accessed client, a management function for a database as contents, and a CGI function for displaying this data on a screen. And a display screen generation function for describing and generating a processing result in the CGI function and various screens such as a workflow table screen in a markup language.

In the browser, the groupware on the site is accessed on the computer terminals 3a and 3b based on the SSL encrypted data, and at the same time, the browser starts the messenger program M of the client. This groupware and messenger function will be used for computer terminals 3 by broadbandization.
The fact that a and 3b are constantly connected to the Internet server 1 via the Internet makes it possible for message data such as encrypted text to be transmitted from the Internet server 2 in real time. There is.

The display screen 20 on the site (home page) generated by the display screen generation function is a main menu section 21, a personal information section 22, as shown in the example of the top screen in FIG. It is composed of a content section 23 and a sub-menu section 24.

In the main menu section 21, access icons for accessing each function page shown in the content section are displayed. In this embodiment, home (startup screen), schedule, message location, mail, bulletin board, meeting room, project, ToDo (work list, etc.), equipment reservation, cabinet (approval form, application form, etc. are stored and managed as electronic documents. ), Contact (shared contact used for the whole, personal contact used for individuals), workflow (a series of work from application of approval, application etc. to approval), time card, circulation board, help icon Is displayed.

The personal information 22 displays information about the client of the computer terminal. In this embodiment, the client name (Taro Yamada), the number of new mails, the number of ToDos, the number of messages, the location (such as attendance or going out), the number of unprocessed applications, and the number of unread circulations are displayed. Registered as personal information.

The contents section 23 includes, for example, a "schedule" function displayed as a calendar, a "message" function, a "time card" function, a "location" function, a "new information (message or unread circulation, etc.). ) ”Function,“ Today's plan ”,
"Bulletin board" function, "meeting room" function, "circular board" function,
The "ToDo" function, "personal links", "shared links", etc. are displayed.

Next, the sub-menu section 24 has a "reload" function, a "setting for this page" (customizing the design on the screen such as the top page) function, a "password change" function, a "messenger" function, There is a "logout" function. Further, the messenger function is for sending a text message from the messenger at any time or making it available at all times.
Then, by clicking the icon of each part on the screen of the top page of FIG. 2, the screen of the lower layer corresponding to this is changed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, various settings of the messenger function can be registered for each client by the "setting of this page" function of the sub-menu section 24. That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the messenger setting 24a and the notification message setting 24b.
And the alarm setting 24c is performed for each client. The messenger settings 24a can be arbitrarily set such as the size of a messenger or messenger log window described later, whether or not a message ring tone is present, and the messenger background.

The notification message setting 24b includes (a) notification message setting: notification when a schedule is added (b) notification when a message is registered (c) notification when a location is changed (d) Notification when there is a message on the bulletin board (e) Notification when there is a message in the conference room (f) Notification when there is an unprocessed application (g) Notification when the result of the application comes out (h) Unread (I) Notification when all the readers have finished reading the created circulation. For each item, use the messenger function to send the message data, or use a predetermined e-mail. It is possible to set whether it is mail 1 or mail 2.

Next, as an example of the alarm setting 24c (valid only when the messenger is activated), there are (a) an alarm for the scheduled start time, (b) an alarm for the ToDo deadline time, etc. You can set messenger, mail 1 or mail 2.

Therefore, for example, when a message is registered for the client and the messenger is selected, the messenger function operates in real time.
That is, when the "messenger" icon 30 or the character portion of the submenu portion 24 is clicked, the "messenger" window 3 shown in FIG.
1 and a "messenger log" window 40 shown in FIG. 5 are displayed on the screen.

This "messenger" window 31
Consists of two windows, the upper window 32 is a list of contacts, and the lower window 35 is a column for entering message contents. Therefore, in the upper window 32, the names of all the members registered by the groupware are displayed, for example, in the form of a tree in each department or individually. The name of this member or the department (select the names of all the members belonging to the department) is clicked, or all the members are selected by clicking the "select all" key 33, and the destination of the message is determined. Then, when the message content is input in the lower window 35 and the "Send" key 36 is clicked, the message is transmitted to the computer server of the selected member by the messenger function, and the message is recorded in the database. .

In this embodiment, the transmission result is the "messenger log" window 40 illustrated in FIG. 5 as described later.
Can be monitored on. That is, on this window, both the text data of the transmission and the text of the reception are displayed in order of time, and remain as a history,
By closing the window, the data up to that point is set to be erased.

For example, when other members write in the "meeting room", each client determines whether or not these data are transmitted as a message to its own terminal. The pre-setting can be freely set in advance from three parties, whether the messenger function is used, the electronic mail function (mail 1 or mail 2) is used, or neither is used. When using the messenger function, when other members write to the conference room, the data in the database is changed (including addition and deletion), and the messenger program that monitors this state operates. .

In this case, since the fact that the message is written in the conference room is transmitted, the fact that the message was written and the time, the name of the conference room, the agenda, the subject, etc. are transmitted, and the message is recorded in the messenger log. It is displayed in and you can know its contents in real time. In addition, for example, in the case of a bulletin board, the fact that there was a post on the bulletin board and its time,
The bulletin board name, subject, etc. are written in the messenger log. In the case of a calendar, the time, the name of the calendar creator, the date, and the operation on the calendar are automatically created and transmitted. Further, based on this, the timetable, the name, the date, and what the reservation is are written in the log 10 minutes before the scheduled time based on this and transmitted. These messages have fixed phrases (for example, "○○
is. )), And create by inserting the name and creation time of the member who sent or registered the contents. Also, a message text can be created by inserting item names and the like into a fixed text.

As described above, when the item registered in the personal information 23, such as a new mail or the location of a message (the current location of another client), is transmitted from the other party, it is registered in the personal information. At the same time, the messenger function is activated, and the message text is transmitted to the member's terminal. That is, in such a groupware program, when the client or the administrator adds, changes, or deletes predetermined data in the database, the messenger function constantly monitors and the member who selects the use of the message function. The data is transmitted instantaneously.

For example, when a client makes a schedule change, a plurality of specific clients related to the schedule change are designated from a list of contacts, and a message is input if necessary. Then, by pressing the execution icon, the Web mail for notifying the change of the schedule is transmitted to the plurality of designated clients together with the execution of the content.

Then, when the computer terminal of the designated client receives the Web mail transmitting the above message, it immediately opens automatically and is displayed by a pop-up screen. In this embodiment, for example, there was a message on the bulletin board> 14:00 in the pop-up window. > Bulletin board: Anything bulletin board> Subject: For consecutive holidays> Message: etc.

The method of displaying this message is not limited to the pop-up screen display, but may be accompanied by generation of a predetermined audio signal, or may be displayed on the title bar as a display location. In this way, when a message is sent from the other party, the mail is sent in real time, and the message is automatically opened and displayed on the screen, so that the client of the computer terminal can read the message in real time.

Further, in the present invention, since the program in which the groupware and the message function are integrated is used,
Data transmission for messages is done by each terminal or LAN
It is not limited by the Internet server's firewall and can send and receive data to and from the client like groupware. In the present invention, an example is given of the contents of the groupware and other contents, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the design can be appropriately changed according to the use and purpose.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the function of the groupware and the messenger function are integrally combined, the operation of the groupware is constantly monitored, and necessary data is sent to the client by mail. Since this mail can be automatically opened and displayed in a pop-up screen or the like, the client can obtain groupware information quickly and reliably, which is extremely useful. In addition, since the groupware is accessed by accessing another server connected to the Internet, there is no limitation on the client terminal in any area, and it can be used anywhere and anytime in conjunction with the spread of broadband. it can. Also, since the Internet function can be used together with using the groupware, it is possible to see information such as external electronic mails and Internet news sites. Further, since it is not necessary for the client to manage the groupware server by itself, the cost can be reduced and the complexity of management can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of groupware.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a top screen of a site.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a preset screen.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen of “Messenger”.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a screen of a “messenger log”.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Groupware system 2,3 LAN 2a, 3a computer terminals 4 Internet 5 Internet server 6 Another computer terminal 15 Groupware homepage 16 database 21 Main Menu Section 22 Content Department 23 Personal Information Department 24 Sub menu section B browser M Messenger

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An Internet server which is always connected to the Internet and which can be accessed from a computer terminal on the client side, a database which is freely connected to call data from the Internet server, and a groupware program provided in the Internet server. And a program resident in the groupware program for monitoring and a messenger program executed by the browser on the client side. When data in the database is changed, all or a part of preset data is changed. The message data relating to the change is transmitted to the computer terminal in real time, and the computer terminal receiving the message data can automatically display the message data on a screen by using a messenger program. Groupware program having a messenger function. 2. The groupware program having a messenger function according to claim 1, wherein the messenger program is opened and displayed as a pop-up screen on a groupware screen. 3. A CGI function for performing processing related to transmission and reception of instruction data and processing result data between the Internet server and each computer terminal, and a display screen generation function for describing and generating a display screen based on the processing result from the CGI function. The groupware program having a messenger function according to claim 1. 4. An Internet server which is always connected to the Internet and is accessible from a computer terminal on the client side, a database which is freely connected to call data from the Internet server, and a groupware program provided in the Internet server. And a program resident in the groupware program for monitoring and a messenger system executed by a browser on the client side, wherein the internet server is provided with a messenger program to constantly manage connection to the groupware program, When there is a change in the data in the database, message data relating to the change is transmitted in real time to the corresponding computer terminal, and the computer terminal receiving the message data receives the message data. Groupware system that can automatically screen display message data by executing the messenger program.