JP2004302790A - System and method for relaying data - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically coordinate a plurality of systems with one another without customizing. <P>SOLUTION: A data associating process part 13 compares the name of the output data item of a first Web application with that of the input data item of a second Web application and associates the name of the output item with that of the input item. The output data of the first Web application are stored in an output data history table 22. The data associating process part 13 further supplies the output data stored in the output data history table 22 to the second Web application as input data on the basis of the relationship between the name of the output item and that of the input item. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for linking a plurality of systems, and more particularly to a technique for determining an execution order of a plurality of systems and a technique for transferring data between the systems.
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many opportunities to use a system having a single function or a relatively simple function, as typified by various Web applications provided on the Internet. The user can realize various processes by appropriately combining necessary systems from a large number of systems according to the purpose. A preferred example is a case where a train search is performed using a train search system, and a train reservation is performed using a train reservation system using the search results.
[0003]
In this example, when the train search system and the train reservation system are provided on separate websites, the user performs a search by the train search system, and then the user voluntarily accesses the train reservation system website. Need to make a reservation.
[0004]
In addition, in order to transfer data from the train search system to the train reservation system, it is necessary to perform a customization such as programming a function for data transfer in advance and make a fixed association. When such customization is not performed, user's manual work is required, such as manually inputting a memo using the search result of the train search system or giving the search result to the train reservation system by cut-and-paste.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a technology for automatically cooperating between systems without customization.
[0006]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for automatically transferring data between systems.
[0007]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for supporting system selection when executing a plurality of systems.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A data relay system according to one embodiment of the present invention compares an output item name of output data of a first system with an input item name of input data of a second system, and compares the output item name with the input item name. Means for storing output data of the first system, and output data stored in the storage means based on a relation between the output item name and the input item name associated by the associating means. For supplying to the second system as input data.
[0009]
In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of item name candidates that can be used as item names are predetermined, and the output item name of the first system and the input item name of the second system are both the item names. It may be selected from among the name candidates.
[0010]
In a preferred embodiment, an item name candidate storage unit that stores a plurality of item name candidates that can be used as item names, and an item name candidate stored in the item name candidate storage unit are used to execute the first system and The second system may further include means for defining each input item name and output item name, and means for storing the item names defined by the definition means.
[0011]
In a preferred embodiment, the output data of the first system has a plurality of output items, and the input data of the second system has a plurality of input items, and the associating means includes the plurality of output items. A name may be compared with the plurality of input item names, and an item name having the same meaning may be associated.
[0012]
In a preferred embodiment, a means for receiving an input for correcting the association between the output item name and the input item name associated by the associating means, and a means for storing the corrected association based on the input are further provided. It may be provided.
[0013]
In a preferred embodiment, the execution order storage means for storing the results of the order in which the plurality of systems are executed, and the first system and the results stored in the execution order storage means, among the plurality of systems, And a recommendation unit that determines a system to be recommended as the second system.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a system for operating a plurality of systems in cooperation with each other according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an example of an application linkage system 1 that links a plurality of Web applications (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as an application) and performs linkage between the Web applications when an arbitrary process is executed will be described. Here, the plurality of Web applications may operate independently of each other, or may have a certain relationship.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 includes an input device 2 such as a keyboard and a pointing device, a display device 3 such as a liquid crystal display device, and an information processing device 10. The information processing apparatus 10 is configured by, for example, a general-purpose computer system including a processor, a memory, and the like, and the individual components or functions described below are realized, for example, by executing a computer program or the like.
[0016]
The information processing apparatus 10 includes a bookmark storage unit 11, an application selection support unit 12, a data association processing unit 13, an application storage unit 14, an application definition storage unit 15, an item name template storage unit 16, an application definition A processing unit 17, a comparison table creation processing unit 18, a history storage unit 20, and a Web browser 30 are provided. The history storage unit 20 includes an execution order history table 21, an output data history table 22, and a data relation table 23.
[0017]
The bookmark storage unit 11 stores a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for accessing a Web application. The user can register the URL in the bookmark storage unit 11 at any time.
[0018]
The application storage unit 14 stores, for example, a Web application described in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) and a Web application entity such as a predetermined script incorporated in the Web page.
[0019]
The application definition storage unit 15 stores definition information on an application stored in the application storage unit 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the application definition items stored in the application definition storage unit 15 include an application name 151, an application outline 152, an outline 153, an input data item name 154, and an intermediate data item. A name 155 and an output data item name 156 are provided. The output data is data output by the Web application, and may include input data in addition to data generated or obtained by the Web application. The user can register and delete the application in the application definition storage unit 15 at any time.
[0020]
The item name definition template storage unit 16 stores a plurality of item name candidates that can be used as item names in the Web application as templates. Further, when there is a predetermined relationship such that a certain candidate item name (item A) and another candidate item name (item B) can be mutually converted, the item name definition model storage unit 16 indicates the relationship. The data conversion definition is also stored. For example, in the case where a certain calculation operation is performed on the value of item A to correspond to item B, the data conversion definition is stored.
[0021]
The application definition processing unit 17 defines input / output item names of a Web application based on an instruction from a user. For example, item name candidates stored in the item name definition model storage unit 16 are presented to the user, and the user is allowed to select an input item name and an output item name from among them, and the input item name 154 and the output item name 156 are selected. Is defined. The application definition processing unit 17 can be used to further define the item name 154 of the intermediate data. Then, the defined item names are stored in the application storage unit 14.
[0022]
Note that the item name definition model storage unit 16 and the application definition processing unit 17 can be omitted from the configuration of the application linkage system 1. In this case, it is sufficient that the application is realized by a system different from the present system 1 and the Web application defined in this system is registered in the application storage unit 14.
[0023]
The execution order history table 21 stores the execution order of a plurality of applications when the user consecutively executes a plurality of applications using the present system 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the execution order history table 21 has an execution date 211 and steps (steps 1 to 4) 212 indicating the execution order as data items. Then, step 212 indicates that a plurality of applications have been executed sequentially from step 1. Although the number of steps is four in the example of FIG. 3, the number of steps is arbitrary.
[0024]
The output data history table 22 stores data generated as a result of executing the application. For example, the output data history table 22 has, as shown in FIG. 4, an executed application name 221 and output data 222 as items, and the output data 222 is associated with the item names and data values. And store it.
[0025]
The data association table 23 stores the association between the data items obtained by the association by the data association processing unit 13. In the data relation table 23, the relation corrected by the user is also registered. For example, in the data association table 23, as shown in FIG. 5, output item names 231 and input item names 232 are associated with each other. The output item name 231 is specified by the application name and the output item name. The input item name 232 is specified by the application name and the input item name. In addition, as in the case of the output item name 231a and the input item name 232a, the "arrival time of train search" is associated with "the value obtained by subtracting 1 hour and 30 minutes from the start date and time of schedule registration (start date-1: 30)". You can also.
[0026]
The Web browser 30 executes the Web application stored in the application storage unit 14 and stores the result in the output data history table 22. When the user designates a bookmark, the Web browser 30 acquires a Web application from the application storage unit 14 with reference to the bookmark storage unit 11 and executes the Web application.
[0027]
Further, the Web browser 30 can execute a Web application acquired through a network (not shown), in addition to the Web application stored in the application storage unit 14. In this case, no definition information is stored in the application definition unit 15 for the Web application acquired through the network.
[0028]
The application selection support unit 12 stores the results of the execution order of the Web applications executed by the Web browser 30 in the execution order history table 21. Further, the application selection support unit 12 refers to the execution order history table 21 to present a recommended execution order to the user, and assists the user in selecting an application. The user can execute the Web application in accordance with the recommended execution order, or can execute the Web application in an order different from the recommended execution order.
[0029]
The data association processing unit 13 associates input / output data items of one Web application with input / output data items of another Web application. For example, an output data item of a certain Web application is associated with an input data item of another Web application. The association between the data items generated by this association is stored in the data association table 23.
[0030]
This association is performed by comparing the input item name 154 and the output item name 156 with reference to the application definition storage unit 15, for example. For example, the output item name 156 of one Web application is compared with the input item name 154 of another Web application, and it is determined whether each has the same or similar meaning, and it is determined that they are the same or similar. Sometimes, those items are related to each other. When there are a plurality of output item names and a plurality of input item names, the above comparison and determination may be performed for all combinations.
[0031]
In this determination, for example, the data association processing unit 13 may use a dictionary (not shown) and perform matching with the vocabulary in the dictionary to estimate the same or similar items. This dictionary is, for example, a dictionary in which many synonyms are registered, and the data association processing unit 13 determines whether the item names to be compared belong to the same or similar category.
[0032]
To explain using a specific example, the output item “meeting date” in the “schedule registration” Web application matches a specific vocabulary in the dictionary, and the input item “check-in” in the “accommodation search reservation” Web application. When "date" matches the same specific vocabulary, it is estimated that "meeting date" of "schedule registration" and "check-in date" of "accommodation search reservation" are the same or similar.
[0033]
When the Web browser 30 executes a Web application for which definition information does not exist in the application definition storage unit 15, the data association processing unit 13 analyzes the HTML of the Web application to extract input item names and output item names. Then, the association processing described above is performed.
[0034]
Further, the association processing unit 13 uses the display device 3 to present the association between the items generated by the association processing to the user. At this time, the information used for the association is also presented. This allows the user to determine whether this association is correct.
[0035]
The user can use the input device 2 to make an input for correcting the presented association. For example, when the user determines that the presented association is not correct, the above correction input can be performed. The relation between the items corrected here is stored in the data relation table 23.
[0036]
The data association processing unit 13 refers to the data association table 23 and, if there is an association with respect to the input item of the Web application executed by the Web browser 30, the item of the other Web application associated with the input item Supply data. For example, it notifies the Web browser 30 of the other application names and item names associated with the input items of the Web application being executed by the Web browser 30, and causes the output data history table 22 to acquire the data of the items. Alternatively, the data association processing unit 13 may acquire the data of the application name and the item name stored in the output data history 22 and supply the data to the Web application. Accordingly, the data association processing unit 13 relays data between the two applications based on the association between the items.
[0037]
The comparison table creation processing unit 18 generates a comparison table for comparing the output data of the Web application stored in the output data history table 22. For example, the comparison table creation processing unit 18 acquires a result of performing a plurality of processes by the same type of Web application (an accommodation search in an example described later), and creates a comparison table for comparing the respective processing results. Here, in the generated comparison table, for example, the corresponding items are displayed in association with each other. Furthermore, when comparing items whose data conversion definition is stored in the item name template storage unit 16, the comparison table creation processing unit 18 performs data conversion according to the definition and makes comparison.
[0038]
Next, a processing procedure when executing a process including a plurality of Web applications will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0039]
In this process, first, the user inputs a schedule on the schedule registration screen 100 provided by the schedule registration application as shown in FIG. 7 (S101). Then, the information input on this screen 100 is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0040]
Then, when the execution order recommended by the application selection support unit 12 is displayed on the display device 3, the user follows this or the user specifies the application independently. Here, the train search application is selected and executed. Then, a train search screen 200 as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display device 3 (S102). The train search screen 200 has, as input items, a date 210, a departure place 220, a destination 230, and an arrival time 240. The application to be executed is selected in the same procedure as described here, even if not particularly described below.
[0041]
Here, the data association processing unit 13 refers to the data association table 23 and checks whether or not the association for the input items 210 to 240 has been registered. Here, assuming that the arrival time 240 is associated with the start time of the schedule registration -1: 30, one hour 30 from the start time (14:00) input on the schedule registration screen 100 in the input area of the arrival time 240. Supply the subtracted time to take over the data. As a result, data can be automatically taken over between the systems.
[0042]
At this time, the relation between the items may be displayed in another window or the like, and the user may check whether the relation is appropriate, or a correction input of the relation may be received at this time. The transfer of data between the applications is the same even if not particularly described below.
[0043]
Then, when data is input to all input items 210 to 250, a train search is executed. The actual train search is performed, for example, by another server (not shown) provided with predetermined data and a search engine. The search result is displayed on a search result screen 300 as shown in FIG. 9 (S103). On this screen 300, a date 310, a train name 320, a departure place 330, an arrival place 340, and an operating entity 350 are displayed. Then, the search result data displayed on this screen is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0044]
Next, when the train reservation application is executed, a train reservation screen 400 as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed on the display device 3 (S104). The train reservation screen 400 has as input items the date 410 and the train number 420 as input items. Here, assuming that the date 410 is associated with the date 310 and the train name 420 is associated with the train name 320, the data acquired from the output data history table 22 is used as the input data of the items 310 and 320. Supplied. The user corrects this data as necessary and executes the train reservation. Then, the result of the reservation is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0045]
Next, when the accommodation search application # 1 is executed, an accommodation search screen 500 shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the display device 3 (S105). If there is an associated item among the input items on this screen 500, the data is taken over in the same manner as described above. Then, an accommodation search is performed, and the search result is displayed on an accommodation search result screen (not shown). The data displayed on the result screen is stored in the output data history table 22 (S106).
[0046]
Here, the search is performed again using the accommodation search application # 2 similar to the accommodation search application # 1 (S107, S108).
[0047]
Next, the comparison table creation processing unit 18 displays a comparison screen (not shown) for comparing the search results of the accommodation search applications # 1 and # 2 (S109). By referring to this, the user can select one of the search results. The search result selected here is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0048]
Next, when the accommodation reservation application is executed, an accommodation reservation screen 600 shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the display device 3 (S110). If there is an associated item among the input items on this screen 600, the data is taken over in the same manner as described above. This data is corrected as necessary, and the accommodation reservation is executed. The result of the reservation is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0049]
Finally, when the business trip application is executed, a business trip application screen 700 as shown in FIG. 13 is displayed on the display device 3 (S111). Similarly, if there is an item associated with the output item of another screen among the input items on this screen 700, data transfer is performed in the same manner as described above. This data is corrected as needed, and a business trip application is made. The business trip application data is stored in the output data history table 22.
[0050]
According to the present embodiment, when a plurality of Web applications are continuously executed, it is possible to support selection of a Web application to be executed next. Further, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to automatically cooperate between systems without customizing the relation between Web applications.
[0051]
The embodiments of the present invention described above are exemplifications for describing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art can implement the present invention in various other modes without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an application linking system according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of contents stored in an application definition storage unit 15;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of contents stored in an execution order history table 21;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of storage contents of a data generation history table 22.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of storage contents of a data association table 23.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process of combining and executing a plurality of Web applications.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a schedule registration screen.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a train search screen.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a train search result screen.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a train reservation screen.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an accommodation search screen.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a train reservation screen.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a business trip application screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Application link system, 2 ... Input device, 3 ... Display device, 10 ... Information processing device, 11 ... Bookmark storage unit, 12 ... Application selection support unit, 13 ... Data association processing unit, 14 ... Application storage unit, 15 ... Application definition storage unit, 18: comparison table creation processing unit, 20: history storage unit, 21: execution order history table, 22: output data history table, 23: data related table, 30: Web browser.

Claims (8)

Associating means for comparing an output item name of output data of the first system with an input item name of input data of the second system, and associating the output item name with the input item name;
Output data storage means for storing output data of the first system;
Means for supplying the output data stored in the output data storage means as input data to the second system based on the relationship between the output item name and the input item name associated by the association means . A plurality of item name candidates that can be used as item names are predetermined,
2. The data relay system according to claim 1, wherein the output item name of the first system and the input item name of the second system are each selected from the item name candidates. An item name candidate storage unit that stores a plurality of item name candidates that can be used as item names, and an item name candidate stored in the item name candidate storage unit. Means for defining each input item name and output item name,
2. The data relay system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for storing an item name defined by said definition means. The output data of the first system has a plurality of output items, and the input data of the second system has a plurality of input items,
2. The data relay system according to claim 1, wherein the associating unit compares the plurality of output item names with the plurality of input item names, and associates item names having the same meaning. Means for receiving an input for correcting the association between the output item name and the input item name associated by the association means,
The data relay system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for storing a relation modified based on the input. Execution order storage means for storing results of the order in which a plurality of systems were executed;
2. The data according to claim 1, further comprising: a recommendation unit that determines a system recommended as a second system from among the plurality of systems based on a first system and results stored in the execution order storage unit. 3. Relay system. Comparing the output item name of the output data of the first system with the input item name of the input data of the second system;
Associating the output item name with the input item name;
Storing output data of the first system;
Supplying the stored output data of the first system as input data to a second system based on the association between the output item name and the input item name associated with each other. When executed on a computer,
Comparing the output item name of the output data of the first system with the input item name of the input data of the second system;
Associating the output item name with the input item name;
Storing output data of the first system;
Supplying the stored output data of the first system to the second system as input data based on the association between the output item name and the input item name associated with each other. Computer program.

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