JP2005025463A - Server client system and server and method and program for remotely operating application of server device by client - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for remotely operating a user interface object whose power of expression or response is satisfactory through a network. <P>SOLUTION: This server client system is provided with a browser 210 equipped with a server module and an application operating on a server device 100 and a GUI remote relay library 123 operating while being linked to the application, and configured to operate on a client 200 and a viewer program 211 operating in the browser 210 for realizing the remote operation of the application cooperatively with the GUI remote relay library 123. A plurality of viewer programs 211 are prepared for each of the environments of the client 200, and a Web server 110 is provided with a function which selects the viewer program 211 according to the environment of the client 200, and transmits it to the client 200. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a server client system and a server capable of remotely operating an application provided in a server by a client, and a method and program for remotely operating a server application by a client.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A web application system using a page description language such as HTML / XML will be described as this type of server client system.
[0003]
In FIG. 3, a server apparatus 1 having a Web server 1A and an application server 1B and clients 2 and 3 are connected via various networks 4 such as a public telephone line and the Internet. Here, examples of the clients 2 and 3 include a personal computer connected to the network 4 by wire and a mobile information terminal via the wireless device 5.
[0004]
The user interfaces of the clients 2 and 3 are described in a page description language. When the clients 2 and 3 perform a database search or the like, the processing is executed by the server device 1, and the processing result is the client 2 or 3. Displayed by browser.
[0005]
Such a system has an advantage that a user interface can be provided using only browsers mounted on various devices of the clients 2 and 3, and software installation and maintenance on the clients 2 and 3 are unnecessary. In addition, since the browsers of the clients 2 and 3 absorb the device-dependent part, the clients 2 and 3 also have an advantage that environment dependency is reduced.
[0006]
On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows an example using a GUI (Graphical User Interface) remote relay library as this type of server client system. The server device 6 and the client 7 are connected via a network 8.
[0007]
The server device 6 has a GUI remote relay library 6B that operates in linkage with the application 6A. When the application 6A is activated, the viewer program 7A of the client 7 establishes communication connection with the application 6A. The viewer program 7A may be installed in the client 7 in advance, or may be downloaded dynamically from the server device 6 and activated before the application 6A is activated. In addition, as a starting form of the latter viewer program 7A, there is a method of starting the viewer program 7A as a Java applet using a browser.
[0008]
A GUI command such as a screen display command from the application 6A is relayed to the viewer program 7A, and the viewer program 7A interprets and processes the GUI command, and displays it on the monitor 7B on the client 7, for example.
[0009]
Further, as an operation on the screen of the monitor 7B of the client 7, for example, an operation such as pressing a button is relayed to the GUI remote relay library 6B via the viewer program 7A. Next, the GUI remote relay library 6B transmits an operation at the client 7 to the application 6A, and the application 6A performs a process corresponding to the operation, for example, a process of proceeding to the next screen.
[0010]
In the server client system using the GUI remote relay library 6B, the application developer simply develops an application as if creating an application to be displayed on the screen on the server device 6 even though the operation of the client 7 is performed. There are advantages that can be made.
[0011]
As a technique for easily distributing the functions of a computer using an object-oriented language, there is a known example in which a part of the operation of a machine including an application is executed by another machine (Patent Document 1).
[0012]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-293375 (page 1 to page 15, FIGS. 1 to 16)
[0013]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described prior art, HTML / XML, which is a typical page description language, is a language originally considered for the purpose of browsing, so it is compared with a system using a program such as a Java applet that operates on a client. There are problems such as poor expressiveness and response and poor usability.
[0014]
For example, even if only a part of the screen needs to be updated, it is necessary to update in units of pages. Also, the mechanism of event notification such as a button from a component such as a GUI related button being pressed is poor.
[0015]
Furthermore, there is a problem that data cannot be transmitted asynchronously from the server.
[0016]
Furthermore, the technology of Patent Document 1 is to develop a distributed program without regard to the distinction between a server and a client as a specific usage form, and remotely operate the server by the client. It is not a thing.
[0017]
An object of the present invention is to provide a server client system, a server, and a method and a program for remotely operating a server application on a client so that user interface objects having good expressiveness and response can be operated via a network. With the goal.
[0018]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a server module and an application that are connected to a server device and a client via a communication line, and that operate on the server device, and a GUI remote relay library that operates in conjunction with the application. A server client system comprising: a browser that operates on the client; and a viewer program that operates in the browser and realizes remote operation of the application in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library.
A server client system, wherein a plurality of the viewer programs are prepared for each client environment, and the server module has a function of selecting a viewer program according to the client environment and sending it to the client.
[0019]
In addition, the present invention includes a server module and an application that are connected to each other by a communication line, operate on the server apparatus, and a GUI remote relay library that operates by linking to the application, and operates on the client. A server client system, and a viewer program that operates in the browser and realizes remote operation of the application in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library,
A plurality of viewer programs are prepared for each client environment.
The server module has a function of selecting a plurality of viewer programs prepared for each environment of the client according to the environment of the client and transmitting the selected program to the client.
[0020]
Furthermore, the present invention provides a server module, an application, and the application of a server device having a GUI remote relay library that operates in linkage with the application, the browser and the application that operates in the browser and cooperates with the GUI remote relay library. In a method of remote control by a client having a viewer program that realizes remote control of
A plurality of viewer programs are prepared for each environment of the client,
The server module selects a viewer program according to the client environment,
And sending the selected viewer program to the client.
[0021]
Still further, the present invention provides a server module, an application, and the application of the server device having a GUI remote relay library that operates in linkage with the application, the browser and the browser that operates in the browser and cooperates with the GUI remote relay library. In a program remotely operated by a client having a viewer program for realizing remote operation of an application,
The server device, after preparing a plurality of viewer programs for each environment of the client,
Selecting a viewer program according to the environment of the client by the server module;
A program for executing the step of sending the selected viewer program to the client.
[0022]
According to the server client system, the server, and the method and program for remotely operating an application of the server device on the client according to the present invention, the user operates the viewer program in the browser of the client, thereby allowing the GUI remote relay library of the server device. By coordinating with, you can select an appropriate viewer program according to the client machine environment and send it to the client. This makes it possible to remotely control applications on the server device from multiple types of clients. Compared with a user interface, a user interface with higher expressiveness and response can be realized.
[0023]
On the other hand, since the user does not need to consciously select a viewer program downloaded from the server, the user can receive an application service without being conscious of the device as in the system using the page-based description language.
[0024]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0025]
FIG. 1 shows a server client system according to the present embodiment. In this system, a method of remotely operating an application of a server device with a client is implemented.
[0026]
In FIG. 1, the server apparatus 100 and the client 200, and the server apparatus 100 and the client 300 are physically connected by a communication line. A Web server 110 and an application daemon 120 are resident on the server device 100.
[0027]
Here, since there are a lot of overlapping explanations for the two clients 200 and 300, the description will be given basically for one client 200 and the latter client 300 as necessary. The clients 200 and 300 include various information terminals such as a desktop information terminal and a portable information terminal.
[0028]
As a processing part in the Web server 110, there are a Servlet processing unit 111 and a viewer selection unit 112. The Servlet processing unit 111 is a part that interprets a Servlet activation command from a browser or the like and executes an appropriate Servlet. The viewer selection Servlet 03-03 is a part that selects a viewer program corresponding to the accessed device of the client 200 from the holding unit 130 and causes the client 200 to download the viewer program.
[0029]
As processing portions in the application daemon 120, there are an application activation unit 121, an application processing unit 122, and a GUI remote relay library 123. The application activation unit 121 is connected to the viewer program 211 on the client 200 and activates an application in response to an application activation command from the viewer program 211.
[0030]
In this embodiment, an example in which a plurality of applications are simultaneously operated in one process is taken up in order to save memory consumption. For this reason, the application activation here means that the application spaces 112A and 112B are prepared and application initialization processing is performed.
[0031]
The application processing unit 122 is a part prepared by an application developer for each system, and is implemented according to a framework for incorporation in the application daemon 120. The GUI remote relay library 123 is a part that sends a GUI-related command generated in the application processing unit 122 to the viewer program 211 on the client 200.
[0032]
The browser 210 operates on the client 200 and appropriately accesses the Web server 110 in accordance with a user operation. The viewer program 211 is a program that is downloaded from the Web server 110 and operates in the browser 210, and operates by establishing a communication connection with the application daemon 120. In addition, as a function, a function of making an application activation request to the application activation unit 121, a function of displaying the display screen 200A according to a command sent from the GUI remote relay library 123, a mouse for the display screen 200A, and the like were used. A function of sending a user operation event to the application processing unit 122 via the GUI remote relay library 123 is provided.
[0033]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart when the user operates the client 200 in this system.
[0034]
It is assumed that the Web server 110 and the application daemon 120 are already running on the server device 100. Although the flowchart describes a pattern from starting one application to ending, it is possible to start the second and third applications as long as the viewer program is running.
[0035]
First, the user activates the browser 210 on the client 200 and accesses the “application service page” on the Web server 110 in the server device 100 (step S1).
[0036]
Next, a viewer selection servlet is activated from the servlet processing unit 111 in the web server 110, and a viewer program suitable for the device of the client 200 is selected. The selected viewer program is downloaded to the browser 210 of the client 200. The viewer program is started in the browser 210 and then connected to the application daemon 120 (step S2).
[0037]
Next, an application list is sent from the application daemon 120 to the viewer program, and an application menu is displayed in the viewer program (step S3).
[0038]
Next, the user selects / clicks an application to be executed with a mouse or the like. By this operation, an application activation request is sent to the application daemon 120 (step S4).
[0039]
Next, an application space 122A is newly secured by the application activation unit 121 in the application daemon 120, and then an application initialization request is issued to the application processing unit 122. Thereby, application processing starts (step S5).
[0040]
Next, the application processing unit 122 issues a screen display command, and the command is relayed to the viewer program via the GUI remote relay library 123. The viewer program displays the screen according to the command (step S6).
[0041]
Next, in step S7, the application processing unit 122 waits for detection of issuance of a GUI-related command. If not issued, in step S8, the user waits for detection of a screen operation. Here, when a screen operation is performed by the user, the viewer program transmits the contents of the screen operation to the application processing unit 122 via the GUI remote relay library 123 (step S10).
[0042]
On the other hand, when the issuance of a GUI-related command is detected from the application processing unit 122 in step S7, the process ends when it is an application end command, and when it is not the end, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the viewer program transmits the screen operation content to the application processing unit 122 via the GUI remote relay library 123, and the process ends.
[0043]
As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to remotely operate applications on the server device 100 from a plurality of types of clients 200 and 300, and a user interface with higher expressiveness and response than a page-based user interface is realized. it can.
[0044]
On the other hand, since the user does not need to consciously select the viewer program downloaded from the server apparatus 100, the user can receive the application service without being aware of the device as in the system using the page-based description language.
[0045]
In addition, even when using the client 200 or 300 in which the number of simultaneous communication connections is limited to one, the application service can be received without any problem with this configuration in which the application start command and the application processing command are performed on the same communication path. Can do.
[0046]
In addition to the web server 110 and / or the application daemon 120 configured as hardware, the server device 100 can be configured by one or a plurality of computers or functions of a part of these computers.
[0047]
Further, the method or program for executing the sequence of FIG. 2 may be configured as software executed by the computer.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a server client system and a server, and a method for remotely operating a server application on a client, such that a user interface object having good expressiveness and response can be operated via a network, and A program can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a server client system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining a method of remotely operating an application of the server device in the embodiment by a client;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a Web application system using a page description language as an example of a conventional server client system.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a system having a GUI remote relay library as another example of a conventional server client system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Server apparatus 110 ... Web server 111 ... Servlet processing part 112 ... Viewer selection part 120 ... Application daemon 121 ... Application starting part 122 ... Application processing part 123 ... GUI remote relay library 130 ... Holding part , 200, 300 ... client, 200A, 300A ... display screen, 210, 310 ... browser, 211, 311 ... viewer program.

Claims (6)

A server device and a client connected by a communication line, a server module and an application operating on the server device, a GUI remote relay library operating in conjunction with the application, and a browser operating on the client; In a server client system having a viewer program that operates in a browser and realizes remote operation of the application in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library,
A server client system, wherein a plurality of viewer programs are prepared for each client environment, and the server module has a function of selecting a viewer program according to the client environment and sending it to the client. The application and the GUI remote relay library operate as a resident program including an application activation mechanism, and the resident program can operate a plurality of applications internally, and between the viewer program and the resident program. 2. The server client system according to claim 1, wherein communication necessary for starting an application is performed on the communication path in addition to communication necessary for remote application operation. The server client system according to claim 1, wherein the viewer program is downloaded from the server device. A server device and a client connected by a communication line, a server module and an application operating on the server device, a GUI remote relay library operating in conjunction with the application, and a browser operating on the client; In a server client system having a viewer program that operates in a browser and realizes remote operation of the application in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library,
A plurality of viewer programs are prepared for each client environment.
The server module has a function of selecting a plurality of viewer programs prepared for each environment of the client according to the environment of the client and sending the selected program to the client. A server module, an application, and the application of the server device having a GUI remote relay library that operates by linking with the application are operated in a browser and the browser, and the remote operation of the application is realized in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library. In a method of remotely operating a client having a viewer program
A plurality of viewer programs are prepared for each environment of the client,
The server module selects a viewer program according to the client environment,
Sending the selected viewer program to the client. A server module, an application, and the application of the server device having a GUI remote relay library that operates by linking with the application are operated in a browser and the browser, and the remote operation of the application is realized in cooperation with the GUI remote relay library. In a program remotely operated by a client having a viewer program
The server device, after preparing a plurality of viewer programs for each environment of the client,
Selecting a viewer program according to the environment of the client by the server module;
Sending the selected viewer program to the client.

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