JP2007193608A - Information processor and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute a load of a device processing an order of a customer without impairing convenience of the customer. <P>SOLUTION: A service server 2 executes interactive processing (a processing section 1) that is one of processing sections constituting image processing for browsing according to disclosure requirement (A1) of an image from a personal computer 1 (B1). The processing section 1 is immediately executed by cooperation and intercommunication of the personal computer 1 and the service server 2, and is the processing having a comparatively light load on the service server 2. The service server 2 schedules an execution start time point of non-interactive processing (a processing section 2) that is one of the processing sections constituting the image processing for the browsing (B2). The processing section 2 is the processing completed inside a service center 10 such as color correction, reduction or the other image processing, and has a comparatively high load. When reaching the time point set with the scheduling, the processing section 2 is executed (B4). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to data processing load distribution requested from an unspecified number of terminals via a network.

  Conventionally, when receiving various orders via a network, various techniques have been developed to prevent the orders from being concentrated at once.

  For example, according to Patent Document 1, a receiving computer and an ordering computer are made independent, and only the order received by the receiving computer from the orderer terminal is processed by the ordering computer. The reception computer has a function of receiving product information sent from the orderer terminal by the orderer's operation, generating reception information and transmitting it to the orderer terminal. The reception computer has a function of generating reception information on a first-come-first-served basis and sending it to the orderer terminal when product information desired to be ordered is received from a large number of orderer terminals. In addition, the reception computer has a function of generating reception information in accordance with the processing capacity of the ordering computer, and a function of rejecting orders exceeding the processing capacity of the ordering computer and sending information prompting a retry. .

According to Patent Document 2, the management computer is connected to a plurality of client terminals. When the management computer receives a high priority request from the client terminal, the management computer determines whether or not the processing capability is saturated. When the processing capacity is saturated, the management computer performs an interrupt process for deferring the processing of the low priority request being processed. In this case, the management computer notifies the waiting time to the client terminal that has made the low priority request, and executes the high priority request processing. The suspended client terminal transmits the processing request again after the waiting time has elapsed.
JP 2001-331697 A JP 2005-107581 A

  Although the technique of Patent Document 1 certainly contributes to load distribution of the ordering computer, if the orderer terminal refuses the order, the customer has to retry several times by himself and is troublesome. In the technique of Patent Document 2, all processing with low priority is suspended, so that saturation of processing capability can be prevented. However, a customer who requests processing with low priority cannot do anything until all the waiting time has elapsed. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to distribute the load of an apparatus for processing customer orders without impairing customer convenience.

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing apparatus executes interactive processing immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal, sets the execution start time of non-interactive processing after the completion of interactive processing, and sets Perform non-interactive processing at the specified execution start time.

  According to this information processing apparatus, interactive processing with a relatively light load is executed immediately or sequentially, while non-interactive processing with a relatively high load is scheduled and executed later. In this way, high-load non-interactive processing is not concentrated at one time. Moreover, since the user can execute the interactive processing as quickly as possible, the convenience of the user is not impaired.

  It is preferable that the execution start time of the non-interactive processing is set in a quiet period when a series of information processing requests are not concentrated.

  The execution start time of the non-interactive processing may be set according to a queue in the order in which a series of information processing is requested.

  Whether to allow the terminal to set the execution start time of non-interactive processing after the completion of interactive processing is arbitrarily registered from the terminal, and the execution start time of non-interactive processing is set after the completion of interactive processing from the terminal Only when it is registered that permission to do so, the execution start point of the non-interactive process may be set after the completion of the interactive process.

  If the user desires to execute an immediate non-interactive process, registration that does not permit scheduling may be performed.

  You may make it charge to the user of a terminal according to whether registration which permits setting the execution start time of a non-interactive process from the terminal after the completion of an interactive process was carried out.

  Since the object of the present invention is to distribute the processing load by the scheduling setting, if the number of users who do not permit the scheduling setting increases, the effectiveness is lost. For this reason, a user who has registered to allow scheduling setting is charged with various service charges reduced, or a monetary substitute (points or the like) that can reduce the charge for various service charges is provided. It is preferable. It is expected that this reward will be an incentive, and the user will actively perform registration to allow scheduling settings and promote load distribution.

  You may make it charge to the user of a terminal according to the length of the elapsed time from the time of starting execution of non-interactive processing to the time of starting execution of non-interactive processing.

  If it is permitted to set the execution start point of the non-interactive process after the completion of the interactive process, a point representing a reward for the user of the registered terminal may be provided.

  Interactive processing may be resumed in response to completion of execution of non-interactive processing.

  The present invention also relates to an information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing apparatus executes non-interactive processing immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal, and when the non-interactive processing is completed, sends a notification to that effect to the terminal, Interactive processing is executed in response to the terminal receiving the notification.

  That is, the non-interactive process is executed after being scheduled according to the request, and the load is distributed. Moreover, since interactive processing starts in response to the terminal receiving a notification that non-interactive processing has ended, the user of the terminal does not have to wait for non-interactive processing that does not know when it ends. The nature is high.

  When the terminal does not receive the notification within a predetermined time, the interactive process may be stopped.

  That is, when the terminal does not receive the notification within a predetermined time, the interactive processing is treated as not desired anymore and is not executed.

  If the terminal does not receive the notification within a predetermined time, the notification may be retransmitted.

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing apparatus performs non-interactive processing immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal. When the non-interactive processing is completed, the information processing device presents the fact to the terminal. Interactive processing is executed in response to confirmation of the presentation.

  That is, the non-interactive process is executed after being scheduled according to the request, and the load is distributed. In addition, the user of the terminal can start the interactive process at any time when the completion of the non-interactive process is confirmed, which is highly convenient.

  If the terminal does not confirm the presentation within a predetermined time, the interactive process may be stopped.

  If the terminal does not confirm the presentation within a predetermined time, a notification that prompts confirmation of the presentation may be transmitted to the terminal.

  The present invention relates to an information processing method for executing a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing method executes interactive processing immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal, sets the execution start time of non-interactive processing after the completion of interactive processing, and sets Perform non-interactive processing at the specified execution start time.

  The present invention relates to an information processing method for executing a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing method performs a non-interactive process immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal, and when the non-interactive process is completed, sends a notification to that effect to the terminal, Interactive processing is executed in response to the terminal receiving the notification.

  The present invention relates to an information processing method for executing a series of information processing including interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network. This information processing method executes non-interactive processing immediately or sequentially in response to a request for a series of information processing from the terminal. Interactive processing is executed in response to confirmation of the presentation.

  According to the present invention, interactive processing with a relatively light load is executed immediately or sequentially, while non-interactive processing with a relatively high load is scheduled and executed later. In this way, high-load non-interactive processing is not concentrated at one time. Moreover, since the user can execute the interactive processing as quickly as possible, the convenience of the user is not impaired.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a network photo service system to which the present invention is applied. In this system, a personal photo service is provided on the network to the user 1 by the personal computer 1 and the service center 10 receiving a service order from the personal computer 1 exchanging information with each other via the network 5 such as the Internet. Is.

  At this time, the connection to the network 5 can be realized by any known form such as a dedicated line, dial-up connection, CATV network, etc. However, since the service center 10 needs to perform a particularly large amount of communication, it is connected by a high-speed dedicated line. Is desirable.

  Input of image data to the laboratory 3 that performs print output is performed from the personal computer 1 via the service server 2.

  When the user requests the service center 10 to publish an image to the service center 10 using the personal computer 1, the service server 2 reduces the resolution of the image data received from the personal computer 1 (for the sake of simplicity, the low-resolution image is A thumbnail image) is created and registered in the browsing database 6.

  When the user requests the service center 10 to print an image using the personal computer 1, the lab 3 registers the image data received from the personal computer 1 in the print database 4.

  The image data registered in the print database 4 is used for print output, whereas the thumbnail image registered in the browsing database 6 allows the user to browse images on the screen of the personal computer 1. Since it is used in case, high image quality is not required. Since the service server 2 must store the thumbnail images received from all the personal computers in the browsing DB 6, it is desirable that the data amount of the thumbnail images is small in order to save disk space. In this embodiment, the image data stored in the print database 4 is set to 4 bases (the number of pixels is about 1024 × 1792) which is the number of pixels necessary to output an L size print at 300 dpi, while for viewing The thumbnail images in the database 6 are ¼ base (number of pixels: about 368 × 256).

  The service server 2 provides various services such as publishing thumbnail images registered in the browsing DB 6 on the network 5.

  The various services are provided in the form of web pages by a WWW application server (not shown) provided in the service server 2. On the other hand, the registered image in the browsing DB 6 can be browsed by a WWW browser incorporated in the personal computer 1.

  Digital photo service that allows the personal computer 1 to upload image data to the print DB 4, download image data registered in the print DB 4, send comments and photo titles accompanying the image data, print orders, etc. Plug-in module is built in.

  For example, when the user requests the publication of an image, the service server 2 receives the image to be published and the public information such as a comment and a photo title attached to the image data from the personal computer 1 to the service server 2. The image and the public information are associated with each other and stored in the browsing DB 6.

  When the user sends order information such as the image ID to be printed, the number of prints, and the print size from the personal computer 1 to the service server 2 in order to request a print service, the order information is transferred to the lab 3. Is done.

  The lab 3 determines the storage position of the image in the print DB 4 from the image ID described in the order information, reads the image data to be printed, and expands the read image data as necessary. Then, image processing such as reduction, color correction and the like is performed, and the processed image data is transferred to the printer 9 to instruct print output. The image print output by the printer 9 is artificially delivered to a receiving place designated in advance by the user.

  Now, the service center 2 according to the present embodiment performs only the interactive processing, which is a processing category with a low load, among a series of processing consisting of a plurality of processing categories related to image publication according to the load status of the service server 2. It is executed immediately in response to a request from, and moves to a non-interactive process that is a processing category with a high load.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of browsing image processing executed by the service center 10 according to the first embodiment.

  In response to an image disclosure request (A1) from the personal computer 1, the service server 2 executes interactive processing (referred to as processing category 1 in this embodiment), which is one of the processing categories constituting the browsing image processing. (B1). The interactive processing includes a personal computer 1 and a service server 2 such as an image transmission request and image reception, a photo title designation request and a photo title reception, and storage in the viewing DB 6 in which the received image and photo title are associated with each other. This process is executed immediately by mutual communication and cooperation with the service server 2, but is a process with a relatively light load on the service server 2.

  The service server 2 is a non-interactive process (a process completed within the service center 10, such as color correction, reduction, and other image processes), which is one of the processing sections constituting the browsing image process. Schedule the execution start time of (referred to as section 2) (B2).

  Process category 2 is a process with a relatively high load on the service server 2. The processing section 2 is preferably scheduled to be executed during a quiet period when the load is not concentrated (for example, on a weekday day when the user of the personal computer 1 does not send an image publication request).

  Execution of processing section 2 is waited until the execution start time set by scheduling is reached (B3).

  When the scheduled time is reached, processing section 2 is executed (B4). Since the processing point 2 is scheduled for a quiet period, the load on the service server 2 is distributed.

  Instead of scheduling as in steps B2 and B3, processing category 2 is queued in the order in which the disclosure request is received from each personal computer 1, and processing category 2 corresponding to the disclosure request of each personal computer 1 is cleared of the queue. You may perform in order.

  During the standby of the processing step (B3), since the processing section 2 is not executed and the load is not concentrated, a disclosure request from another personal computer 1 can be accepted. Since only the publication request can be accepted in real time, the user does not need to perform a cumbersome operation of continuously sending the publication request until the request acceptance rejection is canceled as in the conventional example.

  After the execution of the processing section 2 is completed, the processing section 1 (interactive processing) can be resumed in response to a request from the same personal computer 1 again.

  It should be noted that whether or not to allow the scheduling setting as described above may be registered for each user of the personal computer 1 in advance before sending the public request or each time the public request is sent. If the registration for permitting the setting of scheduling is made for all publication requests, or if the registration for permitting the setting of scheduling for the publication request is made when sending a certain publication request, the service server 2 Sets the scheduling of process step B2. On the other hand, if registration that does not permit the setting of scheduling is made for all publication requests, or if registration that does not permit the setting of scheduling for the publication request is performed when a certain publication request is sent, the service server 2 Does not perform scheduling settings (skip process steps B2 and B3) and immediately executes process category 2. In this way, if the user wants to publish the uploaded image immediately, it can respond to the request.

  However, since the object of the present invention is the load distribution of the processing by the scheduling of the processing category 2 with a high load, if the number of users who do not permit the scheduling setting increases, the effectiveness is lost. For this reason, for users who have registered to allow all scheduling settings, or users who have registered to allow scheduling settings for transmission of publishing requests, consideration for a series of image publishing processes and other various types Remuneration for users who have registered to allow scheduling settings, such as charging with a reduction in service consideration, or giving points that can reduce the charge for various service fees according to the cumulative number Electronic information is preferably generated and transmitted to the personal computer 1 or stored in various storage media such as a database for managing users of the personal computer 1. It is expected that this reward will be an incentive, and the user will actively perform registration to allow scheduling settings and promote load distribution.

  Further, the above reward may be provided according to the length of the waiting time (B3) until the time set by scheduling elapses. If more users are allowed to wait for the execution of the long-term processing category 2, the scheduling of the processing category 2 can be performed flexibly.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of browsing image processing executed by the service center 10 according to the second embodiment.

  The service server 2 responds to a print request (A11) transmitted from the personal computer 1 and includes an image ID to be printed, and is a non-interactive process (with an image ID) that is one of the processing sections constituting the print image process. Processing that is completed within the service center 10 such as color correction and reduction of the specified image, etc. (in this embodiment, called processing category 1) is scheduled (B11). The processing section 1 is scheduled to be executed in response to an image print request from the personal computer 1 during a quiet period when the load is not concentrated (for example, on weekdays when the user of the personal computer 1 does not send an image print request). . Process category 1 is a process with a relatively high load on the service center 10.

  Execution of processing section 1 is waited until the time set by scheduling elapses (B12).

  When the time set for scheduling is reached, the processing section 1 is executed (B13). Since the processing point 1 is scheduled for a quiet period, the load on the service server 2 is distributed.

  When the execution of the processing category 1 is completed, the service server 2 notifies the computer to that effect (B14). The means for notification is e-mail or the like. In the e-mail, a trigger (such as a hyperlink in which a start command for process category 2 is embedded) that specifies the start of process category 2 is embedded. By driving this trigger by the personal computer 1, the start of the processing section 2 is instructed from the personal computer 1 to the service server 2, and the service server 2 starts the processing section 2 in response to this instruction. The user of the personal computer 1 can start the processing category 2 when receiving the notification. As in the prior art, it is not necessary to wait for the processing section 1 that does not know when it ends, meaning that convenience is high.

  The processing section 2 includes the personal computer 1 and the service center 10 such as transmission / reception of order information including relatively small capacity information such as an image to be printed, the number of prints, and a delivery destination of the print, and storage of the information in the print DB 4. Is a relatively low-load process performed by communicating with each other (A12, B15).

  The service server 2 measures the lapse of time from when the notification is completed (for example, 24 hours), and the start of the processing section 2 is not instructed even if the predetermined time has elapsed, the personal computer 1 does not receive the notification, or If the notification is not viewed on the personal computer 1, the processing section 2 may not be executed and the series of processing may be stopped. Alternatively, the service server 2 measures the elapse of a certain time from the completion of the notification, and the start of the processing section 2 is not instructed even when the certain time elapses, the personal computer 1 does not receive the notification, or the personal computer 1 If the notification is not viewed, the notification may be retransmitted.

  Alternatively, the time from when the notification is completed until the start of the processing category 2 is instructed is measured, and the consideration for the series of processing and other various services are reduced according to the length of the time. It is preferable to provide a reward for delaying the start instruction of the processing section 2 by the user, such as charging or giving a point that can reduce the charged amount of various service charges according to the cumulative number. This reward is an incentive, and it is expected that users will actively postpone their processing and promote load balancing.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of browsing image processing executed by the service center 10 according to the third embodiment.

  The service server 2 responds to the print request (A21) including the print target image ID transmitted from the personal computer 1, and is a non-interactive process (image ID) that is one of the processing sections constituting the print image process. Processing that is completed within the service center 10, such as color correction and reduction of the image specified in step 1. In this embodiment, scheduling is performed (referred to as processing section 1) (B21). The processing section 1 is scheduled to be executed in response to an image print request from the personal computer 1 during a quiet period when the load is not concentrated (for example, on weekdays when the user of the personal computer 1 does not send an image print request). .

  Execution of processing section 1 is waited until the time set by scheduling elapses (B22).

  When the time set for scheduling is reached, the processing section 1 is executed (B23). Process category 1 is a process with a relatively high load on the service center 10. Since the execution time of the processing section 1 is scheduled in a quiet period, the load on the service server 2 is distributed.

  When the execution of the processing section 1 is completed, the service server 2 presents the state to the computer (B24). The means for presenting the status is a web page or the like. The address of this web page is known in advance by the user of the personal computer 1, and can be browsed on the personal computer 1 by appropriately designating this address on the personal computer 1.

  Processing category 2 starts in response to the status presentation being viewed on personal computer 1. Processing category 2 is transmission / reception of order information including relatively small capacity information such as an image to be printed, the number of prints, and a delivery destination of the print, and storage of the information in the print DB 4. This is a relatively low-load process performed by communicating with each other (A23, B25). The user of the personal computer 1 can start the processing category 2 when confirming the completion of the processing category 1, and is highly convenient.

  The service server 2 measures the elapse of a certain time (for example, 24 hours) from the start of the state presentation, and does not execute the processing category 2 if the state presentation is not browsed even after the certain time has elapsed. The series of processing may be stopped. Alternatively, the service server 2 measures the passage of a certain time from the start of the state presentation, and if the state presentation is not browsed even after the predetermined time has passed, the service server 2 indicates that the state presentation or the contents of the state are being performed. You may notify by e-mail etc.

Block diagram showing schematic configuration of print system The flowchart which shows the flow of the process which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the flow of the process which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the flow of the process which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1: PC, 2: service server, 3: laboratory, 4: database for printing, 6: database for browsing, 9: printer, 10: service center

Claims (17)

An information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the interactive processing is executed immediately or sequentially, the execution start time of the non-interactive processing is set after the completion of the interactive processing, and the setting An information processing apparatus that executes the non-interactive processing at the execution start time.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the execution start time of the non-interactive processing is set in a quiet period when requests for the series of information processing are not concentrated.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an execution start time of the non-interactive processing is set according to a queue in an order in which the series of information processing is requested.   Whether or not to permit setting of the execution start time of the non-interactive process after the completion of the interactive process is arbitrarily registered from the terminal, and the execution start time of the non-interactive process is registered from the terminal to the interactive process. The information processing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the execution start point of the non-interactive process is set after the completion of the interactive process only when registration is permitted to be set after the completion of the interactive process. apparatus.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the terminal user is charged according to whether or not the terminal is permitted to set the execution start time of the non-interactive process after the completion of the interactive process. .   The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the user of the terminal is charged according to a length of elapsed time from the time when the execution start time of the non-interactive process is set to the time when the execution start time of the non-interactive process is set.   5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a point representing a reward for a user of a registered terminal is provided when the execution start time of the non-interactive process is permitted to be set after the completion of the interactive process.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interactive process is resumed in response to completion of the execution of the non-interactive process. An information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the non-interactive process is executed immediately or sequentially, and when the non-interactive process is completed, a notification to that effect is sent to the terminal, An information processing apparatus that executes the interactive processing in response to the terminal receiving the notification.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the interactive process is stopped when the terminal does not receive the notification within a predetermined time.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the terminal does not receive the notification within a predetermined time, the information is retransmitted. An information processing apparatus that executes a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the non-interactive processing is executed immediately or sequentially, and when the non-interactive processing is completed, the terminal is notified to that effect, An information processing apparatus that executes the interactive processing in response to confirmation of the presentation.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the interactive process is stopped when the terminal does not confirm the presentation within a predetermined time.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein if the terminal does not confirm the presentation within a predetermined time, the information processing apparatus transmits a notification prompting confirmation of the presentation to the terminal. An information processing method for executing a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the interactive processing is executed immediately or sequentially, the execution start time of the non-interactive processing is set after the completion of the interactive processing, and the setting An information processing method for executing the non-interactive process at a designated execution start time. An information processing method for executing a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the non-interactive process is executed immediately or sequentially, and when the non-interactive process is completed, a notification to that effect is sent to the terminal, An information processing method for executing the interactive processing in response to a terminal receiving the notification. An information processing method for executing a series of information processing composed of interactive processing and non-interactive processing requested from a terminal identified on a network,
In response to a request for the series of information processing from the terminal, the non-interactive processing is executed immediately or sequentially, and when the non-interactive processing is completed, the terminal is notified to that effect, An information processing method for executing the interactive processing in response to confirmation of the presentation.

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