JP2008123219A - Information providing system, communication device, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing system which can appropriately maintain or end connection to an information providing device and a communication device which accesses to the information providing device and acquires information, the communication device, and a computer program for materializing the communication device by a computer. <P>SOLUTION: In starting of a web browser 12, an event detection section 122 has detected operation by a user through an operation section 15 and after detecting input to an input column in a web page displayed on a display section 14, if movement of a cursor which has been in the input column to a different input column is detected, a processing section 123 performs access to a web server through an asynchronous communication section 125. The web server accessed from a PC resets a counter corresponding to the PC. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing system in which an information providing apparatus provides information to a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus, and a computer program for realizing the communication apparatus by a computer.

  With the development of network technology, a network system that provides various data via a network has been constructed. In a web system that provides various data via the Internet, data transmission / reception is generally performed according to the HTTP protocol. The HTTP protocol does not include a mechanism for maintaining connection (communication) between a server-side device and a client-side device. Accordingly, while the user of the client-side device logs in to the server-side device with a user ID and password registered in advance and browses the data provided by the server-side device, the client-side device When the communication with the server side device is terminated without going through a normal procedure such as logout, the server side device cannot know that fact. In addition, as a case where the client-side device ends communication with the server-side device without going through a normal procedure, for example, the client-side device may end abnormally.

  Further, the server-side device is configured to pseudo-maintain the connection with the client-side device by storing in the memory information related to the currently logged-in client-side device. Therefore, as described above, even if the client-side device has terminated communication with the server-side device without going through a regular procedure, the server-side device has already ended communication with the client-side device. Is stored in memory. For this reason, memory resources for storing information related to the client-side apparatus for which communication has ended are wasted in the server-side apparatus.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, when a client-side device accesses for the first time, a counter for counting a predetermined time is set corresponding to each client-side device, and each client-side device accesses last. A server is disclosed that is configured to perform a time-out process that deletes information about a client-side device from memory if no action is performed from the client-side device even after a predetermined time has elapsed since that time. Yes. By using such a server, a client-side device that has not accessed the server-side device for a predetermined time is forcibly logged out by the server-side device. Therefore, unnecessary information stored in the server side device can be reduced.

  Since the memory resources of the server side device are limited, there is a situation that the server side device is forced to perform the above-described timeout process. However, for example, for a web page that accepts input of a plurality of items such as a web page for registering personal information of a user, a web page for inputting an opinion on some questionnaire, etc. When the user performs the input, the server side device may perform a timeout process on the client side device while the user performs the input. In this case, a large amount of information input by the user may be all wasted, and it will be necessary to input again from the beginning. This will be a great stress for the user. As described above, the timeout process performed by the server-side apparatus may be disadvantageous to the user of the client-side apparatus.

  The disadvantage for such a user is that the server side device resets the counter used for determining whether or not to perform the timeout process only when there is communication from the client side device. In addition, a client-side device is usually a server-side device when a “Save” button, a “Register” button, an “OK” button, or the like is pressed after all input on the web page is completed by the user. As the amount of input to the web page increases, the server side device is more likely to be timed out.

Therefore, in Patent Document 2, during startup, a frame different from the frame for displaying the web page being browsed is launched, and the web page displayed in this frame is reloaded from the server side device at predetermined time intervals. A web browser configured as described above is disclosed. By using this web browser, unless the execution of the web browser is terminated, the communication with the server-side device is performed at a predetermined time interval so that timeout processing is not performed. , Input information is not wasted.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-62402 JP 2003-233585 A

  However, in the above-described web browser of Patent Document 2, for example, when the user of the client-side device leaves the web browser while starting up, it is not necessary to maintain connection (communication) with the server-side device. Since the server side apparatus is automatically accessed at predetermined time intervals, the client side apparatus frequently performs unnecessary access processing. Further, the server-side device resets the counter based on the access from the client-side device, and stores information related to such a client-side device in order to maintain the login of the client-side device that is not originally necessary. The storage area is wasted. In addition, the above-described web browser disclosed in Patent Document 2 requires a display area for starting up a frame that is not related to web page browsing. Further, when processing is performed with a frame set up, processing generally performed by the apparatus becomes complicated.

  On the other hand, in a web system in which privacy is important, the timeout process leaks personal information stored in the server side device when the user of the client side device forgets to log out of the server side device. Therefore, when the client side device does not perform any action on the server side device, it is necessary to perform the time-out process with certainty.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to operate a user of a communication device (client-side device) on information acquired from an information providing device (server-side device). Provided is an information providing system for maintaining connection (communication) so that the information providing apparatus does not execute a time-out process when the information providing apparatus performs, a communication program, and a computer program for realizing the communication apparatus by a computer. There is.

  Another object of the present invention is to establish a connection (communication) in the communication device while the user of the communication device (client-side device) performs an operation on information acquired from the information providing device (server-side device). An object of the present invention is to provide an information providing system and the communication apparatus that do not require various processes to be interrupted for maintenance.

  The information providing system according to the present invention provides a communication device that can access another device, and provides information in response to an access requesting acquisition of information from the communication device. The information providing system includes an information providing device that starts a time-measurement process for a predetermined time and terminates provision of information to the communication device when the time-measurement process for the predetermined time is finished. When the requested access is made to the information providing apparatus to acquire information and an operation is accepted, it is determined whether the accepted operation is an operation on the information obtained from the information providing apparatus, and the information is In the case of an operation, the information providing apparatus is accessed for requesting resetting of the time measuring process by the time measuring means.

  The information providing system according to the present invention is characterized in that the access means accesses the information providing apparatus by asynchronous communication.

  In the information providing system according to the present invention, an operation received when the communication device causes the display unit to display an image that accepts input of a plurality of items based on the information acquired from the information providing device. It is characterized by determining whether or not an input to each item of the displayed image.

  In the information providing system according to the present invention, the image includes a cursor indicating an input position of a plurality of items, and whether or not the received operation is a movement of the cursor in the image displayed on the display means. It is characterized by judging.

  The communication device according to the present invention provides information in response to an access requesting acquisition of information from the outside, and starts counting time for a predetermined time and ends timing processing for a predetermined time each time accessed from the outside In a communication device capable of accessing via the network to an information providing device that terminates the provision of information, the information providing device is accessed to request information acquisition, the information is obtained, and the operation is accepted. In this case, it is determined whether or not the received operation is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus, and if it is determined that the received operation is an operation on the information, an access requesting resetting of the timing process is performed on the information providing apparatus It is characterized by being performed with respect to.

  The communication apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the access means accesses the information providing apparatus by asynchronous communication.

  The computer program according to the present invention provides information to a computer in response to an access requesting acquisition of information from the outside, and starts a time counting process for a predetermined time each time the computer is accessed from the outside, and performs a time counting process for a predetermined time. In a computer program for accessing an information providing apparatus that terminates provision of information when it is terminated via a network, the computer is made to access the information providing apparatus to obtain information by requesting the information providing apparatus, If the received operation is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus, and if it is determined that the received operation is an operation on the information, an access requesting to reset the timing process is provided by asynchronous communication. It is characterized in that it is performed on the apparatus.

  According to the present invention, when the communication apparatus determines that the operation received from the user is an operation for the information acquired from the information providing apparatus, the information providing apparatus is accessed for requesting resetting of the time measuring process by the time measuring means. . The information providing apparatus resets the timing process for a predetermined time when an access requesting the reset of the timing process is performed from the communication apparatus. For this reason, the connection (communication) is maintained because the time-out process for ending the provision of information to the communication device is not performed. Note that the communication device makes an access requesting the resetting of the timing process to the information providing device by asynchronous communication. Therefore, in the communication device, it is not necessary to interrupt various processes in accordance with the access to the information providing device that is performed to maintain the connection (communication) to the information providing device.

  According to the present invention, when the communication device receives an input to each item of the image displayed on the display unit based on the information acquired from the information providing device, or the cursor indicating the input position to each item of the image When the movement is accepted, the information providing apparatus is accessed for requesting the resetting of the timing process. Therefore, while the user of the communication device is performing input to each item of the image based on the information acquired from the information providing device, the timing processing for a predetermined time for the time-out processing in the information providing device is reset, and the time-out Execution of processing can be suppressed.

  In the present invention, when an operation from a user is received, the communication device makes an access to the information providing device for requesting a reset of the timing process if the received operation is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing device. . Since the information providing apparatus resets the timing process for a predetermined time for the timeout process based on the access requesting the reset of the timing process from the communication apparatus, the user of the communication apparatus does not process the information acquired from the information providing apparatus. During the operation, the execution of the timeout process in the information providing apparatus can be suppressed. Specifically, the communication device indicates an input position to each item of the image while performing input to each item of the displayed image based on information acquired by the user from the information providing device. When the cursor is moved, a time-out process is not executed by performing a dummy access to the information providing apparatus.

  In the present invention, when the operation received from the user is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing device, the communication device performs an access requesting the reset of the time counting process to the information providing device by asynchronous communication. Maintain connection (communication) with information provider. Therefore, in the communication device, there is no need to interrupt various processes when accessing the information providing device to request the reset of the timekeeping process in order to maintain the connection (communication). There is no need to interrupt the input of various information performed in accordance with an image based on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus. Therefore, communication with the information providing apparatus can be continued without any awareness of the user of the communication apparatus.

  Below, the information provision system which concerns on this invention is explained in full detail based on drawing which shows the web system which is the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a web system according to the present embodiment. The web system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a web server 2 as an information providing apparatus that provides various types of information, and a plurality of personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs) as communication apparatuses that can access the web server 2. 1, 1... Are connected via the Internet (network) 100a. Between the PCs 1, 1... And the web server 2, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) files, computer programs, image data, etc. are transmitted and received according to the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) protocol.

  The PC 1 is a known personal computer, and includes a control unit 10, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 11, a communication interface 13 for connecting to the Internet 100a, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, and the like. Are connected to each other.

  The control unit 10 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processor Unit) in which a ROM and a RAM are incorporated, and controls the operation of each hardware unit as described above, and a ROM incorporated in itself. A control program stored in advance is read into the RAM as appropriate and executed. In the ROM, various control programs necessary for operating the PC 1 as a communication apparatus according to the present invention are stored in advance. The RAM is configured by SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and temporarily stores data generated when the control unit 10 executes the control program.

  The HDD 11 is a large-capacity storage device, and stores various control programs executed by the control unit 10, a web browser 12 for browsing a web page provided by the web server 2 via the Internet 100a, and the like. . The HDD 11 also stores the web page provided from the web server 2 and various data included in the web page.

  The display unit 14 includes a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, or the like. Under the control of the control unit 10, the operating state of the PC 1, various information stored in the HDD 11, various information input via the operation unit 15, user Displays various information that should be notified. The operation unit 15 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and operates as a reception unit that receives an operation input from a user.

  The web server 2 includes a control unit 20, an HDD 21, a communication interface 22 for connecting to the Internet 100a, a counter unit 23, and the like, which are connected to each other via a bus 2a.

  The control unit 20 is composed of a CPU or MPU with a built-in ROM and RAM, controls the operation of each hardware unit as described above, and appropriately stores a control program stored in advance in the built-in ROM. Read to RAM and execute. In the ROM, various control programs necessary for operating the web server 2 as the information providing apparatus according to the present invention are stored in advance. The RAM is configured by SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and temporarily stores data generated when the control unit 20 executes the control program.

The HDD 21 is a large-capacity storage device, and stores various control programs executed by the control unit 20, a plurality of web pages provided to external PCs 1, 1,... Via the Internet 100a.
The web page includes a web page provided to an unspecified user and a web page provided only to a user registered in advance. Registration information of a user who can browse a web page provided only to a user registered in advance, such as a user ID and a password, is also stored in the HDD 21.

  The counter unit 23 is a clocking unit (counter) that counts a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes). When each PC 1, 1,... A counter is set individually for each of the PCs 1, 1,. Each counter is reset by the control unit 20 each time the corresponding PC 1, 1... Is accessed via the Internet 100a. On the other hand, each counter is deleted from the counter unit 23 by the control unit 20 when the counting process for a predetermined time is finished.

Hereinafter, processing when the PC 1 accesses the web server 2 in the web system 100 configured as described above will be described. In the following, a process in which the web server 2 provides the PC 1 with a web page provided only to a user registered in advance will be described.
Further, the PC 1 is configured to transmit information for specifying its own device to the web server 2 to be accessed when accessing the web server 2 publishing a web page on the Internet 100a. As information for specifying its own device, for example, an IP address can be used. Such information is stored in advance in the ROM of the control unit 10 of the PC 1.

  When the user of the PC 1 causes the PC 1 to execute the process of acquiring the web page provided by the web server 2, the control unit 10 of the PC 1 reads the web browser 12 stored in the HDD 11 into its own RAM and executes it. Thus, the web server 2 is accessed, and the web server 2 is requested to provide the web page designated by the user. The control unit 20 of the web server 2 transmits the web page requested from the PC 1 to the PC 1 via the Internet 100a. The web page transmitted here is a web page for inputting user information used for user authentication for authenticating whether the user of the PC 1 is a user permitted to view the web page.

  The control unit 10 of the PC 1 causes a display unit (display unit) 14 to display a web page (not shown) acquired from the web server 2 via the Internet 100a. The user of the PC 1 inputs user information such as a user ID and a password according to the instruction on the displayed web page, and causes the PC 1 to execute a login process. When the execution of login processing is instructed by the user, the control unit 10 transmits user information input by the user to the web server 2 via the Internet 100a.

  The control unit 20 of the web server 2 determines whether or not the user information received from the PC 1 exists in the user registration information stored in the HDD 21 in advance, and the web corresponding only when the user information exists in the user registration information. Send the page to PC1. Here, when transmitting a web page to the PC 1 via the Internet 100a, the control unit 20 sets a counter corresponding to the PC 1 in the counter unit 23 to start a time measurement process, and also transmits information related to the PC 1 to the control unit 20. Stored in the RAM. The counter is set corresponding to information for specifying PC1 acquired from PC1. Further, the information stored in the RAM is, for example, registration information of the user of the PC 1, information for specifying the PC 1, and the like. By storing such information in the RAM, the control unit 20 can recognize the currently logged-in PC 1 or the user of the PC 1.

  Note that the control unit 20 operates as a detecting unit that detects that each counter has finished measuring time for a predetermined time. When the end of the time measuring process for a predetermined time by each counter is detected, 23, and a time-out process is executed to delete information relating to the PC 1 corresponding to this counter from the RAM.

  The user of the PC 1 browses the web page acquired from the web server 2 via the Internet 100a, inputs various information according to the instructions on the web page, and appropriately selects each button on the web page, thereby inputting the information. Is transmitted to the web server 2 by the PC 1 or the linked web page is acquired by selecting the link set in the web page.

The control unit 10 of the PC 1 appropriately performs processing in accordance with the user's operation via the operation unit 15, transmits various information input by the user to the web server 2, or displays a web page designated by the user. Request to the web server 2.
When a web page is requested from PC 1 for which user authentication has already been performed, control unit 20 of web server 2 determines whether a time-out process for PC 1 has been performed. Specifically, the control unit 20 determines whether or not information related to the PC 1 is stored in its own RAM.

  When the information related to PC1 is stored in the RAM, that is, when the time-out process for PC1 is not performed, the control unit 20 resets the time counting process in the corresponding counter and displays the web page requested from PC1 by PC1. Send to. On the other hand, when information related to PC1 is not stored in the RAM, that is, when a time-out process is performed on PC1, for example, PC1 displays a web page displaying a message such as “Logout”. Send to.

  Accordingly, the web server 2 can appropriately provide the web page desired by the user of the PC 1 to the PC 1 and can forcibly end the provision of the web page to the PC 1 that has not been accessed for a predetermined time. Therefore, the storage area of the RAM for storing information related to the PC 1 that has not been accessed for a predetermined time can be used effectively, and the memory resources of the web server 2 can be used effectively.

  Hereinafter, functions of the web browser 12 realized by the control unit 10 executing the web browser 12 in the PC 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the web browser 12. The web browser 12 of this embodiment has functions such as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) 121, an event detection unit 122, a processing unit 123, a synchronous communication unit 124, and an asynchronous communication unit 125.

  The GUI 121 displays an image based on the web page acquired from the web server 2 via the Internet 100a on the display unit 14, and various information input via the operation unit 15 with respect to the image displayed on the display unit 14 Accept. The PC 1 acquires a web page from the web server 2 by synchronous communication, and the GUI 121 causes the display unit 14 to display the web page acquired via the synchronous communication unit 124.

  The event detection unit 122 detects what event the operation through the operation unit 15 is when the web browser 12 is activated. Therefore, the event detection unit 122 operates as a determination unit that determines whether the operation received through the operation unit 15 is an operation on a web page. The event detected by the event detection unit 122 is, for example, when the web page displayed on the display unit 14 has input fields for a plurality of items, input to each input field by the operation unit 15, current input by the operation unit 15 This is an operation for a web page such as movement of a cursor indicating a position. When the web page displayed on the display unit 14 has a selection button, the event detection unit 122 detects selection of each selection button by the operation unit 15 as an event.

  The processing unit 123 executes processing corresponding to each event detected by the event detection unit 122. For example, when the event detection unit 122 detects an input to the input column of the web page, the processing unit 123 causes the display unit 14 to display the input information in the corresponding input column of the web page being displayed. When the event detection unit 122 detects the movement of the cursor, the processing unit 123 moves the cursor on the web page being displayed on the display unit 14 to a corresponding location.

  Further, when the event detection unit 122 detects the selection of each selection button via the operation unit 15, specifically, when the selection of the link set on the web page is detected, the processing unit 123 corresponds to the corresponding web. A page is requested to the web server 2 via the synchronous communication unit 124. In addition, when the event detection unit 122 detects selection of an “OK” button, a “complete” button, a “send” button, or the like for instructing transmission of each item input via the web page to the web server 2. The processing unit 123 transmits the input information to the web server 2 via the synchronous communication unit 124.

Here, in the web browser 12 of this embodiment, when the event detection unit 122 detects the movement of the cursor after detecting the input to the input field on the web page, the processing unit 123 corresponds to the input information. While being displayed in the input field, the cursor is moved to a corresponding location on the web page, and dummy access to the web server 2 is performed via the asynchronous communication unit (access means) 125. As described above, the control unit 20 of the web server 2 to which dummy access is performed from the PC 1 resets the counter corresponding to the PC 1.
Here, the dummy access is an access for notifying the web server 2 that the input processing to each input field on the web page is being performed in the PC 1 and for preventing the web server 2 from executing the time-out process for the PC 1. It does not cause the web server 2 to perform other specific processing. Therefore, since the amount of information transmitted when accessing the web server 2 from the PC 1 may be very small, the load on the Internet 100a is small.

  With the above-described configuration, for example, while the user of the PC 1 is performing an input operation on a web page for which a large amount of input information needs to be input, execution of a timeout process by the web server 2 can be suppressed. The user can avoid forced logout unexpectedly. In addition, since the web server 2 reliably performs the timeout process when the user of the PC 1 does not truly use the web page provided by the web server 2, the memory resources in the web server 2 can be used effectively. .

  Below, the specific program code of the function mentioned above of the web browser 12 of this embodiment is demonstrated. In addition, the web browser 12 of this embodiment is comprised by adding the computer program which concerns on this invention with respect to the well-known web browser for accessing the web server 2 via the internet 100a. The computer program according to the present invention is described in the VB.NET language using, for example, Visual Studio 2005 (registered trademark) manufactured by Microsoft Corporation. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams for explaining a description example of the computer program according to the present invention.

  In this embodiment, the function of the web browser 12 described above is realized by executing the XMLHttpRequest object using the ICallbackEventHandler interface prepared in the .NET Framework Version 2.0 (registered trademark). In Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (registered trademark), since the XMLHttpRequest object is realized by ActiveX, the above-described function of the web browser 12 can be realized by setting “Use ActiveX”. In addition, since Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (registered trademark) does not use ActiveX to execute the XMLHttpRequest object, the above-described functions of the web browser 12 can be realized without performing special settings.

  In the present embodiment, as a computer program according to the present invention, declaration statements shown in FIG. 3A are described in a declaration section that makes various declarations. As a result, the ICallbackEventHandler interface can be used. Next, the method shown in FIG. 3B is described in a place where methods corresponding to various processes are described. The method shown in FIG. 3B is for causing the web server 2 to execute a process of returning “dummy” data to the PC 1 by asynchronous communication.

  Also, the program code shown in FIG. 3C is added to the Page_Load event that is automatically executed when the web browser 12 loads a web page from the web server 2, and a function of Java (registered trademark) Script is added. As shown in FIG. 3 (d), a reset timeout function is defined. Thereby, when the reset timeout function is executed, the web browser 12 executes processing corresponding to each description as described above, and as a result, the web browser 12 performs asynchronous communication with the web server 2.

  The correspondence between the web page actually displayed on the display unit 14 of the PC 1 and the computer program of the present invention corresponding to this web page will be described below. FIG. 4A shows a configuration example of a web page, and FIG. 4B shows a part of program code corresponding to the web page. The web page in FIG. 4A is a registration information input screen for registering a user's name and telephone number (TEL). Name and telephone number input fields 41 and 42, a clear button 43, a registration button, etc. indicate.

  The program code corresponding to the name input field 41 on the web page shown in FIG. 4A is the program code indicated by 41a in FIG. 4B, and an onchange event for the input field 41 is performed. If a reset timeout function is executed. Specifically, when the event detection unit 122 of the web browser 12 detects an input to the input field 41 and then detects a movement of the cursor in the input field 41 to a different input field 42, the processing unit 123 resets the timeout. By executing the function, the web server 2 is accessed (dummy access) via the asynchronous communication unit 125. Similarly, the program code corresponding to the telephone number input field 42 on the web page shown in FIG. 4A is the program code indicated by 42a in FIG. 4B, and an on-change event for the input field 42 is performed. If a reset timeout function is executed, the reset timeout function is executed.

  The program code corresponding to the clear button 43 on the web page shown in FIG. 4A is the program code shown by 43a in FIG. 4B, and an onclick event is performed on the clear button 43. If a reset timeout function is executed together with the CLEAR function. Although not shown, the clear function is separately defined as processing for deleting information input in each input field on the web page and returning it to the initial state. Therefore, in this case, when the event detection unit 122 of the web browser 12 detects that the clear button 43 is pressed (selected), the processing unit 123 executes the clear function to delete the input information in the input fields 41 and 42. Then, the reset timeout function is executed to access the web server 2 (dummy access).

The program code shown in FIG. 3 describes that the web server 2 returns data “dummy” to the PC 1 by asynchronous communication in response to such dummy access from the PC 1. 2 need only be accessible, and the web server 2 does not need to return data to the PC 1.
Further, the program code shown in FIG. 4B may be a program code as shown in FIG. 4C, for example. Note that the program code shown in FIG. 4C is a different description example with respect to the program code indicated by 41a in FIG. 4B.

  Hereinafter, communication processing of the PC 1 and the web server 2 in the web system 100 configured as described above will be described with reference to flowcharts. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing communication processing with the web server 2 by the PC 1. The following processing is executed by the control unit 10 in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM and HDD 11 of the PC 1, particularly the web browser 12 of the HDD 11, and in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM and HDD 21 of the web server 2. The control part 20 performs.

  A user of the PC 1 causes the PC 1 to execute a process of acquiring a web page provided by the web server 2, and displays a web page for performing user authentication for browsing the web server 1 provided only to a user registered in advance. 2, input necessary user information, and cause the PC 1 to execute login processing for the web server 2.

When the user is instructed to execute the login process, the control unit 10 of the PC 1 transmits user information input by the user to the web server 2 via the Internet 100a (S1).
The control unit 20 of the web server 2 performs user authentication based on the user information received from the PC 1 and user registration information stored in advance in the HDD 21 (S2), and when the user authentication fails (S2: NO). Then, a web page for notifying that there is no authority to view the web page is transmitted to the PC 1 (S3). The control part 10 of PC1 receives such a web page from the web server 2, displays it on the display part 14 (S4), and complete | finishes the access to the web server 2. FIG.

  On the other hand, when the user authentication is successful (S2: YES), the control unit 20 of the web server 2 sets a counter corresponding to the PC1 in the counter unit 23 to start a time measuring process (S5), and controls information related to the PC1. The corresponding web page is transmitted to the PC 1 while being stored in the RAM of the unit 20 (S6). The control unit 10 of the PC 1 displays the web page received from the web server 2 on the display unit 14 (S7).

  The user of the PC 1 inputs various information using the operation unit 15 according to the web page displayed on the display unit 14 and operates each button on the web page. The control unit 10 of the PC 1 detects the presence / absence of a user operation (event) via the operation unit 15 (S8), and if an event is detected (S8: YES), whether the detected event is an on-change event or not. (S9). In addition, the control part 10 waits until an event is detected, when an event is not detected (S8: NO).

  When it is determined that the detected event is not an on-change event (S9: NO), the control unit 10 appropriately executes a process corresponding to the detected event (S10). When determining that the detected event is an on-change event (S9: YES), the control unit 10 performs dummy access to the web server 2 by asynchronous communication (S11). The control unit 20 of the web server 2 to which the dummy access is performed from the PC 1 resets the counter of the counter unit 23 corresponding to the PC 1 (S12).

  As a result, while the user of the PC 1 is performing various information input operations on the web page provided from the web server 2, execution of the timeout process by the web server 2 can be suppressed. Therefore, the PC 1 can maintain connection (communication) with the web server 2 even though substantial communication is not performed with the web server 2.

  Note that the control unit 20 of the web server 2 performs the above-described processing, and when each counter of the counter unit 23 finishes timing processing for a predetermined time, the control unit 20 stores information on each counter and the PC 1 corresponding to each counter in the RAM. Execute timeout processing to erase from. Thereby, the memory resource in the web server 2 can be used effectively. Although not shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 20 of the web server 2 responds to the PC 1 that has not been timed out when accessed from the PC 1 via the Internet 100a. Of course, we also provide web pages.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the web browser 12 including the computer program of the present invention is stored in advance in the HDD 11 of the PC 1 has been described. However, for example, the PC 1 may be configured to download the computer program of the present invention from an external server connected to the Internet 100 a and store it in the HDD 11. The PC 1 may be configured to be able to read data in an external memory such as a flexible disk or a CD-ROM, and read the computer program of the present invention from the external memory and store it in the HDD 11.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the web browser 12 accesses the web server 2 (dummy access) each time an on-change event is detected. However, for example, the web server 2 can be configured to be accessed when any operation is performed via the operation unit 15. However, when the PC 1 frequently accesses the web server 2, the load on the Internet 100a also increases. Therefore, in consideration of the load on the Internet 100a, it is necessary to configure the PC 1 to access the web server 2 based on an appropriate event.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the web system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a functional block diagram which shows the function of a web browser. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the example of a description of the computer program which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the example of a description of the computer program which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the communication process with the web server by PC.

Explanation of symbols

100 Web system (information provision system)
100a Internet (network)
1 PC (communication device)
12 Web browser 122 Event detection unit (determination means)
125 Asynchronous communication unit (access means)
14 Display section (display means)
15 Operation part (reception means)
2 Web server (information provision device)
20 Control unit (detection means)
23 Counter section (time measuring means)

Claims (7)

A communication device capable of accessing other devices;
Means for providing information in response to an access requesting acquisition of information from the communication device, time-counting means for starting time-measurement processing for a predetermined time each time the communication device is accessed, and time-measurement processing for the predetermined time by the time-measurement means In an information providing system comprising: an information providing device for detecting an end of the information providing device, and when the detecting means detects the end of a time counting process for a predetermined time, the information providing device terminates the provision of information to the communication device.
The communication device
Means for obtaining information by performing access for requesting information acquisition to the information providing device;
An accepting means for accepting an operation;
Determining means for determining whether the operation received by the receiving means is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus;
An information providing system comprising: an access unit that makes an access to the information providing device for requesting resetting of the time measuring process by the time measuring unit when the determining unit determines that the operation is an operation on the information.   The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the access unit is configured to access the information providing apparatus by asynchronous communication. The communication device includes display means for displaying an image that accepts input of a plurality of items based on information acquired from the information providing device,
The said judging means is comprised so that it may be judged whether the operation received by the said receiving means is the input to each item of the image displayed on the said display means. Or the information provision system of 2. The image includes a cursor indicating an input position among a plurality of items,
4. The determination unit according to claim 3, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether or not the operation received by the reception unit is a movement of a cursor in an image displayed on the display unit. Information providing system described. Information that provides information in response to an access requesting acquisition of information from the outside, and starts providing time information for a predetermined time each time it is accessed from the outside, and terminates provision of information when the time processing for the predetermined time is completed In a communication device capable of accessing a providing device via a network,
Means for obtaining information by performing access for requesting information acquisition to the information providing device;
An accepting means for accepting an operation;
Determining means for determining whether the operation received by the receiving means is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus;
An access device, comprising: an access unit that makes an access to the information providing device for requesting resetting of the time counting process when the determining unit determines that the operation is an operation on the information.   The communication device according to claim 5, wherein the access unit is configured to access the information providing device by asynchronous communication. Provides information to the computer in response to an access requesting information acquisition from the outside, and starts providing a time-measurement process for a predetermined time each time it is accessed from the outside, and providing information when the time-measurement process for the predetermined time is completed In a computer program for accessing an information providing apparatus to be terminated via a network,
Causing the computer to access the information providing apparatus for requesting information acquisition to acquire the information;
A determination step for causing the computer to determine whether the received operation is an operation on the information acquired from the information providing apparatus;
And a step of causing the information providing apparatus to make an access for requesting resetting of the time measurement processing by asynchronous communication when the computer determines that the operation is an operation on the information in the determination step. program.

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