JP2014010537A - Distribution device, distribution system, distribution method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distribution device which distributes update data of a program when the device determines that the program is to be probably used.SOLUTION: A distribution device 10 stores status information including usage information indicating usage of an application program and use status of the application program (step S21). Next, the distribution device 10 determines whether or not the distribution device 10 holds update data to be distributed (step S22), and when it is determined that the distribution device 10 holds the update data to be distributed, the distribution device 10 acquires the status information (step S24). Then, the distribution device 10 determines use probability of the application program in the use status indicated by the acquired status information (step S25), and when it is determined that the determined use probability is equal to or more than a predetermined level (step S26:YES), the distribution device 10 distributes the held update data to a user terminal 20 (step S27).

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for distributing update data used for updating a program.

  In recent years, many programs have been introduced into user terminals such as smartphones and tablet terminals, and update data is distributed in order to facilitate updating of these programs. In addition, in order to prevent the update data to be distributed from being concentrated and increase the processing load on the user terminal, for example, in Patent Document 1, the usage frequency of the software module (that is, the program) of the client terminal is set in advance. If it is less than this, it is described that the update timing is delayed.

JP 2010-176551 A

By the way, depending on the user, even if the program is not frequently used, the program is often used in certain situations, for example, when traveling to a certain place or once a month for hobbies. . In the technique of Patent Document 1, if such a program is used less frequently as a whole, the update timing will be delayed, and update data will not be distributed even if the user actually uses it. Can happen.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to distribute update data of a program when the program is likely to be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention associates usage information representing the usage of a program used in a user terminal with status information representing the status of program usage when the program is used. Storage means for storing information, acquisition means for acquiring status information indicating the status of use of the program, and the usage information stored in the storage means in association with the status information acquired by the acquisition means. Based on the determination means for determining the high possibility that the program is used in the situation represented by the situation information, and the high possibility that the determination means has determined is greater than or equal to a predetermined level A distribution device comprising: distribution means for distributing update data used for updating the program to the user terminal; Subjected to.

In addition, the storage unit stores, as the situation information, location information indicating a location where the user terminal is located when the program is used, and the acquisition unit is a location indicating the location where the user terminal is located. Information is acquired as the situation information, and the determination unit is represented by the location information based on the usage information stored in the storage unit in association with the location information acquired by the acquisition unit. The likelihood of the program being used at a location may be determined.
Furthermore, the storage means accumulates time information indicating a time when the program is used as the status information when the program is used, and the acquisition means indicates a time indicating the time when the program is used. Information is acquired as the status information, and the determination means is represented by the time information based on the usage information stored in the storage means in association with the time information acquired by the acquisition means. It is possible to determine a high possibility that the program is used at a certain time.

Further, the determination unit specifies the use frequency of the program based on the usage amount information stored in the storage unit, and the program having a higher specified use frequency is represented by the acquired status information. You may determine with the high possibility of being used in a situation.
Furthermore, the determination means specifies the average usage time per unit period of the program as the usage frequency based on the usage information stored in the storage means, the program having a longer specified average usage time, You may determine with a high possibility of being used in the situation represented by the acquired said situation information.

And a collection unit that collects period information representing a period of time that has elapsed since the program was installed in the user terminal, wherein the determination unit uses the collection criterion as a determination criterion for determining the high possibility. When the period information is collected by the means, the possibility is higher than when the period information representing a period shorter than the period represented by the period information is collected by the collection means. You may determine the height of the said possibility after changing so that it may become easy.
Further, the distribution unit may not distribute the update data to the user terminal when the possibility that the determination unit has determined is less than a predetermined level.

  According to the present invention, any of the above distribution apparatuses and usage information indicating the usage of the installed program are associated with the status information indicating the usage status of the program when the program is used. A user terminal comprising storage means for storing and update means for updating the program using the update data when update data used for updating the program is distributed from the distribution device; A distribution system is provided.

  According to the present invention, the distribution device accumulates usage information representing a usage amount of a program used in a user terminal in association with status information representing a usage status of the program when the program is used. An acquisition step in which the distribution device acquires status information indicating a status regarding use of the program; and the distribution device is stored in the storage step in association with the status information acquired in the acquisition step. A determination step of determining a high possibility that the program is used in the situation represented by the situation information based on the usage amount information; and the possibility that the distribution device has been determined in the determination step. When the height is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the update data used for updating the program is Provides a delivery method characterized in that it comprises a distribution step of distributing the over THE terminal.

  The present invention relates to a storage step of storing, in a computer, usage amount information representing a usage amount of a program used in a user terminal in association with situation information representing a situation regarding the use of the program when the program is used. And an acquisition step for acquiring status information representing a status related to the use of the program, and the status information based on the usage information stored in the storage step in association with the status information acquired in the acquisition step A determination step for determining a high possibility that the program is used in a situation represented by the following, and if the high possibility that the determination is made in the determination step is a predetermined level or more, A distribution step of distributing update data used for updating to the user terminal; To provide a program for.

  According to the present invention, when a program is likely to be used, update data of the program can be distributed.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the delivery system of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of a delivery apparatus. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of a user terminal. It is a figure which shows the function which a delivery apparatus implement | achieves. It is a figure which shows the function which a user terminal implement | achieves. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the date information and positional information memorize | stored in the memory | storage part. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the frequency information which the accumulation | storage part accumulated, the days information, and location information. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the average usage count of each application in each location. It is a table | surface which shows an example of the definition for determining a usability. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the determination result by a determination part. It is a sequence chart which shows an example of the operation | movement performed by a delivery related process. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the usage-amount information and status information which the accumulation | storage part accumulated. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the determination result by the determination part in this embodiment. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the date information and time information which the memory | storage part of the modification 1 memorize | stores. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the time information which the accumulation | storage part accumulated. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the average usage time of each application in each location. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the definition for determining a usability. It is a table | surface which shows the example of the determination result by a determination part. It is a figure which shows the function which the delivery apparatus in the modification 2 implement | achieves. It is a table | surface which shows an example of the definition for changing a criterion. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the delivery system of a modification.

[First Embodiment]
A distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[Constitution]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a distribution system 1 according to the first embodiment. The distribution system 1 includes a distribution device 10, a user terminal 20, and a network 2. The user terminal 20 is a terminal used by a user, such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. Further, the user terminal 20 performs wireless communication based on mobile communication or wireless LAN standards. In the user terminal 20, application programs such as mail software and a browser (hereinafter also simply referred to as “applications”) are introduced. The user operates these user terminals 20 to use these apps. The network 2 includes a mobile communication network and the Internet. The distribution device 10 is connected to the network 2, and when the user terminal 20 is performing wireless communication, the user terminal 20 is also connected.

  The distribution device 10 is a device that distributes application update data to the user terminal 20 via the network 2. Update data here is data used to update an app to a newer version than the current version. Update data is provided by the vendor providing the application. When the update data is distributed from the distribution device 10 to the user terminal 20, the application program that is the update target is updated using the distributed update data. The distribution device 10 distributes the update data when the application updated by the update data is used by the user terminal 20 (hereinafter referred to as “use amount”) and when the application is used by the user terminal 20. Based on the status of app usage. The situation regarding the use of this app is referred to as “usage status” below.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the distribution apparatus 10. The distribution device 10 is a computer including a control device 110, a storage device 120, and a communication device 130. The control device 110 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a real time clock. The CPU controls the operation of each device of the distribution device 10 by executing a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 120 using the RAM as a work area. The real time clock has a function of calculating the current date and time. The storage device 120 is storage means such as a flash memory or a hard disk, and stores data, programs, and the like used for control by the control device 110. In addition, the storage device 120 stores data indicating a predetermined numerical value such as a threshold value used in the distribution device 10. The communication device 130 includes a communication circuit for performing communication via the network 2 and exchanges data with the control device 110. The control device 110 exchanges data with the user terminal 20 via the communication device 130.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 is a computer including a control device 210, a storage device 220, an operation device 230, a display device 240, a voice input / output device 250, and a communication device 260. The control device 210 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a real time clock. The CPU controls the operation of each device of the user terminal 20 by executing a program stored in the ROM or the storage device 220 using the RAM as a work area. The real time clock has a function of calculating the current date and time. The storage device 220 is storage means such as a flash memory or a hard disk, and stores data, programs, and the like used for control by the control device 210. Further, the storage device 220 stores data indicating a predetermined numerical value such as a threshold value used in the user terminal 20. The operation device 230 includes operation elements such as a plurality of keys and touch sensors, and supplies an operation signal corresponding to a user operation to the control device 210. The control device 210 performs processing according to the operation signal.

  The display device 240 is a display unit having a display surface, and displays an image or the like indicated by data stored in the storage device 220 on the display surface in response to an instruction from the control device 210. The voice input / output device 250 includes a speaker, a microphone, a voice processing circuit, and the like, and performs voice input / output related to a call. The communication device 260 includes an antenna that transmits and receives signals, and a communication circuit that performs wireless communication based on mobile communication and wireless LAN standards, and communicates with the distribution device 10 via the network 2. . The communication device 260 exchanges data with the control device 210, and the control device 210 exchanges data with the distribution device 10 via the communication device 260. The positioning device 270 measures the position where the user terminal 20 is located using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. Specifically, the positioning device 270 measures the latitude and longitude of the position where the user terminal 20 is located by receiving a signal from a GPS satellite. The positioning device 270 supplies data indicating the measured latitude and longitude to the control device 210 as position data indicating the position where the user terminal 20 is located.

The distribution device 10 and the user terminal 20 perform distribution-related processing related to distribution of update data based on each hardware configuration described above. The distribution device 10 and the user terminal 20 each store a program for performing distribution-related processing in each storage device. In the distribution device 10, the control device 110 executes this program to control each device shown in FIG. 2 to realize the function shown in FIG. 4. In the user terminal 20, the control device 210 executes this program. The functions shown in FIG. 5 are realized by controlling each device shown in FIG. Below, these functions are demonstrated, referring FIG.4 and FIG.5.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating functions realized by the distribution apparatus 10. The distribution apparatus 10 includes an accumulation unit 101, an acquisition unit 102, a determination unit 103, and a distribution unit 104. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating functions realized by the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 includes a storage unit 201, a usage / usage status data transmission unit 202, a status information data transmission unit 203, and an update unit 204.

  The storage unit 201 of the user terminal 20 is a storage unit that stores information (hereinafter referred to as “use amount information”) indicating the use amount of an application used by the own terminal. This usage amount information represents the usage amount of each application used by the user terminal 20. In addition, the storage unit 201 stores the usage amount information in association with information (hereinafter referred to as “situation information”) that indicates a usage situation (a situation regarding the usage of the application) when the application is used. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 201 stores information indicating the date and time when each application was used (hereinafter referred to as “date and time information”) as usage amount information. When each application is used, the user terminal 20 Information representing the location (hereinafter referred to as “position information”) is stored as status information.

  Specifically, the storage unit 201 stores date information and position information by the following method. In the storage unit 201, each time an application is executed, the control device 210 stores the date and time when the application is started as date / time information in the storage device 220 in association with the name of the executed application. Further, the control device 210 stores the position data supplied from the positioning device 270 when the application is executed as position information in the storage device 220 in association with the name of the application. As described above, the storage unit 201 is a function realized by the control device 210, the storage device 220, and the positioning device 270 in cooperation.

  FIG. 6 is a table showing an example of date and time information and position information stored in the storage unit 201. In this example, “use position” represented by position information stored in association with “application names” “application A” and “application C” and “use date and time” represented by date and time information are shown. ing. “Use position” is indicated by latitude and longitude, and “Use date and time” is indicated by date and time. For example, “App A” includes “x1, y1” and “2012.1.3, 08:55”, “x3, y3” and “2012.1.4, 12:03”, “x4, “Use position” and “use date and time” of “y4” and “2012.1.5, 07:48” are associated with each other. The storage unit 201 supplies the date / time information and the position information stored in this manner to the usage / usage status data transmission unit 202 and the status information data transmission unit 203.

  The usage amount / usage status data transmission unit 202 of the user terminal 20 uses the usage amount (date and time represented by the date and time information in the present embodiment) and the situation represented by the usage amount information stored in association with each other in the storage unit 201. It is a transmission means for transmitting usage amount / usage status data indicating the usage status represented by the information (the location represented by the location information in the present embodiment) to the distribution apparatus 10. Specifically, the usage / usage status data transmission unit 202 transmits the usage / usage status data as follows. In the usage / usage status data transmission unit 202, the control device 210 stores the date / time information stored in the storage unit 201 during the past predetermined period (for example, one week) and the date / time information in association with the date / time information. The location information and the application name are extracted, and data indicating the date, time, location, and application represented by the extracted information is transmitted to the distribution device 10 via the communication device 260 as usage amount / usage status data. The usage amount / usage status data transmission unit 202 transmits the usage amount / usage status data at intervals of the above-described predetermined period (in this example, one week). As described above, the usage / usage status data transmission unit 202 is a function realized by the control device 210, the storage device 220, and the communication device 260 in cooperation.

  The storage unit 101 of the distribution device 10 is a storage unit that stores the usage information of the application used by the user terminal 20 in association with the status information when the application is used. This usage amount information represents the usage amount of each application used by the user terminal 20. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 101 includes information (hereinafter referred to as “frequency information”) indicating the number of times an application has been used in a predetermined period (for example, half a year or one year), and the number of days of use. (Hereinafter referred to as “day information”) is stored as usage information. The number of days used here is not the total number of days, but the actual number of days. Even if the application is used several times a day, it is counted as one day. Further, the storage unit 101 stores information indicating the location where the user terminal 20 is located when the application is used (hereinafter referred to as “location information”) as the situation information described above. In the present embodiment, the location mentioned here is a place whose range is determined in advance by the boundaries of cities, prefectures, countries, and the like. Specifically, the storage unit 101 stores the number of times information, the number of days information, and the location information by the following method.

  In the storage unit 101, the storage device 120 stores location data indicating the boundary of the location by latitude and longitude. When the communication device 130 receives the usage / usage status data transmitted from the user terminal 20 at intervals of a predetermined period (1 week in this example), the received usage / usage status data is supplied to the control device 110. To do. The control device 110 refers to the location data stored in the storage device 120 and identifies the location where the location where the user terminal 20 indicated by the supplied usage amount / usage status data is located is included. The control device 110 adds 1 to the number of uses indicated by the location information indicating the specified location and the number of times information associated with the application name indicated by the supplied usage / usage status data, and adds it to the storage device 120. Remember. As a result, the number-of-times information associated with each application and each location information is accumulated. In addition, the control device 110 adds 1 to the number of days used represented by the number of days information associated with the location information indicating the location only when the location is first identified within one day. The data is stored in the storage device 120. As a result, the number of days information associated with each place information is accumulated. As described above, the storage unit 101 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 110, the storage device 120, and the communication device 130. The accumulation unit 101 supplies the accumulated number information, days information, and location information to the determination unit 103.

  FIG. 7 is a table showing an example of the number of times information, the number of days information, and the location information accumulated by the accumulation unit 101. In this table, “Ko City”, “Oto City”, “Nada Ward”, “Ding County”, and “U Country” are indicated as “location” represented by the location information, and “App A” is indicated as the application name. , “App B”, “App C”, and “App D” are shown. In addition, “number of times of use” represented by the number-of-times information is shown in association with these “location” and application name. In this example, the number of uses when 180 days is the predetermined period is shown. For example, when the location is “Koichi”, the number of times each application is used is “340”, “27”, “34”, and “0”, and when the location is “Otoichi” The usage count of each application is “60”, “0”, “40”, and “0”. The total number of times of use at all locations is “463”, “39”, “89”, and “10”. In the table of FIG. 7, the usage days in “Ko City”, “Oto City”, “Nada Ward”, “Ding County” and “U Country” are “170”, “70”, “35”, “ 3 ”and“ 5 ”. This number of days of use is used to calculate the number of times of use per day of the application described later.

The acquisition unit 102 of the distribution device 10 is an acquisition unit that acquires the above-described status information (information indicating the status regarding the use of the program) when update data used for updating the application is held in the own device. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 102 acquires the location information (information indicating the location where the user terminal 20 is located) as the situation information described above. Specifically, the acquisition unit 102 acquires location information by the following method.
The update data is provided from the vendor described above to the distribution device 10 via the network 2, for example, and stored in the storage device 120. In the acquisition unit 102, when update data is stored in the storage device 120, the control device 110 determines whether an app whose update data is to be updated is installed in the user terminal 20. The control device 110 determines that the number of times corresponding to the application has been introduced when it is stored in the storage unit 101.

  When it is determined that the control device 110 is installed, the control device 110 requests the user terminal 20 to transmit information indicating the current location as data indicating the status information (hereinafter referred to as “status information data”). Request data to be transmitted is transmitted via the communication device 130. When the data indicating the current position of the user terminal 20 is transmitted as the status information data from the user terminal 20 in response to the request data, the control device 110 stores the location where the position is included in the storage device 120. Identify by referring to the stored location data. The control device 110 acquires information indicating the specified location (specifically, latitude and longitude indicating the boundary of the location) as status information. As described above, the acquisition unit 102 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 110, the storage device 120, and the communication device 130. The acquisition unit 102 supplies the acquired situation information (the location information described above) to the determination unit 103.

  The situation information data transmission unit 203 of the user terminal 20 is a situation information data transmission unit that transmits the above-described situation information data to the distribution apparatus 10. Specifically, the situation information data transmission unit 203 transmits the situation information data by the following method. In the status information data transmission unit 203, the communication device 260 receives the request data transmitted from the distribution device 10 and supplies the received request data to the control device 210. In response to the request indicated by the supplied request data, the control device 210 uses the position data supplied from the positioning device 270 as status information data indicating the current location of the terminal itself via the communication device 260. 10 to send. As described above, the status information data transmission unit 203 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 210, the communication device 260, and the positioning device 270.

  The determination unit 103 of the distribution apparatus 10 uses the usage information (same number information and number of days information) stored in the storage unit 101 in association with the situation information (location information in this embodiment) acquired by the acquisition unit 102. Based on this, it is a determination means for determining the high possibility that the application is used in the situation represented by the situation information (also the place represented by the place information) (hereinafter referred to as “usability”). . Specifically, the determination unit 103 determines the availability by the following method. In the determination unit 103, the control device 110 determines the usage information stored in the storage unit 101 in association with the acquired situation information, that is, the location information notified from the acquisition unit 102, that is, the above-described number information. And days information is extracted. The number information and the number of days information extracted in this way will be described with reference to the example of FIG.

  For example, the determination unit 103 determines that the location represented by the location information supplied from the acquisition unit 102 is “Koichi” and the application updated by the update data stored in the own device is “App A”. ”, The number of times information of 340 times that is the usage amount information accumulated in association with“ Ko City ”and“ App A ”is extracted. The determination unit 103 calculates a value obtained by dividing the number of uses represented by the extracted number of times information by the number of days used (170 in this case) at the location, that is, 340 ÷ 170 = 2.0. This value represents the average number of times the app is used per day. Hereinafter, this value is referred to as “average number of times of use”. In this example, it is shown that the average use frequency of “application A” when the user terminal 20 is located in “Ko city” in the past 180 days was 2.0. This average number of times of use represents the frequency of use of the application (hereinafter referred to as “usage frequency”). As described above, the determination unit 103 specifies the use frequency of the application by calculating the average use number based on the number-of-times information and the number of days information accumulated in the accumulation unit 101.

  FIG. 8 is a table showing an example of the average number of times each application is used at each location. In this table, the average number of times of use calculated based on the number of times of use and the number of days of use shown in FIG. 7 is shown with the second decimal place rounded down. The average number of times of use of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” is “1.0”, “2.0”, and “2.0”, respectively, when the location is “Ding County”, for example. “0” and “0”, and “2.0”, “1.2”, “0”, and “2.0” in the case of “U country”, respectively. In addition, the average number of times of use of “App A”, “App B”, “App C”, and “App D” at all locations calculated from the total number of uses at all locations shown in FIG. “2.5”, “0.2”, “0.4”, and “0.0”. The determination unit 103 determines the applicability of the application from the average usage count calculated as described above based on a predetermined definition.

  FIG. 9 is a table showing an example of a definition for determining availability. In this table, “average use count ≧ 1.0”, “1.0> average use count ≧ 0.1” for three types of “usability” of “high”, “medium”, and “low”. ”And“ 0.1> average usage count ”are associated with each other. This means that the average usage count is 1 or higher, that is, the app is likely to be used with an average usage of 1 or more per day, and the average usage count is less than 0.1, that is, 10 days. In other words, the applicability of an app that is never used on average is “low”, and the applicability of the app between these average usage counts is “medium”. Using the definition shown in FIG. 9, the determination unit 103 determines that an app with a higher use frequency specified as described above has a higher availability in the current situation acquired by the acquisition unit 102.

  FIG. 10 is a table showing an example of the determination result by the determination unit 103. In this table, the result of determination by the determination unit 103 based on the average number of times of use shown in FIG. 8 is shown. The determination results of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” are “high”, “high”, “low”, and “low” when the location is “Ding County”, for example. In the case of “U country”, “high”, “high”, “low” and “high”, respectively. In addition, the determination results of “app A”, “app B”, “app C”, and “app D” at the average number of uses in all the locations shown in FIG. 8 are “high”, “medium”, “ “Medium” and “Low”. As described above, the determination unit 103 is a function realized by the control device 110. The determination unit 103 notifies the distribution unit 104 of the determination result as described above.

The distribution unit 104 of the distribution device 10 is a distribution unit that distributes update data to the user terminal 20 when the availability determined by the determination unit 103 is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The distribution unit 104 does not perform distribution when the determined availability is less than that level. Specifically, the distribution unit 104 distributes update data by the following method.
In the distribution unit 104, the control device 110 determines whether or not the availability is greater than or equal to a predetermined level. In the present embodiment, it is determined that the possibility of use is “medium” as a predetermined level. In other words, when the usability is equal to or higher than the predetermined level, it means that the usability is “high” or “medium”, and when the usability is less than the predetermined level, the usability is “low”. Is. For example, in the case where the update data of the app B is stored in the storage device 120 and “Koichi” is acquired as the location, the control device 110 has “medium” as shown in FIG. Therefore, the update data is distributed to the user terminal 20 via the communication device 130. As described above, the distribution unit 104 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 110, the storage device 120, and the communication device 130.

  The update unit 204 of the user terminal 20 is an update unit that updates the application using the update data when update data used to update the application is distributed from the distribution device 10. In the update unit 204, the update data received by the communication device 260 is supplied to the control device 210, and the app stored in the storage device 220 is updated using the update data supplied by the control device 210. As described above, the update unit 204 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 210, the storage device 220, and the communication device 260.

[Operation]
Based on the above configuration, the distribution device 10 and the user terminal 20 execute the distribution-related processing described above.
FIG. 11 is a sequence chart illustrating an example of operations performed in the distribution-related processing. This distribution-related process is a process that is repeatedly performed by the distribution device 10 and the user terminal 20 once started. First, when the user terminal 20 executes some application program (step S11), the user terminal 20 uses the application usage information (date and time information in the present embodiment) as the application and the above-described situation information (same location information). The data is stored in association with each other (step S12).

  In step S12, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, an application name representing the application, position information, and date / time information are stored in association with each other. Step S12 is an operation performed by the storage unit 201 shown in FIG. The operations in steps S11 and S12 are repeated every time the app is executed. Next, the user terminal 20 transmits usage amount / usage status data indicating each piece of information stored in step S12 to the distribution apparatus 10 (step S13). Step S <b> 13 is an operation performed by the usage / usage status data transmission unit 202. The user terminal 20 performs the operation of step S13 at intervals of a predetermined period (one week in the above example).

  Subsequently, the distribution device 10 accumulates usage information and status information (step S21). Specifically, the distribution apparatus 10 associates the application name, the above-described number information and the number of days information, and the above-described location information with each other based on the usage amount / usage status data transmitted in step S13. accumulate. Step S21 is an operation performed by the storage unit 101 shown in FIG. Next, the distribution apparatus 10 determines whether or not update data to be distributed is held (step S22). The update data is provided by the vendor as described above, and at that time, there is a case where the update is strongly recommended when there is an important part to be corrected in the old version. In the distribution apparatus 10, a flag indicating that the update data should be updated forcibly is given to such update data. When the distribution device 10 refers to the flag of each update data that is held and finds update data to which this flag is assigned, the distribution device 10 determines that the update data to be forcibly updated is held ( Step S22: YES) The operation of Step S23 is performed. Further, when the update data to which the flag is given is not found, the distribution apparatus 10 determines that the update data to be updated is not held (step S22: NO), and returns to step S21 to operate. Do.

  In step S23, the distribution apparatus 10 sends the request data requesting transmission of the status information data indicating the status information to the user together with the application name updated by the update data to which the flag has been added and the update information indicating the updated version. It transmits to the terminal 20. Upon receiving the request data and the update information in step S23, the user terminal 20 determines whether the version of the application indicated by the update information is older than the version after the update, that is, whether the update is necessary. (Step S31). When the user terminal 20 determines that the update is not necessary (step S31: NO), the user terminal 20 ends the distribution-related processing. When the user terminal 20 determines that the update is necessary (step S31: YES), the user terminal 20 Position data indicating the position of the terminal is transmitted to the distribution apparatus 10 (step S32). Step S32 is an operation performed by the status information data transmission unit 203 shown in FIG. When the distribution apparatus 10 receives the position data in step S32, the distribution apparatus 10 acquires the location information indicating the location including the position indicated by the received position data as the situation information (step S24). Steps S23 and S24 are operations performed by the acquisition unit 102.

  Subsequently, the distribution apparatus 10 determines the availability in the user terminal 20 of the application program whose update data is to be updated (step S25). In detail, the distribution device 10 calculates the average number of times the application is used at the user terminal 20 at the location represented by the location information acquired in step S24, based on the usage information accumulated in step S21. The availability is determined according to the definition shown in FIG. 9 from the calculated average usage count. Step S25 is an operation performed by the determination unit 103.

  Then, the distribution apparatus 10 determines whether or not the determined usability (“high”, “medium”, or “low”) is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (“medium” in the above-described example) (step S26). When it is determined that the level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (step S26: YES), the update data to which the flag has been assigned is distributed to the user terminal 20 as described above (step S27). If the distribution apparatus 10 determines that the determined usability is less than the predetermined level (step S26: NO), the distribution apparatus 10 returns to step S21 to perform the operation. Steps S26 and S27 are operations performed by the distribution unit 104. The distribution apparatus 10 performs the operation in step S22 at a predetermined interval (for example, one week). As a result, in the distribution device 10, when the update data that is determined to be NO in step S <b> 26 and has not been distributed is subsequently used in the user terminal 20 because the application to be updated is used, and the availability increases. It is supposed to be delivered. Upon receiving the update data in step S27, the user terminal 20 updates the application program using the update data (step S33). Step S33 is an operation performed by the update unit 204.

  For example, when an app that has low applicability in Japan but high applicability in U is installed in the user terminal 20 as in app D shown in FIG. If the applicability is determined based on the average number of times of use, the update data of the application is not distributed regardless of the location. In this embodiment, since the availability is determined for each location, the update data of the app is not distributed while the user terminal 20 is located in Japan, but when the user terminal 20 is located in the U country. The availability of a predetermined level or higher is determined, and the update data of the application is distributed. As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if there are few opportunities to be used throughout the period in which the user is located, the opportunity to be used in a situation where the user is located in a certain location (U country in this example). Update data for apps with a lot of data will be distributed easily.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when the user terminal 20 is located at the location, that is, when the application is likely to be used, update data of the application is distributed. it can. In other words, it is less likely that update data will not be distributed even though the application is likely to be used. Further, the distribution device 10 does not distribute the update data to the user terminal 20 when the determined usability is less than a predetermined level. As a result, it is unlikely that the update data is distributed and a load is applied to the user terminal 20 or the network 2 even though the application is unlikely to be used in the user terminal 20.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the location is used as the usage status (that is, the status regarding the use of the application), but in the second embodiment, the usage time is used. This use time is a time when the application is used by the user terminal 20, and is represented by, for example, a time zone, a day of the week, or a date. Below, it demonstrates centering on a different point from 1st Embodiment. In this embodiment, the hardware configurations of the distribution device and the user terminal are the same as those shown in FIGS. Based on this hardware configuration, the distribution apparatus 10 of the present embodiment realizes substantially the same functions (storage unit 101, acquisition unit 102, determination unit 103, and distribution unit 104) as those described in the first embodiment. Further, the user terminal 20 of the present embodiment is based on this hardware configuration, and has substantially the same functions as those described in the first embodiment (storage unit 201, usage / usage status data transmission unit 202, status information data transmission unit). 203 and the update unit 204). However, in the present embodiment, there are some methods for realizing these functions different from those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the functions for which the implementation methods are different will be described below.

  The storage unit 201 of the user terminal 20 according to the present embodiment stores the date and time information (information indicating the date and time when each application is used) described above as not only usage information but also status information. That is, the date information in this case represents the use time described above when each application is used by the user terminal 20. The usage / usage status data transmission unit 202 transmits usage amount / usage status data indicating each application, the usage amount indicated by the usage amount information, and the date / time indicated by the date / time information to the distribution apparatus 10. The storage unit 101 of the distribution apparatus 10 stores time data indicating the range of use time in month and day (that is, date and time), and the date and time indicated by the use amount / use state data transmitted from the user terminal 20 is stored. Identify the time of use included. The accumulation unit 101 accumulates information indicating the specified use time (hereinafter referred to as “time information”) as status information.

  FIG. 12 is a table showing an example of usage information and status information accumulated by the accumulation unit 101 in the present embodiment. In this table, instead of “location” in the table of FIG. 7, “use time” in which a range is determined in advance is shown. Specifically, “usage time” of “weekday commuting time zone”, “weekday daytime”, “weekday return time zone”, “weekday nighttime”, “holiday daytime”, and “holiday nighttime” is shown. For example, when the usage period is “weekday commuting time zone”, the usage counts of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” are “23”, “2”, “23”. And “0”, and when the usage period is “Weekday day”, the usage counts are “30”, “0”, “0”, and “10”. Further, the total number of uses in all use periods is “463”, “39”, “89”, and “10” as in FIG. In addition, the number of use days in each use period is indicated as “35”, “28”, “48”, “115”, “80”, and “120”.

  The acquisition unit 102 of the distribution apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment acquires time information indicating a time when an application program is used (that is, a use time) as the situation information described above. For example, the acquisition unit 102 specifies the time including the current time calculated by the real-time clock of the control device 110 with reference to the above-described time data as the use time, and acquires the time information indicating the specified use time. In addition, the determination unit 103 according to the present embodiment uses the usage time represented by the time information based on the usage information stored in the storage unit 101 in association with the time information acquired by the acquisition unit 102. Determine the possibility.

FIG. 13 is a table showing an example of the determination result by the determination unit 103 in the present embodiment. In this table, the result of determination by the determination unit 103 based on the number of uses shown in FIG. 12 is shown. The determination results of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” are “high”, “medium”, “medium”, and “ In the case of “low” and “holiday daytime”, “high”, “low”, “medium” and “low”, respectively. In addition, the determination results of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” in the total number of uses in all the usage periods shown in FIG. 12 are “high”, “medium”, “ “Medium” and “Low”. As described above, the determination unit 103 is a function realized by the control device 110. The determination unit 103 notifies the distribution unit 104 of the determination result as described above.
According to this embodiment, as in “APPLICATION D” shown in FIG. 13, even if there are few opportunities for use throughout the entire use period, it is used during a certain use period (in this example, during weekdays). Update data for apps with many opportunities can be easily distributed.

[Modification]
Each embodiment mentioned above is only an example of implementation of the present invention, and may be changed as follows. Moreover, you may implement combining each embodiment mentioned above and each modification shown below as needed.

(Modification 1)
In each embodiment described above, the determination unit 103 of the distribution device 10 specifies the calculated average usage count as the usage frequency. However, the determination is not limited thereto. For example, the average usage time per unit period (for example, one day) of the application is used. May be specified as the usage frequency. In this case, the storage unit 201 of the user terminal 20 stores information indicating the usage time (hereinafter referred to as “time information”) in addition to the date / time information illustrated in FIG. 6 as the usage amount information.
FIG. 14 is a table showing an example of date information and time information stored in the storage unit 201 in the present modification. In this example, the usage time (unit: hours, minutes, seconds) is shown in association with the date and time information when “application A” and “application C” shown in FIG. 6 are used. For example, “application A” is associated with usage times “00:03:15”, “00:07:59”, and “00:02:02”, and “application C” is associated with “01:05: The usage times of “32” and “00:32:27” are associated with each other.

The usage / usage status data transmission unit 202 transmits usage amount / usage status data indicating each application and usage status, usage date and time, and usage time to the distribution apparatus 10. The storage unit 101 of the distribution apparatus 10 stores date / time information and time information based on the transmitted usage / usage status data.
FIG. 15 is a table showing an example of time information accumulated by the accumulation unit 101. Instead of the number of uses shown in FIG. 7, use times (unit: hours) in the past 180 days are shown. For example, when the location is “Koichi”, the usage times of “App A”, “App B”, “App C”, and “App D” are “11.4”, “2.0”, “17 .1 ”and“ 0 ”, and when the location is“ Otoichi ”, the usage time of each application is“ 2.5 ”,“ 0 ”,“ 9.4 ”, and“ 0 ”. In addition, the total usage time at all locations is “16.7”, “3.3”, “28.8”, and “0.9”.

The determination unit 103 according to the present embodiment specifies the above-described average usage time as the usage frequency based on the usage amount information stored in the storage unit 101, and the acquisition unit 102 acquires the longer the specified average usage time. It is determined that there is a high possibility of being used in the situation represented by the situation information.
FIG. 16 is a table showing an example of the average usage time of each application at each location. In this table, the average usage time (unit: minutes / day) calculated based on the usage time and the number of days shown in FIG. 15 is shown by rounding down the second decimal place. The average usage time of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” is “4.0”, “0.7”, respectively, when the location is “Ko City”, for example. “6.0” and “0”, and “Otoichi” are “2.1”, “0”, “8.0”, and “0”, respectively. Further, the average usage time at all locations calculated from the total usage time at all locations shown in FIG. 15 is “5.5”, “1.1”, “9.6”, and “0”, respectively. .3 ".

  FIG. 17 is a table showing an example of a definition for determining usability in the present modification. In this table, “average use time ≧ 5.0” and “5.0> average use time ≧ 2.0” for the three “usability” of “high”, “medium”, and “low”. "And" Definition "of" 2.0> Average usage time "are associated with each other. In other words, the average usage time is 5.0 minutes / day or more, that is, the app is likely to be used with an average usage time of 5.0 minutes or more per day. If it is less than 0 minute / day, it is “low”, and if the average usage time is between these, it is “medium”.

  FIG. 18 is a table showing an example of a determination result by the determination unit 103 in the present modification. In this table, the result of determination by the determination unit 103 based on the average number of times of use shown in FIG. 8 is shown. The determination results of “application A”, “application B”, “application C”, and “application D” are “medium”, “low”, “high”, and “high”, respectively, when the location is “Ko city”, for example. “Low” and “Otoichi” are “medium”, “low”, “high” and “low”, respectively. The determination results for the average usage time at all locations are “high”, “low”, “high”, and “low”, respectively.

  For example, when the app C is determined based on the average number of times of use, it is “medium” as shown in FIG. 10, but when it is determined based on the average usage time, it is shown in FIG. 18. It became “high” as shown. On the other hand, the applicability of app B in the city is “medium” as shown in FIG. 10 when it is determined based on the average number of times of use, but it is shown in FIG. 18 when it is determined based on the average usage time. It became “low” as shown. As described above, in the distribution device 10 according to the present modification, even if the average number of times of use is small, it is determined that a long average use time is likely to be used. As a result, for example, apps that continue to operate once they start using (so-called resident) and apps that are used for a long time compared to other apps may be usable because the average number of uses is small. It can reduce that it is judged low.

(Modification 2)
The determination unit 103 of the distribution apparatus 10 may perform the determination after changing the definition used in the determination in the above-described embodiments and modifications according to another situation. For example, the determination unit 103 may correct the usability according to this period with another period of time (hereinafter referred to as “elapsed period”) that has elapsed since the application was introduced to the user terminal 20.
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating functions realized by the distribution device 10a according to the present modification. The distribution apparatus 10a includes a collection unit 105 in addition to the functions illustrated in FIG. The collection unit 105 is a collection unit that collects information representing the elapsed period (hereinafter referred to as “period information”), which is, for example, the number of years indicating the elapsed period. The storage device 220 stores the date and time when each application was introduced, and the collection unit 105 transmits request data for requesting this date and time to the user terminal 20 and the date and time indicated by the data transmitted in the response. The number of years elapsed from the current time to the current time is collected as period information, and the collection unit 105 is a function realized by the cooperation of the control device 110 and the communication device 130. The collection unit 105 determines the collected period information. To the unit 103.

Based on the period information supplied by the collection unit 105, the determination unit 103 determines usability after changing the criterion for determining usability. Specifically, the determination unit 103 has a longer period information than the period represented by the period information when the collection unit 105 collects the period information. The criteria are changed so that the usability is likely to increase. The determination unit 103 changes such a determination criterion using the definition shown in FIG.
FIG. 20 is a table showing an example of a definition for changing the determination criterion. In this table, “definition” is associated with “use period” and “usability”. Specifically, when the usage period is “less than one year”, the definition shown in FIG. 9 is associated with three types of “usability” of “high”, “medium”, and “low”. When the usage period is “1 year or more and less than 3 years”, “average number of uses ≧ 0.8”, “0.8> average number of uses ≧ 0.08” and “0.08> average use” When “definition” of “number of times” is associated and the usage period is “3 years or more”, “average number of times of use ≧ 0.6”, “0.6> average number of times of use ≧ 0.06” and “ “Definition” of “0.06> average number of times of use” is associated.

By using the above definition, for example, when there is an application with an average use count of 0.07 times under a certain use condition, the determination unit 103 determines the possibility of use if the elapsed period is less than one year. If it is determined as “low” and the elapsed period is three years or more, it is determined as “medium”. As described above, when the collection unit 105 collects period information representing a certain period (a period of 3 years or more in this example), the determination unit 103 has a period shorter than this period (also a period of less than one year). ) Is more likely to be used than when collected by the collecting unit 105 (in this example, “low” in the latter case is “medium” when the possibility of use is the former). Determined.) Change the criterion.
The user may delete an application that is not frequently used in order to increase the free capacity of the storage device 220. At this time, there is a case where a thing that is likely to be used in the future is left without being deleted even if the opportunity for use is small. According to this modification, it is easy to update an application that remains without being deleted in such a case.

(Modification 3)
In each embodiment described above, the distribution unit 104 of the distribution apparatus 10 determines only the presence / absence of distribution according to the availability determined by the determination unit 103. However, the distribution priority is not limited to this, and the priority of distribution is further determined. You may judge. For example, the distribution apparatus 10 holds four update data from “application A” to “application D”, and the determination unit 103 determines the availability as shown in FIG. It is assumed that the situation is currently located in “Ko City”. In this case, the distribution unit 104 distributes “application A”, “application B”, and “application C” whose availability is greater than or equal to a predetermined level, but “application A” whose availability is “high”. Is first distributed, and thereafter, “APPLICATION B” and “APPLICATION C” having the possibility of being “medium” are distributed. At this time, the distribution unit 104 further refers to the usage frequency specified by the determination unit 103 (for example, the average usage count shown in FIG. 8), and averages “application C” whose average usage count is “0.2”. Distribution may be performed prior to “application B” having a usage count of “0.1” (that is, having an average usage count smaller than “application C”). The distribution unit 104 may refer to the average usage time as illustrated in FIG. 16 as the usage frequency.

  If the user terminal 20 is used by the user while the update data is being distributed, the update data distribution may not be completed and may be interrupted. In that case, the distribution apparatus 10 performs the above-described distribution-related processing again, for example, with a predetermined time interval (one day or one week). Until the distribution-related process is performed again and the distribution of the update data and the update using the update data are completed, the application is used in the user terminal 20 with an old version. According to this modification, as the app is more likely to be used, the distribution is less likely to be interrupted as described above, and the app is less likely to be used in the older version.

(Modification 4)
The distribution system has one user terminal in each of the above-described embodiments, but may have two or more user terminals.
FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a distribution system 1b according to the present modification. The distribution system 1b includes a distribution device 10 and a network 2, and a plurality of user terminals 20 (in the figure, 20b, 20c, and 20d are shown). In this case, the usage / usage status data transmitting unit 202 and the status information data transmitting unit 203 of the user terminal 20 use the usage / usage status data and status information indicating an identifier for identifying the terminal in addition to the above-described information. Data is transmitted to the distribution device 10 respectively. The accumulation unit 101 of the distribution apparatus 10 accumulates the usage amount information and the situation information in association with the identifier. The acquisition unit 102 determines whether or not the application whose update data is to be updated is installed in the user terminal 20 for each user terminal identified by the identifier, and obtains status information for each user terminal. get. The determination unit 103 determines the availability for each user terminal whose status information has been acquired by the acquisition unit 102, and the distribution unit 104 distributes update data for each user terminal whose availability has been determined by the determination unit 103 To do.

  For example, when the distribution unit 104 distributes “application A” to the user terminals 20b, 20c, and 20d, the availability of “application A” in each user terminal 20 in the situation represented by the situation information is “medium”. , “High” and “Medium” may be distributed in order from the user terminal 20 with high availability. In that case, the delivery part 104 may be made to deliver in order of the magnitude of use frequency with reference to use frequency similarly to the modification 3. According to this modification, the user terminal 20 that is more likely to use the application to be updated is less likely to be interrupted and less likely to be used in the older version.

(Modification 5)
In the above-described embodiment and modification, the distribution system uses the average use count and the average use time as the usage amount, but is not limited thereto. For example, the distribution system may use the number of times of use as shown in FIG. 7 as the amount of use as it is, and similarly use the number of days of use, the usage rate of the CPU of the control device 210, the usage rate of the RAM, and the like as the usage amount. Also good. In short, any distribution system may be used as the usage amount as long as the usage amount of the application installed in the user terminal 20 can be compared with a small amount.

(Modification 6)
In the above-described first embodiment, the distribution system uses a place whose range is determined in advance by the boundary of a city, a prefecture, a country, or the like as a location, but is not limited thereto. For example, the distribution system may use a site whose range is determined by a site of a building or a boundary arbitrarily selected by a user. In short, in the distribution system, it is only necessary to use a common location between the distribution apparatus and the user terminal. When a user selects a range of locations, for example, by determining a location where the user is at home, going out, working, commuting, or on a business trip as a location, the distribution system can The availability of each scene can be determined, and update data can be distributed based on the determination result.

(Modification 7)
The distribution system uses the six use periods shown in FIG. 12 and the like in the second embodiment described above, but is not limited thereto. For example, the distribution system may use a time determined regardless of whether it is a weekday or a holiday, or may determine a use time in a range of season, month, early, mid, late, or the like. By making it possible for the user to determine the time of use, the distribution system determines the availability for each scene in the user's life and updates based on the determination result, as in the case of the location. Data can be distributed.

(Modification 8)
In the first and second embodiments described above, the distribution system uses the location information and the time information as the situation information. However, other information may be used. The distribution system may use, for example, the weather (temperature, humidity, wind, rainfall), illuminance (brightness), altitude (height from sea level), and the like when the application is used as the situation information. Accordingly, for example, update data of an application that is highly likely to be used on a rainy day (for example, a weather forecast application) is easily distributed, or an application that is highly likely to be used in a dark state (for example, Update data of an application that realizes the function of a flashlight) can be made easier to distribute. In short, when there is an application that is not normally used but is likely to be used in a certain situation, the distribution system uses the situation as situation information so that update data of the application can be easily distributed. Can be.

(Modification 9)
In each embodiment described above, the determination unit 103 of the distribution apparatus 10 determines three types of usability based on the definitions illustrated in FIG. 9 and the like. However, the determination unit 103 is not limited to three types, and two types (for example, “high”). “Low”) or four (for example, “High”, “Slightly high”, “Slightly low”, and “Low”) or more may be determined. Further, the determination unit 103 may calculate a numerical value representing the availability based on the usage amount information stored in the storage unit 101. For example, the determination unit 103 may determine the average usage count calculated as shown in FIG. In this case, the distribution unit 104 determines whether update data is distributed using a predetermined numerical value (in this case, a predetermined number of times of use) as a predetermined level.

(Modification 10)
In each of the above-described embodiments, the distribution system distributes the update data of the application program. However, the distribution system is not limited to this. For example, update of a system program such as an OS (Operating System) or middleware program such as a database management system is performed. Data may be distributed. In short, the distribution system only needs to distribute update data used for updating any program installed in the user terminal.

(Modification 11)
The present invention can be understood as a distribution method for realizing the processing performed by the distribution apparatus, in addition to the distribution apparatus described above and the distribution system including the distribution apparatus and the user terminal. The process here is, for example, the distribution related process shown in FIG. The present invention can also be understood as a program for causing a computer such as a distribution device and a user terminal to function as each unit shown in FIGS. Such a program may be provided in the form of a recording medium such as an optical disk storing the program, or may be provided in a form such that the program is downloaded to a computer via a network such as the Internet, and the program can be installed and used. You may do.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Distribution system, 2 ... Network, 10 ... Distribution apparatus, 20 ... User terminal, 110, 210 ... Control apparatus, 120, 220 ... Storage apparatus, 130, 260 ... Communication apparatus, 270 ... Positioning apparatus, 101 ... Storage part, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 102 ... Acquisition part, 103 ... Determination part, 104 ... Distribution part, 105 ... Collection part, 201 ... Memory | storage part, 202 ... Usage-amount / usage status data transmission part, 203 ... Situation information data transmission part, 204 ... Update part

Claims (10)

Storage means for storing usage information representing the usage of the program used in the user terminal in association with status information representing the status of use of the program when the program is used;
Obtaining means for obtaining situation information representing a situation relating to the use of the program;
Based on the usage amount information stored in the storage means in association with the situation information acquired by the acquisition means, the probability that the program is used in the situation represented by the situation information is determined. Determination means for determining;
A distribution unit that distributes update data used for updating the program to the user terminal when the possibility of the determination by the determination unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined level; apparatus. The storage means stores, as the situation information, location information indicating a location where the user terminal is located when the program is used,
The acquisition means acquires location information representing a location where the user terminal is located as the situation information,
The determination unit may use the program at a place represented by the location information based on the usage information stored in the storage unit in association with the location information acquired by the acquisition unit. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein a high degree of sex is determined. The storage means stores time information indicating a time when the program is used when the program is used as the status information,
The acquisition means acquires time information representing a time when the program is used as the status information,
The determination means uses the program at a time represented by the time information based on the usage information stored in the storage means in association with the time information acquired by the acquisition means. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein a high possibility is determined. The determination unit specifies the usage frequency of the program based on the usage amount information stored in the storage unit, and the program having a higher specified usage frequency is represented by the acquired status information. The distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution device is determined as having a high possibility of being used. The determination unit specifies an average usage time per unit period of the program as the usage frequency based on the usage amount information stored in the storage unit, and the program is acquired as the specified average usage time is longer. The distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the distribution device is determined as having a high possibility of being used in a situation represented by the situation information. Collecting means for collecting period information representing a period of time that has elapsed since the program was installed in the user terminal;
The determination means, when the period information is collected by the collection means, the period representing a period shorter than the period represented by the period information, as a determination criterion for determining the high possibility 6. The degree of possibility is determined after changing the information so that the possibility is higher than when the information is collected by the collecting means. The distribution apparatus according to any one of the above. The distribution unit does not distribute the update data to the user terminal when the possibility of the determination by the determination unit is less than a predetermined level. The distribution apparatus according to claim 1. The distribution device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Storage means for storing the usage information representing the usage of the installed program in association with the status information representing the status regarding the use of the program when the program is used, and used for updating the program A distribution system comprising: a user terminal including update means for updating the program using the update data when the update data is distributed from the distribution device. An accumulation step in which the distribution device accumulates usage amount information representing the usage amount of the program used in the user terminal in association with status information representing the status relating to the use of the program when the program is used;
An acquisition step in which the distribution device acquires status information indicating a status regarding use of the program;
The distribution device may use the program in the situation represented by the situation information based on the usage information accumulated in the accumulation step in association with the situation information obtained in the acquisition step. A determination step for determining the height of
A distribution step of distributing update data used for updating the program to the user terminal when the distribution device has a high possibility of being determined in the determination step being a predetermined level or more. A distribution method characterized by. On the computer,
An accumulation step for accumulating usage information representing the usage of the program used in the user terminal in association with status information representing the status of use of the program when the program is used;
An obtaining step for obtaining situation information representing a situation relating to the use of the program;
Based on the usage amount information accumulated in the accumulation step in association with the situation information obtained in the obtaining step, it is determined whether the program is likely to be used in the situation represented by the situation information. A determination step to:
A program for executing a distribution step of distributing update data used for updating the program to the user terminal when the possibility of the determination in the determination step is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

Images