JP2017228970A - Information processing system, application management method, information processing device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing system enabling an electronic apparatus to select and use a Web application in which a plurality of settings are reflected in advance by an identical organization.SOLUTION: The information processing system, which includes one or more information processing devices to manage one or more Web applications to be used by an electronic apparatus through a network, includes: application data management means for managing an identical Web application having different settings in an associative manner with an organization, as a plurality of instances which include the combination of the Web application with the settings; and control means which accepts a display request of a Web application list, in which an organization is designated, from a terminal device operated by a user, to display on the terminal device the list of the plurality of instances managed in association with the organization, as the Web application list.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system, an application management method, an information processing apparatus, and a program.

  In recent years, various cloud computing services (cloud services) have been provided in image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals.

  For example, as an example of a cloud service in an image forming apparatus, there is a print service (cloud print) using cloud computing technology. In the cloud print, a user accumulates print jobs from a client such as a PC or a smartphone on a server on the cloud, and the image forming apparatus pulls out the print jobs from the server on the cloud and performs printing (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

  Conventionally, in an information processing system that provides a cloud service, settings corresponding to the contents of the cloud service are reflected for each user or organization. However, in a conventional information processing system that provides a cloud service, the same user or organization cannot reflect and use different settings in the same cloud service in advance.

  An embodiment of the present invention is to provide an information processing system in which a plurality of settings are reflected in advance by the same organization on a Web application used in an electronic device and can be selectively used. .

  In order to achieve the above object, claim 1 of the present application is an information processing system that includes one or more information processing apparatuses and manages one or more Web applications that an electronic device uses via a network. The application data management means for managing the same web application with different configurations in association with the organization as a plurality of instances including a combination of the web application and the setting, and the organization specified from the terminal device operated by the user Control means for receiving a display request for a Web application list and displaying a list of a plurality of instances managed in association with the organization on the terminal device as a list of the Web applications. .

  According to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of settings can be reflected in advance by the same organization on a Web application used in an electronic device, and can be selectively used.

It is a lineblock diagram of an example of an information processing system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a hardware block diagram of an example of a computer. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a process block diagram of an example of the service provision system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart of an example showing the process sequence of the information processing system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the application initial data which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the package which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the application profile which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the relationship between a package, an application profile, and the screen of an image forming apparatus. It is a figure explaining the transition of a home screen. It is a flowchart of an example of a package registration process. It is an image figure of an example of an application initial data edit screen. It is an image figure of an example of an application initial data edit screen. It is an example object figure showing a package. It is a flowchart of an example of a package introduction process to a tenant. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the package of an application area | region, and the application profile of a tenant area | region. It is an example object figure showing an application profile. It is an image figure of an example of an icon label edit screen. It is an image figure of an example of an application setting edit screen. The items and values of application settings that can be selected by the end user in the case of scanning are shown. It is an image figure of the other example of an application initial data edit screen. It is an image figure of the other example of an application initial data edit screen. It is an image figure of an example of an application list screen. It is an image figure of the other example of an application setting edit screen. It is an image figure of an example of an application setting screen. It is an image figure of an example of the application setting screen in which application instance ID is displayed. 6 is a flowchart showing preparations in an end user terminal when job printing is performed using a printer driver. It is an image figure of an example of the port monitor setting screen for job printing. It is an image figure of an example of the application instance selection screen of the end user terminal carrying the application for terminals. It is an image figure of an example of the application instance selection screen of an image forming apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of an information processing system according to the first embodiment. The information processing system 1 in FIG. 1 includes a service providing system 10, a planner terminal 12, a sales staff terminal 14, a system manager terminal 16, an end user terminal 18, and an image forming apparatus 20 in a network such as a LAN or the Internet. 22 is connected.

  The planner terminal 12 is, for example, a terminal device operated by a planner of the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus 20. The planner accesses the service providing system 10 from the planner terminal 12 and performs product design, addition of packages to be described later, and the like. For example, the sales staff member terminal 14 is a terminal device operated by a sales staff member of the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus 20. A sales staff member accesses the service providing system 10 from the sales staff member terminal 14 to open a tenant or introduce a package to the tenant. For example, a sales staff member opens a tenant or introduces a package to a tenant upon a work request after sales have been sold or contracted. A tenant is established for each organization such as a company, a group or a department.

  The system administrator terminal 16 is an operation terminal operated by a system administrator on the user side, for example. The system administrator accesses the service providing system 10 from the system administrator terminal 16 and makes preparations for use such as adding a user to a tenant and customizing an application profile setting described later. The system administrator logs in to the image forming apparatus 20 and makes preparations (device registration, URL registration, etc.) for the image forming apparatus 20 to access the service providing system 10. It should be noted that the preparation for use performed by the system administrator may be performed by the manufacturer's service engineer instead.

  The end user terminal 18 is an operation terminal operated by a tenant user (end user). The end user accesses the service providing system 10 from the end user terminal 18 and performs personal application settings. Further, the end user accesses the service providing system 10 from the end user terminal 18 or the image forming apparatus 20 and uses the “Scan To Storage” service or the “Job Print” service. The planner terminal 12, the sales staff terminal 14, the system manager terminal 16, and the end user terminal 18 are information processing apparatuses such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet PC, a desktop PC, and a notebook PC.

  The image forming apparatus 20 is an electronic device such as a laser printer or a multifunction machine (multifunction printer). The image forming apparatus 20 is equipped with a web browser for processing web content from the service providing system 10. The image forming apparatus 20 can process the “Scan To Storage” service and the “Job Print” service by processing the Web content provided from the service providing system 10.

  The service providing system 10 is realized by one or more information processing apparatuses. The service providing system 10 controls the system configuration management site accessed by the planner terminal 12 and the sales staff terminal 14 and the system management site accessed by the system administrator terminal 16 and the end user terminal 18. Further, the service providing system 10 manages tenants, users, application data, and application profiles, and provides a “Scan To Storage” service and a “Job Print” service to the user.

  The configuration of the information processing system 1 in FIG. 1 is an example. For example, the service providing system 10 may be realized by being distributed to a plurality of information processing apparatuses. In addition, there may be a plurality of the planner terminal 12, the sales staff terminal 14, the system manager terminal 16, the end user terminal 18, and the image forming apparatus 20.

<Hardware configuration>
"Computer"
The planner terminal 12, the sales staff member terminal 14, the system manager terminal 16, and the end user terminal 18 shown in FIG. 1 are realized by, for example, a computer having a hardware configuration shown in FIG. One or more information processing apparatuses that implement the service providing system 10 are also realized by a computer having a hardware configuration shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of a computer. A computer 500 in FIG. 2 includes an input device 501, a display device 502, an external I / F 503, a RAM 504, a ROM 505, a CPU 506, a communication I / F 507, an HDD 508, and the like. Note that the input device 501 and the display device 502 may be connected and used when necessary.

  The input device 501 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, and the like, and is used by a user to input each operation signal. The display device 502 includes a display and the like, and displays a processing result by the computer 500.

  A communication I / F 507 is an interface for connecting the computer 500 to various networks. Thereby, the computer 500 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 507.

  The HDD 508 is an example of a nonvolatile storage device that stores programs and data. The stored programs and data include an OS that is basic software for controlling the entire computer 500, and application software that provides various functions on the OS. The computer 500 may use a drive device (for example, a solid state drive: SSD) that uses a flash memory as a storage medium instead of the HDD 508.

  The external I / F 503 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 503a. Accordingly, the computer 500 can read and / or write the recording medium 503a via the external I / F 503. Examples of the recording medium 503a include a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, and a USB memory.

  The ROM 505 is an example of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off. The ROM 505 stores programs and data such as BIOS, OS settings, and network settings that are executed when the computer 500 is started up. The RAM 504 is an example of a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily stores programs and data.

  The CPU 506 is an arithmetic device that realizes control and functions of the entire computer 500 by reading a program and data from a storage device such as the ROM 505 and the HDD 508 onto the RAM 504 and executing processing. The planner terminal 12, the sales staff member terminal 14, the system manager terminal 16, and the end user terminal 18 can implement various processes as described later, for example, by the hardware configuration of the computer 500 shown in FIG. Further, the service providing system 10 can realize various processes as described later by one or more computers having a hardware configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, for example.

<Image forming apparatus>
The image forming apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 1 is realized by a hardware configuration as shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 20 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a controller 601, an operation panel 602, an external I / F 603, a communication I / F 604, a printer 605, a scanner 606, and the like.

  The controller 601 includes a CPU 611, a RAM 612, a ROM 613, an NVRAM 614, an HDD 615, and the like. The ROM 613 stores various programs and data. The RAM 612 temporarily stores programs and data. The NVRAM 614 stores setting information, for example. The HDD 615 stores various programs and data.

  The CPU 611 implements control and functions of the entire image forming apparatus 20 by reading programs, data, setting information, and the like from the ROM 613, the NVRAM 614, the HDD 615, and the like onto the RAM 612 and executing the processing.

  The operation panel 602 includes an input unit that receives input from the user and a display unit that performs display. An external I / F 603 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 603a. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus 20 can read and / or write the recording medium 603a via the external I / F 603. Examples of the recording medium 603a include an IC card, a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, and a USB memory.

  The communication I / F 604 is an interface for connecting the image forming apparatus 20 to the network 22. As a result, the image forming apparatus 20 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 604. A printer 605 is a printing device for printing print data on a transported object. For example, the object to be conveyed is not limited to paper, such as paper, coated paper, cardboard, OHP, plastic film, prepreg, and copper foil. A scanner 606 is a reading device for reading image data (electronic data) from a document.

<Software configuration>
The service providing system 10 according to the present embodiment is realized by, for example, processing blocks illustrated in FIG. FIG. 4 is a processing block diagram of an example of the service providing system according to the present embodiment. The service providing system 10 implements a processing block as shown in FIG. 4 by executing a program.

  The service providing system 10 in FIG. 4 includes a system configuration management site control unit 30, an application data management unit 32, a system management site control unit 34, and a tenant / user management unit 36. The service providing system 10 includes an application data storage unit 40, an application profile storage unit 42, and a tenant / user information storage unit 44.

  The application data storage unit 40 stores application data described later. The application profile storage unit 42 stores an application profile described later. The tenant / user information storage unit 44 stores tenant information and user information.

  The system configuration management site control unit 30 controls the system configuration management site accessed from the planner terminal 12 and the sales staff terminal 14. The application data management unit 32 manages the application data stored in the application data storage unit 40 and the application profile stored in the application profile storage unit 42. The system management site control unit 34 controls the system management site accessed from the system administrator terminal 16 or the end user terminal 18. The tenant / user management unit 36 manages tenant information and user information stored in the tenant / user information storage unit 44.

<Processing>
In the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, processing from registration of a Web application (hereinafter referred to as an application) to be sold to a tenant to use of an application by an end user is performed according to the procedure illustrated in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of the information processing system according to the present embodiment. In step S11, the planner accesses the system configuration management site of the service providing system 10 from the planner terminal 12, and designs initial application data, registers packages, and the like. Details of the initial application data design and package will be described later.

  In step S12, the sales staff member accesses the system configuration management site of the service providing system 10 from the sales staff member terminal 14, and opens a tenant or introduces a package to the tenant based on the work request after the sales are sold and contracted. I do.

  In step S <b> 13, the system administrator accesses the system management site of the service providing system 10 from the system administrator terminal 16 and makes preparations for use such as adding a user to the tenant and customizing an application profile setting described later. Further, the system administrator logs in to the image forming apparatus 20 and prepares for the image forming apparatus 20 to access the service providing system 10. Through the processing in step S13, the end user can use the packaged application installed in the tenant.

  In step S14, the end user accesses the service providing system 10 from the end user terminal 18 or the image forming apparatus 20, and uses an application included in the package installed in the tenant. The end user may access the system management site of the service providing system 10 from the end user terminal 18 and perform personal application settings.

  Here, application initial data, a package, and an application profile in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the structure of application initial data according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the initial application data has a configuration including a base application and application settings.

  The base application is a module having a basic screen, such as a scan base application, a print base application, or a storage base application. The application parts included in the base application are modules that control function settings such as scanning and printing and the operation of the image forming apparatus 20.

  The application setting is a set of initial setting values that the application has. Application settings include UI settings and flows. UI settings are settings such as labels and icons. The flow is a flow executed from the application part after scanning or before printing.

  For example, the manufacturer's planner can design the initial application data shown on the right side of FIG. 6 and register it in the service providing system 10 from the system configuration management site. The right side of FIG. 6 shows scan to storage application initial data, mark sheet scoring application initial data, and print from storage application initial data as examples of application initial data designed by the planner.

  For example, the scan-to-storage application initial data has a scan base application as a base application and a cloud storage distribution flow as an application setting flow. The mark sheet scoring application initial data has a scan base application as a base application and a mark sheet scoring flow as an application setting flow.

  The print from storage application initial data includes a print base application as a base application and a cloud storage acquisition flow as an application setting flow. The manufacturer's planner can design and register in the service providing system 10 initial application data as shown in FIG.

  In addition, the manufacturer's planner can change the behavior of the application by changing the flow of the initial application data. For example, the planner can change the delivery destination of the scan and add notification by e-mail by changing the flow of the initial application data. As shown in FIG. 6, the manufacturer's planner can register standard application initial data as well as initial application data corresponding to the type of business and business in the service providing system 10. Further, a manufacturer's planner or the like can create and register new application initial data by customizing application initial data already registered in the service providing system 10.

  FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the structure of the package according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the package is a package of one or more application initial data shown in FIG. For example, the planner creates a package for a specific industry or a package for a specific business in addition to a standard package, and registers it in the service providing system 10.

  FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a cloud storage package in which the scan-to-storage application initial data and the print-from-storage application initial data illustrated in FIG. 6 are packaged. The planner can create and prepare (package shelves) a package in advance in consideration of how to sell the app as a product.

  For example, the sales sell / contract the package as shown in FIG. 7 registered as a product in the service providing system 10 to the customer. The sales person in charge installs the package that Sales has sold and contracted with the customer to the tenant. The package introduction to the tenant is a process of associating the package and the tenant by introducing (copying) the package from the application area to the tenant area, for example, as shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the application profile according to the present embodiment.

  The application area is an area where packages are stored. The tenant area is an area provided for each tenant. Hereinafter, the package after being associated with the tenant is called an application profile. In the application profile, the initial setting value that the application initial data of the package had changes to the tenant setting value. The system administrator can change the setting value of the tenant in the application profile as will be described later. In addition, the end user can define his / her settings from items that can be selected according to the setting value of the tenant.

  For example, in FIG. 8, the application initial data included in the package is changed to an application instance included in the application profile. The application instance can also be copied in the tenant area as shown in FIG. An application instance ID is assigned to the application instance as unique identification information. The application instance ID is different between the application instance before copying and the application instance after copying shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the package, the application profile, and the screen of the image forming apparatus. As shown in FIG. 9, a package changes to an application profile when applied to a tenant. Based on the application profile associated with the tenant, a home screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the operation panel 602 of the image forming apparatus 20. The home screen corresponds to the app profile.

  Note that the tenant user in the image forming apparatus 20 changes the home screen displayed on the operation panel 602 of the image forming apparatus 20 as shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the transition of the home screen. As shown in the upper left screen image in FIG. 10, a list of application packages installed in the tenant is displayed on the operation panel 602 of the image forming apparatus 20. The user of the tenant can display the home screen of the selected application package by selecting one application package from the list of application packages.

<< S11: Package Registration >>
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example of the package registration process. The planner logs in to the system configuration management site of the service providing system 10 from the planner terminal 12 in steps S21 and S22.

  If the login is successful, the planner registers application initial data in the service providing system 10 from the planner terminal 12 in steps S23 and S24. For example, the system configuration management site control unit 30 displays an application initial data editing screen as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 on the planner terminal 12 and accepts registration of application initial data from the planner.

  12 and 13 are image diagrams of examples of the application initial data editing screen. The application initial data editing screen shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 shows an example of a scan to storage application. FIG. 12 shows an input field for application initial data setting. FIG. 13 shows an input field for application job settings.

  In step S25 and S26, the planner registers the package in the service providing system 10 from the planner terminal 12. For example, a package represented by an object diagram as shown in FIG. 14 is registered in the application data storage unit 40 of the service providing system 10 through the processing of steps S25 and S26. FIG. 14 is an example object diagram showing a package. As shown in FIG. 14, one or more applications and initial application data are associated with each other in the package.

<< S12: Introduction of package to tenant >>
FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an example of package introduction processing to a tenant. In step S31, the sales staff member requests the service providing system 10 from the sales staff member terminal 14 to open a tenant.

  In step S32, the system configuration management site control unit 30 of the service providing system 10 requests the tenant / user management unit 36 to create a tenant. In step S33, the tenant / user management unit 36 assigns a tenant ID and creates a tenant. In step S34, the system configuration management site control unit 30 registers a tenant system administrator as a user.

  Proceeding to step S35, the sales staff member requests acquisition of package information registered in the service providing system 10 from the sales staff member terminal 14. In step S36, the system configuration management site control unit 30 of the service providing system 10 requests the application data management unit 32 to acquire a package information list. The application data management unit 32 returns the package information list stored in the application data storage unit 40 to the system configuration management site control unit 30. The system configuration management site control unit 30 displays a package information list stored in the application data storage unit 40 on the sales staff member terminal 14.

  In step S37, the sales staff member selects a package from the sales staff member terminal 14 to the service providing system 10 and requests the tenant to install the package. In step S38, the system configuration management site control unit 30 of the service providing system 10 requests the application data management unit 32 to introduce a package into the tenant. As shown in FIG. 8, the application data management unit 32 can introduce the package of the application area into the tenant area as an application profile. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an application area package and a tenant area application profile. As shown in FIG. 16, an application instance ID is given to the application instance.

  In the application profile storage unit 42 of the service providing system 10, an application profile represented by an object diagram as shown in FIG. 17, for example, is registered by the processes in steps S37 and S38. FIG. 17 is an example object diagram showing an application profile.

<< S13: Preparation for application use >>
The system administrator accesses the system management site of the service providing system 10 from the system administrator terminal 16 and prepares for use such as adding a user to the tenant and customizing application profile settings. For example, the system management site control unit 34 displays an icon / label editing screen as shown in FIG. 18 or an application setting editing screen as shown in FIG. 19 on the system administrator terminal 16 to edit the icon / label from the system administrator. And accept app settings edits.

  FIG. 18 is an image diagram of an example of an icon / label editing screen. FIG. 18 shows an icon / label editing screen corresponding to a certain home screen. The system administrator can edit the icon / label of the application instance corresponding to the application profile from the icon / label editing screen of FIG.

  FIG. 19 is an image diagram of an example of the application setting editing screen. FIG. 19 shows an application setting edit of the scan to storage application instance. The system administrator can edit the application setting of the scan to storage application instance from the application setting editing screen of FIG.

<< S14: Application use >>
The end user accesses the home screen of the service providing system 10 from the end user terminal 18 or the image forming apparatus 20 and uses the application included in the package installed in the tenant. The end user can define his / her setting in the personal area within a selectable range according to the setting value of the tenant application instance.

《App setting customization range》
This section describes the range of application settings that can be customized by the planner and system administrator. For example, it is assumed that all items that can be customized by the application are as follows.
All items:
・ Icon / Label / Read / Print settings ・ Default value ・ List of selectable items ・ Job settings ・ Destination flow (external required for components belonging to all flows in the tenant
Aggregation of service authorization information)
-Input means (email, PM, Mobile, PC, NFC, MFP, printer,
(Fax, electronic blackboard, MFP of other companies, cloud service of other companies)
・ Authentication means (tenant ID / user name, email address, OIDC, PIN)
For example, the planner can CRUD (create, read, update, delete) the application initial data within the following application setting range.
・ Icon / Label / Read / Print Settings ・ Default Value ・ Selectable Item List ・ Setting Screen Generation Metadata ・ Job Settings ・ Destination Flow ・ Input Method (Mail, PM, Mobile, PC, NFC, MFP, Printer,
(Fax, electronic blackboard, MFP of other companies, cloud service of other companies)
Further, the system administrator can CRUD application instances within the following application setting range.
・ Icon / Label / Read / Print Settings ・ Default Value ・ List of Selectable Items ・ Authentication Method (Tenant ID / User Name, Email Address, OIDC, PIN)
Further, the end user can apply and use personal settings for each application instance within the following application setting range.
・ Reading / printing settings ・ Default value (selectable from list)
For example, the end user can define personal settings from a list of application setting items as shown in FIG. FIG. 20 shows items and values of application settings that can be selected by the end user in the case of scanning.

<Summary>
As described above, according to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the service providing system 10 can manage combinations of applications and application settings (application initial data). In the service providing system 10, a standard package, a package for a specific industry, a package for a specific business, or the like can be created.

  Further, according to the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment, the service providing system 10 can manage combinations of applications and application settings (application instances) for each tenant. With such an application instance, in the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment, even if the application is the same, it can be managed as a different application if the application settings are different.

Therefore, in the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment, even if the application is the same, the application list can be displayed as different applications if the application settings are different. Further, the application from the end user terminal 18 or the image forming apparatus 20 can be specified by the application instance ID.
[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the screen example of the scan to storage application is shown. For example, a screen example of the job print application is shown. For example, the system configuration management site control unit 30 displays an application initial data editing screen as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 on the planner terminal 12 and accepts registration of application initial data from the planner.

  21 and 22 are image diagrams of other examples of the application initial data editing screen. The application initial data editing screen shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 shows an example of a job print application. FIG. 21 shows an input column for application initial data setting. FIG. 22 shows an input field for application job settings.

  Further, the system management site control unit 34 displays an application list screen as shown in FIG. 23 on the system administrator terminal 16 or the end user terminal 18 and accepts application selection from the system administrator or the end user. FIG. 23 is an image diagram of an example of the application list screen. The icons and labels displayed in the application list in FIG. 23 correspond to application instances included in the application profile. Therefore, in the application list screen of FIG. 23, even if the job print application is the same, it is displayed with a different icon and label if the application settings are different. In addition, what kind of icon and label are displayed can be set in the application setting (UI setting) of the application instance.

  Further, the system management site control unit 34 displays an application setting editing screen as shown in FIG. 24 on the system administrator terminal 16 to accept application setting editing from the system administrator. FIG. 24 is an image diagram of another example of the application setting editing screen. FIG. 24 shows an example of an application setting editing screen for performing a job storage period and print setting restriction. The system administrator can set options that can be set on the job print application from the application setting edit screen as shown in FIG.

  Further, the system management site control unit 34 displays an application setting screen shown in FIG. 25 on the end user terminal 18 and accepts application settings from the end user. FIG. 25 is an image diagram of an example of the application setting screen. For example, the end user can define his / her application settings within a selectable range based on the setting value of the tenant application instance from the application setting screen of FIG.

  Further, the end user can display the application setting screen of FIG. 26 by switching from “print setting” to “port monitor setting” of the application setting screen shown in FIG. In the application setting screen of FIG. 26, an application instance ID of an application instance for which application setting is performed is displayed. The end user can know the application instance ID of the application instance for which the application setting is performed from the application setting screen of FIG. The end user can specify an application instance to which a job is submitted by setting an application instance ID in the port monitor of the end user terminal 18. The port monitor is an example, and any application (client application) that operates on the end user terminal 18 may be used.

  For example, when job printing is performed from the end user terminal 18 using a printer driver, the end user terminal 18 needs to be prepared as shown in FIG. FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing preparations in the end user terminal when job printing is performed using a printer driver.

  In step S 51, the end user installs a job print port monitor in the end user terminal 18. In step S 52, the end user performs printer driver setting for adding a printer driver to the end user terminal 18. Although the printer driver setting varies depending on the OS, an icon corresponding to the added printer driver is displayed in the printer list.

  In step S53, the end user selects a job print port monitor from the printer port selection screen of the added printer driver, and further selects addition of a new port. For example, a port monitor setting screen for job printing shown in FIG. 28 is displayed on the end user terminal 18. FIG. 28 is an image diagram of an example of a port monitor setting screen for job printing.

  The end user sets the application instance ID confirmed on the application setting screen in FIG. 26 on the port monitor setting screen for job printing in FIG. By processing such an application instance ID on the port monitor setting screen for job printing, the end user can set a port monitor in which the application instance ID is specified in the printer driver.

  Therefore, the printer driver can determine the application instance to which the job is input from the application instance ID specified in the port monitor. For example, the end user can use the job print according to the application setting of the application instance by executing printing with a printer driver in which the application instance of the job print to be used is designated.

  If the end user terminal 18 is a smartphone or the like equipped with a terminal application, for example, an application instance of a job print to be used may be selected from an application instance selection screen as shown in FIG. FIG. 29 is an image diagram of an example of an application instance selection screen of an end user terminal equipped with a terminal application. The application instance selection screen illustrated in FIG. 29 displays a list of job print application instances stored in the application profile storage unit 42 of the service providing system 10.

  An application instance selection screen as shown in FIG. 30 is also displayed on the operation panel 602 of the image forming apparatus 20. FIG. 30 is an image diagram illustrating an example of an application instance selection screen of the image forming apparatus. The application instance selection screen shown in FIG. 30 displays a list of job print application instances stored in the application profile storage unit 42 of the service providing system 10.

  Therefore, in the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment, the same application having different application settings can be displayed as a different application in the application list of the end user terminal 18 or the image forming apparatus 20.

  It should be noted that the information processing system 1 described in the present embodiment is an example, and it goes without saying that there are various system configuration examples depending on applications and purposes. The image forming apparatus 20 is an example of an electronic apparatus described in the claims. The service providing system 10 is an example of an information processing apparatus that manages one or more Web applications used by an electronic device via a network. The application data management unit 32 is an example of application data management means. The system management site control unit 34 is an example of a control unit. The application instance ID is an example of identification information unique to the instance.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing system 10 Service provision system 12 Planning person terminal 14 Sales person in charge terminal 16 System administrator terminal 18 End user terminal 20 Image forming apparatus 22 Network 30 System configuration management site control part 32 Application data management part 34 System management site Control unit 36 Tenant / user management unit 40 Application data storage unit 42 Application profile storage unit 44 Tenant / user information storage unit 500 Computer 501 Input device 502 Display device 503 External I / F
503a Recording medium 504 RAM
505 ROM
506 CPU
507 Communication I / F
508 HDD
601 Controller 602 Operation panel 603 External I / F
603a Recording medium 604 Communication I / F
605 Printer 606 Scanner 611 CPU
612 RAM
613 ROM
614 NVRAM
615 HDD
B bus

JP 2014-127127 A

Claims (9)

An information processing system that includes one or more information processing apparatuses and manages one or more Web applications that an electronic device uses via a network,
Application data management means for managing the same web application with different settings in association with an organization as a plurality of instances including a combination of the web application and the setting;
A display request for the Web application list designating the organization is received from a terminal device operated by a user, and a list of a plurality of instances managed in association with the organization is stored in the terminal device as a list of Web applications. Control means for displaying;
An information processing system comprising: The setting includes an icon and a label for displaying the instance as the Web application,
The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit displays the list of instances as the list of Web applications on the terminal device using the icons and labels. 3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit displays the list of instances on the electronic device as the list of Web applications using the icons and labels. The application data management means manages the instance by assigning unique identification information to the instance,
4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit receives a display request for identification information unique to the instance from the terminal device, the control unit displays identification information unique to the instance on the terminal device. 5. Information processing system according to item. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the terminal device uses the identification information unique to the instance to specify the instance to which a job is to be submitted to the information processing system. 6. The information processing system according to claim 5, wherein in the terminal device, identification information unique to the instance is set by a user in the client application for the Web application. An application management method executed by an information processing system including one or more information processing apparatuses and managing one or more Web applications used by an electronic device via a network,
An application data management step for managing the same web application with different settings in association with an organization as a plurality of instances including a combination of the web application and the setting;
A display request for the Web application list designating the organization is received from a terminal device operated by a user, and a list of a plurality of instances managed in association with the organization is stored in the terminal device as a list of Web applications. Control steps to display;
An application management method comprising: An information processing apparatus that includes one or more information processing apparatuses and manages one or more Web applications used by an electronic device via a network,
Application data management means for managing the same web application with different settings in association with an organization as a plurality of instances including a combination of the web application and the setting;
A display request for the Web application list designating the organization is received from a terminal device operated by a user, and a list of a plurality of instances managed in association with the organization is stored in the terminal device as a list of Web applications. Control means for displaying;
An information processing apparatus comprising: An information processing apparatus that includes one or more information processing apparatuses and manages one or more Web applications used by electronic devices via a network,
Application data management means for managing the same web application with different settings in association with an organization as a plurality of instances including a combination of the web application and the setting;
A display request for the Web application list designating the organization is received from a terminal device operated by a user, and a list of a plurality of instances managed in association with the organization is stored in the terminal device as a list of Web applications. Control means for displaying,
Program to function as.