JP2018005824A - Information processing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing apparatus and program for creating a software program in accordance with the contents of remote control or the configuration of an electronic device to be controlled, and reducing the burden on a developer in creating the program.SOLUTION: A development support server 10 includes: selection means of selecting a plurality of program modules; and creation means 44 of creating and storing a software program for remotely controlling an electronic device 102 connected to a network by combining the selected program modules.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique for remotely controlling an electronic device connected to a network using a software program such as an API (Application Programming Interface) is known.

  Such a software program has been created from scratch by a developer each time there is a request for creation, since the contents of remote control and the configuration of electronic devices vary. Such work was a heavy burden for developers. In particular, a developer who has little knowledge of a program sometimes requests a vendor to create a software program, which takes time and money.

  In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for automatically creating an API that allows a third party to view data registered in a server.

JP 2010-146074 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since a software program is automatically created assuming the contents of a certain remote control and the configuration of a certain electronic device, the contents of the remote control and the configuration of the electronic device are changed. If this happens, the developer cannot use the automatically created software program. Therefore, when there is a request for creation, the developer has to create a software program tailored to the contents of the remote control and the configuration of the electronic device from the beginning.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and it is possible to create a software program according to the contents of remote control and the configuration of an electronic device to be controlled, and it takes a developer at the time of creation. An object is to provide an information processing apparatus and a program that reduce a burden.

  The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention creates a software program for remotely controlling an electronic device connected to a network by combining selection means for selecting a plurality of program modules and the selected program modules. Creating means for saving.

  According to this configuration, since the selection means for selecting a plurality of program modules is provided, an API developer can select a program module from a plurality of program modules according to the contents of remote control and the configuration of the electronic device to be controlled. Multiple selections can be made. Then, after selecting the program module, the creating means creates a software program by combining the selected program modules. Therefore, since the developer can create a software program by selecting the program module, it is possible to reduce the burden on the developer by omitting the trouble of creating the software program from scratch.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while being able to create the software program matched with the content of the remote control and the structure of the electronic device used as control object, the burden imposed on a developer at the time of creation can be reduced.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a system including an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the overall configuration of a system including the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the hardware configuration of the development support server. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the development support server. FIG. 5 illustrates the flow of processing performed between the developer terminal and the development support server when the API is created by the developer. FIG. 6 illustrates a flow of processing performed between the maintenance management terminal, the development support server, and the switch when the maintenance manager uses the API. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a management site displayed on the developer terminal. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tool site displayed on the developer terminal.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components and steps are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible in each drawing, and redundant description is omitted.

  First, an outline of a system 1 including an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The system 1 is a system provided to a developer who develops (creates) the API 100 as a software program, a user who uses the created API 100, and the like. The API 100 is for remotely controlling the electronic device 102 connected to the network.

  The purpose of the remote control is not particularly limited, such as use or maintenance management of the electronic device 102, but in this embodiment is maintenance management of the electronic device 102. The electronic device 102 is not particularly limited to a network device such as a router, a gateway, or a switch, but is not limited to a personal computer, a mobile phone, a printer, a home appliance, and the like. Is a switch as an example of a network device. Hereinafter, the electronic device 102 is referred to as a “switch 102”.

  The developer accesses the API management Web site (management site 104), displays the management site 104 on his / her terminal device or the like, and manages the API 100. Then, the developer calls the API creation tool 106 from the management site 104 in response to a user request or in advance, and creates the API 100 using this API creation tool 106. After creation, the developer passes the API 100 to the user or notifies the user of an access method to the API 100.

  A maintenance manager (user of API 100) accesses the API 100 by the access method notified by the developer, executes the API 100, and remotely controls the switch 102 via the network. By this remote control, the user performs maintenance management by, for example, checking the status or changing various settings.

  Next, an example of the overall configuration of the system 1 including the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The system 1 includes a development support server 10 as an information processing apparatus, a developer terminal 12, a maintenance management terminal 14, and a maintenance management target switch 102. These devices are connected to each other via a network NT such as the Internet and can communicate with each other.

  The development support server 10 is a server that supports the development (creation) of the API 100 by a developer and manages the created API 100. The development support server 10 can be realized by using an information processing apparatus such as a dedicated or general-purpose server computer. Note that the development support server 10 may be configured by a single information processing apparatus or may be configured by a plurality of information processing apparatuses distributed on the network NT.

  The developer terminal 12 is a terminal device for the developer to access the development support server 10. The developer terminal 12 has a platform (such as a web browser) for browsing the management site 104 of the development support server 10. If the developer can directly operate the development support server 10, the development support server 10 serves as a developer terminal, and therefore the developer terminal 12 does not have to be prepared separately.

  The maintenance management terminal 14 is a terminal device for the maintenance manager to access the storage location of the API 100. This storage location is in the storage means of the development support server 10 in this embodiment.

  For example, a plurality of switches 102 are provided on the network NT. The switch 102 is a kind of a concentrator of a computer network, and has a built-in function of judging whether transfer to each connected device is possible by looking at the destination of received data.

  Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the development support server 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The development support server 10 mainly includes a control device 30, a communication device 36, and a storage device 38 as a hardware configuration. The control device 30 mainly includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 32 and a memory 34.

  In the control device 30, the CPU 32 functions as various function realization means by executing predetermined programs stored in the memory 34 or the storage device 38. Details of this function realizing means will be described later.

  The communication device 36 includes a communication interface for communicating with an external device. The communication device 36 transmits and receives various types of information to and from the developer terminal 12, the maintenance management terminal 14, and the switch 102, for example.

  The storage device 38 is composed of a hard disk or the like. The storage device 38 stores various programs and various information necessary for execution of processing in the control device 30, and information on processing results.

  Note that FIG. 3 shows only a part of the main hardware configuration of the development support server 10, and the development support server 10 can have other configurations generally provided in the server.

  Next, an example of a functional configuration of the development support server 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The development support server 10 includes a storage unit 40, an input unit 42, a creation unit 44, an output unit 46, and an execution unit 48.

  The storage means 40 is realized by one or a plurality of storage devices 38 as shown in FIG. The storage means 40 may be realized by a database server connected to the development support server 10 via the network NT. The storage unit 40 stores the API 100 described above, the API creation tool 106 as an example of a creation program for the API 100, and the like. Note that the API 100 is stored in a file format such as xml, for example. If the stored API 100 is to be used when creating another API 100, the xml file itself or the contents thereof can be copied for easy creation.

  The input means 42 is realized by an operation input means such as a mouse or a keyboard, or a communication device 36 as shown in FIG. 3 that receives an external input. Information of various operations (operation information) by a user such as a developer is input to the input unit 42. In the present embodiment, operation information is input to the input means 42 by receiving various operations by the developer from the developer terminal 12.

  The creation unit 44 is realized by the CPU 32 executing the API creation tool 106. The creation unit 44 allows the developer to select a plurality of program modules. That is, the creation unit 44 has a function as a selection unit that selects a plurality of program modules. Then, the creation unit 44 creates the API 100 by combining the selected program modules, and stores (saves) it in the storage unit 40. The creation unit 44 outputs, for example, a Web site (tool site) which is an object arrangement type UI via an output unit 46 described later. A program module refers to a group of programs that realize a certain function.

  The output means 46 is realized by a communication device 36 as shown in FIG. 3 that transmits data and the like to an external device in addition to the display. For example, the output unit 46 outputs display data for displaying a list of APIs 100 stored in the storage unit 40. In the present embodiment, the display data is page data, and the output unit 46 transmits the page data to the developer terminal 12 so that the management site 104 based on the page data is displayed.

  The execution unit 48 is realized by the control device 30 as shown in FIG. 3. When the API 100 execution request is received from the maintenance management terminal 14, the execution unit 48 executes the API 100 stored in the storage unit 40 based on the execution request. Then, the electronic device such as the switch 102 is remotely controlled.

  Next, a flow of processing performed between the developer terminal 12 and the development support server 10 when the developer creates the API 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

(Step SP10)
The developer terminal 12 transmits an access request to the management site 104 of the API 100 to the development support server 10 in response to an operation by the developer. And a process transfers to the process of step SP12.

(Step SP12)
The development support server 10 receives an access request to the management site 104 from the developer terminal 12. In response to this, the development support server 10 transmits the page data of the management site 104 to the developer terminal 12 that is the access request source. And a process transfers to the process of step SP14.

(Step SP14)
The developer terminal 12 receives page data from the development support server 10. In response to this, the developer terminal 12 displays the management site 104 based on the page data.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the management site 104. In the management site 104 shown in FIG. 7, for example, a list 104A, a new creation button 104B, an edit button 104C, and a delete button 104D are provided. The list 104 </ b> A is a list of names (tool names) and the like of all APIs 100 created by the developer and stored in the storage unit 40. In the list 104 </ b> A, a creator, an update date and time, a link (tool placement location) for accessing the API 100, and the like are also listed in association with the tool name. The new creation button 104B is a button that the developer presses when creating a new API 100. The edit button 104C is a button to be pressed when editing the API 100 already created by the developer. The delete button 104D is a button to be pressed when deleting the API 100 already created by the developer from the storage unit 40.

  The developer browses such a management site 104 via the developer terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP16.

(Step SP16)
For example, the developer terminal 12 accepts pressing of the new creation button 104B by the developer. And a process transfers to the process of step SP18.

(Step SP18)
The developer terminal 12 inputs the name of the API 100 to be newly created in response to the operation by the developer. Next, the developer terminal 12 transmits a tool site access request including the input API 100 name to the development support server 10. And a process transfers to the process of step SP20.

(Step SP20)
The development support server 10 receives a tool site access request from the developer terminal 12. In response to this, the development support server 10 transmits page data of the tool site including the API creation tool 106 to the developer terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP22.

(Step SP22)
The developer terminal 12 receives page data from the development support server 10. In response to this, the developer terminal 12 displays a tool site based on the page data.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tool site. In the tool site 110 shown in FIG. 8, for example, an arrangement area 112, an object palette 114, and an API creation button 116 are provided. The arrangement area 112 is an area for arranging a plurality of objects 112A corresponding to one program module. The object palette 114 is a palette for selecting an object 112A to be arranged in the arrangement area 112. The object palette 114 is provided with a plurality of objects 112A corresponding to a plurality of types of program modules. It should be noted that the object palette 114 may be provided with a selection button corresponding to the type of the object 112A. Thus, by providing the object palette 114 in the tool site 100, the developer terminal 12 can function as a selection unit that allows the developer to select a plurality of program modules.

  The developer browses such a tool site 110 via the developer terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP24.

(Step SP24)
The developer drags and drops an object 112 </ b> A corresponding to a program module to be incorporated into the API 100 from the object palette 114 to the arrangement area 112. In response to this, the developer terminal 12 transmits operation information of the drag and drop operation (selection operation), that is, selection operation information to the development support server 10. And a process transfers to the process of step SP26.

(Step SP26)
The development support server 10 receives selection operation information from the developer terminal 12. That is, selection operation information is input to the input means 42 from the developer terminal 12. In response to this, the creation unit 44 places the object 112A in the placement area 112 based on the input selection operation information, and reflects the result in the page data of the tool site 110. Thereafter, the creation unit 44 transmits the reflected page data to the developer terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP28. Note that the process of arranging the object 112A may be performed not by the development support server 10 but by the developer terminal 12. In this case, the process of step SP26 is omitted.

(Step SP28)
The developer terminal 12 receives page data from the development support server 10. Then, the developer terminal 12 displays the tool site 110 based on the received page data. And a process transfers to the process of step SP30.

(Step SP30)
The developer terminal 12 determines whether or not the API creation button 116 is pressed on the tool site 110. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step SP32. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step SP24.

(Step SP32)
The developer terminal 12 transmits the pressed information to the development support server 10. And a process transfers to the process of step SP34.

(Step SP34)
The development support server 10 receives the press information. That is, the pressing information is input to the input unit 42 from the developer terminal 12. In response to this, the creation unit 44 creates the API 100 by combining the program modules respectively corresponding to the plurality of objects 112 </ b> A indicated by the selection operation information input so far, and stores the API 100 in the storage unit 40. In the present embodiment, the creation unit 44 creates the API 100 based on the plurality of objects 112A arranged in the arrangement area 112 and the arrangement relationship between them. Specifically, the creation unit 44 creates the API 100 by combining program modules corresponding to the plurality of objects 112A arranged in the arrangement area 112 in the order corresponding to the arrangement relationship. Thereafter, the creation unit 44 reflects the creation result on the page data of the management site 104 so that the created API 100 is displayed, and transmits the page data to the developer terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP36.

(Step SP36)
The developer terminal 12 receives page data from the development support server 10. In response to this, the developer terminal 12 displays the management site 104 based on the received page data.

  This completes the creation of the API 100 by the developer. After the API 100 is created, when the developer presses the edit button 104C on the management site 104, the created API 100 can be edited on the tool site 110. Further, when the developer presses the delete button 104D on the management site 104, the created API 100 can be deleted from the storage means 40.

  Next, the flow of processing performed between the maintenance management terminal 14, the development support server 10, and the switch 102 when the API 100 is used by the maintenance manager will be described with reference to FIG.

(Step SP40)
The maintenance manager acquires a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for accessing the API 100 from the developer by e-mail or telephone. Thereafter, the maintenance management terminal 14 receives the input of the URL and the designation of the maintenance management target by the maintenance manager. The designation of the maintenance management target is performed, for example, by inputting the address of the maintenance management target switch 102 after the URL. When there are a plurality of maintenance management targets, their addresses can be specified at the same time. And a process transfers to the process of step SP42.

(Step SP42)
The maintenance management terminal 14 transmits an API 100 execution request to the development support server 10 by accessing a URL including the input address in response to the input confirmation operation by the maintenance manager. And a process transfers to the process of step SP44.

(Step SP44)
The development support server 10 receives an execution request from the maintenance management terminal 14. In response to this, the execution means 48 of the development support server 10 executes the API 100 based on the received execution request. Thereby, the execution means 48 starts remote control of the switch 102, and transmits a control signal for instructing various controls such as setting change to the switch 102 indicated by the address included in the execution request. When the execution request includes a plurality of addresses, the execution means 48 transmits a control signal to each switch 102 indicated by each of the plurality of addresses. And a process transfers to the process of step SP46.

(Step SP46)
The switch 102 receives a control signal from the development support server 10. In response to this, the switch 102 executes various controls on the components of the switch 102 based on the received control signal. Thereafter, the switch 102 transmits the control result to the development support server 10. And a process transfers to the process of step SP48.

(Step SP48)
The development support server 10 receives the control result from the switch 102. In response to this, the development support server 10 transfers the control result to the maintenance management terminal 14 that is the execution request source. And a process transfers to the process of step SP50.

(Step SP50)
The maintenance management terminal 14 receives the control result from the development support server 10. In response to this, the maintenance management terminal 14 displays the control result.

  Thus, the maintenance management of the switch 102 by the maintenance manager is completed.

  According to the present embodiment, the object 112A corresponding to a plurality of program modules is selected, so that an API developer can perform remote control contents and electronic devices to be controlled from among the plurality of program modules. A plurality of objects 112A can be selected and operated in accordance with the configuration. Then, after the selection operation, the creation unit 44 creates the API 100 by combining the program modules of the respective objects 112A indicated by the selection operation information. Therefore, since the developer can create the API 100 by (only) the selection operation of the object 112A, it is possible to reduce the burden on the developer by omitting the trouble of creating the API 100 from scratch.

  Further, the development support server 10 includes output means 46 that outputs (transmits) page data for displaying a list of APIs 100 stored in the storage means 40 to the developer terminal 12. Thus, the developer can efficiently manage the API 100 by displaying and browsing the management site 104 including the list 104A based on the page data on the developer terminal 12 as the output destination.

  Further, the output means 46 outputs page data including the placement area 112, and the creation means 44 outputs the API 100 based on the plurality of objects 112A placed in the placement area 112 and the mutual placement relation of the plurality of objects 112A. create. As a result, the developer can create the API 100 with a simple, visual and easy operation of placing the object 112A in the placement area 112.

  In addition, when the development support server 10 receives an API 100 execution request from the maintenance management terminal 14, the development support server 10 further includes an execution unit 48 that executes the API 100 to remotely control the switch 102. Thereby, compared with the case where API100 is performed with the maintenance management terminal 14, the processing burden concerning the maintenance management terminal 14 can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the electronic device to be controlled (maintenance management target) is a network device (such as the switch 102) that performs connection between the networks NT. Here, since there are cases where network devices are scattered in remote locations, the efficiency of maintenance management is increased by remotely controlling the network devices as in this embodiment.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. In other words, those specific examples that have been appropriately modified by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the characteristics of the present invention. Each element included in each of the specific examples described above and their arrangement, conditions, shape, and the like are not limited to those illustrated, and can be changed as appropriate.

  For example, although the API 100 has been described as being executed according to the operation of the maintenance manager, it may be executed automatically at a predetermined timing. Moreover, although the execution means 48 of API100 demonstrated the case where it provided in the development assistance server 10, you may provide in the maintenance management terminal 14 or another terminal device. That is, the API 100 may be stored in the maintenance management terminal 14 or another terminal device and executed.

  Further, the tool site 110 shown in FIG. 8 is an example. For example, the object palette 114 may not be provided, and a palette for selecting the program module itself may be provided instead.

10 ... Development support server (information processing device)
40 ... Storage means 44 ... Creation means (selection means)
46... Output means 48... Execution means 102 Switch (electronic equipment)

Claims (6)

Selection means for selecting a plurality of program modules;
Creating means for creating and storing a software program for remotely controlling an electronic device connected to a network by combining selected program modules;
An information processing apparatus comprising: Output means for outputting display data for displaying a list of stored software programs;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. The output means outputs display data including an arrangement area for arranging a plurality of objects corresponding to one program module among the plurality of program modules;
The creation means creates the software program based on a plurality of objects arranged in the arrangement area and a mutual arrangement relationship in the plurality of objects.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2. Execution means capable of communicating with the electronic device and the terminal device via the network and executing the software program to remotely control the electronic device when a request to execute the software program is received from the terminal device Further comprising
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The electronic device is a network device for connecting between networks.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. On the computer,
A function that allows a user to select a plurality of program modules;
A function for creating and storing a software program for remotely controlling an electronic device connected to a network by combining selected program modules;
A program that realizes

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