JP2021086369A - Management device, information processing system, notification method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a device, a system, a method and a program which can improve convenience of a user.SOLUTION: A management device manages a plurality of electronic devices which are used by a plurality of users, and comprises: reception means for receiving use history of each user from one electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; generation means for generating an improvement plan for reducing activity ratio of the one electronic device according to the received use history of each user, position information of each user, and position information of each electronic device; and notification means for notifying a manager of the generated improvement plan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a management device, system, method and program for managing a plurality of electronic devices used by a plurality of users.

As a service that provides an image forming apparatus that is one of electronic devices, a service that aggregates log information collected from a plurality of devices and proposes an improvement plan for device use is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

In the apparatus and system described in Patent Document 1, the number of output sheets and the like in a certain period are totaled for each individual or group, and information on suitable operation settings is generated for each image forming apparatus.

However, since conventional devices and systems do not consider the user's position, the congestion waiting for processing cannot be eliminated unless the image forming device with appropriate operation settings is located at an appropriate position in terms of arrangement. , There is a problem that the moving distance becomes long and it is not convenient for the user.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, system, method and program capable of improving user convenience.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a management device for managing a plurality of electronic devices used by a plurality of users.
A receiving means for receiving the usage history of each user from one of a plurality of electronic devices, and
A generation means for generating an improvement plan for reducing the usage rate of one electronic device according to the usage history of each user, the position information of each user, and the position information of each electronic device received by the receiving means.
Provided is a management device including a notification means for notifying an administrator of an improvement plan generated by the generation means.

According to the present invention, the convenience of the user can be improved.

The figure which showed the configuration example of the information processing system which concerns on this embodiment. The figure which showed an example of the hardware configuration of a management device. The figure which showed an example of the hardware composition of the image forming apparatus. A block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the management device. A flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the management device. The figure which showed an example of the usage history. The figure which showed an example of the usage history used when calculating the usage rate of a device for every hour. The figure which showed an example of the usage history used when calculating the usage rate of a device every day. The figure explaining the position of a user and an image forming apparatus. The figure explaining the method of determining whether the distance between a user and an image forming apparatus is close or far. The figure which showed an example of the improvement plan which is notified to the administrator and is displayed on the screen. The figure which showed an example of the information about the utilization rate which is notified to an administrator and is displayed by switching to a screen.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. The information processing system includes a plurality of electronic devices used by a plurality of users, a management device for managing the plurality of electronic devices, and a device used by an administrator. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device is an image forming apparatus (MFP) 10, the management device is a server 11, and the apparatus is a client PC 12.

The MFP 10, the server 11, and the client PC 12 are connected to the network 13 and can communicate with each other via the network 13. The network 13 may be a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). Further, the network 13 may be either a wired network or a wireless network.

The MFP 10 has a plurality of functions such as a scanning function, a copying function, a fax function, a printing function, and a communication function. The MFP 10 provides each function to the user 14 and executes a process based on the function selected by the user 14.

In order to realize these functions, the MFP 10 implements hardware such as a scanner and a plotter, and an application (hereinafter, abbreviated as an application) for controlling these hardware. An application for executing basic processing in a scan function, a copy function, a fax function, a print function, etc. is pre-installed in the MFP10. In addition to these applications, the MFP 10 can additionally install an application separately, for example, when it is desired to scan and capture a plurality of receipts at once.

The MFP 10 performs user authentication (login) when the user 14 uses it. User authentication is performed based on whether or not the user ID and password entered by the user 14 and the registered user ID and password match. The user ID and password may be in a format entered by the user 14, or may be read by holding an ID card or a portable communication terminal (smartphone, etc.) in which the user ID and password are registered over a reading device. May be good. The user 14 logs off when he / she ends the use of the MFP 10.

The server 11 manages a plurality of MFPs 10 and receives and acquires the usage status of each function for each user 14 as a usage history (log) from each MFP10. The log includes identification information (for example, user ID) for identifying the user 14, and information such as the function used, the date and time and time zone used, and the time used.

The server 11 stores information on the position of each user 14's seat (desk used by each user) as information on the position of each user 14, and also stores information on the position where each MFP 10 is installed. The server 11 generates an improvement plan for reducing the usage rate for the MFP 10 whose usage rate exceeds the threshold value according to the acquired log, the position information of each user 14, and the position information of each MFP 10, and informs the administrator. Notice.

The client PC 12 is a PC used by the administrator, communicates with the server 11, receives an improvement plan from the server 11, and displays it. The client PC 12 performs a process such as installing a designated application on the designated MFP 10 based on the improvement plan. This improves the system environment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server 11 as a management device. Since the client PC 12 has the same configuration as the server 11, the description of the hardware configuration of the client PC 12 will be omitted.

The server 11 includes a CPU 20, a ROM 21, a RAM 22, an HD23, an HDD controller 24, a display I / F26, an external device connection I / F27, a network I / F28, and a bus line 29, as in a general PC. A keyboard 30, a mouse 31, a DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disk Rewritable) drive 32, and a media I / F 33 are provided. Here, the display 25 is connected to the server 11, and the display 25 is not included in the server 11, but it may be included.

The CPU 20 controls the operation of the entire server 11. The ROM 21 stores a program used to drive the CPU 20 such as an IPL (Internet Printer Language). The RAM 22 provides a work area for the CPU 20. The HD23 stores various programs and various data. The HDD controller 24 controls reading and writing of various data to the HD 23 according to the control of the CPU 20.

The display 25 displays various information such as cursors, menus, windows, characters, and images. The display I / F 26 is an interface for connecting the display 25 to the server 11 and controlling the display of the display 25. The external device connection I / F27 is an interface for connecting various external devices. The external device is, for example, a USB memory, a printer, or the like. The network I / F 28 is an interface for communicating via the network 13. The bus line 29 is an address bus or a data bus for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 20.

The keyboard 30 is an input means including a plurality of keys for inputting characters, numerical values, various instructions, and the like. The mouse 31 is an input means for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving a cursor, and the like. The DVD-RW drive 32 controls reading and writing of various data to the DVD-RW 34, which is one of the removable recording media. Here, the recording medium is DVD-RW, but the recording medium is not limited to DVD-RW, and may be CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, or the like. The media I / F 33 controls reading and writing of data to a recording medium 35 such as a flash memory.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the MFP 10. Here, the MFP 10 is used, but the device is not limited to the MFP 10 as long as it has a communication function and can transmit data. Examples of such a device include a PJ (Projector: projector), an IWB (Interactive White Board: a white board having an electronic blackboard function capable of intercommunication), an industrial machine, a medical device, a car (Connected Car), and the like. You may.

The MFP 10 includes a controller 40, a short-range communication circuit 41, an engine control unit 42, an operation panel 43, and a network I / F 44.

The controller 40 includes a CPU 50, which is a main part of a computer, a system memory (MEM-P) 51, a north bridge (NB) 52, a south bridge (SB) 53, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 54, and a local controller 40. It includes a memory (MEM-C) 55, an HDD controller 56, and an HD (Hard Disk) 57. The NB 52 and the ASIC 54 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics) bus 58.

The CPU 50 functions as a control unit that controls the entire MFP 10. The NB 52 is a bridge that connects the CPU 50 and the MEM-P51, SB53, and AGP bus 58, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P51, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

The MEM-P51 is composed of a ROM 51a for storing programs and data for realizing each function of the controller 40, and a RAM 51b used for developing programs and data, drawing at the time of printing, and the like. The program stored in the RAM 51b is recorded as a file in an installable format or an executable format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or SD card. May be configured to provide.

SB53 is a bridge for connecting NB52 to a PCI device and peripheral devices. The ASIC 54 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) for image processing applications that has hardware elements for image processing, and has a role of a bridge that connects the MEM-C55, the HDD controller 56, the AGP bus 58, and the PCI bus 59, respectively. The ASIC 54 includes a PCI target, an AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that forms the core of the ASIC 54, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C55, and a plurality of DMACs (Direct Memory Access Controllers) that rotate image data by hardware logic or the like. ), And a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 60 and the printer unit 61 via the PCI bus 59. A USB or IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics) 1394 interface may be connected to the ASIC 54.

The MEM-C55 is a local memory used as a copy image buffer or a code buffer. The HD57 is a storage for storing image data, font data used at the time of printing, forms, and the like. The HDD controller 56 controls reading and writing of data to the HD 57 according to the control of the CPU 50. The AGP bus 58 is a bus interface for a graphic accelerator card for speeding up graphic processing, and speeds up the graphic accelerator card by directly accessing the MEM-P51 with high throughput.

The short-range communication circuit 41 is a circuit that performs short-range wireless communication by NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like. The short-range communication circuit 41 is provided with a short-range communication antenna 41a. The engine control unit 42 is composed of a scanner unit 60 and a printer unit 61, and controls a scanner and a printer included in the MFP 10.

The operation panel 43 displays a current setting value, a selection screen, etc., and receives a panel display unit 43a such as a touch panel that accepts input from a user, and a numeric keypad or a copy that accepts setting values of conditions related to image formation such as density setting conditions. It is composed of an operation button 43b such as a start key that receives a start instruction.

The network I / F44 is an interface for communicating via the network 13. The short-range communication circuit 41 and the network I / F 44 are electrically connected to the ASIC 54 via the PCI bus 59.

The controller 40 controls the entire MFP 10, and for example, it is possible to sequentially switch and select the scanner function, the document box function, the copy function, the printer function, and the facsimile function by using the application switching keys of the drawing, communication, and operation panel 43. To. When each function is selected, the MFP 10 is in a mode corresponding to each function.

Next, the functional configuration of the server 11 will be described with reference to FIG. Each functional means is realized by the CPU reading the program stored in the HD via the HDD controller, expanding it on the RAM, and executing the program. Each functional means is realized by devices such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and conventional circuit modules designed to execute each function. You may.

The server 11 includes a receiving unit 70, a storage unit 71, a calculation unit 72, a generation unit 73, and a notification unit 74.

The receiving unit 70 targets an application for realizing each function, and receives a log for each application. The log of the received application includes the log of the application that physically occupies the MFP 10. An application that physically occupies the MFP 10 is an application that performs other processes that cannot be executed at the same time. Examples of the application that physically occupies the MFP 10 include an application that executes a user operation on the operation panel 43, an application that executes scanning, an application that executes copying, an application that executes printing, and the like. Examples of the application that does not occupy the MFP 10 include a mail application that is executed in the background.

The log is acquired for each user who uses the MFP 10. The storage unit 71 stores the information acquired for each user for each application. The server 11 may include a transmitting unit, the transmitting unit may transmit a log acquisition request, and the receiving unit 70 may be configured to receive the log. Logs can be acquired at regular time intervals, for example, at intervals such as hourly or daily.

The log includes a user ID, identification information (app name and app ID) for identifying the used application, the usage time of the MFP 10 by using the application, the time zone used, and the like.

The storage unit 71 stores information on the position of each user 14 and information on the position where each MFP 10 is installed. The information on the position of each user 14 is the information on the position of the seat of each user 14. Information on these positions can be stored in the storage unit 71 as a layout drawing (layout drawing).

The calculation unit 72 calculates the usage time and usage rate of all users for all applications by using the usage time of each user's MFP 10 for each application included in the log, and determines whether or not the usage rate exceeds the threshold value. To do. The usage rate indicates, for example, how long the MFP 10 has been used during working hours.

When it is determined that the determination result exceeds the threshold value, the generation unit 73 reduces the usage rate of the MFP 10 based on the position information of each user acquired from the storage unit 71 and the position information of each MFP 10. Generate an improvement plan.

The usage rate of the MFP 10 can be reduced by distributing the usage by a plurality of users to other MFPs. For that purpose, when the MFP located near the MFP 10 or the user with a high usage rate of the MFP 10 is located at a distant position, the MFP located near the user needs to have the same function as the MFP 10. As an improvement plan, the generation unit 73 generates, for example, a task for installing the same application as the application implemented in the MFP 10 and a guide text for guiding the user to install the application in the designated MFP.

The generated improvement plan is not limited to the task and the guide for installing the same application. When an MFP having the same function as the MFP 10 is located in a remote location, it has the same function as the MFP 10 and the content that proposes to move a user with a high utilization rate of the MFP 10 closer to the MFP in the remote location. It may be a guide text or the like that proposes to install a new MFP. Further, if the MFP 10 is a device that can be easily moved, the guidance text may be a content that proposes to move the MFP 10.

The notification unit 74 transmits the improvement plan and the task generated by the generation unit 73 to the client PC 12 used by the administrator, notifies the administrator by displaying it on the screen of the client PC 12, and prompts the execution of the task.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the server 11. In the server 11, logs are periodically collected from each MFP 10 and stored in the storage unit 71. The server 11 starts the process from step 100 at the designated time. The treatment can be carried out, for example, at regular intervals.

In step 101, the server 11 selects one of the plurality of MFPs 10 registered in the server 11. The MFP 10 may be selected in any order, such as selection in the order of registration.

In step 102, the server 11 searches for an application that physically occupies the selected MFP 10 among the applications installed in the selected MFP 10. Here, an application that physically occupies the MFP 10 will be described as a scan application. Since the functions of the scan application differ depending on the image quality, the presence / absence of the OCR function, the presence / absence of the editing function, the storage format, etc., the scanning application is not limited to one in one MFP10, and a plurality of scanning applications may be mounted in one.

The server 11 acquires the information of "application type" and "whether or not to physically occupy the device" from the application installed in the selected MFP 10, and "app type: scan" and "physically device device". Extract the ones that match "Occupy in" as a scan app. Additional information such as attribute information is added to the application, and the above information can be obtained from the additional information.

In step 103, the server 11 acquires the usage time, usage time zone, etc. of the MFP 10 by the scan application of each user for each searched scan application. The server 11 can calculate the usage rate of the MFP 10 in each time zone by using the usage time and the time zone acquired for each application and each user.

Here, FIG. 6 shows an example of usage history (log). In FIG. 6, “scan application 1” to “scan application 5” are shown as scan applications, and “user 1”, “user 2”, “user 3”, ..., “User 10” for “scan application 1”. However, the "scan application 2" is used by "user 1", "user 4", ..., And "user 20", respectively. The log includes "device usage time" as the usage time of the MFP 10 of each user and "device usage time zone" as the time zone for each scan application.

The log can include a "device usage rate" calculated from a "device usage time" and a "device usage time zone". The "device usage rate" is the ratio of the time during which the MFP 10 is physically occupied by using the scan application to the working hours. By referring to this usage rate, it is possible to grasp how much each user 14 uses the MFP 10 in each scan application.

With reference to FIG. 5 again, in step 104, the server 11 uses the usage time and time zone acquired in step 103 to calculate the usage time and usage rate of the MFP 10 in each time zone by using the scanner for the entire user. ..

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a method of calculating the usage rate of the entire user will be described with a specific example. FIG. 7 shows an example of calculating the usage rate for each hour, and FIG. 7 shows an example of calculating the usage rate for each day. In FIGS. 7 and 8, only "scan application 1" is exemplified as the scan application.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, 10 people of "user 1", ..., "User 10" are using the "scan application 1" of the MFP 10. The log includes the usage time of each user in each time zone, and for "user 1", 10 minutes in the time zone of "9:00 (9:00 to 9:59)" and "10:00 (10:00)". It is used for 30 minutes during the time zone of "10:59)".

In the time zone of "9:00", only "user 1" uses "scan application 1" for about 10 minutes, so that the usage time of "scan application 1" for all users is 10 minutes. Since each time zone is 60 minutes in total, the usage rate is calculated as 0.167 by dividing 10 minutes of the usage time by the total 60 minutes.

Looking at the time zone of "10:00", "User 1" uses 30 minutes and "User 2" uses 30 minutes, so the usage time of "Scan App 1" for all users is 60 minutes. Is. The usage rate is calculated as 1 by dividing 60 minutes of the usage time by the total 60 minutes.

When calculating the usage rate for each day, first, for each user, the usage time (minutes) from 9:00 to 17:00, which is the working time, is totaled, and the obtained values are added to 1 for the entire user. Calculate the usage time (minutes) of the day. The calculated usage time (minutes) is divided by 480 minutes, which is the working hours of the day, to calculate the daily usage rate. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the daily usage rate calculated in this way.

As the usage rate, the calculated hourly and daily usage rates may be used in the determination described later, or one month as shown in FIG. 8 is set as the aggregation period, and one month of the daily usage rate is calculated. May be used in the determination described later.

With reference to FIG. 5 again, in step 105, the server 11 determines whether the usage rate of the MFP 10 due to the use of the scanner by the entire user exceeds the threshold value. The threshold value can be set to any value, and can be, for example, 0.5.

Explaining with the example shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in FIG. 7, the time zones “10:00”, “11:00”, and “12:00” have a usage rate of 1, 0.67 and a threshold value of 0. It exceeds .5. Whether or not the usage rate exceeds the threshold value can be determined by whether or not there is a time zone in which even one of the threshold values is exceeded. Since this is an example, it may be determined whether or not the time zone exceeding the threshold value is m (m is an integer of 2 or more) or more.

In FIG. 8, “October 2” and “October 3” have usage rates of 0.6 and 0.8, which exceed the threshold value of 0.5. The average monthly usage rate is 0.55, which exceeds the threshold value of 0.5. In this case as well, it can be determined whether or not the usage rate exceeds the threshold value even for one day, and whether or not there are n (n is an integer of 2 or more) days or more when the usage rate exceeds the threshold value. it can. Further, it may be determined based on whether or not the average usage rate for one month exceeds the threshold value.

When it is determined in step 105 that the threshold value is exceeded by referring to FIG. 5 again, in step 106, the server 11 receives the position information of the MFP 10 and the scan application for the MFP 10 exceeding the threshold value from the storage unit 71. Get the location information of all users using. Then, the process proceeds to step 107, and it is determined whether or not all the MFPs 10 have been selected. If it is determined in step 105 that the threshold value is not exceeded, the process directly proceeds to step 107.

If it is determined in step 107 that all the MFPs 10 have not been selected, the process returns to step 101 and selects the MFPs 10 that have not yet been selected. On the other hand, if it is determined that all the MFPs 10 have been selected in step 107, the process proceeds to step 108.

In step 108, with respect to the MFP 10 determined to exceed the threshold value, the server 11 is a user at a position away from the MFP 10 from the position information of the MFP 10 and the position information of all users 14 using the scan application of the MFP 10. It is determined whether or not 14 exists in a certain number or more. This determination is made one by one for each MFP 10 determined to exceed the threshold value. The same applies to the subsequent processing.

If it is determined in step 108 that a certain number or more are present, the process proceeds to step 109, and the server 11 generates a task for installing the scan application on the MFP 10 located closer to the user 14 located away from the MFP 10. Then, in step 110, the server 11 recalculates the usage rate of the MFP 10 by using the scanner of the entire user when the scan application is installed on the MFP 10 located near the user 14, and whether or not the usage rate exceeds the threshold value. Is determined.

If it is determined in step 110 that the threshold value is exceeded, the process proceeds to step 111, and if it is determined that the threshold value is not exceeded, the process proceeds to step 112. If it is determined in step 108 that the number does not exist more than a certain number, the process proceeds to step 111.

In step 111, the server 11 generates a task to install the scan app on another MFP 10 located closer to the MFP 10. In step 112, the server 11 transmits the task generated in step 109 or the task generated in step 111 to the client PC 12 used by the administrator together with the guide text, and ends the process in step 113. As a result, when the administrator logs in using the client PC 12, the transmitted task and guidance text are displayed on the screen of the client PC 12.

FIG. 9 is a layout diagram showing an example of the position information of the user and the MFP. FIG. 9A shows each position with coordinates of 50 cm × 50 cm as one unit for one floor. As for the position coordinates, the coordinates of one corner of the floor are set to (0,0). Since this floor is rectangular and has a size of 50 m in width × 20 m in length, the coordinates of the opposite end corner when the above corner portion is one end of the diagonal line are (100, 40). The user 1 sets his / her own seat 1 as his / her own position, and the position coordinates thereof are the coordinates (10, 10) of the center of the seat 1. The position coordinates of the MFP 2 are the coordinates (50, 35) of the center thereof.

In FIG. 9B, one floor is divided into several areas, and the area information is used as location information. The location information can include information on the building and the number of floors in addition to the area information, and can be, for example, "C building / 18F / A area", "D building / 19F / B area", and the like.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method of determining whether the distance between the user and the MFP is close or far. Whether it is close or far can be determined by whether or not the specified condition is satisfied. When the coordinates shown in FIG. 9A are used, as shown in FIG. 10A, whether or not the position coordinates of the user 14 are within the circle 80 indicating a certain distance around the MFP10 as a specified condition. It can be determined by the above. That is, if the position coordinates of the user 14 are inside the circle 80, it can be determined that they are close to each other, and if the position coordinates of the user 14 are outside the circle 80, it can be determined that they are far apart.

For example, when the coordinates of the MFP 2 are (20, 10), the coordinates of the user 1 are (10, 10), and the diameter of the circle 80 is 20 m, the coordinates of the user 1 are contained in the circle 80 centered on the MFP 2. Therefore, it is judged to be close. On the other hand, when the coordinates of the user 3 are (50, 30), it is determined that they are separated because the coordinates of the user 3 are outside the circle 80.

It should be noted that two circles having different diameters are provided, and it is determined that the position coordinates of the user 14 are close to the inside of the circle, and that they are separated from each other when the position coordinates of the user are outside the outer circle. May be good. If the position coordinates of the user 14 are outside the inner circle and inside the outer circle, the user 14 is neither near nor far away.

When the area shown in FIG. 9B is used, as shown in FIG. 10B, it can be determined whether or not the installation position of the MFP 10 and the position of the user 14 are on the same floor as the designated condition. That is, if they are on the same floor, it can be determined that they are close to each other, and if they are on different floors, it can be determined that they are separated.

In determining whether or not there are a certain number or more of users 14 at positions away from the MFP 10 that exceeds the threshold value, it can be determined, for example, whether or not there is one user, whether or not it is 10% or more of all users, and the like. Since these are examples, it may be whether or not there are two or more users at distant positions, whether or not they are 20% or more of all users, and so on.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of coping information that is notified to the administrator and displayed on the screen. FIG. 11 shows the usage distribution of the “scan application 1” color-coded so that it can be easily grasped on the map. FIG. 11 is a layout diagram of the 18th floor of Building C. In the layout diagram, two buttons "<" and ">" are shown, and another floor can be displayed.

In the example shown in FIG. 11, "device A" is a device whose usage rate exceeds the threshold value, and it is proposed to install "scan application 1" on "device B" which is close to "device A". Although not shown in FIG. 11, for example, a guidance message such as "Scan application 1 can be installed on a device near the user to reduce the load" can be displayed.

The administrator can refer to this screen and install the "scan application 1" on the "device B" by using the received task. The task provides a function to remotely install the scan application from the client PC 12 used by the administrator to the MFP 10.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of information regarding the usage rate that is notified to the administrator and displayed by switching to the screen. FIG. 12 is a screen showing a graph showing which device has a high usage rate for the “scan application 1”, and shows that the “device A” exceeds the threshold value of 0.5 and the usage rate is high. .. The usage rates of the other "device X", "device Y", and "device Z" do not exceed the threshold value. Since the "scan application 1" is not installed in the "device B" and the "device C", the usage rate is 0.

In this way, the handling information notified to the administrator is a device close to the device determined to exceed the threshold value for a specific application or a device close to the user with a high usage rate, and the application has not been installed yet. A guide that suggests installing the app on the device and a task for installing the app.

In addition, it is not limited to sending a guide and an installation task to the administrator and having the administrator execute the installation of the application, but the server 11 automatically installs using the installation task and proposes an improvement. Instead, you can notify the administrator of the installation result. In this case, the server 11 can further include an execution unit that executes the task, and the notification unit 74 can notify the execution result of the execution unit. This saves the administrator the trouble of performing the work.

Although the present invention has been described with the above-described embodiment as a program for executing the present invention by a computer such as a management device, an information information system, a notification method, and a management device, the present invention is limited to the above-described embodiment. It's not a thing. Therefore, other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, etc. can be made within the range that can be conceived by those skilled in the art, and as long as the actions and effects of the present invention are exhibited in any of the embodiments, the present invention It is included in the range.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a method executed by the information processing system, a recording medium on which the program is recorded, a server device that provides the program via a network, and the like.

10 ... MFP
11 ... Server 12 ... Client PC
13 ... Network 14 ... User 20 ... CPU
21 ... ROM
22 ... RAM
23 ... HD
24 ... HDD controller 25 ... Display 26 ... Display I / F
27 ... External device connection I / F
28 ... Network I / F
29 ... Bus line 30 ... Keyboard 31 ... Mouse 32 ... DVD-RW drive 33 ... Media I / F
34 ... DVD-RW
35 ... Recording media 40 ... Controller 41 ... Short-range communication circuit 41a ... Short-range communication antenna 42 ... Engine control unit 43 ... Operation panel 43a ... Panel display unit 43b ... Operation button 44 ... Network I / F
50 ... CPU
51 ... MEM-P
51a ... ROM
51b ... RAM
52 ... NB
53 ... SB
54 ... ASIC
55 ... MEM-C
56 ... HDD controller 57 ... HD
58 ... AGP bus 59 ... PCI bus 60 ... Scanner unit 61 ... Printer unit 70 ... Reception unit 71 ... Storage unit 72 ... Calculation unit 73 ... Generation unit 74 ... Notification unit 80 ... Yen

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-219912

Claims (9)

A management device that manages multiple electronic devices used by multiple users.
A receiving means for receiving the usage history of each user from one of the plurality of electronic devices, and
An improvement plan for reducing the usage rate of the electronic device 1 is generated according to the usage history of each user, the position information of each user, and the position information of each electronic device received by the receiving means. Generation means and
A management device including a notification means for notifying an administrator of an improvement plan generated by the generation means. The generation means is calculated based on the usage history of each user when the usage rate of the entire user for the electronic device of 1 exceeds the threshold value. The management device according to claim 1, wherein an improvement plan for a user or an electronic device specified from the position information of each user and the position information of each electronic device is generated according to the usage rate of each user. The usage history includes information on the usage time of one or more applications for realizing the functions provided by the electronic device.
The generation means is applied to the specified user who satisfies a specified condition when the usage rate of the entire user calculated from the usage time for one application of the one or more applications exceeds the threshold value. The management device according to claim 2, wherein a task for introducing the application of the above 1 into a nearby electronic device or the specified electronic device is generated. The generation means is designated when the usage rate of the entire user exceeds the threshold value and there are a certain number or more of users specified from the position information of each user and the position information of the electronic device of 1. The task for introducing the task to be introduced into an electronic device close to the specified user satisfying the above conditions is generated, the usage rate of the entire user exceeds the threshold value, and the position information of each user and the electronic device of the above 1 are used. The third aspect of claim 3, wherein when the number of users specified from the location information is less than a certain number, the task for introducing the specified electronic device into an electronic device close to the electronic device of the above 1 is generated. Management device. The management device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the application is an application that performs processing that cannot be executed simultaneously in the electronic device of 1. Includes execution means to perform the task
The management device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the notification means notifies the administrator of the execution result of the execution means. An information processing system including a plurality of electronic devices used by a plurality of users and a management device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which manages the plurality of electronic devices. A notification method executed by a management device that manages multiple electronic devices used by multiple users.
A step of receiving the usage history of each user from one of the plurality of electronic devices, and
A step of generating an improvement plan for reducing the usage rate of the electronic device in 1 according to the received usage history of each user, the position information of each user, and the position information of each electronic device, and a step of generating an improvement plan.
Notification methods, including steps to notify administrators of generated suggestions for improvement. A program for causing a computer to perform each step included in the method according to claim 8.

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