JP3202671B2 - Application aggregation processing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an application tallying processing system, and more particularly to an application tallying processing system using the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an application tallying system for processing answer data such as this kind of questionnaire has an electronic means such as a telephone or an e-mail as an input means in order to automate collection and tallying processing of answer data. Is used.

As a conventional application tallying processing system, for example, there is a technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-288664. The application tallying system described in this publication includes a questionnaire form creating section, a questionnaire answer creating section, a statistical processing section, and a computer connected to a communication line.
A graph creation unit, an attribute management unit that adds and analyzes attributes and IDs to questionnaire forms and responses, and a mail operation unit that sends and receives questionnaire forms and responses are provided. The processing is performed.

A recently used application tallying system using the Internet as shown in FIG. 8 uses a page where a data input person inputs a questionnaire from a data input device 190 such as a personal computer via the Internet 200. WWW server 30 having a certain data receiving unit 400
The processing is performed by accessing 0.
The questionnaire data received by the data receiving unit 400 includes:
The data is collected in the application database 600 by the data collection unit 500. When referring to the tabulation results, the tabulation results can be referred to by accessing the data tabulation unit 700 on the WWW server 300 from the data reference device 800 such as a personal computer via the Internet 900. For another type of questionnaire, the data receiving unit 401, the data collecting unit 501, the application database 60
1. The data tabulation unit 701 is used.

[0005]

The first problem of the above-mentioned prior art is that when a new questionnaire is conducted,
That is, it is necessary to recreate the response data collection process and the tallying process each time. The reason is that the content of the questionnaire is not always the same, so that a collection process according to the content of the questionnaire is required. Also, a new tallying process is required according to the number and contents of the collected data.

[0006] The second problem is that when collecting data and displaying the result of counting for a specific member, it takes time and effort to incorporate the member authentication system into these processes. . The reason is that when incorporating the member's authentication system into the data collection process or the tallying result reference process, the conventional application tallying system requires these processes for each questionnaire. This is because an incorporation operation occurs.

[0007] The third problem is that it is difficult to maintain security. The reason is that when the application tallying system is constructed on a plurality of machines, the authentication system and the database required for the authentication are constructed on each machine, so that the possibility of security being broken increases.

A first object of the present invention is to improve the work efficiency of a questionnaire implementer by generalizing data collection processing and totalization processing in a questionnaire system.

A second object of the present invention is to easily construct a system for providing a totaling result to a large number of people in real time.

[0010] A third object of the present invention is to facilitate the improvement of security and maintainability by facilitating the incorporation of the authentication function of the data input person and the reference person of the total result into the questionnaire system.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for collecting and processing application data, comprising: at least one data input device for displaying a questionnaire page and inputting questionnaire data to the questionnaire page; A first world wide web server, a second world wide web server, a data reference device for displaying a total result of the questionnaire data, and the Internet, wherein the first world wide web server corresponds to the questionnaire page Including a data receiving unit having a function and a data format for performing
And a function of displaying the data receiving unit on the data input device, a function of transferring the questionnaire data and the data format to the second world wide web server, and The web server is
A data collection unit that collects the questionnaire data and the data format transferred from the first world wide web server; an application database that stores the questionnaire data collected by the data collection unit in accordance with the data format ; Section related to the aggregation of the data format
An aggregation method database that stores minutes as an aggregation method;
A data tallying unit for performing a tallying process on the questionnaire data stored in the application database in accordance with the tallying method of the tallying method database in response to a request from the data reference device, and displaying a result on the data reference device.

[0012] The second application tallying processing system of the present invention comprises:
The first application tallying processing system, wherein the second
Worldwide web server can apply for questionnaire
Or provide member information that can refer to the survey results
Including the member database and the data collection unit, or
The member database is requested by the data
And a member authentication unit for performing an authentication process with reference to the authentication process.

[0013] A third application tallying processing system of the present invention comprises:
The first or second application tallying processing system,
The data receiving unit is realized by an HTML format file.
And the data collection unit and the data aggregation unit are common.
Implemented with a gateway interface.

[0014] The fourth application tallying processing system of the present invention comprises:
The second or third application tallying processing system,
The member authentication unit uses a common gateway interface
Is achieved.

[0015]

[0016]

[Operation] The present invention does not create a dedicated data collection unit for each data receiving unit (questionnaire page), but rather stores information (data format) such as the number of input data and an identifier for each data receiving unit. And send this data format information to the data collection unit together with the input data.
By creating a data collection unit that collects general-purpose data based on such information, it is not necessary to create a data collection unit even if the number of data reception units increases. In addition, the present invention utilizes an existing network environment called the Internet, so that a data entry person and a tallying result reference person can use WW
By using the W browser, it is possible to input and refer to data in real time. In addition, the communication means uses the WWW server, so that the data receiving unit is H
It is only necessary to create a file in TML format, and the data collection unit and the data tallying unit need only create the processing in CGI. Further, by generalizing the data collection unit to one, the database of all the questionnaires can be centrally managed, and the data totaling process can be integrated into one place.

[0018]

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention includes a data input device 10 for displaying and inputting the contents of a questionnaire, and a World Wide Web (hereinafter referred to as WWW).
WWW server 20, WWW server 21, W
The WW server 22 includes a WW server 22, a data reference device 100 for displaying a totaled result of input data, and the Internet 12, 13, and 14 connecting these devices.

The WWW servers 20 and 22 have a function of displaying the data receiving unit 30 on the data input device 10, a function of transferring the input data to the data collecting unit 60, and a function of displaying the result of counting the input data. The executed program operates to control the data receiving unit 30. In addition, the WWW servers 20, 22 include a data receiving unit 30 describing the contents of the questionnaire and the input area. The data receiving unit 30 has a function corresponding to a questionnaire page,
Data format 4 is realized by a file described in TML.
Holds 0.

The WWW server 21 includes a data collection unit 60 for storing the input data, an application database 70, a data totaling unit 80 for performing a totalizing process based on the input data, and a totaling method database 90. including. The data collecting unit 60 and the data totaling unit 80 are each configured by a program describing a process of storing and totaling input data.

The data input device 10 includes a data receiving unit 30
Is a device for displaying data and inputting data, which is mainly a personal computer or a workstation.
Browser works.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, first, when a data input user operates the data input device 10 and requests a display of the data receiving unit 30, that is, a questionnaire input screen via the Internet 12 (FIG. 2 (a) S1), WWW Server 20
Alternatively, the WWW server 22 displays the data receiving unit 30 managed by the data collector (questionnaire performer) on the data input device 10 of the data receiver (S in FIG. 2A).
2). When a data input person inputs data to the displayed data receiving unit 30 using the data input device 10 (S3 in FIG. 2A), the input data is stored in the data format 40 registered in the data receiving unit 30 in advance. With
The data is transferred to the data collection unit 60 via the Internet 13 (S4 in FIG. 2A).

The data collection unit 60 performs a data collection process on the received input data. In the data collection process, the input data and the data format 40 are obtained (S53 in FIG. 2A), and based on these, the input data is stored in the application database 70 (S54 in FIG. 2A).
In addition, the part related to the tallying of the form 40 is stored in the tallying method database 90. Input data is application database 7
If it is stored normally to 0 (S55YES in FIG. 2A),
A message is displayed on the data input device 10 indicating that the storage application was successful. Further, if the input data is not normally stored in the application database 70 (FIG. 2 (a) S55N).
O), an error message is displayed on the data input device 10.

When the tallying result viewer requests the tallying information for the questionnaire data during the questionnaire period via the Internet 14 using the data reference device 100 (S6 in FIG. 2B), the data tallying unit 80 The following processing is performed. First, from the requested questionnaire type, a tallying method indicating which application data is to be tapped and how to tally it is extracted from the tallying method database 90 (FIG. 2 (b) S).
71). Next, the application data is extracted from the application database 70 (S72 in FIG. 2B), and a tallying process is executed based on the acquired tallying method (S73 in FIG. 2B). Finally, the tabulation results are displayed on the data reference device 100 via the Internet 14 (S74 in FIG. 2B), and the tabulation result viewer refers to the tabulation results (S8 in FIG. 2B).

Next, an example of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
Referring to FIG. 1, the data input device 10 is a personal computer or a workstation capable of executing a WWW browser. An HTML describing a questionnaire page as the data receiving unit 30 is provided on the WWW servers 20 and 22.
After arranging the file, the data entry person can enter the data
Is configured to display a questionnaire page by specifying a URL from a WWW browser. Data format 40 is
It is described directly in the HTML file describing the questionnaire page. The data collection unit 60 is realized by a collection processing common gateway interface (hereinafter, referred to as CGI). By setting the button pressed after completion of the input of the questionnaire page to execute the URL of the collection process CGI, the data and the data format 40 input to the questionnaire page can be passed to the collection process CGI.

A data tallying unit 80 for performing tallying based on the tallying method database 90 is also realized by a tallying process CGI, is placed on the same WWW server 21 as the collecting process CGI, and stores an application database 70 which both CGIs access.
It can be centrally managed at individual locations. Application database 7
For 0, a form accessible from the CGI such as a relational database (RDB) or a text file is used.

The person who referred to the totaling result is the data reference device 100
By using the WWW browser of the present invention and specifying the URL of the aggregation processing CGI via the Internet 14, the aggregation result can be referred to.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a questionnaire page. FIG.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a tally result reference page. FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a data format 40.

The person who inputs the data can use the W
Using a WW browser, a URL indicating a questionnaire HTML file as the data receiving unit 30 is specified, and a questionnaire page as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. Data entrants are:
The data transfer is started by answering the questionnaire items in the displayed questionnaire page using a graphic user interface (GUI) and pressing a button for transferring the answered data.

The questionnaire HTML file is set so as to execute the collection process CGI, which is the data collection unit 60, when the transfer button is pressed. When the data input person presses the transfer button, the input data is input to the collection process CGI. Is passed through the Internet 13 and stored in the application database 70.

The data transferred to the collection processing CGI includes:
The data format 40 is also included in addition to the input data. The data format 40 describes information unique to the questionnaire page as shown in FIG. 6 (number of questionnaire items, questionnaire data, etc.) in a fixed format. For example, according to the application page plan name included in the data form 40, the collection processing CG
I determines which part of the application database 70 to store. In addition, a format for the tabulation process (in FIG. 6,
The contents of the last two lines) are stored in the tallying method database 90.

[0032] The tallying result viewer can always make the tallying CGI
Is specified on the WWW browser, the latest totaling result as shown in FIG. 5 (in this example, a pie chart is used) can be displayed on the WWW browser. The above can be realized by managing the collection processing CGI and the aggregation processing CGI in one place and sharing the application database 70.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, a second embodiment of the present invention is obtained by adding a member authentication unit 110 and a member database 120 to the WWW server 21 of the first embodiment.

When authenticating the data input participant and the tallying result referrer, the member authenticating part 110 authenticates the data input participant or the tallying result referring person in response to a request from the data collecting part 60 and the data tallying part 80. I do.
This authentication process is performed based on the member database 120 storing member information. When it is necessary to limit the input persons, the member authentication processing for the input persons is performed first. If the authentication fails, a message is displayed on the data input device 10 stating that input is not possible.

In the prior art, the data collection process and the data aggregation process are individually required for each data receiving unit 30. Therefore, the member authentication process also needs to be incorporated every time the data receiving unit 30 increases. However, since the data collection processing and the data aggregation processing are generalized, once the authentication processing is incorporated, the authentication processing can be used as it is for the subsequent questionnaire.

[0036]

The first effect of the present invention is that when a new questionnaire is conducted, a data receiving unit (questionnaire page) is used.
By simply creating a data format, there is no need to create a new data collection process or data aggregation process, reducing the number of steps required to conduct a new questionnaire and improving productivity. It is. The reason is that by transferring different information (data format) for each questionnaire page to the data collection process together with the input data, the data collection process can be generalized.

The second effect is that, by incorporating the member authentication processing into the generalized data collection processing and totalization result reference processing, the member authentication can be performed for all the questionnaire pages, and the security is improved. Is Rukoto.

The third effect is that the member authentication process and the total result reference process do not need to be incorporated in the conventional system as in the conventional system, so that the member authentication process and the member database can be managed in one place. And maintainability can be improved.

A fourth effect is that the load on a WWW server in which a data receiving unit for receiving a questionnaire is set is reduced. The reason is that since the data collection processing and the data aggregation processing are not provided on the questionnaire reception unit side, the WWW server on the questionnaire reception unit side does not need to execute the CGI of the data collection processing and the data aggregation processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a questionnaire page.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a tally result reference page.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a data format.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Data input device 12 Internet 13 Internet 14 Internet 20 WWW server 21 WWW server 22 WWW server 30 Data receiving unit 40 Data format 60 Data collecting unit 70 Application database 80 Data totaling unit 90 Totaling method database 100 Data reference device 110 Member authentication unit 120 Member database

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Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. One or more data input devices for displaying a questionnaire page and inputting questionnaire data into the questionnaire page, one or more first world wide web servers, and a second world wide web server ,
A data reference device for displaying a totaling result of the questionnaire data, and the Internet, wherein the first world wide web server includes a data receiving unit having a function and a data format corresponding to the questionnaire page. And a function of displaying the data receiving unit on the data input device, the questionnaire data and
And a function of transferring the data format to the second world wide web server, wherein the second world wide web server transmits the questionnaire data and the data format transferred from the first world wide web server. A data collection unit that collects data, an application database that stores the questionnaire data collected by the data collection unit in accordance with the data format, and a part related to the tallying of the data format as a tallying method.
A counting method database to be stored, and, in response to a request from the data reference device, a counting process for the questionnaire data stored in the application database according to the counting method of the counting method database, and a result displayed on the data reference device. An application tallying processing system comprising a data tallying unit. 2. The second world wide web server.
Can apply for the survey or the result of the survey
A member database containing member information that can
In response to a request from the data collection unit or the data aggregation unit
Authentication processing by referring to the member database.
2. The member authentication unit according to claim 1, further comprising:
Application summary processing system. 3. The data receiving unit according to claim 1, wherein said data receiving unit is a
The data collection unit and the data collection
Instrumentation is realized by common gateway interface
3. The application totaling process according to claim 1 or 2,
system. 4. The member authentication unit according to claim 1, wherein
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the interface is realized by an interface.
Or the application summary processing system described in 3.