JP4968366B2 - Information processing apparatus, program, and control method for information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for adding software used in an information processing apparatus.

  In recent years, information processing apparatus vendors and the like have shipped information processing apparatuses in a state in which various kinds of software have been installed (preinstalled).

  Information processing apparatus vendors and the like manufacture in advance a plurality of types of software combinations to be pre-installed assuming users with different usage modes.

  The user selectively uses the software when operating the information processing apparatus.

  However, users do not necessarily use all the preinstalled software.

  For this reason, there is a problem that a license fee for software that is pre-installed for the user but is not required must be paid.

  Therefore, there are the following technologies as conventional techniques that pay only the license fee of software that is less expensive for the user of the information processing apparatus and the like and less expensive for the user.

  This is an information processing apparatus connected to a server via a network and pre-installed with a plurality of software, and authenticates a user of the information processing apparatus at the time of start-up or return from a power saving state Then, the user information obtained by the authentication function is transmitted to the server via the network, the license information of the software corresponding to the user is acquired from the server, and a plurality of software is selectively used according to the license information. And a license management function to be enabled.

  This eliminates the need for hardware vendors that manufacture and supply client systems to prepare a plurality of preinstalled sets such as “for business” and “for general households”, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the client system.

  Since it is no longer necessary to charge software licenses that are not necessary for the user, the cost of the client system including the software can be reduced.

JP 2003-228429 A

  However, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, the user selects whether to use the software unit preinstalled in the information processing apparatus.

  Therefore, if the software has a plurality of functions and a license fee is imposed on each of them, a license fee for unnecessary functions that are not used must be paid. Here, the function is an operation program constituting software.

  The present invention provides a system in which a user of an information processing device pays only a license fee related to a necessary function of preinstalled software, and an information processing device vendor or the like does not pay an unnecessary license fee to the license source. For the purpose.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a software storage unit that stores preinstalled software in an information processing apparatus in which software having a plurality of functions is preinstalled, and the stored software A function selection processing unit that executes only a function selected from the above, a first activation of the software in the information processing apparatus , and display selection items corresponding to the plurality of functions on the display unit. A selection function information including information associating a processing unit that identifies an item selected from the displayed selection items using the input unit with the software name and a function corresponding to the selected item, anda network communication unit for transmitting through said processing unit, received by the network communication unit The license fee corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit, and after displaying the license fee, in response to an instruction using the input device to use the function corresponding to the selected item, The function corresponding to the selected item is enabled .

  In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the network communication unit transmits a license fee for the selected function to a fee collection source connected to the network.

  Further, in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, after the function selection processing unit enables the function selected from the software to be executed, the function selection processing unit selects the use or not when the function is selected again from the software. It is characterized in that the function can be executed, and the function that has been re-selected unless it is used cannot be executed.

The program according to the present invention is a program executed by an information processing apparatus preinstalled with software having a plurality of functions, wherein the information processing apparatus detects an initial activation of the software in the information processing apparatus, and the detection In response, the display unit displays selection items respectively corresponding to the plurality of functions, identifies an item selected using the input unit from among the selection items displayed on the display unit, and selects the selected item. The license fee corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit, and after the license fee is displayed, the selected license is displayed in response to an instruction using the input device to use the function corresponding to the selected item. It is characterized by making the function corresponding to the item effective .

Furthermore, the control method according to the present invention is a method for controlling an information processing apparatus that is executed by an information processing apparatus in which software having a plurality of functions is preinstalled. In response to the detection, the selection items corresponding to the plurality of functions are displayed on the display unit, the item selected using the input unit is selected from the selection items displayed on the display unit, and the selection is performed. The license fee corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit, and after the license fee is displayed, in response to an instruction using the input device to use the function corresponding to the selected item, the selected item is selected. It is characterized by enabling the function corresponding to the selected item .

  According to the present invention, the license fee for the necessary function of the software preinstalled in the information processing apparatus is paid, and only the function of the software for which the license fee has been paid can be used. Since there is no need to pay a fee, the user can purchase and use the information processing apparatus at a lower price than before.

The conceptual diagram which shows the form for implementing this invention Block diagram of information processing apparatus and server according to the present invention Dialog display according to the present invention Batch selection dialog according to the present invention Flowchart of software function selection according to the present invention

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment for carrying out the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 is a server of an information processing apparatus sales source, 21, 22, 23, and 24 are information processing apparatuses, and 31, 32, and 33 are servers of license rights.

  Each of the information processing apparatuses 21, 22, 23, and 24 is preinstalled with a plurality of software, and each user selects a function that the software wants to use, and the function selection information for the function is sent to the server 1 of the information processing apparatus vendor. Send. The server 1 manages the license fee for each function from the function selection information transmitted from each information processing apparatus, and pays the license fee to the servers 31, 32, and 33 of the respective license right sources.

  As a result, the user of the information processing apparatus only has to pay for the function to be used, so that the user can use the information processing apparatus at a lower price than before.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus and the like according to the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a server of an information processing apparatus vendor, and 21 is an information processing apparatus.

  The server 1 includes a user selection information storage unit 101, a function selection confirmation number generation unit 102, and a network communication unit 103.

  The information processing apparatus 21 includes a software storage unit 211, a central processing unit 212, a memory 213, and a network communication unit 214, and is connected to a display unit 215 and an input unit 216. A plurality of software is installed in the software storage unit 211. Now, word processor software 2111, spreadsheet software 2112, and mail software 2113 are installed.

  Conventionally, information processing apparatus vendors have assumed a plurality of types of users to use, and sold a plurality of types of information processing apparatuses in which different combinations of software are installed for each user.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, the information processing device vendor does not sell a plurality of types of information processing devices with different installed software as in the prior art, and the software storage device stores a plurality of software including use by all users. Sells one type of information processing device installed on

  In the present invention, specifically, an information processing apparatus in which three types of word processor software 2111, spreadsheet software 2112, and mail software 2113 are preinstalled is taken as an example.

  These software are multi-functional, word processing software has document creation function, figure creation function, table creation function, layout display switching function, sentence proofreading function, spreadsheet software has table creation function, graph creation function The function pasting function, auto SUM function, and mail software have a mail transmission / reception function, a mail creation function, a mail distribution function, a new mail check function, an account switching function, and a display order switching function.

  The user activates word processor software using the input unit 216. The word processor software is expanded on the memory, and a selection dialog is displayed on the display unit 215.

  The selection dialog is as shown in FIG. The user can appropriately select from a document creation function, a figure creation function, a table creation function, a layout display switching function, and a sentence proofreading function.

  Then, the user inputs the name and manufacturing number of the information processing apparatus in use, and inputs his / her name and membership number.

  When the user fills in all the input items and clicks “OK”, the information entered in the selection dialog together with the information that associates the software name with the selected desired function is sent to the information processing apparatus vendor through the network communication units 214 and 103. Sent to the server 1.

  The server 1 includes a user selection information storage unit 101 that manages and stores user selection information, and also includes a function selection confirmation number generation unit 102 that generates a function selection confirmation number that can use a function designated by the user. ing.

  The function selection confirmation number generated by the function selection confirmation number generation unit 102 is notified and displayed to the user through the dialog shown in FIG.

  When the user inputs the function selection confirmation number in the dialog shown in FIG. 3C, the selected function file is decompressed by the central processing unit 212 and can be overwritten and used. Here, it is assumed that central processing unit 212 performs processing performed by the function selection processing unit described in the claims.

  Similarly, when the spreadsheet software and mail software are first activated, a selection dialog is displayed, and the user can select and use a desired function as appropriate.

  When these software functions are selected again, a selection dialog is displayed by a selection dialog display function provided for each software, and the function to be used is reselected and updated.

  The user selection information is transmitted again to the server 1 that sells the information processing apparatus.

  When the user selection information before reselecting from the name, serial number, and user name of the information processing apparatus exists in the user selection information storage unit 101, the server 1 updates the reselected user selection information. Further, the server 1 generates a new function selection confirmation number in the function selection confirmation number generation unit 102 and notifies the information processing apparatus 21 of the new function selection confirmation number.

  When the user inputs a new function selection confirmation number in the dialog of FIG. 3C, the function file is decompressed again by the central processing unit 212, and the overwritten and reselected function can be used. At this time, the function deleted by re-selection is overwritten and thus cannot be used.

  In this way, the user can easily reselect the originally selected function, and can use the information processing apparatus at an inexpensive price.

  In addition, the information processing apparatus can display so that function selections of a plurality of software can be performed collectively.

  FIG. 4 shows a batch selection dialog in which functions of word processor software, spreadsheet software, and mail software can be selected.

  Word processing software is document creation function, figure creation function, table creation function, layout display switching function, sentence proofreading function, spreadsheet software is table creation function, graph creation function, and mail software is mail transmission / reception function, mail creation function The mail distribution function can be selected.

  The user transmits user selection information, which is information relating the selected software name and the selected desired function, to the server.

  The server that has received this generates a function selection number for the user by the function selection number generation unit and notifies the user of the function selection number.

  When the user inputs the confirmation number in the dialog shown in FIG. 3C, the selected function is decompressed by the central processing unit 212 and can be used by being overwritten.

  When the software functions are selected again, the batch selection dialog display function of each software displays the batch selection dialog to reselect and update the functions to be used.

  The user selection information is transmitted again to the server 1 of the information processing apparatus vendor.

  When the user selection information before reselecting from the name, serial number, and user name of the information processing apparatus exists in the user selection information storage unit 101, the server 1 updates the reselected user selection information. Further, the server 1 generates a new function selection confirmation number in the function selection confirmation number generation unit 102 and notifies the information processing apparatus 21 of the new function selection confirmation number.

  When the user inputs a new function selection confirmation number in the dialog of FIG. 3C, the function file is decompressed again by the central processing unit 212, and the overwritten and reselected function can be used. At this time, the function deleted by re-selection is overwritten and thus cannot be used.

  As a result, even when selecting a plurality of software functions, user selection information can be managed collectively, and the user need only manage one function selection confirmation number.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart relating to software function selection.

  The user activates software to be used (step 501).

  The information processing apparatus 1 displays a selection dialog on the display unit 7 (step 502).

  If there is a function that the user wants to use in the selection dialog, check the function that you want to use in the selection dialog, enter the name, serial number, user name, and membership number of the information processing device and click “OK” (Step) 503, 504).

  If there is no function that the user wants to use in the selection dialog, the user does not select any selection function in the selection dialog and clicks “OK” to activate the software while hiding all the selection functions (step 511).

  User selection information is transmitted to the server 1 of the information processing apparatus vendor (step 505).

  When it is determined from the user selection information that the information processing apparatus is a genuine product and the user is a regular member, the server 1 counts the license for the desired function by the user, and the server 2 rewrites the number of licenses for each user. (Steps 507, 508, 509).

  If it is determined from the user selection information that the information processing apparatus is not a regular product or the user is not a regular member, the software is activated with all selection functions hidden (step 514).

  The server 1 calculates the total usage license fee of the information processing apparatus related to the user (step 510).

  The server 1 uses the function selection confirmation number generation unit 102 to generate a function selection confirmation number that activates the selected function and notifies the user. At this time, a fee paid by the user is also notified as a license fee (step 511).

  When the function selected by the user is not used, the settings on the server are canceled in steps 501 to 509, and the software is activated with all the selected functions hidden (steps 513 and 514).

  When using the selected function, the user inputs the notified function selection confirmation number in the displayed dialog (steps 512 and 516).

  The preinstalled software recognizes each function selection confirmation information that has been input, decompresses the function file, and overwrites the file for use (step 517).

  The server 1 stores the user's account information in advance, and deposits a license fee for use of the user's information processing apparatus from the user's account (step 518).

  The server 1 grasps and manages license fee information. When the software is activated from the next time, the software is activated as long as the selected function exists.

  As a result, the function file of the function that the user wants to use is overwritten and the function can be used. The information processing apparatus vendor can permit the user to use multiple licenses by displaying characters and only by a single notification.

  In addition, it is possible to accurately grasp the use license and its license fee, and it is possible to request a fee from the purchase source and pay the fee to the license right source.

  In addition, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, since a save to disk image file is transmitted and the OS image is restored from the image file, the download time is long in a network environment such as a modem. Or send an image file, the device can only work with that image.

  In other words, if you want to download the game software image file and then want to use the word processor software, delete the game image file, access the server again, and download a new game + word processor image file However, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of downloading the user's software or the like for a long time. Next, modifications of the embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention described above, other technical extensions, and the like are listed below.

  In the above embodiment, the function selection is document creation software, spreadsheet software, and mail software, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  In the above embodiment, the request items in the selection dialog are the product name, the manufacturing number of the information processing apparatus, the user name, and the membership number, but are not limited to this, and other user authentication information is a telephone. It may be a number, address, etc.

  In the above-described embodiment, when function selection is performed, display is performed using visual input. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and auditory input, for example, may be used.

  In the above embodiment, when reselecting the function, it is determined whether or not the user selection information exists from the name of the information processing apparatus, the serial number, and the name of the user. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The presence / absence of user selection information may be determined based on the function selection confirmation number previously acquired by the user.

  In the above embodiment, the function selected by the function selection confirmation number can be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the function selection confirmation code including a symbol other than the alphabet or the like may be used.

Next, technical ideas extracted from the embodiments of the information processing apparatus described above are listed as appendices in accordance with the description format of the claims. The technical idea according to the present invention can be grasped by various levels and variations from a superordinate concept to a subordinate concept, and the present invention is not limited to the following supplementary notes.
(Appendix 1)
In an information processing apparatus in which at least one software having a plurality of functions each charged a license fee is preinstalled and the use of the functions can be selected.
A software storage unit for storing pre-installed software;
A function selection processing unit that executes only the function selected from the stored software;
A network communication unit for transmitting selected function information including information relating the software name and the selected function via a network;
An information processing apparatus comprising:
(Appendix 2)
The information processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the network communication unit transmits a license fee for the selected function to a fee collection source connected to the network.
(Appendix 3)
The network communication unit receives function selection confirmation information that enables a function selected from the software, and the function selection processing unit executes the selected function based on the received function selection confirmation information. The information processing apparatus according to appendix 1, characterized by:
(Appendix 4)
The function selection processing unit activates a program for decompressing preinstalled software stored in the software storage unit based on the function selection confirmation information received via the network communication unit. The information processing apparatus according to appendix 1, characterized by:
(Appendix 5)
The function selection processing unit enables execution of a function selected from the software and then selects whether or not to use the function from software again. The information processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the re-executed function is not executable.
(Appendix 6)
In a function selection program that enables execution of a function selected from software of an information processing device,
A selection function information transmission step of transmitting to the software vendor a selection function information including information relating the software name and the selected function;
A function selection confirmation information receiving step for receiving function selection confirmation information from the software vendor;
A selection function executable step for enabling execution of the function selected based on the function selection confirmation information;
A license fee payment step for paying the license fee for the selected function to the fee collection source connected to the network by the license fee information;
Is a function selection program that causes a computer to execute.
(Appendix 7)
In a function selection method that enables execution of a function selected from software of an information processing device,
Sending the selected function information including information that associates the software name and the selected function to the software distributor over the network,
Receive function selection confirmation information from the software vendor,
A function selection method characterized in that a function selected based on the function selection confirmation information can be executed, and a license fee for the selected function is paid to the fee collection source connected to the network by the license fee information.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing apparatus 2 ... Server 3 ... Software storage part 4 ... Central processing unit 5 ... Memory 6 ... Network communication part 7 ... Display part 8 ... Input part 9 ... User selection information storage part 10 ... Function selection confirmation number generation part 11 ... Network communication part 31 ... Word processing software 32 ... Spreadsheet software 33 ... Mail software

Claims (3)

In an information processing apparatus preinstalled with software having a plurality of functions,
A software storage unit for storing pre-installed software;
A function selection processing unit that executes only the function selected from the stored software;
When the first activation of the software in the information processing device is detected, the display unit displays selection items respectively corresponding to a plurality of functions that are restricted in use , and an input unit among the selection items displayed on the display unit A processing unit for identifying an item selected using
A network communication unit that transmits selection function information including information that associates the software name with the function corresponding to the selected item via a network;
The processing unit displays a license fee according to the selected item received by the network communication unit on a display unit, and uses the function corresponding to the selected item after displaying the license fee. An information processing apparatus, wherein a function corresponding to the selected item is validated in response to an instruction using an input device. In a program executed by an information processing apparatus in which software having a plurality of functions is preinstalled, the information processing apparatus includes:
Detecting the first activation of the software in the information processing device;
In response to the detection, display selection items corresponding to a plurality of functions that are restricted in use when the first activation is detected on the display unit,
Identify the item selected using the input unit from the selection items displayed on the display unit,
The license fee corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit,
After displaying the license fee, in response to an instruction using the input device to use the function corresponding to the selected item, to activate the function corresponding to the selected item Program. In the control method of the information processing apparatus executed by the information processing apparatus preinstalled with software having a plurality of functions,
Detecting the first activation of the software in the information processing device;
In response to the detection, display selection items corresponding to a plurality of functions that are restricted in use when the first activation is detected on the display unit,
Identify the item selected using the input unit from the selection items displayed on the display unit,
The license fee corresponding to the selected item is displayed on the display unit,
After displaying the license fee, the function corresponding to the selected item is enabled in response to an instruction using the input device to use the function corresponding to the selected item. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus.

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