JP5037545B2 - Information processing system and control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system including a server device and an information processing terminal as a client, and a control program for the information processing terminal.

As a conventional technique related to the present invention, in a system including a server and a client terminal that is communicatively connected to the server via a network, the server distributes software to the client terminal, and the client terminal installs the software. The system is known. (For example, see Patent Document 1)
The server may not distribute the software itself to the client terminal, but may distribute a software update program to the client terminal. The client terminal updates the software installed in itself using the received update program. Thus, the software version of the client terminal is managed by the server.

JP 2002-318692 A

  In many cases, applications installed in the client terminal have various functions added or modified since the initial introduction of the system. Therefore, when a new client terminal is added to the system or when an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) storing an application is replaced, the user operates the client terminal to realize a desired setting. There was a need to update the software. Such work not only requires time and effort, but also has a possibility that a normal operating environment is not established due to a work mistake.

  The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is information that allows a rapid and accurate application operating environment to be constructed when an information processing terminal as a client is added to the system. A processing system and a control program are provided.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a communication connection between an information processing terminal including a program file storage unit that stores a program file and a server device that distributes update data of the program file to the information processing terminal. In the information processing system, the server device includes the name of the update data distributed to the information processing terminal, acquisition destination information indicating an acquisition destination of the data, target group information indicating a group to which the data is distributed, and The information processing terminal includes storage means for storing history management information in which target device information indicating that a device or all devices to which the data is distributed is to be distributed is written in the distribution order of the update data It is already distributed to the information processing terminal with respect to the program file stored in the program file storage means And update status specifying means for specifying the update status including the name of the update data, and history requesting means for requesting the transmission of the record management information to the server apparatus, said server apparatus in response to the request of the history requesting means The history management information transmitted is compared with the update status specified by the update status specifying means, and is update data with a name included in the history management information but not included in the update status, the history management information The target group information of the same data included in the information indicates the group to which the information processing terminal belongs, and the target device information of the same data included in the history management information indicates the information processing terminal or all devices are distributed. update data specifying means for specifying the update data indicating that the target, the update data specified by the update data specifying means, included in the record management information Download program for downloading from the acquisition destination indicated by the acquisition destination information of the update data, and the update data downloaded by the download means in the order in which the name and acquisition destination information are written in the history management information And updating means for updating the file.

  According to the present invention in which such measures are taken, it is possible to provide an information processing system and a control program that allow a rapid and appropriate application operating environment to be constructed when an information processing terminal as a client is added to the system. .

1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a POS system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The schematic diagram which shows the principal part structure of the POS terminal in the embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the data structure of the management list in the embodiment. The flowchart of the update process in the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is a case where the information processing system according to the present invention is applied to a POS system including a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal used for merchandise sales processing at a merchandise sales store or the like.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the POS system. The POS system is configured by connecting a store controller 1 that is a server device and POS terminals 101 to 105 that are information processing terminals via a LAN cable 3 so that they can communicate with each other. The POS terminals 101 to 105 are classified into arbitrary groups according to the installation area and usage. In the present embodiment, the POS terminals 101, 102, and 103 belong to the group A, and the POS terminals 104 and 105 belong to the group B. Note that the POS terminal 103 is scheduled to be replaced with an HDD, and the POS terminal 106 is a POS terminal scheduled to be added to the group B.

  The store controller 1 includes a control unit 10 mainly composed of a CPU, a management list 12 that is a history storage unit stored in a storage device such as an HDD, and a package database (DB) 13 that stores packages that are update data. I have. The memory provided in the control means 10 stores a distribution management program 11 for managing package distribution to each POS terminal. The management list 12 stores a history of packages distributed to each POS terminal connected to the system in the past. The package database 13 includes a group A package consisting of three packages “Ver 1.1”, “Ver 1.2” and “emergency patch” for updating applications of POS terminals belonging to the group A, and applications of POS terminals belonging to the group B. Is composed of two packages “Sub 1.1” and “Sub 1.2” which are updated.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a main configuration of the POS terminals 101 to 106. As shown in FIG. The POS terminals 101 to 106 include a control unit 20 mainly composed of a CPU, an HDD 22 that is a storage device, and the like. The memory provided in the control means 20 stores an update program 21 for performing update processing described later. The HDD 22 stores an application file 23 composed of data related to various applications such as merchandise sales processing, and a package file 24 composed of packages distributed from the store controller 1. Further, package management information 25 constituted by information on individual packages constituting the package file 24 and server information 26 constituted by information on access to the distribution management program 11 operating on the store controller 1 are ROM or RAM, etc. Is remembered. The package management information 25 includes the name of each package constituting the package file 24, the device name of the POS terminal, and the name of the group to which the POS terminal belongs.

  The update program 21 is automatically executed after the POS terminal system is started, and stays resident until the system is shut down. Then, the distribution management program connection information is read from the server information 26, the distribution management program 11 of the store controller 1 is accessed, and the application file 23 is updated.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of the management list 12. The management list 12 stores history information regarding packages “Ver. 1.1”, “Ver. 1.2”, “emergency patch”, “Sub 1.1”, and “Sub 1.2” in the order of distribution to each POS terminal. . Each history information includes, for example, a package name such as “<Ver. 1.1>”, a package acquisition destination “<DownLoadURL>”, a package module “<Package>”, a package target device “<Target>”, and a package target group. It is configured by associating information related to “<Group>”. The package acquisition destination is the URL of the package download source, and stores the URL of the store controller 1 in this embodiment. The package module is a name of a module that activates a package installer. The package target device is the name of the POS terminal that delivered the package. The package target group is the name of the group that distributed the package. If “xxx” is recorded as the package target device, it means that the package has been distributed to all the POS terminals belonging to the group designated as the package target group. On the other hand, when the name of a specific POS terminal is recorded as the package target device, it means that the package is distributed only to the POS terminal.

  Next, in the POS system shown in FIG. 1, the operation of the above configuration will be described by taking as an example the case where the HDD 22 of the POS terminal 103 is replaced. The replaced HDD 22 is in an initial state, and the application file 23 is stored, but the package file 24 is not stored.

  After the HDD 22 is replaced, when the system of the POS terminal 103 is activated, the update program 21 is activated as described above. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the update process executed by the control unit 20 of the POS terminal 103 and the control unit 10 of the store controller 1 based on the update program 21 and the distribution management program 11.

  First, the control means 20 accesses the HDD 22, refers to the package file 24, and updates the package management information 25 (ST1). However, the package name is not registered in the package management information 25 because the package file 24 is not stored immediately after the HDD 22 is replaced. After updating the package management information 25, the distribution management program connection information is read from the server information 26 (ST2). Then, the store controller 1 is accessed based on the read distribution management program connection information, and a transmission of a management list is requested (ST3). Upon receiving this request, the control means 10 of the store controller 1 returns the management list 12 to the POS terminal 103 (ST4). Note that the process of ST3 constitutes a history request unit.

  When the management list 12 is received, the control means 20 of the POS terminal 103 reads the package management information 25, identifies the update status of the application file 23 (ST5), and compares the management list 12 with the package management information 25 ( ST6). In this comparison process, (1) the package target group is the same as the group name constituting the package management information 25, and (2) the package target device is the same as the device name constituting the package management information 25, or “ xxx ″, and (3) search for a package on condition that the package name is not registered in the package management information 25. Note that the process of ST5 constitutes an update status specifying unit.

  When a package corresponding to the comparison condition is retrieved from the management list 12 shown in FIG. 2, the packages “Ver. 1.1”, “Ver. 1.2”, and “emergency patch” clear the condition (1). Further, among these three packages, the packages “Ver. 1.1” and “Ver. 1.2” clear the condition (2). Immediately after the HDD 22 is replaced, the package name is not registered in the package management information 25. Therefore, both of the packages “Ver. 1.1” and “Ver. 1.2” clear the condition (3). Therefore, packages “Ver. 1.1” and “Ver. 1.2” are specified as packages to be installed. Note that the process of ST6 constitutes update data specifying means.

  If the package to be installed is specified in this way (Yes in ST7), the store controller 1 that is the package acquisition destination is requested to transmit the package (ST8). When the store controller 1 receives this request, the control means 10 searches the package database 13 for the corresponding package and returns it to the POS terminal 103 (ST9). Note that the processing of ST8 constitutes download means for downloading a package that is update data.

  When the returned package is received, the control unit 20 activates the package installer and installs the packages in order from the package registered in the upper level of the management list 12 (ST10). The reason why the packages installed in the higher order in the management list 12 are installed in this order is because the existence of a package that causes an error if it is not installed in stages from the old version package to the new version package is considered. is there. When the installation of the package is completed, the update process is terminated. Note that the processing of ST10 constitutes an updating means for updating the application file 23 that is a program file.

  When no package to be installed is found in the process of ST7 (No in ST7), the update process is terminated without performing a package transmission request and installation.

  Next, in the POS system shown in FIG. 1, the update process will be described by taking as an example a case where a POS terminal 106 is newly added to group B. Even in such a case, the processing described with reference to FIG. 4 is performed when the system of the POS terminal 106 is activated.

  When the package corresponding to the comparison conditions (1) to (3) is searched from the management list 12 shown in FIG. 2, the packages “Sub. 1.1” and “Sub. 1.2” clear the condition (1). Furthermore, both of these two packages clear condition (2). Since the package file 24 is not stored in the HDD 22 of the POS terminal 106, the package name is not registered in the package management information 25, and both conditions of the packages “Sub. 1.1” and “Sub. 1.2” are (3). To clear. Therefore, the packages “Sub. 1.1” and “Sub. 1.2” are specified as the packages to be installed.

  The packages “Sub. 1.1” and “Sub. 1.2” thus identified are downloaded from the store controller 1 and installed in the order of the packages “Sub. 1.1” and “Sub. 1.2”.

  As described above, the POS terminal that is the information processing terminal according to the present embodiment automatically executes the update program when the system is started, and requests the store controller 1 to transmit the management list 12. Then, the history information satisfying a predetermined condition is specified from the management list 12 returned by the store controller 1, the package related to the specified history information is downloaded, and the downloaded package is installed. With this configuration, the application program is automatically updated when the HDD 22 of the POS terminal is replaced or when a POS terminal is newly added to the system. Therefore, it is possible to construct an application operating environment quickly and accurately without manually updating the application program.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment as it is, In the implementation stage, within the range which does not deviate from the summary, each component can be changed suitably and can be embodied.

  For example, the information processing terminal and the server device are not limited to the POS terminal and the store controller, and the present invention may be applied to other client / server systems.

  Further, the download destination of the package is not limited to the store controller, but may be downloaded from another device connected to a network such as the Internet.

In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from the overall components shown in the embodiment.
The invention described in the scope of claims at the beginning of the filing of the present application is appended below.
[1] In an information processing system in which an information processing terminal provided with a program file storage means for storing a program file and a server device that distributes update data of the program file to the information processing terminal are connected in communication, the server device Update information specifying means for specifying the update status of the program file stored in the program file storage means, comprising: history storage means for storing history information of the update data distributed to the information processing terminal; Based on history request means for requesting the server apparatus to transmit the history information, history information transmitted by the server apparatus in response to a request from the history request means, and an update status specified by the update status specifying means. Update data specifying means for specifying update data for updating the program file, Download means for downloading the update data specified by the update data specifying means, and update means for updating the program file based on the update data downloaded by the download means. Information processing system.
[2] A control program for an information processing terminal that is provided with a program file storage means for storing a program file, communicates with a server device having a history storage means for distributing update data of the program file and storing history information thereof. An update status specifying function for specifying an update status of the program file stored in the program file storage means in the information processing device, a history request function for requesting the server device to transmit the history information, An update data specifying function for specifying update data to update the program file based on history information transmitted by the server device in response to a request for a history request function and an update status specified by the update status specifying function; Download machine that downloads update data specified by the update data specification function When the control program for implementing the update function of updating the program files on the basis of updated data downloaded by the download function.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Store controller, 11 ... Distribution management program, 12 ... Management list, 13 ... Package database, 21 ... Update program, 23 ... Application file, 24 ... Package file, 25 ... Package management information, 26 ... Server information, 101- 106 ... POS terminal

Claims (2)

In an information processing system in which an information processing terminal having a program file storage means for storing a program file and a server device that distributes update data of the program file to the information processing terminal are connected in communication,
The server device includes a name of the update data distributed to the information processing terminal, acquisition destination information indicating an acquisition destination of the data, target group information indicating a group to which the data is distributed, and a distribution target of the data Storage device that stores history management information in which target device information indicating that a device or all devices are to be distributed is written in the distribution order of the update data,
The information processing terminal
Update status specifying means for specifying an update status including the name of the update data already distributed to the information processing terminal with respect to the program file stored in the program file storage means;
History request means for requesting the server device to transmit the history management information;
The history management information transmitted by the server device in response to the request of the history request means is compared with the update status specified by the update status specifying means, and included in the history management information but included in the update status. Update data with no name, the target group information of the same data included in the history management information indicates a group to which the information processing terminal belongs, and the target device information of the same data included in the history management information is Update data specifying means for specifying update data indicating the information processing terminal or indicating that all devices are to be distributed ;
Download means for downloading the update data specified by the update data specifying means from the acquisition destination indicated by the acquisition destination information of the update data included in the history management information;
Update means for updating the program file using the update data downloaded by the download means in the order in which the name and the acquisition source information are written in the history management information;
An information processing system comprising: Program file storage means for storing a program file is distributed, the update data of the program file is distributed, the name of the distributed update data , the acquisition destination information indicating the acquisition destination of the data, and the group to which the data is distributed And storage means for storing history management information in which target device information indicating that target device information indicating that a target device or all devices to which the same data is to be distributed is to be distributed is written in the order in which the update data is distributed A control program for an information processing terminal connected to the server device,
In the information processing terminal,
An update status specifying function for specifying an update status including the name of the update data already distributed to the information processing terminal with respect to the program file stored in the program file storage means;
A history request function for requesting the server device to transmit the history management information;
The history management information transmitted by the server device in response to the request for the history request function is compared with the update status specified by the update status specifying function, and included in the history management information but included in the update status. Update data with no name, the target group information of the same data included in the history management information indicates a group to which the information processing terminal belongs, and the target device information of the same data included in the history management information is An update data specifying function for specifying update data indicating the information processing terminal or indicating that all devices are to be distributed ;
A download function for downloading the update data specified by the update data specifying function from an acquisition destination indicated by the acquisition destination information of the update data included in the history management information;
A control program for realizing an update function for updating the program file using the update data downloaded by the download function in the order in which the name and the acquisition source information are written in the history management information.

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