JP6532245B2 - Information processing apparatus and start guidance program - Google Patents

Description

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

  An information processing apparatus having a GUI (Graphic User Interface) displays an icon image of an installed application program or the like that is installed and is in an executable state, and when the user selects the icon image and issues a start instruction, An application program corresponding to the selected icon image is configured to be launched.

  The application program is distributed, for example, through a download site or the like, but the icon image of the application program which has not been installed is not displayed together with the icon image of the application program which is in an executable state. In addition, the icon image of the application program etc. that is installed and executable, and the icon image of the application program (that is fully operable as a product version) being installed, and the trial version (experience) An icon image of an application program, which is also referred to as a version and capable of operating only as limited edition), is generally displayed in a distinguishable state.

  As described above, according to the above-described conventional technique, an icon image that has not existed until now appears on the list screen of icon images of the application program only when the user installs the application program or the like. That is, since a new icon image appears on the list screen even if the trial version is installed, there is a psychological barrier for the user to install a new application program. This applies not only to the application program but also to video content and the like.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides an information processing apparatus capable of motivating introduction while providing the user with convenience of introduction of a new application program and the like, and a start guidance program. Let one be one of its purposes.

  The present invention for solving the problems of the above-described conventional example is an information processing apparatus, which is provided with holding means for holding an installed item and an icon image corresponding to the item in association with each other, and installed in the holding means. It comprises: guiding means for arranging an icon image of an item and displaying a guiding screen for guiding activation of the installed item; and obtaining means for obtaining an icon image corresponding to an item not held by the holding means. The guiding means does not distinguish the icon image of an item not held in the holding means from the icon image of the item held in the holding means, the icon image of the item installed in the holding means The guidance screen included in the array is to be displayed.

It is a block diagram showing the composition and the example of connection of the information processor concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is an explanatory view showing an example of information on an item which a server concerning an embodiment of the present invention holds. It is a functional block diagram showing the example of the information processor concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is an explanatory view showing an example of a guidance screen which an information processor concerning an embodiment of the invention generates. It is a flowchart figure showing the operation example of the information processor concerning an embodiment of the invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The information processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is, for example, a home game machine, a portable game machine, a personal computer, a smartphone, etc., and as shown in FIG. , And the communication unit 13. Further, the information processing apparatus 1 is connected to the display device 14 and the operation device 15.

  The control unit 11 is configured to include a program control device such as a CPU or a graphics processing unit (GPU). The control unit 11 executes a program stored in the storage unit 12. For example, if the information processing apparatus 1 is a home-use game machine, the control unit 11 operates according to the game program stored in the storage unit 12 and processes the game according to the operation of the user (game player) input from the operation device 15 Run. Further, the control unit 11 in this example executes a process of generating a game screen and outputting it to the display device 14. Further, in an example of the present embodiment, the information processing apparatus 1 is connected to the server 2 via communication means such as the Internet.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes the processing corresponding to the original function of the information processing apparatus 1 and also executes the following processing. That is, the control unit 11 according to the present embodiment associates the item installed in the storage unit 12 with the icon image corresponding to the item and causes the storage unit 12 to hold the item. Further, the control unit 11 arranges icon images of the items installed in the storage unit 12 and controls the display device 14 to display a guidance screen for guiding the activation of the installed items. Further, the control unit 11 acquires an icon image corresponding to an item not held in the storage unit 12 via the communication unit 13, and the acquired icon image of the item not held in the storage unit 12 is the item Are included in the array of icon images of the items installed in the storage unit 12 in a manner that does not distinguish them from the icon images of the items installed in the storage unit 12 and held. The display device 14 is controlled to display the guidance screen. Details of the operation of the control unit 11 will be described later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a memory device such as a RAM, and a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive (SSD) (that is, holds information stored even when the information processing apparatus 1 is not energized). The storage unit 12 functions as a holding unit, and holds items such as a program executed by the control unit 11 and data (content data and the like) processed by the program. The storage unit 12 also functions as a work memory of the control unit 11.

  In the present embodiment, the item installed in the storage unit 12 is provided, for example, stored in a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, and is copied to the storage unit 12. May be Further, this item may be downloaded from the server 2 connected via the Internet or the like and stored in the storage unit 12.

  The communication unit 13 is a communication interface such as a network card, and is connected to communication means such as the Internet. The communication unit 13 receives information that arrives via the Internet or the like, and outputs the information to the control unit 11. Further, the communication unit 13 sends information to the destination designated by the instruction according to the instruction input from the control unit 11.

  The display device 14 is a home television receiver, a liquid crystal display, or the like, and under the control of the information processing apparatus 1, displays the instructed image on the screen. In an example of the present embodiment, the information processing device 1 outputs a video signal based on the information of the screen generated by the control unit 11, and the display device 14 displays an image according to the video signal. The operation device 15 is, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a controller of a home-use game machine, etc., receives an operation input from the user, and outputs information representing the content of the received operation input to the information processing device 1. The display device 14 and the operation device 15 may be incorporated in the housing of the information processing device 1 or may be configured as separate devices connected to the information processing device 1 by wire or wirelessly. It is also good.

  The server 2 receives a request from the information processing device 1 and distributes an item that can be installed in the information processing device 1 to the information processing device 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the server 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23. Here, in the storage unit 22 of the server 2, in addition to the program executed by the control unit 21, as exemplified in FIG. 2, data of a plurality of items that can be provided to the information processing device 1 by distribution (program Data, content data, etc.) are stored in association with corresponding metadata. Here, the metadata includes the item name, icon image, data size information, and the like.

  The control unit 21 is a program control device such as a CPU, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 22. In the present embodiment, when the control unit 21 receives a request for a list of available items from the information processing device 1, the control unit 21 displays a list of information related to the items stored in the storage unit 22 (a list of metadata of items, etc. ) Is sent to the information processing apparatus 1. Further, when the control unit 21 accepts the request for information necessary for trial of the item together with the information specifying the item from the information processing device 1, the control unit 21 receives from the information processing device 1 among the items stored in the storage unit 22. Information necessary for trialing the item specified by the obtained information is distributed to the information processing apparatus 1.

  Specifically, if the item is a program, the information necessary for the trial of the item is a so-called trial version program, and if the item is content information such as a moving image, a part thereof (for example, a portion of about 1 minute at the beginning What is it is good. Such a trial version of the program contains the same contents as the product version, but there is a limit to the time it can be used for trial, or some of its functions are disabled, or if it is a game program, It refers to things that are set to be operable only for one scene. A widely known method can be employed to generate such information for trial of an item, and thus the detailed description is omitted here.

  Further, when the control unit 21 accepts an acquisition request for the product version of the item together with the information specifying the item from the information processing device 1, among the items stored in the storage unit 22, the information received from the information processing device 1 Information of the item to be identified is distributed to the information processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, when the control unit 21 accepts the request to upgrade the product from the trial state of the item to the product version together with the information specifying the item from the information processing device 1, the item specified by the information is converted to the product version Data to be changed to (referred to as upgrade data) is distributed to the information processing apparatus 1.

  The storage unit 22 holds item information, its metadata, and the like in addition to the program executed by the control unit 21 as described above. The storage unit 22 also includes a memory device, and also functions as a work memory of the control unit 21. The communication unit 23 is a network interface or the like, and outputs information such as a request received via the Internet or the like to the control unit 21. Further, the communication unit 23 sends various data to the designated destination in accordance with the instruction input from the control unit 21.

  Here, the operation of the control unit 11 of the information processing device 1 will be described. In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 executes the program stored in the storage unit 12 to functionally obtain an information acquisition unit 31 and a presentation information processing unit 32 as exemplified in FIG. 3. A guidance processing unit 33, an activation guiding unit 34, and an activation processing unit 35 are included.

  The information acquisition unit 31 sends, to the server 2, a request for a list of items that can be provided by the server 2. The information acquisition unit 31 receives information of a list of items (a list of metadata of items, etc.) sent by the server 2 in response to the request.

  The presentation information processing unit 32 is, among the metadata included in the information received by the information acquisition unit 31, information related to the item installed (stored in the storage unit 12) in the storage unit 12 functioning as a storage unit. To generate presentation item list information.

  Specifically, the item list information for presentation is an icon image of an item already installed among information such as an icon image which is metadata of an item provided as information related to an item which can be provided by the server 2 and a name of the item. It is a list excluding the names of items and items.

  The guidance processing unit 33 presents, for example, an icon image of an item included in the presentation item list information generated by the presentation information processing unit 32 when the activation guiding unit 34 described later acquires a list of installed items. The metadata of the item included in the item list information for item is output to the activation guide unit 34.

  The activation guiding unit 34 is installed in the storage unit 12 functioning as a holding unit, arranges icon images of items stored, and performs an operation of generating a guidance screen for guiding the activation of the installed item. Specifically, the activation guiding unit 34 acquires metadata such as an icon image of an item installed in the storage unit 12. At this time, according to the operation of the guidance processing unit 33, the activation guiding unit 34 can provide not only the icon image of the item installed in the storage unit 12 but also the installation unit 12 but the server 2 can Acquire the icon image etc. of the item together.

  The activation guiding unit 34 generates a guidance screen in which the icon images of the acquired items are arranged. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the guidance screen generated by the activation guidance unit 34 and displayed on the display device 14 is an icon image (C1, C2,...) Corresponding to the item, and the name and description of the item And a portion (P) in which the character strings (D1, D2,...) And the like are arranged. In addition, this portion (P) may be scrolled and movable in the vertical and horizontal directions. In addition, a cursor (R) is also displayed on the guidance screen to enable the user to select an item (selection for activating an item, etc.).

  Further, for each of the icon images on the guidance screen, the activation guiding unit 34 associates an interface component such as a button indicating that the corresponding item is to be activated with the icon image corresponding to the item installed in the storage unit 12. (For example, adjacent to the icon image) (B).

  The activation guiding unit 34 is not installed in the storage unit 12 among the icon images on the guidance screen, and the icon image corresponding to the item acquired by the operation of the guidance processing unit 33 corresponds to the corresponding item of the corresponding item. Interface components such as a trial version or a button representing obtaining a product version are associated (e.g., placed adjacent to an icon image) and arranged (E). The activation guiding unit 34 causes the display device 14 to display the information of the guidance screen generated in this way.

  When an item is selected by the activation guide unit 34 and an interface component corresponding to the selected item is operated, the activation processing unit 35 performs processing predetermined in relation to the operated interface component. Do. Specifically, if the item selected by the user is a program that has been installed, the corresponding interface component is associated with an instruction to start the program in the above-described example, so this activation processing unit 35 selects Start the execution process of the specified program.

  If the item selected by the user is content data installed, the corresponding interface component is associated with, for example, an instruction to perform reproduction of the content data, so that the activation processing unit 35 selects the relevant one. The execution of a reproduction program corresponding to the type of content data is started, and the reproduction of the selected content data is instructed to the program that has started the execution.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the item selected by the user is an item not installed, this activation processing unit 35 accepts the user's operation on the corresponding interface component, and based on the content of the operation, the trial version Run either the program installation or the production version installation.

  The present embodiment has the above configuration, and operates as exemplified below. In the following example, the server 2 can provide the items α, β, and γ to the information processing apparatus 1, and the items α, γ, δ, and ε are installed in the storage unit 12 of the information processing apparatus 1. It shall be done.

  When the user instructs the information processing apparatus 1 to display a screen for guiding the activation of the item, the information processing apparatus 1 requests the server 2 for a list of available items, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Send (S1). Then, the server 2 sends out metadata relating to the items α, β and γ as a response to the request (S2).

  Among the metadata included in the information received from the server 2, the information processing apparatus 1 excludes the information related to the item installed (stored in the storage unit 12) in the storage unit 12 functioning as a storage unit. , Item list information for presentation is generated (S3). In this example, since the items α, γ, δ, ε are installed in the storage unit 12 of the information processing device 1, the items α, β, γ that can be provided by the server 2 can be provided. The presentation item list information including the metadata relating to the item β is generated excluding the metadata relating to the items α and γ among the metadata relating to the item.

  The information processing apparatus 1 acquires metadata of an item installed in the storage unit 12 (S4). At this time, the information processing apparatus 1 acquires presentation item list information, which is metadata of an item not installed in the storage unit 12. Then, the information processing apparatus 1 uses the metadata of the item acquired in the process S4 and the metadata of the item included in the acquired item list information for presentation, and displays the icon image (C1, C2,...) Of the item Information of the guidance screen including the part (P) where the item name corresponding to each icon and the character string (D1, D2,...) Of the description are arranged is generated and output to the display device 14 for display (S5).

  The information processing apparatus 1 also causes the cursor (R) to be displayed on the guidance screen and prompts the user to select an item (selection for activating an item, etc.) (S6). Note that the information processing apparatus 1 displays the corresponding items α, γ, δ, in the icon images corresponding to the items α, γ, δ, ε installed in the storage unit 12 among the icon images in the guidance screen. An interface component such as a button representing activation of ε may be associated (for example, adjacent to an icon image) and displayed.

  Further, the information processing apparatus 1 corresponds to the icon image corresponding to the item β which is not installed in the storage unit 12 and is acquired by the operation of the guidance processing unit 33 among the icon images in the guidance screen. An interface component such as a trial version of the item β or a button indicating acquisition of a product version may be associated (for example, adjacent to an icon image) and displayed (E).

  Thereafter, the information processing apparatus 1 waits until an item is selected by the user and the interface component corresponding to the selected item is operated (S7), and when the operation is performed, the information processing apparatus 1 operates on the operated interface component. A related and predetermined process is performed (S8).

  For example, if the item selected by the user is the item α, and the item α is a program, the information processing apparatus 1 executes a program according to an execution processing start instruction of the item α previously determined in relation to the corresponding interface component. The execution process of a certain item α is started.

  Further, if the item selected by the user is the item β, and the instruction determined in advance in relation to the operated interface component is the acquisition instruction of the trial version of the item β, the information processing apparatus 1 performs the item β Start the process of acquiring the trial version of.

  Furthermore, in the control unit 11 of the information processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, after the trial version of the item is installed in the storage unit 12 functioning as the holding unit, the trial version (the item in which information necessary for trial is held) The icon image of the item stored in the storage unit 12 is arranged and displayed on the guidance screen without distinguishing it from the product version (the item in the normally available state) as being). That is, the item of the trial version is also included in the array of icon images of the installed item in a manner that is not distinguished from the product version.

  That is, in the information processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, (1) whether or not a certain program or content is in a state where it can receive distribution from the server 2 (state before installation); (3) whether it is installed as a product version or not, in a manner that does not distinguish each other (for example, each may be completely identical to each other, or it may be considered as a trial version before download or Is displayed in the list of icon images).

  In the above description, the metadata of the item sent out by the server 2 when the request for the list of available items is received from the information processing device 1 is all the information information devices 1 can acquire from the server 2 The metadata of the item may be used, or the metadata of the item selected by the administrator of the server 2 may be used. For example, the administrator of the server 2 selects the metadata of an item that he / she wants to particularly recommend to the user of the information processing apparatus 1, and the server 2 receives a request for a list of available items from the information processing apparatus 1. At the same time, the metadata of the selected item may be sent to the information processing apparatus 1.

  Furthermore, when arranging the icon image of an item, the information processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an item for presentation generated based on the metadata of the item received from the server 2 and not installed in the storage unit 12. When there are a plurality of icon images of the items included in the list information, they may be arranged collectively or may be randomly arranged between the icon images of the items installed in the storage unit 12.

  Further, when arranging the icon images of the items and displaying the cursor for selecting them, the information processing apparatus 1 is based on the metadata of the item received from the server 2 and not installed in the storage unit 12. The cursor may be displayed with an initial state in which the icon image (one of the plural icons, if any) of the items included in the generated item list information is selected. According to this, in the default state, an item which has not been installed is displayed in a selected state.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the control unit 21 of the server 2 receives a request for a list of items that can be provided from the information processing device 1, a list of items related to the items stored in the storage unit 22 (item The list of metadata, etc.) is to be sent to the information processing apparatus 1.

  At this time, the control unit 21 may send out the information of the display order of the items together with the list of the metadata of the item. Further, the metadata may include information on whether or not the item can be deleted (display stop).

  The information processing apparatus 1 uses the information for display order of items received from the server 2 and the acquired item list information for presentation, which is metadata of items not installed in the storage unit 12. Information of an instruction screen is generated by arranging icon images, item names, and the like included in the metadata of the items included in the item list information in the display order represented by the received information.

  Further, in the case where the metadata includes information on whether the item can be deleted or not and deletion of the item is permitted by the information, the information processing apparatus 1 displays an icon image of the item for which the deletion is permitted on the guidance screen. In association with, a button for instructing "deletion" is provided.

  When the user operates this button, the information processing apparatus 1 adds information specifying the item represented by the icon image corresponding to the operated button to the storage unit 12 as a deleted item information list. Then, the information processing device 1 performs a process of generating a guide image again. That is, the control unit 11 of the information processing apparatus 1 acquires the metadata of the item installed in the storage unit 12 and the item list information for presentation, which is the metadata of the item not installed in the storage unit 12 To get

  Then, the control unit 11 removes the metadata of the item specified by the information included in the deleted item information list among the item metadata included in the presentation item list information from the presentation item list information .

  Then, the control unit 11 of the information processing apparatus 1 uses the acquired metadata of the item and the metadata of the item included in the processed item list information for presentation to display the icon image of the item (C1, C2,...) Information of a guidance screen including a portion (P) in which the names of items corresponding to the respective icons and character strings (D1, D2,...) Of the content explanation are arranged is generated and output to the display device 14 Display.

Reference Signs List 1 information processing apparatus, 2 server, 11 control unit, 12 storage unit, 13 communication unit, 14 display device, 15 operation device, 21 control unit, 22 storage unit, 23 communication unit, 31 information acquisition unit, 32 presentation information processing unit , 33 guidance processing unit, 34 activation guidance unit, 35 activation processing unit.

Claims (2)

A holding unit that holds the installed item and the icon image corresponding to the item in association with each other;
Guiding means for arranging icon images of items installed in the holding means and displaying a guide screen for guiding activation of the installed items;
Acquisition means for acquiring an icon image corresponding to an item not held by the holding means;
Equipped with
The guiding means arranges the icon images of the items installed in the holding means in such a manner that the icon images of the items not held in the holding means are not distinguished from the icon images of the items held in the holding means Display the guidance screen included in
When an operation corresponding to a start instruction of the item is performed on an item not held by the holding unit on the guidance screen, information necessary for trial of the item is acquired and held by the holding unit. further look at including the means,
The item installed in the holding means in such a manner that the guiding means does not distinguish the icon image of the item whose information necessary for the trial is held in the holding means from the state in which the item can be normally used. The information processing apparatus displays the guidance screen included in the array of icon images and guides selection of a trial instruction and an instruction to change the item to a state that can be used normally. Computer,
Holding means for holding the installed item in association with the icon image corresponding to the item;
Guiding means for arranging icon images of items installed in the holding means and displaying a guide screen for guiding activation of the installed items;
Acquisition means for acquiring an icon image corresponding to an item not held by the holding means;
To act as
When the icon image of the item not held by the holding unit is not distinguished from the icon image of the item held by the holding unit when functioning as the guiding unit, the item installed in the holding unit Display the guidance screen included in the array of icon images,
When an operation corresponding to a start instruction of the item is performed on an item not held by the holding unit on the guidance screen, information necessary for trial of the item is acquired and held by the holding unit. Make it function more as a means ,
When functioning as the guiding means, the holding means does not distinguish the icon image of the item for which the information necessary for the trial is held from the state in which the item can be normally used. A boot guidance program for displaying the guidance screen included in the array of icon images of installed items, and guiding the selection of the trial instruction and the instruction to change the item to a normally usable state .

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