KR20140124569A - System and method for providing application preview service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method to provide an application preview service including a communication part for communication through a communication network, a storage part storing at least one application installation file, and a preview handler displaying a preview screen reproducing a preview file for showing content of a selected application installation file in advance when the application installation file is selected from application installation files stored in the storage part.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING APPLICATION PREVIEW SERVICE [0002]

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing an application preview service, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing an application preview service by reproducing a preview file for previewing contents of an application installation file without executing an application installation file stored in a user terminal And a system and method for providing an application preview service capable of previewing contents of an application installation file.

The use of user terminals such as smart phones and tablets is becoming common, and these user terminals provide various useful functions to users through various applications. In other words, recent user terminals are becoming multifunctional devices that can use various types of information by providing various functions other than the voice communication function.

In this way, various functions implemented in the user terminal necessarily result in an increase in the kinds of applications that can select and execute these functions, and the user installs various applications in his / her terminal. As a result, a plurality of application installation files are stored in the storage unit of the user terminal.

However, there is an inconvenience that the application installation file stored in the user terminal can not be grasped if it is necessary to execute the application installation file directly in order to determine which application is installed.

Also, even though the name of the application installation file alone can identify which application is the installation program, the more application installation files, the more difficult it is to grasp and the accuracy of the identification is lowered due to the limitation of the file name.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2012-0093113: Method, system and apparatus for providing document preview

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been conceived to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for reproducing a preview file for previewing contents of an application installation file when a specific application installation file is selected from application installation files stored in a user terminal The present invention provides a system and method for providing an application preview service that enables an application installation file to easily identify an application installation file.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for providing a preview of the contents of an application installation file when deleting, copying, moving, etc. an application installation file stored in a user terminal, The present invention provides a system and method for providing an application preview service capable of providing an application preview service.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for enabling a user to confirm the contents of an application installation file without executing an application installation file, thereby reducing the number of times a user executes an application installation file and thereby reducing battery consumption of the user terminal And a system and method for providing an application preview service.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a communication unit for communicating through a communication network, a storage unit storing at least one application installation file, A preview handler for displaying a preview screen for reproducing a preview file for previewing contents of the selected application installation file is provided.

The preview screen includes at least one of an icon of the application installation file, a loading screen, a standby screen, a playback area of a preview file including at least one of the main functions, at least one of moving, continuing, copying, And a command button for performing one operation.

Wherein the preview handler determines whether or not a preview file of the selected application installation file is stored in the storage unit and extracts and displays a preview file from the storage unit if the preview file is stored in the storage unit, The preview file can be generated and displayed based on the meta information of the file.

The preview handler extracts meta information from the storage unit to generate a preview file when the corresponding meta information exists in the storage unit, and when the corresponding meta information does not exist in the storage unit, Receiving the preview file from the providing apparatus and displaying the preview file, receiving the meta information from the application providing apparatus, and generating and displaying the preview file using the received meta information.

In addition, the preview handler can generate a preview file according to a predefined preview setting rule.

The user terminal may further include an execution processor for performing an operation corresponding to the selected command button on the application installation file when at least one command button among the command buttons of the displayed preview screen is selected.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including an application information database storing application information including at least one of a communication unit for communicating through a communication network, application identification information, application installation files, meta information, A registration processing unit for storing the application information in the application information database when the application registration request signal including the application registration request signal is received; A preview file generation unit for generating a preview file and storing the generated preview file in the application information database; An application providing unit for acquiring the application information from the application information database and providing the acquired application information to the user terminal.

The preview file generating unit may generate a preview file according to a predefined preview setting rule.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an application information database storing application information including at least one of application identification information, application installation files, meta information, and preview files, and when an application download is requested from a user terminal, An application providing device for acquiring the application information from the application information database and providing the application information to the user terminal; an application installation file storing the application installation file when the application information provided from the application providing device is installed; If a specific application installation file is selected from the list, a preview file for previewing the contents of the selected application installation file Comprising a user terminal for displaying the application surface is previously provided with a system for viewing service provider.

The preview screen includes at least one of an icon of the application installation file, a loading screen, a standby screen, a playback area of a preview file including at least one of the main functions, at least one of moving, continuing, copying, And a command button for performing one operation.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a preview service for an application installation file stored in a storage unit of a user terminal, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Determining whether a preview file for previewing the contents of the selected application installation file is stored in the storage unit if it is selected; (b) if it is determined that the preview file is stored Extracting and displaying a preview file from the storage unit, and if not, generating and displaying a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file.

In the step (b), if a preview file is stored in the storage unit, a preview file is extracted from the storage unit, and the application installation file is moved, continued, copied, cut, deleted, A command button for performing at least one task and a preview screen for playing the extracted preview file.

In the step (b), if the preview file is not stored in the storage unit, it is determined whether or not the corresponding meta information exists in the storage unit. If the preview file is present, the meta information is extracted from the storage unit, A preview file is received from the application providing apparatus or meta information is received from the application providing apparatus, and a preview file is generated by using the received meta information, A command button for performing at least one operation of moving, continuing, copying, cutting, deleting, canceling, storing, and executing and a preview screen for reproducing the generated preview file.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a preview of a selected application installation file, the method comprising: (a) when a specific application installation file is selected from the application installation file list stored in the storage unit, (b) if the preview file is stored as a result of the determination in step (a), extracting and displaying a preview file from the storage unit, and if the preview file is not stored And generating and displaying a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file, the method being provided for providing an application preview service is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing an application preview service by an application providing apparatus, the method comprising: providing application information including at least one of application identification information, application installation files, meta information, Generating a preview file using the meta information of the application if the preview file does not exist in the stored application information and storing the generated preview file in the application information database; Acquiring application information from the application information database and providing the application information service to the user terminal when downloading is requested, This method is provided.

The present invention resides in that when a specific application installation file is selected from application installation files stored in a user terminal, a preview file for previewing the contents of the application installation file is reproduced, It is possible to easily grasp whether the file is a file.

In addition, when the user performs an operation related to the application installation file, the content of the application installation file can be previewed to help the user determine what operation to perform.

In addition, by allowing the user to confirm the contents of the application installation file without executing the application installation file, the number of times the application installation file is executed can be reduced, thereby reducing battery consumption of the user terminal.

In addition, by allowing the contents of the application installation file to be previewed using a video (image) or the like, the convenience of the user can be increased and the program distribution can be facilitated.

1 illustrates a system for providing an application preview service according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an application providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for providing an application preview in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an exemplary view of a preview screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system for providing an application preview service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a system for providing an application preview service includes a user terminal 100 and an application providing apparatus 200.

The user terminal 100 accesses the application providing apparatus 200 to download and install the application information, or receives and installs the application information from another user terminal. Here, the application information may include an installation file of the application, a preview file, and the installation file of the application may be a file having an APK (Android PacKage) extension. The APK file is created for the purpose of distributing and installing the Android application, and it is understood as the same concept as the installation file of the normal Windows program.

When installing the downloaded application information, the user terminal 100 stores the application installation file in the storage unit, and the user can perform operations such as moving, deleting, and copying the application installation file stored in the storage unit.

When the user selects a specific application installation file to perform operations such as moving, deleting, copying, and cutting among the application installation files stored in the storage unit, the user terminal 100 displays a preview screen for playing a preview file of a specific application Display. Here, the preview file is a file for previewing the content of the application included in the application installation file, and includes an application icon, a loading screen, a standby screen, and a main function. The preview file may also be in the form of a movie, image, text, or the like. In the preview screen, command buttons for moving, copying, cutting, deleting, canceling, storing, and executing the application installation file as well as a preview file for previewing the contents of the application can be displayed.

The user terminal 100 may be any user device including a communication function. For example, a navigation device, a notebook, a mobile communication terminal, a smart phone, a portable media player (PMP), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet PC, a set- Smart TV and so on.

A detailed description of the user terminal 100 will be given with reference to FIG.

The application providing apparatus 200 stores application information when application information is received from a developer. Here, the application information may include application identification information, an application installation file, meta information, a preview file, and the like, and the meta information may be general information about an application such as a main function of an application, an icon, a loading screen,

When the application information registered by the developer does not include a preview file, the application providing apparatus 200 generates and stores a preview file using meta information of the application.

When application download is requested from the user terminal 100, the application providing apparatus 200 transmits application information including an installation file, a preview file, and the like of the application to the user terminal 100. [ At this time, the application providing apparatus 200 may transmit meta information of the application together with the application installation file.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the user terminal 100 includes a communication unit 110, an input unit 120, an output unit 130, a storage unit 140, a download processing unit 150, a preview handler 160, And an execution processing unit 170.

The communication unit 110 is a communication unit that interconnects the user terminal 100 with an application providing apparatus or another user terminal through a communication network. Examples of the communication unit 110 include a wireless communication module such as mobile communication and satellite communication, a wired communication module such as the Internet, And a short-range wireless communication module such as a WiFi.

The input unit 120 is a means for receiving a user request for controlling the operation of the user terminal 100. The input unit 120 converts a user's request into an electric signal according to a user's operation. The input unit 120 may be a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, a visual sensing unit, a tactile sensing unit, a motion sensing unit, , Voice input means, and the like. The user can perform operations such as moving, deleting, and copying the application installation file through the input unit 120. [

The output unit 130 may be implemented as a display device for displaying screen information according to application driving, for example, a small flat display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). The output unit 130 may display a preview screen of the application execution file requested to be executed by the user.

The storage unit 140 stores a program necessary for controlling the operation of the user terminal 100 and data generated during the execution of the program.

The storage unit 140 stores at least one application installation file, meta information of an application installation file, a preview file, and the like.

The download processing unit 150 downloads the application installation file from the application providing apparatus or another user terminal through the communication unit 110 and stores it in the storage unit 140. [ At this time, the download processing unit 150 may store the preview file, the meta information and the like in the storage unit 140 together with the application installation file. That is, the download processing unit 150 may download the application information from an application provision device such as T store, Google play store, or the like, or may receive application information from another user terminal using a communication means such as Bluetooth or micro USB.

The preview handler 160 displays the contents of the selected application installation file in advance when a specific application installation file is selected to perform operations such as moving, deleting, copying, and cutting among the application installation files stored in the storage unit 140 A preview screen for playing a preview file for a preview image is displayed. Here, the preview screen includes command buttons such as move, continue, copy, cut, delete, cancel, save, and execute a preview file including an icon, a loading screen, a standby screen, A pop-up window, an overlay, and the like.

Hereinafter, a method for displaying the preview screen by the preview handler 160 will be described in more detail.

The preview handler 160 checks the length of time the pointer stays in the application installation file and determines whether or not the preview file of the application installation file is stored in the storage unit 140 for a preset period of time or longer.

If the preview file is stored in the storage unit 140, the preview handler 160 extracts the preview file from the storage unit 140 and displays the preview file.

If the preview file is not stored in the storage unit 140, the preview handler 160 generates and displays a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file. At this time, the preview handler 160 determines whether or not the meta information of the application is present in the storage unit 140, extracts the meta information from the storage unit 140 to generate a preview file, A preview file is received and displayed from the application providing device, or meta information is received from the application providing device, and a preview file can be generated and displayed using the received meta information.

The preview handler 160 generates a preview file according to a predefined preview setting rule. Here, the preview setting rule may be a rule that sequentially displays an icon, an application screen, a loading screen, a main function, and the like of the application. In addition, the preview setting rule may be a rule for converting the meta information into a form such as moving image, image, text, and the like. These preview setting rules can be changed by a user or an administrator.

The preview handler 160 can automatically update the preview file of the updated application installation file when the application installation file stored in the storage unit 140 is updated.

The preview handler 160 adjusts the environment setting for the preview screen to adjust the size and position of the output screen. For example, the preview handler 160 can display a preview screen on the application installation file list or display a preview screen at a predetermined position according to the option of environment setting.

As described above, the preview handler 160 provides a preview service for outputting a preview file of the application when the installation file of the application is selected, so that the contents of the application can be grasped in advance without executing the application.

The execution processing unit 170 performs an operation corresponding to the selected command on the preview screen displayed through the preview handler 160. [ For example, when the user selects a delete command on the preview screen, the execution processing unit 170 performs an operation of deleting the application installation file.

The user terminal 100 having the above-described configuration can perform operations such as moving, copying, cutting, deleting, canceling, and the like, along with a preview file for previewing the contents of the application stored in the application installation file through the preview handler 160 The user can view a preview screen and perform a desired operation by displaying a preview screen including a command button for performing a desired operation.

 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an application providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the application providing apparatus 200 includes a communication unit 210, an application information database 220, a registration processing unit 230, a preview file generating unit 240, and an application providing unit 250.

The communication unit 210 may be communication means for interconnecting the application providing apparatus 200 and the user terminal through a communication network.

The application information database 220 stores information on applications such as application identification information, application installation files, meta information, and preview files. Here, the meta information may be information registered by the developer as brief information on the application such as a main function of the application, an icon, a loading screen, and a standby screen. The preview file is a file for previewing the contents of the application in the application installation file, and includes an application icon, a loading screen, a standby screen, and a main function. The preview file can be registered by the developer or can be registered by the preview file generation unit 240. [

The registration processing unit 230 stores the application information in the application information database 220 when the application registration request signal including the application information is received from the developer through the communication unit 210. [ Here, the application information may include application identification information, application installation files, meta information, and the like. In addition, the application information may include a preview file corresponding to the application identification information.

If there is no preview file in the application information registered by the registration processing unit 230, the preview file generation unit 240 generates a preview file using the meta information of the application, (220). At this time, the preview file generation unit 240 generates a preview file according to the predefined preview setting rule. For example, the preview file generation unit 240 may generate a preview file by grouping thumbnails of images included in the meta information of the application.

The application provider 250 acquires the application information from the application information database 220 and provides the application information to the user terminal when the application download is requested from the user terminal through the communication unit 210. That is, the application provider 250 provides application information including application installation files, meta information, preview files, and the like corresponding to the application identification information requested to be downloaded to the user terminal.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing an application preview according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an exemplary view of a preview screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the application providing apparatus stores application information requested to be registered (S402), and generates and stores a preview file of the application (S404). That is, when the developer transmits an application registration request signal including an application installation file to the application providing apparatus, the application providing apparatus stores the application installation file, generates a preview file based on the meta information of the application, .

When the user terminal requests the application download (S406), the application providing device acquires the application information from the application information database and transmits the application information to the user terminal (S408). At this time, the application providing apparatus transmits application information including an application name, an application installation file, meta information, and a preview file to the user terminal.

The user terminal stores the application information received from the application providing apparatus (S410). The user terminal stores the application installation file in the storage unit in the process of installing the application. At this time, the application installation file may be an APK file.

When the user selects a specific application installation file from the application installation files stored in the storage unit (S412), the user terminal determines whether the preview file of the application is stored in the storage unit (S414).

If it is determined in step S414 that the preview file is stored, the user terminal obtains the preview file from the storage unit and displays a preview screen for reproducing the obtained preview file (S416). Here, the preview screen includes command buttons for moving, continuing, copying, cutting, deleting, canceling, storing, and executing not only a playback area of a preview file including an icon of the application, a loading screen, a standby screen, . The user terminal can display a preview screen as shown in FIG.

5, the preview screens 500 and 550 include preview file playback areas 510 and 560 including application icons, loading screens, idle screens, main functions, and the like, as well as moving, continuing, copying, Command buttons 520, 570 such as deletion, cancellation, storage, and execution are displayed. The user can perform a desired operation by referring to the preview file displayed on the preview screens 500 and 550. The preview screen is displayed to preview the contents of the application without running the application, and the preview can be, for example, a partial view of information stored in association with the application.

If it is determined in step S414 that the preview file is not stored in the storage unit, the user terminal generates a preview file using the meta information of the application (S418), and displays a preview screen for reproducing the generated preview file ). At this time, the user terminal determines whether or not meta information for generating a preview file of the application is stored. If the meta information is stored, the user terminal generates a preview screen based on the meta information. If the meta information is not stored, the user terminal receives and displays the preview file from the application providing device, And generate and display a preview file using the received meta information.

Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for displaying an application installation file, the method comprising: (a) when a specific application installation file is selected from a list of application installation files stored in the storage unit, Determining whether or not a preview file is stored in the storage unit; (b) if the preview file is stored as a result of the determination in step (a), extracting and displaying a preview file from the storage unit; And generating and displaying a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file if the application preview file is not present, and a recording medium readable by the electronic apparatus is provided.

The method for providing the application preview service can be written in a program, and the codes and code segments constituting the program can be easily deduced by a programmer in the field. In addition, a program relating to a method for providing an application preview service can be stored in an information storage medium (Readable Media) readable by an electronic device, readable and executed by an electronic device.

Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the embodiments described above are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention do.

The present invention resides in that when a specific application installation file is selected from application installation files stored in a user terminal, a preview file for previewing the contents of the application installation file is reproduced to determine which application installation file The present invention can be applied to a system and method for providing an application preview service.

100: user terminal 110, 210:
120: input unit 130: output unit
140: Storage unit 150: Download processing unit
160: preview handler 170: execution processor
200: application providing apparatus 220: application information DB
230: registration processor 240: preview file generator
250: Application Offering

Claims (14)

A communication unit for communicating through a communication network;
A storage unit storing at least one application installation file; And
A preview handler for displaying a preview screen for playing a preview file for previewing contents of the selected application install file when a specific application install file is selected from application install files stored in the storage unit;
Lt; / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
The preview screen includes at least one of an icon of the application installation file, a loading screen, a standby screen, a playback area of a preview file including at least one of the main functions, at least one of moving, continuing, copying, And a command button for performing one operation. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the preview handler determines whether or not a preview file of the selected application installation file is stored in the storage unit and extracts and displays a preview file from the storage unit if the preview file is stored in the storage unit, And generates and displays a preview file based on the meta information of the file. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the preview handler extracts meta information from the storage unit to generate a preview file when the meta information is present in the storage unit, and if the meta information does not exist in the storage unit, Receives the meta information from the application providing apparatus, and generates and displays a preview file using the meta information received from the application providing apparatus. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an execution processor for performing an operation corresponding to the selected command button on the application installation file when at least one command button among the command buttons on the preview screen is selected. A communication unit for communicating through a communication network;
An application information database storing application information including at least one of application identification information, application installation files, meta information, and preview files;
A registration processing unit for storing the application information in an application information database when an application registration request signal including application information is received through the communication unit;
A preview file generation unit for generating a preview file using meta information of the application and storing the generated preview file in the application information database when the application information registered by the registration processing unit does not include a preview file; And
An application providing unit for acquiring application information from an application information database and providing the acquired application information to a user terminal when an application download is requested through the communication unit;
To the application providing apparatus. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the preview file generating unit generates a preview file according to a predefined preview setting rule. And an application information database in which application information including at least one of application identification information, application installation file, meta information, and preview file is stored. When application download is requested from the user terminal, the application information is acquired from the application information database An application providing device for providing the application service to the user terminal; And
A preview file for previewing contents of the selected application installation file when the application installation file selected from the application installation files stored in the storage unit is selected, A user terminal for displaying a preview screen for reproducing the preview screen;
For providing an application preview service. 9. The method of claim 8,
The preview screen may include at least one of a moving picture, a continuation, a copy, a cut, a deletion, a storage, and execution of an application installation file, a playback area of a preview file including at least one of an icon, a loading screen, And a command button for performing an operation of the application preview service. A method for providing a preview service for an application installation file stored in a storage unit of a user terminal,
(a) when a specific application installation file is selected from the application installation files stored in the storage unit, it is determined whether or not a preview file for previewing the contents of the selected application installation file is stored in the storage unit step; And
(b) extracting and displaying a preview file from the storage unit if it is determined as a result of the determination in step (a), and if not, generating and displaying a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file step;
To provide an application preview service. 11. The method of claim 10,
In the step (b)
Extracting a preview file from the storage unit when the preview file is stored in the storage unit and performing at least one operation among moving, continuing, copying, cutting, deleting, canceling, storing, and executing the application installation file And a preview screen for playing back the extracted preview file is displayed on the display unit. 11. The method of claim 10,
In the step (b)
If the preview file is not stored in the storage unit, it is determined whether or not the corresponding meta information exists in the storage unit. If the preview file exists, meta information is extracted from the storage unit to generate a preview file, After receiving the preview file from the application providing apparatus or receiving the meta information from the application providing apparatus, generating a preview file using the received meta information, and then moving, continuing, copying, cutting, Wherein the display unit displays a command button for executing at least one operation of deletion, cancellation, storage, and execution and a preview screen for reproducing the generated preview file. When executed by a user terminal,
(a) determining whether a preview file for previewing contents of the selected application installation file is stored in the storage unit, when a specific application installation file is selected from the application installation files stored in the storage unit ; And
(b) extracting and displaying a preview file from the storage unit if it is determined as a result of the determination in step (a), and if not, generating and displaying a preview file based on the meta information of the application installation file A method for providing an application preview service, comprising the steps of: recording in a program and readable in an electronic device. A method for providing an application preview service by an application providing apparatus,
Storing application information including at least one of application identification information, application installation files, meta information, and preview files in an application information database;
Generating a preview file using the meta information of the application if the preview file does not exist in the stored application information, and storing the generated preview file in the application information database; And
Acquiring application information from the application information database and providing the application information to the user terminal when an application download is requested from the user terminal;
To provide an application preview service.

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