JP2009053957A - Information processor and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that there is no method of specifying intuitively when and with whom a user or a content author should perform cooperation in performing data coordination between browsers. <P>SOLUTION: A browser of a partner for cooperation is specified. If a modification arises in specific data of an internal object managed by the browser, a cooperation partner is notified of a changed part. Moreover, the data concerned is reflected on an internal object so long as data received is specific data, when data is received from the cooperation partner. Thereby, its cooperation is attained among two or more browsers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a user interface control technique in the information processing apparatus.

  The content browser (browser) has rapidly spread as a technology for browsing information on the network. This browser is not only used for browsing information, but is also used as a place to provide a user interface (UI) for mediating services and users.

  For example, when considering a service for ordering pizzas via the Internet, the process proceeds as follows.

1. The user (pizza orderer) accesses the server (pizza order receiving service) from the user's terminal via the Internet.
2. The server sends UI content for ordering pizza to the user terminal.
3. The browser on the user side interprets the UI content sent from the server and provides the user with the UI.
4). The user operates the UI realized on the browser, inputs information such as the number of pizzas, the size, and the destination using form input or the like, and finally transmits order data.
5). The user's order data is received by the server, whereby a service is started in which the pizza bakers bake the pizza and deliver it to the user.

  By using the browser for the UI, the service provider can reduce the man-hours required for UI development. This is because the service provider only needs to create (author) UI content, and other hardware (PC, mobile phone, etc.) and software (browser) can be used.

  By the way, at present, the UI component that constitutes the UI provided to the user and the data sent from the browser to the server often use the html form function. However, html form functions have limited description capabilities (particularly data structuring and data checking). Therefore, XForms (http://www.w3.org/TR/xforms/) was recommended as the next-generation form description language specification.

  With current browsers, it is difficult to coordinate UI operations among multiple browsers. For example, suppose that Mr. A in Tokyo and Mr. B in Osaka collaborate to order a pizza to be used at a weekend pizza party. Since Mr. A and Mr. B will operate the UI in different places (Tokyo and Osaka), it is desirable that the two UIs cooperate. For example, when Mr. A changes the number of pizzas, it is desirable that the number of parts of Mr. B's browser be changed instantly.

  Such data sharing between browsers can be realized by separately providing a data management server (Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-215173 A

  Data sharing between browsers as described above can be realized by separately providing a data management server as disclosed in Patent Document 1, but preparing a data management server for such a case is not so much. Not realistic.

  On the other hand, UI cooperation is also possible by giving each browser a Peer to Peer communication function. In this case, since the browsers can communicate with each other without a specific server, the burden on the UI providing side is reduced. However, if UI cooperation can be performed by a single browser, the user needs to notify the browser of “when UI cooperation is performed” and “who is to perform UI cooperation”. In the past, there were no proposals that took this into account.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus that uses a common user interface with an information terminal of a cooperation partner and shares data input via the mutual user interface, the configuration of the user interface and Loading means for loading content describing an operation; parsing means for parsing the loaded content to generate an internal object; presentation means for presenting a user interface based on the generated internal object; and the cooperation partner Acquisition means for acquiring information identifying the information terminal; first change means for changing data corresponding to the operation in the internal object in accordance with a user operation on the presented user interface; and the first change The data changed by the means is shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner When the data is specific data, the transmission means for transmitting the data to the information terminal of the cooperation partner, the reception means for receiving data from the information terminal of the cooperation partner, and the data received by the reception means are An information processing apparatus comprising: a second changing unit configured to change corresponding data in the internal object to the specific data when the specific data is shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner. Provided.

  According to the present invention, when peer-to-peer data sharing is performed by a browser, it is possible to specify the timing of data sharing by the user or the content author and the partner to whom data sharing is performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following embodiment, It shows only the specific example advantageous for implementation of this invention. In addition, not all combinations of features described in the following embodiments are indispensable as means for solving the problems of the present invention.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1A is a hardware configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment. The information processing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 4, a ROM 5, a RAM 6, a network board 7, an input / output device 8, and an external storage device 9. Then, it has a function of performing Peer to Peer communication with other information processing apparatuses 2 via the Internet 10. In addition, it has a function of acquiring content data such as an html file from the external storage device of the file server 3 and presenting it to the user via a browser.

  1B is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1A. This information processing apparatus has a browser function. The browser is software or hardware that reads content described outside the browser and performs an operation described in the content.

  The information processing apparatus includes a content load unit 101. Here, the previously created content is loaded and taken into the browser. The content describes the structure and operation of the user interface, and may be written in an existing description language such as HTML, XHTML, VoiceXML, or of course, may be written in a newly defined description language. .

  The content parsing unit 102 converts the loaded content into an internal object. For example, it is converted into an internal object having a data structure such as a DOM tree and stored in a memory in the browser. The internal object includes all information necessary for the operation of the browser, and includes view information such as GUI and sound, behavior for user operation, and the like.

  The presentation unit 108 is a part that presents the operation of the browser to the user via the output device. For example, when the content describes that screen information (image file, GUI, etc.) is to be presented, the presentation unit 108 is realized by an image output device such as a display. When presenting audio information, the presentation unit 108 is realized by a speaker.

  The user operation input unit 107 is a part that captures user operations and sounds such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a microphone. The user uses the presentation unit 108 and the user operation input unit 107 to operate the browser. The user operation may be reflected on the internal object.

  The cooperating partner determination unit 103 determines another browser that performs the cooperating operation. For example, when the user designates the browser (IP address and port number) of the cooperation partner on the setting screen, the simplest method of determining the cooperation partner is to use the data.

  The data transmission unit 105 is a part that transmits data to the cooperation partner. The data receiving unit 106 is a part that receives data from the partner.

  The management unit 104 is an important part for realizing browser operation. The basic operation of this part is to control the presentation unit 108 and the user operation input unit 107 according to the internal object. For example, if the content describes “Please present an image of A” on the display, control is performed to present the image in this way. In addition, if a browser action such as “If image A is clicked with the mouse, please present image B” (behavior such as “Y if X”), such user input is also taken into account. The operation must be realized.

  Furthermore, when specific data in the internal object is changed, the management unit 104 transmits a part of the specific data to the cooperation partner determined by the cooperation partner determination unit 103 via the data transmission unit 105. . Further, when specific data in the internal object is sent from the cooperation partner via the data receiving unit 106, it is reflected in the internal object. What kind of data is transmitted as specific data to the partner may be described in advance in the content. A detailed example of this part will be described in the second and subsequent embodiments.

  As described above, the proposed browser device can determine the cooperation partner and transmit / receive specific data to / from the partner. As a result, the specific data is mirrored with the partner, so that it appears to the user as if the specific data was shared.

(Embodiment 2)
Here, an example is shown in which a browser is used as a UI for mediating between a user and a service application. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus used in the present embodiment. 3 and 4 are flowcharts of the information processing apparatus used in this embodiment. Here, an example in which a plurality of UI browsers cooperate to place an order for pizza will be described using these drawings.

  First, when the information processing apparatus starts up, the UI content loading unit 201 loads UI content (step S301). The UI content describes UI views and operations created in advance by the author. An example of UI content is shown in FIG. This content example 501 is UI content for ordering pizza. Here, a language specification called XForms is used. However, the UI content of the present invention is not limited to a specific language specification.

  When the loading of the UI content is completed, the UI content parsing unit 202 parses the UI content and generates an internal object (step S302). The UI content parsing unit 202 stores the generated internal object in the memory.

  Next, the UI cooperation partner determining unit 203 determines a UI cooperation partner (step S303). It is possible to perform UI cooperation or which partner to cooperate through the UI browser setting screen. FIG. 7 is an example of a UI cooperation setting screen 701 attached to the UI browser. Whether or not to perform UI cooperation can be set by a check box 702 for instructing whether or not to perform UI cooperation with another browser. Further, when performing UI cooperation, it is possible to specify an IP address and a Port number in the input area 703 of the cooperation partner. By making such settings in advance and accessing the data, the UI cooperation partner determination unit can determine the UI cooperation partner.

  Next, the UI execution subroutine is entered to execute the UI as described in the UI content (step S304).

  When the UI execution subroutine (FIG. 4) is entered, the UI presenting unit 208 presents the UI to the user (step S401). FIG. 6 shows an example of the UI browser 601 that presents the UI content of FIG. 5 as a GUI. Content number input text box 602 corresponding to 22 lines of content example 501, size input list box 603 corresponding to 26 lines, chat text area 604 corresponding to 36 lines, order button corresponding to 40 lines 605 is displayed as a GUI. Since XForms does not specify views, the presentation of such a GUI is browser dependent.

  The user performs an operation based on the content presented by the UI browser. For example, information is set by operating a mouse or a keyboard. The UI browser also monitors user operations (step S402). User operations are taken into the UI browser by the user operation input unit 207. Furthermore, the UI data receiving unit 206 also monitors data reception from the partner partner's UI browser.

  When it is detected that the user operation or data reception from the cooperation partner is detected, it is determined whether or not the content is an end instruction (step S403). For example, when the end button 606 is pressed, it is regarded as an end instruction by the user. In this case, the UI execution subroutine is terminated together with the return value “end”. When the return value is received on the main routine side (step S305), the process is terminated.

  If it is not an end instruction, it is determined whether or not it is an instruction to communicate with the back-end application (step S404). A back-end application is an entity that actually executes a service. In the example of the pizza order, this corresponds to a service for baking pizza and delivering it. In the example of FIG. 6, when the order button 605 is pressed, it is regarded as a communication instruction with the back-end application. When this is detected, the UI execution subroutine is terminated with a return value of “communication with back-end application”. When the return value is received on the main routine side (step S306), the main routine side communicates with the backend application via the backend application communication unit 209 (step S307). In the pizza example, data (number, size, memo) corresponding to the 10th to 12th lines in FIG.

  When the user operation is other than this (step S405), for example, when the user sets “2” to the number of pizzas, the corresponding data (UI data) in the internal object is changed (step S408) (first change) processing). Further, it is determined whether the changed UI data is specific data (step S409). If it is specific data, the UI data transmitting unit 205 transmits the changed UI data to the UI cooperation partner (step S410). It is possible to determine what kind of UI data should be sent to the partner as specific data based on the loaded UI content. For example, in the UI content of FIG. 5, data to be sent to the server is written on lines 10-12. In this way, data that is to be transmitted to the server may be sent to the cooperation partner. In this example, when the contents of 602, 603, and 604 are changed by the user, the update data is transmitted to the cooperation partner.

  If it is not data reception by the user but data reception from the UI cooperation partner (step S406), the data is received from the UI data reception unit 206, and the data is reflected in the UI displayed as UI data (step S406). S407) (second change process). For example, when data “pizza_num = 2” is sent from the UI partner, the UI data value corresponding to “pizza_num” is changed to “2”, and “2” is entered in the number input text box 602. Set.

  As described above, specific UI data can be shared between UI browsers. FIG. 8 is an example of a view at a certain time of UI browsers of Mr. A in Tokyo and Mr. B in Osaka. 801 is Mr. A's UI browser and 802 is Mr. B's UI browser. Since each person uses a different UI browser, the view may differ slightly as shown. However, specific UI data can be shared by designating each browser as a partner for each UI browser. In addition, the chat function can be easily realized by sharing the UI data.

(Embodiment 3)
In the above-described embodiment, the browser setting is used to acquire whether to perform cooperation or who is the cooperation partner. However, other methods may be used to make these determinations. For example, as in case 1 of FIG. 11A, when each browser loads different contents, the cooperation is not performed. On the contrary, as in case 2 of (B), cooperation is performed with a browser (another information terminal) loading the same content.

  To do this, when a certain content is loaded, the content's ID (ID is shown in Embodiment 4) or the content's URI is held, and the content with the same ID or URI is loaded. Search for a browser. A known method may be used as a search method. For example, you may search from the browser list set on the setting screen as shown in FIG. Or you may broadcast in the same subnet as yourself, and may search a cooperation partner. Alternatively, an inquiry may be made to some server. As a result of searching or inquiring, if a browser loaded with the same content as that of itself is found, cooperation with the browser is started. This method is the same as in the first and second embodiments.

(Embodiment 4)
Further, as in the case 3 of FIG. 11C, the above embodiment may be linked with a browser (another information terminal) that loads a file linked with common content.

  FIG. 9 shows an example UI content 501 that links external sources by referring to XForms metadata. On the 8th line of this content, instead of a specific instance description, a URI to the external file is described (902).

  FIG. 10 shows an example of linked external files. In the external file, describe the data you want to share, such as 1001. In this case, the URI to the linked file described in the linked content is used as a name indicating the linked file. For example, assume that the file 1001 is placed as "http://172.23.47.81:2061/pizza_order.html". In this case, “http://172.23.47.81:2061/pizza_order.html” is the name of the file. Further, by assigning a unique ID as shown in 1003 in the linked file like 1002, it is also possible to use that ID as the name of the linked file.

  The browser examines the name of the external file to which the content loaded by itself is linked, and searches whether there is a browser loaded with the content linked to the external file having the same name. As a search method, the method shown in the third embodiment may be used. If such a browser is found, it starts working with that browser.

  Linking a common file to content as a switch for data sharing is an intuitive technique used in include and MemoryMappedFile in programming. In addition, when this is used, it is possible to perform fine control such that data to be shared is linked as an external file, and data not to be shared is described in a local file.

(Embodiment 5)
In the embodiment described above, the cooperation partner is a single browser. However, it is possible to use a plurality of browsers as cooperation partners. In addition, by using the method of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to divide the sharing partner according to data, such that a certain data group is shared with the browser A and another data group is shared with the browser B.

(Embodiment 6)
The present invention is not limited to a specific data transmission / reception protocol between browsers. Protocols used include socket messages, SOAP, SMTP, etc. FIG. 12 shows an example of communication data between browsers using the SOAP protocol. Here, the data model instance "order / memo" is being sent.

(Other embodiments)
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention may be applied to the system comprised from several apparatuses, and may be applied to the apparatus which consists of one apparatus.

  In the present invention, a program for realizing each function of the above-described embodiments is supplied directly or remotely to a system or apparatus, and a computer included in the system or apparatus reads and executes the supplied program code. Can also be achieved.

  Accordingly, since the functions and processes of the present invention are implemented by a computer, the program code itself installed in the computer also implements the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functions and processes is also one aspect of the present invention.

  In this case, the program may be in any form as long as it has a program function, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to the OS.

  Examples of the computer-readable recording medium for supplying the program include a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, an MO, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, and a CD-RW. Examples of the recording medium include a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM, a DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), and the like.

  The program may be downloaded from a homepage on the Internet using a browser on a client computer. That is, the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function may be downloaded from a home page to a recording medium such as a hard disk. Further, it is also possible to divide the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and download each file from a different home page. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functions and processing of the present invention on a computer may be a constituent requirement of the present invention.

  The program of the present invention may be encrypted and stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM and distributed to users. In this case, only the user who cleared the predetermined condition is allowed to download the key information to be decrypted from the homepage via the Internet, decrypt the program encrypted with the key information, execute it, and install the program on the computer May be.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the computer executing the read program. Note that an OS or the like running on the computer may perform part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program. Of course, also in this case, the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized.

  Furthermore, the program read from the recording medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Based on the instructions of the program, a CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit may perform part or all of the actual processing. In this way, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized.

It is a hardware block diagram of the information processing apparatus in an embodiment. 1 is a functional configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. 6 is a functional configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a main operation of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a UI execution subroutine of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of UI content in Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a view of a UI browser in Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI cooperation setting screen in Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation screen in the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example (link side) of the UI content in Embodiment 4. It is a figure which shows the example (link side) of the UI content in Embodiment 4. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a UI browser in Embodiments 3 and 4. It is a figure which shows the example of the communication data between browsers in Embodiment 6. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

101 Content loading unit 102 Content part unit 103 Cooperation partner determination unit 104 Management unit 105 Data transmission unit 106 Data reception unit 107 User operation input unit 108 Presentation unit

Claims (8)

An information processing apparatus that uses a common user interface with the information terminal of the cooperation partner and shares data input via each other's user interface,
Loading means for loading content describing the configuration and operation of the user interface;
A parsing means for parsing the loaded content to generate an internal object;
Presenting means for presenting a user interface based on the generated internal object;
Obtaining means for obtaining information for identifying the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
First changing means for changing data corresponding to the operation in the internal object in response to a user operation on the presented user interface;
When the data changed by the first changing means is specific data shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner, a transmission means for transmitting the data to the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
Receiving means for receiving data from the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
If the data received by the receiving means is specific data shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner, second changing means for changing the corresponding data in the internal object to the specific data;
An information processing apparatus comprising:   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires data input by a user operation in an input area provided in a user interface as information for specifying an information terminal of a cooperation partner. .   The acquisition unit searches for another information terminal loaded with the same content as the content loaded by the loading unit, and acquires information for identifying the information terminal of the cooperation partner from the search result. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the search is performed based on content ID or URI.   If the content loaded by the loading means describes a link to an external file, the obtaining means searches for another information terminal loading the content linked to the same external file, and from the result of the search The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information specifying the information terminal of the cooperation partner is acquired. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for sharing data input via each other's user interface using a common user interface with an information terminal of a cooperation partner,
A loading process for loading content describing the configuration and operation of the user interface;
A parsing process for generating an internal object by parsing the loaded content;
A presentation step of presenting a user interface via an output device based on the generated internal object;
An acquisition step of acquiring information for identifying the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
A first changing step of changing data corresponding to the operation in the internal object according to a user operation on the presented user interface;
When the data changed in the first changing step is specific data shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner, a transmission step of transmitting the data to the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
A receiving step of receiving data from the information terminal of the cooperation partner;
When the data received in the receiving step is specific data shared with the information terminal of the cooperation partner, a second changing step of changing the corresponding data in the internal object to the specific data;
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising:   The program for making the said information processing apparatus perform the control method of the information processing apparatus of Claim 6.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 7.

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