JP2009009455A - Service cooperation support system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a service cooperation support system for selecting not only fixed cooperation services but also services combined by a user as well as cooperation between services. <P>SOLUTION: A service cooperation support system 10 includes: an interface display control part 21 which displays a service interface wherein input/output items and start switches are set for each service server and specification information on forms of communication with respective-servers is set; a cooperation data setting part 24 which sets input/output data relating to associated input/output items in accordance with associating the input/output items of different service servers on the interface; and a service execution part 23 which selects adapters suitable for specification information on communication forms of service servers on the basis of specification information on communication forms set in the service interface in communication between the service servers and converts and then transmits input data and converts output data received from the service servers by the adapters and then displays output data in the service interface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a service cooperation support apparatus for cooperatively using a plurality of services provided from a plurality of different servers via the Internet.

  With the spread of the Internet, the purpose of using the Web is changing from an information distribution platform as a simple information search tool to a service distribution platform that provides services to users. Currently, services such as online shopping using the Internet, banking / securities transactions, and hotel reservations are provided.

There are two major forms of providing services using the Internet. One is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) type service that provides a service to a user through a Web browser. Hereinafter, a system that provides this type of service is referred to as a “Web application” in this document.
In the Web application, the client side (user side) inputs a necessary value in the input form on the browser and performs an operation such as pressing an execution button for executing the service. When this operation is performed, a query is normally transmitted to the service providing server using HTTP as a communication protocol. The server side that has received the query executes the service and returns HTML as a result of the service execution. This HTML is displayed on the browser, and the client side (user side) browses the displayed output result.
Currently, many services such as online shopping, banking / securities transactions, hotel reservations, etc. are provided in the form of Web applications.

The other is an API (Application Program Interface) type service that provides an interface for connecting an external program, and is a system that calls a service from a client-side program without using a browser. Hereinafter, in this document, a system that provides a service of this type is referred to as a “Web service”.
The Web service uses various Internet standard Web protocols so that software functions can be used via the network.
Currently, there are mainly two types of Web services provided on the Internet: SOAP-based Web services and REST-based Web services.

SOAP-based Web services use SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) as a communication protocol. In SOAP, in order to call data and services in an external computer (service server), HTTP (SMTP, FTP or the like) is used as a lower protocol, and XML-based messages are transmitted and received.
In the SOAP-based Web service, the service providing server publishes specification information of the service provided by itself as WSDL (Web Service Description Language). WSDL is an XML-based language specification for describing a Web service, and the server side uses it as service specification information, the location where the service is provided, the format of the message used in the service, the message A communication protocol and the like when exchanging are described. Then, the client side calls a service defined in the public WSDL using SOAP (using HTTP or the like in the lower layer). As described above, both the client side and the server side have the SOAP data generation / interpretation engine, thereby enabling service calls between different environments (independent of lower protocols).
Currently, search services for Google (registered trademark) and Amazon Dodcom (registered trademark) are provided.

  In the REST use Web service, HTTP is used as a communication protocol. While SOAP has high functionality and versatility that does not depend on a communication protocol, in practice, no protocol other than HTTP is often required. For this reason, a Web service using REST is provided that has a simple design and is easy to implement. In REST, the service server returns XML as a response to a request using HTTP from a client-side program. Currently, Yahoo (registered trademark) search service, Jalan (registered trademark) hotel search, etc. are provided as search services using REST.

  As a result of the diversification of user requests due to the increase in the number of Web users, a large number of service servers that provide various types of information have appeared, and information has been provided in several forms of communication as described above. ing. As a result of the increase in the convenience of the Web due to the increase in service servers, the number of Web users has further increased, and user requests have become increasingly diversified and complicated. For this reason, a service provided from a single server cannot satisfy a user's request, and it is often necessary to use a plurality of services.

  For example, when planning a travel plan, the user first executes a travel destination search service to achieve the purpose of creating a travel plan via the Web, and then copies the execution result to the next route search service, reservation service, etc. The work of passing the execution result data to the search service is continued. If the user performs all of this work by himself / herself, the burden is great and the service is not satisfactory.

In such a case, as one solution, the burden on the user can be reduced by using a linkage server that processes the services so as to pass data between a plurality of services. For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-11256 A

  As described above, by building a system using a service cooperation server, it is possible to reduce the burden on users who use a plurality of services. However, in order to link the services, it is necessary to determine the service to be combined and the data transfer between the services and to link them. For this reason, the developer of the cooperative service determines the service and delivery between services according to the user's request in advance and designs the cooperative service. Therefore, the service becomes a fixed service, and when the user's request changes, it becomes necessary to start design again.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a service cooperation support apparatus that can select a service to be combined on the user side of a service and a data transfer between services, instead of a fixed cooperation service.

  The service cooperation support apparatus of the present invention made in order to solve the above problems is connected to a plurality of service servers providing services via the Internet so as to be able to communicate, and the input items necessary when the service server provides services Output data received from the service server by receiving the output data of the output item returned from the service server and receiving the output data of the output item and the other service received from the one service server A service cooperation support apparatus in which the provision of services from a plurality of service servers is performed in cooperation with the input / output data exchanged for the input / output items associated with the input items transmitted to the server. , Input items that accept input data, and output items that accept output data An interface display control unit configured to display a service interface in which specification information of a communication mode with each service server is set, and a start switch that accepts an item, a start of communication with the service server is set for each service server An association between the input / output items of the different service servers on the service interface and the input / output data related to the input / output items associated with each other, Based on the communication mode specification information set in the service interface when communication is performed between each service server and the adapter group that transmits and receives the output data in conformity with the communication mode specification of each service server. Specification information for the communication type of the service server A service execution unit for selecting a suitable adapter, converting input data and transmitting it, converting output data received from the service server with the same adapter, and displaying the output data on the service interface is provided. .

  According to the present invention, the interface display control unit displays a service interface corresponding to a service server (server A) that performs communication. In this service interface, an input item for receiving input data to be sent to the server A, an output item for receiving output data from the server A, and a start switch for receiving communication start with the server A are displayed. Then, input data (input value) is set on the service interface for the input items necessary for the server A to provide the service, and then the start switch for communicating with the server A is operated. When the start switch is operated, the service execution unit selects the corresponding adapter by referring to the specification information of the communication form set in the service interface corresponding to the server A, and inputs the input data by the selected adapter. The data is converted into an acceptable data format in step S1 and transmitted to the server A. The server A performs processing necessary for providing the service based on the received input data, and then returns output data in accordance with the communication form specification set in the service interface. The received output data is converted again by the same adapter and returned to the service interface. The returned output data is displayed in the output item of the service interface.

Further, the interface display control unit displays a service interface corresponding to a service server (referred to as server B) that is another service server different from the server A and performs communication next. In this service interface, an input item for receiving input data to be sent to the server B, an output item for receiving output data from the server B, and an activation switch for accepting the start of communication with the server B are displayed (the service interface at this time is It may be displayed on a window screen different from the service interface of the server A, or both may be displayed by providing a partition on one window screen).
Then, input data (input value) is set on the service interface for input items necessary for the server B to provide the service.
At this time, when the output item in the service interface corresponding to the server A and the input item in the service interface corresponding to the server B are associated with each other, the linkage data setting unit The input / output data related to the input / output items related between the A output item and the server B input item) are linked, and the same value is set.
Thereafter, when the output item of the server A is changed between the output item of the associated server A and the input item of the server B, the input item of the server B can be changed to the value in conjunction with the change. become.

  Subsequently, the start switch that prompts the server B to start communication is operated. When the start switch is operated, the service execution unit refers to the communication mode specification information set in the service interface corresponding to the server B, selects the corresponding adapter, and inputs the input data by the selected adapter. The data is converted into an acceptable data format and transmitted to the server B. Server B performs processing necessary for service provision based on the received input data, and then returns output data. The received output data is converted again by the same adapter and returned to the service interface for server B. The returned output data is displayed in the output item of the service interface for server B.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to freely select a service to be combined on the user side of the service (that is, a service server to be combined) or a link between services (that is, an input / output item). Service linkage with a high degree of freedom can be realized. In addition, since data is exchanged between the output item and the input item that are related to each other, it is possible to receive a plurality of services without taking the trouble of copying the data one by one.

(Means and effects for solving other problems)
In the above invention, the specification of the communication form with the service server includes the SOAP use communication form, the REST use communication form, the HTTP use communication form, and the CORBA use communication form, and the adapter group includes adapters corresponding to these communication forms. It is preferable to make it.
Since communication using an adapter is possible for these four communication modes, it is possible to perform associations for linking data to a large number of Webs.

In the above invention, the interface display control unit displays the personal data interface in which the personal information item of the service user used for association with the input item of the service interface is displayed, and the linkage data setting unit displays the personal data interface By associating the information item with the input item of the service interface, the personal information data of the personal information item may be set in association with the input item of the associated service interface.
Here, personal information items are personal information such as name, date of birth, address, nearest station, favorite food, hobbies, etc. for each individual, and may be required as input items when receiving service provision Say.
The personal data interface is displayed together with the service interface, and the personal information item of the personal data interface and the input item of the service interface are associated with each other, so that the labor of inputting the personal information can be reduced.

In the above invention, a service interface setting information extraction unit may be provided that extracts specification information of the input item, the output item, and the communication form based on information disclosed by the service server via the Internet.
Thereby, when it is desired to receive service provision for a new service server, a service interface for the new service server can be added based on the extracted input item, output item, and communication form.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and it goes without saying that various aspects are included without departing from the gist of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a configuration of a service cooperation support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The service cooperation support apparatus 10 is configured by a computer system including hardware that includes an input device 11, a display device 12, a CPU 13 (computer device body), and a storage device 14.

  The input device 11 is composed of a keyboard and a mouse, and inputs input data (input values) and personal information data into an input item of a service interface and a personal information item of a personal data interface, which will be described later. An operation is performed or a startup operation is performed to start communication with the service server.

  The display device 12 is configured by a display device such as a liquid crystal panel, and displays various information (service interface, personal data interface, service interface setting screen) on the display screen.

The CPU 13 controls the service cooperation support apparatus 10 and controls various functions based on a program.
The storage device 14 is composed of a memory device such as an HDD, stores a program necessary for processing, stores and saves various data used when receiving service provision, and executes control and calculation by the CPU 13. In some cases, it operates as a work area.

  Further, in order to explain the functions controlled and processed by the CPU 13 in relation to the present invention, the functions related to the present invention will be described as a block. The CPU 13 includes the interface display control unit 21, the adapter group 22, and the service execution unit 23. A cooperative data setting unit 24, a personal data interface setting unit 25 (abbreviated as personal DI setting unit 25), and a service interface setting unit 26 (abbreviated as SI setting unit 26).

  The interface display control unit 21 displays a personal information data interface and a service interface on the display screen of the display device 12 by a display operation of the user, and a setting operation when receiving a service by the displayed interface is performed. It is supposed to be done.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen display example of the personal data interface. The personal information data interface is created for each user, and data relating to the individual user is set in advance and stored in the data to be input to the input items (described later) of the service interface. I can do it. Specifically, “name”, “address”, and “closest station” are set as personal information items, and personal information data for each item is stored and can be transferred to the service interface at any time. Further, personal information items can be added or deleted by “add” or “delete” operations displayed on the interface as personal information.

  FIG. 3A is a screen example of a service interface used for communication with a hotel search service server, and FIG. 3B is a screen example of a service interface used for communication with a route search service server. A service interface is created for each service server and is set with input items that receive information required when the service server provides services, and output items that receive information when the service server provides services to users. Is done. Further, information about communication modes in which each service interface performs communication is set. The service interface is provided with an execution button that prompts the user to execute the service. When the user operates the execution button, communication can be performed by selecting one of the adapters described later with reference to information on the communication mode. It becomes like this.

The adapter group 22 receives input data from the service interface, communicates with the service server to which each adapter corresponds, converts the output data returned from the service server again, and passes it to the service interface. The adapter group 22 includes adapters for HTML, SOAP, REST, and CORBA, and can communicate with each other.
Specifically, the SOAP adapter transmits by SOAP and receives by SOAP. In the REST adapter, a request is transmitted by HTTP, a response is received by XML, the adapter analyzes XML, and passes output data to the service interface. In the adapter for HTML, a request is transmitted by HTTP, and a response is received by HTML instead of XML.

When the execution button set in the service interface is operated, the service execution unit 23 transmits input data to the service server using the adapted adapter, and executes processing for receiving output data from the service server.
In other words, by preparing adapter groups corresponding to various communication forms, and having information on the communication forms in the service interface and setting adapters that are compatible with each service interface, the user can configure each service. Regardless of the communication mode of the server, if input data (input value) is set in the input item on the service interface and the execute button is operated, the adapter that matches each service interface is selected and the server is accessed. I can do it.
Furthermore, the service server performs processing based on the transmitted input data, and when the output data is returned from the service server, the adapter receives it, analyzes it, and displays the output data on the service interface. It is.

The linkage data setting unit 24 associates input items, output items, and personal information items between different service interfaces or between a personal data interface and a service interface, thereby allowing input data and output data between the associated items. The personal information data is transferred and the data is linked. The association is performed when the user selects items to be associated with the input device 11 (for example, a mouse), and the associated items are displayed in the same color. After the association is made, data is notified from the cooperation source item to the cooperation destination item. Since the notification is automatically performed, the user need not copy and paste the result of one service to another service.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example in which the association is performed between the personal data interface and the service interface. By associating the “closest station” item in the personal data interface with the “departure” item included in one of the input items of the route search service interface, these colors are colored to the same color.

  The personal data interface setting unit 25 (personal DI setting unit 25) creates a new personal data interface for a new user, adds a personal information item set in the already created personal data interface, When editing or deleting, a setting screen (the same screen as in FIG. 2) is called to perform control for facilitating new setting or setting change. An add / delete button is provided on the setting screen, and an item is added by operating the add button. Then, personal data is set for the added item.

  The service interface setting unit 26 (SI setting unit 26) performs new setting for receiving service provision from a new service server, or input items and output items when communicating with an already set service server, communication form data, Furthermore, when adding / editing / deleting input / output data to be set to these input / output items, control is performed to facilitate new setting or setting change by calling a setting screen.

  Next, an operation for receiving service provision by the service cooperation support apparatus 10 will be described. First, before receiving a service provision, a personal data interface and a service interface corresponding to the service server receiving the service provision are created (set) in advance. This device has a mode selection screen (not shown). In addition to the service mode in which an operation for receiving a service from the service server is performed by selecting a mode on the screen, personal data A personal data interface creation / editing mode for creating / editing an interface and a service interface creating / editing mode for creating / editing a service interface can be selected.

The procedure for setting the personal data interface will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the setting procedure of the personal data interface. By selecting the personal data interface creation / editing mode from the mode selection screen (not shown), the personal data interface setting unit 25 is activated, and in FIG. The personal data interface creation / editing screen shown in FIG. 9 is read and displayed (S101).
Personal information data such as “Name”, “Address”, “Nearest station” is set in “Item”, and personal information data (“Osaka Prefectural University”, “Naka-ku, Sakai City”, “Nakazu”, etc.) Enter. Thereby, personal information data is created / edited and saved as one file (S102).
Thereafter, when the personal data interface is called and the information set in the personal data interface is associated with an input item of another service interface, the stored personal information data is transferred by the cooperation process.

Next, a procedure for setting a service interface will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a service interface setting procedure. By selecting a service interface creation / editing mode from a mode selection screen (not shown), the service interface setting unit 26 operates, and a screen for creation / editing is read and displayed (s201).
The service name of the service server that the user wants to add, the input items, the association between the output items and their parameters, the restriction of input values for the input items as necessary, and the display and non-display of output data for the output items Set. Also, the corresponding adapter is specified. As a result, an individual service interface is created and edited for each service server and saved as one file (S202).

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example when a service interface is newly added for the REST service server. When adding a REST service, a request URL published by the service server is set. Since XML is returned from the server in response to a sample request from the user, the parameters of the output item can be displayed by extracting the necessary data by analyzing the XML. This makes it easy to create a service interface when using REST.
The service interface can be created by the user, but it can be used if it is created by the developer of the service cooperation support device and provided (for example, distributed over the Internet) to the user of the service cooperation support device. The user does not need to create a service server, so convenience is increased.

Next, an operation when receiving a service provision from a service server using a personal data interface and a service interface and further using a cooperative operation will be described.
FIG. 8 is an example of a flowchart when receiving provision of services from a plurality of service servers. Here, it is assumed that the hotel search service and the route search service to the hotel selected by the hotel search are linked.

A personal data interface (file) storing pre-registered personal data is called up and displayed (see FIG. 9) (S301).
Subsequently, the hotel search service interface (file) is called and displayed (S302).
The input data (input value) of the area to be searched is input to the displayed input item of the hotel search service interface (S303).
When all necessary input data has been set, the execution button is operated to execute the service (S304). As a result, the adapter set in the hotel search service interface is selected, the adapter is activated, and the input data is transmitted.
When the service is executed, output data that is a service provision result is received from the service server, converted into output data that can be displayed on the service interface by the selected adapter, and the search result is displayed (see FIG. 10). (S305).

Subsequently, the route search service interface (file) is called and displayed (see FIG. 11) (S306).
Subsequently, data is linked among the personal data interface, the hotel search service interface, and the route search service interface (s307). Specifically, it specifies and associates the “nearest station” in the personal data interface with the “departure place” in the interface for the route search service, with the “closest station” as the linkage source and the “departure place” as the linkage destination. Make sure that data is passed. Further, the “hotel address” of the hotel search service interface and the “arrival place” of the route search service interface are linked so that data is transferred. Further, the “check-in time” of the hotel search service interface and the “arrival time” of the route search service interface are linked so that data is transferred.
If there is an input item necessary for executing the route search other than the linked items, it is input (s308).

When the set of all input data necessary for route search (by cooperation or input) is completed, the execution button is operated to execute the service (S309). As a result, the adapter set in the route search interface is selected, activated, and input data is transmitted.
When the service is executed, output data that is the service provision result from the service server is received, converted into output data that can be displayed on the service interface by the selected adapter, and the search result is displayed (see FIG. 12). ) (S310).

  In this way, it is possible to provide services by hotel search and route search without copying data by cooperation. Furthermore, between linked items, if the value of the link source is changed, the change result is immediately notified to the link destination, and the value is linked and changed. You can do route search and hotel search.

  In the above embodiment, data linkage is performed between the hotel search service interface and the route search service interface. However, data linkage is also performed between the personal data interface and the first hotel search service. May be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the hotel search and the route search are linked. However, another service interface (for example, a restaurant search for searching for the nearest restaurant) may be called and linked one after another (FIG. 13). reference).

  The present invention can be used in a service cooperation support apparatus that can freely select a service to be combined on a service user side (that is, a combined service server) and cooperation between services (that is, input / output items).

The block diagram which shows the structure of the service cooperation assistance apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the example of a screen display of a personal data interface. The figure which shows the example of a screen display of the service interface for a hotel search, and the service interface for a route search. The figure which shows the example of a display with which correlation was performed between the personal data interface and the service interface. The flowchart which shows the setting procedure of a personal data interface. The flowchart which shows the setting procedure of a service interface. The figure which shows the example of a setting when adding the service interface of a REST utilization service server. The flowchart which shows an example at the time of receiving provision of a service from a some service server. The figure which shows the screen displayed by calling a personal data interface. The figure which shows a screen when a hotel search service is performed. The figure which shows the screen displayed by calling the service interface for route search. The figure which shows a screen when a route search service is performed. Furthermore, the figure which shows a screen when a restaurant search service is performed.

Explanation of symbols

10: Service cooperation support device 11: Input device 12: Display device 13: CPU (service cooperation support device main body)
14: Data storage device 21: Interface display control unit 22: Adapter 23: Service execution unit 24: Cooperation data setting unit 25: Personal data interface setting unit 26: Service interface setting unit

Claims (4)

Connected to multiple service servers via the Internet so that the service server can send input data of input items necessary for providing services to the service server and receive output data of output items returned from the service server The input / output data of the input / output data received from the service server and associated with the output item received from the one service server and the input item transmitted to the other service server. A service cooperation support apparatus in which provision of services from a plurality of service servers is performed in cooperation by delivery,
Input items that accept input data, output items that accept output data, and activation switches that accept the start of communication with the service server are set for each service server, and specification information for the communication mode with each service server is set An interface display control unit for displaying the service interface provided,
A linkage data setting unit in which the input / output data related to the associated input / output items are linked and set by associating the input / output items of different service servers on the service interface;
An adapter group for transmitting / receiving input / output data to / from each service server in conformity with the specification of the communication form of each service server;
When executing communication with each service server, input data was converted by selecting an adapter that matches the specification information of the communication form of the service server based on the specification information of the communication form set in the service interface. A service cooperation support apparatus, comprising: a service execution unit configured to display output data on a service interface after converting output data received from the service server with the same adapter. The specification of the communication mode with the service server includes a SOAP usage mode, a REST usage mode, an HTTP usage mode, and a CORBA usage mode, and the adapter group includes adapters corresponding to these communication modes. Item 4. The service cooperation support apparatus according to Item 1. The interface display control unit displays the personal data interface in which the personal information item of the service user used for association with the input item of the service interface is set,
The association data setting unit associates the personal information item of the personal data item with the input item of the service interface by associating the personal information item of the personal data interface with the input item of the service interface. The service cooperation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service cooperation support apparatus is set. The service cooperation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a service interface setting information extraction unit that extracts specification information of the input item, the output item, and a communication form based on information disclosed by a service server. Support device.