JPH1091556A - Method for acquiring application information on software, data base and computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method with which a user grasps the time when he actually used the software, etc., among the computer groups which are connected together via a communication means. SOLUTION: A client computer is connected to a server unit via a communication means, and an application information storage program and an application information totalization program are installed on the client computer and the server unit respectively. An event is detected by the application information storage program (S120), and the using state is decided based on the time intervals of operations (S130). Then the actual using results are stored in an application information file (S140). The application information file is transferred to the server unit in every prescribed period (S150). Then the received and stored application information are totalized and analyzed by the application information totalization program, and the application result data are outputted (S160).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a system for providing use of software and a database through a communication means such as a communication network, or a computer system connected by a network. The present invention relates to a software, database, and computer usage information acquisition method for ascertaining the time used for a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, with the development of computer and data communication technologies, the use of software and databases through communication lines has become widespread. As one form, it has been widely practiced to configure a client-server system by connecting computers by a communication network, and to provide software and data from the server machine to a plurality of client computers for a fee.

[0003] The provision of this paid software data
In the use system, the provider and the user make a contract, the provider's computer (server machine) and the user's computer (client computer) are connected by a communication line, and the user is authorized to access the server machine, This is a system in which a provider charges users according to the amount of software and data used.

[0004] Provision of such software data
In use systems, it is important to understand the usage status of software and databases. The information on the usage status of the software and the database (hereinafter referred to as “software / database usage information”) may be used as the basis for charging, determining the type of software or database to be provided, or managing the use of the user's computer. This is because it plays a role as basic data.

Conventionally, in such a system for providing and using software data, a time at which a user starts communication with a server machine (login time) and a time at which communication ends (logout time) are recorded. Was charged according to the length of communication time. According to this method,
The entire time zone in which the user was communicating was regarded as usage time of software and the like, and was charged.

Further, in a system such as software distribution in which a user is allowed to use the software once downloaded, the user is charged according to the number of downloads and the target of the download. In this method, a record is taken when the server transmits software or data requested to be downloaded, and a charge is made ex post based on the record.

[0007]

However, the conventional method of charging based on the above-mentioned communication time and the method of charging based on the number of downloads cannot cope with a more developed information service.

[0008] The above "more developed information service"
This is a form of information providing service that will become popular in the future. For example, due to the enrichment of software and hardware, it is not too long for one user to receive multiple software from a server machine and alternately use them while running multiple software at the same time for information processing. Become general.

Similarly, it is conceivable to simultaneously access a plurality of databases of the server machine, randomly search the plurality of databases, extract necessary data, and process the data.

[0010] Further, in the form of provision and use of software and data, a system is also conceivable in which a company contracts as a user and software and data are taken out and used from server machines to which employees freely contract within the company. .

[0011] The conventional method cannot provide a satisfactory response to the above-mentioned mode of providing and using the software.

For example, in the conventional method of charging based on the communication time, in the usage mode of receiving the above-mentioned plurality of software and performing information processing, the length of which software among the plurality of activated software and how long No information on whether it was used is available.

[0013] Therefore, if there is a difference in performance depending on the software, the fee is charged according to the used time uniformly, so that the unfairness of both the information provider and the user cannot be wiped out.

[0014] Even in a usage mode in which a plurality of databases can be accessed and data is randomly extracted, the same thing as described above can be said if the value of data to be provided has various ranks. .

[0015] Further, in the form of an information providing service in which a company contracts as a user and employees can use software and data in the company, software and software are used depending on the number of employees of the company and the state of use of computers. Database usage varies greatly. On the other hand, the conventional method of charging based on the communication time cannot perform charging in accordance with the actual situation of use. On the other hand, a method of assuming the frequency of use, etc., and freely accepting the use of software etc. within a fixed usage fee is partially adopted, but this billing method cannot be denied accuracy .

Further, a service form of information processing in which the computer itself is leased can be considered. In this case, it is convenient if it is possible to grasp which computer is actually used and how much. However, according to the methods up to now, it was not possible to grasp how much information the user actually processed including the software and the computer.

In the future, the types of software and data will increase more and more, and the life cycle of computers and computers will become shorter. For this reason, the use form in which software or the like is temporarily used by communication or the like is increased rather than purchase. Therefore, the problem of developing a proper billing method and a method of obtaining usage information is becoming increasingly important.

Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve the problem of “software, software, database or computer” in a computer group connected by communication means.
Database and computer usage information acquisition method ".

[0019]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software, database, and computer usage information acquiring method in which a client computer and a server are connected by communication means, and the client computer is activated simultaneously with activation of the client computer. Then, a usage information storage program for detecting an event function is installed, a usage information totalization program for totalizing and analyzing usage information is installed on the server machine, and the usage information storage program is simultaneously executed with the activation of the client computer. When the client computer is started, the event of the client computer is detected by the use information storage program, and it is determined whether or not the client computer is actually used based on a time interval of the input operation. The usage information is stored in a usage information file, and the usage information file is transferred from a client computer to a server machine at predetermined intervals, and the server machine compiles and analyzes the usage information received and stored by the usage information tallying program. And output actual use data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medium having a computer program recorded thereon, wherein the computer monitors an event generated in the computer by an event function at the time of start-up, and compares a time interval of the event occurrence with a predetermined threshold value. The program records a program for judging the use status of the computer and accumulating the result data of the processing and operation of the computer based on the value of the event function.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a "method of obtaining information on use of software, database and computer" according to the present invention.
1 shows an example of a physical system that implements the above.

The example of FIG. 1 shows a general system in which one server machine provides software and the like to a plurality of client computers. This system comprises a network 1, a server machine 2, and client computers (indicated as client PCs in FIG. 1; PCs are abbreviated as personal computers) 3a, 3b, 3c. The server machine 2 is communicably connected to the client PCs 3a, 3b, 3c via the network 1.

Although FIG. 1 shows the network 1 in the form of a LAN, any type of network may be used as long as it is connected by a communication line. Although the server machine 2 is shown in the form of a computer called a server, it may be an ordinary personal computer. Therefore, any one of the client computers may be set in the server machine.

The server machine 2 can start the utilization information totaling analysis program 4 at any time. Client PC
3a, 3b, and 3c are set so that the usage information storage programs 5a, 5b, and 5c are activated simultaneously with the activation of the apparatus.

The usage information storage programs 5a, 5b, 5c of the client PCs 3a, 3b, 3c collect usage information of each client PC and create usage information files 6a, 6b, 6c by a method described later. Further, the usage information storage programs 5a, 5b, 5c send the usage information files 6a, 6b, 6c to the server machine 2 at a predetermined timing.

The server machine 2 is connected to each client PC 3
a, 3b, 3c, the usage information files 6a,
6b and 6c are stored, the usage information totaling / analysis program 4 is started at a certain timing, and the usage information is totalized and analyzed. As a result, the server machine 2 outputs the used software / database analysis data 7, the used computer analysis data 8, and the used user analysis data 9.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the usage information files 6a, 6b, 6c store the usage information storage programs 5a,
Client PCs 3a, 3b, 3 by 5b, 5c
c to the server machine 2, but in short, the client PCs 3a, 3b, 3c
The transfer method is not limited to the above example as long as the use information files 6a, 6b, 6c can be transferred. For example, the server machine 2 transmits the client PC 3a, 3
A method of requesting transmission to b and 3c (collection processing) may be adopted. Alternatively, the use information files 6a, 6b, 6c may be sent from the client PCs 3a, 3b, 3c to the server machine 2 (transmission processing), or a separate transmission program may be started.

Next, a method for obtaining software usage information in this system will be described below. As described with reference to FIG. 1, in order to implement the “method of obtaining information on use of software, database, and computer” of the present invention, a client computer (reference numerals 3a and 3 in FIG. 1) are used.
b, 3c) includes a usage information storage program (reference numeral 5 in FIG. 1).
a, 5b, 5c) and a utilization information totaling analysis program (reference numeral 4 in FIG. 1) are installed in the server machine (reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1) in advance and prepared so as to be operable.

When the power of the installed computer is turned on, the usage information storage program starts automatically, and monitors the operation of the computer based on an event function signal generated by an OS (operating system) that controls the computer. . On the other hand, the usage information tallying analysis program is started by a user's instruction, and performs a specified tallying and analysis.

In the above prepared state, step S in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 100, when the client computer starts up, the usage information storage program also starts up (S100).
110).

When the usage information storage program starts, as described above, an event function is input from the OS, and
Thus, the operation of the computer (referred to as an event) is monitored (S120).

The event functions include an operation of opening a window, switching of an active window (a window operated by a current command), key input operation (key-in),
A function that outputs a click operation of a mouse or the like, a stop of a computer, or the like as a predetermined signal value.

In the present invention, the type of operation such as key input, mouse click, window switching, etc., the type of software used, and the type of input command can be grasped from the output value of the event function. I have to.

The usage information storage program records a keyboard operation, a mouse click, and the content of the operation together with the time. Thus, when the user performs any operation, the type of operation or instruction of the user can be determined, and the operation on the software or database for which the accounting is to be performed can be detected.

Next, the usage information storage program performs a process called "use status determination" (S130). "Usage situation determination" is a process for extracting the time when the software to be charged is actually used when the software to be charged is active.

For example, even if the software to be charged is in an active state, that is, a state in which a command is to be input, the software is not actually used, for example, when the user is away from a seat. There may be cases. Therefore, in the present invention, only the time during which the program is actually used is extracted from the active time zones.

Therefore, in the present invention, the time interval between key / mouse operation and command input is determined. Normally, no key or mouse operation is performed for a certain period of time to read one screen of a computer. However, if the user does not perform any key operation or the like beyond the average time, it is highly likely that the user has not used the software or database.

Therefore, the use information storage program of the present invention uses the clock of the computer and determines that the user is not using the computer unless the user performs a key operation or a mouse click for a certain period of time (called idle time). The counting of the above use time is stopped. More preferably, the idle time is retroactively excluded from the use time.

When it is determined that the user has not actually used the software by the above processing, the process returns to step S120 and waits for the detection of the next event.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the user is actually using the software, the time is counted as the use time and stored in the use information file (step S140). After storing the usage information in the usage information file, the process returns to step S120 to detect the next event.

When the client computer is operated, the operator's ID (authentication information) is input so that the above event information can be stored in the user's ID.
Can be recorded with it.

Since the usage information storage program can also detect the event function of the stop processing of the client computer, if the stop of the client computer is detected in step S130, it performs its own stop processing (step S130). S135).

As described above, after a certain period of time, a usage information file that records the use results of the software and the database is generated in each client PC. The client PC transfers the usage information file generated at regular intervals to the server machine (Step S1).
50).

In the server machine, the transferred usage information file is stored, and the usage information totaling / analysis program (reference numeral 4 in FIG. 1) is started at regular intervals, and the usage information of the software and the database is totalized and analyzed ( Step S1
60).

There are various types of information processing by this usage information totaling analysis program. Here, software database analysis data (reference numeral 7 in FIG. 1), usage computer analysis data (reference numeral 8 in FIG. 1), usage user analysis data (reference numeral 8). 1 is output. The method of totalizing and analyzing the usage information can be appropriately changed, and an apparatus and a method for outputting data that can be output by a general method from the event data acquired in the present invention belong to the scope of the present invention.

For example, software computer usage time of a user group, software
It is possible to output the total time of using the computer for each time period or for a certain period, and to output the billing information for each software type, each computer type, and each time period based on the total.

Finally, the flow of the processing will be briefly described again with reference to FIG. 3, focusing on the data file processed by the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, in the method of the present invention,
On a client computer (indicated as a client PC in the figure), a usage information file (reference numerals 6a, 6b, 6c in FIG. 1) is stored for each computer by a usage information storage program (reference numerals 5a, 5b, 5c in FIG. 1). Generate. These usage information files are sent to and stored in the server machine (2 in FIG. 1). The server machine processes the usage information by the usage information tallying program (reference numeral 4 in FIG. 1) at regular intervals, and outputs usage software, a computer, a usage fee, and the like.

[0048]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the "method of obtaining information on use of software, database and computer" according to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the software and database actually used. Even when the software and database are started simultaneously and the information processing is performed by alternately using them, the time of the software and database actually used can be totaled, and detailed and objective billing can be performed. .

Further, even when a plurality of users use the software or the like at the same time, the usage time can be grasped for each user. Even in a usage mode in which any member can freely receive and use software and the like, it is possible to know who used what software and when, and to perform billing and the like according to the actually used amount.

Further, since the actual use time of each client computer can be ascertained, even if the use of the computer is provided for a fee, a computer of any model and how much time is used can be used. It is possible to determine whether or not the charge has been made, and to charge for each computer model. Further, detailed information on who has performed key-in or mouse clicks on which computer and how many times can be accumulated, and basic data for analyzing the working state of a computer user can be obtained. As described above, according to the method of the present invention, it is possible to provide clear and objective judgment data in a usage form of software or a computer that will be widely used in the future.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates a software, database,
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a configuration for implementing a “method of obtaining computer usage information”.

FIG. 2 illustrates a software, database,
The flowchart which showed the flow of the process of "the computer usage information acquisition method."

FIG. 3 shows “software, database,
Explanatory diagram showing a data file to be processed by the “method of obtaining computer usage information”.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network 2 Server machine 3 Client computer 4 Usage information totalizing program 5 Usage information storage program 6 Usage information file 7 Software / database analysis data 8 Usage computer analysis data 9 Usage user analysis data

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A client computer and a server machine are connected by a communication means. The client computer is activated at the same time as the client computer is started, and a usage information storage program for detecting an event function is installed on the client computer. A usage information totalization program for totalizing and analyzing information is installed, and the usage information storage program is started at the same time as the client computer is started. The usage information storage program detects an event of the client computer and performs an input operation. It is determined whether or not the client computer is actually used by the time interval of the client computer, and the actual usage record is stored in the usage information file, and the usage information file is stored in the client computer at predetermined intervals. Software, database, and computer usage information acquisition, wherein the server information is collected and analyzed by the usage information tallying program to output usage result data by the usage information tallying program. Method. 2. A computer monitors an event generated in the computer by an event function at the same time as starting up, judges a use state of the computer by comparing a time interval of event occurrence with a predetermined threshold value, and A medium that records a program that functions to accumulate performance data of computer processing and operations according to values.