DESCRIPTION
MOBILE TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SERVER AND MOBILE TERMINAL MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM

Technical Field 5
[0001]
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal
management server which is a server run by enterprise resource
planning (ERP) and provides various kinds of data via a
communication network according to a request from a mobile 10
terminal used by a user, and a mobile terminal management program
installed in the mobile terminal management server.

Background Art
[0002] 15
Heretofore, one so-called ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) has become mainstream as package software for
establishing a core business system for a company. In a core
business system in which this ERP is contained (an integrated
core business system, an ERP system), it is most often constructed 20
on a relational database, and design of an application program
that focuses on business processes is mostly made. Thus, it
is often operated without focusing on report output.
[0003]
For the purpose of processing the large amount of business 25

3
data at a high speed, analyzing the business data from various
angles, and outputting reports under such a situation, various
data warehouse systems that undertake a complementary role to
the core business system have been provided (see Patent
Literature 1). 5
[0004]
Further, report inquiry systems that are designed to output
a report and provide information about a report or the like to
a mobile communication terminal (a mobile terminal) have been
proposed (see Patent Literatures 2 and 3). 10

Citation List
Patent Literature
[0005]
Patent Literature 1: JP 2002-312208 A 15
Patent Literature 2: JP 2003-323582 A
Patent Literature 3: JP 2007-200136 A

Summary of Invention
Technical Problem 20
[0006]
In the ERP system according to the related art, data
(including data input by the user and data calculated from various
kinds of data) acquired in each business process is registered
to each dedicated data table (table) and managed. In other words, 25

4
in the ERP system according to the related art, a table to be
updated differs according to an input process such as a received
order or shipping instruction. Here, the "input process" refers
to a process of inputting various kinds of data acquired (decided)
by an administrator of the ERP system in each business process 5
to each table.
[0007]
Figs. 14(A) to 14(E) are explanatory diagrams for
describing an example of a table configuration in the ERP system
according to the related art. For example, when a business flow 10
(a process flow) configured with a plurality of business
processes represents "inventory sales," there are five input
processes of a received order, shipping instruction, delivery,
acceptance inspection, and sales. In this case, as a table
storing data related to the process flow of "inventory sales," 15
five tables of a received order table, a shipping instruction
table, a delivery table, an acceptance inspection table, and
a sales table are used in the respective input processes, for
example, as illustrated in Figs. 14(A) to 14(E).
[0008] 20
In other words, in the ERP system according to the related
art, a table to be updated differs according to an input process.
For this reason, a correspondence between a plurality of business
processes belonging to a single process flow is made by assigning
an identifier (in Figs. 14(A) to 14(E), a received order number 25

5
and a received order description in the shipping instruction
table, a shipping instruction number and a shipping instruction
description in the delivery table, or the like) to data (process
data) related to each business process.
[0009] 5
For this reason, in the ERP system according to the related
art, it is necessary to specify a table according to the type
of input process and to input an identifier of another
corresponding process data for each input process. In other
words, for example, in the example of Figs. 14(A) to 14(E), when 10
process data related to a business process "shipping instruction"
associated with process data (that is, various kinds of data
stored in the same column as a received order number "A00001"
and a received order description number "0010" in the received
order table) specified by a received order number "A00001" and 15
a received order description number "0010" is registered to a
database included in the ERP system, it is necessary to register
the received order number "A00001" and the received order
description number "0010" to the shipping instruction table
together with a shipping instruction number specifying process 20
data, a shipping instruction description number, a type
representing the type of business process, and data (for example,
an orderer, a quantity, an amount, a shipping instruction date,
and a shipping text) representing content of a business process,
as process data related to a business process "shipping 25

6
instruction." In this case, the same data (for example, an
orderer, a quantity, or an amount) may be registered to a plurality
of tables, and thus it is problematic from a point of view of
an efficient data process.
[0010] 5
Then, similarly to when data is registered, in the ERP
system according to the related art, when various kinds of data
stored in various tables are searched for at the user’s request,
for example, it is necessary to search for necessary process
data by tracing an identifier of process data and to individually 10
acquire data matching a search condition from various tables,
and thus there is a problem in that a processing load required
for a search excessively increases.
[0011]
As described above in the ERP system according to the 15
related art, when various kinds of data stored in various tables
are searched for, a processing load is large, and when various
kinds of information processing is performed by extracting
various kinds of data, a processing load further increases, and
thus there is a problem in that it is hard to rapidly output 20
valid information by information processing.
[0012]
Particularly, when information is provided according to
a request from a mobile communication terminal (mobile terminal),
a rapid response speed is required, and thus the above problem 25

7
becomes remarkable.
[0013]
In order to solve the above problems, it is an object of
the present invention to reduce a processing load required for
data processing in a business system and rapidly output valid 5
information in a business system (an ERP system) that provides
information about a report to a mobile communication terminal
(mobile terminal).

Solution to Problem 10
[0014]
A mobile terminal management server of the present
invention is a mobile terminal management server that is a server
run by ERP and provides various kinds of data via a communication
network according to a request from a mobile terminal used by 15
a user, and includes a process flow data storage unit that stores
process flow data including various kinds of data related to
a process flow including a plurality of business processes, the
process flow data including status data, common data, and
process-specific data, the status data representing progress 20
statuses of the plurality of business processes included in the
process flow, the common data being common to business processes
included in the same process flow, the process-specific data
being specific to each business process included in the same
process flow, a condition designation screen providing unit that 25

8
provides a condition designation screen used to designate a
search condition according to a request from the mobile terminal,
a search condition accepting unit that receives and accepts the
search condition designated through the condition designation
screen from the mobile terminal, a process data search unit that 5
searches for process data including an item related to inventory
management of a product represented by the search condition
accepted by the search condition accepting unit with reference
to the process flow data stored in the process flow data storage
unit, an inventory-related data generating unit that generates 10
quantity data representing a quantity related to an inventory
of a product based on the process data searched for by the process
data search unit, and generates inventory-related data including
the generated quantity data, an inventory management information
generating unit that generates inventory management information 15
including inventory transition of the product represented by
the designated search condition based on the inventory-related
data, and an inventory management information providing unit
that provides the inventory management information generated
by the inventory management information generating unit to the 20
mobile terminal.
[0015]
Through the above configuration, in a business system that
provides information related to a report to a mobile
communication terminal, it is possible to reduce a processing 25

9
load required for data processing in the business system and
rapidly output valid information.
[0016]
The process data search unit may be configured to search
for process data including items of a received order, a purchase 5
order, a manufacturing warehousing schedule, a manufacturing
delivery schedule, warehousing, delivery, item goods, a required
date, and a quantity.
[0017]
The quantity data may include a scheduled warehousing 10
quantity, a scheduled delivery quantity, an actual warehousing
quantity, and an actual delivery quantity.
[0018]
The inventory management information may include item
goods, a required date, a scheduled warehousing quantity, a 15
scheduled delivery quantity, an actual warehousing quantity,
an actual delivery quantity, and inventory transition.
[0019]
Further, a mobile terminal management program of the
present invention is a mobile terminal management program that 20
operates ERP and causes a mobile terminal management server to
execute a process of providing various kinds of data via a
communication network according to a request from a mobile
terminal used by a user, the mobile terminal management server
including a process flow data storage unit that stores process 25

10
flow data including various kinds of data related to a process
flow including a plurality of business processes, the process
flow data including status data, common data, and
process-specific data, the status data representing progress
statuses of the plurality of business processes included in the 5
process flow, the common data being common to business processes
included in the same process flow, the process-specific data
being specific to each business process included in the same
process flow, and the mobile terminal management program causes
the mobile terminal management server to execute a condition 10
designation screen providing process of providing a condition
designation screen used to designate a search condition according
to a request from the mobile terminal, a search condition
accepting process of receiving and accepting the search condition
designated through the condition designation screen from the 15
mobile terminal, a process data search process of searching for
process data including an item related to inventory management
of a product represented by the search condition accepted in
the search condition accepting process with reference to the
process flow data stored in the process flow data storage unit, 20
an inventory-related data generating process of generating
quantity data representing a quantity related to an inventory
of a product based on the process data searched in the process
data search process and generating inventory-related data
including the generated quantity data, an inventory management 25

11
information generating process of generating inventory
management information including inventory transition of the
product represented by the designated search condition based
on the inventory-related data, and an inventory management
information providing process of providing the inventory 5
management information generated in the inventory management
information generating process to the mobile terminal.

Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0020] 10
According to the present invention, it is possible to
reduce a processing load required for data processing in a
business system and rapidly output valid information in a
business system (an ERP system) that provides information about
a report to a mobile communication terminal. 15

Brief Description of Drawings
[0021]
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of a report inquiry system. 20
Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of a mobile terminal management server.
Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a storage state of process flow data.
Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example 25

12
of inventory-related data.
Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a slip
data providing process.
Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a menu screen. 5
Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a slip search screen.
Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a slip search screen.
Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example 10
of an overall configuration of a selection item arrangement
circle displayed on the slip search screen.
Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a search result list display screen.
Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating of an example of an 15
inventory management information providing process.
Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a condition designation screen.
Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of an inventory management information display screen. 20
Figs. 14(A) to 14(E) are explanatory diagrams for
describing an example of a table configuration in an ERP system
according to a related art.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention 25

13
[0022]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of a report inquiry system 500 according to an embodiment 5
of the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the report
inquiry system 500 includes a mobile terminal management server
10, a relay 20, a plurality of mobile terminals 31 to 3N (N is
an arbitrary positive integer), an enterprise resource planning
system 100, an enterprise resource planning system 200, and an 10
enterprise resource planning system 300.
[0023]
The mobile terminal management server 10 is connected with
each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N via a communication network
40 such as the Internet and the relay 20. The mobile terminal 15
management server 10 is connected with the enterprise resource
planning system 100, the enterprise resource planning system
200, and the enterprise resource planning system 300 via
communication networks 51, 52, and 53 such as a LAN (Local Area
Network) or a dedicated communication line, respectively. 20
Further, the mobile terminal or the enterprise resource planning
system may be configured to communicate with another mobile
terminal or another enterprise resource planning system via the
mobile terminal management server, or the mobile terminal or
the enterprise resource planning system may be configured not 25

14
to communicate with another mobile terminal or another enterprise
resource planning system.
[0024]
The enterprise resource planning system 100 includes a
core business server 110, a data warehouse server (DWH server) 5
120, and a process flow DB 101. The enterprise resource planning
system 200 includes a DWH server 220 and a process flow DB 201.
The enterprise resource planning system 300 includes a core
business server 310 and a process flow DB 301.
[0025] 10
Each of the plurality of the enterprise resource planning
systems 100, 200, and 300 which differ in configuration fulfills
a functions of an enterprise resource planning system by
performing communication (transmission and reception of various
kinds of information) with the mobile terminal management server 15
10 according to the need (that is, according to its function).
In other words, in the report inquiry system, the system 200
having no core business server or the system 300 having no DWH
server can also fulfill the function of the enterprise resource
planning system by performing communication with the mobile 20
terminal management server 10. Even though not illustrated,
the system having no process flow DB can also fulfill the function
of the enterprise resource planning system by storing process
flow data in the mobile terminal management server 10. Since
a well-known technique is used for the core business server or 25

15
the like included in each core business system, the following
description will be made using the enterprise resource planning
system 100 as an example.
[0026]
The core business server 110 is connected with the DWH 5
server 120 through a dedicated communication line.
[0027]
The core business server 110 is a server managed, for
example, by the administrator of the report inquiry system 500,
and has various functions of managing report information related 10
to various businesses (for example, functions of generating,
updating, and holding information). The core business server
110 is configured with a general information processing device
including an OS (Operating System) and a relational DB.
[0028] 15
Here, the report is the general term of books and a type
of slip. Further, the books denote one in which matters
concerning receipts and expenditure of money or goods are filled,
and the "slip" denotes one that is data to become a basis when
creating books and constitutes evidence of transactions and the 20
like on a business. In the present embodiment, the case where
the core business server 110 deals with the process data
representing only the slip data as report data will be described
as an example.
[0029] 25

16
The core business server 110 executes various kinds of
processing according to a business application program.
Examples of the business application program include a sales
business management program, a purchase business management
program, a production management program, a financial accounting 5
management program, and a managerial accounting management
program.
[0030]
The DWH server 120 is a server managed, for example, by
the system administrator of the present system, and includes 10
various functions of implementing a data warehouse. Here, the
"data warehouse" denotes a system that analyzes relevance between
respective items from among business data such as report data
accumulated in time series. Further, the DWH server 120 has
a function of converting a file of a CSV (Comma Separated Values) 15
format transferred from the core business server 110 into a
predetermined data format and the like and registering various
kinds of data to a predetermined storage region. Further, the
DWH server 120 may be configured to extract data corresponding
to each storage region from a state of CSV format without carrying 20
out data format conversion.
[0031]
The process flow DB 101 is a storage medium that stores
process flow data configured with various kinds of process data
(or report data) collected and marshaled by means of various 25

17
kinds of information processing using various kinds of programs
stored in the business application program DB (not illustrated)
of the core business server 110. The process flow data will
be described in detail later. In the present embodiment, the
enterprise resource planning system 100 includes a business 5
related data DB (not illustrated) managed by the DWH server 120,
and the core business server 110 has a function of converting
process data stored in the process flow DB 101 into a CSV (Comma
Separated Values) format according to a predetermined extraction
condition and transmitting the process data to the mobile 10
terminal management server 10. In the present embodiment, the
core business server 110 transfers a data file whose format is
converted to CSV format by an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to
the mobile terminal management server 10.
[0032] 15
The mobile terminal management server 10 is a server which
is run by ERP and provides various kinds of data through a
communication network according to a request from a mobile
terminal used by the user. For example, the mobile terminal
management server 10 is configured with an information processing 20
device such as a WWW server, and managed by the system
administrator of the report inquiry system 500.
[0033]
Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of the mobile terminal management server 10. As 25

18
illustrated in Fig. 2, the mobile terminal management server
10 includes a control unit 11 that performs various kinds of
control, a process flow data temporary storage DB 16, a business
application program DB 17, a process flow DB 18a, a project DB
18b, a DWH DB 19, and the other DB 10X that stores various kinds 5
of data (for example, data used by various kinds of programs
stored in the business application program DB 17) necessary to
implement the function of the general core business server. The
other DB 10X has a portion which does not specifically relate
to the present invention, and thus a detailed description thereof 10
will not be made. The control unit 11 includes a slip data
provision processing unit 11a that executes, for example, a
process of providing process flow data to the mobile terminals
31 to 3N and an inventory management information processing unit
11b that executes, for example, a process of providing inventory 15
management information to the mobile terminals 31 to 3N.
[0034]
The process flow data temporary storage DB 16 is a storage
medium that temporarily stores process flow data acquired from
the enterprise resource planning system 100 side or process flow 20
data stored in the process flow DB 18a. The process flow data
stored in the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 is updated,
for example, at regular intervals (for example, at one-day
intervals, at three-day intervals, or at 12-hour intervals).
[0035] 25

19
The business application program DB 17 is a storage medium
that stores a program used for various kinds of businesses.
Examples of the program stored in the business application
program DB 17 include a sales business management program, a
purchase business management program, a production management 5
program, a financial accounting management program, and a
managerial accounting management program.
[0036]
The process flow DB 18a is a storage medium that stores
process flow data configured with various kinds of process data 10
(or report data) collected and marshaled by means of various
kinds of information processing using various kinds of programs
stored in the business application program DB 17. In the present
embodiment, the description will proceed in connection with an
example in which process flow data including various kinds of 15
data related to a process flow including a plurality of business
processes is stored in a process flow table PT in the process
flow DB 18a. Further, in the present embodiment, the description
will proceed in connection with an example in which the mobile
terminal management server 10 centrally manages process flow 20
data generated in each process flow through the single process
flow table PT. Further, in the present embodiment, the process
flow data is assumed to include usually used slip data (for example,
data in which received order slip header information, received
order slip description information, delivery date schedules, 25

20
and the like are associated with slip data corresponding to a
received order slip, and which is stored with the structure which
is retrievable based on a key such as a slip number. Here, the
slip number includes a received order number, a purchase order
number, a shipping number, an acceptance or delivery numbers, 5
a bill reference, a billing number, an accounting number, and
the like.).
[0037]
Further, the mobile terminal management server 10 may be
configured to manage process flow data through a plurality of 10
tables, for example, for each type which will be described later
or for each one in which a part (for example, an orderer) of
content of common data, which will be described later, is the
same.
[0038] 15
Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a storage state of process flow data in the process flow DB
18a. As illustrated in Fig. 3, process flow data according to
the present embodiment includes a main key section, a project
specifying data section, a reference key section, a type section, 20
a status section, a common data section, and a process-specific
data section. Each item (that is, a column item in the process
flow table PT) corresponding to each section of the process flow
data represents the type of process data configuring the process
flow data. In other words, data related to the business processes 25

21
configuring the process flow is stored to be assigned to the
respective sections configuring the process flow data. Further,
process data related to one process flow (a series of process
flow from a received order from a certain company to deliver)
is stored in the same entry in the process flow table PT (that 5
is, the same row in the process flow table PT). Through this
configuration, a correspondence relation between respective
pieces of process data can be defined.
[0039]
Here, the "main key section" refers to a part in which 10
main key data which is data to uniquely specify process flow
data among pieces of process flow data is stored. In the present
embodiment, the main key section is configured with a process
flow number and a process flow description number. In other
words, in the present embodiment, a combination of the process 15
flow number and the process flow description number serves as
an identifier (ID) of each process flow data. The main key
section is updated at the time of initial registration of process
flow data. Here, the "time of initial registration of process
flow data" refers to when an entry (data row) is added to the 20
process flow data, for example, when another corresponding
process data which belongs to a certain process flow but is not
registered yet is registered. Here, "update" is assumed to
include addition of data.
[0040] 25

22
Further, the "process flow number" is an identifier to
specify one process flow data (that is, a first column in the
process flow table PT illustrated in Fig. 3). The process flow
number is assigned to each process data which is the same in
predetermined item. In the present embodiment, the same process 5
flow number is assigned to process flow data which is the same
in the type and the orderer of the process flow data.
[0041]
Further, the "process flow description number" is an
identifier specifying specific process flow data among pieces 10
of process flow data to which the same process flow number is
assigned. In other words, for example, the process flow table
PT illustrated in Fig. 3 can uniquely specify process flow data
including process data representing that an order for a business
of the amount "1200" and "2600" is received from an orderer "T001" 15
by a combination of the process flow number "000001" and the
process flow description number "0010" or "0020" in the business
process "received order" in the type "inventory sales" of the
process flow.
[0042] 20
The "project specifying data section" is a part in which
main key data serving as data specifying a project among pieces
of process flow data is stored. In the present embodiment, the
project specifying data section includes a project number and
a project description number. In other words, in the present 25

23
embodiment, a project and a description thereof can be specified
by a combination of a project number and a project description
number. In the present embodiment, when an entry (data row)
is added to process flow data, a project number and a project
description number are designated, and thus an entry is added 5
such that a project and a project description to which an entry
belongs can be specified.
[0043]
The "project number" is an identifier identifying a single
project. For the same project, the same project number is used. 10
The "project description number" is an identifier identifying
a description of each business unit configuring a project. Thus,
each of the project description numbers associated with the same
project number is an identifier identifying a description of
each business unit (for example, cladding or power facility) 15
configuring the same project (for example, dam construction).
Further, data (data of the same row) such as the common data
section associated with the same project description number is
data identifying a description of the same business.
[0044] 20
Next, the "reference key section" is a part in which
reference key data which is data to specify another process flow
data (or another process data) related to the process flow such
as original transaction on sales returns among pieces of process
flow data is stored. In the present embodiment, the reference 25

24
key section is configured with a reference number and a reference
description number, and is updated at the time of initial
registration of process flow data.
[0045]
The process flow number and the process flow description 5
number of another process flow related to the process flow are
stored in the reference number and the reference description
number, respectively. However, when there is no other process
flow related to the process flow such as a new transaction, data
representing the same value as the main key section of the same 10
entry is stored in the reference key section (that is, the process
flow number and the process flow description number are stored
in the reference number and the reference description number,
respectively). Further, when the reference key section
represents another process data related to the process flow, 15
data specifying the type of process data is further stored in
the reference key section.
[0046]
The "type section" is a part in which type data which is
data representing the type of process flow such as inventory 20
sales or sample shipping among pieces of process flow data is
stored. The type section is updated at the time of initial
registration of process flow data. The type of process flow
is not limited to inventory sales or sample shipping. Further,
it is assumed that a necessary process is decided in advance 25

25
depending on the type of the process flow (that is, the type
of business process or the number of business processes to be
included differ according to type of process flow). Further,
two or more other types of process flows will be provided later
(see Fig. 10). 5
[0047]
The "status section" is a part in which status data which
is data (data representing a progress status of each of a plurality
of business processes included in the process flow) representing
the progress of the process flow among pieces of process flow 10
data is stored. In the present embodiment, the status data
represents the progress of each business process by setting "0"
to an unfinished process and "1" to a finished process on a business
process needed by the process flow. In other words, for example,
as illustrated in Fig. 3, it is assumed that when the process 15
flow relates to "inventory sales" and the process flow includes
business processes of "received order," "shipping," "delivery,"
"delivery acceptance inspection," and "sales," process specific
data (for example, a received order date) related to the business
process "received order" is registered. In this case, in the 20
status data, a part corresponding to "sales" becomes "1," and
the remaining parts remain in an initial state (that is, a state
set to "0").
[0048]
In other words, the status section in the present 25

26
embodiment is updated for each business process. In other words,
the status section is updated when process specific data which
will be described later is input, specifically, when it is
determined that each business process is completed as a
predetermined status change condition is satisfied. The status 5
change condition is not specially limited, and in the present
embodiment, it is assumed that "what all process specific data
corresponding to one business process is input" remains stored
in a predetermined storage region of the mobile terminal
management server 10 as the status change condition. 10
[0049]
In the present embodiment, since the process flow of a
different type is stored in the same table, a part that stores
process data unnecessary for a specific process flow may exist
among items (column items) configuring a table. In this case, 15
it is assumed that in the process flow table, a part storing
unnecessary process data becomes null data, and "0" is stored
in the status data corresponding to the null data.
[0050]
The "common data section" is a part in which common data 20
which is data (that is, data which is common between the business
processes included in the same process flow) not relying on the
business process such as an orderer and a ship-to party among
pieces of process flow data is stored. The common data section
is updated at the time of initial registration of process flow 25

27
data.
[0051]
The "process-specific data section" is a part in which
process specific data which is data specific to each business
process included in the same process flow such as the received 5
order date or data (for example, text data representing a
precaution such as "arrival by delivery date" or "fragile goods
goods (handle with care)" registered in each business process
among pieces of process flow data is stored. The process specific
data section is updated for each business process. Thus, in 10
the present embodiment, among pieces of process flow data, data
relying on the business process is referred to as "process
specific data," and data not relying on the business process
is referred to as "common data."
[0052] 15
The process flow data according to the present embodiment
has been described so far, and a definition of various terms
illustrated in Fig. 3 will be briefly described below.
[0053]
First, the "received order" refers to a state in which 20
an order has been received from a customer, and a contract with
the customer has been made. The "shipping instruction" refers
to a state in which an instruction to ship a product has been
given to a warehouse man or a person in charge of physical
distribution. The "delivery" refers to a state in which a product 25

28
has been shipped from a warehouse and then started to be delivered.
The "acceptance inspection" refers to a state in which a customer
has completed an acceptance inspection and an ownership of a
product has been transferred to the customer. The "sales" refers
to a state in which an acceptance inspection of a customer has 5
been checked and a debt amount on a customer has been fixed (that
is, a debt has been recorded).
[0054]
The term "acceptance inspection" is also used to mean
"business of inspecting whether or not goods for supply or 10
services satisfy an ordered specification (that is, a quantity,
a color, a shape, and a quality)" or that "an ownership of an
asset is transferred when an acceptance inspection is completed."
Further, in financial accounting (or institutional accounting)
or on the ERP system, in order to explicitly specify a transfer 15
timing of an ownership of an asset, an event of "acceptance
inspection" is defined to be distinguished from delivery.
[0055]
Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of inventory-related data including extraction data obtained 20
by extracting an item related to inventory management in the
process flow data and quantity data for inventory management
generated from the extraction data. As illustrated in Fig. 4,
the inventory-related data is data in which a process flow number,
a process flow description number, a received order, a purchase 25

29
order, a manufacturing warehousing schedule, a manufacturing
delivery schedule, warehousing, delivery, item goods, a required
date, a quantity, a scheduled warehousing quantity, a scheduled
delivery quantity, an actual warehousing quantity, and an actual
delivery quantity are associated. In the present embodiment, 5
the extraction data is configured with the process flow number,
the process flow description number, the received order, the
purchase order, the manufacturing warehousing schedule, the
manufacturing delivery schedule, the warehousing, the delivery,
the item goods, the required date, and the quantity. Further, 10
the quantity data is configured with the scheduled warehousing
quantity, the scheduled delivery quantity, the actual
warehousing quantity, and the actual delivery quantity.
[0056]
The project DB 18b is a storage medium that stores project 15
schedule data representing a business schedule of each project.
In the present embodiment, in the project DB 18b, the project
schedule data representing the business schedule of each project
is stored in a project table PJT. Even though not illustrated,
the project schedule data in which information representing a 20
business schedule (for example, a schedule of a budget, a purchase,
received order, a purchase order, and the like) for achieving
a corresponding business is associated with, for example, a
project number and a project description number is assumed to
be registered in the project table PJT. 25

30
[0057]
The mobile terminal management server 10 has a function
of providing various kinds of data stored in the process flow
DB 18a, the project DB 18b, the DWH DB 19, and the other DB 10X
according to a request from a predetermined external device, 5
that is, requests from the mobile terminals 31 to 3N and the
enterprise resource planning systems 100, 200, and 300 in the
present embodiment. In other words, the mobile terminal
management server 10 has a function as the core business server.
In other words, the mobile terminal management server 10 includes 10
an ERP engine.
[0058]
Even though not illustrated, in the present embodiment,
the mobile terminal management server 10 is assumed to have a
function as a DWH server having various functions of implementing 15
a data warehouse. As the mobile terminal management server 10
has a structure of functioning as the ERP engine and the DWH
server, it is possible to provide information requested as the
enterprise resource planning system to the enterprise resource
planning systems having different configurations (for example, 20
the enterprise resource planning system 100 including both the
core business server and the DWH server, the enterprise resource
planning system 200 including only the DWH server, and the
enterprise resource planning system 300 including only the DWH
server). 25

31
[0059]
Each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N is an information
processing device, such as iPad (registered trademark), which
includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory
(ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a display unit. In 5
the present embodiment, each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N
is assumed to include various kinds of usable applications to
deal with report data, such as a WEB browser. In the present
embodiment, for example, each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N
has a function of defining a query (a search item, a search key, 10
an extraction key, and the like) used to acquire necessary report
data (process flow data and project schedule data in the present
embodiment) from the mobile terminal management server 10
according to an operation performed by the user, and transmitting
the query to the mobile terminal management server 10. The mobile 15
terminals 31 to 3N are assumed to include code readers (or code
reader functions) 31a to 3Na that read various kinds of codes
such as a quick response (QR) code (registered trademark),
respectively.
[0060] 20
In the present embodiment, each of the mobile terminals
31 to 3N has a function of communicating with the mobile terminal
management server 10 through the relay 20 and the communication
network 40 and outputting data acquired from the mobile terminal
management server 10 to a display unit through a function of 25

32
software such as a predetermined Web application (a WEB browser).
[0061]
Next, a process of updating the process flow data stored
in the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 will be described.
In the present embodiment, when a data update timing (for example, 5
a predetermined timing (for example, at 2:00 am) when an update
is performed everyday) comes, the mobile terminal management
server 10 reads the process flow data (latest data) stored in
the process flow DB 18a included in the mobile terminal management
server 10, stores (newly stores or overwrites) the process flow 10
data in a predetermined storage region of the process flow data
temporary storage DB 16, and updates storage information of the
process flow data temporary storage DB 16. Thus, the storage
information of the process flow data temporary storage DB 16
is updated by a batch process. 15
[0062]
Next, an operation of the report inquiry system 500
according to the present embodiment will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, a description
of an operation or process which does not specially relate to 20
the present invention may not be made.
[0063]
Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a slip
data providing process executed, for example, by the mobile
terminal management server 10 in the report inquiry system 500 25

33
according to the present embodiment. Here, the description will
proceed in connection with an example in which the mobile terminal
management server 10 provides the process flow data according
to a request from a mobile terminal 31 used by a user X.
[0064] 5
In the slip data providing process, first, the mobile
terminal 31 receives a login request by the user X's login
operation (step S101). The login operation refers to, for
example, an input operation of a previously set secret number.
Here, when the login to the mobile terminal 31 is permitted, 10
it is permitted to make various kinds of operations for using
various kinds of functions included in the mobile terminal 31.
[0065]
In a state in which the user X logs in the mobile terminal
31, when the user X executes a predetermined login operation, 15
the mobile terminal 31 accesses the mobile terminal management
server 10, acquires a login screen, designates information (for
example, a user ID and a password which are previously set)
necessary to login on the login screen, and makes a login request
(step S102). For example, the login request is made such that 20
predetermined information (for example, an electronic
certificate issued to the user X) used for a predetermined login
determination is provided in addition to the user ID and the
password. Further, when the operation to login the mobile
terminal management server 10 is performed, the user X may be 25

34
requested to designate a language (for example, Japanese) used
in a group to which the user belongs or various kinds of screens.
[0066]
Upon receiving the login request, the mobile terminal
management server 10 determines whether or not it is permitted 5
to log in (step S103). For example, the determination may be
made based on an ID, a password, an electronic certificate, and
the like.
[0067]
When it is determined that it is permitted to login (Y 10
in step S103), the mobile terminal management server 10 sets
the mobile terminal 31 to a login state. When the mobile terminal
31 is set to a login state, the mobile terminal management server
10 transmits menu screen information representing a menu screen
to the mobile terminal 31 (step S104). However, when it is 15
determined that it is not permitted to login (N in step S103),
the mobile terminal management server 10 ends the slip data
providing process without setting the mobile terminal 31 to the
login state. Further, when it is determined that it is not
permitted to login, the mobile terminal management server 10 20
performs a process of notifying the mobile terminal 31 of login
refusal.
[0068]
Upon receiving the menu screen information, the mobile
terminal 31 causes the menu screen represented by the received 25

35
menu screen information to be displayed on the display unit
included in the mobile terminal 31 (step S105).
[0069]
Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a menu screen. As illustrated in Fig. 6, a menu arrangement 5
circle display region 501 is provided on the menu screen. A
menu arrangement circle MC in which menu buttons M1 to M6 on
which a plurality of selectable menu names are displayed are
arranged substantially on the circumference thereof is displayed
on the menu arrangement circle display region 501. Further, 10
a title display region MA on which the title of the menu arrangement
circle MC disposed on the central region of the circle formed
by the menu arrangement circle MC is displayed is provided on
the menu arrangement circle display region 501 as illustrated
in Fig. 6. Here, as the menu buttons M1 to M6, a slip search 15
button M1 pushed down to search for a slip, a new slip button
M2 pushed down to newly create a slip, an expense input button
M3 pushed down to input expense, a master registration button
M4 pushed down to register a master, an inventory management
button M5 pushed down, for example, to make a project management 20
information provision request or the like, and an inventory query
button M6 pushed down to query inventory information are
provided.
[0070]
In the menu screen displayed on the display unit of the 25

36
mobile terminal 31 in which a touch panel is arranged, the user
X pushes down any one of the menu buttons M1 to M6 through a
touch operation (a contact operation by a finger). In the present
embodiment, the slip search button M1 is assumed to be pushed
down. Here, a description of the process when the other menu 5
buttons M2 to M6 are pushed down will not be made.
[0071]
When the slip search button M1 is pushed down in the menu
screen, the mobile terminal 31 transmits information
representing that the slip search button M1 has been pushed down 10
to the mobile terminal management server 10 as a menu selection
result (step S106).
[0072]
Upon receiving the fact that the slip search button M1
is pushed down as the menu selection result, the slip data 15
provision processing unit 11a of the mobile terminal management
server 10 transmits the slip search screen information
representing the slip search screen for designating a slip search
condition to the mobile terminal 31 (step S107).
[0073] 20
Upon receiving the slip search screen information, the
mobile terminal 31 causes the slip search screen represented
by the received slip search screen information to be displayed
on the display unit included in the mobile terminal 31 (step
S108). 25

37
[0074]
Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of a slip search screen. As illustrated in Fig. 7, the slip
search screen is provided with a plurality of selection item
arrangement circle display regions 601, 602, and 603 to 5
respectively display a plurality of selection item arrangement
circles DC, SC, and PC on which a plurality of selection items
selectable to designate a search condition are arranged
substantially on the circumference thereof, and a keyword input
region 604 to input a keyword to be used as a narrowing-down 10
condition. In the present embodiment, as the selection item
arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC, a processed slip type
selection item arrangement circle DC on which the type of
processed slip is selectably displayed, a detailed selection
type selection item arrangement circle SC in which the title 15
of a detailed item for narrowing-down is selectably displayed,
and a process type selection item arrangement circle PC in which
the type of business process is selectably displayed are provided.
Further, as the selection item arrangement circle display regions
601, 602, and 603, a processed slip type selection item 20
arrangement circle display region 601 to display the processed
slip type selection item arrangement circle DC, a detailed
selection type selection item arrangement circle display region
602 to display the detailed selection type selection item
arrangement circle SC, and a process type selection item 25

38
arrangement circle display region 603 to display the process
type selection item arrangement circle PC are provided.
[0075]
The processed slip type selection item arrangement circle
DC is provided with seven types of selection items (selection 5
item buttons) to select a slip, which are arranged substantially
on the circumference thereof. That is, the processed slip type
selection item arrangement circle DC is provided with a received
order button D1 to designate a received order slip as the search
condition, a purchase order button D2 to designate a purchase 10
order slip as the search condition, a warehousing button D3 to
designate a warehousing slip as the search condition, a delivery
button D4 to designate a delivery slip as the search condition,
a sales button D5 to designate a sales slip as the search condition,
a billing button D6 to designate a billing slip as the search 15
condition, and a deposit button D7 to designate a deposit slip
as the search condition. Further, a classification display
button DA on which a classification name "processed slip" is
displayed is arranged on the central region of the processed
slip type selection item arrangement circle DC. In the present 20
embodiment, the corresponding type of slip can be searched for
by selecting the selection items (selection item buttons) D1
to D7 (by selecting one or more buttons).
[0076]
The detailed selection type selection item arrangement 25

39
circle SC is provided with four types of selection items
(selection item buttons) to select detailed narrowing-down
condition items, which are arranged substantially on the
circumference thereof. That is, the detailed selection type
selection item arrangement circle SC is provided with a customer 5
button S1 to designate a customer as the search condition, a
vendor button S2 to designate a vendor as the search condition,
an organization button S3 to designate an organization as the
search condition, and an item goods button S4 to designate item
goods as the search condition. Further, a classification 10
display button SA on which a classification name "detailed
selection" is displayed is arranged on the central region of
the detailed selection type selection item arrangement circle
SC. In the present embodiment, when the selection items
(selection item buttons) S1 to S4 (one or more buttons may be 15
selected) are selected, a detailed narrowing-down condition
designation screen (not illustrated) to designate a concrete
narrowing-down condition is displayed, and a concrete
narrowing-down condition (for example, which corresponds to a
vendor company name when the customer button S1 is selected, 20
an item goods number when the item goods button S4 is selected,
and the like) can be designated through the detailed
narrowing-down condition designation screen. The slip
satisfying the designated narrowing-down condition can be
searched for by selecting the concrete narrowing-down condition 25

40
(one or more concrete narrowing-down conditions may be selected).
[0077]
The process type selection item arrangement circle PC is
provided with three types of selection items (selection item
buttons) to select the business process, which are arranged 5
substantially on the circumference thereof. That is, the
process type selection item arrangement circle PC is provided
with a production button P1 to designate "production" in the
business process as the search condition, a sales button P2 to
designate "sales" in the business process as the search condition, 10
and a purchase button P3 to designate "purchase" in the business
process as the search condition. Further, a classification
display button PA on which a classification name "process" is
displayed is arranged on the central region of the process type
selection item arrangement circle PC. In the present embodiment, 15
a slip related to a business process of a corresponding type
can be searched for by selecting the selection items (selection
item buttons) P1 to P3 (one or more selection item buttons may
be selected).
[0078] 20
In the present embodiment, when the classification display
button DA, SA, or PA is pushed down, a rendering operation of
rotating the corresponding selection item arrangement circle
DC, SC, or PC is executed. In other words, in the present
embodiment, a selection item rotation rendering setting (a 25

41
setting by a computer program) is made on the selection item
arrangement circle display regions 601, 602, and 603 in the slip
search screen so that a selection item rotation rendering
operation of causing a plurality of selection items in the
corresponding selection item arrangement circle DC, SC, or PC 5
to rotationally move on the circumference can be executed
according to a predetermined rotation instruction operation (an
operation of pushing down the classification display button DA,
SA, or PA) of the mobile terminal 31 by the user X. Specifically,
in the screen state illustrated in Fig. 7, for example, when 10
the classification display button DA is pushed down, a selection
item rotation rendering operation of causing a plurality of
selection items in the selection item arrangement circle DC to
rotate on the circumference counterclockwise (in a direction
A in Fig. 8) is executed. In this case, the rotation direction 15
may be changed according to a predetermined rotation direction
change operation by the user X (an operation of touching a portion
of the screen with a finger near a location at which the circle
formed by the selection item arrangement circle DC is displayed
and sliding the finger in a new rotation direction). Further, 20
when the classification display button DA, SA, or PA is pushed
down again, it is desirable to end the selection item rotation
rendering operation.
[0079]
Since the selection item rotation rendering operation is 25

42
performed as described above, as illustrated in Fig. 9, it is
unnecessary to arrange all of the selection item arrangement
circles DC, SC, and PC within the screen, and even when some
of the selection items arranged in each of the selection item
arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC are not displayed on the screen, 5
all of the selection items can be sequentially displayed by
rotating the selection item arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC.
Further, since it is unnecessary to simultaneously display all
of the selection items arranged in each of the selection item
arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC within one screen, the display 10
size of each selection item can be increased. Further, when
the screen size is large, a configuration capable of
simultaneously displaying all of the selection items within one
screen may be provided.
[0080] 15
In present embodiment, the selection items arranged in
the selection item arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC are
displayed in a circular frame. However, some or all of the
selection items may be displayed in a frame of any other shape
such as a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, and a star shape. 20
Further, each selection item arranged in each of the selection
item arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC is an example, and may
be another selection item.
[0081]
In the example illustrated in Fig. 7, the slip search screen 25

43
is configured to include the three selection item arrangement
circle display regions 601, 602, and 603. However, a single
selection item arrangement circle display region may be provided,
and two or three or more selection item arrangement circle display
regions may be provided. 5
[0082]
In the example illustrated in Fig. 7, the selection item
arrangement circle display regions 601, 602, and 603 are provided
to partially overlap one another, and the selection items
(selection item buttons) arranged in each of the selection item 10
arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC displayed on each of the
selection item arrangement circle display regions 601, 602, and
603 are configured to have a display form (for example, to differ
in a color) that differs according to each of the selection item
arrangement circles DC, SC, and PC. However, any method may 15
be used to the extent of the different display form, and a display
form may be changed by changing the shape or form.
[0083]
In the slip search screen, the user X selects each selection
item arranged in each of the selection item arrangement circles 20
DC, SC, and PC by the touch operation. Specifically, the type
of slip which is a search target is selected by selecting any
one of the selection items (selection item buttons) D1 to D7
arranged in the processed slip type selection item arrangement
circle DC. Further, in the slip search screen, the user X selects 25

44
the title of a detailed item for narrowing-down by selecting
any one of the selection items (selection item buttons) S1 to
S4 arranged in the detailed selection type selection item
arrangement circle SC. When any one of the selection items
(selection item buttons) S1 to S4 is selected, a detailed search 5
condition is designated by inputting a concrete narrowing-down
condition on the detailed narrowing-down condition designation
screen. Further, in the slip search screen, the user X selects
the type of business process which is a search target by selecting
any one of the selection items (selection item buttons) P1 to 10
P3 arranged in the process type selection item arrangement circle
PC. Furthermore, in the slip search screen, the user X designates
a search keyword by inputting a keyword to be used as the
narrowing-down condition in the keyword input region 604.
[0084] 15
In the present embodiment, when the user X selects the
item goods S4 among the selection items (selection item buttons)
S1 to S4 arranged in the detailed selection type selection item
arrangement circle SC in the slip search screen, the mobile
terminal 31 causes the detailed narrowing-down condition 20
designation screen including the item goods input region to be
displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal 31. The
mobile terminal 31 reads a code (for example, a QR code or a
barcode) attached to goods through the code reader (or a code
reader function) 31a disposed in the mobile terminal 31 in 25

45
response to the user X's operation, and causes an item goods
number represented by the read code to be displayed on the item
goods input region. In the present embodiment, the item goods
number can be simply input using the code reader (or a code reader
function) 31a as described above. 5
[0085]
Further, in the slip search screen, the user X may select
or designate any one or more among the type of slip, a detailed
search condition, a business process which is a search target,
and a search keyword. Further, in the slip search screen, the 10
user X may make multiple selections or multiple designations
on each of the type of slip, a detailed search condition, and
a business process which is a search target.
[0086]
When the search condition is selected or designated in 15
the slip search screen, the user X pushes down a search button
605 through the touch operation.
[0087]
When the search button 605 is pushed down in a state in
which the search condition is selected or designated, the mobile 20
terminal 31 provides the mobile terminal management server 10
with the selected or designated search condition, and makes a
search request (step S109).
[0088]
Upon receiving the search request, the mobile terminal 25

46
management server 10 searches for slip data matching the search
condition provided according to the received provision request
with reference to the process flow data stored in the process
flow data temporary storage DB 16 (step S110).
[0089] 5
When the slip data is searched for according to the search
condition, the mobile terminal management server 10 generates
search result list display screen information representing the
search result list display screen displaying a list of searched
slip data as a search result, and transmits the search result 10
list display screen information to the mobile terminal 31 (step
S111).
[0090]
Upon receiving the search result list display screen
information, the mobile terminal 31 causes the search result 15
list display screen represented by the received search result
list display screen information to be displayed on the display
unit included in the mobile terminal 31 (step S112).
[0091]
Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example 20
of the search result list display screen. As illustrated in
Fig. 10, the search result list display screen is provided with
a display region 701 for displaying the search result, a back
button B1 pushed down to return to a previous screen, and an
edit button B3 pushed down to edit the search result. Further, 25

47
when the process flow type (inventory sale, direct shipping sale,
and the like) is selected by the touch operation in the search
result list display screen, the mobile terminal 31 transmits
a request of acquiring corresponding slip data to the mobile
terminal management server 10. The mobile terminal management 5
server 10 transmits the corresponding slip data to the mobile
terminal 31 with reference to the process flow data stored in
the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 according to the
slip data acquisition request. Then, the mobile terminal 31
displays the received slip data on the display screen of the 10
display unit.
[0092]
When the user X performs an operation of ending access
such as an operation of ending a browser in the search result
list display screen (Y in step S113), the mobile terminal 31 15
transmits a logout request to the mobile terminal management
server 10 (step S114). Further, when an operation of continuing
access such as an operation of pushing down the back button B1
is made (N in step S113), the mobile terminal 31 causes the process
to proceed to step S108, and displays the slip search screen 20
(see Fig. 7).
[0093]
When the search result list display screen information
is transmitted in step S111, the mobile terminal management
server 10 starts to measure a time (standby time) in which an 25

48
information exchange with the mobile terminal 31 is not performed,
and monitors whether or not the standby time has elapsed a
predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30
minutes, and the like) (has reached a predetermined time) (step
S115). 5
[0094]
When the logout request is received during measurement
of the standby time (Y in step S116), the mobile terminal
management server 10 stops measuring the standby time, and
performs a logout process of releasing the login state (step 10
S117).
[0095]
Further, when it is determined that the standby time has
elapsed a predetermined time (Y in step S115), the mobile terminal
management server 10 ends measuring the standby time, and 15
performs a logout process of releasing the login state (step
S117).
[0096]
In the above-described way, it is determined whether or
not it is permitted to log in the mobile terminal management 20
server 10 according to the login request from the mobile terminal
31 which becomes operable by the login process. When it is
permitted to log in, a process flow data provision request is
received, and a process of providing the requested process flow
data is executed. 25

49
[0097]
As described above, in the slip data providing process,
by setting the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 as a
search target, the mobile terminal 31 needs not access a part
(specifically, the business application program DB 17 and the 5
process flow DB 18a) functioning as the core business server
in the mobile terminal management server 10. Thus, security
can be improved when slip data is provided to the mobile terminal
31. Further, the process flow DB 18a may be set as the search
target. 10
[0098]
In the above-described embodiment, report data satisfying
a search condition is searched for with reference to the process
flow table PT storing process flow data including various kinds
of data related to a process flow including a plurality of business 15
processes, the process flow data is data including status data,
common data, and process-specific data, the status data is data
representing a progress status of each of the plurality of
business processes included in the process flow, the common data
is data that is common to business processes included in the 20
same process flow, and the process-specific data is data specific
to each business process included in the same process flow, and
thus it is possible to reduce a processing load required for
a search of data in a business system. In the business system
of the related art, since report data is managed by an individual 25

50
data table for each business process, when a search is performed,
it is necessary to refer to all data tables on a relevant business
process. For this reason, in a business system dealing with
a huge amount of data, a processing load required for a search
process is very large. In the above-described embodiment, the 5
process flow data including the status data, the common data,
and the process-specific data is constructed, and a search is
performed with reference to the process data table. Thus, since
a plurality of data tables are not referred to, it is possible
to significantly reduce a processing load required for a search 10
of data in a business system, and it is also possible to
significantly reduce a creation load of a processing program
for a data search.
[0099]
Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a 15
production management information providing process executed,
for example, by the mobile terminal management server 10 in the
report inquiry system 500 according to the present embodiment.
Here, the description will proceed in connection with an example
in which the mobile terminal management server 10 provides the 20
production management information according to a request from
the mobile terminal 31 used by the user X.
[0100]
In the production management information provision
process, the process of step S201 to step S205 is the same as 25

51
the process of step S101 to step S105 of the slip data providing
process, and a description thereof is not be made herein.
[0101]
In step S205, the user X pushes down any one of the menu
buttons M1 to M6 by a touch operation (a contact operation by 5
a finger) in the menu screen (see Fig. 6) displayed on the display
unit of the mobile terminal 31. In the present embodiment, the
inventory management button M5 is assumed to be pushed down.
The process when the other menu buttons M1 to M4 and M6 are pushed
down will not be made herein. 10
[0102]
When the inventory management button M5 is pushed down
in the menu screen, the mobile terminal 31 transmits information
representing that the inventory management button M5 has been
pushed down to the mobile terminal management server 10 as the 15
menu selection result (step S206).
[0103]
Upon receiving the menu selection result representing that
the inventory management button M5 has been pushed down, the
inventory management information processing unit 11b of the 20
mobile terminal management server 10 transmits condition
designation screen information representing a condition
designation screen used to designate a search condition to the
mobile terminal 31 (step S207).
[0104] 25

52
Upon receiving the condition designation screen
information, the mobile terminal 31 causes the condition
designation screen represented by the received condition
designation screen information to be displayed on the display
unit included in the mobile terminal 31 (step S208). 5
[0105]
Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of the condition designation screen. As illustrated in Fig.
12, the condition designation screen is provided with an item
goods input region 801 through which item goods of a product 10
is input as a search condition and a decide button B5 pushed
down to decide the item goods input to the item goods input region
801 as the search condition.
[0106]
In the condition designation screen, the user X operates 15
an input unit such as a keyboard displayed on the screen, for
example, as the item goods input region 801 is touched, and inputs
one or more item goods serving as a search target to the item
goods input region 801. When the input of the item goods ends,
the user X pushes down the decide button B5 by the touch operation. 20
In this way, the user X designates the item goods of the product
as the search condition.
[0107]
When the decide button B5 is pushed down after the item
goods are input, the mobile terminal 31 designates a search target 25

53
product by presenting the item goods, and transmits the inventory
management information provision request to the mobile terminal
management server 10 (step S209).
[0108]
Upon receiving the inventory management information 5
provision request, the mobile terminal management server 10
searches for slip data associated with the item goods presented
according to the received provision request with reference to
the process flow data stored in the process flow data temporary
storage DB 16, and extracts the extraction data by extracting 10
an item related to inventory management of the designated item
goods in the searched slip data, generates each quantity data
for inventory management from the extracted extraction data,
and generates inventory-related data (see Fig. 4) including the
extraction data and the quantity data (step S210). 15
[0109]
When the inventory-related data is generated, the mobile
terminal management server 10 generates inventory management
information (see Fig. 13) configured with certain items based
on the generated inventory-related data (step S211). In the 20
present embodiment, the mobile terminal management server 10
generates the inventory management information (see Fig. 13)
by sorting item goods, a required date, a scheduled warehousing
quantity, a scheduled delivery quantity, an actual warehousing
quantity, and an actual delivery quantity among items configuring 25

54
the inventory-related data using item goods and a required date
as a key item, counting a quantity in the same key item, and
adding an inventory transition item obtained by calculating
transition of an inventory quantity based on the counting result.
[0110] 5
When the inventory management information is generated,
the mobile terminal management server 10 generates inventory
management information display screen information representing
an inventory management information display screen used to
display the generated inventory management information, and 10
transmits the generated inventory management information
display screen information to the mobile terminal 31 (step S212).
[0111]
Upon receiving the inventory management information
display screen information, the mobile terminal 31 causes the 15
inventory management information display screen represented by
the received inventory management information display screen
information to be displayed on the display unit included in the
mobile terminal 31 (step S213).
[0112] 20
Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example
of the inventory management information display screen. As
illustrated in Fig. 13, the inventory management information
display screen is provided with an inventory management
information display region 901 in which the inventory management 25

55
information is displayed and a back button B6 pushed down to
return to a previous screen. In the present embodiment, as
illustrated in Fig. 13, item goods, a required date, a scheduled
warehousing quantity, a scheduled delivery quantity, an actual
warehousing quantity, an actual delivery quantity, and inventory 5
transition are displayed on the inventory management information
display region 901 as the inventory management information.
[0113]
When the user X performs an operation of ending access
such as an operation of ending a browser in the inventory 10
management information display screen (Y in step S214), the
mobile terminal 31 transmits a logout request to the mobile
terminal management server 10 (step S215). Further, when an
operation of continuing access such as an operation of pushing
down the back button B6 is performed (N in step S214), the mobile 15
terminal 31 causes the process to proceed to step S208, and the
condition designation screen to be displayed (see Fig. 12).
[0114]
When the inventory management information display screen
information is transmitted in step S212, the mobile terminal 20
management server 10 starts to measure a time (standby time)
in which an information exchange with the mobile terminal 31
is not performed, and monitors whether or not the standby time
has elapsed a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes, 10
minutes, 30 minutes, and the like) (has reached a predetermined 25

56
time) (step S216).
[0115]
When the logout request is received during measurement
of the standby time (Y in step S217), the mobile terminal
management server 10 stops measuring the standby time, and 5
performs a logout process of releasing the login state (step
S218).
[0116]
when it is determined that the standby time has elapsed
a predetermined time (Y in step S216), the mobile terminal 10
management server 10 ends measuring the standby time, and
performs a logout process of releasing the login state (step
S218).
[0117]
In the above-described way, it is determined whether or 15
not it is permitted to log in the mobile terminal management
server 10 according to the login request from the mobile terminal
31 which becomes operable by the login process. When it is
permitted to log in, an inventory management information
provision request is received, and a process of providing the 20
requested inventory management information is executed.
[0118]
In the above example, in the inventory management
information provision process, the slip data search target is
the process flow data temporary storage DB 16, but the process 25

57
flow DB 18a may be the search target.
[0119]
As described above, in the above-described embodiment,
the mobile terminal management server 10 that is a server run
by ERP and provides various kinds of data via the communication 5
network 40 according to the request from the mobile terminals
31 to 3N used by the users includes the process flow data table
PT that stores the process flow data including various kinds
of data related to the process flow including a plurality of
business processes, the process flow data is data including the 10
status data, the common data, and the process-specific data,
the status data is data representing the progress statuses of
the plurality of business processes included in the process flow,
the common data is data that is common to business processes
included in the same process flow, the process-specific data 15
is data specific to each business process included in the same
process flow, and the mobile terminal management server 10 is
configured to provide the condition designation screen used to
designate the search condition according to the request from
the mobile terminal 31, receive and accept the search condition 20
designated through the condition designation screen from the
mobile terminal 31, search for process data including an item
related to inventory management of a product represented by the
accepted search condition with reference to the process flow
data stored in the process flow data table PT, generates the 25

58
quantity data a quantity related to an inventory of a product
based on the searched process data, generate the
inventory-related data including the generated quantity data,
generate the inventory management information including the
inventory transition of the product represented by the designated 5
search condition based on the inventory-related data, and provide
the generated inventory management information to the mobile
terminal 31, and thus in the business system that provides
information related to a report to the mobile communication
terminal (the mobile terminals 31 to 3N), it is possible to reduce 10
a processing load required for data processing in the business
system and rapidly output valid information (inventory
management information).
[0120]
The report data satisfying the search condition is searched 15
for with reference to the process flow table PT storing the process
flow data including various kinds of data related to the process
flow including a plurality of business processes, the process
flow data is data including the status data, the common data,
and the process-specific data, the status data is data 20
representing the progress statuses of the plurality of business
processes included in the process flow, the common data is data
that is common to business process included in the same process
flow, and the process-specific data is data specific to each
business process included in the same process flow, and thus 25

59
it is possible to reduce the processing load required for a data
search in the business system which is necessary to generate
the inventory management information. In the business system
of the related art, since report data is managed by an individual
data table for each business process, when a search is performed, 5
it is necessary to refer to all data tables on a relevant business
process. For this reason, in a business system dealing with
a huge amount of data, a processing load required for a search
process is very large. In the above-described embodiment, the
process flow data including the status data, the common data, 10
and the process-specific data is constructed, a search of
information necessary for generating the inventory management
information is performed with reference to the process data table,
and thus since a plurality of data tables are not referred to,
it is possible to significantly reduce a processing load required 15
for a search of data necessary for generating the inventory
management information in a business system, and it is also
possible to significantly reduce a creation load of a processing
program for a data search.
[0121] 20
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the mobile
terminal management server 10 is configured to search for process
data including items such as a received order, a purchase order,
a manufacturing warehousing schedule, a manufacturing delivery
schedule, warehousing, delivery, item goods, a required date, 25

60
and a quantity, and thus it is possible to search for information
necessary for generating the inventory-related data, and it is
possible to generate the inventory management information using
the inventory-related data.
[0122] 5
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the database
(for example, the process flow DB 18a) is disposed in the process
flow data management server (for example, the mobile terminal
management server 10) that manages the process flow data
generated for each process flow, and the process flow data 10
management server is configured to provide the report data
searched for with reference to the process flow data to the client
according to the request from the client (for example, the mobile
terminals 31 to 3N or the enterprise resource planning systems
100, 200, and 300). Thus, it is possible to construct a system 15
in which a processing load required to provide the report data
is reduced.
[0123]
Further, although not particularly mentioned in the
above-described embodiment, the mobile terminal management 20
server 10 executes the above-described processes (see Fig. 5
and Fig. 11) according to a processing program (a mobile terminal
management program) stored in a storage medium equipped therein.

Industrial Applicability 25

61
[0124]
According to the present invention, it is useful in
reducing a processing load required for a data search and in
outputting valid information rapidly in a business system
(specifically, an ERP system) that provides information about 5
a report to a mobile communication terminal.

Reference Signs List
[0125]
10 mobile terminal management server 10
20 relay
31 to 3N mobile terminals
40 communication network
51, 52, 53 communication network
100, 200, 300 enterprise resource planning system 15
110, 310 core business server
120, 220 DWH server
500 report inquiry system

62

WE CLAIM:

1. A mobile terminal management server that is a server run
by enterprise resource planning (ERP) and provides various kinds
of data via a communication network according to a request from 5
a mobile terminal used by a user, comprising:
a process flow data storage unit that stores process flow
data including various kinds of data related to a process flow
including a plurality of business processes,
the process flow data including status data, common data, 10
and process-specific data,
the status data representing progress statuses of the
plurality of business processes included in the process flow,
the common data being common to business processes included
in the same process flow, 15
the process-specific data being specific to each business
process included in the same process flow;
a condition designation screen providing unit that
provides a condition designation screen used to designate a
search condition according to a request from the mobile terminal; 20
a search condition accepting unit that receives and accepts
the search condition designated through the condition
designation screen from the mobile terminal;
a process data search unit that searches for process data
including an item related to inventory management of a product 25

63
represented by the search condition accepted by the search
condition accepting unit with reference to the process flow data
stored in the process flow data storage unit;
an inventory-related data generating unit that generates
quantity data representing a quantity related to an inventory 5
of a product based on the process data searched by the process
data search unit, and generates inventory-related data including
the generated quantity data;
an inventory management information generating unit that
generates inventory management information including inventory 10
transition of the product represented by the designated search
condition based on the inventory-related data; and
an inventory management information providing unit that
provides the inventory management information generated by the
inventory management information generating unit to the mobile 15
terminal.

2. The mobile terminal management server according to claim
1,
wherein the process data search unit searches for process 20
data including items of a received order, a purchase order, a
manufacturing warehousing schedule, a manufacturing delivery
schedule, warehousing, delivery, item goods, a required date,
and a quantity.
25

64
3. The mobile terminal management server according to claim
2,
wherein the quantity data includes a scheduled warehousing
quantity, a scheduled delivery quantity, an actual warehousing
quantity, and an actual delivery quantity. 5

4. The mobile terminal management server according to claim
3,
wherein the inventory management information includes
item goods, a required date, a scheduled warehousing quantity, 10
a scheduled delivery quantity, an actual warehousing quantity,
an actual delivery quantity, and inventory transition.

5. A mobile terminal management program that operates
enterprise resource planning (ERP) and causes a mobile terminal 15
management server to execute a process of providing various kinds
of data via a communication network according to a request from
a mobile terminal used by a user,
the mobile terminal management server including a process
flow data storage unit that stores process flow data including 20
various kinds of data related to a process flow including a
plurality of business processes,
the process flow data including status data, common data,
and process-specific data,
the status data representing progress statuses of the 25

65
plurality of business processes included in the process flow,
the common data being common to business processes included
in the same process flow,
the process-specific data being specific to each business
process included in the same process flow, 5
the mobile terminal management program causing the mobile
terminal management server to execute:
a condition designation screen providing process of
providing a condition designation screen used to designate a
search condition according to a request from the mobile terminal; 10
a search condition accepting process of receiving and
accepting the search condition designated through the condition
designation screen from the mobile terminal;
a process data search process of searching for process
data including an item related to inventory management of a 15
product represented by the search condition accepted in the
search condition accepting process with reference to the process
flow data stored in the process flow data storage unit;
an inventory-related data generating process of
generating quantity data representing a quantity related to an 20
inventory of a product based on the process data searched in
the process data search process and generating inventory-related
data including the generated quantity data;
an inventory management information generating process
of generating inventory management information including 25

66
inventory transition of the product represented by the designated
search condition based on the inventory-related data; and
an inventory management information providing process of
providing the inventory management information generated in the
inventory management information generating process to the 5
mobile terminal.
Dated this 25th
Day of July 2014
Of Anand And Anand Advocates
Agents for the Applicant
10

67