DESCRIPTION
MOBILE TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SERVER,
AND MOBILE TERMINAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Technical Field
[OOOl]
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal
management server that is a server, inwhichEnterpriseResource
Planning (ERP) runs, and provides various kinds of data via a
communication network in response to a request from a mobile
terminal used by a user, and a mobile terminal management
program installed in the mobile terminal management server.
Background Art
[0002]
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 (an integrated core business system or an ERP
system) in which this ERP is contained, it is most often
constructed 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
a report output.
[0003]
F o r t h e p u r p o s e o f p r o c e s s i n g t h e l a r g e a m o u n t o f b u s i n e s s
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) .
[00041
In report inquiry systems that are designed to output a
report, ones that provide information on a report or the like
toamobile communicationterminal (amobileterminal) havebeen
proposed (see Patent Literatures 2 and 3).
Prior Art Literature
Patent Literature
[00051
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. 2002-312208
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. 2003-323582
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. 2007-200136
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be solved by the Invention
[00061
In the report inquiry system that provides information
on a report or the like to the mobile communication terminal,
there is a convenience capable of acquiring information even
while a user is out or moving, but there is a problem in that
operabilityis not considered. In the ERP systemthat provides
information on a report or the like to the mobile communication
terminal, there are many types of reports to deal with, and thus
it is difficult to improve operability of the mobile
communication terminal.
[0007]
On the other hand, a conventional ERP systemrespectively
r e g i s t e r s data (containing data inputted by a user and data
c a l c u l a t e d f r o m v a r i o u s kinds of d a t a ) a c q u i r e d i n e a c h b u s i n e s s
process i n dedicated data t a b l e s ( t a b l e s ) and manages the
r e g i s t e r e d data. Namely, i n the conventional ERP system, a
t a b l e t o b e u p d a t e d i s d i f f e r e n t fromthe o t h e r s f o r every input
process such as a received order and a shipment i n s t r u c t i o n .
In t h i s regard, the "input process" means a process t o input
various kinds of data acquired (or determined) by a manager of
the ERP system i n t o the r e s p e c t i v e t a b l e s i n the business
processes.
[0008]
FIGS. 10 and 11 are explanatory drawings explaining an
example of a t a b l e configuration i n a conventional ERP system.
For example, i n the case where a business flow (process flow)
c o n s t i t u t e d by a p l u r a l i t y of business processes denotes
"inventory s a l e s f ' , t h e r e a r e f i v e input processes including a
received o r d e r , a shipment i n s t r u c t i o n , d e l i v e r y , acceptance
inspection, and s a l e s . I n t h i s case, t h e r e a r e f i v e t a b l e s f o r
s t o r i n g data on the process flow of the "inventory s a l e s " ,
i n c l u d i n g a r e c e i v e d o r d e r t a b l e , a shipment i n s t r u c t i o n t a b l e ,
a delivery t a b l e , an acceptance i n s p e c t i o n t a b l e and a s a l e s
t a b l e f o r each of the input processes, f o r example, as shown
i n FIGS. 10A t o 10C, FIGS. 11A and 11B.
[0009]
Namely, i n the conventional ERP system, the t a b l e s
updated f o r every input process have been d i f f e r e n t from each
o t h e r . For t h a t reason, a s s o c i a t i o n among a p l u r a l i t y of
businessprocessesthatbelongtothe sameprocess flowhasbeen
c a r r i e d out by applying an i d e n t i f i e r ( i n FIGS. 10 and 11, a
received order number and received order d e s c r i p t i o n i n the
shipment i n s t r u c t i o n t a b l e , a shipment i n s t r u c t i o n number and
shipment i n s t r u c t i o n d e s c r i p t i o n i n the shipment t a b l e , and the
like) to the data (process data) regarding the respective
business processes.
[OOlO]
For that reason, in the conventional ERP system,
specification of a table according to a kind of input process
and an input of an identifier for other corresponding process
data have been required for one input process. Namely, for
example, in the case where process data regarding a business
process "shipment instruction" related to process data
specified by a received order number "A00001" and a received
order description number "0010" (that is, various kinds of data
stored in the same row as the received order number "A00001"
andthereceivedorderdescriptionnumber"0010"inthe received
order table) are registered in a database included in the ERP
system as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, there is a need to register
the received order number "A00001" and the received order
description number '0010" in the shipment instruction table as
the process data regarding the business process "shipment
instruction" in addition to a shipment instruction number and
a shipment instruction description number for specifying the
process data, a type indicating a kind of business process, and
dataindicatingthecontentofthebusinessprocess (forexample,
a sold-to party, quantity, the amount of money, shipment
instruction date, a shipment text and the like). This is a
problem in view of effective data processes (for example, data
a part of which is the same (for example, a sold-to party or
quantity, the amount of money, or the like) are registered in
the plurality of tables.
[OOll]
Then, in the conventional ERP system, as well as the case
where data are registered, in the case where data are searched
from various kinds of data stored in various tables in response
to a request of the user, for example, it is necessary to search
for necessary process data by tracing an identifier of process
data and to acquire data matching a search condition from
various tables separately. For this reason, there has been a
problem that a processing load required for a search increases
excessively.
[0012]
It is an object of the present invention to resolve the
problems described above and to reduce a processing load
required for a search of data in a business system and improve
operability of a search operation of a mobile communication
terminal in a business system (an ERP system) that provides
information on a report to a mobile communication terminal.
Means for Solving the Problems
[00131
According to the present invention, there is provided a
mobile terminal management server for providing various kinds
of data to a mobile terminal used by a user via a communication
network in response to a request from the mobile terminal, the
mobile terminal management server being a server in which ERP
runs, the mobile terminal management server including: a
process flowdatastoragesectionforstoringprocess flowdata,
the process flow data containing various kinds of data on
process flow, theprocess flowincludingapluralityofbusiness
process; a search condition designation screen providing
section that provides a search condition designation screen
used to designate a search condition in response to the request
fromthe mobile terminal; a search condition receiving section
that receives a search condition designatedthroughthe search
conditiondesignation screen fromthemobileterminal; a report
data searching section that searches for report data satisfying
the searchconditionreceivedbythe search condition receiving
section by r e f e r r i n g t o the process flow data s t o r e d i n the
process flowdata s t o r a g e s e c t i o n ; andasearchresultproviding
section t h a t provides search r e s u l t data t o the mobile terminal
as a search r e s u l t , the search r e s u l t data representing the
r e p o r t d a t a searched by the r e p o r t d a t a searching s e c t i o n ,
wherein the process flow data are data containing s t a t u s data,
common data and process unique data, wherein the s t a t u s data
a r e data representing a progress s i t u a t i o n of each of a
p l u r a l i t y of business processes included i n the process flow,
wherein the common data are data common among the business
p r o c e s s e s i n c l u d e d i n t h e sameprocess flow, wherein the process
unique data are data unique t o each of the business processes
included i n the same process flow, and wherein a s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e display region f o r displaying a s e l e c t i o n
item arrangement c i r c l e is provided on the search condition
designation screen, and a p l u r a l i t y of s e l e c t i o n i t e m s
s e l e c t a b l e t o designate a search condition are arranged
s u b s t a n t i a l l y on the circumference of the s e l e c t i o n item
arrangement c i r c l e .
[0014]
Byconfiguringitasdescribedabove, i n a b u s i n e s s system
t h a t provides information on a report t o amobile communication
terminal, it is possible t o reduce a processing load required
f o r a search of data i n the business system and improve
o p e r a b i l i t y of a search operation of the mobile communication
terminal.
[0015]
For example, a s e l e c t i o n item r o t a t i o n rendering setup
ismade i n t h e s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement c i r c l e display region
sothatselectionitemrotationrenderinginwhichtheplurality
of s e l e c t i o n items are r o t a t i o n a l l y moved on the circumference
of the selection item arrangement circle is carried out in
accordance withapredetermined rotation instructionoperation
of the mobile terminal by the user.
[0016]
For example, a plurality of selection item arrangement
circle display regions are provided on the search condition
designation screen.
[0017]
It may be configured so that the plurality of selection
item arrangement circle display regions are set up so that a
part of the selection item arrangement circle display regions
is partially superimposed, and the selection items arranged on
the selection item arrangement circle displayed in each of the
selection item arrangement circle display regions are
configured to have a display form different from that of any
other selection item arrangement circle.
[0018]
It may be configured so that the plurality of selection
item arrangement circle display regions are provided on the
search condition designation screen for every predetermined
class; selection items arranged substantially on a
circumference of a first selection item arrangement circle
displayed in a first selection item arrangement circle display
region are report type selection items used to designate one
or more report type as a search condition; selection items
arrangedsubstantiallyona circumference ofa secondselection
item arrangement circle displayed in a second selection item
arrangement circle display region are detailed condition
selectionitemsusedtodesignateoneormoredetailedcondition
among detailed conditions including at least one of a date, a
customer, andanorganizationas a search condition; the search
condition receiving section receives the search condition
including the report type designated through the search
condition designation screen and at least one of the detailed
conditions from the mobile terminal; and the report data
searching section searches for report data that have the
designated report type and satisfy the designated detailed
condition in accordance with the search condition received by
the search condition receiving section.
[ 0 0 1 9 ]
It may be configured so that selection items arranged
substantially on a circumference of a third selection item
arrangement circle displayed in a third selection item
arrangement circle display region are detailed condition
selection items used to designate one or more business process
as a search condition; the search condition receiving section
receives the search condition including the business process
designatedthroughthe searchconditiondesignationscreen from
the mobile terminal; and the report data searching section
searches for report data of the designated business process in
accordance with the search condition received by the search
condition receiving section.
[0020]
Itmaybe configured sothata'search keyword input region
used to input a search keyword is provided on the search
condition designation screen; the search condition receiving
section receives the search condition including a search
keyword inputted into the search keyword input region from the
mobile terminal; and the report data searching section searches
for report data that satisfy the search condition further
including the search keyword received by the search condition
receiving section.
[0021]
Further, according to the present invention, there is
provided a mobile terminal management program for causing ERP
to run and causing amobileterminalmanagementserverto carry
out a process to provide various kinds of data to a mobile
terminalusedbya user via a communicationnetwork in response
to a request from the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal
management program causing the mobile terminal management
server, provided with a process flow data storage section for
storing process flow data containing various kinds of data on
a process flow including a plurality of business processes, to
execute: a search condition designation screen providing
process to provide a search condition designation screen used
to designate a search condition in response to the request from
the mobile terminal, a selection item arrangement circle
display region being provided on the search condition
designation screen to display a selection item arrangement
circle in which a plurality of selection items selectable to
designate a search condition are arranged substantially on a
circumference; a search condition receiving process to receive
a search condition designated through the search condition
designation screen from the mobile terminal; a report data
searching process to search for report data satisfying the
search condition received in the search condition receiving
process by referring to the process flow data stored in the
process flowdata storage section; anda search result providing
process to provide the report data searched in the report data
searching process as a search result, wherein the process flow
data are data containing status data, common data and process
unique data, wherein the status data are data representing a
progress situation of each ofaplurality of business processes
included in the process flow, wherein the common data are data
commonamongthebusinessprocessesincludedinthe sameprocess
flow, and wherein the process unique data are data unique to
each of the business processes included in the same process
flow.
Effects of the Invention
[0022]
According to the present invention, in a business system
that provides information ona reporttoamobile communication
terminal, it is possible to reduce a processing load required
fora searchofdatainabusiness systemandimproveoperability
of a search operation of a mobile communication terminal.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[00231
FIG. 1is a blockdiagramshowing a configuration example
of a report inquiry system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example
of a mobile terminal management server.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a storage state of process flow data.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a slip data
providing process.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a menu screen.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a slip search screen.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
the slip search screen.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
an overall configuration ofa selection itemarrangement circle
displayed on a slip search screen.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a search result list display screen.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory drawing for explaining an
example of a table configuration in a conventional ERP system.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory drawing for explaining an
example of atable configurationin the conventional ERPsystem.
Mode for Carrying out the Invention
[0024]
Hereinafter, an embodiment ofthe present invention will
be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1is a blockdiagramshowing a configuration example
of a report inquiry system 500 according to one embodiment of
the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the report inquiry
system 500 includes a mobile terminal management server 10, a
relay apparatus 20, a plurality of mobile terminals 31 to 3N
(N is an arbitrary positive integer), an integrated core
business system 100, an integrated core business system 200,
and an integrated core business system 300.
[0025]
The mobile terminal management server 10 is connected to
eachofthemobileterminals 31to 3Nviaacommunicationnetwork
40, suchas the Internet, andtherelayapparatus 20. Themobile
terminal management server 10 is connected to the integrated
core business system 100, the integrated core business system
200 and the integrated core business system 300 via
communication networks 51, 52, and 53, such as a LAN (Local Area
Network) or a dedicated communication line, respectively. In
this regard, themobileterminalortheintegratedcorebusiness
system may be configured so as to be capable of communicating
with any other mobile terminal or any other integrated core
business system via the mobile terminal management server,
respectively, or the mobile terminal or the integrated core
business system may be configured so as not to be capable of
communicating with any other mobile terminal or any other
integrated core business system, respectively.
[0026]
The integrated core business system 100 includes a core
business server 110, a data warehouse server (DWH server) 120
and a process flow DB 101. The integrated core business system
200 includes a DWH server 220 and a process flow DB 201. The
integrated core business system 300 includes a core business
server 310 and a process flow DB 301.
[0027]
Each of the plurality of the integrated core business
systems 100, 200 and 300 each having a different configuration
fulfils a function as an integrated core business system by
carrying out communication (transmission and reception of
various kinds of information) with the mobile terminal
management server 10 if necessary (that is, in accordance with
a function that each system has) . In other words, in the report
inquiry system, even the system 200 having no core business
server or the system 300 having no DWH server can also fulfill
the functionofthe integrated core business systemby carrying
out communication with the mobile terminal management server
10. Although it has not been shown in the drawings, even a
system having no process flow DB can also fulfill the function
of the integrated core business system by storing process flow
data in themobile terminalmanagement server 10. Since a known
technique is used for the core business server or the like
included in each core business system, the following
description will be made using the integrated core business
system 100 as an example.
[0028]
Thecorebusiness server110isconnectedtotheDWHserver
120 through a dedicated communication line.
[0029]
The core business server 110 is a server managed by a
manager of the report inquiry system 500, for example, and has
various functions tomanage report information onvarious kinds
ofbusinesses (forexample, functionstocreate, updateandsave
information). The core business server 110 is configured by
a generalinformation-processing apparatus providedwith anOS
(Operating System) and a relational DB.
[0030]
Here, the report is the general term of books and a type
of slip. Further, the books denote one in which matters
concerning accounts of money or goods are filled, and the slip
denotes data that become a basis for creating books and
constitute evidence of transactions andthe like onabusiness.
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.
[00311
The core business server 110 carries out various kinds
ofprocessesinaccordancewithaljusiness applicationprogram.
There are a sales business management program, a sales business
management program, a production management program, a
financial accounting management program, a managerial
accounting management program and the like as the business
application programs, for example.
[00321
The DWH server 120 is a servermanagedby a systemmanager
of the present system, for example, and has various kinds of
functions for realizing a data warehouse. Here, the data
warehouse denotes a systemto analyze the associationamong the
individual items from among business data such as report data
accumulated in time series. Further, the DWH server 120 has
a function to register various kinds of data in a predetermined
storage region (a business related data DB 101b, which will be
described later) by converting a file with a CSV format
transferred from the core business server 110 into a
predetermined data format and the like. In this regard, the
DWH server 120 may be configured to extract data according to
the respective storage regions from a state of the CSV format
without carrying out conversion of the data format.
[0033]
The process flow DB 101 is a storage medium for storing
process flow data configured by various kinds of process data
(or report data) collected and marshaled by means of various
kinds ofinformationprocessingusingvarious kinds of programs
stored in a business application program DB (not shown in the
drawings) of the core business server 110. The process flow
data will be described later in detail. In the present
embodiment, the integrated core business system 100 includes
a business related data DB (not shown in the drawings) managed
by the DWH server 120, and the core business server 110 has a
function to convert process data stored in the process flow DB
101 into a CSV format in accordance with a predetermined
extractionconditionanda functionto transmit theprocess data
to the mobile terminal management server 10. In the present
embodiment, the core business server 110 transfers a data file
whose format is converted into the CSV format to the mobile
terminal management server 10 by means of FTP (File Transfer
Protocol).
[00341
The mobile terminal management server 10 is a server, in
which ERP runs, which provides various kinds of data via a
communication network in response to a request from the mobile
'terminal used by the user. The mobile terminal management
server 10 is configuredby an information-processing apparatus
such as a WWW server, f o r example, and managed by the system
manager of the report inquiry system 500.
100351
FIG. 2 is ablockdiagramshowinga configurationexample
of the mobile terminal management server 10. As shown i n F I G .
2, the mobile terminal management server 10 includes a control
section 11 t h a t c a r r i e s out various kinds of control, a process
flow data temporary storage DB 16, a business a p p l i c a t i o n
program DB 17, a process flow DB 18, a DWH DB 19, and the other
DB10X f o r s t o r i n g v a r i o u s kinds of data ( f o r example, data used
by various kinds of programs s t o r e d i n t h e business a p p l i c a t i o n
program DB 17) necessary t o implement the function of the
general core business server. In t h i s regard, since the other
D B 1 0 X i s a p o r t i o n w i t h n o r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e p r e s e n t i n v e n t i o n
i n p a r t i c u l a r , detailed explanation thereof is omitted. The
control section 11 includes a s l i p data provision processing
section l l a t h a t c a r r i e s out, for example, a process t o provide
process flow data t o the mobile terminals 31 t o 3N.
[0036]
The process flowdatatemporarystorage DB16is a storage
medium f o r temporarily storing process flow data acquired from
the integrated core business system 100 side and process flow
d a t a s t o r e d i n the process flow DB 18. The process flow data
stored i n the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 are
updated, f o r example, a t regular i n t e r v a l s ( f o r example, a t
one-day i n t e r v a l s , a t three-day i n t e r v a l s , or a t 12-hour
i n t e r v a l s ) .
[0037]
ThebusinessapplicationprogramDB17isa storagemedium
f o r s t o r i n g a program used f o r various kinds of businesses.
There are a s a l e s business management program, a purchase
business management program, a production management program,
a financial accounting management program, and a managerial
accounting management program as the programs stored in the
business application program DB 17, for example.
[0038]
The process flow DB 18 is a storage medium for storing
process flow data configured by various kinds of process data
(or report data) collected and marshaled by means of various
kinds ofinformationprocessingusingvarious kinds of programs
stored in the business application program DB 17. In the
present embodiment, the case where process flow data containing
various kinds of data related to a process flow including a
plurality of business processes are stored in a process flow
table PT of the process flow DB 18 will be described. Further,
in the present embodiment, the case where the mobile terminal
management server 10 centrally manages the process flow data
generatedineachprocess flow atone process flowtable PTwill
be described. In this regard, in the.present embodiment,
generally used slip data (for example, data, in which received
order slip header information, received order slip description
information, delivery date schedules and the like are
associatedwithslipdatacorrespondingtoareceivedorder slip,
stored with a structure in which data can be searched based on
a key such as a slip number (here, the slip number includes a
received order number, a purchase order number, a shipment
number, an acceptance or delivery numbers, a bill reference,
a billing number, an accounting number and the like.) are
contained in the process flow data.
[0039]
In this regard, the mobile terminal management server 10
may be configured so as to manage, using a plurality of tables,
the process flow data for every type (which will be described
l a t e r ) o r f o r whatever a p a r t of the content of common data ( f o r
example, a sold-to party) or the l i k e , w i l l be described l a t e r )
is the same, f o r example.
[0040]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a storage s t a t e of process flow data i n the process flow DB 18.
As showninFIG. 3 , t h e p r o c e s s f l o w d a t a a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r e s e n t
embodiment contain: amain key s e c t i o n ; a reference key s e c t i o n ;
a type section; a s t a t u s section; a common data section; and
a process unique d a t a s e c t i o n . In t h i s regard, items
corresponding t o the respective s e c t i o n s of the process flow
data ( t h a t is, the respective column i t e m s i n the process flow
t a b l e PT) denote the kinds of process data t h a t c o n s t i t u t e t h e
process flow d a t a . Namely, the data regarding each of the
business processes t h a t c o n s t i t u t e t h e process flow are
a s s i g n e d t o t h e respective s e c t i o n s t h a t c o n s t i t u t e t h e p r o c e s s
flow data and s t o r e d . In t h i s regard, process data regarding
one process flow ( f o r example, a s e r i e s of process flow from
a received order from a company t o d e l i v e r y ) are stored i n the
same entry of the process flow t a b l e PT ( t h a t is, the same l i n e
i n t h e p r o c e s s f l o w t a b l e PT). Byconfiguringitinthismanner,
it is possible t o define a correspondence r e l a t i o n s h i p among
the respective process data.
[0041]
Here, the "main key section" is a portion i n which main
keydata t h a t a r e d a t a f o r u n i q u e l y s p e c i f y i n g p r o c e s s flowdata
are stored among the process flow d a t a . I n the present
embodiment, the main key section is constructed by a process
flow number and a process flow d e s c r i p t i o n number. Namely, i n
the present embodiment, acombinationoftheprocess flownumber
and the process flow d e s c r i p t i o n number becomes an i d e n t i f i e r
( I D ) of each of the process flow data. The main key s e c t i o n
is updated at the first registration of the process flow. In
this regard, the word "at the first registration of the process
flow" herein means the time when entry (data line) is added to
the process flow data, for example, the time when unregistered
process data that are other corresponding process data
belonging to a certain process flow are registered. Further,
the "update" herein includes addition of data.
[0042]
Inthis regard, the"process flownumber" isanidentifier
for specifying one process flow data (that is, one line in the
process flow table PT shownin FIG. 2). The process flow number
is applied to process data whose predetermined items are the
same as each other. In the present embodiment, as the process
flow number, the same number is to be applied to process flow
data whose type and ordering party are the same in the process
flow data.
[0043]
Further, the "process flow description number" is an
identifier for specifying specific process flow data fromamong
the process flow data to each of which the same process flow
number is applied. Namely, for example, in the process flow
table PT shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to uniquely specify
process flow data containing process data, which indicate that
an order for businesses with the amount of money "1200" and
'2600" is received from a sold-to party "TOOl", in a business
process "received order" of a type 'inventory sales" of the
process flow by means of a combination of a process flow number
"000001"andaprocessflowdescriptionnumber'0010"or'0020".
[0044]
Subsequently, the "reference key section" is a portion
in which reference key data that are data for specifying other
process flowdata (or other process data) related tothe process
flow, such as an o r i g i n a l t r a n s a c t i o n with respect t o returned
goods of s a l e s , i n the process flow data a r e s t o r e d . In the
present embodiment, the reference key s e c t i o n is configured by
a reference number and a reference d e s c r i p t i o n number. The
reference key s e c t i o n is updated a t the f i r s t r e g i s t r a t i o n of
the process flow.
[ 0 0 4 5 ]
In t h i s regard, a process flow number and a process flow
descriptionnumber of other process flow r e l a t e d t o t h e process
flow a r e s t o r e d i n the reference number and the reference
d e s c r i p t i o n number, r e s p e c t i v e l y . However, i n the case where
t h e r e is n o o t h e r process flow r e l a t e d t o t h e process flow, such
as the case o f a n e w t r a n s a c t i o n , d a t a i n d i c a t i n g t h e samevalue
as the main key s e c t i o n of the same e n t r y a r e s t o r e d i n the
reference key s e c t i o n ( t h a t is, the process flow number and the
process flow d e s c r i p t i o n number a r e r e s p e c t i v e l y s t o r e d i n the
reference number and the reference d e s c r i p t i o n number) .
Further, i n the case where the reference key s e c t i o n i n d i c a t e s
other process data r e l a t e d t o the process flow, data f o r
specifying a kind of process data are f u r t h e r provided i n the
reference key s e c t i o n .
[0046]
Further, the "type section" denotes a portion i n which
type data t h a t a r e data i n d i c a t i n g a kind of the process flow
such as inventory s a l e s or sample shipment among the process
flow data are s t o r e d . The type s e c t i o n is updated a t the f i r s t
r e g i s t r a t i o n of the process flow. In t h i s regard, the kind of
process flow is not limited t o inventory s a l e s or sample
shipment. Further, it is determined what process is necessary
i n advance f o r every kind of process flow ( t h a t is, the kinds
and the number of business processes included i n the kind of
process f l o w a r e d i f f e r e n t ) . I n t h i s r e g a r d , o t h e r p l u r a l k i n d s
of process flows w i l l be presented l a t e r (see FIG. 9 ) .
[0047]
Further, the " s t a t u s s e c t i o n " i s a p o r t i o n i n w h i c h s t a t u s
data t h a t a r e data of process flow data r e p r e s e n t i n g p r o g r e s s
o f a p r o c e s s flow ( t h a t is, d a t a i n d i c a t i n g a p r o g r e s s s i t u a t i o n
of each of a p l u r a l i t y of business processes included i n the
process flow) are s t o r e d . I n t h e present embodiment, as the
s t a t u s data, with respect t o b u s i n e s s processes r e q u i r e d b y t h e
process flow, "0" is s e t t o uncompleted ones, and '1" is s e t
t o completed ones, thereby i n d i c a t i n g progress of each of the
business p r o c e s s e s . Namely, f o r example, i n t h e case where
business processes included i n a process flow of "inventory
s a l e s " are a "received order", "shipment", "deliveryf1,
"delivery acceptance inspectionf1 and "sales" as shown i n FIG.
3, process unique data ( f o r example, order received d a t e )
r e g a r d i n g t h e b u s i n e s s process " r e c e i v e d o r d e r n a r e r e g i s t e r e d .
In t h i s case, as the s t a t u s data, "1" is s e t t o a p o r t i o n
corresponding t o "sales", and the o t h e r p o r t i o n s remain as an
i n i t i a l s t a t e ( t h a t is, a s t a t e i n which "0" is s e t u p ) .
[0048]
Namely, the s t a t u s s e c t i o n according t o the present
embodiment is updated f o r each of the business p r o c e s s e s . In
otherwords, when process unique data ( w i l l b e d e s c r i b e d l a t e r )
a r e i n p u t t e d , m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y , when it is d e t e r m i n e d t h a t each
of the business processes is completed on the b a s i s of
s a t i s f a c t i o n of apredetermined s t a t u s changing condition, the
s t a t u s s e c t i o n is updated. In t h i s regard, a l t h o u g h t h e s t a t u s
changing condition is not limited i n p a r t i c u l a r , i n the present
embodiment, a condition t h a t " a l l of process unique data
corresponding t o one business process are inputted" is s t o r e d
i n a predetermined storage region of the mobile terminal
management server 10 as the s t a t u s changing condition.
[0049]
In this regard, in the present embodiment, since
different kinds of process flows are stored in the same table,
a portion in which unnecessary process data are stored may be
generated in a specific process flow of items (line items) that
constitute tables. In this case, in the process flow table,
a portion in which the unnecessary process data are stored
becomes blank data, and '0" is stored in the status data
corresponding to the blank data.
[0050]
Further, the "common data section" is a portion in which
commondata that are data independent ofthebusiness processes
of the process flow data, such as a sold-to party and a shipment
address, (that is, data common among the business processes
included in the same process flow) are stored. The common data
section is updated at the first registration of the process
flow.
[0051]
Further, the "process unique data section" is a portion
in which process unique data that are unique data for each of
the business processes included in the same process flow, such
as data registered in the order received date and each of the
business processes of the process flow data (for example, text
data indicating a precaution statement such as "No later than
delivery deadline" or "Fragile (Be careful with fragile
items)") and the like, are stored. The process unique data
section is updated for every business process. Therefore, in
the present embodiment, ones dependent upon each business
process are the "process unique data" andones independent from
any business process are 'common datal'ofthe process flow data.
[0052]
The above is explanation regarding the process flow data
according t o the present embodiment. Here, d e f i n i t i o n of
various kinds ofterms showninFIG. 3 w i l l b e e x p l a i n e d b r i e f l y .
[0053]
F i r s t , the "received order" means a s t a t e t h a t an order
is received from a customer and a c o n t r a c t is made with the
customer. Further, the "shipment i n s t r u c t i o n " means a s t a t e
t h a t an i n s t r u c t i o n t o ship out goods is c a r r i e d out t o a
warehouserorapersonfordistributionofthegoods. Further,
the "de1ivery"means a s t a t e t h a t the goods are shippedout from
a warehouse and i t s movement is s t a r t e d . Further, the
"acceptance inspection" means a s t a t e t h a t acceptance
inspection by the customer is completed and ownership of the
goods is s h i f t e d t o the customer. Further, the 'sales" means
a s t a t e t h a t the acceptance inspection by the customer is
confirmed and the amount of c l a i m s t o t h e customer is determined
(= a claim is p o s t e d ) .
[0054]
Further, the term "acceptance inspection" is a l s o used
i n the sense of a "business t o inspect whether incoming goods
or service has a s p e c i f i c a t i o n as ordered (= quantity, a color
or a shape and q u a l i t y as ordered) or not" or i n the sense t h a t
"ownership of a s s e t s is s h i f t e d a t c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e acceptance
inspection". In t h i s regard, i n order t o make c l e a r timing of
s h i f t of the ownership of the a s s e t s , an event "acceptance
inspection" is defined i n d i s t i n c t i o n from delivery on
f i n a n c i a l accounting (or on l e g a l f i n a n c i a l accounting) or on
the ERP system.
[0055]
The mobile terminal management server 10 has a function
t o provide various kinds of d a t a s t o r e d i n the process flow DB
18 and the other DB 10X i n response t o a request from a
predetermined e x t e r n a l device, t h a t is, a request from the
mobile terminals 31 to 3N and the integrated core business
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 an ERP engine.
[0056]
Even though it has not been shown in the drawings, 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 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 integrated core business system
to the integrated core business systems having different
configurations (for example, the integrated core business
s y s t e m 1 0 0 i n c l u d i n g c o r e t h e b u s i n e s s server andthe DWHserver,
the integrated core business system 200 including only the DWH
server, and the integrated core business system 300 including
only the DWH server).
[0057]
Each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N is an
information-processing apparatus including a CPU (Central
Processing Unit), a ROM, a RAM, a display section and the like,
such as an Ipad (registered trademark), for example. In the
present embodiment, each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N has
various kinds of applications available to deal with the report
data, suchas awebbrowser. Further, inthepresent embodiment,
each of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N has a function to define
a query (a search item, a search key, an extract key and the
like) for acquiring necessary report data (in the present
embodiment, the process flow data) from the mobile terminal
managementserver10inresponsetoanoperationinputbyauser,
for example, and a function to transmit the defined query to
the mobile terminal management server 10. Further, the mobile
terminals 31 to 3N include code readers (or code reader
functions) 31a to 3Na for reading out various kinds of codes
such as a QR code (Quick Response Code: which is a registered
trademark) , respectively.
[0058]
In the present embodiment, each of the mobile terminals
31 to 3N has a function to communicate with the mobile terminal
management server 10 via the relay apparatus 20 and the
communication network 40, and a function to output the data
acquired from the mobile terminal management server 10 to the
display section by means of a function of software such as a
predetermined Web application (Web browser), for example.
[0059]
Here, a process to update the process flow data stored
in the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 will be
described. In the present embodiment, when data update timing
(for example, a predetermined time defined in advance (at 2:00
am or the like) in case of updating them every day) comes, the
mobile terminalmanagement server 10 reads out the process flow
data (which become latest data) stored in the process flow DB
18 included in the mobile terminal management server 10; stores
(newly stores or overwrites) the process flow data in a
predeterminedstorage regionofthe process flowdata 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.
[0060]
Next, an operation of the report inquiry system 500
according to the present embodiment will be described with
reference to the drawings. In this regard, the content of
operations and processes with no relationship to the present
invention particularly may be omitted.
[0061]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a slip data
providingprocess carriedoutbythemobileterminalmanagement
s e r v e r 1 0 a n d t h e l i k e i n t h e r e p o r t i n q u i r y s y s t e m 5 0 0 a c c o r d i n g
to the present embodiment. Here, the case where the mobile
terminal management server 10 provides the process flow data
in response to a request from a mobile terminal 31 used by a
user X will be described an example.
[ 0 0 62 1
In the slip data providing process, the mobile terminal
31 first receives a log-in request by a log-in operation of the
user X (Step S101) . For example, an input operation of a
personal identification number set up in advance is thought as
this log-in operation. When log-in to the mobile terminal 31
is permitted, it is allowed to carry out various kinds of
operations for utilizing various kinds of functions mounted on
the mobile terminal 31.
[0063]
In the case where a predetermined log-in operation is
carried out by the user X when to log in the mobile terminal
31, the mobile terminal 31 accesses to the mobile terminal
management server 10 to acquire a log-in screen, and designates
information (for example, a user ID and a password which are
set up in advance) necessary to log in on the log-in screen to
carry out a log-in request (Step S102) . For example, this
log-in request is carried out by presenting predetermined
information (for example, an electronic certificate issued to
the user X) used for log-in determination defined in advance
in addition to the user ID and the password. In this regard,
it may be configured so as to cause the user X to designate a
group to which the user belongs and a language (for example,
Japanese) used in various kinds of screens when to log in the
mobile terminal management server 10.
[0064]
When the log-in request is received, the mobile terminal
management server10 determines permitted
or not (StepS103). For example, this determinationmaybemade
based on an ID, a password, an electronic certificate and the
like.
[0065]
In the case where it is determined that the log-in is
permitted ('Yes" at Step S103), the mobile terminal management
server 10 sets the mobile terminal 31 to a log-in state. When
the mobile terminal 31 is set to the log-in state, the mobile
terminalmanagementserver10transmitsmenuscreeninformation
representingamenu screen tothemobile terminal 31 (Step S104).
Inthis regard, inthe casewhere itisdeterminedthatthelog-in
is not permitted to ("No" at Step S103), the mobile terminal
management server 10 terminates the slipdataprovidingprocess
without setting the mobile terminal 31 to the log-in state.
Further, in the case where it is determined that the log-in is
notpermitted, themobile terminalmanagement server10 carries
out a process to notify the mobile terminal 31 of that effect.
[0066]
When the menu screen information is received, the mobile
terminal 31 causes the display section included in the mobile
terminal 31 to display the menu screen represented by the
received menu screen information (Step S105).
[0067]
FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
a menu screen. As shown in FIG. 5, a menu arrangement circle
d i s p l a y region 501 is provided on the menu screen. A menu
arrangement circle MG i n which menu buttons M 1 t o M6, on which
a p l u r a l i t y o f selectablemenu names a r e r e s p e c t i v e l y displayed,
a r e arranged s u b s t a n t i a l l y on the circumference thereof is
displayed on the menu arrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y region 501.
Further, as shown i n FIG. 5, a t i t l e display region MA on which
a t i t l e ofthemenuarrangementcircleMCarrangedatthe c e n t r a l
region of the c i r c l e formed by the menu arrangement circle MC
is d i s p l a y e d i s provided on themenu arrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y
region 501. Here, as the menu buttons M 1 t o M6, a s l i p search
button M 1 t h a t is pushed down when t o search f o r a s l i p , a new
s l i p button M2 t h a t is pushed down when t o newly c r e a t e a s l i p ,
a cost i n p u t b u t t o n M3 t h a t is pushed down when t o input a c o s t ,
a master r e g i s t r a t i o n button M4 t h a t is pushed down when t o
r e g i s t e r a master, a DWH button M5 t h a t is pushed down when t o
r e g i s t e r data i n t o the DWH DB 19, and an inventory query button
M6 t h a t is pushed down when t o query inventory information a r e
provided.
[0068]
I n t h e menu screen displayed on the d i s p l a y s e c t i o n of
the mobile terminal 31 i n which a touch panel is arranged, the
user X pushes down any one of the menu buttons M I t o M6 through
atouch operation ( a n o p e r a t i o n t o c o n t a c t bymeans o f a f i n g e r ) .
I n t h e present embodiment, the s l i p search button M1 is pushed
down. In t h i s regard, a process when any of the other menu
buttons M2 t o M6 are pushed down w i l l be omitted h e r e i n .
[0069]
When the s l i p search button M 1 is pushed down i n the menu
screen, the mobile terminal 31 n o t i f i e s the mobile terminal
management server 10 of the f a c t t h a t the s l i p s e a r c h b u t t o n
M 1 has been pushed down as a menu s e l e c t i o n r e s u l t (Step S106) .
[0070]
Whenthemenu selection resultrepresentingthe fact that
the slip search button M1 is pushed down is received, the slip
data provision processing section lla of the mobile terminal
management server 10 transmits the slip search screen
informationrepresentingtheslipsearchscreenfordesignating
a slip search condition to the mobile terminal 31 (Step S107) .
[00711
When the slip search screen information is received, the
mobile terminal 31 causes the display section included in the
m o b i l e t e r m i n a l 3 1 t o d i s p l a y t h e slipsearchscreen represented
by the received slip search screen information (Step S108).
[00721
FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
the slip search screen. As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of
selection item arrangement circle display regions 601, 602 and
603 and a keyword input region 604 for inputting a keyword to
beusedas a refinement conditionareprovidedonthe slip search
screen. In the plurality of selection itemarrangement circle
display regions 601, 602 and 603, a plurality of selection item
arrangement circles DC, SC and PC on each of which a plurality
of selection items selectable to designate a search condition
are arranged substantially on the circumference thereof are
displayed, respectively. 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
types of processed slips are selectably displayed, a detailed
selection type selection item arrangement circle SC in which
the titles of detailed items for refinement are selectably
displayed, andaprocesstype selectionitemarrangement circle
PC in which the types of business processes are selectably
displayed are provided. Further, as the selection item
arrangement circle display regions 601, 602 and 603, aprocessed
s l i p type s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e display region 601
t o display the processed s l i p type s e l e c t i o n i t e m arrangement
c i r c l e DC, a d e t a i l e d s e l e c t i o n type s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement
c i r c l e d i s p l a y region 6 0 2 t o d i s p l a y t h e d e t a i l e d s e l e c t i o n t y p e
s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e SC, and a process type
s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y region 6 0 3 t o d i s p l a y
the process type s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e PC are
provided.
[0073]
On the processed s l i p type s e l e c t i o n i t e m arrangement
c i r c l e DC, s e l e c t i o n i t e m s ( s e l e c t i o n item b u t t o n s ) , which are
arranged s u b s t a n t i a l l y on the circumference t h e r e o f , capable
of s e l e c t i n g one s l i p from seven types of s l i p s are arranged.
The seven types of s l i p s i n c l u d e : a received order button D l
f o r designating a received order s l i p as the search c o n d i t i o n ;
apurchase orderbuttonD2 f o r d e s i g n a t i n g a p u r c h a s e order s l i p
as t h e s e a r c h c o n d i t i o n ; awarehousingbuttonD3 f o r d e s i g n a t i n g
a warehousing s l i p as the search condition; a delivery button
D4 f o r designating a delivery s l i p as the search condition; a
s a l e s button D5 f o r designating a s a l e s s l i p as the search
c o n d i t i o n ; a b i l l i n g button D6 f o r designating a b i l l i n g s l i p
as the searchcondition; andapaymentbuttonD7 f o r d e s i g n a t i n g
a payment s l i p as the search c o n d i t i o n . F u r t h e r , a c l a s s
display button DA on which a c l a s s name 'processed s l i p " is
displayed is arranged on t h e c e n t r a l region of the processed
s l i p type s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement c i r c l e DC. I n t h e present
embodiment, the corresponding type of s l i p can be searched f o r
by s e l e c t i o n of the s e l e c t i o n items ( s e l e c t i o n i t e m buttons)
D l t o D7 (one button may be s e l e c t e d or p l u r a l buttons may be
s e l e c t e d ) .
[0074]
On t h e d e t a i l e d s e l e c t i o n type s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement
circle SC, selection items (selection item buttons), which are
arranged substantially on the circumference thereof, capable
of selecting one from four types of detailed refinement
condition items are arranged. The four types of detailed
refinement condition items include: a customer button S1 for
designating a customer as the search condition; a supplier
button S2 for designating a supplier as the search condition;
an organization button S3 for designating an organization as
the search condition; and an item goods button S4 for
designating item goods as the search condition. Further, a
class display button SA on which a class 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 are selected (one button may
be selected or plural buttons may be selected), a detailed
refinement condition designation screen (not shown in the
drawings) for designating a concrete refinement condition is
displayed, and a concrete refinement condition (for example,
which corresponds to a supplier company name when the customer
button S1 is selected, an item goods number when the item goods
button S4 is selected, and the like) can be designated through
the detailed refinement condition designation screen. The
slip that satisfies the designated refinement condition can be
searched for by selection using the concrete refinement
condition (one condition may be selected or plural conditions
may be selected).
[0075]
On the process type selection itemarrangement circle PC,
selection items (selection item buttons), which are arranged
substantially on the circumference thereof, capable of
selecting one business process from three types of business
processes are arranged. The three types of business processes
include: a production button PI for designating "production"
in the business process as the search condition; a sales button
P2 fordesignating "sa1es"inthebusinessprocess as the search
condition; and a purchase button P3 for designating "purchase"
in the business process as the search condition. Further, a
class display button PA on which a class name "process" is
displayed is arranged on the central region of the process type
selection item arrangement circle PC. In the present
embodiment, a slip relatedtothe corresponding type of business
process canbe searched for by selection ofthe selection items
(selection item buttons) PI to P3 (one button may be selected
or plural buttons may be selected).
[0076]
In the present embodiment, when the class display button
DA, SAor PAispusheddown, rendering inwhichthe corresponding
selection item arrangement circles DC, SC or PC rotates is
carried out. In other words, in the present embodiment, a
selection item rotation rendering setup (a setup by a computer
program) is made in the selection item arrangement circle
display regions 601, 602 and 603 on the slip search screen so
that selection item rotation rendering in which the plurality
of selection items in the corresponding selection item
arrangement circle DC, SC or PC are rotationally moved on the
circumference thereof can be carried out in accordance with a
predetermined rotation instruction operation (an operation of
pushingdowntheclass displaybuttonDA, SAor PA) ofthemobile
terminal 31bythe user X. More specifically, in the case where
the class display button DA is pushed down in a screen state
shownin FIG. 6, for example, selection itemrotation rendering
in which the plurality of selection items in the selection item
arrangement circle DC rotates in a counterclockwise direction
(in a direction A in FIG. 7) on the circumference is carried
out. In this case, the rotational direction may be changed in
accordance with a predetermined rotation direction changing
operation by the user X (an operation to touch the vicinity of
a portion of the screen, at which the circle formed by the
selectionitemarrangementcircleDCisdisplayed, witha finger
and to slide the touched finger in a new rotational direction) .
In this regard, it may be configured so that the selection item
rotation rendering is terminated in the case where the class
display button DA, SA or PA is pushed down again.
[0077]
Since the selection item rotation rendering is carried
out as described above, each of the selection item arrangement
circles DC, SC and PC may be arranged so as not to fall within
the screen as shown in FIG. 8. Even in the case where a part
of the selection items arranged on each of the selection item
arrangement circles DC, SCandPCisnotdisplayedonthescreen,
all of the selection items can be sequentially displayed by
causing the selection item arrangement circles DC, SC and PC
to rotate. Further, since there is no need to simultaneously
display all of the selection items arranged on each of the
selection item arrangement circles DC, SC and PC within one
screen, a display size of each of the selection items can be
enlarged. In this regard, in the case where a screen size is
large, it may be configured so that all of the selection items
are simultaneously displayed within one screen.
[0078]
In this regard, although each of the selection items
arranged on each of the selection item arrangement circles DC,
SC and PC is displayed in a circular frame in the present
embodiment, apart orallofthe selectionitemsmaybedisplayed
in a frame of any other shape such as a rectangular shape, a
t r i a n g u l a r shape, and a s t a r shape. Further, each of the
s e l e c t i o n items arranged on each of the s e l e c t i o n item
arrangement c i r c l e s DC, SC and PC is j u s t an example, and it
may be another s e l e c t i o n item.
[0079]
In the example shown i n FIG. 6, it has been configured
so t h a t the t h r e e s e l e c t i o n i t e m arrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y
regions 601, 602 and 603 are provided on the s l i p s e a r c h s c r e e n .
However, one s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y region
may be provided, or two or t h r e e or more s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e display regions may be provided.
[0080]
Further, i n the example shown i n FIG. 6, t h e s e l e c t i o n
i t e m arrangement circle display regions 601, 602 and 603 a r e
s e t up s o t h a t a p a r t of them is p a r t i a l l y superimposed, and
the s e l e c t i o n items ( s e l e c t i o n item buttons) arranged on each
of t h e s e l e c t i o n i t e m arrangement circles DC, SC and PC
displayed i n each of the s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e
d i s p l a y r e g i o n s 601, 602and603areconfiguredtohaveadisplay
f o r m d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h a t o f a n y o t h e r s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement
c i r c l e s DC, SC and PC ( f o r example, a d i f f e r e n t c o l o r ) . In t h i s
regard, any method may be used so long as it uses t h e d i f f e r e n t
display form, and a display form may be d i f f e r e n t i a t e d by
changing the shape or p a t t e r n t h e r e o f .
[0081]
I n t h e s l i p search screen, the user X s e l e c t s each
s e l e c t i o n i t e m arranged on each of the s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement circles DC, SCandPCbymeans of a t o u c h operation.
More s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e type of s l i p t h a t is a search t a r g e t is
s e l e c t e d b y s e l e c t i n g any one o f t h e s e l e c t i o n items ( s e l e c t i o n
item buttons) Dl t o D7 arranged on the processed s l i p type
s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e DC. Further, on the s l i p
search screen, the user X selects the title of a detailed item
for refinement by selecting any one of the selection items
(selection item buttons) S1 to S4 arranged on the detailed
selection type selection item arrangement circle SC. In the
case where any one of the selection items (selection item
buttons) S1 to S4 is selected, a detailed condition for search
is designated by inputting a concrete refinement condition on
the detailed refinement condition designation screen. Further,
i n t h e s l i p s e a r c h s c r e e n , t h e u s e r X s e l e c t s t h e t y p e o f b u s i n e s s
process that is a search target by selecting any one of the
selection items (selection item buttons) PI to P3 arranged on
the process type selection item arrangement circle PC.
Moreover, on the slip search screen, the user X designates a
search keyword by inputting a keyword to be used as the
refinement condition in the keyword input region 604.
100821
In the present embodiment, in the case where the user X
selects the item goods S4 among the selection items (selection
item buttons) S1 to S4 arranged on the detailed selection type
selection item arrangement circle SC on the slip search screen,
the mobile terminal 31 causes the display section of the mobile
terminal 31 to display the detailed refinement condition
designation screen in which the item goods input region is
provided. When the mobile terminal 31 reads out a code (for
example, a QR code or a barcode) attached to goods by means of
the code reader (or the code reader function) 31a provided on
the mobile terminal 31 in response to an operation of the user
XI the mobile terminal 31 displays an item goods number
representedbythe read-out codeintheitemgood sinputregion.
In the present embodiment, the itemgoods number canbe inputted
readily using the code reader (or the code reader function) 31a
as described above.
[0083]
In t h i s regard, i n the s l i p search s c r e e n , the user X may
s e l e c t or designate any one among a type of s l i p , a d e t a i l e d
condition f o r search, a b u s i n e s s p r o c e s s t h a t i s a s e a r c h t a r g e t ,
and a search keyword, or may s e l e c t or designate a r b i t r a r y
p l u r a l ones among them. Further, i n the s l i p search s c r e e n ,
the user X may s e l e c t or designate multiple ones f o r each o f
the type of s l i p , t h e d e t a i l e d condition f o r search, and the
business process t h a t is the search t a r g e t .
[00841
Whenthe s e l e c t i o n o r d e s i g n a t i o n o f t h e s e a r c h c o n d i t i o n
is terminated on the s l i p search screen, the user X pushes down
the search button 605 by means of a touch operation.
LOO851
When the search button 605 is pushed down i n a s t a t e i n
which the search condition is s e l e c t e d o r d e s i g n a t e d , themobile
terminal 31 presents t h e s e l e c t e d or designated search
conditiontothemobileterminalmanagementserver10, andmakes
a search r e q u e s t ( S t e p S109).
[0086]
When the search r e q u e s t is received, the mobile terminal
management server 10 searches f o r s l i p data t h a t match the
search condition presented i n response t o the re.ceived search
request by r e f e r r i n g t o the process flow data s t o r e d i n the
process flow data temporary storage DB 16 (Step S110).
[0087]
When the s l i p data are searched f o r i n accordance with
the search c o n d i t i o n , the mobile terminal management server 10
generates search r e s u l t l i s t display screen information
representingasearchresultlistdisplayscreen f o r d i s p l a y i n g
alistofthesearchedslipdataasasearchresult, andtransmits
the search r e s u l t l i s t display screen information t o t h e m o b i l e
terminal 31 (Step S 1 1 1 ) .
[0088]
When the search r e s u l t l i s t d i s p l a y screen information
is received, the mobile terminal 31 causes the display s e c t i o n
included i n the mobile terminal 31 t o display the search r e s u l t
l i s t display screen represented by the received search r e s u l t
l i s t display screen information (Step S112).
[0089]
FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of
the search r e s u l t l i s t display screen. As shown i n FIG. 9, a
display region 701 f o r displaying the search r e s u l t , a r e t u r n
button B1 pushed down t o r e t u r n t o a previous screen, and an
e d i t b u t t o n B 3 t h a t i s pusheddownwhentoeditthe search r e s u l t
a r e provided on the search r e s u l t l i s t display screen. In t h i s
regard, when a process flow t y p e (inventory s a l e s , d i r e c t
shipment s a l e s , or the l i k e ) is s e l e c t e d i n the search r e s u l t
l i s t display screen by means of a touch operation, the mobile
terminal 31 transmits a request t o acquire corresponding s l i p
data t o the mobile terminal management server 10. The mobile
terminal management server 10 r e f e r s t o the process flow data
s t o r e d i n the process flow data temporary storage DB 16 i n
response t o the a c q u i s i t i o n request of the s l i p data, and
transmits the corresponding s l i p data t o the mobile terminal
31. T h e m o b i l e t e r m i n a l 3 1 t h e n d i s p l a y s t h e received s l i p d a t a
on the display screen of the d i s p l a y s e c t i o n .
[0090]
I n t h e case where the user X makes an operation t o
terminate t h e a c c e s s suchas anoperationtoterminateabrowser
on the search r e s u l t list display screen ("Yes" a t Step S113),
the mobile terminal 31 makes a log-out request t o the mobile
terminal management server 10 (Step S114). In t h i s regard, i n
the case where an operation t o continue the access such as an
operation to push down the return button B1 is made ("No" at
Step S113), the mobile terminal 31 proceeds to the process at
Step S108, and displays the slip search screen (see FIG. 6).
[0091]
When the search result list display screen information
is transmitted at Step S111, the mobile terminal management
server 10 starts to measure time (standby time) in which an
information exchange w i t h t h e m o b i l e t e r m i n a l 3 1 i s not carried
out, and monitors whether a predetermined time (for example,
five minutes, ten minutes, 30 minutes, and the like) elapses
as the standby time or not (whether it has reached the
predetermined time or not) (Step S115).
[0092]
When a log-out request is received during measurement of
the standby time ("Yes" at Step S116), the mobile terminal
management server 10 stops measuring the standby time, and
carries out a log-out process to release the log-in state (Step
S117).
[0093]
Further, in the case where it is determined that the
predetermined time has elapsed as the standby time ("Yes" at
Step S115), themobile terminalmanagement server 10 terminates
measuringthe standby time, and carries out the log-out process
to release the log-in state (Step S117).
[0094]
In the manner described above, it is determined whether
or not the log-in to the mobile terminal management server 10
is permitted in response to the log-in request from the mobile
terminal 31 that becomes operable by the log-in process. In
the case where the log-in is permitted, a process to receive
aprovisionrequestofprocess flowdataandaprocesstoprovide
the process flow data according to the request are carried out.
[0095]
As described above, by setting the process flow data
temporary storage DB 16 as a search target in the slip data
providing process, the mobile terminal 31 needs not access a
section functioning as the core business server in the mobile
terminal management server 10 (more specifically, the business
applicationprogramDB17 and the process flow DB18). Forthis
reason, security can be improved when slip data are provided
to the mobile terminal 31. In this regard, the process flow
DB 18 may be set as the search target.
[0096]
As explained above, in the embodiment described above,
the mobile terminal management server 10, which is a server in
which the ERP runs, for providing various kinds of data to the
mobile terminals 31to 3N used by the user via the communication
network 40 in response to a request from the mobile terminals
31 to 3N is configured so as to: include the process flow table
PT for storing the process flow data containing various kinds
of data on the process flow including the plurality of business
processes; provide the searchconditiondesignation screen (for
example, the slip search screen) used to designate the search
condition in response to the request from the mobile terminals
31 to 3N; receive the search condition designated through the
search condition designation screen from the mobile terminals
31 to 3N; search for the report data that satisfy the received
search condition by referring to the process flow data stored
in the process flowtable PT; andprovide the search result data
(the search result list display screen) representing the
searched report data to the mobile terminals 31 to 3N as the
search result, and so that: the process flow data are data
containing status data, common data and process unique data;
the status data are data representing a progress situation of
each of a plurality of business processes included in the
process flow; the commondata are data commonamong the business
processesincludedinthe same process flow; the process unique
data are data unique to each of the business processes included
in the same process flow; and the selection item arrangement
circle display regions 601, 602 and 603 are provided on the
search condition designation screen to display the selection
item arrangement circles DC, SC and PC in each of which a
plurality of selection items selectable to designate a search
condition are arranged substantially on the circumference
thereof. Therefore, in the business system that provides
information on the report to the mobile communication terminal
(the mobile terminals 31 to 3N), it is possible to reduce a
processing load required for a search of data in a business
system and improve operability of a search operation of the
mobile communication terminal.
[0097]
In other words, it is configured so as to: present, to
themobile terminals 31to 3N, the search conditiondesignation
screen (for example, the slip search screen) provided with the
selection itemarrangement circle display regions 601, 602 and
603 for displaying the selection item arrangement circles DC,
SC and PC in each of which the plurality of selection items
selectable to designate the search condition are arranged
substantially on the circumference thereof; and receive the
search condition. Thus, it is possible to select or designate
the search condition at themobile terminals 31to 3N side using
the search condition designation screen on which the selection
items are efficiently displayed to be selected easily as one
screen. Therefore, it becomes possible to improve operability
of the search operation of the mobile terminals 31 to 3N.
[0098]
Further, it is configured so as t o r e f e r t o the process
flow t a b l e PT i n which the process flow data c o n t a i n i n g v a r i o u s
kinds of data on the process flow including the p l u r a l i t y of
business processes t o search f o r the report data t h a t s a t i s f y
the search c o n d i t i o n , and so t h a t : the process flow data a r e
data containing s t a t u s data, common data and process unique
data; thestatusdataaredatarepresentingaprogress s i t u a t i o n
of each of a p l u r a l i t y of business processes included i n the
process f1ow;the commondataaredata commonamongthebusiness
processes included i n the same process flow; and the process
unique data are data unique t o each of the business processes
included i n the same process flow. Therefore, it becomes
possible t o reduce a processing l o a d r e q u i r e d f o r a search of
data i n the business system. In the conventional business
system, since the report data are managed by means of t h e data
t a b l e s f o r e v e r y b u s i n e s s process, therehasbeenaneedtorefer
t o a l l of the data t a b l e s r e l a t e d t o the business process when
t o search f o r the d a t a . For t h i s reason, a processing load
required f o r a search process becomes enormous i n a business
system t h a t deals with an enormous amount of d a t a . In the
embodimentdescribedabove, it is c o n f i g u r e d s o a s t o : c o n s t r u c t
the process flow data containing t h e s t a t u s data, the common
data and the process unique data; and search f o r t h e data by
r e f e r r i n g t o t h i s process d a t a t a b l e . ~ h e ' r e f o r e , t h e r e is no
n e e d t o refertothepluralityofdatatables, and it is possible
t o reduce a processing l o a d r e q u i r e d f o r a search of the data
i n the business system d r a s t i c a l l y . Further, it becomes a l s o
possible t o reduce a load t o c r e a t e a processing program f o r
a search of data d r a s t i c a l l y .
[0099]
Further, i n the embodiment described above, it is
configured so t h a t t h e s e l e c t i o n item r o t a t i o n rendering setup
ismade i n t h e selectionitemarrangement c i r c l e d i s p l a y r e g i o n s
601, 602 and 603 so t h a t the s e l e c t i o n item r o t a t i o n rendering
i n which the p l u r a l i t y of s e l e c t i o n items on t h e s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e s DC, SC and PC a r e r o t a t i o n a l l y moved on the
circumference thereof is c a r r i e d out i n accordance with the
predetermined r o t a t i o n i n s t r u c t i o n operation of the mobile
terminal 31 by the user (an operation t o push down the buttons
DA, SA and PA by means of the touch operation) . Theref ore, it
is possible t o more e a s i l y display the p l u r a l i t y of s e l e c t i o n
items on the s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e s DC, SC and PC,
and t h i s makes it possible t o simply s e l e c t t h e s e l e c t i o n i t e m .
[OlOO]
Further, i n the embodiment described above, it is
configured s o t h a t the p l u r a l i t y of s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement
c i r c l e display regions 601, 602 and 603 a r e provided on the
s e a r c h c o n d i t i o n designation screen ( t h e s l i p s e a r c h s c r e e n ) .
Thus, it is p o s s i b l e t o a r r a n g e t h e p l u r a l i t y o f s e l e c t i o n i t e m s
i n each of the p l u r a l i t y of s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e s
DC, SC and PC. Therefore, it becomes possible t o d i s p l a y the
s e l e c t i o n i t e m s more v i s i b l y , and t h i s makes it possible t o
r e a d i l y s e l e c t t h e s e l e c t i o n item.
[ O l O l ]
Further, intheembodiment describedabove, t h e p l u r a l i t y
of s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e display regions 601, 602
and 603 are s e t up so t h a t a p a r t of the s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e display regions is p a r t i a l l y superimposed,
and the s e l e c t i o n items arranged on each of t h e s e l e c t i o n item
arrangement c i r c l e s DC, SC and PC displayed i n each of the
s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e display regions 601, 602 and
603 a r e configured t o have a d i s p l a y form d i f f e r e n t from t h a t
of any other s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement c i r c l e . Therefore, it
is possible t o e f f i c i e n t l y and v i s i b l y arrange the s e l e c t i o n
items i n each of the s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e s DC, SC
and PC, and t h i s makes it possible t o r e a d i l y s e l e c t the
s e l e c t i o n item.
[0102]
Further, i n the embodiment described above, it is
configured s o t h a t : t h e p l u r a l i t y o f s e l e c t i o n itemarrangement
circle display regions 601, 602 and 603 a r e provided on the
s e a r c h c o n d i t i o n d e s i g n a t i o n s c r e e n ( t h e s l i p s e a r c h s c r e e n )
f o r every predetermined c l a s s ; s e l e c t i o n items arranged
s u b s t a n t i a l l y on the circumference of a f i r s t s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e (the processed s l i p type s e l e c t i o n item
arrangement circle DC) displayed i n a f i r s t s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e display region ( t h e processed s l i p type
s e l e c t i o n item arrangement c i r c l e display region 601) a r e the
r e p o r t type s e l e c t i o n items u s e d t o d e s i g n a t e one ormore r e p o r t
type as the search condition; s e l e c t i o n items arranged
s u b s t a n t i a l l y on the circumference of a second s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e ( t h e d e t a i l e d s e l e c t i o n type s e l e c t i o n item
arrangement c i r c l e SC) displayed i n a second s e l e c t i o n i t e m
arrangement c i r c l e display region ( t h e d e t a i l e d s e l e c t i o n type
s e l e c t i o n i t e m arrangement c i r c l e display region 602) a r e the
detailedconditionselectionitemsusedtodesignate oneormore
d e t a i l e d conditions among d e t a i l e d c o n d i t i o n s i n c l u d i n g a t
l e a s t o n e o f a d a t e , acustomer, a n d a n o r g a n i z a t i o n a s t h e s e a r c h
condition; and the mobile terminal management s e r v e r 10
receives the search condition including the type of r e p o r t
d e s i g n a t e d t h r o u g h t h e search condition d e s i g n a t i o n s c r e e n and
a t l e a s t one o f t h e d e t a i l e d c o n d i t i o n s fromthemobileterminal
31, and searches f o r the report data t h a t have the designated
r e p o r t type and s a t i s f y the designated d e t a i l e d condition i n
accordance with the received search condition. Therefore, it
is possible t o s e l e c t or designate the search condition a t the
mobile terminal 31 side using the search condition designation
screen on which the selection items are efficiently displayed
to be selected easily as one screen, and this makes it possible
to improve operability of the search operation in the mobile
terminal 31.
[0103]
Further, in the embodiment described above, it is
configured so that: selection items arranged substantially on
the circumference of a third selection item arrangement circle
(the process type selection item arrangement circle PC)
displayed on a third selection item arrangement circle display
region (the process type selection item arrangement circle
display region 603) are the detailed condition selection items
used to designate one or more business process as the search
condition; and the mobile terminal management server 10
receives the search condition including the business process
designatedthroughthe searchconditiondesignationscreen from
the mobile terminal 31, and searches for the report data of the
designated business process in accordance with the received
search condition. Therefore, it is possible to select or
designate the search condition at the mobile terminal 31 side
using the search condition designation screen on which the
selection items are efficientlydisplayedtobe selected easily
as one screen, andthismakesitpossibletoimprove operability
of the search operation of the mobile terminal 31.
[0104]
Further, in the embodiment described above, it is
configureds0that:the searchkeywordinput region (the keyword
input region 604) used to input the search keyword is provided
on the search condition designation screen; and the mobile
terminal management server 10 receives the search condition
including the search keyword inputted into the search keyword
input region from the mobile terminal 31, and searches for the
report data that satisfy the search condition further including
the received search keyword. Therefore, it is possible to
select or designate the search condition at themobile terminal
31 side using the search condition designation screen on which
the selection items are efficiently displayed to be selected
easily as one screen, and this makes it possible to improve
operability of the search operation of the mobile terminal 31.
[0105]
Further, in the embodiment described above, the database
(for example, the process flow DB 18) is configured so as to
be provided in the process flow data management server (for
example, themobile terminalmanagement server 10) thatmanages
the process flow data generated for each process flow, and so
that the process flow data management server provides, to a
client, the report data searched by referring to the process
flowdatainresponsetotherequestfromtheclient (forexample,
the mobile terminals 31 to 3N or the integrated core business
systems 100, 200 and 300). Therefore, it becomes possible to
construct a system in which a processing load required to
provide the report data can be reduced.
[0106]
In this regard, although it has not been mentioned in the
embodiment described above in particular, the mobile terminal
managementserver10carriesouteachoftheprocessesdescribed
above (see FIG. 4) in accordance with the processing program
(a mobile terminal management program) stored in the storage
medium included in the mobile terminal management server 10.
Industrial Applicability
[0107]
Accordingtothe present invention, it is useful toreduce
a processing load required for a search of data and improve
operability of a search operation of a mobile communication
terminalinabusiness system (specifically, anERPsystem) that
provides information on a report to the mobile communication
terminal.
Explanation of Reference numerals
mobile terminal management server
relay apparatus
mobile terminals
communication network
communication network
integrated core business system
core business server
DWH server
report inquiry system

CLAIMS
1. Amobileterminalmanagementserver f o r p r o v i d i n g v a r i o u s
kinds of data t o a mobile terminal used by a user via a
communication network i n response t o a request from the mobile
terminal, the mobile terminal management server being a server
i n which ERP runs, the mobile terminal management server
comprising:
a process flow data storage section f o r s t o r i n g process
flow data, the process flow data containing various kinds of
data on process flow, the process flow including a p l u r a l i t y
of business process;
a search condition designation screen providing s e c t i o n
t h a t provides a search condition designation screen used t o
designate a search condition i n response t o the request from
the mobile terminal;
a search condition receiving section t h a t receives a
search condition designated through the search condition
designation screen from the mobile terminal;
a r e p o r t d a t a searching section t h a t searches f o r r e p o r t
d a t a s a t i s f y i n g the search condition received by the search
condition receiving section by r e f e r r i n g t o the process flow
d a t a s t o r e d i n the process flow data s t o r a g e s e c t i o n ; and
a search r e s u l t providing section t h a t provides search
resultdatatothemobileterminalasasearchresult, t h e s e a r c h
r e s u l t d a t a r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e r e p o r t d a t a s e a r c h e d b y t h e report
data searching section,
wherein the process flow data are data containing s t a t u s
data, common data and process unique data,
wherein the s t a t u s data are data representing a progress
s i t u a t i o n of each o f a p l u r a l i t y o f b u s i n e s s processes included
i n the process flow,
whereinthecommondataaredatacommonamongthebusiness
processes included in the same process flow,
wherein the process unique data are data unique to each
of the business processes included in the same process flow,
and
wherein a selection item arrangement circle display
region for displaying a selection item arrangement circle is
provided on the search condition designation screen, and a
plurality of selection items selectable to designate a search
condition are arranged substantially on the circumference of
the selection item arrangement circle.
2. The mobile terminal management server according to claim
1, wherein a selection item rotation rendering setup is made
in the selection itemarrangement circle display region sothat
selection item rotation rendering in which the plurality of
selection items are rotationally moved on the circumference of
the selection item arrangement circle is carried out in
accordance wit hapredetermined rotation instructionoperation
of the mobile terminal by the user.
3. Themobile terminalmanagement server according to claim
1or2, whereinapluralityofselectionitemarrangementcircle
display regions are provided on the search condition
designation screen.
4. The mobile terminalmanagement server according to claim
3, wherein the plurality of selection item arrangement circle
display regions are set up so that a part of the selection item
arrangement circle display regions is partially superimposed,
and the selection items arranged on the selection item
arrangement circle displayed in each of the selection item
arrangement circle display regions are configured to have a
display form different from that of any other selection item
arrangement circle.
5. Themobile terminalmanagement server according to claim
3 or 4, wherein the plurality of selection item arrangement
circle display regions are provided on the search condition
designation screen for every predetermined class,
wherein selection items arranged substantially on a
circumference of a first selection item arrangement circle
displayed in a first selection item arrangement circle display
region are report type selection items used to designate one
or more report type as a search condition,
wherein selection items arranged substantially on a
circumference of a second selection item arrangement circle
displayedina second selection itemarrangement circle display
regionaredetailed condition selection items usedtodesignate
one or more detailed condition among detailed conditions
includingatleastoneofadate, acustomer, andanorganization
as a search condition,
wherein the search condition receiving section receives
the search condition including the report type designated
through the search condition designation screen and at least
one of the detailed conditions from the mobile terminal, and
wherein the report data searching section searches for
report data that have the designated report type and satisfy
thedesignateddetailedconditioninaccordancewiththe search
condition received by the search condition receiving section.
6. Themobile terminalmanagement server according to claim
5, wherein selection items arranged substantially on a
circumference of a third selection item arrangement circle
displayed in a third selection item arrangement circle display
region are detailed condition selection items usedto designate
one or more business process as a search condition,
wherein the search condition receiving section receives
the search conditionincludingthe business process designated
through the search conditiondesignation screen fromthemobile
terminal, and
wherein the report data searching section searches for
report data of the designated business process in accordance
with the search condition received by the search condition
receiving section.
7 . The mobile terminal management server according to any
one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a search keyword input region used
to input a search keyword is provided on the search condition
designation screen,
wherein the search condition receiving section receives
the search condition including a search keyword inputted into
the search keyword input region from the mobile terminal, and
wherein the report data searching section searches for
report data that satisfy the search condition further including
the search keyword received by the search condition receiving
section.
8. A mobile terminal management program for causing ERP to
run and causing a mobile terminal management server to carry
out a process to provide various kinds of data to a mobile
terminalusedby a user via a communication network in response
to a request from the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal
management program causing the mobile terminal management
server, provided with a process flow data storage section for
storing process flow data containing various kinds of data on
a process flow including a plurality of business processes, to
execute :
a search condition designation screen providing process
to provide a search condition designation screen used to
designate a search condition in response to the request from
the mobile terminal, a selection item arrangement circle
display region being provided on the search condition
designation screen to display a selection item arrangement
circle in which a plurality of selection items selectable to
designate a search condition are arranged substantially on a
circumference;
a search condition receiving process to receive a search
condition designated through the search condition designation
screen from the mobile terminal;
a report data searching process to search for report data
satisfying the search condition received in the search
condition receiving process by referring to the process flow
data stored in the process flow data storage section; and
a search result providing process to provide the report
data searched in the report data searching process as a search
result,
wherein the process flow data are data containing status
data, common data and process unique data,
wherein the status data are data representing a progress
situationof eachof aplurality of business processes included
in the process flow,
whereinthecommondataaredatacommonamongthebusiness
processes included in the same process flow, and
wherein the process unique data are data unique to each
of the business processes includaedp inw teh s s " .
Dated this lzth day of July 2012
0 nd and Anand Advocates
Agents for the Applicant