JP2005228227A - Thin client system and communication method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thin client system and its communication method that make a quick response even in a narrow-band communication environment such as a mobile communication network. <P>SOLUTION: An operation through a GUI displayed on a thin client terminal 3 is sent to an application 12 performed on a server 1, the application 12 is performed based upon the operation to send an performance result to the thin client terminal 3, and the performance result is reflected on a GUI displayed on the thin client terminal 3. At this time, commands are defined by a GUI component unit through the communication carried out between the server 1 and thin client terminal 3, and a property value of a GUI component and a command representing a user's operation for the GUI component are communicated to reduce the amount of data communicated between the server 1 and thin client terminal 3. Consequently, a quick response of the GUI can be realized and operations can efficiently be performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field called a thin client system or server-based computing in which an application program is executed on a server and an application on the server is operated from a thin client terminal connected to the server through network communication.

  In recent years, with the spread of mobile phones, there is an increasing demand for executing applications on mobile phones. However, the processing capability of mobile phones is scarce, and thin client systems that execute application programs on another server and perform operations from the mobile phone are drawing attention. However, mobile phones are equipped with a communication network that is not suitable for a thin client system because of its high communication delay and narrow bandwidth.

Conventionally, a thin client system mainly uses a method of exchanging pixels between a server and a thin client terminal, such as Terminal Service of Microsoft Corporation and Meta Frame of Citrix Corporation. In this method, the screen of an application executed on the server is transmitted to the thin client terminal in units of pixels, and the thin client terminal only needs to display the pixel information as it is after receiving the pixel information. In addition, the data amount is reduced by transmitting only changed pixels.
http://www.keyman.or.jp/search/30000031_1.html (server-based computing)

  However, the thin client system using the above-described method for exchanging pixels has a problem that a rapid response cannot be expected in a narrow band communication environment such as a mobile communication network because the amount of data is very large. It was.

  An object of the present invention is to realize a quick response of a GUI so that a user can always work efficiently even in a thin client system in which a server and a thin client terminal are connected in a narrow band communication environment. And a communication method thereof.

  In order to achieve the above object, a thin client system of the present invention communicates between a server comprising a computer device that executes an application program and the server, and a graphic user of the application program executed on the server. In the thin client system comprising a thin client terminal comprising a computer device that displays an interface (GUI) and transmits changes made by the user to the GUI to the server, each of the server and the thin client terminal , The command defined in association with the attribute in the GUI component unit is stored, and the server converts the attribute of the GUI component into the command defined in the component unit, A corresponding command is transmitted to the thin client terminal, and the application program is executed based on an attribute corresponding to the command received from the thin client terminal. The thin client terminal assigns the attribute of the GUI component to each component The command is converted into a command defined in units, and a command corresponding to the attribute of the GUI component changed by a user operation is transmitted to the server, and the GUI is displayed based on the attribute corresponding to the command received from the server .

  In the thin client system of the present invention having the above-described configuration, the number of GUI components used for one application is much smaller than the number of pixels, and the number of types of GUI components is also small. The number of bits required for communication with the client terminal is suppressed, and the amount of data to be communicated can be greatly reduced as compared with the conventional method of communicating pixels.

  According to the present invention, in the communication method between the server and the thin client terminal, when the attribute of the GUI component is changed by a user operation or the like, only the changed part is transmitted, so only the necessary part is transmitted. The amount of data required for communication can be reduced.

  Further, according to the present invention, the thin client terminal supports the user's operation on the GUI component only when the application program has a description of performing some processing with the operation as a trigger for the user's operation on the GUI component. Since the command to be transmitted is transmitted to the server, the user event whose process is not described in the application is not transmitted, so that the amount of data necessary for communication can be reduced.

  The present invention defines a command corresponding to an attribute for each GUI component in a communication method between a server and a thin client terminal in a thin client system in which the server and the thin client terminal are connected in a narrow band communication environment. By sending and receiving GUI component attribute values, the amount of data exchanged between the server and the thin client terminal is reduced, and a GUI with a quick response is realized even in a narrow-band communication environment, and the user is efficient. There is an excellent effect that the work can be performed.

  In addition, when the attribute value of the GUI component is changed by a user operation or the like, the amount of data exchanged between the server and the thin client terminal is further performed by exchanging only the attribute value of the GUI component that has been changed. Even in a narrow-band communication environment, a GUI with quick response can be realized, and the user can work efficiently.

  Also, when a user performs some operation on the GUI component, the application on the server determines whether or not to perform some processing with the operation as a trigger. If not, the user event is not sent to the server. Thus, the number of communications can be reduced, and the amount of data transmitted and received between the server and the thin client terminal can be reduced.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a thin client system according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the thin client system includes a server 1 on which an application program (hereinafter simply referred to as an application) is executed, and a thin client terminal 3 that displays a graphic user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI) to the user. Are connected via a narrowband communication network 2.

  The server 1 is mainly composed of a well-known computer device and operating system program, and includes a command generation analysis function unit 11 and an application 12 that is executed on the server 1 including a plurality of GUI components.

  The command generation / analysis function unit 11 stores in advance a table in which properties (attributes) of the GUI components 13 are associated with commands for each property. Using this table, the command generation analysis function unit 11 analyzes a command received from the thin client terminal 3 via the communication network 2 and transmits a GUI component corresponding to this command and its property to the application 12. After converting the property of the GUI component 13 received from the application 12 into a command, the command is transmitted to the thin client terminal 3 via the communication network 2.

  The application 12 continues execution based on the property of the GUI component 13 transmitted from the command generation analysis function unit 11 and sends the changed property of the GUI component 13 to the command generation analysis function unit 11.

  As is well known, the thin client terminal 3 includes a computer device that does not have a hard disk device or a flexible disk device, and includes a command generation analysis function unit 31 and a user interface unit 32.

  The command generation / analysis function unit 31 stores in advance a table similar to the above in which the property (attribute) of each GUI component 13 is associated with the command for each property. Using this table, the command generation / analysis function unit 31 analyzes a command received from the server 1 via the communication network 2 and transmits a GUI component corresponding to the command and its property to the user interface unit 32. After converting the property of the GUI component received from the user interface unit 32 into a command, the command is transmitted to the server 1 via the communication network 2.

  The user interface unit 32 includes an operation unit and a display unit (not shown). The user interface unit 32 displays the GUI on the display unit based on the properties of the GUI component received from the command generation analysis function unit 31 and is performed by the user via the operation unit. The property of the GUI component changed by the operation is sent to the command generation analysis function unit 31.

  In the above system, the thin client terminal 3 displays a GUI to the user via the user interface unit 32 based on the property of the GUI component representing the execution result of the application 12 executed on the server 1. Further, the thin client terminal 3 receives a user operation on the GUI displayed on the display unit of the user interface unit 32 and transmits the operation content to the server 1 via the narrowband communication network 2. Receiving this, the server 1 transmits a user operation to the application 12 running on the server 1, and the application 12 is executed based on the user operation.

  The command generation / analysis function unit 11 on the server 1 needs to transmit all the internal states of the applications 12 running on the server 1 to the thin client terminal 3 when the thin client terminal 3 is accessed for the first time. In this case, the property value of each GUI component 13 existing in the application 12 is transmitted to the thin client terminal 3.

  On the other hand, the command generation / analysis function unit 11 on the server 1 performs a thin client terminal only on a portion of the internal state of the application 12 that has been changed, such as when the user performs some operation and the state of the application 12 is changed. 3, it is necessary to transmit only the changed property value among the property values of the GUI component for only the changed GUI component among the GUI components 13 existing in the application 12. To the thin client terminal 3.

  In addition, the thin client terminal 3 is used only when the user performs some operation such as pressing a button, and the application 12 running on the server 1 has a description of performing some processing with the operation as a trigger. The operation performed is transmitted to the server 1.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the command generation / analysis function unit 11 of the server 1 when an initial access is received from the thin client terminal 3.

  In the case of initial access, it is necessary to transmit all property values of all GUI components 13 to the thin client terminal 3. For this reason, the command generation / analysis function unit 11 on the server 1 that has received the initial access first lists all the GUI components 13 included in the application 12 executed on the server 1 (S11). Next, the listed GUI components 13 are investigated one by one (S12).

  Next, one GUI component 13 is extracted from the list, property values possessed by the GUI component 13 are sequentially acquired (S13), converted into commands, and transmitted to the thin client terminal 3 (S14). This operation is performed for all the GUI components 13 listed. Note that a certain amount of command transmission may be performed collectively to reduce the number of communications.

  FIG. 3 shows the command generation analysis function unit 11 of the server 1 when the server 1 receives a user operation (hereinafter referred to as a user event) for the GUI displayed on the user interface 32 from the thin client terminal 3. It is a flowchart figure showing operation | movement.

  In this case, the command generation / analysis function unit 11 on the server 1 transmits only the changed property value of the GUI component changed by the user event to the thin client terminal 3.

  First, the command generation analysis function unit 11 on the server 1 receives a command representing a user event from the thin client terminal 3 (S21). Next, the GUI component 13 that is affected by the occurrence of the user event, that is, the property value of the GUI component 13 is changed is specified (S22). Next, the application 12 is executed according to the user event, and the property value after the execution of the GUI component 13 is changed (S23). Then, the changed property value is converted into a command and transmitted to the thin client terminal 3 (S24). Note that a certain amount of command transmission may be performed collectively to reduce the number of communications.

  As described above, in this system, in communication between the server 1 and the thin client terminal 3, by defining a command corresponding to the property in the GUI component 13 unit, and transmitting / receiving the property value of the GUI component 13, The amount of data exchanged between the server 1 and the thin client terminal 3 is reduced, and a GUI having a quick response can be realized even in a narrow-band environment, so that the user can work efficiently.

  In addition, in the communication between the server 1 and the thin client terminal 3, when the property value of the GUI component 13 is changed by a user operation or the like, only the changed part is transmitted, so data necessary for communication The amount can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the thin client terminal 3 sends a command corresponding to the user event for the GUI component 13 to the server only when there is a description in the application 12 that some process is triggered by the user event for a user operation on the GUI component 13. Therefore, the amount of data necessary for communication can be reduced by not transmitting user events for which processing is not described in the application 12.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a specific embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a mobile phone is used as the thin client terminal 41 for its own application 44 managed on the server 43 in the data center 42, and the application 44 can be remotely operated from anywhere at any time. Is. Further, the thin client terminal 41 and the server of the data center 42 are connected via a narrow band mobile communication network 45 and the Internet 46.

  The command generation / analysis function unit (not shown) on the server 43 manages the GUI component group possessed by the application 44 running on the server 43, and each property value of the GUI component has changed. In this case, only the changed property value is transmitted to the thin client terminal 41.

  Also, the thin client terminal 41 receives an operation from the user, and if the application 44 running on the server 43 is described to execute some processing with the operation as a trigger, the thin client terminal 41 It is converted into a command and transmitted to the server 43 in the data center 42.

  Hereinafter, a specific operation example will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI screen 50 displayed on the display unit of the thin client terminal 41. This screen 50 prompts for confirmation to change a certain set value from the currently set value of 1 to a value of 10.

  On the screen 50, a TextBox 51 for displaying the current set value, a TextBox 52 for inputting a new value, a change button 53, and a return button 54 are arranged.

  When the user presses the change button 53, the value input to the TextBox 52 is set in the TextBox 51, and 0 is set in the TextBox 52.

  Here, a case where the user presses the change button 53 will be described. When the user presses the change button 53, the screen transitions to the screen in FIG. That is, the value of the TextBox 51 in which the current set value is entered is changed to the value 10 set in the TextBox 52 for inputting a new value, and 0 is set in the TextBox 52 for inputting the new value. Here, each of the TextBox 51, the TextBox 52, the change button 53, and the change button 54 is a GUI component.

  In the screen of FIG. 5, when the user presses the change button 53, first, the thin client terminal 41 receives a user event that the change button 53 is pressed, and the thin client terminal 41 presses the change button 53. Is used as a trigger to check whether the application 44 on the server 43 performs some processing. The change button 53, which is one of the GUI components, includes a property value that indicates whether the application 44 on the server 43 performs some processing triggered by the change button 53 being pressed. Judge by looking at this property value.

  When the application 44 on the server 43 does not perform any processing triggered by the change button 53 being pressed, the thin client terminal 41 does not transmit the user event that the change button 53 is pressed to the server 43. .

  On the other hand, when the application 44 on the server 43 performs some processing triggered by the change button 53 being pressed, the thin client terminal 41 uses the command generation analysis function unit on the thin client terminal 41 to change the change button 53. The information that the button is pressed is converted into a command, and the generated command is transmitted to the server 43.

  The server 43 that has received the command from the thin client terminal 41 uses the command generation / analysis function unit on the server 43 to analyze the command and send a message that the user has pressed the change button 53 to the application being executed on the server 43. 44 is notified. The application 44 executes processing when the change button 53 is pressed according to its application program. In this case, the value of TextBox 52 is set in TextBox 51, and 0 is newly set in TextBox 52.

  Here, since the property values of the TextBox 51 and the TextBox 52 that are GUI components have changed, the server 43 is set to the property values that have changed the TextBox 51 and the TextBox 52 of the GUI components that have been changed, that is, the TextBox 51 and the TextBox 52. The command string is converted into a command by the command generation analysis function unit and transmitted to the thin client terminal 41.

  In the thin client terminal 41, the command generation analysis function unit on the thin client terminal 41 analyzes the command transmitted from the server 43, thereby recognizing that the display character strings of the TextBox 51 and the TextBox 52 have been changed, and the TextBox 51. And the property value of TextBox 52 are changed and displayed on the screen.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Example of the thin client system of this invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a command generation function of a server when initial access is received from a thin client terminal in the thin client system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of a command generation function of a server when a user operation on a GUI is received from a thin client terminal in the thin client system of the present invention. It is a figure which is one Example of the thin client system of this invention, and remotely operates the application on the server in a data center from a mobile telephone. It is an example of the screen in the thin client system of this invention. It is an example of the screen in the thin client system of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Server, 2 ... Narrow band communication network, 3 ... Thin client terminal, 11 ... Command generation analysis function, 12 ... Application, 13 ... GUI component, 31 ... Command generation analysis function, 32 ... User interface, 41 ... Thin client Terminal, 42 ... Data center, 43 ... Server, 44 ... Application, 45 ... Mobile communication network, 46 ... Internet, 50 ... Screen example, 51 ... TextBox, 52 ... TextBox, 53 ... Change button, 54 ... Cancel button.

Claims (6)

A server comprising a computer device that executes an application program communicates with the server, displays a graphic user interface (GUI) of the application program executed on the server, and is added to the GUI by the user A thin client system comprising a thin client terminal comprising a computer device for transmitting changes to the server,
The server
Means for converting the attribute of the GUI component into a command defined in component units;
Means for transmitting a command corresponding to the attribute to the thin client terminal;
Means for executing the application program based on an attribute corresponding to a command received from the thin client terminal;
The thin client terminal
Means for converting the attribute of the GUI component into a command defined for each component;
Means for displaying a GUI based on an attribute corresponding to a command received from the server;
A thin client system, comprising: means for transmitting a command corresponding to an attribute of a GUI component changed by a user operation to the server. The thin client system according to claim 1, wherein the server includes means for transmitting only a command corresponding to the attribute of the changed GUI component to the thin client terminal. The thin client terminal transmits a command corresponding to the attribute to the server only when the application program on the server performs a description to perform some processing using the attribute of the GUI component changed by the user's operation as a trigger. The thin client system according to claim 1, further comprising: A server comprising a computer device that executes an application program communicates with the server, displays a graphic user interface (GUI) of the application program executed on the server, and is added to the GUI by the user A thin client system communication method comprising a thin client terminal comprising a computer device for transmitting changes to the server,
Each of the server and the thin client terminal stores a command defined in association with an attribute in the GUI component unit,
The server converts the attribute of the GUI component into a command defined on a component basis, transmits a command corresponding to the attribute to the thin client terminal, and corresponds to a command received from the thin client terminal Executing the application program based on the attribute;
The thin client terminal converts the attribute of the GUI component into a command defined for each component, and transmits a command corresponding to the attribute of the GUI component changed by a user operation to the server. A GUI is displayed based on an attribute corresponding to a command received from the communication method. The communication method according to claim 4, wherein the server transmits only a command corresponding to a changed attribute in the changed GUI component to the thin client terminal. The thin client terminal transmits the operation information to the server only when the application program on the server describes a process to be performed with the operation as a trigger in response to the user's operation on the GUI component. The communication method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein:

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