Service management method, service management program, and information recording medium recording the program

• US 20020083165A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nagata, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A service management method of the present invention is provided so as to enable a service provider to easily obtain information on a user'"'"'s usage conditions after the sales of a software package, and to provide the user with service to give him a chance and motivation to use a function which is available in the software package but is seldom used. To attain these objects, the service management method of the present invention includes a step for preparing a file showing usage conditions of a plurality of functions constituting the software package, a step for detecting that a function is selected or performed, and a step for updating the file so as to distinguish the detected function from an undetected function.

Claims

1. A service management method managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, comprising the steps of:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out notification and promotion processing to promote a user to use a function which is used less than a predetermined number of times.

2. The service management method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said predetermined number of times is set as not less than twice.

3. A service management method managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, comprising the steps of:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a checking result to a service provider providing said application program to a user.

4. The service management method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving content of notification and promotion processing to promote a user to use a function which is used less than a predetermined number of times, which corresponds to the usage conditions of the functions transmitted to said service provider, from said service provider; and

making said computer carry out the notification and promotion processing based on the content.

5. A service management method managing a software package made up of a combination of a plurality of functions including a function for carrying out processing to transmit/receive information via a network, by a computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving usage conditions of the functions of said software package from a device in which said software package is installed via the network; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a message for promoting use of a function which is indicated in the usage conditions as a function used less than a predetermined number of times, to said device.

6. A service management method managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

updating a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions so as to distinguish said detected function from an undetected function.

7. The service management method as set forth in claim 6, further making said computer carry out the step of:

displaying data which includes at least either of data on a used function and data on an unused function described in said management file, on an activation screen of said application program.

8. The service management method as set forth in claim 6, further making said computer carry out the step of:

transmitting data which includes at least either of data on a used function and data on an unused function described in said management file.

9. A service management method managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

writing number of detection of said detected function in a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions.

10. The service management method as set forth in claim 9, further making said computer carry out the step of:

displaying data which includes at least either of data on a used function and data on an unused function described in said management file, on an activation screen of said application program.

11. The service management method as set forth in claim 9, further making said computer carry out the step of:

transmitting data which includes at least either of data on a used function and data on an unused function described in said management file.

12. A service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, provided for:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out notification and promotion processing to promote a user to use a function which is used less than a predetermined number of times.

13. A service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, provided for:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a checking result to a service provider providing said application program to a user.

14. A service management program for managing a software package made up of a combination of a plurality of functions including a function for carrying out processing to transmit/receive information via a network, by a computer, provided for:

receiving usage conditions of the functions of said software package from a device in which said software package is installed via the network; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a message for promoting use of a function which is indicated in the usage conditions as a function used less than a predetermined number of times, to said device.

15. A service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, provided for making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

updating a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions so as to distinguish said detected function from an undetected function.

16. A service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, provided for making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

writing number of detection of said detected function in a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions.

17. A computer-readable information recording medium recording a service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, recording said service management program provided for:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out notification and promotion processing to promote a user to use a function which is used less than a predetermined number of times.

18. A computer-readable information recording medium recording a service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, recording said service management program provided for:

checking usage conditions of said plurality of the functions; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a checking result to a service provider providing said application program to a user.

19. A computer-readable information recording medium recording a service management program for managing a software package made up of a combination of a plurality of functions including a function for carrying out processing to transmit/receive information via a network, by a computer, recording said service management program provided for:

receiving usage conditions of the functions of said software package from a device in which said software package is installed via the network; and

making said computer carry out processing to transmit a message for promoting use of a function which is indicated in the usage conditions as a function used less than a predetermined number of times, to said device.

20. A computer-readable information recording medium recording a service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, recording said service management program provided for making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

updating a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions so as to distinguish said detected function from an undetected function.

21. A computer-readable information recording medium recording a service management program for managing an application program made up of a combination of a plurality of functions by a computer, recording said service management program provided for making said computer carry out the steps of:

detecting that a specific function is selected or performed; and

writing number of detection of said detected function in a management file which records usage conditions of said plurality of the functions.