Patent Publication Number: US-9904813-B2

Title: Information processing device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/858,433 filed Sep. 18, 2015 which claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-249505 filed Dec. 10, 2014, the contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an information processing device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There has been known a technique to attach an electronic label to a slip or the like. For example, there is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H09-102000 a technique to attach an electronic label to an electronic slip by inputting the content of the electronic label from an interactive electronic label attachment screen. 
     However, an electronic label management system is, in general, limited to the following use; an operator inputs what he/she notices while inputting a slip or the like. Therefore, unless an operator notices, no label is generated even when an event to be conveyed with an electronic label occurs. For example, even when the stock of a product of a received order has run low and order placement thereof is needed, unless an operator notices that while inputting the received order, no electronic label such as “Stock has run low. Check order placement.” is generated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of the present invention include generating or selecting an electronic label even when an operator does not notice that an event to be conveyed with an electronic label occurs. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an information processing device comprising a control unit which, when a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied by data being input, generates or selects electronic label information having a preset content correlated with an application identification information of an application in operation at time of the input of the data and the automatic label generation condition, wherein when the control unit generates or selects the electronic label information, the control unit is configured to correlate and store the generated or selected electronic label information with the input data as associated information and the application identification information in a predetermined memory. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is directed to An information processing device comprising a determination unit which determines whether a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied each time date is input; a generation/selection unit which, when the determination unit determines that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied, generates or selects electronic label information having a preset content correlated with an application identification information of an application having been started to input the data and the automatic label generation condition; and a storage control unit which, when the generation/selection unit generates or selects the electronic label information, correlates and stores the generated or selected electronic label information with the input data as associated information and the application identification information in a predetermined memory. 
     Also disclosed is a data input device, including: a determination unit which determines whether a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied on the basis of (i) input data and (ii) predetermined data that has a type relevant to the input data and is stored in an automatic label generation condition storage unit; a generation/selection unit which generates or selects electronic label information having a predetermined content fit for the automatic label generation condition when the determination unit determines that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied; and a storage control unit which correlates and stores the generated or selected electronic label information with input-data identification information of the input data in a label information storage unit. 
     Also disclosed is a data input method, including: determining whether a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied on the basis of (i) input data and (ii) predetermined data that has a type relevant to the input data and is stored in an automatic label generation condition storage unit; generating or selecting electronic label information having a predetermined content fit for the automatic label generation condition when determining that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied; and correlating and storing the generated or selected electronic label information with input-data identification information of the input data in a label information storage unit. 
     Also disclosed is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored therein to make a computer of a data input device: determine whether a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied on the basis of (i) input data and (ii) predetermined data that has a type relevant to the input data and is stored in an automatic label generation condition storage unit; generate or select electronic label information having a predetermined content fit for the automatic label generation condition when determining that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied; and correlate and store the generated or selected electronic label information with input-data identification information of the input data in a label information storage unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not intended to limit the present invention, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a data input device; 
         FIG. 2  shows a relationship of a business system, a label management system, a business system DB, an automatic label generation pattern DB, an associated application DB and a label information DB; 
         FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3G  show examples of tables constituting the business system DB; 
         FIG. 4  shows an example of data stored in the automatic label generation pattern DB; 
         FIG. 5  shows an example of data stored in the associated application DB; 
         FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  show an example of data stored in the label information DB; 
         FIG. 7  shows an example of a display unit in a state in which the business system and the label management system are in operation; 
         FIG. 8  shows an example of a label detail check screen displayed when a label button is specified; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of an automatic label generation monitoring process performed by a CPU shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a display control process performed by the CPU shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows an example of the label detail check screen displayed by the label management system when a label button displayed at Step S 27  in  FIG. 10  is specified; 
         FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B  show examples of the label detail check screen on which a main label and an associated label are displayed to be switchable according to user operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is detailed with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. 
     (Configuration of Data Input Device  1 ) 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a data input device  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the data input device  1  includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  10 , an operation unit  11 , a display unit  12 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  13 , a storage unit  14 , a communication unit  15  and a clock unit  16 , and these units are connected to one another via a bus  17 . 
     The CPU  10  reads a system program (OS: Operating System) stored in the storage unit  14 , opens the system program in a work area of the RAM  13  and controls the units in accordance with the system program. The CPU  10  also functions as a business system  101  by working together with a business system program  141  stored in the storage unit  14 . The CPU  10  also functions as a label management system  102  by working together with a label management system program  142  stored in the storage unit  14 . 
     The operation unit  11  includes a keyboard provided with cursor keys, number input keys, various function keys and the like and a pointing device such as a mouse, and outputs to the CPU  10  command signals which are input by the keys of the keyboard or the mouse being operated. The operation unit  11  may be provided with a touch panel on a display screen of the display unit  12 . In this case, the operation unit  11  outputs to the CPU  10  command signals input through the touch panel. 
     The display unit  12  is constituted of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display or the like. The display unit  12  displays thereon various screens in response to display signals input from the CPU  10 . 
     The RAM  13  has the work area where programs, input data, output data, parameters and the like read from the storage unit  14  by the CPU  10  are temporarily stored. 
     The storage unit  14  is constituted of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like. The storage unit  14  stores therein: the system program, the business system program  141  and the label management system program  142  executed by the CPU  10 ; the data necessary for execution of these programs; and the like. These programs are stored in the storage unit  14  in the form of computer readable program codes. The CPU  10  acts according to the program codes. 
     The storage unit  14  also stores therein a business system DB (DataBase)  141   a , an automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , an associated application DB  142   a  and a label information DB  142   b.    
       FIG. 2  shows a relationship of the business system  101 , the label management system  102 , the business system DB  141   a , the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , the associated application DB  142   a  and the label information DB  142   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the business system  101  refers to the business system DB  141   a  and the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , whereas the label management system  102  refers to the associated application DB  142   a  and the label information DB  142   b.    
     The business system  101  inputs transaction data by slip input so as to accumulate the transaction data in the business system DB  141   a  and performs sales management and the like on the basis of the information in the database. The business system program  141  includes a plurality of application programs (hereinafter referred to as “business applications”). 
     Examples of the business applications include: a received-order application to accept input of received-order slips and update a received-order detail table  1411  (see  FIG. 3A ) of the business system DB  141   a  on the basis of the input slip information; and a placed-order application to accept input of placed-order slips and update a placed-order detail table  1412  (see  FIG. 3B ) of the business system DB  141   a  on the basis of the input slip information. Each business application is provided with an identifier called an application ID. By specifying an application ID, a specific business application is started. 
     The business system DB  141   a  is a database where basic information necessary for business is stored and also where information input through the business applications of the business system program  141 , information calculated on the basis of the input information and the like are accumulated. 
     The business system DB  141   a  contains the received-order detail table  1411  shown in  FIG. 3A , the placed-order detail table  1412  shown in  FIG. 3B , a product master table  1413  shown in  FIG. 3C , a stock management table  1414  shown in  FIG. 3D , a customer master table  1415  shown in  FIG. 3E , an accrued amount by customer table  1416  shown in  FIG. 3F  and a supplier master table  1417  shown in  FIG. 3G . 
     The business system DB  141   a  functions as an automatic label generation condition storage unit and an input data storage unit. 
     The received-order detail table  1411  is a table where slip information of received-order slips input through the received-order application is stored. The placed-order detail table  1412  is a table where slip information of placed-order slips input through the placed-order application is stored. 
     The business system DB  141   a  also contains other tables where slip information input through the business applications is stored, such as a sales detail table, a warehousing management table and a shipping management table. The slip information in the tables is managed by using slip numbers which are identification information (IDs) to identify slips. 
     The product master table  1413  is a table where basic information on products is stored. The customer master table  1415  is a table where basic information on customers is stored. The supplier master table  1417  is a table where basic information on suppliers is stored. The stock management table  1414  is a table to which the number of stocks is added when products are warehoused and from which the number of stocks is subtracted when products are shipped. The accrued amount by customer table  1416  is a table where data for calculation of accrued amounts of respective customers are stored. 
     The automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  is a database where automatic label generation conditions to automatically generate labels (digital labels) are correlated and stored with contents of digital label information (labels) (hereinafter referred to as “label information”) automatically generated when the automatic label generation conditions are satisfied. That is, the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  functions as an automatic label generation pattern storage unit. 
       FIG. 4  shows an example of data stored in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  has fields of “Target Application ID”, “Label ID”, “Automatic Label Generation Condition”, “Label Title” and “Label Content”. 
     The “Target Application ID” is a field of application IDs of business applications (target applications) as a target in which label information is automatically generated. In the embodiment, the business applications as the automatic label generation target are business applications to input slips, such as the received-order application and the placed-order application, but not limited thereto. 
     The “Label ID” is a field of label identification information (IDs) to identify the types of label information automatically generated. 
     The “Automatic Label Generation Condition” is a field of conditions to automatically generate label information, namely, the automatic label generation conditions. 
     In the embodiment, each automatic label generation condition is expressed by a relational expression of (i) data (input data) input through a business application and (ii) predetermined data having a type(s) relevant to the input data and/or data calculated on the basis of a group of predetermined data having types relevant to the input data. 
     The predetermined data having a type relevant to the input data is, to be specific, data of a predetermined item of a predetermined table in the business system DB  141   a , the item being relevant to the input data (data of an item different from the item(s) of the input data). 
     Data having the same type as the input data, for example, a value to determine whether the input data is correct or not, such as a correct value of the input data, an incorrect value thereof or a threshold value therefor, is not the predetermined data having a type relevant to the input data. 
     The “Label Title” is a field of titles of label information generated when the automatic label generation conditions are satisfied. 
     The “Label Content” is a field of detailed contents of label information generated when the automatic label generation conditions are satisfied. 
     Each character string in “{ }” in each field in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  represents a name of a variable in a business application, and when a target application is executed, the name is actually input or replaced by a value obtained or calculated from the business system DB  141   a . For each business application, a plurality of records can be registered. 
     The label management system  102  accepts input of label information made by user operation and stores the input label information in the label information DB  142   b , and also stores in the label information DB  142   b  the label information sent from the business system  101  when each automatic label generation condition is satisfied. 
     The label management system  102  performs display control of labels based on the label information stored in the label information DB  142   b  by executing the below-described display control process or the like. 
     The associated application DB  142   a  is a database where association (correlations) of (i) label information automatically generated with (ii) business applications associated with the contents of the label information is stored. 
     That is, the associated application DB  142   a  functions as an associated application storage unit. The business applications associated with the contents of the label information are each as follows; if a user looks at (reads) the label based on the label information while the application is in operation, it is useful. 
       FIG. 5  shows an example of data stored in the associated application DB  142   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the associated application DB  142   a  has fields of “Label ID” and “Associated Application ID”. 
     The “Label ID” is a field of label identification information (IDs) to identify the types of label information automatically generated. 
     The “Associated Application ID” is a field of application IDs of business applications associated with label information identified with label IDs. 
     The label information DB  142   b  is a database where the generated label information, including the automatically-generated label information, is stored. 
       FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  show an example of data stored in the label information DB  142   b . The label information DB  142   b  functions as a label information storage unit. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , the label information DB  142   b  has fields of “Label No.”, “User ID”, “Label Title”, “Label Content”, “In-operation Application ID”, “In-input Slip No.”, “Label ID”, “Label Input Date/Time” and “Associated Label No.”. 
     The “Label No.” is a field of sequential numbers given to label information. 
     The “User ID” is a field of user IDs of users who input label information or users who log in when label information is automatically generated. 
     The “Label Title” is a field of titles of label information. 
     The “Label Content” is a field of detailed contents of label information. 
     The “In-operation Application ID” is a field of application IDs of business applications having been started, thereby operating (in operation), when label information is automatically generated. This field of each record about not-automatically-generated label information is blank. 
     The “In-input Slip No.” is a field of slip numbers to identify slip information (slips) being input (in input) when label information is automatically generated. This field of each record about not-automatically-generated label information is blank. 
     The “Label ID” is a field of label identification information (IDs) to identify the types of label information. This field of each record about not-automatically-generated label information is blank. 
     The “Label Input Date/Time” is a field of dates and time at which label information is generated. 
     The “Associated Label No.” is a field of label numbers of associated label information (associated labels). When no associated label exists, this field is blank. 
     The storage unit  14  also stores therein the display order of label buttons  122   a  (see  FIG. 7 ) set through the operation unit  11  or the communication unit  15 . More specifically, the storage unit  14  stores therein the display order of label buttons  122   a  used when the label buttons  122   a  are not displayed by group and the display order of label buttons  122   a  of each group used when the label buttons  122   a  are displayed by group in the below-described display control process. 
     The storage unit  14  also stores therein a user table where user information (user IDs, passwords, user names and the like) on users who can log in to the business system  101  and the label management system  102  and application IDs of their accessible business applications are stored. 
     The communication unit  15  includes a modem, a router and a network card. The communication unit  15  sends/receives data to/from an external device connected thereto through a communication network. 
     The clock unit  16  has a built-in clock circuit such as an RTC (Real Time Clock), and measures and outputs the current date and time to the CPU  10 . 
     (Action of Data Input Device  1 ) 
     Next, action of the data input device  1  is explained. 
     When the data input device  1  is powered, the CPU  10  displays a log-in screen on the display unit  12  by working together with the system program (OS). When a user ID and a password are input from the log-screen through the operation unit  11 , the CPU  10  determines on the basis of the input user ID and password and the information stored in the user table in the storage unit  14  whether or not the user is permitted to log in to the business system  101  and the label management system  102 . 
     When determining that the user is permitted to log in, the CPU  10  stores the user ID of the logged-in user in the RAM  13 . 
     In addition, the CPU  10  loads the business system program  141  and the label management system program  142  to the RAM  13  so as to start the business system  101  and the label management system  102 , and displays a business system region  121  and a label management system region  122  shown in  FIG. 7  on the display unit  12 . 
     After being started, the business system  101  shown in  FIG. 2  displays a menu screen (not shown) in the business system region  121 . 
     On the menu screen, only menus for business applications which the logged-in user is permitted to access are displayed. 
     When a menu is selected on the menu screen through the operation unit  11 , the business system  101  starts a business application corresponding to the selected menu, notifies the label management system  102  about the application ID of the started business application and performs the below-described automatic label generation monitoring process. When the business application ends, the business system  101  notifies the label management system  102  that the business application ends. 
     The business system  101  functions as a determination unit and a generation/selection unit. 
     After being started, the label management system  102  displays the label button(s)  122   a , an addition (“Add”) button  122   b  and a deletion (“Delete”) button  122   c  in the label management system region  122  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The label buttons  122   a  correspond to respective label information (respective records) stored in the label information DB  142   b . Each label button  122   a  is a label showing, for example, a label title, a date and time, a handling person&#39;s name and/or the first several words of a label content. 
     The label management system  102  displays the label buttons  122   a  on the basis of the “Label Title”, “Label Input Date/Time”, “User ID” and “Label Content” of their respective records. The label buttons  122   a  are displayed in the preset display order of the label buttons  122   a  stored in the storage unit  14 . However, when the business system  101  starts a business application and notifies the label management system  102  about the application ID of the started business application, the label management system  102  performs the below-described display control process and rearranges the display order of the label buttons  122   a.    
     The addition button  122   b  is a button to input a command to generate additional label information. When the addition button  122   b  is pressed through the operation unit  11 , the label management system  102  displays a label information input screen (not shown) on the display unit  12  as a pop-up or the like, generates label information constituted of items (fields) shown in  FIG. 6A  or  FIG. 6B  on the basis of contents input from this screen, and stores the generated label information in the label information DB  142   b.    
     The label based on the generated label information is displayed in the label management system region  122 . 
     The deletion button  122   c  is a button to input a command to delete a record of label information corresponding to a selected label button  122   a . When a label button  122   a  is pressed through the operation unit  11 , thereby being in a selected state, and the deletion button  122   c  is pressed in this state, the label management system  102  deletes the record of the label information corresponding to the selected label button  122   a  from the label information DB  142   b.    
     When specifying operation (in the embodiment, double-clicking) is performed on a label button  122   a  through the operation unit  11  which functions as a specifying unit, the label management system  102  displays on the display unit  12  a label detail check screen  1221  (see  FIG. 8 ) which shows the detailed content of the label corresponding to the specified label button  122   a  as a pop-up or the like. 
       FIG. 8  shows an example of the label detail check screen  1221  displayed when a label button  122   a  is double-clicked. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , on the label detail check screen  1221 , a slip call (“Call Slip”) button  1221   a , an editing (“Edit”) button  1221   b , a closure (“Close”) button  1221   c , a label title  1221   d , a label input date/time  1221   e , a handling person (name)  1221   f  and a label content (entire text)  1221   g  are displayed, for example. 
     The slip call button  1221   a  is a commanding unit to make a command to display in the business system region  121  slip information in input by the business system  101  at the time of generation of the detail-displayed label. 
     When the slip call button  1221   a  is pressed, the label management system  102  refers to the record of the detail-displayed label in the label information DB  142   b , and when values are stored in the “In-operation Application ID” and “In-input Slip No.” of the record, sends the in-operation application ID and the in-input slip number (i.e., the values) to the business system  101  so as to request the business system  101  to display the slip having that in-input slip number. 
     When receiving the in-operation application ID and the in-input slip number, the business system  101  starts the business application having the received in-operation application ID, and reads the slip information having the received in-input slip number from the business system DB  141   a  and displays the read slip information in the business system region  121 . 
     The editing button  1221   b  is a button to edit the contents displayed on the label detail check screen  1221 . When the editing button  1221   b  is pressed through the operation unit  11 , the label management system  102  makes it possible to edit the label title  1221   d  and the label content  1221   g  displayed on the label detail check screen  1221  and also displays an enter button and a return button (both not shown). 
     When the enter button is pressed through the operation unit  11  after the editing, the label management system  102  updates the contents of the corresponding record in the label information DB  142   b  on the basis of the input contents. 
     The closure button  1221   c  is a button to close the label detail check screen  1221 . When the closure button  1221   c  is pressed through the operation unit  11 , the label management system  102  closes the label detail check screen  1221 . 
     That is, the label management system  102  functions as a storage control unit and a display control unit. 
     Hereinafter, the automatic label generation monitoring process and the display control process are explained. The automatic label generation monitoring process and the display control process are performed by the business system  101  and the label management system  102 , respectively, when a business application is started. First, the automatic label generation monitoring process is explained. 
     (Automatic Label Generation Monitoring Process) 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart of the automatic label generation monitoring process. The automatic label generation monitoring process is performed when the business system  101  starts any one of the business applications. 
     First, the business system  101  determines whether or not the application ID of the started business application is registered in the “Target Application ID” in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  (Step S 1 ). 
     When determining that the application ID of the started business application is not registered in the “Target Application ID” in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  (Step S 1 ; NO), the business system  101  ends the automatic label generation monitoring process. 
     On the other hand, when determining that the application ID of the started business application is registered in the “Target Application ID” in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  (Step S 1 ; YES), the business system  101  displays the menu screen to select one of “new input” and “update” on the display unit  12  (Step S 2 ). 
     When the “new input” is selected through the operation unit  11  (Step S 2 ; YES), the business system  101  takes a slip number to identify slip information (Step S 3 ) and sends the taken slip number to the label management system  102  (Step S 5 ). 
     Then, the business system  101  displays a slip input screen in the business system region  121  on the display unit  12  (Step S 6 ) and moves to Step S 7 . 
     On the other hand, when the “update” is selected through the operation unit  11  (Step S 2 ; NO), the business system  101  displays an input box to input a slip number on the display unit  12  so as to accept input of a slip number through the operation unit  11  (Step S 4 ) and sends the input slip number to the label management system  102  (Step S 5 ) 
     Then, the business system  101  reads the slip information having the input slip number from the business system DB  141   a  and displays the slip input screen reflecting the read slip information in the business system region  121  on the display unit  12  (Step S 6 ) and moves to Step S 7 . 
       FIG. 7  shows, as an example of the slip input screen, a received-order slip input screen displayed in the business system region  121  when the received-order application is started. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , on each slip input screen, a slip number  121   a , an input box  121   b  for an item which a user needs to input, and an end input (“Input End”) button  121   c  to input a command to inform at the end of the input that the input has finished are displayed. 
     At Step S 7 , the business system  101  waits for the end input button  121   c  to be pressed (Step S 7 ). 
     When the end input button  121   c  is pressed, (Step S 7 ; YES), the business system  101  updates the business system DB  141   a  on the basis of the contents input from the slip input screen (Step S 8 ). 
     For example, when data of slip information is input from the received-order slip input screen, a record is added to the received-order detail table  1411  and the input slip information is stored therein, whereby the business system DB  141   a  (received-order detail table  1411 ) is updated. In addition, the amount of received order this time is added to the “Amount of Received Order” in the accrued amount by customer table  1416 , whereby the business system DB  141   a  (accrued amount by customer table  1416 ) is updated. 
     Next, the business system  101  refers to the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  and takes out one record having the application ID of the business application in operation (i.e., the started business application or the business application in operation at the time of input of the slip information) in the “Target Application ID” (Step S 9 ) and determines whether or not all the variables contained in the automatic label generation condition of the record are available (Step S 10 ). 
     For example, in the case where the received-order application having H110010002 as the application ID is in operation, and a record taken out from the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  is the second record in  FIG. 4 , the business system  101  searches (i) the “Number of Order-received Articles” of the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 , the “Number of Order-received Articles” of the record corresponding to the variable of {Number of Order-received Articles This Time} of the second record in  FIG. 4 , and (ii) the “Number of Stocks” of the record in the stock management table  1414  having the same product code (in the “Product Code”) as the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 , the “Number of Stocks” of the record corresponding to the variable of {Number of Stocks} of the second record in  FIG. 4 , and determines whether or not data are stored in both of them. 
     When data are stored in both of them, the business system  101  determines that all the variables contained in the automatic label generation condition of the record are available. 
     Further, for example, in the case where the received-order application having H110010002 as the application ID is in operation, and a record taken out from the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  is the third record in  FIG. 4 , the business system  101  searches (i) the “Number of Order-received Articles” of the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 , the “Number of Order-received Articles” of the record corresponding to the variable of {Number of Order-received Articles This Time} of the third record in  FIG. 4 , (ii) the “Amount of Received Order”, “Amount of Sales” and “Billed Amount” of the record in the accrued amount by customer table  1416  having the same customer code (in the “Customer Code”) as the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 , the data stored therein being required to calculate the variable of {Accrued Amount} of the third record in  FIG. 4 , and (iii) the “Credit Limit” of the record in the customer master table  1415  having the same customer code (in the “Customer Code”) as the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 , the “Credit Limit” of the record corresponding to the variable of {Credit Limit} the third record in  FIG. 4 , and determines whether or not data are stored in all of them. 
     When data are stored in all of them, the business system  101  determines that all the variables contained in the automatic label generation condition of the record are available. 
     The variable of {Accrued Amount} of a customer becomes available by calculating the sum of the values stored in the “Amount of Received Order”, “Amount of Sales” and “Billed Amount”. 
     When determining that all the variables contained in the automatic label generation condition of the record are available (Step S 10 ; YES), the business system  101  determines whether or not the automatic label generation condition is satisfied (Step S 11 ). That is, the business system  101  obtains or calculates each variable contained in the automatic label generation condition from the business system DB  141   a  or on the basis of the data obtained from the business system DB  141   a , and determines whether or not the automatic label generation condition is satisfied. 
     When determining that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied (Step S 11 ; YES), the business system  101  generates and sends label information to the label management system  102  (Step S 12 ) and moves to Step S 13 . 
     The label information is data of the “Label ID”, “Label Title” and “Label Content” of a record taken out from the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , and when a variable(s) are contained in the label title and/or the label content, the label information is data of the “Label ID”, “Label Title” and “Label Content” of a record with a value(s) assigned to the variable(s). If no value can be assigned to a variable, a null character is assigned thereto. 
     For example, in the case where the received-order application having H110010002 as the application ID is in operation, and a record taken out from the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  is the second record in  FIG. 4 , the business system  101  sends to the label management system  102  (i) data of the “Label ID” and “Label Title” of the record and (ii) data of the “Label Content” of the record with a value assigned to the variable of {Product Name} therein, the value being stored in the “Product Name” of the record in the product master table  1413  having the same product code (in the “Product Code”) as the latest record in the received-order detail table  1411 . 
     At Step S 12  above, the label information is generated, but not limited thereto. The label information fit for the satisfied automatic label generation condition may be selected from a variety of label information stored in a storage unit, and sent to the label management system  102 . 
     For example, each label information to be selected when an automatic label generation condition is satisfied may be correlated and stored with a target application ID, a label ID and the automatic label generation condition in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , so that when an automatic label generation condition is satisfied, the label information correlated with the satisfied automatic label generation condition can be selected from the variety of label information stored in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  and sent (together with the label ID) to the label management system  102 . 
     On the other hand, when determining that not all the variables contained in the automatic label generation condition of the record are available (Step S 10 ; NO), or when determining that the automatic label generation condition is not satisfied (Step S 11 ; NO), the business system  101  moves to Step S 13 . 
     The business system  101  determines whether or not the automatic label generation conditions of all the records in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  having the application ID of the business application in operation in the “Target Application ID” have been evaluated about being satisfied or not (Step S 13 ). When determining that the automatic label generation conditions of all the records have not been evaluated yet (Step S 13 ; NO), the business system  101  returns to Step S 9  so as to evaluate the automatic label generation condition of the next record. On the other hand, when determining that the automatic label generation conditions of all the records have been evaluated (Step S 13 ; YES), the business system  101  moves to Step S 14 . 
     The business system  101  determines whether or not a command to end the business application is made through the operation unit  11  (Step S 14 ). When determining that the command to end the business application is not made (Step S 14 ; NO), the business system  101  returns to Step S 2 . On the other hand, when determining that the command to end the business application is made (Step S 14 ; YES), the business system  101  ends the automatic label generation monitoring process. 
     When the label management system  102  receives the label information from the business system  101 , the label management system  102  adds a record to the label information DB  142   b  and stores data in each item (field) of the added record on the basis of the label information received from the business system  101 . 
     More specifically, the label management system  102  takes a sequential label number and stores the label number in the “Label No.” and stores the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID”. 
     The label management system  102  also stores the label title, the label content and the label ID of the label information received from the business system  101  in the “Label Title”, “Label Content” and “Label ID”, respectively. 
     The label management system  102  also stores the application ID of the business application in operation notified by the business system  101  and the slip number of the slip in input received from the business system  101  in the “In-operation Application ID” and “In-input Slip No.”, respectively. 
     The label management system  102  also stores the current date and time in the “Label Input Date/Time” by obtaining the current date and time from the clock unit  16 . 
     (Display Control Process) 
     Next, the display control process performed by the label management system  102  is explained. 
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart of the display control process. The display control process is performed when the label management system  102  is notified about the application ID of the business application having been started, thereby being in operation, by the business system  101 . 
     First, the label management system  102  refers to the label information DB  142   b  and determines whether or not a record(s) having the application ID of the started business application (i.e., the business application in operation) in the “In-operation Application ID” and having the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID” exists in the label information DB  142   b  (Step S 21 ). 
     When determining that no record(s) having the application ID of the started business application (i.e., the business application in operation) in the “In-operation Application ID” and having the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID” exists in the label information DB  142   b  (Step S 21 ; NO), the label management system  102  moves to Step S 25 . 
     On the other hand, when determining that a record(s) having the application ID of the started business application (i.e., the business application in operation) in the “In-operation Application ID” and having the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID” exists in the label information DB  142   b  (Step S 21 ; YES), the label management system  102  determines whether or not the slip number of a slip as the current input target (i.e., the in-input slip number) is received from the business system  101  (Step S 22 ). 
     When determining that the slip number of a slip as the current input target is received from the business system  101  (Step S 22 ; YES), the label management system  102  retrieves, of the labels (records) stored in the label information DB  142   b , a record(s) having the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID”, having the application ID of the business application in operation in the “In-operation Application ID” and having the slip number of a slip as the current input target in the “In-input Slip No.” and displays a label button(s)  122   a  based on the label information of the respective retrieved record(s) in the label management system region  122  on the display unit  12  as the first group (Step S 23 ) and moves to Step S 25 . 
     That is, the label(s) generated or selected while the logged-in user is or was handling a slip which is the current input target are displayed with top priority. 
     In the display control process, the label buttons  122   a  based on the respective label information stored in the label information DB  142   b  are displayed by being classified as the first group, the second group and the third group. The priority order of the groups in displaying is “first group&gt;second group&gt;third group”. The higher the priority of the group is, the higher (closer to the top) in the label management system region  122  the group is displayed. 
     When any of the groups has a plurality of labels (label buttons  122   a ), the labels of the group are displayed in the preset display order for the group stored in the storage unit  14 . 
     When determining that the slip number of a slip as the current input target is not received from the business system  101  (Step S 22 ; NO), the label management system  102  retrieves, of the labels (records) stored in the label information DB  142   b , a record(s) having the user ID of the logged-in user in the “User ID” and having the application ID of the business application in operation in the “In-operation Application ID” and displays a label button(s)  122   a  based on the label information of the respective retrieved record(s) in the label management system region  122  on the display unit  12  as the first group (Step S 24 ) and moves to Step S 25 . 
     That is, the labels generated or selected while the started business application is or was in operation and the logged-in user logs in or logged in are displayed with top priority. 
     At Step S 25 , the label management system  102  retrieves, from the associated application DB  142   a , a record(s) having the application ID of the business application in operation in the “Associated Application ID” (Step S 25 ). 
     Next, the label management system  102  searches the label information DB  142   b  and determines whether or not a record(s) having the label ID of the record retrieved at Step S 25  exists therein (Step S 26 ). 
     When determining that no record(s) having the label ID of the record retrieved at Step S 25  exists in the label information DB  142   b  (Step S 26 ; NO), the label management system  102  moves to Step S 28 . 
     On the other hand, when determining that a record(s) having the label ID of the record retrieved at Step S 25  exists in the label information DB  142   b  (Step S 26 ; YES), the label management system  102  retrieves the record(s) having the label ID of the record retrieved at Step S 25  from the label information DB  142   b  and displays a label button(s)  122   a  based on the label information of the respective retrieved record(s) in the label management system region  122  on the display unit  12  as the second group (Step S 27 ) and moves to Step S 28 . 
     However, in the case where no label button  122   a  is displayed as the first group, the label button(s)  122   a  based on the label information of the respective record(s) retrieved at Step S 27  are displayed as the first group. The label button(s)  122   a  already displayed as the first group are not displayed as the second group to avoid duplication. 
     Each label (label button  122   a ) displayed at Step S 27  is a label associated with the business application in operation. 
     For example, the label content of the record having 00001 as the label ID in  FIG. 4  is “{Product Name} is running short. Please place order.”. This label is useful if displayed while a person in charge of order placement is inputting a placed-order slip through the placed-order application. Then, the person in charge of order placement can recognize the stock shortage, and hence the stock shortage can be solved. 
     In the embodiment, in the associated application DB  142   a , each label ID is correlated and stored with the application ID of a business application which is associated with a label having the type indicated by the label ID. At Step S 27 , a label(s) associated with the business application in operation are displayed on the basis of the information in the associated application DB  142   a.    
     At Step S 28 , the label management system  102  displays a label button(s)  122   a  based on the label information of a record(s), among the records in the label information DB  142   b , not displayed as either the first group or the second group, as the third group (Step S 28 ). 
     Next, the label management system  102  determines whether or not the business application is ended (Step S 29 ). More specifically, the label management system  102  determines whether or not the business application is ended on the basis of whether or not the end of the business application is notified by the business system  101 . When determining that the business application is not ended (Step S 29 ; NO), the label management system  102  returns to Step S 22 . 
     On the other hand, when determining that the business application is ended (Step S 29 ; YES), the label management system  102  changes the display order of the label buttons  122   a  to the preset display order, which is preset by the user and stored in the storage unit  14 , so as to display all the label buttons  122   a  in the display order preset by the user (Step S 30 ) and then ends the display control process. 
       FIG. 11  shows an example of the label detail check screen  1221  displayed by the label management system  102  when a label button  122   a  displayed at Step  27  is specified (double-clicked). 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , on the label detail check screen  1221  displayed at Step S 27 , an association input (“Input Association”) button  1221   h  is displayed, instead of the editing button  1221   b  displayed on the label detail check screen  1221  shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     When the association input button  1221   h  is pressed through the operation unit  11 , the label management system  102  starts and displays a reply input screen (not shown) to input comments to reply to the label (called the “main label”) displayed on the label detail check screen  1221 . 
     When comments are input from the reply input screen through the operation unit  11  which functions as an input unit, the label management system  102  stores the comments input from the reply input screen in the label information DB  142   b  as label information of a label associated with the main label as shown in  FIG. 6B . This label of the comments to reply to the main label is called the “associated label”. 
     More specifically, the label management system  102  adds a record to the label information DB  142   b , takes a sequential label number and stores the label number in the “Label No.” and also stores in the “User ID” the user ID of the logged-in user at the time of press of the association input button  1221   h.    
     The label management system  102  also stores the label title and the label content input from the reply input screen in the “Label Title” and “Label Content”, respectively. 
     The label management system  102  also stores the application ID of the business application in operation and the slip number of the slip in input at the time of press of the association input button  1221   h  in the “In-operation Application ID” and “In-input Slip No.”, respectively. 
     The label management system  102  also stores the current date and time in the “Label Input Date/Time” by obtaining the current date and time from the clock unit  16 . The “Label ID” is left blank. The label management system  102  also stores, in order to show the association of the main label with the associated label, the label number of the main label being looked at at the time of press of the association input button  1221   h  in the “Associated Label No.”. The label management system  102  stores the label number of the associated label in the “Associated Label No.” of the record of the main label. 
     When label detail display of a main label having a label number in the “Associated Label No.” in the label information DB  142   b  is commanded, the label management system  102  displays the label detail check screen  1222  as shown in  FIG. 12A . 
     On the label detail check screen  1222 , the main label and the associated label are displayed to be switchable according to user operation. 
     That is, the label management system  102  first displays the label title and the detailed content of the main label on the label detail check screen  1222 , and then displays the label title and the detailed content of the associated label on the label detail check screen  1222  in response to tab switching. 
     When label detail display of an associated label having a label number in the “Associated Label No.” in the label information DB  142   b  is commanded, as shown in  FIG. 12B , the label management system  102  first displays the label title and the detailed content of the associated label on the label detail check screen  1222 , and then displays the label title and the detailed content of the main label on the label detail check screen  1222  in response to tab switching. 
     In the case of the label detail display of an associated label too, as shown in  FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B , the label detail check screen  1222  is provided with the slip call button  1222   a . Hence, the slip in input at the time of generation of the associated label can be displayed. 
     That is, when the slip call button  1222   a  is pressed on the label detail check screen  1222  on which details of an associated label are displayed, the label management system  102  refers to, in the label information DB  142   b , the record of the associated label, the details of which are displayed on the label detail check screen  1222 , and when values are stored in the “In-operation Application ID” and “In-input Slip No.”, sends the in-operation application ID and the in-input slip number (i.e., the values) to the business system  101  so as to request the business system  101  to display the slip having that in-input slip number. 
     When receiving the in-operation application ID and the in-input slip number, the business system  101  starts the business application having the in-operation application ID, reads the slip information having the in-input slip number from the business system DB  141   a  and displays the read slip information in the business system region  121 . 
     As described above, according to the data input device  1 , the business system  101  determines whether or not a predetermined automatic label generation condition is satisfied on the basis of (i) data of input slip information and (ii) predetermined data that has a type relevant to the data of the input slip information and is stored in the business system DB  141   a.    
     When determining that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied, the business system  101  stores the data of the input slip information in the business system DB  141   a , and also generates or selects label information having a predetermined content fit for the automatic label generation condition and sends the label information to the label management system  102 . The label management system  102  correlates and stores the received label information with the slip number of the input slip information in the label information DB  142   b.    
     Therefore, even when an operator does not notice that an event to be conveyed with an electronic label occurs, an electronic label can be generated or selected. 
     For example, in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , the automatic label generation condition is correlated and stored with the label information generated or selected when the automatic label generation condition is satisfied, and the business system  101  determines whether or not the automatic label generation condition stored in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b  is satisfied on the basis of the data of the input slip information and the predetermined data, and when determining that the automatic label generation condition is satisfied, generates or selects the label information having the content correlated and stored with the automatic label generation condition. 
     Therefore, determining whether or not an automatic label generation condition is satisfied and generating or selecting label information can be performed at high speed by using the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b.    
     Further, in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , the automatic label generation condition is correlated and stored with (i) the label information generated or selected when the automatic label generation condition is satisfied, (ii) the label identification information to identify the type of the label information and (iii) the application ID of a business application as a target in which the label information is generated, and when the application ID of a business application in operation at the time of input of the data of the slip information is stored in the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , the business system  101  determines whether or not the automatic label generation condition correlated and stored with the application ID of the business application in operation is satisfied on the basis of the data of the input slip information and the predetermined data. 
     Therefore, label information can be generated or selected when a business application as the automatic label generation target is in operation. 
     Further, the label management system  102  correlates and stores in the label information DB  142   b  the label information generated or selected at the time of input of the data of the slip information with (i) the slip number of the slip information and (ii) the application ID of the business application in operation at the time of input of the slip information. 
     Therefore, label information can be correlated with slip information in input and a business application in operation at the time of generation or selection of the label information. 
     Further, in the associated application DB  142   a , the label identification information is correlated and stored with the application ID of a business application associated with the content of the label information identified with the label identification information, and when a business application is started, the label management system  102  refers to the label information DB  142   b  and preferentially displays on the display unit  12  (i) a label based on the label information correlated with the application ID of the started business application or (ii) a label based on the label information having the label identification information correlated and stored with the application ID of the started business application in the associated application DB  142   a.    
     Therefore, labels correlated with a business application in operation or labels associated with the business application in operation can be preferentially displayed to attract a user&#39;s attention. 
     Further, the label management system  102  displays on the display unit  12  the detailed content of a label specified through the operation unit  11  among the label(s) displayed on the display unit  12 . Therefore, a user can easily check the detailed content of a label. 
     Further, comments on a main label are input as the label information of an associated label, the main label being the displayed label based on the label information having the label identification information correlated and stored with the application ID of the started business application in the associated application DB  142   a . Therefore, a user can input a reply to the main label. 
     Further, the label management system  102  displays the main label and the associated label to be switchable according to user operation. Therefore, a user can check both the main label and the associated label with simple operation. 
     Further, when the slip call button  1221   a  on the label detail check screen  1221  is pressed, the label management system  102  makes the business system  101  read the slip information relevant to the displayed label information from the business system DB  141   a  and display the read slip information on the display unit  12 . Therefore, a user can easily check the slip information in input at the time of generation or selection of the label. 
     The above embodiment is a preferred example of the data input device  1  of the present invention, and hence the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     For example, in the above embodiment, the data input device  1  inputs data of slip information. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and is applicable to data input devices which input other data. 
     Further, in the above embodiment, the business system DB  141   a , the automatic label generation pattern DB  141   b , the associated application DB  142   a  and the label information DB  142   b  are stored in the storage unit  14  which is in the data input device  1 , but may be stored in an external database server or the like. 
     Further, in the above embodiment, in the display control process, the labels generated or selected while the started business application is or was in operation and the logged-in user is or was using the device (the labels based on the label information satisfying the conditions at each of Steps S 23  and S 24  in  FIG. 10 ) are preferentially displayed. Alternatively, no matter who currently logs in, the labels generated or selected while the started business application is or was in operation, namely, the labels correlated and stored with the application ID of the started business application in the label information DB  142   b , may be preferentially displayed. 
     Further, the labels associated with the started business application (the labels based on the label information satisfying the condition at Step S 27  in  FIG. 10 ) may be preferentially displayed. 
     The detailed configuration and action of the data input device  1  can also be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     In the above, an embodiment of the present invention is explained. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment but includes the scope of claims below and the scope of their equivalences.