Information management apparatus, function management method, computer program, and information processing system

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a function management unit, a function-information acquisition unit, and a function-presenting unit. The function management unit manages an application having one or more functions and being capable of directly invoking any of the functions, where the management of the application is performed on a basis of the function. The function-information acquisition unit acquires information about functions relative to a running function of another application on a basis of the function being managed by the function management unit. The function-presenting unit that presents the information about functions acquired by the function-information acquisition unit.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to
 control transmission, to a management server via a network, of application information of a first application including one or more functions; 
 control reception of a function list of one or more functions of a second application, the one or more functions of the second application being different than the one or more functions of the first application; 
 control display of a recommended list according to the function list; and 
 execute the second application including a selected function selected from the recommended list. 
   
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a user selection of the selected function from the recommended list. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to select more than one function from the recommended list and to execute the second application including the more than one function. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a particular function of the second application according to information received from the management server. 
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 compare the function list with information including a user profile list to generate the recommended list, and   recommend the particular function according to the recommended list.   
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to manage the one or more functions of the first application according to a version of each function of the first application. 
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 extract a new function from the one or more functions of the second application, and   control display of the new function.   
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the processor extracts the new function and controls display of the new function according to a priority of the new function. 
     
     
         10 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to supply a start instruction to start the selected function, and
 in response to the start instruction, the processor executes the second application including the selected function.   
     
     
         11 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to control display of the recommended list within a recommended list display area. 
     
     
         12 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to control display the second application within an application execution area. 
     
     
         13 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the recommended list display area includes a first area and a second area,   the first area includes a first list of local application functions, and   the second area includes a second list of application functions for download.   
     
     
         14 . A function management method, comprising:
 transmitting, by a processor, application information of a first application including one or more functions to a management server via a network;   receiving a function list of one or more functions of a second application, the one or more functions of the second application being different than the one or more functions of the first application;   controlling, by the processor, display of a recommended list according to the function list; and   executing, by the processor, the second application including a selected function selected from the recommended list.   
     
     
         15 . The function management method according to  claim 14 , further comprising receiving a user selection of the selected function from the recommended list. 
     
     
         16 . The function management method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 selecting more than one function from the recommended list; and   executing the second application including the more than one function.   
     
     
         17 . The function management method according to  claim 14 , further comprising recommending a particular function of the second application according to information received from the management server. 
     
     
         18 . The function management method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 comparing the function list with information including a user profile list to generate the recommended list; and   recommending the particular function according to the recommended list.   
     
     
         19 . The function management method according to  claim 14 , further comprising managing the one or more functions of the first application according to a version of each function of the first application. 
     
     
         20 . The function management method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 extracting a new function from the one or more functions of the second application, and   controlling display of the new function.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a computer, cause the computer to:
 control transmission of application information of a first application including one or more functions to a management server via a network;   control reception of a function list of one or more functions of a second application, the one or more functions of the second application being different than the one or more functions of the first application;   control display of a recommended list according to the function list; and   execute the second application including a selected function selected from the recommended list.