JP2002175225A - System and method for displaying information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow operation status information of a device to be confirmed even when a user is located in a site distant from the device. SOLUTION: In this information displaying system connected with computers and peripheral equipments 14 via a network 10, the peripheral equipment 14 is provided with an operation display part 142 for assigning the computer as a transmission destination for information, and a network communication part 145 for transmitting the information to the transmission destination assigned by the operation display part 142, the computer is provided with a display part 142 for receiving the information from the equipment 14 to display it, and the operation status information is transmitted from the network communication part 145 to the computer during an operation of the peripheral equipment to be displayed by the operation display part 142 of the computer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an information display system and an information display method, and more particularly to display of operation status information of peripheral devices such as a multifunction device including functions such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has become common in business offices to connect computers by cables to form a network. In many cases, printers, which are peripheral devices of the computer, are also connected to the network. Has become. Furthermore, copiers have recently been used as multifunction devices incorporating printer and facsimile functions, and such devices are provided with network communication and a network interface, and are often connected to a network. Is coming. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-32736 discloses a system for remotely monitoring a machine status of a copying apparatus and periodically transmitting remote data communication of an error status of the copying apparatus or information on the remaining amount of consumables to a remote computer. The technology is described. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-164181 discloses that when an abnormality of a network peripheral device is detected, operation status information corresponding to the detected information is automatically obtained in accordance with the detected abnormality. Techniques are described for automatically transmitting packets containing information to a remote service organization over a network.

[0003]

However, according to the above-mentioned prior art, when an abnormality occurs in a copying apparatus, the operation status information is notified only to the management department of the copying apparatus. Therefore, when using a copying apparatus, at present, operating status information other than abnormalities is only displayed on the operation / display unit in the copying apparatus, and the user can separate the operating status information of the copying apparatus from the apparatus. I can't know. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an information display system capable of confirming operation status information of a device even when a user is away from the device. And an information display method.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network. An operation display unit that specifies the computer as a destination of information, and a network communication unit that transmits information to the destination specified by the operation display unit, wherein the computer receives information from the peripheral device. And a display unit for displaying, while the peripheral device is operating, transmitting the operation status information from the network communication unit to the computer, and displaying the information on the display unit of the computer. It is characterized by doing. The information display system according to claim 2 of the present invention is the information display system according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit allows a user to select a computer to which operation status information is displayed, and The communication unit transmits the operation status information of the peripheral device to the selected computer. Also, in the information display system according to claim 3 of the present invention, in the information display system according to claim 1, the operation display unit allows a user to use the peripheral device to be selected. Operation status information is transmitted to the computer used by the selected user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information display system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the operation display unit includes an operation status of the peripheral device. When a computer for which information is to be displayed is designated, a check is made as to whether or not the computer can be connected, and if the computer cannot be connected, the fact is displayed. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information display system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the operation display unit transmits operation status information of the peripheral device. The network communication unit transmits the operation status information of the peripheral device to the computer at specified time intervals. An information display system according to claim 6 of the present invention is an information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device sets the computer for transmitting information and an interval for transmitting the information. An operation display unit to specify, and a network communication unit to transmit information at a specified time interval to a destination specified by the operation display unit, the computer receives information from the peripheral device, A display unit for displaying is provided, and the operating status information of the peripheral device is transmitted from the network communication unit to the computer, and is displayed on the display unit of the computer.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device selects a name of a user who uses the peripheral device. By specifying the computer to send the information, an operation display unit to specify the interval to send the information,
A network communication unit that transmits information at a specified time interval to a transmission destination specified by the operation display unit, wherein the computer receives information from the peripheral device,
A display unit for displaying, wherein the operating status information of the peripheral device is transmitted from the network communication unit to a user of the computer, and is displayed on the display unit of the computer. I do. An information display method according to claim 8 of the present invention is the information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the computer transmits operation status information of the peripheral device from the peripheral device and the computer. An information transmission interval is specified, information is transmitted to a specified destination at a specified time interval, and the computer receives the operation status information and displays the information. And In the information display method according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, a user name using the peripheral device is selected,
By specifying the computer to which the information is to be transmitted and by specifying an interval for transmitting the operation status information of the peripheral device, the information is transmitted to the specified destination at a specified time interval, and the computer The operation status information is received and displayed.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. (1) Outline Description of Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an operation environment of an information display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The peripheral device 14 includes a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and the like. In the present embodiment, a case where the peripheral device 14 is a copying device will be described as an example. That is, in the information display system according to the embodiment of the present invention, one or more computers 11 and one or more peripheral devices 14 (each combination of one or more copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, etc.) are connected via the network 10. Connected. This network 10
Is a transmission path for connecting the computer 11 and the peripheral device 14, and is generally realized by a cable, and TCP / IP is used as a communication protocol. However, the transmission path is not limited to the cable, but if the communication protocol between them is the same, the wireless L
It may use an AN or broadcast waves. In such a network environment, a user copies a document from the peripheral device 14 (copying device). At this time, if the number of copies of the document is large, the operation status information of the copying device is used by the user. Is set to notify the computer 11 that is in operation. In the copying process specified by the user, the peripheral device 14 (copying device) transmits the operation status information to the computer 11 of the specified user via the network 1.
Notify via 0. In the case of a copying apparatus, the operation status information includes the number of originals for which copying processing has been completed, the start time of copying processing, the expected end time of copying processing, and the error status (including out-of-consumables information).

(2) Detailed Configuration of the Embodiment FIG. 2 shows the peripheral device 14 of the information display system of the embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a (copying apparatus). The peripheral device 14 includes a controller 141, an operation display unit 142, a document reading unit 143, an engine unit 144, and a network communication unit 145, and each unit is connected by a bus 146. The peripheral device 14 is connected to the network 10 via a network communication unit 145. In FIG. 2, the components are connected by the bus 146, but a configuration in which the bus is not used may be employed. Peripheral device 1 by user
4 (copying apparatus), when the original to be copied is set and the copying process is started, first, when the operation status information of the copying process is to be displayed on the computer 11,
A display destination determination button is pressed on the operation panel of the peripheral device 14. By pressing the button, the controller 141 activates the operation display unit 142. The operation display unit 142 displays a computer list screen (see FIG. 3) as a display destination to which the peripheral device 14 can be connected via the network 10, prompts the user to make a selection, and the user displays the list from the list. Choose a destination.

For example, when the operating status information is to be displayed on the computer alpah, alpha is pressed and selected from the computer list on the display destination selection screen as shown in FIG. Next, the operation display unit 142 displays the user list on the screen (see FIG. 4), and prompts the user to make a selection.
The user selects his name from the list. For example, a list of users who can use the computer specified earlier (see FIG. 4) is displayed, and the user's name (for example, suzuki) is selected from the list. Here, if there is no response from the designated computer alpha due to power off or the like, the status may be displayed on the operation panel to notify the user. Therefore, it is necessary to register in advance a computer connectable via the network 10 and a user name. The user presses a display setting button of the operation status information from the operation panel of the peripheral device 14. When pressed, the controller 14
1 activates the operation display unit 142 to set the computer name, the user name used by the computer, and the transmission interval of the operation status information. For example, if the computer name used by the user suzuki is alpha, suzuki-alpha is associated. When suzuki is selected by the user, the operation status information is displayed on the computer alpha. Finally, when the user presses a copy execution button on the operation panel of the peripheral device 14, the document read from the document reading unit 143 is printed by the engine unit 144 under the control of the controller 141. The controller 141 sets in advance operation status information (the number of originals for which copying processing has been completed, the copy processing start time, the expected copy processing end time, and the error status (including out-of-consumables information)) caused during the period from reading to printing. The data is transmitted to the user's computer connected to the network 10 through the network communication unit 145 at each time interval.

By configuring the embodiment as described above, even when a peripheral device (copying device) is located away from the user, the processing status of the peripheral device can be easily confirmed. In the above description, the user presses the display destination determination button from the operation panel of the peripheral device 14 to select and determine the computer name or the user name of the display destination. May be provided, and when the item is selected, a selection screen for a display destination computer or a user may be displayed. The display destination may be set not only when the execution of the process is started but also during the execution. In the above description, the user name is selected after the computer name is specified. However, if the user name is selected and the user can use the computer on multiple computers, the operation status is assigned to any one of the computers. You may make it specify whether information is transmitted.

(3) Configuration of Computer Used by User FIG. 5 shows a hardware configuration of a computer for allowing the user to display operating status information indicating the usage status from the peripheral devices 14 connected to the network 10. Is shown. The computer includes an input device 1, an output device 2, a CPU (Central Processing).
Unit; central processing unit) 3, memory 4, storage device 5, medium drive device 6, and network connection device 7 are connected by bus 8. That is, the input device 1 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a scanner, and the like, and is used for inputting information. The output device 2 includes a display for outputting various output information, information input from the input device 1, and the like. The CPU 3 operates various programs. The memory 4 holds the program itself, and also holds information temporarily created when the program is executed by the CPU 3. The storage device 5 holds data, programs, temporary information at the time of program execution, and the like. The medium drive device 6 is used to mount a recording medium storing programs, data, and the like, read them, and store them in the memory 4 or the storage device 5. Further, it may be used for directly inputting / outputting data or executing a program. The network connection device 7 is an interface for connecting the computer to the peripheral device 14 via the network 10. In such a computer, when operation status information is received from the peripheral device 14 via the network connection device 7,
The information is displayed on a display or the like of the output device 2. The user can know the status of processing, for example, the reason for interruption, such as termination or no paper, from the operation status information. The setting of the display destination and display interval of the operation status information can be reset from the computer to the peripheral device 14. In addition, the user name and the computer name of the display destination are registered in the peripheral device 14, but can be set in advance from a computer connected to the peripheral device 14.

(4) Distribution of Program Each function related to the setting of the display destination of the operation status information in the peripheral device 14 shown in FIG. 2 and the display of the operation status information received from the peripheral device of the computer shown in FIG. The respective functions for setting the display destination on the display 14 are respectively programmed and written in advance on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The functions of the present information display system can be realized by mounting the program in the mounted computer, storing the program in the memory 4 or the storage device 5, and executing the program. The recording medium is a semiconductor medium (for example, R
OM, IC memory card, etc.), optical media (for example, DV
Any of a D-ROM, an MO, an MD, a CD-R, and the like, and a magnetic medium (for example, a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, and the like) may be used. Further, the program for realizing the functions of the information display system of the present invention described above can be distributed in the form of a medium. Further, it is also possible to store a program for realizing the function of the information display system of the present invention in a storage device such as a magnetic disk and distribute the program in a form such as download by a wired or wireless communication network.
Further, a program for realizing the function of the information display system of the present invention may be provided by distributing it by broadcast waves.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even when a peripheral device is located away from the user, the processing status of the peripheral device can be easily checked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network diagram showing an operation environment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a screen example when designating a display destination (computer name) of operation status information.

FIG. 4 is a screen example when a display destination (user name) of operation status information is specified.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing computer hardware for a user to display operation status information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Computer 14 Peripheral device (copier) 10 Network 141 Controller 142 Display operation unit 143 Document reading unit 144 Engine unit 145 Network communication unit 145 Bus

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device includes an operation display unit that specifies the computer as a destination of information, and an operation display unit that specifies the computer. A network communication unit for transmitting information to a transmission destination, wherein the computer includes a display unit for receiving and displaying information from the peripheral device, and operating status information of the peripheral device while the peripheral device is operating. Is transmitted from the network communication unit to the computer, and is displayed on the display unit of the computer. 2. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit allows a user to select a computer to which the operation status information is displayed, and the network communication unit controls the selected computer. Wherein the operating status information of the peripheral device is transmitted to the information display system. 3. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit allows a user to use the peripheral device to be selected, and the network communication unit uses the selected user. Information display system, wherein operating status information is transmitted to the computer. 4. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit is configured to, when a computer displaying the operation status information of the peripheral device is designated, perform the operation. An information display system, wherein a state of a connection of a computer is checked, and if the connection is not possible, a message to that effect is displayed. 5. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit can set an interval for transmitting operation status information of the peripheral device, and The information display system, wherein the network communication unit transmits the operation status information of the peripheral device to the computer at a specified time interval. 6. An information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device comprises: an operation display unit for designating the computer for transmitting information and an interval for transmitting the information; A network communication unit that transmits information at a specified time interval to a transmission destination specified by a display unit, and the computer receives information from the peripheral device, and includes a display unit for displaying. An information display system, wherein operation status information of the peripheral device is transmitted from the network communication unit to the computer, and is displayed on the display unit of the computer. 7. An information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device selects the name of a user who uses the peripheral device, and transmits the information to the computer. An operation display unit that specifies an interval for transmitting the information, and a network communication unit that transmits information at a specified time interval to a destination specified by the operation display unit,
The computer includes a display unit for receiving and displaying information from the peripheral device, transmitting operation status information of the peripheral device from the network communication unit to a user of the computer, and An information display system, wherein the information is displayed by the display unit. 8. An information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein the peripheral device specifies the computer for transmitting operation status information of the peripheral device and an interval for transmitting the information. An information display method, wherein information is transmitted to a specified destination at specified time intervals, and the computer receives the operation status information and displays the information. 9. An information display system for connecting a computer and a peripheral device via a network, wherein a user name of the peripheral device is selected, the computer to which information is to be transmitted is specified, and the peripheral device is specified. By transmitting an operation status information at an interval, the information is transmitted to a specified destination at a specified time interval, and the computer receives and displays the operation status information. An information display method characterized by the following.