JP2009194862A - Information acquisition method, image forming apparatus, and image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate log information of an extension application when the extension application is installed, the extension application being provided from a third vendor to a multifunction peripheral configured to perform function extension. <P>SOLUTION: An information acquisition method includes an extension application switching step of switching, at an image forming apparatus 100 in which a first function extension application 195 that is not standard configuration is installed, the first function extension application 195 to a second function extension application and installing the second function application, the second function extension application including a function, in addition to a function of the first function extension application 195, for generating various types and/or amounts of log information more than log information generated by the first function extension application 195. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information acquisition method for generating log information used for verifying the operation of an extended application installed in an image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus using the same, and an image forming system.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “multifunction machine”) in which functions such as a printer, a copy, a facsimile, and a scanner are housed in a single housing is generally known. Such a multi-function device includes a plurality of hardware resources such as a printer unit, a copy unit, and a facsimile unit in a single housing in order to execute functions of a printer or the like. The multi-function peripheral includes an application provided for each function and a platform interposed between the application and hardware resources. The platform is composed of various control services that perform management, execution control, and image formation processing of the hardware resources.

  The operation verification, for example, debugging of the application provided in such a multifunction machine is performed based on the log information of the application. For this reason, the multifunction peripheral needs to include means for generating log information. As a method related to the generation of log information, for example, as shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3, a method of acquiring communication information of interprocess communication by an application or a control service, or as shown in Patent Documents 4 to 7 In addition, a method for efficiently developing an application that operates on a multi-function peripheral and verifying the application accurately and efficiently, or log information for verifying an application as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 8, is provided. A method of transmitting to the outside is known.

Japanese Patent No. 3798682 JP 2003-167715 A Japanese Patent No. 3798710 JP 2003-263321 A JP 2003-256238 A JP 2003-271385 A JP 2003-271386 A JP 2006-011588 A

  However, the configurations disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 8 described above are provided by a third vendor, installed in the multifunction peripheral, and do not have a function for generating log information of a type and / or quantity sufficient for debugging work. The extended application does not fully consider how to generate log information suitable for debugging. In general, extended applications are often provided by third-party vendors that are separate from the developer of the multifunction device. It is extremely difficult to configure. Therefore, the above configuration has a disadvantage that log information cannot be generated for an extended application that does not have a function of generating log information suitable for debugging work.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and generates log information of an extended application when an extended application provided by a third vendor is installed in a multifunction peripheral configured to be able to perform function expansion. An object of the present invention is to provide an information acquisition method, an image forming apparatus using the information acquisition method, and an image forming system.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an information acquisition method capable of generating log information of an extended application via a network and acquiring the log information, an image forming apparatus using the information acquisition method, and An object is to provide an image forming system.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide an information acquisition method capable of acquiring packet information for recording packet transmission / reception via a network simultaneously with generation of log information, an image forming apparatus using the same, and An object is to provide an image forming system.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an information acquisition method according to one aspect of the present invention is a log information of an image forming process performed by an image forming apparatus in which a first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed. Is an information acquisition method that includes an extended application reception step, an extended application replacement step, a log information generation step, and a log information storage step. In the extended application receiving step, the image forming apparatus generates log information having a larger type and / or quantity than log information generated by the first function expansion application in addition to the function of the first function expansion application. The input of the 2nd function expansion application which has a function is received. In the extended application replacement step, the image forming apparatus replaces the first extended application with the second function extended application and installs it. In the log information generation step, the image forming apparatus generates log information by causing the second extended application to be executed. In the log information storage step, the image forming apparatus stores the log information generated by the second function expansion application in an external storage unit connected to the image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus in which a first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed, and includes the first function expansion application in addition to the function of the first function expansion application. An extension application receiving means for receiving an input of a second function extension application having a function of generating log information having a larger type and / or quantity than log information generated by one function extension application; and the first function extension. Extended application replacement means for replacing an application with the second extended function application for installation, log information generating means for generating the log information by executing the second extended application, and the second extended function application Generated by It comprises a log information acquiring means for acquiring information.

  An image forming system according to still another aspect of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus in which a first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed, and a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. And have. In addition to the function of the first function expansion application, the image forming apparatus has a function of generating log information having a larger type and / or quantity than log information generated by the first function expansion application. An extension application receiving unit that receives an input of a second function extension application, an extension application replacement unit that replaces and installs the first function extension application with the second function extension application, and executes the second extension application Log information generating means for generating the log information, and log information acquiring means for acquiring log information generated by the second function expansion application. The server performs at least one of transmission of the second function expansion application to the image forming apparatus and reception of log information acquired by the log information acquisition unit.

  According to the present invention, the first extended application that cannot generate log information of a sufficient type and / or quantity for performing a debug operation is converted into a log of a sufficient type and / or quantity for performing a debug operation. Since the second extension application that can generate information is replaced, it is possible to generate log information useful for debugging work.

  Further, according to the present invention, the generated log information is transmitted to a third vendor or an affiliated company to which operation verification is entrusted via the network, so that the third vendor or the like goes to the installation location of the multifunction device and There is no need to obtain log information immediately from the machine.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the network communication history information is generated simultaneously with the generation of the log information, it becomes possible to perform the debugging work more efficiently based on them.

  Exemplary embodiments of an information acquisition method and an image forming apparatus using the same according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modified embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(First embodiment)
An information acquisition method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a multifunction machine is illustrated as an example of an apparatus using an information acquisition method.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a multi-function peripheral) using an information acquisition method. As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction peripheral 100 includes a communication interface 105, a monochrome line printer (B & W LP) 110, a color line printer (Color LP) 120, a hard disk (HD) 130, a scanner, a facsimile, a memory, and the like. And a software group 180 composed of a platform 160 and an application 170. Further, the multi-function device 100 can read the external storage medium 150. The multi-function device 100 is configured to be able to perform function expansion. For example, the multi-function device 100 is configured to install an extension application (described later) provided by a third vendor.

  The platform 160 manages a control service that generates a request for securing hardware resources in response to a request from the application 170, and a system resource manager that manages one or more hardware resources and arbitrates requests from the control service. SRM) 181, general-purpose OS 182, and log information generation routine 183.

  The control service is formed of a plurality of service modules, and includes a system control service (SCS) 184, an engine control service (ECS) 185, a memory control service (MCS) 186, an operation panel control service (OCS) 187, and a fax. A control service (FCS) 188 and a network control service (NCS) 189 are included. The platform 160 has an application program interface (API) described by a function defined so that a request from the application 170 can be received.

  The general-purpose OS 182 is a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), and executes the software of the platform 160 and the application 170 in parallel as processes.

  The process of the SRM 181 performs system control and resource management together with the SCS 184. The SRM181 process uses hardware resources such as engines such as the scanner unit and printer unit, memory, HDD files, and host I / O (centronics I / F, network I / F, IEEE 1394 I / F, RS232C I / F, etc.). Arbitration is performed according to the request from the upper layer to be used, and execution control is performed.

  Specifically, the SRM 181 determines whether the requested hardware resource is available (whether it is not used by another request), and if it is available, the requested hardware resource is used. Tell the upper layer that it is possible. Further, the SRM 181 performs use scheduling of hardware resources in response to a request from an upper layer, and directly executes request contents (for example, paper conveyance and image forming operation, memory allocation, file generation, etc. by a printer engine). .

  The process of the SCS 184 performs application management, operation unit control, system screen display, LED display, resource management, interrupt application control, and the like.

  The ECS 185 process controls the engine of the monochrome line printer 110, the color line printer 120, and the hardware resource 140 including a scanner and a facsimile.

  The process of the MCS 186 performs acquisition and release of a storage area of the image memory, use of a hard disk device (HDD), compression and decompression of image data, and the like.

  The OCS 187 controls an operation panel serving as information transmission means between the operator (user) and the main body control.

  The process of FCS188 includes facsimile transmission / reception using PSTN / ISDN network from each application layer of the system controller, registration / quotation of various facsimile data managed by BKM (backup SRAM), facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and fusion transmission / reception. Provides an API to do.

  The NCS 189 process is a process for providing a service that can be commonly used for applications that require network I / O. Data received from the network side via the communication interface 105 by each protocol is sent to each application. Distribution is performed, and mediation is performed when data is transmitted from the application 170 to the network side via the communication interface 105. Specifically, it has server daemons such as ftpd, httpd, lpd, snmpd, telnetd, and smtpd, and client functions of the same protocol.

  The application 170 implements a printer application 191 that implements a printer function described in page description language (PDL), PCL, and post script (PS), a copy application 192 that implements a copy function, and a facsimile function. A fax application 193, a scanner application 194 that realizes a scanner function, and an extension application 195 that is provided by a third vendor and that causes the multifunction peripheral 100 to realize a desired function. Each of these applications 170 is generated and operated as a process in response to a user request after the MFP 100 is activated.

  Note that the extended application 195 here is a function that realizes a function that was not intended at the time of development of the multifunction peripheral 100, and is a function that combines a scan function and a communication function, for example, and has been scanned. This is to realize a scan communication function that sequentially transfers a document to a predetermined transfer destination via a network. The MFP 100 is preliminarily equipped with a scanner included in the communication interface 105 and the hardware resource 140 as hardware resources corresponding to such a scan communication function. An application that is used in an integrated manner to realize the scan communication function is not provided as a standard specification. Therefore, an extended function can be realized by additionally installing an application that realizes such a function as an extended application in the multifunction peripheral 100.

  Further, the extended application 195 here is configured to realize only a simple additional function such as a scan communication function, and the type and / or amount necessary and sufficient for the operation verification of the extended application 195. Is not configured to generate log information.

  Each application 170 other than the extended application 195 and each control service are configured in advance to generate log information, and the generated log information is stored in a shared memory area (described later) used by each application 170 and each control service. ). Note that, as will be described later, the extended application 195 at the time of installation does not generate at least a sufficient type or amount of log information for verifying its operation.

  The log information generation routine 183 operates as a process in the control service layer, and writes the generated log information to the HD 130 in a predetermined format as will be described later.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the multifunction machine according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral 100 illustrated in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction peripheral 100 includes a controller board 200 in which a central processing unit (CPU) 202, SDRAM 203, SRAM 208, and HD 130 are connected to an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 201, an operation panel 210, A fax control unit (FCU) 220, an external storage medium 150, and a printer 230 are included. The operation panel 210 is directly connected to the ASIC 201, and the FCU 220 and the printer 230 are connected to the ASIC 201 via the PCI bus.

  The HD 130 stores each control service, each application 170, log information generation routine 183, and other programs. Further, the HD 130 stores log information of the application 170 and the control service generated by the log information generation routine 183.

  The operation panel 210 includes an operation unit that accepts key operations such as user key input and button pressing, and a display unit that displays drawing data such as buttons, windows, and various screens.

  As described above, the external storage medium 150 stores the log information generation object 151 provided by the third vendor, and is read into the ASIC 201 via, for example, a USB interface and a PCI bus (not shown). Here, the USB interface, the PCI bus, and / or the ASIC 201 can function as an extended application receiving unit that receives an input of a log information generating extended application, which will be described later, stored in the external storage medium 150. Note that the external storage medium 150 is not necessarily read by the ASIC 201 via the USB interface. For example, when the external storage medium 150 is provided in the form of a flash memory card, it may be read via a flash memory card interface (not shown). In other words, the contents stored in the external storage medium 150 can be read via an arbitrary interface provided in the multi-function peripheral 100 in accordance with the provision form of the external storage medium 150.

  With the functional configuration and hardware configuration of the multi-function device 100 described above, it is possible to execute the extended application 195 that realizes an additional function. However, the extended application 195 at the time of installation cannot generate log information of a sufficient type and / or amount necessary for the operation verification, and the multifunction peripheral 100 also supports the unknown extended application 195. It is difficult to prepare in advance a configuration that can generate log information. For this reason, when log information of the extended application 195 is generated, a configuration for generating log information as described later is newly required.

  Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the log information generation object 151 for generating log information of the extended application 195 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the log information generation object 151. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the log information generation object 151 includes an extended application detection routine 152 that detects whether or not an extended application 195 provided from a third vendor is installed in the multifunction peripheral 100, and log information generation to be described later. Extension application 153 and an extension application replacement routine 154 that replaces the extension application 195 with the log information generation extension application 153. This log information generation object 151 is stored in the external storage medium 150. Therefore, for example, the user can cause the multifunction device 100 to recognize the presence of the log information generation object 151 by causing the multifunction device 100 to read the external storage medium 150 in which the log information generation object 151 is stored.

  The log information generation extended application 153 included in the log information generation object 151 includes, in addition to the functions of the extended application 195 installed in the multifunction peripheral 100, the type of information and the log information generated by the extended application 195 at the time of installation. It has a function of generating log information having a larger quantity.

  The extension application replacement process by the log information generation object 151 having the above-described configuration will be specifically described below. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the extended application replacement process of the log information generation object 151. It is assumed that the external storage medium 150 is readable by the multifunction device 100 before the multifunction device 100 is activated. As a result, the log information generation object 151 stored in the external storage medium 150 can be automatically read when the multifunction peripheral system is activated including the activation of the OS or the like.

  First, the MFP 100 is activated (step S110). This step S110 includes steps for performing initial settings of the multifunction device 100, such as turning on the power of the multifunction device 100, starting the general-purpose OS 182 from the HD 130, and starting a service program from the HD 130.

  Next, the activated general-purpose OS 182 reads the log information generation object 151 stored in the external storage medium 150, more specifically, the extended application detection routine 152 constituting the log information generation object 151 (step S120).

  Based on the read extended application detection routine 152, it is determined whether or not the extended application 195 is currently installed in the multifunction peripheral 100 (step S130). As a result, when the extended application 195 has not been installed (step S130-No), the processing of the log information generation object 151 ends. Thereafter, the multifunction peripheral 100 waits until a request for starting the copy application 192 is received from the user. In the present embodiment, since it is assumed that the extended application 195 is preinstalled in the multifunction peripheral 100, the result of step S130 is “Yes” as follows.

  If the extended application 195 has been installed (step S130—Yes), the extended application detection routine 152 determines whether the installed extended application 195 corresponds to the log information generating extended application 153. (Step S140). As a result, when it is determined that the extended application 195 does not correspond to the log information generating extended application 153 (step S140-No), the processing of the log information generating object 151 ends, and the multi-function device 100 determines the next request. Wait until you receive

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the extended application 195 corresponds to the log information generation extended application 153 (step S140-Yes), the extended application replacement routine 154 determines that the installed extended application 195 is the log information generation extended application 153. (Step S150). As a result, the processing of the log information generation object 151 ends, and the multi-function device 100 waits until the next request is received.

  As described above, when the log information generation extended application 153 is compatible with the extended application 195, the log information generation object 151 uses the installed extended application 195 to expand the log information generation when the multifunction peripheral 100 is activated. Replace with application 153. Accordingly, the next activation target of the extended application is the log information generating extended application 153, and an opportunity to generate log information more than the log information generated by the extended application 195 at the time of installation is obtained. In this embodiment, each application 170 other than the extended application 195 has a log information generation function in advance, and the log information generation routine 183 described above is used for generating the log information. Included as part of Therefore, log information newly generated by the log information generation extended application 153 can be managed by the log information generation routine 183. The log information generation process of each application 170 and the log information generation process of the extended application before and after replacement are basically the same contents.

  The log information generation function by the log information generation extended application 153 after replacement will be described below. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a process for generating log information.

  After the replacement between the extended application 195 and the log information generating extended application 153, when the user requests to start the extended application 195, the log information generating extended application 153 is started. As a result, the activated log information generation extended application 153 realizes a function requested by the user (function of the extended application 195) and generates various log information under a predetermined condition. The generated log information is stored in the HD 130.

  The log information generation routine 183 secures the shared memory area 131 for each application and each control service in the HD 130. Since the shared memory area 131 is generated for each control service and each application, for example, when the log information acquisition process of the copy application 192 is executed in parallel, the control service or application from which the log information is written can be easily provided. It is possible to discriminate between.

  The log information generation routine 183 can select the generated log information based on a request from the user and / or a third vendor. As a result, it is possible to extract only the minimum log information necessary for operation verification of the extended application 195. The log information generation routine 183 can also generate log information using a predetermined format based on a request from a user and / or a third vendor. For example, the log information generation routine 183 may add the system time of the multifunction peripheral 100 to each of the generated log information and store it in the HD 130.

  Each shared memory area is provided on the SDRAM 203 accessed by each application 170 or each control service, and a FIFO (First In First Out) queue is provided on the shared memory area, and the generated log information is temporarily stored. You may comprise so that it may store in a FIFO queue. In this case, the log information generation routine 183 refers to the FIFO queue in each shared memory area at regular intervals to check whether the log information is stored, and if it is stored, reads the log information. And stored in the HD 130.

  As described above, by replacing the extended application 195 with the log information generating extended application 153, the type of the application is sufficient to verify the operation of the extended application in accordance with the normal log information generating process provided in advance in the multifunction peripheral 100. An amount of log data can be generated as log information using a predetermined format. Therefore, the third vendor can easily cause the multifunction peripheral 100 to generate desired log information by providing the log information generation object to the user.

  In the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, the log information generation extended application 153 is provided with a logging handler or the like, and the interprocess communication performed between the log information generation extended application 153 and the control service or other applications. The inter-process communication history information may be generated.

  Normally, in the multi-function device 100, there are not only a plurality of application processes for each function but also a control service process for providing a service required by the application. Each process is executed by a plurality of threads, and realizes various functions by communicating with other processes while realizing parallel execution at a thread level. Furthermore, in each control service, data transmission / reception occurs between processes of many applications. In addition, data transmission / reception occurs between processes of the control services. In the MFP 100 having the normal configuration, the copy application 192 or the like is provided with a logging handler, and for example, inter-process communication history information between the MCS 186 and the copy application 192 can be acquired. Therefore, by providing a logging handler in the log information generation extended application 153, for example, interprocess communication history information is generated as log information from interprocess communication data performed between the MCS 186 and the log information generation extended application 153. It can be used for debugging an extended application.

  Further, the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the first embodiment is configured to read the log information generation object 151 every time it is activated. For example, a storage device storing an arbitrary log information generation object is first combined. It may be configured to read it only when connected to the machine 100. Accordingly, it is not necessary to determine whether or not an extended application is installed every time the multifunction peripheral 100 is activated.

  Further, in the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, when it is determined that the extended application 195 is installed (Yes in step S130), the extended application 195 and the log information generating extended application 153 correspond to each other. However, step S140 may be performed only when the extended application 195 has a valid electronic signature, for example. As a result, it is possible not to perform support such as operation verification based on log information for an unauthorized extended application that does not have an electronic signature.

  The extended application detection routine 152 according to the present embodiment has a module configuration including an extended application detection unit (not shown), and the extended application replacement routine 154 has a module configuration including an extended application replacement unit (not shown). Furthermore, the log information generation routine 183 has a module configuration including a log information generation unit (not shown). As the actual hardware, the CPU 202 reads the extended application detection routine 152, the extended application replacement routine 154, and the log information generation routine 183 from the log information generation object 151 and the HD 130 and executes them to load the above-described units onto the main storage device. An extended application detection unit, an extended application replacement unit, and a log information generation unit are generated on the main storage device.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, an information acquisition method and an image forming system using the information acquisition method according to the second embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment as well, a multifunction machine is illustrated as an example of an apparatus using the information acquisition method. The MFP according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it is connected to the server via a network and the configuration of the log information generation object. Therefore, components having the same names and symbols have the same structure and function as those of the first embodiment unless otherwise specified below.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an information acquisition system using the information acquisition method. As shown in FIG. 6, the multi-function device 100 is connected to the server 210 via the network and can read the external storage medium 250 that stores the log information generation object 251.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the log information generation object 251 stored in the external storage medium 250. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the log information generation object 251 includes an automatic transfer program 257 in addition to the extended application detection routine 152, the log information generation extended application 153, and the extended application replacement routine 154.

  The automatic transfer program 257 is for automatically transferring log information stored in the HD 130 to a predetermined transfer destination at an arbitrary timing. Here, the predetermined transfer destination indicates the address of the server 210 connected via the network.

  Also in the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the extended application replacement process shown in FIG. 4 is executed, and the log related to the extended application is executed in accordance with the operation of the replaced log information generation extended application 153. Information is stored in the HD 130.

  The automatic transfer program 257 is automatically started when the multifunction peripheral 100 is restarted. The activated automatic transfer program 257 determines whether or not the log information generated by the replaced log information generation extended application 153 is stored in the HD 130, and if it is stored, the log information is stored in the server 210. Send. When the transfer of all log information stored in the HD 130 is completed, the processing of the automatic transfer program 257 ends, and the multi-function device 100 stands by until there is a next request.

  As a result, when the third vendor determines that the operation of the extended application 195 installed in the multifunction peripheral 100 needs to be verified, the third vendor does not actually go to the location where the multifunction peripheral 100 is installed, but the user is requested via the server 210. Log information can be acquired.

  As for the provision form of the log information generation object 251, for example, a third vendor provides the user with an external storage medium such as a compact disc (CD) storing the log information generation object 251 by mail. Also, an e-mail attached with the log information generation object 251 can be sent to the user, or the URL of a website or FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site where the log information generation object 251 can be downloaded can be notified to the user. . In particular, when a Web site or FTP site is configured to provide the log information generation object 251, the multi-function device 100 downloads it directly via the Internet and stores it in the external storage medium 250 or a storage unit instead. You can also

  In the MFP 100 according to the second embodiment, the generated log information is configured to be transferred when the MFP 100 is started. However, log information transfer is not limited to when the MFP 100 is started. The log information may be transferred to the server sequentially using the HTTP protocol or the FTP protocol every time the log information extraction is completed.

  In the MFP 100 according to the second embodiment, only log information is extracted, but in addition to this, a network packet that is a communication history with the network may also be extracted. . In this case, in addition to the log information generation object 251, the external storage medium 250 also stores a network packet capture program, and when the log information of the extended application 195 is extracted, the program is started, and the extended application 195 and the network To generate network packet data.

  Even when the network packet data is also acquired, the system time of the MFP 100 may be added to the log information and the network packet data.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the log information generation extended application 153 and the log information control file 155 are embedded in the log information generation objects 151 and 251. One of them may be separated from the log information generation object 151 and stored in the external storage media 150 and 250. In this case, the log information generation objects 151 and 251 are configured to call the log information generation extended application 153 and the log information control file 155 as necessary.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the log information generation object concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the extended application replacement process of a log information generation object. It is the block diagram which showed the whole structure of the process which produces | generates log information. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the multifunctional device of 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the log information generation object concerning 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

100 MFP 105 Communication Interface 110 B & W LP
120 Color LP
130 HD
131 Shared memory area 140 Other hardware resources 150, 250 External storage medium 151, 251 Log information generation object 152 Extended application detection routine 153 Log information generation extended application 154 Extended application replacement routine 160 Platform 170 Application 180 Software group 181 SRM
182 General-purpose OS
183 Log information generation routine 184 SCS
185 ECS
186 MCS
187 OCS
188 FCS
189 NCS
191 Printer application 192 Copy application 193 Fax application 194 Scanner application 195 Extended application 200 Controller board 201 ASIC
202 CPU
203 SDRAM
208 SRAM
210 Operation panel 220 FCU
230 Printer 256 Automatic transfer program

Claims (14)

In an information acquisition method for acquiring log information of an image forming process by an image forming apparatus in which a first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed,
A second function in which the image forming apparatus has a function of generating log information having a larger type and / or quantity than log information generated by the first function expansion application in addition to the function of the first function expansion application; An extension application receiving step for receiving input of the function extension application of
An extension application replacement step in which the image forming apparatus replaces and installs the first function extension application with the second function extension application;
A log information generation step in which the image forming apparatus generates the log information by causing the second extended application to be executed;
A log information acquisition step in which the image forming apparatus acquires log information generated by the second function expansion application;
An information acquisition method comprising:   In the log information acquisition step, the image forming apparatus acquires the log information by storing log information generated by the second extended application in an external storage unit connected to the image forming apparatus. The information acquisition method according to claim 1.   3. The log information transmission step further comprising: a log information transmission step in which the image forming apparatus transmits the acquired log information to a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. Information acquisition method described.   The information acquisition method according to claim 3, wherein the log information transmission step is executed when the image forming apparatus is restarted.   The information acquisition method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein in the log information transmission step, the image forming apparatus transmits the acquired log information to the server using an HTTP protocol.   The extension application receiving step receives an e-mail attached with the second extension application from a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network, thereby inputting the second extension application. The information acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the information acquisition method is received. The extended application receiving step includes:
A URL receiving step of receiving a URL of a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network and storing the second extension application;
The download step of receiving the input of the second extended application by accessing the URL and downloading the second extended application from the server. 6. The information acquisition method according to claim 1. A packet information generation application that receives a packet information generation application for acquiring network communication history information between the image forming apparatus and a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. Receiving step;
A network communication history information generating step for generating the network communication history information by causing the image forming apparatus to execute the packet information generation application;
A network communication history information storage step in which the image forming apparatus stores network communication history information generated by the packet information generation application in an external storage unit connected to the image forming apparatus;
The information acquisition method according to claim 1, further comprising:   9. The information acquisition method according to claim 8, wherein the network communication history information generation step generates network communication history information addressed to the image forming apparatus. The log information generation step generates the log information by giving a system time of the image forming apparatus,
The information acquisition method according to claim 9, wherein the network communication history information generating step generates the network communication history information by adding a system time of the image forming apparatus.   The information acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the extended application replacement step is executed only when the image forming apparatus is first activated.   The extension application replacement step replaces the first extension application and the second extension application when the first extension application has a valid digital signature. The information acquisition method as described in any one of them. In the image forming apparatus in which the first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed,
Input of a second function expansion application having a function of generating log information having a type and / or quantity larger than log information generated by the first function expansion application in addition to the function of the first function expansion application An extended application receiving means for receiving
Extension application replacement means for replacing the first function extension application with the second function extension application for installation;
Log information generating means for generating the log information by executing the second extended application;
Log information acquisition means for acquiring log information generated by the second function expansion application;
An image forming apparatus comprising: In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus in which a first function expansion application that is not a standard configuration is installed, and a predetermined server connected to the image forming apparatus via a network,
The image forming apparatus includes:
Input of a second function expansion application having a function of generating log information having a type and / or quantity larger than log information generated by the first function expansion application in addition to the function of the first function expansion application An extended application receiving means for receiving
Extension application replacement means for replacing the first function extension application with the second function extension application for installation;
Log information generating means for generating the log information by executing the second extended application;
Log information acquisition means for acquiring log information generated by the second function expansion application,
The server
Performing at least one of transmission of the second function expansion application to the image forming apparatus and reception of log information acquired by the log information acquisition unit;
An image forming system.

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