JP2018106585A - Information processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program, and information processing, method for controlling the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily grasp an update state of user information associated with printers.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus stores printers and user information for identifying a user in association with each other, and updates the user information stored in association with the printers. The information processing apparatus displays, as a list, the printers managed in association with the user information before being updated and printers stored in association with the user information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of easily grasping the update status of user information associated with a printing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program, and an information processing system, a control method thereof, and a program.

  2. Description of the Related Art A point management system that gives points for receiving predetermined services such as free gifts and product discounts according to printing processing of a printing apparatus is known.

  For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a mechanism that can give points to a user of a printing apparatus in accordance with a printing process in the printing apparatus using a cartridge whose operation has been confirmed by a printing apparatus manufacturer. Has been.

JP 2004-302955 A

  A user who uses the above-described point management system may have a plurality of printing apparatuses. By associating a plurality of printing apparatuses with a user, there is a mechanism for managing points given in accordance with printing by a plurality of associated printing apparatuses for each user.

  In such a mechanism, for example, when the printing apparatus is transferred to another person, it is necessary to update the point management system so that the printing apparatus and the other person are associated with each other. In other words, since the user associated with the printing apparatus may be updated, it may be desired to grasp at a glance which printing apparatus is associated with the user at the present time.

  Therefore, the user needs a mechanism that can easily grasp the update status of the user associated with the printing apparatus registered in the point management system.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a mechanism for easily grasping the update status of user information associated with a printing apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing system according to the present invention associates and stores user information for identifying a user and a printing device in association with each other, and associates the printing device with the printing device. Update means for updating the stored user information, a printing apparatus managed in association with user information before being updated by the updating means, and a printing apparatus stored in association with user information in the storage means And a list display means for displaying as a list.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the structure which can grasp | ascertain easily the update condition of the user information matched with the printing apparatus can be provided.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the system configuration | structure in embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the user terminal 100, the WEB server 102, and the point management server 103 in embodiment. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a point management server 103. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed processing flow of a temporary ID and real ID acquisition process of the printing apparatus. 10 is a flowchart illustrating processing related to updating a registered printing apparatus list 730 managed by the point management server 103. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a flow of point grant processing in the point management server 103; It is an example of the data table which shows an example of the various data table in this embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing relating to display of a printing apparatus list screen 900. 6 is a screen example of a printing apparatus list screen 900.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the point management system according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, the point management system includes a user terminal 100, printing apparatuses 101a to 101c, a WEB server 102, and a point management server 103 as an information processing apparatus.

  When the printing apparatuses 101a to 101c registered in advance execute printing, the point management system gives points according to the printing contents of the printing apparatuses 101a to 101c. For example, the print log information 710 illustrated in FIG. 7 is a data table indicating print contents in the printing apparatus 101. In the print log information 710, a printer ID 711, a number of sheets 712, a reception date and time 713, a point 714, and a user CD 701 are managed in association with each other. A printer ID 711 is an ID for uniquely identifying the printing apparatus 101. The number of sheets 712 indicates the number of printed sheets. The reception date and time 713 is information related to the time when the WEB server 102 acquires information related to printing from the printing apparatus 101. A point 714 indicates a point given according to the number of sheets 712. The user CD 701 is user information registered corresponding to the printer ID 711. In the present embodiment, the number 712 is the point 714 as it is, but the point 714 may be calculated by multiplying the number 712 by a coefficient.

  Each printing apparatus 101a to 101c is registered in association with a user who uses each printing apparatus 101a to 101c. The user can receive a predetermined service such as gifting or product discounting according to the cumulative number of points granted. The printing apparatuses 101a to 101c execute respective jobs such as copying and scanning based on operation of an operation unit (not shown) or execution data received from an external apparatus (not shown). The WEB server 102 acquires print log information 710 that is log information of printing executed by the printing apparatuses 101a to 101c from the printing apparatuses 101a to 101c, and holds the acquired print log information 710. Further, when the WEB server 102 receives a transmission request for the print log information 710 from the point management server 103, the WEB server 102 transmits the print log information 710 to the point management server 103. The point management server 103 assigns points according to the printing contents of the printing apparatuses 101a to 101c, accumulates the points for each user, and manages them by a user table 700 shown in FIG.

  The user table 700 is a data table in which user CDs 701 and points 702 are associated with each other. Points 702 are managed for each user CD 701.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the WEB server 102 and the point management server 103 will be described. In this embodiment, the WEB server 102 and the point management server 103 have the same configuration, and the configuration will be described below using the point management server 103 as an example.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing hardware configurations of the user terminal 100, the WEB server 102, and the point management server 103 in FIG.

  2, the point management server 103 includes a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, an input controller 205, a video controller 206, a memory controller 207, a communication I / F controller 208, an input device 209, a display 210, and an external memory 211. The CPU 201, ROM 202, RAM 203, input controller 205, video controller 206, memory controller 207, and communication I / F controller 208 are connected to each other via a system bus 204. The input controller 205 is connected to the input device 209, the video controller 206 is connected to the display 210, and the memory controller 207 is connected to the external memory 211.

  The CPU 201 comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204. Further, the CPU 201 loads a program necessary for executing the process from the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 to the RAM 203 and executes the loaded program to realize each operation. The ROM 202 is a read-only memory. The external memory 211 is a hard disk (HD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact flash (registered trademark) memory connected to the PCMCIA card slot via an adapter, or the like. The ROM 202 and the external memory 211 store a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) that is a control program of the CPU 201, an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as OS), and various programs necessary for realizing the functions of the point management server 103. Remember. The RAM 203 functions as a main memory and work area for the CPU 201.

  The input controller 205 acquires input information input by operating the input device 209 or an input device such as a mouse (not shown) from the input device. The video controller 206 performs display control on a display 210 such as a liquid crystal display and a CRT. The memory controller 207 controls access to the external memory 211. The communication I / F controller 208 performs communication control with the WEB server 102 and the like, and performs communication using TCP / IP, for example.

  This is the end of the description of the hardware configuration of the WEB server 102 and the point management server 103 shown in FIG.

  Next, the functional configuration of the point management server 103 will be described using the conceptual diagram of FIG.

  The point management server 103 includes a storage unit 301, a reception unit 302, a storage control unit 303, and a display control unit 304 as functional units.

  The storage unit 301 is a functional unit that stores a user CD (user information) indicating a user and a printing apparatus in association with each other. The accepting unit 302 is a functional unit that accepts registration of a printing apparatus from a user. The storage control unit 303 is a functional unit that controls the association between the user CD and the printing apparatus in the storage unit 301. When the display control unit 304 displays a list of printing apparatuses stored in association with the user, the printing apparatus controlled to associate with a user different from the user already stored in association with the storage control unit 303 Is also a functional part that is displayed in the list.

  This is the end of the description of the functional configuration shown in FIG. The functional configuration described above can be changed according to the application and purpose.

  Next, the detailed processing flow of the temporary ID and real ID acquisition processing of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S <b> 401, the CPU 201 of the user terminal 100 transmits a request for the temporary ID 741 and the real ID 742 to the printing apparatus 101.

  In step S <b> 402, the printing apparatus 101 receives a request for the temporary ID 741 and the real ID 742 from the user terminal 100.

  The temporary ID 741 and the main ID 742 are both IDs for identifying the printing apparatus 101. The temporary ID 741 is a temporary ID given in response to a request from the printing apparatus 101. The main ID 742 is an ID for specifying a target to which points are given according to printing by the printing apparatus 101.

  In step S <b> 403, the printing apparatus 101 transmits a request for the temporary ID 741 to the WEB server 102.

  In step S <b> 404, the CPU 201 of the WEB server 102 receives the request for the temporary ID 741 transmitted from the printing apparatus 101.

  In step S <b> 405, the CPU 201 of the WEB server 102 newly generates a temporary ID 741 and stores it in the print ID table 740 managed by the external memory 211 of the WEB server 102. The print ID table 740 is a data table in which the temporary ID 741 and the real ID 742 are associated with each other. When the printing apparatus 101 becomes a target of the point management system, the temporary ID 741 is overwritten on the real ID 742.

  In step S <b> 406, the CPU 201 of the WEB server 102 transmits the temporary ID 741 generated in step S <b> 405 to the printing apparatus 101.

  In step S407, the printing apparatus 101 receives the temporary ID 741 transmitted in step S406.

  In step S <b> 408, the printing apparatus 101 updates the temporary ID 741 managed by the printing apparatus 101.

  In step S409, the printing apparatus 101 transmits the main ID 742 managed by the printing apparatus 101 and the temporary ID 741 updated in step S408 to the user terminal 100.

  In step S410, the CPU 201 of the user terminal 100 receives the main ID 742 and the temporary ID 741 transmitted in step S409.

  This is the end of the description of the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Next, processing related to updating the registered printing apparatus list 730 managed by the point management server 103 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In step S501, the CPU 201 of the user terminal 100 sends a registration request to the point management system to the point management server 103 for the printing apparatus 101 that has received the main ID 742 and the temporary ID 741 in step S410 in response to an instruction from the user. Do. The user CD 701 that has received an input via a screen (not shown), and the main ID 742 and the temporary ID 741 received in step S410 are transmitted to the point management server 103.

  In step S502, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 receives a registration request to the point management system (corresponding to a reception unit). Specifically, the user CD 701, the real ID 742, and the temporary ID 741 transmitted in step S501 are received.

  In step S503, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 adds the record of the user CD 701 received in step S502 to the registered printing apparatus list 730 stored in the external memory 211 or the like (corresponding to an update unit).

  This will be specifically described. For example, the case where the user CD 701 received in step S502 is “user B”, the temporary ID 741 is “A004”, and the real ID 742 is “A002” will be described. As shown in the lowest record of the registered printing apparatus list 730 in FIG. 7, a record of “user B” is added to the user CD 701.

  The registered printing apparatus list 730 is a data table for managing printing apparatuses registered in the point management system. For example, a registered printing apparatus list 730 illustrated in FIG. In the registered printing apparatus list 730, a user CD 701 (corresponding to user information), a printer ID 711, a last printing date 731, an invalid flag 732, and an old user CD 733 are managed in association with each other. The last printing date 731 stores information on the time when printing was last performed by the printing apparatus 101. The invalid flag 732 is a flag indicating whether or not the point assignment for the printer ID 711 is invalid. The old user CD 733 (corresponding to update information) stores the user CD 701 (history of the user CD 701) that is managed in association with the printer ID 711 before the printer ID 711 becomes invalid.

  In step S504, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 assigns a temporary ID 741 to the printer ID 711 of the record added in step S503. In the case where the user CD 701 received in step S502 is “user B”, the temporary ID 741 is “A004”, and the real ID 742 is “A002”, the registered printing apparatus list 730 in FIG. As shown in the bottom record, “A004” is assigned to the printer ID 711.

  In step S505, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 determines whether there is a record in the registered printing apparatus list 730 in which the real ID 742 received in step S502 is registered as the printer ID 711. If it is determined that there is a registered record, the process proceeds to step S506; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S508.

  In step S506, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 performs processing for setting an invalid flag 732 for a record that is determined to have the main ID 742 received in step S502 registered as the printer ID 711.

  In the case where the user CD 701 received in step S502 is “user B”, the temporary ID 741 is “A004”, and the real ID 742 is “A002”, the registered printing apparatus list 730 in FIG. As shown in the second record from the top, an invalid flag 732 is set for the record whose real ID 742 is “A002”.

  In step S507, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 identifies the user CD 701 of the record for which the invalid flag 732 is set in step S506. In the above example, “user A” is specified as the user CD 701 of the record in which the invalid flag 732 is set (corresponding to a management unit).

  In step S508, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 transmits an instruction to validate the temporary ID 741 assigned in step S504 to the WEB server 102.

  In step S509, the CPU 201 of the WEB server 102 receives the instruction to validate the temporary ID 741 transmitted in step S508.

  In step S510, the CPU 201 of the WEB server 102 performs processing for validating the temporary ID 741 received in step S509. Specifically, the main ID 742 associated with the temporary ID 741 is updated with the temporary ID 741 in the print ID table 740. That is, the temporary ID 741 and the real ID 742 are controlled to be the same. In this way, points 714 can be assigned to the print log information 710 transmitted from the printer indicating the main ID 742, and the printing apparatus 101 that has requested registration in step S501 is to be a point grant target. Can do.

  This is the end of the description of the flowchart shown in FIG. In this way, the printing apparatus 101 can be registered as a target printing apparatus of the point management system by the WEB server 102.

  Next, a mechanism for giving points according to printing by the printing apparatus 101 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S <b> 601, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 transmits a request for acquiring the print log information 710 of the printing apparatus 101 in which the real ID 742 is validated in step S <b> 510 to the WEB server 102.

  In step S <b> 602, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 determines whether print log information 710 has been received from the WEB server 102. If it is determined that the print log information 710 has been received, the process proceeds to step S603; otherwise, the process waits.

  In step S603, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 reads all the print log information 710 determined to be received in step S602.

  In step S <b> 604, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 performs processing for assigning points 714 for each print log information 710. Specifically, a point 714 is given by multiplying the number 712 by a predetermined coefficient.

  In step S605, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 determines whether processing has been completed for all the print log information 710 read in step S603. If it is determined that the processing has been completed for all the print log information 710, the process proceeds to step S606, and if not, the process returns to step S604.

  In step S606, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 performs a process of updating the last printing date 731 corresponding to the printer ID 711 of the record to which the point 714 is assigned in step S604. As the date and time to be updated, for example, date and time information on the system is used.

  This is the end of the description of the flowchart shown in FIG. In this way, points 714 are given according to printing by the printing apparatus 101. The given points 714 are added together for each user CD 701 at a predetermined timing and stored in the point 702 of the user table 700.

  Next, a detailed processing flow for displaying the printing apparatus list screen 900 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of processing for displaying the printing apparatus list screen 900. The printing device list screen 900 displays a list of information on printing devices managed in association with the user CD 701 before being updated and printing devices managed in association with the user CD 701 after being updated. It is a screen that can. Details will be described later.

  In step S 801, a request for the printing apparatus list screen 900 is transmitted from the user terminal 100 to the point management server 103. In order to request the printing apparatus list screen 900, the information of the user CD 701 is also transmitted to the point management server 103.

  In step S802, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 receives the request for the printing apparatus list screen 900 transmitted in step S801.

  In step S803, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 performs processing for generating the printing apparatus list screen 900 related to the user CD 701 received in step S802.

  This will be specifically described. For example, a case where the user CD 701 received in step S802 is “user A” will be described as an example. First, the registered printing apparatus list 730 is referred to, and a record in which the user CD 701 is “user A” and the invalid flag 732 is not set is extracted. In the registered printing apparatus list 730 in FIG. 7, the top record is extracted. As a result, it is possible to extract a record relating to the printing apparatus that is currently registered by “user A” and to which points are to be given. A screen is generated so that the extracted records are displayed on the printing apparatus list screen 900 shown in FIG.

  Next, the registered printing apparatus list 730 is referred to, and the record in which the user CD 701 is “user A” and the invalid flag 732 is set is specified. In the registered printing apparatus list 730 in FIG. 7, the second record from the top corresponds to this. As a result, it is possible to extract a record relating to a printing apparatus that is currently registered by another user and that is not a point grant target. A screen is generated so that the extracted records are displayed on the printing apparatus list screen 900 shown in FIG. More preferably, a record including “user A” is extracted from the old user CD 733 of the registered printing apparatus list 730, the user CD 701 of the record is specified (“user B” is specified), and the specified user CD 701 is specified. May be displayed in the item of the old user 901 (corresponding to user information of a different user) on the printing apparatus list screen 900 as shown in FIG. By doing so, there is an effect that the user can easily recognize on the list screen which user the printing apparatus is currently associated with.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 9, a record relating to a printing apparatus that is currently registered by “user A” and to which points are to be granted, and a printing apparatus that is currently registered by another user and is not to be given points. 9 may be displayed in a distinguishable manner (in FIG. 9, a record relating to a printing apparatus that is currently registered by another user and that is not a point grant target is highlighted). As a method for displaying in an identifiable manner, the color of the character may be changed, or an identification mark may be given. Thus, when the list of printing apparatuses related to the user A is displayed, the printing apparatus that is a point grant target (associated with the user before the update) and the other (not associated with the user after the update) are displayed. The printing apparatus can be easily identified.

  In step S804, the CPU 201 of the point management server 103 transmits the printing apparatus list screen 900 generated in step S803 to the user terminal 100.

  In step S805, the user terminal 100 receives the printing apparatus list screen 900 transmitted in step S804.

  In step S806, the user terminal 100 controls to display the printing apparatus list screen 900 received in step S805 on the display (corresponding to a list display unit). For example, a printing apparatus list screen 900 shown in FIG.

  Above, description of the flowchart shown in FIG. 8 is complete | finished.

  As described above, by using the two types of IDs, the temporary ID 741 and the real ID 742, a list screen that can identify printing apparatuses that are no longer points to be given in the point management system can be displayed.

  Further, by further displaying the date and time information indicating the last printing date on the printing device list screen 900, it is easy to find out information related to the printing devices that the user has recently printed from the list display range. There is.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mechanism that can easily grasp the update status of user information associated with a printing apparatus.

  The present invention can be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium, or the like, and can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices. You may apply to the apparatus which consists of one apparatus. Note that the present invention includes a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments directly or remotely from a system or apparatus. The present invention also includes a case where the information processing apparatus of the system or apparatus is achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Therefore, the program code itself installed in the information processing apparatus in order to realize the functional processing of the present invention with the information processing apparatus also realizes the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, and the like.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. In addition, there are magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), and the like.

  As another program supply method, a browser on a client computer is used to connect to an Internet home page. The computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function can be downloaded from the homepage by downloading it to a recording medium such as a hard disk.

  It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, the present invention also includes a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention with an information processing apparatus.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. Let The downloaded key information can be used to execute the encrypted program and install it in the information processing apparatus.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by the information processing apparatus executing the read program. In addition, based on the instructions of the program, the OS or the like operating on the information processing apparatus performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the information processing apparatus or a function expansion unit connected to the information processing apparatus. Thereafter, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea or the main features thereof.

103 point management server 201 CPU
202 RAM
203 ROM
204 System Bus 205 Input Controller 206 Video Controller 207 Memory Controller 208 Communication I / F Controller 209 Keyboard 210 Display 211 External Memory

Claims (7)

Storage means for storing user information for identifying a user and a printing apparatus in association with each other;
Updating means for updating the user information stored in association with the printing apparatus in the storage means;
A printing apparatus that is managed in association with user information before being updated by the updating means; and a list display means that displays a list of printing apparatuses that are stored in association with user information in the storage means. An information processing system characterized by Management means for managing update information indicating a history of update of user information in the update means,
The list display means includes a printing device managed in association with user information before being updated based on the update information managed by the management means, and the storage means when updated by the update means. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a list of printing apparatuses stored in association with user information is displayed. The list display means includes a printing apparatus managed in association with user information before being updated by the updating means, and a printing apparatus managed in association with user information after being updated by the updating means. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information is displayed in a list so as to be identifiable. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the list display unit displays the user information updated by the update unit in a list in association with a printing apparatus. . The storage means further stores the date and time information related to the time when printing was last performed on the printing apparatus,
The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the list display means also displays the date and time information stored in the storage means in a list. A control method for an information processing system comprising storage means for storing user information for identifying a user in association with a printing apparatus,
The information processing system is
An update step of updating the user information stored in association with the printing apparatus in the storage unit;
A list display step of displaying a list of printing apparatuses managed in association with the user information before being updated in the updating step, and printing apparatuses stored in association with the user information in the storage unit. An information processing system control method characterized by the above. A program that can be executed by an information processing system including a storage unit that stores user information for identifying a user in association with a printing apparatus,
The information processing system;
Updating means for updating the user information stored in association with the printing apparatus in the storage means;
A list display unit configured to display a list of a printing apparatus managed in association with user information before being updated by the updating unit and a printing apparatus stored in association with user information in the storage unit; A program characterized by

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