JP3551975B2 - Network resource search device, network resource access device, directory device, user terminal, network resource search method, and network resource access method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a network resource search device, a network resource access device, a directory device, a user terminal, a network resource search method, and a network resource access method for performing resource search and access to a network to which a plurality of resources are connected.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As is well known, a system has been realized in which resources such as a workstation, a printing device, a facsimile device, and a storage device are connected to a network, and the workstation uses the printing device, the storage device, and the like via the network.
[0003]
In such a network system, for example, if a plurality of printing devices are connected to the network, the workstation can use any of the printing devices over the network. Requires the function and performance of the printing device as background knowledge. For example, when the size of the recording paper, the print font, and the like are different for each printing apparatus, it is possible to select an appropriate printing apparatus on the premise that the printing apparatus is known.
[0004]
However, conventionally, each printing device is accessed from a workstation one by one to inquire about the function and performance of the printing device, and an appropriate printing device is selected based on the obtained function and performance of each printing device. Was. That is, the workstation has access to all of the printing devices, thereby selecting the correct printing device. This has necessitated complicated work at the workstation.
[0005]
Therefore, the function and performance of each printing apparatus may be managed by a workstation. However, if the scale of the network is large, the amount of information is large, so that information management becomes difficult. Also, managing network resources for each of a plurality of workstations is irrational.
[0006]
In the network system, a directory service for managing network resources is provided. This directory service manages resource addresses, but does not clarify the management of resource functions and performance ( References "ISO / IEC9594-1 to 8").
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the conventional network system, even if a plurality of resources are connected to the network, it is difficult to select an accurate resource having a desired function and performance from each resource. Was.
[0008]
Therefore, the present invention collectively manages the functions and performances of a plurality of resources connected to a network, so that it is possible to easily search and access an accurate resource having a desired function and performance from each resource. It is an object to provide a network resource search device, a network resource access device, a directory device, a user terminal, a network resource search method, and a network resource access method.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A network resource search device according to the present invention is a network resource search device for searching a plurality of resources on a network, comprising: a user terminal connected to the network; and a directory device connected to the network. The apparatus comprises: storage means for storing attribute information including information on functions or performances of the plurality of resources and address information for accessing the resources; and a search request from the user terminal by designating information on the functions or performances. Search means for performing a search for the attribute information on the basis of a search result, and notification means for notifying the user terminal having made the search request of a search result by the search means and address information of a resource included in the search result. It is characterized by the following.
Further, the directory apparatus according to the present invention includes: storage means for storing attribute information including information relating to the function or performance of each of a plurality of resources on a network and address information for accessing the resources; Or a search unit for searching for the attribute information based on a search request by designating information related to performance, and a search result of the search unit and address information of a resource included in the search result to the user terminal that has issued the search request. And a notifying means for notifying the user.
Also, the user terminal according to the present invention manages attribute information including information on each function or performance of a plurality of resources on the network by designating information on the function or performance for the directory device connected to the network. Search request means for performing a search request; receiving means for receiving a search result for the search request notified from the directory device and address information of resources included in the search result; and address information of the resource received by the receiving means. Access means for accessing resources on the network based on the information.
Further, a network resource search device according to the present invention is a network resource search device for searching for a plurality of resources on a network, comprising: a user terminal connected to the network; and a directory device connected to the network. The directory device includes: storage means for storing attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources and the installation location of the resource; and a search request from the user terminal by designating the information on the function or performance from the user terminal. A search unit for searching the attribute information based on the search information, and a notification unit for notifying a search result by the search unit to the user terminal that has issued the search request. Further, a method for searching for network resources according to the present invention is a method for searching for network resources executed by a directory device that manages a plurality of resources on a network, wherein information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources is stored. The attribute information including the attribute information and the address information for accessing the resource are stored, and the attribute information is searched based on a search request from the user terminal connected to the network by designating the function or performance information. The address information of the resource included in the search result is notified to the user terminal that made the search request.
Also, a method for accessing network resources according to the present invention is a method for accessing network resources executed by a user terminal accessing a plurality of resources on a network, and relates to a function or performance of each of the plurality of resources. A search request by designating function or performance information is made to a directory device connected to the network that manages attribute information including information, and a search result for the search request notified from the directory device and a search result It is characterized in that it receives address information of a contained resource and accesses a desired resource on the network based on the received address information of the resource.
[0010]
[Action]
According to the present invention, since each attribute indicating the function and performance of each resource is registered in the registration unit, if a desired attribute is specified by the specification unit, the search unit will be able to search each of the resources in the registration unit. The resource having the specified desired attribute can be searched for by referring to the attribute of the resource. For this reason, for example, when the registering means and the searching means are provided in the directory server and the specifying means is provided in the workstation, the desired attribute is specified from the workstation to the directory server, and the desired attribute is specified in the directory server. The resource having the desired attribute can be notified from the directory server to the workstation by searching for the resource having the resource.
[0011]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system to which an embodiment of a network resource access system according to the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a workstation 2, a directory server 3, a first printing device 4, a second printing device 5, and a third printing device 6 are connected to a network 1 as network resources.
[0013]
The workstation 2 includes an application 21 and a directory user-side unit 22 (DUA; Directory User Agent). The application 21 can access each of the printing apparatuses 4, 5, and 6 through the network 1, and The directory server 3 can be accessed through the user unit 22 and the network 1.
[0014]
Note that the application 21 corresponds to a designation unit in the claims.
[0015]
The directory server 3 is provided with a directory system side unit 31 (DSA; Directory System Agent) and a database 32 (DIB; Directory Information Base). The directory system side unit 31 is transmitted from the directory user side unit 22 in the workstation 2 to the directory user side unit 22. When instructed to search for data, the database 32 is searched, and the search result is returned to the directory user side unit 22.
[0016]
A directory service is provided by a set of the directory user side unit 22, the directory system side unit 31, and the database 32. The database 32 corresponds to a registration unit in the claims, and the directory user side unit 22 and the directory system side unit 31 correspond to a search unit in the claims.
[0017]
In the database 32 in the directory server 3, respective attributes of the printing apparatuses 4, 5, and 6 are registered. Here, as examples of the attributes, each of the attributes “printer Type”, “paper Size”, “input Data Type”, “font Type”, “location”, “collate”, “duplex”, “resolution”, and “edit” "," Color Print ". These attributes have the following meanings.
[0018]
The attribute “printer Type” indicates the type of the printing device, and indicates, for example, a dot printer, a laser printer, or the like.
[0019]
The attribute “paper Size” indicates the size of the recording paper, and indicates, for example, A4 size, B4 size, or the like.
[0020]
The attribute “input Data Type” indicates the type or language of data that can be input to the printing apparatus, and indicates “Post Script”, “inter Press”, or the like.
[0021]
The attribute “font Type” indicates the typeface of the print, for example, “Mincho”, “Gothic”, “Bold”, and the like.
[0022]
The attribute “location” indicates the installation location of the printing apparatus, for example, “machine room”.
[0023]
The attribute “collate” indicates whether or not there is a collation output function.
[0024]
The attribute “duplex” indicates whether or not there is a double-sided printing function.
[0025]
The attribute “resolution” indicates the printing resolution.
[0026]
The attribute “print Speed” indicates the printing speed.
[0027]
The attribute “color Print” indicates information on color printing.
[0028]
More specifically, each of the above attributes can be defined as a subclass of the object class "application Entity OBJECT-CLASS" (defined in "ISO / IEC9594-7") in the directory service, and this subclass "Print Service" OBJECT-CLASS "is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 2 and 3, each "ATTRIBUTE-SYNTAX" is defined by "ISO / IEC9594-6".
[0029]
The attributes of the first printing device 4, the second printing device 5, and the third printing device 6 are registered in the database 32 in advance in a manner as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, “common Name” is an identifier for identifying the printing device, and “presentational Address” is the address of the printing device on the network.
[0030]
That is, the identifier “PS1” is given to the first printing device 4, and the attributes “printer Type”, “paper Size”, and “font Type” are set as the attributes of this printing device. The attribute “printer Type” indicates that the printer is a laser printer, the attribute “paper Size” indicates that the recording paper size is A3 and A4, and the attribute “font Type” indicates that the print font is “Mincho”. And "gothic".
[0031]
The identifier "PS2" is given to the second printing apparatus 5, and the attribute "printer Type" of the printing apparatus indicates that the printer is a laser printer, and the attribute "paper Size" indicates the size of the recording paper. B4 and B5, and the attribute “font Type” indicates that the print font is “Mincho” and “Gothic”.
[0032]
Further, an identifier “PS3” is given to the third printing device 6, the attribute “printer Type” of the printing device indicates that the printer is a laser printer, and the size of the recording paper is determined by the attribute “paper Size”. A4 and B5 are indicated, and the attribute “font Type” indicates that the print font is “Gothic” and “Bold”.
[0033]
In the above-described configuration, for example, by operating a keyboard (not shown) of the workstation 2, the attribute “paper Size” = “A4” (“A4” is indicated by the attribute “paper Size”), the attribute “ When the user inputs “font Type” = “bold” (“bold” is indicated by the attribute “font Type”) and instructs to search for a printing device that satisfies these attributes, the application 21 in the workstation 2 sets the attribute “paper Size”. A request is made to the directory system side unit 31 through the directory user side unit 22 for a search for a printing device corresponding to "=" A4 "and the attribute" font Type "=" bold ".
[0034]
In response to this, the directory system side unit 31 searches for the attribute of each printing device registered in the database 32, and corresponds to the attribute “paper Size” = “A4” and the attribute “font Type” = “bold”. Select a printing device. Here, the attribute “paper Size” of the third printing device 6 indicates that the size of the recording paper is A4 and B5, and the attribute “font Type” of the printing device 6 indicates that the font of the printing is “Gothic” and “Bold”. , The third printing device 6 corresponds to the attribute “paper Size” = “A4” and the attribute “font Type” = “bold”. Therefore, the directory system-side unit 31 selects the third printing device 6, and returns the identifier "PS3" of the third printing device 6 to the directory user-side unit 22 in the workstation 2.
[0035]
In the workstation 2, the identifier "PS3" is notified from the directory user side unit 22 to the application 21, and the application 21 displays the identifier "PS3" on a display screen (not shown). Here, when the address of the third printing device 6 indicated by the identifier “PS3” is requested by operating the keyboard, the application 21 changes the address of the third printing device 6 indicated by the identifier “PS3” to the directory user. A request is made to the directory system side unit 31 through the side unit 22.
[0036]
In response, the directory system side unit 31 reads the address of the third printing device 6 indicated by the identifier "PS3" from the database 32 and returns this address to the directory user side unit 22 in the workstation 2.
[0037]
In the workstation 2, the address of the third printing device 6 is notified from the directory user side unit 22 to the application 21, and the application 21 displays the address on the display screen. Further, when the keyboard 21 is operated to call the third printing device 6 having this address and to send print data, the application 21 calls the third printing device 6 based on the address and prints the print data. To the third printing device 6 with the attribute “paper Size” = “A4” and the attribute “font Type” = “bold”. The third printing device 6 records the character matrix indicated by the print data on A4 size recording paper corresponding to the attribute “paper Size” = “A4” in a font corresponding to the attribute “font Type” = “bold”.
[0038]
Depending on the attribute specified by the workstation 2, not only one printing device but also a plurality of printing devices may be searched as satisfying the attribute. For example, if only the attribute “fontType” = “Mincho” is specified, the identifiers “PS1” and “PS1” of the first printing device 4 and the second printing device 5 corresponding to the attribute “fontType” = “Mincho” "PS2" is read from the database 32, and these identifiers "PS1" and "PS2" are displayed on the display screen of the workstation 2. In this case, when one of the identifiers "PS1" and "PS2" is designated, the address of the printing device indicated by the designated identifier is read from the database 32, and this address is returned to the work station 2. One printing device is accessed based on the address.
[0039]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the attributes of each printing device are registered in the database 32 in advance, and when the attribute is specified on the workstation 2, the printing device corresponding to the specified attribute is searched in the directory server 3. Therefore, it is possible to easily select and access an appropriate printing device from among the printing devices.
[0040]
In the above embodiment, the printing apparatus is exemplified as the resource to be accessed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a facsimile apparatus, a communication apparatus, or the like. For example, there are G3 machines and G4 machines as facsimile machines. Therefore, if the facsimile machines are applied as resources to be accessed, the utility value of the present invention can be sufficiently exhibited.
[0041]
Further, this embodiment realizes the present invention by using a directory server. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the point is that attributes of a plurality of resources are registered collectively and a desired attribute is registered. Is specified, any configuration may be used as long as the resource corresponding to this attribute can be searched.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the attribute of each resource is registered in the registration unit, and if the desired attribute is designated by the designation unit, the search unit will change the attribute of each resource in the registration unit. Since it is configured to refer to and search for a resource having the specified attribute, it is possible to easily search for and access an accurate resource from among the resources.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network system to which an embodiment of a network resource access method according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a view exemplifying a subclass “Print Service OBJECT-CLASS” for defining attributes of a printing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a view exemplifying a subclass “Print Service OBJECT-CLASS” for defining attributes of a printing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a view exemplifying an attribute of each printing device registered in a database in a directory server.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Network, 2 ... Workstation, 3 ... Directory server, 4 ... First printing device, 5 ... Second printing device, 6 ... Third printing device, 21 ... Application, 22 ... Directory user side unit, 31 ... directory system side unit, 32 ... database.

Claims (6)

In a network resource search device for searching a plurality of resources on a network,
A user terminal connected to the network,
A directory device connected to the network,
The directory device,
Storage means for storing attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources and address information for accessing the resources;
Search means for searching for the attribute information based on a search request from the user terminal by designating information on the function or performance,
A network resource search device comprising: a notification unit configured to notify a search result by the search unit and address information of a resource included in the search result to the user terminal that has issued the search request. Storage means for storing attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of a plurality of resources on the network and address information for accessing the resources;
Search means for searching for the attribute information based on a search request from the user terminal by designating information on the function or performance,
A directory device, comprising: a notifying unit that notifies a search result of the search unit and address information of a resource included in the search result to a user terminal that has issued the search request. Search request means for performing a search request by designating function or performance information to a directory device connected to the network that manages attribute information including information on each function or performance of a plurality of resources on the network;
Receiving means for receiving a search result for the search request notified from the directory device and address information of a resource included in the search result;
An access unit for accessing a resource on the network based on the address information of the resource received by the receiving unit. In a network resource search device for searching a plurality of resources on a network,
A user terminal connected to the network,
A directory device connected to the network,
The directory device,
Storage means for storing attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources and the installation location of the resources,
Search means for searching for the attribute information based on a search request from the user terminal by designating information on the function or performance,
A notification unit for notifying a search result obtained by the search unit to the user terminal that has issued the search request. A method for searching for network resources executed by a directory device that manages a plurality of resources on a network,
Storing attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources and address information for accessing the resources;
Performing a search for the attribute information based on a search request by designating information on the function or performance from a user terminal connected to the network,
A search method for a network resource, comprising: notifying the search result and address information of a resource included in the search result to a user terminal that has issued the search request. A method for accessing network resources executed by a user terminal accessing a plurality of resources on a network,
Making a search request by designating function or performance information to a directory device connected to the network that manages attribute information including information on the function or performance of each of the plurality of resources;
Receiving a search result for the search request notified from the directory device and address information of a resource included in the search result,
A method for accessing a network resource, comprising accessing a desired resource on the network based on the received address information of the resource.

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