JP5939377B2 - Communication device and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device and a program having a function of communicating with an external device using various protocols.

A communication device having a communication function with an external device via a network, such as a facsimile machine, a printer, a copier, and a multifunction device having those functions, executes a communication program for realizing various protocols of communication. By doing so, for example, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), which is a protocol used for transmitting and receiving data between a web server and a client, LPD which is a print protocol on TCP / IP that accepts LPR (Line Printer Interprotocol), the Internet Various types of communication such as IPP (Internet Printing Protocol), which is a protocol for transmitting and receiving print data and controlling printing devices, is performed through a TCP / IP network such as You can.
Conventionally, when an environment setting of a daemon program including an HTTP server program installed in a device is changed, a device that operates the daemon program with the changed setting without restarting the device (for example, see Patent Document 1). there were.

However, in a conventional communication apparatus, when a communication program of a new protocol is added (also referred to as “installed”) or an already installed communication program is deleted (also referred to as “non-installed”), the communication program The source code of the network control unit had to be modified so that the network control unit executing the program can recognize the communication program to be executed.
Therefore, there is a problem that it is not easy to add or delete a communication program to / from the communication device.
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to make it easy to add or delete a communication program for realizing a communication protocol for a communication apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a communication device comprising a communication control means for controlling communication with an external device , wherein the communication control means executes a network communication protocol on the communication control means. Registration means for registering reference destination information and setting information of the communication program to be executed, execution instruction means for instructing execution of the communication program, and registration in the registration means when the execution instruction means instructs execution Execution means for referring to and executing the communication program based on the reference destination information and setting information, and in response to a registration request made when the communication device is activated by the function of the communication program , Provided is a communication apparatus having registration control means for registering reference destination information and setting information of the communication program received together with the registration request .

  The communication device and the program according to the present invention can easily add or delete a communication program for realizing a communication protocol for the communication device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a network control unit of the printer illustrated in FIG. 2. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of a printer according to an embodiment of the invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the registration process to the registration table of the communication daemon program operation part shown in FIG. 1, and the deletion process from a registration table. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process of starting or stopping the communication daemon program of the communication daemon program operation part shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The printer 1 (hereinafter also referred to as “device”) is an image forming apparatus that includes an operation panel 2, a CPU 3, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 4, a RAM 5, a ROM 6, a network control unit 7, an HDD 8, and an engine unit 9. .
Among them, the CPU 3, the ASIC 4, the RAM 5, the ROM 6, the network control unit 7, and the HDD 8 constitute a controller that is an image processing apparatus that creates image data for printing.

The operation panel 2 includes various operation keys (also referred to as operation switches or operation buttons) for the user to input various operation requests (print request, transmission request, etc.) to the printer 1, and various information and An operation unit having a display such as an LCD or a CRT for displaying a work screen.
The CPU 3 is a central processing unit that controls the entire printer 1 according to a program described later.
The CPU 3 can control input / output of modules built in itself and various devices connected to the module 3 via the ASIC 4, and can execute a printer application for realizing print processing by the engine unit 9. it can.

The ASIC 4 is a multi-function device board including a plurality of interfaces (I / F) for connecting the operation panel 2, the CPU 3, the RAM 5, the ROM 6, and the network control unit 7, and the device to be controlled by the CPU 3. This IC is designed to share and support high efficiency development of applications and the like in terms of architecture.
Here, the ASIC 4 includes hardware elements for image processing.

  The RAM 5 is a sheet of paper generated by the engine unit 9 based on print data including a program memory for developing a program executed by the CPU 3, a work memory for the CPU 3 to execute the program, and a page description language (PDL). A readable / writable memory (storage means) used as an image memory or the like used when developing image data for printing (raster image data) for printing a visible image.

The ROM 6 is a read-only memory that stores various control programs and data for controlling the printer 1.
The network control unit 7 is an interface for receiving print data or a communication daemon program (details will be described later) from an external information processing apparatus (PC) via the network.
The HDD 8 implements various controls including various programs such as an OS used in the printer 1, various programs such as registration of a communication daemon program that executes communication using various communication protocols, and image processing and print control. It is an auxiliary storage device (storage means) that stores various programs and various data including print settings (actually data indicating the contents of print settings) and various control programs such as a printer driver used in the PC.

The engine unit 9 uses an image forming method such as a laser method, an LED method, an ink jet method, or other methods on a sheet based on image data (print drawing data) in order to realize a printing function in the printer 1. Thus, a plotter (image forming means) that prints and outputs an image is configured.
If the configuration of the printer 1 is a configuration of a multifunction device, the engine unit 9 includes a scanner and a plotter in order to realize a scanner function and a copy function.
In addition, the plotter can include a peripheral unit such as a duplexer for performing printing on both sides of a sheet and a finisher for adding a function capable of performing a plate making process such as punching or cover sheet forming on the printed sheet.

Next, the functional configuration of the network control unit 7 of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the network control unit 7 of the printer 1 shown in FIG.
The network control unit 7 corresponds to communication control means for controlling communication in the printer 1, and the communication daemon program execution instruction unit 11 and the communication daemon program operation unit 12 realized by the CPU 3 in FIG. 2 executing the program. , And the functional units of the registration table 13.

The HDD 8 stores in advance four types of communication daemon programs, a first communication daemon program 14 to a fourth communication daemon program 17, which are communication programs for executing different types of communication protocols.
The first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are programs that are resident in the printer 1 and operate in the background.

  The registration table 13 is a storage unit that is a rewritable memory in which the communication daemon program operation unit 12 registers a communication program for causing the network control unit 7 to execute a communication protocol. Here, for example, a plurality of communication protocols for executing various protocol communications such as HTTP protocol, LPD protocol, ID protocol, and IPP protocol can be registered.

In this embodiment, for example, a case where four types of communication programs of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are registered will be described. However, communication programs of other communication protocols can also be registered. Any one of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 or any combination of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 can be registered.
In the registration to the registration table 13, reference destination information and setting information of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are registered.

The reference destination information is information such as a storage destination address of the HDD 8, and the setting information is a function value for operating each of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17, and starting and stopping of each. These are various pieces of information that define operations such as various modes at startup. For example, it can be set to operate so that both IPv4 and IPv6 can be used, or can be set to operate so that either IPv4 or IPv6 can be used.
That is, the registration table 13 serves as a registration unit that registers reference destination information and setting information of a communication program for causing the network control unit 7 to execute a communication protocol.

  When the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11 receives an instruction sent from the CPU 3 when the printer 1 is started up or restarted, the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11 detects the timing, and instructs the communication daemon program operating unit 12 to execute the communication program. Instruct. That is, the execution instruction procedure for instructing execution of the communication program is executed, and the function of the execution instruction means is achieved.

  The communication daemon program operation unit 12, when instructed to execute from the communication daemon program execution instruction unit 11, is based on the reference destination information and the setting information registered in the registration table 13, and the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication. The daemon program 17 is referenced and executed according to each setting information. That is, when execution is instructed by the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11, the execution procedure is executed by referring to the communication program based on the reference destination information and setting information registered in the registration table 13, Performs the function of execution means. Also, a registration procedure in the registration table 13 is executed.

  Further, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 stores the reference destination information and setting information of its own program together with each registration request at the first activation after the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are stored in the HDD 8. Are transmitted to the communication daemon program operation unit 12, so that they are received and registered in the registration table 13, and the registration number and the registration completion of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are executed. Notify the instruction unit 11.

Therefore, the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11 can recognize that the four communication programs of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are registered in the registration table 13, and Thus, the activation of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 can be notified.
Further, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 receives a request for deregistration of a plurality of reference destination information from any one of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 stored in the HDD 8 from the CPU 3. Then, the reference destination information and the setting information for which the registration cancellation request is made are deleted from the registration table 13.

  Registering the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 in the registration table 13 is referred to as mounting on the printer 1, and the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program from the registration table 13. Deletion of any one, a plurality, or all of 17 is also referred to as non-mounting of the printer 1, and mounting and non-mounting of these is called configuration.

  That is, when the communication daemon program operation unit 12 receives the communication program reference request and the setting information together with the communication program registration request for executing the communication protocol from the outside, the received reference to the registration table 13 is received. When the destination information and the setting information are registered, and there is a request for deregistration of the reference destination information registered in the registration table 13 from the outside, the reference destination information and the setting information for which the deregistration request has been received from the registration table 13 The processing of the registration deletion control procedure to be deleted is executed, and the function of registration deletion control means is also achieved.

Furthermore, when any one or more of the communication programs of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are executed, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 detects an abnormality that has occurred at the start or end of the execution. When a detection procedure process to be detected is executed and an abnormality is detected by the detection procedure, a procedure for executing a predetermined process for the abnormality is also executed.
That is, when the communication daemon program operation unit 12 executes the communication program, the detection unit that detects an abnormality that has occurred at the start or end of the execution, and the abnormality that is detected by the detection unit, It also functions as means for executing a predetermined process.

Next, the registration process to the registration table 13 and the deletion process from the registration table 13 of the communication daemon program operation unit 12 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the registration process to the registration table 13 and the deletion process from the registration table 13 of the communication daemon program operation unit 12 shown in FIG.
The first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 of the HDD 8 shown in FIG. 1 are activated by the CPU 3 when the printer 1 is first activated after each of them is stored.

Then, the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 send the reference destination information and the setting information to the communication daemon program operation unit 12 together with the respective registration requests at the first activation time.
The communication daemon program operation unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 performs a first communication daemon program to a fourth communication daemon program (“first communication DP˜ in FIG. 3) in step (described as“ S ”in FIG. 3) 1. It is determined whether or not a registration request, reference destination information, and setting information have been received from “fourth communication DP” (denoted as “fourth communication DP”). If not (“N”), go to Step 2.

In step 3, the registration process to the registration table is executed, and this process ends.
In the registration process to the registration table 13, reference destination information and setting information received from the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are registered in the registration table 13, and the number of registrations (four in this case). And the notification of registration completion of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are transmitted to the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11.

In this way, the network control unit 7 can cause the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 to be executed based on the reference destination information and the setting information registered in the registration table 13, and the network for the execution. The time-consuming work of drastically changing the source code of the control unit 7 becomes unnecessary.
Therefore, a communication program for realizing a communication protocol for the printer 1 can be easily added.

Further, the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11 can recognize that four communication programs of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 are registered in the registration table 13, and Thus, the activation of the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 can be notified.
On the other hand, in step 2, it is determined whether or not a registration cancellation request for the communication daemon program (abbreviated as “DP” in FIG. 3) is received from the CPU 3 in FIG. In the case of (1), the process proceeds to step 4, and when it is not received (in the case of “N”), this process is terminated.

In step 4, the deletion process from the registration table is executed, and this process ends.
In the deletion process from the registration table 13, if there is a DP request for deregistration from the CPU 3, for example, a deregistration request for the first communication daemon program 14, the reference destination information of the first communication daemon program 14 from the registration table 13. And the setting information are deleted, and the communication daemon program execution instruction unit 11 is notified of the deletion.
In this way, the network control unit 7 can make the communication daemon program registered by the registration table 13 non-installed, so that a troublesome work of drastically changing the source code of the network control unit 7 is unnecessary. Become.

Therefore, it is possible to easily delete the communication program for realizing the communication protocol registered in the printer 1.
Further, the communication daemon program execution instructing unit 11 can recognize the change of the communication daemon program registered in the registration table 13 and can notify the CPU 3 of a startable communication daemon program.

Next, the processing for starting or stopping the communication daemon program of the communication daemon program operation unit 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4.
FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing processing for starting or stopping the communication daemon program of the communication daemon program operation unit 12 shown in FIG.
Here, the case where the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15 are installed in the printer 1 will be described, but the case where the third communication daemon program 16 and the fourth communication daemon program 17 are installed will also be described later. The same processing is executed.

In step (described as “S” in FIG. 4) 11, the first communication daemon program 14 registers its own communication daemon program in the network control unit 7 when it is first activated by an activation instruction from the CPU 3.
In step 12, when the second communication daemon program 15 is first activated by an activation instruction from the CPU 3, it registers its own communication daemon program in the network control unit 7. In these registration processes, the process described with reference to FIG. 3 is performed.

Next, in step 13, the network control unit 7 activates the registered first communication daemon program 14. Subsequent step 14 is a process of notifying the network control unit 7 of the result of successful start or unsuccessful start of the first communication daemon program 14.
Further, in step 15, the network control unit 7 activates the registered second communication daemon program 15. The subsequent step 16 is a process of notifying the network control unit 7 of the result of successful start or unsuccessful start of the second communication daemon program 15.

In steps 13 and 15, when the communication daemon program execution instruction unit 11 of the network control unit 7 receives an instruction sent from the CPU 3 when the printer 1 is activated, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 receives the first communication daemon program. 14 and the execution of the second communication daemon program 15.
In this process, the case of starting the printer 1 will be described as the predetermined timing for instructing the execution of the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15, but other timings may be used. For example, the printer 1 may be restarted.

  When the communication daemon program operation unit 12 receives an instruction to execute the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 refers to the registration table 13 and the first communication daemon program 14 registered in the registration table 13. Based on each reference destination information of the second communication daemon program 15, each storage location in each HDD 8 is referred to, and setting information (in this case, activation) of the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15 is referred to. Based on this, the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15 are activated.

  In addition, the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15 receive the processing start from the communication daemon program operation unit 12 as a procedure to be executed by the network control unit 7, respectively. When each of the communication daemon programs 15 is executed, a detection procedure for detecting an abnormality that has occurred in a start process that is the start of the execution or a stop process that is the end of the execution, and if an abnormality is detected by the detection procedure, As a process predetermined for the abnormality, for example, a procedure for executing a process of notifying the communication daemon program operation unit 12 (corresponding to a predetermined notification destination) of the abnormality is included.

  Therefore, the network control unit 7 recognizes the abnormality when there is an abnormality when the first communication daemon program 14 or the second communication daemon program 15 is started or when there is an abnormality when it is terminated. It is possible to execute error processing, which is predetermined processing for the abnormality.

  As the error process described above, for example, there is a process for instructing start again when an abnormality occurs in the start process, and a process for instructing stop again when an abnormality occurs in the stop process. In addition, as a predetermined process for the abnormality, when the occurrence of an abnormality is detected, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 of the network control unit 7 notifies the operation panel 2 of FIG. 2 that the abnormality has occurred. You may make it perform the process to display. Further, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 may transmit a notification that an abnormality has occurred to a management device connected to the printer 1 and the outside via a network.

Note that execution of the third communication daemon program 16 and the fourth communication daemon program 17 can also be instructed when the printer 1 is started or when the printer 1 is restarted.
Further, the third communication daemon program 16 and the fourth communication daemon program 17 also include a detection procedure similar to that described above and a procedure for executing a predetermined process. When an abnormality is detected, a predetermined process similar to that described above can be executed.
Next, in step 17, the network control unit 7 stops the first communication daemon program 14. Subsequent step 18 is a process in which the first communication daemon program 14 notifies the network control unit 7 of the result of the success or failure of the stop.

Further, in step 19, the network control unit 7 stops the second communication daemon program 15. Subsequent step 20 is a process in which the second communication daemon program 15 notifies the network control unit 7 of the result of the successful stop or the failed stop.
In the processing of steps 17 and 19, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 of the network control unit 7 sets each setting information (in this case) of the registration table 13 for the active first communication daemon program 14 and second communication daemon program 15. Stop), the first communication daemon program 14 and the second communication daemon program 15 are stopped.

For example, when the second communication daemon program 15 is restarted, the network control unit 7 starts the second communication daemon program 15 in the process of step 15. The subsequent step 22 is a process of notifying the network control unit 7 of the result of successful start or unsuccessful start of the second communication daemon program 15.
In the process of step 21, when the communication daemon program execution instruction unit 11 of the network control unit 7 receives an instruction to restart the second communication daemon program 15 from the CPU 3 (corresponding to detection of a predetermined timing), the communication The daemon program operation unit 12 is instructed to execute the activation of the second communication daemon program 15.

When the communication daemon program operation unit 12 receives an instruction to execute the activation of the second communication daemon program 15, the communication daemon program operation unit 12 refers to the registration table 13 and stores each reference destination information of the second communication daemon program 15 registered in the registration table 13. Based on this, the storage location in the HDD 8 is referred to and the second communication daemon program 15 is activated.
Thus, the second communication daemon program 15 can be restarted.
In the above-described embodiment, the case of using the first communication daemon program 14 to the fourth communication daemon program 17 which are communication programs that operate in the background has been described, but the communication program directly controlled by the user is also described above. It can be implemented similarly.

For example, the present invention can be implemented for an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) client or a POP (Post Office Protocol) 3 client operated by the user.
The SMTP is a protocol for transmitting mail over a network such as the Internet. The POP3 is a protocol for receiving mail from a server that stores mail on a network such as the Internet.

Although the description of the embodiment has been completed above, in the present invention, the specific configuration of each unit, the content of processing, the data format, and the like are not limited to those described in the embodiment.
In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the present invention is applied to a printer having a communication function has been described.
However, the present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus and information processing apparatus as long as they have a communication function.

Furthermore, the program of the present invention can be configured as a program for causing a computer to control various devices and realizing the functions of the communication apparatus described above.
Such a program is stored in advance in the memory of the communication device, and is also recorded on a recording medium such as a CD, a non-volatile recording medium such as a flexible disk, SRAM, EEPROM, memory card, or downloaded via a network. It can also be provided. Each function of the printer 1 according to the above-described embodiment can be realized by installing the program and causing the CPU to execute the program, or causing the CPU to acquire and execute the program from a memory or a download server.
Further, it goes without saying that the configurations of the embodiments described above can be implemented in any combination as long as they do not contradict each other.

1: Printer 2: Operation panel 3: CPU 4: ASIC
5: RAM 6: ROM 7: Network control unit 8: HDD
9: Engine unit 11: Communication daemon program execution instruction unit 12: Communication daemon program operation unit 13: Registration table 14: First communication daemon program 15: Second communication daemon program 16: Third communication daemon program 17: Fourth communication daemon program

JP 2000-29732 A

Claims (4)

A communication device comprising communication control means for controlling communication with an external device ,
The communication control means is
Registration means for registering the reference destination information of the communication programs and setting information for executing the network communication protocol to the communication control means,
Execution instruction means for instructing execution of the communication program;
An execution unit that, when instructed to execute by the execution instruction unit, causes the communication program to be referred to and executed based on reference destination information and setting information registered in the registration unit;
In response to a registration request made when the communication device is activated by the function of the communication program, registration control means for registering the reference information and setting information of the communication program received together with the registration request in the registration means A communication device comprising: The communication control means is
When there is a request for deregistration of the reference destination information registered in the registration means, further comprising a deletion control means for deleting the reference destination information and the setting information for which the deregistration request has been made from the registration means , The communication device according to claim 1. In a computer that controls communication of a communication device,
A registration procedure for registering reference information and setting information of a communication program for executing a protocol for network communication with an external device ;
An execution instruction procedure for instructing execution of the communication program when a predetermined timing is detected;
When execution is instructed by the execution instruction procedure, an execution procedure for referring to and executing the communication program based on reference destination information and setting information registered by the registration procedure;
A registration control procedure for registering reference destination information and setting information of the communication program received together with the registration request by the registration procedure in response to a registration request made when the communication device is activated by the function of the communication program. A program to be executed. If the computer further has a request for deregistration of the reference destination information registered by the registration procedure, the deletion to delete the reference destination information and the setting information registered in the registration procedure and for which the registration deregistration request has been made The program according to claim 3 for executing a control procedure .

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