JPH11194986A - Setting data managing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain improvement in the efficiency of a network system by simultaneously managing the setting data of respective resource devices. SOLUTION: First and second compound machines 3 and 4 have FAX functions or copy functions and can transmit a read original through a public line network to the outside. Besides, a client 1 for setting data editing edits a setting data file 10 stored in a setting data managing server 2 and further executes the preparation or registration of a new setting data file 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a setting data management system, and more particularly, to a setting data management system for collectively managing setting data of each resource device and improving the efficiency of a network system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a network system in which resource devices such as a printer and a scanner are connected on a network and the utilization efficiency of the resource devices by users has been put to practical use.

Here, the above resource devices store parameters such as copying conditions and initial settings as setting data in a storage provided in the device, and execute various functions based on the setting data. I have.

In the above network system,
In order to maintain the processing efficiency of the system, it is necessary to consider a case where some resource device has some kind of failure and configuration data in the device is lost.

In order to achieve the above object, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-24
According to the invention described in Japanese Patent No. 4317, a plurality of digital copiers are connected on a network, setting data of one copier is stored in another copier, and a failure occurs in the one copier. Then, automatic recovery is realized by transferring the setting data from the other copying machine to the one copying machine.

[0006]

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
In the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 244317, there is a problem that the cost increases as the size of the network increases, since all copying machines require a backup function.

Further, the above publication provides only transfer means and storage means for setting data. In order to share functions, the setting contents between resource devices are made consistent or the setting data is not changed. It was not possible to respond to the demand for improving the operation efficiency of the system by effectively utilizing the system.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a setting data management system which collectively manages setting data of each resource device and improves the efficiency of a network system.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a function executing means for executing a predetermined function based on a plurality of setting data, and a setting data management for managing the setting data. A setting data management server connected to a server on a network, the setting data management server includes setting data storage means for classifying and storing the setting data, and the function executing means accesses the setting data stored in the setting data storage means It is characterized by comprising setting data access means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the setting data storage means includes a function-specific storage means for classifying and storing the setting data for each function executed by the function execution means. And the function execution means comprises:
The setting data stored in the function-specific storage unit is shared based on the classification.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the setting data is
Including capability data indicating an execution capability of the function execution unit,
The function execution unit includes a function utilization unit that uses another function execution unit connected to the network, a plurality of capability data acquisition units that acquires a plurality of the capability data from the setting data storage unit, and a plurality of the capability data units. Capability data comparison means for comparing the performance data acquired by the acquisition means with each other, and selection means for selecting function execution means to be used by the function utilization means based on the comparison result by the performance data comparison means. It is characterized by.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a setting data management system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, an outline of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a setting data management system according to the present invention.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, setting data of resource devices such as the first MFP 3 and the second MFP 4 connected on the network N is used as a setting data file 10 as a setting data management server 2. The above-mentioned problem is solved by the management in the above.

Hereinafter, the contents of the present invention will be described in more detail.

The setting data management system shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a client-server type network, and includes a first multifunction device 3, a second multifunction device 4, which are resource devices, a scanner,
A first printer 6 and a second printer, a setting data management server 2 that stores and manages setting data of each resource device as a setting data file 10, and edits the setting data file 10 stored in the setting data management server 2. The configuration data editing client 1 is configured to be connected on the network N.

Here, the first MFP 3 and the second MFP 4
Has a fax function and a copy function, and can transmit a read original to the outside via a public line network. The setting data editing client 1 edits the setting data file 10 stored in the setting data management server 2 and also creates and registers a new setting data file 10.

Each of the resource devices can share its function with each other. For example, a document read by the scanner 5 can be output by the first printer 6, and the document can be output via the first MFP 3. To the public network. More resource devices are connected to the actual network N, but in the present embodiment, the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of each resource device shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, each resource device 20 includes a resource device control unit 21 that controls each function provided in the device, and a network N.
A resource device communication control unit 22 that controls communication with the device, a setting data file processing unit 23 that processes a setting data file managed by the setting data management server, and a setting data storage unit 24 that stores setting data of the resource device 20. ,
A resource device function unit 25 for executing the function of the resource device 20 based on the command of the resource device control unit 21 and the setting data stored in the setting data storage unit 24, and an operation panel 26 serving as an interface for the user. You.

Here, the setting data stored in the setting data storage unit 24 includes non-volatile data stored even when the power of the device is turned off, and volatile data that disappears when the power of the device is turned off. There are device execution capabilities such as image processing capability and data transfer capability, and maintenance information such as a password for using the device.

Generally, settings necessary for operating the device, such as a network ID and a password, are stored as the above-mentioned non-volatile data, and information relating to a user operation such as setting of the number of copies is stored as volatile data. .

The setting data file processing unit 23 generates a file for each type of setting data stored in the setting data storage unit 24. For example, a file that collects nonvolatile setting data and a file that collects setting data related to print processing are generated. Hereinafter, a file storing the setting data in this manner is referred to as a setting data file.

The setting data file processing unit 23 transmits the generated setting data file to another resource device or a setting data management server via the resource device communication control unit 22 in addition to the generation of the setting data file. To extract the setting data from the setting data file sent from the resource device, store the setting data in the setting data storage unit 24, and set the file creation date and the protection password in the setting data file.

The setting data file processing section 23 may be provided in the setting data management server 2. In this case, the setting data stored in the setting data storage unit 24 is sent from the resource device communication control unit 22 to the setting data management server 2.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the setting data management server 2 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the setting data management server 2 includes a server control unit 30 that controls each functional block in the server, a server communication control unit 31 that controls communication with the network N, and a setting data when an event occurs. An update target storage unit 32 that stores an update target and a setting data file storage unit 33 that stores a setting data file are provided.

Here, an update target storage table T10 for storing the update target in a database format is constructed in the update target storage unit 32, and the setting data file is similarly stored in the database format in the setting data file storage unit 33. A setting data file storage table T20 to be stored is constructed.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the update target storage table T10 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure,
The update target storage table T10 stores an update target device storage field F1 for storing a resource device to be updated.
1, an update target type storage field F12 for storing the type of the setting data file to be updated, and an update target ID storage field F13 for storing the identification ID of the setting data file to be updated. Store data to be stored.

For example, the first multifunction peripheral updates the setting data file of “ID = 5, 6, 10” that collects volatile setting data when an event occurs. A plurality of data can be stored in the update target type storage field F12 and the update target ID storage field F13 of the update target storage table T10.

In the update target storage table T10, the identification IDs of the setting data files stored in the update target ID storage field F13 may be unified for the similar devices. For example, the update target ID storage field F13 of the first MFP 3 and the second MFP 4 has the same value, and the update target ID storage field F13 of the first printer 6 and the second printer 7 has the same value.

As described above, by setting the update target by the function of the resource device, it is possible to improve the consistency between similar devices.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the setting data file storage table T20 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the setting data file storage table T20
File ID that stores the ID of the setting data file
A storage field F21 and a setting data file storage field F for storing the setting data file in a file format
22 and a setting data file type storage field F23 for storing the type of the setting data file, and stores corresponding data as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the setting data management system configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an execution procedure of a setting data file generating process in which the setting data file processing section 23 shown in FIG. 2 generates a setting data file. The processing shown in the figure is performed in each resource device, and the setting data file processing unit 23
When the setting data management server 2 is provided, the setting is also performed in the setting data management server 2. Here, a case where a setting data file is generated by a resource device will be described as an example.

First, the setting data file processing unit 23
It is determined whether or not a user has instructed to generate a setting data file (step S100). When the user operates the operation panel 26 of the resource device to instruct generation of the setting data file (Yes in step S100), the resource device control unit 21 outputs the user's instruction to the setting data file processing unit 23. The setting data file processing unit 23 reads the setting data specified by the user from the setting data storage unit 24, and adds a current date to the read data group to generate a setting data file (step S104).

If there is no instruction from the user (No in step S100), the setting data file processing unit 2
3 detects whether or not the contents of the setting data storage unit have been changed (step S101). If the contents have been changed (Yes in step S101), a setting data file of the changed part is generated (step S101). S10
4).

If there is no change in the contents of the setting data storage unit 24 (No in step S101), it is detected whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the last time the setting data file was generated (step S102). If the predetermined time has elapsed, all the setting data files are regenerated (step S104). The detection of the elapse of the predetermined time is performed using a timer built in the resource device.

If the fixed time has not elapsed (No in step S103), it is detected whether or not any trouble has occurred in the network N (step S103). If a failure has occurred in the network N (Yes in step S103), a setting data file is generated (step S104). The failure in step S103 corresponds to the disappearance of the configuration file stored in the configuration data management server 2, the disappearance of the configuration data of another resource device of the same system, and the like.

For example, when the power of the first MFP 3 is turned off and the volatile setting data disappears, the setting data file processing unit 23 of the second MFP 4 generates a setting data file, and Transfer to machine 3. Perform recovery processing. This recovery process can also be performed by the setting data management server 2 transmitting the corresponding setting file to the first MFP 3.

If the above-mentioned trouble has not occurred, the process returns to step S100.
To S103 are repeated. The determination shown in this figure is also used as the above-described event occurrence detection processing.

Next, an operation example when updating the setting data of the resource device will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an execution procedure of the setting data updating process executed by the setting data management system shown in FIG. The process shown in FIG. 6 is a process executed after the completion of the setting data file generation process shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the setting data file is created by the procedure shown in FIG. The processing of the file generation device is shown in the leftmost flow, the processing of the setting data management server 2 is shown in the central flow, and the processing of the resource device to be updated is shown in the rightmost flow. It should be noted that in the figure, a portion indicated as “file” indicates a setting data file.

First, after generating the setting data file (step S104 in FIG. 6), the file generation device requests the setting data management server 2 to store the setting data file (step S200). When receiving the file storage request, the setting data management server 2 sends a file storage acceptance signal to the file generation device when the setting data file can be stored (step S201).

After receiving the file storage acceptance signal, the file generation device transmits the generated setting data file to the setting data management server 2 (step S20).
2).

The setting data management server 2 having received the setting data file stores the setting data file in the setting data file storage table T20, and updates the contents of the setting data file storage table T20 (step S203). For example, when the content of the setting data file “PRINTER.DAT” shown in FIG. 8 is changed by the resource device and a new “PRINTER.DAT” is sent, the record in which the file is stored, that is, In the setting data file storage field F22 of the first record shown in FIG.
R. DAT "is stored.

After the setting data file is stored as described above, the update target storage table T10 is searched using the identification ID of the setting data file as a search key, and a corresponding record is extracted (step S204). Then, the update target device storage field F of the record
Requesting the resource device stored in No. 11, that is, the device to be updated, to update the setting data (step S 20).
5). At this time, if there are multiple devices to be updated,
Requests all devices to update configuration data.

The device to be updated, which has received the update request from the setting data management server 2, returns an update request acceptance signal to the setting data management server 2 when the update becomes possible (step S206).

The setting data management server 2 that has received the update request acceptance signal transmits a setting data file to the device to be updated (step S207). The update target device receives the setting data file, extracts setting data from the setting data file in the setting data file processing unit 23, and stores the setting data in the setting data storage unit 24. As a result, the setting data of the update target device is updated (step S208). The above-described setting data update processing is also executed by a user's instruction or a request signal from another resource device. In this case, the process starts from step S204, as indicated by the dotted line in FIG.

Next, an example in which the processing efficiency of the system is improved by using the setting data file will be described with reference to FIGS. In this case, the setting data file storage table is configured as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a second configuration example of the setting data file storage table T20. The setting data file storage table T20 shown in FIG. 10 is provided with a target device ID storage field F24 for storing the identification ID of the resource device that uses the setting data file stored in the setting data file storage field F22. Here, the setting data file includes the execution capability of the resource device stored in the target device ID storage field F24.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for executing a printer selection process for selecting a printer based on the setting data file storage table shown in FIG.
The process shown in the figure is a process for selecting a printer that outputs a document read by the scanner 5 shown in FIG.
In the following description, the first printer 6 or the second printer 6 shown in FIG.
It is assumed that the printer 7 is selected.

First, the scanner 5 reads a document set on the paper feed tray (step S300), and notifies the setting data management server 2 of execution of printing by the printer (step S301). The setting data management server 2 that has received the print execution notification stores “capability” in the setting data file type storage field F23 shown in FIG. 8 using the identification IDs of the first printer 6 and the second printer 7 as search keys. The target device ID storage field F24 of the record is searched, and a corresponding record is extracted (step S302).

Thereafter, the setting data file stored in the setting data file storage field F22 of the extracted record is transmitted to the scanner 5 as a candidate file (step S303).

The setting data file processing unit of the scanner 5 that has received the candidate file extracts setting data indicating the execution capability from each of the setting data files and compares them with each other (step S304). And resolution, color /
A printer most suitable for monochrome printing, printing speed, and the like is selected (step S305). For example, if the first printer 6 has a higher printing speed than the second printer,
Select the printer 6. At the time of this selection, the data transfer speed to each printer is also taken into consideration.

The scanner 5 outputs the read document data to the printer selected as described above (step S306). Note that the process shown in FIG. 9 can be executed not only for the scanner and the printer but also for all resource devices.

As described above, by managing the execution capability of the resource device as a setting data file by the server,
The processing efficiency of the system can be improved.

In the example described above, the configuration data of the resource device is managed as the configuration data file. In particular, the configuration data is directly stored in the configuration data management server 2 without generating the configuration data file. It may be configured to manage.

The setting data management system according to the present invention is not limited to a client-server type system.
The function of the setting data management server 2 may be provided in each resource device. Further, the setting data file can be appropriately changed within a range that does not change the gist of the present invention, such as storing the setting data file in a removable medium instead of in the setting data management server 2.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a setting data management system that collectively manages setting data of each resource device and improves the efficiency of a network system.

Further, by setting the update target by the function of the resource device, consistency between similar devices can be improved.

Further, by managing the execution capability of the resource device as a setting data file in the server, the processing efficiency of the system can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a setting data management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of each resource device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a setting data management server 2 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an update target storage table T10 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a setting data file storage table T shown in FIG. 3;
FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an execution procedure of a setting data file generation process in which a setting data file processing unit shown in FIG. 2 generates a setting data file.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an execution procedure of a setting data update process executed by the setting data management system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 shows a second example of the setting data file storage table T20.
The conceptual diagram which shows the example of a structure of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an execution procedure of a printer selection process for selecting a printer based on the setting data file storage table shown in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Client for setting data editing, 2 ... Setting data management server, 3 ... First multifunction machine, 4 ... Second multifunction machine, 5 ... Scanner, 6 ... First printer, 7 ... Second printer, 10 ... Setting data file , 20 resource device, 21 resource device control unit, 22 resource device communication control unit, 23
Setting data file processing section, 24 setting data storage section,
25: resource device function unit, 26: operation panel, 30 ...
Server control unit, 31 Server communication control unit, 32 Update target storage unit, 33 Setting data file storage unit, F11
Update target device storage field, F12: Update target type storage field, F13: Update target ID storage field, F21: File ID storage field, F22: Setting data file storage field, F23: Setting data file type storage field, F24: Target device I
D storage field, T10 ... storage table to be updated, T
20: setting data file storage table, N: network.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A function executing means for executing a predetermined function based on a plurality of setting data, and a setting data management server for managing the setting data are connected on a network, and the setting data management server transmits the setting data. A setting data management system, comprising: setting data storage means for classifying and storing; and the function executing means: setting data access means for accessing setting data stored in the setting data storage means. 2. The function data storage means includes function-specific storage means for classifying and storing the setting data according to functions executed by the function execution means, and the function execution means stores the function data in the function storage means. 3. The setting data management system according to claim 2, wherein the setting data is shared based on the classification. 3. The setting data includes capability data indicating an execution capability of the function executing unit, wherein the function executing unit uses a function using another function executing unit connected to the network; A plurality of capability data acquiring units for acquiring a plurality of the capability data from the setting data storage unit; a capability data comparing unit for mutually comparing the capability data acquired by the plurality of capability data acquiring units; and a comparison result by the capability data comparing unit. 3. The setting data management system according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit that selects a function execution unit to be used by the function usage unit based on the setting.