JP2003091373A - Information manager, information processor, information processing system, information processing method, recording medium and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To check the function of a change scheduled printer and the conflict of current printing pattern setting when changing an output printer. SOLUTION: When a printer device using a user terminal 100 for outputting data is changed, a printing service 101 compares function information for the changed printer device with setting information for the data output pattern, determines the conflict of the output pattern setting and informs the user terminal 100 of the determination result.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention, in order to eliminate a conflict between a function of a printer device of a change destination and setting information of an output format of the output data when the printer device outputting the output data is changed. Information management device,
The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method for printing using a printer connected to a network is a method of issuing a print instruction from a computer used by a user to a printer connected to a network and a method used from a computer used by a user. It can be divided into a method of giving a print instruction to the printer server and a printer server giving a print instruction to the printer.

The former requires a printer driver, or a substitute thereof, to be installed in the PC used by the user, while the latter method does not require the printer driver to be installed in the client PC. However, the latter method requires some application as an interface for issuing a print instruction, and a dedicated application is mainly used.

However, recently, a method using a Web browser as an interface has also appeared. This is because many of the currently used PCs have a Web browser installed as standard, and if a Web browser is used as an interface, it is not necessary to install anything on the client PC. Further, by using the Web browser as the printing interface, there is an advantage that printing can be performed from anywhere in the environment where the client can access the printer server.

[0005]

As described above, the Web
In a print system using a browser as an interface, it is possible to set an output printer and print style from a Web browser. However, unlike when using the interface attached to the printer driver, W
Since the print format setting and the output printer setting can be made in the eb browser, the output printer can be changed after the print format setting, and the functions of the printer before and after the change may differ. Therefore, if the print format set before changing the output printer cannot be used with the changed printer,
There is a problem that a print instruction is issued while a function conflict (contradiction) occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. When the output printer is changed, it is possible to check the conflict between the function of the printer to be changed and the current print format setting. An object is to provide an apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program.

Further, according to the present invention, an information management apparatus, an information processing apparatus, which allows a user to select whether or not to turn off a function in which a conflict has occurred and which can eliminate the conflict by a method according to the selection result, An object is to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program.

[0008]

In order to achieve such an object, an information management apparatus according to claim 1 has a setting information receiving means for receiving setting information of an output format at the time of data output, and an output related to the setting information. Change information receiving means for receiving change information of an output device for outputting format data,
The function information of the change destination output device indicated by the change information is compared with the setting information received by the setting information receiving means, and the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is set in the setting information. It is characterized in that it has a judging means for judging whether or not there is, and a notifying means for notifying a judgment result by the judging means.

Further, in the invention according to claim 1, when the change information receiving means receives the change information, the information management apparatus according to claim 2 functions from the output device of the change destination indicated by the change information. It is characterized by having an acquisition means for acquiring information.

An information management apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is, in the invention according to the first aspect, has an inquiry means for inquiring whether or not a function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is invalidated in the setting information. It is characterized by

Further, in the information management apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the third aspect, as a result of the inquiry by the inquiry means, a function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is invalidated in the setting information. When there is a reply of, the setting information changing means for invalidating the function in the setting information is provided.

Further, in the information management apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the third aspect, as a result of the inquiry by the inquiry means, a function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is not invalidated in the setting information. When there is a reply of, the change control means for invalidating the change of the output device based on the change information is provided.

An information management apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first aspect, it has means for functioning as a Web server.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the information management apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, in which the client device Web
It is characterized by being accessed by a browser.

Further, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention outputs a setting information transmitting means for transmitting the setting information of the output format at the time of data output to an external device, and the data of the output format related to the setting information. Change information transmitting means for transmitting change information of the output device to the external device, output of the change destination based on the function information and the setting information acquired from the change destination output device indicated by the change information The external device determines whether or not a function that cannot be used in the device is set by the setting information, and a determination result receiving unit that receives the determination result from the external device.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the eighth aspect, the inquiry information as to whether or not the function that cannot be used by the output device of the change destination is invalidated in the setting information is externally transmitted. It is characterized by having inquiry information receiving means for receiving from the device.

Further, the information processing apparatus according to claim 10 is
In the invention according to claim 8, the content of inquiring whether or not the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is invalidated in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, the change destination output device When a response indicating that the unusable function is invalidated is given in the setting information, the external device has inquiry information receiving means for receiving from the external device inquiry information for invalidating the function in the setting information. It is characterized by

The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 is
9. The invention according to claim 8, wherein the contents of inquiring whether or not the function that cannot be used by the change destination output device is invalidated in the setting information, and the result of the inquiry is that the change destination output device is Inquiry information for receiving, from the external device, inquiry information for invalidating the change of the output device based on the change information when the reply is that the unusable function is not invalidated in the setting information. It is characterized by having a receiving means.

Further, the information processing apparatus according to claim 12 is
The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the external device is accessed using a Web browser.

An information processing system according to claim 13 is the information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and the information processing device according to any one of claims 8 to 12. It is characterized by having.

The information processing method according to claim 14 is
A setting information receiving step of receiving setting information of an output format at the time of data output, a change information receiving step of receiving change information of an output device that outputs data of an output format related to the setting information, and a change destination indicated by the change information. A step of comparing the function information of the output device with the setting information received by the setting information receiving means, and determining whether or not the function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is set in the setting information. And a notification step of notifying the result of the judgment made by the judging means.

The information processing method according to claim 15 is
In the invention of claim 14, when the change information is received by the change information receiving step, there is an acquisition step of acquiring the function information from the output device of the change destination indicated by the change information.

The information processing method according to claim 16 is
The invention according to claim 14 is characterized by further comprising an inquiring step for inquiring whether or not a function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is invalidated in the setting information.

According to the information processing method of claim 17,
In the invention of claim 16, as a result of the inquiry by the inquiry step, when there is a reply in the setting information that a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is invalidated, the function in the setting information is invalidated. It is characterized by having a setting information changing step.

According to the information processing method of claim 18,
The invention according to claim 16, wherein, when the result of the inquiry in the inquiry step is that the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is not invalidated in the setting information, the output device based on the change information It is characterized by having a change control step for invalidating the change.

Further, the information processing method according to claim 19 is
The invention according to claim 14 is characterized by having a step of functioning as a Web server.

Further, the information processing method according to claim 20 is
In the invention of claim 14, W of the client device
characterized by having a step accessed by an eb browser.

Further, the information processing method according to claim 21 is
A setting information transmitting step of transmitting the setting information of the output format to the external device at the time of data output, and a change of transmitting the modification information of the output device outputting the output format data related to the setting information to the external device Based on the information transmitting step, the function information acquired from the change destination output device indicated by the change information, and the setting information, whether or not a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is set in the setting information. Is determined by the external device, and a determination result receiving step of receiving the determination result from the external device is performed.

The information processing method according to claim 22 is
The invention according to claim 21, further comprising an inquiry information receiving step of receiving, from the external device, inquiry information as to whether or not a function that cannot be used in the changed output device is invalidated in the setting information. .

The information processing method according to claim 23,
The invention according to claim 21, wherein the content of inquiring whether or not to disable the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, the change destination output device When there is a reply to invalidate a function that cannot be used in the setting information, the external device includes an inquiry information receiving step of receiving inquiry information for invalidating the function in the setting information from the external device. It is characterized by

The information processing method according to claim 24 is
The invention according to claim 21, wherein the content of the change destination output device inquires whether or not the function that cannot be used in the change destination is disabled in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, the change destination output device Inquiry information for receiving, from the external device, inquiry information for invalidating the change of the output device based on the change information when the reply is that the unusable function is not invalidated in the setting information. It has a receiving step.

The information processing method according to claim 25,
The invention according to claim 21 is characterized by including a step of accessing the external device using a Web browser.

A recording medium according to claim 26 is the information management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12 or a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the information processing system according to claim 13 is recorded.

A recording medium according to a twenty-seventh aspect is characterized in that a program for causing a computer to execute the processing steps of the information processing method according to any one of the fourteenth to twenty-fifth aspects is recorded.

A program according to claim 28 is the information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the information processing device according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or the information processing device according to any one of claims 8 to 12. A computer is caused to function as each unit of the information processing system described in item 13.

Further, the program according to claim 29 is
A computer is caused to execute the processing steps of the information processing method according to any one of claims 14 to 25.

[0037]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, before describing the embodiments of the present invention, the configuration of a print service system applicable to the information processing system of the present invention will be described.

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing the system configuration of an embodiment of the information processing system of the present invention. A user terminal 100 is an embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, and is a tool for a user to access the information processing system. A print service server 101 is an embodiment of the information management apparatus of the present invention, and performs operation management and service management of the entire print service. Although only one user terminal 100 is shown as a diagram showing the basic configuration here, the service is operated for a plurality of users during operation.

Next, the operation mode in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. FIG. 1 shows a user terminal 100 (for example, a general personal computer) and a print service server 101 on a network that crosses a firewall.
Shows the operation mode in which is allocated. Specifically, each is a system configuration in which the user is able to access the print service server 101 and perform predetermined document printing on the print service server 101 by being connected to the Internet.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the user terminal 100 is connected to the network beyond the firewall and the network inside the firewall, respectively, and the basic service operation mode is the same as that of FIG. The access means to the print service server 101 is implemented mainly by a general Internet protocol (HTTP, etc.), and SSL (Secure Socke) is also used as a security measure.
The system is designed to be operated using general means typified by t Layer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the print service server 101 in this embodiment. 501 is a communication control unit, and the user terminal 100,
Data communication processing with the print service server 101 is performed. Further, here, processing such as user authentication is performed using the data managed by the authentication information management device 551.

Reference numeral 502 denotes a print format setting unit, which is the print format information set by the user and is used by the Tmp information management device 554.
A process for updating a document saved in (a device for managing information valid only while logged in) is performed. 5
A preview image creation unit 03 creates a preview image of the page requested by the user from the document saved in the Tmp information management device 554, and saves the preview image in the Tmp information management device 554 again.

The preview image is not limited to one sheet, and a plurality of sheets can be arranged on one screen. In this case, the images for a plurality of sheets are displayed on the Tmp information management device 55.
Save to 4. Then, additional information such as a page number is attached to each sheet to create a preview screen.
A document structure creation unit 504 analyzes the document chapter and page structures and arranges them in a tree structure.

A job processing unit 505 saves the document stored in the Tmp information management device 554 in the job management device 552 according to a user's print request.
A document management unit 506 is a document information management device 553.
From the document information management apparatus 553, a document list that can be used by the user is created, or the document updated by the Tmp information management apparatus 554 is stored according to the user's saving instruction.
Save to.

Reference numeral 507 denotes an edit processing unit, which performs processing such as page deletion and page movement. A result notification unit 508 creates a character string such as an error display or a warning when the user's operation is inappropriate and reports the result of the user operation. A printer selection unit 509 searches for usable printer devices 511 connected to the server and creates a list of printer names and the like.

Reference numeral 510 denotes a print service unit, which schedules a document on standby for printing stored in the job management device 552 and outputs it to the printing device 511 described in the document according to a queuing rule. 5
Reference numeral 11 denotes a printing device, which executes printout in this print service. Although only one printing device 511 is shown in this block diagram, a plurality of printing devices 511 can be installed.

Next, the print service server 101
A supplementary description will be given of various data management devices that are operated and managed in. Reference numeral 551 denotes an authentication information management device, which manages data to be managed while sufficiently securing the security of the password corresponding to each user ID. A job management apparatus 552 manages a document instructed by the user to print, and outputs the managed document to the printing apparatus 511 according to a request from the print service.

Reference numeral 553 is a document information management apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as a client computer or client) which is an embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, and can save and retrieve a document in accordance with a request from a user. it can. Since the document is locked at the timing of reading the document from the document information management apparatus 553, other users connected to the network cannot specify the same document and work. A Tmp information management device 554 copies a document designated by the user to this device and updates the document in response to various user requests. It is also used for temporarily saving the created preview image.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing the flow of a print service using the information processing system in this embodiment. This figure shows a sequence in which the user terminal 100 (client) accesses the print service server 101 and prints out. The basic processing flow will be described below.

When the login request process from the user terminal 100 to the print service server 101 is performed in step S601, the authentication process is performed in the print service server 101 in step S602, and the result of the access permission / non-permission is notified. It Next, step S60.
In step 3, when a search request for a document registered in advance in the print service server 101 is made, step S6 is performed.
In 04, the document search process requested by the print service server 101 is performed, and the result is notified.

In step S605, the client 100
When a preview request for a specific page of the document is issued from the print service server 101 in step S606.
Creates a preview image of the specified page of the document, and the print service server 101 notifies the client 100 of information such as the image and page number by the HTTP protocol. It is also possible to display a plurality of sheets on the same screen for the preview. The image size to be created is adjusted to the optimum size depending on the number of display sheets.

When the screen for selecting and selecting a printer is displayed in step S607, all printer devices 511 connected to the server are searched in step S608, and the GUI information of the printer list is notified to the user terminal 100. In the user terminal 100, in response to the user selecting the printer device 511 from the printer list displayed on the web browser based on the GUI information and pressing the OK button, the print service server 101 is displayed from the web browser of the user terminal 100. The printer name of the output destination is notified to and is temporarily stored in the document.

In step S609, W of the user terminal 100
When the eb browser transits to the print appearance setting screen, a screen acquisition request is issued to the print service server 101,
In step S610, the print service server 101 generates information that can be set by the printer device 511, and the print service server 101 causes the user terminal 1
The user is notified by being transmitted to the Web browser of 00 and displayed. When the user sets the printer information, the print format setting information of the temporary document of the print service server 101 is updated with the information. The print format setting information mentioned here includes paper setting (paper size, paper orientation), page layout (Nup, poster printing (N
XN printing)), printing method (single-sided printing, double-sided printing, bookbinding printing), finishing method (staple location, necessity of punching), paper ejection method (paper ejection port designation, sort / stack / rotation sort), and the like. In step S611, the user terminal 1
When a request to save the document is made to the print service server 101 from the Web browser 00, the print service server 101 performs the process of saving the temporary document in step S612.

When an edit request is made in step S613, the edit information is notified to the user terminal 100 in step S614. The result of editing by the user according to the information is stored in the temporary document of the print service server 101. When a print request is made in step S615,
In step S616, printing of the temporary document is accepted. The accepted document is temporarily stored here, and when the printer device 511 is not busy, step S6.
The print processing of 18 outputs to the printer device 511. Steps S605 to S615 of the user terminal 100
The screens up to do not change sequentially,
The user can make a random selection at any time.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention based on the above-described information processing system will be described. The conflict at the time of changing the printer, which is solved by the present invention, occurs when the output printer is changed at step S607 of FIG. 4 after the print style setting is performed at step S609 of FIG. Therefore, in step S607 of FIG. 4, when the printer is changed, the print service server 101, which is the information management apparatus of the present invention, performs a conflict check. FIG. 5 shows a sequence of processing related to the conflict check, and the basic processing flow will be described below.

In step S501, the print service server 101 obtains a list of functions that can be used in the printer device 511 from the printer device 511 to be changed. It should be noted that this acquisition process may not be executed in response to a request for changing the output destination from the user terminal 100, and it may be acquired from the printer device 511 in advance.
It is desirable to manage the data in the memory in the server 101 and read it as necessary. Step S50
In step 2, the print format setting made in step S609 of FIG. 4 is acquired. Next, in step S503, the print service server 101 compares the function acquired in step S501 with the current print format setting acquired in step S502, and the function that cannot be used in the printer to be changed is set in the print format setting. Check if not.

In step S504, branching is performed based on the result checked in step S503. Step S505 is
This is processing when no conflict has occurred. Therefore, the print service server 101 terminates the process with no conflict. Step S506 is processing when a conflict occurs. Therefore, the print service server 101 determines that there is a conflict and ends the processing. The conflict check is performed by the above processing.

When a conflict occurs,
The conflict resolution means shown in FIG. 6 is used. FIG. 6 shows a sequence of processing for conflict resolution, and the basic processing flow will be described below. Step S6
In 01, the print service server 101 generates notification information (described in HTML) about the occurrence of the conflict and the function in which the conflict has occurred, and transmits the notification information to the Web browser of the user terminal device 100. This informs the user that a conflict has occurred.

In step S602, the print service server 101 generates confirmation information (described in HTML) for allowing the user to determine whether to turn off the function in which the conflict has occurred, and the user terminal device. The user is notified by sending confirmation information to 100 Web browsers. Step S603 is a process when the function is not turned off. In that case, the change of the printer device 511 is canceled. Step S604 is processing when the function is turned off. In this case, the function in which the conflict has occurred is turned off. By performing the above processing, it is possible to eliminate the conflict when the conflict occurs.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the Web
When the output printer is changed in the print service system using the browser as an interface, it becomes possible to check the conflict between the function of the printer to be changed and the current print appearance setting. Further, when a conflict occurs, the conflict can be resolved by allowing the user to turn off the function in which the conflict has occurred. As described above, when the output printer is changed on the Web, it is not necessary to issue the print instruction in the state where the conflict occurs.

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium having a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to supply a computer (or CPU or M of the system or apparatus).
It is needless to say that it is also achieved by the PU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, C
DR, magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM
Etc. can be used.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer is operated based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes the case where () etc. perform part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, this also includes the case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0066]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the output device for outputting data is changed, the function information of the output device of the change destination and the setting information of the output format of the data are set. By comparing the output format settings with each other, the output format setting conflict is determined, and the result of the determination is notified, so that the user can check in advance the conflict between the output format setting and the function of the changed output device. .

Further, according to the present invention, since there is an inquiry means for inquiring whether or not the function which cannot be specified by the output device of the change destination is invalidated in the setting information,
After checking the conflict, the user can give an instruction to invalidate a part of the corresponding setting information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a print service server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing a flow of operations of the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing relating to a conflict check of the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing related to conflict resolution of the information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 user terminals 101 Print service server 501 communication control unit 502 Print format setting section 503 Preview image creation unit 504 Document structure creation unit 505 job processing unit 506 Document Management Department 507 Editing processor 508 result notification section 509 Printer selection unit 510 Print Service Department 511 printing device 551 Authentication information management device 552 job management device 553 Document information management device 554 Tmp Information Management Device

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Claims (29)

[Claims] 1. Setting information receiving means for receiving setting information of an output format when outputting data, change information receiving means for receiving change information of an output device that outputs data of an output format related to the setting information, and the change information. By comparing the function information of the change destination output device with the setting information accepted by the setting information accepting means, and determining whether a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is set in the setting information. An information management apparatus, comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not the information management device has a determination result, and a notification unit that notifies a determination result by the determination unit. 2. The acquisition device according to claim 1, further comprising an acquisition unit that acquires the function information from the output device of the change destination indicated by the change information when the change information reception unit receives the change information. Information management device. 3. An inquiring unit for inquiring whether or not a function that cannot be used in the change-destination output device is invalidated in the setting information is provided.
Information management device described. 4. A setting for disabling the function in the setting information when a response indicating that the function that cannot be used in the output device of the change destination is disabled in the setting information as a result of the inquiry by the inquiry unit. The information management device according to claim 3, further comprising an information changing unit. 5. As a result of the inquiry by the inquiry means, when there is a reply in the setting information that a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is not invalidated,
4. The information management device according to claim 3, further comprising a change control unit that invalidates a change of the output device based on the change information. 6. The information management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit that functions as a Web server. 7. The information management device according to claim 1, wherein the information management device is accessed by a Web browser of a client device. 8. A setting information transmitting means for transmitting setting information of an output format at the time of data output to an external device, and change information of an output device outputting an output format data related to the setting information to the external device. Based on the setting information and the change information transmitting means for transmitting to the change information transmitting means, which is indicated by the change information, the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is the setting information. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a determination result receiving unit that determines whether or not the external device is set and receives the determination result from the external device. 9. The inquiry information receiving means for receiving, from the external device, inquiry information as to whether or not to disable a function that cannot be used in the changed output device in the setting information. The information processing device described. 10. A content for inquiring whether to disable a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device. When there is a reply to invalidate the setting information in the setting information, the external device has inquiry information receiving means for receiving from the external device inquiry information for invalidating the function in the setting information. The information processing device according to claim 8. 11. A function for inquiring whether or not a function that cannot be used by the change destination output device is invalidated in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, a function that cannot be used by the change destination output device. In the setting information, the external device receives inquiry information for invalidating the change of the output device based on the change information from the external device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by comprising. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the external apparatus is accessed by using a Web browser. 13. An information processing system comprising the information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and the information processing device according to any one of claims 8 to 12. . 14. A setting information receiving step of receiving setting information of an output format when outputting data, a change information receiving step of receiving change information of an output device which outputs data of an output format related to the setting information, and the change information. By comparing the function information of the change destination output device with the setting information accepted by the setting information accepting means, and determining whether a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is set in the setting information. An information processing method, comprising: a determination step of determining the above, and a notification step of notifying the determination result by the determination means. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising an acquisition step of acquiring function information from an output device of a change destination indicated by the change information when the change information is received by the change information receiving step. Information processing method. 16. The information processing method according to claim 14, further comprising an inquiring step for inquiring whether or not a function that cannot be used in the change-destination output device is invalidated in the setting information. 17. A setting for disabling the function in the setting information when a response indicating that the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is disabled in the setting information as a result of the inquiry in the inquiry step. The information processing method according to claim 16, further comprising an information changing step. 18. As a result of the inquiry in the inquiry step, when there is a response in the setting information that a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is not invalidated, the change of the output device based on the change information is invalidated. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
6. The information processing method described in 6. 19. The information processing method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of functioning as a Web server. 20. The information processing method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of being accessed by a Web browser of a client device. 21. A setting information transmitting step for transmitting setting information of an output format to an external device at the time of data output, and change information of an output device outputting an output format of the setting information to the external device. Based on the change information transmitting step of transmitting to the change information, the function information acquired from the change destination output device indicated by the change information and the setting information, the function that cannot be used in the change destination output device is the setting information. An information processing method comprising: a judgment result receiving step of judging whether or not it is set by the external device and receiving the judgment result from the external device. 22. An inquiry information receiving step of receiving, from the external device, inquiry information as to whether or not a function that cannot be used in the change-destination output device is invalidated in the setting information. Information processing method described. 23. A content for inquiring whether to disable a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device in the setting information, and a function that cannot be used in the change destination output device as a result of the inquiry. When there is a response to invalidate the setting information in the setting information, the external device further includes an inquiry information receiving step of receiving inquiry information for invalidating the function in the setting information from the external device. Claim 21
Information processing method described. 24. A content for inquiring whether to invalidate a function that cannot be used by the change destination output device in the setting information, and as a result of the inquiry, a function that cannot be used by the change destination output device. When there is a response not to invalidate in the setting information, the external device receives an inquiry information for invalidating the change of the output device based on the change information from the external device. The information processing method according to claim 21, further comprising: 25. The information processing method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of accessing the external device using a Web browser. 26. An information management apparatus according to claim 1, an information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or an information processing system according to claim 13. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to function as each means is recorded. 27. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the processing steps of the information processing method according to claim 14. 28. Each of the information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the information processing device according to any one of claims 8 to 12, or the information processing system according to claim 13. A program that causes a computer to function as a means. 29. A program for causing a computer to execute the processing steps of the information processing method according to any one of claims 14 to 25.