JP2003216392A - Image forming device, information processing method, and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device capable of flexibly cope with the change of the configurations of functions to be provided by various programs mounted on the image forming device. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with a counter managing means for dynamically adding, erasing, and initializing a counter for grasping the usage of the programs of the image forming device in accordance with the change of the configurations of the programs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with a program for controlling processing in an image forming apparatus, a method in the image forming apparatus, and a control program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a hard counter having a mechanical structure is generally used as a mechanism for counting the total number of outputs of an image forming apparatus. Since it is difficult for the hard counter to reduce the count value once it counts up, it is difficult to falsify the count value.
It was a means suitable for the billing system for services using this. Since then, the functions of the image forming apparatus have become complicated, and there is a strong demand for different service charge systems according to various modes such as small size / large size, color / black and white, and copy / print / fax. They simply increased their hard counters to meet that demand. After that, a soft counter capable of realizing a large number of counters with low cost and space was proposed. The soft counter is a soft counter that stores a count value in a semiconductor memory.

The former soft counter was liable to lose the information in the memory due to its structure and its reliability was low. However, a plurality of storage means are prepared and the same value is stored in each of the storage means. When the internal information of is lost, the reliability is improved by a method of compensating the information by using the information in other storage means. Therefore, it is possible to prepare a soft counter for each function to be counted and hold accurate count information for each function. Hereinafter, the soft counter is simply called a counter. In the present invention, the counter is used to measure various usage amounts such as the number of times the program is executed in the image forming apparatus, the number of times the image forming apparatus is operated, and the application program usage time.
It is used as a generic term for means that can be stored.

[0004]

A printing apparatus is being developed in which a counter is provided for each of various programs installed in an image forming apparatus to control the number of times an application operates. Further, development is underway so that a user can receive various services by executing various programs installed in the printing apparatus. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-
As described in No. 92779, as a result of the improvement in the software technology used in the image forming apparatus, it is becoming easier to add / change / delete various software that realizes the processing provided by the image forming apparatus. Further, a printing apparatus is being considered in which a counter is fixedly provided for each application and the counter is provided to count the number of times the application is executed.

However, various programs such as installed applications and control programs and data addition
Although it is possible to change or delete the counter, it is inconvenient if the counter is fixedly allocated in advance for each process provided by the image forming apparatus as described above.

[0006] For example, although the program that provides the processing in the image forming apparatus has been changed frequently, the conventional static counter management requires proper management of the functions provided by the image forming apparatus. There is a problem that you can not. Further, printing apparatuses that provide complex functions have appeared, but how to manage the usage of each of these functions becomes a problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of flexibly coping with a change in the configuration of functions provided by various programs installed in the image forming apparatus.

Particularly, in the embodiment of the present application, according to the change of the processing provided by the program in the image forming apparatus,
To provide an image forming apparatus capable of dynamically managing a counter for managing the usage amount of a program and appropriately grasping the usage status of each program even if the function or program configuration of the image forming apparatus changes. Is another purpose.

Further, in the embodiment of the present application, the count information can be managed individually for each process provided by each program provided by the image forming apparatus, and the usage amount of each program can be easily managed. It is still another object to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0010]

In order to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides the following means.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus equipped with a program for controlling the processing provided by the image forming apparatus, a usage amount managing means for managing the usage amount for each program using a counter is provided. Recognizing means recognizing a counter capable of managing the usage amount of the program, which corresponds to the identification information of the inputted program, in response to the identification information of the program being inputted to the image forming apparatus, A counter management unit that manages the counter by associating the input program with the counter recognized by the recognition unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in an image forming apparatus equipped with a program for controlling the processing provided by the image forming apparatus, a usage amount managing means for managing the usage amount for each program using a counter is provided. Recognizing means for recognizing a counter indicating the usage amount of the program corresponding to the identification information of the deleted program in response to the process of deleting the identification information of the program in the image forming apparatus; And a counter management means for releasing the counter.

According to a third aspect of the invention, when the recognizing means cannot recognize a counter with which the program can be associated, a counter managing means for creating a new counter and associating the input program with each other is created. It is characterized by having.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the counter management means initializes the counter recognized by the recognition means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the usage amount management means manages the usage amount of the program according to the number of times the program is executed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the usage amount management means manages the usage amount of the program according to the time when the program is used.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the usage amount managing means manages the usage amount of the program according to the number of predetermined operations of the image forming apparatus caused by the program.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the counter management means manages the usage amount by a combination of the function provided by the image forming apparatus and the program utilizing the function provided by the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by

The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the counter management means manages the counter by using a table in which an identifier corresponding to the program and an identifier corresponding to the counter are associated with each other. .

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the counter counts the used amount in response to an instruction from the operation unit of the image forming apparatus to execute the program.

The invention described in claim 11 is characterized in that the counter counts in response to a program execution instruction input from an external information processing apparatus.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus outputs information indicating a usage amount managed by the usage amount managing means to the outside.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the image forming apparatus has an acquisition unit for acquiring the attribute information of the program from the outside via a predetermined communication medium, and the program acquired by the acquisition unit is acquired. Display control means for controlling the count-up information for use and a process for displaying an input unit for inputting an instruction as to whether or not to install a program corresponding to the attribute information of the program in the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by having.

In the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the usage amount management means controls the counter by using a counter control application program interface executed by using an interpreter, and manages the usage amount of the program. It is characterized by

The invention according to claim 15 is characterized in that the attribute information of the program is included in the program module itself.

Since claim 16 and claim 18 are inventions of the method and program corresponding to claim 1, and claim 17 and claim 19 are inventions of the method and program corresponding to claim 2, and therefore omitted.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings along with examples.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire system according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a multifunction peripheral 100 that is a preferred example of an image forming apparatus is
It is a multi-function peripheral that integrates a scanner, a printer, a copy function, and a fax function, and is connected to a network server 12 which is a preferable example of an external information processing apparatus and a host computer 11 which is a preferable example of an information processing apparatus via a network. ing. Furthermore, the multi function device 100 is connected to another communication device via a public line network. The multifunction peripheral 100 is not limited to the illustrated example, but may be a digital copying machine, a printer with a copy function, or the like, and the number of peripheral devices connected to the network is not limited to the illustrated example. The image forming apparatus is not limited to the multifunction peripheral 100, but includes a single-function device capable of forming an image, such as a printing device such as a facsimile and a printer, a scanner device, and also includes a controller incorporated in each device. . Further, the counter may be attached to a network board of various printing devices, for example, the network interface unit 7 or the like.

The multi-function device 100 mainly includes a reader unit 1, a printer unit 2, and an image input / output control unit 3. The reader unit 1 is connected to the printer unit 2 and the image input / output control unit 3, reads an image of a document, and outputs the read image data to the printer unit 2 or the image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 prints the image data output from the reader unit 1 and the image input / output control unit 3 on recording paper.
The image input / output control unit 3 is connected to an external network or a public line network to input / output image data, accumulate the usage amount when the user uses the multifunction peripheral 100, and further connect to the network. The job (printing instruction or the like) from the host computer 11 is analyzed and controlled.

The image input / output control unit 3 is composed of a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, a network interface unit 7 which is an example of an acquisition means, a PDL formatter unit 8 and a core unit 10. The facsimile section 4 is the core section 1
0 and the public line network, the compressed image data received from the public line network is expanded, and the expanded image data is transmitted to the core unit 10. Also, the image data transmitted from the core unit 10 is compressed, and the compressed image data is transmitted to the public line network via the public line. The file section 5 is
The image data transmitted from the core unit 10 is connected to the core unit 10 and the storage device 6, and the storage unit 6 stores the compressed image data together with a keyword for searching. In this embodiment, a hard disk drive is used as the storage device 6, which is a preferred example of the storage means,
Of course, it is not limited to this. Further, the file unit 5 searches the compressed image data stored in the storage device 6 based on the keyword transmitted from the core unit 10, and then reads the compressed image data and decompresses the compressed image data.
It is transmitted to the core unit 10.

The network interface section 7 is an interface between the core section 10 and the host computer 11 and the network server 12 connected via an external network. Job control data is received from the host computer 11 and image data and the like are transmitted to the host computer 11 via the network interface unit 7. The job control data includes a job control command transmitted together with the PDL data.
After expanding the PDL data and printing it as image data,
Examples include those that perform staple sorting and eject paper. The network interface unit 7 has a MIB (Management
A database called Information Base (SNMP) is built, and SNMP (Simple Network Management Pr
It is possible to manage the printer unit 2 by communicating with the host computer 11 on the network via the network. Further, since the network interface unit 7 receives an installation request / uninstallation request / start request / stop request of an application that realizes various functions on the image forming apparatus, other network-connected devices are included in the multifunction peripheral 100. It is possible to control the application.

The formatter unit 8 is connected to the core unit 10 and expands the PDL data transmitted from the host computer 11 into image data that can be printed by the printer unit 2.

The image memory unit 9 is for temporarily storing information from the reader unit 1 and information sent from the host computer 11 or the like via the network interface unit.

A core unit 10 which is a preferred example of a unit that also serves as a storage unit and an analysis unit includes a reader unit 1, a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, a network interface unit 7 and a PDL (Page Description) described above.
Language: Page description language) Formatter unit 8
The job control data is analyzed together with the control of the data flowing between each of the above, and the information such as the usage status of the user, the number of copies, the number of prints, and the number of scans is accumulated.

Host computer 11 (information processing device)
Is a personal computer or workstation (PC / WS), and the network server 12 is a server that controls the entire network. In addition, the billing server 13, which is an example of the external information processing apparatus, is the multifunction peripheral 100.
It includes a server for managing the billing information of. The billing server device 13 can display and manage the usage amount counted by the counter of the copying machine 100 on its display. The operation unit 14 includes an operation panel, and can select and input an application to be executed using a touch panel and a function of a copying machine to be used by the application. The execution command of the application can be input from the operation unit 13 of the copying machine 100, but can also be input from the network server 12 which is an example of the external information processing apparatus. Then, the usage amount of the executed application is counted by a counter described in detail after the copying machine 100.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a preferred example of the software module hierarchy of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment. The software module has an operating system (OS) 201. On the OS 201, a controller module 2 for controlling various devices
02, and an interpreter module 203 for sequentially executing the program. On the interpreter module 203, an application management module 204 for managing a plurality of dynamically removable application groups is provided. The application 205 that realizes various functions operates under the control of the application management module 204. An application module for providing services of the copying machine can be operated via the interpreter module 203. For example, in response to the application module acquired from the external server device being installed in the image forming apparatus, the application management module 204 adds the application 205 as a management target or deletes the application program from the image forming apparatus. In response to the application management module 20
4 can remove the application 205 from the management target.

The application installer 206 for installing and uninstalling the application 205 can also be operated on the application management module 204. The application is a preferable example of the program, and provides various kinds of processing to the user in cooperation with the image forming apparatus. For example,
Applications that process and compress images, application programs that manage departments such as printing restrictions, plug-in modules that are installed as part of applications, remote management programs for copiers, and control units such as finishers for copiers. Realize bookbinding applications, specific document data conversion / analysis programs, so-called word processing software document creation programs, schedule management programs, spreadsheet programs, database management programs, and even print services via the Internet. A server program for doing so can be considered.

These software are executed on a CPU (not shown) in the core section 10. In the above embodiment, the interpreter and OS are incorporated in the copying machine. Of course, the application 205 is not limited to the above-mentioned module configuration as long as the application 205 operates on the image forming apparatus and the application management module 204 operates properly.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow chart showing a flow of processing when an application is installed in the multifunction peripheral 100. Next, the processing in the application installer 206 when installing a new application from the host computer 11 to the multifunction peripheral 100 will be described with reference to FIG. On the operation screen of the host computer 11, a pointing device (not shown), which is a preferred example of the instruction input means, inputs an instruction to install the application, and the processing of FIG. 3 is started. First, step S3
At 01, application information is received from the host computer 11. The application information includes a vendor name, an application ID, an application name, a memory used, a version number, and a last update date, which are preferable examples of the attribute information of the program. This application information is used to manage the usage of the application, which is a preferred example of the program.

Application I, which is a preferred example of the attribute information of the program described above in step S301.
Upon receiving the application information including D, the application installer 206 performs the process of step S302. In S302, the application installer 206 determines whether the same application has already been installed. The application installer 206 determines whether or not the same application is already installed by acquiring the application information received in step S301 and comparing it with the application information of the already installed application. If the application installer 206 determines in step S302 that the same application exists, the process ends, and if it determines that the same application does not exist, the process proceeds to step S303. In step S303, the application installer 206 (determination means)
Substitutes 0 for variable n and proceeds to step S304. In step S304, the application installer 20
6 determines whether or not the nth application counter is in use, and if not, in step S30.
Go to 5. In step S305, the counter number-application ID table is updated to associate the counter number n with the application ID. In the present application, the counter means a counter that counts the number of executions, which is an example of the usage amount of the application. The counter also includes a measurement storage unit capable of counting and holding the usage time such as the length of time the application is started.

FIG. 4 shows the counter number-application ID
It is a figure which shows the example of a table. It is indicated that the counter with the counter number 1 corresponds to the application with the application ID 11, the counter with the counter number 3 corresponds to the application with the application ID 51, and the other counters are unused. Step S30
If the table is updated in step 5, then step S3
Proceed to 06. In step S306, the application program is downloaded from the host and the multifunction peripheral 1
It is stored in the storage device 6 in 00, the application is made available, and the process is terminated. On the other hand, step S
If it is determined in 304 that the counter n is in use, the process proceeds to step S307. In step S307, the value of the variable n is incremented by 1, and the process proceeds to step S308. In step S308, it is determined whether or not the value of the variable n is smaller than the total number N of application-specific counters prepared in the multifunction peripheral 100. If the value of the variable n is smaller than the total number N of application-specific counters, the process returns to step S304, and if not, the process ends.

The application installed in this manner can control the reader unit, the printer unit and the like by executing a command group for instructing job processing, and can realize various functions. There is.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a command group for instructing job processing. A command group for instructing job processing includes a job submission start command 501, a job attribute setting command 502, a job data transmission command 503, and a job submission completion command 504. The job input start command 501 is a command for notifying the controller of the start of job input, and has a mode 51 as a parameter.
1 and additional information 512 corresponding to the mode. Upon receiving the job input start command 501, the controller starts preparation for performing job processing. The job attribute setting command 502 is a command for setting attributes representing the function and status of a job. The attributes include information such as application ID, job name, job type, data format, paper selection, etc. With this command, multiple attributes can be set consecutively.

The job data transmission command 503 is a command for transmitting data to be subjected to job processing such as image data. However, depending on the content of the job, the data to be processed may not be required, and in this case, this command may be omitted. The job input completion command 504 is a command for indicating that all command groups instructing job processing have been sent. A series of commands from the job submission start command 501 to the job submission completion command 504 are interpreted as one job processing instruction. When a job processing instruction is issued, the controller controls the reader unit 1, the printer unit 2, the file unit 5, etc., performs appropriate processing according to the given attributes, and issues an appropriate counter update request according to the job type. put out. Since the job start command also includes information on the application ID of the application that executed the job, the controller and counter updating means can determine from which application the current job was executed. ing.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing in the counter updating means when the counter is updated in the first embodiment. The flow of processing in the counter management means when the counter is updated will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S601, a counter update request is received, and the process proceeds to step S602. Step S6
In 02, obtain the application ID of the update request source,
It proceeds to step S603. In step q003, the variable n
0 is substituted for and the process proceeds to step S604. Step S6
In 04, the n-th counter is referred to in step S with reference to the table.
It is checked whether it is assigned to the application having the application ID acquired in 602. If the nth counter is assigned to the application having the application ID acquired in step S602, the process proceeds to step S605. In step S605, the n-th counter for the current job type is updated, and in step S605
Proceed to 606. In step S606, the counter for counting the total number is updated, and the process ends. On the other hand, step S
If it is determined in 604 that the n-th counter is not assigned to the application having the application ID acquired in step S602, step S60
Proceed to 7. In step S607, it is determined whether the variable n is smaller than the total number N of application counters. If n <N, the value of n is incremented by 1 in step S608 and the process returns to step S604. Step S6
If n <N is not satisfied in 07, step S
Proceeding to 606, only the counter for counting the total number is updated and the processing is terminated.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a counter included in the multifunction machine 100. In this example, the copy counter,
It indicates that there are three types of counters, a print counter and a scan counter, and for each of them, one total-counting counter that indicates the total count number and N application-specific counters (counter numbers 1 to N) are prepared. . If the copy job is processed,
The copy counter is incremented each time one copy is made. Similarly, in the scan job, the scan counter is incremented each time one sheet is scanned, and in the print job, the print counter is incremented each time one sheet is printed.

Counter Number-When the contents of the application ID table are as shown in FIG. 4, the counter of FIG. 7 (i) is used for the application of application ID 11 and the counter of FIG. 7 (ro) is of application ID 51. Used by the application. For example, when the application with the application ID 11 executes a copy job, the counter in FIG. 7A and the total count counter are incremented. Similarly, when a print job is executed, the counter and total counter shown in FIG. 7A are counted up, and when a scan job is executed, the counter and total counter shown in FIG. 7H are counted up. Also, when a print job, scan job, copy job, etc. is submitted from the remote host, if the application ID of the job issuer is already registered in the table, the counter corresponding to the application ID and the total count counter will count. Will be up. If the application ID of the job issuer is not registered in the table, reject the job.

As described above, the count values corresponding to the number of combinations of each function provided by the image forming apparatus and each application using each function are managed, and each count value is managed for each application and each function. You can count them in total. As a result, in addition to charging for each application, if the application uses a specific function of the image forming apparatus as a predetermined operation, the usage amount can be counted for each predetermined operation. For example, assuming that a specific image processing application is associated with the counter number 6, if a predetermined image processing is performed using this image processing application, for example, a digital watermark is inserted, copying is performed. The copy counter corresponding to the counter number 6 is counted up. As a result, it is possible to manage the usage amount of a predetermined operation of making a copy using the image processing application. Of course, not only image processing applications but also XM
It may be an application for processing an L document or a predetermined document file. Furthermore, the function provided by the image forming apparatus may be not only copy, print, and scan, but also so-called bookbinding processing such as finishing, bookbinding, punching, and the like.

Next, a process for uninstalling an application already installed in the image forming apparatus and assigned to a counter having an application ID will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when uninstalling an application already installed in the copying machine 100.

First, in step S801, it is checked whether the designated application is in operation. If it is running, the uninstall process ends without doing anything. If it is not running, you can safely uninstall it, so step S8
Go to 02. In step S802, the counter information and application information associated with the application to be uninstalled are transmitted to the billing server 13,
It proceeds to step S803. In step S803, it is checked whether or not the billing server 13 has correctly received the transmitted information, and if it has been correctly received, step S80.
Go to 4. If not received correctly, the process is terminated without actually uninstalling. In step S804, the counter number-application ID table is updated, and the counter to which the application ID of the application to be uninstalled is assigned is set to an unused state. In step S805, the application is erased from the storage device 6 and uninstalled, and the process ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By dynamically allocating a counter that is not used when installing an application and counting up the counter corresponding to the application that caused the process when the counter is incremented, the count number of copy / print / scan is increased for each application. It is possible to manage.

Further, when the application is uninstalled, the application information and the information on the counter that has been used are stored in the billing server, so that the installation / uninstallation of the application can be freely repeated without damaging the count information. It is possible.

In this embodiment, if the same application is already installed at the time of installation, the process is terminated. However, the version information is judged and if the version is new, it is automatically installed. However, the user may be allowed to select whether or not to continue the installation process.

Further, in the present embodiment, the application installer 206 is a kind of application operating on the application management module 204, but it may be a module incorporated in the controller 202.

In the present embodiment, the copy counter
There are three types of counters, print counters and scan counters, but the number is not limited to this, and any number of counters may be used, and even with the same function, the counters can be divided into smaller groups according to the paper size, etc. I don't mind.

Further, in this embodiment, one application is assigned to one set of counters, but a group ID or the like may be introduced so that a plurality of applications share one counter set.

Further, in the present embodiment, all counters other than the counter for counting the total number are dynamically assigned, but the counters may be fixedly assigned to the application installed in the image forming apparatus in advance. good.

Further, in the present embodiment, the external job having the application ID not registered in the table is rejected, but the job is accepted by counting up only the total count counter. You can

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 also shows the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. Since this figure has been described in detail in the first embodiment, its explanation is omitted here.
However, in the second embodiment, the host computer 1
1 is a file server in which applications are stored. Hereinafter, a part that is particularly different from the first embodiment will be shown.

FIG. 9 shows a copying machine 1 according to the second embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the structure of the software module hierarchy of 00. The software module has an operating system (OS) 901. A controller module 902 for controlling various devices is provided on the OS 901, and an interpreter module 903 for sequentially executing programs and a general-purpose counter control application program for controlling a general-purpose counter (described later) are provided on the OS 901. Interface (hereinafter, general-purpose counter control API)
904. On the interpreter module 903 and the general-purpose counter control API 904, an application management module 905 for dynamically managing a removable application group is provided. The application 906 that realizes various functions operates under the control of the application management module 905 (usage management unit).
The application installer 907, which is an application for installing / uninstalling the application, also includes the application management module 90.
Works on 5. Each application 906 can use the general-purpose counter control API 904 via the application management module 905. It should be noted that these pieces of software are executed on a CPU (not shown) in the core unit 10.

Next, the processing of the application installer 907 when the application stored in the host computer 11 is installed in the multifunction peripheral 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.
It is assumed that the host computer is equipped with a Web server and has a predetermined URL. For example, in the present embodiment, “http: //www.kaisha.
The application is located at the URL "com / appfile", and when this URL is specified in the operation unit 14 of the copying machine, the U in the host computer is specified.
The specified application is downloaded from the storage area corresponding to the RL and the installation is automatically started.
Of course, instead of using the operation unit 14, the URL input from the operation screen of the external computer 12 may be sent to the network, received by the image forming apparatus via the network interface, and input to the core unit 10. .

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when installing the application installer in the second embodiment. This screen is displayed on the operation unit 14 of the multifunction peripheral 100 when installation is designated on the main screen (not shown) of the application installer 907. Specifically, the text field 1001
Enter the URL indicating the host computer 11 that stores the application information you want to install in
In response to the OK button 1002 being pressed, the application installer starts downloading the application from the host computer 11 and performs the installation process. Pressing the cancel button on the screen of FIG. 10 returns to the application installer main screen (not shown).

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow chart showing the flow of processing after the OK button 1002 is pressed. FIG. 12 is a counter number in the second embodiment-
It is a figure which shows in the example of an application ID table.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a count unit warning dialog screen at the time of application installation in the second embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 11 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13.

When the OK button 1002 is pressed, first, the application installer 907 acquires information on the application in the location designated by the text field 1001 in step S1101.
FIG. 12 shows an example of elements forming the application information.

In FIG. 12, a table in which the counter numbers assigned to the respective counters and the application ID (application ID) which is a preferred example of the identifier of the application are associated with each other is shown as a monochrome printer function, a color printer function, It shows a state in which the color copy function, the monochrome copy function, and the scanner function are prepared. The functions provided by the image forming apparatus are not limited to these. For example, the functions provided by the image forming apparatus include functions related to finishing such as a stapling function and a bookbinding function. Any method can be applied as long as it can recognize (for example, the number of times of use, the time of use). Where 0x
FFFFFFFF is a code indicating that the counter is not used.

Description will be returned to FIG. Step S1101
In step S1102, if the application installer 907 can acquire the application information, which is a preferable example of the program attribute information.
Go to. If the application information cannot be acquired, the processing ends. In step S1102, the application installer 907, which is a preferred example of the recognition unit of the present invention, determines that the counter of the type designated by the application information is unused in response to the acquisition of the application information. Perform recognition processing. If the unused counter number, that is, the usage amount of a newly added program, for example, input from the external host computer 11 or the like via the network interface unit (input unit) of the copying machine 100, can be managed. If a possible counter cannot be recognized, the process ends.

On the other hand, if the unused counters can be recognized for all the types described in the application information in S1102, the process proceeds to step S1103. In step S1103, a confirmation dialog about the count-up unit is displayed based on the application information (FIG. 13).
Is displayed on the operation unit. For example, the application name and the usage fee that is counted up when the application is activated once are displayed. Next, in step S1104, it is determined which button has been pressed on the dialog (FIG. 13). If it is determined that the stop button 1301 has been pressed, the processing is terminated, and if it is determined that the continue button 1302 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S1105. Step S1
At 105, an attempt is made to download the main body of the program based on the information of the archive file URL described in the application information. If the download is unsuccessful in step S1105, an error message is displayed and the process ends. On the other hand, if the download is successful, the process proceeds to step S1106. Step S1106
Then, the application installer (counter management means) stores the program downloaded in step S1105 in the storage device 6, makes the program available, and proceeds to step S1107. Step S11
In 07, the application installer executes S110.
The pair of the counter number recognized in 2 and the application ID included in the application information is the counter number-
The application ID table is additionally stored and updated, and the application management module 204 initializes the usage amount of the counter that recognizes the application installer as necessary, and ends. When the unused counter cannot be recognized, that is, when the application installer has a shortage of counters, a new counter may be created to correspond to the new application, and the counter may be initialized and used.

In FIG. 13, an application name to be added is displayed in the application display section, and this application is a function provided by the copying machine 100.
Since the count-up information (for example, billing information) when the scan function or the copy function is used is displayed on the count-up information display unit 1304, the user can count up according to whether to use the function when executing this application. You can install the application after confirming the information.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of application information in the second embodiment. The table is prepared for each counter type and holds the correspondence between the counter number and the application ID. In this example, the first scan counter and general-purpose counter are applications.
It is assigned to the application with ID 11, and the other counters are unused. here,
As an example of the application information, a vendor name, an application ID and an application name which are application identifiers, a version, a last update date, a used counter number, a counter type, a count-up unit, a used memory, and an archive file UR indicating a program acquisition source.
L is listed. First get the program, then
When considering the process of counter management, the acquisition URL
May be the application module itself. That is, by the application management means, a specific program uses the function of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to perform a predetermined operation, for example, a scan function operation, a copy function operation, a print function operation, a finishing operation, etc. Depending on the number of times of occurrence of, the counter having the counter number defined by the table above can be counted up and the usage amount can be managed.

As described above, the copying machine 100 is provided with the application management module 204 that manages the usage amount for each program by using the counter. Then, the application installer 206 manages the usage amount of the application corresponding to the application ID, which is an example of the identification information of the added program, in response to the information indicating the attribute of the application being input to the copying machine 100. Recognize a counter that can.

Then, the application management module manages the counter by associating the added program with the counter recognized by the application installer 206.

Here, the information for identifying the program includes all information that can identify the program. For example, in the case of an application program, an application ID and an application name can be considered, but the module itself of the application program provided in the form of a file includes the module name / file name in which the application is stored. Of course, these file names and module names are naturally included in the category of program identification information. Therefore, in response to the program module itself, which is integrated with the application information, being first input into the image forming apparatus via the network interface and stored in the storage device in the image forming apparatus, the program module is provided with a counter. It may be possible to judge whether or not to associate.

The installed application is
Similar to the first embodiment, by executing the command group (FIG. 5) instructing the job processing, the reader unit 1, the printer unit 2, the finisher unit 15 and the like can be controlled, and various copying machines can be controlled. It is possible to realize the functions provided. Since the details have been described in the first embodiment, they are omitted here.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a flow chart showing the flow of processing in the counter updating means at the time of counting up in the application management module in the second embodiment. Hereinafter, processing when a count-up request is made to each counter will be described using the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S1501, the application management module receives a count-up request from, for example, the core unit,
The process proceeds to step S1502. In step S1502,
Acquire the application ID of the update request source, and step S
Proceed to 1503. In step S1503, 0 is substituted for the variable n, and the process proceeds to step S1504. Step S150
In step 4, the table is referenced and the nth counter is set to step S.
It is checked whether or not the application having the application ID acquired in 1502 is assigned.
If the nth counter is assigned to the application having the application ID acquired in step S1502, the process advances to step S1505.

In step S1505, the application management means acquires the count-up unit of the current job type from the application information. Next, in step S1506, the nth counter is set in step S1.
The count is incremented by the unit acquired in 1505, and the process proceeds to step S1509. In step S1509, the application management unit counts up the counter for counting the total number in units specified by the application information, and ends the process. On the other hand, in step S1504, when the application management unit determines that the n-th counter is not assigned to the application having the application ID acquired in step S1502, the process proceeds to step S1507. In step S1507, it is determined whether the variable n is smaller than the total number N of application counters. If n <N, the value of n is incremented by 1 in step S1508.
Return to 504. If n <N is not satisfied in step S1507, the flow advances to step S1509 to count up only the total count counter in units specified by the application information, and ends the process.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a counter included in the copying machine according to the second embodiment. In this example, there are six types of counters, a copy counter (monochrome), a scan counter, a print counter (monochrome), a color copy counter, a color print counter, and a general-purpose counter. One and N counters for each application (counter numbers 1 to N) are prepared. When a monochrome copy job is processed, the copy counter is incremented each time one copy is made. The increment of the counter at this time is increased by the amount defined in the application information. Similarly, the scan counter, print counter, color copy counter, and color print counter are automatically incremented by the controller for each predetermined operation when a scan job, monochrome print job, color copy job, or color print job is executed. To be done. For the general-purpose counter, the application controls the general-purpose counter A
By issuing an instruction through the PI, it is possible to count up at a timing convenient for the application.

For example, in the situation shown in FIG. 14, when the scan job is executed by the application having the application ID 11, FIG.
The counter will increase by 10. If the application with the application ID 11 calls the general-purpose counter API each time the application issues a job, the counter in FIG. 16B will increase by 1 each time the application with the application ID 11 issues a job. Become.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing when uninstalling the application installed in the copying machine in the second embodiment. The process when uninstalling the application installed in the image forming apparatus will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The application installer 203 first checks whether or not the application specified in step S1701 is operating. If it is running, the uninstall process ends without doing anything.
If it is not in operation, it can be safely uninstalled, and the process advances to step S1702. In step S1702, the application installer 203 (recognition unit) recognizes the counter information and the application information associated with the application to be uninstalled by searching the counter number-application ID table and recognizing them in the nonvolatile memory provided in the image forming apparatus. Save it in the memory and proceed to step S1703.

In step S1703, it is checked whether the data has been correctly saved in the non-volatile memory, and if the data has been saved correctly, the process proceeds to step S1704. If it cannot be saved correctly, the process is terminated without actually uninstalling. Application management module 204
In step S1704, the (counter management means) updates the counter number-application ID table, releases the counter to which the application ID of the application to be uninstalled is assigned, and sets it in an unused state. Next, in step S1705, the application is erased from the storage device 6 and uninstalled, and the process ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By displaying the count-up information warning dialog at the time of installing the application, the user can install the application after being satisfied with the count-up unit for each predetermined operation. Further, by making the general-purpose counter available to the application, it becomes possible to manage the number of times of use and the amount of processing for each application.

Further, when the application is uninstalled, the application information and the information of the counter that has been used are stored in the memory in the device, so that the application can be freely installed / uninstalled without damaging the count information. It becomes possible.

The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples of the implementation of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be limitedly interpreted by these. Is. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the main features thereof.

(Other Embodiments) Each processing shown in the drawings and the specification of the present application is performed by the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus by a program installed from the outside. In that case, even when an information group including a program is supplied to each information processing apparatus or image forming apparatus from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. The present invention is applied.

As described above, the storage medium recording the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MP of the system or apparatus is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by U) 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 novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As the storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a DVD, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM, an EEPROM or the like 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 based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that this also includes the case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments. Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted in the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that this also includes the case where the CPU or the like provided in the 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.

According to each of the embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of counters are prepared on the image forming apparatus, and the correspondence between the application and the counter is dynamically performed at the time of installing the application, and the unused counter is set at the time of installing the application. Can be dynamically assigned. Then, by releasing the counter at the time of uninstalling, it becomes possible to appropriately manage the count information for each application even in a situation where an application is added or deleted. This also allows
It is also possible to appropriately distribute the charge according to the usage amount of the application to the application vendor who has developed the application on the image forming apparatus.

Also, to provide an image forming apparatus in which count information can be individually managed for each process provided by each program provided by the image forming apparatus, and the amount of use of each program can be easily managed. You can

Further, since the counter is managed so as to be released in response to the deletion of each program provided by the image forming apparatus, the counter is prevented from being unnecessarily increased and is actually used in the current image forming apparatus. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily managing the usage amount of each program used in.

Further, the counter is managed so that the counter is released in accordance with the addition of the attribute information of each program provided by the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the program is surely associated with the counter and managed as a table. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reliably acquiring / displaying and managing the usage amount of each program currently used in the image forming apparatus.

Further, since the usage amount is managed for each function of the image forming apparatus used by each program, the fee is charged according to the value added by the application and the processing provided by the application and the function provided by the copying machine. Alternatively, the usage amount can be managed.

Interpreted and executed by the interpreter,
Since the counter control API having high portability and reusability is provided, the counter control program can be easily created, and the counter control program can be reused and ported to another image forming apparatus.

[0094]

Since a mechanism for dynamically managing a counter that manages the usage amount of a program according to a change in the function provided by each program provided by the image forming apparatus is provided, the function of the image forming apparatus and It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately grasping the usage status of each program even if the program configuration changes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an entire system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a preferred example of a software module hierarchy of a copying machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a flow of processing when an application is installed in the multifunction peripheral shown in FIG. 1 in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a counter number-application ID table in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a command group for instructing job processing.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a flow of processing in a counter updating means when a counter is updated in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a counter included in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a flow of processing when uninstalling an application already installed in the copying machine in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a software module hierarchy of a copying machine according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when installing an application installer in the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow chart showing a flow of processing after the OK button of FIG. 10 is pressed in the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a counter number-application ID table in the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a count unit warning dialog screen when an application is installed in the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of application information in the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a flow of processing in a counter updating unit when a count-up is performed in the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a counter included in the copying machine according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a flowchart showing a flow of processing when uninstalling an application installed in a copying machine in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Reader section 2 Printer section 3 Image input / output control unit 4 Facsimile department 5 file divisions 6 storage devices 7 Network interface section 8 Formatter section 9 Image memory section 10 core part 11 Host computer 12 network server 13 Billing server 14 Operation part 15 Finisher part 100 MFP 201 operating system 202 controller 203 interpreter 204 Application management 205 Application program 206 Application installer 501 job submission start command 502 Job attribute setting command 503 Job data transmission command 504 Job submission completion command 511 mode 512 Additional information 901 operating system 902 controller 903 interpreter 904 Counter API 905 Application management program 906 Application 907 Application installer 1001 URL input section 1002 OK button 1301 Cancel button 1302 Continue button 1303 Application name display section 1304 Count-up information display section

Claims (19)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus in which a program for controlling a process provided by the image forming apparatus is installed, and a usage amount managing means for managing a usage amount for each program by using a counter; Responsive to the identification information of the program being input, the recognizing means corresponding to the identification information of the input program and recognizing a counter capable of managing the usage of the program; An image forming apparatus comprising: a counter management unit that manages the counter in association with the counter recognized by the recognition unit. 2. An image forming apparatus in which a program for controlling a process provided by the image forming apparatus is installed, and a usage amount managing means for managing a usage amount for each program by using a counter, and an inside of the image forming apparatus. Responsive to a process of deleting the identification information of the program, a recognition unit that recognizes a counter indicating the usage amount of the program corresponding to the deleted identification information of the program, and a counter management that releases the counter recognized by the recognition unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: 3. The recognizing means has a counter managing means for creating a new counter and associating the inputted program when a counter with which the program can be associated cannot be recognized. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the counter management unit initializes the counter recognized by the recognition unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the usage amount management unit manages the usage amount of the program according to the number of times the program is executed. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the usage amount management unit manages the usage amount of the program according to the time when the program is used. 7. The usage amount management means determines, by the number of predetermined operations of the image forming apparatus caused by the program,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: managing an amount of use of the program. 8. The counter managing means manages the usage amount by a combination of a function provided by the image forming apparatus and the program utilizing the function provided by the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 7. 9. The counter management means manages the counter by using a table that associates an identifier corresponding to the program with an identifier corresponding to the counter. Image forming device. 10. The counter counts the usage amount in response to an instruction from the operation unit of the image forming apparatus to execute the program.
9. The image forming apparatus described in 9 above. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the counter counts in response to a program execution instruction input from an external information processing apparatus. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus outputs information indicating a usage amount managed by the usage amount managing unit to the outside. 13. The image forming apparatus has an acquisition unit that acquires attribute information of the program from the outside via a predetermined communication medium, and count-up information for using the program acquired by the acquisition unit. And a display control means for controlling a process of displaying an input unit for inputting an instruction as to whether or not to introduce a program corresponding to the attribute information of the program into the image forming apparatus. Item 12. The image forming apparatus according to items 1 to 12. 14. The usage management means controls the counter using a counter control application program interface executed by using an interpreter, and manages the usage of the program. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 13. 15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information of the program is included in a program module itself. 16. A method in an image forming apparatus having a program for controlling processing provided by the image forming apparatus, comprising: a usage amount managing step of managing a usage amount for each program using a counter; In response to the identification information of the program being input to, a recognition step of recognizing a counter capable of managing the usage amount of the program, which corresponds to the identification information of the input program, and the input program. And a counter management step of managing the counter in association with the counter recognized in the recognition step. 17. A method in an image forming apparatus equipped with a program for controlling processing provided by the image forming apparatus, comprising: a usage amount managing step of managing a usage amount for each program using a counter; A recognition step of recognizing a counter indicating the usage amount of the program corresponding to the deleted program in response to the process of deleting the identification information of the program in the device, and a counter management for releasing the counter recognized in the recognition step. An information processing method, comprising: 18. A use amount management step of managing a use amount for each program by using a counter in a control program executed in the image forming device in which a program for controlling a process provided by the image forming device is installed, A step of recognizing a counter capable of managing the usage amount of the program, which corresponds to the identification information of the inputted program, in response to the identification information of the program being inputted to the image forming apparatus; A control program for causing the image forming apparatus to execute a counter management step of managing the counter by associating the input program with the counter recognized in the recognition step. 19. In a control program executed in an image forming apparatus in which a program for controlling a process provided by the image forming apparatus is installed, a usage amount managing step of managing a usage amount for each program using a counter, Responsive to the process of deleting the identification information of the program in the image forming apparatus, a recognition step of recognizing a counter indicating the usage amount of the program corresponding to the deleted program, and releasing the counter recognized in the recognition step. A control program for causing the image forming apparatus to execute a counter managing step.