JP2003223309A - Network managing system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it unnecessary to previously install a plurality of management programs corresponding to the whole machine types of equipment to be managed in a computer at the time of managing the network equipment by the computer. <P>SOLUTION: Each network equipment 3A, 3B 3C,... stores a management program for each equipment in an JAVA applet or ActiveX control format. Each of host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,... downloads and executes the management program from arbitrary network equipment by using a Web browser to manage the arbitrary network equipment. The management program is erased from the host computer by closing the Web browser so that the storage capacity of the host computer can be prevented from being compressed. <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 a system for managing network components connected to a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When managing the state of various constituent devices such as routers, hubs, printers and computers connected to a communication network using a certain constituent device connected to the network, the managing device A management device corresponding to each of various devices to be managed is installed in the. For example, it is assumed that a plurality of printers of various models and at least one computer that manages the states of the printers are connected to the LAN. in this case,
Various printer management programs corresponding to various printer models on the LAN are installed in the managing computer.

[0003]

However, in the above example, as the number of printer models connected to the LAN increases, the number of printer management programs installed in the management computer also increases. The program puts pressure on the capacity of the storage device of the management computer.

In addition, any type of printer management program usually has various information of the target printer (for example, information about printer configuration, information about consumables, information about print processing parameters, information about jobs, information about errors, etc.). ) Has many features for monitoring and controlling. However, the management computer does not always need all of its functions. For example, in some cases, only consumable item information is referred to, and in some cases only print processing parameters are set. The required function differs depending on the occasion, and
Often, the features used at each occasion are only a part of the whole.

Thus, pre-installing all the functions of the printer management program for all printer models in the storage device of the management computer is a waste of the storage device of the management computer.

Furthermore, when a new model printer is added to the LAN, a new printer management program for the new model must be installed on the management computer, and an old model printer is removed from the LAN. Then, it becomes necessary to uninstall the printer management program for the old model from the management computer. Such work is troublesome.

The above problems apply not only to managing printers on a LAN, but also to managing general network constituent devices.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the need to previously install a device management program corresponding to all models of the managed device in the computer on the management side. It is to eliminate waste and to easily cope with the change of the model of the managed device.

[0009]

A network management system of the present invention comprises a plurality of managed devices and at least one device.
Management computer, and a communication network that enables communication between the management target device and the management computer. Each of the managed devices is a program that can be executed on the management computer, and the management computer executes the program to enable the management computer to manage itself through the communication network. , Multiple types of management programs with different management purposes are held, and in response to a download request from the management computer, one or more types of management programs are selected from the held multiple types of management programs. Download to the management computer through the communication network. In addition, the management computer must be a means for selecting an arbitrary device from the above-mentioned plurality of devices to be managed, and must be automatically selected from a plurality of types of management programs for the selected device according to the management purpose. And a means for issuing the download request specifying one or more management programs, and a means for managing the selected target device by activating and executing the management program downloaded from the selected device. Therefore, it is not necessary to previously install the management program of the device to be managed in the management computer.

In a preferred embodiment, the management program is
It is a type of program that is automatically deleted from the management computer when its execution is completed. For example, when the management program is embedded in an HTML file by a web browser and downloaded, a program such as "Java Applet" developed by Sun Microsystems or "ActiveX Control" developed by Microsoft falls under this type. To do.
As a result, the management program does not exist in the management computer when it is not executed, and does not exist in the management computer when it is not executed.

In the preferred embodiment, each managed device is
It holds multiple types of management programs with different management purposes and notifies the management computer of the types. In the management computer, the user selects a desired program from those program types and issues a download request. Then, the managed device selects the management program of the type requested by the management computer and sends it to the management computer. Inevitably, the management computer downloads and executes only the management program of the type requested by the user, and does not execute the management program unnecessary for the user.

In a preferred embodiment, when the management computer executes the management program, information on predetermined items of the managed device is displayed on the screen of the management program displayed on the display of the management computer.
When the user requests the management program to update the display information, the management program accesses the device to be managed to obtain the latest information and updates the display content with the latest information. Therefore, the management program does not need to access the device to be managed all the time, and only needs to access the device when requested by the user, so that the communication processing amount of the management computer, the device to be managed, and the network can be suppressed to the necessary minimum.

In a preferred embodiment, the device to be managed is a printer which receives a print job from a host device on a network and performs an image creating process and a printing process of the created image. Then, when the management computer executes the management program downloaded from the printer, the printer management program screen displayed on the display of the management computer displays the various hosts of the network from the past to the present on the screen of the printer management program. A list of print jobs received from the device is displayed. In this print job list, as well as jobs that have not been printed,
It also includes jobs that have already been printed. And for each of the jobs in the print job list, (1)
Progress status of each print job reception process, image creation process, and print process, (2) Host device or communication path of each print job source, (3) Consumable consumption status of each print job, and (4) It is possible to display detailed information including matters such as the content of an error that has occurred in relation to each print job. Further, a cancel button for the user to select an arbitrary job from the job list and cancel printing is displayed. Therefore, by using this printer management program screen, it is possible to manage with accuracy the group of jobs that have been submitted to the printer from the past to the present.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In a company or the like, for example, "Ethernet"
A plurality of printers 3 on the line 1 of the local area LAN using
, And a plurality of host computers 5A, 5B, 5C, ... Which can use these printers are connected. Host computers 5A, 5B, 5C, ...
Printers 3A, 3B, 3C, ... on the LAN.
, A plurality of printer drivers respectively corresponding to all models are installed in advance, and each printer driver knows the addresses (IP addresses) and printer names of all printers on the LAN to which it corresponds. Therefore, each host computer 5A, 5B, 5C, ... Can select an arbitrary printer from all the printers 3A, 3B, 3C, ... On the LAN and send the print job to it.

However, the host computers 5A, 5B,
A printer management program for managing the printers 3A, 3B, 3C, ... Is not preinstalled in each of the 5C ,. Each printer 3A, 3B, 3C, ...
The printer management program for use is the printer 3A, 3
B, 3C, ... built into itself. Then, by a mechanism according to the present invention described below, each host computer 5A, 5B, 5C, ... Selects any printer from all the printers 3A, 3B, 3C ,. The selected printer can be managed by obtaining and executing the printer management program for the printer from the selected printer.
The printer management program is downloaded to the host computer only when it is executed, exists in the storage device thereof, and can be automatically discarded from the storage device of the host computer when the execution is completed, for example, "JA".
VA Applet "(Sun Microsystems) and" ActiveX Control "(Microsoft)
Etc., and is implemented as a "JAVA applet" in this embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of each printer 3 in this system.

The printer 3 has the following three types of information (or information storage area).

The first is printer management program information 23.
For this, a plurality of Jar files containing a plurality of JAVA applets, which are printer management programs for this printer, respectively, are stored, and the host computer 5 downloads these Jar files using a web browser. It includes an HTML file describing a menu screen for selecting an applet to be downloaded, which is to be displayed on the web browser before.

The second is a printer MIB (management information base) 27, in which various information relating to the printer 3 (for example, information relating to the configuration of the printer such as a paper tray, memory, expansion board, power on / off, etc.). Used for printing processing such as information about printer operating status such as power saving, power saving, warming up and printing, information about consumables such as set paper and toner, resolution, image quality, color conversion method, halftoning method, paper size, etc. Information about setting values, information about jobs such as jobs waiting to be printed, jobs being printed, jobs completed printing, and the like are stored. Most of the information in the printer MIB27 is
JAVA downloaded by the host computer 5 above
It can be managed (referenced and set) by executing the applet.

The third is a print job spool 31 for storing the data of the print job sent from the host computer 5.

The printer 3 has a print processing unit 33. The print processing unit 33 reads print job data from the print job spool, interprets the print job data, creates a print image based on the interpretation result, and prints it. Print on top. Various setting values required when performing this print processing are read from the printer MIB 27 into the print processing unit 33. In addition, the print processing unit 33 checks various states such as the operating state of the printer 3, the amount of consumables, the job state, and the error state at any time, and based on the result, the printer MIB 2
Update the corresponding information in 7.

The printer 3 also has the following communication protocol processing module in order to communicate with other devices on the LAN. First, there is an Ethernet unit 11 that constitutes a LAN (for example, Ethernet) 1 for performing protocol processing that is almost the lowest layer such as a physical layer and a data link layer of the ISO reference model. TCP / IP protocol processing groups 13 to 19 and M are used to perform protocol processing of a layer above the Ethernet unit 11.
There is an AT (AppleTalk) unit 21 for receiving a print job from an acintosh (Apple) computer.

The above TCP / IP protocol processing group 13
19 to 19, there is a TCP / IP unit 13 for processing TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol), which are almost equivalent to the transport layer and the network layer of the ISO reference model, and further on that. , HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) section 15, SNMP (simple network management protocol) section 17 and LPR for performing protocol processing almost corresponding to the session layer to the application layer of the ISO reference model.
There are various protocol processing units such as a (line printer protocol) unit 19 and an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) unit (not shown).

The HTTP section 15 described above is used when communicating with the web browser of the host computer 5 and downloading the printer management program information 23 described above to the web browser. That is, the HTTP unit 15 and the printer management program information 23 form an HTTP server 25 for the host computer 5.

The above-mentioned SNMP section 17 communicates with the JAVA applet (printer management program) downloaded to the host computer 5 to communicate with the printer MIB 27.
It is used when referring to or setting the information of the above with a command from the JAVA applet. That is, the SNMP unit 17 and the printer MIB 27 form an SNMP server 29 for the host computer 5.

The above-described LPR unit 19 and AT unit 21 are used when receiving print job data from the host computer 5 and storing it in the print job spool 31.

FIG. 3 shows a functional configuration of each host computer 5 in this system.

A web browser 51 is installed in the host computer 5 as one of application programs. In addition, various application programs 53 and 5 are installed.

A plurality of printer drivers 49 corresponding to all printer models on the LAN (only one printer driver 49 is shown in FIG. 3) are also installed. When performing printing, one printer driver corresponding to the printer desired by the user is selectively activated from the plurality of printer drivers, and the document to be printed is one of the application programs 51, 53, 55. Will be handed over to the activated printer driver from.

As a module for carrying out communication protocol processing, an Ethernet section 41 constituting a LAN, a TCP / IP section 43 for carrying out TCP and IP protocol processing, and an LPR for sending a print job from the printer driver 49 to the printer 3 LPR unit 47 that performs the protocol processing of
and so on. Further, the web browser 51 has an HT for communicating with the HTTP server 25 or the like in the printer 3.
There is an HTTP unit 45 that performs TP protocol processing.

The above-described configuration shown in FIG. 3 is a normal configuration of the host computer 5, and there is no printer management program there. The printer management program is
As described above, the HTTP server 25 in each printer 3 has it in the form of a JAVA applet, and the host computer 5 uses the web browser 51 to transfer from the HTTP server 25 of the printer 3 to be managed as necessary. The printer is managed by downloading and executing the JAVA applet of the management program for the printer.

FIG. 4 shows a functional configuration of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 manages the printer as described above.

As shown in FIG. 4, the host computer 5
JAVA applet 57 downloaded to
By having an SNMP unit 59 that executes MP protocol processing and communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the managed printer 3 through this, reference and setting of various printer information managed by the printer MIB 27 of the managed printer 3 is performed. It can be performed. The JAVA applet 57 is automatically erased from the storage device of the host computer 5 when its execution is completed, so that the storage device of the host computer 5 is not unnecessarily occupied.
Further, even if a new printer is added to the LAN or an old printer is removed, there is no need to manually install the new printer management program or uninstall the old printer management program on each host computer. .

By the way, one applet 59 is shown in FIG.
Although only shown in FIG.
A plurality of types of applets with different management purposes are prepared in the TTP server 25, and the host computer 5 selectively or in combination downloads necessary ones of those applets in accordance with the management purpose at each time. be able to. Here, the plurality of types of applets are the following three types in this embodiment.

(1) Control Panel Applet This is a control panel window having substantially the same switches, indicator lamps and message displays as the control panel of the printer 3 (see FIG. 9 described later).
(Reference numeral 300 in FIG. 11) is displayed on the screen of the host computer, and the same printer control and message display as the switches and control panel of the printer 3 are operated by the user's operation on the control panel window. It is a management program that enables you to do it.

(2) Special printing applet This displays a special printing window (reference numeral 400 in FIGS. 9 to 11) on the display screen of the host computer 5, and a user operation on the special printing window causes the status sheet to be displayed. It is a management program that causes the target printer 3 to perform special printing operations such as printing and printing of sample fonts.

(3) Job information applet This displays the job information window (reference numeral 500 in FIGS. 9 to 11) on the display screen of the host computer 5,
In this job information window, a list of IDs and execution statuses of print jobs sent to the target printer 3 is displayed, detailed information about a specific job selected by the user from the list, consumable information, and error information. Is a management program that displays such as, and instructs the corresponding printer 3 to cancel the job selected by the user.

By downloading only the necessary ones out of these three types of applets having different management purposes to the host computer 5 and executing them, the printer management purpose at that time can be controlled with the minimum required memory consumption. Can be achieved.

FIG. 5 shows the operation of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 downloads the Java applet of the printer management program from the printer 3 and executes it.

First, the application program 51,
When the user gives an instruction to print with either 53 or 55 (step S1), the OS activates the printer driver 49 of the printer 3 preset as the "normally used printer" (S2). The activated printer driver 49 opens a predetermined print dialog box on the display screen (S3).

FIG. 6 shows an example of this print dialog box. This print dialog box 100
Includes a "printer" panel 101 for displaying the "printer name" of the target printer 3 and the like for allowing the user to select another printer as the target printer 3, similar to the dialog box opened by the conventional printer driver. , A "print range" panel 103 for the user to specify the print range of the document, a "print number" panel 105 for the user to specify the number of print copies, and "OK" for sending a print job to the target printer 3. There are buttons 107 and the like. In addition, the dialog box 100 has a “printer management” button 109 for managing the target printer 3.

When the pull-down menu button 111 in the "printer" panel 101 in the dialog box 100 is pressed (that is, clicked with the mouse),
Since a list of all printers on the LAN appears, the user can select another printer as the target printer 3 from the printer list. In this way, when the user selects another printer as the control target printer 3, the print driver 49 of the original target printer 3 ends, and the print driver 49 corresponding to the newly selected target printer 3 is newly activated. (S4), a dialog box having the same configuration as the above is displayed (S3).

When the user wants to manage the current target printer 3, he / she presses a "browser start" button 109 in the print dialog box 100. Then, the printer driver 49 creates the URL (that is, http: // IP address /) of the target printer 3 by using the IP address of the target printer 3 which the printer driver 49 knows in advance, and the web browser 51. And start U
The RL is passed to the web browser 51 (S5).

The activated web browser 51 accesses the URL received from the printer driver 49, that is, the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 (S6). FIG. 7 shows the procedure of communication between the host computer 5 and the target printer 3, starting at step S6. Hereinafter, the subsequent operation will be described with reference to both FIG. 5 and FIG. 7.

When the web browser 51 accesses the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 in step S6, the HTTP server 25 uses the default HTML file "i" included in the printer management program information 23.
ndex. "htm" is first sent back to the web browser 51. This HTML file "index.ht
In “m”, a menu page in which buttons for arranging or selectively downloading the above-mentioned three types of Java applets are arranged is described. Web browser 51
Interprets the HTML file "index.htm" and displays the menu page in the window of the web browser 51 on the display screen (S7). FIG. 8 shows an example of this menu page. As shown in FIG. 8, this menu page 200 includes, for example, a “control panel” button 201 for selecting a control panel applet, a “special print” button 201 for selecting a special print applet, and a job information applet. "Job information" button 20 for selecting
5. "Full set" button 207 for collectively selecting all of the above three types of applets, and "GO" button 2 for starting download of the selected applet
There is 09.

In this menu page 200, the user presses any applet selection button 201 to 205 to select any JAVA applet (one type, two types, or all types), and then the "GO" button 209. When pressed, the web browser 51 displays the selected JAV
HTML in which Aar applet Jar file is embedded
The file is requested to the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 (S8) (note that the applet selection buttons 201 to 2).
Just press 05, and the HTML file that embeds the applet corresponding to the pressed button is HTTP server 2
5 may be requested). Assuming that all three types of applets are selected, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the web browser 51 uses the HTML file “FullSet.htm” in which the Jar files of the three types of applets are embedded to the HTT of the target printer 3.
The HTTP server 25 makes a request to the P server 25 and the HTTP server 25
The ML file “FullSet.htm” is returned to the web browser 51, and then the web browser 51 returns Fu.
llSet. Request the Jar files of the three types of applets embedded in "http" from the HTTP server 25, and
The TTP server 25 returns the Jar files of the three types of applets to the web browser 51. Web browser 5
1 decompresses each JAVA applet 57 from the received Jar file and starts it.
Is displayed in the window of the web browser 51. Even when one or two types of applets are selected, the selected applets are similarly transmitted from the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 to the web browser 5.
1 and then launched, the window of the selected applet is displayed within the window of the web browser 51.

After that, each Java applet 57 that has started up
Manages the printer while communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 (S9).

FIG. 9 shows an example of the Java applet window for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

When all three types of printer management applets, for example, the control panel, special printing and job information, are selected and downloaded as described above, as shown in FIG. Panel window) 3
00, special printing applet window (hereinafter referred to as special printing window) 400, and job information applet window (hereinafter referred to as job information window)
500 is displayed in the window of the web browser 51. When one or two types of applets are selected, only the windows of the one or two types of applets are displayed. In the location field 600 at the top of the window of the web browser 51, the download source URL (http: // printerIP
Address / FullSet.htm) is displayed.

In the control panel window 300, a message display 301 for displaying a message displayed on the liquid crystal display on the control panel of the target printer 3, and an LE on the control panel of the target printer 3.
There are a lamp group 303 that indicates the lighting state of the D lamp, and a switch group 305 that has the same function as various switches on the control panel of the target printer 3. These indicators 3
The layout of 01, the lamp 303, and the switch group 305 is almost the same as that of the control panel of the target printer 3 for the sake of easy understanding by the user.

In the lamp group 303, "online"
The lamp lights when the print engine of the target printer 3 is in operation, the “data” lamp blinks when the target printer 3 is receiving data, and the “cont” lamp lights when an error occurs.

In the switch group 305, the "go" switch is a switch for starting the print engine of the target printer 3, and the "pause" switch is a switch for stopping the print engine. Further, the “reset” switch is a switch for resetting the job currently being printed by the target printer 3, the “cont” switch is a switch for continuing the error, and the “ff” switch is for displaying an image that has been partially rendered by the target printer 3. The “warm” switch, which is a switch for completing and printing, is a switch for releasing the power saving state of the target printer 3 and starting warming up.

Information to be displayed on the display 301 or the lamp 303 is acquired from the target printer 3 or the switch group 30 is used.
The transmission of the information indicating the user operation to the target printer 3 to the target printer 3 is executed by the control panel applet communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3.

Further, the control panel window 30
There is a "refresh" button 307 in 0, and when this button 307 is pressed, the display content of the control panel window 300 is updated to the content according to the latest printer state. That is, the control panel applet accesses the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 at the time of its startup or at the time of the periodic check at the set cycle when the periodic check function is set, to obtain the latest information. Acquired control panel window 30
The display content of 0 is updated, but even at other times, "r
When the "efresh" button 307 is pressed, the latest status information is similarly acquired from the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 and the display content of the control panel window 300 is updated.

In the special print window 400, "Status" for printing the status sheet by the target printer 3 is displayed.
"tusSheet" button 401 and "FontSamp" for printing the font sample on the target printer 3.
There is a “le” button 403. A command line 405 for a person to type in a command and a “send” button 407 for sending the command to the target printer 3 are also provided, which are mainly used for debugging purposes.

When the user operates the above-mentioned various buttons in the special print window 400, the information is displayed as the target printer 3
The special print applet communicates with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 to perform the transmission.

In the job information window 500, a job list column 501 for displaying a list of all print jobs currently held by the target printer 3, and this job list 5
01, a job detail column 521 showing detailed information of one print job, a consumable item information column 523 showing consumable items consumed by the selected one job, and the selected one job. There is an error information column 525 that indicates an error that has occurred and has been resolved during the process.

In the job list column 501, print job groups that have been submitted to the target printer 3 from various host computers on the LAN from the past to the present are those which have already been printed and are currently waiting to be processed. It is listed including up to. The content of each job is displayed in each line of the column 501, and the content includes the ID number 503 uniquely assigned to each job by the target printer 3,
The ID code 505 attached to each job on the LPR protocol by the side that sent each job is being received (Receive
g) or reception completion (Done) reception status 507, image creation processing waiting (Waiting), image creation (Imaging) or image creation completion (Done) image creation status 509, print waiting (Waitin)
g) or printing (Printing) or printing completed (Don)
e) the print status 511, and the side information such as the number of copies of each job, the total number of pages, the page number that is currently being printed, the page number that has been printed, the number of pages that have been printed on one side, and the number of pages that have been printed in color. 513 is included.

By looking at this job list column 501,
The user of the host computer can understand at a glance the processing progress status and processing waiting status of jobs that have entered the target printer 3 from the past to the present, and the position of the job that he / she has sent in the job group. Can be easily grasped. Therefore, if the job that the user sent in the past has been correctly received, has already completed printing, or if it has not completed printing, it is in a waiting state, is being processed, or is being processed. It is possible to accurately grasp the processing status of a job such as whether it is in the stage of image processing or printing. In addition, the processing status of other jobs sent before the one you sent and the amount of processing such as the number of pages of that job can be grasped, so how much time will your own job waiting to start processing start? It is possible to estimate fairly accurately how long it will take and how long it will take to complete printing. Also, when a new job is about to be sent, it can be estimated how long it will take to complete printing after sending the job. Therefore, it is better to send the job to the target printer 3 or another You can also decide if it should be sent to a printer.

The user clicks an arbitrary job from the job list column 501 with the mouse,
You can select the job. Then, more detailed information about the selected job is displayed in the job details column 52.
1, the consumables information column 523 and the error information column 525.

That is, in the job details column 521, for one job selected in the job list column 501, the job ID (id) and the name (Pr) of the target printer 3 are set.
inter), the name of the host computer 5 (Mach
ine), the login name on the host computer side, that is, the user name (User), the printer driver name, that is, the printer model name (Driver), the priority order of the job assigned on the host computer side (Priority),
Print date (Date), custom character string (Custom) entered by the user for convenient job identification on the printer driver screen, attribute information (PrintSettings) set in the dialog printer driver, password attached to the job on the control panel (Pass
(WORD), designation of holding printing without printing immediately after receiving the job (Pending), designation of holding the job without discarding it even after the completion of printing (Keep)
Job), the title given to the job by the user (Titl
e), the file name of the document to be printed (File), the application that created the document to be printed (Applicat)
Ion), the total number of print copies (Quantity), the total number of print pages (Pages), the physical channel (PhysicalChannel) of the communication path (that is, the communication protocol) from which the job is sent from the host, and the logical channel (LogicalChannel) of the communication protocol.
Is displayed.

Regarding the communication protocol for sending a job, “Ethernet” is illustrated as the physical channel and “LPR” or “AppleTalk” is illustrated as the logical channel in the above description for simplification of the description. However, in practice more versatile protocols can be used. For example, as the physical channel, "Ethernet"
Besides, “parallel”, “serial”, “USB”, etc. can be used. For the logical channel, “FTP”, “Network”, “SMB”, etc. can be used in addition to “AppleTalk” and “LPR” in the case of “Ethernet”, and “1284.4” in the case of “parallel”. , Etc. can be used.

The consumables information column 523 displays the type and consumption amount of the toner consumed up to the present, the size and type of the consumed sheet, and the number of sheets consumed, for the job selected in the job list column 501. . Error information column 525
For the job selected in the job list column 501, the type of error that has occurred or has been canceled up to now, the distinction between the occurrence and cancellation, the number of the surface where the error occurred, the part number where the error occurred, etc. Is displayed.

As described above, the job information window 50
In 0, for each of all the jobs that have been submitted to the target printer 3 from the past to the present, the job transmission path such as the host computer that sent the job, the protocol, etc. is specified, during reception, waiting for processing, image processing, printing, etc. It is possible to obtain various kinds of information such as a detailed processing progress status such as the end of printing or the number of pages currently printed, a processing amount such as the number of pages, a consumption amount of consumables, and an error occurrence status. In particular, not only jobs that are waiting or being processed, but also jobs that have already been printed are displayed with a print completion mark (Done) displayed, so that the user can confirm whether his or her job has completed printing. Can be recognized. Further, since the information about the job waiting state or the job being processed is also displayed in detail, it becomes possible to accurately estimate the time when each job ends but to some extent. Since the error content generated in the processing of each job is also known, if the error content is in the job content (for example, the amount of data in the document is too large), the content of the document can be modified or another It becomes easy to take appropriate measures such as using a printer. Also,
Since the consumable item consumption amount of each job is also known, it becomes easy to perform consumable item management such as charging for each user according to the consumable item consumption amount.

Further, in the job information window 500, a display 526 of the name and IP address of the target printer,
The latest information of all jobs is acquired from the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3, and the above-mentioned various fields 501 and 521,
“R” to update the contents of 523 and 525 to the latest information
“Efresh” button 527 and job list column 501
A “Get Info” button 529 for updating the job detail column 521 by acquiring the latest detailed information from the SNMP server 29 for the job selected in step No. 5 and a job “Cancel” for the job selected in the job list column 501. There is a “Job Cancel” button 531. "J
When the “Ob Cancel” button 531 is pressed, the target printer 3 discards the job that is being printed, the portion of the job that has not been printed at that time, and the job that is waiting for printing, discards all of the job. To do. As described above, the job information displayed in the job information window 500 allows the user to estimate to a certain extent when the printing of the job sent by the user will end. Therefore, if the user waits too long, the “Job Cancel” button is pressed. 5
Appropriate measures can be taken such as canceling the job using 31 and sending it to another printer.

As described above, the job information window 50
By using 0, highly accurate job management is possible.

The information to be displayed in the various fields in the job information window 500 is acquired from the target printer 3,
Information exchange with the target printer 3 when the user presses various buttons is executed by the job information applet communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3. Similar to the control panel applet described above, the job information applet is the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 when the job information applet is started or when the periodical check function is set and the periodical check is performed at the set cycle.
To obtain the latest information and display the latest information in the job information window 500, but at other times as well, the "Refresh" button 527 or "Get" is displayed.
If the “Info” button 529 is pressed, the latest job information is acquired from the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 and the display content of the job information window 500 is updated as described above.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show examples of the Java applet window for printer management when the target printer 3 is in a different state from FIG.

In FIG. 9, the message display 301 displays “R
"ready" is displayed and the "online" lamp is lit. This means that the target printer 3 is online,
In other words, it means that the print engine is operating, so that printing can be performed immediately when a new job is input. On the other hand, in FIG. 10, the message display 30
"Offline" is displayed in 1 and "online"
The lamp is off and the "data" lamp is flashing. This means that the target printer 3 is in the offline state with the print engine stopped, but is currently receiving a job. In FIG. 11, the message display 3
01 is displayed as “FeedJam”, the print job of the 90th job selected in the job list column 501 is “Printing”, and the error information column 52
In FIG. 5, errors are displayed in the order of occurrence, and the last error is “Feed Jam, occurrence”. This means that a paper jam has occurred during printing of the 90th job. Further, in FIG. 11, since the print statuses of jobs 92 and 93 in the job list column 501 are “Waiting”, they are waiting for printing,
The 94th job has an image creation state of "Imagin
Since it is "g", an image is being created.

As described above, the host computer 5 is
By downloading the JAVA applet of the management program from the target printer 3 selected by the user and automatically starting and executing it, the target printer 3
Manage. After that, if the user closes the web browser 51 or jumps the web browser 51 to another URL (that is, ends the JAVA applet), the host computer 5 causes the JAVA applet to be deleted from within the host computer 5. Erase automatically.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
This embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention only to these embodiments. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms other than the above embodiments without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the present invention can be applied to management of not only printers but also other network constituent devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each printer 3 in this system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each host computer 5 in this system.

FIG. 4 is a JA for managing printers by the host computer 5.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a host computer 5 when executing a VA applet.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 downloads and executes a Java applet of a printer management program from the printer 3.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a print dialog box displayed by the printer driver 49 at startup.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of communication between the host computer 5 and the target printer 3, starting in step S6 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a menu screen for downloading a JAVA applet for a printer management program.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a Java applet window for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a Java applet window for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a Java applet window for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 LAN 3 printers 5 Host computer 23 Printer management program information 27 Printer MIB 51 Web browser 57 JAVA applet (printer control program) 300 control panel window 400 special printing window 500 job information window

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of management target devices and at least one
Management computer, and a communication network that enables communication between the management target device and the management computer, each of the management target device is a program executable on the management computer, Management program holding means for holding a plurality of types of management programs having different management purposes so that the management computer can execute the management computer to manage the own device via the communication network. In response to a download request from the management computer, one or more management programs are selected from the plurality of management programs stored in the management program storage means and are sent to the management computer through the communication network. And a management program transmission means for downloading, The management computer specifies target device selection means for selecting an arbitrary device from the management target devices, and one or more necessary management programs automatically selected from the plurality of types of management programs according to the management purpose. A network management system comprising: a download request transmitting means for issuing the download request to the selected device; and a management program starting means for starting the management program downloaded from the selected device. 2. The network management system according to claim 1, wherein the management program is a type of program that is automatically erased from the management computer when the execution of the management program is completed. 3. In each of the management target devices, the management program holding means holds a plurality of types of management programs having different management purposes, and the management program holding means stores the management programs to the download request sending means of the management computer. Before issuing the download request,
Program type notifying means for notifying what kind of management program the management program holding means holds is further provided, and the management program sending means is provided from the download request sending means of the management computer. When a download request is received, a management program of the type specified by this download request is selected and downloaded to the management computer, and the download request transmission means of the management computer is from the program type notification means of the management target device. 2. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to select a desired program type from the notified program types, and the program request selected by the user is designated to send the download request to the management target device. Network management system 4. The management computer, by executing the management program, information display means for displaying information on predetermined items of the management target device on the display screen of the management computer, and an update request from the user. And an information updating unit that acquires the latest information of the predetermined item of the management target device from the management target device through the network and updates the information displayed by the information display unit to the latest information. The network management system according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. At least one of the managed devices comprises:
A printer that receives a print job from a host device on the communication network and performs image creation processing and print processing of the created image, wherein the management computer executes the management program downloaded from the printer, For each of the print jobs received by the printer from the past to the present on the display screen of the management computer, the following (1) to (4) (1) reception processing of each print job, image creation processing and print processing The progress status of the print job, (2) the host device or communication path of the sender of each print job, (3) the consumption status of consumables for each print job, and (4) the content of the error that occurred in relation to each print job. A job information display means for displaying information indicating at least one of the items is provided.
The described network management system. 6. A plurality of managed devices and at least one
In a system including a single management computer and a communication network that enables communication between the management target device and the management computer, a method for managing each of the management target devices, wherein each of the management target devices Is a program that can be executed on the management computer, and the management computer executes the program to enable the management computer to manage its own device via the communication network. A step of holding a plurality of different types of management programs, the management computer, selecting a device from the management target device, the management computer, for the management target device selected in the step, One required type automatically selected from the above multiple types of management programs according to the management purpose Issuing a download request specifying the above management program, the managed device selected by the management computer, in response to a download request from the management computer, the plurality of types held by the own device. Selecting one or more management programs from among the management programs, and downloading to the management computer through the communication network; and the management computer executing the management program downloaded from the selected device, A network management method comprising the step of managing the selected device. 7. A managed device capable of communicating with a management computer via a communication network, the program being executable on the management computer, the management computer executing the program to cause the management computer to perform the communication. Management program holding means for holding a management program for managing its own device via a network, and the management program held in the management program holding means in response to a download request from the management computer And a management program transmitting means for downloading the data to the management computer via the communication network. 8. A management computer for managing a plurality of management target devices via a communication network, wherein a target device selection means for selecting an arbitrary device from the plurality of management target devices and a selected management target device are held in advance. Downloading means for selecting one or more management programs from a plurality of management programs having different management purposes and downloading from the selected management target device, and the one type downloaded from the selected device. A management computer comprising: execution means for managing the selected management target device by executing the above management program; and erasing means for erasing the management program from the management computer after the management program is terminated. 9. A step of selecting an arbitrary device from the plurality of managed devices in order to provide a computer having a web browser with a function of managing the plurality of managed devices through a communication network, The web browser is used to access the selected management target device, and one or more management programs are selected from a plurality of management programs of different management purposes that the selected management target device holds in advance. And a downloading step, a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing the computer to execute.