JP2004030483A - Information processing unit and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing system which can extremely efficiently perform mutual transfer of prescribed parameters between devices, and an information processing unit which constitutes the information processing system. <P>SOLUTION: The information processing unit 1 (2) equipped with a HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) server program 13A (23A) which realizes processing which relates to a prescribed request from an external HTTP client, is provided with an HTTP client program 13B (23B) for implementing a prescribed request to the external HTTP server, and an input means 15 (25) to perform input relating to the prescribed request. Also, the information processing system is built by connecting the information processing units 1 and 2 via a network cable C. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a non-volatile memory of a device (information processing device) that inputs and outputs predetermined information such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile, an ID number derived from the specification, model, and serial number of the device, and a password of an administrator of the device. And various parameters such as a mail address assigned to the device.
[0003]
Conventionally, in order to check or change such parameters, an HTTP server that accepts access by HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) is arranged inside the information processing apparatus, and the information processing apparatus is connected to a PC ( Personal Computer), the PC accesses the HTTP server of the information processing device from the PC, refers to the desired parameter of the information processing device with the browser of the PC, and changes the predetermined parameter with the keyboard of the PC as necessary. Method was adopted.
[0004]
When transferring a parameter owned by one information processing device to another information processing device, the parameters are output to one information processing device to a PC using the method described above, and then the PC is connected to another information processing device. The information processing apparatus is connected to the other information processing apparatus, and parameters relating to one information processing apparatus are input from the PC to another information processing apparatus.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the transfer method via a PC as described above, parameters cannot be directly transferred after the information processing apparatuses are connected via a network cable, and a PC having a browser or a keyboard is prepared and connected. It had to be done, which was troublesome.
[0006]
On the other hand, instead of employing the above-described transfer method via a PC, a transfer-only program that enables direct parameter transfer between information processing apparatuses may be created.
[0007]
However, since accessible protocols may be different for each information processing device, it is necessary to create a complicated program that enables protocol conversion between information processing devices during parameter transfer. Therefore, it is not practical because it takes time and effort to create the program and the program size becomes large.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system capable of extremely efficiently transferring predetermined parameters between apparatuses, and an information processing apparatus constituting the information processing system.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is
In an information processing apparatus including an HTTP server program for realizing a process related to a predetermined request from an external HTTP client,
An HTTP client program for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server;
Input means for inputting the predetermined request;
It is characterized by having.
[0010]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an HTTP client program for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server, and input means for making an input relating to the predetermined request. A predetermined request can be made to an external device via the input unit and the HTTP client program.
[0011]
Therefore, when the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to another information processing apparatus having an HTTP server, a predetermined request is directly sent to the other information processing apparatus by the input unit and the HTTP client program. It can be carried out. For this reason, an information processing system capable of directly transferring parameters between information processing apparatuses without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program is constructed. can do.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect,
The one-to-one parameter transfer with the external HTTP server can be realized by the HTTP client program.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect,
The input means,
The operation unit includes at least one of a touch panel, operation keys, and a pointing device.
[0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects,
The HTTP client program can realize both an operation of transferring parameters owned by the user to the external HTTP server and an operation of transferring parameters owned by the external HTTP server to the user. It is characterized in that one of the operations can be selected by an input means.
[0015]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects,
An internal parameter transfer program for sequentially transferring parameters owned by itself to a plurality of external HTTP servers is provided.
[0016]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects,
A nonvolatile memory for recording predetermined data,
The process according to the predetermined request includes:
It is characterized in that predetermined data recorded in the nonvolatile memory is rewritten.
[0017]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects,
Using HTTP as a common communication protocol, it is characterized in that both communication with a PC and communication with the external HTTP server can be realized.
[0018]
The invention according to claim 8 is an information processing system,
A plurality of information processing apparatuses according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are connected via a network cable.
[0019]
According to the invention described in claim 8, a plurality of the information processing apparatuses according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are connected via a network cable, so that the input means of one information processing apparatus and the HTTP When a predetermined request is issued to another information processing apparatus by the client program, the other information processing apparatus can perform a process related to the predetermined request by the HTTP server program.
[0020]
Therefore, for example, when one information processing apparatus requests another information processing apparatus to transfer a parameter owned by another information processing apparatus to itself, the other information processing apparatus performs the request. , The parameters can be transferred to one information processing device. When one information processing device requests another information processing device to accept the transfer of a parameter owned by one information processing device to another information processing device, the other information processing device In response to such a request, the transfer of parameters can be accepted.
[0021]
As a result, it is possible to directly transfer parameters between information processing apparatuses without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program. Further, even when a PC having an HTTP server is connected to one information processing apparatus, the operation can be performed in the same processing as when another information processing apparatus is connected, using HTTP as a common communication protocol.
[0022]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0023]
[First Embodiment]
An information processing system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a configuration of the information processing system according to the present embodiment. The information processing system includes a first printer 1 having predetermined parameters, and a second printer 2 connected to the printer 1 via a network cable C. The first printer 1 and the second printer 2 are information processing devices according to the present invention.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 1, the first printer 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a network I / F 12, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 13, a nonvolatile memory 14, an operation unit 15, and a display unit 16.
[0025]
The CPU 10 integrally controls the entire first printer 1 by activating various programs recorded in the ROM 13 and the nonvolatile memory 14. The network I / F 12 is an interface for the first printer 1 to communicate with the second printer 2 via the network cable C.
[0026]
The ROM 13 is a read-only memory that records various control programs for controlling the operation of the printer 1. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an HTTP server program 13A and an HTTP client program 13B are recorded in the ROM 13.
[0027]
The HTTP server program 13A receives a predetermined request from an external HTTP client, and implements processing related to the request. Specifically, it has a function of being activated by the CPU 11, receiving a predetermined request from an external HTTP client, activating a predetermined control program, and performing a process related to the request.
[0028]
The HTTP client program 13B is for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server. Specifically, it has a function of being activated by the CPU 11 and transmitting a predetermined request input by the operation unit 15 described later to an external HTTP server.
[0029]
The nonvolatile memory 14 stores various parameters and various control programs related to the first printer 1 in an electrically rewritable manner. As the non-volatile memory 14, a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) to which contents can be electrically written, an EEPROM, an SRAM (Static RAM), a flash memory, or the like, which can electrically rewrite contents can be adopted.
[0030]
The non-volatile memory 14 stores an ID number derived from the specification, model, and serial number of the first printer 1, a password of an administrator of the first printer 1, a mail address assigned to the first printer 1, a first A parameter group including an initial setting value when the printer 1 is started is recorded. Note that the model number of the first printer 1 in the present embodiment is “10.1.2.2.3”.
[0031]
The operation unit 15 is for inputting a predetermined request to an external HTTP server, and is an input unit in the present invention. As the operation unit 15, a touch panel, various keys such as cursor keys and numeric input keys, a pointing device such as a mouse, and the like can be employed.
[0032]
The display unit 16 functions to perform a display related to a predetermined request to an external HTTP server and realize an input related to the predetermined request by the operation unit 15. As the display unit 16, a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or the like can be used.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 1, the second printer 2 includes a CPU 21, a network I / F 22, a ROM 23, a nonvolatile memory 24, an operation unit 25, and a display unit 26. The second printer 2 has substantially the same configuration as the first printer 1 already described, and the description of each configuration will be omitted.
[0034]
The non-volatile memory 24 of the second printer 2 stores a parameter group including an ID number derived from the specification, model, and serial number of the second printer 2 and a mail address assigned to the second printer 2. Is recorded.
[0035]
Next, a control operation of the information processing system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the information processing system according to the present embodiment.
[0036]
First, the power of the first printer 1 and the second printer 2 is turned on, and the respective HTTP server programs 13A and 23A and the respective HTTP client programs 13B and 23B are activated (server / client program activation step: S1).
[0037]
Next, in response to a request from the second printer 2, the specific parameters (the password of the administrator and the initial settings at the time of starting the apparatus) in the parameter group recorded in the nonvolatile memory 14 of the first printer 1 are transmitted to the second printer 2. An operation for transferring (hereinafter, referred to as “pull operation”) is performed. In the pull operation, the second printer 2 has a role as a “client”, and the first printer 1 has a role as a “server”.
[0038]
First, a predetermined control program provided in the second printer 2 is started, and a display related to a pull operation is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 26 (pull operation display step: S2). FIG. 3 shows a state where a display related to a pull operation is performed on the display screen of the display unit 26. In other words, “Apply the parameters transferred from 101.2.3 (model number of first printer 1) to this machine” shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to “display related to pull operation”. .
[0039]
Next, when "ok" displayed on the display screen of the display unit 26 is instructed by the operation unit 25, the second printer 2 transmits the first printer via the HTTP client program 23B, the network I / F 22, and the network cable C. The printer 1 accesses the printer 1 and transmits a signal (external parameter transfer request) for requesting transfer of a specific parameter to the HTTP server program 13A of the first printer 1 (parameter transfer request step: S3).
[0040]
The HTTP server program 13A of the first printer 1, which has received the signal (external parameter transfer request) for requesting the transfer of the specific parameter, activates a predetermined control program and is recorded in the nonvolatile memory 14 of the first printer 1. The password of the administrator and the initial setting value at the time of starting the apparatus are transferred to the second printer 2 from the parameter group (parameter transfer step: S4).
[0041]
The second printer 2 having received the transfer of the specific parameters from the first printer 1 records these specific parameters in the non-volatile memory 24 and ends the pull operation (parameter recording step: S5).
[0042]
The second printer 2, which is the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, includes an HTTP client program 23B for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server, and an operation as input means for making an input for the predetermined request. And a unit 25, so that a predetermined request (external parameter transfer request) can be made to an external device having an HTTP server via the operation unit 25 and the HTTP client program 23B.
[0043]
Therefore, as described in the present embodiment, when the second printer 2 is connected to the first printer 1, which is another information processing apparatus having an HTTP server program, the operation unit 25 and the HTTP client program 23B , A predetermined request can be made directly to the first printer 1. Therefore, an information processing system capable of directly transferring parameters between printers without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program is constructed. Can be.
[0044]
Further, the information processing system according to the present embodiment includes a first printer 1 and a second printer 2 each including an HTTP server program, an HTTP client program, and an input unit (operation unit) for inputting a predetermined request. Are connected via a network cable C, so that when a predetermined request is made to the other printer by the operation unit of one printer and the HTTP client program, the other printer is connected to the HTTP server. The processing according to the predetermined request can be performed by the program.
[0045]
That is, as described in the present embodiment, the operation unit 25 and the HTTP client program 23B are transmitted to the first printer 1 so that the second printer 2 transfers the specific parameters owned by the first printer 1 to itself. If the request is made via the HTTP server program 13A, the first printer 1 can transfer the specific parameters to the second printer 2 via the HTTP server program 13A in response to the request (external parameter transfer request). Therefore, it is possible to directly transfer parameters between printers with appropriate security without employing a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program.
[0046]
[Second embodiment]
An information management system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The information management system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of printers having substantially the same configuration as the second printer 2 used in the first embodiment, in the first printer 1 used in the first embodiment. Since the printer is connected, the description of the configuration of each printer is omitted.
[0047]
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram for explaining a configuration of the information management system according to the present embodiment. The information processing system includes one first printer 1 having predetermined parameters, and second, third, third,... Printers connected to the first printer 1 via a network cable C. N printer N.
[0048]
In addition, illustration of the configuration of the second printer N to the Nth printer N is omitted. Further, in the present embodiment, the model number of the second printer 2 is “20.4.5.6”, the model number of the third printer 3 is “30.7.8.9”, and so on. , The model number of the Nth printer N is set to “N0.1.2.3”.
[0049]
As in the first embodiment, the nonvolatile memory 14 of the first printer 1 stores an ID number derived from the specifications, model, and serial number of the first printer 1, a password of an administrator of the first printer 1, and the like. , A parameter group including an e-mail address given to the first printer 1 and an initial setting value for activating the first printer 1 are recorded.
[0050]
The non-volatile memory of the second printer 2, the third printer 3,..., The N-th printer N stores ID numbers derived from the specifications, models, and serial numbers of the respective printers, and mails assigned to the respective printers. An address and a parameter group composed of the address are recorded.
[0051]
Next, a control operation of the information processing system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the information processing system according to the present embodiment.
[0052]
First, power is turned on to each of the first printer N to the Nth printer N connected via the network cable C, and each HTTP server program and HTTP client program are started (server / client program starting step: S11). ).
[0053]
Next, in response to a request from the first printer 1, specific parameters (a password of an administrator and an initial setting value at the time of starting the apparatus) in the parameter group recorded in the nonvolatile memory 14 of the first printer 1 are transferred to the second printer 2. To an Nth printer N (hereinafter, referred to as a “push operation”). At the time of this push operation, the first printer 1 plays a role as a “client”, and the second to Nth printers N play a role as a “server”.
[0054]
At the time of the push operation, first, a predetermined control program provided in the first printer 1 is started, and a display related to the push operation is performed on the display screen of the display unit 16 (push operation display step: S12). FIG. 6 shows a state where a display related to the push operation is performed on the display screen of the display unit 16. That is, “Transfer the parameters of this machine. Transfer destination 20.4.5.6 (model number of the second printer 2) 30.7.8.9 (model number of the third printer 3) shown in FIG. N0.1.2.3 (model number of Nth printer N) "corresponds to" display related to push operation ".
[0055]
Next, when "ok" displayed on the display screen of the display unit 16 is instructed by the operation unit 15, the first printer 1 transmits the second printer via the HTTP client program 13B, the network I / F 12, and the network cable C. The printer accesses the printers 2 to N and transmits a signal (internal parameter acceptance request) to the HTTP server programs of the second to Nth printers N to request to accept the transfer of the specific parameter ( Parameter acceptance requesting step: S13).
[0056]
The HTTP server programs of the second printer N to the Nth printer N, which have received the signal (internal parameter acceptance request) requesting to accept the transfer of the specific parameter, activate a predetermined control program (not shown). ) Accept specific parameters transferred from the first printer 1 by the internal parameter transfer program (parameter receiving step: S14).
[0057]
The second printer N to the N-th printer N that have received the specific parameters transferred from the first printer 1 record these specific parameters in their respective non-volatile memories, and end the push operation (parameter recording step: S15).
[0058]
The first printer 1, which is the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, includes an HTTP client program 13B for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server, and an operation as an input unit for making an input for the predetermined request. Since the system includes the unit 15, a predetermined request can be made to an external device having an HTTP server via the operation unit 15 and the HTTP client program 13B.
[0059]
Therefore, as described in the present embodiment, when the first printer 1 is connected to the second printer N to the Nth printer N, which are other information processing apparatuses having the HTTP server program, the operation unit 15 and the The HTTP client program 13B can directly make a predetermined request (internal parameter acceptance request) to the second printer N to the Nth printer N. Therefore, an information processing system capable of directly transferring parameters between printers without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program is constructed. Can be.
[0060]
Further, the information processing system according to the present embodiment includes a first printer N to an Nth printer N including an HTTP server program, an HTTP client program, and input means (operation unit) for inputting a predetermined request. Are connected via a network cable C, so that when a predetermined request is made to another printer by the operation unit of one printer and the HTTP client program, the other printer is connected to the HTTP server. The processing according to the predetermined request can be performed by the program.
[0061]
That is, as described in the present embodiment, the operation unit 15 and the HTTP are so arranged that the first printer 1 accepts the transfer of the specific parameters owned by the first printer 1 to the second printer N to the Nth printer N. When a request is made via the client program 13B, the second printer N to the Nth printer N can accept specific parameters via the HTTP server program in response to the request (internal parameter acceptance request). Therefore, it is possible to directly transfer parameters between printers without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program.
[0062]
Further, in the information processing system according to the present embodiment, specific parameters possessed by one master printer (first printer 1) can be transferred to a plurality of printers (second printer to Nth printer N). Since it is possible, there is no need for the administrator to go to each of the first to Nth printers N and input the specific parameters (the administrator's password and the initial setting value when the apparatus is started).
[0063]
Further, according to the information processing system according to the above-described embodiment, the pull operation and the push operation are easily switched by the input means (operation unit) and the HTTP client program provided in the first printer 1 and the second printer 2. Can be realized.
[0064]
In the first embodiment, the second printer 2 requests the first printer 1 to transfer specific parameters (the password of the administrator and the initial setting value when the apparatus is started) to the first printer 1 and transmits the specified parameter. Although the parameters are recorded in the non-volatile memory 24, at this time, an old password or an initial set value which is pre-recorded in the non-volatile memory 24 of the second printer 2 can be rewritten before the transfer.
[0065]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an HTTP client program for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server, and input means for making an input relating to the predetermined request. A predetermined request can be made to an external device via the input unit and the HTTP client program.
[0066]
Therefore, when the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to another information processing apparatus having an HTTP server, a predetermined request is directly sent to the other information processing apparatus by the input unit and the HTTP client program. It can be carried out. For this reason, an information processing system capable of directly transferring parameters between information processing apparatuses without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program is constructed. can do.
[0067]
According to the invention described in claim 8, a plurality of the information processing apparatuses according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are connected via a network cable, so that the input means of one information processing apparatus and the HTTP When a predetermined request is issued to another information processing apparatus by the client program, the other information processing apparatus can perform a process related to the predetermined request by the HTTP server program. Therefore, it is possible to directly transfer parameters between information processing apparatuses without using a conventional transfer method via a PC and without creating a complicated transfer-only program.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the information processing system illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where a display related to a pull operation is performed on a display unit of a second printer of the information processing system illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the information processing system shown in FIG. 4;
6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which a display related to a push operation is performed on a display unit of a first printer of the information processing system illustrated in FIG. 4;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 First printer
11 CPU
12 Network I / F
13 ROM
13A HTTP server program
13B HTTP client program
14 Non-volatile memory
15 Operation unit
16 Display
2 Second printer
21 CPU
22 Network I / F
23 ROM
23A HTTP server program
23B HTTP client program
24 Non-volatile memory
25 Operation unit
26 Display
3 Third printer
4 4th printer
N Nth printer
C Network cable
S1 server / client program startup process
S2 pull operation display step
S3 Parameter transfer request process
S4 Parameter transfer process
S5 Parameter recording process
S11 Server / network program startup process
S12 push operation display step
S13 Parameter acceptance request process
S14 Parameter acceptance process
S15 Parameter recording process

Claims (8)

In an information processing apparatus including an HTTP server program for realizing a process related to a predetermined request from an external HTTP client,
An HTTP client program for making a predetermined request to an external HTTP server,
Input means for inputting the predetermined request;
An information processing apparatus comprising: 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the HTTP client program can realize one-to-one parameter transfer with the external HTTP server. The input means,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is an operation unit including at least one of a touch panel, operation keys, and a pointing device. The HTTP client program can realize both an operation of transferring parameters owned by the user to the external HTTP server and an operation of transferring parameters owned by the external HTTP server to the user. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the operations can be selected by an input unit. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an internal parameter transfer program for sequentially transferring parameters owned by itself to the plurality of external HTTP servers. A nonvolatile memory for recording predetermined data,
The process according to the predetermined request includes:
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data is rewritten in the non-volatile memory. The information processing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein both communication with a PC and communication with the external HTTP server can be realized using HTTP as a common communication protocol. apparatus. 8. An information processing system comprising a plurality of information processing apparatuses according to claim 1 connected via a network cable.

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