JP2005148840A - Server device and network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a server device and a network system capable of minimizing the load applied to the server device and a network at the time of downloading software from the server device by a client terminal. <P>SOLUTION: When a printer 70C1 that is the terminal accesses a server 2 through the network and finds out that either a printer 70C2 or 70C3 in the same group downloaded an update file, and the printer 70C1 does not download it, the printer 70C1 downloads the update file not from the server 2 but from the terminal which downloaded the update file within the same group. Therefore, the load to the server 2 or the network at the time of downloading the update file can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a server device and a network system, and more particularly to a server device and a network system when a client terminal downloads software from the server device.

  There are various ways in which client terminals download software from a server device, but there are a plurality of client terminals in the same store, and these client terminals are connected to an external network by a single line. In such a method of use, if a plurality of client terminals attempt to download software simultaneously, the load on the server device and the network increases.

  In addition, in order for the client terminal to check whether there is a valid updated download file on the server device, each server sequentially checks to determine which server device has the updated download file while sharing the communication line. A method called polling for interrogating a device is performed. For this reason, an excessive load may occur on the network and the server device. In particular, when the software update time comes, client terminals access the server device all at once, increasing the load on the network and the server device.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing update at once from a server device to a client terminal by multicast in order to update software of the client terminal. The load on the network is large.
JP 2001-34551 A

  In view of the above facts, the present invention has an object to provide a server device and a network system that reduce the load on the server device and the network when the client terminal downloads software from the server device.

A first aspect of the present invention is a network system including a plurality of client terminals that form one group and a server device connected to each of the client terminals via a network,
The server device
Group identification means for identifying a group of client terminals accessing the server device;
Terminal identification means for identifying the accessed client terminal;
If the software has not been downloaded to any client terminal of the group as judged from the identified group and the identified client terminal, permission means for permitting the download of the software,
Storage means for storing the group identification information of the group to which the client terminal belongs and the terminal identification information of the client terminal when downloading of the software to the client terminal permitted to download is completed;
If it is determined that the access from the client terminal of the group of client terminals already downloaded by the group identification means based on the stored group identification information, the client terminal of the group is determined based on the stored terminal identification information. A reply means for replying the terminal identification information of the downloaded client terminal from the terminal identification result by the terminal identification means,
The client terminal is
A download terminal identifying means for identifying a downloaded terminal in a group to which the client terminal belongs by a reply from the reply means after a reply of the terminal identification information of the client terminal downloaded from the reply means;
And a network system comprising download means capable of downloading from the identified downloaded terminal.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of client terminals forming one group are connected to each of the client terminals via a network.

  The server device identifies a group of the client terminals when the client terminal accesses the server device, identifies the accessed client terminal, and makes a determination based on the identified group and the identified client terminal. If the software has never been downloaded to any client terminal in the group, the permission means permits the client terminal to download the software, and the downloading of the software to the client terminal permitted to download is completed. In this case, the group identification information of the group to which the client terminal belongs and the terminal identification information of the client terminal are stored.

  Thereafter, when the client terminal accesses the server apparatus, the server apparatus determines that the access is an access from a client terminal of a group of client terminals already downloaded by the group identification unit based on the stored group identification information. In this case, the terminal identification information of the downloaded client terminal is returned from the terminal identification result by the terminal identification means based on the stored terminal identification information to the client terminal that has accessed the group.

  When there is a reply of the terminal identification information of the downloaded client terminal, the client terminal identifies the downloaded terminal in the group to which the client terminal belongs by the reply from the reply means, and downloads from the identified downloaded terminal. It can be carried out.

  Therefore, the server device downloads the software to only one of the terminals for the group of client terminals. Within the group of client terminals, client terminals other than the terminal that has downloaded the software from the server device are downloaded from the client terminal that has received the download.

Furthermore, the second aspect of the present invention is a network system comprising a client terminal and a server device connected to the client terminal via a network and capable of downloading software to the client terminal,
The server device has next update scheduled date and time notification means for returning information on the next update scheduled date and time of software to a client terminal that accesses the server device,
The client terminal receives information on the next update scheduled date and time returned from the server device, and has a network system having an access control means for preventing access to the server device until the next update scheduled date and time is reached. Become.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the client terminal accesses the server apparatus, the server apparatus returns information on the next update date and time of software to the client terminal. The client terminal receives the information on the next scheduled update date and time returned from the server device, and does not access the server device until the next scheduled update date and time is reached.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, by limiting the client terminals that download software from the server device, it is possible to reduce the load on the server device, and thus to reduce the load on the network system. .

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate an increase in network traffic and reduce a network load. Further, the load on the server device side can be distributed by controlling the update time for each client on the server device side.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a network system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the entire network system.

  A server 2 in which an updated version of the printer operation program is stored is connected to a network such as the Internet line. A plurality of in-store digital photo printing machines 70 in the same store as client terminals are connected to the network via the hub 4. Each printing machine 70 includes a plurality of printer portions and a portion having a personal computer function for controlling these printers.

  FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of a storefront digital photo printing machine 70 to which the network system according to the present invention is applied.

  In this over-the-counter digital photo print machine 70, a user inserts a recording medium such as an xD-Picture Card (registered trademark) into the recording medium insertion port 89 and inserts money, and the digital image stored in the recording medium is TA ( Thermo-Autochrome) This is a TA printer printing machine that uses the TA method to print on paper.

  The printing machine 70 is provided with a touch panel 98 on the front and a liquid crystal display 80 on the upper front. The user operates the touch panel 98 while viewing the display 80 to display necessary information such as the print size and the number of prints. input. Printers 90, 92, 94, 96 are installed from the middle to the lower part of the inside of the printing machine 70, and each printer 90-96 prints a digital image. Therefore, the printing machine 70 according to the present embodiment can print with four printers. A take-out port 150 through which the printed TA paper is ejected to a size specified by the user is provided below the front outside of the printing machine 70, and a coin machine (shown by 88 in FIG. 3) is attached.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the printing machine 70.

  The user inserts the recording medium into the recording medium insertion port 89. The hard disk controller 74 operates control software recorded on the hard disk 73. The image data is recorded on the recording medium in a compressed state. When the CPU 72 instructs the media reader controller 82 to read out the image data and obtains the required image data from the recording medium, the CPU 72 The image data is decompressed and restored to the original image data, and further, necessary image processing is performed and the image data is stored in the RAM 76.

  From the touch panel 98, the user inputs necessary information such as the print size and the number of prints, and the input information is displayed on the display 80 and sent to the serial controller 86. Display 80 is operated by display controller 78. The coin machine 88 checks whether or not the user has inserted the amount displayed on the display based on the information input from the touch panel 98. When the necessary amount is input, the image data stored in the RAM 76 is sent as a print job to each printer 90, 92, 94, 96 via the SCSI controller 84. The CPU 72 performs a series of these controls.

  The transmission / reception interface 71 is connected to the hub 4 so that the server 2 and the printing machine 70 can communicate with each other via a network.

  Each of the printers 90 to 96 employs a printing system called a TA system, and uses TA paper having a characteristic that color is developed when heat is applied and fixing is performed when light of a predetermined wavelength is irradiated. The configuration and operation related to the printing process of each printer of the TA system will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration relating to print processing in each TA-type printer.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the system controller 10 is a processing unit that comprehensively controls the entire system, and is connected to the SCSI controller 84 of the printing machine 70. The system controller 10 receives a job from the SCSI controller 84. The system controller 10 gives various instructions such as delivery of image data to each control block and execution of printing. The CPU 72 gives various processing instructions to the system controller 10 based on the touch panel 98 operated by the user. The operation program of the system controller 10 is recorded in the EEPROM 18.

  The job transferred from the SCSI controller 84 is temporarily stored in the memory 22 via the system controller 10 and the memory controller 20. In other words, the memory controller 20 is a processing unit that controls writing and reading of data to and from the memory 22. The print image received from the SCSI controller 84 and the system controller 10 is controlled by the CPU 152 and processed by the memory controller 20. And the like are stored in the memory 22. In accordance with an instruction from the system controller 10, image data such as a print image stored in the memory 22 is output to the print controller 28. The memory 22 stores a unique SCSI ID number of the printer. That is, each printer 90, 92, 94, 96 stores a SCSI ID number unique to the printer.

  The print controller 28, the head drive circuit 30, the paper conveyance control unit 32, and the fixing control unit 34 shown in FIG. 4 are control blocks for executing printing, and these control blocks execute printing from the system controller 10. Various controls are executed in synchronism with each other.

  Here, the TA paper used in this printer will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the TA paper 50 has a cyan (C) coloring layer 54, a magenta (M) coloring layer 56, a yellow color on the surface of a support 52. (Y) Three layers of the color developing layer 58 are sequentially stacked. When each of the C coloring layer 54, the M coloring layer 56, and the Y coloring layer 58 is supplied with a corresponding amount of heat, the C color, M color, and Y color of the density (gradation) corresponding to the amount of heat are changed. Color develops. Further, each of the M coloring layer 56 and the Y coloring layer 58 excluding the C coloring layer 54 is irradiated with light of a wavelength corresponding to each of them (the M coloring layer 56 is about 365 nm and the Y coloring layer 58 is about 425 nm). Then, the colored state is fixed.

  When a print execution instruction is given from the system controller 10, the print controller 28 acquires image data of a print image stored in the memory 22 via the memory controller 20, and prints based on the image data of the print image. The gradation (print gradation value) of each color of C, M, and Y in each pixel of the image is set in an 8-bit resolution range (0 to 255), for example. Then, the print gradation value data of each color of C, M, and Y in each pixel of the print image is synchronized with the travel of the TA paper and is 1 in the direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction (sub-scanning direction). Each line is output to the head drive circuit 30.

  The head drive circuit 30 receives the print tone value data of each color of C, M, and Y from the print controller 28 as described above, and the thermal heads 36 arranged in the main scanning direction based on the print tone value. The voltage applied to the heating element of each dot and the energization time (pulse width) are controlled in synchronization with the travel of the TA paper. As a result, the amount of heat applied to each point of the TA paper from the heating element of each dot of the thermal head 36 is controlled in accordance with the print gradation values of C, M, and Y colors, and printing is performed on each color developing layer of the TA paper. A color having a density corresponding to the print gradation value designated by the controller 28 is developed.

  When a print execution instruction is given from the system controller 10, the paper transport control unit 32 feeds TA paper from the TA paper storage unit to the print processing unit. The TA paper storage unit is loaded with a roll of TA paper 50 as shown in FIG. Further, when the paper transport control unit 32 feeds the TA paper to the printing processing unit, the capstan roller 38 is driven by a motor to cause the TA paper to run in synchronization with the color printing and fixing printing processing. At this time, the system controller 10 uses the home position (HP) sensor 40 to detect that the TA paper is at the home position, and causes the paper transport control unit 32 to reciprocate the TA paper based on the home position. Let it run.

  The fixing control unit 34 controls the turning on / off of the Y fixing fluorescent lamp 42 and the M fixing fluorescent lamp 44 in synchronization with the coloring process of the Y coloring layer and the M coloring layer of the TA paper by the thermal head 36. The Y-fixing fluorescent lamp 42 is a lamp having a light emission characteristic having a peak wavelength of at least 425 nm. When the Y-fixing fluorescent lamp 42 is turned on and TA paper is irradiated with light of the wavelength, The Y coloring layer of the TA paper is fixed. On the other hand, the M fixing fluorescent lamp 44 is a lamp having a light emission characteristic having a peak wavelength of at least 365 nm. The M fixing fluorescent lamp 44 is turned on and the TA paper is irradiated with light of the wavelength from the lamp. Then, the M coloring layer of the TA paper is fixed.

  FIG. 6 is an arrangement diagram showing an embodiment of the arrangement of members of a print processing unit in which printers 90 to 96 execute color printing and fixing print processing on TA paper.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a capstan roller 38, a nip roller 39, a thermal head 36, a platen roller 62, a cutter 63, and an HP sensor 40 are configured in the conveyance path through which the TA paper 50 is fed in the print processing unit. The light emitting LED 40A, the light receiving sensor 40B, the Y fixing fluorescent lamp 42, and the M fixing fluorescent lamp 44 are arranged in this order.

  The TA paper 50 fed from the upstream side of the conveyance path is sandwiched between the capstan roller 38 and the nip roller 39 and also sandwiched between the thermal head 36 and the platen roller 62. When the print processing is executed, the capstan roller 38 is By rotating by the motor, the TA paper 50 reciprocates in the sub-scanning direction indicated by arrows A and A ′ in the figure.

  In the thermal head 36, a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a line in the main scanning direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction that is the transport direction of the TA paper 50. The TA paper 50 is indicated by an arrow A in FIG. In synchronism with the conveyance in the printing direction, a predetermined heat is applied to the TA paper 50 line by line in the main scanning direction to perform color development of each color developing layer.

  The light emitting LED 40A of the HP sensor 40 projects light toward the light receiving sensor 40B across the transport path of the TA paper 50, and can detect the presence or absence of the TA paper 50 based on the detection signal of the light receiving sensor 40B. It is like that. The detection signal output from the light receiving sensor 40B is input to the system controller 10 shown in FIG. 4 via an A / D converter (not shown).

  The system controller 10 determines whether or not the TA paper 50 is positioned at the position of the HP sensor 40 by detecting whether or not the light emitted from the light emitting LED 40A is received by the light receiving sensor 40B. Then, by detecting the switching between when the TA paper 50 is located at the position of the HP sensor 40 and when it is not, it is detected whether or not the tip of the TA paper 50 is conveyed to the position of the HP sensor 40. As a result, the TA paper 50 is aligned to the home position of the TA paper 50 when the tip of the TA paper 50 is transported to the position of the HP sensor 40, and the TA paper 50 is transported, colored, and colored based on this position. The fixing printing process is performed synchronously.

  A first aspect of the process in which the printing machine 70 configured as described above downloads an updated version of the operation program of the system controller 10 from the server 2 will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the steps of the first mode in which the printing machine 70 as the client terminal downloads an updated version of the operation program from the server 2.

  Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which three printing machines 70 are arranged, the first unit is C1, the second unit is C2, and the third unit is C3. C1 to C3 are in the same store, form the same group, and have the same group ID “G1”. C1, C2, and C3 have unique terminal IDs “N1”, “N2”, and “N3” as printers, respectively.

  First, the printing machine 70C1 transmits an operation program update information acquisition request to the server 2 (step 200). The “update information” here is whether there is a file to be updated, a download terminal ID, a download state, or the like.

  The server 2 receives the update information acquisition request (step 202).

  The server 2 retrieves update information from the terminal information database (step 204). In the terminal information database, the presence / absence of a file to be updated for each group of printers, the presence / absence and presence of a download terminal ID, the ID, and the download status (whether download is invalid, downloading, or downloaded) Information is stored.

  It is judged from the information of the download terminal ID in the terminal information database whether there is a downloaded terminal (step 206).

  If there is no downloaded terminal, the update information is updated (step 208). That is, “download terminal ID” of “group 1” in the terminal information database is “C1”, and “download state” is “(downloading)”.

  Thereafter, the update information is transmitted to the printing machine 70C1 (step 210). If there is a terminal that has already been downloaded in step 206, the process proceeds to step 210 without rewriting the update information.

  The printing machine 70C1 receives the update information (step 212). The printing machine 70C1 determines whether an update file exists from the received update information (step 214). If not, the process returns to step 200. If it exists, it is determined whether the “download terminal ID” in the update information is the same as the terminal ID of the printing machine 70C1 (step 216).

  If they are the same, it means that no terminal has already been downloaded, and the printing machine 70 downloads an update file from the server 2 (step 218).

  It is determined whether the download is successful (step 220). If unsuccessful, the process returns to step 218. If successful, the server 2 is notified of the status of “successful” (step 222).

  The server 2 receives the status notification of “successful download” (step 226).

  Thereafter, the update information is updated (step 228). That is, the “download status” of group 1 in the terminal information database is rewritten to “done”.

  The rewritten update information is transmitted to the printing machine 70C1 (step 230).

  When the status is notified to the server in step 222, the update file stored in the printing machine 70C1 is arranged at a location accessible from other terminals, that is, the printing machine 70C2 and the printing machine 70C3 (step 224). Thereafter, the process returns to step 200.

  If it is determined in step 216 that the “download terminal ID” is not the same as the terminal ID of the printing machine 70C1, it is determined whether the “download status” in the update information is “downloading” or “downloaded”. (Step 232).

  In the case of “downloaded”, the update file is downloaded from the terminal (C2 or C3 in this embodiment) indicated by “download terminal ID” in the update information (step 234). It is determined whether the download was successful (step 236). If successful, the process returns to step 200. If not successful, the process returns to step 234.

  If it is determined in step 232 that “downloading” is in progress, the process returns to step 200.

  As described above, when it is found that the printing machine 70 as a terminal accesses the server 2 and any of the printing machines 70 in the same group has downloaded the update file, the undownloaded terminal is updated from the server 2. Instead of downloading a file, an update file is downloaded from a terminal that has already been downloaded in the same group, so that the load on the server 2 and the network when the update file is downloaded is reduced.

  A second aspect of the process in which the printing machine 70 configured as described above downloads an updated version of the operation program of the system controller 10 from the server 2 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the steps of the second mode in which the printing machine 70 as the client terminal downloads the updated version of the operation program from the server 2.

  Also in this second mode, as shown in FIG. 1, an example in which three printing machines 70 are arranged will be described. The first unit is C1, the second unit is C2, and the third unit is C3. C1 to C3 are in the same store, and C1, C2, and C3 have their own terminal IDs “N1”, “N2”, and “N3” as printers, respectively.

  First, it is determined whether or not the printing machine 70C1 with the terminal ID “N1” has already acquired the update information of the operation program (step 250). If it has not been acquired, an update information acquisition request is transmitted to the server 2 (step 252). The “update information” here is the current version of the file to be updated, the terminal update date / time, the next version, the scheduled server update date / time, the server update date / time, and the like.

  The server 2 receives the update information acquisition request (step 254).

  After receiving, the server 2 retrieves update information from the terminal information database (step 256). In the terminal information database, the update information is stored for each terminal (ie, the printer 70) C1, C2, and C3.

  The server 2 transmits the update information obtained by the search to the printing machine 70C1 (step 258).

  The printing machine 70C1 receives the update information (step 260). The printing machine 70C1 stores the received update information in the hard disk 73 (step 262). The received update information includes information on the scheduled server update date and time, and it is determined whether or not the scheduled update date has passed (step 264). If update information has already been acquired in step 250, the process proceeds to step 264. If it is determined in step 264 that the scheduled update date has not yet passed, the process returns to step 250.

  If it is determined in step 264 that the scheduled update date has passed, an update information acquisition request is transmitted to the server 2 (step 266), and the same steps as in steps 254 to 260 are performed (steps 268, 270, 272, and 274). ).

  When the update information is received from the server 2, the printing machine 70 determines from the update information whether the operation program has been updated to the next version (step 276). If it has been updated, the process returns to step 250.

  If it has not been updated yet, it is necessary to update to the next version, so an update file acquisition request is transmitted to the server 2 (step 278). Also at this time, the printing machine 70C1 indicates the terminal ID “N1” and makes an update file acquisition request to the server 2. The server 2 receives the update file acquisition request (step 280).

  Thereafter, the server 2 searches and confirms update information from the terminal information database (step 282).

  The server 2 retrieves the update file from the update file database of the server 2 (step 284), and transmits the retrieved update file to the printing machine 70 (step 286).

  The printing machine 70 receives the update file (step 288). The printing machine 70 updates the operation program in the printing machine 70 (step 290). Then, it is determined whether or not the update process has been completed normally (step 292). If not completed normally, the process returns to step 278. If it is determined that the update has been completed normally, the server 2 is notified that the update has been completed (step 294). At this time as well, the terminal ID of the printing machine 70 is shown to the server 2.

  The server 2 receives the update completion notification (step 298) and searches for update information from the terminal information database (step 300). Rewrite each information of “current version”, “terminal update date / time”, and “next version” of the update information in the terminal information database.

  In the printing machine 70, after step 294, the update information in the printing machine 70 is updated (step 296). That is, the update information “current version”, “terminal update date / time”, and “next version” information in the hard disk 73 of the printing machine 70 are updated.

  As described above, since the printing machine 70, which is a terminal, does not access the server 2 until the next scheduled update date and time is obtained after obtaining the update information from the server 2, when the update file is obtained, the printing machine 70 is notified. The number of accesses can be reduced, and the load on the server 2 and the network due to simultaneous access to the server of the client terminal at the time of the update, which has occurred in the past, can be reduced. Further, by managing and controlling the software update time for each client terminal on the server side, the load on the server side can be distributed.

  In the present embodiment, both the first mode and the second mode have been described taking the update of the printer operation program as an example. However, the update target is not limited to the operation program, and software updates such as periodic update of templates in the program are possible. If it is updated, it can be widely applied.

1 is a configuration diagram of an entire network system. 1 is a front sectional view of a storefront digital photo printing machine to which a network system is applied. The block diagram which showed the hardware constitutions of the printing machine. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration related to print processing in each TA-type printer. Sectional drawing of TA paper. FIG. 3 is a layout diagram illustrating an embodiment of member layout of a print processing unit in which color printing and fixing print processing is performed on TA paper in a printer. The flowchart which showed the 1st aspect of the process in which the printing machine which is a client terminal downloads the updated version of an operation program from a server. The flowchart which showed the 2nd aspect of the process in which the printing machine which is a client terminal downloads the updated version of an operation program from a server.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Server, 4 ... Hub, 10 ... System controller, 18 ... Built-in EEPROM, 70 ... Printing machine, 71 ... Transmission / reception interface, 72 ... CPU, 73 ... Hard disk, 84 ... SCSI controller, 90, 92, 94, 96 ... Printer, 152 ... CPU

Claims (4)

A server device in which a plurality of client terminals form one group and are connected to each client terminal via a network,
Group identification means for identifying a group of client terminals accessing the server device;
Terminal identification means for identifying the accessed client terminal;
If the software has not been downloaded to any client terminal of the group as judged from the identified group and the identified client terminal, permission means for permitting the download of the software,
Storage means for storing the group identification information of the group to which the client terminal belongs and the terminal identification information of the client terminal when downloading of the software to the client terminal permitted to download is completed;
If it is determined that the access from the client terminal of the group of client terminals already downloaded by the group identification means based on the stored group identification information, the client terminal of the group is determined based on the stored terminal identification information. A server device comprising reply means for replying terminal identification information of a downloaded client terminal from a terminal identification result by the terminal identification means. A network system comprising a plurality of client terminals forming one group and a server device connected to each of the client terminals via a network,
The server device
Group identification means for identifying a group of client terminals accessing the server device;
Terminal identification means for identifying the accessed client terminal;
If the software has not been downloaded to any client terminal of the group as judged from the identified group and the identified client terminal, permission means for permitting the download of the software,
Storage means for storing the group identification information of the group to which the client terminal belongs and the terminal identification information of the client terminal when downloading of the software to the client terminal permitted to download is completed;
If it is determined that the access from the client terminal of the group of client terminals already downloaded by the group identification means based on the stored group identification information, the client terminal of the group is determined based on the stored terminal identification information. A reply means for replying the terminal identification information of the downloaded client terminal from the terminal identification result by the terminal identification means,
The client terminal is
A download terminal identifying means for identifying a downloaded terminal in a group to which the client terminal belongs by a reply from the reply means after a reply of the terminal identification information of the client terminal downloaded from the reply means;
A network system comprising: download means capable of downloading from the identified downloaded terminal. A server device connected to a client terminal via a network and capable of downloading software to the client terminal,
A server apparatus having a next update scheduled date and time notifying means for returning information on a next scheduled update date and time of software to a client terminal accessing the server apparatus. A network system comprising a client terminal and a server device connected to the client terminal via a network and capable of downloading software to the client terminal,
The server device has next update scheduled date and time notification means for returning information on the next update scheduled date and time of software to a client terminal that accesses the server device,
The network system includes an access control unit that receives information on a next update scheduled date and time returned from the server device, and prevents the client terminal from accessing the server device until the next update scheduled date and time is reached.

Images