JP2005250601A - Display selecting unit of network connection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display selecting unit of a network connection device capable of quickly selecting an appropriate device by displaying a layout and a status of image input and output devices connected with a network at a client side. <P>SOLUTION: The display selecting unit of a network connection device comprises a layout displaying means 4 which is constituted in clients 2 on the network connecting a server 1 and a plurality of image input and output devices 3 and displays layout drawing information of the image input and output devices connected with the network and status information of each image input and output device, and a device selecting means 5 for selecting the image input and output device executing input and output processing of a file from the image input and output devices displayed with the layout displaying means 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a display selection device for a network connection device constructed by a client on a network to which a server and a plurality of image input / output devices are connected.

  In recent years, image input / output devices that can be used as copiers and facsimiles by integrating printer functions and scanner functions have been developed, and many image inputs including not only printers and scanners as a single unit but also the above-mentioned multi-function devices are included in the network. An output device is connected.

In view of the problem that installation of device drivers specific to all image input / output devices connected to the network in this way in advance on all clients is extremely complicated and burdensome for the administrator. Acquisition means for acquiring a driver from communication, display means for displaying the device as an icon on a map, and transmission for transmitting the acquired driver based on an indication of the displayed icon by a user A driver download system comprising means has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-241925

  However, in the conventional driver download system described above, it is only possible to check the general function of the device displayed on the map and download a device driver suitable for one's own use. There is no difference from the previous point in that the printer model displayed in the pull-down menu on the print screen has to be selected, and at that time, it is impossible to determine which device can be selected to quickly process the job that suits the purpose. There was a problem. For example, even if A3 size output is desired, an A4 size printer is selected, or even if an A3 size printer is selected and started up, the job is out of paper, or other requested jobs are concentrated on the selected device. I couldn't judge the state of being.

  In view of the above-described conventional problems, the present invention provides a display selection apparatus for a network connection device capable of quickly selecting an appropriate device by displaying the layout and status of an image input / output device connected to a network on the client side. The point is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a first characteristic configuration of a display selection apparatus for a network connection device according to the present invention is that a server and a plurality of image input / output devices are as described in claim 1 of the claims. A layout display unit configured to display the layout information of the image input / output devices connected to the network and the status information of each image input / output device, and the file input / output processing, which are constructed by the clients on the connected network. An image input / output device is provided with device selection means for selecting from the image input / output devices displayed by the layout display means, and is most suitable for the layout drawing and status information displayed by the layout display means. This means that you can immediately determine the device that fits the job you need, It is possible to directly select via-option unit is to very convenience is improved.

  In the second feature configuration, as described in claim 2, in addition to the first feature configuration described above, the layout display unit downloads the layout drawing information and the status information from the server and displays them. In other words, it is not necessary to constantly monitor all device information connected to the network on the client side, and display processing can be performed quickly while reducing the load on the client.

  The third feature configuration is the status monitor for monitoring the status information of the image input / output device via the network, in addition to the second feature configuration described above, in addition to the second feature configuration described above. The layout display means is configured to request the server to update the status information during its operation, and the status monitor means always provides the server with the latest status. The information is monitored and the client can always display the latest status so that the most appropriate device at that time can be selected.

  In the fourth feature configuration, in addition to any of the first to third feature configurations described above, the layout display unit and the device selection unit are called from the client application. The layout display means is constructed by the application program interface that is interposed between the client operating system and the application, so that the layout drawing and status information of the image input / output device can be displayed immediately from the application. The driver of the device selected on the screen can be activated.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a display selection apparatus for a network connection device capable of quickly selecting an appropriate device by displaying the layout and status of an image input / output device connected to a network on the client side. I was able to do it.

  Embodiments of a display selection apparatus for a network connection device according to the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, a server 1, a plurality of clients 2, and a plurality of printers 3a, scanners 3b, and multifunction devices 3c as image input / output devices 3 are connected to a local area network by TCP / IP. Has been built.

  The server 1 manages a plurality of files such as a file generated by an application and a driver of the image input / output device 3, and executes a necessary file input / output service in response to a request from the client 2 connected to the network LAN. The layout file 1a functions as a file server including a file input / output control unit 1d that includes the layout drawing information of the image input / output device 3 connected to the network LAN and the status information of each image input / output device. It is included.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the server 1 is provided with status monitoring means 1c for monitoring status information of the image input / output device 3 via the network interface 1e, and a status is provided to each image input / output device 3 at a predetermined interval. Information is requested, and the status management table 1b included in the layout file 1a is updated based on the received status information.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each client 2 includes a plurality of applications 2b that operate under the management of the operating system 2a, a network interface 2c, and a plurality of device drivers 2d (hereinafter, referred to as image input / output devices). And an application program interface 2e intervening in the application 2b and the operating system 2a is installed.

  The display selection device for the network connection device includes layout display means 4 for downloading and displaying the layout drawing information of the image input / output device 3 connected to the network LAN and the status information of each image input / output device from the server 1, and an application. Device selection means 5 for selecting an image input / output device that is a destination of input / output processing of a file to be used or generated from the image input / output device 3 displayed by the layout display means 4, and the selected image input / output device The driver download unit 6 detects the installation state of the device driver and requests the server 1 to download the device driver when the device driver is not installed. The layout display means 4 and the device selection means 5 are constructed as a part of the application program interface 2e.

Hereinafter, the operation of the above-described display selection apparatus for a network connection device will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. When document creation software as an example of an application is executed on the client 2 (S1) and the created document file is output to any printer 3a, the switches “file” and “print” displayed on the task bar of the application are set. When clicked in order (S2), the layout display means 4 is activated, the server 1 is requested to download the layout file 1a, and the layout screen as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed as a sub-window on the display unit of the client (S3). ). Here, the layout display means 4 requests the server 1 to update the status information at a predetermined interval during its operation, that is, during the display of the layout screen. In accordance with this request, the status monitor means monitors the status information of each image input / output device and obtains the latest status information. Therefore, the layout display means 4 can download the latest status information from the server 1 and update the display contents each time the update process is requested. At this time, if the interval of the update processing request is shortened, the status information of each image input / output device can be recognized almost in real time. However, if the interval is shortened too much, a load is applied to each image input / output device, server, and network. Therefore, there is no practical problem if the interval is adjusted so that the display content of the status information is updated about every 1 sec.
Note that the procedure is almost the same when a transmission process is performed by facsimile or when an image is input by a scanner.

  In the layout, icons of a plurality of image input / output devices 3 arranged in a distributed manner in layout drawings of rooms and fixtures on each floor in an office where a local area network is constructed are displayed. The status information is displayed in a balloon. For example, if it is a printer, it is ready for operation at any time or busy when other jobs cannot be executed immediately, or is out of order, consumables (paper, toner, etc.), printable size, color or monochrome Status information such as “ready” or “busy” is displayed for a scanner, color or monochrome, resolution is displayed for a scanner, and “ready”, “receiving”, or “sending” is displayed for a facsimile.

  Further, the icon of the device 3 that is not turned on (not connected when viewed from the server 1) is displayed in gray, and the icon of the device 3 in which no driver is installed in the client is displayed in a translucent state. The operator can determine which one of the plurality of image input / output devices 3 arranged on the floor is optimal by viewing the layout display.

  When the icon of the device 3 is right-clicked, a property screen is displayed so that detailed specifications of each device 3 can be confirmed (S4). That is, the layout file is composed of an HTML file, and the status management table 1b is linked to the icon of the device 3 in the file.

  When an appropriate device 3 icon is double-clicked from the displayed layout screen, a device corresponding to the icon is selected as a printer to be printed (S5), and a driver for the printer is installed (S6), printing is started after completion of necessary settings such as switching to the print setting screen (S9).

  If the driver for the printer is not installed in step S6, the driver download means 6 is activated and the necessary driver software is downloaded from the server 1 (S7). After installing the downloaded driver (S8), printing is started (S9). If it is necessary to restart at the time of installation, the application is started up and output after the restart.

  In the above-described embodiment, the layout display unit, the device selection unit, and the driver download unit 6 have been described as being constructed as an application program interface that is called from a client application. However, these are applications that are started directly from the operating system. It may be constructed as a program.

  By constructing the above-mentioned network connection device display selection device on the client, the operator can quickly select the optimum device from many devices, and the administrator has to install driver software for many devices on all clients. Free from hard work. For example, when the output destination print of a file is selected, it becomes possible to easily select a printer in the vicinity of the destination to which the output file is delivered.

System Configuration Block diagram of the main part flowchart Illustration of layout display screen

Explanation of symbols

1: Server 2: Client 3: Image input / output device 4: Layout display means 4
5: Device selection means 6: Driver download means 6
LAN: Network

Claims (4)

A layout display unit configured in a client on a network to which a server and a plurality of image input / output devices are connected, and displaying layout drawing information of the image input / output devices connected to the network and status information of each image input / output device; A display selection apparatus for a network connection device, comprising device selection means for selecting an image input / output device for executing file input / output processing from the image input / output devices displayed by the layout display means. 2. The display selection apparatus for a network connection device according to claim 1, wherein the layout display means downloads and displays the layout drawing information and the status information from the server. The server is provided with status monitoring means for monitoring the status information of the image input / output device via the network, and the layout display means performs update processing of the status information on the server during its operation. The display selection apparatus for a network connection device according to claim 2, wherein the display selection apparatus is configured to make a request. 4. The display selection apparatus for a network connection device according to claim 1, wherein the layout display unit and the device selection unit are an application program interface called from the client application.

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