JP2006178783A - Network, setting management method, setting-managing information processor and setting-managing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform efficient and proper management when sharing device setting in each peripheral device such as a printer and using it. <P>SOLUTION: In this P2P network 10, the printer setting produced and changed in a peer 12 so as to use the printer 42 is held in a printer management peer 12C as disclosure information to allow use in another peer. The printer management peer is provided with a printer setting management part 44, and the printer setting management part performs generation and update of use results information in each printer setting, and consent of a change of the printer setting. The printer setting management part deletes the printer setting that is decided not used on the basis of the use results information to arrange the printer setting. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a network such as a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, and more specifically, a network in which device settings for using peripheral devices such as printers are shared by a plurality of information processing apparatuses, and device settings in the network. The present invention relates to a setting management method to be managed, an information processing apparatus for setting management, and a setting management program.

  As a form of a network system in which an information processing apparatus such as a computer is used as an information processing terminal and is connected to each other via a network, there is a P2P (Peer to Peer) system in addition to a client server system.

  The client server system is a system in which a server executes various services for managing various information resources and providing various applications, and a client receives services provided from the server.

  On the other hand, the P2P system is basically a system in which individual peers (for example, personal computers) connected to the network are equal without providing a dedicated server, and each peer provides a predetermined service. It is a system that can operate as a server provided to other peers.

  In other words, in the P2P system, various servers can be provided, but the operation as a server can also be performed by being distributed among individual peers, and various technical proposals for such a P2P system have been made. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  By the way, in a network to which such a P2P system is applied (referred to as a P2P network), a plurality of printers and the like are connected to the network, and printer setting information such as printer drivers and finishing (post processing) for each printer is held as shared data. By doing so, it is possible to facilitate operations such as print processing using an arbitrary printer and settings (printer settings) when performing the print processing.

  On the other hand, in the printing environment, printers have been enhanced in response to requests for various printing functions and post-processing functions, and the network environment has changed due to the destruction and replacement of printers that are aging or lacking functions. With such changes in the network environment, printer drivers are updated and added, printer settings are updated and added, and the frequency of use decreases and printer drivers that become unnecessary because they are not compatible with the current network environment Printer settings also occur.

  If the number of printers shared at this time is small (about 2 to 3 printers), or if the number of shared printer settings is one or the like, the printer driver and printer settings can be individually deleted or changed.

However, in general, an administrator often provides a large number of printer settings. When new printer settings are provided by replacing or newly installing a printer, these printer settings and unnecessary printers are provided. There is a problem that settings are mixed. This may cause, for example, a printing error or a printing failure due to erroneous use of a printer setting that does not match the network environment.
JP 2002-335269 A JP 2002-256363 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described facts, and a network and a setting management method that enable appropriate management of various types of information applied to the peripheral device with respect to the peripheral device such as a printer connected to the network An object is to propose a setting management information processing apparatus and a setting management program.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network formed by connecting a plurality of information processing devices and peripheral devices that can be used from each information processing device, and the peripheral devices are connected to the information processing devices. The device settings including the settings for use are held as public information and can be used in each information processing apparatus, and each use result information of the device setting by the information processing apparatus is generated, and the use result information Based on this, the device information can be deleted from the shared information.

  According to the present invention, when device settings are held as shared information, usage record information is generated for each device setting, and the generated usage record information is updated every time the information processing apparatus uses the device settings. .

  By using such usage record information, the usage frequency for each device setting can be ascertained. Also, the unused device settings are extracted from many device settings and the corresponding device settings are deleted. It is possible to manage the device settings efficiently and accurately.

  In the present invention, the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device setting can be a print setting when the print processing is executed by the print output device. It can be used in peer-to-peer networks where devices are virtually connected to each other and share public information.

  Further, in the present invention, various function necessary for using the peripheral device such as driver software for using the peripheral device in the information processing apparatus and settings for various functions provided in the peripheral device are set for the function setting. Settings can be included. In addition, it is preferable to set an access right for permitting management and change in the device setting, thereby preventing inadvertent deletion or modification and enabling appropriate management. it can.

  Such a setting management method according to the present invention is a setting management method for managing device settings including settings for making a plurality of peripheral devices network-connected to the information processing device usable in the information processing device, The device setting is held as public information that can be used by each of the information processing devices, and the use result information is generated and updated in the information processing device for each of the device settings. Any device that organizes the device settings based on information may be used.

  In addition, a setting management information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied is connected to a network of each of a plurality of peripheral devices and information processing devices, and manages device settings including settings for making the peripheral devices available to the information processing device. A setting management information processing apparatus that holds the device settings as public information that can be used by each of the information processing apparatuses, and the device settings that are held by the public information holding unit. For each of the above, the usage information management means for generating and updating the usage information in the information processing apparatus, and the public information holding means based on the usage history information generated by the usage history management means It only has to include an organizing means for organizing the device settings that are held.

  In addition, the information processing apparatus for setting management may delete the device setting determined that the organizing unit is not used in the information processing apparatus from the usage record information from the public information holding unit. The public information holding unit may hold the device setting as public information based on a request from the information processing device when the information processing device creates or changes the device setting.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the setting management information processing apparatus permits the change of the device setting based on the device setting when the change of the device setting is requested from the information processing device.

  Such a setting management information processing apparatus can be applied to print settings when the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device settings are executed by the print processing device. Further, the present invention can be applied to a peer-to-peer network that is virtually connected to the peripheral device and the information processing apparatus and shares public information.

  Further, as the setting management information processing apparatus, any information processing apparatus in the network or a server formed by the information processing apparatus can be used, and the setting management program for this includes a plurality of peripheral devices and information processing apparatuses. A setting management program that enables management of device settings including settings that allow peripheral devices to be used by an information processing device by providing the information processing device in an arbitrary information processing device within the network in which the device is provided, A public holding step for holding the device settings created or changed by the information processing device as public information based on a request from the information processing device, and the information for each of the device settings held as the public information A usage record management step for generating and updating usage record information by the processing device, and a preset timing In based on the usage record information, and organizing step of organizing said device setting, as long as it contains a.

  In addition, the setting management program may be configured such that when there is a change request for the device setting via the information processing device, the processing device or the user of the processing device that requests the setting change changes the setting to the device setting. Preferably includes an authorization step of permitting a change of setting when the user is an information processing device or a user of the information processing device, and the device setting is preset in the organizing step. A step of determining whether or not the device has been used within a certain period, and a step of deleting the corresponding device setting from the public information when the device has not been used within a preset period.

  The setting management program can be used when the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device setting includes a print setting for executing print processing by the print output device. The present invention can be used in a peer-to-peer network in which devices and the information processing apparatus are virtually connected to each other to share public information.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when device settings such as printer settings (print settings) for peripheral devices such as printers (print output devices) are held as public information and made available to each information processing device. In addition, by generating and updating the usage record information, and performing management for deleting the device settings based on this usage record information, it is possible to manage the device settings efficiently and accurately. Is obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a network 10 according to the present embodiment. The network 10 is formed by connecting a large number of information processing devices 12.

  The network 10 is a network to which a PP2P (Peer to Peer) system in which information processing apparatuses 12 are virtually connected to each other is applied. That is, in the network 10, the information processing device 12 is a peer (hereinafter, the information processing device is referred to as the peer 12) (hereinafter referred to as the P2P network 10).

  1 and 2 show a P2P network and a peer having a basic configuration. First, the basic configuration of the P2P network 10 and the peer 12 will be described.

  The P2P network 10 may be connected to other networks via a public communication network such as a dedicated communication line or the Internet, or may be a P2P network formed with a plurality of P2P networks. Good.

  In addition, each peer 12 in the P2P network 10 may be under access restriction by a firewall, may be connected by address conversion by NAT (Network Address Translation), and a connection method between the peers 12 Can use TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) using the function of IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4).

  The peer 12 used in such a P2P network 10 includes not only various computers such as personal computers but also information processing devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) and mobile phones, printers, copiers, printer functions and copying. It may include hardware that can be connected to a network such as various peripheral devices such as a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions including functions, or software that realizes these functions. In this embodiment, the personal computer is mainly referred to as the peer 12 and will be described separately from peripheral devices.

  In the P2P network 10, the peer 12 can have various server functions, and the P2P network 10 may be connected to various servers such as an SMPT server to form a so-called hybrid P2P network. As the basic configuration of the P2P network 10, a conventionally known configuration can be applied, and only the outline of the basic configuration of the P2P network 10 will be described below.

  In the P2P network 10, a group (hereinafter referred to as “peer group 16”) can be configured for each of a plurality of peers 12. The peer group 16 is configured by, for example, a user having the same purpose or work content or a peer 12 used by the user. In addition, the peer group 16 can be arbitrarily formed between the plurality of peers 12 and can be arbitrarily dissolved.

  In the P2P network 10, each of the peers 12 belongs to at least one peer group 16. Further, the peer 12 may belong to only one peer group 16 or may belong to a plurality of peer groups 16, or may form one peer group 16 in the P2P network 10. It may be.

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the peer 12. The peer 12 is provided with a data sharing unit 18 for sharing data and the like within the P2P network 10 and the peer group 16. In the data sharing unit 18, a P2P infrastructure configuration unit 20 and a P2P infrastructure management data storage unit 22 are formed. Further, the peer 12 is formed to include an application execution unit 24 and an application memory 26 in addition to the data sharing unit 18.

  The P2P infrastructure configuration unit 20 includes a message control unit 28, a transmission unit 30, a reception unit 32, and a data management unit 34. The transmission unit 30 distributes the message, data, and the like received from the message control unit 28 into the P2P network 10.

  In addition, the receiving unit 32 receives data necessary for the own device or the peer group 16 to which the own device belongs and data distributed within the peer group 16 among the data distributed in the P2P network 10, and the received data Is transferred to the message control unit 28. The transmission unit 30 and the transmission unit 32 operate in parallel.

  The message control unit 28 includes a service execution unit 36 and a message dispatch unit 38. The service execution unit 36 executes various services such as a peer search service, a notification information disclosure service, a notification information acquisition service, a group management service, a user management service, and a peer management service. At this time, the service execution unit 36 executes each service while exchanging information on each service.

  The peer search service searches for peers 12 participating in the P2P network 10 including the peer group 16 and peers 12 that can provide a service (function) required by the own device. For the search range, any known method for specifying and controlling a threshold value of the number of hops that is the number of peers through which the name, attribute, message, and the like of a required service are transmitted can be applied. .

  The notification information disclosure service has a function of making information such as a service that can be provided by its own device into notification information and disclosing the notification information in the P2P network 10. At this time, by setting the application executed by the application execution unit 24 as a service that can be provided, the application or the like can be included in the notification information. The announcement information may be disclosed, for example, when there is an inquiry from another peer 12, or may be performed when the own device logs in to the P2P network 10, or during login. It may be performed at any timing that is regular or irregular.

  The notification information acquisition service acquires the notification information transmitted from the peer 12 searched by the peer search service and the notification information transmitted spontaneously by the peer 12. In the notification information acquisition service, data management using the acquired notification information for each peer 12 can be performed.

  The P2P infrastructure management data storage unit 22 is provided with a shared data storage unit 40 using an HDD or the like, and the data management unit 34 stores the notification information in the supply data storage unit 40 when receiving the notification information. As a result, the peer 12 can grasp each peer 12 in the P2P network 10 or the peer group 16 and the service provided by each peer 12.

  The group management service manages group information such as participation in and withdrawal from the peer group 16 and creation of a new peer group 16. As the group information managed here, for example, information indicating a correspondence relationship between a group ID and a user ID determined for each peer 12 can be used.

  This group information is stored in the shared data storage unit 40, and by referring to this group information, it is possible to grasp the peers 12 belonging to the peer group 16 together with the own device.

  The user management service (status information management service) manages the status information of the peer 12. The status information includes information such as a peer ID of each peer 12, a user ID that identifies a user who uses the peer 12, a user name, and an e-mail address. As the peer ID, an IP address, a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), or the like can be used.

  This status information is stored in the shared data storage unit 40 in contrast to the above-described group information. As a result, in the peer 12, the peer 12 in the peer group 16 or the peer 12 in the P2P network 10 is stored. The status of can be grasped.

  The message dispatch unit 38 analyzes a message created by the application execution unit 24 and a message transmitted / received to / from another peer 12 and passes the analysis result to the service execution unit 36. The service execution unit 36 executes a service based on the information analyzed by the message dispatch unit 38.

  In addition, the P2P infrastructure management data storage unit 22 includes path information such as information related to the spanning tree in the P2P network 10, public information for each peer 12, group information regarding the peer group 16 to which the own device belongs, status information for each peer 12, and the like. In addition, various types of information including neighbor information and user information are stored.

  The adjacency information includes a peer ID related to the peer 12 adjacent to the own device, and the adjacent peer 12 is, for example, the peer 12 within a preset response time for a packet transmitted from the own device, For example, it can be created and updated using a response time obtained in the process of communicating with another peer 12, or can be manually set.

  The public information of the peer 12 includes status information such as the peer ID of the peer 12 searched by the peer search service of the service execution unit 36, and the peers 12 on the P2P network 10 acquired by the notification information acquisition service and in the peer group 16 Contains information about the services provided.

  On the other hand, the application execution unit 24 executes various applications installed in the peer 12. The application memory 26 also stores various programs such as application programs and data executed by the application execution unit 24, data, and the like.

  In the peer 12 configured as described above, a message can be multicast by designating the peer 12 in the peer group 16 or the peer 12 provided in the P2P network 10.

  In addition, the peer 12 can broadcast the information to the P2P network 10 and release the notification information to the P2P network 10 and obtain the notification information of other peers 12.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, in the P2P network 10, a peer 12A with a transfer function that has a function of transferring a message to another peer 12 and an end peer 12B that transfers a message using the peer 12A with a transfer function Can be included. At this time, the message execution service function is provided in the service execution unit 36 in the peer 12A with the transfer function.

  Thereby, for example, the end peer 12B searches the peer 12A with the transfer function from the shared data, and sends a message to the peer 12A with the transfer function. When receiving the message, the peer with transfer function 12A analyzes the received message and executes the processing service described in the message.

  At this time, if it is a message transfer request, the message is transferred to the transfer destination peer 12. Further, if the requested service is, for example, a file search for acquiring a file such as data (data file) or content file, the presence / absence of the corresponding file from the shared data, and the peer 12 holding the corresponding file. Check for information.

  At this time, if the peer (peer with transfer function) 12A holds the corresponding file or acquires information on the peer 12 holding the corresponding file, the message of the corresponding information is transmitted from the source (search) To the original peer 12 (end peer 12B).

  In addition, if the peer 12A does not hold information about the corresponding file, it creates a file search message, broadcasts or multicasts the created message to surrounding peers 12, and acquires information about the search file from the response message. This information is distributed to the source peer 12B.

  As a result, the source peer 12 can acquire information related to the search file, and can be acquired by downloading the search file or the like based on this information.

  On the other hand, in the peer 12A with transfer function, the other peer 12A with transfer function is stored in advance in its own device, and information such as group information and user information is transmitted to the other peer 12A with transfer function by multicast or broadcast. Make a delivery request.

  Based on this request, group information and user information are acquired by each of the peers 12A with a transfer function, whereby the user information and peer information of each peer 12 constituting the P2P network 10 are used as shared data in the shared data storage unit 40. To remember.

  Each of the peers 12 stores adjacent information. This adjacency information is acquired from a response time to the corresponding message when a message is transmitted to the surrounding peers 12. Each of the peers 12 includes the adjacent peer 12A with a transfer function in the adjacency information.

  The peer 12A with transfer function broadcasts a neighbor information request to each peer 12 and acquires the neighbor information of each peer 12. In addition, the peer 12A with a forwarding function multicasts the neighboring information of each peer 12 and the neighboring information of the own machine to the other peer 12A with a forwarding function, and the other peer 12A with the forwarding function Neighbor information is exchanged by requesting the retained neighbor information.

  The peer 12A with a transfer function periodically acquires neighboring information and calculates a spanning tree. The spanning tree has a message transfer path having a tree structure in which the forwarding function peer 12A is a branching or passing point. The forwarding function peer 12A calculates the spanning tree to each end peer. It is stored as route information to 12B. In the route information at this time, the number of hops that is the number of peers 12 that pass through is also calculated and stored.

  Thus, the basic configuration of the P2P network 10 applied to the present embodiment is the configuration of a known P2P system.

  FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of a main part of the P2P network 10 applied to the first embodiment. The P2P network 10 is provided with a plurality of printers 42 (here, four printers 42A, 42B, 42C, and 42D are shown as an example) as an example of peripheral devices. That is, in the P2P network 10, a printer 42 is provided as a peer, and the printer 42 is virtually connected to the peer 12.

  Further, in the P2P network 10, the printer driver of each printer 42 is disclosed as shared information, whereby each peer 12 selects an arbitrary printer 42 from among the printers 42A to 42D, and image data and document data. Printing processing is possible.

  As the printer 42, any printer including a color or monochrome laser printer can be used. In addition to the various printing functions such as double-sided printing and N-up printing, the printer 42 can include a finishing function for performing various post-processing such as stapling.

  On the other hand, each peer 12 is provided with a printer setting management unit 44, and the shared data storage unit 40 is formed with a printer setting information storage unit 46 that stores printer management information managed by the printer setting management unit 44 as shared information. Has been.

  The printer setting management unit 44 may be provided in each peer 12. However, one or several peers 12 are set as print management peers, and the printer setting management unit 44 is provided in this print management peer. Also good.

  The print management setting unit 44 manages printer settings for each printer 42 as printer management information.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of printer settings. The printer settings include settings for performing print processing together with the printer driver of the printer 42 and port information of the printer 42. The setting for performing the print processing includes the setting of the finishing function when the finishing function such as stapling is provided, and the printing function when the various printing functions such as the duplex printing function are provided. Contains settings.

  Accordingly, the peer 12 can set the printer 42 and the printing function used for the printing process by selecting the printer setting held as the shared information when executing the print job. That is, print settings can be made only by an operation for specifying printer settings. Further, by using the same printer settings, it is possible to perform print processing with the same printer 42 and print settings.

  The printer setting includes an access right and the like as ancillary information together with the creator and the physical printer. For example, when the access right is set to “shared only”, it can be used as shared information.

  Further, the printer settings are not limited to those newly created at each peer 12, but the existing printer settings can be edited and the edited printer settings can be shared as different printer settings. At this time, for example, the access right may be “shared” and the printer settings may be edited by an arbitrary peer 12, and the access right may be “creator”, “public user”, “administrator”, or the like. Alternatively, settings may be made so that only the creator, the network administrator, or the like can change the printer settings.

  By setting the access right in the printer setting as described above, sharing, changing, and publishing operations may be controlled based on the access right information.

  On the other hand, the printer setting management unit 44 creates usage record information for printer settings, and stores the created usage record information in the shared data storage unit 40 as public information.

  FIG. 5A shows an example of usage record information. Each peer 12 retains it as shared data when using printer settings. The printer setting management unit 44 counts the number of peers held as shared data for each printer setting.

  The printer setting management unit 44 counts the number of times of use each time the printer setting is used, and uses the number of times of use (usage frequency) for each printer 42 and the number of times of use (usage frequency) for each printer setting. Generate / update as information. In addition, the usage record information can include newly disclosed printer settings.

  FIG. 5B shows another example of the usage record information. Here, the printer setting management unit 44 creates a satisfaction level using the number of times the printer setting is used as a parameter, and the satisfaction level is, for example, , “High” (satisfied), “medium” (normal), “low” (not satisfied), etc. The satisfaction may be classified based on the number of times of use or the number of times of use (usage frequency) for a certain period, and the user (peer 12) who uses the printer settings inputs the evaluation. Then, it may be classified from the inputted evaluation.

  By providing such satisfaction as the usage record information, it is possible to easily select a printer setting that provides a desired print output.

  On the other hand, at the preset timing, the printer setting management unit 44 uses a printer setting usage history information to set a printer that has not been used for a certain period of time or has a very low usage frequency, or a printer that has a low usage frequency and a low satisfaction level. The setting is deleted from the shared information.

  Accordingly, in the P2P network 10, printer settings that are no longer used due to replacement of the printer 42 or printer settings that are determined to be unnecessary are deleted, and an increase in the amount of printer settings that are held as shared information is suppressed. I am doing so.

  Here, as an operation of the first embodiment, an outline of a printer setting process in the P2P network 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the following description, a printer management peer (hereinafter referred to as a print management peer 12C) is set in the P2P network 10, and the printer management is performed by the print management peer 12C.

  In the P2P network 10, when a new printer 42 is connected due to replacement or expansion, printer settings for the corresponding printer 42 are created. In the P2P network 10, a new printer setting can be created for the existing printer 42.

  In the P2P network 10, when this printer setting is disclosed, each peer 12 can execute print processing using the corresponding printer setting.

  FIG. 6A shows an outline of processing when a newly created printer setting is disclosed. Printer settings can be created at each peer 12 as well as at the printer management peer 12C.

  In this flowchart, printer settings are created in the first step 100, and access rights are set in the created printer settings in the next step 102. The access right is set for at least the printer administrator (print management peer 12C), and in addition to this, the access right can be set for the creator and all peers 12.

  When the printer settings are created in this way, in step 104, the print management peer 12C is requested to disclose the created printer settings. When the printer management peer 12 receives the request for publishing the printer settings, the printer management peer 12 permits the publishing in step 106. After that, in step 108, the printer management peer 12 holds the created printer settings as shared data and publishes it in the P2P network 10. .

  Further, the printer management peer 12C has created the usage history information of the printer setting. When the new printer setting is disclosed, the usage history information is updated by adding the printer setting to the usage history information (step 110). ). When a new printer 42 is added as a result of new printer settings, the printer management information is updated so that the corresponding printer 42 is a shared printer along with the update of usage record information.

  On the other hand, in the P2P network 10, it is possible to change the published printer setting only for the peer 12 to which the access right is set. FIG. 6B shows an outline of the printer setting changing process. Show.

  When the printer setting is changed in any of the peers 12 including the printer management peer 12C, in the first step 120, the printer setting to be changed is designated from the published printer settings, and the printer management peer 12C is notified of the printer setting. Make a setting change request.

  Upon receiving the printer setting change request, the printer management peer 12C confirms the access right set in the corresponding printer setting (step 122), and confirms whether the requesting peer 12 has the access right. (First step 124).

  If the access right is not set for the requesting peer 12, a negative determination is made in step 124 and the process proceeds to step 126 to notify the requesting peer 12 that the printer setting change request is rejected. .

  On the other hand, when the access right is set to the requesting peer 12, an affirmative determination is made in step 124, and the process proceeds to step 128 to permit the printer setting to be changed.

  Accordingly, the peer 12 that has made the change request changes the printer setting in step 130. At the same time, in step 132, an access right is set for the changed printer setting. The access right at this time may be set at least for the administrator and the creator of the original printer setting.

  When the change of the printer setting and the setting of the access right are completed in this way, a printer setting disclosure request is made in step 134.

  When the printer management peer 12 receives the request for publishing the changed printer setting, the printer management peer 12 permits the publishing in step 136. After that, in step 138, the printer management peer 12 holds the changed printer setting as shared data and also within the P2P network 10. Publish. At the same time, in step 140, the usage record information is updated.

  On the other hand, the printer management peer 12 </ b> C updates the usage record information when the public printer setting is used by each peer 12. Further, this usage record information is disclosed on the P2P network 10, so that each peer 12 can grasp the usage status for each printer 42 and each printer setting.

  Each peer 12 can select the printer setting disclosed in this way and use it for the printing process. If the printer settings do not suit your preferences, you can select and use another printer settings. If you want more preferred printer settings, you can create new printer settings or change the printer settings that have been made public. It can be obtained by changing.

  On the other hand, the printer management peer 12C deletes the printer 42 (printer driver) shared by the P2P network 10 and deletes the printer settings based on the usage record information, thereby updating the printer management information including the usage record information. Like to do.

  FIG. 7 shows an outline of the printer management information update process. This flowchart is executed at a preset timing such as every predetermined period. In the first step 150, the usage status of each shared printer 42 is confirmed, and in the next step 152, the usage is preset. It is confirmed whether or not there is a printer 42 that is not used for a predetermined period.

  Here, if there is a printer 42 that has been used for a predetermined period since the last use, an affirmative determination is made in step 152 and the process proceeds to step 154. In step 154, the printer management information is updated so that the corresponding printer 42 is deleted from the shared printer.

  Thereby, for example, the printer 42 removed from the P2P network 10 by replacement or removal can be accurately and easily excluded from the supply printer.

  On the other hand, in step 156, the number of shared peers for each printer setting is confirmed, and in step 158, it is determined whether there is a printer setting in which the number of supplied peers is zero.

  At this time, if there is a printer setting in which no peer 12 holds the shared data and the number of shared peers is zero, an affirmative determination is made in step 158 and the process proceeds to step 160. In step 160, the corresponding printer setting is deleted, and the usage record information is updated so that the corresponding printer setting is deleted from the usage record information.

  Further, in step 162, the number of times of use within a predetermined period set for each of the disclosed printer settings is confirmed. In step 164, it is checked whether there is a printer setting in which the number of uses is zero and it is clear that the printer is not used.

  At this time, if there is an unused printer setting, an affirmative determination is made in step 164 and the process proceeds to step 166. In this step 166, the corresponding printer setting is deleted from the shared information, and the usage record information is updated so that the corresponding printer setting is deleted from the usage record information.

  Thereby, for example, the printer settings for the printer 42 deleted from the shared printer can be accurately extracted and deleted from the shared information. Also, old printer settings that are no longer used due to the disclosure of the changed printer settings can be accurately extracted and deleted.

  In addition, since the printer settings that are no longer used are gradually deleted, it is possible to optimize the shared printer settings and to leave the sophisticated printer settings.

  As described above, in the P2P network 10, accurate management of the shared printer and accurate management of the printer setting for each shared printer can be easily and smoothly performed.

  Here, the printers and printer settings that are determined not to be used based on the number of times of use are deleted. However, the printers 42 and printer settings that are extremely low in use frequency may be deleted. In addition, when managing printer settings, satisfaction may be included in addition to the number of uses and frequency of use, so that printer settings that tend to be unsatisfactory are deleted, and the printer settings are used by mistake. Can be prevented.

  Further, when deleting the printer 42 shared by replacement or the like, when deleting the printer driver or the like, the processing in steps 150 to 154 can be omitted.

  Further, when deleting a printer setting, only one of steps 156 to 160 or steps 162 to 166 may be used. Furthermore, instead of deleting the printer setting immediately, for example, the printer setting to be deleted is set. You may make it public as a deletion schedule list, or broadcast a message, and ask each peer 12 or the creator of the printer setting whether deletion is possible.

  In the first embodiment described above, the print management peer 12C is set, and the shared printer and printer settings are managed on the print management peer 12C. Any printer that manages shared printers and printer settings may be used.

  At this time, the printer setting used by the own device is grasped for each peer 12 and held as shared information. For example, an arbitrary peer 12 is set to a printer setting held by another peer 12 at regular intervals. It is only necessary to collect the actual usage information of the P2P network 10 so as to grasp the actual usage history of the printer settings.

  Further, when deleting the printer setting based on the total result, for example, the creator of the corresponding printer setting deletes the printer setting and discloses the deletion information of the printer setting so that other peers 12 A technique such as deleting the corresponding printer setting can be used.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that in the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 8 shows a schematic configuration of the network 50 according to the second embodiment. In this network 50, a plurality of information processing devices 52 such as personal computers and workstations and a plurality of printers 42 are connected to the network. The network 50 is provided with a server 54.

  The server 54 is formed with a print management information storage unit 46 formed by storage means such as an HDD together with the printer setting management unit 44 provided in the printer management peer 12C (none of which is shown in FIG. 8). ).

  That is, the network 50 is a server-client system (server-client network) in which a printer setting management service is provided by the server 54.

  In the network 50, a print processing unit 56 is formed by the printer 42 and the server 54. The server 54 may be provided with a print server function for controlling print processing by each printer 42. That is, a printer setting management service may be provided by a print server.

  In the network 50, each information processing apparatus 52 can create a printer setting and change the printer setting. In the network 50, printer settings created or changed by the information processing apparatus 52 can be registered as shared information by the server 54.

  Accordingly, the printer setting created or changed by the information processing apparatus 52 can be used by another information processing apparatus 52 to perform print processing.

  The server 54 generates / updates usage record information for each printer setting while disclosing the registered printer setting to each information processing apparatus 52.

  Also in the network 50 configured in this way, accurate management of the shared printer 42 and accurate management of printer settings for each of the shared printers 42 can be easily and smoothly performed.

  In addition, this Embodiment demonstrated above does not limit the structure of this invention. For example, in the first embodiment, the P2P network 10 to which the P2P system is applied has been described as an example, and in the second embodiment, the network 50 to which the server client system is applied has been described as an example. The present invention can also be applied to a hybrid P2P network in which the server 50 is provided in a network to which the P2P system is applied.

  In the first and second embodiments, the printer 42 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various image forming apparatuses such as a multifunction machine having a facsimile function and a copying machine function, a scanner, etc. The present invention can be applied to the management of drivers when sharing various peripheral devices with a large number of information processing devices and the management of various setting information used when using peripheral devices.

It is the schematic which shows the basic composition of the P2P network which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the basic composition of the peer provided in a P2P network. It is a schematic block diagram of the principal part of the P2P network applied to 1st Embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a printer setting display. (A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of display of the usage record of printer settings, and (B) is a schematic diagram showing another example of display of the use record of printer settings. (A) and (B) are flowcharts showing an outline of disclosure of printer settings according to the present embodiment, (A) shows newly created printer settings, and (B) shows processing for printer settings to be changed. ing. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of management of a shared printer and management of printer settings based on a usage record of printer settings. It is a schematic block diagram of the principal part of the network applied to 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 P2P network 12 Peer (information processing device)
12C Print management peer (setting management information processing device)
18 Data sharing unit 40 Shared data storage unit 42 (42A to 42D) Printer (peripheral device)
44 Printer Setting Management Unit 46 Printer Setting Information Storage Unit 50 Network 52 Information Processing Device 54 Server (Setting Management Information Processing Device)
56 Print processing section

Claims (15)

A network formed by connecting a plurality of information processing devices and peripheral devices available from each information processing device,
While holding the device settings including the settings when using the peripheral device in the information processing device as public information and making it available to each information processing device,
Generate each usage record information of the device setting by the information processing device,
Based on the usage record information, the device information can be deleted from the shared information.
A network characterized by that.   The network according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device setting includes a print setting when print processing is executed by the print output device.   3. The network according to claim 1, wherein the network is a peer-to-peer network in which the peripheral device and the information processing apparatus are virtually connected to each other and share public information. A setting management method for managing device settings including settings for making a plurality of peripheral devices network-connected to an information processing device available to the information processing device,
While holding the device settings as public information that can be used in each of the information processing devices,
For each of the device settings, generation and update of usage record information in the information processing device,
Organize the device settings based on the usage record information,
A setting management method characterized by that. A setting management information processing device that is connected to each of a plurality of peripheral devices and information processing devices and manages device settings including settings for making the peripheral devices available to the information processing device,
Public information holding means for holding the device settings as public information that can be used by each of the information processing apparatuses;
Usage history management means for generating and updating usage history information in the information processing apparatus for each of the device settings held in the public information holding means;
Organizing means for organizing the device settings held in the public information holding means based on the usage record information generated by the usage record managing means;
An information processing apparatus for setting management, comprising:   6. The setting management device according to claim 5, wherein the organizing unit deletes, from the public information holding unit, the device setting that is determined not to be used by the information processing apparatus from the usage record information. Information processing device.   6. The public information holding unit holds the device setting as public information based on a request from the information processing device when the information processing device creates or changes the device setting. Alternatively, the setting management information processing apparatus according to claim 6.   8. The setting management information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when there is a change request for the device setting from the information processing device, the change of the device setting is permitted based on the device setting.   9. The device according to claim 5, wherein the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device setting includes a print setting for executing print processing by the print processing device. 10. The setting management information processing apparatus described.   The setting management according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the setting management is provided in a peer-to-peer network that is virtually connected to the peripheral device and the information processing apparatus and shares public information. Information processing device. Setting management that enables management of device settings including settings that allow peripheral devices to be used by information processing devices by providing them in any information processing device within a network in which a plurality of peripheral devices and information processing devices are provided A program for
A public holding step for holding the device settings created or changed in the information processing apparatus as public information based on a request from the information processing apparatus;
A usage record management step for generating and updating usage record information by the information processing apparatus for each of the device settings held as the public information;
An organizing step for organizing the device settings based on the usage record information at a preset timing;
A program for managing settings.   When there is a change request for the device setting via the information processing device, the processing device that requests the setting change or a user of the processing device is set to allow the device setting to be changed. The setting management program according to claim 11, further comprising an authorization step of permitting a setting change when the information processing apparatus is a user or a user of the information processing apparatus. In the organizing step, determining whether the device setting has been used within a preset period; and
Deleting the corresponding device setting from the public information when it is not used within a preset period;
13. The setting management program according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by comprising:   14. The device according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is a print output device, and the device setting includes a print setting when a print process is executed by the print output device. Configuration management program.   The setting according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the network is a peer-to-peer network in which the peripheral device and the information processing apparatus are virtually connected to each other to share public information. Administrative program.

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