JP2009023219A - Printer device and its method, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer device configured to stop the own IP address setting when detecting duplication of the IP address in a connected network environment, and then, not only to inform the user of the fact, but also to automatically shift a mode so that the user can smoothly reset the IP address. <P>SOLUTION: The printer device is configured to detect whether or not the IP address set in the own device duplicates another device when being connected to the network environment. The printer device is configured to stop the use of the IP address when detecting the duplication of the IP address, and to inform the user of the fact through the use of a beep/control panel display/print output, etc. Thereafter, the mode is shifted to an IP address setting mode on the control panel so as to prompt the user to reset the IP address. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer device connected to a network system, and more particularly to an IP address resetting process after detection of duplicate IP addresses.

  Conventionally, there have been several methods for duplicate detection of IP addresses of various devices connected to a network system, and for coping processing.

  For example, in order to detect a device having a MAC address whose IP address is duplicated, detection is performed by using a frame addressed to a local MAC address in a specific format, and when the duplication is detected, notification means for sounding the device There was a network terminal device with (See Patent Document 1).

Also, as a method of preventing duplication of IP addresses, obtain the IP addresses of all devices operating on the network, and compare IP addresses obtained from the network when setting IP addresses for devices on the network. When the duplication is detected, the IP address setting is stopped (see Patent Document 2).
JP 9-191315 A JP-A-11-282644

  However, the above conventional example has the following drawbacks.

  Processing after the device detects duplication of the IP address is limited to “alarm” for notifying the user of the warning or “cancel the IP address setting itself” that the user is trying to perform, and then the IP address by the user There was no response to smooth resetting.

  The printer apparatus of the present invention includes the following means so that the user can smoothly reset the IP address after the IP address duplication is detected.

  (1) Duplicate detection of IP addresses can be performed in a connected network environment. Duplicate detection of IP addresses can be performed by observing communication frames on the network and detecting those having the same IP address but different MAC addresses (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-191315).

  (2) Having a panel module, the IP address can be displayed on the panel, and the IP address can be set from the panel.

  (3) The IP addresses of all devices operating on the network are acquired using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) (see JP-A-11-282644).

  (4) When duplication of IP address is detected, the processing currently being executed is stopped, an alarm is issued (beep sound, panel blinking), and the mode is shifted to the IP address setting mode from the panel. At this time, an IP address that does not overlap with other devices on the network is displayed on the panel as a candidate IP address to be reset by the user, and the user is prompted to reset the IP address.

  As described above, when the printer apparatus detects duplication of the IP address, the user can smoothly perform the IP address resetting process.

  When a duplicate IP address is detected in the connected network environment, the printer device of the present invention stops the currently executing process and issues an alarm (beep sound, panel flashing), and shifts to the IP address setting mode from the panel. To do. At this time, an IP address that does not overlap with other devices on the network is displayed on the panel as a candidate for an IP address to be reset by the user, and the user is prompted to reset the IP address. Can be done smoothly. In addition, there is no duplication of IP addresses on the network, and troubles such as communication problems are eliminated.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network system configuration in which a printer apparatus according to the present embodiment can be connected and operated according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a printer apparatus according to this embodiment, and its function will be described later. Reference numeral 102 denotes a conventional printer device, which is the above-described conventional printer device. Reference numeral 103 denotes a client PC, which is a personal computer whose operating system is OS1 (Windows (registered trademark) of Microsoft Corporation). Reference numeral 104 denotes a client PC, and the operating system is OS2 (Mac OS (registered trademark) of Apple). Reference numeral 105 denotes a server PC, and the operating system is OS3 (Novell NetWare (registered trademark)). These devices are connected via a network (LAN) 100, and various applications operating on the respective devices can transmit and receive data and provide / use various services.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the printer apparatus according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 101 denotes a printer apparatus, which corresponds to the printer apparatus 101 of the present invention in FIG. 1 and is connected to a network corresponding to the network 100 in FIG. The printer apparatus 101 includes a network interface unit 10101, a panel interface unit 10102, a speaker 10103, and a printer engine unit 10104. The network interface unit 10101 has different processes according to the physical layer, protocol layer, and application layer. The physical layer is a LAN controller driver, the protocol layer is a TCP / IP protocol stack, and the AT protocol is AppleTalk (registered trademark). There is an NW protocol stack that is a stack, NetWare®. The application layer includes a TCP / IP application, and includes tasks related to IP address setting (duplication detection / setting) related to the present invention, including LPD, HTTP, and SNMP. In addition, there are AT applications (PAP printing, Status response, SNMP, etc.) that are AppleTalk (registered trademark) and NW applications (NDS, RP printer, SNMP, etc.) that are NetWare (registered trademark). A panel interface unit 10102 displays the status of the printer device and can perform various settings related to the configuration of the printer device such as the IP address of the printer device. The speaker 10103 makes a beep sound or the like under the control of the network interface unit 10101, the panel interface unit 10102, and the printer engine unit 10104. The printer engine unit 10104 processes and prints the print data received from the network interface unit 10101.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a general personal computer. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 103 denotes a personal computer (PC), which is equivalent to the client PCs 103 and 104 and the server PC 105 in FIG. The client PC 103 includes a CPU 10301, executes network device control software stored in a ROM 10302 or a hard disk (HD) 10311, or supplied from a flexible disk (FD) 10312, and is connected to a system bus 10304. Controls each device collectively. Reference numeral 10303 denotes a RAM which functions as a main memory, work area, and the like of the CPU 10301. A keyboard controller (KBC) 10305 controls an instruction input from a keyboard (KB) 10309 or a pointing device (not shown). A CRT controller (CRTC) 10306 controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 10310. A disk controller (DKC) 10307 controls access to a hard disk (HD) 10311 and a flexible disk (FD) 10312 that store a boot program, various applications, edit files, user files, a network management program, and the like. To do. Reference numeral 10308 denotes a network interface card (NIC) that performs bidirectional data exchange with other network devices or other PCs via the LAN 100. Various operating systems such as OS1, OS2, and OS3 operate on the PC, and various other applications operate on the OS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process when the duplication of the IP address of the printer apparatus of this embodiment is detected and the process of the IP address reset mode. When the printer is turned on, the printer apparatus performs processing for acquiring IP addresses of all devices operating on the network by using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). (See S401, JP-A-11-282644). Thereafter, IP address duplication detection processing is performed in the connected network environment while continuing normal operations such as printing and status response (S402). In this IP address duplication detection, communication frames on the network are observed to detect those having the same IP address and different MAC addresses (see JP-A-9-191315). If duplication of the IP address is detected, the use of the IP address is immediately stopped, a beep is generated through the speaker 10103, and the user is warned (S405). If printing is in progress at this time, the connection is cut and the printing process is stopped (S404). The printer device stops using the IP address and at the same time shifts to the IP address reset mode on the panel (S406). On the panel, the fact that the IP address of the currently set value is duplicated (S407), the IP address candidate value that can be reset is displayed (S408), and the IP address input field to be reset flashes (S409). ), Prompt the user to reset the IP address. As described above, the printer apparatus can smoothly perform the resetting process of the IP address by the user when the duplication of the IP address is detected.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a panel display example during the IP address reset mode of the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment. The panel interface unit 10102 includes a panel display unit / input unit 1101021, a panel selection unit 1010202, and a panel numeric keypad unit 1010203. The panel display unit / input unit 1010201 displays the status of the printer device in the normal mode, and in addition to the panel selection unit 1010202 and the panel according to the panel display when the mode is shifted to the setting mode in which the printer device can be configured. Settings can be made from the numeric keypad 1010203. The example of FIG. 5 shows a state immediately after the printer apparatus detects duplication of the IP address and shifts to the IP address resetting mode. In the panel display, the IP address “192.168.0.10” of the currently set value is duplicated, and the IP address values “192.168.0.215” and “192.168.8.0” that can be reset are displayed. .216 ”or the like is displayed, and the reset IP address input field“ black square ”flashes to prompt the user to reset the IP address.

  The control program for the printer apparatus according to the present invention described above is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, flash memory, or flexible disk, or from an external storage medium via a network such as e-mail or personal computer communication. It may be loaded and executed on the device. The present invention is applicable even in these cases.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network system configuration in which a printer apparatus according to an embodiment can be connected and operated. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the printer apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. The block diagram which shows the internal structure of a general personal computer (PC). 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing when IP address duplication is detected in the printer apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment and processing in an IP address reset mode. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a panel display example during an IP address reset mode of the printer apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

100 network (LAN)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Printer apparatus of this invention 102 Conventional printer apparatus 103 Client PC (OS1)
104 Client PC (OS2)
105 Server PC (OS3)
10101 Network interface unit of printer apparatus of the present invention 10102 Panel interface unit of printer apparatus of the present invention 10103 Speaker of printer apparatus of the present invention 10104 Printer engine unit of printer apparatus of the present invention 10301 CPU
10302 ROM
10303 RAM
10304 System bus 10305 KBC
10306 CRTC
10307 DKC
10308 NIC
10309 KB
10310 CRT
10311 HD
10312 FD
1010201 Panel display unit / input unit 1010202 Panel selection unit 1010203 Panel numeric keypad unit

Claims (5)

  When the printer device connected to the network system detects duplication of IP address, it stops the currently running process and issues an alarm (beep sound, panel flashing), and shifts to the IP address setting mode from the panel. And a device for displaying on the panel an IP address that does not overlap with other devices on the network as a candidate for an IP address to be reset by the user and prompting the user to reset the IP address. .   When the printer apparatus according to claim 1 detects duplication of IP addresses, there is provided a method of stopping the currently executing process, issuing an alarm (beep sound, panel blinking), and shifting to the IP address setting mode from the panel. A printer apparatus characterized by the above.   The printer apparatus of claim 1 displays an IP address that does not overlap with other devices on the panel as an IP address candidate to be reset by the user in the IP address reset mode, and resets the IP address to the user. A printer apparatus, characterized in that a method for prompting is provided.   When the printer apparatus according to claim 2 detects duplication of IP addresses, it has a step of stopping the currently executing process, issuing an alarm (beep sound, panel blinking), and shifting to the IP address setting mode from the panel. A computer-readable storage medium characterized by the above.   The printer apparatus according to claim 3 displays an IP address that does not overlap with other devices on the panel as an IP address candidate to be reset by the user in the IP address reset mode, and resets the IP address to the user. A computer-readable storage medium characterized by having a step for prompting.

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