JP2009070391A - Method and system for network management - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and a system for network management, which manages network devices by a computer without installing multiple network management programs to the computer corresponding to each of all models of network devices to be managed. <P>SOLUTION: In the system for network management, each of network devices 3A, 3B, 3C holds a management program like a JAVA applet or ActiveX control. Each host computer 5A, 5B, 5C, ... manages any network device by executing the management program downloaded from any network device by using the Web browser. The memory capacity of the host computer is not decreased since the management program is erased from the host computer when the Web browser is closed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for managing network component devices connected to a communication network.

  When managing the status of various components such as routers, hubs, printers, and computers connected to a communication network using a certain component connected to the network, the managing device manages them. Management devices corresponding to various devices on the same side are installed. For example, it is assumed that a plurality of printers of various models and at least one computer for managing the printer status are connected to the LAN. In this case, various printer management programs corresponding to various printer models on the LAN are installed in the managing computer.

  However, for example, in the above example, as the number of printer models connected to the LAN increases, the number of printer management programs installed in the management computer also increases. Is under pressure.

  In addition, printer management programs of any model usually monitor various information of the target printer (for example, information about the printer configuration, information about consumables, information about print processing parameters, information about jobs, information about errors, etc.) It has many functions for controlling and controlling. However, the management computer does not always need all of its functions. For example, there are cases where only the consumable information is referred to, and there are cases where only the print processing parameters are set. The functions required for each opportunity differ, and the functions used in each opportunity are often only a part of the whole.

  In this way, installing all the functions of the printer management program for all printer models in advance in the storage device of the management computer is a wasteful use of the storage device of the management computer.

  Furthermore, if a new model printer is added to the LAN, a new printer management program for the new model must be installed on the management computer, and if the old model printer is removed from the LAN, It also becomes necessary to uninstall the printer management program for the old model from the management computer. Such work is troublesome.

  The above problems apply not only to managing printers on a LAN but also to managing general network components.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to previously install a device management program corresponding to all models of managed devices on the managing computer, thereby eliminating the waste of the storage device of the managing computer. It is to make it easy to cope with a change in the model of the managed device.

    The network management system of the present invention includes a plurality of managed devices, at least one management computer, and a communication network that enables communication between the managed device and the management computer. Each managed device is a program that can be executed on the management computer, and the management computer executes the program so that the management computer can manage the device via the communication network. In response to a download request from the management computer, the management program is downloaded to the management computer through the communication network. In addition, the management computer starts a management program downloaded from the selected device, a means for selecting an arbitrary device from the plurality of managed devices, a means for issuing the download request to the selected device. And a means for managing the selected target device. Thereby, it is not necessary to previously install the management program of the management target device in the management computer.

  In a preferred embodiment, the management program is a type of program that is automatically deleted from the management computer when its execution is finished. For example, when the management program is embedded in an HTML file and downloaded by a web browser, programs such as “JAVA applet” developed by Sun Microsystems and “ActiveX control” developed by Microsoft To do. As a result, the management program is present in the management computer only when it is executed, and is not wasted in the management computer when it is not executed.

  In a preferred embodiment, each managed device holds a plurality of types of management programs with different management purposes, and notifies the management computer of the types. In the management computer, the user selects a desired one from among the program types and issues a download request. Then, the managed device selects the type of management program requested from the management computer and sends it to the management computer. Inevitably, the management computer downloads and executes only the type of management program requested by the user, and does not execute a management program unnecessary for the user.

  In a preferred embodiment, when the management computer executes the management program, information on predetermined items of the management target device is displayed on the screen of the management program displayed on the display of the management computer. When the user requests the management program to update the display information, the management program accesses the management target device to acquire the latest information, and updates the display content to the latest information. For this reason, the management program does not need to access the management target device all the time and only needs to access it when requested by the user, so that the communication processing amount of the management computer, the management target device, and the network can be minimized.

  In a preferred embodiment, the management target device is a printer that receives a print job from a host device on a network and performs image creation processing and printing processing of the created image. When the management computer executes the management program downloaded from the printer, various hosts on the network are displayed on the screen of the printer management program displayed on the display of the management computer from the past to the present. A list of print jobs received from the device is displayed. This print job list includes jobs that have already been printed as well as jobs that have not been printed. And furthermore, for each of the jobs in the print job list,

  (1) Progress status of each print job reception process, image creation process and print process,

  (2) Host device and communication path of each print job source,

  (3) The consumption status of consumables for each print job, and

(4) It is possible to display detailed information including matters such as the content of errors that have occurred in relation to each print job. In addition, a cancel button for the user to select an arbitrary job from the job list and cancel printing is also displayed. Therefore, by using this printer management program screen, it is possible to manage a group of jobs input to the printer from the past to the present with high accuracy.

  In a company or the like, for example, a plurality of printers 3A, 3B, 3C,... And a plurality of host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,. Has been. Each of the host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,... Is preinstalled with a plurality of printer drivers respectively corresponding to all models of the printers 3A, 3B, 3C,. Know the addresses (IP addresses) and printer names of all printers on the LAN. Therefore, each of the host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,... Can select an arbitrary printer from all the printers 3A, 3B, 3C,.

  However, a printer management program for managing the printers 3A, 3B, 3C,... Is not installed in advance in each of the host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,. A printer management program for each printer 3A, 3B, 3C,... Is incorporated in each printer 3A, 3B, 3C,. Then, by the mechanism according to the present invention described below, each of the host computers 5A, 5B, 5C,... Selects an arbitrary printer from all the printers 3A, 3B, 3C,. The selected printer can be managed by obtaining and executing a printer management program for the printer from the printer. The printer management program is downloaded to the host computer only when it is executed and exists on the storage device. When the execution is completed, the printer management program can be automatically discarded from the storage device of the host computer, for example, “JAVA applet”. (Sun Microsystems, Inc.) and “ActiveX Control” (Microsoft Corporation), etc., and in this embodiment are implemented as “JAVA applets”.

  FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of each printer 3 in this system.

  The printer 3 has the following three types of information (or information storage areas).

  The first is printer management program information 23, which includes a plurality of Jar files each containing a plurality of JAVA applets, which are printer management programs for the printer, and a host computer 5 that is a web browser. An HTML file describing a menu screen for selecting an applet to be downloaded, which should be displayed on the web browser before downloading the Jar file using, is included.

  The second is a printer MIB (management information base) 27, which includes various information relating to the printer 3 (for example, information relating to the configuration of the printer such as a paper tray, a memory, and an expansion board, power on / off and power saving). Information related to the printer's operating status such as during warm-up and printing, information related to consumables such as loaded paper and toner, and settings used in print processing such as resolution, image quality, color conversion method, halftoning method, and paper size Information, information on jobs such as jobs waiting to be printed, jobs being printed, and jobs that have been printed). Many pieces of information in the printer MIB 27 can be managed (referenced or set) by the host computer 5 executing the downloaded JAVA applet.

  A third print job spool 31 stores print job data sent from the host computer 5.

  The printer 3 has a print processing unit 33. This print processing unit 33 reads print job data from the print job spool, interprets it, creates a print image based on the interpretation result, and prints it on paper. To do. Various setting values necessary for this print processing are read from the printer MIB 27 to the print processing unit 33. In addition, the print processing unit 33 checks various states such as the operation state of the printer 3, the amount of consumables, the job state, and the error state, and updates corresponding information in the printer MIB 27 based on the results. .

  The printer 3 also has the following communication protocol processing module in order to communicate with other devices on the LAN. First, there is an Ethernet section 11 that constitutes a LAN (for example, Ethernet) 1 that performs protocol processing that almost corresponds to the lowermost layer such as the physical layer and data link layer of the ISO reference model. TCP / IP protocol processing groups 13 to 19 and an AT (Apple Talk) unit 21 for receiving a print job from a Macintosh computer are examples of performing protocol processing on the layer above the Ethernet unit 11. .

  The TCP / IP protocol processing groups 13 to 19 include TCP / IP that performs TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol) processing substantially corresponding to the transport layer and network layer of the ISO reference model. There is a part 13, and on top of that, an HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) part 15 and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) are provided to perform protocol processing substantially equivalent to the session layer to the application layer of the ISO reference model. ) Unit 17, LPR (line printer protocol) unit 19, and FTP (file transfer protocol) unit (not shown).

  The HTTP unit 15 described above is used when communicating with the web browser of the host computer 5 and downloading the printer management program information 23 described above to the web browser. That is, the HTTP unit 15 and the printer management program information 23 constitute an HTTP server 25 for the host computer 5.

  The SNMP unit 17 described above is used when communicating with a JAVA applet (printer management program) downloaded to the host computer 5 and referring to or setting information of the printer MIB 27 by a command from the JAVA applet. That is, the SNMP unit 17 and the printer MIB 27 constitute an SNMP server 29 for the host computer 5.

  The above-described LPR unit 19 and AT unit 21 are used when print job data is received from the host computer 5 and stored in the print job spool 31.

  FIG. 3 shows a functional configuration of each host computer 5 in this system.

  A web browser 51 is installed in the host computer 5 as one of application programs. In addition, various application programs 53 and 5 are installed.

  In addition, a plurality of printer drivers 49 (only one printer driver 49 is shown in FIG. 3) respectively corresponding to all printer models on the LAN are also installed. When printing, one printer driver corresponding to the printer desired by the user is selectively activated from the plurality of printer drivers, and the document to be printed is one of the application programs 51, 53, 55. To the activated printer driver.

  The communication protocol processing module includes an Ethernet unit 41 constituting a LAN, a TCP / IP unit 43 for performing TCP and IP protocol processing, and an LPR protocol processing for sending a print job from the printer driver 49 to the printer 3. And the like. In addition, the web browser 51 includes an HTTP unit 45 that performs HTTP protocol processing when communicating with the HTTP server 25 in the printer 3.

  The above-described configuration shown in FIG. 3 is a normal configuration of the host computer 5, and there is no printer management program. As described above, the printer management program is held by the HTTP server 25 in each printer 3 in the form of a JAVA applet. The host computer 5 uses the web browser 51 as necessary to manage the printer 3 to be managed. The printer is managed by downloading and executing a JAVA applet of the management program for the printer from the HTTP server 25.

  FIG. 4 shows a functional configuration of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 performs printer management as described above.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the JAVA applet 57 downloaded to the host computer 5 has an SNMP unit 59 that executes SNMP protocol processing, and communicates with the SNMP server 29 of the management target printer 3 through this to manage the applet 57. Various types of printer information managed by the printer MIB 27 of the target printer 3 can be referred to and set. The JAVA applet 57 is automatically deleted from the storage device of the host computer 5 when the execution is completed, so that the storage device of the host computer 5 is not unnecessarily occupied. Even when a new printer is added or removed from the LAN, there is no need to manually install a new printer management program or uninstall an old printer management program on each host computer. .

  FIG. 4 shows only one applet 59, but as will be described later, a plurality of types of applets having different management purposes are prepared in the HTTP server 25 of the printer 3, and the host computer 5 The necessary applets can be downloaded selectively or in combination according to the management purpose at that time. Here, the plurality of types of applets are the following three types in this embodiment.

  (1) Control panel applet

  This is because a control panel window (reference number 300 in FIGS. 9 to 11 to be described later) having substantially the same switches, indicator lamps, message display, etc. as the control panel of the printer 3 is connected to the host computer. The management program is displayed on the screen and allows the user to operate the control panel window to perform the same printer control and message display as the switches and control panel of the printer 3 are operated.

  (2) Special print applet

  This is because a special print window (reference number 400 in FIGS. 9 to 11) is displayed on the display screen of the host computer 5, and a special operation such as status sheet printing or sample font printing is performed by a user operation on the special print window. This is a management program that causes the target printer 3 to perform various printing operations.

  (3) Job information applet

  This is because a job information window (reference number 500 in FIGS. 9 to 11) is displayed on the display screen of the host computer 5, and the ID and execution status of the print job sent to the target printer 3 are displayed in the job information window. Or the like, the detailed information on the specific job selected by the user from the list, consumable information, error information, or the like is displayed, or the corresponding printer 3 is instructed to cancel the job selected by the user. It is a management program.

  By downloading and executing only necessary ones of these three types of applets having different management purposes to the host computer 5 and executing them, the occasional printer management purpose can be achieved with the minimum memory consumption required for it. Can do.

  FIG. 5 shows the operation of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 downloads and executes the JAVA applet of the printer management program from the printer 3.

  First, when the user instructs printing in any of the application programs 51, 53, and 55 (step S1), the OS activates the printer driver 49 of the printer 3 that is preset as the “ordinary printer” (S2). The activated printer driver 49 opens a predetermined print dialog box on the display screen (S3).

  FIG. 6 shows an example of this print dialog box. In the print dialog box 100, the “printer name” of the target printer 3 or the like is displayed as in the dialog box opened by the conventional printer driver, or the user can select another printer as the target printer 3. A print job is sent to the “printer” panel 101, the “print range” panel 103 for the user to specify the print range of the document, the “print number” panel 105 for the user to specify the number of copies to be printed, and the target printer 3. For example, an “OK” button 107 is provided. In addition, the dialog box 100 includes a “printer management” button 109 for managing the target printer 3.

  When the pull-down menu button 111 in the “printer” panel 101 in the dialog box 100 is pressed (that is, clicked with the mouse), a list of all printers on the LAN appears. Can be selected as the target printer 3. When the user selects another printer as the control target printer 3 in this way, the print driver 49 of the original target printer 3 is terminated, and the print driver 49 corresponding to the newly selected target printer 3 is newly activated. (S4), a dialog box having the same configuration as above is displayed (S3).

  If the user wants to manage the current target printer 3, the user presses a “browser activation” button 109 in the print dialog box 100. Then, the printer driver 49 creates the URL (that is, http: // IP address /) of the target printer 3 by using the IP address of the target printer 3 that it knows in advance, and the web browser 51 And the URL is passed to the web browser 51 (S5).

  The activated web browser 51 accesses the URL received from the printer driver 49, that is, accesses the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 (S6). FIG. 7 shows a communication procedure between the host computer 5 and the target printer 3 starting from step S6. Hereinafter, the subsequent operation will be described with reference to both FIG. 5 and FIG.

  When the web browser 51 accesses the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 in step S 6, the HTTP server 25 first sends the default HTML file “index.html” included in the printer management program information 23 to the web browser 51. I will send it back. The HTML file “index.html” describes a menu page in which buttons for collectively downloading or selectively downloading the above three types of JAVA applets are described. The web browser 51 interprets the HTML file “index.html” and displays the menu page in the window of the web browser 51 on the display screen (S7). FIG. 8 shows an example of this menu page. As shown in FIG. 8, the menu page 200 includes, for example, a “control panel” button 201 for selecting a control panel applet, a “special print” button 201 for selecting a special print applet, and a job information applet. There is a “job information” button 205 for selecting, a “full set” button 207 for selecting all of the above three types of applets collectively, and a “GO” button 209 for starting downloading of the selected applet. .

  In this menu page 200, when the user presses any applet selection button 201-205 to select any JAVA applet (one type, two types, or all types), and presses the “GO” button 209, The web browser 51 requests the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 for the HTML file in which the Jar file of the selected JAVA applet is embedded (S8). Alternatively, the HTTP server 25 may be requested for an HTML file in which an applet corresponding to the button is embedded). As an example, assuming that all three types of applets are selected, as shown in FIG. 7, the web browser 51 uses an HTML file “FullSet.html” in which Jar files of three types of applets are embedded as a target printer. 3, the HTTP server 25 returns the HTML file “FullSet.html” to the web browser 51, and the web browser 51 subsequently sends the FullSet. The HTTP server 25 requests the Jar file of the three types of applets embedded in “html”, and the HTTP server 25 returns the Jar files of the three types of applets to the web browser 51. The web browser 51 decompresses and activates each JAVA applet 57 from the received Jar file, and displays the window of each JAVA applet 57 in the window of the web browser 51. Similarly, when one or two types of applets are selected, the selected applets are similarly sent from the HTTP server 25 of the target printer 3 to the web browser 51 and activated to select the selected applets. Are displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

  Thereafter, each activated JAVA applet 57 performs printer management while communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 (S9).

  FIG. 9 shows an example of a JAVA applet window for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51.

  When all three types of printer management applets such as the control panel, special printing, and job information are selected and downloaded as described above, a control panel applet window (hereinafter referred to as a control panel window) is displayed as shown in FIG. ) 300, a special print applet window (hereinafter referred to as a special print window) 400, and a job information applet window (hereinafter referred to as a job information window) 500 are displayed in the window of the web browser 51. When one or two types of applets are selected, only the windows of the one or two types of applets are displayed. Further, the URL (http: // printer IP address / FullSet.html) of the download source of the applet is displayed in the upper place field 600 in the window of the web browser 51.

  In the control panel window 300, a message display 301 for displaying a message displayed on the liquid crystal display on the control panel of the target printer 3, and a lamp group 303 indicating the lighting state of the LED lamps on the control panel of the target printer 3. And a switch group 305 having the same function as various switches on the control panel of the target printer 3. The arrangement of the display 301, the lamp 303, and the switch group 305 is substantially the same as that of the control panel of the target printer 3 for easy understanding by the user.

  In the lamp group 303, the “online” lamp is lit when the print engine of the target printer 3 is in operation, the “data” lamp flashes when the target printer 3 is receiving data, and the “cont” lamp is Lights when an error occurs.

  In the switch group 305, the “go” switch is a switch for starting the print engine of the target printer 3, and the “pause” switch is a switch for stopping the print engine. The “reset” switch is a switch for resetting a job currently being printed on the target printer 3, the “cont” switch is a switch for continuing an error, and the “ff” switch is an image that has been rendered halfway on the target printer 3 and accumulated. A switch for completing and printing, the “warm” switch, is a switch for releasing the power saving state of the target printer 3 and starting warm-up.

  Acquisition of information to be displayed on the display 301 or the lamp 303 from the target printer 3 or transmission of information indicating a user operation on the switch group 305 to the target printer 3 is performed by the control panel applet of the target printer 3. It is executed by communicating with the SNMP server 29.

  Further, a “refresh” button 307 is provided in the control panel window 300. When this button 307 is pressed, the display content of the control panel window 300 is updated to the content corresponding to the latest printer state. That is, the control panel applet accesses the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 to obtain the latest information at the time of activation or when the periodic check function is set at the periodic check for each set period. Even if the “refresh” button 307 is pressed, the latest status information is similarly acquired from the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 and the control panel window 300 is updated. The display content of the window 300 is updated.

  In the special print window 400, there are a “StatusSheet” button 401 for printing a status sheet on the target printer 3 and a “FontSample” button 403 for printing a font sample on the target printer 3. A command line 405 for inputting a command by a person and a “send” button 407 for sending the command to the target printer 3 are also provided mainly for debugging purposes.

  When the user operates the various buttons in the special print window 400, the information is transmitted to the target printer 3 by the special print applet communicating with the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3.

  In the job information window 500, a job list column 501 for displaying a list of all print jobs currently held by the target printer 3, and detailed information of one print job selected from the job list 501 are shown. A job detail field 521, a consumable information field 523 indicating consumables consumed by the selected job, and an error information field 525 indicating errors generated and resolved during the processing of the selected job. is there.

  In the job list column 501, the print job groups input from various host computers on the LAN to the target printer 3 from the past to the present include those that have already been printed and those that are currently waiting for processing. Listed. The contents of each job are displayed in each row of this column 501, and the contents include the ID number 503 uniquely assigned to each job by the target printer 3, and the side that sent each job to each job on the LPR protocol. ID code 505, reception state 507 indicating whether receiving (Receiving) or end of reception (Done), image generation state 509 indicating whether image generation processing is waiting (Waiting), image generation is in progress (Imaging), or image generation is complete (Done), Print status 511 indicating whether printing is waiting (Waiting), printing (Printing), or printing is completed (Done), the number of copies of each job, the total number of pages, the page number that is currently being printed, the page number that has been printed, or single-sided printing has been completed Includes surface information 513 such as the number of printed pages and the number of pages for which color printing has been completed.

  By looking at the job list column 501, the user of the host computer can grasp at a glance the processing progress status and the waiting status of the job that has entered the target printer 3 from the past to the present, and the job sent by himself / herself can be identified. It is possible to easily grasp the position in the job group. Therefore, if the job that the user has sent in the past has been received correctly, has already been printed, is not yet printed, is it waiting for processing, or is processing? It is possible to accurately grasp the job processing status such as whether it is in the image processing stage or printing. In addition, you can understand the processing amount of other jobs sent before the job you sent and the amount of processing such as the number of pages of that job, so how much time is left for your job waiting to be processed? It can be estimated fairly accurately whether it will be done or how much time will be printed. Also, if you are going to send a new job in the future, you can guess how long it will take from the time the job is sent to the completion of printing, so it is better to send the job to the target printer 3. You can also decide if you want to send it to the printer.

  The user can select an arbitrary job from the job list column 501 by clicking with the mouse. Then, more detailed information about the selected job can be viewed in the job details column 521, the consumables information column 523, and the error information column 525.

  That is, in the job details column 521, for one job selected in the job list column 501, the job ID (id), the name of the target printer 3 (Printer), the name of the host computer 5 (Machine), the host computer Login name on the side, that is, user name (User), printer driver name, that is, printer model name (Driver), priority of the job assigned on the host computer side (Priority), print date and time (Date), job identification on the printer driver screen, etc. User-entered custom character strings (Custom), dialog printer driver attribute information (PrintSetting), passwords assigned to jobs on the control panel (Password), and immediately after receiving a job Specification to hold printing without printing (Pending), specification to keep the job without discarding after printing (KeepJob), title (Title) given to the job by the user, document to be printed File name (File), the application that created the document to be printed (Application), the total number of copies (Quantity), the total number of printed pages (Pages), and the physical path of the communication path (that is, the communication protocol) sent from the host A channel (Physical Channel) and a logical channel (Logical Channel) of the same communication protocol are displayed.

  As for the communication protocol for sending a job, in the description so far, for the sake of simplicity, “Ethernet” is exemplified as a physical channel, and “LPR” and “AppleTalk” are exemplified as logical channels. You can use a wider variety of protocols. For example, in addition to “Ethernet”, “parallel”, “serial”, “USB”, and the like can be used as physical channels. As the logical channel, “FTP”, “Network”, “SMB”, etc. can be used in addition to “Apple Talk” and “LPR” in the case of “Ethernet”, and “1284.4” in the case of “Parallel”. Can be used.

  The consumable information column 523 displays the type and consumption of toner consumed up to now, the size and type of consumed paper, the number of sheets consumed, and the like for the job selected in the job list column 501. In the error information column 525, for the job selected in the job list column 501, the type of error that has been generated or canceled up to now, the distinction between occurrence or cancellation, the number of the surface where the error occurred, and the error occurred The part number is displayed.

  As described above, in the job information window 500, for each of all jobs submitted to the target printer 3 from the past to the present, the job transmission path such as the host computer or protocol that sent the job is specified, being received, or waiting for processing. You can get various information such as detailed processing progress such as image processing, printing, printing end, how many pages are currently printed, processing amount such as number of pages, consumption of consumables, error occurrence status, etc. it can. In particular, not only jobs waiting to be processed and jobs being processed, but also jobs that have already been printed are displayed with a print completion mark (Done), so the user can be sure whether or not their job has been printed. Can be recognized. In addition, since the information about the current processing waiting state and the job being processed is displayed in detail, it becomes possible to estimate to some extent exactly when each job will be completed. The contents of errors that occurred during the processing of each job are also known, so when there is an error cause in the contents of the job (for example, the amount of data in the document is too large) It becomes easy to take appropriate measures such as using a printer. Further, since the amount of consumables consumed for each job is also known, it becomes easy to manage consumables such as charging for each user according to the amount of consumables used.

  Further, in the job information window 500, the name and IP address display 526 of the target printer, the latest information of all jobs from the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 are acquired, and the above-described various fields 501, 521, 523, 525 are displayed. A “Refresh” button 527 for updating the contents to the latest information, and “Get Info” for updating the job details field 521 by acquiring the latest details from the SNMP server 29 for the job selected in the job list field 501. ”Button 529 and a“ Job Cancel ”button 531 for canceling the job selected in the job list column 501. When the “Job Cancel” button 531 is pressed, the target printer 3 discards the unprinted job portion at the time for the job being printed, and for the job waiting for printing, the entire job is deleted. Discard. As described above, the job information displayed in the job information window 500 allows the user to accurately estimate when the printing of the job he / she has sent will be completed to some extent. If the user waits too long, the “Job Cancel” button Appropriate measures can be taken, such as canceling the job using 531 and sending it to another printer.

  As described above, by using the job information window 500, highly accurate job management is possible.

  Information to be displayed in the various fields in the job information window 500 is acquired from the target printer 3 and information is exchanged with the target printer 3 when the user presses various buttons. It is executed by communicating with the SNMP server 29. As with the control panel applet already described, the job information applet accesses the SNMP server 29 of the target printer 3 at the time of activation or when the periodic check function is set, at the periodic check for each set period. Then, the latest information is acquired and the latest information is displayed in the job information window 500. Even at other times, if the “Refresh” button 527 or the “Get Info” button 529 is pressed, the target is obtained as described above. The latest job information is acquired from the SNMP server 29 of the printer 3 and the display content of the job information window 500 is updated.

  10 and 11 show examples of a JAVA applet window for printer management when the state of the target printer 3 is different from that in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, “Ready” is displayed on the message display 301 and the “online” lamp is lit. This indicates that the target printer 3 is in an online state, that is, a state in which the print engine is operating, so that printing can be performed immediately when a new job is input. On the other hand, in FIG. 10, “Offline” is displayed on the message display 301, the “online” lamp is turned off, and the “data” lamp is blinking. This means that the target printer 3 is in an offline state where the print engine is stopped, but is currently receiving a job. In FIG. 11, “Feed Jam” is displayed on the message display 301, the 90th job selected in the job list column 501 has a printing state of “Printing”, and the error information column 525 displays in order of occurrence. An error is displayed, and the last error is “Feed Jam”. This means that a paper jam has occurred during printing of the 90th job. Also, in FIG. 11, in the job list column 501, the 92nd and 93rd jobs have a printing status of “Waiting” and are waiting for printing, and the 94th job has an image creation status of “Imaging”. An image is being created.

  As described above, the host computer 5 manages the target printer 3 by downloading the JAVA applet of the management program from the target printer 3 selected by the user, and automatically starting and executing it. . Thereafter, if the user terminates the web browser 51 or jumps the web browser 51 to another URL (that is, terminates the JAVA applet), the host computer 5 moves the JAVA applet from within the host computer 5. Erase automatically.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this embodiment is an illustration for description of this invention to the last, and is not the meaning which limits this invention only to these Embodiment. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms other than the above-described embodiments without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the present invention can be applied not only to management of printers but also to management of other network constituent devices.

1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each printer 3 in this system. The block diagram which shows the function structure of each host computer 5 in this system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 is executing a JAVA applet for printer management. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer 5 when the host computer 5 downloads a JAVA applet of a printer management program from the printer 3 and executes it. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print dialog box displayed when the printer driver 49 is started up. 6 is a flowchart showing a communication procedure between the host computer 5 and the target printer 3 starting in step S6 in FIG. The figure which shows the menu screen for downloading a JAVA applet for a printer management program. The figure which shows the example of the window of the JAVA applet for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51. FIG. The figure which shows the example of the window of the JAVA applet for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51. FIG. The figure which shows the example of the window of the JAVA applet for printer management displayed in the window of the web browser 51. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 LAN
3 Printer 5 Host Computer 23 Printer Management Program Information 27 Printer MIB
51 Web browser 57 JAVA applet (printer control program)
300 Control panel window 400 Special print window 500 Job information window

Claims (9)

A plurality of managed devices, at least one management computer, and a communication network that enables communication between the managed device and the management computer,
Each of the managed devices is
A program that can be executed on the management computer and that is executed by the management computer so that the management computer can manage the device itself via the communication network. Management program holding means;
In response to a download request from the management computer, the management program transmission means for downloading the management program held in the management program holding means to the management computer through the communication network,
The management computer is
Target device selection means for selecting an arbitrary device from the management target devices;
Download request sending means for issuing the download request to the selected device;
A network management system comprising management program starting means for starting the management program downloaded from the selected device. The network management system according to claim 1, wherein the management program is a type of program that is automatically deleted from the management computer when the execution thereof is completed. In each of the managed devices,
The management program holding means holds a plurality of types of management programs having different management purposes,
Program type notifying means for notifying the download request transmitting means of the management computer of what kind of management program is held by the management program holding means before it issues the download request. Provided,
The management program transmission means, when receiving the download request from the download request transmission means of the management computer, selects the type of management program specified in the download request and downloads it to the management computer,
The download request transmission unit of the management computer causes the user to select a desired program type from the program types notified from the program type notification unit of the management target device, and the user selects the program type selected by the user The network management system according to claim 1, wherein the network management system is configured to designate and send the download request to the managed device. The management computer executes the management program,
Information display means for displaying information on predetermined items of the management target device on the display screen of the management computer;
When receiving an update request from a user, the latest information of the predetermined item of the managed device is acquired from the managed device through the network, and the information displayed by the information display unit is updated to the latest information. The network management system according to claim 1, further comprising information updating means. At least one of the management target devices is a printer that receives a print job from a host device on the communication network and performs image creation processing and print processing of the created image,
The management computer executes the management program downloaded from the printer,
On the display screen of the management computer, for each of the print jobs received by the printer from the past to the present, the following (1) to (4)
(1) Progress status of each print job reception process, image creation process and print process,
(2) Host device and communication path of each print job source,
(3) Consuming status of consumables for each print job, and (4) Job information display means for displaying information indicating at least one of the contents of errors occurring in relation to each print job. The network management system according to claim 1. Each of the management target devices is managed by a system including a plurality of management target devices, at least one management computer, and a communication network that enables communication between the management target device and the management computer. In the way to
Each of the devices to be managed is a program that can be executed on the management computer, and the management computer executes the program so that the management computer can manage the device itself via the communication network. Holding a management program for
The management computer selecting an arbitrary device from the managed devices; and
The management computer issuing a download request to the management target device selected in the step;
The management target device selected by the management computer downloads the management program held by the device to the management computer through the communication network in response to a download request from the management computer;
And a step of managing the selected device by the management computer executing the management program downloaded from the selected device.
In managed devices that can communicate with a management computer over a communication network,
A program that can be executed on the management computer and that is executed by the management computer so that the management computer can manage the device itself via the communication network. Management program holding means;
A management target device comprising management program transmission means for downloading the management program held in the management program holding means to the management computer through the communication network in response to a download request from the management computer. In a management computer that manages multiple managed devices through a communication network,
Target device selection means for selecting an arbitrary device from the plurality of devices to be managed;
A download means for downloading a management program held in advance by the selected managed device from the selected managed device;
Executing means for managing the selected device to be managed by executing the management program downloaded from the selected device;
A management computer comprising: erasure means for erasing the management program from the management computer after the management program is terminated. In order to provide a computer with a web browser with a function for managing a plurality of managed devices through a communication network,
Selecting an arbitrary device from the plurality of devices to be managed;
A computer recording a program for causing the computer to execute a step of causing the web browser to access a selected managed device and downloading a management program held in advance by the selected managed device A readable recording medium.

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