JP2009093361A - Control device and control method for distributed processing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an environment for temporarily installing/executing an application for distributed processing in a sub-device as necessary by defining a sub-handle and a sub-license. <P>SOLUTION: A control method for distributed processing includes: a step for accepting an instruction; and a step for controlling the other device to execute required processing to be performed in response to an instruction accepted by the acceptance step, and the control step includes: transmitting a program for installing the required application to the other device in the case of making the other device execute the processing in the other device to the other device; and transmitting a license to permit the other device to execute the application to the other device by adding the license to the program. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for installing and executing an application on an application platform of a multifunction device (hereinafter, MFP) or a single function printer (hereinafter, SFP). In particular, the present invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for distributing a processing load by dynamically distributing applications on a plurality of devices as necessary.

  In recent years, devices such as MFPs and SFPs have been provided with an application execution environment represented by a Java (registered trademark) environment. If you develop a program that runs in that environment, you can create an application that uses the functions provided by the device. Functions that end users desire other than the applications such as copy, scan, send, and print that are provided by the device as a standard can be freely developed as an application by manufacturers that make products that support devices from other companies. it can. The application can be installed and executed on the device. For the purpose of selling and distributing an application, a license is generally required to install the application on a device. The reason is that the application is not distributed indefinitely and it is desired to charge a license fee for the distribution of the application.

JP 2005-208935 A

  Assume that one of a plurality of devices (hereinafter referred to as “main device”) is executing an application. In normal times, the processing of this application can be sufficiently processed by the processing capability of the main device. However, if there is a large amount of data to be processed or if there are a large number of print jobs, the entire processing time can be achieved by using distributed resources using resources from other devices (hereinafter referred to as “subdevices”). Is shortened and has great benefits for the user. Here, the distributed processing means that the main device shares a part of the processing that should be originally performed with the sub device and executes the processing together with the sub device. As a distributed processing method, for example, the same application as that being executed on the main device may be installed and executed in advance on the sub-device, and a plurality of devices may cooperate to perform processing when the processing is distributed. It is done. However, in general, MFPs or SFPs are equipped with a minimum amount of resources such as HDDs and memories in order to keep manufacturing costs low. Therefore, the above-described method of preinstalling and executing an application that is not normally used on a sub device in advance for performing distributed processing consumes part of the resources of the sub device normally. There is. Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for installing, executing, and uninstalling an application on a sub-device on demand only during distributed processing.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which the server side checks the number of licenses and automatically installs only software necessary for the client terminal in order not to use the storage area of the client terminal wastefully. This prior art takes the form of a so-called floating license, and an equivalent license is given to any client terminal.

  As described above, when it is desired to distribute the processing of the main device to the sub-devices, it is necessary to distinguish between a regular license for an application that is constantly executed on the main device and a license dedicated to temporary installation at the time of distributed processing. This is because the resource usage of the sub device is limited so as not to be used without limitation, or the fee can be charged for the resource usage of the sub device. However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since an equivalent license is only given to each client terminal, there is a problem that a license cannot be granted in consideration of temporary installation and temporary use during distributed processing. Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to provide a license exclusively for temporary installation during distributed processing.

  The control device according to the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives a command, and a control unit that controls the other device to execute a process that needs to be performed by the command received by the receiving unit. A program for installing an application necessary for causing another device to execute the program to the other device is transmitted to the other device.

  The control method of the present invention includes a step of accepting an instruction, and a step of controlling another apparatus to execute a process that needs to be performed by the instruction accepted in the accepting step. A program for installing an application necessary for causing the device to be executed on the other device is transmitted to the other device.

  The computer-readable recording medium of the present invention causes a computer to execute a step of receiving an instruction and a step of controlling another apparatus to execute a process that needs to be performed by the instruction received in the receiving step. The computer-readable recording medium having the program recorded therein, the step of controlling transmits a program for installing an application necessary for causing the other device to execute processing to the other device to the other device. It is characterized by doing.

  A program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute a step of receiving an instruction and a step of controlling another apparatus to execute a process that needs to be performed by the instruction received in the step of receiving. The controlling step is characterized in that a program for installing an application necessary for causing another device to execute the process to be transmitted to the other device is transmitted to the other device.

  According to the present invention, by defining sub-bundles and sub-licenses, it is possible to provide an environment in which an application for distributed processing is temporarily installed and executed on a sub-device only when necessary. This eliminates the need to previously install the application on the subdevice. Further, since the resource is released by uninstalling the sub-bundle at the end of distributed processing, the resources of the sub-device can be effectively used in normal times.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to distinguish between a regular license for an application that is always executed and a sublicense dedicated to temporary installation, and therefore, it is possible to provide a mechanism capable of charging a fee for resource usage of a subdevice.

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

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a group of devices that can communicate with each other via a network.

  In FIG. 1, reference numerals 101, 102, and 103 denote devices such as MFPs or SFPs. These devices provide various functions such as printing, scanning, network communication, job storage, and FAX. Each device transmits and receives data to and from each other via the network 104.

  The MFP includes an automatic document feeder (feeder), a scanner unit, a paper feed unit, a fixing unit, a paper discharge unit, a finishing device, a paper discharge tray, and the like. The SFP is a single-function printer that is not equipped with a feeder, a scanner unit, or the like.

  The device includes an operation unit (including a display screen) that provides a UI, a network interface unit, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an HDD that store programs and data. There is also an inexpensive device that includes a nonvolatile memory instead of the HDD.

  FIG. 2 is a software configuration diagram in the main device 101.

  The OS 201 loads a program from a ROM or HDD included in the device into the RAM, and causes the CPU to execute the program.

  Reference numeral 202 denotes a platform that can execute an additional application. A platform is an environment that serves as a basis for running applications. The platform 202 includes, for example, a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine and a library group. Developers can easily develop applications that run on this platform using a specific programming language.

  The controller 203 controls some functions depending on hardware such as device-specific printing / scanning.

  Reference numeral 204 denotes a bundle management service. A bundle management service is a type of application that is already built on the platform. Here, among the applications that can be executed on the platform 202, an application that is always executed is referred to as a service, and an application that is installed and executed as necessary is referred to as an application. When the bundle management service 204 receives the bundle 205 and the license 206 that are a set of program modules, the bundle management service 204 checks the validity of the license and then installs the program module in the bundle 205 via the platform 202. When the program module installed by the bundle management service 204 is activated, the program module is executed as an application 207 on the platform 202. The bundle management service 204 is responsible for life cycle management such as installation, activation, termination, and uninstallation of additional applications.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an application installation module 301 that can be installed in the main device 101 in consideration of distributed processing.

  Assume that a main device in which an application is always executed is 101, and a sub device in which the application is temporarily installed and executed only during distributed processing is 102. The main bundle 302 is a set of program modules executed by the main device 101. When the installation module 301 is installed in the main device 101, the program module of the main bundle 302 becomes executable. When installing the main bundle in the main device 101, the main license 303 is used to check the validity of the main bundle installation.

  The sub-bundle 304 is a set of program modules executed by the sub-device. The sub-bundle 304 includes an application executed on the sub-device and a program for installing the application on the sub-device.

  305, 306, and 307 are sublicenses dedicated to temporary installation during distributed processing, and are used when installing a subbundle on a subdevice. That is, if there is no sublicense, the subbundle cannot be installed in the subdevice, and the application cannot be executed. The sub license is a license necessary for executing the application, and is a license necessary for installing the sub bundle.

  Note that an application installed on the main device and an application installed on the sub device differ in the following points.

  When the execution of the process is finished, the application of the main device 101 is configured to display that on the display screen of the main device. On the other hand, the application of the sub device 102 is not configured to display this on the display screen of the sub device 102 even when execution of processing to be performed by the sub device 102 is completed.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the description contents of the sub-bundle manifest and sub-license.

  The manifest 401 describes various information when the sub-bundle 404 operates as an application. Reference numeral 402 denotes an identifier indicating that the bundle type is a sub-bundle. Reference numeral 403 denotes a unique ID for specifying an application. Reference numerals 404 and 405 represent the sizes of the memory area and the file area required for the installation and execution of this sub-bundle. Reference numerals 406, 407, and 408 denote lists of identifiers indicating which functions of the device are used when this sub-bundle is executed as an application on the device. Reference numerals 406 to 408 describe the use of a color printing function, a PDF direct printing function, and a stapling function.

  In the sublicense 411, information 412 to 414 is described. Reference numeral 412 denotes an identifier indicating that this license is a license for a sub-bundle. Reference numeral 413 denotes a unique ID for specifying the licensed application. Reference numeral 414 denotes a serial ID for managing license issuance.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the flow of instructions in the main device and sub-device during distributed processing.

  Reference numerals 501a and 501b denote distributed processing execution assist services, which are responsible for API calls related to distributed processing from each application and event notification related to distributed processing to each application.

  In the main device 101, the installation module 301 has been installed, and the application 503a is being executed by the main bundle 302 and the main license 303. During this time, the unused sub-bundle 304 and the sub-licenses 305 to 307 are held in a storage area such as an HDD by the bundle management service 204.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the main device and sub-device during distributed processing.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the flow of processing executed by each of the main device 101 and the sub device 102 during distributed processing will be described.

  The main device 101 is executing the application 503a (S601).

The main device 101 (accepting means) starts executing the application 503a in the following cases.
A command instructing to perform processing to be performed by the application 503a is input to the main device 101 from another apparatus, and the main device 101 receives the command.
A command instructing to perform processing to be performed by the application 503a is input from the user to the main device 101, and the main device 101 receives the command.
A command instructing to perform processing to be performed by the application 503a is generated in the main device 101, and the main device 101 recognizes the command.

  The main device 101 determines whether a case requiring distributed processing such as a case where a large amount of data has to be processed has occurred during execution of the application 503a (S602).

  If it is determined that a case requiring distributed processing has occurred, the application 503a calls an API to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a. Upon receiving the API call, the distributed processing execution assist service 501a inquires all the sub-devices in the same segment about the mounting capacity, the surplus resources, and the job status (S603).

  A segment is a set of devices grouped according to a certain rule, such as a segment separated by a network or a group composed of a plurality of devices.

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501b of the subdevice 102 returns an answer to the above inquiry to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a (S604).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a that has received the response refers to the necessary memory area 404 and file area 405 and the necessary installed functions 406 to 408 described in the manifest 401 of the sub-bundle 304. Next, the distributed processing execution assist service 501a determines whether or not there are subdevices (subdevices capable of distributed processing) that satisfy all of these conditions (S605).

  In making this determination, even if the device satisfies all the above conditions, the sub-device in which the job status at that time is congested may be excluded from the target of distributed processing.

  When the distributed processing execution assist service 501a determines that there is a sub-device capable of distributed processing, the distributed processing execution assist service 501a allows the user to select whether or not to execute the distributed processing of the application 503a on the sub-device. Specifically, the distributed processing execution assist service 501a displays on the operation unit a display screen (confirmation screen) for allowing the user to select whether or not to execute the distributed processing (S606).

  The main device 101 determines whether to execute distributed processing according to the selection by the user (S607).

  Note that it may be configured to automatically determine whether to execute the distributed processing without depending on the user's selection. For example, the processing may be forcibly distributed to idle sub-devices.

  When it is determined to execute the distributed processing, the distributed processing execution assist service 501a of the main device 101 transmits the sub-bundle 304 and the sublicense 305 to the distributed processing execution assist service 501b of the sub device 102 (S608). By transmitting the sub-bundle 304, a program for installing in the sub-device 102 an application necessary for causing the sub-device 102 to execute processing that needs to be performed by an instruction is transmitted. In addition, transmission of the sublicense 305 transmits a license for permitting the subdevice 102 to use the necessary application. That is, the main device 101 has means for controlling the sub device 102 (another apparatus) to execute processing that needs to be performed according to the received instruction. Then, the controlling means transmits to the sub device 102 a program for installing an application necessary for causing the sub device 102 to execute the processing.

  When receiving the sub-bundle 304 and the sub-license 305, the distributed processing execution assist service 501b of the sub-device 102 performs installation and activation using the bundle management service 502b (S609). As a result, the program module of the sub-bundle 304 is being executed on the sub-device 102 as the application 503b.

  When the bundle management service 502b is successfully installed and activated, the bundle management service 502b transmits an application activation event to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a via the distributed processing execution assist service 501b (S610).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a passes the received application activation event to the application 503a (S611).

  Upon receiving the application activation event, the application 503a transmits the distributed processing data to be assigned to the sub device 102 to the sub device 102 via the distributed processing execution assist service 501a (S612). Here, the distributed processing data is data necessary for executing a certain process by the sub device 102. A certain process is a part or all of a process that needs to be performed by an accepted instruction. In addition, after transmitting the distributed processing data, the application 503a transmits a distributed processing start instruction to the sub device 102 (S612).

  Upon receiving the distributed processing data and the distributed processing start instruction, the distributed processing execution assist service 501b issues a distributed processing start instruction to the application 503b (S613). Receiving the start instruction, the application 503b executes distributed processing. When the application 503b finishes the distributed process, the application 503b transmits a distributed process end event to the distributed process execution assist service 501a via the distributed process execution assist service 501b (S614).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a passes the received end event to the application 503a (S615). The application 503a that has received the end event confirms that the process assigned to the sub device 102 has ended normally.

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501b uninstalls the sub-bundle 304 using the handle management service 502b. The distributed processing execution assist service 501b returns the sublicense to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a (S616).

  Further, the license fee when the subdevice uses the sublicense is applied as the license fee of the main license stored in the main device that sent the sublicense to the subdevice.

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a collects the returned license (S617).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the main device 101 and the sub device 102 when an error occurs in the application 503b of the sub device 102 during distributed processing.

  Assume that an error has occurred in the application 503b of the subdevice 102 during the execution of distributed processing (S701).

  The application 503b transmits an error end event to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a via the distributed processing execution assist service 501b (S702).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a notifies the received end event to the application 503a (S703).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501b uses the bundle management service 502b to stop the application 503b, uninstall the sub-bundle, and return the sub license to the distributed processing execution assist service 501a (S704).

  The distributed processing execution assist service 501a collects the returned license and returns it to a usable state again (S705).

  The application 503a that has received the error end event determines whether to transfer data that has not been processed by the subdevice 102 (unprocessed data) to another subdevice (S706).

  If the application 503a determines not to transfer to another sub-device, the application 503a itself processes the unprocessed data (S711).

  When transferring to another sub device, the main device 101 makes an inquiry to the sub device in the same manner as in step S603 of FIG. 6 (S707).

  The main device 101 determines whether there is a sub-device that can execute the distributed processing, as in S605 of FIG. 6 (S708). If the main device 101 determines that there is no sub-device capable of performing distributed processing, the main device 101 itself processes unprocessed data (S711).

  If the main device 101 determines that there is a sub-device 103 capable of performing distributed processing, it transmits the sub-bundle and sub-license to the sub-device 103 as in S608 of FIG. 6 (S709).

  The sub device 103 performs distributed processing in the same manner as the processing of S609 to S616 in FIG. 6 (S710).

(Other examples)
The present invention can also be achieved by mounting a recording medium on which a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded in a system or apparatus, and a computer such as the system reads and executes the program code from the recording medium. . The recording medium is a computer-readable recording medium. In this case, the program code read from the recording medium itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the recording medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Further, based on the instruction of the program code, an operating system (OS) running on the computer may perform part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the processing. In addition, after the program code read from the recording medium is written to the function expansion card or function expansion unit of the computer, the function expansion card or the like performs part or all of the processing based on the instruction of the program code. The embodiments described above may be implemented.

  When the present invention is applied to the recording medium, the recording medium stores program codes corresponding to the flowcharts described above.

It is a block diagram of the device group which can communicate mutually via a network. It is a software block diagram in a main device. It is a block diagram of the installation module of the application which can be installed in a main device when the distributed processing is considered. It is a figure which shows the description content of the manifest of a subbundle, and a sublicense. It is a figure for demonstrating the flow of the instruction | indication in the main device at the time of a distributed process, and a subdevice. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which a main device and a subdevice perform at the time of a distributed process. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed by a main device and a sub device when an error occurs in an application of a sub device during distributed processing.

Explanation of symbols

101, 102, 103 Device 104 Network 201 OS
202 Platform 203 Controller 204 Bundle Management Service 205 Bundle 206 License 207 Application 301 Install Module 302 Main Bundle 303 Main License 304 Sub Bundle 305, 306, 307 Sub License 401 Manifest 402 Bundle Type Identifier 403 Application ID
404, 405 Required resource capacity 406, 407, 408 Required function list 411 Sublicense 412 Bundle type identifier 413 Application ID
414 License serial ID
501a, 501b Distributed processing execution assist service 502b Bundle management service 503a Application (corresponding to main bundle)
503b Application (supports sub-bundle)

Claims (9)

An accepting means for accepting orders;
Control means for controlling the other apparatus to execute processing that has been required to be performed by the instruction received by the receiving means,
The control device transmits to the other device a program for installing an application necessary for causing the other device to execute the processing on the other device.   The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits a license for allowing the other device to execute the application to the other device in addition to the program. The control device also has a license,
3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the license transmitted by the control unit to the other apparatus is a license that allows temporary use, unlike a license that the control apparatus has. The control device also has an application necessary to execute the processing by itself,
The application can display a display screen for allowing the user to confirm that the process has been completed when the process is completed, unlike an application necessary for causing another apparatus to execute the process. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is a control device.   The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the other apparatus does not display a message for confirming that the process is completed when the execution of the process is completed.   The license fee when the other device uses the license that is allowed to be temporarily used is the license fee of the license stored in the control device that sent the license to the other device. The control device according to claim 3, wherein Receiving a command;
Controlling to cause another device to execute the process that has been required to be performed by the instruction received in the step of receiving,
The control step includes transmitting to the other device a program for installing an application necessary for causing the other device to execute the processing on the other device. On the computer,
Receiving a command;
A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing a process for controlling another apparatus to execute a process that needs to be performed by the instruction received in the receiving step,
The step of controlling transmits to the other device a program for installing an application necessary for causing the other device to execute the process to the other device. Medium. On the computer,
Receiving a command;
A program for performing control to cause another apparatus to execute processing that needs to be performed by the instruction received in the step of receiving,
The controlling step transmits to the other device a program for installing an application necessary for causing the other device to execute the process on the other device.

Images