JP2010218086A - Function management device, function management system, their function management method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system that makes effective use of other devices present within a network when a function or print data not supported by the device selected is indicated. <P>SOLUTION: A printer driver includes a function acquisition unit 101 which receives, from a device connected thereto via a network, information about functions that the device has; a function management table 102 for storing function provision information in association with the address of the device; and a processing transmission unit 103 which refers to the function management table 102 when receiving a processing request and transfers the processing request (print job) to the device having the function, if it does not have the function included in the processing request. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a function management device, a function management system, a function management method, and a program for sharing functions with other devices.

  Printers and multifunction devices have different functions. Therefore, it is necessary to specify a device having a desired function and make a processing request to a printer or a multi-function peripheral connected via a network.

  Thus, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing high-performance functions of an inexpensive printer with few functions by performing distributed processing with a server or the like on functions that the printer does not have.

  Also, in Patent Document 2, print data is passed from a client printer to a server device connected via a network capable of executing a desired process, and the process is executed. An invention for receiving data and printing is disclosed.

  However, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when print data is output, the print data must be transferred to another device to perform the function and then returned to the client printer. Therefore, when the image data capacity is large, long-time communication is required.

  Further, if the client printer is enhanced so that all functions are provided from the beginning, a large capacity is required for this purpose, and it is not preferable from the viewpoint of cost that the same function is duplicated in a network provided with a plurality of devices.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to share and use functions existing in a network.

  In order to solve the above problems, a function management apparatus according to the present invention stores function information receiving means for receiving information on functions of a device from a device connected via a network, and stores the function information in association with the address of the device. A function information storage means, and a request transmission means for referring to the function information storage means and transmitting a processing request to a device having a function included in the processing request when the function included in the processing request is not provided by itself. It is characterized by providing.

  The function management system according to the present invention includes an information processing apparatus connected to each other via a network, a function management apparatus that distributes a processing request from the information processing apparatus, and a plurality of processes that receive a processing request from the function management apparatus and perform processing. The information processing apparatus includes a processing request unit that transmits a processing request to the function management apparatus, and the function management apparatus is included in the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus. The function information receiving means for receiving the function information, the function information storing means for storing the function information in association with the address of the image forming apparatus, and the function included in the processing request with reference to the function information storing means. A request transmission unit that transmits a processing request to a device having a function included in the processing request when the image forming apparatus does not include the processing request. A request processing means for processing the processing according to the request performed that, and having a.

  The function management method of the function management apparatus according to the present invention includes a function information receiving step for receiving information on a function of a device from a device connected via a network, and a function for storing the function information in association with the address of the device. A request transmission for transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the information storing step and the stored function information and address refer to the function included in the processing request. And a step.

  According to the function management method of the function management system of the present invention, a processing request step for transmitting a processing request to the function management apparatus by the information processing apparatus and information on the function of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus by the function management apparatus are received. The function information receiving step, the function information storing step for storing the function information in association with the address of the image forming apparatus, and the function included in the processing request by referring to the stored function information and address. A request transmission step for transmitting a processing request to a device having a function included in the processing request, and a request processing step for performing processing according to the processing request in the request transmission step by the image forming apparatus.

  Further, the program according to the present invention includes a function information receiving process for receiving information on a function of a device from a device connected via a network, a function information storing process for storing the function information in association with the address of the device, and a storage A request transmission process for transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function does not include the function included in the processing request by referring to the function information and address. It is made to perform.

  Further, the program according to the present invention includes a processing request process for transmitting a processing request to the function management apparatus by the information processing apparatus, a function information reception process for receiving function information of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus by the function management apparatus, Included in the processing request when the function information storing process for storing the function information in association with the address of the image forming apparatus and the function included in the processing request is referred to by referring to the stored function information and address. The computer is caused to execute request transmission processing for transmitting a processing request to a device having a function to be performed and request processing processing for performing processing in accordance with a processing request by a request transmission processing by an image forming apparatus.

  According to the present invention, functions existing in a network can be shared and output from other devices.

It is a block diagram of the function management system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a configuration diagram of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a function management table. It is a figure which shows the initial processing flow at the time of network connection. It is a figure which shows the processing flow when the multifunctional device which concerns on embodiment of this invention is connected to the network. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a printing process flow of the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a printing process flow of the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a printer driver.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a function management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This function management system includes a plurality of client PCs 1, 2, 3, a multifunction machine 4, and a plurality of printers 5, 6.

  A printer driver is installed in each client PC 1, 2, 3. The printer driver generates a print job, and transmits the generated print job to the printers 5, 6.

  The multifunction device 4 possesses the functions of the own device and the functions of other devices (client PC and printer), determines the functions that are not held by the own device and can be used by other devices, and uses the functions When printing, print data is transmitted and executed.

  Each printer has a function of notifying the multifunction device 4 of the functions owned by the printer, and performs processing according to print data and processing transmitted from the multifunction device 4.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a multifunction peripheral having a print mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention. The MFP includes an HDD 11, a host I / F (interface) 12, a ROM 13, a network I / F 14, a USB I / F 15, a function management table 16, an engine 17, a panel I / F 18, and a CPU 19. , NVRAM 20, communication unit 21, and image conversion unit 22.

  The HDD 11 and the ROM 13 store programs for controlling the entire multifunction machine, and these are expanded in the NVRAM 20 and processed by the CPU 19 as necessary.

  The engine 17 is a unit that controls the central function of the printer operation. For example, the most mechanical operation such as laser light irradiation to the photosensitive member, transfer paper transfer operation, or control of the transfer unit and the heat fixing unit. The part near to is controlled. Therefore, the engine 17 has a program dedicated to these controls and has a CPU independent of the CPU 19.

  The panel I / F 18 is an interface with a panel that functions as a display unit, and notifies the user of processing or receives input from the user.

  The image conversion unit 22 is a functional unit that performs image conversion such as compression and filter processing of read image data and received image data.

  The network I / F 14 is an interface for performing mutual communication of data with other devices. In the present embodiment, a system is constructed by a LAN based on Ethernet (registered trademark) as an interface for mutual communication.

  The USB I / F 15 is an interface for performing data communication with the USB device 24.

  The function management table 16 holds the functions of the own device in advance and the functions of other devices connected in the network. Note that the function information of other devices is stored in association with the addresses of the devices. That is, the function management table 16 acquires and stores all function information of the device from other devices connected in the network. In addition, when another function has the same function as the function of the own device, the storage capacity can be reduced by not storing the same function of other devices.

  The communication unit 21 transmits and receives data via the public line 25.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine includes a function acquisition unit 101, a function management table 102, and a process transmission unit 103.

  The function acquisition unit 101 acquires functions of other devices and stores functions that can be expanded by the own device in the function management table 102.

  The process transmitting unit 103 refers to the information stored in the function management table 102 from the print process request received by itself, and determines that the other apparatus has a function that can respond to the print process request. Transmits a print processing request to another apparatus having the function and entrusts the processing. At this time, another device that has received the print processing request performs processing using the function of itself according to the print processing request, and outputs it.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the function management table 16. It is assumed that an ID of a function that can be provided and an I / F specification for providing the function are defined in advance.

  In the function management table 16, IDs of functions that are owned by the own device and that can be provided to other devices are registered. In addition, the function ID and the destination address of the other machine that can be obtained from the other machine are registered.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment of the present invention is connected to the network.

  When the power is turned on or connected to the network, a device capable of sharing functions on the network is searched (step S11).

  The found device is notified of entry, and a request is made to notify the function possessed by the device (step S12).

  The function information from the request destination is received, and among the received function information, the function ID and the destination address are registered in the management table for the function information that the own device does not hold (step S13).

  In addition, when the MFP according to the present embodiment is provided in a plurality of networks, the functions that can be provided thereafter are notified to the other party who has notified the function information. good. At this time, the partner apparatus receives the transmitted function information and stores it in its own function management table.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of another apparatus when the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment is newly connected to the network.

  A request for notifying the possessed function is received from the MFP connected to the network (step S21).

  A function that can be provided by the own machine is notified to the multifunction machine that has made the possessed function notification request (step S22).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart when the MFP having no copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function sends a processing request to another apparatus to perform printing processing. In the function management table, it is assumed that functions of other devices provided in the network are stored in advance.

  In response to a function inquiry from a client PC that intends to use the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, the function management table is referred to notify the function possessed by itself and the function that can be provided from other devices (step S31).

  A print job (and print data) is received from the client PC (step S32), and it is confirmed from the information included in the print job whether the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function is possessed by itself (step S33).

  If it is held by itself, the process is executed and output as it is (step S35). On the other hand, if the device is not provided, the print job (and print data) received from the client PC is transmitted to the other device serving as the function providing destination with reference to the function management table (step). S34).

  The other apparatus performs printing after performing predetermined processing using the received print job.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart in another embodiment when the MFP having no copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function in the embodiment of the present invention uses the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function of another device.

  In response to a function inquiry from a client PC that intends to use the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, a function held by the own device in the function management table and a function that can be provided from another device are notified (step S41).

  A print job is received from the client PC (step S42), and it is confirmed whether the print job includes a function not owned by the own machine (step S43). In this example, it is assumed that a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern printing function which is not owned by the own machine is included.

  Print image data is generated, and a tint block embedding request is made to the address of the tint block function providing destination in the function management table (step S44).

  It is determined whether or not the processing request to the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function providing destination is successful (step S45). If the request is not successful because the power is off, the process ends as an error (step S46).

  Another apparatus performs printing after performing a predetermined process using the received print job.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the printer driver in the embodiment of the present invention.

  An inquiry about the functions possessed is made to the printer (step S51). The function information is received, and the function contents are reflected on the user interface (UI) on the driver (step S52). Printing is executed and a print job is transmitted to the printer (step S53).

  The convenience of the user is improved by installing a common model driver of any model instead of a general printer driver depending on the model of the printer / MFP on each client PC. For example, if the device 1 has a mail transmission and image compression function, the device 2 has a hard disk storage and address book DB function, and the device 3 has a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern and FAX transmission function, the model common driver On the print setting screen, the functions of mail transmission, image compression, hard disk storage, address book DB, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern, and FAX transmission are set. This eliminates the need for the user to check which device has which function, and it is only necessary to set a desired function on the print setting screen. When mail transmission, hard disk storage, and copy-forgery-inhibited pattern functions are set, the print job is transmitted to the device 3, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern processing is performed, then transmitted to the device 2, and saved to the hard disk. Then, it is sent to the device 1 and sent by mail.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention, each information device existing in the same network notifies other devices of the functions that the information devices have, and can be shared. In order to notify the user of the functions that can be used in the network as their own functions, if there is a high-performance information device on the same network, the same function can be realized with a low-function information device on the same network. Can do.

  In addition, it can be expected that all devices on the network realize all functions of the devices on the network.

  An information device connected to the network notifies all devices on the network of its own function, and at the same time, permits other devices to use the function. Since the information device connected to the network stores the notified function in its own function management table and manages it as its own function, each information device can be expanded in function.

  Further, according to the embodiment of the present invention, each device connected to the network provides its own function, so that it is possible to perform high-performance processing with an inexpensive information device on the network without adding a special device. Can be realized.

  In addition, since each device connected to the network notifies the function of its own device to the other device, the device on the network can grasp the function information of the other device.

  Moreover, since the use of the function notified to each device by each device on the network is permitted, the function of the other device on the network can be used.

  In addition, since functions notified from other devices on the network are registered in the management table, the functions of other devices can be managed.

  In addition, since the functions managed in the function management table are reflected on the operation panel, the functions available to the user can be grasped.

  In addition, since the possessed function is notified in response to the function inquiry from the client PC, a function that can be used by the client PC can be acquired.

  In addition, since the software on the client PC PC reflects the notified function on the UI, it is possible to grasp the functions available to the user.

  Moreover, the said effect is acquired using an information processing apparatus by providing on an information processing apparatus.

  Moreover, the said effect is acquired using PC software by providing on PC software.

  In addition, by providing software in a storage medium, the above effects can be obtained using the storage medium.

  Although the embodiments have been described above, various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments and specific examples without departing from the broad scope and scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

1,2,3 Client PC
4 MFP 5, 6 Printer 101 Function Acquisition Unit 102 Function Management Table 103 Processing Transmitter

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175295 Japanese Patent No. 3697871

Claims (10)

Function information receiving means for receiving information on functions of the device from devices connected via a network;
Function information storage means for storing the function information in association with the device address;
A request transmission unit that refers to the function information storage unit and transmits the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function does not include the function included in the processing request; A function management device characterized by the above.   The function management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies information on a function stored in the function information storage unit and information on a function of the function information storage unit.   The function management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information on a function of the device is acquired when the power is turned on, and the function information is stored together with an address of the device.   4. The function management according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether the function information is a function possessed by itself, and information on a function not possessed by the function is stored. apparatus.   5. The function management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after storing by the function information storage unit, information on a function of the device itself is transmitted to another device connected via a network. An information processing apparatus connected to each other via a network; a function management apparatus that distributes processing requests from the information processing apparatus; and a plurality of image forming apparatuses that receive and process the processing requests from the function management apparatus; A function management system comprising:
The information processing apparatus includes:
Processing request means for transmitting a processing request to the function management device;
The function management device includes:
Function information receiving means for receiving information on functions of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus;
Function information storage means for storing the function information in association with the address of the image forming apparatus;
Request transmission means for referring to the function information storage means and transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function does not include the function included in the processing request. ,
The image forming apparatus includes:
Request processing means for performing processing in accordance with a processing request from the request transmission means. A function information receiving step of receiving information on the function of the device from a device connected via a network;
A function information storage step for storing the function information in association with the device address;
A request transmission step of referring to the stored function information and address and transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function does not include the function included in the processing request. A function management method for a function management apparatus, comprising: A processing request step for transmitting a processing request to the function management device by the information processing device;
A function information receiving step for receiving information on functions of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus by the function management apparatus;
A function information storage step for storing the function information in association with an address of the image forming apparatus;
A request transmission step of referring to the stored function information and address and transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function included in the processing request is not included in itself.
A function management method for a function management system, comprising: a request processing step for performing processing according to a processing request in the request transmission step by the image forming apparatus. A function information receiving process for receiving information on the function of the device from a device connected via a network;
A function information storage process for storing the function information in association with the address of the device;
A request transmission process of referring to the stored function information and address and transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function does not include the function included in the processing request; A program to be executed by a computer. Processing request processing for transmitting a processing request to the function management device by the information processing device; and
A function information receiving process for receiving information on functions of the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus by the function management apparatus;
A function information storing process for storing the function information in association with an address of the image forming apparatus;
A request transmission process for referring to the stored function information and address and transmitting the processing request to a device having the function included in the processing request when the function included in the processing request is not provided by itself.
A program that causes a computer to execute request processing that performs processing according to a processing request by the request transmission processing by the image forming apparatus.

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