JP2011022888A - Incorporation program and incorporation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow an advantageous setting for a control program in incorporating the control program of a processor into a computer when there exists a setting more advantageous to a user than the setting currently used in the processor. <P>SOLUTION: An installer acquires setting information from an image forming device. The installer also acquires information on the type of an optional device indicating what type of optional device is currently installed in the image forming device in an add-on fashion (Step S3). It is determined from this information whether a setting advantageous to a user, which cannot be established when an optional device does not exist, but can be established when the optional device exists, is available (Step S4). The user is asked as to how a printer driver, etc. are to be set through a message displayed on a display device (Step S5). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an embedded program and an embedded apparatus.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a technique for transferring setting information from one printer to another printer in a network environment.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 discloses a technique for transferring setting information from an existing printer driver that uses the same port to a new printer driver by replacing the printer driver.

JP 2004-160950 A JP 2006-107476 A

  An object of the present invention is to enable a program related to a processing device to be set to the advantageous setting when the program related to the processing device is incorporated in a computer when there is a setting advantageous to the user than the setting currently performed in the processing device. That is.

  The invention according to claim 1 is advantageous in that it can be executed by the processing device based on a built-in unit that incorporates a program related to the processing device into a computer, an acquisition unit that acquires the setting of the processing device, and a setting acquired by the acquisition unit. Inquiry means for inquiring whether or not to select such an advantageous setting when there is a new setting, and when the advantageous setting is selected for the inquiry by the inquiry means, the program is executed by the built-in means. A computer-readable built-in program that causes the computer to execute setting means for performing advantageous settings for the program when the computer is incorporated into the computer.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the embedded program according to the first aspect, the inquiry means sets the function that can be newly executed when a retrofit device is added to the processing device. It is set.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the embedded program according to the first or second aspect, when the advantageous setting is performed by the setting means by the setting means, the notifying means for notifying the processing apparatus of the advantageous setting. Is further executed by the computer.

  The invention described in claim 4 is advantageous in that it can be executed by the processing device from the built-in means for incorporating the program relating to the processing device into the computer, the acquisition means for acquiring the setting of the processing device, and the setting acquired by the acquisition means. Inquiry means for inquiring whether or not to select such an advantageous setting when there is a new setting, and when the advantageous setting is selected for the inquiry by the inquiry means, the program is executed by the built-in means. And a setting unit configured to perform the advantageous setting for the program when the program is installed in a computer.

  According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, when there is a setting more advantageous than the setting currently performed in the processing device, the program is set to the advantageous setting when the program relating to the processing device is incorporated into the computer. can do.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, as a setting that is more advantageous to the user than the setting that is currently performed in the processing device, the setting of a function that can be newly executed when a retrofit device is added to the processing device. When present, the program can be set to the advantageous setting when the program relating to the processing apparatus is incorporated into the computer.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the program related to the processing device is incorporated into the computer and the program is set to an advantageous setting, the program side notifies the processing device that the advantageous setting has been made. be able to.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of PC concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of the process which PC performs based on the installer concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process which PC performs based on the installer concerning one embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart of processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the setting information which PC received from the image forming apparatus concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the message displayed on a display apparatus with PC concerning one embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  This image forming apparatus 1 implements one form of the processing apparatus according to the present invention, and is a sheet of paper in an electrophotographic system or other system as a predetermined process with respect to a control unit 2 that centrally controls each unit. An image forming unit 3 as processing means for forming an image on a print medium, an operation panel 4 on which a user performs various operations, a magnetic storage device (HDD) 5 in which image data and other data are stored, a network A communication interface (I / F) 6 that communicates with an external PC (personal computer) 8 is connected to the external PC 7.

  The control unit 2 includes a CPU 11 that performs various calculations and controls each unit centrally, a ROM 13 that stores various control programs 12 that the CPU 11 executes, and a RAM 14 that serves as a work area for the CPU 11.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the PC 8 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the PC 8, a ROM 22 that stores various data and a RAM 23 that is a work area of the CPU 21 are connected to a CPU 21 that centrally controls each unit. Further, the CPU 21 is provided with a magnetic storage device (HDD) 24, an input device 25 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display device 26 such as an LCD display, and a storage medium 27 such as a CD and DVD via a predetermined interface. A reading device 28 such as a CD drive and a DVD drive for reading is connected to a communication interface (I / F) 29 for communicating with the image forming apparatus 1 and the Internet via the network 7. A program 31 is stored in the storage medium 27.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of processing executed by the PC 8 based on the installer 32.

  The program 31 includes an installer 32, a printer driver 33, and utility software 34. The printer driver 33 is a control program that controls the image forming apparatus 1 when the image forming apparatus 1 executes image formation according to an instruction from application software that operates on the PC 8. The utility software 34 captures information of the image forming apparatus 1 and displays it on the display device 26 when the PC 8 side wants to know the state of the image forming apparatus 1 (paper jam has occurred, toner is low, etc.). It is a control program for doing. The installer 32 is software for installing (incorporating) the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 into the HDD 24.

  Hereinafter, an example in which the printer driver 33 and the utility software 34 are installed in the HDD 24 from the program 31 of the storage medium 27 by the installer 32 will be described. However, the program 31 is downloaded in the form of a carrier wave from a communication path such as the Internet 29. Then, the installer 32 may install the printer driver 33 and the utility software 34 in the HDD 24 from the program 31 in the storage medium 27.

  When the installer 32 of the program 31 is operated on the PC 8, first, the setting information acquisition unit 41 of the installer 32 inquires the image forming apparatus 1 about the setting information 42 currently set in the image forming apparatus 1. get. In addition, information on what type of optional device (retrofit device) is currently installed in the image forming apparatus 1 as a retrofit is also acquired.

  The setting information changing unit 43 cannot set if the option device does not exist, based on the option device type information indicating what type of option device is currently installed in the image forming apparatus 1, but the option information cannot be set. It is determined whether there is an advantageous setting for the user that can be set if the device exists. Here, the setting that is advantageous to the user is a setting of a function that can be newly executed when the optional device exists. By performing this setting, the user can use the image forming apparatus 1 more easily than when the setting is not performed, or more various processes can be performed. If such an advantageous setting exists and the setting of the image forming apparatus 1 indicated by the setting information 42 is not set to the advantageous setting, the printer to be installed is displayed by displaying a message on the display device 26. The user is inquired whether the setting of the driver 33 and the utility software 34 should be the advantageous setting.

  Then, the setting information notification unit 45 selects the advantageous setting when the user selects such advantageous setting, and the setting when the user selects the setting currently performed in the image forming apparatus 1. The setting information 44 is notified to the printer driver 33 and the utility software 34, and the setting information 44 is notified to the image forming apparatus 1.

  Then, the built-in unit 46 installs the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 in the HDD 24. At this time, the printer driver 33 and the utility software 34 set the settings of the HDD 24 to the settings indicated by the setting information 44.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing executed by the PC 8 based on the installer 32.

  The process of FIG. 4 starts when the installer 32 is activated. First, in addition to the printer driver 33, the utility software 34 is also inquired about whether or not it is installed (step S1). When the user selects whether to install the utility software 34 by operating the input device 25 (Y in step S2), Setting information 42 is acquired from the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, information on the type of optional device currently installed in the image forming apparatus 1 is also acquired. (Step S3). Next, based on the information on the type of the optional device, it is determined whether there is an advantageous setting for the user that cannot be set when the optional device does not exist, but can be set when the optional device exists. (Step S4). Then, by displaying a message on the display device 26, the user is inquired about how to set the printer driver 33 and the like (step S5). Here, when there is an advantageous setting and the setting of the image forming apparatus 1 indicated by the setting information 42 is not the advantageous setting, the printer driver 33 to be installed is displayed by displaying a message on the display device 26. The utility software 34 is notified that the advantageous setting can be set, and an inquiry is made as to whether or not the advantageous setting is selected.

  When the user selects settings for the printer driver 33 or the like by operating the input device 25 (Y in step S6), the utility software 34 is selected if installation of the printer driver 33 is selected and installation of the utility software 34 is selected in step S2. Are respectively installed (step S7). When the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 are installed, the setting information 44 of the setting selected by the user in step S6 is transmitted to the printer driver 33 and utility software 34, and the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 to be installed are installed. Is set to the setting selected by the user in step S6.

  Further, the setting information 44 of the setting selected by the user in step S6 is also notified to the image forming apparatus 1 (step S8).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing executed by the image forming apparatus 1.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 receives the notification of the setting information 44 in step S8 (Y in step S11), the setting in the image forming apparatus 1 is changed to the content notified by the setting information 44 (step S12).

  The process of FIG. 4 will be described using a more specific example.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, among the paper feed cassettes that stack and store papers that are print media, the paper feed cassette that sets A4 size paper sideways (A4 horizontal) is not only a standard one but also an optional device. Assuming that two units are added later, a total of three A4 horizontal paper feeding cassettes A, B, and C are provided.

  FIG. 6 shows the setting information 42 received from the image forming apparatus 1 in step S3 in this case.

  As described above, when there are a plurality of paper feed cassettes storing sheets of the same size and the same direction, the image forming apparatus 1 can be set as a group paper feed cassette. A group paper cassette refers to a plurality of paper cassettes having the same paper size and the same vertical and horizontal orientations. In this example, three paper cassettes A, B, and C are virtually handled as one paper cassette. It is a function that can. When the group paper cassette is not set, if there is no paper in the paper cassette A, the display device 26 of the PC 8 displays on the display device 26 that there is no paper in the paper cassette A. When C is selected, A4 size paper is printed. On the other hand, when the group paper cassette is set, the paper cassettes A, B, and C are displayed together as one group paper cassette on the display device 26, and the paper in the paper cassette A is loaded. If there is still paper in the paper feed cassette B or C, it is displayed that there is paper in the group paper feed cassette.

  Therefore, when not only one standard A4 paper cassette but also two additional A4 paper cassettes A, B, and C are installed as an optional device, a total of three A4 paper cassettes A, B, and C are provided. In step S3, the image forming apparatus 1 notifies the PC 8 of setting information 42 shown in FIG. 6 and information that a total of three A4 horizontal paper feeding cassettes A, B, and C are provided. . If no group paper cassette is set in the image forming apparatus 1, in step S5, the fact that the group paper cassette can be set is displayed on the display device 26 as shown in FIG. In step S7, the function of the group paper cassette is set when the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 are installed. In step S8, the image forming apparatus 1 is notified that the function of the group paper cassette has been set in the printer driver 33 and the like. Therefore, the function of the group paper cassette is also set in the image forming apparatus 1 in step S12. .

  Therefore, after installing the printer driver 33 and utility software 34, it is not necessary for the user to set the group paper cassette again.

  As another example, the image forming apparatus 1 may be retrofitted with a duplex unit as an optional device. The duplex unit is a device that attaches the duplex printing function to the image forming apparatus 1 and is provided with a sheet conveyance path for duplex printing. Since the image forming apparatus 1 can perform duplex printing by retrofitting the duplex unit, if the duplex function is not set in the image forming apparatus 1, the printer driver 33 and the utility software 34 are installed when the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 are installed. If the user selects double-sided printing, the printer driver 33 and utility software 34 are installed by setting double-sided printing, and the image forming apparatus 1 is also notified that double-sided printing has been set.

1 Image forming apparatus 8 Personal computer 31 Program 32 Installer

Claims (4)

Built-in means for incorporating a program relating to the processing device into the computer;
Obtaining means for obtaining settings of the processing device;
Inquiry means for inquiring whether or not to select the advantageous setting when there is an advantageous setting that can be executed by the processing device than the setting acquired by the acquisition means;
When the advantageous setting is selected for the inquiry by the inquiry means, setting means for making the advantageous setting to the program when the program is incorporated into the computer by the incorporation means;
A computer-readable embedded program that causes a computer to execute.   The embedded program according to claim 1, wherein the inquiry unit sets a function setting that can be newly executed when a retrofit apparatus is added to the processing apparatus as the advantageous setting.   3. The embedded program according to claim 1, wherein when the setting unit performs the advantageous setting by the program, the computer further executes notification means for notifying the processing apparatus of the advantageous setting. Built-in means for incorporating a program relating to the processing device into the computer;
Obtaining means for obtaining settings of the processing device;
Inquiry means for inquiring whether or not to select the advantageous setting when there is an advantageous setting that can be executed by the processing device than the setting acquired by the acquisition means;
When the advantageous setting is selected for the inquiry by the inquiry means, setting means for making the advantageous setting to the program when the program is incorporated into the computer by the incorporation means;
Built-in device equipped with.

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