JP2011192014A - Information processing device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the execution of processing without approval for the modification information of a cooperative system. <P>SOLUTION: From an equipment management device 10 holding system management information, an information processing device 20 acquires the modification information of the management information based on a rule selected from a plurality of rules according to information to be processed, processes the information to be processed by referring to the management information retained in the equipment management device 10, extracts a rule related to the acquired modification information from among a plurality of rules, and restricts the execution of the processing based on the extracted rule until the approval of the modification information is received. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a program.

  Receives information to be processed, and performs processing such as image processing, character recognition processing, format conversion processing, etc. according to the processing rules selected according to the received information, and then, e-mail delivery, FAX transmission, printing, data transfer, etc. There is an information processing system used for this processing. In such an information processing system, if there is a change in the addition or replacement of devices, environment settings, etc., it is necessary to reflect such changes in the processing rules, which places a heavy burden on the administrator.

  Therefore, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, the information processing system cooperates with a management system that holds management information such as device information so that the processing rules do not need to be changed. Is considered.

JP 2004-102923 A

  Even if there is a change in the information managed by the system linked with the information processing system, the administrator on the information processing system side does not participate in the change, so the process is executed without approving the change information of the linked system. It was.

  One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and a program that can prevent a process from being executed without approving change information of a cooperating system.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is characterized in that an acquisition means for acquiring change information of the management information from a holding means for holding management information of the system, and a plurality of rules according to information to be processed. The management information held by the holding means based on the rule selected from the processing means, processing means for processing the information to be processed, and rules related to the change information acquired by the acquisition means Extraction means for extracting from the rules, and restriction means for restricting execution of the processing based on the rules extracted by the extraction means by the processing means until acceptance of the change information is received. Information processing apparatus.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 outputs an indication based on the change information and requests an administrator to approve the change information, and the approval And a means for releasing the restriction by the restriction means when the approval requested by the request means is obtained from the manager.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the restricting unit causes the processing unit to execute a new process based on the rule extracted by the extracting unit. It is characterized by not controlling.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the restricting unit is executed by the processing unit based on a rule extracted by the extracting unit. The processing is stopped.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acquisition means for acquiring change information of the management information from a holding means for holding management information of the system, and a rule selected from a plurality of rules according to information to be processed. Based on the management information held by the holding means, the processing means for processing the information to be processed and the rules related to the change information acquired by the acquisition means are extracted from the plurality of rules. A program for causing a computer to function as a restriction unit that restricts execution of processing based on a rule extracted by the extraction unit by the extraction unit and the processing unit until an approval for the change information is received.

  According to the first and fifth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the processing from being executed without approving the change information of the linked system.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the change information of the cooperating system is approved, the execution of the process can be resumed.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the start of processing can be suppressed until approval is obtained for the change information of the linked system.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to stop the process being executed until the change information of the linked system is approved.

It is a system configuration figure of the information processing system concerning this embodiment. It is each a functional block diagram of an apparatus management apparatus and an information processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a process rule. It is a figure which shows an example of change information. It is a figure which shows an example of change information. It is a figure which shows an example of a restriction rule. It is a figure which shows an example of an approval screen. It is a figure which shows an example of the updated approval screen. It is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing in an information processor. It is a figure which shows an example of a process rule. It is a figure which shows an example of a restriction rule. It is a figure which shows an example of change information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of an information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment. The information processing system 1 includes a device group including a device management apparatus 10, an information processing apparatus 20, and a plurality of devices 40.

  The device management apparatus 10 includes a control unit 12, a storage unit 14, and a communication unit 16 as physical configurations, and is a computer that manages information on each device 40 such as a computer, a printer, a FAX, and a scanner included in a device group. The control unit 12 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), executes a program stored in the storage unit 14, and controls each unit of the device management apparatus 10. The storage unit 14 may be realized by a storage device such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk device, and the storage unit 14 stores management information of the device 40 and a program executed by the control unit 12 as well as control. It is also used as a working memory for the unit 12. The communication unit 16 is a communication interface that performs data communication with an external device. In this embodiment, the device management apparatus 10 is connected to the information processing apparatus 20 and each device 40 via the communication unit 16 and performs data communication with each other. You can do it.

  The information processing apparatus 20 includes a control unit 22, a storage unit 24, a communication unit 26, an input interface 28, and a graphic interface 30 as physical configurations, and is a computer that processes received information. The control unit 22 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), executes a program stored in the storage unit 24, and controls each unit of the information processing apparatus 20. The storage unit 24 may be realized by a storage device such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk device. The storage unit 24 stores various types of data and programs executed by the control unit 22, as well as the control unit 22. It is also used as a working memory. The communication unit 26 is a communication interface that performs data communication with an external device. In this embodiment, the information processing device 20 is connected to the device management apparatus 10 and each device 40 of the device group via the communication unit 26, and is mutually connected. Data communication may be performed. The input interface 28 is connected to an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, for example, and receives an operation input from the user. The graphic interface 30 is connected to a display device such as a liquid crystal display, for example, and causes the display device to output an image such as a user interface screen (UI screen).

  FIG. 2 shows functional block diagrams of the device management apparatus 10 and the information processing apparatus 20 included in the information processing system 1. Hereinafter, details of functions provided in each apparatus will be described in order.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the device management apparatus 10 includes a management information holding unit 52, a change information extraction unit 54, and a change information transmission unit 56. The function of each of the above units is to read and execute a program stored in a computer-readable information storage medium using the control unit 12, the storage unit 14, and the communication unit 16 provided in the device management apparatus 10. It may be realized by. Note that the program may be supplied to the device management apparatus 10 by an information storage medium, or may be supplied via data communication means such as the Internet.

  The management information holding unit 52 is realized by, for example, the storage unit 14 and holds management information of a device group. The management information may include a device ID for each device 40, an IP address, a model name, a device identifier, and other environment information.

  The change information extraction unit 54 is realized by, for example, the control unit 12, and extracts information (change information) of a portion where the management information held in the management information holding unit 52 has changed. The change information includes at least information that identifies the device ID and the item of management information that has been changed. However, the change information is not limited to this, and the change information may include change history information.

  The change information transmission unit 56 is realized by the communication unit 16, for example, and transmits the change information extracted by the change information extraction unit 54 to the information processing apparatus 20. The change information transmission unit 56 may transmit the change information every time the change information extraction unit 54 extracts the change information, and when there is a change information transmission request from the information processing device 20, the change information transmission unit 56 transmits the change information. Change information may be transmitted in response to a request.

  Next, functions provided in the information processing apparatus 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 20 includes a processing target data acquisition unit 60, a processing rule holding unit 62, a data processing unit 64, a change information receiving unit 66, a processing rule extraction unit 68, a restriction rule holding unit 70, A processing restriction unit 72, an approval request unit 74, and an approval reception unit 76 are included. The functions of the above-described units are provided on an information storage medium readable by the control unit 22 using the control unit 22, the storage unit 24, the communication unit 26, the input interface 28, and the graphic interface 30 provided in the information processing apparatus 20. It may be realized by reading and executing a stored program. Note that the program may be supplied to the information processing apparatus 20 by an information storage medium, or may be supplied via data communication means such as the Internet.

  The processing target data acquisition unit 60 is realized by the communication unit 26, for example, and acquires processing target data. The data to be processed includes processing rule specifying data for specifying a processing rule for processing the data. The data to be processed may include various job data such as scan data and print data.

  The processing rule holding unit 62 is realized by the storage unit 24, for example, and holds processing rules for processing the processing target data acquired by the processing target data acquisition unit 60, respectively.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the processing rule. As shown in FIG. 3, the processing rule may be configured as a table in which items, change approvals, and descriptions are associated with each other. An item is a setting item that constitutes a processing rule, and what item is to be set may be determined for each processing rule. The processing rule shown in FIG. 3 is a processing rule related to processing for storing data in a confidential box. The processing rule items include a device ID to which the processing rule is applied and an IP address of a device identified by the device ID. , Environment information such as model name and device identifier, and information related to a confidential box for storing data. The change approval is information that determines whether or not the information is necessary for approval of the change when the processing rule item is changed. An item for which change approval is “necessary” indicates that it is necessary at the time of change approval, and an item other than that is unnecessary. The explanation is text data explaining the contents of the item, and is data set to support the administrator's understanding of the processing rules.

  The data processing unit 64 is realized by the control unit 22, for example, and processes the data acquired by the processing target data acquisition unit 60 according to a processing rule selected according to the data. For example, the data processing unit 64 selects a processing rule for processing the processing target data based on the processing rule specifying data included in the processing target data. Then, the data processing unit 64 may acquire data necessary for processing from the device management apparatus 10 based on the selected processing rule and process the processing target data.

  The change information receiving unit 66 is realized by the communication unit 26, for example, and receives the change information transmitted from the device management apparatus 10. A specific example of the change information will be described below.

  4 and 5 show an example of the change information. The change information illustrated in FIG. 4 is an example of change information received from the device management apparatus 10 when the IP address of the device 40 having the device ID “GUID-1” is changed. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the change information is configured as a table that associates each of the item, the presence / absence of change, the setting value before change, and the setting value after change. The presence / absence of change is information indicating whether or not the information of the item has been changed. In the change information, information on the setting value of the item before and after the change is stored for the change “Yes”, If the change is “none”, information about the setting value before the change is stored.

  The change information illustrated in FIG. 5 is an example of change information received from the device management apparatus 10 when the device 40 with the device ID “GUID-1” is replaced. In the example shown in FIG. 5, as a result of the replacement of the device 40, it is shown that information is changed for each item of model name, device identifier, confidential box name, and confidential box owner.

  The processing rule extraction unit 68 is realized by the control unit 22, for example, and extracts processing rules related to the change information based on the change information received by the change information reception unit 66. For example, the processing rule extraction unit 68 may extract a processing rule including the device ID as a processing rule related to the change information based on the device ID included in the change information. For example, in the case of the change information shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the processing rule extraction unit 68 may search and extract a processing rule including the device ID “GUID-1” from the processing rule holding unit 62. .

  The restriction rule holding unit 70 is realized by the storage unit 24, for example, and holds a rule (restriction rule) for restricting processing in the data processing unit 64 according to the change information. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the restriction rule stores information that defines what processing is performed when the setting value of the item is changed for each item.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the restriction rule. As shown in FIG. 6, the restriction rule may be configured as a table that defines a restriction process when the item is changed for each item. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, the restriction process is configured as a combination of three processes “processing rule invalidation”, “processing stop”, and “execution request execution”. For example, when the “confidential box name” is changed, the processing rule is invalidated, the processing performed according to the processing rule is stopped, and the approval request is executed to the administrator as the restriction processing. .

  The processing restriction unit 72 is realized by, for example, the control unit 22, determines the restriction process with reference to the restriction rule based on the change information received by the change information reception unit 66, and the determined restriction process Is applied to processing executed in the data processing unit 64. Specifically, the process restriction unit 72 acquires an item changed in the change information received by the change information receiving unit 66, and refers to the restriction rule held in the restriction rule holding unit 70 using the acquired item as a key. Then, limit processing is determined. Then, the process restriction unit 72 may execute the determined restriction process according to each process rule extracted by the process rule extraction unit 68 or apply it to each process currently being executed. If a plurality of items are changed in the change information, the logical sum of the limiting processes determined based on each item may be applied to each of the above processes.

  For example, if the restriction process includes “invalidation of process rule”, the process restriction unit 72 executes a process using the invalidated process rule in a process to be executed in the data processing unit 64 in the future. Control shall not be performed. Further, the processing restriction unit 72 includes “stop processing” in the restriction processing, and the data processing unit 64 is currently executing processing according to the processing rule extracted by the processing rule extraction unit 68. Then, an interrupt request is made to the process and the process is stopped. In addition, for example, a process that can be canceled by deleting data from the confidential box even after the process is completed, such as a process of storing data in the confidential box, even after the process is completed, the process may be canceled. Good.

  The approval request unit 74 is realized by, for example, the control unit 22 and the graphic interface 30, and approves the administrator to change the setting value of the item included in the change information received by the change information receiving unit 66. It is what you request. In the present embodiment, the approval request unit 74 displays an approval screen including the changed item and its set value on the display device, and confirms whether or not the administrator approves the change of the set value of the item. And The approval screen may include setting values of items other than the changed item, and further, based on a combination of the changed item and the unchanged item, predetermined text information (for example, “confidential”). It may be possible that the setting of the box has not been completed "and the like are acquired and displayed on the approval screen.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the approval screen 80. The approval screen 80 shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the change information shown in FIG. Since the approval screen 80 shown in FIG. 7 indicates that the model name and the model identifier have been changed, the administrator can recognize that the device 40 has been replaced. Further, since the setting of the confidential box name or the like has been changed, it can be understood that the setting is not inherited. If it is necessary to operate in the same environment as before, the administrator determines that the environment setting is incomplete, and does not approve at this stage, and approves after the setting is completed. In a state where the approval is not completed, the received processing target data (job) is not executed, so that the processing target data is prevented from being executed in an incorrect environment.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of the updated approval screen 80. In the example of FIG. 7, when the setting to take over the previous environment is performed, the approval screen 80 is displayed based on the change information received from the device management apparatus 10 after the necessary setting change is performed in the device management apparatus 10. Updated. The administrator refers to the approval screen 80 shown in FIG. 8 to confirm that the necessary environment setting has been changed, and approves the displayed change.

  The approval receiving unit 76 is realized by the input interface 28, for example, and receives an input of an approval operation from the administrator. In the present embodiment, an operation of pressing the “approval” button on the approval screen 80 may be recognized as an approval operation.

  When approval from the administrator is received by the approval receiving unit 76, the process limiting unit 72 cancels the processing limit in the data processing unit 64, and restarts the processing rule validation and the process execution.

  FIG. 9 shows a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing in the information processing apparatus 20. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the information processing apparatus 20 acquires change information in management information from the device management apparatus 10 (S101), and extracts a processing rule related to the acquired change information (S102). Next, the information processing apparatus 20 identifies a restriction process by referring to the restriction rule based on the acquired change information (S103), and the identified restriction process is executed based on the extracted process rule. (S104). The information processing apparatus 20 requests the administrator to approve the change information (S105), and if approved (S106: Y), cancels the restriction process (S107).

  In the information processing apparatus 20 according to the present embodiment, if there is a change in the management information referred to when the information processing apparatus 20 performs processing based on the processing rule, the processing based on the processing rule related to the change is performed. Execution is limited until the administrator's approval for the change is obtained, and processing is prevented from being executed in an environment not intended by the administrator.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and a system that cooperates with the information processing apparatus 20 is not limited to the device management apparatus 10. Hereinafter, a case where the system that cooperates with the information processing apparatus 20 is an address data management system and the process of transferring the data received by the information processing apparatus 20 to the device 40 will be described as an example.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of processing rules held in the information processing apparatus 20. The processing rules are configured by associating each item, change approval, and explanation data. In the example shown in FIG. 10, “destination ID”, “destination name”, “server name / IP address”, and “server storage location” are set. Regardless of whether there is a change or not, the data is required at the time of approval.

  FIG. 11 shows an example of the restriction rule. The restriction rule is configured as a table that defines the processing when the item is changed for each item, and when the “destination name” or “server storage location” is changed in the example shown in FIG. In this case, the processing rule is invalidated, the processing being executed is stopped, and the approval request is executed.

  FIG. 12 shows an example of the change information. FIG. 12A shows an example in which the IP address is changed, and FIG. 12B shows an example in which the server storage location is changed. In the case of FIG. 12A, since there is no rule corresponding to the restriction rule for changing the IP address, the process is not restricted. On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 12B, since there is a corresponding restriction rule for the change of “server storage location”, “approval request”, “invalidation of processing rule”, “stop processing” based on the restriction rule. Each process is executed. Of course, when an approval from the administrator is obtained for the change of the “server storage location”, the restriction of the executed processing is lifted. The specific processing for cancellation is as follows.

  First, when the data transfer has already been completed based on the information before the change, the stopped process is re-executed from the data transfer. In addition, when the processing up to the data transfer has already been completed with the changed information, the suspended processing is resumed. And about the process stopped before data transfer, the said process shall be restarted.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing system 10 Device management apparatus 12 Control part 14 Storage part 16 Communication part 20 Information processing apparatus 22 Control part 24 Storage part 26 Communication part 28 Input interface 30 Graphic interface 40 Device 52 Management Information Holding Unit, 54 Change Information Extracting Unit, 56 Change Information Transmitting Unit, 60 Processing Target Data Acquisition Unit, 62 Processing Rule Holding Unit, 64 Data Processing Unit, 66 Change Information Receiving Unit, 68 Processing Rule Extracting Unit, 70 Restriction Rule holding part, 72 processing restriction part, 74 approval request part, 76 approval reception part, 80 approval screen.

Claims (5)

Obtaining means for obtaining change information of the management information from holding means for holding management information of the system;
Processing means for processing the information to be processed with reference to management information held by the holding means based on a rule selected from a plurality of rules according to the information to be processed;
Extraction means for extracting rules related to the change information acquired by the acquisition means from the plurality of rules;
Limiting means for restricting execution of processing based on the rules extracted by the extraction means by the processing means until acceptance of the change information is received. An approval request means for outputting a display based on the change information and requesting an administrator to approve the change information;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit that cancels the restriction by the restriction unit when the approval requested by the approval request unit is obtained from the administrator. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restricting unit controls the processing unit not to execute a new process based on the rule extracted by the extracting unit. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the restricting unit stops the process being executed by the processing unit based on the rule extracted by the extracting unit. Obtaining means for obtaining change information of the management information from holding means for holding management information of the system;
Processing means for processing the information to be processed with reference to management information held by the holding means based on a rule selected from a plurality of rules according to the information to be processed;
Extraction means for extracting rules related to the change information acquired by the acquisition means from the plurality of rules;
A program for causing a computer to function as a restricting unit that restricts execution of processing based on a rule extracted by the extracting unit by the processing unit until an approval for the change information is received.

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