JP2018049411A - Information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide resources occupied by one user, and reduce, when another user uses the resources, the another user's waiting time.SOLUTION: When receiving a request to use a plurality of non-occupied resources from one user's terminal, an information processing apparatus writes, in a storage part, that the plurality of resources are in an occupied state, and sequentially rewrites the state of resources, of the plurality of resources, in which use by the one user's terminal is completed, from the occupied state to an un-occupied state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for canceling an occupied state when a common password is input between users when the resource is occupied by a specific user in the information processing apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-228561 discloses a technique for prohibiting editing a file in an image forming apparatus from a remote UI when there is a user who operates a UI (User Interface) included in the image forming apparatus. .

JP 2008-103009 A JP 2008-125137 A

  An object of the present invention is to reduce the waiting time of another user when another user uses a resource that is occupied by one user.

  The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 stores an occupation state storage unit that stores whether or not each resource in the own apparatus is occupied by the user terminal and that the resource is occupied by the user terminal. Regarding a resource, when there is a use request from one user terminal for a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal in the occupied state and a plurality of resources that are not in the occupied state, the occupied state for the plurality of resources The exclusive state that performs control to rewrite that the resource that has been used by the one user terminal among the plurality of resources is not occupied because it is in the occupied state sequentially And a control unit.

  The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 stores an occupation state storage unit that stores whether or not each resource in the own apparatus is occupied by the user terminal and that the resource is occupied by the user terminal. Regarding a resource, when there is a use request from one user terminal for a resource that is not occupied, and a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal that is in the occupied state, the resource is in the occupied state An occupancy state controller that writes to the occupancy state storage unit, and when there is a use request from another user terminal for the resource in the occupancy state, the restriction unit generates a copy of the resource, In response to a request from the user terminal, specific use is permitted for the copy.

  An information processing apparatus according to claim 3 stores an occupation state storage unit that stores whether or not each resource in the own apparatus is occupied by the user terminal and that the resource is occupied by the user terminal. Regarding a resource, when there is a use request from one user terminal for a resource that is not occupied, and a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal that is in the occupied state, the resource is in the occupied state An occupancy state control unit that writes to the occupancy state storage unit, and the restriction unit, when there is a use request from another user terminal for a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal, When the use by the other user terminal is completed, processing related to the use requested by the other user terminal is performed.

  The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 may be configured such that, in the configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the restriction unit requests use of a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal. An incapable user interface is displayed on the other user terminal.

  The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 is the configuration according to claim 2, wherein the restriction unit provides a user interface that cannot request use of resources occupied by the one user terminal to the other user interface. A user interface that can be requested for the specific use even if the resource is occupied by the one user terminal is displayed on the other user terminal.

  An information processing apparatus according to a sixth aspect is the configuration according to the third aspect, wherein the restriction unit provides a user interface that cannot request use of resources occupied by the one user terminal to the other user interface. A user interface that can be displayed on the user terminal and can be requested for use that can be performed when the use by the one user terminal is completed even if the resource is occupied by the one user terminal. It is displayed on the other user terminal.

  An image forming apparatus according to a seventh aspect is the configuration according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the resource is stored data.

According to the information processing apparatus according to claims 1 to 3, when another user uses a resource occupied by one user, the waiting time of the other user can be reduced.
According to the information processing apparatus of the fourth aspect, another user does not request the use of the resource that is occupied by one user terminal.
According to the information processing apparatus of the fifth aspect, another user can make a request for specific use even if the resource is occupied by one user terminal.
According to the information processing apparatus according to claim 6, another user requests use that can be performed when use by one user is completed even if the resource is occupied by one user terminal. be able to.
According to the information processing apparatus of the seventh aspect, stored data can be used as a resource.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information processing system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the occupation state management table memorize | stored in the information processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the information processing apparatus. It is a transition diagram of the user interface screen of each user terminal in operation example 1. It is a transition diagram of the user interface screen of each user terminal in the operation example 2. It is a transition diagram of the user interface screen of each user terminal in operation example 3.

(Constitution)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system includes an information processing apparatus 1 such as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having functions such as printing, copying, and facsimile, and user terminals 2A and 2B as operation terminals operated by different users. . The information processing apparatus 1 stores, for example, scanned documents and document data transmitted from a personal computer (not shown), and prints out the document data or transmits it by fax in response to a user request. The user terminals 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B display a user interface screen and transmit a request corresponding to the operation to the information processing apparatus 1 wirelessly. The user can use the resource (for example, stored document data) of the information processing apparatus 1 using the user terminal 2. The user terminals 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B display a user interface screen, but the display data is wirelessly transmitted from the information processing apparatus 1. The user terminals 2A and 2B are computers having the same configuration and operation, and are hereinafter collectively referred to as user terminals 2. Although there may be three or more user terminals 2, only two are shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 1. The information processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 12, a storage unit 13, a UI unit 14, and an image forming unit 15. The control unit 11 includes an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM stores a program executed by the CPU. The CPU controls the operation of each unit of the information processing apparatus 1 by executing a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 13 using the RAM as a work area. The communication unit 12 includes an antenna and a communication circuit, and performs wireless communication with the user terminal 2. The storage unit 13 is a storage unit such as a hard disk, for example, and stores a data group and a program group used by the control unit 11. A UI (User Interface) unit 14 includes an operation unit provided with operators such as keys and touch sensors, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal drive circuit. The image forming unit 15 forms an image on a sheet by electrophotography.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an occupation state management table stored in the storage unit 13. The occupation state management table describes whether or not each resource in the information processing apparatus 1 is in an occupation state occupied by the user terminal 2. Here, the resource is data (document data) stored in the storage unit 13. This data is stored in a storage area (hereinafter referred to as BOX) divided for each user, and for each BOX, an accessible user is determined. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, the users who can access the data stored in the storage area BOX1 are UserA, UserB, and UserC. When any one of these accessible users accesses the BOX 1, the storage area (BOX) is occupied by the user, and access by other users is restricted. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, BOX1 is occupied by UserA. At this time, even in UserB and UserC that can access BOX1, use of data in BOX1 is limited.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus 1. The information processing apparatus 1 performs operations of an operation example 1 to an operation example 3 described later, but the content of each function is different for each operation. In Operation Example 1, the occupation state storage unit 101 is a function realized by the storage unit 13 and stores whether each resource in the information processing apparatus 1 is in an occupation state occupied by the user terminal 22. The restriction unit 102 is a function realized by the control unit 11, and restricts the use of the user terminal 2 other than the user terminal 2 in the occupied state with respect to the resources stored in the occupied state by the user terminal 2. . When there is a use request from a single user terminal 2 for a plurality of resources that are not in the occupied state, the occupied state control unit 103 writes that the plurality of resources are in the occupied state in the occupied state storage unit 101, and Of the resources, the resources that have been used by one user terminal 2 are sequentially rewritten to be not occupied because they are occupied.

  In the operation example 2, the occupation state storage unit 101 is a function realized by the storage unit 13 and stores whether each resource in the information processing apparatus is in an occupation state occupied by the user terminal 2. The restriction unit 102 is a function realized by the control unit 11, and restricts the use of the user terminal 2 other than the user terminal 2 in the occupied state with respect to the resources stored in the occupied state by the user terminal 2. . The occupancy state control unit 103 is a function realized by the control unit 11, and when there is a use request from one user terminal 2 for a resource that is not in the occupancy state, the occupancy state storage unit 101 is written. Then, when there is a use request from another user terminal 2 for the resource in the occupied state, the restriction unit 102 generates a copy of the resource and performs the copy according to the request from the other user terminal 2 Allow specific use.

  In the operation example 3, the occupation state storage unit 101 is a function realized by the storage unit 13, and stores whether each resource in the information processing apparatus is in an occupation state occupied by the user terminal 2. The restriction unit 102 is a function realized by the control unit 11, and restricts the use of the user terminal 2 other than the user terminal 2 in the occupied state with respect to the resources stored in the occupied state by the user terminal 2. . The occupancy state control unit 103 is a function realized by the control unit 11, and when there is a use request from one user terminal 2 for a resource that is not in the occupancy state, the occupancy state storage unit 101 is written. Then, when there is a use request from another user terminal 2 for a resource occupied by one user terminal 2, the restriction unit 102 terminates the use by the one user terminal 2 Processing related to use requested by the user terminal 2 is performed.

(Operation example)
(Operation example 1)
In the operation example 1, when one user (UserA) performs an operation on a plurality of resources (BOX1, 2, 3) all at once, the occupation state control unit 103 specifies the resource specified at the start of the operation. (BOX1, 2, 3) are all in the occupied state, but by releasing the occupied state from the resource for which the operation has been completed and releasing it, it becomes possible for another user (UserB) to operate the released resource To do.

  Specifically, when the user A, User A, performs an operation for displaying a list of BOXes that can be used on the user terminal 2a (screen Ua1 in FIG. 5), the restricting unit 102 sets User 1, A, and B for User 1, A screen indicating the occupied state is displayed on the user terminal 2A. Here, when UserA selects BOX1 on the user terminal 2a (screen Ua2), and performs an operation of deleting document 3 among the documents 1, 2, and 3 stored in BOX1 (screen Ua3), the user A responds to this operation. Thus, the document 3 of BOX1 is deleted (screen Ua4). And when UserA returns to the screen which displays a BOX list in the user terminal 2a, the occupied state of BOX1 will be cancelled | released and it will become the display which means an unoccupied state (screen Ua5). In this way, the occupation control unit 103 rewrites, in the occupation state storage unit 101, the resources that have been used by UserA, in order, because they are in the occupation state and not in the occupation state. Here, there is no occupied user of BOX 1 in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the screen Ua2 or the screen Ua3 is displayed, when the other user UserB performs an operation of displaying a list of BOX that can be used by the user terminal 2b (screen Ub1 in FIG. 5), the user terminal 2b. Displays a screen indicating that the BOX 1, 2, 3 is occupied by a certain user (screen Ub2). Then, when UserB performs an operation to display a list of BOX that can be used by the user terminal 2b at a time point after the screen Ua4, the user terminal 2b is in a state where UserB has occupied BOX1, Displays a screen indicating that the user is occupied (screen Ub3). Here, when UserB selects BOX1 on the user terminal 2b, documents 1, 2, and 3 stored in BOX1 can be used. In this way, UserB can operate on the released resources without waiting until all of UserA's BOX1 to BOX1 operations are completed, so the waiting time of UserB is shortened accordingly. The

(Operation example 2)
In operation example 2, when one user (User A) performs an operation on a resource (BOX 1, 2, 3), all the resources (BOX 1, 2, 3) are occupied at the start of the operation. If the use of a resource requested by another user (UserB) does not affect the use of the resource of one user (UserA), a copy of the resource is created and the use of the other user (UserB) for the copy To give permission.

  Specifically, when User A performs an operation to display a list of BOX that can be used by the user A in the user terminal 2a (screen Ua6 in FIG. 6), the restriction unit 102 displays a screen indicating the occupied state for BOX 1, 2, and 3. indicate. Here, it is assumed that UserA selects BOX1 on the user terminal 2a (screen Ua7), and performs an operation of deleting document 3 among the documents 1, 2, and 3 stored in BOX1 (screen Ua8).

On the other hand, when the screen Ua7 or the screen Ua8 is displayed, when the other user UserB performs an operation of displaying a list of BOX that can be used by the user terminal 2b (screen Ub4 in FIG. 5), the restriction unit 102 Causes the user terminal 2B to display a screen indicating that the BOX 1, 2, and 3 are occupied by a certain user. When UserB selects BOX1 on the user terminal 2b (screen Ub5), the restricting unit 102 generates a copy of the documents 1, 2, and 3 included in the BOX1 and displays the screen Ub6 on the user terminal 2B. Here, the restriction unit 102 causes the user terminal 2B to display a user interface that cannot be requested to use a resource that is occupied by the user terminal 2A, and even if the resource is occupied by the user terminal 2A. A user interface that can be requested for specific use (here, “print” that does not change the contents of data) is displayed on the user terminal 2B (Ub6). When the Userb instructs to print the document 1, the information processing apparatus 1 prints out the document 1. When User B returns to the BOX list screen on the user terminal 2b, the restriction unit 102 deletes the copy. As a result, User B can use the replicated resource regardless of the use of User A, and the waiting time can be reduced.

(Operation example 3)
In operation example 3, when one user (User A) performs an operation on a resource, the resource is occupied at the start of the operation, but the use requested by the other user (User B) is one user (User B). When the usage of the resource of User A) is affected (for example, deletion of the resource), processing related to the usage requested by User B is performed after the usage of User A is completed.

  Specifically, when User A performs an operation for displaying a list of BOX that can be used by the user terminal 2a (screen Ua9 in FIG. 7), the restricting unit 102 displays a screen indicating the occupied state for BOX1, 2, and 3. indicate. Here, it is assumed that UserA selects BOX1 on the user terminal 2a (screen Ua10), and performs an operation of deleting document 3 among the documents 1, 2, and 3 stored in BOX1 (screen Ua11).

  On the other hand, when the screen Ua10 or the screen Ua11 is displayed, when the other user UserB performs an operation of displaying a list of BOX that can be used by the user terminal 2b (screen Ub7 in FIG. 7), the restriction unit 102 Causes the user terminal 2B to display a screen indicating that the BOX 1, 2, and 3 are occupied by a certain user. Here, the restriction unit 103 displays a user interface that cannot be requested to use a resource that is occupied by the user terminal 2A on the user terminal 2B, and is a resource that is occupied by the user terminal 2A. In addition, a user interface that can be requested for use (here, deletion of a document) that can be performed when use by the user terminal 2B ends is displayed on the user terminal 2B. Following this display, UserB performs an operation of selecting and deleting BOX1 on the user terminal 2b (screens Ub8 and Ub9). As described above, when there is a use request from the user terminal 2B for the resource occupied by the user terminal 2A, the restricting unit 103 is requested by the user terminal 2B when the use by the user terminal 2A ends. Processing related to use (deletion of document 1 in this case) is performed. As a result, even if User A has been occupied first, the setting desired by User B is executed after User A is operated, and User B is not kept waiting.

  According to the above embodiment, when another user uses a resource occupied by one user, the waiting time of the other user is reduced.

The present invention can also be provided in the form of a program for causing a computer to function as an information processing apparatus or a recording medium on which such a program is recorded. The program according to the present invention may be downloaded to a computer via a network such as the Internet.
In addition, the information processing apparatus can be realized by a single apparatus that integrally includes all of the functions of FIG. 4, or may be realized by an apparatus group that includes these functions distributed among a plurality of apparatuses. .
Further, the information processing apparatus is not limited to the image forming apparatus, and the resource is not limited to data.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing apparatus, 2A, 2B ... User terminal, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Communication part, 13 ... Memory | storage part, 14 ... UI part, 15 ... Image Forming unit, 101... Occupancy state storage unit, 102... Restriction unit, 103.

Claims (7)

An occupancy state storage unit for storing whether or not each resource in the own device is in an occupancy state occupied by the user terminal;
About a resource stored as being occupied by the user terminal, a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal in the occupied state,
When there is a use request from one user terminal for a plurality of resources that are not occupied, the fact that the plurality of resources are occupied is written to the occupied state storage unit, and the one user terminal among the plurality of resources An information processing apparatus comprising: an occupation state control unit that performs control to rewrite a resource that has been completely used by a non-occupied state because it is in an occupied state. An occupancy state storage unit for storing whether or not each resource in the own device is in an occupancy state occupied by the user terminal;
About a resource stored as being occupied by the user terminal, a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal in the occupied state,
When there is a use request from one user terminal for a resource that is not in an occupied state, an occupation state control unit that writes in the occupied state storage unit that the resource is in an occupied state, and
When there is a use request from another user terminal for the resource in the occupied state, the restriction unit generates a copy of the resource and performs a specific use for the copy in response to a request from the other user terminal. An information processing apparatus characterized by allowing. An occupancy state storage unit for storing whether or not each resource in the own device is in an occupancy state occupied by the user terminal;
About a resource stored as being occupied by the user terminal, a restriction unit that restricts use by a user terminal other than the user terminal in the occupied state,
When there is a use request from one user terminal for a resource that is not in an occupied state, an occupation state control unit that writes in the occupied state storage unit that the resource is in an occupied state, and
When there is a use request from another user terminal for the resource occupied by the one user terminal, the restriction unit terminates the use by the other user terminal when the use by the one user terminal ends. An information processing apparatus that performs processing related to requested use. The said restriction | limiting part displays the user interface which cannot request | require the utilization about the resource which is occupied by the said one user terminal in the said other user terminal. Any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The information processing apparatus according to item 1. The restriction unit displays a user interface that cannot be used for a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal on the other user terminal, and is also a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal. However, the information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a user interface that can be requested for the specific use is displayed on the other user terminal. The restriction unit displays a user interface that cannot be used for a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal on the other user terminal, and is also a resource that is occupied by the one user terminal. Even so, a user interface that can be requested for use that can be performed when the use by the one user terminal is terminated is displayed on the other user terminal. Information processing device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resource is stored data.

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