JP2019083034A5 - Electronic device management system, communication apparatus, communication method, and program - Google Patents

Description

According to the present invention, each electronic device is managed by a management device via a communication device (communication adapter) that communicates with each electronic device such as one or a plurality of OA devices (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a printing machine). The present invention relates to an electronic device management system for managing the communication, a communication device, a communication method, and a program thereof .

As an electronic device management system , for example, as seen in Patent Document 1, an image forming apparatus (OA device) such as a copying machine installed in a user (customer) office or the like is used as an intermediary device (management terminal) and a communication line. A remote device management system that is used and can be connected to a management device (center system) installed in a service center or the like is generally known.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a management device and one or a plurality of electronic devices can communicate with each other via a communication device. The management device allows the electronic device to pass through the communication device. In an electronic device management system for managing devices , even if the communication device is in an environment in which communication is performed in a different communication mode with a plurality of electronic devices such as OA devices, an increase in the burden of management work by the network administrator and network security It is possible to avoid the decrease, and even when the setting of the communication mode is changed in the electronic device, communication with the communication device is not disabled, and the number of times device search processing is performed on the communication device side is reduced. With the goal.

The present invention, in the electronic equipment management system including a communication device that communicates with the one or more electronics, and a management device for managing the electronic device via the communication device, in order to achieve the above object,
Device information acquisition means for sequentially executing communication with a plurality of different communication methods for each of the one or a plurality of electronic devices to the communication device until a response is received, and acquiring device information from the electronic device having the response If, when communicating with the electronic device the device information is acquired by the device information acquisition unit, a communication unit communicating with a communication method when the instrument information is acquired, acquired by the device information acquisition unit Providing transmission means for transmitting information that associates the device information and the communication method at the time of acquisition to the management device;
The management device is provided with receiving means for receiving the information transmitted from the communication device.

In these electronic device management systems , in the communication device, the communication state check means for checking the communication state with the one or more electronic devices, and the one or more electronic devices as a result of the check by the communication state check means. When communication with any of the above becomes impossible, when the device information acquisition means sequentially executes communication in a plurality of different communication methods for the one or more electronic devices, and there is a response, It is preferable to provide means for starting processing for acquiring device information from the electronic device using the communication method in which the response has occurred.

In addition, the communication device that communicates with one or a plurality of electronic devices according to the present invention sequentially executes communication in a plurality of different communication methods for each of the one or a plurality of electronic devices until there is a response. When communicating with a device information acquisition unit that acquires device information from the acquired electronic device and an electronic device for which device information has been acquired by the device information acquisition unit, communication is performed using the communication method used when the device information is acquired. And a communication means.
Furthermore, the communication method for communicating with one or a plurality of electronic devices according to the present invention sequentially executes communication in a plurality of different communication methods for each of the one or a plurality of electronic devices until there is a response. Device information acquisition procedure for acquiring device information from the acquired electronic device, and when communicating with the electronic device whose device information has been acquired by the device information acquisition procedure, communication is performed using the communication method used when the device information is acquired. And a communication procedure.

The program according to the present invention sequentially executes a computer that controls a communication device that communicates with one or a plurality of electronic devices until each of the one or more electronic devices responds with a plurality of different communication methods. The device information acquisition means for acquiring the device information from the electronic device that has responded, and the communication when the device information is acquired when communicating with the electronic device for which the device information is acquired by the device information acquisition means It is a program for functioning as a communication means for performing communication in a system.

According to the present invention, in the electronic equipment management system including a communication device that communicates with the one or more electronics, and a management device for managing the electronic device via the communication device, the communication device is one or more Even in an environment where communication is performed in a communication mode different from that of other electronic devices, it is possible to avoid an increase in the burden of management work by the network administrator and a decrease in network security. Even if it is done, communication with the communication device is not disabled, and the number of times device search processing is performed on the communication device side can be reduced.

Is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an electronic equipment management system according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the server 3a of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the communication adapter 21 of FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control system of the copying machines 13 and 23 of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the search condition setting process by the communication adapter 21 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which similarly shows an example of the content of an apparatus search process It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example of an apparatus search process similarly. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the contents of a communication mode setting change process by the copying machine 23 shown in FIG. 4. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the communication relevant information update process by the communication adapter 21 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of processing related to a change in communication mode setting by the copy machine and the communication adapter when a change in communication mode setting is instructed by the copy machine in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the setting change information transmission process of the communication mode by the center system 1 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the other example of the content of the communication related information update process by the communication adapter 21 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of processing related to a communication mode setting change by the center system 1, a communication adapter 21, and a copier 23 when a change in communication mode setting is instructed in the center system 1 of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the security information selection / transmission process by the communication adapter 21 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the contents of security information update processing by the copying machine 23 shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of processing related to updating of security information by the communication adapter 21 and the copying machine 23 when the selection of security information is instructed by the communication adapter 21 of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the security information selection / transmission process by the center system 1 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content of the security information transmission process by the communication adapter 21 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of processing related to updating of security information by the center system 1, a communication adapter 21, and a copying machine when an instruction to select security information is given in the center system 1 of FIG.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an electronic equipment management system (image forming apparatus management system) according to the present invention.
This electronic device management system includes a center system 1 as a central management device (also simply referred to as “management device”) installed in a service center and electronic devices installed in customer sites (user side) A and B, respectively. It consists of a group of devices.

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the control and processing relating to the present invention in the electronic device management system configured as described above will be specifically described with reference to each of FIGS.
For convenience of explanation, the communication control in this electronic device management system includes electronic devices including a communication adapter 21 installed at a customer site B and an image forming apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as “OA device”) such as a copying machine 23. Only communication control between devices and communication control between the communication adapter 21 and the server 3a of the center system 1 will be described.

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, even in an environment in which a communication device communicates with a plurality of electronic devices in different communication modes, the burden of management work by a network administrator is increased, and network security is improved. Since the decrease can be avoided, the operational efficiency of the electronic device can be improved. Therefore, it is possible to provide an electronic device management system, a communication apparatus, and a communication method that are efficient in operation.

Claims (7)

In the electronic equipment management system including a communication device that communicates with the one or more electronics, a management device and which manages the electronic device via the communication device,
In the communication device,
For each of the one or more electronic devices , device information acquisition means for sequentially executing communication in a plurality of different communication methods until there is a response, and acquiring device information from the electronic device that has responded,
When communicating with the electronic device the device information is acquired by the device information acquisition unit, a communication unit communicating with a communication method when the instrument information is acquired,
A transmission unit that transmits information that associates the device information acquired by the device information acquisition unit with the communication method at the time of acquisition to the management device;
In the management device,
An electronic device management system comprising receiving means for receiving the information transmitted from the communication device. The electronic device management system according to claim 1,
An electronic device management system comprising: a setting unit configured to set an execution order of communication in the plurality of different communication methods used by the device information acquisition unit in the communication device . The electronic device management system according to claim 2,
The electronic device management system , wherein the setting unit of the communication device includes a unit that sets whether or not communication is performed in each communication method used by the device information acquisition unit. In the electronic device management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In the communication device,
When the communication status check means for checking the communication status with the one or more electronic devices, and the communication status check means, as a result of the check by the communication status check means, communication with any of the one or more electronic devices is disabled, When the device information acquisition means sequentially executes communication with a plurality of different communication methods with respect to the one or more electronic devices, and there is a response, the device from the electronic device with the communication method with the response An electronic device management system comprising: means for starting a process for acquiring information. In a communication device that communicates with one or more electronic devices,
For each of the one or more electronic devices, device information acquisition means for sequentially executing communication in a plurality of different communication methods until there is a response, and acquiring device information from the electronic device that has responded,
When performing communication with the electronic device from which the device information has been acquired by the device information acquisition unit, a communication unit that performs communication in the communication method when the device information is acquired;
A communication apparatus comprising: In a communication method for communicating with one or more electronic devices,
For each of the one or more electronic devices, sequentially perform communication in a plurality of different communication methods until there is a response, device information acquisition procedure for acquiring device information from the electronic device that has responded,
When performing communication with the electronic device from which the device information has been acquired by the device information acquisition procedure, a communication procedure for performing communication in the communication method when the device information is acquired;
A communication method characterized by comprising: A computer that controls a communication device that communicates with one or more electronic devices;
For each of the one or more electronic devices, device information acquisition means for sequentially executing communication in a plurality of different communication methods until there is a response, and acquiring device information from the electronic device that has responded,
A communication unit that communicates with the electronic device from which the device information has been acquired by the device information acquisition unit;
Program to make it function.