JP2019175401A - Information processing device and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To start communication related to the acquisition of arbitrary information, such as character information or image data by using a communication protocol for performing monitoring and control via a network.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes: a first reception part for receiving an apparatus information acquisition request from another information processing device with a first protocol; a determination part for determining whether the another information processing device is a notification object of notification information on the basis of the apparatus information acquisition request; an update part for including a flag showing whether the another information processing device is the notification object of the notification information in apparatus information; a first transmission part for transmitting the apparatus information including the flag to the another information processing device with the first protocol; a second reception part for receiving notification information acquisition request with a second protocol as a response to the apparatus information including the flag from the another information processing device; and a second transmission part for transmitting the notification information to the another information processing device with the second protocol.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.

  In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, information inside the apparatus, for example, the remaining amount of toner or the remaining amount of paper is notified to an external information processing apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a monitoring server. A technique for popping up received information on the screen of the information processing apparatus and presenting it to the user is already known (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In a conventional device information notification mechanism using pop-up, SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is used as a general communication protocol for monitoring and controlling via a network. In SNMP, there is a problem that only specific information stored in a device information database (MIB: Management Information Base) held in an image forming apparatus can be notified to an information processing apparatus that has accessed the image forming apparatus. It was.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and starts communication related to acquisition of arbitrary information such as character information or image data using a communication protocol for monitoring and controlling via a network. For the purpose.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the information processing apparatus receives a device information acquisition request from another information processing apparatus using a first protocol, and the other information processing device based on the device information acquisition request. A determination unit that determines whether the information processing device is a notification target of notification information, an update unit that includes a flag indicating whether the other information processing device is a notification target of notification information in the device information, A first transmission unit that transmits the device information including the flag to the other information processing device using the first protocol, and notification information as a response to the device information including the flag from the other information processing device. A second receiving unit configured to receive an acquisition request using a second protocol; and a second transmitting unit configured to transmit notification information to the other information processing apparatus using the second protocol.

  A communication protocol for monitoring and controlling via a network can be used to start communication related to acquisition of arbitrary information such as character information or image data.

It is a figure which shows the example of the information processing system in embodiment of this invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the control procedure in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the notification information in embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing system includes an image forming apparatus 1, a network 2, and an information processing apparatus 3.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is an information processing apparatus having an image processing function and a communication function, and is, for example, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Printer / Product), a facsimile, a scanner, or a printer. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 may be, for example, an MFP having a facsimile, a scanner, and a printer function, or a printer.

  The network 2 is a network to which the image forming apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 3 are connected. For example, the network 2 may be a network partially including the Internet. The image forming apparatus 1 communicates with the information processing apparatus 3 via the network 2.

  The information processing apparatus 3 is an information processing apparatus that is notified of information to be displayed to the user from the image forming apparatus 1 via the network 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 has a configuration in which a controller 20, a plotter 32, an operation unit 33, and a scanner 34 are connected via respective interfaces. The controller 20 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 21, a read only memory (ROM) 22, a random access memory (RAM) 23, a non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) 24, a hard disk drive (HDD) 25, a network I / F 26, an engine. The device includes an I / F 27, a panel I / F 28, a scanner I / F 29, an FCU (Facsimile Control Unit) 30, and a media I / F 31, and each device is connected via a bus 35.

  The controller 20 is a controller that controls the entire image forming apparatus 1 and controls and processes input from printing, communication, and a user interface. The plotter 32 prints an image on a sheet. The operation unit 33 acquires user input related to setting of printing conditions and displays the state of the image forming apparatus 1 and the like. The scanner 34 scans a document with a pressure plate or a DF (Document Feeder).

  The CPU 21 controls the controller 20 by executing a program stored in the ROM 22. The ROM 22 is a nonvolatile storage device that stores programs and data necessary for controlling the controller 20. The RAM 23 is a volatile storage device used when the CPU 21 executes a program. The NVRAM 24 is a nonvolatile storage device for storing data that needs to be retained even when the power is turned off. The HDD 25 is a non-volatile storage device for storing drawn image data or received print data.

  The network I / F 26 is an interface for communicating with the information processing apparatus 3 and the like. The engine I / F 27 is an interface for controlling the plotter 32 from the controller 20. The panel I / F 28 is an interface that controls the operation unit 33 from the controller 20. The scanner I / F 29 is an interface for controlling the scanner 34 from the controller 20. The FCU 30 is a device that realizes a facsimile function. The media I / F 31 is an interface that controls reading or writing of data with respect to the recording medium 36.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a notification setting notification information receiving unit 11, a notification setting notification information storage unit 12, a device information transmitting unit 13, a determining unit 14, a flag updating unit 15, a request receiving unit 16, An operation panel 17 and a network interface 18 are provided. Each of these functional units is realized by the CPU 21 executing a program stored in the ROM 22 or the HDD 25 or the like.

  The notification setting notification information receiving unit 11 receives notification setting and notification information input by the user via the operation panel 17. The notification setting includes information indicating a notification target. The notification setting notification information storage unit 12 stores the notification setting and notification information acquired from the notification setting notification information receiving unit 11 using the RAM 23 or the NVRAM 24.

  The device information transmission unit 13 transmits device information, notification information, or notification settings to the information processing apparatus 3 via the network interface 18. The request receiving unit 16 receives a device information acquisition request, notification information, and notification setting acquisition request from the information processing apparatus 3 via the network interface 18.

  The determination unit 14 determines whether or not the information processing apparatus 3 that is the transmission source of the device information acquisition request received by the request reception unit 16 is a transmission target of notification information and notification settings. The flag update unit 15 is a notification indicating that it is a transmission target of notification information and notification settings included in device information transmitted to the information processing apparatus 3 that is determined by the determination unit 14 to be a transmission target of notification information and notification settings. Set the information flag to ON. Further, the flag update unit 15 indicates that the determination unit 14 is a transmission target of notification information and notification setting included in the device information transmitted to the information processing apparatus 3 that is determined not to be the transmission target of notification information and notification setting. Set the notification information flag to OFF. Details will be described later.

  FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for illustrating a control procedure in the embodiment of the present invention. Step S100 shown in FIG. 4 indicates a user input operation in the image forming apparatus 1, and is executed independently of other steps. In addition, the information processing apparatus 3 can receive notification information and notification settings from the image forming apparatus 1 and display the notification information in a pop-up by a series of control procedures from step S101 to step S109 shown in FIG.

  Information about the image forming apparatus 1 to be notified to the user may occur. As an example of pop-up display of the notification information, there is a case where information such as “the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 is changed to another location by changing the floor layout” is notified. Since the administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 notifies the information to the user who uses the image forming apparatus, the information forming apparatus 3 associated with the user can be notified of the information and displayed in a pop-up display. That is, the administrator of the image forming apparatus 1 determines a destination that provides information to be notified. The determination of the destination may be paraphrased as selection of the information processing apparatus 3 that should be notified of the information. For example, providing information to all the information processing apparatuses 3 on the floor where the image forming apparatus 1 is arranged, or providing information to the information processing apparatuses 3 that frequently use the image forming apparatus 1, etc. The administrator can arbitrarily determine the destination.

  In step S <b> 100, the user registers notification information and notification settings via the operation panel 17. Table 1 is a table in which the notification target, which is the classification of the information processing device 3 and the user, is associated with the notification information. Note that the information processing apparatus 3 and the user may be associated one-on-one.

表１に示されるように、通知対象が「グループＡ（管理者）」である場合の通知情報は「情報１（機密）」である。通知対象が「グループＢ（一般ユーザ）」である場合の通知情報は「情報２（一般）」である。通知対象が「グループＣ（全ユーザ）」である場合の通知情報は「情報３（一般）」である。表１に示されるテーブルは、ＲＡＭ２３又はＮＶＲＡＭ２４に保持され、通知対象に対応する通知情報を決定するとき参照される。

As shown in Table 1, the notification information when the notification target is “group A (administrator)” is “information 1 (confidential)”. The notification information when the notification target is “group B (general user)” is “information 2 (general)”. The notification information when the notification target is “group C (all users)” is “information 3 (general)”. The table shown in Table 1 is held in the RAM 23 or the NVRAM 24 and is referred to when determining notification information corresponding to a notification target.

  The notification information includes a data structure composed of predetermined character information, image information, or commands. The notification setting includes a data structure including an IP address, a host name, a notification timing, a display timing, and a display method. The notification information and the notification setting are used for screen display in the information processing apparatus 3.

  In step S101, when the printer driver starts up in the information processing apparatus 3, the printer driver accesses the image forming apparatus 1 using SNMP and transmits a device information acquisition request (S102).

  In step S <b> 103, when the image forming apparatus 1 receives the device information acquisition request, the image forming apparatus 1 determines whether or not the information processing apparatus 3 that transmitted the request is the destination of the notification information. The image forming apparatus 1 determines which notification target the information processing apparatus 3 is included based on the information shown in Table 1. When the information processing apparatus 3 is the destination of any notification information, the image forming apparatus 1 changes the “notification information present flag” of the device information data set to ON (S104a), and any of the notification information destinations. If not, the image forming apparatus 1 changes the “notification information present flag” of the device information data set to OFF (S104b).

  The device information data set is information related to a response to a device information acquisition request by SNMP transmitted from the information processing device 3. In the device information data set, information is defined in association with an identifier OID (Object Identifier). For example, information related to resources such as a memory usage rate is defined in OID: 1.3.6.1.2.1.2.5.2.3.1. Further, for example, information related to the network interface is defined in OID: 1.3.6.1.2.1.2. As described above, the device information data set includes various information regarding the image forming apparatus 1. Table 2 shows the “notification information present flag” in the device information data set in step S103.

表２に示されるように、機器情報データ集合のＩＤ「ＸＸ」に対応するデータ種類が「通知情報有フラグ」と規定される。ここで、機器情報データ集合は、ＳＮＭＰにおけるＭＩＢ（Management Information Base）と同様のデータ構造を有してもよい。なお、画像形成装置１は、「通知情報有フラグ」をＯＮに設定するとき、表１に示される情報を参照して、情報処理装置３に通知する通知情報及び通知設定を決定してもよい。

As shown in Table 2, the data type corresponding to the ID “XX” of the device information data set is defined as “notification information present flag”. Here, the device information data set may have a data structure similar to MIB (Management Information Base) in SNMP. When the “notification information present flag” is set to ON, the image forming apparatus 1 may determine the notification information and the notification setting to be notified to the information processing apparatus 3 with reference to the information shown in Table 1. .

  In step S <b> 105, the image forming apparatus 1 transmits device information including the “notification information present flag” to the information processing apparatus 3 using SNMP. Subsequently, the information processing apparatus 3 confirms whether the “notification information present flag” is ON in the received device information (S106). When the “notification information present flag” is ON, the information processing apparatus 3 transmits a notification information and notification setting acquisition request to the image forming apparatus 1 using TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). (S107).

  In step S <b> 108, the image forming apparatus 1 transmits notification information and notification settings to the information processing apparatus 3 using TCP / IP. Here, the notification information and the notification setting to be transmitted may be a part of the corresponding data structure. Subsequently, based on the received notification information and notification setting, the information processing apparatus 3 pops up the notification information on the screen in a format or timing designated by the notification setting (S109).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of notification information in the embodiment of the present invention. On the screen of the information processing apparatus 3, the notification information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1 is displayed as shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the user registers the notification information including the character information or the image data and the information processing apparatus that notifies the image forming apparatus 1 and the notification setting including the timing or the display method. . When the information processing apparatus 3 accesses the image forming apparatus 1, it is determined whether or not the information forming apparatus 1 is a notification target. If the information processing apparatus 3 is a notification target, it indicates that there is notification information in the device information database (MIB). After setting the flag to ON, device information is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 3 using the protocol SNMP. The information processing apparatus 3 that has received the device information checks a flag indicating that there is notification information. If the flag is ON, the information processing apparatus 3 receives the notification information from the image forming apparatus using the protocol TCP / IP and outputs it to the screen. To do. With this configuration, the image forming apparatus 1 can notify the information processing apparatus 3 of arbitrary information.

  That is, communication related to acquisition of arbitrary information such as character information or image data can be started using a communication protocol for monitoring and controlling via a network.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the image forming apparatus 1 is an example of an information processing apparatus. The information processing device 3 is an example of another information processing device. The request receiving unit 16 is an example of a first receiving unit or a second receiving unit. The device information transmission unit 13 is an example of a first transmission unit or a second transmission unit. The determination unit 14 is an example of a determination unit. The flag update unit 15 is an example of an update unit. The notification information presence flag is an example of a flag. Notification information and notification settings are examples of notification information.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Network 3 Information processing apparatus 20 Controller 21 CPU
22 ROM
23 RAM
24 NVRAM
25 HDD
26 Network I / F
27 Engine I / F
28 Panel I / F
29 Scanner I / F
30 FCU
31 Media I / F
32 Plotter 33 Operation unit 34 Scanner 35 Bus 36 Recording medium 11 Notification setting notification information reception unit 12 Notification setting notification information storage unit 13 Device information transmission unit 14 Determination unit 15 Flag update unit 16 Request reception unit 17 Operation panel 18 Network interface

JP 2001-034452 A

Claims (7)

A first receiving unit that receives a device information acquisition request from another information processing apparatus using a first protocol;
A determination unit that determines whether the other information processing apparatus is a notification target of notification information based on the device information acquisition request;
An update unit including a flag indicating whether or not the other information processing apparatus is a notification target of the notification information in the device information;
A first transmission unit configured to transmit the device information including the flag to the other information processing apparatus using the first protocol;
As a response to the device information including the flag from the other information processing apparatus, a second receiving unit that receives a notification information acquisition request using a second protocol;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a second transmission unit configured to transmit notification information to the other information processing apparatus using the second protocol.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification information is information used to display a screen in the other information processing apparatus.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information used for displaying the screen includes character information, image information, or a display method.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol is SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol is TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).   The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the flag is an SNMP MIB (Management Information Base) object. A first reception procedure for receiving a device information acquisition request from another information processing apparatus using a first protocol;
A determination procedure for determining whether the other information processing apparatus is a notification target of notification information based on the device information acquisition request;
An update procedure including a flag indicating whether the other information processing apparatus is a notification target of the notification information in the device information;
A first transmission procedure for transmitting the device information including the flag to the other information processing apparatus using the first protocol;
A second reception procedure for receiving a notification information acquisition request using a second protocol as a response to the device information including the flag from the other information processing apparatus;
An information processing method for executing a second transmission procedure for transmitting notification information to the other information processing apparatus using the second protocol.

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