JP4284995B2 - Device, data processing method and data processing program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to displaying information of XML data via a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network (for example, a LAN), when one device stores information about the device as HTML data, the other device receives and displays the HTML data. (Browsing, printing, etc.) HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a language born to write web pages. For example, even in a system in which a device such as a printer is used via a network, if the device stores internal information (for example, management information) as HTML data, other devices (for example, personal computer terminals) Information can be displayed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-186301 describes communication of error information such as a multi-function device (MFP) using HTML data.
[0003]
Receiving HTML data has problems such as network load due to transmission in units of pages and the inability to reuse data. Therefore, it is conceivable to adopt XML and create a web page in XML. XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language with an extended function. Since XML itself does not define a layout, the layout of data described in XML (hereinafter referred to as XML data) is a style sheet described in a style sheet language (for example, XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language) or CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)). Stipulate. XSLT (XSL Transformations) is one of the languages that perform XSL data transformation processing.
[0004]
XML is used for various purposes, but is suitable for data transmission. For example, when managing various devices (such as a printer) connected to a network, device management information can be held as XML data. When browsing the management information with a web browser of a device external to the device, the web browser analyzes and displays the XML data with reference to a style sheet held in the device.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-186301 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to facilitate the display of XML data, the device itself is provided with an application (for example, a web server) that supports XML, stores XML data and style sheets for management data of the device itself, and the like via an external network It is conceivable to provide XML data in response to a request from the terminal. This reduces the load on the network. However, in this case, each device needs a storage capacity for storing the style sheet. If the same style sheet is stored in many devices, it is necessary to reinstall the style sheet for each device when upgrading the style sheet. In addition, it is desirable that the XML data can be displayed in a flexible display form according to the status of the device or client terminal, but a large storage capacity is required to store a large number of style sheets.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to enable display of XML data in a device connected to a network without unnecessarily increasing the storage capacity.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A device according to the present invention is a device (for example, an image forming apparatus) connected to a server that stores one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network, in response to a request from the client terminal, XML data generating means for generating XML data describing management data information , which is information on the state of the device, and the XML data generated by the XML data generating means in response to a request from the client terminal And a web server to be provided. The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts. The XML data generation unit selects one style sheet from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and stores the selected style sheet in the generated XML data. Describe the location.
[0009]
A data processing method according to the present invention is a data processing method executed in a device connected to a server that stores one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network, in response to a request from the client terminal. In response, an XML data generation step for generating XML data describing management data information that is information on the state of the device, and the XML data generated in the XML data generation step in response to a request from the client terminal. Providing XML data to be provided to the client terminal. The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts. In the XML data generation step, one style sheet is selected from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and the selected style sheet is stored in the generated XML data. Describe the location.
[0010]
According to a data processing program according to the present invention, a device connected to a server that stores one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network responds to a request from the client terminal. An XML data generation step for generating XML data describing management data information, and an XML data provision for providing the XML data generated in the XML data generation step to the client terminal in response to a request from the client terminal Step. The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts. In the XML data generation step, one style sheet is selected from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and the selected style sheet is stored in the generated XML data. Describe the location.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the network environment shown in FIG. 1, various shared devices 100, printers, etc.), various server apparatuses 200, client terminals 300 (personal computers, etc.), etc. are connected to a network (LAN, Internet, etc.) 400. Shared device 100 includes, for example, an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a scanner, or a multi-function device (MFP) that combines these functions. Hereinafter, a case where the shared device 100 is an MFP will be described as an example. A user of the client terminal 300 displays (browses, prints, etc.) XML data using an application (for example, a web browser) that supports XML. The XML data is, for example, device management information that is internal information of the device. Specifically, the application (web browser) of client terminal 300 designates the URI of MFP 100 using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and sends a request to the web server of MFP 100. The web server provides data to the client terminal in response to an HTTP request from the client terminal. The web browser displays the received data. In the present embodiment, the web browser analyzes, for example, XML data and a style sheet, converts the received XML data into, for example, HTML data, and performs display (viewing, printing, etc.).
[0013]
Here, one or more style sheets for expressing the XML data are stored in a server device 200 different from the MFP 100. The server device 200 may be provided in the same LAN, or may be a server that is accessed outside the LAN, for example, via the Internet. The document type declaration part of the XML data includes a description that specifies the style sheet. In the case of the XML data of the device management information described above, the style sheet stored in the server 200 is designated. When the web browser of the client terminal 300 receives the XML data from the MFP 100, the XML data is displayed by referring to the style sheet stored in the server device 200 in accordance with the description included in the XML data.
[0014]
Since the style sheet is stored in the server device 200 different from the device 100, a wide variety of style sheets can be stored. For example, an arbitrary style sheet customized for each user can be stored. Customization enables a flexible display layout that meets the needs of devices, clients, and the like. In addition, style sheets of a plurality of different languages such as Japanese and English can be stored. It can also store style sheets using a universal design that considers people with disabilities.
[0015]
By storing the style sheet in the server apparatus 200 different from the device 100, various useful effects can be obtained. By storing a plurality of style sheets in the server apparatus 200 different from the device 100, the device 100 does not need a memory capacity for storing the style sheets. Further, when the same style sheet is stored in many devices 100 (for example, printers having the same function), it is necessary to upgrade the style sheet for each device. On the other hand, if the same style sheet in the server apparatus 200 is referred to, it can be dealt with only by upgrading the style sheet of the server apparatus 200. In addition, a large number of style sheets are stored in a storage device having a large storage capacity, and XML data can be displayed in various layouts by selecting from among them. For example, if a style sheet is prepared for each user, any customized style sheet can be obtained for each user. In addition, if you prepare a style sheet for each language, such as a Japanese style sheet or an English style sheet, you can easily select from multiple languages (Japanese, English, etc.) corresponding to the location of the device. become. In addition, it becomes easy to specify a style sheet using a universal design that takes into account disabled people.
[0016]
When a plurality of style sheets are prepared, one style sheet may be determined when the MFP is installed, or the MFP may be determined according to various conditions. For example, the determination may be made with reference to the IP address or user name of the client terminal that the MFP has accessed. For example, it is determined from which country the client terminal is located from the IP address, and the style sheet of the language corresponding to that country is selected. If a style sheet is associated with each user or IP address in advance, the corresponding style sheet is selected. Then, XML data described so as to refer to the selected style sheet is generated.
[0017]
Next, each device connected to the network 400 will be specifically described. A multi-function device (MFP), which is one of the shared devices 100, is a device that functions as a printer, a scanner, or the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the multi-function device includes a scanner device 102 that reads an image of a document, a print engine unit 104 that receives print data and prints it on paper, and a controller 106 that controls them. The controller 106 is connected to the operation panel unit 108, the communication device 110 including a network interface connected to the external network 400, and the like. The operation panel 108 performs various input settings and display by the user. When functioning as a printer, when print data is received from the outside via the communication device 110 that performs communication via a network, raster data is created and the print engine unit 104 is controlled to perform printing. Further, the controller 106 creates management data of the device itself based on settings via the operation panel 108 and output results of various sensors (not shown), and provides them when requested.
[0018]
The controller 106 includes a CPU 120 that controls the whole, a storage device (HDD) 122, an image processing unit 124, an image memory 126, and the like. The storage device 122 is, for example, a hard disk device. In addition to the control program 130 for controlling the multi-function device, the storage device 122 collects and manages information related to the multi-function device, an XML data generation unit 134, and a web server 136 is stored. In addition, an XML data storage unit 138 that stores the generated XML data is provided. The XML data generation unit 134 generates XML data of information related to the multi-function device collected by the state management unit 132. The XML data is described so as to refer to a style sheet stored in an external server device different from the device. When there is a management data browsing request from an external client, the web server 136 provides the XML data generated by the XML generation unit 134 via the communication device 110.
[0019]
The server apparatus 200 is a shared apparatus connected to a network separately from the MFP 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the server apparatus 200 controls the entire CPU 202, an input device 204 such as a keyboard, and a display device 206, as in a normal computer. A communication device 210 including a storage device (HDD) 208 and a network interface connected to the network 500. The storage device 208 stores an OS program (not shown), a web server 220, one or more style sheets 222, and the like.
[0020]
The client terminal 300 is, for example, a personal computer (PC). The personal computer is, for example, a CPU 302 that controls the whole, an input device 304 such as a keyboard, a display device 306, and a storage device (HDD) 308 as shown in FIG. And a communication device 310 including a network interface connected to the network 400. In addition to an OS program (not shown), the storage device 308 stores a web browser 320 that is an application for displaying XML data.
[0021]
In this network environment, the user activates the web browser 320 on the client terminal 300. The web browser 320 is connected to the web server 136 of the MFP 100 by inputting the URI of the MFP 100.
[0022]
In MFP 100, upon receiving a management data request from web browser 320 of client terminal 300, web server 136 requests management data from XML data generation unit 134. The XML data generation unit 134 acquires the management data information of the MFP 100 from the state management unit 132 and creates the XML data. The web server 136 transmits the created XML data to the client terminal 300.
[0023]
FIG. 5 is an example of XML data of management data. According to this management data, the following can be understood. The product name of this MFP is “abc-001”. The document tray is installed. The paper tray is mounted, its name is Tray 1, the paper size is letter, the medium is plain paper, the paper transport direction is the short side, and the paper capacity of the tray is 250 sheets The paper is stored in a tray. A style sheet is specified in the second line of the XML data. Here, the URI of the style sheet is described after href =, and the type of the style sheet is described after type =.
[0024]
When the browser 320 of the client terminal 300 receives the XML data, the browser 320 requests the style sheet specified in the XML data. In this example, since the style sheet stored in the server apparatus 200 is specified, the style sheet is requested to the web server 220 of the server apparatus 200. In response to this, the web server 220 transmits the requested style sheet to the client terminal 300. FIG. 6 is an example of a style sheet designated by the XML data of FIG. Upon receiving the style sheet, the browser 320 of the client terminal 300 analyzes the XML data received from the MFP 100 and the style sheet received from the server apparatus 200, converts it to, for example, HTML data, and displays it on the screen.
[0025]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the client terminal 300. If the URI of the web server 136 of the MFP 100 is specified when the web browser 320 is activated by the user (YES in S100), a request for XML data is transmitted to the web server 136 (S102). If the URI of the web server 136 is not designated (NO in S100), other processing is performed (S104).
[0026]
When XML data is received from MFP 100 (YES in S106), when a style sheet is designated in the received XML data (YES in S110), a style sheet to be referred to is determined based on the designation of the client and designated. A style sheet request is transmitted to the server apparatus 200 (S112). If XML data has not been received from the MFP 100 (NO in S106), if the predetermined set time of the web browser 320 has not elapsed (NO in S108), the process returns to step S106 to check the transmission of XML data. The set time is set in consideration of the time required for transmitting XML data. When the set time has elapsed (YES in S108), the XML data reception process is terminated and the process ends.
[0027]
When XML data from MFP 100 is received (YES in S106), next, when a style sheet is received from server apparatus 200 (YES in S114), the XML data and the style sheet are analyzed, and the style sheet HTML data for displaying data is generated according to the designation (S118). As a result, HTML data can be displayed. If the predetermined set time of the web browser 320 has not elapsed (NO in S116), the process returns to step S114 to check transmission of the style sheet. The setting time is set in consideration of the time required for transmitting the style sheet. When the set time of web browser 320 has elapsed (YES in S116), the style sheet reception process is terminated and the process ends.
[0028]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the program of the XML data generation unit 134 of the MFP 100. When there is a request for device information from the client terminal (PC terminal) 300 to the web server 122 of the MFP 100, the device information is acquired from the state management unit 132 (YES in S200), and XML data is obtained based on the acquired device information. Create (S202). When the XML data is created (YES in S204), the XML data is provided to the web server 120 and sent (S206). Thereby, the XML data can be displayed on the client terminal 300. The program executed by MFP 100 can be implemented in various forms such as a script and an external program, as is known to those skilled in the art.
[0029]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the web server 220 of the server device 200. When there is a style sheet request from the client terminal (PC terminal) 300 (YES in S300), if the designated style sheet exists (YES in S302), the style sheet is transmitted to the client terminal 300 (S304). . If the designated style sheet does not exist (NO in S302), the process ends.
[0030]
In the above-described embodiment, a web server is used as data providing means for providing XML data, and a web browser is used as XML browsing means. However, other applications having functions necessary for the above-described embodiment may be used.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
By placing the style sheet on a server device different from the device that stores the XML data, the device does not need a storage capacity for storing the style sheet.
In addition, the upgrade of the same style sheet used in a plurality of apparatuses can be easily dealt with only by upgrading the style sheet of the server apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a block diagram of a network system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an MFP. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a server. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a client terminal. Fig. 6 is a diagram of an example of an XML file. Fig. 6 is a diagram of an example of a style sheet. Fig. 7 is a flowchart of a client terminal. Fig. 8 is a flowchart of an XML data generation unit of the MFP. Explanation of symbols]
100 device (for example, MFP), 102 communication device, 106 controller, 112 CPU, 114 storage device, 122 state management unit, 124 web server, 126 XML generation program, 200 server device, 202 CPU, 208 storage device, 210 communication device, 220 web server, 222 style sheet storage unit, 300 client terminal, 302 CPU, 320 web browser.

Claims (15)

A device connected to a server storing one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network,
In response to a request from the client terminal, XML data generating means for generating XML data describing management data information that is information on the state of the device ;
And a web server for providing XML data generated by the XML data generating unit to the client terminal,
The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts,
The XML data generation unit selects one style sheet from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and stores the selected style sheet in the generated XML data. A device characterized by describing a location.   The device according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the client terminal is an IP address of the client terminal.   The XML data generation means determines a country in which the client terminal is installed from the IP address, and selects the style sheet corresponding to the country in which the client terminal is installed from the plurality of style sheets. The device according to claim 2.   4. The network according to claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet and a LAN connected to the Internet, the device is connected to the LAN, and the server is connected to the LAN via the Internet. Device described in 1.   The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an image forming apparatus. A data processing method executed in a device connected to a server that stores one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network,
In response to a request from the client terminal, an XML data generation step for generating XML data describing management data information that is information on the state of the device ;
A XML data providing step of providing the XML data generated in the XML data generation step to said client terminal,
The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts,
In the XML data generation step, one style sheet is selected from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and the selected style sheet is stored in the generated XML data. A data processing method characterized by describing a place.   The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein the information about the client terminal is an IP address of the client terminal.   In the XML data generation step, the country in which the client terminal is installed is determined from the IP address, and the style sheet corresponding to the country in which the client terminal is installed is selected from the plurality of style sheets. The data processing method according to claim 7.   9. The network according to claim 6, wherein the network includes the Internet and a LAN connected to the Internet, the device is connected to the LAN, and the server is connected to the LAN via the Internet. A data processing method described in 1.   10. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein the device is an image forming apparatus. To a device connected to a server that stores one or more client terminals and a plurality of style sheets via a network,
In response to a request from the client terminal, an XML data generation step for generating XML data describing management data information that is information on the state of the device ;
The XML data generated in the XML data generating step is performed the XML data providing step of providing to said client terminal,
The style sheet defines a display layout of the XML data, and the plurality of style sheets define different display layouts,
In the XML data generation step, one style sheet is selected from the plurality of style sheets based on information on the client terminal that has made the request, and the selected style sheet is stored in the generated XML data. A data processing program characterized by describing a place.   12. The data processing program according to claim 11, wherein the information regarding the client terminal is an IP address of the client terminal.   In the XML data generation step, the country in which the client terminal is installed is determined from the IP address, and the style sheet corresponding to the country in which the client terminal is installed is selected from the plurality of style sheets. The data processing program according to claim 12, wherein:   14. The network according to claim 11, wherein the network includes the Internet and a LAN connected to the Internet, the device is connected to the LAN, and the server is connected to the LAN via the Internet. A data processing program described in 1.   15. The data processing program according to claim 11, wherein the device is an image forming apparatus.

Images