JP5506981B2 - Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing apparatus control method, and a program .

  A multifunction product (MFP) that combines various image input / output functions based on a copier, a fax machine, a printer, and the like achieves a wide variety of image processing functions by an embedded application incorporated in the system of the apparatus.

  On the other hand, a user who uses a function is specified by inputting a department ID code or inserting an ID card. Or you can display several keys on the operation screen of the function, register the operation parameter settings for each key, and select the mode memory or one-touch so that you can call up the settings you want to use frequently for each user by pressing the key once. Some functions provide keys.

  There has also been proposed a device whose function can be expanded by adding an embedded application.

  However, the conventional example has the following problems. In other words, the function of the MFP can be expanded by providing a built-in application addition mechanism. However, when a wide variety of built-in applications are added, the application that the user wants to start from a large number of built-in one MFP is selected. Selection may be difficult. Therefore, since not all users need all applications, it is easy to select an application if it is configured to display application options registered by the user for each user who operates the device. Since the information is closed inside one MFP, in the environment where the user uses a plurality of MFPs connected to the network, the above information must be individually registered in a large number of MFPs. There was no other choice but to force operation.

  Similarly, when various types of embedded applications are incorporated, it is desirable to be able to register operation parameters reflecting the user's preferences for each of a large number incorporated in one MFP. However, in an environment where a user uses a plurality of MFPs connected to a network, the above information must be individually registered in a large number of MFPs, forcing the user to perform complicated operations.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing system or the like that allows an application to be added to an information processing apparatus without a complicated operation by a user.

The information processing system of the present invention is based on that the application first information processing apparatus having a first addition means for adding the application to the own device, before Symbol first information processing apparatus has been added, And a second information processing apparatus that is provided with a second adding unit that adds the application to the own apparatus and that is instructed by the user to be synchronized with the first information processing apparatus .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to add an application to the information processing apparatus without a complicated operation by the user.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the network system of this Embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus 1201. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific structure of a reader unit 1 and a printer unit 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an appearance of an operation unit 9 of an image processing apparatus 1201. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus 1201 core unit 10. FIG. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the job control in an image processing apparatus. 3 is a software hierarchy diagram conceptually showing the hierarchical relationship of software module groups operating on the CPU 123 of the core unit 10. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a preference data structure for each user managed by a Java (registered trademark) application framework 714; FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the login screen displayed on the liquid crystal display with a touch panel of 2601 of the operation part. It is a figure which shows an example of the extended application starting screen displayed on the liquid crystal display with a touch panel 2601 of the operation unit. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data structure managed by a Java (registered trademark) application framework 714. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the synchronization process of preference data. It is a figure which shows the example of preference data before application of a synchronous process. It is a figure which shows the example of preference data after application of a synchronous process. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the network system of other embodiment.

  Embodiments of an information processing apparatus and an information processing system of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a network system according to the present embodiment. A network 1101 is a network that provides a logical communication circuit between a plurality of image processing apparatuses and information processing apparatuses.

  The image processing apparatus 1201 is an information processing apparatus that can be expanded in function by adding an embedded application. The preference 13 is information unique to each user stored in the image processing apparatus 1201, and includes a program related to an embedded application used during operation of the image processing apparatus 1201 and data handled by the program.

  The image processing device 1202 is another image processing device configured in the same manner as the image processing device 1201, and can communicate with the image processing device 1201 via the network 1101. The preference 14 is information unique to each user stored in the image processing apparatus 1202, and includes a program related to an embedded application used during operation of the image processing apparatus 1202 and data handled by the program.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the image processing apparatus 1201. As shown in the figure, the image input / output control unit 3 connected to the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2 includes a facsimile unit 4, a storage unit 5, a computer interface unit 7, a RIP (raster image processor) unit 8, An operation unit 9 and a core unit 10 are provided.

  The reader unit 1 reads an image of a document and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to the image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 records an image corresponding to the image data from the image input / output control unit 3 on a recording sheet.

  The facsimile unit 4 decompresses the compressed image data received via the telephone line, transfers the decompressed image data to the core unit 10, and transmits the image data transferred from the core unit 10 via the telephone line. Is. Image data to be transmitted and received can be temporarily stored in the hard disk 6 connected to the storage unit 5.

  The storage unit 5 compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10 and stores it in the hard disk 6 together with an ID number for retrieving the image data. The storage unit 5 searches the compressed image data stored in the hard disk 6 based on the code data transferred via the core unit 10 and transfers the searched compressed image data to the core unit 10. is there.

  The computer interface unit 7 is an interface between the network 1101 and the core unit 10 and exchanges data with client computers and other devices.

  The RIP unit 8 develops code data (PDL) representing an image transferred from the network 1101 into image data that can be recorded by the printer unit 2.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of specific structures of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2. First, the reader unit 1 will be described. The document feeder 101 feeds documents one by one to the platen glass 102 in order from the top, and discharges the document on the platen glass 102 after the document reading operation is completed. When the original is fed onto the platen glass 102, the lamp 103 is turned on, and the movement of the scanner unit 104 is started to expose and scan the original. The reflected light from the original at this time is guided to the CCD image sensor 109 by the mirrors 105, 106, 107 and the lens 108. Thus, the scanned image of the document is read by the CCD image sensor 109. Image data output from the CCD image sensor 109 is transferred to the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3 after being subjected to predetermined processing.

  Next, the printer unit 2 will be described. The laser driver 221 drives the laser light emitting unit 201 and causes the laser light emitting unit 201 to emit laser light corresponding to the image data output from the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3. Laser light from the laser emitting unit 201 is scanned on the photosensitive drum 202, and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 202. A developer (toner) is attached to the latent image on the photosensitive drum 202 by the developing unit 203. Then, at the timing synchronized with the start of laser beam irradiation, the recording paper is fed from either the cassette 204 or the cassette 205 and conveyed to the transfer unit 206, and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 202 is transferred to the recording paper. . The recording paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is transferred to the fixing unit 207, and the toner image on the recording paper is fixed by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 207. The recording sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 207 is discharged by the discharge roller 208, and the finisher 220 bundles the discharged recording sheets and sorts the recording sheets, or staples the sorted recording sheets.

  When double-sided recording is set, after the recording sheet is conveyed to the discharge roller 208, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed, and the recording sheet guided to the refeed conveyance path 210 by the flapper 209 is The paper is fed to the transfer unit 206 at the timing described above.

  FIG. 4 shows an appearance of the operation unit 9 of the image processing apparatus 1201 shown in FIG. Reference numeral 2602 denotes a panel on which a liquid crystal display 2601 with a touch panel and a plurality of hard keys are arranged. Reference numeral 2603 denotes an LED (light emitting diode) display unit for displaying a state. Reference numeral 2604 denotes a screen contrast adjustment dial for adjusting the screen contrast.

  In addition, the operation unit 9 includes a buzzer (not shown). The button image displayed on the liquid crystal display 2601 functions as a software key in conjunction with the input coordinate calculation of the touch panel. An operation instruction to the image processing apparatus and an operation setting are performed by a user interface.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration of the image processing apparatus 1201 core unit 10 shown in FIG. The core unit 10 includes interfaces 120 and 122, a data processing unit 122, a CPU 123, and a memory 124.

  Image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 122. The data processing unit 121 performs image processing such as image rotation processing and scaling processing, and compression and decompression of image data, and has a page memory that can store image data equivalent to A4 / Letter size for a plurality of pages. Have.

  The image data transferred from the reader unit 1 to the data processing unit 121 is temporarily stored in the page memory, and then compressed and transferred to the storage unit 5 via the interface 120.

  Code data (PDL) representing an image input via the computer interface unit 7 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 120, temporarily stored in the page memory, and then compressed and stored. Transferred to the unit 5.

  The image data from the facsimile unit 4 is transferred to the data processing unit 121, temporarily stored in the page memory, and then compressed and transferred to the storage unit 5.

  Image data from the storage unit 5 is transferred to the data processing unit 121, decompressed, temporarily stored in the page memory, and then transferred to the printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, and computer interface unit 7. The storage unit 5 can input and output image data and non-image data via the computer interface unit 7 and can provide a data storage function to an external device.

  In addition, after inputting various image data to the data processing unit 121 described above and temporarily storing it in the page memory, before transferring the image data to the storage unit 5, the printer unit 2, the facsimile unit 4, and the computer interface unit 7. Can be transferred by switching the internal selector.

  The CPU 123 performs such control according to the control program stored in the memory 124 and the control command transferred from the operation unit 9. The memory 124 is also used as a work area for the CPU 123.

  As described above, functions such as reading of a document image, printing of an image, transmission / reception of an image, storage of an image, input / output of data from a computer, etc. through the data processing unit 121 and the storage unit 5 centering on the core unit 10. Can be combined.

  Next, job control in the image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 6 that logically shows job control units. The unit of job control is input and output processing for a group of image data including a plurality of pages. The jobs to be controlled are roughly divided into input jobs and output jobs.

  The input job includes an image input job 411 for sequentially recording image data read by the reader unit 1 to the storage unit 5, an image input job 412 for sequentially recording image data developed by the RIP unit 8 to the storage unit 5, and a facsimile. An image input job 413 for sequentially recording image data received by the unit 4 to the storage unit 5 and a data input job 414 for sequentially recording image data or non-image data input from the computer interface unit 7 to the storage unit 5. being classified.

  The output job includes an image output job 401 that sequentially outputs image data read from the storage unit to the printer unit 2, an image output job 403 that sequentially outputs image data read from the storage unit 5 to the facsimile unit 4, and the storage unit 5. The image data or the non-image data read from the image data is classified into a data output job 404 that is output to the computer interface unit 7 in accordance with the image data.

  The core unit 10 can realize various image input / output functions such as a copy function, a transmission function, a reception function, and a box function by freely combining the above unit jobs.

  FIG. 7 is a software hierarchy diagram conceptually showing the hierarchical relationship of software module groups operating on the CPU 123 of the core unit 10. In the figure, the module located at the upper level calls and uses the service of the module located at the lower level.

  The RTOS 701 is a real-time operating system, and is a software module that schedules various resources used by a software module group such as a CPU and a memory, and provides an operating environment for operating other software module groups operating on the resources. .

  Reference numerals 721, 722, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, and 729 are device driver groups that are incorporated in the RTOS 701 and provide an algorithm and a data structure for performing device control within the framework. The printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, storage unit 5, hard disk unit 6, computer interface unit 7, RIP unit 8, and operation unit 9 are controlled.

  The job / device controller 702 is a software module that controls devices by the above-described device driver group and controls various image input / output jobs.

  The controller API 703 provides a software interface for making it possible to use control functions for jobs and devices executed by the job / device controller 702 from software modules in an application layer located in a higher layer.

  The native application framework 704 is a framework that provides a framework in which a native application group operates, and has three functions as follows. In other words, the first function is to prevent arbitration and contention for requests to the controller API 703 issued by individual native applications. The second function is that the user interface mechanism such as the screen display and key input of the operation unit 9 is selectively switched to connect to and adjusted by each component group included in the framework. It is to provide a user interface environment that can be virtually occupied for each application group. The third function is to provide an environment in which applications can be easily localized by combining the changed parts of each application that changes depending on the destination of the product and is changed to cope with regionalization.

  Reference numerals 705 to 708 denote a native application group which is incorporated in the native application framework 704 and is called from the 704 to provide an algorithm and a data structure for realizing various functions. A copy 705 realizes a copy function for printing a copy of image data obtained by reading a document on paper. A transmission 706 provides a transmission function for transmitting image data obtained by reading a document to one or more destinations using various data transfer protocols. A box 707 provides an image database function for accumulating image data input from various image inputs in the storage 5, retrieving image data stored in the storage unit 5, and outputting the image data to various image outputs. The other application 708 is another application group that operates in the native application framework 704. For example, a reception function that manages an image input job group that receives image data asynchronously from various image inputs such as a communication line and a computer interface. There are applications that provide

The JVM 709 located on the other side of the RTOS 701 is a known Java (registered trademark) interpreter environment. The Java (registered trademark) interpreter environment consists of a set of Java (registered trademark) virtual machines and a group of class libraries, and provides an operating environment for software modules written in the Java (registered trademark) language. To do. The Java (registered trademark) interpreter environment can dynamically read an intermediate representation of an interpreter instruction sequence called bytecode generated as a result of compiling a program written in the Java (registered trademark) language at the time of execution. Java (registered trademark) Java called a virtual machine (
The registered trademark interpreter sequentially interprets and executes each read byte code. Jav
The byte code of a (registered trademark) is similar to the machine language of a known stack machine type processor, and the interpreter of Java (registered trademark) operates in the same manner as a stack machine type CPU.

Reference numerals 710, 712, and 713 denote class library groups that constitute a Java (registered trademark) interpreter environment. The controller API 710 is a class library in which the controller API 703 is wrapped so that it can be used from an application group described in Java (registered trademark).

  The connection of JNI 711 indicates communication between a controller API 703 for an application described in a native machine instruction and a controller API 710 for an application described in Java (registered trademark). ) Realized by Native Interface (JNI). The UI API 712 is a class library that is used for an application written in Java (registered trademark) to interface with a user, and a software interface set such as a well-known AWT or Swing is implemented to be compatible with the operation unit 9. It is a thing. The other class library 713 includes a standard class library group defined as a standard in the Java (registered trademark) environment.

The Java (registered trademark) application framework 714 is a framework that provides a framework for operating an application group described in Java (registered trademark), and has the following two functions. That is, the first function is to manage a plurality of Java (registered trademark) threads in order to run a plurality of Java (registered trademark) applications on the JVM 709 that is only running on the real-time operating system 701, and It is to distribute the execution context to the main method of the class describing the registered application. The second function is Java that operates in parallel by selectively switching and connecting and adjusting user interface mechanisms such as screen display and key input of the operation unit 9 to each of the component groups included in the framework. It is to provide a user interface environment that can be virtually occupied for each of the (registered trademark) application groups. The latter function cooperates with the second function of the native application framework via the arbitration function of the device driver of the operation unit 9.

  Applications 715, 716, and 717 are Java (registered trademark) application groups. In order to provide various additional functions to the image input / output device, additional installation can be performed dynamically in units of applications after the image input / output device is shipped.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a preference data structure for each user managed by the Java (registered trademark) application framework 714. A user list 801 is an entry point for searching for information for each user. Here, the user list 801 includes records for two people. Each record corresponding to each user includes UID, GID, and APPS values, and represents a user ID, a group ID, and a reference to a user application list, respectively.

  Reference numerals 802 and 803 denote user application lists of the respective users, which are subsets of system application groups incorporated in the system and describe application groups that the user may use. Each of the records corresponding to each application includes values of PREF, MTIME, and REF. References to application preference data, last update time of application preference data, references to corresponding application records in the system application list, Represents.

  Reference numerals 804 and 805 denote application preference data, which include operation parameter setting information of the corresponding embedded application according to the preference of the corresponding user.

  Reference numeral 806 denotes a system application list which describes all applications incorporated in the system. Each record corresponding to each application includes APPLICATION, #REF, and JAR values, and includes an application identifier, a reference counter, and a reference to an application archive file. #REF indicates the number of references in which each record is referenced from the user application list.

  Reference numeral 807 denotes application archive file data, which is an archive of class file groups describing algorithms and data structures for implementing applications.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 2601 with a touch panel of the operation unit 9 and shows a user login screen. The user login screen is displayed to identify the user.

  Reference numeral 901 denotes a user name input field for inputting identification information uniquely assigned to each user. Reference numeral 902 denotes a password input field for inputting a password character string corresponding to the user name. In both fields, when a coordinate in the field is tapped, a soft keyboard is displayed on the screen (not shown) on the liquid crystal display, and an arbitrary character string can be input using the soft keyboard. The character string input in the password input field 902 is not displayed on the screen.

  When the OK button 903 is tapped after inputting a correct character string in the field of the user login screen, the user is specified, and the subsequent operations until the user logs out are treated as being executed by the user. When the Cancel button 904 is tapped, the user login screen is exited to return to the previously displayed screen, and subsequent operations are treated as being executed by the default guest user.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 2601 with a touch panel of the operation unit 9 and shows an extended application startup screen. The extended application start screen is an operation screen for starting the added embedded application.

  Reference numerals 1001, 1002, and 1003 denote embedded application activation buttons. Even if there are many embedded applications registered in the system, the user operating this screen registers only three applications according to their preference, and the program for displaying the application startup screen is the data illustrated in FIG. This preference can be detected from the structure and a startup screen optimized for it can be displayed. For this reason, each button can be displayed in a large size, and an easy-to-use user interface for identifying an application is provided.

  Reference numeral 1004 denotes an application registration button which is tapped when the operating user registers the use of a new application. Reference numeral 1005 denotes an application deletion button which is tapped when the operating user deletes registration of the application. Reference numeral 1006 denotes an application preference edit button, which is tapped when the operating user changes the operation parameter setting of the application. Reference numeral 1007 denotes a synchronization button which is tapped to synchronize the preference data related to the user in operation included in the preference 13 of the image processing apparatus 1201 and the preference 14 of the other image processing apparatus 1202.

  Reference numeral 1008 denotes another image processing apparatus list editing button, which edits the setting of another image processing apparatus group that can be reached by the network 1101 and that is a partner apparatus for synchronization of preference data. Other image processing devices included in the list may be automatically discovered by writing a broadcast packet instructing a response request to the network 1101 and collecting the response, or manually registered by the user May be added and deleted. Automatic discovery and manual editing may be combined. Reference numeral 1009 denotes a return button. When the return button 1009 is tapped, the extended application activation screen is exited, and for example, the standard application screen as shown in FIG. 4 is restored.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a data structure managed by the Java (registered trademark) application framework 714, and is a log that records a series of operations applied to profile data for each user in time series. Each record corresponding to each operation includes MTIME, OPERATION, and OPERAND values, and represents an operation time, an identifier that describes the type of operation, and an operation target. The operation add records an event in which an additional registration process of an application described in the operation target is performed. Operation remove records an event in which registration deletion processing of the application described in the operation target is performed. The operation modify records an event in which the operation parameter setting of the application described in the operation target is changed. The operation sync describes an event in which the synchronization processing of the user's preference data is performed with another image processing apparatus described as the operation target.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing preference data synchronization processing performed when the synchronization button 1007 is tapped. The synchronization process is performed between two image processing apparatuses connected to the network. When the synchronization process is activated in one device, a TCP connection is established to a predetermined port of the other device. Thereafter, the same procedure is performed for both.

  That is, among the log data shown in FIG. 11, the logs after the synchronization process performed recently with the partner machine are exchanged with each other (step S1201). Next, one record is selected in time series from the received log of the partner machine (step S1202). The operation of the selected record is determined (step S1203). If the operation is other than modify, the process proceeds to step S1204. If the operation is modified, the process proceeds to step S1211.

  In step S1204, it is determined whether the operation of the selected record is “add” or “remove” (step S1204). If true, the process proceeds to step S1205, and if false, the process proceeds to step S1214.

  In step S1205, both the log received from the partner machine and the log held at the time are searched, and whether the operation add or remove of the selected record is the latest add or remove for the application described in the operand. Is determined (step S1205). If it is the latest registration or deletion processing for the application, the process proceeds to step S1206. If it is not the latest, the process proceeds to step S1214.

  In step S1206, it is determined whether the operation of the selected record is “add” (that is, whether it is “remove”) (step S1206). If it is “add”, the process proceeds to step S1207, and if it is “remove”, the process proceeds to step S1210.

  In step S1207, the system application list 806 is searched to determine whether the operand that is the target of the add operation of the selected record is effectively installed in the system (step S1207), and is effectively registered in the system. If there is no application, the process proceeds to step S1208, and if it is a registered application, the process proceeds to step S1209.

  In step S1208, an application archive acquisition request for the application is issued to the partner machine, the application archive file is downloaded and stored, and the system application list 806 is updated (step S1208).

  Next, the user application list 802 of the user is updated, the application is registered as an application used by the user, and a log is recorded (step S1209). Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1214.

  On the other hand, in step S1210, if the application described as the operand of the remove operation of the selected record is included in the registration of the application used by the user, the user application list 802 of the user is updated and removed. A log is recorded (step S1210).

  On the other hand, in step S1211, both the log received from the partner machine and the log held at the time are searched, and whether or not the operation modify of the selected record is the latest modify for the application described in the operand. Is determined (step S1211). If it is the latest application preference update process for the application, the process proceeds to step S1212; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S1214.

  In step S1212, a request for obtaining application preference data 804 of the application is issued to the partner device, the application preference data is downloaded and stored (step S1212), and the user application list 802 of the user is updated and downloaded. The reference is referred to as a user-specific application operation parameter, and a log is recorded (step S1213).

  Next, the process proceeds to step S1214, and it is determined whether or not the time series scanning of the log received from the partner machine has been completed (step S1214). If completed, the process proceeds to step S1215, and if an unscanned log remains, step S1202 is performed. Return to and repeat the series of steps.

  In step S1215, the time-series points for which the synchronization processing with the counterpart device is performed are recorded in a log (step S1215), and the synchronization procedure is terminated.

  13 and 14 are conceptual diagrams illustrating the processing contents of the synchronization processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 13, (A) shows a log relating to a user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1201. (B) shows preference data related to the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1201. (C) shows a log relating to the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of another image processing apparatus 1202. (D) shows preference data regarding the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1202.

  FIG. 14 shows a state after applying the synchronization process to the state shown in FIG. 14A shows a log relating to a certain user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1201. FIG. (B) shows preference data related to the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1201. (C) shows a log relating to the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of another image processing apparatus 1202. (D) shows preference data regarding the same user held by the Java (registered trademark) application framework of the image processing apparatus 1202.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in an image processing apparatus capable of adding and deleting a Java (registered trademark) application incorporated in the apparatus, the image processing apparatus includes a login screen for identifying a user, and information on the embedded application is provided for each user. In each image processing device used by the user, the user-preferred settings made by the user in a plurality of image processing devices are exchanged and synchronized with other devices via a network. An image processing apparatus that can be used in common can be provided.

  In FIG. 10, not only synchronization of preference data is performed when the synchronization button 1007 is tapped, but also user-related preference data such as addition or deletion of a user application list or change of application preference data is updated. It may be configured that the synchronization process is automatically performed at this time.

  Similarly, not only synchronization of preference data is performed when the synchronization button 1007 is tapped, but also a certain condition such as periodically by a timer or when the load on the image processing apparatus is light or the load on the network is light It may be configured to automatically perform the synchronization process when the condition is satisfied.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration according to another embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1201, 1202, and 1203 denote image processing apparatuses. The NFS 1501 is a network file server, and provides a common storage area that is connected to the network and accessible by the image processing apparatus group via the network to realize file sharing among the image processing apparatuses.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes the preference data described with reference to FIG. 8, which is updated when a write access is performed from any of the image processing apparatuses 1201, 1202, and 1203, and each of the image processing apparatuses requires the preference data. When reading, this data is read.

  According to the present embodiment, each image processing apparatus exchanges preference data unique to each user with a common network file server, and operates a built-in application according to the preference data acquired from the network file server. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can commonly use user preference settings made by the user in any of the image processing apparatuses.

(Other embodiments)
Software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment for an apparatus or a computer in the system connected to the various devices so as to operate the various devices to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. What was implemented by supplying the code and operating the various devices in accordance with a program stored in a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus is also included in the scope of the present invention.

  In this case, the program code of the software itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code itself constitutes the present invention. As a transmission medium for the program code, a communication medium (wired line or wireless line such as an optical fiber) in a computer network (LAN, WAN such as the Internet, wireless communication network, etc.) system for propagating and supplying program information as a carrier wave Etc.) can be used.

  Further, means for supplying the program code to the computer, for example, a recording medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a recording medium for storing the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code supplied by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (operating system) or other application software in which the program code is running on the computer. Needless to say, the program code is also included in the embodiment of the present invention even when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with the above.

  Further, after the supplied program code is stored in the memory provided in the function expansion board of the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit based on the instruction of the program code Needless to say, the present invention also includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.

  It should be noted that the shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and these limit the technical scope of the present invention. It should not be interpreted. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 2 Printer part 3 Image processing apparatus 4 Facsimile part 5 Storage part 7 Computer interface part 8 RIP part 9 Operation part 10 Core part 1101, 1102 Network 1201-1203 Image processing apparatus 1501 Network file server

Claims (24)

A first information processing apparatus comprising first adding means for adding an application to the own apparatus ;
Based on the said application prior Symbol first information processing apparatus has been added, with a second addition means for adding the application to the own device, the user can be synchronized with the first information processing apparatus The instructed second information processing apparatus ;
An information processing system comprising: A first information processing apparatus used by an authenticated user, comprising a first adding means for adding an application to the own apparatus ;
Based on the said application prior Symbol first information processing apparatus has been added, with a second addition means for adding the application to the own device, and a second information processing apparatus used by the user,
An information processing system comprising: An information processing system including a first information processing device whose function can be expanded by adding an application and a second information processing device instructed by a user to be synchronized with the first information processing device ,
The first information processing apparatus includes:
In order to expand the function of the first information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus includes first adding means for adding an application to the first information processing apparatus,
The second information processing apparatus
Based on the said application has been added before Symbol first information processing apparatus, a second additional Add the application to the second information processing apparatus to extend the functionality of the second information processing apparatus Means,
An information processing system comprising: The first information processing apparatus includes:
A first deleting unit that deletes the application added to the first information processing apparatus by the first adding unit;
The second information processing apparatus
Second deletion means for deleting the application added to the second information processing apparatus by the second addition means based on the deletion of the application by the first deletion means ;
The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the second adding unit adds the application in response to a user instruction in the second information processing apparatus. .   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the application is an embedded application. The application information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an application written in Java.   The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus include an application framework for operating the application. .   The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the application framework manages a thread for operating the application. Acquisition means for acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to another information processing apparatus;
Based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit and indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing apparatus, the application is added to the own apparatus instructed by the user to be synchronized with the other information processing apparatus. Additional means to
An information processing apparatus comprising: Acquisition means for acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to another information processing apparatus used by the authenticated user;
Adding means for adding the application to the own device used by the user based on information obtained by the obtaining means and indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing apparatus;
An information processing apparatus comprising: An information processing apparatus whose functions can be expanded by adding applications,
Acquisition means for acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to the other information processing apparatus in order to extend the function of the other information processing apparatus;
Based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit and indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing apparatus, the function of the own apparatus instructed by the user to be synchronized with the other information processing apparatus is expanded. Additional means for adding the application to the device for
An information processing apparatus comprising:   The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the information in response to a user instruction in the information processing apparatus.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the application is an embedded application. The application information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that an application written in Java.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising an application framework for operating the application.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the application framework manages a thread for operating the application. A first addition step of adding an application to the first information processing apparatus;
An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that the application has been added to the first information processing apparatus;
The second information processing instructed by the user to synchronize with the first information processing device based on the information obtained in the obtaining step and indicating that the application has been added to the first information processing device. A second additional step of adding the application to the device;
An information processing method characterized by comprising: A first addition step of adding an application to the first information processing apparatus used by the authenticated user;
An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that the application has been added to the first information processing apparatus;
A second addition step of adding the application to the second information processing device used by the user based on the information acquired in the acquisition step and indicating that the application is added to the first information processing device. When,
An information processing method characterized by comprising: An information processing method in an information processing system including a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus that can be expanded by adding an application,
A first addition step of adding an application to the first information processing apparatus in order to expand the function of the first information processing apparatus;
An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that the application has been added to the first information processing apparatus;
The second information instructed by the user to synchronize with the first information processing device based on the information indicating that the application has been added to the first information processing device acquired in the acquisition step A second addition step of adding the application to the second information processing apparatus in order to expand the function of the processing apparatus;
An information processing method characterized by comprising: An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to another information processing apparatus;
Based on the information acquired in the acquisition step and indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing apparatus, the application is added to the own apparatus instructed by the user to be synchronized with the other information processing apparatus. An additional process to
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to another information processing apparatus used by the authenticated user;
An adding step of adding the application to the own device used by the user based on information indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing device acquired in the acquiring step;
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: A method for controlling an information processing apparatus whose function can be expanded by adding an application,
An acquisition step of acquiring information indicating that an application has been added to the other information processing apparatus in order to extend the function of the other information processing apparatus;
Based on the information acquired in the acquisition step and indicating that the application has been added to the other information processing apparatus, the function of the own apparatus instructed by the user to be synchronized with the other information processing apparatus is expanded. An additional step of adding the application to the device for
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising:   The program for functioning a computer as each means of the information processing apparatus of any one of Claims 10 thru | or 17.

Images