JP5811716B2 - Device management apparatus, system, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a device management apparatus, system, and program for managing network devices.

  In recent years, it has been widely performed to monitor and control the number of prints of a printing device via a network using network device management technology. FIG. 9 shows a conventional printing apparatus management system 800 that manages the number of printed sheets of a printing apparatus via a network. The printing device management system 800 includes a plurality of client terminals (PCs) 810, a plurality of network compatible printers 820 directly connected to the network 850, and a device management device 840, and each device is a network 850. It is connected so that it can communicate via.

  The network compatible printer 820 functions as a shared printer that directly receives and executes print commands issued from a plurality of client terminals 810. In addition to a print engine (not shown), the print number acquisition unit 822, print restriction execution A unit 824 and a communication unit 826 are included.

  On the other hand, the device management apparatus 840 includes a print control unit 842, a print number management unit 844, and a communication unit 846. The print number management unit 844 is referred to as a database for managing the number of prints of all the network compatible printers 820 existing on the network 850 for each user. The print control unit 842 periodically inquires the print number for each user to the network compatible printer 820, and the print number acquisition unit 822 of the network compatible printer 820 responds to the inquiry from the print log to the print number for each user. Is returned to the device management apparatus 840. The print control unit 842 of the device management apparatus 840 updates the print number management table of the print number management unit 844 based on the print number received from each network compatible printer 820.

  On the other hand, the print control unit 842 of the device management apparatus 840 monitors the value of the print number management table of the print number management unit 844, and when the user's print number reaches a predetermined threshold, a predefined print restriction method ( The network compatible printer 820 is notified of the prohibition of the use of some functions and the prohibition of the entire printing. Upon receiving the notification, the print restriction execution unit 824 of the network compatible printer 820 discards the print spool data related to the corresponding user, and causes the network compatible printer 820 to reject the new print request related to the user. Control. The above-described data communication between the device management apparatus 840 and the network compatible printer 820 is executed based on an appropriate protocol such as SNMP or SOAP via the communication unit 846 and the communication unit 826.

  As described above, the printing device management system 800 can manage the number of printed sheets of the network compatible printer 820 that is directly connected to the network 850. However, since the device management apparatus 840 has no way of communicating with the local printer 830 connected to the client terminal 810 (PC-A) via USB, it cannot manage the number of prints of the local printer 830, and as a result. However, the local printer 830 has a problem that the printing restriction policy defined by the administrator is not applicable.

  In this regard, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-238203 (Patent Document 1) acquires device information of a printing device locally connected to a client terminal via a network by using a remote operation function of the client terminal OS. An apparatus management apparatus characterized by the above is disclosed.

  However, the device management apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 only acquires device information of a local printing device, and still cannot control printing of the local printing device via a network.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems in the prior art, and the present invention provides a novel device management apparatus capable of managing printing devices locally connected to a client terminal via a network. With the goal.

  As a result of intensive studies on a new device management device capable of managing a printing device locally connected to a client terminal via a network, the present inventor is a device management device that manages a network device and is connected to the network. An output control unit that inquires an output value for each user with respect to the network device that has been set, and controls the network device for which the output value of the user has reached a predetermined threshold to limit the output related to the user; A device detection unit for detecting a client terminal having a local device connected to the network, and a program distribution requesting the outside to distribute an output management program to the client terminal detected by the device detection unit A request unit, and the output control unit is installed with the output management program. The client terminal is inquired of the output value of the locally connected local device, and when the output value of the user related to the local device reaches a predetermined threshold value, The present inventors have conceived the configuration of a device management apparatus that controls so as to limit the output related to the device, and have reached the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a printing device management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of each device constituting the printing device management system of the present embodiment. The figure which shows the printing number management table in this embodiment. The figure which shows the printing restriction method definition file in this embodiment. The flowchart of the process which the apparatus detection part of the apparatus management apparatus in this embodiment performs. 1 is a diagram illustrating a printing device management system according to an embodiment. The figure which shows the printing number management table in this embodiment. The figure which shows the printing restriction method definition file in this embodiment. The figure which shows the conventional printing apparatus management system.

  Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated with embodiment, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned later. In the drawings referred to below, the same reference numerals are used for common elements, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  FIG. 1 shows a printing device management system 1000 including a device management apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printing device management system 1000 includes a plurality of client terminals 200, a plurality of network compatible printers 300 referred to as network printing devices, a local printer 600 referred to as a local printing device, a device management apparatus 100, and a program distribution server. 400, and the devices excluding the local printer 600 can communicate with each other via a network 500 referred to as a LAN, VPN, Internet, or the like.

  A plurality of network-compatible printers 300 directly connected to the network 500 can be referred to as MFPs (Multifunction Peripherals) or LPs (Laser Printers), and print commands issued from a plurality of client terminals 200 on the network 500 are directly received. It functions as a shared printer that receives and executes print processing. On the other hand, the local printer 600 is a printing device that is not directly connected to the network 500 but is locally connected to the client terminal 200 by USB connection or the like. In FIG. 1, the USB is connected to the client terminal 200 (PC-A). A local printer 600 is connected via a cable.

  The device management apparatus 100 is an information processing apparatus that can be referred to as a personal computer or a workstation. The apparatus management apparatus 100 centrally manages the number of printed sheets for each user in the network compatible printer 300 and the local printer 600 and follows a predetermined policy. Limit user output.

  Similarly, the program distribution server 400 is an information processing apparatus that can be referred to as a personal computer or a workstation. Upon receiving a request from the device management apparatus 100, the program distribution server 400 is connected to the client terminal 200 that locally connects the local printer 600. To distribute a predetermined program. The basic configuration of the printing device management system 1000 according to this embodiment has been outlined above. Next, a specific configuration included in each apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of each device constituting the printing device management system 1000 of the present embodiment.

  The device management apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a print number management unit 110 that is referred to as a database that centrally manages the number of prints for each user for each printing device to be managed, and all the printing devices to be managed. A print control unit 102 for monitoring the number of printed sheets for each user and instructing each printing apparatus to execute a predetermined printing restriction according to the number of printed sheets, and a client terminal 200 to which the printing apparatus is locally connected (In the example shown in FIG. 2, “PC-A”) and the program distribution server 400, the client terminal 200 on the network 500 is designated and a predetermined print management program is designated. Based on an appropriate protocol between the program distribution request unit 106 that requests distribution and another apparatus on the network 500. It is configured to include a communication unit 108 for executing communication with.

  The program distribution server 400 according to the present embodiment receives a request from the program distribution request unit 106 of the device management apparatus 100 and a program distribution unit 402 for distributing the print management program 404 to the designated client terminal 200. The communication unit 406 is configured to execute communication with other devices based on an appropriate protocol.

  On the other hand, the network compatible printer 300 is notified based on the print number acquisition unit 302 that acquires the number of prints for each user in response to the inquiry from the device management apparatus 100 and the print restriction method notified from the device management apparatus 100. A print restriction execution unit 304 that restricts printing by the user and a communication unit 306 for executing communication based on an appropriate protocol between other devices on the network 500 are included.

  In FIG. 2, the configuration in which the device management apparatus 100 and the program distribution server 400 are arranged on the network 500 as separate devices is illustrated, but the present embodiment is not limited to such a form. The function of the program distribution server 400 can be integrated in the housing of the management apparatus 100. In this case, a functional unit corresponding to the program distribution unit 402 of the program distribution server 400 is provided instead of the program distribution request unit 106 of the device management apparatus 100. Furthermore, the printing device management system 1000 according to the present embodiment is a network system in which each functional unit of the device management apparatus 100 and each functional unit of the program distribution server 400 illustrated in FIG. 2 are distributed and arranged on the network in appropriate units. It can also be configured. In addition, any conceivable system configuration is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the functions and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

  The print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100 inquires of the network device on the network 500 about the number of prints for each user in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol (for example, an appropriate communication protocol such as SNMP or SOAP). In the network compatible printer 300 including the communication unit 306 corresponding to the communication protocol, the print number acquisition unit 302 of the network compatible printer 300 determines the print number for each user read from the print log in response to the inquiry. Return to 100. The print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100 updates the print number management table of the print number management unit 110 based on the response (print number) received from the network compatible printer 300.

  FIG. 3 illustrates a print number management table 2000 managed by the print number management unit 110. Each time there is a response from the print number acquisition unit 302 of the network compatible printer 300, the print control unit 102 updates the value of the corresponding cell (print number) in the print number management table 2000 to the latest value.

  On the other hand, the print control unit 102 monitors the contents of the print count management table 2000 (user print count for each printing device). If the user print count reaches a predetermined threshold, a print restriction method defined in advance is used. The described print control command is issued to the corresponding network compatible printer 300.

  In this regard, the print control unit 102 holds a print restriction method definition file 2100 illustrated in FIG. In the print restriction method definition file 2100, a predetermined print restriction method is defined for each printing device to be managed in association with a threshold value for the number of printed sheets.

  For example, when the print control unit 102 detects that the number of printed sheets of “USER-001” in the printing apparatus “MFP-001” has reached the threshold value 1 (100 sheets) based on the contents of the printed number management table 2000, the printing control unit 102 performs printing. Referring to the restriction method definition file 2100, a print restriction instruction ("color printing prohibition") corresponding to "threshold 1" in "MFP-001" and a print control instruction describing the user ID "USER-001" are sent to the network compatible printer Issued to 300 “MFP-001”. Upon receiving the instruction, the print restriction execution unit 304 of the network compatible printer 300 discards the spool data for color printing related to the user ID “USER-001”, and also creates a new color related to the user ID “USER-001”. The network compatible printer 300 “MFP-001” is controlled so as to reject the print request. Note that the above-described data communication between the device management apparatus 100 and the network compatible printer 300 is performed based on an appropriate protocol such as SNMP or SOAP via the communication unit 108 and the communication unit 306. As described above, the device management apparatus 100 manages and controls the number of prints of the user in the network compatible printer 300 directly connected to the network 500 according to the procedure described above.

  Next, management and control of the number of printed sheets in a printing device (local printer 600) connected locally to the client terminal 200 will be described. In managing and controlling the number of prints in the local printer 600, in the present embodiment, the device detection unit 104, the program distribution request unit 106, and the program distribution server 400 of the device management apparatus 100 cooperate with the local printer 600. A predetermined print management program is distributed to the connected client terminal 200 (“PC-A” in the example shown in FIG. 2). This point will be specifically described below.

  The device detection unit 104 of the device management apparatus 100 performs the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 in order to detect the client terminal 200 (“PC-A” in the example shown in FIG. 2) to which the printing device is locally connected. Run.

  First, in step 101, the device detection unit 104 uses a predetermined IP address range (IP address range used in the management target area [floor, department, office]) as a detection range, and performs “ping”. The command is executed to identify the IP address that has responded (PING process).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the network device having the IP address specified in step 102 is a printing device. Specifically, first, the MIB value [prtGeneralConfigChanges] is inquired to the network device having the IP address specified in step 101 by SNMP communication. [prtGeneralConfigChanges] is a value representing the number of times the printer settings have been changed, and is an MIB possessed only by the printing device. Therefore, when a response (value) is returned in response to the inquiry, the network device is determined as a printing device (step 103, Yes), and the process is terminated. On the other hand, if an error is returned in response to the inquiry, it is determined that the network device is not a printing device (step 103, No), and the process proceeds to step 104.

  In step 104, it is determined whether a printing device is connected locally to the network device having the IP address specified in step 102. Specifically, first, based on RRP (Remote Registry Protocol), information on the plug-and-play compatible device stored in the registration area of the network device is confirmed. The information describes items related to the device type, model name, vendor name, serial number, status of connected hardware, etc. of the device (USB printer or the like) connected to the network device by plug and play. It is determined whether or not a printing device is locally connected depending on whether or not the type is “Printer”.

  As a result, if it is determined that the printing device is not connected locally to the network device (No at Step 105), the process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the printing device is connected locally to the network device (step 105, Yes), the process proceeds to step 106, where the program distribution request unit 106 is notified of the IP address of the network device and processed. Exit. The device detection unit 104 repeatedly detects the client terminal 200 to which the printing device is locally connected on the network as needed by repeatedly executing the above-described series of processing at appropriate time intervals.

  Note that the process for detecting the client terminal 200 to which a printing device is locally connected on the network is not limited to the above-described method, and may be executed by another method described below.

(Alternative method 1)
An SNMP one-to-one communication or broadcast communication is executed for all IP addresses used in the management target area, and the value of [prtGeneralConfigChanges] is inquired. According to this method, the PING process in step 101 described above can be omitted.

(Alternative method 2)
For all IP addresses used in the area to be managed, based on RRP (Remote Registry Protocol), confirm information related to plug-and-play compatible devices stored in the registration area of the target equipment, The device whose device type is “Printer” in the stored information is determined as the client terminal 200 to which the printing device is locally connected. According to this method, steps 101 to 104 described above can be omitted.

  Subsequently, in step 106, the program distribution request unit 106 that has received the IP address notification from the device detection unit 104 receives the notified IP address (in the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the IP address of the client terminal 200 “PC-A”). A program distribution request specifying the address) as a distribution destination is generated, and the program distribution request is transmitted to the program distribution server 400.

  When the program distribution unit 402 of the program distribution server 400 receives the program distribution request from the program distribution request unit 106, the EXE file of the “print management program” held in the program holding unit 404 is specified in the program distribution request. The IP address of terminal 200 “PC-A” is transmitted as the destination. The EXE file of the print management program transmitted from the program distribution server 400 is preferably automatically expanded on the client terminal 200 “PC-A”, and the print management program is forced to the client terminal 200 “PC-A”. To be installed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, three functional units, that is, a print number acquisition unit 212, a print restriction execution unit 214, and a communication unit 216 are newly added to the client terminal 200 “PC-A”.

  The print number acquisition unit 212, the print restriction execution unit 214, and the communication unit 216 added to the client terminal 200 “PC-A”, respectively, are the print number acquisition unit 302, the print restriction execution unit 304, and the communication of the network compatible printer 300. The number of prints of the local printer 600 connected locally to the client terminal 200 “PC-A” is achieved by performing a function corresponding to the unit 306, and these functional units cooperate with the print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100. Is managed and controlled. Hereinafter, this point will be specifically described.

  The print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100 inquires the network device on the network 500 about the number of prints for each user. At this time, since the print management program is installed, the client terminal 200 “PC-A” includes the communication unit 216 corresponding to the same communication protocol as the communication unit 306 of the other network compatible printer 300. An inquiry from the print control unit 102 can be received via the communication unit 216. In response to the inquiry, the print number acquisition unit 212 of the client terminal 200 “PC-A” reads the print number from the print log of the printer driver 202, and the user ID logged in the client terminal 200 “PC-A” At the same time, it returns to the device management apparatus 100.

  The print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100 updates the print number management table of the print number management unit 110 based on the print number and user ID received from the client terminal 200 “PC-A”. FIG. 7 again shows the print number management table 2000 exemplified above. As shown in FIG. 7, the print number management table 2000 includes a field 2001 for managing the print number of the local printer (color device) and a field 2002 for managing the print number of the local printer (monochrome device). It has been.

  When there is a response from a network device (client terminal 200 “PC-A”) that is not a printing device to the inquiry about the number of prints, the print control unit 102 of the device management apparatus 100 receives the network device (client terminal 200 “PC”). -A ") confirms the device type (color / monochrome) of the local printer 600 connected locally. As a result, when the device type is color, the response value (number of printed sheets) is stored in the cell corresponding to the user ID in the field 2001, and when the device type is monochrome, the response value (number of printed sheets) is stored. ) In the cell corresponding to the user ID in the field 2002. The device type (color / monochrome) of the local printer 600 is determined by checking the device information stored in the registration area of the client terminal 200 “PC-A” based on the RRP (Remote Registry Protocol) described above. Can be determined.

  Through the procedure described above, the number of printed sheets for each user in the local printer 600 not directly connected to the network 500 is recorded / updated in the printed number management table of the printed number management unit 110. On the other hand, the print control unit 102 monitors the number of prints for each user in the field 2001 and the field 2002, and describes a predefined print restriction method when the number of prints by the user in the local printer 600 reaches a predetermined threshold. A print control command is issued to the client terminal 200 “PC-A” to which the local printer 600 is connected.

  FIG. 8 again shows the print restriction method definition file 2100 exemplified above. As shown in FIG. 8, in the print restriction method definition file 2100, a predetermined print restriction method for local printers (color devices) and local printers (monochrome devices) in addition to network-compatible printers to be managed from the beginning. Is defined in association with the threshold value of the number of printed sheets.

  As a result of referring to the print number management table 2000, for example, when the print control unit 102 detects that the number of prints in the local printer (color device) of the corresponding user has reached the threshold value 3 (30 sheets), the print control method definition Referring to the file 2100, a print control instruction describing a print restriction method (“all print prohibition”) corresponding to “threshold 3” in “local printer (color)” is issued to the client terminal 200 “PC-A”. . Upon receiving the command, the print restriction execution unit 214 of the client terminal 200 “PC-A” discards the spool data related to the local printer 600 of the corresponding user, and also creates a new one related to the local printer 600 of the corresponding user. The printer driver 202 is controlled to reject the print request.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a user who has performed N printing using the local printer 600 (color) connected to the client terminal 200 “PC-A” in FIG. When M sheets are printed using another local printer X (color) connected to “−B”, the value in the field 2001 of the print number management table 2000 is updated as the cumulative number “N + M”. That is, in the present embodiment, the number of printed sheets over a plurality of local printers is summed up as a device type sheet. In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the number of prints of the local printing device is totaled for each of the two device types (color / monochrome) is exemplified. However, all the local printers regardless of the device type (color / monochrome) are exemplified. The number of printed sheets may be accumulated at once.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to manage and control the number of printed pages of the user in the local printer 600 locally connected to the client terminal 200 in addition to the number of printed pages in the network compatible printer 300. . That is, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to apply a desired print restriction policy to a local printing device that a user uses without permission of the administrator.

  Each function of the above-described embodiment can be realized by a device-executable program written in an object-oriented programming language such as C, C ++, C #, Java (registered trademark), and the program of this embodiment is a hard disk device. , CD-ROM, MO, DVD, flexible disk, EEPROM, EPROM and the like can be stored and distributed in a device-readable recording medium, and can be transmitted via a network in a format that other devices can.

  Although the present invention has been described with the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In the above description, the device management apparatus has been described with an embodiment that manages the number of prints of a printing device. However, the device management apparatus of the present invention is configured to manage output for each user in an electronic device in general. Needless to say, you can. In this case, the print control unit, the print number management unit, the print number acquisition unit, the print restriction execution unit, and the print management program in the above-described embodiment are respectively an output control unit, an output value management unit, an output value acquisition unit, It is referred to as an output restriction execution unit and an output management program. In addition, it is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the effects and effects of the present invention are exhibited within the scope of embodiments that can be considered by those skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Device management apparatus 102 ... Print control part 104 ... Equipment detection part 106 ... Program delivery request part 108 ... Communication part 110 ... Print number management part 200 ... Client terminal 202 ... Printer driver 212 ... Print number acquisition part 214 ... Print restriction execution Reference numeral 216: Communication unit 300 ... Network compatible printer 302 ... Number of printed sheets acquisition unit 304 ... Print restriction execution unit 306 ... Communication unit 400 ... Program distribution server 402 ... Program distribution unit 404 ... Program holding unit 404 ... Print management program 406 ... Communication unit DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 500 ... Network 600 ... Local printer 800 ... Printing apparatus management system 810 ... Client terminal 820 ... Network-compatible printer 822 ... Print number acquisition part 824 ... Print restriction execution part 826 ... Communication part 830 ... Local printer 84 ... device management apparatus 842 ... the print control unit 844 ... the number of printed sheets management unit 846 ... communication unit 850 ... network 1000 ... printing equipment management system 2000 ... the number of printed sheets management table 2001 ... field 2002 ... field 2100 ... printing limiting method definition file

JP 2009-238203 A

Claims (7)

A device management device for managing network devices,
An output control unit that inquires an output value for each user from a network device connected to the network and controls the network device whose user output value has reached a predetermined threshold to limit the output related to the user. When,
A device detection unit for detecting on the network a client terminal having a locally connected local device;
A program distribution requesting unit that requests an external device to distribute an output management program to the client terminal detected by the device detection unit;
The output control unit
The client terminal in which the output management program is installed is inquired about an output value of a locally connected local device, and based on the fact that the output value of the user related to the local device has reached a predetermined threshold value, the client terminal Control to limit the output related to the local device,
Equipment management device. The output management program is:
Computer
An output value acquisition unit for acquiring an output value of the local device in response to an inquiry from the device management apparatus;
A computer-executable program configured as the client terminal having an output restriction execution unit that executes an output restriction instructed by the device management apparatus;
The device management apparatus according to claim 1. The device detection unit is
Detected as a client terminal having a locally connected local device based on the device type described in the device information of the network device that has returned an error in response to an inquiry about the MIB value of only the network device The device management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. A device management system for managing network devices,
An output control unit that inquires an output value for each user from a network device connected to the network and controls the network device whose user output value has reached a predetermined threshold to limit the output related to the user. When,
A device detection unit for detecting on the network a client terminal having a locally connected local device;
A program distribution unit that distributes an output management program to the client terminal detected by the device detection unit;
The output control unit
The client terminal in which the output management program is installed is inquired about an output value of a locally connected local device, and based on the fact that the output value of the user related to the local device has reached a predetermined threshold value, the client terminal Control to limit the output related to the local device,
Equipment management system. The output management program is:
Computer
An output value acquisition unit for acquiring an output value of the local device in response to an inquiry from the output control unit;
The device management system according to claim 4, wherein the device management system is a computer-executable program configured as the client terminal including an output restriction execution unit that executes an output restriction instructed by the output control unit. The device detection unit is
Detected as a client terminal having a locally connected local device based on the device type described in the device information of the network device that has returned an error in response to an inquiry about the MIB value of only the network device The device management system according to claim 4 or 5. To manage a client terminal connected to the network and a local device connected locally,
Detecting a client terminal to which the local device is connected;
A communication unit for the client terminal to communicate with the computer, an output value acquisition unit for acquiring an output value of the local device in response to an inquiry from the computer, and an output restriction instructed by the computer Delivering a computer-executable output management program for realizing the output restriction execution unit to the client terminal detected by the detecting procedure;
The client terminal in which the output management program is installed is inquired about an output value of a locally connected local device, and based on the fact that the output value of the user related to the local device has reached a predetermined threshold value, the client terminal A control procedure for controlling to limit the output related to the local device ,
Management program to be run.