JP6020682B2 - Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention, information processing system, information processing apparatus, and an information processing how.

  Conventionally, services for monitoring information of output devices such as image forming apparatuses on a network have been provided by various companies.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, in order to access a monitored device among individual devices communicably connected to a network, at least one communication protocol supported by the device is used to store the external information storage unit. Information for accessing and accessing the device obtained from the external information storage unit is stored in the internal storage table, a communication protocol is selected from a plurality of communication protocols, and stored in the selected communication protocol and internal storage table A technique for accessing a device using the information obtained is disclosed.

  Further, Patent Document 2 relates to a monitored device on an HTTP network for the purpose of obtaining a uniform vendor name and / or product model name when the vendor name and / or product model name are different. An information acquisition method is disclosed.

  However, conventionally, it has been difficult to specify an output device according to output target information including information related to an output target among a plurality of output devices that execute various processes.

The present invention was made in view of the above, among the plurality of output devices, corresponding to the output target information including information on output target, it is possible to perform a particular output device, information processing system, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus, and information processing how.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an information processing system according to the present invention includes a first device and a second device that are different in output form from which output information is output through a communication interface. an information processing system connected to the device, and the first performance indicating the performance of the previous SL first device, the storage unit for storing a second performance indicating the performance of the second device When a receiving unit which receives an output target information about the output information, before SL based on the first performance and the second performance, the first device is the output target information output form of the apparatus of the first When the corresponding output information is output, and when the second device outputs the output information corresponding to the output target information in the output form of the second device, the one with the higher processing efficiency. A specifying unit for specifying.

The information processing method of the present invention is an information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus connected to a first device and a second device that are different from each other in output form, which is a form of outputting output information via a communication interface. And a first process that is connected to a first device and a second device that are different in output form from which output information is output via a communication interface, and indicates the processing efficiency of the first device. efficiency and an information processing method executed in an information processing system comprising a storage unit for storing a second performance indicating the performance of the second device, the method comprising: receiving an output target information about the output information and if the previous SL based on the first performance and the second performance, outputs the output information of the first device corresponding to the output target information output form of the apparatus of the first, the second 2 Vessel is in the case of outputting the output information corresponding to the output target information output form of the second device, including, identifying a person the processing efficiency is high.

  Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to specify an output device according to output target information including information related to an output target among a plurality of output devices.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network configuration of the information processing system according to the present embodiment and a functional configuration of the output device management apparatus. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output device management DB. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output form DB. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output management DB. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of usage status information of a multifunction machine. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of projector usage information. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the input screen. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the specifying process according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the presented information.

  Embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network configuration of the information processing system according to the present embodiment and a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus. The information processing system according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which a plurality of output devices such as the multifunction device 200 and the projector 300 and the information processing apparatus 100 are connected to a network such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). . In the present embodiment, the plurality of output devices connected to the information processing apparatus 100 include a plurality of different types of output devices such as the above-described multifunction device 200 and the projector 300.

  Here, the multi-function device 200 is an image forming apparatus equipped with at least any two of a copy function, a print function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function, and in this embodiment, at least a print function. The projector 300 is an apparatus having an image display function for projecting a still image or a moving image as a video onto a projection surface such as a screen or a wall.

  In the present embodiment, the multi-function device 200 and the projector 300 are exemplified as a plurality of output devices, but are not limited to these. For example, an image forming apparatus other than a multifunction peripheral such as a copying machine, a scanner, a printing apparatus, and a facsimile machine, and other information output apparatuses (for example, a personal computer, a portable terminal such as a smartphone, a video conference system, etc.) It is good.

  Each of the plurality of output devices including the multifunction device 200 and the projector 300 transmits output device information regarding each of the output devices to the information processing apparatus 100 at a predetermined timing. The output device information is information including usage status information indicating the usage status of each output device. Here, the predetermined timing includes various timings such as a certain period, a timing when a request from the information processing apparatus 100 is received, or every time a predetermined operation is executed.

  The information processing apparatus 100 manages a plurality of output devices connected to the network. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 100 includes a reception unit 101, a calculation unit 102, a calculation unit 103, a specification unit 104, a communication interface 105 (hereinafter referred to as “communication I / F 105”), The presentation unit 106 is mainly provided.

  The information processing apparatus 100 is connected to the storage unit 150. The storage unit 150 is a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a memory. The storage unit 150 may be configured as a part of the information processing apparatus 100 or may be configured as an apparatus different from the information processing apparatus 100. The storage unit 150 stores output device information regarding each of the plurality of output devices.

  The output device information is information regarding each of the plurality of output devices, and includes usage status information indicating the usage status of each of the plurality of output devices, processing efficiency information indicating the processing efficiency of each of the plurality of output devices, and the like. .

  In the present embodiment, the storage unit 150 includes, as output device information, an output device management database (hereinafter referred to as “output device management DB”) 151, an output form database (hereinafter referred to as “output form DB”) 152, Various data including an output management database (hereinafter referred to as “output management DB”) 153 and usage status information 154 are stored.

  The output device management DB 151 is a database for managing output devices connected to the network. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output device management DB 151. As shown in FIG. 2, in the output device management DB 151, the model name and ID of each output device, the name of the department that owns the output device, and the processing efficiency per unit time are registered in association with each other. The department name is referred to when usage status information and the like are totaled for each department. The ID is identification information that uniquely identifies each output device.

The processing efficiency per unit time indicates the efficiency of processing that can be executed per unit time by an output unit that implements various processes in each output device. The output unit is provided in each output device and indicates a function for realizing a corresponding output form. Examples of the output unit include, but are not limited to, an image display function, an image printing function, an image projection function, and the like. Specifically, the processing efficiency per unit time is the amount of power consumed per unit time when the output unit provided in each output device executes a process that can be realized by each output unit, or per unit time. Carbon dioxide emissions (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “CO ₂ emissions”), the processing amount per unit time, and the like. Examples of the processing amount per unit time include output (display, projection, printing, data transfer, etc.) speed per unit time, and the like.

  The processing efficiency per unit time of each output device may be stored in advance in the output device management DB 151 in association with each output device, or calculated and updated by processing of the information processing apparatus 100 described later. Also good.

  The output form DB 152 is a database for managing the output form of the output unit provided in each output device connected to the network. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output form DB 152. As shown in FIG. 3, in the output form DB 152, event types and output forms are registered in association with each other.

  The event type is a type of various events (events, events) that require output information to be output by each output device. Event types include video conferences, normal conferences, projector conferences, and the like. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the video conference requires output in an output form such as video reproduction and material printing, for example, as an output executed by each output device. The normal conference requires, for example, output in an output form such as printing on a paper medium of a material used for the normal conference, projecting an image, or the like as an output executed by each output device. In the projector conference, for example, output in an output form such as image projection or material printing is required as output executed by each output device. The output forms corresponding to each event type are not limited to these.

  The output form indicates the form of information output in the event specified by the event type. Output forms include, but are not limited to, image reproduction, image printing, and image projection.

  The output management DB 153 is a database for managing output forms and output units that can be realized by each output device. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the output management DB 153. As shown in FIG. 4, in the output management DB 153, an output form that can be realized by the output unit of each output device, an output unit for realizing the output form, and an ID of each output device are associated with each other. It is registered.

  The output form indicates the output form of the output information. Output forms include, but are not limited to, image reproduction, image printing, and image projection. The output information is information to be output by each output device. Examples of output information include, but are not limited to, image data, audio data, moving image data, and material data of materials to be printed.

  In other words, the output management DB 153 manages output forms that can be realized by an output unit, which is a function of each output device connected to the network, and an output unit provided in each output device.

  The usage status information 154 is information indicating the usage status of each output device. This usage status information 154 may include different information for each output device. Further, the usage status information 154 is received from each output device and stored in the storage unit 150.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of usage status information 154A that is usage status information 154 of the multifunction device 200. As shown in FIG. 5, in the usage status information 154A of the MFP 200, in addition to the management items such as model name, machine number (ID), model, installation department, target month, etc., power consumption, CO ₂ emissions, Information indicating usage status information corresponding to management items such as the number of output sheets is registered. Of these usage status information, the power consumption amount and the CO ₂ emission amount are also used as processing efficiency information indicating the processing efficiency of the MFP 200.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of usage status information 154B of the projector 300. As shown in FIG. The usage status information 154B of the projector 300 includes, as shown in FIG. 6, management items such as model name, machine number (ID), installation department, target month, usage time, power consumption, CO ₂ emission, CO _{2 2.} Information indicating usage status information corresponding to management items such as a reduction amount is registered. Of these usage status information, the power consumption amount, the CO ₂ emission amount, and the CO ₂ reduction amount are also used as processing efficiency information indicating the processing efficiency of the multifunction device 200.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the communication I / F 105 is a communication device such as a network board.

  The collection unit 107 receives and collects the above-described usage status information 154 from each of a plurality of output devices such as the MFP 200 and the projector 300 via the communication I / F 106, and stores the collected usage status information 154. Stored in the unit 150.

  The receiving unit 101 receives output target information from a user. The output target information is information regarding each of a plurality of output devices connected to the network. In the present embodiment, the output target information includes information on the information amount of the output target. The information amount to be output indicates the amount of information of the output information to be output (details will be described later). The output information is information that is output and used in an event that requires processing executed by an output unit provided in at least one output device among a plurality of output devices. Specifically, as described above, the output information includes, but is not limited to, image data, audio data, moving image data, material data of materials to be printed, and the like.

  The information amount indicates the amount of information to be output. The information amount includes information on the number of people sharing the output target. The information amount includes time information related to sharing of the output target. In other words, the output target information includes information on the number of persons sharing the output target and information on time related to sharing of the output target. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the reception unit 101 determines the amount of information, such as the number of materials used in one meeting, the number of conference participants, the conference time, the presence / absence of distributed materials, Accept the number of pages of material to be distributed. In this case, the number of conferences corresponds to information on the number of people sharing the output target, and the conference time corresponds to time information related to sharing of the output target.

  Note that the output target information received by the receiving unit 101 may further include other information. For example, the output target information may further include an event type and output information.

  In the present embodiment, information processing apparatus 100 displays an output target information reception screen on presentation unit 106. Then, the user inputs the output target information from the output target information reception screen, and the reception unit 101 receives the input output target information.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an output target information reception screen. The output target information reception screen is displayed on the presentation unit 106 described later. As shown in FIG. 7, from the output target information reception screen, as information indicating the amount of information, the number of conferences, the number of conferences per conference, the conference time per session, the presence / absence of printing, and per person The number of materials to be distributed is entered. In the present embodiment, a conference form is further input. The conference form corresponds to the event type.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the computing unit 102 calculates the processing efficiency of each output device based on the usage status information 154 of each of the plurality of output devices stored in the storage unit 150.

  For example, the calculation unit 102 calculates the processing efficiency per unit time from the information regarding the processing efficiency included in the usage status information 154 of each output device. Then, the calculation unit 102 registers the processing efficiency per unit time in the output device management DB 151 of the storage unit 150 in association with the ID of the corresponding output device.

Specifically, the calculation unit 102 uses the consumption status information 154A (see FIG. 5), which is the usage status information 154 of the multifunction device 200, for one month of power consumption (power consumption meter), which is data related to processing efficiency. And the operating time (omitted in FIG. 5). Then, the calculation unit 102 calculates the power consumption amount per unit time as the processing efficiency per unit time of the multifunction device 200. Further, the calculation unit 102 multiplies the power consumption amount (power consumption meter) at the time of printing, which is data related to processing efficiency, in the usage status information 154A of the multifunction device 200 by a predetermined CO ₂ emission amount calculation coefficient. Then, the CO ₂ emission amount due to the power consumption at the time of printing is calculated. In addition, the calculation unit 102 reads the estimated CO ₂ emission amount based on the paper output in the usage status information 154A of the multifunction device 200. The arithmetic unit 102 calculates the CO ₂ emissions estimated value by the sheet output, and CO ₂ emissions from power consumption at the time of printing, by adding the, CO ₂ emissions per month in the MFP 200 To do. Further, the calculation unit 102 calculates the calculated amount of CO ₂ per unit time from the calculated CO ₂ emission amount per month and the operation time (not shown in FIG. 5), and the processing efficiency per unit time. Is stored in the storage unit 150.

  In FIG. 5, the processing efficiency per unit time of each of these output devices is calculated in advance on the side of each output device, and the calculation unit 102 reads this usage status information 154 to obtain the output efficiency of each output device. The processing efficiency per unit time may be calculated, or the processing efficiency per unit time of each output device may be calculated from the data regarding the processing efficiency included in the usage status information 154.

Further, the calculation unit 102 reads the power consumption amount (current month) and the CO ₂ emission amount (current month), which are data relating to processing efficiency, in the usage status information 154B (see FIG. 6) which is the usage status information 154 of the projector 300. . The arithmetic unit 102 calculates the current month of use time (total) time, power consumption per unit time, and the CO ₂ emissions per unit time. Then, the calculation unit 102 outputs the power consumption per unit time and the CO ₂ emission amount per unit time as the respective processing efficiencies per unit time of each output device, which are output from the storage unit 150. Register in the device management DB 151.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the calculation unit 103 selects a plurality of first output devices having an output unit that realizes output of output information of the amount of information received by the reception unit 101 among the plurality of output devices connected to the network. To do. Further, the calculation unit 103 responds to the amount of information received by the reception unit 101 by each of the plurality of first output devices based on the processing efficiency per unit time of each of the selected first output devices. The processing efficiency when processing is performed is calculated.

  Specifically, first, the calculation unit 103 includes a plurality of first output devices having an output unit that realizes output of output information of an information amount received by the reception unit 101 among a plurality of output devices connected to the network. select. Specifically, for example, the calculation unit 103 reads the output form corresponding to the event information received by the receiving unit 101 from the output form DB 152, and outputs the ID of the output unit and the output device corresponding to each of the read output forms. Read from the management DB 153.

  For example, when the reception unit 101 receives the event type “normal conference”, the calculation unit 103 reads each of printing and projection, which are output forms corresponding to the normal meeting, from the output form DB 152. Then, the calculation unit 103 reads, from the output management DB 153, IDs of devices corresponding to “printing function” and “projection function” that are output units corresponding to the output forms of the read printing and projection.

  As a result, the calculation unit 103 selects a plurality of first output devices having an output unit that realizes output of output information of the amount of information received by the reception unit 101 among the plurality of output devices connected to the network.

  Next, the calculation unit 103 calculates processing efficiency when each of the selected plurality of first output devices performs processing according to the amount of information included in the output target information received by the reception unit 101.

In addition, the calculation unit 103, when the output target information includes information on the number of people,
For example, the processing efficiency in the case where the image forming apparatus outputs the output targets for the number of persons is calculated. In addition, when the output target information includes time information, the calculation unit 103 calculates the processing efficiency when the output device (for example, the image display device) outputs the output target for the time based on the time. .

  In the calculation of the processing efficiency, first, the calculation unit 103 indicates the processing efficiency when the processing according to the amount of information received by the receiving unit 101 is performed, and shows the same type of processing efficiency among the first output devices. Convert to 2 data.

The type of the second data indicating the common processing efficiency may be determined in advance by the calculation unit 103. For example, the second data includes a CO ₂ calculation amount and a power consumption amount. That is, the calculation unit 103, a processing efficiency corresponding to the respective first output device, for example, CO ₂ calculation amount, power consumption, different types of processing efficiency such, CO ₂ calculation amount, or power consumption, such as the same It converts into the 2nd data which shows the processing efficiency of a kind.

  An example of the calculation of the second data by the calculation unit 103 will be described.

  It is assumed that the output target information received by the receiving unit 101 includes information indicating the amount of information such as the number of people in the conference, 10 pages of the distribution material, and 1 hour of the conference time. Assume that one multifunction device 200 and one projector 300 are selected as the first output devices. A case will be described in which the calculation unit 103 calculates the amount of power consumption as the second data indicating the common type of processing efficiency. In this case, the calculation unit 103 calculates second data indicating a common type of processing efficiency by the following equation (1) as the second data of the multifunction device 200 as the first output device.

  (6 people x 10 pages) / (output speed (sheets / minute) x 60 minutes) x power consumption per unit time = power consumption during printing (kWh) (1)

  In addition, the calculation unit 103 calculates second data indicating a common type of processing efficiency as the second data of the projector 300 serving as the first output device, using the following equation (2).

  (1 hour (meeting time: projector usage time)) x power consumption per unit time = power consumption during projection (2)

  In formula (1) and formula (2), the power consumption per unit time may be read from the processing efficiency per unit time registered in the output device management DB 151.

Note that the calculation unit 103 may calculate the CO ₂ emission amount as the second data indicating the common type of processing efficiency.

  In this case, the calculation unit 103 calculates second data indicating a common type of processing efficiency by the following equation (3) as the second data of the multifunction device 200 as the first output device.

(Power consumption during printing) × CO ₂ calculation coefficient + CO ₂ emission estimated value by paper output = CO ₂ emission during printing (3)

  In equation (3), the power consumption during printing is calculated by equation (1) above.

  In addition, the calculation unit 103 calculates second data indicating a common type of processing efficiency as the second data of the projector 300 as the first output device, using the following equation (4).

(Power consumption during projection) × CO ₂ calculation coefficient = CO ₂ emissions during projection (4)

  In equation (4), the power consumption during projection is calculated by equation (2).

  Returning to FIG. 1, the specifying unit 104 specifies an output device based on the output target information received by the receiving unit 101 and the output device information stored in the storage unit 150. In the present embodiment, the specifying unit 104 specifies the first output device with the highest processing efficiency as the output device that outputs the output information, based on the processing efficiency of each first output device calculated by the calculation unit. To do.

Specifically, when the second data is the CO ₂ emission amount, the specifying unit 104 specifies that the processing efficiency is higher as the value of the CO ₂ emission amount is smaller. In addition, when the second data is power consumption, the specifying unit 104 specifies that the processing efficiency is higher as the value of the power consumption is smaller.

  The presentation unit 106 is a device that presents various types of information. In the present embodiment, the presentation unit 106 displays the output target information reception screen and information indicating the output device specified by the specifying unit 104. Further, the presentation unit 106 further displays information indicating processing efficiency when the output device specified by the specifying unit 104 performs processing according to the amount of information input on the output target information reception screen. Also good.

  Next, specific processing executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of specific processing executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The collection unit 107 receives and collects usage status information 154 from a plurality of output devices including the multifunction device 200 and the projector 300 at a predetermined timing, and registers the usage status information 154 in the storage unit 150.

  Next, the information processing apparatus 100 displays the output target information reception screen illustrated in FIG. 7 on the presentation unit 106, and determines whether the reception unit 101 has received an input of output target information from the user (step S2). ). If a negative determination is made in step S2 (step S2: No), this routine ends. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S2 (step S2: Yes), the process proceeds to step S4.

  In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the reception unit 101 receives the number of conferences, the conference time, the conference format, the number of material pages per person, and the normal conference as event information as output target information.

  Next, the calculation unit 102 calculates the processing efficiency of each output device connected to the network (step S4) and stores it in the storage unit 150 (step S6). In addition, when the processing efficiency of each output device is stored in the storage unit 150 in advance, the processing in step S4 and step S6 may be omitted.

  Next, the calculation unit 103 includes a plurality of first output devices having an output unit that realizes output of the amount of information input in step S2 among the plurality of output devices, and units of the plurality of first output devices. Based on the processing efficiency per time, the processing efficiency when each of the plurality of first output devices performs processing according to the amount of information is calculated (step S8).

  Next, the specifying unit 104 specifies the first output device that shows the highest processing efficiency among the processing efficiencies of the first output devices specified in step S8 as the output device that outputs the output information. (Step S10).

  Next, the information processing apparatus 100 has processing efficiency when the output device specified in step S10 and the output device perform processing according to the amount of information included in the output target information input in step S2. Are presented to the presentation unit 106 (step S12).

  Then, this routine ends.

  In the process of step S10, the specifying unit 104 may specify a plurality of first output devices as the first output device that exhibits the highest processing efficiency. This is a case where there are a plurality of first output devices having the same processing efficiency. In this case, the specifying unit 104 specifies the first output device having the lowest use frequency among the plurality of first output devices having the highest processing efficiency. The usage frequency may be read from the usage status information 154. Specifically, for example, the usage status information 154 may be configured to include the cumulative operation time, and the first output device with the smallest cumulative operation time may be selected as the first output device with the lowest usage frequency. .

  By this process, it is possible to suppress variations in the usage frequency of a plurality of output devices connected to the network.

  9 is displayed on the presentation unit 106, for example, by executing the specifying process in steps S2 to S12.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an output screen to be output. As shown in FIG. 9, information that identifies the output device identified as the first output device with the highest processing efficiency when processing according to the amount of information included in the output target information received from the user (for example, , The name of the output device, the installation location of the output device), and the output device identified as the first output device with the highest processing efficiency performs processing according to the amount of information included in the output target information input in step S2 The processing efficiency when it is performed is displayed. For example, as the information indicating the processing efficiency, the CO ₂ emission amount when the first output device performs the processing of the information amount input in step S2 is presented to the presentation unit 106.

  As described above, in the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the output device that outputs the output information is specified based on the output target information and the output device information regarding each of the output devices.

  For this reason, in the information processing apparatus 100 of this Embodiment, the output apparatus according to the output object information containing the information regarding an output object can be specified among several output apparatuses.

  Further, in the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the output device having the highest processing efficiency when processing is performed according to the amount of information included in the output target information among the plurality of output devices connected to the network ( The first output device) can be specified.

  Further, in the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the processing efficiency of each output device is calculated in real time by calculating the processing efficiency of each output device based on the usage status information 154 of each output device. And since this processing efficiency is used for specifying the output device, it is possible to specify an appropriate output device that is more suitable for the current processing efficiency of the output device.

  The information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a control device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a CD drive. The apparatus includes an external storage device such as a device, a display device such as a display device, and an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and has a hardware configuration using a normal computer.

  The presentation program executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a file in an installable or executable format, such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or the like. And recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

  In addition, the presentation program executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded via the network. Further, the presentation program executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  In addition, the presentation program executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may be provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.

  The presentation program executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a module configuration including the above-described units (the reception unit 101, the calculation unit 102, the calculation unit 103, the specification unit 104, the presentation unit 106, and the collection unit 107). As actual hardware, a CPU (processor) reads out the output device management program from the storage medium and executes it to load the respective units onto the main storage device. Unit 102, calculation unit 103, identification unit 104, presentation unit 106, and collection unit 107) are generated on the main storage device.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Information processing apparatus 101 Reception part 102 Calculation part 103 Calculation part 104 Identification part 106 Presentation part 150 Storage part 151 Output device management database 152 Output form database 153 Output management database 154 Usage condition information 200 Multi-function apparatus 300 Projector

JP 2005-108217 A JP 2008-77649 A

Claims (5)

An information processing system connected to a first device and a second device having different output forms, which are forms to output output information, via a communication interface,
A storage unit that stores first processing efficiency indicating processing efficiency of the first device and second processing efficiency indicating processing efficiency of the second device;
A reception unit for receiving output target information related to output information;
Based on the first processing efficiency and the second processing efficiency, the first device outputs the output information corresponding to the output target information in an output form of the first device, and the second When the device outputs the output information corresponding to the output target information in the output form of the second device, a specifying unit that specifies the one with the higher processing efficiency,
An information processing system comprising: The first device is an image forming apparatus capable of outputting an image to a paper medium, and the second device is a display device that displays an image on a screen,
The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit specifies a device with higher processing efficiency from the image forming apparatus and the display device.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing efficiency and the second processing efficiency are power consumption amounts per unit time.   The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing efficiency and the second processing efficiency are carbon dioxide emissions per unit time. A first processing efficiency indicating the processing efficiency of the first device, connected to a first device and a second device that are different from each other in output form, which is a form for outputting output information, via the communication interface; An information processing method executed by an information processing system including a storage unit that stores second processing efficiency indicating processing efficiency of a second device,
Receiving output target information regarding output information; and
Based on the first processing efficiency and the second processing efficiency, the first device outputs the output information corresponding to the output target information in an output form of the first device, and the second A case where the device outputs the output information corresponding to the output target information in the output form of the second device, and the step of specifying the one with the higher processing efficiency;
An information processing method including:

Images