JP6191342B2 - Management device and management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a management apparatus and a management system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a management system is known that includes an image forming apparatus and a projector connected to a network, and a management apparatus that manages the apparatus. Also, in such a management system, there is a technique for creating setting information of a managed device in a management device, transmitting the setting information to the managed device through a network, and setting the transmitted information in the managed device. Already known.

  For example, in the following Patent Document 1, model information (device name and version), identification information (MAC address or IP address) is set from one managed device for the purpose of collectively setting a device composed of a plurality of models connected to a network. Address) and setting information, transmitting the setting information to another device whose model information matches the device, and setting a plurality of devices of the same model collectively.

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the acquired setting information can be used only for another device of the same model as the management target device from which the setting information has been acquired. This is because, if the model is different, the parameter items included in the setting information are different, and simply copying may not include items to be set in the copy destination device.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to apply setting information set for one managed device to other devices of different models.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a management device that manages a plurality of managed devices, a first receiving unit that receives selection of a managed device as a setting destination of batch setting, and setting in the batch setting Second receiving means for receiving selection of a managed device as a parameter acquisition destination, acquisition means for acquiring a parameter value set in the acquisition target managed device, and an operating environment to which the setting destination belongs A managed device that is the same type or the same parameter configuration as the acquisition source , and the set parameter value is the closest to the parameter value of the acquisition source , a managed device in the same operating environment as the managed apparatus extracts, a reference device selection means for selecting a reference device the managed device of the set destination and the same type, the upper The value of the parameter to be set in the managed devices of the set destination by batch setting, is set to the value of the parameter acquired by the acquisition part, reference device the reference device selection means with respect to the managed devices of the set destination is selected A setting value generation unit that generates the parameter value generated from the parameter value, and a transmission unit that transmits the parameter value generated by the setting value generation unit to the managed device of the setting destination.

  According to the above configuration, the setting information set for one managed device can be applied to other devices of different models.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a management system that includes a management device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a managed device 20 that is remotely managed by the management device 10. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a management apparatus 10. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a managed device 20. FIG . 2 is a block diagram illustrating functional configurations of a management apparatus 10 and a managed apparatus 20 and their relationships. FIG. It is an example of the table which shows the setting information of the managed apparatus 20 which the management apparatus 10 manages. 4 is an example of a table showing a setting item definition list of a managed apparatus 20 ; It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the reference apparatus selection process from selection of a setting place performed by the management apparatus 10 to selection of a reference apparatus. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of setting value generation processing and transmission processing executed by the management apparatus 10; 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of setting value update processing executed by the managed device 20; It is a figure which shows the setting information of an expansion | deployment origin. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting list | wrist of a reference apparatus. It is an example of the table which showed the setting value transmitted to the management apparatus of a setting destination.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a management system including a management apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a managed apparatus 20 that is remotely managed by the management apparatus 10.
In this management system, a management apparatus 10 and a managed apparatus 20 are connected via a network 30. The network 30 may be, for example, the Internet or a LAN (local area network), but any system can be adopted regardless of wired or wireless.

  Reference numerals 401 to 403 denote environments of customers who receive the remote management service of the managed device 20 by the management device 10. That is, this system assumes that there are a plurality of managed devices 20 of different models in an environment operated by the same customer. In such a case, the setting information set in one managed device can be applied to other devices of different models.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the management apparatus 10.
The management apparatus 10 can appropriately employ a known computer as hardware. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 11, the ROM 12, the RAM 13, the communication I / F 14, the HDD (hard disk drive) 15, and the UI (user interface) unit 16 may be connected via a system bus 17.

The CPU 11 executes programs stored in the ROM 12 or the HDD 15 using the RAM 13 as a work area, thereby controlling the overall operation of the management apparatus 10 and realizing various functions described later.
The HDD 15 functions as a storage device for storing predetermined data.
The communication I / F 14 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as the managed device 20 via a network such as a LAN (local area network).

The UI unit 16 is an operation receiving unit including an operation unit for receiving a user operation and a display unit for presenting information to the user. Of course, an external operation unit or display unit may be used. This display unit functions as display means.
The user's operation may be received by receiving data indicating the operation content from the external device. In addition, the presentation of information to the user may be performed by transmitting data indicating the display content of the screen or data to be displayed on the screen to an external device.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the managed device 20. The managed device 20 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, a case where the managed device 20 is a digital multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) and a printer will be described as an example. The managed device 20 can appropriately adopt the same configuration as a known MFP as hardware. Note that an MFP includes a single device having functions such as printing, scanning, copying, facsimile communication, network communication, and data storage.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, communication I / F 24, HDD 25, engine I / F (interface) 26, and UI (user interface) unit I / F 27 are connected via a system bus 28. be able to. The engine unit 29 is connected to the engine I / F 26, and the UI unit 27A is connected to the UI unit I / F 27.

  The CPU 21 executes programs stored in the ROM 22 or the HDD 25 using the RAM 23 as a work area, thereby controlling the operation of the entire MFP and realizing various functions including printing. The communication I / F 24 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as the management device 10 via the network 30 such as a LAN.

The engine unit 29 is a unit that performs physical output other than communication and display to the outside, such as an image forming engine. Depending on the function of the managed device 20, the function that the engine unit 29 should have also differs. If the managed device 20 is an MFP, an image reading engine is provided in addition to the image forming engine.
The engine I / F 26 is an interface for connecting the engine unit 29 and the CPU 21 so that the engine unit 29 can be controlled from the CPU 21.
The UI unit I / F 27 is an interface for connecting the UI unit 27A and the CPU 21 so that the UI unit 27A can be controlled from the CPU 21.

The UI unit 27A is an operation receiving unit including an operation unit for receiving a user operation and a display unit for presenting information to the user. Of course, an external operation unit or display unit may be used.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configurations of the management apparatus 10 and the managed apparatus 20 and their relationship. The management apparatus 10 and the managed apparatus 20 are connected via a network 30 so that they can communicate with each other. FIG. 4 shows functions related to the features of this embodiment.
4 includes a managed device management unit 101, a reference device selection unit 102, a setting value generation unit 103, a deployment source parameter acquisition unit 104, a message transmission / reception unit 105, a message analysis unit 106, and managed device setting information. A storage unit 107 and a setting item definition list storage unit 108 are provided. The functions of these units are realized by the CPU 11 executing a required program and controlling the operations of the units shown in FIG.

  The managed device 20 includes a message transmission / reception unit 201, a message analysis / execution unit 202, and a device information management unit 203. The functions of these units are realized by the CPU 21 executing a required program and controlling the operations of the units shown in FIG.

  Among these, the managed device management unit 101 has a function of providing a user interface for the operator of the management device 10 to browse and operate the setting information of each managed device 20. In addition, it accepts selection of a managed device (hereinafter referred to as “setting destination”) as a setting destination for batch setting, or a managed device (hereinafter referred to as “deployment source”) from which a parameter value set in the batch setting is acquired. .)). That is, it functions as a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit. The batch setting is a function for copying and setting the parameter value set in one managed device to one or more other devices. At this time, it is one of the features of this embodiment that even if the model is different between the deployment source and the setting destination, the appropriate parameter value can be set for each setting destination by compensating for the difference.

When executing batch setting, the reference device selection unit 102 is a managed device other than the setting destination, and the set parameter value approximates the deployment source and has the same parameter configuration as the setting destination. It has a function of selecting a reference device that is a managed device. That is, it functions as a reference device selection unit. The method for selecting the reference device and its significance will be described later.
Note that “the value of the set parameter approximates the expansion source” means here that the value of the item that constitutes the parameter is the same as the value of the expansion source parameter. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other criteria may be used.

  When executing the batch setting, the setting value generation unit 103 uses the parameter value of the expansion source selected by the managed device management unit 101 and the parameter value of the reference device selected by the reference device selection unit 102. And a function of generating a parameter value to be set in the setting destination. That is, it functions as a set value generation means.

The expansion source parameter acquisition unit 104 has a function of acquiring the value of the parameter set as the expansion source. That is, it functions as an acquisition unit that acquires the value of the parameter set at the expansion source.
The message transmission / reception unit 105 is a transmission unit and has a function of transmitting a message including a command to the managed device 20 using an appropriate protocol. This command includes a command that requests the managed device 20 to set the value of the parameter generated by the setting value generation unit 103. In addition, a function of receiving a message transmitted from an external device such as the managed device 20 to the management device 10 is also provided.

The message analysis unit 106 has a function of analyzing the message received by the message transmission / reception unit 105.
The managed device setting information storage unit 107 has a function of storing setting information (FIG. 5 described later) notified from the managed device 20.
The setting item definition list storage unit 108 has a function of storing a setting item definition list (FIG. 6 described later).

The message transmission / reception unit 201 of the managed device 20 has a function of transmitting / receiving a message including a command to / from the management device 10 using an appropriate protocol. This command includes a command that is transmitted from the management apparatus 10 and requests to set the value of the parameter. Also included is a command for notifying the management apparatus 10 of the parameter values set in the managed apparatus 20.
The message analysis / execution unit 202 has a function of analyzing a message from the management apparatus 10 received by the message transmission / reception unit 201 and executing a process related to a command included therein. This process includes a process for executing the setting in response to a parameter value setting request . The device information management unit 203 has a function of managing (saving / updating) the parameter values of the managed device 20 .

FIG. 5 is an example of a table indicating setting information of the managed device 20 managed by the management device 10.
In FIG. 5, the setting information of the managed device includes items of customer ID, management ID, type (device type, model, firmware version), and parameters.

The item of customer ID is identification information for managing the customer (contractor) of this management system, and is used here as information for specifying the environment (operating environment) in which the managed device 20 is operated. The management ID is identification information for uniquely identifying the managed device 20 managed by the management device 10. The customer ID and the management ID are collectively referred to as “management information”.
In this embodiment, a customer ID is used as information indicating the operating environment. This is because if the customer is the same, the operation policy of the apparatus is considered to be close. Such information may be used if the installation location (head office, factory, laboratory, etc.) can be distinguished.

The item “device type” is information roughly classified from the information indicating the type of the managed device 20 by paying attention to the function of the device. In this item, it is conceivable to register a category such as a digital multifunction peripheral (hereinafter referred to as “MFP”) or a printer.
The item “model” is also information indicating the type of the managed device 20, but the model number of the managed device 20 is registered in this item. In FIG. 5, in order to make the contents easy to understand, the contents including the functions of the apparatus such as “color machine a” are described, but it is not necessary to do so. The model number determined by the manufacturer for the corresponding device may be registered as it is. However, models that have clearly no difference in function or parameter configuration such as different colors may be handled as a single model.

The item “version” is information indicating the type of the device, and is firmware version information of the device installed in the managed device 20. Even if the models are the same, if the firmware version is different, the parameter configuration may be different. Therefore, the version information is also taken into consideration when determining the type.
In the “parameter” item, a parameter value actually set in the managed apparatus 20 is registered.

In the table of FIG. 5, five types of “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, “energy saving setting”, “double-sided printing setting”, and “SDK application activation setting” are provided as parameter setting items. This is for convenience of explanation and usually there are more items in practice.
In the table of FIG. 5, all setting items included in at least one of the devices assumed to be management targets in the management system (whether or not they are actually management targets) are described. Therefore, in each model, parameter values are not set for all setting items described in the table of FIG.

For example, a managed apparatus with a management ID “100001” has parameters of corresponding items for “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “double-sided printing setting”, and these items are actually set. Are registered in the table of FIG. However, for “energy saving setting” and “SDK application activation setting”, there is no parameter of the corresponding item, and therefore there is no set value. “−” In FIG. 5 indicates this.
The values of these parameters are acquired by the management apparatus 10 by accessing each managed apparatus 20, or are periodically notified to each managed apparatus 20 and registered in the table of FIG.

Of the management items shown in the table of FIG. 5, “copy aggregation setting” is a function for printing a plurality of pages in one page. For example, “2 in 1” is for two pages of a document. Is printed on one page.
“Color / monochrome setting” is for setting whether printing is performed in color or monochrome. “Energy saving setting” is for when the time when the device is not used exceeds a predetermined time. In addition, it is a setting for saving power by automatically turning off the power or entering the sleep mode.

  “Double-sided printing setting” is a setting that prints on both sides of a sheet of paper and outputs, and “SDK application activation setting” is developed using a software development tool, SDK (Software Development Kit). This is a setting for whether or not to start the application.

FIG. 6 is an example of a table showing a setting item definition list of the managed device. This table describes, for each type of managed device 20, the items (◯) and the items (×) that the managed device does not have among the parameter items shown in the table of FIG. is there.
By referring to this table, the parameter configuration for each type of managed device 20 can be known. “Parameter configuration” refers to which item the parameter of a certain type of managed device is configured from.
For example, the parameter configuration of the type “MFP color machine a version 1.00” indicated by reference numeral 41 is “copy aggregation setting, color / monochrome setting, duplex printing setting”, and the type “MFP monochrome machine a version version” indicated by reference numeral 42. It can be seen that the parameter configuration is the same as “2.00”.

On the other hand, the parameter configuration of the type “MFP color machine a version 1.00” indicated by reference numeral 41 is the parameter configuration of the type “printer color machine c version 1.00” indicated by reference numeral 43, and “energy saving setting” and “double-sided printing setting”. It can be seen that these items are different.
That is, the parameter of the managed device of the type indicated by reference numeral 41 does not have the item “energy saving setting”, but has the item of “double-sided printing setting”. And vice versa.

  Next, FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 show the flow of processing executed by the management apparatus 10 and the managed apparatus 20 when performing batch setting for the managed apparatuses 20 executed by the management apparatus 10. The processing in each step in these figures is performed by the CPU 11 of the management apparatus 10 or the CPU 21 of the managed apparatus 20 based on a predetermined program.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of reference device selection processing from selection of a setting destination to selection of a reference device. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG. This process starts when the managed device management unit 101 receives selection of a setting destination and a development source.
First, the CPU 11 acquires the value of the parameter set as the expansion source (S101). In step S101, the CPU 11 functions as an acquisition unit.

Next, the CPU 11 sets one of the setting target managed devices as a processing target (S102).
Next, the CPU 11 is a managed device other than the operating environment to which the setting destination belongs, and is the same type as the deployment source, and the set parameter value is the closest to the deployment source parameter value. The management device is searched and extracted (S103).
Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not there is a managed device of the same type as the processing target setting destination in the same operating environment as the managed device extracted in S103 (S104).
When it is determined in S104 that such a managed device does not exist (N in S104), the CPU 11 selects a managed device in the operating environment to which the managed device extracted in S103 belongs in the next step S103. It excludes from search object (S105). And it returns to step S103 and performs a search again on the same conditions.

On the other hand, if there is a managed device of the same type as the processing target setting destination in the same operating environment as the managed device extracted in S103 (Y in S104), the CPU 11 manages the managed device extracted in S104. The device is set as a reference device for the managed device to be processed, and the management information, device type, and parameters are added to the reference device setting list (FIG. 11 described later) (S106).
Next, it is checked whether or not there is a setting destination to be processed next. If there is (Y in S107), the CPU 11 determines whether the type of the next setting destination is the same as the type of the processed setting destination. It is checked whether or not (S108). If they are the same (Y in S108), since the reference device already registered in the reference device setting list can be used for the corresponding setting destination, the setting destination is excluded from the processing target (S109), and the process returns to S107. Further, it is checked whether or not there is a next setting destination (S107).

On the other hand, in S108, when the type of the next setting destination is not the same as the type of the processed setting destination (N in S108), the next setting destination is set as the processing target (S110), and the process returns to S103 and thereafter. Repeat the process.
If there is no setting destination to be processed next in S107 (N in S107), the reference device selection process is terminated, and the process proceeds to the setting value generation and transmission process of FIG. In steps S102 to S110, the CPU 11 functions as a reference device selection unit.
In step S103, the type of the managed device whose set parameter value is the closest to the deployment source parameter value is not necessarily the same as the deployment source type, but if the parameter configuration is the same. It may be good.

Here, the processing of S101 to S110 will be described with a specific example. It is assumed that the managed device 20 managed by the management device 10 and the parameter values set in each managed device 20 are as shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing deployment source setting information when the managed device with management ID: 100001 in the operating environment with the customer ID: 401 is selected as the deployment source. The setting information includes management information, type, and parameters set for the device.
The “parameter” in the case of FIG. 10 is a collection of three items of “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “double-sided printing setting” provided in the managed device with management ID: 100001. It is. In step S <b> 101, the CPU 11 acquires the values of these items as the parameter values set as the expansion source.

Here, if the first setting destination is the managed device (MFP, monochrome machine a, version 2.00) with the customer ID: 401 and the management ID: 100002 in FIG. 5, this setting destination is set as the processing target in step S102. Become. Further, the search target in S103 is a managed device belonging to the customer IDs: 402 to 404 excluding the processing target setting destination customer ID: 401 from the managed device in FIG.
Next, a managed device of the same type (MFP, color machine a, version 1.00) as the deployment source is searched. In the case of FIG. 5, the managed device with management ID: 100004, management ID: 100008, and management ID: 100012 hits.

  Among the three cases, the managed device with management ID: 100004 is closest to the value of the parameter of the deployment source. This is because the parameter values match completely. Therefore, whether or not there is a managed device having the same customer ID (402) as the managed device with the management ID: 100004 and the same type (MFP, monochrome machine a, version 2.00) as the setting destination of the processing target. Check (S104).

However, since there is no device of “MFP, monochrome machine a, version 2.00” in the operating environment of customer ID: 402 (N in S104), customer ID: 402 (and customer ID: 401) is excluded from the search target. In step S103, the search is performed again.
In this re-search, the managed device having the management ID: 100012 is closest to the parameter value of the expansion source. This is because the values of the two parameters are the same.

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is a managed device having the same customer ID (404) as the managed device having the management ID: 100012 and having the same type (MFP, monochrome machine a, version 2.00) as the processing target setting destination. Judgment is made (S104). Then, it can be seen that the managed device with management ID: 100013 is applicable. Therefore, this is set as a reference device for the setting destination to be processed, and the management information, device type, and parameters are added to the reference device setting list (FIG. 11 described later).

  The next setting destination is a managed device (printer, color machine c, version 1.00) having a customer ID: 401 and a management ID: 100003 (S107). In this case, since the setting destination of the next processing target is different from the type of the setting destination (management ID: 100002) processed previously (N in S108), the search of S103 is performed using this as the processing target in step S110. . The search target in S103 is a managed device belonging to the customer IDs 402 to 404 without considering the exclusion performed in step S105 for the previous process target.

Therefore, in the search in step S103, the managed device with management ID: 100004 is hit, as in the first search for the previous processing target.
Next, whether or not there is a managed device having the same customer ID (402) as the managed device with management ID: 100004 and the same type (printer, color machine c, version 1.00) as the setting destination of the processing target. Judgment is made (S104). Then, since it can be seen that the managed device with management ID: 100006 corresponds, this is used as a reference device for the setting destination of the current processing target, and the management information, device type and parameters are referred to a reference device setting list (described later). In addition to FIG.
Here, it is assumed that there are two setting destinations. Accordingly, there is no setting destination to be processed next (N in S107), and the reference device selection process ends.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the setting list of the reference device selected in step S106. The information of the corresponding device is extracted from the setting information table of the managed device shown in FIG.
In FIG. 11, the top row of the table is not the reference device but the setting information of the development source. The second and third lines are reference device setting information corresponding to the type of the setting destination.

That is, the management ID: 100013 on the second line corresponds to the reference device of the management ID: 100002 that is the first setting destination, and the management ID: 100006 on the third line is the management ID: 100003 that is the second setting destination. Corresponding to the reference device.
Note that the expansion source setting information is added to the reference device setting list because the parameter values to be set in the management target device of the setting destination by the batch setting are the expansion source parameter value and the reference device parameter value. This is because it is more convenient to have data in the same table.

Next, setting value generation processing and transmission processing to be set in the setting destination managed device, and setting value update processing in the managed device will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of setting value generation processing and transmission processing, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart of setting value update processing in the managed apparatus. The processing in FIG. 8 starts when there is no setting destination to be processed next (reference device setting) in S107 of the flowchart in FIG.
First, the CPU 11 of the management apparatus 10 sets one of the setting destinations as a parameter setting value generation process target (S111).

  Next, the CPU 11 includes the value of the same item in the parameter of the expansion source for the item having the same item as the parameter of the expansion source among the parameter items to be set in the management target device to be processed. The value of the corresponding item. In addition, among items of parameters to be set in the managed device that is the processing target setting destination, for items that do not have the same item in the expansion source parameter, the value of the item is set to the value of the parameters set in the reference device. A set value is generated and stored as the value of the same item as the item (S112). If there is a setting destination that is the next processing target (Y in S113), the CPU 11 sets the next setting destination as a target for the setting value generation processing (S114), returns to S112, and executes the setting value generation processing. In steps S111 to S114, the CPU 11 functions as a set value generation unit.

On the other hand, in step S113, when there is no setting destination to be the next set value generation process (N in S113), the CPU 11 ends the set value generation process and proceeds to the next set value transmission process. That is, one of the setting destinations is a target of parameter setting value transmission processing (S115).
Next, the CPU 11 transmits the setting value stored in S112 to the setting destination of the setting value transmission processing target, and requests to set it (S116). In step S116, the CPU 11 functions as a transmission unit.

On the other hand, when receiving the request transmitted in step S116, the CPU 21 of the managed device 20 starts the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. Then, the parameter value of the managed device 20 is set according to the received request (S201), and when the setting is completed, this is notified to the management device 10 of the request transmission source (S202).
Returning to FIG. 8, when the CPU 11 of the management apparatus 10 receives the setting completion notification transmitted by the managed apparatus 20 in step S202 (S117), if there is a setting destination that is the next transmission target (Y of S118), The next setting destination is the target of the set value transmission process (S119), and the process returns to S116 and is repeated.

On the other hand, when the transmission process for all the setting destinations is completed (N in S118), the process is terminated.
Through the above processing, the setting information set for one managed device can be applied to other managed devices of different models.

In step S112, when the setting destination and the expansion source are the same type, the parameter configuration is naturally the same, so the parameter value of the expansion source is directly used as the parameter value of the setting destination. Therefore, when the type of the expansion source and the setting destination are the same, it is not necessary to select a reference device.
In the processing of S115 to S119, transmission processing is performed for each setting destination, and transmission is performed to the next setting destination after receiving a setting completion notification. However, it goes without saying that the setting value may be transmitted to the next setting destination without waiting for the setting completion notification, and the processing related to each setting destination may be performed in parallel.

As described above, the setting value generation processing and transmission processing to be set in the management target device of the setting destination, and the setting value update processing in the management target device have been described based on the flowchart. This will be specifically described.
First, in S111, the setting destination to be processed first is assumed to be a managed device (MFP, monochrome machine a, version 2.00) with customer ID: 401 and management ID: 100002 in FIG.

  The parameter items provided in this apparatus are “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “duplex printing setting”. On the other hand, the parameter items included in the development source are “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “double-sided printing setting”, and both parameter items are common. Accordingly, the parameter values to be set in the processing target setting destination are all the parameter values of the same item in the development source. That is, “copy aggregation setting = 2 in 1”, “color / monochrome setting = monochrome”, and “double-sided printing setting = double-sided printing”.

In step S114, it is assumed that the setting destination to be processed next is the managed device (printer, color machine c, version 1.00) having the customer ID: 401 and the management ID: 100003 in FIG. The parameter items provided in this apparatus are “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “energy saving setting”.
On the other hand, since the development source parameters are “copy aggregation setting”, “color / monochrome setting”, and “double-sided printing setting” as described above, “copy aggregation setting” and “color” among the setting destination parameter items. "/ Monochrome setting" has the same items on the expansion source, but "Energy saving setting" does not have the same items on the expansion source.

  In this case, the value of the parameter to be set as the processing target setting destination is the value of the corresponding item at the expansion source for “copy aggregation setting” and “color / monochrome setting” having the same item at the expansion source. That is, “copy aggregation setting = 2 in 1” and “color / monochrome setting = monochrome”. As for “energy saving setting”, since there is no same item in the deployment source, the value of the item of the reference device (management ID: 100006) is set, and “energy saving setting = ON” is set.

FIG. 12 is a table showing parameter values transmitted to the management ID: 100002 and the management ID: 100003, which are the setting-destination managed devices, when the managed device with the management ID: 100001 is selected as the deployment source. It is an example.
In FIG. 12, the table (A) shows information set in the managed device with management ID: 100002, and the parameter value is the same as the parameter value of the deployment source (FIG. 10).

  The table (B) shows information set in the managed device with management ID: 100003. Among the parameter items, “copy aggregation setting” and “color / monochrome setting” are the expansion sources. This parameter value is the same as the value of the item (FIG. 10). Further, it can be seen that the “energy saving setting” is the same as the value (ON) of the “energy saving setting” in the parameter of the management ID: 100006 as the reference device.

Although the description of the embodiment has been completed, in the present invention, the specific configuration of each unit, the contents of processing, the data configuration, the type of managed device, the parameter items, and the like are limited to those described in the embodiment. It is not a thing.
For example, when selecting a reference device, it can be considered that the same parameter configuration can be used as a reference device even if the type is different from the setting destination. In the example of FIG. 6, when the type “printer color machine c version 1.00” indicated by reference numeral 43 is the setting destination, the type “printer monochrome machine d version 2.00” indicated by reference numeral 44 has the same parameter configuration. Can be used as a reference device.

In the specific example of the above embodiment, the operating environment of the deployment source and the setting destination is the same (customer ID: 401). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the deployment source and the setting destination can be freely set. Can be selected.
Further, the functions of the management device 10 described above can be provided in a distributed manner in a plurality of devices, and the functions can be realized in cooperation with these devices.

  The managed device 20 to be managed is not limited to an MFP or a printer, but may be any image processing device such as a scanner, a copier, a projector, an electronic whiteboard, or a remote conference device. In addition, network appliances, vending machines, medical equipment, power supply devices, air conditioning systems, gas / water / electric metering systems, communication devices with various electronic devices such as automobiles, airplanes or general-purpose computers. It can be considered as a management target.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that all the technical matters included in the technical idea described in the scope of claims are targeted.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that the configurations of the embodiments and the modified examples described above can be implemented in any combination as long as they do not contradict each other.

10: Management device, 11: CPU, 20: Managed device, 21: CPU, 101: Managed device management unit, 102: Reference device selection unit, 103: Setting value generation unit, 104: Deployment source parameter acquisition unit, 105 : Message transmission / reception unit, 106: Message analysis unit, 107: Managed device setting information storage unit, 108: Setting item definition list storage unit, 201: Message transmission / reception unit, 202: Message analysis / execution unit, 203: Device information management unit

JP 2004-152030 A

Claims (5)

A management device that manages a plurality of managed devices,
First accepting means for accepting selection of a managed device as a setting destination of collective setting;
Second accepting means for accepting selection of a managed device as an acquisition destination of parameters to be set in the batch setting;
Acquisition means for acquiring a parameter value set in the managed device of the acquisition destination;
It is a managed device other than the operating environment to which the setting destination belongs, and has the same type or the same parameter configuration as the acquisition destination, and the value of the set parameter is the highest in the parameter value of the acquisition destination A managed device in the same operating environment as the extracted managed device, and a reference device selection means for selecting a managed device of the same type as the setting destination as a reference device;
Setting the parameter value to be set in the managed devices of the set destination by the batch setting, the value of the parameter obtained by the obtaining unit, the reference device in which the reference device selection means with respect to the managed devices of the set destination is selected Set value generation means for generating from the values of the set parameters,
A management apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the parameter value generated by the setting value generation unit to the managed device to be set. The management device according to claim 1,
The reference device selecting means selects the reference device from among the managed devices in the same operating environment as the extracted managed device based on information indicating the operating environment of each managed device. Management device. The management device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The setting value generation unit acquires the value of the item of the parameter items to be set in the setting destination managed device that have the same item as the parameter acquired by the acquisition unit. The management device is characterized in that the value of the same item included in the selected parameter is used. The management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The setting value generation means, for items that do not have the same item as the parameter items acquired by the acquisition means, among the parameter items to be set in the managed device of the setting destination, set the value of the item as the reference device A management device characterized in that the parameter is set to the same item value as the parameter. A management system for managing a plurality of managed devices,
First accepting means for accepting selection of a managed device as a setting destination of collective setting;
Second accepting means for accepting selection of a managed device as an acquisition destination of parameters to be set in the batch setting;
Acquisition means for acquiring a parameter value set in the managed device of the acquisition destination;
It is a managed device other than the operating environment to which the setting destination belongs, and has the same type or the same parameter configuration as the acquisition destination, and the value of the set parameter is the highest in the parameter value of the acquisition destination A managed device in the same operating environment as the extracted managed device, and a reference device selection means for selecting a managed device of the same type as the setting destination as a reference device;
Setting the parameter value to be set in the managed devices of the set destination by the batch setting, the value of the parameter obtained by the obtaining unit, the reference device in which the reference device selection means with respect to the managed devices of the set destination is selected Set value generation means for generating from the values of the set parameters,
A management system comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the parameter value generated by the setting value generation unit to the managed device of the setting destination.

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