JPH1185416A - Printer management device and printer management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage a printer device by selecting a server, a general client or a client using the printer in accordance with the state of a change at the occurrence of a change such as abnormality especially in the printer device, as to a management device for managing printers connected to a network and a printer management system using the management device. SOLUTION: A client (computer) 1, e.g. outputs printing data to make a printer device 5 connected to the network execute printing processing. If an abnormality occurs in the device 5 end a status change occurs in this state, the device 5 informed a client of the information so as to change a client to be information of in accordance with a class (level) of the change. In a restorable state such as no paper, the information is outputted to the client 1 to be a current user for the device 5 and a client 4 to be a network manager, and in the case of unrestorable state such as the disconnection of a thermistor, the information is transmitted to all clients 1 to 4 connected to the network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer management device connected to a network and a printer management system using the management device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, printers have been reduced in price,
It is widely used, such as printing photographic images with multimedia. In addition, a personal computer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a computer) connected to such a printer device is often connected to a network such as a LAN (local area network) and used in many cases. In such a situation, the following two methods are adopted for connection between the computer and the printer device.

(A) First, there is a method of connecting a computer connected to a network to a printer using a bidirectional Centronics interface. (B)
Another method is a method in which a printer is directly connected to a network to which a computer is connected, and the computer on the network functions as a shared printer.

In the above connection methods (a) and (b), the management of the printer is performed as follows. First, in the connection (a), printer status management software on bidirectional Centronics is managed using printer status management software developed by each company. On the other hand, in connection (b), network management software such as SNMP (Simp
le Network Management Protocol) to manage shared printer devices.

[0005]

The following problems occur in the conventional system. First, in the case of (a), the connection between the printer device and the computer is in a one-to-one relationship, and even if the computer is connected to the network, other computers on the network and the printer device connected to the computer. Has no relationship with Therefore, in this case, status management from another client (other computer) on the network could not be performed.

On the other hand, in the case of (b), management of the shared printer device is performed by a client or print server as an administrator, and is not performed by a general client. However, there are various state changes in the printer device from a failure state such as a paper jam or the life of the image forming unit to a printing state such as a start or end of a printing process. Various kinds of selections are necessary, for example, when it is only necessary to notify the client (or print server) or when it is better to notify each client.

According to the present invention, when a status change occurs in a printer, a management client (or print server), a general client, or a client using a printer is appropriately selected according to the status of the change, and the status of the printer is changed. It notifies the information and manages the printer device.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer management apparatus having a printer directly connected to a network, which is used in common by a plurality of clients on a network. Storage means for classifying various states occurring in the printer, and storing client information corresponding to the classification, and when the state stored in the storage means occurs in the printer device, the client information is stored from the storage means in accordance with the classification of the state. This can be achieved by providing a printer management apparatus having output control means for reading and outputting status information to a corresponding client.

Here, the network corresponds to a network such as a LAN, and the present invention is directed to a printer connected to such a network. The storage means corresponds to an EEPROM, a magnetic storage device, and other various memories. For example, the storage means may have a configuration in which data is stored in a table-type memory. A code and client information (client address) corresponding to the code are stored. Then, when the printing state of the printer device changes or falls into a failure state, the storage means is searched, and the corresponding client information is read from the storage means according to the occurrence state, and the status information of the printer device is transmitted to the corresponding client. To inform.

With this configuration, a client can be selected and information can be output according to a state generated in the printer, and necessary information can be reliably sent to a required client. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the storage unit stores, for example, classifications of various states occurring in the printer device, by classifying them according to the degree of restoration of the states.

Here, the degree of recovery means, for example, a level at which a state (failure) can be recovered by a user alone without calling a serviceman, and a level at which a state (failure) cannot be recovered by a user alone. This also includes the case where the printing status of the printer device is known.

With this configuration, a client to which information is to be transmitted is set based on the above classification, and when a preset state occurs, the corresponding client receives the state information according to the state (failure). Is transmitted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the client information is, for example, a client (print server) that manages the printer, a general client, and a client that is performing print processing.

Here, for example, when the level (failure) cannot be recovered by the user alone, the status (failure) information is transmitted to all of the client that manages the printer, the general client, and the client that is performing print processing. Send. When the level (failure) can be restored only by the user, the status (failure) information is transmitted only to the client that manages the printer and the client that is performing print processing. Further, when the print status of the printer device is known, the status information is transmitted only to the client that is performing the print process.

With this configuration, it is possible to transmit information to necessary clients according to the degree of the state (failure), and to efficiently provide necessary information to necessary clients. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer having a plurality of computers connected to a network and a printer connected to the network, the printer classifying various states occurring in the printer, Storage means for storing client information corresponding to the classification, and a state stored in the storage means,
Output control means for reading client information from the storage means according to the classification of the state when the error occurs in the printer apparatus, and outputting the state information to a corresponding client, wherein the computer outputs This can be achieved by providing a printer management system that knows the status of the printer device according to the status information.

The present invention relates to a network system composed of a plurality of computers and a printer connected to a network. The printer categorizes states (failures) as described above, and a client corresponding to the classification. It has storage means for storing information, and when a failure or the like occurs in the printer device, transmits the status (failure) information to the corresponding client.

With this configuration, it is possible to select a client according to a state generated in the printer device and output information, and to configure a network system that selects a client according to the state and outputs information.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the storage means stores the classification of the state occurring in the printer apparatus in a class according to the degree of restoration of the state. Configuration.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth or fifth aspect, the client information is, for example, a client managing the printer device, a general client, or a client performing a printing process.

Claims 5 and 6 relate to the configuration of the printer management system, and correspond to claims 2 and 3 for the printer management apparatus of claim 1.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a printer management apparatus of the present embodiment and a printer management system using the management apparatus. In the figure,
A large number of personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as computers) and two printers are connected on the network. Here, computers 1 to 1 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 4 is a representative of a number of computers connected to a network, and constitutes a client for a server (not shown). Hereinafter, these computers 1-4 are referred to as clients 1-4. Client 1
Reference numeral 4 denotes a configuration having an SNMP manager, which is capable of knowing a printing state and a failure state of the printer device based on the status information output from the printer device. Also,
Among the clients 1 to 4 described above, the client 4 has a function as an administrator of the printer, and manages the printer.

On the other hand, there are two printers, which are hereinafter referred to as a printer 5 and a printer 6. LAN boards are mounted on these two printer devices 5 and 6, and are directly connected to the above-described network. SNMP is also mounted on the two printer devices 5 and 6, and the status of the printer device is notified to a selected client via a network according to this protocol.

Here, the following information is information that the printer devices 5 and 6 should notify on the network according to the SNMP protocol. For example, this is a case where a trouble that is difficult to recover such as a disconnection of a thermistor used in the printer device or an end of life of the image forming device has occurred. On the other hand, this is a case where a trouble that can be recovered such as out of paper or paper jam occurs. Further, information indicating the current state of the printer device, such as the start of print processing and the end of print processing, is also included. These information are in MIB
(Management Information Base), and in particular, in this example, also includes information negotiated between the client and the printer on the network.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned various information is classified into classes "A" to "C", and a table is provided for storing items included in each class and a notification destination area. FIG.
Is a diagram for explaining this table configuration.

In the figure, failure information that is difficult to recover corresponds to class “A”, and failure contents such as over-life or disconnection of the thermistor are registered in the item area of class “A” as, for example, corresponding code data. Have been. Also,
In the notification destination area of the class “A”, a command for instructing notification to all clients by broadcast is registered. Similarly, class “B” corresponds to a recoverable fault state, and code data indicating fault details such as no paper, paper jam, and no toner is registered in the item area of class “B”. In the notification destination area of "B", a notification is given to a registered network administrator and a client currently using the printer device. The class “C” corresponds to the printing state of the printer device that is performing the printing process. Code data such as printing start and printing end is registered in the item area of the class “C”.
In the notification destination area, only the notification destination for the currently used client is registered. Hereinafter, the processing operation of the printer management apparatus and the printer management system of the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the operation will be described using the printer device 5.

First, the printer device 5 acquires the address of the client in order to know (the address of) the client currently using the printer device 5. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the processing. This processing is performed, for example, by analyzing print data supplied to the printer device 5.

First, when the print data is supplied, it is determined whether or not the print data is the head data of the print data (step (hereinafter referred to as S).
1). Here, if it is not the head address of the print data (S1 is N (No)), this process is terminated, but if the extracted data is the head data of the print data (S1
Is YES (yes)), the client address is obtained from the extracted print data packet (S2). That is, the address of the client of the transmission source is described at the head of the print data, and the client of the transmission source is known by reading this description.

When the address of the client is obtained as described above, the obtained address is written in the notification destination area of the table shown in FIG. 2 (S3). That is,
By this client address acquisition processing, the client that is currently supplying the print data can be known.

When the printing process in the printer device 5 is completed, the client address is cleared according to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, it is determined whether the processing for the print data has been completely completed (step (hereinafter, referred to as ST) 1). If the printing processing has not been completely completed (ST1 is N), the printing processing is continued and the printing processing is continued. When the process is completely completed (Y in ST1), the notification destination area of the client written in the above-described table is cleared (ST2). Therefore, by the above processing, the address of the client supplying the print data being printed is always registered in the notification destination area of the table shown in FIG. 2, and the registration is deleted when the print processing is completed. I have.

On the other hand, the printer device outputs MIB information to the network. The output of this MIB information is
This is a TRAP process according to the SNMP protocol. FIG.
Is a conceptual diagram at this time, and shows a state in which, for example, MIB information generated in the printer device 5 is output to, for example, the client 4 via the LAN board. Hereinafter, the processing will be specifically described corresponding to various states of the printer device 5. <Case of Failure of Class "A"> In this case, first, the class of the event (state) that has occurred is selected according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 (step (hereinafter referred to as STP) 1). In this case, the printer device refers to the above-mentioned table, searches the item area from the content of the event (state) that has occurred, and reads out the corresponding code data. For example, if the fault that has occurred is a disconnection of the thermistor, it is determined from the item area that the class is “A”, and it is determined that the fault is difficult to recover. Therefore, in this case, the failure information is notified to all the clients by broadcasting according to the information of the notification destination area of the table (STP2,
STP3).

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of the network at this time. At this time, the printer device 5 outputs code data indicating the disconnection of the thermistor to all the clients 1 to 4 via the LAN board. Then, the clients 1 to 4 read the code data supplied by the SNMP manager, and know that the disconnection of the thermistor has occurred in the printer device 5. That is, when an unrecoverable failure such as a disconnection of the thermistor occurs, it is necessary to call a service technician for repair. Since the repair is not performed immediately, all clients are notified of the failure and use of the printer device 5 is stopped. It will be canceled.

As for the status of the printer device 5, there is another failure such as an image forming unit in the printer device 5. Notify information. <In case of failure occurrence of class “B”> Next, class “B”
Will be described. Also in this case, the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is used.

First, as described above, it is determined whether or not the class of the event that has occurred is "A" (STP1). In the case of this example, since the event that occurred is of class “B”, the determination (STP1) is N (No), and the process proceeds to determination (STP4). Then, it is determined whether or not the event that occurred is of class “B”.
The item area is class “B”, which is a fault that can be recovered. Therefore, in this case, only the registered network administrator and the client currently using the printer device 5 are notified of the failure information from the information in the notification destination area of the table (STP5). That is, as shown in FIG. 8, a TRAP is generated, and code data indicating a paper-out error is output to the clients 1 and 4. That is, the MIB information is output to the clients 1 and 4 via the LAN board.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of the network at this time. At this time, the printer device 5 is connected to the clients 1 and 4
Outputs status (failure) information for only The clients 1 and 4 read the code data supplied by the SNMP manager and know that the printer device 5 is out of paper.

In this case, the paper-out state is a problem that can be processed without calling a service person.
By transmitting the paper-out information to the client using the printer 5, the printer device 5 can be recovered more efficiently. The reason for notifying the client 4 is that the client 4 is an administrator. <In case of failure of class “C”> Next, class “C”
Will be described. Also in this case, the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is used.

First, as described above, it is determined whether the class of the event that occurred is "A" (STP1), and it is further determined whether the class of the event that occurred is "B" (STP).
4). As a result, in the case of the present example, since the event that occurred is of class “C”, the judgment (STP4) is N, and the processing shifts to processing (STP6). That is, if the generated status is a print completion status command, the item area is class “C”. Therefore, in this case, only the client currently using the printer device 5 is notified of this print information from the information in the notification destination area of the table (STP
6).

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of the network at this time. The printer device 5 outputs status (failure) information only to the client 1. The client 1 reads the code data supplied by the SNMP manager, and knows that the printing process of the printer device 5 has been completed.
That is, the information regarding the end of the printing process need only be notified to the client that is using the printer device 5. In this example, the information is notified only to the client 1.

Note that such a state of the printer device 5 includes the start of printing and the like, but similarly, only the client using the printer device 5 is notified. As described above, according to the present example, information is sent only to a client that needs to provide information in accordance with the state of the printer device, and the printer management device and the printer management system can be operated efficiently. .

In this embodiment, the printer device 5 has been described. However, printer management and system management can be similarly performed for the printer device 6. In addition, although the client 4 is a client for print management, a server dedicated to print management may be provided.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, information can be sent only to a client that needs to provide information, and a printer management device and a printer management system can be operated efficiently.

Further, since data is not transmitted to unnecessary clients, efficient operation of the network can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a printer management apparatus of the present embodiment and a printer management system using the management apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a table configuration.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating acquisition of a client address to know the address of a client currently using the printer device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a client address clearing process.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a MIB from a printer device to a network.
It is a conceptual diagram showing that information is output.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the present example.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of a network when an unrecoverable state occurs in the printer device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a MIB is transmitted from a printer device to a network.
It is a conceptual diagram showing that information is output.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of a network in a case where an easily recoverable state occurs in the printer device.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a network when notifying a printing state and the like of a printer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-4 client 5, 6 printer

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printer management apparatus having a printer directly connected to a network, which is used in common by a plurality of clients on a network, wherein various states occurring in the printer are classified, and client information corresponding to the classification is stored. Output control means for reading client information from the storage means according to the classification of the state when the state stored in the storage means occurs in the printer device, and outputting the state information to a corresponding client; A printer management device comprising: 2. The printer management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is configured to classify various states occurring in the printer apparatus into classes according to a degree of recovery of the states. 3. The printer management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the client information includes a client that manages the printer, a general client, and a client that is performing print processing. 4. A computer having a plurality of computers connected to a network and a printer connected to the network, the printer classifying various states occurring in the printer, and client information corresponding to the classification. And output control for reading client information from the storage unit according to the classification of the state and outputting the state information to a corresponding client when a state stored in the storage unit occurs in the printer device. Means, wherein the computer knows the status of the printer in accordance with the status information output from the printer. 5. The printer management system according to claim 4, wherein the storage unit classifies various states occurring in the printer apparatus into classes according to a degree of recovery of the states. 6. The printer management system according to claim 4, wherein the client information is a client that manages the printer device, a general client, or a client that is performing print processing.