Information processing system, server, information processing method, server control method, computer program, and storage medium storing computer program

• US 20020158907A1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,024,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

In this information processing system, when a function that cannot be enabled in the current system configuration of a device is selected by a user on a setting window for setting various functions, control is performed to display information about a component required to enable the selected function. The system also performs control to obtain information about the component from a server. With the above arrangement, the information processing system can easily provide information about a component required to allow a device to enable the function selected by a user.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

display means for displaying a setting window for setting functions to be executed by a device;

determination means for determining, on the setting window, whether a function which can be enabled in a current system configuration of the device is selected by a user; and

display control means for, when said determination means determines that a function which cannot be enabled in the current system configuration of the device is selected by the user, performing control to display information about a component required to enable the selected function.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising information obtaining means for obtaining information about the component from a shop server via a network.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said information obtaining means obtains information about the component by periodically making inquiries to the shop server.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said information obtaining means obtains information about the component by making an inquiry to the shop server when the setting window is activated.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the information about the component includes sales information about the component required to enable the selected function.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising ordering means for ordering an article on the basis of the sales information of the component.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising configuration information obtaining means for automatically obtaining information about a current system configuration of the device.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising input means for inputting information about a current system configuration of the device.

9. A server comprising:

reception means for receiving, from a client terminal, an inquiry about information about a component required to enable a function which cannot be enabled in a current system configuration of a device; and

transmission means for transmitting the information about the component to the client terminal which has made the inquiry.

10. A server according to claim 9, further comprising order receiving means for receiving an order for the component from the client terminal.

11. An information processing method comprising:

the display step of displaying a setting window for setting functions to be executed by a device;

the determination step of determining, on the setting window, whether a function which can be enabled in a current system configuration of the device is selected by a user; and

the display control step of, when it is determined in the determination step that a function which cannot be enabled in the current system configuration of the device is selected by the user, performing control to display information about a component required to enable the selected function.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the information obtaining step of obtaining information about the component from a shop server via a network.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein in the information obtaining step, information about the component is obtained by periodically making inquiries to the shop server.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein in the information obtaining step, information about the component is obtained by making an inquiry to the shop server when the setting window is activated.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the information about the component includes sales information about the component required to enable the selected function.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the ordering step of ordering an article on the basis of the sales information of the component.

18. A server according to claim 17, further comprising the order receiving step of receiving an order for the component from the client terminal.

17. A server control method comprising:

the reception step of receiving, from a client terminal, an inquiry about information about a component required to enable a function which cannot be enabled in a current system configuration of a device; and

the transmission step of transmitting the information about the component to the client terminal which has made the inquiry.

19. A computer program including program codes which can be executed by a computer, comprising:

a program code for the display step of displaying a setting window for setting functions to be executed by a device;

a program code for the determination step of determining, on the setting window, whether a function which can be enabled in a current system configuration of the device is selected by a user; and

a program code for the display control step of, when it is determined in the determination step that a function which cannot be enabled in the current system configuration of the device is selected by the user, performing control to display information about a component required to enable the selected function.

20. A computer program including program codes which can be executed by a server computer, comprising:

a program code for the reception step of receiving, from a client terminal, an inquiry about information about a component required to enable a function which cannot be enabled in a current system configuration of a device; and

a program code for the transmission step of transmitting the information about the component to the client terminal which has made the inquiry.

21. A storage medium storing a computer program including program codes which can be executed by a computer, the computer program comprising:

a program code for the display step of displaying a setting window for setting functions to be executed by a device;

a program code for the determination step of determining, on the setting window, whether a function which can be enabled in a current system configuration of the device is selected by a user; and

a program code for the display control step of, when it is determined in the determination step that a function which cannot be enabled in the current system configuration of the device is selected by the user, performing control to display information about a component required to enable the selected function.

22. A storage medium storing a computer program including program codes which can be executed by a server computer, comprising:

a program code for the reception step of receiving, from a client terminal, an inquiry about information about a component required to enable a function which cannot be enabled in a current system configuration of a device; and

a program code for the transmission step of transmitting the information about the component to the client terminal which has made the inquiry.