Network image processing apparatus and monitoring apparatus

• US 20030002075A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Minoru, Osanai, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,352,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3072 where the reporting involves data filtering, e.g. pattern matching, time or event triggered, adaptive or policy-based reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A number-of-commands counter counts number of commands received during a predetermined measurement period, which is timed by a timer. An access interval determiner determines command reception frequency from the count result, and decides on an optimum access interval time. An MIB update unit updates <access interval MIB> based on the optimum access interval time. An SNMP agent responds to an obtaining command and transmits <access interval MIB>. An MIB receiver receives <access interval MIB> and an MIB obtainer analyzes <access interval MIB> to recognize the access interval time. A timer setter sets the recognized access interval time at a timer as a timer setting.

Claims

1. A network image processing apparatus comprising:

an image processor that processes image;

a network transmission/reception unit that transmits and receives data via a network;

an inquiry receiver that connects to said network transmission/reception unit at an interval given by an interval setting, and receives inquiries from a plurality of monitoring apparatus inquiring about status information of the network image processing apparatus;

a response unit that replies to the monitoring apparatus with the status information designated by the inquiry;

an interval determiner that determines an optimum value of connection interval of the monitoring apparatus according to connection status with the monitoring apparatus; and

an interval update requester that notifies the monitoring apparatus of the optimum value and requests the monitoring apparatus to update the interval setting with the optimum value.

2. The network image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interval determiner comprises an inquiry frequency measurement unit that measures inquiry frequency received by the inquiry receiver, and the interval determiner further determines an optimum value of connection interval of the monitoring apparatus, based on the inquiry frequency.

3. The network image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interval determiner comprises a number-of-connection detector that detects number of connections made by the monitoring apparatus, and the interval determiner further determines an optimum value of interval with which the monitoring apparatus connects to the network transmission/reception unit based on the number of connections.

4. The network image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein an optimum value is notified to the monitoring apparatus using SNMP protocols.

8. The network image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optimum value is notified by the network image processing apparatus using SNMP protocols.

5. A monitoring apparatus comprising:

a network transmission/reception unit that transmits/receives data via a network;

an inquiry unit that connects to a network image processing apparatus at an interval given by a interval setting and inquires about status information of the network image processing apparatus via the network;

a reply receiver that receives status information from the network image processing apparatus;

a notification unit that notifies a user of the status information; and

an interval update unit that receives a notification of the optimum value of the connection interval with the monitoring apparatus, which is determined based on the connecting status, and updates the interval setting with the optimum value.

6. The monitoring apparatus of claim 5, wherein the optimum value is determined based on frequency of inquiries made to the network image processing apparatus.

7. The monitoring apparatus of claim 5, wherein the optimum value is determined based on number of connections made by the monitoring apparatus to the network image processing apparatus.

9. A monitoring method that monitors a network image processing apparatus from a connecting monitoring apparatus via a network, the network image processing apparatus comprising a image processing unit that processes image and a network transmission/reception unit that transmits/receives data via network, the method comprising:

the monitoring apparatus inquiring about status information by connecting to the network image processing apparatus via the network at an interval given by the interval setting;

the network image processing apparatus replying with the status information designated by an inquiry, upon receiving an inquiry;

the monitoring apparatus receiving the reply status information;

the monitoring apparatus notifying a user of the status information;

the network image processing apparatus determining an optimum value of connection interval of the monitoring apparatus according to connection status of the network image processing apparatus;

the network image processing apparatus requesting the monitoring apparatus to update the interval setting with the optimum value, by notifying the monitoring apparatus of the optimum value; and

the monitoring apparatus updating the interval setting with the optimum value, upon receiving the notification of optimum value of the interval.

10. A network image processing apparatus that includes a function providing status information to a plurality of monitoring apparatuses connected via a network comprising:

a receiver that receives an inquiry request relating to status information from each monitoring apparatus;

a response unit that replies to said monitoring apparatus with the status information corresponding to the reception inquiry request;

an access interval determining unit that determines a plurality of access intervals distributing transmission time for a next inquiry request from the monitoring apparatus, each access interval having different time length and indicating a minimum wait time for the next inquiry request that is transmitted by the monitoring apparatus;

an access interval informing unit that informs the monitoring apparatus of the determined access interval;

wherein the monitoring apparatus transmits the next inquiry request when at least the determined access interval elapsed after transmission time for a previous inquiry request.