Control apparatus and its method, and control program and storage medium holding it

• US 20030074420A1
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoshino, Hitoshi, Ito, Yoshinori, Tokura, Yutaka, Tokashiki, Kiyoshi, Takayanagi, Masahiro, Harano, Yuzo
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A controller which exits between a client apparatus and an image processing apparatus and which controls access from the client apparatus such that the client apparatus can use a network server function of the image processing apparatus, its control method and control program and storage medium. To accomplish this, the controller which exists between a client terminal and an image processing apparatus and which controls data transmitted from the client terminal to the image processing apparatus comprises information providing unit which provides setup information of the controller to the client terminal and transfer unit which transfers setup information of the image processing apparatus to the client terminal.

Claims

1. A control apparatus which controls data communication between a client apparatus and an image processing apparatus, comprising:

display information providing means for providing display information stored in said control apparatus to a browser of said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a first address from said client apparatus; and

transfer means for transferring display information stored in said image processing apparatus to said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a second address from said client apparatus.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display information providing means inserts link information to said second address in said display information provided to said client apparatus.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display information providing means determines whether or not said transfer means is enabled, and if said transfer means is enabled, inserts link information to said second address in the display information provided to said client apparatus.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transfer means opens plural communication ports, and transfers access to said plural communication ports to plural image processing apparatuses respectively corresponding to said communication ports, and

wherein said display information providing means determines whether or not said plural image processing apparatuses are accessible, and inserts link information to said communication port corresponding to an accessible image processing apparatus in said display information provided to said client apparatus.

5. A control apparatus which controls data communication between a client apparatus and an image processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory holding a program for providing display information stored in said control apparatus to a browser of said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a first address from said client apparatus, and transferring display information in said image processing apparatus to said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a second address from said client apparatus; and

a processor that performs said program for providing the display information stored in said control apparatus to the browser of said client apparatus in correspondence with the access designating the first address from said client apparatus, and transferring the display information in said image processing apparatus to said client apparatus in correspondence with the access designating the second address from said client apparatus.

6. A control method for a control apparatus which controls data communication between a client apparatus and an image processing apparatus, comprising:

a display information providing step of providing display information stored in said control apparatus to a browser of said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a first address from said client apparatus; and

a transfer step of further accessing said image processing apparatus and transferring display information stored in said image processing apparatus to said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a second address from said client apparatus.

7. A control program for controlling data communication between a client apparatus and an image processing apparatus, for realizing by execution by a control apparatus:

a display information providing step of providing display information stored in said control apparatus to a browser of said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a first address from said client apparatus; and

a transfer step of further accessing said image processing apparatus and transferring display information stored in said image processing apparatus to said client apparatus in correspondence with access designating a second address from said client apparatus.

8. A control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

transmission destination address determination means for determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is an address of said second network interface;

change means for, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is not the address of said second network interface, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface; and

data output means for outputting the data changed by said change means via said first network interface to said first network.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising registration means for registering the transmission destination address of the data inputted into said second network interface, a transmission source logical port number of the data, and a reception logical port number indicating a port for reception of data via said first network interface, as a set, wherein said change means changes the transmission source address of the data to the address of said first network interface, and changes the transmission source logical port number of the data to the reception logical port number registered in said registration means.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising transmission destination port number determination means for determining whether or not the reception logical port number corresponding to the transmission destination logical port number of the data inputted into said first network interface is registered in said registration means,

wherein said change means changes the transmission destination address of the data to the same address as the transmission source address registered in said registration means in correspondence with a determination that the reception logical port number corresponding to the transmission destination logical port number of the data is registered.

11. A control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

a memory holding a program for determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data from said image processing apparatus, inputted into said second network interface, is an address of said second network interface, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface, and outputting the changed data via said first network interface to said first network; and

a processor that performs said program for determining whether or not the transmission destination address of data from said image processing apparatus, inputted into said second network interface, is the address of said second network interface, changing the transmission source address of the data to the address of said first network interface, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is not the address of said second network interface, and outputting the changed data via said first network interface to said first network.

12. A control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

transmission destination address determination means for determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is a broadcast address of said second network;

change means for, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is the broadcast address of said second network, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface, and changing the transmission destination address of the data to a broadcast address of said first network; and

data output means for outputting the data changed by said change means via said first network interface to said first network.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising registration means for registering the transmission destination address of the data inputted into said second network interface, a transmission source logical port number of the data, and a reception logical port number indicating a port for reception of data via said first network interface, as a set,

wherein said change means changes the transmission source address of the data to the address of said first network interface, and changes the transmission source logical port number of the data to the reception logical port number registered in said registration means.

14. The control apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising transmission destination port number determination means for determining whether or not the reception logical port number corresponding to the transmission destination logical port number of the data inputted into said first network interface is registered in said registration means,

wherein said change means changes the transmission destination address of the data to the same address as the transmission source address registered in said registration means in correspondence with a determination that the reception logical port number corresponding to the transmission destination logical port number of the data is registered.

15. A control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

a memory holding a program for determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data from said image processing apparatus, inputted into said second network interface, is a broadcast address of said second network interface, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface and changing the transmission destination address of the data to a broadcast address of said first network, and outputting the changed data via said first network interface to said first network; and

a processor that performs said program for determining whether or not the transmission destination address of data from said image processing apparatus, inputted into said second network interface, is the broadcast address of said second network interface, changing the transmission source address of the data to the address of said first network interface and changing the transmission destination address of the data to the broadcast address of said first network, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is the broadcast address of said second network interface, and outputting the changed data via said first network interface to said first network.

16. A network communication method in a control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

a transmission destination address determination step of determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is an address of said second network interface;

a change step of, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is not the address of said second network interface, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface; and

a data output step of outputting the data changed at said change step via said first network interface to said first network.

17. A network communication method in a control apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, comprising:

a transmission destination address determination step of determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is a broadcast address of said second network;

a change step of, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is the broadcast address of said second network, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface, and changing the transmission destination address of the data to a broadcast address of said first network; and

a data output step of outputting the data changed at said change step via said first network interface to said first network.

18. A control program for controlling an apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, performing by computer:

a transmission destination address determination step of determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is an address of said second network interface;

a change step of, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is not the address of said second network interface, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface; and

a data output step of outputting the data changed at said change step via said first network interface to said first network.

19. A control program for controlling an apparatus having a first network interface for connection with a first network to which an information processing apparatus is connected, and a second network interface for connection with a second network to which an image processing apparatus is connected, performing by computer:

a transmission destination address determination step of determining whether or not a transmission destination address of data inputted into said second network interface from said image processing apparatus is a broadcast address of said second network;

a change step of, in correspondence with a determination that the transmission destination address is the broadcast address of said second network, changing a transmission source address of the data to an address of said first network interface, and changing the transmission destination address of the data to a broadcast address of said first network; and

a data output step of outputting the data changed at said change step via said first network interface to said first network.