Device associative management system, network device, and program for device, as well as device associative management method

• US 20040170460A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Taniguchi, Shinya, Mokuya, Senichi, Kitada, Naruhide, Mori, Hozumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,056,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1232 Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1291 Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server

Abstract

There is provided a device associative management system which is preferable for reducing cost and time and improving reliability. A network printer 200 can be set to a server printer 200 or a client printer 200. When the network printer 200 itself is the client printer 200, the network printer 200 sends status information in a status information registration table 560 to the server printer 200. In the case in which the network printer 200 itself is the server printer 200, when the status information is received, the network printer stores or registers the received status information in a status information registration table.

Claims

1. A device associative management system for networks in which a plurality of network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other, and wherein any one of said plurality of network devices can become a representative network device, said device associative management system comprising a management information storage section for storing management information, and wherein each of said network devices comprises:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a management information transmission section which sends management information of said network device itself to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said management information storage section,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein, when said network device itself is said dependent network device, said network device validates operations of said management information transmission section.

2. A device associative management system for networks in which a plurality of network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other, and any one of said plurality of network devices can become a representative network device, said device associative management system comprising a management information storage section for storing management information, and wherein each of the network devices comprises:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a management information section of said network device itself;

a management information transmission section which sends management information of said network device itself to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said management information storage section,

wherein said network device when in said mode of the representative network device validates operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein said network device when in said mode of the dependent network device validates operations of said management information transmission section.

3. A device associative management system for networks in which a plurality of network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other and any one of said plurality of network devices can become a representative network device, wherein each of the network devices comprises:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a first management information storage section for storing management information of said network device itself;

a second management information storage section for storing management information of said representative network device and said dependent network device;

a management information transmission section which sends management information in said first management information storage section to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said second management information storage section,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein, when the network device itself is the dependent network device, said network device validates operations of said management information transmission section.

5. The device associative management system according to claim 3,

wherein a device management terminal managing said network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other,

wherein said network device comprises second management information transmission section which sends the management information in said second management information storage section to said device management terminal, and

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said second management information transmission section.

6. The device associative management system according to claim 3,

wherein said management information transmission section voluntarily sends the management information in said first management information storage section to said representative network device.

7. The device associative management system according to claim 3,

wherein, when it is judged that there is no operative network device other than said network device itself among the plurality of network devices, said mode switching section switches said network device itself to the mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device.

8. The device associative management system according to claim 3,

wherein, in the case in which said network device itself is said representative network device, when a performance of said network device itself and a performance of said dependent network device are compared and it is judged that the performance of said dependent network device is higher, the mode switching section of said network device itself sends a substitution request for substitution of said representative network device to said dependent network device and switches said network device itself to the mode in which said network device becomes said dependent network device, and

said dependent network device that received the substitution request switches said dependent network device to the mode in which said dependent network device becomes said representative network device.

9. The device associative management system according to claim 3,

wherein, when said representative network device has become inoperative, said mode switching section selects a dependent network device having the highest performance out of said dependent network devices and switches said selected dependent network device to said representative network device.

10. The device associative management system according to claim 5,

wherein said device management terminal comprises a storage section for storing a file and, when a file creation request for creation of a file is received, creates a file relating to the received file creation request, records the created file in said storage section together with a creation time thereof, and when detail information acquisition request for acquisition of file detail information including the creation time is received, creates the file detail information for a file relating to the received detail information acquisition request among files in said storage section, and sends the created file detail information to a request source,

and wherein said network device comprises:

a file detail information acquisition section which acquires the file detail information from said device management terminal;

a file detail information transmission section which sends the file detail information acquired by said file detail information acquisition section to said dependent network devices;

a file detail information reception section which receives the file detail information; and

a time setting section which sets a time on the basis of the file detail information received by said file detail information reception section,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said file detail information acquisition section, said file detail information transmission section, and said time setting section,

wherein, when said network device itself is said dependent network device, said network device validates operations of said file detail information reception section and said time setting section, and

wherein said file detail information acquisition section sends the file creation request to said device management terminal, sends the detailed information acquisition request to said device management terminal, and receives the file detail information.

11. The device associative management system according to claim 5, wherein said network device comprises:

a power supply input section which inputs a power supply of said network device itself when a power supply input instruction for input of the power supply is received; and

a power supply input instruction transmission section which sends the power supply input instruction to said dependent network devices,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said power supply input instruction transmission section, and

wherein, when said network device itself has become said representative network device, said power supply input instruction transmission section sends the power supply input instruction to said dependent network devices.

12. The device associative management system according to claim 5,

wherein said network device comprises power a supply isolation section which isolates a power supply of said network device itself when said network device receives a power supply isolation instruction for isolation of the power supply;

a power supply isolation instruction transmission section which sends the power supply isolation instruction to said dependent network devices;

a power supply isolation request input section which inputs a power supply isolation request; and

a power supply isolation request notification section which, when the power supply isolation request is inputted by said power supply isolation request input section, notifies said representative network device to that effect,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said power supply isolation instruction transmission section, and

wherein, when the power supply isolation request is notified, said power supply isolation instruction transmission section sends the power supply isolation instruction to said dependent network devices.

13. The device associative management system according to claim 5, wherein said network device comprises:

an application reception section which receives an application from said device management terminal;

an application installing section which installs the received application; and

an application delivery section which delivers the application to said dependent network devices,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates said application delivery section; and

wherein, when said network device itself has become said representative network device, said application delivery section delivers the received application to said dependent network devices.

14. The device associative management system according to claim 5, wherein said network device comprises:

an application uninstalling instruction reception section which receives an instruction to uninstall an application;

an application uninstalling section which uninstalls the application; and

an application uninstalling instruction transmission section which sends an uninstalling instruction to said dependent network devices,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said application uninstalling instruction transmission section, and

wherein, when said network device itself has become said representative network device, said application uninstalling instruction transmission section sends the received application uninstalling instruction to said dependent network devices.

4. A device associative management system for networks in which a plurality of network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other and any one of said plurality of network devices can become a representative network device, wherein each of the network devices comprises:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a first management information storage section for storing management information of said network device itself;

a second management information storage section for storing management information of said representative network device and said dependent network device;

a management information transmission section which sends management information in said first management information storage section to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said second management information storage section,

wherein, when the network device is in said mode of the representative network device, said network device validates operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein, said network device when in said mode of the dependent network device validates operations of said management information transmission section.

15. A device which is connected to other network devices so as to be capable of communicating with each other, said network device comprising:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes said representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a management information transmission section which sends management information of said network device itself to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said management information storage section,

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, said network device validates operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein, when said network device itself is said dependent network device, said network device validates operations of said management information transmission section.

16. A computer having a program stored therein for operating a network device comprising:

a mode switching section which switches said network device to a mode in which said network device becomes a representative network device and a mode in which said network device becomes a dependent network device other than said representative network device among said plurality of network devices;

a management information transmission section which sends management information of said network device itself to said representative network device;

a management information reception section which receives the management information; and

a management information registration section which registers the management information received by said management information reception section in said management information storage section, and

wherein, when said network device itself is said representative network device, the computer performs validating operations of said management information reception section and said management information registration section, and

wherein, when said network device itself is said dependent network device, said computer performs validating operations of said management information transmission section.

17. A method with which a plurality of network devices are connected so as to be capable of communicating with each other and any one of said plurality of network devices becomes a representative network device to collect management information of said plurality of network devices including said representative network device itself, wherein said method comprises:

a step of switching modes of said respective network devices such that any one of said plurality of network devices becomes said representative network device and said network devices other than said representative network device become dependent network devices,

with respect to said dependent network devices, a management information transmission step of sending management information of said network device itself to said representative network device, and

with respect to said representative network device, a management information reception step of receiving the management information, and a management information registration step of storing the management information received in said management information reception step and management information of said network device itself in a management information storage section.