Configuration setting system for network system

• US 20050005003A1
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Maekawa, Yohei
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration

Abstract

A configuration setting system is provided for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network. The configuration setting system sets a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of a predetermined electronic device functioning as a model device. The predetermined electronic device is provided with a checking system that checks whether there is a currently operating model device on the network when the predetermined electronic device is to function as the model device, and a determining system that determines, when the checking system detects no model device on the network, that the predetermined electronic device should operate as the model device for the network system.

Claims

1. A configuration setting system for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, said configuration setting system setting a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of another electronic device that functions as a model device,

said plurality of electronic devices including a candidate electronic device to operate as the model device, said candidate electronic device being provided with:

a checking system that checks whether there is a currently operating model device on said network when said candidate electronic device is to function as the model device; and

a determining system that determines, when said checking system detects the model device, only one of said candidate electronic device and the currently operating model device as a new model device.

2. The configuration setting system according to claim 1,

wherein said currently operating model device is configured such that whether a function of the model device is to be maintained is set, and

wherein said determining system determines that the currently operating model device as the model device when said currently operating model device is configured such that the function of the model device is to be maintained.

3. The configuration setting system according to claim 1,

wherein said determining system including an input device that allows a user to select one of said candidate electronic device and the currently operating model device as the new model device.

4. The configuration setting system according to claim 1,

wherein said candidate electronic device is provided with a notification system that notifies other electronic devices that said candidate electronic device operates as the model device when said determining system determines said candidate electronic device as the new model device.

31. The configuration setting system according to claim 1, wherein the configuration includes operational parameters for each electronic device, each electronic device operates in accordance with the operational parameters.

5. A configuration setting system for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, said configuration setting system setting a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of a predetermined electronic device functioning as a model device,

said predetermined electronic device being provided with:

a detecting system that detects whether a network to which said predetermined electronic device is connected has been changed; and

a function releasing system that releases the function as the model device of said predetermined electronic device when said detecting system detects that said predetermined device is connected to another network.

6. The configuration setting system according to claim 5,

wherein said detecting system detects whether the network is changed in accordance with an IP address of said predetermined electronic device.

7. The configuration setting system according to claim 5,

wherein said detecting system detects whether the network is changed in accordance with network addressees of IP addresses of at least one of transmission packets and receiving packets.

8. An electronic device capable of operating as a model device for a configuration setting system for a network system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, a configuration of the plurality of electronic devices being set based on a configuration of the model device,

said electronic device capable of operating as the model device being provided with:

a checking system that checks whether there is a currently operating model device on the network when said electronic device is to function as the model device; and

a determining system that determines, when said checking system detects the currently operating model device on the network, one of said electronic device and the currently operating model device as a new model device.

9. An electronic device capable of operating as a model device for a configuration setting system for a network system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, a configuration of the plurality of electronic devices being set based on a configuration of the model device,

said electronic device capable of operating as the model device being provided with:

a detecting system that detects whether a network to which said electronic device capable of operating as a model device is connected has been changed; and

a function disabling system that disables the function as the model device of said electronic device capable of operating as a model device when said detecting system detects that said electronic device is connected to another network.

10. A computer accessible storage which stores a program which is executed by a computer so that the computer function as an electronic device capable of operating as a model device for a configuration setting system for a network system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, a configuration of the plurality of electronic devices being set based on a configuration of the model device,

said electronic device capable of operating as the model device being provided with:

a checking system that checks whether there is a currently operating model device on the network when said electronic device is to function as the model device; and

a determining system that determines, when said checking system detects the currently operating model device on the network, one of said electronic device and the currently operating model device as a new model device.

11. A computer accessible storage which stores a program which is executed by a computer so that the computer function as an electronic device capable of operating as a model device for a configuration setting system for a network system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, a configuration of the plurality of electronic devices being set based on a configuration of the model device,

said electronic device capable of operating as the model device being provided with:

a detecting system that detects whether a network to which said electronic device capable of operating as a model device is connected has been changed; and

a function disabling system that disables the function as the model device of said electronic device capable of operating as a model device when said detecting system detects that said electronic device is connected to another network.

12. A configuration setting system for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, said configuration setting system setting a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of a predetermined electronic device functioning as a model device,

said predetermined electronic device being provided with:

a checking system that checks whether there is a currently operating model device on said network when said predetermined electronic device is to function as the model device; and

a determining system that determines, when said checking system detects no model device, said predetermined electronic device as the model device for said network system.

13. The configuration setting system according to claim 12,

wherein, said determining system includes an input system that allows a user to select one of the currently operating model device and said predetermined electronic device as said model device,

wherein when said currently operating model device is on said network and the function as said model device is releasable, said determining system determining selected one of said currently operating model device and said predetermined electronic device as said model device and the other as a non-model device.

14. The configuration setting system according to claim 13,

further including a setting system that sets the configuration of said currently operating model device to function as the non-model device, and sets the configuration of said predetermined electronic device to function as said model device when said predetermined electronic device is determined to be said model device.

15. The configuration setting system according to claim 13,

further including a setting system that sets the configuration of said predetermined electronic device to function as said non-model device when said currently operating electronic device is determined to be said model device.

16. The configuration setting system according to claim 15, wherein said setting system obtains the configuration of said currently operating model device and updates the configuration of said predetermined electronic device in accordance with the configuration of said currently operating model device.

17. The configuration setting system according to claim 12,

wherein said determining system includes an input system that allows a user to select one of the currently operating model device and said predetermined electronic device as said model device, and

wherein, when said currently operating model device is on said network and the function as said model device is not releasable, said setting system sets the configuration of said predetermined electronic device so as to operate as the non-model device.

18. The configuration setting system according to claim 16, wherein said setting system obtains the configuration of said currently operating model device and updates the configuration of said predetermined electronic device in accordance with the configuration of said currently operating model device.

19. The configuration setting system according to claim 12,

wherein, when said currently operating model device is on said network, said determining system determines one of said currently operating model device and said predetermined electronic device as said model device and the other as a non-model device in accordance with predetermined information.

20. The configuration setting system according to claim 20, wherein said predetermined information includes priority defined for each of said currently operating model device and said predetermined electronic device.

21. A configuration setting system having a plurality of electronic device communicably connected through a network,

said plurality of electronic devices including a first electronic device which is to function as a model device and a second device which currently functions as the model device,

said first device having:

a requesting system that requests the second device to transmit a configuration thereof;

a replying system that transmits a configuration of said first device when the request is received from another electronic device;

a determining system that determines whether configuration of the second device can be obtained in accordance with the request when said first device operates as the non-model device; and

a controlling system that controls said first device to operate as the model device and controls said replying system to transmits the configuration of said first device, when said determining system determines that the configuration of the second device cannot be obtained.

22. The configuration setting system according to claim 21, wherein said first device includes a notifying system that notifies other electronic devices that said first device functions as the model device when said controlling system controls said first device to operate as said model device.

23. The configuration setting system according to claim 21, wherein said determining system determines whether the configuration of an electronic device previously functioning as the model device can be obtained in response to the request by said requesting system, said controlling system of said first device controls said first device not to function as the model device if said determining system determines that the configuration of the electronic device previously functions as the model device can be obtained.

24. The configuration setting system according to claim 23, wherein, said first device further includes a transmitting system that transmits a configuration of said first device to the previous model device when said controlling system controls said first device not to function as the model device, said previous model device updating the configuration thereof in accordance with the configuration transmitted from said first device.

25. The configuration setting system according to claim 21, wherein said previous model device does not function as said model device even when it becomes possible for said replying system to transmits the configuration of said first device.

26. An electronic device for a configuration setting system having a plurality of electronic device communicably connected through a network, comprising:

a requesting system that requests another electronic device which currently functions as the model device to transmit a configuration thereof;

a replying system that transmits a configuration of said electronic device when the request is received from another electronic device, a configuration of each of the said plurality of electronic devices which functions as a non-model device being set in accordance with the configuration of said model device;

a determining system that determines whether configuration of said electronic device functioning as said model device can be obtained in accordance with the request when said each of said electronic device operates as the non-model device; and

a controlling system that controls said electronic device, which is to function as the model device, to operate as said model device and controls said replying system to transmits the configuration of said electronic device when the determining system determines that the configuration of the electronic device functioning as said model device cannot be obtained.

27. A computer accessible storage which stores a program which is executed by a computer so that the computer function as an electronic device capable of operating as a model device for a configuration setting system for a network system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, a configuration of the plurality of electronic devices being set based on a configuration of the model device,

said electronic device capable of operating as the model device being provided with:

a requesting system that requests another electronic device which currently functions as the model device to transmit a configuration thereof;

a replying system that transmits a configuration of said electronic device when the request is received from another electronic device, a configuration of each of the said plurality of electronic devices which functions as a non-model device being set in accordance with the configuration of said model device;

a determining system that determines whether configuration of said electronic device functioning as said model device can be obtained in accordance with the request when said each of said electronic device operates as the non-model device; and

a controlling system that controls said electronic device, which is to function as the model device, to operate as said model device and controls said replying system to transmits the configuration of said electronic device when the determining system determines that the configuration of the electronic device functioning as said model device cannot be obtained.

28. A configuration setting system having a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected through a network, a configuration of each electronic device being set in accordance with a configuration of a model device, said configuration setting system being configured such that if there are a plurality of model devices simultaneously exits on the network, only one of said model devices is kept functioning as the model device and the other model devices are turned to non-model devices in accordance with predetermined information.

29. The configuration setting system according to claim 28, wherein said predetermined information includes priorities defined to said plurality electronic devices, respectively.

30. An electronic device for a configuration setting system in which a plurality of electronic devices are communicably connected to a network, a configuration of each of said plurality of electronic devices being set in accordance with a model device,

said electronic device being configured to have a priority,

said electronic device being provided with:

a detecting system that detects, when said electronic device operates as the model device, participation of another model device on the network;

a comparing system that compares priorities of said electronic device and the another model device detected by said detecting system; and

a setting system that sets said electronic device one of the model device and a non-model device depending on a comparison result of said comparing system.

32. An electronic device for a network system to which a model electronic device is connected, said model electronic device operating in accordance with predetermined operational parameters stored therein, at least a part of the predetermined operational parameters stored in said model electronic device being used as at least a part of operational parameters of said electronic device.

33. The electronic device according to claim 32, wherein the predetermined parameters include common parameters to be used for either of the model electronic device and the electronic device and uncommon parameters used only for the model electronic device, said at least a part of the predetermined operational parameters being included only in the common parameters.

34. The electronic device according to claim 33, wherein said at least a part of the predetermined operational parameters consisting of all the common parameters.

35. A model device of a configuration setting system for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, the configuration setting system setting a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of said model device,

said model device being provided with:

a determining system that determines whether an other electronic device is to function as the model device for the network system; and

a setting system that sets the configuration of said model device so as to function as a non-model device, said setting system setting the configuration of the other electronic device to function as the model device when said determining system determines that the other electronic device it to function as the model device for the network system.

36. A model device of a configuration setting system for a network system including a plurality of electronic devices communicably connected to a network, the configuration setting system setting a configuration of an electronic device based on a configuration of said model device,

said model device being provided with:

a determining system that determines whether an other electronic device is to function as the model device for the network system; and

a setting system that that sets the configuration of the other electronic device to function as a non-model device when said determining system determines that said model device is kept operating as said model device.