Generating and providing device management data via network

• US 20050165810A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Akira
• Application Number:
  US11/042,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165810A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets

Abstract

An apparatus, system, method, computer program and product are provided for generating device management data in a predetermined XML-based format to a client, and providing the device management data in a format readable to a client, using web services technology.

Claims

1. A network apparatus connectable to a client through a network, said network apparatus comprising:

a hardware device configured to provide a device-specific function to the network apparatus;

a data generator configured to generate device management data of the hardware device in a predetermined XML-based format;

a format analyzer configured to specify a client format readable to the client, and to compare the client format with the predetermined XML-based format to generate a comparison result;

a format converter configured to convert the device management data in the predetermined XML-based format to the client format based on the comparison result; and

a data provider configured to provide the device management data to the client.

2. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined XML-based format includes RDF.

3. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client format is based on HTML.

4. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client format is included in a request command received from the client.

5. The network apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device configured to store a format list, including information whether the client format is supported by the network apparatus.

6. The network apparatus of claim 5, wherein the format analyzer is configured to further determine whether the client format is supported by the network apparatus by referring to the format list.

7. The network apparatus of claim 6, wherein the format analyzer is configured to further send an error message when the determination indicates that the client format is not supported.

8. The network apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device configured to store a plurality of conversion files, with each conversion file corresponding to a specific XML-based format.

9. The network apparatus of claim 8, wherein the format converter is configured to obtain a conversion file corresponding to the client format, and to perform the conversion using the obtained conversion file.

10. The network apparatus of claim 8, wherein the format converter is configured to send an error message to the client, when a conversion file corresponding to the client format is not obtained.

11. The network apparatus of claim 9, wherein the conversion file includes an XSLT file.

12. A network apparatus connectable to a shared device and a client through a network, said network apparatus comprising:

a hardware device configured to provide a device-specific function to the network apparatus;

a data generator configured to generate device management data including information regarding the hardware device and the shared device in a predetermined XML-based format;

a format analyzer configured to specify a client format readable to the client, and to compare the client format with the predetermined XML-based format to generate a comparison result;

a format converter configured to convert the device management data in the predetermined XML-based format to the client format based on the comparison result; and

a data provider configured to provide the device management data to the client.

13. A network apparatus connectable to a client through a network, said network apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

generating device management data in a predetermined XML-based format;

specifying a client format readable to the client; and

providing the device management data in the client format.

14. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the operations further include:

converting the device management data in the predetermined XML-based format to the client format.

15. A data providing method comprising:

generating device management data in a predetermined XML-based format;

specifying a client format readable to a client; and

providing the device management data in the client format to the client.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

converting,the device management data in the predetermined XML-based format to the client format.

17. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method claimed in claim 15.

18. A computer data signal transmitted in one or more segments in a transmission medium which embodies instructions executable by a computer to perform the method claimed in claim 15.

19. A data obtaining method comprising:

sending a request command for device management data to a network apparatus;

specifying a client format; and

displaying the device management data in the client format.