Information processing apparatus and method of controlling same, print control appratus, method and program, and storage medium

• US 20060044586A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takagi, Yoshihiro, Uchida, Tatsuro, Kujirai, Yasuhiro, Aritomi, Masanori, Oomura, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.130
• 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 3/123 Software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for transmitting an installation set of a printer driver to another information processing apparatus, comprises decision unit adapted to decide whether an installation set that activates a function expansion module is to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus; and transmitting unit adapted to transmit an installation set in which the function expansion module is activated to the other information processing apparatus if the decision unit has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is to be transmitted, and transmits an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated to the other information processing apparatus if the decision unit has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is not to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for transmitting an installation set of a printer driver to another information processing apparatus, comprising:

decision unit adapted to decide whether an installation set that activates a function expansion module is to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus; and

transmitting unit adapted to transmit an installation set in which the function expansion module is activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision unit has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is to be transmitted, and transmits an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision unit has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is not to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an installation set that activates the function expansion module is an installation set that includes the function expansion module and key data that activates the function expansion module, and an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated is an installation set that does not include at least one of the key data and function expansion module.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising judging unit adapted to judge whether the printer driver is being used for the purpose of controlling a printer shared with another information processing apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising notification unit adapt to notify the fact that the configuration of the printer driver will be changed to the other information processing apparatus connected to the shared printer, in a case where said judging unit judges that the printer driver is being used for the purpose of controlling the printer shared with the other information processing apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

file addition unit adapted to copy the key data and the function expansion module, which have been registered in the installation set, to a storage area of an operating system;

file registration unit adapted to additionally register names of additional files of the key data and unction expansion module, which have been copied to the storage area, in the configuration information of the printer driver; and

recognition unit adapted to cause an installation control module of the operating system to recognize the fact that the configuration of the printer driver will be changed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said recognition unit causes content of the key data and function expansion module to be recognized by restarting the installation control module.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

deletion unit adapted to delete the key data and function expansion module that have been additionally installed by said additional installation unit; and

registration cancellation unit adapted to update the configuration information of the printer driver in response to the deletion by said deletion unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if the configuration information of the printer driver has been updated by said registration cancellation unit, said notification unit notifies the other information processing apparatus of the content of the updated configuration information of the printer driver.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

acquisition unit adapted to acquire key data necessary in order to use a function expansion module; and

execution unit adapted to cause a printer driver to execute a function, in which utilization of functionality of the function expansion module is restricted, if said acquisition unit has not acquired the key data of the function expansion module.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

acquisition unit adapted to acquire an installation set that includes key data and a function expansion module; and

execution unit adapted to execute the function expansion module using the key data if said acquisition unit has acquired the key data.

11. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for transmitting an installation set of a printer driver to another information processing apparatus, said method comprising:

a decision step of deciding whether an installation set that activates a function expansion module is to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus; and

a transmitting step of transmitting an installation set in which the function expansion module is activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision step has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is to be transmitted, and transmits an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision step has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is not to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein an installation set that activates the function expansion module is an installation set that includes the function expansion module and key data that activates the function expansion module, and an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated is an installation set that does not include at least one of the key data and function expansion module.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a judging step of judging whether the printer driver is being used for the purpose of controlling a printer shared with another information processing apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a notification step of notifying the fact that the configuration of the printer driver will be changed to the other information processing apparatus connected to the shared printer, in a case where said judging step judges that the printer driver is being used for the purpose of controlling the printer shared with the other information processing apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

a file addition step of copying the key data and the function expansion module, which have been registered in the installation set, to a storage area of an operating system;

a file registration step of additionally registering names of additional files of the key data and function expansion module, which have been copied to the storage area, in the configuration information of the printer driver; and

a recognition step of causing an installation control module of the operating system to recognize the fact that the configuration of the printer driver will be changed.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said recognition step causes content of the key data and function expansion module to be recognized by restarting the installation control module.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a deletion step of deleting the key data and function expansion module that have been additionally installed by said additional installation step; and

a registration cancellation step of updating the configuration information of the printer driver in response to the deletion by said deletion step.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein if the configuration information of the printer driver has been updated by said registration cancellation step, said notification step notifies the other information processing apparatus of the content of the Updated configuration information of the printer driver.

19. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring key data necessary in order to use a function expansion module; and

an execution step of causing a printer driver to execute a function, in which utilization of functionality of the function expansion module is restricted, if said acquisition step has not acquired the key data of the function expansion module.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring an installation set that includes key data and a function expansion module; and

an execution step of executing the function expansion module using the key data if said acquisition step has acquired the key data.

21. A program for controlling an information processing apparatus for transmitting an installation set of a printer-driver to another information processing apparatus, said program comprising:

a decision module for deciding whether an installation set that activates a function expansion module is to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus; and

a transmitting module for transmitting an installation set in which the function expansion module is activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision module has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is to be transmitted, and transmits an installation set in which the function expansion module is not activated to the other information processing apparatus if said decision module has decided that the installation set that activates the function expansion module is not to be transmitted to the other information processing apparatus.

22. A program for controlling an information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition module for acquiring key data necessary in order to use a function expansion module; and

an execution module for causing a printer driver to execute a function, in which utilization of functionality of the function expansion module is restricted, if said acquisition module has not acquired the key data of the function expansion module.