Method, device, system and computer program product for transmitting setting data

• US 20060242272A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Furukawa, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method of transmitting setting data from a terminal device to target devices on a network is provided. The method includes the steps of preparing new setting data for the target devices, obtaining current setting data to which the target devices are currently set, comparing the new setting data with current setting data, and notifying a user of a result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting setting data from a terminal device to a plurality of target devices on a network, comprising the steps of:

preparing new setting data for the plurality of target devices;

obtaining current setting data to which the plurality of target devices are currently set;

comparing the new setting data with the current setting data; and

notifying a user of a result of the comparison.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to decide whether to start transmitting the new setting data to the plurality of target devices after the step of the notifying.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing new setting data comprises the step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices from among a plurality of devices.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the current setting data obtains the current setting data from the plurality of target devices.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying error information when the step of obtaining the current setting data is not successfully completed.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of removing a device from the plurality of target devices in accordance with a user operation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of notifying the user of the result of the comparison comprises displaying information identifying which portion of the new setting data is different from the current setting data for each of the plurality of target devices.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of preparing the new setting data comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to select a representative device from among the plurality of devices; and

obtaining representative setting data to which the representative device is currently set,

wherein one of the representative setting data and modified setting data made by modifying the representative setting data is used as the new setting data.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of allowing the user to designate one of a current data sending type and an updated data sending type,

wherein if the user designates the current data sending type, all of the representative setting data is transmitted to each of the plurality of target devices, and

wherein if the user designates the updated data sending type, setting data updated with respect to the representative setting data is transmitted as the new setting data for each of the plurality of target devices.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the representative device is treated as one of the plurality of target devices in that the representative device undergoes the steps of comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, notifying the user of the result of the comparison, and starting to transmit the new setting data.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the representative device is not subject to the steps of comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, notifying the user of the result of the comparison, and starting to transmit the new setting data.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of transmitting setting data of setting items to the representative device, the setting data of setting items only being applied to the representative device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the setting data to be transmitted to the representative device includes data of items specific to the representative device.

14. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the preparing step of preparing the new setting data comprises the step of allowing the user to select a representative device from among the plurality of devices;

in the allowing step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices, the representative device can be also selected as one of the plurality of target devices; and

if the representative device is selected as one of the plurality of target devices, the representative device is treated as one of the plurality of target devices in the obtaining step, the comparing step and the notifying step.

15. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device in accordance with a user instruction,

wherein the transmitting step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device is performed if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

the transmitting step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device is performed such that a user instruction is accepted if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices, and that a user instruction is not accepted if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is not modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the result of the comparison in a log file.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to modify the new setting data; and

performing again the steps of comparing and notifying with regard to the modified new setting data.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the allowing step is performed after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of allowing the user to modify the new setting data comprises:

allowing the user to select at least one advanced setting target device from among the plurality of target devices; and

allowing the user to make an advanced setting for the selected at least one advanced setting target device;

wherein advanced setting data made by the advanced setting is treated as the modified setting data.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting the advanced setting data to the at least one advanced setting target device and transmitting the new setting data to the plurality of target devices other than the at least one advanced setting target device.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to input a cancellation command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

repeating the method from the step of preparing new setting data.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to input a refresh command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

performing again the steps of the obtaining the current setting data, the comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, and the notifying the user of the result of the comparison if the refresh command is inputted by the user.

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allowing the user to input a search command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

searching for devices to include devices among the plurality of target devices if the search command is inputted by the user.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of performing again the steps of obtaining the current setting data, comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, and notifying the user of the result of the comparison if a search command is inputted by the user after the step of notifying the user of the result of the comparison and searched devices are included in the plurality of target devices.

26. The method according to claim 3,

wherein the step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices comprises the steps of:

searching for devices to be included in the plurality of target devices;

accepting a user designation of a device to be included in the plurality of target devices; and

selecting a device found in the search for devices and the device designated by the user as the plurality of target devices.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the new setting data includes a single piece of data; and

the current setting data includes a plurality of pieces of data set to the plurality of target devices, respectively.

28. A computer program product for use on a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer program executed to perform a method of transmitting setting data from a terminal device to a plurality of target devices on a network, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing new setting data for the plurality of target devices;

obtaining current setting data to which the plurality of target devices are currently set;

comparing the new setting data with the current setting data; and

notifying a user of a result of the comparison.

29. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the step of allowing a user to decide whether to start transmitting the new setting data to the plurality of target devices after the step of the notifying.

30. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the step of preparing new setting data comprises the step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices from among a plurality of devices.

31. The computer program product according to claim 28,

wherein the step of obtaining the current setting data obtains the current setting data from the plurality of target devices.

32. The computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the method further comprises the step of displaying error information when the step of obtaining the current setting data is not successfully completed.

33. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the method further comprises the step of removing a device from the plurality of target devices in accordance with a user operation.

34. The computer program product according to claim 28,

wherein the step of notifying the user of the result of the comparison comprises displaying information identifying which portion of the new setting data is different from the current setting data for each of the plurality of target devices.

35. The computer program product according to claim 28,

wherein the step of preparing the new setting data comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to select a representative device from among the plurality of devices; and

obtaining representative setting data to which the representative device is currently set,

wherein one of the representative setting data and modified setting data made by modifying the representative setting data is used as the new setting data.

36. The computer program product according to claim 35, further comprising the step of allowing the user to designate one of a current data sending type and an updated data sending type,

wherein if the user designates the current data sending type, all of the representative setting data is transmitted to each of the plurality of target devices, and

wherein if the user designates the updated data sending type, setting data updated with respect to the representative setting data is transmitted as the new setting data for each of the plurality of target devices.

37. The computer program product according to claim 35,

wherein the representative device is treated as one of the plurality of target devices in that the representative device undergoes the steps of comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, notifying the user of the result of the comparison, and starting to transmit the new setting data.

38. The computer program product according to claim 35,

wherein the representative device is not subject to the steps of comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, notifying the user of the result of the comparison, and starting to transmit the new setting data.

39. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting setting data of setting items to the representative device, the setting data of setting items only being applied to the representative device.

40. The computer program product according to claim 39,

wherein the new setting data transmitted to the plurality of target devices includes setting data of setting items common to all of the plurality of target devices.

41. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein:

the preparing step of preparing the new setting data comprises the step of allowing the user to select a representative device from among the plurality of devices;

in the allowing step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices, the representative device can be also selected as one of the plurality of target devices; and

if the representative device is selected as one of the plurality of target devices, the representative device is treated as one of the plurality of target devices in the obtaining step, the comparing step and the notifying step.

42. The computer program product according to claim 35, the method further comprising the step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device in accordance with a user instruction,

wherein the transmitting step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device is performed if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices.

43. The computer program product according to claim 42, wherein:

the transmitting step of transmitting the new setting data only to the representative device is performed such that a user instruction is accepted if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices, and that a user instruction is not accepted if the representative device is included in the plurality of target devices and if the new setting data is not modified after the new setting data is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of target devices.

44. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the step of storing the result of the comparison in a log file.

45. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

allowing a user to modify the new setting data a; and

performing again the steps of comparing and notifying with regard to the modified new setting data.

46. The computer program product according to claim 45, wherein the allowing step is performed after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison.

47. The computer program product according to claim 45, wherein the step of the allowing the user to modify the new setting data comprises:

allowing the user to select at least one advanced setting target device from among the plurality of target devices; and

allowing the user to make an advanced setting for the selected at least one advanced setting target device;

wherein advanced setting data made by the advanced setting is treated as the modified setting data.

48. The computer program product according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting the advanced setting data to the at least one advanced setting target device and transmitting the new setting data to the plurality of target devices other than the at least one advanced setting target device.

49. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to input a cancellation command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

repeating the method from the step of the preparing new setting data.

50. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to input a refresh command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

performing again the steps of obtaining the current setting data, comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, and notifying the user of the result of the comparison if the refresh command is inputted by the user.

51. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to input a search command after performing the step of notifying the user of a result of the comparison; and

searching for devices to include devices among the plurality of target devices if the search command is inputted by the user.

52. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the step of performing again the steps of obtaining the current setting data, comparing the new setting data with the current setting data, and notifying the user of the result of the comparison if a search command is inputted by the user after the step of notifying the user of the result of the comparison and searched devices are included in the plurality of target devices.

53. The computer program product according to claim 30,

wherein the step of allowing the user to select the plurality of target devices comprises the steps of:

searching for devices to be included in the plurality of target devices;

accepting a user designation of a device to be included in the plurality of target devices; and

selecting a device found in the search for devices and the device designated by the user as the plurality of target devices.

54. The computer program product according to claim 28, wherein:

the new setting data includes a single piece of data; and

the current setting data includes a plurality of pieces of data set to the plurality of target devices, respectively.

55. A method of transmitting setting data to at least one target device on a network, comprising the steps of:

preparing new setting data for the at least one target device;

obtaining current setting data to which the at least one target device is currently set;

comparing the new setting data with the current setting data; and

notifying a user of a result of the comparison.

56. A terminal device for transmitting setting data to a plurality of target devices on a network, comprising:

a preparing system that prepares new setting data for the plurality of target devices;

an obtaining system that obtains current setting data to which the plurality of target devices are currently set;

a comparing system that compares the new setting data with the current setting data;

a notifying system that notifies a user of a comparison result provided by the comparing system; and

a transmitting system that transmits the new setting data to the plurality of target devices in accordance with a user operation.

57. A system for transmitting setting data to a plurality of target devices on a network, comprising:

a preparing system that prepares new setting data for the plurality of target devices;

an obtaining system that obtains current setting data to which the plurality of target devices are currently set;

a comparing system that compares the new setting data with the current setting data;

a notifying system that notifies a user of a comparison result provided by the comparing system; and

a transmitting system that transmits the new setting data to the plurality of target devices in accordance with a user operation.

58. A computer program for use on a computer executed to achieve a method of transmitting setting data from a terminal device to a plurality of target devices on a network, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing new setting data for the plurality of target devices;

obtaining current setting data to which the plurality of target devices are currently set;

comparing the new setting data with the current setting data; and

notifying a user of a result of the comparison.