Network apparatus and method of specifying network parameter

• US 20070019657A1
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takayama, Hajime
• Application Number:
  US11/487,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20070019657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses

Abstract

A network apparatus configured to communicate with a terminal using an IP address includes an information acquisition control unit configured to obtain a first IP address to be used by the terminal to specify a parameter in a network configuration; and a setting form generation unit configured to generate a setting screen which is to be used by the terminal to set up the network configuration and provides the terminal with the obtained first IP address.

Claims

1. A network apparatus configured to communicate with a terminal using an IP address, comprising:

an information acquisition control unit configured to obtain a first IP address to be used by the terminal to specify a parameter in a network configuration; and

a setting form generation unit configured to generate a setting screen which is to be used by the terminal to set up the network configuration and provides the terminal with the obtained first IP address.

2. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information acquisition control unit obtains the first IP address by using SNMP.

3. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a setting information verification unit configured to verify a second IP address specified using the setting screen by the terminal.

4. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setting information verification unit verifies the second IP address specified by the terminal based on information contained in a packet sent from the terminal.

5. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setting information verification unit verifies the second IP address specified by the terminal based on information obtained by using SNMP.

6. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the setting information verification unit uses identifiers linked to the first IP address and the second IP address to verify the second IP address.

7. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a setting information retaining unit configured to retain the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address.

8. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a setting information management unit configured to manage the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address which are retained by the setting information retaining unit.

9. The network apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the setting information management unit removes after a specified period of time the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address which are retained by the setting information retaining unit.

10. A method of specifying a network parameter using a terminal, comprising:

an information acquisition step of obtaining a first IP address to be used by the terminal to specify a parameter in a network configuration; and

a setting form generation step of generating a setting screen which is to be used by the terminal to set up the network configuration and provides the terminal with the obtained first IP address.

11. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 10, wherein, in the information acquisition step, the first IP address is obtained by using SNMP.

12. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a setting information verification step of verifying a second IP address specified using the setting screen by the terminal.

13. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the setting information verification step, the second IP address specified by the terminal is verified based on information contained in a packet sent from the terminal.

14. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the setting information verification step, the second IP address specified by the terminal is verified based on information obtained by using SNMP.

15. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the setting information verification step, identifiers linked to the first IP address and the second IP address are used to verify the second IP address.

16. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a setting information retaining step of retaining the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address in a device.

17. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a setting information management step of managing the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address which are retained in the device.

18. The method of specifying a network parameter as claimed in claim 17, wherein, in the setting information management step, the first IP address and the identifier linked to the first IP address which are retained in the device are removed after a specified period of time.