Method and apparatus for editing and viewing device layout, and computer program product

• US 20070067757A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Amemiya, Kanae, Takeda, Shuuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A receiving unit receives a device icon of an input/output device and device layout data including positional information of the device icon from a device-layout managing apparatus. A viewing unit displays a device layout diagram including a device list area and a map area, based on the received device icon and device layout data. An editing unit edits the device layout diagram based on a shift operation received by an input unit from a use, and generates the device layout data including the positional information of the device icon after a shift. A transmitting unit transmits the generated device layout data to the device-layout managing apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for editing and viewing a device-layout, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit that displays various data;

a receiving unit that receives, from a device-layout managing apparatus connected to a network, a device icon of an input/output device connected to the network and device layout data including positional information of the device icon;

a viewing unit that displays a device layout diagram including a device list area in which the device icon is displayed in correspondence with information specific to the input/output device and a map area indicating an installation area of the input/output device on the display unit, based on the received device icon and the received device layout data;

an input unit that receives a shift operation of the device icon on the device layout diagram from a user;

an editing unit that edits the device layout diagram by specifying a position of the device icon based on the received shift operation, and generates the device layout data including the positional information of the device icon after a shift from the edited device layout diagram; and

a transmitting unit that transmits the generated device layout data to the device-layout managing apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the shift operation is to shift the device icon on the device list area to the map area, and

the editing unit edits the layout diagram using a position of the shifted device icon on the map area as new positional information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the shift operation is to shift the device icon on the map area back to the device list area, and

the editing unit edits the layout diagram by deleting the device icon from the map area base on the shift operation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the shift operation is received by a drag-and-drop operation;

and

the editing unit specifies a position specified by the drag-and-drop operation as the position of the device icon.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the editing unit enlarges and reduces the device icon on the map area at an optional magnification.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the editing unit edits the device icon on the map area in a balloon shape extending from an actual position.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the editing unit changes transparency of the device icon on the map area.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the editing unit changes a size of the map area.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the editing unit includes a printing unit that prints the map area and the device list area in a separate manner.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the viewing unit displays the device icon on the map area by changing transparency of the device icon.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the viewing unit displays the map area by changing a display mode of the map area.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the viewing unit displays the map area by changing transparency of the map area.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the viewing unit displays the device icon on the map area in a balloon shape extending from an actual position.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the viewing unit includes a printing unit that prints the map area and the device list area in a separate manner.

15. A method of editing and viewing a device-layout, the method comprising:

receiving, from a device-layout managing apparatus connected to a network, a device icon of an input/output device connected to the network and device layout data including positional information of the device icon;

displaying a device layout diagram including a device list area in which the device icon is displayed in correspondence with information specific to the input/output device and a map area indicating an installation area of the input/output device on a display unit, based on the received device icon and the received device layout data;

receiving a shift operation of the device icon on the device layout diagram from a user;

editing the device layout diagram by specifying a position of the device icon based on the received shift operation;

generating the device layout data including the positional information of the device icon after a shift from the edited device layout diagram; and

transmitting the generated device layout data to the device-layout managing apparatus.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that when executed causes a computer to execute:

receiving, from a device-layout managing apparatus connected to a network, a device icon of an input/output device connected to the network and device layout data including positional information of the device icon;

displaying a device layout diagram including a device list area in which the device icon is displayed in correspondence with information specific to the input/output device and a map area indicating an installation area of the input/output device on a display unit, based on the received device icon and the received device layout data;

receiving a shift operation of the device icon on the device layout diagram from a user;

editing the device layout diagram by specifying a position of the device icon based on the received shift operation;

generating the device layout data including the positional information of the device icon after a shift from the edited device layout diagram; and

transmitting the generated device layout data to the device-layout managing apparatus.