INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, ALTERNATE RESPONSE APPARATUS, RESPONSE METHOD, CONTROL PROGRAM, AND NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20080034127A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: NISHIO, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/11
• 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 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]

Abstract

A mechanism for enabling a computer which includes an installer for providing Plug and Play (PnP) to obtain information for a network device is provided. Using an existing development resource, such as a PnP installer, a simple installation method is provided. By causing a proxy server to as a communication intermediary between the computer and a peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined management method, the peripheral device can be managed using the predetermined management method.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus which communicates with a peripheral device via a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the information processing method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a message from the peripheral device, wherein the message is in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol;

a first extracting step of extracting first identification information including manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a second extracting step of extracting a network address of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a generating step of generating second identification information which indicates a manufacturer and a model of the peripheral device, which is compliance with a local install process, by using the extracted first identification information of the peripheral device extracted from the message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

an inputting step of inputting the generated second identification information in compliance with a local install process to the installer;

an installation controlling step of controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus by using the second identification information input in said inputting step; and

a setting step of setting the network address of the peripheral device extracted in the second extracting step from the message which is in compliance with the network discovery protocol to the control program.

32. The information processing method according to claim 31, further comprising a designation step of designating the peripheral device to be controlled by the control program in accordance with the message obtained in said obtaining step in response to a search request previously issued by the information processing apparatus,

wherein, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation of the control program for controlling the peripheral device in response to the designation input in said designation step.

33. The information processing method according to claim 32, further comprising:

a display controlling step of displaying a service on a display of the information processing apparatus, and

an issuing step of issuing a search request for searching for available peripheral devices on the network when an item, which is displayed on the display, for designating a search and addition is input,

wherein, in said display controlling step, a list of peripheral devices obtained in said obtaining step is displayed on the display of the information processing apparatus in accordance with the message obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request, and

in said designation step, in response to the selection of a peripheral device from the list of peripheral devices displayed in said display controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation in said installation controlling step.

34. The information processing method according to claim 32, wherein, in said designation step, a peripheral device which provides a specific service is designated.

35. The information processing method according to claim 31, wherein, in said installation controlling step, using information indicating a storage region for storing the control program, the information being included in the obtained message, the control program is obtained from the storage region and installed into the information processing apparatus.

36. The information processing method according to claim 31, further comprising:

a determination step of determining whether or not the control program for operating the peripheral device is stored in the information processing apparatus; and

a control program obtaining step of obtaining the control program,

wherein, when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is stored in the information processing apparatus, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation using said control program obtained in said control program obtaining step, and

when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is not stored in the information processing apparatus, in said control program obtaining step, the control program is obtained using URL information or an UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path name which indicates a storage region for storing the control program, the URL information or the UNC path name being included in the message.

37. The information processing method according to claim 31, wherein, in said installation controlling step, when the second identification information of the peripheral device is input to the installer, using the input second identification information, the installer is controlled to call an application program interface of an operating system.

38. An information processing apparatus which communicates with a peripheral device via a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the information processing apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit that obtains a message from the peripheral device, wherein the message is in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol;

a first extracting unit that extracts first identification information including manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a second extracting unit that extracts a network address of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a generating unit that generated second identification information which indicates a manufacturer and a model of the peripheral device, which is compliance with a local install process, by using the extracted first identification information of the peripheral device extracted from the message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

an inputting unit that inputs the generated second identification information in compliance with a local install process to the installer;

an installation control unit that controls the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus by using the second identification information input by the inputting unit; and

a setting unit that sets the network address of the peripheral device extracted by the second extracting unit from the message which is in compliance with the network discovery protocol to the control program.

39. The information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising a designation unit that designates the peripheral device to be controlled by the control program in accordance with the message obtained by said obtaining unit in response to a search request previously issued by the information processing apparatus,

wherein, in said installation control unit, the installer is controlled to start the installation of the control program for controlling the peripheral device in response to the designation input by said designation unit.

40. The information processing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising:

a display control unit that displays a service on a display of the information processing apparatus, and

an issuing unit that issues a search request for searching for available peripheral devices on the network when an item, which is displayed on the display, for designating a search and addition is input,

wherein, in said display control unit, a list of peripheral devices obtained by said obtaining unit is displayed on the display of the information processing apparatus in accordance with the message obtained by said obtaining unit in response to the search request, and

in said designation unit, in response to the selection of a peripheral device from the list of peripheral devices displayed by said display control unit, the installer is controlled to start the installation by said installation control unit.

41. The information processing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein, in said designation unit, a peripheral device which provides a specific service is designated.

42. The information processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein, in said installation control unit, using information indicating a storage region for storing the control program, the information being included in the obtained message, the control program is obtained from the storage region and installed into the information processing apparatus.

43. The information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising:

a determination unit that determines whether or not the control program for operating the peripheral device is stored in the information processing apparatus; and

a control program obtaining unit that obtains the control program,

wherein, when it is determined by said determination unit that the control program is stored in the information processing apparatus, in said installation control unit, the installer is controlled to start the installation using said control program obtained by said control program obtaining unit, and

when it is determined by said determination unit that the control program is not stored in the information processing apparatus, in said control program obtaining unit, the control program is obtained using URL information or an UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path name which indicates a storage region for storing the control program, the URL information or the UNC path name being included in the message.

44. The information processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein, in said installation control unit, when the second identification information of the peripheral device is input to the installer, using the input second identification information, the installer is controlled to call an application program interface of an operating system.

45. A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer readable program for executing an information processing method for an information processing apparatus which communicates with a peripheral device via a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the information processing method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a message from the peripheral device, wherein the message is in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol;

a first extracting step of extracting first identification information including manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a second extracting step of extracting a network address of the peripheral device from the obtained message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

a generating step of generating second identification information which indicates a manufacturer and a model of the peripheral device, which is compliance with a local install process, by using the extracted first identification information of the peripheral device extracted from the message which is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol;

an inputting step of inputting the generated second identification information in compliance with a local install process to the installer;

an installation controlling step of controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus by using the second identification information input in said inputting step; and

a setting step of setting the network address of the peripheral device extracted in the second extracting step from the message which is in compliance with the network discovery protocol to the control program.

46. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 45, further comprising a designation step of designating the peripheral device to be controlled by the control program in accordance with the message obtained in said obtaining step in response to a search request previously issued by the information processing apparatus,

wherein, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation of the control program for controlling the peripheral device in response to the designation input in said designation step.

47. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, further comprising:

a display controlling step of displaying a service on a display of the information processing apparatus, and

an issuing step of issuing a search request for searching for available peripheral devices on the network when an item, which is displayed on the display, for designating a search and addition is input,

wherein, in said display controlling step, a list of peripheral devices obtained in said obtaining step is displayed on the display of the information processing apparatus in accordance with the message obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request, and

in said designation step, in response to the selection of a peripheral device from the list of peripheral devices displayed in said display controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation in said installation controlling step.

48. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein, in said designation step, a peripheral device which provides a specific service is designated.

49. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 45, wherein, in said installation controlling step, using information indicating a storage region for storing the control program, the information being included in the obtained message, the control program is obtained from the storage region and installed into the information processing apparatus.

50. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 45, further comprising:

a determination step of determining whether or not the control program for operating the peripheral device is stored in the information processing apparatus; and

a control program obtaining step of obtaining the control program,

wherein, when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is stored in the information processing apparatus, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation using said control program obtained in said control program obtaining step, and

when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is not stored in the information processing apparatus, in said control program obtaining step, the control program is obtained using URL information or an UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path name which indicates a storage region for storing the control program, the URL information or the UNC path name being included in the message.

51. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 45, wherein, in said installation controlling step, when the second identification information of the peripheral device is input to the installer, using the input second identification information, the installer is controlled to call an application program interface of an operating system.