NETWORK TERMINAL MANAGEMENT APPARATUS, METHOD AND PROGRAM

• US 20080256614A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagiuda, Tadashi
• Application Number:
  US12/101,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00435 arranged in a predetermined sequence, e.g. using next and previous buttons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00954 Scheduling operations or managing resources H04N1/0096 takes precedence; program initiating or switching G06F9/48; allocation of computer resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32507 a plurality of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0072 Detecting the status of a connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A network terminal management apparatus is able to manage terminals using a simple method, without the user feeling that convenience in terms of operability has been compromised. This network terminal management apparatus generates a list table of target tasks in which user terminal information is included, and sends the information of the list table to the user terminal. This enables the user to select desired target tasks from the displayed list table and enjoy services even with a multi-function processor having low operability.

Claims

1. A network terminal management apparatus for communicating via a network with a user terminal, the network terminal management apparatus comprising:

a terminal type recognition unit arranged to recognize whether a user terminal which accesses the network terminal management apparatus is a multifunction device;

a terminal information acquiring unit arranged to acquire, from the user terminal, terminal information held by the user terminal, if the user terminal is recognized to be a multifunction device by the terminal type recognition unit;

a task list generating unit arranged to generate a list of tasks associated with the acquired terminal information; and

a task list sending unit arranged to send information of the associated list to the user terminal.

2. A network terminal management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal type recognition unit is arranged to recognize whether a user terminal is a multifunction device with reference to access information acquired when the user terminal accesses the network terminal management apparatus.

3. A network terminal management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user authentication unit arranged to perform user authentication with reference to user authentication information input to the user terminal, and wherein the task list generating unit is arranged to generate the list of tasks with reference to the user authentication information.

4. A network terminal management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal information is a MAC address.

5. A network terminal management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal information is an IP address.

6. A network terminal management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the associated list generated by the task list generating unit includes a task performed on a different terminal from the user terminal having the same terminal information as the user terminal.

8. A network terminal management system comprising:

a network terminal management apparatus as claimed in claim 1; and

a user terminal which receives the information of the associated list generated by the task list generating unit, and displays the received information.

7. A network terminal management apparatus for communicating via a network with a user terminal, the network terminal management apparatus comprising:

terminal type recognition means arranged to recognize whether a user terminal which accesses the network terminal management apparatus is a multifunction device;

terminal information acquiring means arranged to acquire, from the user terminal, terminal information held by the user terminal, if the user terminal is recognized to be a multifunction device by the terminal type recognition means;

task list generating means arranged to generate a list of tasks associated with the acquired terminal information; and

task list sending means arranged to send information of the associated list to the user terminal.

9. A network terminal management method for communicating via a network with a user terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

recognizing whether a user terminal which accesses the network terminal management apparatus is a multifunction device;

acquiring, from the user terminal, terminal information held by the user terminal, if the user terminal is recognized to be a multifunction device;

generating a list of tasks associated with the acquired terminal information; and

sending information of the associated list to the user terminal.

10. A network terminal management method according to claim 9, wherein a user terminal is recognized to be a multifunction device with reference to access information acquired when the user terminal accesses the network terminal management apparatus.

11. A network terminal management method according to claim 9, further comprising performing user authentication with reference to user authentication information input to the user terminal, and wherein the list of tasks is generated with reference to the user authentication information.

12. A storage medium storing a program which, loaded into a computer, causes the computer to:

recognize whether a user terminal which accesses the network terminal management apparatus is a multifunction device;

acquire, from the user terminal, terminal information held by the user terminal, if the user terminal is recognized to be a multifunction device by the terminal type recognition unit;

generate a list of tasks associated with the acquired terminal information; and

send information of the associated list to the user terminal.