IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND REINSTALLATION METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090133128A1
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Uchikawa, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1082 Backup or restore

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes an installation unit configured to install an application for image processing and license information regarding the application, an information setting unit configured to set, as threshold information, operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application, a counting unit configured to count operation information regarding an operation of the application, an application operation restriction unit configured to restrict an operation of the application according to the threshold information and the counted operation information, a reinstallation unit configured to reinstall the application, and an information setting control unit configured to inhibit the information setting unit from setting, as the threshold information, the operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application reinstalled by the reinstallation unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an installation unit configured to install an application for image processing and license information regarding the application;

an information setting unit configured to set, as threshold information, operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application;

a counting unit configured to count operation information regarding an operation of the application;

an application operation restriction unit configured to restrict an operation of the application according to the threshold information and the counted operation information;

a reinstallation unit configured to reinstall the application; and

an information setting control unit configured to inhibit the information setting unit from setting, as the threshold information, the operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application reinstalled by the reinstallation unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation restriction information includes an expiration date of the application,

wherein the information setting unit is configured to set the expiration date of the application as the threshold information,

wherein the counting unit is configured to count days from first use of the application as the operation information, and

wherein the application operation restriction unit is configured to restrict an operation of the application based on the expiration date of the application and the days from first use of the application.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation restriction information includes a maximum allowable number of operations of a function of the application,

wherein the information setting unit is configured to set the maximum allowable number of operations of the function of the application as threshold information,

wherein the counting unit is configured to count a number of operations of the function of the application as the operation information, and

wherein the application operation restriction unit is configured to restrict an operation of the application based on the maximum allowable number of operations of the function of the application and the number of operations of the function of the application.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an operation failure when activating the application; and

an uninstallation unit configured to uninstall the application if the detection unit detects the operation failure when activating the application,

wherein the reinstallation unit is configured to reinstall the application uninstalled by the uninstallation unit.

5. A reinstallation method comprising:

installing an application for image processing and license information regarding the application;

setting, as threshold information, operation restriction information regarding the application, which is included in the installed license information;

counting operation information regarding an operation of the application;

restricting an operation of the application according to the set threshold information and the counted operation information;

reinstalling the application; and

inhibiting the operation restriction information regarding the reinstalled application, which is included in the license information regarding the application, from being set as the threshold information.

6. The reinstallation method according to claim 5, wherein the operation restriction information includes an expiration date of the application, and

wherein the reinstallation method further comprises:

setting the expiration date of the application as the threshold information;

counting days from first use of the application as the operation information; and

restricting an operation of the application based on the expiration date of the application and the days from first use of the application.

7. The reinstallation method according to claim 5, wherein the operation restriction information includes a maximum allowable number of operations of a function of the application, and

wherein the reinstallation method further comprises:

setting the maximum allowable number of operations of the function of the application as threshold information;

counting a number of operations of the function of the application as the operation information; and

restricting an operation of the application based on the maximum allowable number of operations of the function of the application and the number of operations of the function of the application.

8. The reinstallation method according to claim 5, further comprising:

detecting an operation failure when activating the application;

uninstalling the application if detecting the operation failure when activating the application; and

reinstalling the uninstalled application.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer to perform a reinstallation method comprising:

installing an application for image processing and license information regarding the application;

setting, as threshold information, operation restriction information regarding the application, which is included in the installed license information;

counting operation information regarding an operation of the application;

restricting an operation of the application according to the set threshold information and the counted operation information;

reinstalling the application; and

inhibiting the operation restriction information regarding the reinstalled application, which is included in the license information regarding the application, from being set as the threshold information.