DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS, DISTRIBUTION METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MRDIUM

• US 20090251730A1
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Kotaro
• Application Number:
  US12/420,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• 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 3/123 Software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• 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 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A distribution apparatus includes a storing unit configured to store in a storage medium information about firmware used in an image forming apparatus associated with information about a printer driver that corresponds to the firmware, an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a printer driver in a terminal apparatus, a first distribution unit configured to distribute a printer driver corresponding to firmware which a user instructs to distribute, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit and the information stored by the storing unit, and a second distribution unit configured to distribute the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

Claims

1. A distribution apparatus comprising:

a storing unit configured to store in a storage medium information about firmware used in an image forming apparatus associated with information about a printer driver that corresponds to the firmware;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a printer driver in a terminal apparatus;

a first distribution unit configured to distribute a printer driver that corresponds to firmware which a user instructs to distribute, based on information acquired by the acquisition unit and information stored by the storing unit; and

a second distribution unit configured to distribute the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

2. The distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a printer driver that needs to be distributed when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, based on information acquired by the acquisition unit and information stored by the storing unit,

wherein the first distribution unit reads out information about a printer driver associated with information about the firmware which the user instructs to distribute and distributes a printer driver that corresponds to the information which is read out, if the determination unit determines whether there is a printer driver that needs to be distributed when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed.

3. The distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines whether there is a printer driver that needs to be distributed when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, if the information about a printer driver acquired by the acquisition unit does not match the information about a printer driver stored in the storage medium associated with the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

4. The distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines whether there is a printer driver that needs to be distributed when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, if a terminal apparatus according to the information acquired by the acquisition unit does not include a printer driver that corresponds to the information about a printer driver stored in the storage medium associated with information about the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

5. The distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit determines whether there is a printer driver that needs to be distributed when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, if a terminal apparatus according to the information acquired by the acquisition unit includes a printer driver of a different version as a printer driver that corresponds to the information about a printer driver stored in the storage medium associated with information about the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

6. A distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second determination unit configured to determine whether there is a terminal apparatus that needs to change printer driver settings when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit and the information stored by the storing unit; and

a third distribution unit configured to distribute information about instruction to change printer driver settings, if the second determination unit determines whether there is a terminal apparatus that needs to change printer driver settings when the firmware which the user instructs to be distribute is distributed.

7. A distribution apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information including information about a printer driver in a terminal apparatus from an image forming apparatus controlled by the printer driver, and

wherein the second determination unit determines whether there is a terminal apparatus that needs to change printer driver settings when the firmware which the user instructs to distribute is distributed, if a terminal apparatus according to the information acquired by the acquisition unit includes a printer driver of a same version as a printer driver that corresponds to the information about a printer driver stored in the storage medium associated with information about the firmware which the user instructs to distribute, and the printer driver corresponds to an image forming apparatus that is different from an image forming apparatus which is a transmission source of the information acquired by the acquisition unit.

8. A distribution method comprising:

storing in a storage medium information about firmware used in an image forming apparatus associated with information about a printer driver that corresponds to the firmware;

acquiring information about a printer driver in a terminal apparatus;

distributing a printer driver that corresponds to firmware which a user instructs to distribute, based on the acquired information and the stored information; and

distributing the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program which causes a computer to execute a distribution method comprising:

storing in a storage medium information about firmware used in an image forming apparatus associated with information about a printer driver that corresponds to the firmware;

acquiring information about a printer driver in a terminal apparatus;

distributing a printer driver that corresponds to firmware which a user instructs to distribute, based on the acquired information and the stored information; and

distributing the firmware which the user instructs to distribute.