HOST APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING HOST APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20100175074A1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: KANADA, Kentaro
• Application Number:
  US12/652,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175074A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/327
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A host apparatus which uses an image foaming apparatus forming an image includes: a first installer which installs a first device driver to use the image forming apparatus; a second installer which installs a second device driver, which has more setting items than the first device driver, to use the image forming apparatus; and a configuration selector which selects one of a first configuration where the first device driver is deleted and only the second device driver remains, when the second installer installs the second device driver, and a second configuration where both the first device driver and the second device driver remain.

Claims

1. A host apparatus which uses an image forming apparatus forming an image, comprising:

a first installer which installs a first device driver to use the image forming apparatus;

a second installer which installs a second device driver, which has more setting items than the first device driver, to use the image forming apparatus; and

a configuration selector which selects one of a first configuration where the first device driver is deleted and only the second device driver remains, when the second installer installs the second device driver, and a second configuration where both the first device driver and the second device driver remain.

2. The host apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming apparatus selector which uses one of the first and second device drivers depending on a use purpose of the image forming apparatus, when the configuration selector selects the second configuration.

3. The host apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a registration table used to register a device driver used by each application program in advance,

wherein the image forming apparatus selector selects one of the first and second device drivers by using the registration table.

4. The host apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus selector selects one of the first and second device drivers on the basis of an instruction of a user.

5. The host apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the configuration selector selects the second configuration, the configuration selector generates a first display indicating the first device driver and a second display indicating the second device driver in a different way, and displays the first and second displays on a screen.

6. The host apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first device driver is configured to use predetermined functions among functions of the image forming apparatus, and

wherein the second device driver is configured to use more functions among the functions of the image forming apparatus than the first device driver.

7. The host apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first device driver is configured to correspond to plural kinds of apparatuses including the image forming apparatus, and

wherein the second device driver is configured to correspond only to the image forming apparatus.

8. The host apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a management unit which manages the second device driver,

wherein the second installer acquires the second device driver from the management unit via a communication network and installs the second device driver.

9. An image forming system comprising:

an image forming apparatus which forms an image; and

a host apparatus which uses the image forming apparatus,

wherein the host apparatus includes;

a first installer which installs a first device driver to use the image forming apparatus;

a second installer which installs a second device driver, which has more setting items than the first device driver, to use the image forming apparatus; and

a configuration selector which selects one of a first configuration where the first device driver is deleted and only the second device driver remains, when the second installer installs the second device driver, and a second configuration where both the first device driver and the second device driver remain.

10. A method of controlling a host apparatus using an image forming apparatus forming an image, the method comprising:

installing a first device driver to use the image forming apparatus;

selecting one of a first configuration where the first device driver is deleted and only the second device driver remains and a second configuration where both the first device driver and the second device driver remain, when installing a second device driver which has more setting items than the first device driver to use the image forming apparatus; and

installing the second device driver, after one of the first and second configurations is selected.