PLUG-IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, PLUG-IN DISTRIBUTION CONTROL METHOD

• US 20140207905A1
• Filed: 08/05/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: MURAKAMI, Takashi, HOSHINO, Haruhisa
• Application Number:
  US13/958,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207905A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A plug-in distribution system includes a distribution server and an image processing apparatus. The distribution server distributes a plug-in. The image processing apparatus is connected to the distribution server via a network and receives a plug-in from the distribution server or another image processing apparatus and uses the received plug-in. The plug-in includes usage settings data that defines at least one of the number of usage times and transfer permissions concerning the plug-in, which are conditions to be imposed when the plug-in is used in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus controls at least one of the usage and the transfer of the plug-in by using the usage settings data.

Claims

1. A plug-in distribution system comprising:

a distribution server that distributes a plug-in; and

an image processing apparatus that is connected to the distribution server via a network and that receives a plug-in from the distribution server or another image processing apparatus and uses the received plug-in, wherein

the plug-in includes usage settings data that defines at least one of the number of usage times and transfer permissions concerning the plug-in, which are conditions to be imposed when the plug-in is used in the image processing apparatus, and

the image processing apparatus controls at least one of the usage and the transfer of the plug-in by using the usage settings data.

2. The plug-in distribution system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plug-in further includes distribution settings data that defines at least one of a distribution destination and the number of distribution times concerning the plug-in, which are conditions to be imposed when the plug-in is distributed from the distribution server; and

the distribution server controls at least one of a distribution destination and the number of distribution times concerning the plug-in by using the distribution settings data.

3. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives a plug-in distributed from a distribution server;

a memory that stores therein the plug-in received by the receiver; and

a controller that controls at least one of the usage and the transfer of the plug-in on the basis of usage settings data which is included in the plug-in and which defines at least one of the number of usage times and transfer permissions concerning the plug-in.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the plug-in has been used, the controller updates the number of usage times by decrementing the number of usage times.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when transferring the plug-in, the controller also transfers the usage settings data together with the plug-in.

6. A plug-in distribution control method comprising:

controlling, when distributing, from a distribution server to an image processing apparatus via a network, a plug-in to which distribution settings data defining a distribution destination and the number of distribution times concerning the plug-in and usage settings data defining the number of usage times and transfer permissions concerning the plug-in are appended, a distribution destination and the number of distribution times concerning the plug-in by using the distribution settings data; and

controlling the usage of the plug-in by using the usage settings data if the plug-in is used in the image processing apparatus which has received the plug-in from the distribution server, and controlling the transfer of the plug-in by using the usage settings data if the plug-in is transferred to another image processing apparatus.