Computer system and its operation environment switching method

• US 6,757,821 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sebori, Ryoichi, Akiyama, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/537,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 707/10, 345/333
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

An environment switching program has a function of saving/resetting some or all combinations of machine setups. More specifically, an environment at an arbitrary timing designated by the user is acquired from a registry, and is saved in an environment setting information database (DB). When the user inputs a switching request, the saved environment is written back to the registry. Hence, once the user sets up operation environments in units of use patterns such as use in an office, use at a visit place, or use at home, he or she can repetitively use those setups by reconstituting them as needed.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

means for acquiring network setting information from the computer system;

means for storing the acquired network setting information in a database as a current operation environment mode for setting a network environment of the computer system;

means for displaying a menu representing an operation environment mode for selecting the network setting information stored in a data base;

means for selecting network setting information which is designated via the displayed menu in the computer;

means for reading the selected network setting information from the data base; and

means for setting the read network setting information in the computer system.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the means for setting the read network setting information includes means for storing the read network setting information in a registry of the computer system.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface for notifying a user of the current operation environment mode to be stored in the data base.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface for notifying a user of environment setting information in the current operation environment mode to be stored in the data base.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the means for setting sets the read network setting information in the computer system when the read network setting information is not set in the computer system.

6. A computer system comprising:

means for storing environment setting information in a data base at each operation environment mode;

means for displaying a menu representing each operation environment mode for selecting the environment setting information stored in the data base;

means for selecting environment setting information which is designated via the displayed menu in the computer;

means for setting the selected environment setting information in a registry of the computer system to change environment setting information of a current operation environment mode;

means for acquiring environment setting information from the registry to store environment setting information in the current operation environment mode;

means for checking whether or not the acquired environment setting information corresponds to environment setting information of the current operation environment mode, which is stored in the data base; and

means for rewriting the acquired environment setting information in the registry as the current operation environment mode in accordance with a check result of the means for checking.

7. A computer system comprising:

means for acquiring current network setting information from a registry of the computer system, to store current network setting information in a current operation environment mode;

means for storing the acquired current network setting information in a data base as the current operation environment mode;

means for displaying a menu representing an operation environment mode for selecting network setting information stored in the data base;

means for selecting network setting information which is designated via the displayed menu in the computer;

means for acquiring the selected network setting information from the data base; and

means for setting the selected acquired network setting information in the registry of the computer system.

8. A computer system according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for checking whether or not setup of the registry can be changed,

wherein the means for setting the acquired network setting information sets the acquired network setting information in the registry of the computer system in accordance with a result of the means for checking.

9. A computer system according to claim 7, wherein the menu represents operation environment modes including the operation environment mode for selecting the network setting information.