Management system for devices connecting with network

• US 7,047,088 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Junichi, Murata, Akio, Asahi, Tsunemori
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D.
• Application Number:
  US09/979,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,816 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700/19, 700/20, 700/83, 709/226, 709220-223, 345/700, 358/1.9, 358/1.15, 707/1, 707/102, 710/8, 710/106, 710/128, 713/1
• US Class Current: 700/19
• 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 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to relieve the load of management of devices connecting with a network.

The technique of the present invention registers classification of printers connecting with a network LAN into at least one group, and specifies target printers, which are objects of management, by the unit of registered group. Operation setting data is generated in any of three applications; ‘Input’, ‘Obtain operation setting information from any model printer on the network’, and ‘Utilize default setting data’, and is output to the printers belonging to the specified group. This arrangement enables the operation setting of multiple printers to be carried out collectively, thus effectively relieving the load in management.

Claims

1. A management system that manages working conditions of multiple devices connecting with a network, said management system comprising:

a target device specification module that specifies a plurality of target devices, which are objects of management of the working conditions, among the multiple devices;

a setting module that sets management control information for obtaining or setting the working condition of each of the target devices; and

an operation management module that outputs the management control information to each of the target devices via the network and collectively obtains or sets the working conditions of the plurality of target devices,

wherein the plurality of target devices include different classes of devices having different obtainable or settable conditions, and

said operation management module outputs a part of the management control information regarding a condition common to all the plurality of target devices separately from a residual part of the management control information regarding a residual non-common condition.

2. A management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of target devices include different classes of devices having different main functions.

3. A management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the common condition includes at least either of a setting on communication via the network and a setting on time for defining an operation of each device.

4. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program actualizing working conditions of multiple devices connecting with a network on a computer connecting with the network, said computer program comprising:

a program for specifying a plurality of target devices, which are objects of management of the working conditions, among the multiple devices;

a program for setting management control information for obtaining or setting the working condition of each of the target devices; and

a program for outputting a part of the management control information regarding a condition common to all the plurality of target devices separately from a residual part of the management control information regarding a residual non-common condition, to each of the target devices via the network and collectively obtaining or setting the working conditions of the plurality of target devices.

5. A computer implemented method of managing working conditions of multiple devices connecting with a network, said method comprising:

(a) specifying a plurality of target devices, which are objects of management of the working conditions, among the multiple devices;

(b) setting management control information for obtaining or setting the working condition of each of the target devices; and

(c) outputting a part of the management control information using a computer regarding a condition common to all the plurality of target devices separately from a residual part of the management control information regarding a residual non-common condition, to each of the target devices via the network and collectively obtaining or setting the working conditions of the plurality of target devices.