Method and system for initializing protocol information used to extract status information from networked devices

• US 7,447,790 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/867,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/224, 709/225, 709/230, 709/223, 709/222, 370/466, 370/467, 370/468, 370/469
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1209 resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension
• 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 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/333 Mode signalling or mode changing; Handshaking therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33376 according to characteristics or state of one of the communicating parties, e.g. available memory capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33342 of transmission mode

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for managing information used by a plurality of communication protocols to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network. The method includes selecting a communication protocol among the plurality of communication protocols; retrieving, from a first memory, information for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol; and accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory. In addition, a vendor-model support map, a protocol parameter map, and a status information map are maintained to allow for the efficient extraction of status information from monitored network devices using the plurality of communication protocols.

Claims

1. A method of initializing a plurality of software components associated with respective communication protocols used to extract status information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

selecting a communication protocol among the respective communication protocols;

retrieving, from a first memory, information for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol;

accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain vendor information related to the device;

determining whether the vendor information was obtained from the device;

if the vendor information was obtained from the device in the accessing step, (1) obtaining, from a second memory, support information for extracting the status information using each of the respective communication protocols, and (2) storing the vendor information and the respective support information in each protocol object of the plurality of software components; and

if the vendor information was not obtained from the device in the accessing step, repeating the preceding steps for another communication protocol of the respective communication protocols until the vendor information is obtained or until each communication protocol of the respective communication protocols has been selected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain model information related to the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises:

selecting the communication protocol among SNMP, HTTP, and FTP.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving step comprises:

retrieving an IP address of the device, wherein the device is one of a copier, a scanner, a printer, a facsimile machine, an appliance, and a metering system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting FTP, and the retrieving step comprises retrieving at least one of a username and a password for accessing the device using FTP.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting SNMP, and the retrieving step comprises retrieving at least one of a community name and a password for accessing the device using SNMP.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the vendor information comprises storing the vendor information in protocol-dependent data structure associated with each protocol object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving step comprises:

retrieving at least one of a web page address, a keyword, and a relative location for accessing the device using HTTP.

9. A system for initializing a plurality of software components associated with respective communication protocols used to extract status information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

means for selecting a communication protocol among the respective communication protocols;

means for retrieving, from a first memory, information for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol;

means for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain vendor information related to the device;

means for determining whether the vendor information was obtained from the device;

means for obtaining, from a second memory, support information for extracting the status information using each of the respective communication protocols, if the means for determining determines that the vendor information was obtained from the device by the means for accessing;

means for storing the vendor information and the respective support information in each protocol object of the plurality of software components, if the means for determining determines that the vendor information was obtained from the device by the means for accessing; and

means for causing the repeated execution of the means for selecting, the means for retrieving, the means for accessing, the means for determining, the means for obtaining, and the means for storing for another communication protocol of the respective communication protocols, until the vendor information is obtained or until each communication protocol of the respective communication protocols has been selected, if the vendor information was not obtained from the device by the means for accessing.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain model information related to the device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for selecting comprises:

means for selecting the communication protocol among SNMP, HTTP, and FTP.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for retrieving comprises:

means for retrieving an IP address of the device, wherein the device is one of a copier, a scanner, a printer, a facsimile machine, an appliance, and a metering system.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for selecting comprises means for selecting FTP, and the means for retrieving comprises means for retrieving at least one of a username and a password for accessing the device using FTP.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for selecting comprises means for selecting SNMP, and the means for retrieving step comprises means for retrieving at least one of a community name and a password for accessing the device using SNMP.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for storing the vendor information comprises means for storing the vendor information in protocol-dependent data structure associated with each protocol object.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for retrieving comprises:

means for retrieving at least one of a web page address, a keyword, and a relative location for accessing the device using HTTP.

17. A computer program product stored on a computer storage medium for initializing a plurality of software components associated with respective communication protocols used to extract status information related to a monitored device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

instructions for selecting a communication protocol among the respective communication protocols;

instructions for retrieving, from a first memory, information for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol;

instructions for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain vendor information related to the device;

instructions for determining whether the vendor information was obtained from the device;

instructions for, if the vendor information was obtained from the device by the instructions for accessing, (1) obtaining, from a second memory, support information for extracting the status information using each of the respective communication protocols, and (2) storing the vendor information and the respective support information in each protocol object of the plurality of software components; and

instructions for, if the vendor information was not obtained from the device by the instructions for accessing, repeating the preceding instructions for another communication protocol of the respective communication protocols until the vendor information is obtained or until each communication protocol of the respective communication protocols has been selected.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory to attempt to obtain model information related to the device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for selecting comprise:

instructions for selecting the communication protocol among SNMP, HTTP, and FTP.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for retrieving comprise:

instructions for retrieving an IP address of the device, wherein the device is one of a copier, a scanner, a printer, a facsimile machine, an appliance, and a metering system.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for selecting comprise instructions for selecting FTP, and the instructions for retrieving comprise instructions for retrieving at least one of a username and a password for accessing the device using FTP.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for selecting comprise selecting SNMP, and the instructions for retrieving comprise instructions for retrieving at least one of a community name and a password for accessing the device using SNMP.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for storing the vendor information comprise instructions for storing the vendor information in protocol-dependent data structure associated with each protocol object.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for retrieving comprise:

instructions for retrieving at least one of a web page address, a keyword, and a relative location for accessing the device using HTTP.