Computer network system and portable computer selecting from a plurality of hardware or software

• US 7,668,940 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsukura, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US10/865,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,080 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/228, 709/220, 709/223, 358/1.15, 358/400, 358/1.13
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A computer network system in which an IP address is assigned not only automatically at a destination of a notebook size PC (portable personal computer) 4, but also information relating to shared resources on the network is obtained at the site from a server 1 through a LAN circuit 2, so that the notebook size PC 4 can be used by connecting to the network even in the absence of the administrator. Henceforth, when the user moves within the same building as his own office, it seems that the occasion of using the portable personal computer by connecting to the network such as the Internet and intranet increases. In such a case, connection and disconnection of the network may be repeated frequently, and setting for such operation is facilitated.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a system, the system including:

a network circuit;

a plurality of connecting means;

a first computer fixedly connected to the network circuit; and

a second computer detachably connectable to the network circuit via any one of the plurality of connecting means, the method comprising;

managing, in the first computer, information relating to hardware or software, including a place of installation in the real world for each of the hardware or software, which are usable through the network circuit, and providing a resource information managing result;

selecting, at the second computer, one of the managed information relating to the plural sets of hardware or software, set by a user; and

acquiring, in the first computer, the hardware information or software information of the resource information managing result in response to a request for information relating to usable hardware or software from another computer, transmitting the acquired hardware information or software information from the first computer to the network circuit, and providing a resource information processing result of the acquiring;

holding, in the second computer, the hardware information or software information relating to the hardware or software that can be managed directly, and providing a resource information holding result;

comparing, in the second computer, the hardware information or software information of the resource information holding result of the second computer and the hardware information or software information of the resource information managing result of the first computer, and providing a comparing result;

detecting, in the second computer, a replaceable hardware or software, and providing a detecting result;

when the second computer connected to the network circuit through any one of the plurality of connecting means is detected as being disconnected from the hardware or software that can be managed directly;

comparing, in the second computer, the hardware information or software information, of the resource information managing result, transmitted from the first computer and the hardware information or software information of the resource information holding result; and

directly setting, in the second computer, the replaceable hardware or software.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

operating the selected hardware or software after the selecting of the hardware or software.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selected hardware is a printer selected from a plurality of printers, and the operating of the selected hardware comprises performing a print job.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising downloading said hardware or software information, and said setting comprises setting said downloaded hardware or software information.

5. A method of controlling a computer network system, the computer network system including:

a network circuit;

a first computer fixedly connected to said network circuit; and

plural connecting means provided in said network circuit and capable of connecting and disconnecting a second computer, the method comprising;

managing, in the first computer, plural sets of information relating to hardware or software, including a place of installation in the real world for each of the hardware or software, which are usable through said network circuit corresponding to plural positions;

managing, in the second computer, plural sets of information relating to the hardware or software, including a place of installation in the real world for each of the hardware or software, which are usable through said network circuit corresponding to said connecting means;

selecting, at the second computer, one of the managed information relating to plural sets of hardware or software, set by a user;

setting, in the second computer, the hardware or software according to the selected information relating to the hardware or software;

comparing, in the second computer, an updated time of the managed hardware information or software information corresponding to the connecting means and an updated time of the managed hardware information or software information corresponding to the plural positions; and

when said second computer is connected to said network circuit through any one of said plural connecting means, obtaining the managed hardware information or software information corresponding to the plural positions, and registering in the case where the comparing result shows that the updated time corresponding to the connecting means is before the updated time corresponding to the plural positions, and directly setting the hardware or software.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising operating the selected hardware or software after the selecting of the hardware or software.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the selected

hardware is a printer selected from a plurality of printers, and the operating of the selected hardware comprises performing a print job.

8. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising downloading said hardware or software information, and said setting comprises setting said downloaded hardware or software information.

9. A method of controlling a computer network system, the computer network system comprising:

a network circuit;

a first computer connected to the network circuit;

a second computer;

a plurality of connecting means capable of connecting and disconnecting the second computer, the method comprising;

managing, in the second computer, plural sets of information relating to hardware or software, including a place of installation in the real world for each of the hardware or software, which are usable through said network circuit corresponding to said connecting means;

selecting, at the second computer, one of the managed information relating to plural sets of hardware or software, set by a user;

directly setting the hardware or software according to the information relating to the hardware or software corresponding to the selected position;

transmitting, in the second computer, updated hardware information or software information to the first and second computers connected to said network circuit when the managed hardware information or software information is updated; and

updating, in the second computer, the hardware information or software information when receiving the updated hardware information or software information; and

when said second computer is connected to said network circuit through any one of said plural connecting means, updating the hardware information or software information in the case where the updated hardware information or software information is received from the first computer.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising operating the selected hardware or software after the selecting of the hardware or software.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the selected hardware is a printer selected from a plurality of printers, and the operating of the selected hardware comprises performing a print job.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising downloading said hardware or software information, and said setting comprises setting said downloaded hardware or software information.