System for searching device on network

• US 7,886,044 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maki, Nobuhiko, Ochiai, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): England; David E
• Application Number:
  US11/866,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• 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

There is disclosed a network system in which the position, attribute, and status of a desired device on a network can visually comprehensibly be grasped. A server manages location information indicating information on the device position in a hierarchical manner and attribute information from the device. Each device holds a plurality of status information (icon information) in accordance with various statuses of the device. A client holds map information corresponding to each class of the location information, and overlaps and outputs (display output) device status information obtained by communication by a polling system with the device detected by search in the server, and map information corresponding to the location information of the device.

Claims

1. A network system which comprises a server, a client and a device,

said server comprising:

a search unit, adapted to search said device according to a search request from said client; and

a first transmission unit, adapted to transmit a network address of said device identified as a search result by said search unit to said client via a network,

and said device comprising;

a storage unit, adapted to store image data indicating an image for visually representing said device; and

a control unit, adapted to transmit the image data stored by said storage unit to said client via the network in response to a request from said client for the image data,

and said client comprising;

a second transmission unit, adapted to transmit the search request to said server;

a first reception unit, adapted to receive network address transmitted by said first transmission unit via the network;

a third transmission unit, adapted to transmit the request for the image data to said device based on the network address received by said first reception unit so as to acquire the image data stored in said second storage unit from said device via said network;

a second reception unit, adapted to receive the image data transmitted by said control unit via the network; and

an output unit, adapted to output a display including the image of said device based on the image data received by said second reception unit and a condition of said device.

2. A network system according to claim 1, wherein the display output by said output unit varies according to the condition of said device.

3. A network system according to claim 2, wherein the display output by said output unit is updated according to the condition of said device.

4. A network system according to claim 3, wherein the image of the device included in the display output by said output unit varies according to the condition of said device.

5. A network system according to claim 1, wherein said storage unit stores plural image data that respectively correspond to the conditions of said device.

6. A network system according to claim 1, wherein the display output by said output unit includes position information indicating a geographical location in which said device is installed.

7. An information processor for communicating with another information processor and a device via a network, said information processor comprising:

a first transmission unit, adapted to transmit the search request to the other information processor;

a first reception unit, adapted to receive from the other information processor, via the network, a network address of the device;

a second transmission unit, adapted to transmit a request for image data to the device based on the network address received by said first reception unit so as to acquire the image data from the device, the image data indicating an image for visually representing the device;

a second reception unit, adapted to receive the image data from the device via the network; and

an output unit, adapted to output a display including the image of the device based on the image data received by said second reception unit and a condition of the device.

8. An information processor according to claim 7, wherein the display output by said output unit varies according to the condition of the device.

9. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein the display output by said output unit is updated according to the condition of the device.

10. An information processor according to claim 9, wherein the image of the device included in the display output by said output unit varies according to the condition of the device.

11. An information processor according to claim 7, wherein the display output by said output unit includes position information indicating a geographical location in which the device is installed.

12. A method of outputting an image for a device on a network, said method comprising:

a first transmission step of transmitting a search request to an information processor;

a first reception step of receiving from the information processor, via the network, a network address of the device;

a second transmission step of transmitting a request for image data to the device based on the received network address so as to acquire the image data from the device, the image data indicating an image for the device;

a second reception step of receiving the image data from the device via the network; and

an output step of outputting a display including the image of the device based on the image data received in said second reception step and a condition of the device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program for causing a computer of an information processor to implement a method of outputting an image for a device on a network, said computer program comprising:

code for a first transmission step of transmitting a search request to another information processor;

code for a first reception step of receiving from the other information processor, via the network, a network address of the device;

code for a second transmission step of transmitting a request for image data to the device based on the received network address so as to acquire the image data from the device, the image data indicating an image for the device;

code for a second reception step of receiving the image data from the device via the network; and

code for an output unit of outputting a display including the image of the device based on the image data received in the second reception step and a condition of the device.