Providing device usage information through layout diagram

• US 8,024,654 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Hagiwara, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US11/832,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 715/211
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Layout data relating to layout of a user and a device is obtained. Log data relating to usage of the device, such as a job being performed or to be performed by the device, is obtained. A layout diagram illustrating the layout of the user and the device is generated based on the layout data. Line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram is generated based on the log data.

Claims

1. A layout diagram generating apparatus, comprising:

a data obtaining unit configured to obtain data, the data including layout data relating to layout of a user and a device and log data relating to a job performed by or to be performed by the device;

a layout diagram generating unit configured to generate a layout diagram illustrating the layout of the user and the device based on the layout data, the layout diagram including a user object representing the user and a device object representing the device;

a line data generating unit configured to generate line data based on the log data, the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as a line object connecting the user object and the device object; and

an analyzing unit configured to analyze an access level of a logged user, wherein

the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as the line object is determined according to the access level of the logged user, and

each of the above units is implemented as hardware or as a hardware/software combination.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface configured to cause the layout diagram to be displayed to the logged user and receive a user input from the logged user for selecting at least one of the user object and the device object included in the layout diagram as a selected user and a selected device,

wherein the line data being generated includes information regarding a job being performed or to be performed by the device according to a request received from the selected user when the user input selects the user object as the selected user, and wherein the line data being generated includes information regarding the user requesting the selected device to perform a job when the user input selects the device object as the selected device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein appearance of the line object is determined in a corresponding manner with the log data being used for generating the line data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an image processing apparatus.

5. A method of providing log data through a layout diagram, the method comprising:

obtaining layout data relating to layout of a user and a device;

generating the layout diagram illustrating the layout of the user and the device based on the layout data, the layout diagram including a user object representing the user and a device object representing the device;

obtaining the log data relating to usage of the device by the user;

generating line data using a selected portion of the log data, the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as a line object connecting the user object and the device object; and

analyzing an access level of a logged user, wherein the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as the line object is determined according to the access level of the logged user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user is among a plurality of users and the device is among a plurality of devices, the method further comprising:

defining a selected user being selected from the plurality of users through the layout diagram; and

analyzing the log data to determine the selected portion of the log data,

wherein the selected portion of the log data includes information regarding one or more jobs being performed or to be performed by at least one of the plurality of devices according to one or more requests received from the selected user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

defining a specified time period,

wherein the one or more jobs are performed or to be performed for the specified time period.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of devices is a device having a greatest number of jobs being performed according to the request received from the selected user.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the user is among a plurality of users and the device is among a plurality of devices, the method further comprising:

defining a selected device being selected from the plurality of devices through the layout diagram; and

analyzing the log data to determine the selected portion of the log data,

wherein the selected portion of the log data includes information regarding one or more jobs being performed or to be performed by the selected device according to one or more requests received from at least one of the plurality of users.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

defining a specified time period,

wherein the one or more jobs are performed or to be performed for the specified time period.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of users is a user who has requested the selected device to perform a greatest number of jobs.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein appearance of the line object is determined in a corresponding manner with characteristics of the selected portion of the log data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the characteristics of the selected portion of the log data includes a type of one or more jobs being performed or to be performed by the device according to one or more requests received from the user.

14. A computer readable recording medium including a plurality of computer program instructions, which cause a computer to execute a method of providing log data through a layout diagram, the method comprising:

obtaining layout data relating to layout of a user and a device;

generating the layout diagram illustrating the layout of the user and the device based on the layout data, the layout diagram including a user object representing the user and a device object representing the device;

obtaining the log data relating to usage of the device by the user;

generating line data using a selected portion of the log data, the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as a line object connecting the user object and the device object; and

analyzing an access level of a logged user, wherein the line data to be additionally included in the layout diagram as the line object is determined according to the access level of the logged user.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the user is among a plurality of users and the device is among a plurality of devices, the method further comprising:

defining at least one of a selected user being selected from the plurality of users and a selected device being selected from the plurality of users through the layout diagram; and

analyzing the log data to determine the selected portion of the log data,

wherein the selected portion of the log data includes information regarding one or more jobs being performed or to be performed by at least one of the plurality of devices according to one or more requests received from the selected user when the selected user is defined, and wherein the selected portion of the log data includes information regarding one or more jobs being performed or to be performed by the selected device according to one or more requests received from at least one of the plurality of users when the selected device is defined.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprising:

defining a specified time period,

wherein the one or more jobs are performed or to be performed for the specified time period.

17. The medium of claim 14, wherein appearance of the line object is determined in a corresponding manner with characteristics of the selected portion of the log data.