Composite service providing system for a plurality of communicatively connected electronic devices

• US 8,150,907 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Otsuka, Naoki, Hibino, Masaaki, Fukazawa, Koshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kenny
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMARTH, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US10/854,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,868 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1296 Printer job scheduling or printer resource handling
• 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 composite service providing system including a plurality of network electronic devices communicatively connected with each other. The plurality of network electronic devices includes electronic devices, each of which is capable of providing at least one service. A plurality of services provided by a plurality of electronic devices are combined to constitute a composite service. The composite service providing system further includes a composite service designating system that designates a composite service to be provided, an electronic device determining system that determines an electronic device that provides each of a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service designated with the composite service designating system, and a controlling system that control the electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system to provide the services so that the composite service designated by the designating system is provided.

Claims

1. A composite service providing system comprising:

a plurality of electronic devices communicatively connected with each other, each of the plurality of electronic devices being a stand-alone electronic device, the plurality of electronic devices including a first electronic device and second electronic devices, each of the first electronic device and the second electronic devices including a service providing system that is capable of providing at least one service,

a composite service designating system that receives a first user input which designates a composite service to be provided;

a usage condition designating system that receives a second user input which designates usage conditions of the composite service to be provided;

an electronic device determining system that determines which of the plurality of electronic devices provides each of a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

a setting data generating system that generates second data indicating settings of operating conditions for each of the service providing systems of the electronic devices, that were determined by the electronic device determining system, the electronic devices being necessary for executing the composite service under the usage conditions designated by the second user input, wherein the composite service is designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

a setting system that performs setting of the operating conditions of the service providing systems of the respective electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system in accordance with the second data generated by the setting data generating system,

wherein a necessary first electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as the first electronic device that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the necessary first electronic device includes a first process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary first electronic device to output first data necessary for executing the composite service under the operating conditions set by the setting system, the composite service being designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

wherein a necessary second electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as one of the second electronic devices that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the second necessary electronic device includes;

a receiving system that receives the first data output by the first electronic device; and

a second process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary second electronic device to process the first data under the operating conditions set by the setting system when the first data is received by the receiving system; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices provides at least one of a scan service, a print service, a fax modem service, and a storage service, and

the composite service includes at least one of a copy service, a fax transmission service, and an image storing service.

2. The composite service providing system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic device notifying system that notifies each of the electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system.

3. The composite service providing system according to claim 2,

wherein the composite service is provided as a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service by executing the plurality of services necessary in a predetermined order;

and

the composite service providing system further includes a usage order notifying system that notifies the predetermined order in which the plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service are executed.

4. The composite service providing system according to claim 3,

further comprising an order storing system that stores the predetermined order of the plurality of services in relation with the composite service, and

wherein the usage order notifying system notifies the order of the plurality of services in accordance with contents of the order storing system.

5. The composite service providing system according to claim 2, further including a location information notifying system that notifies a location of each of the plurality of electronic devices necessary for providing the composite service.

6. The composite service providing system according to claim 5,

further including a location obtaining system that obtains location information of the plurality of electronic devices necessary for providing the composite service;

and

the location information notifying system notifies the locations of the plurality of electronic devices necessary for providing the composite service in accordance with obtained results of the location obtaining system.

7. The composite service providing system according to claim 2, wherein the electronic device includes a service execution notifying system that notifies that the electronic device itself executes a service when the electronic device executes the service.

8. The composite service providing system according to claim 2, further including a progress notifying system that notifies a progress of the composite service.

9. The composite service providing system according to claim 8, wherein the composite service designating system and the progress notifying system are implemented in the same electronic device.

10. The composite service providing system according to claim 9,

wherein each of the electronic devices notifies, when it executes a service, a start of execution of the service to the electronic device that is implemented with the composite service designating system and the progress notifying system;

and

the progress notifying system notifies the progress of the composite service in accordance with the notifications by the electronic devices.

11. The composite service providing system according to claim 9,

wherein each of the electronic devices notifies, when a service is finished, an end of execution of the service to the electronic device that is implemented with the composite service designating system and the progress notifying system;

and

the progress notifying system notifies the progress of the composite service in accordance with the notifications by the electronic devices.

12. The composite service providing system according to claim 2, further including a composite service completion notifying system that notifies a completion of the composite service when all the services necessary for providing the composite service are completed.

13. The composite service providing system according to claim 12, further including an error notifying system that notifies that the composite service cannot be completed within a given time period if the services necessary for providing the composite service are not completed within a predetermined time period.

14. The composite service providing system according to claim 1,

further includes a service type obtaining system that obtains, from the electronic devices, a type of a service each of the electronic device is capable of providing;

and

the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices based on obtained results of the service type obtaining system.

15. The composite service providing system according to claim 1,

wherein predetermined ones of the electronic devices used for providing the composite service are assigned with a same identifier;

and

wherein the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices that respectively execute the plurality of services from among the electronic devices having the same identifier.

16. The composite service providing system according to claim 15,

further includes a service type obtaining system that obtains, from the electronic devices having the same identifier as the electronic device having the composite service designating system has, a type of a service each of the electronic device is capable of providing;

and the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices based on obtained results of the service type obtaining system.

17. The composite service providing system according to claim 16,

wherein each electronic device memorizes an assigned identifier;

and

wherein the service type obtaining system transmits an inquiry including the identifier assigned to the electronic device implemented with the composite service designating system to the plurality of electronic devices, the service type obtaining system receives a reply from each of the electronic devices having the identifier same as that included in the inquiry, the reply including a type of a service the electronic device provides, the service type obtaining system obtaining the service type of each electronic device based on the reply therefrom.

18. The composite service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices in accordance with locations of the electronic devices.

19. The composite service providing system according to claim 18,

further including a location obtaining system that obtains locations of the electronic devices, wherein the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices in accordance with the obtained results of the location obtaining system.

20. The composite service providing system according to claim 1,

further including a usage condition designating system that designates usage conditions regarding the composite service,

wherein the electronic device determining system determines devices that operate under the usage conditions designated by the usage condition designating system as the electronic devices executing the services.

21. The composite service providing system according to claim 20,

further including:

a capability obtaining system that obtains from electronic devices capability information thereof; and

an operation determining system that determines whether each electronic device is capable of operating under a designated usage condition designated by the usage condition designating system in accordance with the capability information obtained by the capability obtaining system, wherein the electronic device determining system determines an electronic device in accordance with results of determination by the operation determining system.

22. The composite service providing system according to claim 1,

further comprising a user recognition system that recognizes a user,

wherein the electronic device determining system determines the electronic devices in accordance with the user recognized by the user recognition system.

23. The composite service providing system according to claim 1, further includes an electronic device designating system which is used to designate one of a plurality of electronic devices that are determined by the electronic device determining system to provide a certain service.

24. The composite service providing system according to claim 1, further includes a notifying system that notifies that at least one electronic device that provides at least one of the plurality of services cannot be determined by the electronic device determining system.

25. The composite service providing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of electronic devices respectively providing the plurality of services are determined by an electronic device determining system provided to a single electronic device.

26. The composite service providing system according to claim 25,

wherein the electronic devices provided with the electronic device determining systems include service providing systems, respectively, and wherein the electronic devices respectively providing the plurality of services are determined such that the electronic devices provided with the electronic device determining systems are selected prior to the other electronic devices.

27. The composite service providing system according to claim 1,

wherein the composite service is provided as a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service in accordance with a predetermined order;

and

wherein the electronic device providing the service is determined by the electronic device determining system implemented with an electronic device executing a service to be executed immediately before the service.

28. An electronic device for a composite service providing system including a plurality of devices communicatively connected with each other, each of the plurality of electronic devices being a stand-alone electronic device, the plurality of devices including a first electronic device and a plurality of the electronic device, each of the plurality of devices including a service providing system that is capable of providing at least one service, the electronic device comprising:

a composite service designating system that receives a first user input which designates a composite service to be provided;

a usage condition designating system that receives a second user input which designates usage conditions of the composite service to be provided;

an electronic device determining system that determines which of the plurality of devices provides each of a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

a setting data generating system that generates second data indicating settings of operating conditions for each of the service providing systems of the electronic devices, that were determined by the electronic device determining system, the electronic devices being necessary for executing the composite service under the usage conditions designated by the second user input, wherein the composite service is designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system; and

a setting system that performs setting of the operating conditions of the service providing systems of the respective electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system in accordance with the second data generated by the setting data generating system,

wherein a necessary first electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as the first electronic device that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the necessary first electronic device includes a first process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary first electronic device to output first data necessary for executing the composite service under the operating conditions set by the setting system, the composite service being designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

wherein a necessary second electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as the electronic device, which is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the second necessary electronic device includes;

a receiving system that receives the first data output by the first electronic device; and

a second process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary second electronic device to process the first data under the operating conditions set by the setting system when the first data is received by the receiving system; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices provides at least one of a scan service, a print service, a fax modem service, and a storage service, and

the composite service includes at least one of a copy service, a fax transmission service, and an image storing service.

29. The electronic device according to claim 28, further comprising an electronic device notifying system that notifies each of the electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system.

30. A non-transitory computer readable medium for a computer, the medium containing computer accessible instructions that cause the computer to function as an electronic device for a composite service providing system including a plurality of electronic devices communicatively connected with each other, each of the plurality of electronic devices being a stand-alone electronic device, the plurality of electronic devices including a first electronic device and second electronic devices, each of the first electronic device and the second electronic devices include a service providing system that is capable of providing at least one service, the electronic device including:

a composite service designating system that receives a first user input which designates a composite service to be provided;

a usage condition designating system that receives a second user input which designates usage conditions of the composite service to be provided;

an electronic device determining system that determines which of the plurality of electronic devices provides each of a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

a setting data generating system that generates second data indicating settings of the service providing systems of the electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system, the electronic devices being necessary for executing the composite service under the usage conditions designated by the second user input, wherein the composite service is designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

a setting system that performs setting of the operating conditions of the service providing systems of the respective electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system in accordance with the second data generated by the setting data generating system,

wherein a necessary first electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as the first electronic device that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the necessary first electronic device includes a first process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary first electronic device to output first data necessary for executing the composite service under the operating conditions set by the setting system, the composite service being designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system;

wherein a necessary second electronic device is determined by the electronic device determining system as one of the second electronic devices that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received with the composite service designating system, the second necessary electronic device includes;

a receiving system that receives the first data output by the first electronic device; and

a second process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary second electronic device to process the first data under the operating conditions set by the setting system when the first data is received by the receiving system; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices provides at least one of a scan service, a print service, a fax modem service, and a storage service, and

the composite service includes at least one of a copy service, a fax transmission service, and an image storing service.

31. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the instructions further causes the computer to include an electronic device notifying system that notifies each of the electronic devices determined by the electronic device determining system.

32. A composite service providing method for use with a plurality of electronic devices communicatively connected with each other, each of the plurality of electronic devices being a stand-alone electronic device, the plurality of electronic devices including a first electronic device and second electronic devices, each of the first electronic device and the second electronic devices including a service providing system that is capable of providing at least one service, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input which designates a composite service to be provided;

receiving a second user input which designates usage conditions of the composite service to be provided;

determining which of the plurality of electronic devices provides each of a plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received;

generating second data indicating settings of operating conditions for each of the service providing systems of the electronic devices, that were determined to provide the plurality of services necessary for providing the composite service, in order to execute the composite service under the usage conditions designated by the second user input, wherein the composite service is designated by the first user input received;

setting the operating conditions of the service providing systems of the respective electronic devices in accordance with the second data,

determining a necessary first electronic device as the first electronic device that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input, the necessary first electronic device including a first process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary first electronic device to output first data necessary for executing the composite service under the operating conditions that were set, the composite service being designated by the first user input received;

determining a necessary second device electronic as one of the second electronic devices that is necessary for providing the composite service designated by the first user input received, the second necessary electronic device includes;

a receiving system that receives the first data; and

a second process execution system that causes a service providing system included in the necessary second electronic device to process the first data under the operating conditions that have been set when the first data is received,

wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices provides at least one of a scan service, a print service, a fax modem service, and a storage service, and

the composite service includes at least one of a copy service, a fax transmission service, and an image storing service.