Information processing device, information processing system provided with the same, and computer readable medium for the same

• US 8,521,913 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Miyata, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nam, Hyun
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBERLY, ERIC T
• Application Number:
  US12/710,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

An information processing device is configured to be connected communicably via a network with a peripheral device that has specific identification information representing an address on the network. The information processing device includes a receiver configured to, while the peripheral device is updating firmware thereof, receive a request transmitted by a requestor to the specific identification information, and an information processor configured to perform a predetermined process in response to the request received by the receiver.

Claims

1. An information processing device configured to be connected communicably via a network with a peripheral device configured to store specific identification information representing an address on the network, the information processing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute;

acquiring the specific identification information from the peripheral device;

changing the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device to temporary identification information which is different from the specific identification information;

activating a virtual server on the information processing device, the virtual server corresponding to the acquired specific identification information;

receiving, on the virtual server, while the peripheral device is updating firmware thereof, a request transmitted by a requestor to the specific identification information;

performing, on the virtual server, a predetermined process in response to the request;

transmitting, after the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device is changed to the temporary identification information, new firmware used for updating the firmware, to the changed temporary identification information;

terminating the virtual server when the peripheral device completes updating the firmware; and

restoring the temporary identification information of the peripheral device to the specific identification information.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device configured to store the received request when the request is a predetermined request,

wherein the processor is configured to execute, after the peripheral device completes updating of the firmware, transmitting the request stored on the storage device to the peripheral device.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, the processor further configured to execute deleting, after the peripheral device completes updating of the firmware, the acquired specific identification information.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, the processor further configured to execute:

presuming a progress on updating of the firmware of the peripheral device; and

transmitting, when the received request is a request for transmission of a progress on updating of the firmware of the peripheral device, the presumed progress to the requestor.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, the controller further configured to execute;

presuming a progress on updating of the firmware of the peripheral device, based on the new firmware to be transmitted to the peripheral device; and

transmitting, when the received request is a request for transmission of a progress on updating of the firmware of the peripheral device, the presumed progress to the requestor.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1, the processor further configured to execute:

displaying, when the peripheral device is updating the firmware thereof, a screen for inputting thereon a predetermined request to the peripheral device; and

sending the predetermined request input on the screen to the specific identification information.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8,

wherein the predetermined request comprises a request to change a setting for the peripheral device.

10. The information processing device according to claim 8,

wherein the predetermined request comprises a request for printing to the peripheral device.

11. The information processing device according to claim 8,

wherein the predetermined request comprises a request to cancel a request that has already been transmitted to the specific identification information.

12. The information processing device according to claim 2, the processor further configured to execute:

storing, when receiving a request for printing with print data from the requestor, the received request with the print data; and

,

transmitting to the peripheral device, after the peripheral device completes updating of the firmware, the request for printing and the print data that are stored on the storage device.

13. The information processing device according to claim 12, the processor further configured to execute deleting, receiving a request to cancel the request for printing from the requestor, the request for printing and the print data that are stored on the storage device.

14. The information processing device according to claim 2, the processor further configured to execute;

storing, when receiving a request to change a setting for the peripheral device from the requestor, the request to change the setting for the peripheral device; and

changing, after the peripheral device completes updating of the firmware the setting for the peripheral device in accordance with the request to change the setting for the peripheral device that is stored on the storage device.

4. An information processing device, configured to be connected communicably via a network with a peripheral device configured to store specific identification information representing an address on the network, the information processing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute;

acquiring the specific identification information and status information about a status from the peripheral device;

changing the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device to temporary identification information which is different from the specific identification information;

activating a virtual server on the information processing device, the virtual server corresponding to the acquired specific identification information;

receiving, on the virtual server, while the peripheral device is updating firmware thereof, a request regarding the status information transmitted by a requestor to the specific identification information;

transmitting, in response to the request, the acquired status information and a status including that the peripheral device is updating firmware to the requestor;

terminating the virtual server when the peripheral device completes updating the firmware;

restoring the temporary identification information of the peripheral device to the specific identification information.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, the processor further configured to execute storing the acquired status information in a storage device.

15. An information processing system comprising:

a peripheral device configured to store specific identification information representing an address on a network; and

an information processing device configured to be connected communicably via the network with the peripheral device, the information processing device comprising;

a processor configured to execute;

acquiring the specific identification information from the peripheral device;

changing the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device to temporary identification information which is different from the specific identification information;

activating a virtual server on the information processing device, the virtual server corresponding to the acquired specific identification information;

receiving, on the virtual server, while the peripheral device is updating firmware thereof, a request transmitted by a requestor to the specific identification information;

performing, on the virtual server, a predetermined process in response to the request;

transmitting, after the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device is changed to the temporary identification information, new firmware used for updating the firmware, to the changed temporary identification information;

terminating the virtual server when the peripheral device completes updating the firmware; and

restoring the temporary identification information of the peripheral device to the specific identification information.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the instructions being configured to, when executed by a computer configured to be connected communicably via a network with a peripheral device configured to store specific identification information representing an address on the network, cause the computer to execute:

acquiring the specific identification information from the peripheral device;

changing the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device to temporary identification information which is different from the specific identification information;

activating a virtual server on the information processing device, the virtual server corresponding to the acquired specific identification information;

receiving, on the virtual server, while the peripheral device is updating firmware thereof, a request transmitted by a requestor to the specific identification information;

performing, on the virtual server, a predetermined process in response to the request;

transmitting, after the specific identification information stored within the peripheral device is changed to the temporary identification information, new firmware used for updating the firmware, to the changed temporary identification information;

terminating the virtual server when the peripheral device completes updating the firmware; and

restoring the temporary identification information of the peripheral device to the specific identification information.