System, device, method and computer program product for managing devices

• US 8,619,810 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Ohara, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Yong
• Application Number:
  US13/245,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20120014394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A system for managing a communication device having a first function of using a first communication protocol and a second function of using a second communication protocol is provided. The communication device is connected to a network including a first device using the first communication protocol and a second device using the second communication protocol. The system is provided with an inputting system that accepts an input for changing an operation regarding the communication of the communication device from a user, and a judging system that judges whether a trouble would arise in communication, in which the communication device is involved, based on the input inputted by the user through use of the inputting system.

Claims

1. A management device for managing a communication device connected to a network including a first device executing communication using a first communication protocol and a second device executing communication using a second communication protocol, the communication device having a first communication function for communicating with the first device using the first communication protocol and a second communication function for communicating with the second device using the second communication protocol, the management device comprising:

an input device; and

a processor configured to perform the following;

change operation of the communication device in regard to at least one of the first and second communication functions to ON or OFF, in accordance with a command inputted through the input device;

wherein when changing one of the first and second communication functions from ON to OFF, the processor judges whether a trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device due to the change; and

obtain a judgment result, before changing of the operation of the communication device by judging whether the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device if the operation of the communication device is changed,

wherein the communication device is configured to store, as setting information, one of information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol and information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol;

the communication device is configured to communicate with a certain device in the network in accordance with the setting information;

the processor is further configured to judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the communication device stores, as the setting information, the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol when the processor changes the first communication function from ON to OFF; and

the processor is further configured to judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the communication device stores, as the setting information, the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol when the processor changes the second communication function from ON to OFF, and

wherein the processor is further configured to change the operation of the communication device if it is judged that the trouble would not arise in communication involving the communication device, and to not change the operation of the communication device if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device.

2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is further configured to judge whether it is possible to maintain communication between the communication device and the management device; and

the processor is further configured to judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device if the processor judges that it is not possible to maintain communication between the communication device and the management device.

3. The management device according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is further configured to record, in a storage unit, log information regarding a protocol of at least one device that communicated with the communication device through the network in a past predetermined time period,

wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the log information, judge whether a device, which will become unable to communicate with the communication device, exists in the at least one device recorded in the log information due to the change, and

wherein the processor is further configured to judge that the trouble would arise if it is judged that the device, which will become unable to communicate with the communication device, exists in the at least one device recorded in the log information.

4. The management device according to claim 1, wherein:

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the first communication protocol and the address information complies with the first communication protocol; and

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the second communication protocol and the address information complies with the second communication protocol.

5. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause display of a message indicating that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device, if the processor judges that the trouble would arise.

6. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

derive a solution for the trouble if the processor judges that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

generate a display of the solution.

7. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

derive a solution for the trouble if the processor judges that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

alter the operation of the communication device in accordance with the solution.

8. A management device for managing a communication device connected to a network including a first device executing communication using a first communication protocol and a second device executing communication using a second communication protocol, the communication device having a first communication function for communicating with the first device using the first communication protocol and a second communication function for communicating with the second device using the second communication protocol, the management device comprising:

an input device; and

a processor configured to perform the following;

change operation of the communication device in regard to at least one of the first and second communication functions to ON or OFF, in accordance with a command inputted through the input device; and

obtain a judgment result before changing the operation of the communication device by judging whether a trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device if the operation of the communication device is changed,

wherein the processor changes the operation of the communication device if it is judged that the trouble would not arise in communication involving the communication device, and does not change the operation of the communication device if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device, wherein;

the communication device is configured to store, as setting information, one of information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the first communication protocol and information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the second communication protocol;

the communication device is configured to communicate with a certain device in the network in accordance with the setting information;

the processor is further configured to, when the setting information is inputted through the input device, cause the communication device to store the setting information; and

the processor is further configured to judge whether the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device when the processor changes the setting information.

9. The management device according to claim 8, wherein:

the processor is further configured to judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the second communication function is OFF when the processor changes the setting information stored in the communication device from the information for communicating with a certain device using the network in the first communication protocol to the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol; and

the processor is configured to judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the first communication function is OFF when the processor changes the setting information stored in the communication device from the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol to the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol.

10. The management device according to claim 8, wherein:

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the first communication protocol and the address information complies with the first communication protocol; and

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the second communication protocol and the address information complies with the second communication protocol.

11. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to cause display of a message indicating that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device, if the processor judges that the trouble would arise.

12. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

derive a solution for the trouble if the processor judges that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

generate a display of the solution.

13. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

derive a solution for the trouble if the processor judges that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

alter the operation of the communication device in accordance with the solution.

14. One or more computer-readable media, storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the following to occur:

managing a communication device'"'"'s use of first and second communication functions, corresponding to use of first and second communication protocols, respectively, to communicate using a network;

changing operation of the communication device in regard to at least one of the first and second communication functions to ON or OFF, in accordance with a command inputted through an input device;

judging whether a trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device due to the change when changing one of the first and second communication functions from ON to OFF;

obtaining a judgment result, before changing of the operation of the communication device, by judging whether the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device if the operation of the communication device is changed;

wherein the communication device is configured to store, as setting information, one of information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the first communication protocol and information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the second communication protocol, and to communicate with a certain device in the network in accordance with the setting information;

wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to

judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the communication device stores, as the setting information, information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol when the first communication function is changed from ON to OFF; and

judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the communication device stores, as the setting information, information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol when the second communication function is changed from ON to OFF,

wherein the operation of the communication device is changed if it is judged that the trouble would not arise in communication involving the communication device, and is not changed if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein:

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the first communication protocol and the address information complies with the first communication protocol; and

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the second communication protocol and the address information complies with the second communication protocol.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to cause display of a message indicating that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device, if it is judged that the trouble would arise.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

derive a solution for the trouble if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

generate a display of the solution.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

derive a solution for the trouble if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

alter the operation of the communication device in accordance with the solution.

19. One or more computer-readable media, storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the following to occur:

managing a communication device'"'"'s use of first and second communication functions, corresponding to use of first and second communication protocols, respectively, to communicate using a network;

changing operation of the communication device in regard to at least one of the first and second communication functions to ON or OFF, in accordance with a command inputted through an input device; and

obtaining a judgment result before changing the operation of the communication device by judging whether a trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device if the operation of the communication device is changed,

wherein the operation of the communication device is changed if it is judged that the trouble would not arise in communication involving the communication device, and is not changed if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device,

wherein the communication device is configured to store, as setting information, one of information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the first communication protocol and information for communicating with a certain device in the network in the second communication protocol, and to communicate with a certain device in the network in accordance with the setting information;

the instructions further comprising instructions to

cause the communication device to store the setting information when the setting information is inputted through the input device,; and

to judge whether the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device when the setting information is changed.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, further comprising instructions to perform the following:

judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the second communication function is OFF when the setting information stored in the communication device is changed from the information for communicating with a certain device using the network in the first communication protocol to the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol; and

judge that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device in a case where the first communication function is OFF when the setting information stored in the communication device is changed from the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol to the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein:

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the first communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the first communication protocol and the address information complies with the first communication protocol; and

the information for communicating with a certain device in the network using the second communication protocol is address information of the certain device using the second communication protocol and the address information complies with the second communication protocol.

22. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to cause display of a message indicating that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device, if it is judged that the trouble would arise.

23. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

derive a solution for the trouble if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

generate a display of the solution.

24. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

derive a solution for the trouble if it is judged that the trouble would arise in communication involving the communication device; and

alter the operation of the communication device in accordance with the solution.