User terminal device for managing network device and method thereof

• US 8,762,988 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kong, Tae-kook, Lim, Jong-yoon
• Primary Examiner(s): COYER, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/923,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 717/177, 715/736
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A user terminal device connected in a network is provided. The user terminal device includes a display to display a main user interface (UI) screen including therein a first install menu to install an application and a second install menu to install a driver, an input unit through which one of the first install menu and the second install menu is selected on the main UI screen, and a controller to carry out an application installation in which an application program is installed onto a device connected in the network, if the first install menu is selected, and carry out a driver program installation in which a driver program is installed onto the user terminal device, if the second install menu is selected. The controller causes the display to display a map image, indicative of an arrangement of devices in an environment where the network is constructed, and carries out the application program installation or the driver program installation onto the device selected from the map image.

Claims

1. A user terminal device connected in a network, the user terminal device comprising:

a display to display a main user interface (UI) screen including therein a first install menu to install an application program and a second install menu to install a driver program;

an input unit through which one of the first install menu and the second install menu is selected on the main UI screen; and

a controller to carry out an application installation in which the application program is installed onto a device connected in the network, if the first install menu is selected, or carry out a driver program installation in which the driver program is installed onto the user terminal device, if the second install menu is selected, wherein

if one of the first install menu and the second install menu is selected, the controller causes the display to display an application information field and a map image, indicative of an arrangement of devices in an environment where the network is constructed, and carries out the application program installation or the driver program installation onto the device selected from the map image;

if a device image is selected from the map image, the controller inactivates displaying status of a non-installable application program among the application programs indicated in the application information field, and

if an application program is selected from the application information field, the controller inactivates displaying status of a non-installable device among the devices indicated on the map image, in which the non-installable application program is an application program which is not installable onto the selected device, and the non-installable device is a device onto which the selected application program cannot be installed.

2. The user terminal device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the display to display a first UI screen including therein a map image field having the map image indicated therein, and the application information field, if the first install menu is selected, and

if a device is selected from the map image and an application program is selected from the application information field through the input unit, transmits the selected application program to the selected device.

3. The user terminal device of claim 2, wherein the map image includes a device image which is indicated at a location where each corresponding device is installed under a network environment, and a menu provided at one side of the device image to indicate information about the corresponding device.

4. The user terminal device of claim 2, wherein, if one of the devices on the map image and one of the application programs on the application information field are dragged and dropped into a device image or an application program on the other field, the controller determines that the corresponding device and the corresponding application program are selected, and therefore, transmits an application program corresponding to the selected application information to the selected device.

5. The user terminal device of claim 2, wherein, if the selected application program is already installed in the selected device, the controller generates a UI window to inquire about an intention to proceed installation of an application program, and causes the display to display the generated UI window.

6. The user terminal device of claim 2, further comprising a storage unit to store program compatibility information therein, and wherein the controller determines a possibility of installing each application program onto each device, using the program compatibility information stored in the storage unit.

7. The user terminal device of claim 1, further comprising a storage unit, and wherein the controller controls the display to display a second UI screen including the map image therein, if the second install menu is selected, and

if a device is selected from the map image on the second UI screen, installs a driver program corresponding to the selected device to the storage unit.

8. The user terminal device of claim 7, wherein the second UI screen displays an information collect field to collect information about a device selected through the map image, and

if the information collect field is selected, the controller controls a list of the device information collected in the selected information collect field to be displayed, and

if information about at least one device is selected from the list, the controller receives from an external server at least one driver program which corresponds to the selected information about at least one device.

9. The user terminal device of claim 8, wherein the list comprises at least one of:

a name, a type, an IP address, a current status, a location, and an order of installing, regarding the device selected from the map image.

10. The user terminal device of claim 9, wherein the order of installing the device selected from the map image is changeable by a user.

11. The user terminal device of claim 8, wherein the information about the device on the map image is collected into the information collect field by a drag-and-drop manner.

12. The user terminal device of claim 1, wherein the main UI screen further comprises a map image construct menu to construct the map image.

13. A method of a user terminal device connected in a network for managing a network device, the method comprising:

displaying a main user interface (UI) screen indicating therein a first install menu to install an application program and a second install menu to install a driver program;

carrying out an application installation of the application program if the first install menu is selected; and

carrying out a driver installation of the driver program if the second install menu is installed, wherein

the carrying out of the application installation of the application program comprises, displaying a first UI screen including a map image representing a device arrangement under an environment where the network is constructed, and an application information field, and

if a device is selected from the map image and the application program is selected from the application information field, transmitting and installing the selected application program to the selected device, and

the carrying out the driver installation of the driver program comprises,

displaying a second UI screen including map image, and

if a device is selected from the map image included in the second UI, installing the driver program corresponding to the selected device onto the user terminal device;

if a device image is selected from the map image, inactivating a displaying status of an application program which is non-installable onto the selected device, from among the application programs indicated in the application information field, and

if an application program is selected from the application information field, inactivating a displaying status of a device which is incapable of installing the selected application program, from among the devices indicated on the map image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the map image represents a device image indicated at a location in which the corresponding device is placed under the network environment, and a menu to indicate information about the device is displayed on one side of the device image next to the device image.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the carrying out the application installation comprises, if one of the devices on the map image and one of the application programs on the application information field are moved by drag-and-drop manner to another side, determining the corresponding device and the corresponding application program to be selected.

16. The method of claim 13, the carrying out the application installation further comprises, if the selected application program is already installed in the selected device, generating and displaying a user interface (UI) window to inquire as to whether the application program is to be installed or not.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the carrying out the application installation further comprises:

detecting previously stored program compatibility information; and

determining compatibility between each device and application program using the program compatibility information.

18. The method of claim 13, comprising displaying on the second UI screen an information collect field to collect information about a device selected through the map image, wherein

the carrying out the driver installation comprises,

if the information collect field is selected, displaying a list of device information collected in the selected information collect field, and if at least one piece of device information is selected from the list, receiving at least one driver program corresponding to the selected at least one device information from an external server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the information about the device on the map image is collected into the information collect field by a drag-and-drop manner.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the main UI screen further comprises a map image construct menu to construct the map image.

21. A non-transitory recording medium storing therein a program to execute a method for managing a device connected in a network, wherein the method comprises,

displaying a main user interface (UI) screen indicating therein a first install menu to install an application program and a second install menu to install a driver program;

if the first install menu is selected, displaying a first UI screen indicating therein a map image representing an arrangement of devices under an environment where the network is constructed, and an application information field;

if a device is selected from the map image of the first UI screen and an application program is selected from the application information field of the first UI screen, transmitting and installing the selected application program onto the selected device;

if the second install menu is selected, displaying a second UI screen including therein map image which indicates therein arrangement of devices under environment where the network is constructed; and

if a device is selected from map image of the second UI screen, installing a driver program corresponding to the selected device onto a user terminal device;

if a device image is selected from the map image, inactivating a displaying status of an application program which is non-installable onto the selected device, from among the application programs indicated in the application information field, and

if an application program is selected from the application information field, inactivating a displaying status of a device which is incapable of installing the selected application program, from among the devices indicated on the map image.