Information processing apparatus, information processing method, alternate response apparatus, response method, control program, and network system

• US 9,092,232 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishio, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, PHUONG N
• Application Number:
  US13/474,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 358 113- 115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]

Abstract

A mechanism for enabling a computer which includes an installer for providing Plug and Play (PnP) to obtain information for a network device is provided. Using an existing development resource, such as a PnP installer, a simple installation method is provided. By causing a proxy server to as a communication intermediary between the computer and a peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined management method, the peripheral device can be managed using the predetermined management method.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable code; and

a processor to execute the code to perform steps comprising;

a request step of issuing, to a network, a request for information related to a peripheral device at a predetermined interval;

a reception step of receiving, as a response to the request, information related to the peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol from the peripheral device;

a specification step of specifying, as information required for an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device, identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the information related to the peripheral device previously received by the reception step, when a discovery request for the predetermined network discovery protocol is received from a client apparatus;

a creating step of creating a message for the predetermined network discovery protocol by using the specified identification information; and

a transmission step of transmitting the message to the client apparatus,

wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operating system of the client apparatus is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the message is processed by the operating system of the client apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined network discovery protocol includes at least SSDP (Simple Service Discovery Protocol).

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reception unit receives MIB (Management Information Base) information as the information related to the peripheral device.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the message is described in a markup language.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.

8. A client apparatus, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable code; and

a processor to execute the code to perform steps comprising;

a reception step of receiving a message for a predetermined network discovery protocol from an information processing apparatus, wherein the message is created by the information processing apparatus and created using identification information for identifying a peripheral device which is not in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol, and wherein the information processing apparatus issues, to a network, a request for information related to the peripheral device at a predetermined interval, for creating the message;

a parse step of parsing the received message for interpreting contents of the received message;

an extracting step of extracting the identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the received message according to the parsing; and

an installation controlling step of controlling an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device identified by using the extracted identification information,

wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.

9. The client apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an operating system of the client apparatus is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol.

10. The client apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the message is processed by the operating system of the client apparatus.

11. The client apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the message is described in a markup language.

12. The client apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.

13. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus, wherein a processor of the information processing apparatus executes the method comprising:

a request step of issuing, to a network, a request for information related to a peripheral device at a predetermined interval;

a reception step of receiving, as a response to the request, information related to the peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol from the peripheral device;

a specification step of specifying, as information required for an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device, identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the information related to the peripheral device previously received by the reception step, when a discovery request for the predetermined network discovery protocol is received from a client apparatus;

a creating step of creating a message for the predetermined network discovery protocol by using the specified identification information; and

a transmission step of transmitting the message to the client apparatus,

wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.

14. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein an operating system of the client apparatus is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol.

15. The information processing method according to claim 14, wherein the message is processed by the operating system of the client apparatus.

16. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined network discovery protocol includes at least SSDP (Simple Service Discovery Protocol).

17. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the reception unit receives MIB (Management Information Base) information as the information related to the peripheral device.

18. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the message is described in a markup language.

19. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.

20. A method for a client apparatus, wherein a processor of the client apparatus executes the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving a message for a predetermined network discovery protocol from an information processing apparatus, wherein the message is created by the information processing apparatus and created using identification information for identifying a peripheral device which is not in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol,

and wherein the information processing apparatus issues, to a network, a request for information related to the peripheral device at a predetermined interval, for creating the message;

a parse step of parsing the received message for interpreting contents of the received message;

an extracting step of extracting the identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the received message according to the parsing, and

an installation controlling step of controlling an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device identified by using the extracted identification information,

wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.

21. The method for the client apparatus according to claim 20, wherein an operating system of the client apparatus is in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol.

22. The method for the client apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the message is processed by the operating system of the client apparatus.

23. The method for the client apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the message is described in a markup language.

24. The method for the client apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer readable program, when executed by a processor, would perform an information processing method for an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

a request step of issuing, to a network, a request for information related to a peripheral device at a predetermined interval;

a reception step of receiving, as a response to the request, information related to the peripheral device which is not in compliance with a predetermined network discovery protocol from the peripheral device;

a specification step of specifying, as information required for an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device, identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the information related to the peripheral device previously received by the reception step, when a discovery request for the predetermined network discovery protocol is received from a client apparatus;

a creating step of creating a message for the predetermined network discovery protocol by using the specified identification information; and

a transmission step of transmitting the message to the client apparatus,

wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer readable program, when executed by a processor, would perform an information processing method for a client apparatus, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving a message for a predetermined network discovery protocol from an information processing apparatus, wherein the message is created by the information processing apparatus and created using identification information for identifying a peripheral device which is not in compliance with the predetermined network discovery protocol, and wherein the information processing apparatus issues, to a network, a request for information related to the peripheral device at a predetermined interval, for creating the message;

a parsing step of parsing the received message for interpreting contents of the received message;

an extracting step of extracting the identification information for identifying the peripheral device from the received message according to the parsing, and an installation controlling step of controlling an installation of a control program for controlling the peripheral device identified by using the extracted identification information, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of manufacturer information and model information of the peripheral device.