Management apparatus, management system, control method, and storage medium

• US 9,172,617 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): CELANI, NICHOLAS P
• Application Number:
  US13/990,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/24 using dedicated network management hardware
• 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 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A management server receives a server instruction inquiry from an image forming apparatus, and transmits a communication switching instruction to the image forming apparatus as a response to the server instruction inquiry, such that the communication switching instruction switches the communication system for communicating with the image forming apparatus to push communication. After push communication has been established by conducting an initial communication with the image forming apparatus according to the communication switching instruction, the management server issues server instructions to the image forming apparatus by push communication.

Claims

1. An Internet-based management apparatus that manages image forming apparatuses, the management apparatus comprising:

a memory device configured to store instructions to be issued to the image forming apparatuses; and

a processor coupled to the memory device and programmed to function as;

a receiver for receiving inquiries from each of the image forming apparatuses,

a transmitter for transmitting, when an instruction to be issued to an image forming apparatus has been stored in the memory device, a switching instruction to the image forming apparatus in response to a received inquiry from the image forming apparatus, without transmitting the switching instruction when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has not been stored in the memory device, wherein the switching instruction switches a communication protocol used in communicating between the image forming apparatus and the management apparatus to a WebSocket protocol,

a notification unit configured to inform a user of information indicating that the connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established with the image forming apparatus,

an instruction unit configured to issue, after a connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established by an initial communication with the image forming apparatus in response to the switching instruction, instructions to the image forming apparatus by using the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol, and

a disconnection unit configured to cut off the established connection according to the WebSocket under prescribed conditions,

wherein, when the receiver has received information from an image forming apparatus regarding an occurrence therein of a predetermined malfunction, a connection according to the WebSocket protocol is established, according to the initial communication, with the image forming apparatus that transmitted the information regarding the occurrence of the predetermined malfunction, and the established connection is cut off by the image forming apparatus when the predetermined malfunction has been recovered.

2. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the switching instruction when there is a plurality of instructions stored in the memory device, when the instructions stored in the memory device include an instruction that needs to be issued to the image forming apparatus in real time, or when it is necessary to reboot the image forming apparatus.

3. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection unit cuts off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol with the image forming apparatus upon receiving an execution result of processing corresponding to an instruction by the instruction unit from the image forming apparatus that executes the processing.

4. The management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the disconnection unit cuts off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol with the image forming apparatus in a case where there is no other instruction to be issued by the WebSocket protocol to the image forming apparatus when the execution result of the processing indicates success of the processing.

5. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, with respect to the image forming apparatuses that do not handle the WebSocket protocol, or that do not handle switching to the WebSocket protocol according to the switching instruction, the instruction unit transmits a firmware updating instruction in response to an inquiry from the image forming apparatus so that switching to the WebSocket protocol is performed.

6. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed conditions include reception of a request for a disconnection of the connection according to the WebSocket protocol from a user device.

7. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initial communication is a handshake for establishing a connection according to by the WebSocket protocol.

8. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inquiry received from the image forming apparatus is a GetRequest of an HTTP protocol.

14. The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, upon establishment of the connection according to the WebSocket, the disconnection unit cuts off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol when the instruction stored in the memory device is not an instruction to be issued by the WebSocket protocol.

9. A control method in an Internet-based management apparatus that manages image forming apparatuses, the control method comprising steps of:

storing instructions to be issued to the image forming apparatuses;

receiving an inquiry from an image forming apparatus;

transmitting, when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has been stored in the storing step, a switching instruction to the image forming apparatus in response to the received inquiry from the image forming apparatus, wherein,

when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has not been stored in the storing step, the switching instruction is not transmitted, and

the switching instruction switches a communication protocol used in communicating between the image forming apparatus and the management apparatus to a WebSocket protocol;

informing a user of information indicating that the connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established with the image forming apparatus;

issuing, after a connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established by an initial communication with the image forming apparatus in response to the switching instruction, an instruction to the image forming apparatus by using the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol; and

cutting off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol under prescribed conditions,

wherein, when information from an image forming apparatus regarding an occurrence therein of a predetermined malfunction has been received in the receiving step, a connection according to the WebSocket protocol is established, according to the initial communication, with the image forming apparatus that transmitted the information regarding the occurrence of the predetermined malfunction, and the established connection is cut off by the image forming apparatus when the predetermined malfunction has been recovered.

10. A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that when executed causes a computer to perform a control method of an Internet-based management apparatus that manages image forming apparatuses, the control method comprising steps of:

storing instructions to be issued to the image forming apparatuses;

receiving an inquiry from an image forming apparatus;

transmitting, when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has been stored in the storing step, a switching instruction to the image forming apparatus in response to the received inquiry from the image forming apparatus, wherein,

when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has not been stored in the storing step, the switching instruction is not transmitted, and

the switching instruction switches a communication protocol used in communicating between the image forming apparatus and the management apparatus to a WebSocket protocol;

informing a user of information indicating that the connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established with the image forming apparatus;

issuing, after a connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established by an initial communication with the image forming apparatus in response to the switching instruction, an instruction to the image forming apparatus by using the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol; and

cutting off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol under prescribed conditions,

wherein, when information from an image forming apparatus regarding an occurrence therein of a predetermined malfunction has been received in the receiving step, a connection according to the WebSocket protocol is established, according to the initial communication, with the image forming apparatus that transmitted the information regarding the occurrence of the predetermined malfunction, and the established connection is cut off by the image forming apparatus when the predetermined malfunction has been recovered.

11. A management system, comprising:

network devices; and

an Internet-based management apparatus that manages the network devices,

wherein the management apparatus includes;

a memory device configured to store instructions to be issued to the network devices in a memory device,

a receiver for receiving inquiries from each of the network devices,

a transmitter for transmitting, when an instruction to be issued to an image forming apparatus has been stored in the memory device, a switching instruction to the first network device in response to a received inquiry from the first network device, without transmitting the switching instruction when an instruction to be issued to the first network device has not been stored in the memory device, wherein the switching instruction switches a communication protocol used in communicating between the first network device and the management apparatus to a WebSocket protocol,

an instruction unit configured to issue, after a connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established by an initial communication with the first network device in response to the switching instruction, instructions to the first network device by using the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol, and

a disconnection unit configured to cut off the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol under prescribed conditions,

wherein the first network device includes;

a receiver for receiving the switching instruction in response to an instruction inquiry addressed to the management apparatus,

an establishment unit configured to establish a connection according to the WebSocket protocol between the first network device and the management apparatus by conducting the initial communication according to the received switching instruction,

a detector for detecting a malfunction that occurs in the first network device, and

a discrimination unit that discriminates whether a detected malfunction is a malfunction that is recoverable by an instruction from the management apparatus,

wherein the establishment unit is configured to establish a connection according to the WebSocket protocol between the first network device and the management apparatus when it is discriminated that the detected malfunction is a malfunction that is recoverable by an instruction from the management apparatus, and

wherein the established connection is cut off by the first network device when the detected malfunction has been recovered.

12. The management system according to claim 11, wherein the transmitter transmits the switching instruction when there is a plurality of instructions stored in the memory device, when the instructions stored in the memory device include an instruction that needs to be issued to the first network device in real time, or when it is necessary to reboot the first network device.

13. A control method in a management system that includes network devices and an Internet-based management apparatus that manages pertinent network devices, the control method comprising:

a storing step in which the management apparatus stores instructions to be issued to the network devices in a memory device;

a first receiving step in which the management apparatus receives an inquiry from a network device;

a transmitting step in which the management apparatus transmits, when an instruction to be issued to the network device has been stored in the memory device, a switching instruction to the network device as a response to the received inquiry from the network device, wherein,

when an instruction to be issued to the image forming apparatus has not been stored in the memory device in the storing step, the switching instruction is not transmitted, and

the switching instruction switches a communication protocol used in communicating between the network device and the management apparatus to a WebSocket protocol;

an instructing step in which the management apparatus issues, after a connection according to the WebSocket protocol has been established by an initial communication with the network device in response to the switching instruction, an instruction to the network device by using the established connection according to the WebSocket protocol;

a second receiving step in which the network device receives the switching instruction as a response to an instruction inquiry addressed to the management apparatus;

an establishing step in which the network device establishes a connection according to the WebSocket protocol between the network device and the management apparatus by conducting the initial communication according to the received switching instruction;

a disconnecting step in which the management apparatus cuts off the established connection according to the Web Socket protocol under prescribed conditions,

a detecting step in which a malfunction that occurs in the network device is detected; and

a discriminating step in which it is discriminated whether a detected malfunction is a malfunction that is recoverable by an instruction from the management apparatus,

wherein, in the establishing step, a connection according to the WebSocket protocol between the network device and the management apparatus is established when, in the discriminating step, it is discriminated that the detected malfunction is a malfunction that is recoverable by an instruction from the management apparatus, and

wherein the established connection is cut off by the first network device when the detected malfunction has been recovered.