Management device for causing specific device to update programs and computer readable media

• US 9,268,553 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yada, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US13/626,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092

Abstract

A management device may be connected with a specific device via a network, and cause the specific device to update a plurality of programs. The management device may transmit a first program of the plurality of programs by using an IP address as a transmission destination. The management device may confirm whether the IP address of the specific device has changed since transmitting the first program by utilizing identification information for identifying the specific device. The management device may transmit a second program of the plurality of programs to the specific device by using the IP address when confirming that the IP address has not changed, or by using a changed IP address when confirming that the IP address has changed.

Claims

1. A management device comprising:

a processor;

a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of;

transmitting a first program corresponding to a first one of a plurality of programs to a specific device in a network using an IP address of the specific device, as a transmission destination;

determining whether a standby period has elapsed, the standby period being determined based on a period needed for the specific device to complete update of the first program;

in response to determining that the standby period has elapsed, confirming whether the IP address of the specific device has changed since transmitting the first program, by utilizing first identification information for identifying the specific device; and

transmitting a second program corresponding to a second one of the plurality of programs to the specific device by using one of;

the IP address as the transmission destination when the step of confirming confirms that the IP address has not changed, and

a changed IP address as the transmission destination when the step of confirming confirms that the IP address has changed,

wherein the second program is different from the first program.

2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

broadcasting a request including the first identification information to the network, the request requesting a device having the first identification information to transmit a response; and

confirming whether an IP address contained in a response to the request corresponds to the IP address of the specific device used in transmitting the first program.

3. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

transmitting a first request to the IP address used in transmitting the first program, the first request requesting a device having the IP address used in transmitting the first program to transmit a response including second identification information associated with the device;

judging whether the second identification information coincides with the first identification information when the response is received; and

determining that the IP address of the specific device has not changed when judging that the second identification information coincides with the first identification information.

4. The management device according to claim 3, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

determining that the IP address of the specific device has changed when judging that the second identification information does not coincide with the first identification information;

broadcasting, in response to determining that the IP address has changed, a second request including third identification information for identifying the specific device to the network, the second request requesting a device having the third identification information to transmit a response; and

receiving a response to the second request including an IP address, wherein the IP address corresponds to the changed IP address.

5. The management device according to claim 4, wherein the first identification information is the same as the third identification information.

6. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the step of confirming further comprises:

transmitting a first request to the IP address used in transmitting the first program, the first request requesting a device having the IP address used in transmitting the first program to transmit a response including second identification information associated with the device;

judging whether a response to the first request has been received;

broadcasting, in response to judging that no response to the first request has been received, a second request including third identification information for identifying the specific device to the network, the second request requesting a device having the third identification information to transmit a response; and

receiving a response to the second request including an IP address, wherein the IP address corresponds to the changed IP address.

7. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a step of:

transmitting a third program corresponding to a third one of the plurality of programs to another device different from the specific device.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the steps of:

transmitting a first program corresponding to a first one of a plurality of programs to a specific device in a network using an IP address of the specific device, as a transmission destination;

transmitting a third program corresponding to a third one of the plurality of programs to another device different from the specific device;

confirming whether the IP address of the specific device has changed since transmitting the first program, by utilizing first identification information for identifying the specific device;

determining a longer update period between an update period of the first program and an update period of the third program,

determining whether a standby period has elapsed, wherein the standby period is equal to the determined longer update period between the update period of the first program and the update period of the third program; and

in response to determining that the standby period has elapsed, transmitting a second program corresponding to a second one of the plurality of programs to the specific device by using one of;

the IP address as the transmission destination when the step of confirming confirms that the IP address has not changed, and

a changed IP address as the transmission destination when the step of confirming confirms that the IP address has changed, wherein the second program is different from the first program.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

broadcasting a request including the first identification information to the network, the request requesting a device having the first identification information to transmit a response; and

confirming whether an IP address contained in a response to the request corresponds to the IP address of the specific device used in transmitting the first program.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

transmitting a first request to the IP address used in transmitting the first program, the first request requesting a device having the IP address used in transmitting the first program to transmit a response including second identification information associated with the device;

judging whether the second identification information coincides with the first identification information when the response is received; and

determining that the IP address of the specific device has not changed when judging that the second identification information coincides with the first identification information.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the step of confirming comprises:

determining that the IP address of the specific device has changed when judging that the second identification information does not coincide with the first identification information;

broadcasting, in response to determining that the IP address has changed, a second request including third identification information for identifying the specific device to the network, the second request requesting a device having the third identification information to transmit a response; and

receiving a response to the second request including an IP address, wherein the IP address corresponds to the changed IP address.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the first identification information is the same as the third identification information.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of confirming further comprises:

transmitting a first request to the IP address used in transmitting the first program, the first request requesting a device having the IP address used in transmitting the first program to transmit a response including second identification information associated with the device;

judging whether a response to the first request has been received;

broadcasting, in response to judging that no response to the first request has been received, a second request including third identification information for identifying the specific device to the network, the second request requesting a device having the third identification information to transmit a response; and

receiving a response to the second request including an IP address, wherein the IP address corresponds to the changed IP address.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the standby period is equal to the update period of the first program.