Information processing apparatus and control method for synchronizing setting information

• US 10,645,236 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Guillermety, Juan M
• Application Number:
  US15/755,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20180255191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a storage unit and a processing unit. The storage unit stores setting information of the information processing apparatus. The processing unit starts processing for causing, in a case where the number of servers each of which manages setting information stored in other apparatus, among apparatuses including the information processing apparatus and an apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus via a network is one, a server corresponding to the one to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit. The processing unit is also configured not to start the processing when the number of servers is two or more.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store setting information of the information processing apparatus;

a memory device that stores a set of instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the set of instructions to;

detect a number of servers each of which manages at least setting information stored in other apparatus, among apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via a network;

determine whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus; and

control whether or not to start synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other based on a determination result of determining whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus and based on the number of servers each of which manages at least the setting information stored in the other apparatus among the apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via the network,

wherein, in the control,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is two, or three or more, neither of the two detected servers, or none of the three or more detected servers, starts the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is two, or three or more, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is not started.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

in a case where address information for communicating with a server to be caused to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit is set in the information processing apparatus, start processing for causing a server corresponding to the address information to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit, regardless of the number of servers.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

cause a display unit to display a message indicating that the synchronization processing is not to be started, in a case where the number of detected servers is two or more.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

in a case where the number of detected servers is two or more, cause the display unit to display a message different according to the number of detected servers.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

determine a number of servers each executing management of setting information stored in other apparatus, among apparatuses including the information processing apparatus and an apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus via a network; and

in a case where it is determined that the number of servers each executing management of setting information stored in other apparatus is one, start synchronization processing for causing the server executing the management of the setting information to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

cause a display unit to display a message indicating that the synchronization processing is not to be started, in a case where it is determined that the number of servers each executing management of setting information stored in other apparatus is two or more.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

perform control for starting the synchronization processing by recording the setting information stored in the storage unit into a database managed by a server, and for notifying the server of update information indicating update content in a case where the setting information stored in the storage unit is updated.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions in the memory device to:

control a scanner that generates image data by reading an image, or a printer that performs print processing for forming an image on a sheet; and

control operation of the scanner or the printer by using the setting information stored in the storage unit.

9. A control method for an information processing apparatus, the control method comprising:

storing setting information of the information processing apparatus in a storage unit;

detecting a number of servers each of which manages at least setting information stored in other apparatus, among apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via a network;

determining whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus; and

controlling whether or not to start synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other based on a determination result of determining whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus and based on the number of servers each of which manages at least the setting information stored in the other apparatus among the apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via the network,

wherein, in the controlling,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is two, or three or more, neither of the two detected servers, or none of the three or more detected servers, starts the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is two, or three or more, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is not started.

10. The control method according to claim 9, wherein, in a case where address information for communicating with a server to be caused to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit is set in the information processing apparatus, processing for causing a server corresponding to the address information to manage the setting information stored in the storage unit is started, regardless of the number of servers.

11. The control method according to claim 9, further comprising performing display control for causing a display unit to display a message indicating that the synchronization processing is not to be started, in a case where the number of servers detected by the detecting is two or more.

12. The control method according to claim 9, wherein the performing the synchronization processing performs control for starting the synchronization processing by recording the setting information stored in the storage unit into a database managed by a server, and for notifying the server of update information indicating update content in a case where the setting information stored in the storage unit is updated.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

storing setting information of the information processing apparatus in a storage unit;

detecting a number of servers each of which manages at least setting information stored in other apparatus, among apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via a network;

determining whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus; and

controlling whether or not to start synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other based on a determination result of determining whether or not the information processing apparatus is a server that manages the setting information stored in the other apparatus and based on the number of servers each of which manages at least the setting information stored in the other apparatus among the apparatuses connected to the information processing apparatus via the network,

wherein, in the controlling,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is one, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is started,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is not the server and further if the number of detected servers is two, or three or more, neither of the two detected servers, or none of the three or more detected servers, starts the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other,

if the determination result indicates that the information processing apparatus is the server and further if a sum of the number of detected servers and one is two, or three or more, the synchronization processing for synchronizing the setting information stored in the storage unit and the setting information stored in the server with each other is not started.