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

• US 20020156947A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/36
• 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 method for an information processing apparatus which can be connected to a peripheral device through a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the information processing method comprising:

an issuing step of issuing a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device connected to the network;

an obtaining step of obtaining a response to the search request from the peripheral device, in which identification information of the peripheral device is added to the response;

a recognition step of parsing the response to the search request and recognizing the identification information of the peripheral device; and

an installation controlling step of controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus in accordance with using the identification information recognized in said recognition step.

2. An information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a designation step of designating the peripheral device to be controlled by the control program in accordance with the response result obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request,

wherein, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation of the control program for controlling the peripheral device in response to a designation input in said designation step.

3. An information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising a display controlling step of displaying a service on a display of the information processing apparatus,

wherein, in said issuing step, a search request for searching for available peripheral devices on the network is issued when an item, which is displayed on the display, for designating a search and addition is input,

in said display controlling step, a list of peripheral devices obtained in said obtaining step is displayed on the display of the information processing apparatus in accordance with a response obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request, and

in said designation step, in response to the selection of a peripheral device from the list of peripheral devices displayed in said display controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation in said installation controlling step.

4. An information processing method according to claim 2, wherein, in said designation step, a peripheral device which provides a specific service is designated.

5. An information processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in said installation controlling step, using information indicating a storage region for storing the control program, the information being included in the response to the search request issued in said issuing step, the control program is obtained from the storage region and installed into the information processing apparatus.

6. An information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determination step of determining whether or not the control program for operating the peripheral device is stored in the information processing apparatus; and

a control program obtaining step of obtaining the control program external to the information processing apparatus,

wherein, when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is stored in the information processing apparatus, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation using the identification information obtained in said obtaining step, and

when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is not stored in the information processing apparatus, in said control program obtaining step, the control program is obtained using URL information or an UNC path name which indicates a storage region for storing the control program, the URL information or the UNC path name being included in the response to the search request.

7. An information processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in said installation controlling step, the identification information of the peripheral device is input to the installer, and

using the input identification information, the installer is controlled to call an application program interface of an operating system.

8. A control program executed by an information processing apparatus which can be connected to a peripheral device through a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the control program comprising:

code for an issuing step of issuing a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device connected to the network;

code for an obtaining step of obtaining a response to the search request from the peripheral device, in which identification information of the peripheral device is added to the response;

code for a recognition step of parsing the response to the search request and recognizing the identification information of the peripheral device; and

code for an installation controlling step of controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus in accordance with using the identification information recognized in said recognition step.

9. A control program according to claim 8, further comprising code for a designation step of designating the peripheral device to be controlled by the control program in accordance with the response result obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request,

wherein, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation of the control program for controlling the peripheral device in response to a designation input in said designation step.

10. A control program according to claim 9, further comprising code for a display controlling step of displaying a peripheral device capable of executing a predetermined service on a display of the information processing apparatus,

wherein, in said issuing step, a search request for searching for available peripheral devices on the network is issued when an item, which is displayed on the display, for designating a search and addition is input,

in said display controlling step, a list of peripheral devices obtained in said obtaining step is displayed on the display of the information processing apparatus in accordance with a response obtained in said obtaining step in response to the search request, and

in said designation step, in response to the selection of a peripheral device from the list of peripheral devices displayed in said display controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation in said installation controlling step.

11. A control program according to claim 9, wherein, in said designation step, a peripheral device for providing a specific service is designated.

12. A control program according to claim 8, wherein, in said installation controlling step, using information indicating a storage region for storing the control program, the information being included in the response to the search request issued in said issuing step, the control program is obtained from the storage region and installed into the information processing apparatus.

13. A control program according to claim 8, further comprising:

code for a determination step of determining whether or not the control program for operating the peripheral device is stored in the information processing apparatus; and

code for a control program obtaining step of obtaining the control program external to the information processing apparatus,

wherein, when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is stored in the information processing apparatus, in said installation controlling step, the installer is controlled to start the installation using the identification information obtained in said obtaining step, and

when it is determined in said determination step that the control program is not stored in the information processing apparatus, in said control program obtaining step, the control program is obtained using URL information or an UNC path name which indicates a storage region for storing the control program, the URL information or the UNC path name being included in the response to the search request.

14. A control program according to claim 8, wherein, in said installation controlling step, the identification information of the peripheral device is input to the installer, and

using the input identification information, the installer is controlled to call an application program interface of an operating system.

17. A peripheral device according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined search request is defined in compliance with Universal Plug and Play,

said adding means adds the identification information by inserting the identification information into the predetermined extended region of the response to the search request which is in compliance with Universal Plug and Play, and

the identification information is available to the installer in the information processing apparatus.

19. An information processing method according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined search request is defined in compliance with Universal Plug and Play,

in said adding step, the identification information is added by inserting the identification information into the predetermined extended region of the response to the search request which is in compliance with Universal Plug and Play, and

the identification information is available to the installer in the information processing apparatus.

15. An information processing apparatus which can be connected to a peripheral device through a network and which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, comprising:

issuing means for issuing a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device connected to the network;

obtaining means for obtaining a response to the search request from the peripheral device, in which identification information of the peripheral device is added to the response;

recognition means for parsing the response to the search request and recognizing the identification information of the peripheral device; and

installation controlling means for controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus in accordance with using the identification information recognized by said recognition means.

16. A peripheral device which can be connected through a network to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer, comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a predetermined search request issued by the information processing apparatus for searching for the peripheral device through the network;

issuing means for issuing a response to the search request obtained by said obtaining means;

adding means for adding identification information of the peripheral device to a predetermined extended region of the response issued by said issuing means in response to the search request, so that the identification information can be utilized by the installer; and

transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of the response to the search request, to which the identification information is added, to the information processing apparatus.

18. An information processing method for a peripheral device which can be connected through a network to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer, the information processing method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a predetermined search request issued by the information processing apparatus for searching for the peripheral device through the network;

an issuing step of issuing a response to the search request obtained in said obtaining step;

an adding step of adding identification information of the peripheral device to a predetermined extended region of the response issued in said issuing step in response to the search request, so that the identification information can be utilized by the installer; and

a transmission controlling step of controlling transmission of the response to the search request, to which the identification information is added, to the information processing apparatus.

20. A control program to be executed by a peripheral device which can be connected through a network to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer, the control program comprising:

code for an obtaining step of obtaining a predetermined search request issued by the information processing apparatus for searching for the peripheral device through the network;

code for an issuing step of issuing a response to the search request obtained in said obtaining step;

code for an adding step of adding identification information of the peripheral device to a predetermined extended region of the response issued in said issuing step in response to the search request, so that the identification information can be utilized by the installer; and

code for a transmission controlling step of controlling transmission of the response to the search request, to which the identification information is added, to the information processing apparatus.

21. A response method for an alternate response apparatus which can be connected through a network to a peripheral device and to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the response method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device from the information processing apparatus;

a recognition step of recognizing the peripheral device; and

a responding step of adding, in accordance with the predetermined search request obtained in said obtaining step, identification information to be used by the installer to install the control program corresponding to the peripheral device recognized in said recognition step to a predetermined extended region of a response to the search request and sending the response to the information processing apparatus.

22. A response method according to claim 21, further comprising an extraction step of extracting, when a plurality of peripheral devices is recognized in said recognition step, and when the search request obtained in said obtaining step is a search request for a specific peripheral device, the identification information corresponding to the specific peripheral device of the plurality of peripheral devices recognized in said recognition step,

wherein, in said responding step, the identification information of the peripheral device, which is extracted in said extraction step, is sent to the information processing apparatus.

23. A response method according to claim 21, wherein the identification information sent by the alternate response apparatus in said responding step is used for display by the information processing apparatus, and

in accordance with the search request, the information processing apparatus displays a list containing the peripheral device and other peripheral devices on the network.

24. A response method according to claim 21, wherein, in said recognition step, the peripheral device is recognized using the Simple Network Management Protocol, and

in said responding step, the identification information to be used by the installer to install the control program corresponding to the peripheral device recognized in said recognition step is sent using the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.

26. A control program according to claim 25, further comprising code for an extraction step of extracting, when a plurality of peripheral devices is recognized in said recognition step, and when the search request obtained in said obtaining step is a search request for a specific peripheral device, the identification information corresponding to the specific peripheral device of the plurality of peripheral devices recognized in said recognition step,

wherein, in said responding step, the identification information of the peripheral device, which is extracted in said extraction step, is sent to the information processing apparatus.

27. A control program according to claim 25, wherein the identification information sent by the alternate response apparatus in said responding step is used for display by the information processing apparatus, and

in accordance with the search request, the information processing apparatus displays a list containing the peripheral device and other peripheral devices on the network.

28. A control program according to claim 25, wherein, in said recognition step, the peripheral device is recognized using the Simple Network Management Protocol, and

in said responding step, the identification information to be used by the installer to install the control program corresponding to the peripheral device recognized in said recognition step is sent using the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.

25. A control program to be executed by an alternate response apparatus which can be connected through a network to a peripheral device and to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the control program comprising:

code for an obtaining step of obtaining a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device from the information processing apparatus;

code for a recognition step of recognizing the peripheral device; and

code for a responding step of adding, in accordance with the predetermined search request obtained in said obtaining step, identification information to be used by the installer to install the control program corresponding to the peripheral device recognized in said recognition step to a predetermined extended region of a response to the search request and sending the response to the information processing apparatus.

29. An alternate response apparatus which can be connected through a network to a peripheral device and to an information processing apparatus which includes an installer for installing a control program for controlling the peripheral device, the alternate response apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device from the information processing apparatus;

recognition means for recognizing the peripheral device; and

responding means for adding, in accordance with the predetermined search request obtained by said obtaining means, identification information to be used by the installer to install the control program corresponding to the peripheral device recognized by said recognition means to a predetermined extended region of a response to the search request and sending the response to the information processing apparatus.

30. A network system for interconnecting, through a network, a peripheral device and an information processing apparatus which includes an installer for a control program for controlling the peripheral device, comprising:

issuing means for issuing a predetermined search request for searching for the peripheral device;

response obtaining means for obtaining a response to the search request from the peripheral device, in which identification information of the peripheral device is added to the response;

recognition means for parsing the response to the search request and recognizing the identification information of the peripheral device;

installation controlling means for controlling the installer to start installation of the control program into the information processing apparatus using the identification information recognized by said recognition means;

request obtaining means for obtaining the predetermined search request issued by said issuing means for searching for the peripheral device;

responding means for issuing the response to the search request obtained by said request obtaining means;

adding means for adding the identification information of the peripheral device to a predetermined extended region of the response issued by said responding means in response to the search request issued; and

transmission controlling means for controlling transmission of the response to the search request, to which the identification information is added, to the information processing apparatus.