NETWORK DEVICE CAPABLE OF EDITING AND CONFIGURING SETTING INFORMATION, DEVICE CONTROLLER, NETWORK SYSTEM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20110320952A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: KATAOKA, Junnosuke
• Application Number:
  US13/164,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320952A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus H04N2201/0074; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report

Abstract

A network system enables a common setting information item and different setting information items on a plurality of network devices to be displayed, and collectively configured and edited on a Web browser on a PC. The device controller accesses a network device to acquire and display setting information on network devices. The accessed network device collects setting information from the other network devices via a network in response to the access from the device controller, generates one HTML file based on the collected setting information, and transmits the HTML file to the device controller. The setting information configured or edited on the device controller is broken up into respective sets of setting information on the network devices, and is transmitted to the other network devices as HTML files, to cause the setting information to be reflected thereon.

Claims

1. A network system including a network device and a device controller,

wherein the device controller comprises:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

a display unit configured to display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the respective sets of setting information acquired by said acquisition unit; and

a reception unit configured to receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the screen displayed by said display unit,

wherein the network device comprises;

a collection unit configured to collect the setting information from other network devices than the network device within the network system;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the setting information collected by said collection unit together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

a control unit configured to edit the setting information on the own network device according to the editing instruction received by said reception unit or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein said display unit displays the screen by switching between a screen for editing setting information on one of the network devices, and a screen for collectively editing setting information on the plurality of network devices, according to a user'"'"'s operation.

3. A device controller that is capable of communicating with a network device, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

a display unit configured to display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the respective sets of setting information acquired by said acquisition unit; and

a reception unit configured to receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the screen displayed by said display unit.

4. A network device that is capable of communicating with a device controller, comprising:

a collection unit configured to collect setting information on other network devices from the other network devices, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the setting information collected by said collection unit together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

a control unit configured to edit the setting information on the own network device according to an editing instruction received from the device controller or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.

5. A method of controlling a network system including a network device and a device controller, comprising causing:

the device controller to;

acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the acquired respective sets of setting information; and

receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the displayed screen, and

the network device to;

collect the setting information from other network devices than the network device within the network system;

transmit the collected setting information together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

edit the setting information on the own network device according to the received editing instruction or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.

6. A method of controlling a device controller that is capable of communicating with a network device, comprising causing the device controller to:

acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the acquired respective sets of setting information; and

receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the displayed screen.

7. A method of controlling a network device that is capable of communicating with a device controller, comprising causing the network device to:

collect the setting information from other network devices than the network device within the network system;

transmit the collected setting information together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

edit the setting information on the own network device according to the received editing instruction or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.

8. A network device having a function of enabling a computer connected to a network to configure setting information on the network device, comprising:

a registration unit configured to register a login ID and a password for each of at least one other network device,

wherein the at least other network device for which the login ID and the password are registered and the own network device establish a parent-child relationship, and

wherein when the computer logs in to a network device as a parent, the computer is placed in a state also logged in to a network device as a child.

9. The network device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one other network device and the own network device are ranked in rights of login to the function, such that a higher-ranked network device is automatically permitted to log in to a lower-ranked network device, but a lower-ranked network device is not permitted to log in to a higher-ranked network device, and each network device is configured to be capable of giving rights to view and edit setting information thereon to a selected one of other network devices to thereby establish a parent-child relationship between the network devices.

10. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable control program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a network system including a network device and a device controller,

wherein the method comprises causing:

the device controller to;

acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the acquired respective sets of setting information; and

receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the displayed screen, and

the network device to;

collect the setting information from other network devices than the network device within the network system;

transmit the collected setting information together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

edit the setting information on the own network device according to the received editing instruction or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.

11. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable control program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a device controller that is capable of communicating with a network device,

wherein the method comprises causing the device controller to:

acquire, from the network device, respective sets of setting information on a plurality of network devices including the network device, wherein the setting information indicates information on settings set to an associated network device;

display a screen for editing the respective sets of setting information on the plurality of network devices, based on the acquired respective sets of setting information; and

receive an editing instruction for editing setting information on at least one of the plurality of network devices via the displayed screen.

12. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable control program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a network device that is capable of communicating with a device controller,

wherein the method comprises causing the network device to:

collect the setting information from other network devices than the network device within the network system;

transmit the collected setting information together with setting information on the own network device to the device controller; and

edit the setting information on the own network device according to the received editing instruction or transmit the editing instruction to the other network devices.