Information management apparatus, information management system, and information management software

• US 7,000,144 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takata, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo, Bryce P.
• Application Number:
  US09/742,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20010016921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6, 714/15, 717/173, 717/178, 705/59, 705/61
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

A user machine provided with a system of a software battery is connected to a host machine for providing a battery through a communications line, and a specific battery in a user machine is charged. The user machine includes a program for communications with the host machine and a software battery management system. The host machine includes a program having a function of listing available batteries, and transmitting a specified battery. With such a configuration, a user can select any battery from among the batteries in the host machine through communications, and charge for his or her own machine.

Claims

1. A software battery information management apparatus connected to a client terminal via a network, comprising:

a first key creation means for creating a first key for a session management in response to a request from said client terminal;

first transmission means for transmitting said created first key to said client terminal;

generating means for generating display information for displaying an available battery on a list;

second transmission means for transmitting the generated display information to said client terminal;

a first reception means for receiving said first key, a second key, a battery selected from the displayed list, and information of remaining amount of a battery from said client terminal;

judging means for judging if said first key matches said second key;

battery issuance means for issuing battery addition information corresponding to the selected battery for said client terminal in accordance with the judged result;

a second reception means for receiving confirmation information of charging of a battery from said client terminal; and

log information creation means for creating log information on the basis of said confirmation information of charging of a battery.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery amount indicated by the information of remaining amount of a battery is updated so as to decrease in accordance with an increase of an execution amount of software.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery amount indicated by the information of remaining amount of a battery is updated so as to decrease in accordance with an increase of an execution time of software.

4. A method of managing software battery information for a client terminal connected to a network, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a first key for management of a session in response to a request from the client terminal;

transmitting the created first key to the client terminal;

generating display information for displaying an available battery on a list;

transmitting the generated display information to said client terminal;

receiving the first key, a second key, a battery selected from the displayed list, and remaining battery amount information from the client terminal;

judging if the first key and the second key match;

issuing battery addition information corresponding to the selected battery for the client terminal in accordance with the judged result;

receiving battery charge confirmation information from the client terminal; and

creating log information on the basis of the battery charge confirmation information.

5. A computer-readable medium storing program code for a method of managing software battery information for a client terminal connected to a network, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a first key for management of a session in response to a request from the client terminal;

transmitting the created first key to the client terminal;

generating display information for displaying an available battery on a list;

transmitting the generated display information to said client terminal;

receiving the first key, a second key, a battery selected from the displayed list, and information of remaining amount of a battery from the client terminal;

judging if the first key matches with the second key;

issuing battery addition information corresponding to the selected battery for the client terminal in accordance with the judged result;

receiving battery charge confirmation information from the client terminal; and

creating log information on the basis of the battery charge confirmation information.

6. A client terminal connected to a software battery information management apparatus through a network, comprising:

first transmission means, arranged to connect with said software battery information management apparatus to transmit a request thereto;

first key receiving means for receiving a first key for session management, generated by the management apparatus in response to said request;

receiving means for receiving display information for displaying, on a list, a battery which is available from said software battery information management apparatus;

selection means for selecting a desired battery from the displayed list;

second transmission means for transmitting said first key, a second key, the selected battery, and battery amount information to said software battery information management apparatus;

acquisition means for acquiring battery addition information corresponding to the selected battery in accordance with a result of comparison by said management apparatus of said first and second keys transmitted by said second transmission means; and

third transmission means for transmitting battery charge confirmation information to said software battery information management apparatus in response to the acquisition of the battery addition information,

wherein said software battery information management apparatus generates log information on the basis of the battery charge confirmation information.

7. A client terminal according to claim 6, further comprising:

inquiring means for inquiring whether or not the battery which is available from said software battery information management apparatus, has already been managed; and

display control means for affecting control so as to display a battery with classification thereof in accordance with a result of the inquiry by said inquiring means.