Information processing apparatus and its control method for managing distributed processing of at least one of the device information and operation states

• US 7,936,466 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu; Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Augustin; Marcellus
• Application Number:
  US11/449,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 358/296, 358/474, 358 11- 118
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0177 Rotating set of developing units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1221 with regard to power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An information processing apparatus manages distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode. The apparatus includes a retriever, arranged to retrieve device information and operation states of the plurality of devices, and a selector, arranged to select target devices of the distributed processing based on at least one of the device information and operation states.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, comprising:

a retriever, arranged to retrieve device information and an operation state of each device; and

a selector, arranged to select target devices of the distributed processing,

wherein the device information indicates a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode and a continuous time in an unused state of the device, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein said selector selects the target devices, each of which has the remaining time more than a predetermined first time, and the continuous time less than a predetermined second time, other than a device in the power-saving mode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device information further indicates an unused time required until the device will shift to the power saving mode, which is set in the device and a consumption power of the device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said selector selects even the device in the power-saving mode, which requires the consumption power smaller than other devices, as the target device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification section arranged to notify information indicating the target devices selected by said selector to a request source of the distributed processing.

5. An information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, comprising:

a retriever, arranged to retrieve device information and an operation state of each device; and

a setter, arranged to set distributed processing amounts to be distributed to the plurality of devices based on device information and operation states retrieved from the plurality of devices,

wherein the device information indicates a processing capacity of the device and a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein said setter determines the distributed processing amounts in accordance with the processing capacity and remaining time of each device other than a device in the power-saving mode.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a notification section arranged to notify the distributed processing amounts set by said setter to a request source of the distributed processing.

7. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving device information and an operation state of each device; and

selecting target devices of the distributed processing,

wherein the device information indicates a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode and a continuous time in an unused state of the device, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein in the selecting step, the target devices, each of which has the remaining time more than a predetermined first time, and the continuous time less than a predetermined second time, other than a device in the power-saving mode are selected.

8. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving device information and an operation state of each device; and

setting distributed processing amounts to be distributed to the plurality of devices based on device information and operation states retrieved from the plurality of devices,

wherein the device information indicates a processing capacity of the device and a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein in the setting step, the distributed processing amounts are determined in accordance with the processing capacity and remaining time of each device other than a device in the power-saving mode.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method of controlling an information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving device information and an operation state of each device; and

selecting target devices of the distributed processing,

wherein the device information indicates a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode and a continuous time in an unused state of the device, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein in the selecting step, the target devices, each of which has the remaining time more than a predetermined first time, and the continuous time less than a predetermined second time, other than a device in the power-saving mode are selected.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method of controlling an information processing apparatus for managing distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving device information and an operation state of each device; and

setting distributed processing amounts to be distributed to the plurality of devices based on device information and operation states retrieved from the plurality of devices,

wherein the device information indicates a processing capacity of the device and a remaining time until the device will shift to the power-saving mode, and the operation state indicates whether or not the device is in the power-saving mode,

wherein in the setting step, the distributed processing amounts are determined in accordance with the processing capacity and remaining time of each device other than a device in the power-saving mode.