Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium storing program

• US 9,729,656 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takeshi, Yamagishi, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Linh T.
• Application Number:
  US13/566,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709220, 709224, 709228, 709230-231, 709201, 709217, 709219, 370338, 370328, 382232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A timeout time used when acquiring data is decided based on data to be acquired from a server.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data acquisition device configured to acquire data to undergo data processing;

a management server; and

a conversion server configured to convert a data format of the data which is stored in an external server,

wherein the management server receives a job request for processing of data selected by a user using an operation unit, and acquires information about a data format of the data from the external server or a predetermined device having the operation unit,

wherein, based on the acquired information about the data format of the data, the management server decides timeout information which is used in a communication to be controlled by the data acquisition device,

wherein, if a data format of the data stored in the external server is a first format, the management server transmits a job to which first location information indicating a location where the data is stored in the external server is added, to the data acquisition device, and does not add timeout information to the job, and the data acquisition device receives the job and determines whether or not the timeout information is added to the job, and

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server based on the transmitted first location information, without the conversion server, the data acquisition device sets a predetermined time as a first timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the external server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the external server using the first timeout time,

and wherein, if the data format of the data stored in the external server is a second format, the management server transmits a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server and the decided timeout information are added, to the data acquisition device, and the data acquisition device receives the job and determines whether or not the timeout information is added to the job, and

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets a time, specified by the added timeout information, which is longer than the predetermined time, as a second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time,

wherein the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server in the communication in accordance with the first timeout time or from the conversion server in the communication in accordance with the second timeout time, and executes the data processing to the acquired data based on the job transmitted from the management server.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first timeout time corresponds to a time after the data acquisition device requests the data to the external server, and the second timeout time corresponds to a time after the data acquisition device requests the data to the conversion server.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein if the data format is the second format, the data acquisition device transmits the second location information to the conversion server, and then the conversion server acquires the data from the external server by accessing the external server in accordance with the second location information, and then converts the data format of the acquired data.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the management server further acquires server information relating to the external server from the external server and determines the time to be set as the second timeout time in accordance with the server information relating to the external server.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the server information includes performance and an access status of the external server.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the management server specifies a data size of the data, and determines the time to be set as the second timeout time based on the specified data size of the data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the conversion server acquires the data from the external server and converts the data format of the data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the conversion server executes the acquisition of the data from the external server, without the management server.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data acquisition device is a printer, and the printer prints an image based on the acquired data.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first format includes JPEG format.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein if the data format of the data is PDF, the conversion server converts the data format to the JPEG format.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising, if the data format of the data stored in the external server is the second format, the management server determines whether or not the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time,

in a case where the management server determines that the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time, the management server transmits a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server is added, to the data acquisition device, and does not add the decided timeout information to the job, and the data acquisition device receives the job and determines whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device requests acquisition of the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets the predetermined time as the second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined time is predetermined based on an environment of a network among the data acquisition device, the conversion server, and the external server.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the management server decides the timeout information based on need of a process performed by the conversion server.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising, if the data format of the data stored in the external server is the second format, the management server determines whether or not the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time,

in a case where the management server determines that the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time, the management server transmits a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server is added, to the data acquisition device, and does not add the decided timeout information to the job, and the data acquisition device receives the job and determines whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device requests acquisition of the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets the predetermined time as the second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined time is predetermined based on an environment of a network among the data acquisition device, the conversion server, and the external server.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the management server decides the timeout information based on need of a process performed by the conversion server.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, further comprising, if the data format of the data stored in the external server is the second format, the management server determines whether or not the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time,

in a case where the management server determines that the decided timeout information is less than the predetermined time, the management server transmits a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server is added, to the data acquisition device, and does not add the decided timeout information to the job, and the data acquisition device receives the job and determines whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device requests acquisition of the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets the predetermined time as the second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined time is predetermined based on an environment of a network among the data acquisition device, the conversion server, and the external server.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the management server decides the timeout information based on need of a process performed by the conversion server.

18. A method executed in a system comprising a data acquisition device configured to acquire data to undergo data processing, an external server that stores the data, a management server, and a conversion server configured to convert a data format of the data stored in the external server, the method comprising:

the management server receiving a job request for processing of data selected by a user using an operation unit;

the management server acquiring, from the external server or a predetermined device having the operation unit, information about a data format of the data;

the management server deciding timeout information which is used in a communication to be controlled by the data acquisition device, based on the acquired information about the data format of the data;

if a data format of the data stored in the external server is a first format, transmitting, by the management server, a job to which first location information indicating a location where the data is stored in the external server is added, to the data acquisition device, and not adding, by the management server, timeout information for specifying a timeout time, to the job, and the data acquisition device receiving the job and determining whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server based on the transmitted first location information, without the conversion server, the data acquisition device sets a predetermined time as a first timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the external server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the external server using the first timeout time;

if the data format of the data stored in the external server is a second format, the management server transmitting a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server, and the decided timeout information are added, to the data acquisition device, and the data acquisition device receiving the job and determining whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets a time, specified by the added timeout information, which is longer than the predetermined time, as a second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time, and

wherein the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server in the communication in accordance with the first timeout time or from the conversion server in the communication in accordance with the second timeout time, and executes the data processing to the acquired data based on the job transmitted from the management server.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer system to execute a method in a system comprising a data acquisition device configured to acquire data to undergo data processing, an external server that stores the data, a management server, and a conversion server configured to convert a data format of the data stored in the external server, the program comprising code to execute:

the management server receiving a job request for processing of data selected by a user using an operation unit;

the management server acquiring, from the external server or a predetermined device having the operation unit, information about a data format of the data;

the management server deciding timeout information which is used in a communication to be controlled by the data acquisition device, based on the acquired information about the data format of the data;

if a data format of the data stored in the external server is a first format, transmitting, by the management server, a job to which first location information indicating a location where the data is stored in the external server is added, to the data acquisition device, and not adding, by the management server, timeout information for specifying a timeout time, to the job, and the data acquisition device receiving the job and determining whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is not added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server based on the transmitted first location information, without the conversion server, data acquisition device sets a predetermined time as a first timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the external server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the external server using the first timeout time;

if the data format of the data stored in the external server is a second format, the management server transmitting a job to which second location information indicating a location where the data to be converted by the conversion server is stored in the conversion server, and the decided timeout information are added, to the data acquisition device, and data acquisition device receiving the job and determining whether or not the timeout information is added to the job,

wherein, in a case where the data acquisition device determines that the timeout information is added to the job, the data acquisition device acquires the data from the conversion server based on the transmitted second location information, the data acquisition device sets a time, specified by the added timeout information, which is longer than the predetermined time, as a second timeout time used for a communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server, and controls the communication for acquisition of the data from the conversion server using the second timeout time, and

wherein the data acquisition device acquires the data from the external server in the communication in accordance with the first timeout time or from the conversion server in the communication in accordance with the second timeout time, and executes the data processing to the acquired data based on the job transmitted from the management server.