Communication system and relay device

• US 9,811,295 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Mori, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rust, Eric A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhingra, Pawandeep
• Application Number:
  US14/672,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

Each of a plurality of servers may transmit first server identification information identifying the first server to the relay device. An terminal may transmit first access target information to a relay device. The relay device may store the first server identification information in a first memory of the relay device, in association with the first access target information. The terminal may transmit second access target information to a second server. The second server may transmit the received second access target information and second server identification information to the relay device. The relay device may cause the second server to access the image forming device identified by the second access target information.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of image forming devices;

a plurality of servers;

a terminal; and

a relay device comprising a first memory and a communication interface,

wherein each image forming device, each server, the terminal, and the relay device are configured to communicate with each other,

wherein a first server, which is one each of the plurality of servers, is configured to;

receive registration information that indicates the first server is to be registered in the relay device; and

transmit first server identification information identifying the first server to the relay device in response to receiving the registration information,

wherein the terminal is configured to;

transmit first access target information to the relay device, the first access target information identifying a first image forming device associated with the first server identification information;

receive a target designating operation that desginates a particular image foiming device, the particular image forming device being one of the plurality of image foiming devices; and

transmit second access target information to a second server, the second access target information indicating the particular image forming device, and the second server being one of the plurality of servers,

wherein the second server is configured to, when the second access target information transmitted from the terminal is received, transmit the received second access target information and second server identification information to the relay device, the second server identification information identifying the second server,

wherein the relay device is configured to;

receive first server identification information via the communication interface, the first server identification information being transmitted from the first server selected from among the plurality of servers, and identifying the first server;

receive first access target information via the communication interface in a state of being associated with the first server identification information, the first access target information being transmitted from the terminal, and identifying the first image forming device to be an access target of the first server;

store the received first server identification information and the received first access target information in the first memory, in association with each other;

receive second access target information and second server identification information via the communication interface from the second server selected from among the plurality of servers, the second access target information identifying the particular image forming device that is an access target of the second server, and having been transmitted to the second server from the terminal, and the second server identification information identifying the second server;

determine whether the first server identification information indicates the second server that is identified by the second server identification information;

determine whether the first access target information indicates the particular image forming device that is identified by the second access target information; and

when it is determined that the first server identification information indicates the second server that is identified by the second server identification information, and the first access target information indicates the particular image forming device that is identified by the second access target information, cause the second server to access the particular image forming device identified by the second access target information.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the relay device stores each of a plurality of user identification information and one or more image forming device identification information in the first memory in association with each other, the user identification information identifying a plurality of users, and the one or more image forming device identification information identifying one or more of the plurality of image forming devices,

the first access target information including first user identification information is received by the relay device from the terminal, the first user identification information identifying a first user operating the terminal,

the second access target information including second user identification information is received by the relay device from the second server, the second user identification information identifying a second user operating the terminal, and

the relay device is configured to:

specify the image forming device identified by the first access target information, in a case that the first user identification information included in the first access target information is stored in the first memory, by specifying one or more image processing information stored in the first memory in association with the first user identification information; and

specify the image forming device identified by the second access target information, in a case that the second user identification information included in the second access target information is stored in the first memory, by specifying one or more image processing information stored in the first memory in association with the second user identification information.

3. The communiation system according to claim 1, wherein

the first access target information including first image forming device identification information is received by the relay device from the terminal, the first image forming device identification information identifying a first image forming device being an access target of the first server,

the second access target information including second image forming device identification information is received by the relay device from the second server, the second image forming device identification information identifying a second image forming device being an access target of the second server, and

the relay device is configured to:

specify the first image forming device by using the first image forming device identification information included in the first access target information; and

specify the second image forming device by using the second image forming device identification information included in the second access target information.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the relay device is further configured to:

generate token information identifying the first server;

store the generated token information in the first memory, in association with the first access target information transmitted from the terminal; and

transmit the generated token information to the first server,

the first server is further configured to store the token information transmitted from the relay device in a second memory provided in the first server,

the second server transmits token information to the relay device in a case that the token information for identifying the second server is stored in a third memory of the second server, and

in a case that the received token information received from the second server matches the token information stored in the first memory in association with the first or second access target information, the relay device is configured to transmit the process information to the image forming device identified by the first or second access target information that is associated with the received token information.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the relay device is configured to transmit acceptance receiving screen information to the terminal, the acceptance receiving screen information causing a display provided in the terminal to display an acceptance receiving screen,

the terminal is configured to:

receive the acceptance receiving screen information;

display the acceptance receiving screen on the display;

receive an input of an access acceptance via the acceptance receiving screen, the access acceptance allowing the first server to access the first image forming device; and

transmit acceptance information to the relay device when the input of the access acceptance is received, the acceptance information indicating that the registered sever device has been allowed to access the first image forming device,

the relay device generates the token information when the acceptance information is received,

the first server transmits the first server identification information to the terminal,

the terminal transmits the first server identification information to the relay device when the first server identification information is received, and

the relay device transmits the acceptance receiving screen information to the terminal when the first server identification information transmitted by the terminal is received.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first server transmits address information and the first server identification information to the terminal, the address information including the relay device as a destination address,

the terminal transmits the first server identification information to the relay device when the first server identification information and the address information are received, and

the first access target information is transmitted from the terminal to the relay device in a state in which the terminal transmits the first access target information to the relay device in relation to the transmuting of the first server identification information from the terminal to the relay device.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a managing device configured to connect to the relay device and the terminal, wherein

the managing device is configured to transmit the first server identification information and first input accepting screen information to the terminal, the first input accepting screen information causing a display provided in the terminal to display a first input accepting screen, and the first input accepting screen configured to accept an input of the first access target information identifying the first image foaming device,

the terminal is configured to:

display the first input accepting screen on the display when the first input accepting screen information is received; and

transmit the first server identification information and the first access target information to the managing device when the input of the first server identification information and the first access target information is accepted,

the managing device is configured to transmit the first server identification information and the first access target information received from the terminal to the relay device,

the relay device is configured to store the first server identification information and the first access target information received from the managing device, in association with each other in the first memory, and

a state in which the first server identification information and the first access target information are associated with each other is realized by the managing device transmiting the first server identification information and the first access target information to the relay device.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of image forming devices is provided with a plurality of functions,

the terminal is configured to transmit first selected function identifying information to the relay device in a state of being associated with the first server identification information,

the first selected function identifying information identifying a first selected function that is selected from among the plurality of functions and that is to be executed by the first image forming device,

the relay device further stores the first selected function identifying information transmitted from the terminal in the first memory, in association with the first server identification information and the first access target information,

the terminal is configured to transmit second selected function identifying information to the selected sever device in a state of being associated with the second access target information,

the second selected function identifying information identifying a second selected function that is selected from among the plurality of functions and that is to be executed by the second image forming device, and

the relay device causes the second server to access an image forming device identified by the second access target information on condition that the second selected function identified by the second selected function identifying information transmitted from the terminal is included within a scope of the first selected function identified by the first selected function identifying information stored in the first memory.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein

the plurality of servers includes a superior server and a subordinate server,

one or more functions provided in the subordinate server are included in one or more functions provided in the superior server,

the terminal is the superior server,

the first server is the subordinate server, and

the terminal transmits first selected function identifying information to the relay device, the first selected function identifying information identifying the first selected function selected from among the plurality of functions and included in the one or more functions provided in the superior server.

10. A relay device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of image forming devices, a plurality of servers, and a terminal;

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions,

wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the relay device to;

receive first server identification information via the communication interface, the first server identification information being transmitted from a first server selected from among the plurality of servers, and identifying the first server;

receive first access target information via the communication interface in a state of being associated with the first server identification information, the first access target information being transmitted from the terminal, and identifying a first image forming device to be an access target of the first server;

store the received first server identification information and the received first access target information in the memory, in association with each other;

receive second access target information and second server identification information via the communication interface from a second server selected from among the plurality of servers, the second access target information identifying a second image forming device that is an access target of the second server, and having been transmitted to the second server from the terminal, and the second server identification information identifying the second server;

determine whether the first server identification information indicates the second server that is identified by the second server identification information;

determine whether the first access target information indicates the second image forming device that is identified by the second access target information; and

when it is determined that the first server identification information indicates the second server that is identified by the second server identification information, and the first access target information indicates the second image forming device that is identified by the second access target information, cause the second server to access the second image forming device identified by the second access target information.

11. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to store each of a plurality of user identification information and one or more image forming device identification information in the memory, in association with each other, the plurality of user identification information identifying a plurality of users, and the one or more image forming device identification information identifying one or more of the plurality of image forming devices,

the first access target information including first user identification information is received from the terminal, the first user identification information identifying a first user operating the terminal,

the second access target information including second image forming device identification information is received from the selected server, the second image forming device identification information identifying a second image forming device being an access target of the second server, and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

specify the image forming device identified by the first access target information, in a case that the first user identification information included in the first access target information is stored in the memory, by specifying one or more image processing information stored in the memory in association with the first user identification information; and

specify the second image forming device by the second image forming device identification information included in the second access target information.

12. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to store each of a plurality of user identification information and one or more image forming device identification information in the memory in association with each other,

the user identification information identifying a plurality of users, and

the one or more image forming device identification information identifying one or more of the plurality of image forming devices,

the first access target information including first user identification information is received from the terminal, the first user identification information identifying a first user operating the terminal,

the second access target information including second user identification information is received from the second server, the second user identification information identifying a second user operating the terminal,

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

specify the image forming device identified by the first access target information, in a case that the first user identification information included in the first access target information is stored in the memory, by specifying one or more image processing information stored in the memory in association with the first user identification information; and

specify the image forming device identified by the second access target information, in a case that the second user identification information included in the second access target information is stored in the memory, by specifying one or more image processing information stored in the memory in association with the second user identification information.

13. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the first access target information including first image forming device identification information is received from the terminal,

the first image forming device identification information identifying a first image forming device being an access target of the first server,

the second access target information including second image forming device identification information is received from the second server,

the second image forming device identification information identifying a second image forming device being an access target of the second server,

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

specify the first image forming device by using the first image forming device identification information included in the first access target information; and

specify the second image forming device by using the second image forming device identification information included in the second access target information.

14. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

generate token information identifying the first server;

store the generated token information in the memory in association with the first access target information transmitted from the terminal; and

transmit the generated token information to the first server so that the token information is stored in a server memory provided in the first server,

when token information identifying the second server is stored in the server memory provided in the second server, the token information is received from the second server, and

in a case that the received token information is stored in the memory in association with the first or second access target information, the relay device is configured to cause the second server to access the image forming device identified by the first or second access target information that is associated with the received token information.

15. The relay device according to claim 14, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

transmit acceptance receiving screen information to the terminal,

the acceptance receiving screen information causing a display provided in the terminal to display an acceptance receiving screen, which is used in the terminal to receive an input of an access acceptance allowing the first server to access the first image forming device; and

receive acceptance information indicating that the registered sever device has been allowed to access the first image forming device, and

the token information is generated when the acceptance information is received.

16. The relay device according to claim 15, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to transmit the acceptance receiving screen information to the terminal when the first server identification information, which had been transmitted from the server to the terminal, and thereafter transmitted from the terminal to the relay device, is received.

17. The relay device according to claim 14, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

generate access key information when the first server identification information and the first access target information are received;

store the generated access key information in the memory in association with the first server identification information;

transmit the generated access key information to the first server; and

receive token information requesting information from the first server when the access key information is transmitted,

the token information requesting information requesting the token information to the relay device and including the access key information and the first server identification information, and

the token information is generated in a case that the access key information and the first server identification information included in the received token information requesting information are stored in the memory in association with each other.

18. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

a state in which the first server identification information and the first access target information are associated with each other is a state of receiving the first access target information in association with the first server identification information, having been transmitted from the server to the terminal, and thereafter transmitted from the terminal to the relay device.

19. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

each of the plurality of image forming devices includes a plurality of functions,

the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the relay device to:

receive first selected function identifying information from the terminal, in a state of being associated with the first server identification information,

the first selected function identifying information identifying a first selected function that is selected from among the plurality of functions and that is to be executed by the first image forming device;

store the first selected function identifying information transmitted from the terminal in the memory, in association with the first server identification information and the first access target information; and

receive second selected function identifying information from the terminal, in a state of being associated with the second access target information,

the second selected function identifying information identifying a second selected function that is selected from among the plurality of functions and that is to be executed by the second image forming device, and

the relay device is configured to causes the second server to access an image forming device identified by the second access target information on condition that the second selected function identified by the second selected function identifying information transmitted from the terminal is included within a scope of the first selected function identified by the first selected function identifying information stored in the memory.

20. The relay device according to claim 19, wherein

the plurality of servers includes a superior server and a subordinate server,

one or more functions provided in the subordinate server are included in one or more functions provided in the superior server,

the terminal is the superior server,

the first server is the subordinate server, and

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to receive first selected function identifying information from the terminal,

the first selected function identifying information identifying the first selected function selected from among the plurality of functions and included in the one or more functions provided in the superior server.

21. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

receive server identification information identifying the plurality of servers from each of the plurality of servers;

store the received server identification information in the memory; and

transmit second input accepting screen information to the terminal,

the second input accepting screen information causing a display provided in the terminal to display a second input accepting screen, and

the second input accepting screen configured to accept an input of a selection of the second server from among the plurality of servers stored in the memory, and to accept an input of the first access target information identifying the first image forming device,

the first server identification information is received after the second input accepting screen information has been transmitted,

the first access target information is received after the second input accepting screen information has been transmitted,

the first server identification information and the first access target information that have been received are stored in the memory in association with each other, and

a state in which the first server identification information and the first access target information are associated with each other is realized by the relay device receiving the first access target information in association with the first server identification information.

22. The relay device according to claim 10, wherein

the computer-readable instructions further cause the relay device to:

receive a process executing command from the second server, in a state of being associated with the second access target information,

the process executing command having been transmitted from the terminal, and causing the second image forming device to execute various processes; and

transmit the received process executing command to an image forming device identified by the second access target information via the Internet.