Device management system, device management method, and storage medium

Abstract

There is provided a device management system in which a management apparatus is connected, through a communication line, to a management target device which is managed by the management apparatus. When a counter value for the number of occurrences of changes in state information which is obtained from the management target device matches a counter value stored in storage means of the management apparatus, the management apparatus outputs an instruction to display state information which is stored in the storage means on display means. When it is determined that they do not match, the management apparatus outputs an instruction to display state information which is obtained from the management target device on the display means and stores the obtained state information and counter value in the storage means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device management system which is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing exemplary display of display means;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another exemplary display of the display means;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an exemplary operation of an image forming apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an exemplary operation of a client apparatus.

Claims

1. A device management system comprising: state management means for managing state information on a management target device;information storage means for storing the state information and change occurrence information on the state information;request response means for transmitting response information in response to a transmission request from a management apparatus;monitoring means for determining whether state information which is managed by the state management means has been changed from the state information stored in the information storage means, storing, if it is determined that the state information has been changed, the changed state information and updated information on the change occurrence information in the information storage means, and outputting, when receiving a transmission request from the management apparatus, to the request response means an instruction to transmit the state information or the change occurrence information which is stored in the information storage means to the management apparatus in response to the transmission request;the management target device including the state management means, the information storage means, the request response means, and the monitoring means;transmission/reception means for transmitting a transmission request to the management target device and receiving response information in response to the transmission request;storage means for storing the state information and the change occurrence information;management means for outputting to the transmission/reception means an instruction to request the management target device to transmit the change occurrence information, determining whether the change occurrence information obtained from the management target device matches the change occurrence information stored in the storage means, and outputting, if it is determined that they match, an instruction to display the state information which is stored in the storage means on display means, and outputting, if it is determined that they do not match, to the transmission/reception means an instruction to request to the management target device to transmit the state information, outputting an instruction to display the state information which is obtained from the management target device on the display means, and storing the state information and the change occurrence information which are obtained from the management target device in the storage means; andthe management apparatus including the transmission/reception means, the storage means, and the management means, and connected to the management target device through a communication line.

2. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the change occurrence information stored in the information storage means is a counter value for a number of occurrences of changes and is updated by incrementing the counter value.

3. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the management target device is an image forming apparatus.

4. The device management system according to claim 3, wherein the state information is state information on whether an optional paper-feeding device and/or an optional paper-discharge device are/is mounted.

5. The device management system according to claim 1, wherein when the management target device has been powered on or started up, the monitoring means determines whether state information which is managed by the state management means has been changed from the state information stored in the information storage means.

6. A device management method of managing, by a management apparatus, information on a management target device, the method comprising: a transmission/reception process of transmitting, by the management apparatus, a transmission request to the management target device and receiving response information in response to the transmission request; anda management process of making, by the management apparatus, a request to the management target device to transmit change occurrence information on state information, determining whether the change occurrence information obtained from the management target device matches change occurrence information stored in advance in storage means, and outputting, if it is determined that they match, an instruction to display state information which is stored in advance in the storage means on display means, and making, if it is determined that they do not match, a request to the management target device to transmit the state information, outputting an instruction to display the state information which is obtained from the management target device on the display means, and storing the state information and the change occurrence information which are obtained from the management target device in the storage means.

7. The device management method according to claim 6, wherein the change occurrence information stored in the information storage means of the management target device is a counter value for a number of occurrences of changes and is updated by incrementing the counter value.

8. The device management method according to claim 6, wherein when the management target device has been powered on or started up, monitoring means of the management target device determines whether state information which is managed by state management means of the management target device has been changed from the state information stored in the information storage means.

9. The device management method according to claim 6, wherein the state information is state information on whether an optional paper-feeding device and/or an optional paper-discharge device are/is mounted.

10. The device management method according to claim 6, wherein the management target device is an image forming apparatus.

11. A storage medium in which a device management program that causes a management apparatus to perform a predetermined process for managing a management target device is stored, the device management program causing the management apparatus to perform: a transmission/reception process of transmitting a transmission request to the management target device and receiving response information in response to the transmission request; anda management process of making a request to the management target device to transmit change occurrence information on state information, determining whether the change occurrence information obtained from the management target device matches change occurrence information stored in advance in storage means, and outputting, if it is determined that they match, an instruction to display state information which is stored in advance in the storage means on display means, and making, if it is determined that they do not match, a request to the management target device to transmit the state information, outputting an instruction to display the state information which is obtained from the management target device on the display means, and storing the state information and the change occurrence information which are obtained from the management target device in the storage means.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the change occurrence information stored in the information storage means of the management target device is a counter value for a number of occurrences of changes, andthe device management program causes the management target device to perform a process of updating the change occurrence information by incrementing the counter value.

13. The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the device management program causes monitoring means of the management target device to perform a process of determining, when the management target device has been powered on or started up, whether state information which is managed by state management means of the management target device has been changed from the state information stored in the information storage means.

14. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the state information is state information on whether an optional paper-feeding device and/or an optional paper-discharge device are/is mounted.

15. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the management target device is an image forming apparatus.