1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device management system that manages devices over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, management systems that remotely manage printer through a network have become increasingly popular. In these types of management systems, a network board is installed in each printer. This network board has a configuration file in which are set monitored items that differ according to the model of the printer, and based on this configuration file, log information such as the remaining amounts or the amounts used of consumables such as ink and print job information are collected and uploaded to the device management apparatus. The device management apparatus has printer monitoring information that indicates which printer has a network board and is monitoring. Based on the monitoring information, the device management apparatus specifies which printer the uploaded log information is collected in, associates the printer and the log information, and stores the log information. When the network board is reinstalled in a different model of printer, the administrator manually updates the printer monitoring information.
However, in the conventional management method, it is extremely complex and costly when a network board has been replaced with a printer of different model printer, because the administrator has to update manually the log collection parameters. Furthermore, there is a risk that the administrator may forget to update the configuration file or may update the different configuration file.
These problems are not limited to management systems wherein a device management apparatus manages printers, but exist in various management systems in which a device management apparatus exchanges information with a device monitoring apparatus that monitors devices, while the device management apparatus manages the devices.
In order to address at least one of the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a device management apparatus that is connected with a device monitoring apparatus through a network, wherein the device monitoring apparatus monitors a device. The device management apparatus comprises a receiving module that receives use information and device identification information from the device monitoring apparatus, wherein the use information includes status of use of the device and the device identification information includes information for specifying the device that is targeted for monitoring, a use information storage module that stores the received use information and the received device identification information, an association module that associates the received use information and the received device identification information, and a management module that manages the device based on the use information.
Using the device management apparatus, the use information is able to be associated with a device even when the use information for multiple devices is included in the received use information from the device monitoring apparatus, and consistency of association with the device and the use information may be maintained. Furthermore, the administrative burden is able to be reduced by managing device use information using this device management apparatus.
A second aspect of the present invention provides the device monitoring apparatus that is connected with a device management apparatus through a network. The device monitoring apparatus comprises a use information obtaining module that obtains use information including status of use of the device based on monitored item configuration information, wherein the monitored item configuration information has an item for monitoring the device, a use information storage module that stores the obtained use information, a device identification information obtaining module that obtains device identification information for specifying the device that is targeted for monitoring, and a transmission module that transmits the use information and the device identification information to the device management apparatus.
According to the device monitoring apparatus of the present invention, the device monitoring apparatus is able to transmit the use information and the device identification information to the device management apparatus. Therefore, the device management apparatus is able to associate and manage use information and devices based on device identification information.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on embodiments.
A1. System Structure
The printer PRT2 has a network board NB1 that serves as a network interface. The network board NB1 monitors and collects logs of the status of use of the printer PRT2 based on a configuration file not shown. The items monitored include, for example, the remaining amounts of consumables such as ink. The network board NB1 stores log files having the collected log information and uploads log files to the management server SV as appropriate. Different items are included in the configuration file for each printer serial number. In this embodiment, the network board NB1 that was installed in the printer PRT2 may be reinstalled in the printer PRT1 as shown by the solid arrow in
The network board NB1 checks the serial number of the printer PRT1 in which the network board NB1 is installed and the serial number of the printer PRT2 recorded on the network board NB1. When the two serial numbers are not identical, the network board NB1 notifies the management server SV of the serial number of the printer PRT1, the MAC address of the network board NB1 and update time at which the network board NB1 determined that the serial numbers of the printer PRT1 and the printer PRT2 differ, as indicated by the broken arrow in
The management server SV has printer monitoring information in which the time that the network board NB1 began printer monitoring and the printer monitored by the network board NB1 are associated. The management server SV receives the serial number of the printer PRT1, the MAC address of the network board NB1 and the update time from the network board NB1, and records the serial number of the printer PRT1, the MAC address of the network board NB1 and the update time in the printer monitoring information. After the recording, the management server SV transmits the configuration file corresponding to the serial number of the printer PRT1 to the network board NB1. The configuration file includes the items for monitoring the printer PRT1 by the network board NB1.
The network board NB1 monitors the printer PRT1 based on the received configuration file and collects log information regarding the remaining ink amount and other information pertaining to the printer PRT1. The network board NB1 periodically uploads the collected log information to the management server SV.
The management server SV associates the uploaded log file with the printer corresponding to the log file based on the log collected time and the printer monitoring information.
A2. Function Blocks
A2-1. Printer Function Block
The print processor 252 enable a print job received via the network board NB1 enable to be printed and transfers the print job to the print engine 251. The print engine 251 prints the transferred print job. The serial number 241 of the printer PRT1 is recorded in the non-volatile memory 253. As shown in
The network board NB1 includes a CPU 201, a log collection module 202, a monitoring information notification module 205, an upload module 206, a communication module 207, a clock 208, a MAC address storage module 209, a configuration file storage module 220, a log storage module 230 and a serial number storage module 240. The log collection module 202, monitoring information notification module 205, upload module 206 and communication module 207 are implemented via software controlled by the CPU 201. Each of these function blocks may alternatively be implemented via hardware, however. A Memories installed on the network board NB1 has the configuration file storage module 220, log storage module 230 and serial number storage module 240. The MAC address storage module 209 is recorded in a non-volatile memory installed on the network board NB1.
The clock 208 is a real-time clock that maintains the current time even if the power supply of the printer PRT1 is turned OFF.
The serial number of the printer to be monitored by the network board NB1 is stored in the serial number storage module 240.
The monitoring information notification module 205 determines whether the serial number 241 of the printer PRT1 recorded in the non-volatile memory 253 (hereinafter termed the ‘current serial number 241’) is identical to the serial number 241a recorded in the serial number storage module 240. When monitoring information notification module 205 determines that the serial numbers are not identical, the monitoring information notification module 205 determines that the network board NB1 has been reinstalled, and obtains the MAC address 210 of the network board NB1 with reference to the MAC address storage module 209 and the current time at that moment (the ‘update time’) with reference to the clock 208. Next, the monitoring information notification module 205 then transmits the current serial number 241, network board NB1 MAC address and update time to the management server SV.
Together with transmitting the current serial number 241, MAC address 210 and update time, the monitoring information notification module 205 transmits a request to obtain the configuration file corresponding to the printer PRT1. The monitoring information notification module 205 receives the configuration file 221 in response to this request and stores the configuration file 221 in the configuration file storage module 220. The monitoring information notification module 205 includes the functions of the ‘device identification information obtaining module’ and the monitoring information transmission module’ of the present invention.
The log collection module 202 determines with reference to the clock 208 whether it is time to collect log information. When it is time to collect log information, the log collection module 202 collects log information regarding the status of use of the printer PRT1 based on the monitored items included in the configuration file 221, generates a log file, and stores the log file in the log storage module 230. The time of collection of the log information is included in the log file. The log collection module 202 corresponds to the ‘use information obtaining module’ of the present invention. The details of the configuration file 221 are described with reference to
The ‘Model name’ indicates the model name ‘LP-900C’ of the printer PRT1. The ‘Monitoring interval’ is set at ‘60 minutes’, indicating that the log collection module 202 collects log information regarding the items set in the monitored items (1)-(5) every 60 minutes after monitoring is begun, with reference to the clock 208. ‘Remaining yellow amount’ is set in the monitored item (1), indicating that the remaining amount of yellow ink is to be monitored. Similarly, the monitored item (2) indicates the monitoring of the remaining amount of magenta ink, the monitored item (3) indicates the monitoring of the remaining amount of cyan ink, and the monitored item (4) indicates the monitoring of the-remaining amount of black ink. Set in the monitored item (5) is ‘Remaining photo conductor amount’, indicating that the remaining amount of the photo conductor of the printer PRT1 is to be monitored.
Returning to
The upload module 206 uploads the log files stored in the log storage module 230 to the management server SV when it is time to upload log files.
A2-2. Management Server Function Block
The communication module 301 is a so-called network interface, and enables communication with the network board NB1 or log DB 20 and other components.
When the current serial number 241, MAC address 210 and update time are obtained from the network board NB1, the printer monitoring information management module 303 registers the current serial number 241, MAC address 210 and update time in the printer monitoring information stored in the printer monitoring information storage module 330. The printer monitoring information management module 303 and the printer monitoring information storage module 330 include functions corresponding to those of the ‘device identification information storage module’ of the management device of the present invention. The printer monitoring information will now be described with reference to
For example, printer monitoring information 331 shows that the network board NB1 having a MAC address of ‘00:00:40:00:00:01’ monitors the printer PRT2 having the serial number of ‘SN002’ from ‘2004/10/01 09:00:32’, and monitors the printer PRT1 having the serial number of ‘SN001’ from ‘2004/10/03 09:00:10’. In other words, the network board NB1 monitors the printer PRT2 during the period from ‘2004/10/01 09:00:32’ to ‘2004/10/03 09:00:09’, and starts to monitor the printer PRT1 from at ‘2004/10/03 09:00:10’.
Returning to
Multiple configuration files are stored in the configuration file storage module 320 for each printer serial number. Configuration file management information is stored in the configuration file management information storage module 310. The configuration file management information 311 is information that associates the configuration file for monitoring a printer by network board with the printer's serial number. The configuration file management information 311 will be described in detail below with reference to
Returning to
A log management table 341 is stored in the log management table storage module 340.The log management table 341 is described in detail below with reference to
The association module 305 is a part of the log storage module 304. The association module 305 records associations between log files and printers based on (i) the collection times of the log files uploaded from the network board NB1 and (ii) the printer monitoring information storage module 330. The association module 305 corresponds to the ‘association module’ of the present invention.
The log storage module 304 stores log files in the log DB 20. In this embodiment, the log DB 20 is separated from the management server SV, but the log DB 20 may be integrated therewith. In addition, in this embodiment, the log DB 20 and the management server SV are connected through a network, but the log DB 20 may be connected locally to the management server SV via a SCSI interface or other interface installed therein. The log DB 20 and the log storage module 304 include functions corresponding to the ‘use information storage module’ of the management apparatus of present invention.
A3. Printer Monitoring Process
The network board NB1 obtains the current serial number 241 from the printing unit 250 (step S10). The network board NB1 then obtains the serial number 241a with reference to the serial number storage module 240 (step S11).
The network board NB1 compares the current serial number 241 and the serial number 241a (step S12) and determines whether or not the two serial numbers are identical (step S13). If the two serial numbers are identical (YES in step S13), the network board NB1 begins monitoring the printer PRT1 and collects the log information (step S16). By determining whether or not the two serial numbers are identical when power supply of the printer is turned ON, the processing burden is able to be reduced without having to repeat the operation of obtaining a configuration file.
If the two serial numbers are not identical (NO in step S13), the network board NB1 obtains the configuration file corresponding to the printer PRT1 (step S14). The operation to obtain the configuration file is described in detail below with reference to
When the management server SV receives the current serial number 241, MAC address 210 and update time, the management server SV updates the printer monitoring information 331 (step S40). The operation to update the printer monitoring information 331 is described in detail below with reference to
Returning to
The network board NB1 receives the configuration file transmitted from the management server SV and stores the configuration file in the configuration file storage module 220 (step S32).
Returning to
A4. Log Storage Process
The network board NB1 refers to the clock 208 (step S60) and determines whether or not the time for uploading log files to the management server SV has arrived (step S61). If the upload time has not arrived yet (NO in step S61), the network board NB1 returns to step S60 and repeats the process. If the upload time has arrived (YES in step S61), the network board NB1 obtains the log files stored in the log storage module 230 and the MAC address of the network board NB1 and uploads the log files and the MAC address (step S62). The network board NB1 then deletes the uploaded log files (step S63).
When the management server SV receives the log files uploaded from the network board NB1 and the MAC address 210 of the network board NB1 (step S70), the management server SV refers to the log file collection times 231a (step S71). The management server SV then refers to the printer monitoring information 331 (step S72) and specifies the serial number for the printer associated with each log file (step S73).
The management server SV then associates and records the specified serial numbers and log files in the log management table 341 (step S74) and stores the log files in the log DB 20 (step S75).
According to the printer management system 1000 of the first embodiment described above, the management server SV is able to keep track of the most current printer/network board combinations through the use of a printer management table. Furthermore, because the management server SV keeps track of the times during which the network board was monitoring each printer based on the printer management table, the management server SV is able to easily associate a log file with a printer based on (i) the time in the log file that was uploaded by the network board and (ii) the printer management table. Therefore, even while log files for multiple printers are included in the log files uploaded from the network board NB1, the management server SV is able to associate each log file with printer and is able to ensure consistency in determining which log files were collected for which printers. Furthermore, the management server SV is able to efficiently keep track of the state of use and state of failure of the printers based on log files. In addition, the administrator is able to reduce the administrative burden by managing printer log files using the above management server SV.
B. Second Embodiment
In a second embodiment, after the network board NB1 is replaced from the printer PRT2 to the printer PRT1, the serial number of the printer PRT1 is stored in the log storage module 230 as a log file, and uploading to the management server SV is carried out in ascending order of the collection times of the log files accumulated in the log storage module 230.
B1. Function Blocks:
B1-1 Log Storage Module:
B1-2. Management Server SV Function Block
The association module 305 includes a serial number primary storage module 305a and comprises a part of the association module 305. The association module 305 refers to the log files that were uploaded from the network board NB1 in the order in which they were uploaded. When the log file contents comprise a serial number, association module 305 stores the serial number in the serial number primary storage module 305a. When the log file contents do not include a serial number, association module 305 associates with the serial numbers stored in the serial number primary storage module 305a and the log file name, and records the serial numbers and the log file name in the log management table 341. The log storage module 304 stores log files in the log DB 20.
B2. Log Connection Process
The network board NB1 obtains the current serial number 241 from the printing unit 250 (step S10). Next, the network board NB1 refers to the serial number storage module 240 and obtains the serial number 241a (step S11).
The network board NB1 then compares the current serial number 241 and the serial number 241a (step S12), determines whether or not the two serial numbers are identical (step S13). If the two serial numbers are identical (YES in step S13), the network board NB1 begins monitoring of the printer PRT1 and executes log collection processing (step S16).
If the two serial numbers are not identical (NO in step S13), the network board NB1 obtains the configuration file corresponding to the printer PRT1 (step S14) and updates the serial number storage module 240 (step S15).
The network board NB1 then generates a log file that records the current serial number 241 and stores this log file in the log storage module 230 (step S200), and thereafter begins the log collection process (step S16).
B3. Log Upload Process
The network board NB1 refers to the log storage module 230 and designates the log with the earliest collection time as the log to be uploaded (step S80). The network board NB1 then uploads the log to be uploaded to the management server SV (step S81) and deletes the uploaded log (step S82).
The network board NB1 determines whether uploading of all of the logs stored in the log storage module 230 has been completed (step S83), and if uploading of all logs has not been completed (NO in step S83), the log having the earliest collection time among the logs remaining in the log storage module 230 is designated as a log to be uploaded (step S80), and the process is repeated. When the network board NB1 completes uploading of all logs (YES in step S83), the network board NB1 ends processing.
B4. Log Storage Process
When the management server SV receives log files uploaded from the network board NB1 (step S90), refers to the first received log file (step S91) and determines whether or not the log file contents comprise a serial number (step S92). If the log file contents includes a serial number (YES in step S92), the management server SV stores the serial number in the serial number primary storage module 305a (step S94) and determines whether or not all uploaded log files are stored in the log DB 20 (step S97). If the management server SV stores all log files (YES in step S97), processing ends. If the management server SV has not stored of all log files (NO in step S97), refers to the next received log file (step S98) and the operations beginning with step S92 are repeated.
If the log file contents do not comprise a serial number (NO in step S92), [the network board NB1] refers to the serial number primary storage module 305a, obtains the stored serial number (step S93), registers the association between the obtained serial number and the log file in the log management table 341 (step S95), and stores the log file in the log DB 20 (step S96). The network board NB1 then determines whether or not all uploaded log files are stored in the DB 20 (step S97). If all log files are stored (YES in step S97), processing is ended. If storage of all log files is not completed (NO in step S97), [the network board NB1 refers to the next received log file (step S98) and the operations beginning with step S92 are repeated.
According to the printer management system of the second embodiment described above, the network board NB1 generates log files in which a serial number is recorded such that the log files always have an earlier collection time than normal log files, and is able to upload a serial number log file and log files corresponding to that serial number. Because the management server SV is able to associate the log files received after a serial number log file is received and before the next serial number log file is received as the log files belonging to the previously received serial number log file, the log files uploaded from the network board NB1 is able to be easily associated with printers without the need to keep track of associations between the network board NB1 and printers.
In this embodiment, as shown in
In this embodiment, a construction was described in which log files are uploaded only from the network board NB1, but the present invention is not limited to this implementation. Where log files are uploaded from multiple network boards, for example, the log storage process shown in
C. Third Embodiment
In a third embodiment, the network board NB1 has printer monitoring information that specifies the time at which each printer was monitored by the network board NB1. The network board NB1 transmits printer monitoring information to the management server SV prior to log file uploading. The management server SV associates and stores log files and printers based on the received printer monitoring information.
C1. Function Blocks
Printer monitoring information is stored in the printer monitoring information storage module 260. Information indicating the time at which the network board NB1 monitored each printer is registered in the printer monitoring information. The monitoring information management module 211 periodically refers to the clock 208 and registers in the printer monitoring information the time at which the network board NB1 is monitoring a printer, as well as the printer monitored. The contents of the printer monitoring information will be described with reference to
Returning to
The construction of the management server SV is identical in the second and third embodiments, and the association module 305 includes a serial number primary storage module 305a.
C2. Log Storage Process
Next, when an uploaded log file is received (step S102), the management server SV refers to the log file collection time (step S103) and specifies the serial number of the printer for which the log file was collected based on the printer monitoring information 261 stored in the printer monitoring information primary storage module 305a (step S104). The management server SV stores the specified serial number and log file name in the log management table (step S105) and stores the log file in the log DB 20 (step S106).
According to the printer management system of the third embodiment described above, the management server SV is able to associate a log file and a printer based on the received printer monitoring information 261. Therefore, the management server SV is able to reduce processing burden without needing to keep track of which printer is being monitored by the network board NB1.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims. For example, in the above embodiments, the apparatuses to be managed by the management server SV were printers, but it may be other types of devices connected to a network, such as copying machines, projectors, or computer peripherals.
The Japanese patent applications as the basis of the priority claim of this application are incorporated in the disclosure here of by reference:
(1) Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-256638 (filing data: Sep. 3, 2004).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-256638 | Sep 2004 | JP | national |