DEVICE MANAGING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESS APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, which counts process amounts in the device for each user, in a system for processing print jobs within a range of access limitation information. The information processing apparatus specifies a user who requests access authority information for a job, and a job whose access authority information is issued to that user. The apparatus checks if a process of the job is completed. The apparatus determines a printable page count of the specified user using an output process amount value of the job issued by the user, when the specified job is complete. The apparatus notifies a managing apparatus, which issues access authority information, of the printable page.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a class diagram showing the logical configuration of the overall device managing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the overall device managing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an allocation example of functional components in the device managing system shown in FIG. 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a job according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an information process apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the print operation of a printer driver according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows an example of an access control token according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of software in a copying machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the print process in the copying machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of a counting client according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a table showing an example of process amount data held by a counting server according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the counting server according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of a ticket issuing server according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a class diagram showing the logical configuration of the overall device managing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a class diagram showing the logical configuration of the overall device managing system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the overall device managing system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17A and 17B show an example of an operation dialog of an administrator utility according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 18A and 18B show an example of an access control token according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 19 shows the memory map of a CD-ROM as an example of a storage medium.

Claims

1. A device managing system in which an issuing server which issues access limitation information associated with a device, a client which issues a job including the access limitation information acquired from the issuing server, the device which prints based on the job, and a counting server which counts process amounts in the device for each user, said counting server comprises:an acquiring unit adapted to acquire a value indicated by an issuing policy flag associated with issuance of the access limitation information and managed by a managing apparatus;a holding unit adapted to hold, for each user, an in-process job flag indicating if a job process is in progress; anda notifying unit adapted to, when a query about a printable page count in the device for a user of the client which issued the job is received from said issuing server, notify said issuing server of a reply to the query based on the value indicated by the issuing policy flag acquired by said acquisition unit and a value indicated by the in-process job flag, andsaid issuing server comprises:a receiving unit adapted to receive an issuing request of access limitation information of the device for the user of the client from the client which issued the job;a sending unit adapted to send a query about a printable page count in the device to said counting server based on the issuing request received by said receiving unit; anda generating unit adapted to generate the access limitation information based on a reply from said counting server to the query sent by said sending unit.

2. An information process apparatus which collects output logs of jobs in a system for processing print jobs within a range of access limitation information, comprising: a specifying unit adapted to specify a user who requests access authority information for a job, and a job whose access authority information is issued to that user;a checking unit adapted to check if a process of the job specified by said specifying unit is completed;a determining unit adapted to determine a printable page count of the user specified by said specifying unit using an output process amount value of the job issued by the user when said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is complete; anda notifying unit adapted to notify a managing apparatus, which issues access authority information, of the printable page determined by said determining unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an acquiring unit adapted to acquire information indicating as to whether or not said determining unit determines a printable page count after waiting until said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is completed, wherein when the information acquired by said acquisition unit does not indicate that said determining unit determines a printable page count after waiting until said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is completed, said determining unit determines the printable page count of the user using an available output process amount value of a job of the user without waiting until said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is completed, and said notifying unit notifies the determined printable page count.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said acquiring unit acquires, via a network, the information indicating as to whether or not said determining unit determines a printable page count after waiting until said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is completed, and the managing apparatus issues access authority information using the printable page count notified by said notifying unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when an image process apparatus notifies an output process amount value or an output completion notification corresponding to the job issued by the user who is specified by said specifying unit and requests access authority information, said checking unit determines that the process of the job is complete, and when the image process apparatus does not notify an output process amount value or an output completion notification, said checking unit determines that the process of the job is not complete yet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when a query about a printable page count of the image process apparatus for the user of a client which issued the job is received from the managing apparatus, said notifying unit notifies the managing apparatus of a reply to the query based on the information which is acquired from the managing apparatus and indicates as to whether or not said determining unit determines a printable page count after waiting until said checking unit determines that the job specified by said specifying unit is completed, and information indicating if a process of the job is in progress.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: an acquiring unit adapted to acquire a value indicated by an issuing policy flag from the managing apparatus which manages the issuing policy flag associated with issuance of the access limitation information; anda holding unit adapted to hold, for each user, an in-process job flag indicating if a job process is in progress,wherein when a query about a printable page count of the image process apparatus for the user of a client which issued the job is received from the managing apparatus, said notifying unit notifies the managing apparatus of a reply to the query based on the value indicated by the issuing policy flag acquired by said acquiring unit and a value indicated by the in-process job flag.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a calculation unit adapted to calculate a printable page count in the image process apparatus for the user in response to a query from the managing apparatus;a first checking unit adapted to check, as a result of the calculation by said calculation unit, whether or not a predicted print page count included in the query is not more than the printable page count;a second checking unit adapted to, when said first checking unit determines that the predicted print page count is equal to the printable page count, check based on the value indicated by the issuing policy flag whether or not an in-process job in the image process apparatus need be considered; anda third checking unit adapted to, when said second checking unit determines that the in-process job need be considered, check based on the value of the in-process job flag held by said holding unit whether or not there is an in-process job for the user corresponding to the query,wherein said notifying unit notifies the managing apparatus of a reply to the query based on the checking result of one of said first to third checking unit.

9. A managing apparatus for issuing access limitation information indicating a function limitation of an image process apparatus, comprising: an acquiring unit adapted to acquire an issuing request of the access limitation information;a specifying unit adapted to specify a user who issued the request of the access limitation information acquired by said acquiring unit;a checking unit adapted to check if a process of a job issued by the user specified by said specifying unit is completed; andan issuing unit adapted to wait until completion of the job issued by the user specified by said specifying unit, and issuing, using an output process amount value of the job issued by the user, access limitation information corresponding to the user who requests to issue the access limitation information in response to completion of the process of the job determined by said checking unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when said checking unit receives a notification indicating a printable page count or completion of the process of the job from a counting device which counts output process amount values of jobs, said checking unit determines that the process of the job is complete.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an input unit adapted to input information indicating whether or not said issuing unit issues the access limitation information after waiting until completion of the process of the job issued by the user.

12. A method of controlling an information process apparatus which collects output logs of jobs in a system for processing print jobs within a range of access limitation information, comprising the steps of: specifying a user who requests access authority information for a job, and a job whose access authority information is issued to that user;checking if a process of the specified job is completed;determining, when it is determined that the process of the specified job is complete, a printable page count of the specified user using an output process amount value of the job issued by the user; andnotifying a managing apparatus, which issues access authority information, of the determined printable page.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising an acquiring step of acquiring information indicating as to whether or not in said determining step a printable page count is determined after waiting until in said checking step it is determined that the job specified in said specifying step is completed, and wherein when the information acquired in said acquisition step does not indicate that in said determining step, a printable page count is determined after waiting until in said checking step it is determined that the job specified in said specifying step is completed, in said determining step the printable page count of the user is determined using an available output process amount value of a job of the user without waiting until in said checking step it is determined that the job specified in said specifying step is completed, and in said notifying step the determined printable page count is notified.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein in said acquiring step the information is acquired via a network, the information indicating as to whether or not a printable page count is determined after waiting until it is determined that the specified job is completed, and the managing apparatus issues access authority information using the notified printable page count.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein when an image process apparatus notifies an output process amount value or an output completion notification corresponding to the job and requests access authority information, in said checking step it is determined that the process of the job is complete, and when the image process apparatus does not notify an output process amount value or an output completion notification, in said checking step it is determined that the process of the job is not complete yet.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein when a query about a printable page count of the image process apparatus for the user of a client which issued the job is received from the managing apparatus, the managing apparatus is notified, after waiting until it is determined that the job is completed, of a reply to the query, based on the information, which is acquired from the managing apparatus and indicates as to whether or not a printable page count is determined, and information indicating if a process of the job is in progress.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: acquiring a value indicated by an issuing policy flag from the managing apparatus which manages the issuing policy flag associated with issuance of the access limitation information; andholding, for each user, an in-process job flag indicating if a job process is in progress,wherein when a query about a printable page count of the image process apparatus for the user of a client which issued the job is received from the managing apparatus, the managing apparatus is notified of a reply to the query based on the value indicated by the acquired issuing policy flag and a value indicated by the in-process job flag.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: calculating a printable page count in the image process apparatus for the user in response to a query from the managing apparatus;checking, as a result of the calculation, whether or not a predicted print page count included in the query is not more than the printable page count;checking, based on the value indicated by the issuing policy flag, whether or not an in-process job in the image process apparatus need be considered, when it is determined that the predicted print page count is equal to the printable page count, andchecking, based on the value of the in-process job flag, whether or not there is an in-process job for the user corresponding to the query, when said second checking unit determines that the in-process job need be considered,wherein the managing apparatus is notified of a reply to the query based on the checking result of one of the three checking steps.

19. A method of controlling a managing apparatus for issuing access limitation information indicating a function limitation of an image process apparatus, comprising the steps of: acquiring an issuing request of the access limitation information;specifying a user who issued the acquired request of the access limitation information;checking if a process of a job issued by the specified user is completed; andissuing access limitation information corresponding to the user using an output process amount value of the job issued by the user in response to determination of completion of the process of the job issued by the specified user.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein when a notification indicating a printable page count or completion of the process of the job is received from a counting device which counts output process amount values of jobs, it is determined that the process of the job is complete.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising an input step of inputting information indicating whether or not said issuing unit issues the access limitation information after waiting until completion of the process of the job issued by the user.

22. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program making a computer execute a control method according to claim 13.

23. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program making a computer execute a control method according to claim 19.