INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARTUS AND DEVICE MANAGEMENT METHOD

Abstract

An information processing apparatus communicates with a device connected to a network through a network management application. The information processing apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued based on operation priority of the device and status of the device, and a device operation unit configured to issue the instruction to the device in the case where the determination unit determines that the instruction is allowed to be issued.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a network system to which an information processing apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment in the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an internal configuration of a client personal computer (PC) shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an internal configuration of a multifunction peripheral shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an internal configuration of a network device management application in a client PC shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a data processing procedure in an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a user interface provided by a network device management application (NETMAP) displayed on a display unit of a client PC shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a command format of a device control command stored in a command retaining function shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 describes a point calculation method for each type of command managed by a rule storage function shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 illustrates a list of execution results of a device control command created by a command creation function shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a data processing procedure in an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a specification screen for allocating points to each device control command issued by activating NETMAP shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a data processing procedure in an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a specification screen for allocating points to each user by activating NETMAP.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a data processing procedure in an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a screen for specifying a threshold value at which a device control command can be executed for each status of a network device by activating NETMAP.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a data processing procedure in an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a rule application matrix obtained from a rule storage function shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 18 illustrates a memory map of a storage medium for storing various data processing programs that can be read by an information processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment in the present invention.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which is capable of communicating with a device connected to a network through a network management application, the information processing apparatus comprising: a determination unit configured to determine whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued, based on operation priority of the device and status of the device, and,a device operation unit configured to issue the instruction to the device in a case where the determination unit determines that the instruction is allowed to be issued.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit makes determination based on determination information defined by operation priority of the device and status of the device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a first defining unit configured to define an operation level for setting an importance level of an operation performed on the device, as to the determination information, anda second defining unit configured to define a user authority level of a user performing the operation, as to the determination information,wherein the determination unit determines whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued, based on the determination information including each level value defined by the first and second defining units.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit generates instructions to display on a display unit to indicate that an operation will be performed on the device in the case where the determination unit determines that the instruction is allowed to be issued.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that an instruction to write information is allowed to be issued to the device when the device is idling instead of operating in a lower power consumption state, and an instruction to write information is not allowed to be issued to the device when the device is printing.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the device is in a lower power consumption state, the determination unit makes determination using determination information that defines a user who is authorized to issue an information obtaining request from a device and a user who is not authorized to issue an information obtaining request.

7. A method in an information processing apparatus which is capable of communicating with a device connected to a network through a network management application, the method comprising: determining whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued based on operation priority of the device and status of the device, andissuing the instruction to the device in a case where determination is made that the instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the determining makes determination based on determination information defined by operation priority of the device and status of the device.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: defining an operation level for setting an importance level of an operation performed on the device, as to the determination information; anddefining a user authority level of a user performing the operation as to the determination information; and,determining whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued based on the determination information including each level value defined by the first and second defining units.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising performing display on a display unit to indicate that an operation will be executed on the device in the case where determination is made that the instruction is allowed to be issued.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising determining that an instruction to write information is allowed to be issued to the device when the device is idling instead of operating in a lower power consumption state, and an instruction to write information is not allowed to be issued to the device when the device is printing.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising determining whether the instruction can be issued when the device is in a low power consumption state, using determination information defining a user who is authorized to issue an information obtaining request from a device and a user who is not authorized to issue an information obtaining request.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by an apparatus capable of communication with a device connected to a network, causes the apparatus to perform operations comprising: determining whether an instruction to operate the device is allowed to be issued, based on operation priority of the device and status of the device, andissuing the instruction to the device if it is determined that the instruction to operate the device is to be issued.