JP2010283618A - Image forming apparatus, image formation system, and method for synchronizing set values of device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To collectively perform setting by transmitting various set values of one image forming apparatus to other image forming apparatus even without providing a terminal device such as a PC in the image forming apparatus and in an image formation system. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus and the image formation system include: a web server control section having a web server to transmit a set value in response to a data acquisition request for synchronizing set values from a client; and a web client control section for requesting the web server to synchronize the set values. Consequently the problem is solved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique that enables batch setting in an image forming apparatus and an image forming system by transmitting various setting values from one image forming apparatus to another image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus having a Web server function. By accessing the contents of the image forming apparatus with a single PC, acquiring various setting values, and transferring them to other image forming apparatuses, 1 There is a patent that expands the setting of a stand to a plurality of models (see Patent Document 1).

  However, this method requires a PC device when a plurality of image forming apparatuses are to be set to the same setting all at once. In addition, software for deploying setting values to a plurality of units is required on the PC.

JP 2004-94294 A

  The problem to be solved is that in the image forming apparatus, it is not possible to set the same set value in a plurality of image forming apparatuses at once without the assistance of the terminal device.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a Web server, and a Web server control unit that transmits setting value data in response to a request for acquiring the setting value to the Web server for synchronization of setting values from a client A Web client control unit that requests the Web server as the client to acquire the setting value in order to synchronize the setting value, and a communication interface that handles communication for sending and receiving the setting value data. Features.

  In the image forming system of the present invention, the master image forming apparatus and the client image forming apparatus each have a communication interface for communication, and the setting values can be transmitted and received between the two apparatuses to synchronize the setting values. Web server control unit that has a Web server and transmits setting value data in response to the setting value acquisition request from the client to the Web server for synchronization of setting values And a client image forming apparatus having a Web client control unit that requests the Web server to acquire the setting values for the synchronization of the setting values as the client.

  In the method for synchronizing the setting values of the device of the present invention, the image forming apparatus as a client accesses the Web server of the image forming apparatus as a master and makes a request for acquiring the setting values for synchronizing the setting values. In response to a setting value acquisition request, the master image forming apparatus transmits the setting value.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a Web server, and a Web server control unit that transmits setting value data in response to a request for acquiring the setting value to the Web server for synchronization of setting values from a client A Web client control unit that requests the Web server as the client to acquire the setting value in order to synchronize the setting value, and a communication interface that handles communication for sending and receiving the setting value data. Features.

  For this reason, setting values are set in one image forming apparatus and the synchronization operation is started, so that the setting values can be synchronized in the image forming apparatuses having the same function connected via the network. This greatly simplifies the device setting for the image forming apparatus and greatly reduces the burden on the administrator and the user. Further, the synchronization setting is possible without providing an external terminal device such as a PC. Here, the set values to be synchronized include, for example, address book data, language settings, emulation settings, and default value settings during operation.

  In the image forming system of the present invention, the master image forming apparatus and the client image forming apparatus each have a communication interface for communication, and the setting values can be transmitted and received between the two apparatuses to synchronize the setting values. Web server control unit that has a Web server and transmits setting value data in response to the setting value acquisition request from the client to the Web server for synchronization of setting values And a client image forming apparatus having a Web client control unit that requests the Web server to acquire the setting values for the synchronization of the setting values as the client.

  For this reason, by setting a setting value in one image forming apparatus as a master in the image forming system and starting a synchronization operation, a setting value in the image forming apparatus having the same function connected via the network is set. Can be synchronized. This greatly simplifies the device setting for the image forming apparatus in the image forming system and greatly reduces the burden on the administrator and the user. Further, the synchronization setting is possible without providing an external terminal device such as a PC.

  In the method for synchronizing the setting values of the device of the present invention, the image forming apparatus as a client accesses the Web server of the image forming apparatus as a master and makes a request for acquiring the setting values for synchronizing the setting values. In response to a setting value acquisition request, the master image forming apparatus transmits the setting value.

  For this reason, by setting a setting value in one image forming apparatus as a master in the image forming system and starting a synchronization operation, a setting value in the image forming apparatus having the same function connected via the network is set. Can be synchronized. This greatly simplifies the device setting for the image forming apparatus in the image forming system and greatly reduces the burden on the administrator and the user. Further, the synchronization setting is possible without providing an external terminal device such as a PC.

1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus and an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure of the example of a display of the screen at the time of accessing the command center which is the content which the web server control part of this invention Example has.

  The image forming apparatus has a Web server and a Web client that cannot set the same set value in a plurality of image forming apparatuses without assistance from the terminal device. It was solved by the method of exchanging synchronous data between them.

  The image forming apparatuses 101, 201, 301 and the image forming system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[Constitution]
FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus and an image forming system. The image forming system 100 includes the same plurality of image forming apparatuses (MFPs) 101, 201, and 301.

  Image forming apparatuses (MFPs) 101, 201, and 301 are connected via a network through communication interfaces 117, 217, and 317.

  The three image forming apparatuses MFP1; 101 and MFP2; 201 and MFP3; 301 are the same apparatus, and any of the apparatuses can be a master apparatus that performs the initial setting.

  In this embodiment, a case where MFP 1; 101 is set as a master will be described. Since the internal configuration of each image forming apparatus is the same, the internal configuration of MFP 1; 101 will be described.

  The MFP 1; 101 of the image forming apparatus includes functional units such as a Web server control unit 111, a Web client control unit 113, a setting value management unit 115, a communication interface (I / F) 117, and a panel 119. Other functional units such as a printing unit and a document reading device provided in a normal image forming apparatus are omitted because they are not related to the essence of the present invention. For these omitted functional units, those according to the prior art are used.

  Hereinafter, each functional unit will be described.

  The Web server control unit 111 includes a command center that is a content that can be set for each functional unit (printing, copying, scanning (reading), faxing, job, and expansion function of basic functions) with a Web server. (See FIG. 2). The contents of the command center can be accessed from a panel 119 having a browser function.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a command center user interface screen. The command center is provided with a setting value synchronization processing function, and “synchronize immediately” and “synchronize according to schedule” with the setting value of the master MFP (for example, 3 AM every Sunday as shown in FIG. 2). It is possible to select and set the “synchronize sometimes” setting.

  The Web client control unit 113 has an Internet browser function on the panel 119, and can access the contents of the master image forming apparatus and the contents of the client itself. In particular, it is possible to access the command center of the MFP 1; 101 serving as the master from the panel 219 or 319 of the client device and perform synchronization processing.

  The set value management unit 115 manages set value synchronization processing according to the schedule set in the command center.

  The communication interface 117 is an interface for performing communication between image forming apparatuses. In batch setting, data is exchanged via the communication interface 117.

  Panel 119 includes a liquid crystal panel and a touch panel superimposed thereon, and displays a setting state of the image forming apparatus and receives an operation input. Further, the panel can use the browser function of the Web client control unit 113 to access the Web server of the Web server control unit 111, access the command center for batch setting control, and display and operate it. Let

[Batch setting sequence]
Batch setting of set values is performed by the following sequence.

  S1: The master image forming apparatus MFP1; 101 is started up, and data (for example, an address book) for collectively setting the apparatus is set using the panel 117.

  S2: The Web server control unit 111 of the master image forming apparatus MFP1; 101 is activated to prepare for a collective setting data acquisition request from the client image forming apparatuses MFP2; 201, MFP3;

  S3: The client image forming apparatuses MFP2; 201 and MFP3; 301 are started up, and the screen shown in FIG. 2 is displayed from the Web client control units 213 and 313 of the own apparatus from the panels 219 and 319 of the apparatus. The client control units 213 and 313 set the synchronization setting interval. When immediate synchronization is performed, the web server control unit 111 of the master image forming apparatus MFP1; 101 is immediately accessed to acquire data for batch setting.

  S4: The client image forming apparatuses MFP2; 201, MFP3; 301 access the Web server control unit 111 of the master image forming apparatus MFP1; 101 based on the setting interval of the synchronization setting managed by the setting value management unit 215. Get the data for batch setting.

[Effect of Example]
The image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment can exchange setting value data and perform batch synchronization of setting values with another image forming apparatus having the same function connected by a network. For this reason, the burden of setting an apparatus by an administrator or a user is largely eliminated.

  Since the interval for setting value synchronization can be set, the image forming apparatus as a client periodically accesses the master image forming apparatus to acquire setting value data for synchronization, thereby enabling synchronization. For this reason, the administrator simply updates the data (for example, address book) to be synchronized with one image forming apparatus as a master, and the data of all the image forming apparatuses is updated. For this reason, the burden on the administrator is largely eliminated.

  It is not necessary to separately provide a PC (Personal Computer) as a terminal device to access the Web page for setting the setting value synchronization interval, and the setting value synchronization operation can be performed even by a network composed only of image forming apparatuses. Can be done. In this case, a collective synchronization operation button for starting collective synchronization of set values may be set, and collective synchronization may be performed by pressing the button. Also, the operation setting and activation of batch synchronization may be performed by using a panel having a browser function.

  By having a panel with a browser function, access the Web page for setting the interval of setting value synchronization, and use the generally familiar graphic user interface called the browser function to set the synchronization settings of the image forming apparatus in detail. Can be set. Conventionally, in order to use a browser function, a terminal device such as a PC is provided and a browser on the PC is used. However, this image forming apparatus eliminates the need for a terminal device.

[Others]
In this embodiment, when synchronization is performed, the client side makes a data acquisition request to the master for setting value synchronization. However, the master sends data for setting value synchronization to the client at the setting interval. It is good also as a push type which transmits by.

  In this embodiment, the operation for synchronization setting of the image forming apparatus is performed from the panel. However, the configuration may be configured such that the collective synchronization operation of setting values is started by pressing a button without using these panels.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Image forming apparatus 111 Web server control part 113 Web client control part 115 Setting value management part 117 Communication interface 119 Panel

Claims (5)

A Web server control unit that has a Web server and transmits setting value data in response to the setting value acquisition request from the client to the Web server for setting value synchronization;
A Web client control unit that requests the setting value acquisition to synchronize the setting value to the Web server as the client;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a communication interface that handles communication for sending and receiving the set value data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a setting value management unit that requests acquisition of the setting value based on a synchronization setting interval for synchronizing the setting value. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
An image forming apparatus comprising a panel having a browser function for displaying content of the Web server. An image forming system in which a master image forming apparatus and a client image forming apparatus each have a communication interface for communication, and the setting values are exchanged between the two apparatuses so that the setting values can be synchronized.
A master image forming apparatus having a Web server control unit that transmits setting value data in response to the setting value acquisition request to the Web server for synchronization of setting values from a client having a Web server;
An image forming system comprising: a client image forming apparatus having a Web client control unit that makes a request for acquiring the setting value to the Web server as the client to synchronize the setting value. The image forming apparatus as a client accesses the Web server of the image forming apparatus as a master and requests the setting value acquisition to synchronize the setting value.
The apparatus setting value synchronization method, wherein the master image forming apparatus transmits the setting value in response to the setting value acquisition request.

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