Device, information processing method, information processing program, and recording medium

The present invention relates to a device, an information processing method, an information processing program, a recording medium such as an SD memory card, and the like.

In recent years, multifunction devices and fusion machines having a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function have become commercially available. When a multifunction device or a fusion device functions as a copy or printer, it prints an image on printing paper, and when it functions as a copy or scanner, it reads an image from a scanned original and serves as a facsimile. If it works, the image will be exchanged with other devices via the telephone line.

<p num="0003"> In recent years, electrical devices and information devices are often used by connecting devices of various standards such as USB devices and IEEE1394 devices. Multifunction devices and fusion devices are no exception. However, since multifunction devices and fusion machines are often shared by a large number of people, and various types of programs are often executed in various modes in multifunction devices and fusion machines, which mechanism of these machines is in what mode. The question is whether to control the mechanism related to these devices.</p><p num="0004"> An object of the present invention is to propose a new method for controlling a mechanism related to a device with respect to a device to which the device is connected and used.</p>

<p num="0005"> Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a device provided with a connection terminal for inserting and removing a removable device and a plurality of programs are installed, and the device is registered in the device for each program. Based on the program type information, it is stored in the storage means of the device according to the determination means for determining the first program for controlling the device from the plurality of programs and the detection of the insertion of the device. , The first program corresponding to the detected device is selected from the first programs determined by the determination means based on the information indicating the correspondence relationship between the device and the first program. It has a monitoring means for searching and invoking the searched first program, and the monitoring means is said to be said when the first program corresponding to the detected device does not exist in the device. The first program is acquired from the outside of the device, and the first program is started.</p>

<p num="0006"> According to the present invention, it is possible to propose a new method for controlling a mechanism related to a device with respect to a device to which the device is connected and used.</p>

<figref num="1">Represents a fusion machine corresponding to an embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a hardware configuration diagram which concerns on the fusion machine of FIG.</figref><figref num="3">It is an external view which concerns on the fusion machine of FIG.</figref><figref num="4">Represents the operation panel.</figref><figref num="5">Represents a fusion device to which a USB device is connected and used.</figref><figref num="6">This is a specific example of the operation screen provided by the JSDK app that uses a USB device.</figref><figref num="7">It is a figure for demonstrating the mechanism of the fusion machine concerning a USB device.</figref><figref num="8">It is a figure which shows the configuration example of the information stored in the start setting file.</figref><figref num="9">It is a figure which shows the configuration example of the USB device driver information.</figref><figref num="10">It is a sequence diagram related to the information processing of FIG.</figref><figref num="11">It is a figure for demonstrating the mechanism of the fusion machine concerning a USB device.</figref><figref num="12">It is a sequence diagram related to the information processing of FIG.</figref>

FIG. 1 represents a fusion machine 101 corresponding to an embodiment of the present invention. The fusion machine 101 of FIG. 1 is composed of various hardware 111, various software 112, and a fusion machine activation unit 113.

As the hardware 111 of the fusion machine 101, there are an imaging unit 121, a printing unit 122, and other hardware 123. The image pickup unit 121 is hardware for reading an image (image data) from a scanned document. The printing unit 122 is hardware for printing an image (image data) on printing paper.

As software 112 of the fusion machine 101, there are various applications 131 and various platforms 132. These programs are executed in parallel on a process-by-process basis by an OS (operating system) such as UNIX (registered trademark).

The application 131 includes a copy application 141, which is a copy application, a printer application 142, which is a printer application, a scanner application 143, which is a scanner application, a facsimile application 144, which is a facsimile application, and an application for network files. There is a network file app 145 that is. Furthermore, Web browser 181, which is software for browsing Web pages, Web server software 182, which is software for distributing Web pages, and SDK application service (SAS), which is software for controlling CSSK application 146 and JSDK application 147. There are 183.

Application 131 can be developed using a dedicated SDK (Software Development Kit). Application 131 developed using SDK is called SDK application. As a dedicated SDK, "CSDK" for developing application 131 in C language and "JSDK" for developing application 131 in Java (registered trademark) language are provided. The application 131 developed using CSDK is called a "CSDK application", and the application 131 developed using JSDK is called a "JSDK application". The fusion machine 101 in FIG. 1 also has the CSSK app 146 and the JSDK app 147. Further, in the fusion machine 101 of FIG. 1, the JSDK platform 148 exists as the software 112 that mediates between the JSDK application 147 written in the Java (registered trademark) language and the other software 112 written in the C language.

Platform 132 includes various control services 151, system resource manager 152, and various handlers 153. The control service 151 includes network control service (NCS) 161, facsimile control service (FCS) 162, delivery control service (DCS) 163, engine control service (ECS) 164, memory control service (MCS) 165, and operation panel control service. There are (OCS) 166, Certification Control Service (CCS) 167, User Directory Control Service (UCS) 168, and System Control Service (SCS) 169. As the handler 153, there are a facsimile control unit handler (FCUH) 171 and an image memory handler (IMH) 172. There is also a USB device driver 402 to control the device connected to the USB port 242.

The process of NCS161 mediates network communication and communication with various devices connected to the fusion machine 101. For example, NCS161 launches the USB device daemon 403 as a separate process as part of its functionality. Details of the USB device daemon 403 will be described later. The FCS162 process provides a facsimile API. The DCS163 process controls the distribution process of stored documents. The ECS164 process controls the imaging unit 121 and the printing unit 122. The MCS165 process controls memory and hard disk drives. The OCS166 process controls the operations panel. The CCS167 process controls authentication processing and billing processing. The UCS168 process controls the management of user information. The SCS169 process controls the management of the system.

Virtual application service (VAS) 135 exists as software 112 that mediates between application 131 and platform 132. VAS135 operates as a server process with application 131 as a client and as a client process with platform 132 as a server. The VAS135 has a wrapping function that hides the platform 132 when viewed from the application 131, and plays a role of absorbing the version difference due to the version upgrade of the platform 132.

The fusion machine activation unit 113 is first executed when the power of the fusion machine 101 is turned on. As a result, an OS such as UNIX (registered trademark) is started, and application 131 and platform 132 are started. These programs are stored in the hard disk drive or the memory card, are played from the hard disk drive or the memory card, and are started in the memory.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram relating to the fusion machine 101 of FIG. The hardware 111 of the fusion machine 101 includes a controller 201, an operation panel 202, a facsimile control unit (FCU) 203, an imaging unit 121, and a printing unit 122.

Controller 201 is CPU 211, ASIC212, NB221, SB222, MEM-P231, MEM-C232, HDD (hard disk drive) 233, memory card slot 234, NIC (network interface controller) 241, USB IF242, IEEE1394 IF243, Centronics. Consists of IF244.

CPU211 is an IC for various information processing. The ASIC212 is an IC for various image processing. NB221 is the north bridge of controller 201. SB222 is the south bridge of controller 201. The MEM-P231 is the system memory of the fusion machine 101. The MEM-C232 is the local memory of the fusion machine 101. HDD233 is the storage of the fusion machine 101. The memory card slot 234 is a slot for setting the memory card 235. NIC241 is a controller for network communication by MAC address. The IF242 for USB is an interface that provides a USB standard connection terminal. IF243 for IEEE1394 is an interface that provides a connection terminal of the IEEE1394 standard. The IF244 for Centronics is an interface that provides a Centronics specification connection terminal.

The operation panel 202 is hardware (operation unit) for the operator to input to the fusion machine 101, and hardware (display unit) for the operator to obtain output from the fusion machine 101.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the fusion machine 101 of FIG. FIG. 3 shows the position of the imaging unit 121, the position of the printing unit 122, and the position of the operation panel 202. Further, FIG. 3 shows a document setting section 301 for setting the scanned document, a paper feeding section 302 for feeding the printing paper, and a paper ejection section 303 for printing the printing paper. ..

As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel 202 includes a touch panel 311, a numeric keypad 312, a start button 313, a reset button 314, a function key 315, and an initial setting button 316. The touch panel 311 is hardware (touch operation unit) for inputting by touch operation and hardware (screen display unit) for obtaining output by screen display. The numeric keypad 312 is hardware for inputting numbers by key (button) operation. The start button 313 is hardware for performing a start operation by operating a button. The reset button 314 is hardware for performing a reset operation by operating a button. The function key 315 is hardware for displaying an operation screen by the CSDK application 146 or the JSDK application 147 by key (button) operation. The initial setting button 316 is hardware for displaying the initial setting screen by button operation.

The document setting unit 301 is composed of an ADF (automatic document transfer device) 321, a flat bed 322, and a flat bed cover 323. The paper feed unit 302 is composed of four paper feed trays. The paper ejection unit 303 is composed of one paper ejection tray. A plurality of scanned documents can be stacked and set in the ADF321. The scanned document is set downward on the flat bed 322.

(USB) FIG. 5 shows a fusion machine 101 to which a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device 401 is connected and used.

The USB device 401 is a device that can be hot-swapped into a device having a USB port that is a USB standard connection terminal. The fusion machine 101 in FIG. 1 also has a USB port 242 for inserting and removing the USB device 401. Since the image forming apparatus is a device in which it is not desirable to turn on / off the power frequently, the feature of the USB device 401 that hot-swap is possible is convenient for the image forming apparatus.

Specific examples of the USB device 401 include a USB memory, a USB keyboard, and a USB mouse. In order to use the USB device 401 which is a certain device, the USB device driver which is a driver for using the USB device 401 is required for the device. To use a certain USB memory, you need a driver for that USB memory, to use a certain USB keyboard, you need a driver for that USB keyboard, and to use a certain USB mouse, you need a driver for that USB mouse. .. The USB device driver for using the USB device 401 with the fusion machine 101 in FIG. 1 will be described later.

FIG. 6 is a specific example of the operation screen provided by the JSDK application 147 that uses the USB device 401. Specific examples of such JSDK app 147 include a JSDK app for a scanner that stores data in a USB memory, a JSDK app for a printer that acquires data from a USB memory, and a JSDK app that accepts input operations using a USB keyboard. However, Figure 6 assumes a third JSDK app.

When the JSDK app 147 is started, the operation screen shown in FIG. 6A is displayed on the operation panel 202. When the button "Con" is touched on the operation screen of FIG. 6A, the input operation of the USB keyboard inserted in the fusion machine 101 becomes "effective treatment", and the operation screen of FIG. 6B is displayed. When the button "DisCon" is touched on the operation screen of FIG. 6B, the input operation of the USB keyboard inserted in the fusion machine 101 returns to "invalid treatment", and the operation screen of FIG. 6A is displayed. When the USB keyboard keys "A, B, C" are pressed in order on the operation screen shown in FIG. 6B, "abc" is displayed in the display field as shown in the operation screen shown in FIG. 6C.

FIG. 7 is a software configuration diagram for explaining the software mechanism of the fusion machine 101 with respect to the USB device 401. In the fusion machine 101 of FIG. 1, the USB device driver 402 and the USB device daemon 403 exist in the HDD 233 and the like as software related to the USB device 401. The USB device driver 402 is a driver (program) for using the USB device 401 with the fusion machine 101. The USB device daemon 403 is a daemon (program) for monitoring the insertion / removal of the USB device 401 into / from the USB port 242.

When the USB device daemon 403 detects that the USB device 401 has been inserted into the USB port 242, it activates the USB device driver 402 for using the USB device 401, and the USB device 401 is released from the USB port 242. When it is detected that it has been extracted, the USB device driver 402 for using the USB device 401 will be stopped. That is, the USB device daemon 403 automatically starts and stops the USB device driver 402 for using the USB device 401 according to the insertion and removal of the USB device 401.

Hereinafter, information processing when the fusion machine 101 is started will be described.

When the power of the fusion machine 101 is turned on from off, SAS183 activates the JSDK app 147 (S11). Next, SAS183 generates the boot setting file 502 of the USB device driver 402 from the environment setting file 501 of the SDK application to HDD233, for example (S12).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of information stored in the startup setting file. As shown in FIG. 8, the boot setting file 502 includes the execution file name of the USB device driver 402, the identification information of the USB device 401 corresponding to the USB device driver 402, and the JSDK application 147 that uses the USB device 401. Identification information and the like are stored. That is, the boot setting file 502 stores information indicating the correspondence between the USB device driver 402, the USB device 401, and the JSDK application 147.

The information stored in the startup configuration file 502 is extracted from the environment configuration file 501. That is, the environment setting file 501 stores information related to various settings (for example, application name, memory usage size, application type, etc.) for each SDK application (including CSDK application 146 and JSDK application 147). SAS183 manages each SDK application by referring to the environment setting file 501. In this embodiment, the USB device driver 402 is treated as one SDK application. Therefore, the USB device driver 402 also stores information on various settings in the same way as other SDK applications. However, regarding the USB device driver 402, information specific to the USB device driver 402 is stored in the environment setting file 501 as extended information, and the extended information is extracted in step S12 to generate a startup setting file 502. If a plurality of USB device drivers 402 are registered in the environment setting file 501, a boot setting file 502 for the plurality of USB device drivers 402 is generated. Which of the SDK applications registered in the environment setting file 501 is the UBS device driver 402 is determined based on the application type registered for each SDK application in the environment setting file 501.

If the USB device 401 is inserted in the USB port 242 when the power of the fusion machine 101 is turned on from off, the USB device daemon 403 detects (S13) that the USB device 401 is inserted. Next, the USB device daemon 403 searches for the USB device driver 402 corresponding to the USB device 401 from the boot setting file 502 based on the detected identification information of the USB device 401, and searches for the searched USB device driver 402. Start as a process (S14).

If the USB device driver 402 to be started by S14 exists in the fusion machine 101, the USB device driver 402 existing in the fusion machine 101 is started as shown in FIG. If the USB device driver 402 to be booted from S14 does not exist in the fusion machine 101, as shown in FIG. 7, the media (for example, SD memory card) in which the USB device driver 402 to be booted from S14 is inserted into the fusion machine 101. And get (download) from the network (for example, website) connected to the fusion machine 101 and start it. Next, a connection is established (S15) between the USB device 401 detected in S13 and the USB device driver 402 activated in S14.

Subsequently, the USB device driver 402 started in S14 notifies SAS183 of information (hereinafter referred to as "USB device driver information") regarding various settings of the USB device driver 402 (S16). In response to the notification, the SAS 183 stores and manages the USB device driver information in a predetermined memory area of the fusion machine 101 (for example, a predetermined area in the MEM-P231).

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of USB device driver information. As shown in FIG. 9, the USB device driver information 503 describes the product ID and process ID of the USB device driver 402, the name of the USB device 401 corresponding to the USB device driver 402, and socket communication with the USB device driver 402. It is composed of the identification information of the socket for performing. After the USB device driver 402 is started, the USB device driver 402 opens a socket as a server and stands by, and the identification information of the socket is included in the USB device driver information 503.

Subsequently, the JSDK application 147 started in S11 requests the USB device driver information 503 from SAS183 (S17). Upon receiving the request, SAS183 responds with the information. The request by the JSDK application 147 may be made by polling after the JSDK application 147 is started, or may be made in response to an interrupt from the SAS 183 notified in step S16. Subsequently, based on the USB device driver information 503, a socket connection is established (S18) between the JSDK application 147 started in S11 and the USB device driver 402 started in S14. More specifically, the JSDK app 147 requests the USB device driver 402 to connect to the socket communication as a client based on the socket identification information included in the USB device driver information 503. In response to the request from the JSDK app 147, a socket connection is established between the JSDK app 147 and the USB device driver 402. Information processing related to sockets is executed by an OS such as UNIX (registered trademark).

As described above, the USB device daemon 403 is in charge of starting / stopping the USB device driver 402. This is the process that the OS was in charge of in the past. Since the USB device daemon 403 is in charge of the start processing and stop processing of the USB device driver 402, it is possible to execute detailed start processing and stop processing in consideration of the execution mode of the JSDK application 147 using the USB device 401. For example, the USB device driver 402 corresponding to the JSDK app 147 is automatically started / stopped, or the USB device driver 402 corresponding to the JSDK app 147 is automatically acquired from the media or the network. .. If it is automatically acquired from the media, the trouble of installing the USB device driver 402 is reduced, and if it is automatically acquired from the network, the trouble of preparing the media is also reduced. The information processing in FIG. 7 is also described in the sequence diagram in FIG. The step numbers are the same in FIGS. 7 and 10.

In FIGS. 7 and 10, the embodiment in which the JSDK application 147 using the USB device 401 is started when the fusion machine 101 is started is taken up. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the JSDK application 147 using the USB device 401 is activated when the USB device 401 is inserted into the USB port 242. FIG. 11 is a software configuration diagram similar to FIG. 7, and FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram similar to FIG. 10.

The information processing when the USB device 401 is inserted will be described below.

If the USB device 401 is inserted into the USB port 242 while the power of the fusion machine 101 is on, the USB device daemon 403 detects (S21) that the USB device 401 has been inserted. Next, the USB device daemon 403 causes SAS183 to generate (S22) a boot setting file 502 from the environment setting file 501. Next, the USB device daemon 403 searches the boot setting file 502 for the JSDK application 147 corresponding to the USB device 401 (using the USB device 401) based on the detected identification information of the USB device 401. Start (S23) the searched JSDK app 147. Next, the USB device daemon 403 refers to the startup setting file 502 and starts (S24) the USB device driver 402 corresponding to the JSDK application 147 started in S23. Next, a connection is established (S25) between the USB device 401 detected in S21 and the USB device driver 402 activated in S24.

Subsequently, the USB device driver 402 started in S24 notifies SAS183 of the USB device driver information 503 (S26). Upon receiving the notification, SAS183 manages the information. Subsequently, the JSDK application 147 started in S23 requests the USB device driver information 503 from SAS183 (S27). Upon receiving the request, SAS183 responds with the information. The request by the JSDK application 147 may be made by polling after the JSDK application 147 is started, or may be made in response to an interrupt from the SAS 183 notified in step S26. Subsequently, based on the USB device driver information 503, a socket connection is established (S28) between the JSDK application 147 started in S23 and the USB device driver 402 started in S24.

As described above, when the USB device daemon 403 of the embodiment detects that the USB device 401 is inserted in the USB port 242, it starts the JSDK application 147 that uses the USB device 401, and the USB port. When it is detected that the USB device 401 has been pulled out from the 242, the JSDK application 147 that uses the USB device 401 will be stopped. That is, the USB device daemon 403 of the embodiment automatically starts / stops the JSDK application 147 that uses the USB device 401 according to the insertion / removal of the USB device 401.

In the above embodiment, SAS183, which controls the startup of the JSDK application 147, is required to establish a connection between the JSDK application 147 and the USB device driver 402, such as the startup setting file 502 and the USB device driver information 503. An example of managing information such as USB has been explained. However, this does not mean that the information must be managed by the module that controls the activation of the JSDK application 147. For example, a module that manages the information may be provided separately from SAS183.

101 Fusion machine 111 hardware 112 Software 113 Fusion machine starter 121 Imaging unit 122 Printing section 123 Other hardware 131 application 132 platform 133 Application Program Interface 134 engine interface 135 Virtual Application Services 141 Copy app 142 Printer App 143 Scanner app 144 Facsimile App 145 Network File App 146 CSDK app 147 JSDK App 148 JSDK platform 151 Control service 152 System Resource Manager 153 Handler 161 Network Control Service 162 Facsimile Control Service 163 Delivery Control Service 164 Engine control service 165 Memory control service 166 Operations panel control service 167 Certification Control Service 168 User Directory Control Service 169 System Control Service 171 Facsimile Control Unit Handler 172 Image memory handler 181 web browser 182 Web server software 183 SDK Application Services 201 controller 202 Operations Panel 203 Facsimile control unit 211 CPU 212 ASIC 221 NB 222 SB 231 MEM-P 232 MEM-C 233 HDD 234 memory card slot 235 memory card 241 NIC 242 IF for USB 243 IF for IEEE1394 244 IF for Centronics 301 Document set section 302 Paper feed section 303 Paper output section 311 touch panel 312 numeric keypad 313 Start button 314 reset button 315 Function key 316 Initial setting button 321 ADF 322 flat bed 323 flat bedspread 401 USB device 402 USB device driver 403 USB device daemon 501 configuration file 502 Startup configuration file 503 USB device driver information

<p num="0048"><patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-84383</text></patcit><patcit num="2"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-54791</text></patcit></p>