Patent EP0679014A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0679014A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Network system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-04-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-04-18
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is to allow display based on the setting positions of devices in selection of a desired device to be used, and facilitate selection considering the setting Positions of the devices. The present invention can also display equipments so as to allow discrimination between an equipment included in an image processing apparatus and an equipment connected on a communication line. Equipments in a network environment are placed on the first floor (1F), the second floor (2F), and the third floor (3F) in a building and connected through a network (LAN 1300). For example, a computer (1310) collects device information including status information and setting position information from usable input/output devices. For example, status information representing "BUSY" and setting position information representing "3F-B block" are transferred from a virtual optical scanner (1302). The computer (1310) displays the connected input/output devices together with the setting position information obtained from the devices. An image processing apparatus (100) has various input/output devices including a reader unit (1), a printer unit (2), and an image input/output control unit (3). In addition, various input/output equipments (two optical scanner devices (1302, 1303) and three facsimile transmission/reception devices (1305, 1306, 1307)) are connected to the image processing apparatus (100) through a LAN interface unit (9) and the LAN (1300). A CPU (123) of a core unit (10) manages the input/output equipments to determine whether they are connected through the network. When a desired input/output equipment is to be selected, whether the input/output equipments are connected through the network is explicitly indicated.
Inventors
- 👤 Akihiko C/O Canon K.K. Sakai
- 👤 Masahito C/O Canon K.K. Yamamoti
- 👤 Tadashi C/O Canon K.K. Suzuki
- 👤 Yoshinori C/O Canon K.K. Abe
- 👤 Masanori C/O Canon K.K. Sakai
- 👤 Masahiro C/O Canon K.K. Kurahashi
- 👤 Satoru C/O Canon K.K. Kutsuwada
- 👤 Satoshi C/O Canon K.K. Kaneko
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:43
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/0035; H04N1/00405; H04N1/00477; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00209; H04N1/00408; H04N1/00411; H04N1/32; H04N1/32502; H04N1/32507; H04N1/32512; H04N1/32523; H04N1/32539; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0074; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0081; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/0086; H04N2201/0093; H04N2201/0094; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3273
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) collecting setting position information representing setting positions of a plurality of devices connected to a network; b) collecting type information representing types of said plurality of devices; and c) displaying said plurality of devices in units of types together with the setting positions on the basis of the collected type information and setting position information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of inputting a type of a desired device to be used, and wherein the step (c) includes displaying a setting position of a device corresponding to the input type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a desired device to be used from said devices displayed in the step (c).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) collecting setting position information representing setting positions of a plurality of devices connected to a network; b) displaying data input devices together with the setting positions on the basis of the setting position information collected in the step (a); c) selecting a desired input device from said input devices displayed in the step (b); and d) inputting data from said input device selected in the step (c).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of reserving said input device selected in the step (c).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) collecting setting position information representing setting positions of a plurality of devices connected to a network; b) displaying data output devices together with the setting positions on the basis of the setting position information collected in the step (a); c) selecting a desired output device from said output devices displayed in the step (b); and d) outputting data to said output device selected in the step (c).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) collecting type information representing types of a plurality of devices connected to a network and setting position information representing setting positions of said devices; b) inputting a type of a target device; c) collecting status information of a device corresponding to the type input in the step (b); and d) automatically selecting said target device on the basis of the setting position information collected in the step (a) and the status information collected in the step (c).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the step (b) includes inputting the type of a data input device or a data output device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the step (d) includes selecting a device near to a position of an operator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A network system controlling apparatus comprising: collecting means for collecting setting position information representing setting positions of a plurality of devices connected to a network and type information representing types of said plurality of devices; and display means for displaying said plurality of devices in units of types together with the setting positions on the basis of the type information and the setting position information which are collected by said collecting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising input means for inputting a type of a desired device to be used, and wherein said display means displays a setting position of a device corresponding to the type input by said input means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising selection means for selecting a target device from said devices displayed by said display means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
98 words
A network system controlling apparatus comprising: first collecting means for collecting type information representing types of a plurality of devices connected to a network and setting position information representing setting positions of said devices; input means for inputting a type of a desired device to be used; second collecting means for collecting status information of devices corresponding to the type input by said input means; and selection means for automatically selecting said target device on the basis of the setting position information collected by said first selection means and the status information collected by said second collecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said selection means selects a device near to a position of an operator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) inputting a type of a desired device to be used from a plurality of devices connected to a network; and b) displaying a list of devices corresponding to the type input in the step (a) so as to allow discrimination between a device used through said network and a device used without interposing said network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of collecting type information representing types of said plurality of devices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
A network system control method comprising the steps of: a) inputting a type of a desired device to be used from a plurality of devices connected to a network; and b) displaying a list of devices corresponding to the type input in the step (a) so as to allow discrimination between interfaces of said devices.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of collecting type information representing types of said plurality of devices.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of collecting type information representing types of said interfaces of said plurality of devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
66 words
A network system controlling apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a type of a desired device to be used from a plurality of devices connected to a network; and display means for displaying a list of devices corresponding to the type input by said input means so as to allow discrimination between a device used through said network and a device used without interposing said network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising collecting means for collecting type information representing types of said plurality of devices.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
A network system controlling apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a type of a desired device to be used from a plurality of devices connected to a network; and display means for displaying a list of devices corresponding to the type input by said input means so as to allow discrimination between interfaces of said devices.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising collecting means for collecting type information representing types of said plurality of devices.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising collecting means for collecting type information representing types of said interfaces of said plurality of devices.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
An image processing apparatus capable of being connected to a network, comprising: first input/output means for inputting image data to or outputting the image data from an equipment provided to said image processing apparatus; second input/output means for inputting image data to or outputting the image data from another equipment connected through said network; and display means for displaying said equipments so as to allow discrimination between an equipment belonging to said first input/output means and an equipment belonging to said second input/output means when an equipment for inputting or outputting the image data is to be selected.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
101 words
The apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising collecting means for collecting type information representing types of said equipments related to said first and second input/output means, and designation means for designating a type of an equipment used as an input device, and wherein said display means selects and displays an equipment corresponding to the type designated by said designation means on the basis the type information collected by said collecting means, and also displays said selected equipment so as to allow discrimination between said equipment belonging to said first input/output means and said equipment belonging to said second input/output means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said collecting means obtains the type information of said equipment from said equipments related to said first and second input/output means every time an operation of selecting said equipment for inputting or outputting the image data is performed.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
100 words
An image processing apparatus capable of being connected to a network, comprising: input/output means for inputting image data to or outputting the image data from an equipment directly connected to said image processing apparatus and another equipment connected through said network; classification means for classifying said equipments on the basis of types of interfaces to said image processing apparatus; and display means for displaying said equipment related to said input/output means so as to allow a discrimination between classifications of said equipments by said classification means when an equipment for inputting or outputting the image data is to be selected.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said classification means classifies said equipments on the basis of processing speeds of said interfaces to said image processing apparatus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
A network control apparatus including means for presenting a user with a display representing selectable input/output devices, said display including an indication of preference between the selectable devices, said preference being derived automatically on the basis of network interconnection performance and/or individual device performance.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
14 words
A method and/or apparatus having the features of any combination of the preceding claims.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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