JP2006040252A - Application management apparatus, job processing apparatus, application management method, job processing method, and computer-readable program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of continuing work without restarting an application even when a license expires while a user is working using the application.
A platform 206 executes an application managed by a license, and the platform sends a license update notification to the application when the license of the application is updated. If the license expires during the job processing, the application stops the job processing (S305) and displays information for prompting the license update. Thereafter, the Web browser 205 is automatically activated to access the license server (S307 to S310). When the license update notification is received from the platform 206 (S311), after confirming that the license is valid (S314), job processing is resumed (S316).
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an application management apparatus and an application management method for managing an application based on a unique license, a job processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus including the application management apparatus, a job processing method, and the application management method or job processing. The invention relates to a computer readable program for performing the method.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus capable of adding / deleting a function by installing or uninstalling an application is already known. Some of such image forming apparatuses have a function of managing a group of applications operating on the apparatus based on a unique license.

  Examples of information for managing an application included in the license include an application name, a version, a provider, an expiration date, and a usable number of times. These pieces of information are generally held in a storage device in the image forming apparatus and used as needed to manage the operation of the application.

  As a conventional example of a platform for executing an application managed by the above-mentioned license, when executing an application, first, the license information is referred to, and if it is within the expiration date, it is executed as it is. Similarly, even when the number of usable times is managed, the license information is first referred to, and if the usable number of times remains, it is executed as it is.

  However, when the usage period expires during the execution of the application or during its operation, or when the number of usable times is exhausted, the operation of the application is usually restricted or disabled immediately after that. In order to return the application to the normal operation state from this state, the license update procedure is performed, a new license is obtained, the license information in the image forming apparatus is updated based on the license, and the application is updated by the user. Rebooting has become commonplace.

A technology to avoid system interruption due to license expiration is to prompt the user to update the license from a certain period before the license expires by displaying a warning message about the remaining period until the expiration date of the program Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 05-197542 A

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1 described above, when the user is used to the update operation of the license due to the user getting used to the warning message issued for a certain period before the license expires, the license expires during the operation of the application. There was a risk of occurrence.

  If the license expires during the operation of the application, as described above, the user accesses the license server from a personal computer or the like, performs a license update procedure, obtains a new license, and forms an image based on the license. It is necessary to update the license information in the apparatus and restart the application.

  The reason why it is necessary to obtain a new license by performing a license renewal procedure from a personal computer or the like in this way is sufficient to access the external license server directly from the image forming apparatus and perform the license renewal procedure and its acquisition. This is because there is no means.

  The reason that the application needs to be restarted even though the license information has been updated is that the platform only checks the application license information when the application is started. This is because there is no means for the application itself to know that the information has been updated. Therefore, in order to avoid the work of restarting the application, there may be a method in which the application itself operates while periodically checking the license information. However, this method does not always update the license immediately. Therefore, it becomes very inefficient in operation and cannot be adopted.

  From these points, if the license expires while the user is working with the application (for example, if it expires during copying), even if the license is updated immediately, There remains a problem that a restart is required and the user has to rework. Obviously, the severity of this problem increases in proportion to the amount and importance of the work the user has been doing.

  In view of the above-described conventional problems, the present invention enables an image forming apparatus to automatically access a license server and update a license even when a license expires while a user is working using an application. An application management device, a job processing device, an application management method, a job processing method, and a computer-readable program are provided that allow a user to continue working without restarting the application while on the spot. For the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an application management apparatus that manages an application based on a unique license, and has a platform that executes the application managed by the license, and the platform updates the license of the application. And a means for notifying the application of a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated.

  The present invention provides an application management apparatus that manages an application based on a unique license, and includes a platform that executes an application managed by the license, and an access unit that accesses an external apparatus that issues a license, The platform includes means for notifying the application of a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated when the license is updated based on access to the external device by the access means. And

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job processing apparatus that includes the application management apparatus according to claim 1 and processes a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus. Means for determining whether or not the license has been invalidated, means for stopping the processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, and notifying information for prompting the update of the license, and when the license is updated, Means for receiving the license update notification from the platform of the application management apparatus and confirming that the license is valid; and means for resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license. It is characterized by that.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job processing apparatus that includes the application management apparatus according to claim 2 and that processes a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus. Means for determining whether or not the license has been invalidated, means for stopping the processing of the job and notifying information prompting the license to be updated, and means for accessing the application management apparatus. A means for accessing an external device that issues a license; and when the license is updated based on access to the external device, the license update notification is received from the platform of the application management device, and the license is Means for confirming that it has been enabled, and After confirming the effectiveness of the license, and further comprising a resuming means the processing of the job.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job processing apparatus that includes the application management apparatus according to claim 2 and that processes a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus. A means for determining whether or not the license has been invalidated, and when the license becomes invalid, the processing of the job is stopped, and the access means of the application management apparatus is used to automatically issue a license to an external apparatus. And when the license is updated based on access to the external device, the license update notification is received from the platform of the application management device to confirm that the license is valid Means, and after confirming the validity of the license, Characterized in that a resume means processing job.

  The present invention also provides an application management method for managing the application based on a unique license using a platform for executing the application, wherein the license is updated when the license of the application is updated. A license update notification indicating is sent to the application by the platform.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job processing method for processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus according to claim 1, the step of determining whether or not a license is invalidated during job processing. Stopping the processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, notifying information for prompting the license update, receiving the license update notification from the platform, and enabling the license And a step of resuming the processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license.

  The present invention also provides a computer-readable program for executing an application management method for managing an application based on a unique license using a platform for executing the application, wherein the license of the application is updated. The license update notification indicating that the license has been updated is sent to the application by the platform that executes the application.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable program for executing a job processing method for processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a license is obtained during job processing. Determining whether or not the license is invalid; stopping the processing of the job when the license is invalid; and notifying information prompting the license to be updated; and sending the license update notification from the platform. Receiving and confirming that the license is valid, and resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license.

  According to the present invention, even when the license is invalidated while the user is working using the application, the work is continuously performed without restarting the application by updating the license. It becomes possible. As a result, the user's work risk can be reduced and the convenience of the user can be improved.

  In addition, when the license is invalidated while the user is working with the application, the user can access the external device that issues the license by using the access means to update the license. Will be able to continue working without having to restart the application. This further improves user convenience.

  Embodiments of an application management apparatus, job processing apparatus, application management method, job processing method, and computer-readable program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, for example, a multi-function machine that is an image forming apparatus is applied as the job processing apparatus.

<Hardware configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multifunction machine as an application example of an image forming apparatus equipped with an application management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, the multi-function device 100 is integrally provided with scanner, printer, copy, and facsimile functions. The MFP 100 is connected to an external license server 20 and a client computer 11 via a network 15 such as the Internet, and is connected to another communication device (not shown) via a public line network 16. .

  The multifunction peripheral 100 is not limited to the illustrated example, and may be a digital copying machine or a printer with a copy function, and the number of peripheral devices connected to the network 15 is not limited to the illustrated example. The image forming apparatus is not limited to the multifunction peripheral 100, and includes a printing apparatus such as a facsimile or a printer, a single-function apparatus (such as a scanner apparatus) that can form an image, and includes a controller built in each apparatus. Including.

  The multi-function device 100 mainly includes a reader unit 1, a printer unit 2, and an image input / output control unit 3. The reader unit 1 is connected to the printer unit 2 and the image input / output control unit 3, reads an image of a document, and outputs the read image data to the printer unit 2 or the image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 prints the image data output from the reader unit 1 and the image input / output control unit 3 on a recording sheet. The image input / output control unit 3 is connected to the external network 15 or the public line network 16 to input / output image data, and to store the usage amount when the user uses the multi-function device 100. 15 analyzes and controls a job (printing command or the like) from the client computer 11 connected to 15.

  The image input / output control unit 3 includes a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, a storage device 6, a network interface unit 7, a PDL formatter unit 8, and a core unit 10. The facsimile unit 4 is connected to the core unit 10 and the public network 16, decompresses the compressed image data received from the public network 16, and transmits the decompressed image data to the core unit 10. Further, the image data transmitted from the core unit 10 is compressed, and the compressed image data is transmitted to the public line network 16 via the public line.

  The file unit 5 is connected to the core unit 10 and the storage device 6, compresses the image data transmitted from the core unit 10, and stores the compressed image data in the storage device 6 together with a keyword for searching the compressed image data. In the present embodiment, for example, a hard disk drive is used as the storage device 6, but it is of course not limited to this. Further, the file unit 5 searches the compressed image data stored in the storage device 6 based on the keyword transmitted from the core unit 10, reads out the compressed image data, decompresses it, and transmits it to the core unit 10. To do.

  The network interface unit 7 is an interface between the license server 20 and the client computer 11 connected via the external network 15 and the core unit 10. Transmission and reception of job control data and image data from the client computer 11 are performed via the network interface unit 7.

  Here, examples of the job control data include a job control command transmitted together with the PDL data. For example, the job control data may be one in which the PDL data is expanded and printed as image data, and then stapled and discharged.

  The formatter unit 8 is connected to the core unit 10 and develops PDL data transmitted from the client computer 11 into image data that can be printed by the printer unit 2. The image memory unit 9 is for temporarily storing image information read from the reader unit 1 and image information sent from the client computer 11 or the like via the network interface unit 7.

  The core unit 10 analyzes the job control data as well as the data flowing between the reader unit 1, the facsimile unit 4, the file unit 5, the network interface unit 7, and the formatter unit 8 described above. Information such as usage status, number of copies, number of copies printed, number of scans, etc. is accumulated. Furthermore, various software modules constituting the features of the present embodiment described later with reference to FIG. 2 are executed.

  The license server 20 is a Web server that issues licenses necessary for using various applications including the application (A) 204. The client computer 11 includes a personal computer or a workstation, has a Web browser, and can access the multi-function device 100 via the network 15.

<Software configuration>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the present embodiment.

  In the memory in the core unit 10 in the multifunction peripheral 100 shown in FIG. 1, the operation display control application 202, the user interface application 203, the application (A) 204, the Web browser 205, the platform 206, and license information are stored as software modules. A database 209 is stored.

  As an interface between the user 201 and the multifunction device 100, the multifunction device 100 is provided with a liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13. The liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13 is controlled by the operation display control application 202.

  Further, the user interface application 203 provides a function as an interface among the operation display control application 202, the application (A) 204, and the Web browser 205. An application (A) 204 is an example of an application whose operation is managed by a license.

  The platform 206 provides a function as an execution environment to one or more applications such as the application (A) 204, and is configured using, for example, a Java (registered trademark) virtual machine. The platform 206 includes an application management service 208 that manages the operation of the application (A) 204 and a license management service 207 that manages the license of the application (A) 204. All information included in the license of the application (A) 204 is managed by the license information database 209.

  The user interface application 203 has a communication function for communicating with the application (A) 204 and the web browser 205, and is necessary for the user 201 in response to a request from the application (A) 204 or the web browser 205. It is possible to present information.

  The application (A) 204 and the web browser 205 have a communication function for communicating with the application management service 208 and the license management service 207, and the application management service 208 uses the communication function to apply the application (A) 204. And management of operations such as installation, uninstallation, execution, and stop of the Web browser 205.

  Here, in the present embodiment, in order to install and uninstall the application (A) 204, the operation is performed from the computer 11 via the network 15, and the operation is performed from the liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13. There is.

  Also, the license management service 207 uses the communication function to transmit / receive license information to / from the application (A) 204, notify the license update to the application (A) 204 (notify that the license has been updated), and the like. Making it possible.

  Furthermore, the application management service 208 and the license management service 207 also have a communication function for communicating with each other, and the application management service 208 refers to the license information when managing the operation of the application (A) 204. This communication function is also used when the license management service 207 accesses an external Web server and executes a Web browser to present the Web page.

  The license management service 207 has a function of communicating with the license information database 209 and can perform operations such as creation, addition, correction, and deletion of license information. The license information in the license information database 209 can be updated via the license management service 207 by operating the liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13 or operating from the computer 11 via the network 15.

  Note that the software configuration of the multifunction device 100 is such that a license update operation can be performed from the multifunction device 100 to the application (A) 204 and an appropriate function for notifying that the license has been updated is presented. It is not limited to the software configuration described above.

<Application operation>
Next, the operation of the application according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating job processing executed by the application (A) 204 according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a screen diagram illustrating a display screen example when the job according to the present embodiment is temporarily stopped. FIG. 5 is a screen diagram illustrating a screen example when the Web browser 205 accesses the license server 20. It is. FIG. 6 is a screen diagram showing a screen example when the license is updated by the Web browser 205, and FIG. 7 is a screen diagram showing a screen example at the time of canceling the suspension of the job according to the present embodiment. .

  When, for example, the application (A) 204 displayed on the liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13 is executed, the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is started.

  First, in step S301, the application (A) 204 receives an execution command. Accordingly, the process proceeds to step S302, and the job of the application (A) 204 is started.

  In step S303, it is determined whether or not the license has been invalidated due to the expiration of the license during the execution of the job, or the number of times of use has expired. Proceeding to step S304, the job of the application (A) 204 ends normally.

  If the license becomes invalid during execution of the job, the process proceeds to step S305, and the application management service 208 temporarily stops the execution of the job of the application (A) 204, and the process proceeds to step S306.

  In step S306, as shown in the screen example of FIG. 4, the user is notified of a “license has expired” and a pop-up including an instruction to “cancel job or update license”. 401 is presented, and the process proceeds to step S307. It is also possible for the user to cancel the job by pressing a cancel button 402.

  In step S307, the license management service 207 checks the license information of the application (A) 204, and determines whether or not the setting for automatically accessing the license server 20 has been made. If automatic access is set, the process advances to step S308 to activate the web browser 205 via the application management service 208, and the process advances to step S309.

  In step S309, the URL of the license server 20 is acquired from the information described in the license file of the application (A) 204, and in the next step S310, the license update page on the license server 20 is accessed. To do.

  When the page for updating the license is accessed, the Web page 504 of the license server 20 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13 on a screen as shown in FIG. In other words, the page 504 of the browser 501 on the screen displayed on the liquid crystal panel operation display unit 13 is provided with an input area 504a for issuing a license for the application product to be used. In this input area 504a, the user can By inputting the license access number of the application (A) 204, the license of the application (A) 204 is issued.

  On the other hand, if the setting for automatically accessing the license server 20 is not made, the process proceeds to step S311 and the screen remains in the display state of FIG. 4 and waits for the user to manually update the license. Here, as a method for the user to manually update the license, a method in which the user manually accesses the license server 20 from the Web browser 205 of the multifunction peripheral 100 to acquire the license and update the license in the multifunction peripheral 100, However, there are two methods of manually accessing the license server 20 from the browser of the client computer 11 and acquiring the license and updating the license in the multifunction peripheral 100.

  The user 201 recognizes the “information for prompting license update” displayed on the screen of FIG. 4 and performs an operation for updating the license (automatic update using the screen of FIG. 5 or the screen of FIG. 4). (Manual update), a license update end display page 601 in FIG. 6 indicates that the license has been updated, and the license is downloaded from the license server 20 into the MFP 100, and the license management service 207 is displayed. Through this, the license information in the license information database 209 is updated. Then, after updating the license information, the license management service 207 sends a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated to the application (A) 204.

  During the suspension, the application (A) 204 proceeds to step S 311 and is in a standby state until a license update notification is notified from the license management service 207. If the user 201 cancels the job in this state (step S317), the process proceeds from step S317 to step S304, and the execution of the job is completed.

  On the other hand, if the application (A) 204 receives the license update notification in step S311, the process advances to step S312 to determine whether the Web browser 205 is activated. If the web browser 205 is not activated, the process proceeds to step S314 as it is, and if it is activated, the process proceeds to step S313 to terminate the web browser 205 and then proceeds to step S314.

  In step S314, for example, the information necessary for the license to be valid written in the license update notification is confirmed. In the next step S315, the license information can be confirmed. A transition is made to the stop screen (FIG. 4), and the process further proceeds to step S316, where the application management service 208 releases the suspension of job execution. As a result, as shown in the screen example when canceling the suspension of the job (FIG. 7), the remaining processing of the job is resumed, and after all the processing of the job is completed, the process proceeds to step S304 and the job ends.

  According to the present embodiment, since the function of notifying that the license has been updated is provided as a platform, the application can check the license information when receiving the license update notification. Therefore, if the license expires while the user is working with the application (for example, if the license expires during copying), the application itself periodically monitors the license information. The restart of the application can be avoided more efficiently than the method. Furthermore, when the license expires while using the application, the license server 20 can be automatically accessed using the web browser 205, so that the license can be easily updated while the user is on the spot.

  As a result, it is possible to continue work without restarting the application, and it is possible to reduce the restart of the application, so that it is possible to reduce the risk in the work of the user and the convenience for the user. Will improve.

  Each of the above embodiments is merely an example of the implementation of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed in a limited manner. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the main features.

  The present invention is not limited to the apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and may be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices or an apparatus constituted by one device. A storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads the program codes stored in the storage medium. It goes without saying that it is completed by executing.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-nonvolatile memory, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, nonvolatile memory A memory can be used. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code performs the actual processing. Needless to say, a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the above and the processing thereof is included.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted in the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is expanded based on the instruction of the next program code. It goes without saying that the functions of the above-described embodiment may be realized by performing some or all of the actual processing by the CPU or the like provided in the expansion board or expansion unit.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction machine that is an application example of an image forming apparatus equipped with an application management apparatus according to an embodiment. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the job performed with the application which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 10 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when a job according to an embodiment is paused. It is a screen figure which shows the example of a screen at the time of accessing a license server with a web browser. It is a screen figure which shows the example of a screen at the time of updating a license with a web browser. FIG. 6 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a screen when canceling a job suspension according to the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 2 Printer part 3 Image input / output control part 6 Storage device 7 Network interface part 10 Core part 11 Client computer 13 Liquid crystal panel operation display part 100 Multifunction machine 201 User 202 Operation display part control application 203 User interface application 204 Application ( A)
205 Web browser 206 Platform 207 License management service 208 Application management service 209 License information database

Claims (9)

In an application management device that manages an application based on a unique license,
A platform for executing an application managed by the license;
The platform is
An application management apparatus comprising: means for notifying the application of a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated when the license of the application is updated. In an application management device that manages an application based on a unique license,
A platform for executing an application managed by the license;
Access means for accessing an external device that issues a license;
The platform is
When the license is updated based on the access to the external device by the access means, the application management further comprises means for notifying the application of a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated. apparatus. A job processing apparatus having the application management apparatus according to claim 1 and processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus.
The application is
Means for determining whether the license has become invalid during job processing;
Means for stopping the processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, and notifying information for prompting the update of the license;
Means for receiving the license update notification from the platform of the application management device when the license is updated, and confirming that the license is valid;
A job processing apparatus comprising: means for resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license. A job processing apparatus having the application management apparatus according to claim 2 and processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus.
The application is
Means for determining whether the license has become invalid during job processing;
Means for stopping processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, and notifying information for prompting the update of the license;
Means for accessing an external device issuing a license using the access means of the application management device;
Means for receiving the license update notification from the platform of the application management device when the license is updated based on access to the external device and confirming that the license is valid;
A job processing apparatus comprising: means for resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license. A job processing apparatus having the application management apparatus according to claim 2 and processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus.
The application is
Means for determining whether the license has become invalid during job processing;
Means for stopping processing of the job when the license becomes invalid and automatically accessing an external device that issues a license using the access means of the application management device;
Means for receiving the license update notification from the platform of the application management device when the license is updated based on access to the external device and confirming that the license is valid;
A job processing apparatus comprising: means for resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license. An application management method for managing the application based on a unique license using a platform for executing the application,
When the license of the application is updated, a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated is notified to the application by the platform. A job processing method for processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus according to claim 1,
Determining whether the license has become invalid during job processing;
Stopping the processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, and informing information for prompting the update of the license;
Receiving the license update notification from the platform and confirming that the license is valid;
And a step of resuming the processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license. A computer readable program for executing an application management method for managing an application based on a unique license using a platform for executing the application,
A computer-readable program that, when a license of the application is updated, notifies the application of a license update notification indicating that the license has been updated by a platform that executes the application. A computer-readable program for executing a job processing method for processing a job of an application managed by the application management apparatus according to claim 1,
Determining whether the license has become invalid during job processing;
Stopping the processing of the job when the license becomes invalid, and notifying information for prompting the update of the license;
Receiving the license update notification from the platform and confirming that the license is valid;
And a step of resuming processing of the job after confirming the validity of the license.

Images