JP2019074957A - Simulation apparatus, device setting method, and device setting program - Google Patents

Abstract

To set an information processing apparatus so as to be suitable for an environment where the apparatus is used.SOLUTION: A server includes: a simulation unit 253 which simulates an MFP: a virtual execution control unit 255 which controls the simulation unit 253 when time error occurs in the MFP, to cause a virtual device which simulates the MFP to execute a job same as a job executed by the MFP, with a parameter different from a parameter set to the MFP; a parameter determination unit 265 which determines, when no time error occurs during the job executed by the virtual device, the parameter set to the virtual device as a modified parameter; and a setting unit 257 which controls the MFP, when an environment of the MFP is the same as an environment where a state of the MFP does not satisfy an allowance condition, to set the modified parameter determined by the MFP.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a simulation apparatus, an apparatus setting method and an apparatus setting program, and more particularly to a simulation apparatus for simulating an information processing apparatus, an apparatus setting method and an apparatus setting program executed by the simulation apparatus.

  Since an image forming apparatus represented by MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) has a plurality of functions, different users use different environments. For this reason, even if the setting is the same as the MFP, the performance of the MFP can be sufficiently exhibited when used by a certain user, but the performance of the MFP sufficiently caused when used by another user. You may not be able to This is because the function to be executed by the MFP is different depending on the user, and the type and amount of data to be processed by the MFP are different.

  JP-A-2007-168302 discloses a printing apparatus that performs printing processing in page units according to a plurality of processing steps, as a technique for detecting a factor that degrades the performance of the device, in each processing step of the plurality of processing steps. A printing apparatus comprising: acquiring means for acquiring verification information related to printing processing in page units; and output control means for outputting the verification information acquired by the acquiring means corresponding to each processing step Have been described.

However, the printing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-168302 outputs verification information related to the printing process in page units in each process step of the plurality of process steps in correspondence with each process step, so the user can The problem is that you can refer to this output to deduce the process that is the cause of print performance degradation, and the user has to decide the setting value to improve the cause of the print performance degradation. is there. In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to determine an optimal setting value common to a plurality of users.
Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2007-168302

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simulation apparatus capable of setting an information processing apparatus in a state suitable for a use environment. It is.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a device setting method capable of setting an information processing device in a state suitable for a use environment.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a device setting program capable of setting an information processing device in a state suitable for a use environment.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and according to one aspect of the present invention, a simulation apparatus simulates an information processing apparatus, and input by a user in the information processing apparatus Control means for controlling the simulation means when a timeout error occurs in which the response time from the acceptance of the received operation to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation is equal to or longer than a predetermined time Virtual execution control means for causing the virtual apparatus which simulates the information processing apparatus to execute the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set; Virtual if no timeout errors occur while the virtual device is executing a job And parameter determining means for determining a parameter that is set in the location as a change parameter, as modified parameters determined in the information processing apparatus is set, includes a setting means for controlling the information processing device.

  According to this aspect, when a time-out error occurs, the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus is set to the virtual apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set to the information processing apparatus are set to the virtual apparatus. If it is executed and a timeout error does not occur in the virtual device, the parameter set in the virtual device is determined as the change parameter, and the change parameter is set in the information processing device. Therefore, it is possible to set, in the information processing apparatus, change parameters suitable for the use environment of the information processing apparatus. As a result, it is possible to provide a simulation device capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

  Preferably, the virtual execution control means changes a parameter that defines a condition for assigning a task to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing device.

  According to this aspect, when a timeout error occurs, the virtual device is made to execute the same job as the job executed by the information processing device, with the parameter that defines the condition for assigning tasks to a plurality of arithmetic devices changed. If no error occurs, the parameter set in the virtual device is determined as the change parameter. For this reason, assignment of tasks to each of the plurality of arithmetic devices can be assignment suitable for a job executed by the information processing device.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a simulation apparatus includes simulation means for simulating an information processing apparatus, and user interface processing corresponding to an operation after an operation input by a user in the information processing apparatus is accepted. When a time-out error occurs in which the response time until the completion of execution is a predetermined time or more, the simulation unit is controlled to control the simulation unit, and the simulation unit simulates the information processing apparatus. Virtual execution control means for causing the information processing apparatus to execute the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus with parameters different from the parameters being set, and a timeout error does not occur while the virtual apparatus executes the job Determine the parameter set in the virtual device as the change parameter It comprises a parameter determining means that, the virtual execution control unit changes the parameters defining the criteria for assigning tasks to a plurality of computing devices in the information processing apparatus.

  According to this aspect, when a timeout error occurs in the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus executes the process in a state in which the parameters for determining the conditions for allocating tasks to the plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing apparatus are changed by the virtual apparatus. If the virtual device is made to execute the same job as the job and no timeout error occurs in the virtual device, the parameter set in the virtual device is determined as the change parameter. For this reason, assignment of tasks to each of the plurality of computing devices can be made appropriate assignment for a job executed by the information processing device. As a result, it is possible to provide a simulation device capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

  Preferably, the virtual execution control means changes the parameter such that the usage rate of the computing device to which the user interface process is assigned among the plurality of computing devices is reduced.

  According to this aspect, the parameter is changed such that the usage rate of the computing device to which the user interface process is assigned among the plurality of computing devices included in the information processing device is reduced. For this reason, it is possible to prevent user interface processing from being delayed.

  Preferably, the virtual execution control means changes the parameter so that no processing other than the user interface processing is assigned to the computing device to which the user interface processing is assigned among the plurality of computing devices.

  According to this aspect, only the user interface process can be assigned to the computing device to which the user interface process is assigned, so that the load on the computing device to which the user interface process is assigned can be reduced as much as possible.

  Preferably, when only user interface processing is assigned to a first computing device to which user interface processing is assigned among a plurality of computing devices, the virtual execution control means is different from the first computing device. The parameters are changed such that part of the user interface processing is assigned to the second computing device of.

  According to this aspect, when only the user interface process is assigned to the first computing device to which the user interface process is assigned, the parameter is set such that a part of the user interface process is assigned to the second computing device. Is changed. Therefore, since the user interface processing is executed by the first computing device and the second computing device, the load on the first computing device can be reduced.

  Preferably, the setting unit is configured to set the change parameter determined in the information processing apparatus when the environment of the information processing apparatus is the same as the environment at the time the timeout error occurs in the information processing apparatus. Control.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to set, in the information processing apparatus, change parameters suitable for the use environment of the information processing apparatus.

  Preferably, the same environment as the environment in which the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from the allowable condition is an environment in which a user who instructed execution of a job executed by the information processing apparatus uses the information processing apparatus.

  According to this aspect, when the user who instructed to execute the job uses the information processing apparatus, the change parameter is set in the information processing apparatus, so that the information processing apparatus can be adapted to a different usage environment for each user. it can.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the simulation apparatus simulates the information processing apparatus and the portable information apparatus for remotely operating the information processing apparatus, and the operation input by the user in the portable information apparatus Control means for controlling the simulation unit when a timeout error occurs in which the first response time from the acceptance of the command to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined time Executed by the first execution device of either the information processing device or the portable information device, the first virtual device simulating the information processing device, and the second virtual device in which the simulating means simulates the portable information device With the settings changed so that the other specified second execution device executes the specified process Virtual execution control means for causing the first virtual device and the second virtual device to execute the same processing as the processing executed by the processing device and the portable information device, and the second response time in the second virtual device is the first response time In the case of shorter time, the portable information device and the setting means configured to set the portable information device to execute the specific process by the second execution device instead of the first execution device are provided.

  According to this aspect, when the identification process is executed by the information processing apparatus, the case where the identification process is executed by the portable information device is simulated, and when the identification process is executed by the portable information device, the identification process is The setting is changed so as to simulate the case where it is executed by the information processing apparatus and to execute the specific process among the information processing apparatus and the portable information apparatus while the response time is short. Therefore, the response time in the case of remotely operating the information processing apparatus by the portable information device can be set to an appropriate value. As a result, it is possible to provide a simulation device capable of setting the information processing device and the portable information device in a state suitable for the use environment.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus setting method includes: simulating the information processing apparatus; and information in the simulating step when the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual apparatus simulating the processing apparatus; A parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies an allowable condition while the job is being executed, and the environment of the information processing device permits the state of the information processing device Change parameters determined by the information processing device when it is the same as the environment at the time of departure from the conditions So it is set to execute a setting step of controlling an information processing apparatus, the simulated device.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a device setting method capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus setting method includes: simulating the information processing apparatus; and information in the simulating step when the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual apparatus simulating the processing apparatus; The simulation device executes the parameter determination step of determining the parameter set in the virtual device as the change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance while executing the job, and the virtual execution control step , A parameter that defines a condition for allocating tasks to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing apparatus. Including the step of changing the meter.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a device setting method capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the device setting program performs a simulation step of simulating an information processing device, and information in the simulation step when the state of the information processing device deviates from a predetermined allowable condition. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual apparatus simulating the processing apparatus; A parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies an allowable condition while the job is being executed, and the environment of the information processing device permits the state of the information processing device The change pattern determined by the information processor when it is the same as the environment at the time of departure from the conditions As the meter is set, and a setting step of controlling the information processing apparatus to execute the computer.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a device setting program capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the device setting program performs a simulation step of simulating an information processing device, and information in the simulation step when the state of the information processing device deviates from a predetermined allowable condition. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual apparatus simulating the processing apparatus; Causing the computer to execute the parameter determination step of determining the parameter set in the virtual device as the change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance condition while the job is being executed, and the virtual execution control step Determine the conditions for assigning tasks to multiple processing units of the processing unit Including the step of changing the parameters.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a device setting program capable of setting the information processing device to a state suitable for the use environment.

It is a figure showing an example of the whole outline of the information processing system in one of the embodiments of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the outline | summary of the hardware constitutions of the server in this Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an outline of a hardware configuration of an MFP in the present embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a detailed structure of the main board | substrate in this Embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of an outline of a simulator with which a server in this embodiment is provided. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of functions of a CPU of the MFP in the present embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the function which CPU with which the server in this Embodiment is equipped has. It is a figure which shows an example of a rule parameter. It is a 1st figure which shows an example of allocation of the task to four CPU cores. It is FIG. 1 which shows the utilization rate for every task about each of four CPU cores. It is a figure which shows an example of a change parameter. It is a 2nd figure showing an example of assignment of a task to four CPU cores. It is a 2nd figure which shows the utilization rate for every task about four CPU cores, respectively. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the change request process in this Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the apparatus setting process in this Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the rule parameter set to a portable information apparatus. It is a 1st figure which shows an example of assignment of the task to four CPU cores with which a portable information device is provided. It is FIG. 1 which shows the utilization rate for every task about each of four CPU cores with which a portable information device is provided. It is a figure which shows an example of the change parameter in a 1st modification. It is a 2nd figure which shows an example of assignment of the task to four CPU cores with which a portable information device is provided. It is a 2nd figure which shows the utilization rate for every task about each of four CPU cores with which a portable information device is provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description about them is not repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an overall outline of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 includes MFPs 100, 100 </ b> A, 100 </ b> B, a server 200, and a portable information device 400.

  The MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B are an example of an image forming apparatus, and have at least an image forming function for forming an image on a recording medium such as a sheet based on image data. In addition to the image forming function, MFPs 100, 100A, 100B may have an original reading function for reading an original, and a facsimile transmission / reception function for transmitting / receiving facsimile data. The server 200 is a general computer.

  Server 200 and MFPs 100, 100A, 100B are each connected to network 3. The network 3 is a local area network (LAN), and the connection form may be wired or wireless. The network 3 may further be connected to the Internet. In this case, each of server 200 and MFPs 100, 100A, 100B can communicate with a computer connected to the Internet via network 3. Also, the network 3 is not limited to the LAN, and may be a network using a Public Switched Telephone Network. Furthermore, the network 3 may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet.

  The portable information device 400 is a general smart phone, and can install various application programs. In portable information device 400 in the present embodiment, an application program for remotely operating any of MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B is installed, and a user can use portable information device 400 instead of directly operating MFP 100, for example. To operate the MFP 100 remotely. In this case, the portable information device 400 may connect to the MFP 100 via the network 3 using the communication function that it has, or to directly connect to the MFP 100 using the near field communication function that it has. It is also good.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an outline of a hardware configuration of the server in the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2, the server 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 201 for controlling the entire server 200, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202 for storing a program to be executed by the CPU 201, and a CPU 201. A random access memory (RAM) 203 used as a work area, a hard disk drive (HDD) 204 for storing data in a non-volatile manner, a communication unit 205 for connecting the CPU 201 to the network 3, a display unit 206 for displaying information , An operation unit 207 that receives an operation input by the user, and an external storage device 208.

  The display unit 206 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic ELD (Electro-Luminescence Display). The operation unit 207 is a hard key such as a keyboard. In addition, the operation unit 207 may be a touch panel. The touch panel is provided on the upper surface or the lower surface of the display unit 206 so as to be superimposed on the display unit 206. The touch panel detects a position designated by the user on the display surface of the display unit 206.

  The communication unit 205 is an interface for connecting the CPU 201 to the network 3. A communication unit 205 communicates with the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B connected to the network by a communication protocol such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol). The protocol for communication is not particularly limited, and any protocol can be used. By registering the IP (Internet Protocol) address of each of the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B in the server 200, the server 200 can communicate with each of the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B, and can transmit and receive data.

  The HDD 204 stores a program executed by the CPU 201 or data necessary for executing the program. The CPU 201 loads the program stored in the HDD 204 into the RAM 203 and executes the program.

  The external storage device 208 is mounted with a CD-ROM (Compact Disk ROM) 209 storing a program. The CPU 201 can access the CD-ROM 209 via the external storage device 208. The CPU 201 loads a program recorded in the CD-ROM 209 mounted on the external storage device 208 into the RAM 203 and executes the program. A medium for storing the program executed by the CPU 201 is not limited to the CD-ROM 209, and an optical disc (Magnetic Optical Disc (MO) / Mini Disc (MD) / Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)), an IC card, an optical card, It may be a semiconductor memory such as a mask ROM or an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM).

  Further, the program executed by the CPU 201 is not limited to the program recorded in the CD-ROM 209, and the program stored in the HDD 204 may be loaded into the RAM 203 and executed. In this case, another computer connected to the network 3 may rewrite the program stored in the HDD 204 or additionally write a new program. Furthermore, the server 200 may download a program from the network 3 or another computer connected to the Internet, and store the program in the HDD 204. The program referred to here includes not only a program directly executable by the CPU 201 but also a source program, a compressed program, an encrypted program and the like.

  The hardware configurations and functions of the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B are the same, so here, the MFP 100 will be described as an example. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an outline of the hardware configuration of the MFP in the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, MFP 100 includes a main substrate 111, an original reading unit 130 for reading an original, an automatic original conveyance device 120 for conveying an original to original reading unit 130, and an original reading unit 130. An image forming unit 140 for forming an image on a sheet based on image data read and output, a sheet feeding unit 150 for supplying the sheet to the image forming unit 140, and a communication interface (I / F) unit 160 includes a facsimile unit 170, an external storage device 180, a hard disk drive (HDD) 113 as a mass storage device, and an operation panel 115 as a user interface.

  The main substrate 111 is connected to the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the image forming unit 140 and the paper feeding unit 150, the communication I / F unit 160, the facsimile unit 170, the external storage device 180, the HDD 113, and the operation panel 115. Control the entire MFP 100.

  The automatic document feeder 120 automatically conveys a plurality of documents set on the document tray one sheet at a time to a predetermined document reading position set on the platen glass of the document reading unit 130, and the document reading unit 130. The document on which the image formed on the document has been read is discharged onto the document discharge tray. The document reading unit 130 includes a light source for irradiating light to the document conveyed to the document reading position, and a photoelectric conversion element for receiving light reflected from the document, and scans a document image according to the size of the document. The photoelectric conversion element converts the received light into image data which is an electric signal, and outputs the image data to the image forming unit 140.

  The sheet feeding unit 150 conveys the sheet stored in the sheet feeding tray to the image forming unit 140. The image forming unit 140 forms an image by a known electrophotographic method, and image data after data processing in which various data processing such as shading correction is performed on the image data input from the document reading unit 130 Alternatively, based on the image data received from the outside, the image is formed on the sheet conveyed by the sheet feeding unit 150, and the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged to the sheet discharge tray.

  Communication I / F unit 160 is an interface for connecting MFP 100 to network 3. The communication I / F unit 160 communicates with another computer connected to the network by a communication protocol such as TCP or UDP. The protocol for communication is not particularly limited, and any protocol can be used.

  The communication I / F unit 160 outputs data received from the network 3 to the main board 111, and outputs data input from the main board 111 to the network 3. Communication I / F unit 160 outputs only data addressed to MFP 100 among the data received from network 3 to main substrate 111, and discards data addressed to an apparatus different from MFP 100 among the data received from network 3 Do.

  The facsimile unit 170 is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to transmit and receive facsimile data. The external storage device 180 is mounted with a CD-ROM 181 or a semiconductor memory. The external storage device 180 reads data stored in the CD-ROM 181 or the semiconductor memory. The external storage device 180 stores data in the CD-ROM 181 or semiconductor memory.

  Operation panel 115 is provided on the upper surface of MFP 100 and includes a display unit 118 and an operation unit 119. The display unit 118 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic ELD, and displays an instruction menu for the user, information on acquired image data, and the like. Operation unit 119 includes a plurality of hard keys and a touch panel. The touch panel is a multi-touch compatible touch panel provided on the upper surface or lower surface of the display unit 118 so as to be superimposed on the display unit, and detects a position designated by the user on the display surface of the display unit 118.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of the main board in the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 4, main substrate 111 includes a CPU 171, a ROM 173, a RAM 175, and an image control ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 177.

  The CPU 171, the ROM 173, the RAM 175, and the image control ASIC 177 are each connected to a bus 179, and can transfer data. The CPU 171 controls the entire MFP 100. The ROM 173 stores a program to be executed by the CPU 171. The RAM 175 is a volatile semiconductor memory used as a work area of the CPU 171.

  The CPU 171 includes a plurality of arithmetic devices. Specifically, the CPU 171 is a quad core processor having four CPU cores as four arithmetic devices. Therefore, the CPU 171 can execute a plurality of processes in parallel. The number of arithmetic units included in the CPU 171 is not limited to four, and may be two or more.

  The CPU 171 loads the program stored in the HDD 113 into the RAM 175 and executes the program. Programs executed by the CPU 171 include control programs for controlling hardware resources, and application programs. The hardware resources include the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the image forming unit 140, the communication I / F unit 160 of the paper feeding unit 150, the facsimile unit 170, the HDD 113, and the operation panel 115. The application program includes, for example, a facsimile transmission program that controls facsimile unit 170 to transmit facsimile data, a facsimile reception program that controls facsimile unit 170 to receive facsimile data, and a communication job control unit 160 to control communication I / F unit 160 And a print program that controls the image forming unit 140 and the paper feeding unit 150 to form an image based on a print job, and a document reading program that controls the document reading unit 130 to read a document. In addition, the application program may include a maintenance program that manages consumables provided in MFP 100, and an error state notification program that notifies an error state. The application programs executed by the CPU 171 are not limited to these.

  The image control ASIC 177 is connected to the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the image forming unit 140, and the paper feeding unit 150, and controls them. Also, the image control ASIC 177 incorporates a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) as an arithmetic device that executes image processing. The GPU executes predetermined image processing on image data to be processed, and executes image processing for converting the image data into raster data for printing by the image forming unit 140. The GPU includes a RIP (Raster Image Processor) that performs image processing for converting vector image data into raster data.

  Server 200 in the present embodiment is provided with a simulator that simulates MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B. Since the simulation of each of MFPs 100, 100A, 100B by server 200 is the same, a case where server 200 simulates MFP 100 will be described as an example here.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an outline of a simulator provided in the server in the present embodiment. The simulator is formed in the CPU 201 by the CPU 201 executing a simulation program. Referring to FIG. 5, the simulator includes a CPU peripheral simulator 300 and a hardware (HW) simulator 320. CPU peripheral simulator 300 includes virtual CPU 301 simulating CPU 171 provided in MFP 100, virtual memory 303 emulating ROM 173 and RAM 175, peripheral model 305, synchronization setting model 307, and interrupt control unit 309. . The virtual CPU 301, virtual memory 303, peripheral model 305, and synchronization setting model 307 are connected to a bus (Bus) 311. The virtual CPU 301 has four virtual CPU cores that simulate four CPU cores of the CPU 171, respectively.

  Peripheral model 305 includes HDD 113 provided in MFP 100, HDD 113A emulating operation panel 115, communication I / F unit 160 and external storage device 180, operation panel 115A, communication I / F portion 160A and external storage device 180A.

  The synchronization setting model 307 makes settings for the virtual CPU 301 to synchronize with the virtual memory 303 and the peripheral model 305. The interrupt control unit 309 causes the virtual CPU 301 to generate an interrupt at the time of setting for synchronizing the virtual CPU 301 with the virtual memory 303 and the peripheral model 305.

  The HW simulator 320 includes a PCI-Express Bus model 321, an image control ASIC model 323, and a hardware resource model 325. The PCI-Express Bus model 321 is connected to the bus 311 and emulates a connection according to the PCI-Express standard. The image control ASIC model 323 emulates the image control ASIC 177 provided in the MFP 100. The hardware resource model 325 emulates the hardware resources provided by the MFP 100. Specifically, the hardware resource model 325 is an automatic document feeder 120A that emulates the automatic document feeder 120, the document reader 130, the image forming unit 140, the paper feeder 150, and the facsimile unit 170 provided in the MFP 100, A document reading unit 130A, an image forming unit 140A, a sheet feeding unit 150A, and a facsimile unit 170A are included.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of functions of the CPU of the MFP in the present embodiment. The function illustrated in FIG. 6 is a function realized by the CPU 171 when the CPU 171 of the MFP 100 executes the change request program stored in the ROM 173, the HDD 113, or the CD-ROM 181. The change request program is a part of the device setting program. Referring to FIG. 6, CPU 171 includes a determination unit 51, a log storage unit 53, an apparatus information transmission unit 55, a setting instruction reception unit 57, and an apparatus side setting unit 59.

  Determination unit 51 determines whether the state of MFP 100 satisfies an allowable condition. Determination unit 51 outputs a transmission instruction to device information transmission unit 55 when the state of MFP 100 does not satisfy the permission condition, and outputs a normal signal to device information transmission unit 55 when the state of MFP 100 satisfies the permission condition. . Here, the state of MFP 100 is a response time, and the allowable condition is a condition smaller than a predetermined threshold value T1. The response time is the time from when the operation input by the user is accepted to when the execution of the process corresponding to the operation is completed. The determination unit 51 outputs a transmission instruction to the device information transmission unit 55 when the response time is equal to or more than the threshold value T1, and the normal signal is transmitted to the device information transmission unit 55 when the response time is not equal to or more than the threshold value T1. Output Hereinafter, processing corresponding to the operation input by the user is referred to as user interface processing. For example, when the operation accepted by operation panel 115A is a switching operation for switching a screen, the user interface processing includes processing for specifying a screen determined by the switching operation, processing for generating an image of the specified screen, and And a process of displaying the captured image on the display unit 119.

  When determining that the state of MFP 100 does not satisfy the allowable condition, determination unit 51 also measures the load of each of the four CPU cores that CPU 171 has, and transmits the load of each of the four CPU cores to device information transmitting unit 55. Output along with the transmission instruction. The load of the CPU core is, for example, the usage rate of the CPU core.

  The log storage unit 53 stores, in the HDD 113, a log that is a history of a job executed by the CPU 171. The job defines the processing that the CPU 171 executes. The log contains, for each job, the user identification information of the user who instructed the execution of the job, the job, the time when the job is received from the outside, the time when the job was executed, and the processing data. The process data is data that is to be processed by the CPU 171 that executes the process defined by the job. The processing data includes, in addition to data generated by the MFP 100, data received from an external device other than the MFP 100. The data generated by the MFP 100 includes, for example, data that the document reading unit 130 reads and outputs a document. The data received from the external device includes data received from the external device and stored in the HDD 113.

  Device information transmitting unit 55 generates device information in response to a transmission instruction being input from determination unit 51, and transmits the generated device information to server 200 by controlling communication I / F unit 160. . The device information is input from the determination unit 51, information on the CPU 171 installed in the MFP 100, hardware information on hardware resources installed on the MFP 100, software information on software resources installed on the MFP 100, log information, and the like. And the load of each of the four CPU cores. The information on the CPU 171 includes the model name of the CPU 171 and rule parameters that define rules for assigning tasks to each of the four CPU cores. The rule parameter defines the type of task assignable to each of the four CPU cores. The rule parameter includes an assignment parameter which determines whether a task regarding image processing is executed by the CPU 171 or executed by a GPU included in the image control ASIC 177.

  The hardware information includes hardware identification information for identifying hardware resources and hardware parameters set for controlling hardware resources. The hardware information includes hardware identification information and hardware parameters for each of a plurality of hardware resources when there are a plurality of hardware resources. The software information includes a program name of a program installed in MFP 100 and software parameters set to execute the program. The log information includes a log corresponding to the job being executed by the CPU 171 when the transmission instruction is input from the determination unit 51. The device information transmission unit 55 extracts a log including the time point when the transmission instruction is input within the period specified by the period information from the logs stored in the HDD 113 by the log storage unit 53, and includes the extracted log Generate log information. The setting instruction receiving unit 57 and the apparatus side setting unit 59 will be described later.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the function of the CPU of the server in the present embodiment. The function illustrated in FIG. 7 is a function realized by the CPU 201 when the CPU 201 included in the server 200 executes a device setting program stored in the ROM 202, the HDD 204, or the CD-ROM 209. Referring to FIG. 7, CPU 201 included in server 200 includes a device information acquisition unit 251, a simulation unit 253, a virtual execution control unit 255, and a setting unit 257.

  The device information acquisition unit 251 acquires device information from any of the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B. As described above, each of MFPs 100, 100A, 100B transmits device information when the response time is equal to or greater than threshold value T1. When the communication unit 205 receives device information from any of the MFPs 100, 100A, and 100B, the device information acquisition unit 251 acquires the device information received by the communication unit 205. Here, the case of acquiring device information from the MFP 100 will be described as an example. When acquiring device information, the device information acquisition unit 251 outputs the device information to the simulation unit 253 and the virtual execution control unit 255.

  The virtual execution control unit 255 receives the device information from the device information acquisition unit 251. The virtual execution control unit 255 includes a parameter change unit 261, a virtual determination unit 263, and a parameter determination unit 265. The parameter change unit 261 changes a rule parameter defined by the information related to the CPU 171 included in the device information. The parameter change unit 261 changes the rule parameter so that the load on the CPU core to which the task for executing the user interface process is assigned is reduced. For example, the parameter change unit 261 is a task that executes processing different from user interface processing among a plurality of tasks allocated to the CPU core to which a task for executing user interface processing is assigned among four CPU cores. Change the rule parameter so that it is assigned to another CPU core. In addition, the parameter change unit 261 sets rule parameters such that a task for executing processing different from user interface processing is not allocated to a CPU core to which a task for executing user interface processing is assigned among the four CPU cores. Change In addition, when only a plurality of tasks for executing the user interface process is assigned to the CPU core to which the task for executing the user interface process is assigned among the four CPU cores, the parameter changing unit 261 determines a plurality of tasks. Change the rule parameters so that part of is assigned to another CPU core.

  The simulation unit 253 receives the device information from the device information acquisition unit 251, and receives the changed rule parameter from the parameter change unit 261. The simulation unit 253 simulates the MFP 100. First, the simulation unit 253 sets hardware resources attached to the MFP 100 based on the device information, causes the virtual CPU 301 to execute software resources executed by the CPU 171 of the MFP 100, and changes hardware parameters, software parameters, and parameters. The changed rule parameters input from the unit 261 are set.

  The MFP 100 includes, as hardware resources, an image control ASIC 177, an automatic document feeder 120, a document reading unit 130, an image forming unit 140, a paper feeding unit 150, a communication I / F unit 160, a facsimile unit 170, an external storage device 180, and an HDD 113. And an operation panel 115. Therefore, hardware information included in the device information includes the image control ASIC 177, the automatic document feeder 120, the document reading unit 130, the image forming unit 140, the paper feeding unit 150, the communication I / F unit 160, the facsimile unit 170, and the external storage. The device 180, the HDD 113, and the operation panel 115 are defined as hardware resources. The simulation unit 253 includes an image control ASIC 177, an automatic document feeder 120, a document reading unit 130, an image forming unit 140, a paper feeding unit 150, a communication I / F unit 160, and a facsimile specified by hardware information included in the device information. The emulator that emulates each of the unit 170, the external storage device 180, the HDD 113, and the operation panel 115 is set, and the hardware parameters included in the hardware information are set. Furthermore, the simulation unit 253 sets synchronization with the hardware resource to be emulated. For example, in the synchronous setting model 307 of the CPU peripheral simulator 300 shown in FIG. 6, the virtual CPU 301 sets the register value of the virtual CPU 301 so as to synchronize with the hardware resource emulator, and rewrites the memory map of the virtual memory 303. .

  In addition, the simulation unit 253 sets the software resource defined by the software information included in the device information to a state where the virtual CPU executes, and sets the setting value included in the device information. Specifically, the simulation unit 253 installs a software resource defined by software information included in the device information, and sets a setting value included in the device information. Thereby, in the simulation unit 253, a virtual device simulating the MFP 100 is completed. The data stored in the RAM 175 of the MFP 100 may be acquired as a snapshot and stored in the virtual memory 303.

  The simulation unit 253 causes the virtual CPU 301 to execute the same job as the job executed by the CPU 171 of the MFP 100 based on the device information. In this case, the simulation unit 253 assigns tasks to the four virtual CPU cores of the virtual CPU 301 according to the rule parameter changed by the parameter change unit 261. Further, the simulation unit 253 allocates the image processing task to either the virtual CPU 301 or the image control ASIC 177 in accordance with the allocation parameter included in the rule parameter changed by the parameter change unit 261. When a plurality of logs are defined in the log information included in the device information, the simulation unit 253 determines the timing of executing each of the plurality of jobs according to the period information included in each of the plurality of logs, and determines the plurality of jobs. Execute each at the determined timing. Since the period information indicates the date and time when the job is started and the period from when the job is started to when it ends, the timing of executing the plurality of jobs is determined according to the date and time when each of the plurality of jobs is started. Specifically, the order of executing the plurality of jobs is determined in accordance with the start date and time of each of the plurality of jobs. The timing at which the second and subsequent jobs are to be started may be determined based on the first job at the start time.

  Virtual determination unit 263 determines whether or not the response time is smaller than threshold value T1 in the virtual device where simulation unit 253 simulates MFP 100. The virtual determination unit 263 outputs a change instruction to the parameter change unit 261 if the response time in the virtual device is equal to or greater than the threshold value T1, and if the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance condition, the parameter change unit 261 and The determination instruction is output to the parameter determination unit 265.

  The parameter change unit 261 changes the rule parameter in response to the change instruction being input from the virtual determination unit 263, and outputs the new rule parameter after the change to the simulation unit 253. The simulation unit 253 causes the virtual CPU 301 to execute the same job as the job executed by the CPU 171 of the MFP 100 each time a new rule parameter is input from the parameter change unit 261. Therefore, the parameter changing unit 261 determines a new rule parameter each time a change instruction is input from the virtual determination unit 263, and the simulation unit 253 determines a new rule parameter by the parameter changing unit 261. Each time, the virtual CPU 301 executes one or more jobs in accordance with the new rule parameter. In this cycle, while the simulation unit 253 causes the virtual CPU 301 to execute one or more jobs, the virtual determination unit 263 causes the simulation unit 253 to simulate the MFP 100, and the response time is greater than the threshold T1. Repeat until it gets smaller. The parameter change unit 261 outputs the rule parameter at that time to the parameter determination unit 265 in response to the input of the determination instruction from the virtual determination unit 263.

  When the determination instruction is input from virtual determination unit 263, parameter determination unit 265 determines the rule parameter input from parameter change unit 261 as the change parameter, and outputs the change parameter to setting unit 257. In addition, the parameter determination unit 265 outputs, to the setting unit 257, the user identification information of the user who instructed the execution of the job executed by the virtual device based on the log information included in the device information. Further, the parameter determination unit 265 outputs, to the setting unit 257, period information of the job executed by the virtual device based on the log information included in the device information.

  In response to the change parameter being input from parameter determination unit 265, setting unit 257 sets the change parameter in MFP 100 when the response time in MFP 100 becomes equal to or higher than threshold value T1. Control the MFP 100 so that The setting unit 257 includes a user setting unit 271 and a time zone setting unit 273. While the user identified by the user identification information input from parameter determination unit 265 is using MFP 100, user setting unit 271 transmits, to MFP 100, a first command for setting a change parameter. The first command includes user identification information and a change parameter.

  Time zone setting unit 273 transmits, to MFP 100, a second command for setting the change parameter in a time zone including the time specified by the period information input from parameter determining unit 265. The second command includes a time zone and a change parameter. The setting unit 257 activates one of the user setting unit 271 and the time zone setting unit 273. It may be set in advance which of the user setting unit 271 and the time zone setting unit 273 is to be activated.

  Returning to FIG. 6, setting instruction receiving unit 57 controls communication I / F unit 160 to receive either the first command or the second command from server 200. The setting instruction receiving unit 57 outputs the first command or the second command received from the server 200 to the apparatus side setting unit 59.

  When communication I / F unit 160 receives a first command from server 200, apparatus side setting unit 59 executes the first command, and the user identified by the user identification information included in the first command performs MFP 100. While in use, set the change parameters included in the first command. Therefore, the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter only while the user operating MFP 100 at the time when the response time in MFP 100 reaches threshold value T1 or more in the past is using MFP 100. A user who uses MFP 100 is a user who uses operation panel 115, a user who remotely operates MFP 100 using portable information device 400, and a user who operates an external PC, and instructs to transmit a print job to the PC Including users. The user who uses operation panel 115 and the user who remotely operates MFP 100 using portable information device 400 may be identified by performing user authentication. Also, a user who operates an external PC and instructs the PC to transmit a print job receives the print job including the user identification information of the user who instructed to transmit the print job. The identification may be made based on the user identification information included in the executed job.

  When the second command is input, the apparatus side setting unit 59 sets a change parameter included in the second command only during a time zone included in the second command. Therefore, the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter only in the time zone including the time when the response time in the MFP 100 has reached the threshold value T1 or more in the past.

  Next, determination of the change parameter will be described in detail. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a rule parameter. The rule parameter defines the type of task that can be assigned to each of the four CPU cores that the MFP 100 has. In FIG. 8, four CPU cores are shown as core 1, core 2, core 3 and core 4. Further, 12 types of task types are shown: vector data generation, rasterization, data conversion, communication, scanning, browsing, internal server, IWS analysis, IWS communication, operation acceptance, screen creation, and screen drawing. The task whose task type is vector data generation is a task that executes a process of generating vector data. The task whose task type is rasterization is a task that executes processing for generating raster data from vector data. The task whose task type is data conversion is a task that executes a process of changing the format of data. The task whose task type is communication is a task that executes a process of transmitting and receiving data. The task whose task type is scan is a task that controls the document reading unit 130 to execute a process of reading a document. The task whose task type is browsing is a task that executes a browsing program. The task whose task type is scan is a task that controls the document reading unit 130 to execute a process of reading a document. The task whose task type is internal server is a task that executes processing to function as a server. The task of task type IWS analysis is a task that executes a process of analyzing data received as a server. The task of the task type IWS communication is a task that executes processing of transmitting and receiving data as a server. The task having the task type “operation acceptance” is a task that executes processing for accepting an operation input by the user. The task type is screen creation task is a task for executing a process of creating a screen. The task type is “screen drawing task” which is a task for executing a process of displaying an image of the screen on the display unit 119. The three tasks of operation acceptance, screen creation and screen drawing are tasks for executing user interface processing.

  The CPU core of core 1 is assigned the task types of vector data generation, rasterization, data conversion, communication and scanning. The CPU 2 of the core 2 is assigned task types of vector data generation, rasterization, operation acceptance, screen creation and screen drawing. The CPU core of core 3 is assigned task types of vector data generation, rasterization, browsing, IWS analysis, and IWS communication. The CPU type of core 4 is assigned the task type of the internal server.

  FIG. 9 is a first diagram showing an example of assignment of tasks to four CPU cores. FIG. 9 shows an example of tasks assigned to each of the four CPU cores when the response time becomes equal to or greater than the threshold T1 in the state where the rule parameter shown in FIG. 8 is set. In FIG. 9, the task type indicates the task of vector data generation by Rip1 to Rip4, the task type indicates the task of rasterization by Raster1 to 4 and the task type indicates the task of data conversion by Conv, and the task type The communication task is indicated by Nicfum, the task type is indicated by scan task, and the task type is indicated by browsing task, the task type is indicated by Browser, and the task type is indicated by internal server task by IWS. Also, the task type indicates the tasks of IWS analysis, IWS communication, operation acceptance, screen creation and screen drawing with the same name.

  The core 1 CPU core is assigned seven tasks: Scan, Conv, Nicfum, Raster1, Raster2, Rip1 and Rip2. Five tasks of operation reception, screen creation, screen drawing, Raster 4 and Rip 3 are allocated to the CPU core of core 2. Five tasks of IWS analysis, IWS communication, Browser, Raster 3 and Rip 4 are allocated to the CPU core of core 3. One IWS task is assigned to the CPU core of the core 4.

  FIG. 10 is a first diagram showing the utilization for each task for each of the four CPU cores. FIG. 10 shows the usage rate when the task shown in FIG. 9 is assigned. In the CPU core of core 1, the total utilization is 100. In the CPU core of core 2, the total utilization is 100. In the CPU core of core 3, the total utilization is 100. In the CPU core of core 4, the total utilization is five.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the change parameter. Referring to FIG. 11, the changed parameter is compared with the rule parameter shown in FIG. 8, and the types of vector data generation and rasterizing tasks assigned to the CPU core of core 2 are deleted, and the CPU of core 4 is deleted. The difference is that core data generation and rasterization task types are added and assigned to the core.

  FIG. 12 is a second diagram showing an example of task assignment to four CPU cores. 12, different from assignment of tasks shown in FIG. 9 in that two tasks of Raster 4 and Rip 3 assigned to the CPU core of core 2 are assigned to the CPU core of core 4 and Three tasks, that is, Raster 1 and Raster 2 assigned to the CPU core of core 1 and Rip 4 assigned to the CPU core of core 3, are assigned to the CPU core of core 4.

  FIG. 13 is a second diagram showing the utilization for each task for each of the four CPU cores. Referring to FIG. 13, in the CPU core of core 1, the total utilization of the CPU core of core 1 is reduced to 90 because two tasks of Raster 1 and Raster 2 are not allocated. In addition, in the CPU core of the core 2, the total utilization of the CPU core of the core 2 is reduced to 60 because two tasks of Raster 4 and Rip 3 are not allocated.

  Further, in the CPU core 3 of the core 3, the task of Rip 4 is not allocated, so that the total utilization of the CPU core 3 of the core 3 is reduced to 80. Also, in the CPU core of the core 4, five tasks of Raster4, Raster2, Raster1, Rip4 and Rip3 are newly allocated, and the total utilization of the CPU core of the core 4 is increased to 75.

  Therefore, the usage rate of the CPU core of core 2 to which three tasks of operation reception, screen creation, and screen drawing to execute user interface processing are assigned is reduced from 100% to 60%, so the response time is a threshold value. Do not exceed T1. In addition, since the usage rates of the CPU cores 1, 2 and 3 decrease from 100%, the overall processing delay is eliminated.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the change request process according to the present embodiment. The change request process is a function realized by the CPU 201 by the CPU 171 of the MFP 100 executing a change request program stored in the ROM 173, the HDD 113, or the CD-ROM 181. The change request program is a part of the device setting program. Referring to FIG. 14, CPU 171 determines whether a job has been accepted (step S51). If a job is accepted, the process proceeds to step S52; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S63. The CPU 171 receives a job when the communication I / F unit 160 receives a job from an external PC or the like. The CPU 171 receives a job when the operation unit 119 receives an operation of inputting a job by the user. The details of the processing of step S52 to step S57 will be described later.

  In step S58, execution of the job accepted in step S51 is started, and the process proceeds to step S59. In step S59, it is determined whether the response time is equal to or greater than threshold value T1. If operation unit 119 receives an operation input by the user, the process proceeds to step S60 if the response time is equal to or greater than threshold value T1, but if not, the process proceeds to step S63.

  In step S60, the load of each of the four CPU cores that the CPU 171 has is detected. Then, device information is generated (step S61), the communication I / F unit 160 is controlled, the device information is transmitted to the server 200 (step S62), and the process proceeds to step S63.

  In step S63, it is determined whether or not the first command has been received from server 200. If the first command is received, the process proceeds to step S64; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S65. In step S64, a change by user is set, and the process returns to step S51. The change by user setting is a setting in which the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter included in the first command only while the user identified by the user identification information included in the first command operates the MFP 100. In this case, the user identification information and the change parameter included in the first command are temporarily stored.

  In step S65, it is determined whether the second command has been received from the server 200. If the second command has been received, the process proceeds to step S66; otherwise, the process returns to step S51. In step S66, a change by time zone is set, and the process returns to step S51. The setting of change by time zone is a setting in which the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter included in the second command only in the time zone included in the second command. In this case, the time zone and the change parameter included in the second command are temporarily stored.

  If the job is accepted in step S51, it is determined in step S52 whether or not the change by user is set. When step S64 is performed before step S52 is performed, a change by user is set. If the user-specific change is set, the process proceeds to step S53; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S55. In step S53, it is determined whether the user who instructed the execution of the job accepted in step S51 is the set user. The setting user is a user specified by the user identification information temporarily stored in the setting process of the change by user in step S64. If the user identification information of the user who instructed to execute the job is the same as the temporarily stored user identification information of the set user, the process proceeds to step S54; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S58. In step S54, the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter temporarily stored in the setting process of change by user performed in step S64, and the process proceeds to step S58.

  In step S55, it is determined whether or not a change by time zone is set. When step S66 is performed before step S55 is performed, the change by time zone is set. If the change by time zone is set, the process proceeds to step S56; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S57. In step S56, it is determined whether the current time is within the time zone set by the setting process of change by time zone. If the current time is within the time zone temporarily stored in the setting process of change by time zone executed in step S66, the process proceeds to step S54; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S57. In step S54, the rule parameter is changed to the change parameter temporarily stored in the setting processing of change by time zone executed in step S66, and the process proceeds to step S58. In step S57, the change parameter is changed to a rule parameter, and the process proceeds to step S58.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the device setting process according to the present embodiment. The device processing is processing that is executed by the CPU 201 when the CPU 201 of the server 200 according to the present embodiment executes a device setting program stored in the ROM 202, the HDD 204, or the CD-ROM 209. Referring to FIG. 15, CPU 201 of server 200 determines whether device information has been received. The process waits until communication unit 205 receives device information from any of MFPs 100, 100A, 100B (NO in step S01), and device information is received from any of MFPs 100, 100A, 100B (YES in step S01) ), The process proceeds to step S02.

  In step S02, the apparatus that has transmitted the apparatus information is determined as a simulation target, and the process proceeds to step S03. Here, a case where device information is received from MFP 100 will be described as an example. In this case, MFP 100 is determined as a simulation target. In step S03, a virtual device is set. Based on the device information received in step S01, a virtual device that simulates MFP 100 to be simulated is set. Specifically, an emulator that emulates a hardware resource defined by hardware information included in the device information is set, and a software resource defined by software information included in the device information is set to be executed by the virtual CPU 301 Set the rule parameters included in the device information.

  In the next step S04, the rule parameter is changed. The rule parameter defines a rule for assigning a task to each of the four CPU cores of the MFP 100. Specifically, the rule parameter is changed so that the load on the CPU core to which the task for executing user interface processing is assigned is reduced. For example, among a plurality of tasks assigned to a CPU core to which a task for executing user interface processing is assigned among four CPU cores, a task for executing processing different from user interface processing is another CPU core Change the rule parameters to be assigned to In addition, the parameter change unit 261 sets rule parameters such that a task for executing processing different from user interface processing is not allocated to a CPU core to which a task for executing user interface processing is assigned among the four CPU cores. Change In addition, when only a plurality of tasks for executing the user interface process is assigned to the CPU core to which the task for executing the user interface process is assigned among the four CPU cores, the parameter changing unit 261 determines a plurality of tasks. Change the rule parameters so that part of is assigned to another CPU core.

  In the next step S05, the virtual device set in step S03 is made to execute the job included in the device information received in step S01. Then, it is determined whether the response time is equal to or greater than the threshold value T1 (step S06). If the response time is equal to or greater than threshold value T1, the process returns to step S04. If not, the process proceeds to step S07. In step S04, the rule parameter is changed to a rule parameter different from the previously changed rule parameter.

  When the process proceeds to step S07, the rule parameter changed in step S04 is a parameter that satisfies the condition that the response time becomes smaller than the threshold value T1. In step S07, the changed rule parameter is determined as the change parameter, and the process proceeds to step S08.

  In step S08, it is determined whether the mode is set to the user mode or the time zone mode. If the user mode is set, the process proceeds to step S09. If the time zone mode is set, the process proceeds to step S11.

  In step S09, the user who instructed execution of the job executed by the virtual machine in step S05 is determined. Then, the first command is transmitted to MFP 100 to be simulated (step S10), and the process ends. The first command includes the user identification information of the user identified in step S09 and the change parameter determined in step S07.

  In step S11, a time zone including the time when the job executed by the virtual device in step S05 is executed by MFP 100 is determined. Then, the second command is transmitted to MFP 100 to be simulated (step S12), and the process ends. The second command includes the time zone determined in step S11 and the change parameter determined in step S07.

First Modification
In the first modified example, MFP 100 is remotely operated by portable information device 400. In this case, the user operates portable information device 400 to remotely operate MFP 100. Therefore, it is determined in portable information device 400 whether the response time is equal to or greater than threshold value T1. Similar to MFP 100, in portable information device 400, the same process as the change request process shown in FIG. 14 is executed. However, although the job is executed in MFP 100, the job in portable information device 400 is a process according to the operation input by the user, for example, a process defined by an application program installed in portable information device 400. is there. The application program installed in portable information device 400 includes an application program that defines processing for remotely operating MFP 100.

  The server 200 in the first modification executes the same process as the process shown in FIG. 15, but the server 200 simulates the portable information device 400.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of rule parameters set in the portable information device. The rule parameters set in the portable information device define the types of tasks assignable to each of the four CPU cores of the portable information device 400. In FIG. 16, four CPU cores are shown as core 1, core 2, core 3 and core 4. Also, seven types of tasks are shown: application, browsing, browsing communication, analysis, communication, operation acceptance, and screen drawing. The task whose task type is application is a task for executing an application program. The task whose task type is browsing is a task that executes a browsing program. The task whose task type is browsing communication is a task that executes processing of transmitting and receiving data by browsing. The task of task type analysis is a task that executes a process of analyzing data received by browsing. The task whose task type is communication is a task that executes a process of transmitting and receiving data. The task having the task type “operation acceptance” is a task that executes processing for accepting an operation input by the user. The task type is “screen drawing task”, which is a task for executing a process of displaying an image of the screen. The two tasks of operation acceptance and screen drawing are tasks for executing user interface processing.

  The CPU core of core 1 is assigned the task types of browsing communication, analysis and communication. The CPU core of core 2 is assigned task types of operation acceptance and screen drawing. The CPU core of core 3 is assigned an application task type for browsing. The task type of the application is assigned to the CPU core of the core 4.

  FIG. 17 is a first diagram showing an example of task assignment to four CPU cores included in the portable information device. FIG. 17 illustrates an example of tasks assigned to each of the four CPU cores when the response time is equal to or greater than the threshold T1 in the state where the rule parameters shown in FIG. 16 are set. In FIG. 17, the task type indicates an application task by applications 1 to 3, the task type indicates a browsing task, and the task type indicates a communication task by Nicfum, and the task type indicates a browsing communication and analysis. , The operation reception and the screen drawing task are indicated by the same names.

  The core 1 CPU core is assigned three tasks: browsing communication, analysis, and Nicfum. Two tasks of operation acceptance and screen drawing are assigned to the CPU core of core 2. Two tasks of application 1 and browser are allocated to the CPU core of core 3. Two tasks of application 2 and application 3 are assigned to the CPU core of core 4.

  FIG. 18 is a first diagram showing the utilization for each task for each of the four CPU cores included in the portable information device. FIG. 18 shows the usage rate when the task shown in FIG. 17 is assigned. In the CPU core of core 1, the total utilization is 30. In the CPU core of core 2, the total utilization is 100. In the CPU core of core 3, the total utilization is 70. In the CPU core of the core 4, the total utilization is 60.

  FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the change parameter in the first modification. Referring to FIG. 19, compared with the rule parameters shown in FIG. 16, the change parameter has the type of the task of the operation reception assigned to the CPU core of core 2 deleted, and is operated to the CPU core of core 1 The difference is that the task type of reception is additionally assigned.

  FIG. 20 is a second diagram illustrating an example of task assignment to four CPU cores provided in the portable information device. Referring to FIG. 20, the difference from the assignment of tasks shown in FIG. 18 is that the task of the operation reception assigned to the CPU core of core 2 is assigned to the CPU core of core 1.

  FIG. 21 is a second diagram showing the utilization for each task for each of the four CPU cores of the portable information device. Referring to FIG. 21, in the CPU core of core 2, the total of the utilization rate of the CPU core of core 2 is reduced to 70% because the task of receiving the operation is not allocated. In addition, in the CPU core of the core 1, the task of receiving the operation is newly assigned, and the total utilization of the CPU core of the core 1 is increased to 60%.

  Therefore, since the usage rate of the CPU core of the core 2 to which the task of performing the user interface processing and the task of screen drawing are allocated is reduced from 100% to 70%, the response time does not exceed the threshold T1. In addition, since the usage rate of each of the CPU cores of core 1, core 2, core 3 and core 4 is smaller than 100%, the overall processing delay is eliminated.

Second Modified Example
In the second modification, as in the first modification, MFP 100 is remotely controlled by portable information device 400. In this case, the task with the task type “screen generation” is executed by MFP 100, and in portable information device 400, the screen drawing task displays the image of the screen generated by MFP 100. The screen generation task can also be performed by the portable information device 400.

  The server 200 in the second modification simulates two of the MFP 100 and the portable information device 400 at the same time when the response time becomes equal to or more than the threshold value T1 in the portable information device 400, and carries out the screen generation task When executed by the information apparatus 400, it is determined whether the response time is equal to or greater than the threshold value T1. When the task of screen generation is executed by the portable information device 400, if the response time does not reach the threshold value T1 or more, the portable information device 400 is set to execute the screen generation task, and The MFP 100 is set so as not to execute the screen generation task on the MFP 100.

  Conversely, with the portable information device 400 set to execute the image generation task, when the response time becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value T1, two of the MFP 100 and the portable information device 400 are simultaneously simulated. When the screen generation task is executed by the MFP 100, it is determined whether the response time is equal to or greater than the threshold value T1. When the task of screen generation is executed by MFP 100, if the response time does not reach threshold value T1 or more, MFP 100 is set to execute the screen generation task by MFP 100, and the screen generation task is performed by portable information device 400. The portable information device 400 is set not to execute.

  As described above, server 200 in the present embodiment functions as a simulation device, and MFPs 100, 100A, 100B and portable information device 400 each function as an information processing device. Then, in server 200, for example, a timeout error occurs in which the response time from the acceptance of the operation input by the user in MFP 100 to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation becomes a threshold T1 or more. In this case, the virtual device simulating the MFP 100 is made to execute the same job as the job executed by the MFP 100 in a state where parameters different from the parameters set in the MFP 100 are set in the virtual device simulating the MFP 100. If no timeout error occurs while executing the job, the parameter set in the virtual device is determined as the change parameter. Then, server 200 controls MFP 100 such that the determined change parameter is set in MFP 100. Therefore, the change parameter suitable for the use environment of MFP 100 can be set in MFP 100. Therefore, MFP 100 can be set to a state suitable for the use environment.

  In addition, when a timeout error occurs in MFP 100, server 200 changes a rule parameter that defines conditions for allocating tasks to the four CPU cores provided in CPU 171, and makes the same job as a job executed by MFP 100 a virtual device. If it is executed and no timeout error occurs in the virtual device, rule parameters set in the virtual device are determined as change parameters. For this reason, assignment of tasks to each of the four CPU cores can be made to be assignment suitable for a job executed by the MFP 100.

  In addition, the server 200 changes the rule parameter so that the usage rate of the CPU core to which the user interface process is assigned among the four CPU cores of the CPU 171 is reduced, so that the user interface process is not delayed. can do.

  Further, the server 200 changes the rule parameter so that the process other than the user interface process is not assigned to the CPU core to which the user interface process is assigned among the four CPU cores included in the CPU 171. Therefore, the load on the CPU core to which the user interface process is assigned can be reduced as much as possible.

  Further, when only the user interface process is assigned to the first CPU core to which the user interface process is assigned among the four CPU cores of the CPU 171, the server 200 is different from the first CPU core. Change the rule parameters so that part of the user interface process is assigned to the second CPU core of. Therefore, since the user interface processing is executed by the first CPU core and the second CPU core, the load on the first arithmetic device can be reduced.

  Further, the server 200 controls the MFP 100 so that the change parameter is set in the MFP 100 when the environment of the MFP 100 becomes the same as the environment at the time of occurrence of the time-out error in the MFP 100. A change parameter can be set in MFP 100.

  In addition, server 200 controls MFP 100 such that a change parameter is set in MFP 100 when a user who instructs execution of a job being executed when a timeout error occurs in MFP 100 uses MFP 100. Therefore, when the user who instructed the execution of the job uses MFP 100, the change parameter is set in MFP 100, so that the information processing apparatus can be adapted to the usage environment that changes for each user.

  Server 200 in the second modification simulates MFP 100 and portable information device 400, and after portable information device 400 accepts an operation input by the user, execution of user interface processing corresponding to the operation is completed. The MFP 100 and the first virtual device simulating the MFP 100 and the second virtual device simulating the portable information device 400 when a time out error occurs in which the first response time until the first response time becomes equal to or longer than a predetermined time Processing performed by MFP 100 and portable information device 400 in a state where the setting has been changed so that the specific processing being executed by one of the first execution devices of portable information device 400 is executed by the other second execution device Perform the same processing as in the first and second virtual devices. If the second response time in the second virtual device is shorter than the first response time, the MFP 100 and the portable information device 400 are set to execute the specific process in the second execution device instead of the first execution device. .

  For example, in the case where the specific process is a screen generation process performed by the task type of the screen generation task, the screen generation process may be performed by the portable information device 400 when the screen generation process is performed by the MFP 100. When simulating, the screen generation process is executed by the portable information device 400, the case where the screen generation process is executed by the MFP 100 is simulated, and the screen generation process is executed by the MFP 100, and the screen generation process is portable information Depending on the case where it is executed by the device 400, it is determined whether the response time is shorter. Therefore, the response time in the case of remotely operating MFP 100 with portable information device 400 can be set to an appropriate value.

  In the embodiment described above, the server 200 is shown as an example of a simulation device, but the server 200 is made to execute the device setting process shown in FIG. 15, and the change request process shown in FIG. It goes without saying that the invention can be grasped as a device setting method for causing the CPU 201 of the server 200 to execute the device setting process and a change setting process for the CPU 171 of the MFP 100.

  It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is indicated not by the above description but by the claims, and is intended to include all the modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

<Supplementary Note>
(1) The environment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the same environment as the environment where the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from the allowable condition is a time zone including the time when the information processing apparatus time-out error occurs. Simulated device. According to this aspect, MFP 100 is controlled such that the change parameter is set in a time zone including the time point when the environment of the information processing apparatus generates a timeout error in the information processing apparatus. Parameters can be set in MFP 100.

  Reference Signs List 1 information processing system, 3 network, 100, 100A, 100B MFP, 200 server, 400 portable information device, 111 main board, 115, 115A operation panel, 118 display unit, 119 operation unit, 120, 120A automatic document feeder, 130 , 130A document reading unit, 140, 140A image forming unit, 150, 150A sheet feeding unit, 160, 160A communication I / F unit, 170, 170A facsimile unit, 171 CPU, 173 ROM, 175 RAM, 177 image control ASIC, 179 Bus, 180, 180 A external storage device, 201 CPU, 202 ROM, 203 RAM, 204 HDD, 205 communication unit, 206 display unit, 207 operation unit, 209 external storage device, 51 determination unit, 53 log storage unit, 55 device information Sending Reception unit, 57 setting instruction reception unit, 59 device setting unit, 251 device information acquisition unit, 253 simulation unit, 255 virtual execution control unit, 257 setting unit, 261 parameter change unit, 263 virtual determination unit, 265 parameter determination unit , 271 user setting unit, 273 time zone setting unit, 300 CPU peripheral simulator, 301 virtual CPU, 303 virtual memory, 305 peripheral model, 307 synchronization setting model, 309 interrupt control unit, 311 bus, 320 HW simulator, 321 PCI- ExpressBus model, 323 image control ASIC model, 325 hardware resource model.

Claims (13)

Simulation means for simulating an information processing apparatus;
The simulation is performed when a time-out error occurs such that the response time from the acceptance of the operation input by the user in the information processing apparatus to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation is a predetermined time or more. The information processing apparatus in a state in which parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual device that the simulation means simulates the information processing apparatus by controlling Virtual execution control means for executing the same job as the selected job;
Parameter determination means for determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the timeout error does not occur while the virtual device executes the job;
A setting unit configured to control the information processing apparatus such that the determined change parameter is set in the information processing apparatus.   The simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the virtual execution control means changes a parameter that defines a condition for assigning a task to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing apparatus. Simulation means for simulating an information processing apparatus;
The simulation is performed when a time-out error occurs such that the response time from the acceptance of the operation input by the user in the information processing apparatus to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation is a predetermined time or more. The information processing apparatus in a state in which parameters different from the parameters set in the information processing apparatus are set in the virtual device that the simulation means simulates the information processing apparatus by controlling Virtual execution control means for executing the same job as the selected job;
A parameter determination unit configured to determine a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the timeout error does not occur while the virtual device executes the job;
The simulation apparatus, wherein the virtual execution control means changes a parameter that defines a condition for allocating a task to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing device.   The simulation according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the virtual execution control means changes the parameter such that the usage rate of the computing device to which the user interface process is assigned among the plurality of computing devices is reduced. Device.   The virtual execution control means changes the parameter so that processing other than the user interface processing is not allocated to the processing unit to which the user interface processing is assigned among the plurality of processing units. The simulation device described in.   When only the user interface process is assigned to the first computing device to which the user interface process is assigned among the plurality of computing devices, the virtual execution control means may The simulation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the parameter is changed such that a part of the user interface process is assigned to another second computing device.   The setting unit is configured to set the determined change parameter in the information processing apparatus when the environment of the information processing apparatus is the same as the environment at the time when the time-out error occurs in the information processing apparatus. The simulation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which controls the information processing apparatus.   The same environment as the environment at the time of occurrence of a timeout error in the information processing apparatus is an environment in which a user who instructed execution of a job executed by the information processing apparatus uses the information processing apparatus. Simulated device. An information processing apparatus and simulation means for simulating each of a portable information apparatus for remotely operating the information processing apparatus;
When a timeout error occurs in which the first response time from the acceptance of the operation input by the user in the portable information device to the completion of the execution of the user interface processing corresponding to the operation is a predetermined time or more. A first virtual device for controlling the simulation means, the simulation means simulating the information processing device, and a second virtual device for simulating the portable information device. The information processing apparatus and the portable apparatus in a state in which the setting is changed so that the specific process being executed by one of the information processing apparatus and the first execution apparatus of the portable information apparatus is executed by the other second execution apparatus. Have the first virtual device and the second virtual device execute the same processing as the processing performed by the information device And virtual execution control means,
When the second response time in the second virtual device is shorter than the first response time, the portable information device and the portable information device are configured to execute the specific process in the second execution device instead of the first execution device. And a setting unit configured to set the portable information device. Simulating steps for simulating an information processing apparatus;
When a state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition, a parameter different from a parameter set in the information processing apparatus is set in a virtual apparatus that simulates the information processing apparatus in the simulating step. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in the set state;
A parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance while the virtual device executes the job;
The information processing apparatus such that the determined change parameter is set in the information processing apparatus when the environment of the information processing apparatus becomes the same as the environment at the time when the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from the allowable condition. And setting the step of controlling the device. Simulating steps for simulating an information processing apparatus;
When a state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition, a parameter different from a parameter set in the information processing apparatus is set in a virtual apparatus that simulates the information processing apparatus in the simulating step. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in the set state;
Performing a parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance while the virtual device executes the job; Let
The apparatus setting method, wherein the virtual execution control step includes changing a parameter that defines a condition for allocating a task to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing apparatus. Simulating steps for simulating an information processing apparatus;
When a state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition, a parameter different from a parameter set in the information processing apparatus is set in a virtual apparatus that simulates the information processing apparatus in the simulating step. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in the set state;
A parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance while the virtual device executes the job;
The information processing apparatus such that the determined change parameter is set in the information processing apparatus when the environment of the information processing apparatus becomes the same as the environment at the time when the state of the information processing apparatus deviates from the allowable condition. And a setting step of controlling the computer. Simulating steps for simulating an information processing apparatus;
When a state of the information processing apparatus deviates from a predetermined allowable condition, a parameter different from a parameter set in the information processing apparatus is set in a virtual apparatus that simulates the information processing apparatus in the simulating step. A virtual execution control step of executing the same job as the job executed by the information processing apparatus in the set state;
Causing a computer to execute a parameter determination step of determining a parameter set in the virtual device as a change parameter when the state of the virtual device satisfies the tolerance while the virtual device executes the job;
The apparatus setting program, wherein the virtual execution control step includes changing a parameter that defines a condition for allocating a task to a plurality of arithmetic devices included in the information processing apparatus.

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