Device management apparatus and device management method
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsYuichi Tsuchiya, Hiroaki Hayashi, Tomohiro Kodama
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Abstract
A device management apparatus is adapted to be connected to devices which constitute at least one device group. An application is running in the device management apparatus. Each of the device managers is associated with one of the devices and is operable to create usage information of the associated one of the devices. A device group manager is associated with the at least one device group and coupled to the device managers to receive the usage information from each of the device managers. The device group manager is operable to notify the usage information in response to an inquiry from the application.
Claims12
A device management apparatus adapted to be connected to a plurality of devices which constitute at least one device group, comprising:
- an application running in the device management apparatus;
- a plurality of device managers, each of which is associated with one of the devices and is operable to create usage information of the associated one of the devices;
- and
- a device group manager, associated with the device group and coupled to the device managers to receive the usage information from each of the device managers, the device group manager being operable to notify the usage information in response to an inquiry from the application.
A device management method, comprising:
- connecting a device management apparatus to a plurality of devices which constitute at least one device group;
- running an application in the device management apparatus;
- obtaining usage information of one of the devices;
- and
- notifying the obtained usage information in response to an inquiry from the application.
A device management apparatus adapted to be connected to a plurality of devices which constitute at least one device group, comprising:
- a general purpose computer having a processor and a memory, the general purpose computer communicating with the devices and running a management application;
- a plurality of device managers, each of which is associated with one of the devices and is operable to create usage information of the associated one of the devices;
- and
- a device group manager, associated with the at least one device group and coupled to the device managers to receive the usage information from each of the device managers, the device group manager being operable to notify the usage information in response to an inquiry from the application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.