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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKazuhito Akiyama, Sanehiro Furuichi, Masami Tada
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Object To control a network printer such that, when the number of active user computers in the vicinity of the network printer is large, the network printer is set in a standby state and, when that number is small, the network printer is powered off to achieve reduced office power consumption. Solution A method for managing a first unit and one or more other units connected to the first unit over a network is provided. The method includes (i) detecting, by a management unit, an operating state of the other units positioned within a specific range from the first unit on the basis of a location of each of the first and other units over the network, the operating state including at least an operating state at which a service request is capable of being transmitted to the first unit. The method further includes (ii) transmitting, by the management unit, to the first unit, an instruction to change an operating state of the first unit depending on a number of the other units being in the detected operating state at which the service request is capable of being transmitted.
A method for managing a first unit and one or more other units connected to the first unit over a network, the network being connected to a management unit, the method comprising:
An apparatus for managing a first unit and one or more other units connected to the first unit over a network, the apparatus comprising:
A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.