Method and system for selecting devices in information networks, including inputting/outputting data to a specified device selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on a screen

An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;
• and
• inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen,
• wherein the operating state of said I/O device indicates that said I/O device is currently unusable.

An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;
• and
• inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen,
• wherein the operating state of said I/O device indicates the amount of data waiting to be input to or output from said I/O device.

An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;
• inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen;
• and
• indicating an input or output to said I/O device by directly pointing a cursor to the design representing said I/O device.

The shared source managing device including a plurality of information processing devices each having a central processing unit, a display unit, a storage unit and I/0 devices shared by said plurality of information processing devices, said information processing devices and I/O devices being connected to a communication network, comprising:

• a sketch information file provided in said storage unit for storing data of a sketch of a building having said plurality of I/O devices installed therein and an I/O device attribute information file storing at least type information and installation location information for each of said I/O devices,
• wherein said sketch information file stores information for each screen representing more than one story three-dimensionally as a sketch corresponding to said building;
• and
• display means for displaying said sketch of said building and a design locating each of said I/O devices at the corresponding installed locations within said sketch on a screen of said display means based on said sketch information file and I/O device attribute information file.

An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said I/O devices installed therein and indicators representing said I/O devices to enable a user Go locate said I/O devices within said building structure;
• selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen;
• and
• inputting/outputting data regarding operation of said selected I/O device.

A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said I/O devices and said peripheral devices installed therein and indicators representing said devices to enable a user to locate said I/O and said peripheral devices;
• selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen;
• and
• controlling said selected one of said I/O devices and said peripheral devices designated by said cursor on said screen.

A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying the connection among said I/O devices and said peripheral devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate respective I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;
• selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen;
• and
• controlling said selected one of said I/O devices and said corresponding peripheral devices designated by said cursor on said screen.

A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network on one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• drawing a sketch, on a screen of one of said information processing units, of a building having said I/O and peripheral devices installed therein based on drawing data stored in a drawing information file;
• drawing designs representing said I/O and peripheral devices at designated installation locations throughout said building for said devices on said sketch based on data stored in a shared I/O and peripheral device attribute file;
• receiving current operating state information from respective I/O and peripheral devices in said information processing unit;
• displaying current operating states of said I/O and peripheral devices on said screen of said information processing unit, with said designs representing said I/O and peripheral devices based on said received current operating state information of said I/O and peripheral devices;
• selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen;
• and
• controlling said selected one of said I/O and peripheral devices designated by pointing said cursor to a corresponding design on said screen.

An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said printers installed therein and indicators representing said printers to enable a user to locate said printers within said building structure;
• selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen;
• and
• outputting printing data regarding operation of said selected printer.

A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said printers installed therein and indicators representing said devices to enable a user to locate said printers;
• selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen;
• and
• controlling said selected one of said printers designated by said cursor on said screen.

A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network on one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

• drawing a sketch, on a screen of one of said information processing units, of a building having said printers installed therein based on drawing data stored in a drawing information file;
• drawing designs representing said printers at designated installation locations throughout said building for said devices on said sketch based on data stored in a shared printer attribute file;
• receiving current operating state information from respective printers in said information processing unit;
• displaying current operating states of said printers on said screen of said information processing unit, with said designs representing said printers based on said received current operating state information of said printers;
• selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen;
• and
• controlling said selected one of said printers designated by pointing said cursor to a corresponding design on said screen.