Information processing apparatus and method, and storage medium storing control programs

An information processing method in an information processing apparatus which communicates information with a plurality of other apparatuses connected thereto through a bidirectional interface, the plurality of other apparatuses including at least one of a printer and a host computer, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing, for each of the plurality of other apparatuses, respective attribute information including at least one user and network identification information identifying the respective other apparatus in a memory;
• searching the identification information stored in the memory to identify any of the plurality of other apparatuses corresponding to designated attribute information as identified apparatuses;
• and
• after said searching step has identified which of the plurality of other apparatuses are identified apparatuses, transmitting information to the identified apparatuses.

A storage medium storing a control program for executing a method used in an information processing apparatus which communicates information with a plurality of other apparatuses connected thereto through a bidirectional interface, the plurality of other apparatuses including at least one of a printer and a host computer, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• storing, for each of the plurality of other apparatuses, respective attribute information including at least one user and network identification information identifying the respective other apparatus in a memory;
• searching the identification information stored in the memory to identify any of the plurality of other apparatuses corresponding to designated attribute information as identified apparatuses;
• and
• after said searching step has identified which of the plurality of other apparatuses are identified apparatuses, transmitting information to the identified apparatuses.

An information processing apparatus which communicates information with a plurality of terminal devices, said information processing apparatus comprising:

• storage means for storing a plurality of identifiers, each identifier being unique to a different one of the plurality of terminal devices, and each identifier comprising a network identifier;
• group registration means for registering, as one group, at least two of the plurality of identifiers stored in said storage means;
• output command means for generating an output command for outputting predetermined information to those terminal devices corresponding to the one group;
• and
• transmission means for, after said group registration means has registered the one group, transmitting the predetermined information to the terminal devices corresponding to the one group when the output command is generated by said output command means.

A system comprising:

• an information processing apparatus which communicates information with a plurality of other apparatuses connected thereto through a bidirectional interface;
• and
• said plurality of other apparatuses, including at least one of a printer and a host computer,
• wherein said information processing apparatus comprises:
• storage means for storing, for each of said plurality of other apparatuses, respective attribute information including at least one user and network identification information identifying the respective other apparatus;
• search means for searching the identification information stored in said storage means to identify any of said plurality of other apparatuses corresponding to designated attribute information as identified apparatuses;
• and
• transmission means for, after said search means has identified which of said plurality of other apparatuses are identified apparatuses, transmitting data to the identified apparatuses.

A control program for executing a method used in an information processing apparatus which communicates information with a plurality of other apparatuses connected thereto through a bidirectional interface, the plurality of other apparatuses including at least one of a printer and a host computer, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• storing, for each of the plurality of other apparatuses, respective attribute information including at least one user and network identification information identifying the respective other apparatus in a memory;
• searching the identification information stored in the memory to identify any of the plurality of other apparatuses corresponding to designated attribute information as identified apparatuses;
• and
• after said searching step has identified which of the plurality of other apparatuses are identified apparatuses, transmitting information to the identified apparatuses.