Information processing system and information processing method

An information processing method for an information processing system in which at least one or more input device for inputting data, a plurality of output devices for outputting the input data, and an information processing device for controlling processing of the input data, are connected through a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• the information processing device performing the steps of:
• acquiring device information of each input device and each of the plurality of output devices;
• searching for output devices capable of outputting the data input from the input device on the basis of the acquired device information;
• and
• registering virtual input/output device information on a basis of a result of the searching step, and
• the input device performing the steps of:
• acquiring the virtual input/output device information from the registered information;
• and
• transferring the data input to the input device directly to the output device designated by the virtual input/output device information.

An input device which is connected to plural output devices and an information processing device through a network, comprising:

• virtual device information acquirement mean for acquiring virtual input/output device information indicating a virtual input/output device composed by said input device and one of said plural output devices;
• transfer method information acquirement means for acquiring transfer method information included in the virtual input/output device information;
• and
• transfer means for directly transferring data to the output device designated by the virtual input/output device information, on the basis of the transfer method information.

An output device which is connected to at least one or more input devices and an information processing device through a network, comprising:

• virtual device information confirmation means for confirming whether or not the output device has been designated to output data, the designation made by virtual input/output device information acquired by the input device and indicating a virtual input/output device composed of said output device and said input device;
• data reception means for receiving the data directly from said input device based on transfer method information included in the virtual input/output device information when the output designation in confirmed by said virtual device information confirmation means;
• and
• output means for outputting the data received by said data reception means.

An information processing device which is connected to at least one or more input devices and a plurality of output devices through a network, comprising:

• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information of each said input device and each of said plurality of output devices;
• judgement means for judging whether or not any of the plurality of output devices is capable of outputting data input from any of said input devices on a basis of an acquirement result of said device information acquirement means;
• transfer method information generation means for generating transfer method information on a basis of respective device information of each of said output and said input devices for which said judgement means judges that the output device is capable of outputting the data from said input device;
• and
• registration means for registering virtual input/output device information, including the transfer method information, the virtual input/output device information indicating a virtual input/output device composed of said input device and one of said plurality of output devices.

A multifunctional system which is composed of an input device, an output device and a host computer connected via a network, wherein said host computer comprises:

• device information acquirement means for acquiring device
• information of said input device and said output device,
• transfer method definition means for generating transfer method information to define a transfer method between said input device and said output device, in accordance with the device information of said input device and the device information of said output device acquired by said device information acquirement means;
• and
• logical input/output device registration means for generating logical input/output device information according to the transfer method information defined by said transfer method definition means, and for registering the logical input/output device information, wherein
• said input device comprises:
• device information notification means for providing notification on the network of device information of said input device;
• logical input/output device information acquirement means for acquiring the logical input/output device information registered in said logical input/output device registration means of the host computer;
• and
• transfer means for transferring data from said input device to said output device in accordance with the logical input/output device information acquired by said logical input/output information acquirement means, and wherein
• said output device comprises:
• device information notification means for providing notification on the network of device information of said output device;
• logical input/output device information acquirement means for acquiring the logical input/output device information registered in said logical input/output device registration means of the host computer;
• and
• transfer means for transferring data from said input device to said output device in accordance with the logical input/output device information acquired by said logical input/output information acquirement means.

A multifunctional system which is composed of an input device, an output device and a host computer connected via a network, comprising:

• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information of said input device and said output device;
• transfer method definition means for generating transfer method information to define a transfer method between said input device and said output device, in accordance with the device information of said input device and the device information of said output device acquired by said device information acquirement means;
• logical input/output device registration means for generating logical input/output device information according to the transfer method information defined by said transfer method definition means, and registering the logical input/output device information, which is composed of said input device and said output device;
• device information notification means for providing notification on the network of the device information of said input device and the device information of the output device;
• logical input/output device information acquirement means for acquiring the logical input/output device information registered in said logical input/output device registration means;
• and
• transfer means for transferring data from said input device to said output device in accordance with the logical input/output device information acquired by said logical input/output information acquirement means.

A data transfer method in a multifunctional system which is composed of an input device, an output device and a host computer connected via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating transfer method information to define a transfer method between the input device and the output device in accordance with device information of the input device and device information of the output device;
• generating logical input/output device information according to the transfer method information and registering the logical input/output device information, which is composed of the input device and the output device;
• and
• transferring data from the input device to the output device in accordance with the registered logical input/output device information.

A storage medium for computer-readably storing a data transfer control program for a multifunctional system composed of an input device, an output device and a host computer connected via a network, said program comprising:

• a module for acquiring device information of the input device and device information of the output device;
• a module for generating transfer method information to define a transfer method between the input device and the output device in accordance with the device information of the input device and the device information of the output device;
• and
• a module for generating logical input/output device information according to the defined transfer method information and registering the logical input/output device information, which is composed of the input device and the output device.

A storage medium for computer-readably storing a data transfer control program for a multifunctional system composed of an input device, an output device and a host computer connected via a network, said program comprising:

• a module for providing notification on the network of device information of the input device and device information of the output device;
• a module for acquiring logical input/output device information indicating a logical input/output device composed of the input device and the output device;
• and
• a module for transferring data from the input device to the output device in accordance with the acquired logical input/output device information.

A multifunctional system in which an input device, an output device and a management server, all connected to a network, are combined to constitute a copying function, wherein

• said management server comprises:
• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information inherent for each of said input device and said output device;
• device information storage means for storing the device information acquired by said device information acquirement means into a database;
• transfer path information generation means for generating transfer path information to constitute an input/output path between said input device and said output device, on a basis of the device information stored in said device information storage means;
• transfer path information storage means for storing the transfer path information generated by said transfer path information generation means, into the data base;
• and
• transfer path information supply means for supplying the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, in accordance with a transfer demand from either said input device or said output device, and
• said input device and/or said output device comprises:
• device information supply means for transmitting the device information inherent for the respective device, to said management server;
• transfer path information acquirement means for acquiring the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, from said management server;
• transfer path information selection means for selecting a transfer path information from one or more transfer path information acquired by said transfer path information acquirement means;
• and
• data transfer means for transferring data from said input device to said output device in accordance with the transfer path information selected by said transfer path information selection means.

A multifunctional system in which an input device, an output device and a management server, all connected to a network, are combined to constitute a copying function, wherein

• said management server comprises:
• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information inherent for each of said input device and said output device;
• device information storage means for storing the device information acquired by said device information acquirement means into a database;
• transfer path information generation means for generating transfer path information to constitute an input/output path between said input device and saidU output device, on a basis of the device information stored in said device information storage means;
• transfer path information storage means for storing the transfer path information generated by said transfer path information generation means, into the data base;
• and
• transfer path information supply means for supplying the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, in accordance with a transfer demand from either said input device or said output device,
• said output device comprises:
• device information supply means for transmitting the device information inherent for the output device, to said management server;
• and
• said input device comprises:
• device information supply means for transmitting the device information inherent for the input device, to said management server;
• transfer path information acquirement means for acquiring the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, from said management server;
• transfer path information selection means for selecting a transfer path information from one or more transfer path information acquired by said transfer path information acquirement means;
• and
• output means for causing said output device to perform an output operation in accordance with the transfer path information selected by said transfer path information selection means.

A multifunctional system in which an input device, an output device and a management server, all connected to a network, are combined to constitute a copying function, wherein

• said management server comprises:
• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information inherent for each of said input device and said output device;
• device information storage means for storing the device information acquired by said device information acquirement means into a database;
• transfer path information generation means for generating transfer path information to constitute an input/output path between said input device and said output device, on a basis of the device information stored in said device information storage means;
• transfer path information storage means for storing the transfer path information generated by said transfer path information generation means, into the data base;
• and
• transfer path information supply means for supplying the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, in accordance with a transfer demand from said input device or said output device,
• said input device comprises:
• device information supply means for transmitting the device information inherent for the input device, to said management server, and
• said output device comprises:
• device information supply means for transmitting the device information inherent for the output device, to said management server;
• transfer path information acquirement means for acquiring the transfer path information stored in said transfer path information storage means, from said management server;
• transfer path information selection means for selecting a transfer path information from one or more transfer path information acquired by said transfer path information acquirement means;
• and
• output means for causing said input device to perform an input operation in accordance with the transfer path information selected by said transfer path information selection means.

A multifunctional system in which data is transferred from an input device to an output device which are both connected to a network to constitute a copying function, comprising:

• device information acquirement means for acquiring device information inherent for each of said input device and said output device;
• transfer path information generation means for generating transfer path information to constitute an input/output path between said input device and said output device on a basis of the acquired device information, and storing the generated transfer path information into a database;
• transfer path information supply means for supplying the stored transfer path information in accordance with a transfer demand from said input device or said output device;
• and
• data transfer means for transferring the data from said input device to said output device in accordance with the supplied transfer path information.

A storage medium for computer-readably storing a data transfer control program used in a multifunctional system in which data is transferred from an input device to an output device which are both connected to a network to constitute a copying function, said data transfer control program comprising:

• a module for acquiring device information inherent for each of the input device and the output device;
• a module for storing the acquired device information into a database;
• a module for generating transfer path information to constitute an input/output path between the input device and the output device on a basis of the stored device information;
• a module for storing the generated transfer path information into the database;
• and
• a module for supplying the stored transfer path information to either the input device or the output device in accordance with a transfer demand from the input device or the output device.

A storage medium for computer-readably storing a data transfer control program used in a multifunctional system in which data is transferred from an input device to an output device which are both connected to a network to constitute a copying function, said data transfer control program comprising:

• a module for transmitting device information inherent for each of the input device or the output device;
• a module for acquiring transfer path information to be stored;
• a module for selecting one transfer path information from one or more transfer path information acquired;
• and
• a module for transferring the data from the input device to the output device in accordance with the selected transfer path information.