Information processing apparatus having automatic OS selecting function

An information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, said apparatus comprising:

• means for identifying what kind of device the device is;
• a judging means for judging whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identifying means;
• request means for sending a command to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, for requesting the external apparatus to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when said judging means judges that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on;
• and
• control means for receiving the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus in response to the command sent by said request means and for controlling the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of said information processing apparatus.

A memory medium for use in an information processing apparatus for controlling a device, and suitable for use in an environment out with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein

• an identification is made as to what kind of device the device is,
• a judgment is made as to whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory or not, on the basis of the identification,
• a command is sent to an external apparatus for requesting the external apparatus, which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OS's which correspond to specification of a certain device, to transmit the device driver to the information processing apparatus, when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, and
• the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus is received in response to the command, and the device is controlled based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of the information processing apparatus.

A method used in an information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein

• what kind of device the device is, is identified,
• a judgment is made as to whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory or not, on the basis of an identification result,
• a command is sent to an external apparatus for requesting the external apparatus, which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, to transmit the device driver to the information processing apparatus, when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, and
• the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus is received in response to the command, and the device is controlled based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of the information processing apparatus.

An output control apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running on multiple operating systems, said output control apparatus comprising:

• a receiver arranged to receive from the information processing apparatus a printer driver output command for instructing said output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a printer driver for generating print data in the information processing apparatus, the printer driver output command including OS identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on;
• memory, arranged to receive and store a plurality of different printer drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain printer;
• an OS identification unit, adapted to identify the kind of the OS on which the information processing apparatus is operating, based on the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command received by said receiver of said output control apparatus;
• and
• a controller, adapted to select, at said output control apparatus, a printer driver for generating print data on the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of printer drivers stored in said memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said OS identification unit, and for outputting the selected printer driver to the information processing apparatus.

An information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, said apparatus comprising:

• an identification unit, adapted to identify what kind of device the device is;
• a judgment unit, adapted to judge whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identification unit;
• a request originator, which sends a command to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, to request the external apparatus to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when said judgment unit judges that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on;
• and
• a controller adapted to receive the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus in response to the command sent by said request originator and to control the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of said information processing apparatus.

A program product for use in an information processing apparatus for controlling a device, and suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein

• what kind of device the device is, is identified,
• a judgment is made as to whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory or not, on the basis of an identification result,
• a command is sent to an external apparatus for requesting the external apparatus, which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, to transmit the device driver to the information processing apparatus, when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, and
• the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus is received in response to the command, and the device is controlled based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of the information processing apparatus.

An output control apparatus connectable to an information processing apparatus, said output control apparatus comprising:

• reception means for receiving from the information processing apparatus a device driver output command for instructing said output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a device driver for controlling said output control apparatus, the device driver output command including identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on;
• memory means for storing a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs;
• and
• control means for selecting one device driver suitable for the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of device drivers stored in said memory means, on the basis of the OS identification information included in the device driver output command received by said reception means, and for outputting the selected device driver to the information processing apparatus.

An information processing apparatus for controlling a device provided with a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs, said apparatus comprising:

• identifying means for identifying what kind of device the device is;
• judging means for judging whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identifying means;
• request means for sending a command to the device requesting the device to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when said judging means judges that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on;
• and
• control means for receiving the device driver transmitted by the device in response to the command sent by said request means and for controlling the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being tailored for the OS of said information processing apparatus.

A method of controlling an output control apparatus connectable to an information processing apparatus comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by the output control apparatus, from the information processing apparatus, a device driver output command for instructing the output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a device driver for controlling said output control apparatus, the device driver output command including identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on;
• storing, by the output control apparatus, a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs;
• and
• selecting, by the output control apparatus, one device driver suitable for the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of device drivers stored by said storing step, on the basis of the OS identification information included in the device driver output command received by said receiving step, and for outputting the selected device driver to the information processing apparatus.

An information processing method for controlling a device from an information processing apparatus, the device being provided with a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs, said method comprising the steps of:

• identifying what kind of device the device is;
• judging whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identifying step;
• sending a command to the device requesting the device to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when it is judged in said judging step that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on;
• and
• receiving the device driver transmitted by the device in response to the command sent by said sending step and controlling the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being tailored for the OS of said information processing apparatus.

A memory medium, storing computer-executable code executable to perform a method of controlling an output control apparatus connectable to an information processing apparatus, said code comprising:

• code to receive, by the output control apparatus, from the information processing apparatus, a device driver output command instructing the output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a device driver for controlling the output control apparatus, the device driver output command including identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on;
• code to store, by the output control apparatus, a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs;
• and
• code to select, by the output control apparatus, one device driver suitable for the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of device drivers stored by said code to store, on the basis of the OS identification information included in the received device driver output command, and to output the selected device driver to the information processing apparatus.

A memory medium, storing computer-executable code executable in an information processing apparatus to perform an information processing method for controlling a device provided with a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs, said code comprising:

• code to identify what kind of device the device is;
• code to judge whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said code to identify;
• code to send a command to the device requesting the device to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on;
• and
• code to receive the device driver transmitted by the device in response to the command, and to control the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being tailored for the OS of said information processing apparatus.