Distributed processing system and its control method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKatsuhiko Hara, Masahito Yamamoto, Jun Miyajima
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Abstract
This invention has as its object to reduce network traffic when a remote copy process is done using network devices. To achieve this object, a computer (13) acquires stub drivers (610, 612) from image input/output devices (12-1, 12-2) (S1601, S1602), and sends the stub driver (610) to the image input/output device (12-1) (S1605). The image input/output device (12-1) drives the image input/output device (12-2) by executing the received printer stub driver (610), sends scanned data, and makes the image input/output device (12-2) print the data.
Claims31
A distributed processing system comprising:
- a first device, which saves a driver module that is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function;
- and
- a controller for acquiring the driver module from said first device and transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses said first device,
- wherein said second device drives said first device by executing the driver module.
A distributed processing method comprising:
- an acquisition step of acquiring a driver module from a first device, which saves the driver module, wherein the driver module is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function;
- and
- a transmission step of transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses the first device,
- wherein the second device drives the first device by executing the driver module.
A network device control apparatus for controlling devices connected to a network, comprising:
- an acquisition unit for acquiring a driver module from a first device, which saves the driver module, wherein the driver module is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function;
- and
- a controller for transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses the first device,
- wherein the second device drives the first device by executing the driver module.
A network device control method for controlling devices connected to a network, comprising:
- an acquisition step of acquiring a driver module from a first device, which saves the driver module, wherein the driver module is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function;
- and
- a transmission step of transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses the first device,
- wherein the second device drives the first device by executing the driver module.
A program storage medium storing a network device control program for implementing a method of controlling devices connected to a network, wherein the method comprises:
- an acquisition step of acquiring a driver module from a first device, which saves the driver module, wherein the driver module is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function;
- and
- a transmission step of transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses the first device,
- wherein the second device drives the first device executing the driver module.
A network device controlled by a control apparatus connected to a network, comprising:
- a receiving unit for receiving a driver module, which makes another device connected to the network execute a predetermined function, from the control apparatus;
- and
- a communication unit for making the other device execute the function provided by the driver module, and transmitting/receiving data to/from the other device in association with the function under control of the control apparatus.
A control method of a network device connected to a network together with a control apparatus, comprising:
- a reception step of receiving a driver module, which makes another device connected to the network execute a predetermined function, from the control apparatus;
- and
- a communication step of making the other device execute the function provided by the driver module, and transmitting/receiving data to/from the other device in association with the function under control of the control apparatus.
A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for implementing a method of controlling a network device connected to a network together with a control apparatus, wherein the method comprises:
- a reception step of receiving a driver module, which makes another device connected to the network execute a predetermined function, from the control apparatus;
- and
- a communication step of making the other device execute the function provided by the driver module, and transmitting/receiving data to/from the other device in association with the function under control of the control apparatus.
A driver server comprising:
- a first storage unit for storing driver modules to be executed by a given device so as to allow the given device to use another device connected to a network;
- and
- a table for managing the driver modules stored in said first storage unit so as to be searchable by the given device.
A method of managing drivers, comprising:
- a management step of storing driver modules to be executed by a given device so as to allow the given device to use another device connected to a network, and searchably managing the driver modules using a table;
- and
- a search step of searching the driver modules managed in said management step in response to a request from the given device.
A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for implementing a method of managing drivers, wherein the method comprises:
- a management step of storing driver modules to be executed by a given device so as to allow the given device to use another device connected to a network, and searchably managing the driver modules using a table;
- and
- a search step of searching the driver modules managed in said management step in response to a request from the given device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.