Image formation system, software acquisition method, and computer product
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorHiroyuki Matsushima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multifunction machine selects a desired software component from a list of software components accumulated in a server, acquires the selected software component and authentication information from the server, and controls the processing operation of the software component based on the acquired authentication information.
Claims24
An image formation system comprising:
- an image formation apparatus connected to a network, said image formation apparatus having one or more hardware resources of a display section, an operation panel section, a printing section, and an image pickup section, wherein said image formation apparatus is capable of providing one or more services of a printer, a copier, or a facsimile;
- and
- a server connected to the network, said server providing a software component to said image formation apparatus via said network,
- wherein said image formation apparatus includes:
- a selection unit that selects a desired software component from a list of software components accumulated in said server and displayed on said display section;
- an acquisition unit that acquires the software component selected by said selection unit and authentication information from said server;
- and
- a control unit that controls processing operation of the software component acquired by said acquisition unit based on the authentication information acquired by said acquisition unit, wherein
- said control unit restricts the hardware resources available in said image formation apparatus for the acquired software component based on the authentication information, and
- when authentication based on the authentication information has failed, said control unit specifies minimum resources so that said display section and operation panel section of the resources become available for the software components, and when the authentication based on the authentication information has succeeded, said control unit specifies that all the resources are available for the software components.
A software acquisition method comprising:
- connecting an image formation apparatus and a server to a network, said image formation apparatus having one or more hardware resources of a display section, an operation panel section, a printing section, and an image pickup section;
- providing one or more of services of a printer, a copier, or a facsimile;
- providing a software component to said image formation apparatus from said server, wherein said image formation apparatus performs steps of:
- selecting a desired software component from a list of software components accumulated in said server and displayed on said display section;
- acquiring the selected software component and authentication information from said server;
- and
- controlling a processing operation of the acquired software component based on the acquired authentication information, wherein
- the controlling step restricts the hardware resources available in said image formation apparatus for the acquired software component based on the authentication information, and
- when authentication based on the authentication information has failed, the controlling step specifies minimum resources so that said display section and operation panel section of the resources become available for the software components, and when authentication based on the authentication information has succeeded, said controlling step specifies that all the resources are available for the software components.
A computer readable recording medium for storing instructions, which when executed on a computer, causes the computer to realize a software acquisition method in an image formation system which connects an image formation apparatus and a server to a network, said image formation apparatus having one or more hardware resources of a display section, an operation panel section, a printing section, and an image pickup section and for providing one or more of services of a printer, a copier, or a facsimile, and said server providing a software component to said image formation apparatus, wherein said image formation apparatus performs steps of:
- selecting a desired software component from a list of software components accumulated in said server and displayed on said display section;
- acquiring the selected software component and authentication information from said server;
- and
- controlling a processing operation of the acquired software component based on the acquired authentication information, wherein
- the controlling step restricts the hardware resources available in said image formation apparatus for the acquired software component based on the authentication information, and
- when authentication based on the authentication information has failed, the controlling step specifies minimum resources so that said display section and operation panel section of the resources become available for the software components, and when authentication based on the authentication information has succeeded, said controlling step specifies that all the resources are available for the software components.
A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for causing a computer to realize a software acquisition method in an image formation system which connects an image formation apparatus and a server to a network, said image formation apparatus having one or more hardware resources of a display section, an operation panel section, a printing section, and an image pickup section and for providing one or more of services of a printer, a copier, or a facsimile, and said server providing a software component to said image formation apparatus, wherein said image formation apparatus performs steps of:
- selecting a desired software component from a list of software components accumulated in said server and displayed on said display section;
- acquiring the selected software component and authentication information from said server;
- and
- controlling a processing operation of the acquired software component based on the acquired authentication information, wherein
- the controlling step restricts the hardware resources available in said image formation apparatus for the acquired software component based on the authentication information, and
- when authentication based on the authentication information has failed, the controlling step specifies minimum resources so that said display section and operation panel section of the resources become available for the software components, and when authentication based on the authentication information has succeeded, said controlling step specifies that all the resources are available for the software components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.