US 8,949,482 B2 · Device management apparatus, device management system, information management method, information management program and recording medium storing the program therein

Abstract

A device management apparatus connected to one or more devices via a data transmission channel includes an input information holding unit for holding an input information group including one or more pieces of input information, each of which is to be connected to device information of a device; a device search unit for detecting the devices by a search; a device information acquiring unit for acquiring the device information from the devices; a cross-checking unit for cross-checking information items of the input information with those of the device information; and a registering and updating unit for performing data registration/update by, when the cross-checking unit determines that there is a common information item between the input information and the device information, connecting a piece of input information to the device information based on item entries of the common information item, and storing the connected information as registry management information.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims12

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a first connecting unit configured to connect to at least one of a plurality of devices via a network;
a storing unit configured to store information;
a first storing process unit configured to store a input information group in the storing unit, the input information group including each item value of a plurality of input information items corresponding to at least one of the plural devices;
a receiving unit configured to receive a device identification information and a second information, the second information includes at least an item value of a plurality of device information items, at least one device information item of the second information is different than the plural input information items of the input information group;
a first checking unit configured to check the input information group based on the device identification information and determine a portion of the input information group to be registered in association with the second information as a result of the check of the input information group;
a first registering unit configured to register the second information in association with the portion of the input information group when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group contains a common information item with the second information, the first registering unit further configured to give notice when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group does not contain a common information item with the second information.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

a plurality of devices, each device configured to transmit a device identification information and a second information;
and
a device management apparatus including,
a first connecting unit configured to connect to at least one of the plural devices via a network,
a storing unit configured to store information,
a first storing process unit configured to store a input information group in the storing unit, the input information group including each item value of a plurality of input information items corresponding to the plural devices,
a receiving unit configured to receive the device identification information and the second information, the second information includes at least an item value of a plurality of device information items, at least one device information item of the second information is different than the plural input information items of the input information group;
a first checking unit configured to check the input information group based on the device identification information and determine a portion of the input information group to be registered in association with the second information as a result of the check of the input information group;
a first registering unit configured to register the second information in association with the portion of the input information group when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group contains a common information item with the second information, the first registering unit further configured to give notice when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group does not contain a common information item with the second information.

6 more elements

A method for managing a plurality of devices, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting to at least one of the plural devices via a network;
storing a input information group in a storing unit, the input information group including each item value of a plurality of input information items corresponding to the plural devices;
receiving a device identification information and a second information from the plural devices, the second information includes at least an item value of a plurality of device information items, at least one device information item of the second information is different than the plural input information items of the input information group;
checking the input information group based on the device identification information and determine a portion of the input information group to be registered in association with the second information as a result of the check of the input information group;
and
registering the second information in association with the determined portion of the input information group when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group contains a common information item with the second information, the registering including giving notice when the first checking unit determines the portion of the input information group does not contain a common information item with the second information.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description13,449 words

Summary1,319 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention is generally directed to a device management apparatus and device management system for managing one or more devices connected via a data transmission channel, and in particular to a technology for integrally managing various types of information by connecting information input in advance to device information.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings22 figures

#FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration example of a device management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of the device management apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a functional configuration example of the device management apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Detailed description11,579 words

#Embodiments that describe the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as “embodiments”) are explained next with reference to the drawings.

#System Configuration

#FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration example of a device management system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The system configuration example of FIG. 1 shows one or more image processing apparatuses (devices to be managed) 200 and a device management apparatus (device management server) 100 that are connected by a data transmission channel N, such as a network (for example, a LAN (Local Area Network)).

Facts

Application

13/462,978Filed 3 May 2012 · continuation

Priority

JP 2010-06020517 Mar 2010

Published

US 2012/0221752 A130 Aug 2012

Granted

3 Feb 2015

Term ends

14 Mar 2031

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

H04L 12/12
Details: arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
H04L 67/125
Specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or…:…
Y02D 30/50
Reducing energy consumption in communication networks: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
H04L
Digital communication

Family

Application13/064,244Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Mar 2011

US 2012/0221752 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Aug 2012

US 8,200,863 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2011/0231584 A1Published application

US 8,949,482 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Device management apparatus, device management system, information management method, information management program and recording medium storing the program therein

Life of this patent

Device management apparatus, device management system, information management method, information management program and recording medium storing the program therein

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description13,449 words

Drawings

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent

Description13,449 words