JP2008168540A - Network system and network device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network system which is applicable to an office environment where a number of network devices are connected to a network, wherein the network device specified in an application can be quickly identified. <P>SOLUTION: There is provided a printing system 100 to which a plurality of image forming devices 20A, 20B, etc. are connected to a client PC 10 via the network 30. In the printing system 100, the image forming devices 20A, 20B, etc. are provided with light emitting sections 270A, 270B, etc., respectively, which are controlled to be turned on/off by the client PC 10. Then the client PC 10 controls the light emitting section of the image forming device specified in the application to be turned on/off. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network system and a network device such as a printing system and an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral are connected to a client PC via a network.

  In recent years, computer networks have become widespread, and many offices have constructed LANs connecting a plurality of information devices such as computers and printers. Peripheral devices such as computers and printers, scanners, digital cameras and the like have become widespread, and networks such as LANs have also become widespread, and by sharing printers, modems, and image reading devices on the network, any network on the network It has become an environment where devices can be used.

  Conventionally, in a network composed of a plurality of information devices, for example, by turning on the lighting device of the information device selected from the management device, the physical position of the information device can be easily recognized (for example, As for a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected on the network, the operation status for each function of each apparatus is displayed on the client PC (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2004-179774 A JP 2000-315131 A

  By the way, in a printing system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a multi-function machine are connected to a client PC via a network, if a problem such as running out of paper or running out of toner occurs, the network communication By using the technology and receiving the information on the application side and displaying it on the user interface, the administrator can easily determine which printing device has a problem on the application. The location on the floor must be traced from the model name or IP address.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is a network system capable of quickly specifying an image forming apparatus designated on an application in an office environment in which a large number of network devices are connected on a network. And providing network equipment.

  Other objects of the present invention and specific advantages obtained by the present invention will become more apparent from the description of embodiments described below.

  The present invention is a network system in which a plurality of network devices are connected to a client PC via a network. Each network device includes a light emitting unit that is controlled to be turned on / off by the client PC, and a lighting / lighting of the light emitting unit. Each of the client PCs controls lighting / extinguishing of the light emitting unit of the network device designated on the application, and the control unit of each network device follows the instruction from the client PC. The light emitting unit is turned on when a predetermined event occurs.

  Further, the present invention is a network device in a network system in which a plurality of network devices are connected to a client PC via a network, and includes a light emitting unit and a control unit that controls lighting / extinguishing of the light emitting unit, The control unit lights the light emitting unit when a predetermined event occurs according to an instruction from the client PC.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly identify a network device designated on an application in an office environment in which many network devices are connected to the network.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 20 (20A, 20B...) Such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine are connected to a client PC 10 via a network 30. This is applied to the printing system 100.

  In this printing system 100, the client PC 10 is formed of, for example, a so-called personal computer. As shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 11 controls the entire apparatus and performs various arithmetic processes, a ROM for storing programs and data, and a work area. RAM for temporarily storing programs and data, a storage unit 12 including a hard disk as an external storage device for storing various programs and data, and a screen display unit such as a liquid crystal display for displaying various types of information 13, an operation unit 14 including a keyboard and a mouse for inputting various instructions, a print data generation unit 15 for generating data to be printed, a communication unit 16 including a LAN card for connecting to the network 30, and the communication The information acquired by the unit 16 is analyzed and the screen display unit 1 Such as data analysis unit 17 for transmission to which are connected to each other via a bus 18.

  Each of the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,... Is a so-called multi-function machine having a copy, print, scan, facsimile transmission and facsimile reception function, and as shown in FIG. The control unit 200 includes an image forming unit 210, a document reading unit 220, a paper feeding unit 230, an operation display unit 240, an image storage unit 250, an image processing unit 260, a light emitting unit 270, and the network 30. A communication unit 280 made up of a LAN card or the like for connecting to is connected.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 200 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 201 that stores a control program for the image forming apparatus 20, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 202 that temporarily stores data, and various settings that can be updated. An EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) 203 that stores data and the like, a microcomputer 204 that reads out and executes a control program from the ROM 201, and the like. The entire apparatus is controlled in accordance with detection signals from various sensors provided at various places.

  The image forming unit 210 performs predetermined image formation (printing) on the paper conveyed by the paper supply unit 230, and includes a printer controller, a laser scanning unit, a fixing roller, and the like (not shown).

  The original reading unit 220 reads an original and generates image data corresponding to the original, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor that generates image data from an optically acquired original image and an exposure. The image data obtained by scanning a manuscript placed on the contact glass is output to the control unit 200.

  The paper feeding unit 230 feeds paper to the image forming unit 210.

  The operation display unit 240 inputs a predetermined instruction in response to a user operation. The operation display unit 240 is not illustrated, and includes a key for a user to input a print execution instruction, a key for inputting the number of copies, and various copies. A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided on which various operation buttons for displaying operation guide information for inputting operation settings and the like are displayed.

  The image storage unit 250 is a memory that temporarily stores image data of a document read by the document reading unit 220 and image data transmitted from an external device via the communication unit 280.

  The image processing unit 260 performs various types of image processing on the print data. For example, the image processing unit 260 converts the print data into RGB data or CMYK data, and performs image processing for consolidating a plurality of document images on one sheet, that is, Enlargement / reduction processing for enlarging or reducing the image size of the document image, layout processing for arranging a plurality of document images on one sheet, and the like are performed.

  The light emitting unit 270 includes a lamp that emits light so as to be visually identifiable. When the lighting / extinguishing is controlled by the control unit 200 and selected on the application, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 20, printing is performed. Lights up when the job is completed.

  That is, each of the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,... In the printing system 100 is turned on when selected on an application, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus 20, or when a print job is completed. 270A, 270B...

  In this printing system 100, the client PC 10 controls the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B... On the network according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  That is, the CPU 11 of the client PC 10 searches the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,... On the network (step S1), and acquires device information of the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,. The acquired information is analyzed by the data analysis unit 17 and displayed on the screen display unit 13 and stored in the storage unit 12 (step S2).

  The CPU 11 stores management information for managing the image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,... In groups based on triggers (various errors, printing speed, etc.) designated by the operation of the operation unit 14 in the storage unit 12. If a group that is desired to know the installation location is selected by operating the operation unit 14 (step S4), it is determined whether the selected image forming apparatus 20 has the light emitting unit 270. (Step S5).

  When the selected image forming apparatus 20 includes the light emitting unit 270, the lighting instruction signal is transmitted when an event occurs at the transmission destination of the lighting instruction signal, and the light emitting unit 270 of the image forming apparatus 20 is turned on. Turn on (step S6).

In the printing system 100, when the control unit 200 of the image forming apparatus 20 receives the lighting instruction signal sent from the client PC 10, when the paper / toner runs out or all the printed matter by the print job is discharged. The light emitting unit 270 is turned on in the event of a failure.
In other words, when all the printed matter from the print job, such as out of paper / toner, is discharged, the light emitting unit 270 is turned on.

  The event for turning on the light emitting unit 270 can be selected and selected by the client PC 10.

  In the printing system 100 having such a configuration, the image forming apparatus 20 designated on the application can be quickly identified in an office environment in which a large number of image forming apparatuses 20A, 20B,. .

  Therefore, for example, it is possible to quickly identify the image forming apparatus 20 in which a problem has occurred by checking the application and illuminating the light emitting unit 270 where the image forming apparatus 20 is arranged. As a result, the image forming apparatus 20 in which the problem has occurred can be quickly found and dealt with.

  Further, by turning on the light emitting unit 270 when the print job is completed, it is not necessary to wait until the printing is completed before the image forming apparatus 20.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of client PC in the said printing system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus in the printing system. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the control part in the said image forming apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the lighting control of the issuing part of the image forming apparatus on a network by the said client PC.

Explanation of symbols

10 Client PC,
11 CPU,
12 storage unit,
13 screen display,
14 operation unit,
15 print data generation unit,
16 communication department,
17 Data analysis department,
18 Bus,
20, 20A, 20B ... Image forming apparatus,
30 network,
100 printing system,
200 control unit,
201 ROM,
202 RAM,
203 EEPROM,
204 microcomputer,
210 Image forming unit,
220 Document reading unit,
230 paper feeder,
240 operation display section,
250 image storage unit,
260 image processing unit,
270, 270A, 270B ... light emitting part,
280 communication unit

Claims (2)

A network system in which a plurality of network devices are connected to a client PC via a network,
Each network device includes a light-emitting unit that is controlled to be turned on / off by a client PC and a control unit that controls the light-on / off of the light-emitting unit.
The client PC controls lighting / extinguishing of the light emitting unit of the network device designated on the application,
The network system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit of each network device turns on the light emitting unit when a predetermined event occurs according to an instruction from the client PC. A network device in a network system in which a plurality of network devices are connected to a client PC via a network,
A light emitting unit;
A control unit for controlling lighting / extinguishing of the light emitting unit,
The network device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit turns on the light emitting unit when a predetermined event occurs according to an instruction from the client PC.

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