JP2005173701A - Information processor, information processing method, and program therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor and an information processing method capable of efficiently performing the installation of a plug-in module and a program therefor. <P>SOLUTION: A CPU 1 adds one or more additive functions by integrating one or more plug-in modules to a plurality of kinds of PDL drivers that is an object of function addition. The CPU 1 refers to a correspondence management table for determining whether a plug-in module can be incorporated or not according to the kind of PDL drivers and version information to determine a usable plug-in module. The CPU 1 displays a list screen that is a list of plug-in modules determined to be usable on a CRT 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program for installing a plug-in module in a printer driver.

  In recent years, the number of man-hours for developing printer drivers has increased dramatically as the number of page description languages used to instruct printers to print images has increased. Examples of typical page description languages include PCL5e language, PostScript language, LIPS language, and the like. Other companies have also developed a new page description language that performs all image processing on the information processing device side such as a personal computer, and a page description language that performs optimal load distribution between the personal computer and the printer. .

  In addition, with the enhancement of printer driver functions, plug-in modules for adding functions to printer drivers have also been developed according to various functions. In order to install this plug-in module efficiently, for example, by determining the module group (plug-in) to be incorporated in the printer driver that controls the output device according to the printing function set by the user, the redundancy is reduced. A technology relating to an information processing apparatus that reduces memory shortage and realizes simplification of printing processing and improvement of printing speed is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-108580 A

  However, the printer driver supports multiple page description languages. When installing a plug-in module, it is impossible to grasp which page description language each plug-in module supports. There is a problem that efficiency decreases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program thereof that can efficiently install a plug-in module.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, one or a plurality of additional function modules are incorporated in the display means and a plurality of programs to which functions are added. An information processing apparatus including an incorporation unit that adds one or more additional functions, and stores embedding availability information that determines whether or not an additional function module can be incorporated according to the type and version information of the program. Whether or not an additional function module that is to be incorporated into a plurality of programs by referring to the storage means and the availability information from the storage means is an additional function module that can be incorporated into a plurality of programs. A list of determination means for determining whether or not an additional function module has been determined that the determination means can be incorporated Characterized by comprising a list screen generating means for displaying a certain list screen on the display unit.

  In addition, in the information processing method according to the present invention, display means and incorporating means for adding one or more additional functions by incorporating one or more additional function modules into a plurality of programs to be added functions. An information processing method using an information processing apparatus comprising: reference to incorporation possibility information from a storage unit that stores incorporation possibility information that determines whether or not an additional function module can be incorporated according to program type and version information Then, a first step for determining whether or not the additional function module can be incorporated into a plurality of programs and a list screen of the additional function modules determined to be incorporated in the first step are displayed on the display means. And a second step.

  Moreover, the program by this invention is a program for making an information processing apparatus perform the information processing method of Claims 5-8.

  As described above, the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the program thereof according to the present invention can display an additional function module (plug-in module) that can be installed (installed), so that the user can install the plug-in module. Can be done efficiently.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although a print processing system is shown as an embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN ( It may be a system in which connection is made through a network such as Wide Area Network), and any environment that can execute the printer driver may be used.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer (information processing apparatus), which is a graphic (image), character, table (based on a document processing program or the like stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 3 program ROM or an external memory 11. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1 that executes document processing including a spreadsheet is included, and the CPU 1 controls the devices connected to the system bus 4 in a comprehensive manner. The ROM 3 program ROM or external memory 11 stores an operating system program (OS), which is a control program for the CPU 1, and the ROM 3 font ROM or external memory 11 is used for the above document processing. Font data and the like to be stored are stored, and various data used when the document processing is performed is stored in the data ROM of the ROM 3 or the external memory 11. Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM (Random Access Memory) that functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 1.

  A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown). Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which controls display on a CRT display (CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)) 10. Reference numeral 7 denotes a disk controller (DKC), which is connected to an external memory 11 such as a hard disk (HD) or a flexible disk (FD) for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, printer drivers, and the like. Control access.

  A printer controller (PRTC) 8 is connected to the printer 1500 via a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21 and executes communication control processing with the printer 1500. Note that the CPU 1 executes outline font rasterization (rasterization) processing on the display information RAM set on the RAM 2, for example, and enables WYSIWYG (What You See What You Get) on the CRT 10. The CPU 1 opens various windows registered based on commands instructed by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing. When executing printing, the user opens a window relating to print settings, and can make settings for a printer 1500, which will be described later, and print processing method settings for a printer driver, including selection of a print mode.

  In the printer 1500, reference numeral 12 denotes a printer CPU, and a printing unit (printer engine) connected to the system bus 15 based on a control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in the external memory 14. 17 outputs an image signal as output information. Further, the control program of the CPU 12 and the like are stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13. The font ROM of the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the output information. In the case of the printer 1500 having no external memory 14 such as a hard disk in the data ROM of the ROM 13, the host computer 3000 is used. It stores information used above.

  The CPU 12 can communicate with the host computer 3000 via the input unit 18 and is configured to be able to notify the host computer 3000 of information in the printer 1500 and the like. Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 12, and is configured such that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The RAM 19 is used as an output information expansion area, environment data storage area, NVRAM, and the like.

  Access to the above-described external memory 14 such as a hard disk (HD), IC card or the like is controlled by a memory controller (MC) 20. The external memory 14 is connected as an option and stores font data, an emulation program, form data, and the like. Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation panel on which an operation switch, an LED display, and the like are arranged. The external memory 14 described above is not limited to one, and at least one external memory 14 is provided. In addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages with different language systems can be connected. It may be configured. Furthermore, an NVRAM (not shown) may be provided to store printer mode setting information from the operation panel 1501.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of typical print processing in a host computer to which a printing apparatus such as a printer is directly connected or connected via a network. The application 201, the graphic engine 202, the printer driver 203, and the system spooler 204 exist as files stored in the external memory 11, and when executed, are loaded into the RAM 2 and executed by the OS and modules using the modules. It is a program module. The application 201 and the printer driver 203 can be added to the HD of the external disk 11 via the FD of the external memory 11, a CD-ROM (not shown), or a network (not shown). The application 201 stored in the external memory 11 is loaded into the RAM 2 and executed. When printing is performed from the application 201 to the printer 1500, the graphic that is similarly loaded into the RAM 2 and executable. Output (drawing) is performed using the engine 202.

  The graphic engine 202 similarly loads the printer driver 203 prepared for each printing apparatus from the external memory 11 to the RAM 2, and sets the output of the application 201 in the printer driver 203. Then, the GDI (Graphic Device Interface) function received from the application 201 is converted into a DDI (Device Driver Interface) function, and the DDI function is output to the printer driver 203. Based on the DDI function received from the graphic engine 202, the printer driver 203 converts it into a control command that can be recognized by the printer, for example, a PDL (Page Description Language). Note that the printer driver 203 in the present embodiment corresponds to a plurality of types of page description languages (PDL), and has a plurality of types of PDL drivers. The converted printer control command is output as print data to the printer 1500 via the interface 21 via the system spooler 204 loaded into the RAM 2 by the OS.

  The configuration example of the printing process illustrated in FIG. 2 is an example of the present embodiment. Here, as another configuration example, in the printing system of the present embodiment, in addition to the configuration example of the printing process of the printing system including the printer 1500 and the host computer 3000 shown in FIG. A configuration example having a configuration in which print data from the printer is once spooled with intermediate code data will be described.

  FIG. 3 is an extension of the printing system of FIG. 2, and takes a configuration in which a spool file 303 consisting of an intermediate code is generated once when a print command is sent from the graphic engine 202 to the printer driver 203. In the printing system of FIG. 2, the application 201 is released from the printing process when the printer driver 203 has converted all print commands from the graphic engine 202 into printer control commands. On the other hand, in the printing system of FIG. 3, the spooler 302 has converted all print commands into intermediate code data and output them to the spool file 303. The latter usually requires less time. In the system shown in FIG. 3, the contents of the spool file 303 can be processed. This makes it possible to realize functions that the application does not have, such as enlargement / reduction of print data from the application or printing by reducing a plurality of pages to one page.

  For these purposes, the printing system has been extended so that the printing system of FIG. 2 can be spooled with intermediate code data as shown in FIG. In order to process print data, settings are made from a window provided by the normal printer driver 203, and the printer driver 203 stores the setting contents in the RAM 2 or the external memory 11.

  Details of FIG. 3 will be described below. As shown in the figure, in this expanded processing method, the dispatcher 301 receives a print command from the graphic engine 202. If the print command received by the dispatcher 301 from the graphic engine 202 is a print command issued from the application 201 to the graphic engine 202, the dispatcher 301 loads the spooler 302 stored in the external memory 11 into the RAM 2 to print the printer. A print command is sent to the spooler 302 instead of the driver 203.

  The spooler 302 converts the received print command into an intermediate code and outputs it to the spool file 303. In addition, the spooler 302 acquires the processing settings relating to the print data set for the printer driver 203 from the printer driver 203 and stores them in the spool file 303. The spool file 303 is generated as a file on the external memory 11, but may be generated on the RAM 2. Further, the spooler 302 loads the spool file manager 304 stored in the external memory 11 into the RAM 2 and notifies the spool file manager 304 of the generation status of the spool file 303. Thereafter, the spool file manager 304 determines whether printing can be performed in accordance with the contents of the processing settings relating to the print data stored in the spool file 303.

  When the spool file manager 304 determines that printing can be performed using the graphic engine 202, the despooler 305 stored in the external memory 11 is loaded into the RAM 2, and is described in the spool file 303 with respect to the despooler 305. The intermediate code is instructed to be printed.

  The despooler 305 processes the intermediate code included in the spool file 303 according to the contents of the processing setting included in the spool file 303 and outputs the processed code to the dispatcher 301 again via the graphic engine 202.

  If the print command received by the dispatcher 301 from the graphic engine 202 is a print command issued from the despooler 305 to the graphic engine 202, the dispatcher 301 sends the print command to the printer driver 203 instead of the spooler 302. The printer driver 203 generates a printer control command and outputs it to the printer 1500 via the system spooler 204.

Next, a functional configuration when a plug-in module in the printer driver is incorporated will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the printer driver when called from the system 420. The printer driver basically includes a core module 401 and one or more plug-in modules 41x (x = 0, 1, 2,...).

  The core module 401 is a module that is directly called from the system 420 or an application (not shown), and performs basic print setting processing and print execution processing. The plug-in module 41x is a replaceable functional module that performs a specific process, and is called from the core module 401 through the interface 402 as necessary. Note that the plug-in module 41x is installed from the installer, whereby the function of the printer driver can be added or updated.

  As a calling method when the core module 401 calls the plug-in module 41x, for example, “interface fixing method”, “interface registration method”, “use of COM”, and the like can be considered.

  The interface fixing method is a method for prescribing a file name, a function name, an argument, etc. when calling each function. When the core module 401 requires each function, the core module 401 calls the extended function module 41x according to each rule, and uses the processing if there is a match. The plug-in module 41x is created according to each rule.

  The interface registration method is a method for registering the file name and function name when calling each function in the interface 402. When the core module 401 requires each function, the core module 401 calls the plug-in module 41x using the interface registered in the interface 402. The plug-in module 41x can be provided using an arbitrary file name or function name, and can be mixed with other plug-in modules. Further, when plug-in module 41 x is plugged into an existing printer driver set, the installer performs registration and update to interface 402 through interface registration function (Interface Registration) 403.

  The use of COM is a method in which a format for calling each function is specified in advance, and a plug-in of an extended function is registered in the system 420 as a COM component. From the location transparency, which is a feature of COM, it is possible to have a plug-in module entity in the print server.

  By adopting various methods as described above, the plug-in module 41x can be called, added, and replaced. However, the calling method mentioned here is an example, and is not limited to these.

  Note that the interface 402 shown in FIG. 4 may function as a part of the core module 401 or may be an independent module. Similarly, the interface registration function 403 may be integrated with the core module 401 or may be independent. The core module 401 has a plurality of types of PDL drivers.

  When the core module 401 fails to call the plug-in module 41x, that is, when the corresponding plug-in module does not exist, the core module 401 performs common processing or skips the corresponding functional processing. To proceed.

  Further, it is assumed that the function separation between the core module 401 and the plug-in module 41x can be designed freely. For example, the basic common processing is performed by the core module, and only specific individual functions (finishing function such as copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, trimming function, chapter cover function, UI, etc.) can be made independent as plug-in modules. Alternatively, the core module may be a wrapper that processes only calls from the system, and even a part that manages the flow of the entire process may be placed in the plug-in module. In the following embodiments, description will be made assuming carving at various levels.

  The mechanism described above is not limited to the printer driver frame, but can be applied to a printing system including other utilities, and can also be applied to other systems other than the printing system. Needless to say.

Next, a specific example in which a plug-in module is plugged into the printer driver will be described.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of plugging in a plug-in module. As shown in FIG. 5, for the printer driver set 501 in which “background pattern v1.0” and “trimmer v1.0” are plugged in, from the installer, “background pattern v2.0” and “chapter slip sheet v1. A case where two plug-in modules 502 of “0” are plugged in will be described. By performing the plug-in as described above, in the printer driver set 503 after plug-in, “background pattern v1.0” is overwritten with “background pattern v2.0”. Here, “background pattern v2.0” has the same interface as the existing “background pattern v1.0”, and is replaced with “background pattern v1.0” by the plug-in. “Chapter paper v1.0” is newly added because there is no corresponding existing plug-in module. As a result of the plug-in, the printer driver set 503 is configured.

Next, an operation when installing a plug-in in the host computer 3000 in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when installing a plug-in in the host computer 3000 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, first, when the installer is activated, in step 601, the CPU 1 searches the types of PDL drivers included as printer drivers registered in the computer registry and their versions. . Of course, the search range here is only the PDL driver corresponding to this plug-in. For example, the necessary PDL driver is determined from the head name of the PDL driver.

  Here, when the PDL driver corresponding to the plug-in module that can be installed is not searched (NO in step 602), the CPU 1 indicates that “the printer driver corresponding to the plug-in module has not been installed”. Is displayed on the CRT 10 and the installer is forcibly terminated (step 607).

  If the target PDL driver is found as a result of the search (YES in step 602), the process proceeds to step 603, and the CPU 1 checks whether the plug-in module is installed in the searched PDL driver. Do. Next, proceeding to step 604, the CPU 1 refers to the plug-in module correspondence management table for each PDL driver held by the installer and determines a plug-in module that can be installed. Here, the correspondence management table is, for example, a table as shown in FIG. 7, and describes which plug-in module can be installed from which version and later of each PDL driver. In step 604, installable plug-in modules are determined with reference to the version information of the printer driver searched in step 602. Next, the CPU 1 displays information on the plug-in module determined to be plug-in in step 604 on the CRT 10 as an installer screen (step 605).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence management table of plug-in modules for each PDL driver held by the installer. As shown in FIG. 7, there are “PCL driver”, “LIPS driver”, “PS driver”, “Raster driver”, and “Fax Driver” as plural types of PDL drivers. The information regarding the version in which the plug-in for the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, the plug-in for the trimmer function, and the plug-in for the chapter / interleaf function can be installed is shown. It should be noted that “x” indicates that any version cannot be installed.

Here, steps 601 to 605 will be described with two specific examples using the correspondence management table shown in FIG.
As a first example, it is assumed that “PCL driver” version v4.20 and “PS Driver” version v3.10 are installed as PDL drivers in the host computer 3000 of this embodiment. First, in steps 601 to 603, the CPU 1 searches for “PCL driver” and “PS Driver” as PDL drivers. Next, in step 604, the searched version “PCL driver” v4.20 is compared with the correspondence management table of FIG. 7, and “PCL Driver” has a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, a trimmer function, a chapter / slip sheet function. It is determined that the plug-in module is compatible. Similarly, “PS Driver” version v3.10 is compared with the correspondence management table of FIG. 7, and it is determined that “PS Driver” corresponds to the tint block function and the chapter / slip sheet function.

  Based on the determination result in step 604, in step 605, the CPU 1 displays a UI (user interface) screen of the installer on the CRT 10. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen displayed on the CRT 10 as an initial screen of the installer in step 605 in this specific example. As shown in FIG. 8A, “PCL driver v4.20” and “PS Driver v3.10” are displayed on the installer screen 801 as the names of the installed PDL drivers, and plug-ins are displayed under each name. A display area is provided where possible functions are displayed. In FIG. 8A, in the function display area 802 under “PCL driver v4.20”, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, the trimmer function, and the chapter / interleaf function that are determined to be compatible in step 604 are displayed. A check box for selecting whether to install each function is provided in front of the function name. Similarly, in the function display area 803 under “PS Driver v3.10”, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function and the chapter / slip sheet function determined to be compatible in step 604 are displayed together with check boxes.

  Next, as a second example, the host computer 3000 according to the present embodiment has a “PCL driver” version v4.20, a “PS Driver” version v3.00, and a “Raster driver” version v3.20 as PDL drivers. And “Fax driver” version v1.00 is installed. First, in steps 601 to 603, the CPU 1 searches for “PCL driver”, “PS Driver”, “Raster driver”, and “Fax driver” as PDL drivers. Next, in step 604, the searched version “PCL driver” v4.20 is compared with the correspondence management table of FIG. It is determined that the plug-in module is compatible. Similarly, “PS Driver” version v3.00 is compared with the correspondence management table in FIG. 7, and it is determined that “PS Driver” corresponds to the chapter / slip sheet function. Similarly, comparing “Raster driver” version v3.20 with the correspondence management table of FIG. 7, it is determined that “Raster Driver” corresponds to the tint block function and the chapter / slip sheet function. Similarly, by comparing the “Fax driver” version v1.00 and the correspondence management table of FIG. 7, it is determined that “Fax Driver” does not correspond to any function.

  Based on the determination result in step 604, in step 605, the CPU 1 displays an installer UI screen on the CRT 10. FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen displayed on the CRT 10 as an initial screen of the installer in step 605 in the case of this specific example. As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the installer screen 805 includes “PCL driver v4.20”, “PS Driver v3.00”, “Raster driver v3.20”, and “Fax” as names of installed PDL drivers. "Driver v1.00" is displayed, and a display area for displaying pluggable functions is provided under each name. In FIG. 8-2, the function display area 806 under “PCL driver v4.20” displays the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function, the trimmer function, and the chapter / interleaf function determined to be compatible in step 604. A check box for selecting whether to install each function is provided in front of the function name. Similarly, in the function display area 807 under “PS Driver v3.00”, the chapter / interleaf function determined to be compatible in step 604 is displayed together with a check box. Similarly, in the function display area 808 under “Raster driver v3.20”, the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern function and the chapter / slip sheet function determined to be compatible in step 604 are displayed together with check boxes.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, all the check boxes are turned on. This is because “install all installable plug-in modules” is the default in the initial scene of the installer. Here, it is possible to select not to install. In this embodiment, the installation of all plug-in modules is set as a default, but only some plug-in modules may be installed by default. For example, if the function of chapter paper interleaving is used frequently, but the background pattern is not often used, the default of the installer may be that the chapter paper / interleaf is on and the background pattern is off.

  When the plug-in modules to be installed are determined by the UI as shown in FIG. 8A or FIG. 8B, in step 606, the CPU 1 executes the installation of those plug-in modules. As a result, plug-in modules (Render, UI, management file, etc.) are installed in the designated directory. Here, even when plural types of PDL drivers install the same plug-in module, only one plug-in module is installed, and the association with the driver is performed based on information written in the registry.

  Note that once a printer driver is printed, it remains loaded by the system or application, so it cannot be replaced as it is, and a reboot is required for the update. Even if loading continues, plug-in modules can be added, so that the function addition (plug-in installation) can proceed to the printer driver set without rebooting without being affected by the system or application. In other words, by adding only the plug-in module, the function of the printer driver can be easily added.

  As described above, when the plug-in module is installed, the installer describes which page description language each plug-in module corresponds to, and which version or later can be used (FIG. 7). Therefore, the correct plug-in module can be easily installed on the correct PDL driver.

[Other embodiment 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the plug-in module is plugged into the printer driver has been described. However, this may be applied to the case where the plug-in module is plugged into the application. The case where a plug-in module is installed for an application will be described below as another embodiment. For example, it is assumed that there is a plug-in module that provides “a function for reading an image from a scanner” and “a function for delivering a created document by mail via Internet mail”. When the installer that plugs in these plug-in modules is started, the plug-in modules that can be plugged in are determined from the correspondence management table of the plug-in modules by application held by the installer, and the installer's Display the result on the screen. This correspondence management table describes which plug-in module can be installed for which version and later of the application. The installable plug-in module is determined by referring to the version information of the searched application. .

  Hereinafter, a specific example will be shown and further described. For example, the application A can be plugged in with a “function to read an image from a scanner”, and the application B has plug-ins with a “function to read an image from a scanner” and a “function to deliver a created manuscript via Internet mail”. When the application C does not correspond to any plug-in module and the installer having the above-described correspondence management table is executed, the following determination result is obtained. Application A is determined to be capable of plug-in “function to read image from scanner”, and application B is plugged into “function to read image from scanner” and “function to deliver created manuscript via Internet mail” It is determined that the function can be plugged in, and it is determined that the application C has no pluggable function. Then, an initial screen of the installer showing the determination result is displayed on the CRT 10.

[Other application examples]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the plug-in module is additionally plugged into the printer driver has been described. However, if the plug-in module possessed by the installer is newer than the plug-in module already installed in the computer, a new one is used. You may update to something.

  First, when the installer for the plug-in module is started, the type of the installed plug-in module and its version are searched. If the corresponding plug-in module is not found at this time, an error message indicating that “the plug-in module was not installed” is displayed and the installation screen for the new plug-in module is displayed. To do. If the target plug-in module is found as a result of the search, the version information of the searched plug-in module is acquired.

  Next, determine the plug-in module that can be updated and the plug-in module that can be newly installed from the correspondence management table of version information for each plug-in module held by the installer, and display the result on the installer screen. indicate. For example, in the host computer 3000 in which the plug-in modules of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern v1.00 and the chapter / interleaf v2.00 are installed, the plug of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern v3.00, the trimmer v2.00, and the chapter / interleaf v2.00 When the installer incorporating the in-module is activated, the plug-in module of the tint block is updated to v3.00, and the trimmer v2.00 is newly installed.

  Note that once a printer driver is printed, it remains loaded by the system or application, so it cannot be replaced as it is, and a reboot is required for the update. Even if loading continues, the plug-in module can be updated, so that the printer driver set can be updated without rebooting without being affected by the system or application.

  As described above, when updating plug-in modules, it is easy to determine which plug-in module should be updated and which plug-in module should be newly installed by searching the version information of each plug-in module. It becomes possible to judge.

  In the above-described embodiment, the program for realizing the function of the host computer 3000 is read into the memory and executed by the CPU, but the function is realized. Alternatively, some functions may be realized by dedicated hardware. The above-mentioned memory is a non-volatile memory such as a magneto-optical disk device or a flash memory, a recording medium such as a CD-ROM that can only be read, a volatile memory other than a RAM, or a computer read by a combination thereof. The recording medium may be a writable recording medium.

  In addition, the host computer 3000 records a program for realizing various functions on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium is read into the computer system and executed. May be performed. Here, the “computer system” includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices.

  The “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such as a flexible medium, a magneto-optical disk, a portable medium such as a ROM and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. Further, the “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a volatile memory (RAM) in a computer system serving as a server or a client when a program is transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In addition, those holding a program for a certain period of time are also included.

  The program may be transmitted from a computer system storing the program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in the transmission medium. Here, the “transmission medium” for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line.

  The program may be for realizing a part of the functions described above. Furthermore, what can implement | achieve the function mentioned above in combination with the program already recorded on the computer system, and what is called a difference file (difference program) may be sufficient.

A program product such as a computer-readable recording medium in which the above program is recorded can also be applied as an embodiment of the present invention. The above program, recording medium, transmission medium, and program product are included in the scope of the present invention.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a typical print process in a printer and a host computer. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of print processing in a printer 1500 and a host computer 3000 in the present embodiment. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a printer driver when called from a system 420. FIG. It is the figure which showed the specific example which plugs in a plug-in module. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of installing the plug-in in the host computer 3000 in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a management table of the plug-in module according to the PDL driver which the installer holds. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of UI displayed on CRT10 as an initial screen of an installer by step 605 of the 1st example. It is a figure which shows the example of a UI screen displayed on CRT10 as an initial screen of an installer by step 605 of the 2nd example.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
3 ROM
6 CRTC
10 CRT
801, 805 Installer screen 802-803, 806-808 Function display area 1500 Printer 3000 Host computer

Claims (9)

An information processing apparatus comprising: a display unit; and an incorporation unit that adds one or more additional functions by incorporating one or more additional function modules into a plurality of programs to which functions are added,
Storage means for storing embedding availability information that determines whether or not the additional function module can be embedded according to the type and version information of the program;
An additional function module that can be incorporated into the plurality of programs with respect to the additional function module that is to be incorporated into the plurality of programs by referring to the incorporation permission information from the storage means. Determination means for determining whether or not,
An information processing apparatus comprising: a list screen generation unit that displays a list screen that is a list of additional function modules determined to be incorporated by the determination unit on the display unit. When a part or all of the program includes one or a plurality of existing additional function modules, the incorporation possibility information further includes information on the type and version of the existing additional function module,
The determination means determines whether or not the type of the additional function module to be added matches the type of the existing additional function module by referring to the incorporation possibility information, and the version of the additional function module determined to match is already added. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the version of the functional module is newer, the additional functional module is determined as an additional functional module that can be incorporated.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the list screen includes a setting unit that allows a user to set whether or not to incorporate the additional function module for each additional function module.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of programs are driver programs corresponding to a plurality of types of page description languages included in a printer driver. Information processing method using an information processing apparatus comprising: a display unit; and an incorporation unit that adds one or more additional functions by incorporating one or more additional function modules into a plurality of programs to which functions are to be added Because
According to the type and version information of the program, it can be incorporated into the plurality of programs by referring to the incorporation possibility information from the storage means for storing the incorporation possibility information that determines whether the additional function module can be incorporated. A first step of determining whether the module is an additional function module;
And a second step of displaying on the display means a list screen of additional function modules determined to be incorporated in the first step. When a part or all of the program includes one or a plurality of existing additional function modules, the incorporation possibility information further includes information on the type and version of the existing additional function module,
The first step determines whether or not the type of the additional function module to be added matches the type of the existing additional function module by referring to the incorporation possibility information, and the version of the additional function module determined to match is 6. The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein if the version of the existing additional function module is newer, the additional function module is determined as an additional function module that can be incorporated.   The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein the list screen includes a setting unit that allows a user to set whether or not the additional function module is incorporated for each additional function module.   8. The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of programs are driver programs corresponding to a plurality of types of page description languages included in a printer driver.   A program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute the information processing method according to claim 5.

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