JP2012098821A - Device control program and device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to reduce the trouble of changing the setting of device control conditions in accordance with a destination communication network.
A printer driver that is executed on a PC connected to one of a plurality of subnets that can be distinguished from each other, and the printer driver is connected to the same subnet as the subnet to which the PC is connected. The printer 2 is controlled according to the printing conditions. The initial value information indicating the initial values of the printing conditions and the initial value information corresponding to the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected are acquired by the acquisition process. The PC 1 is caused to execute setting processing for setting the initial value indicated by the initial value information as the initial value of the printing condition.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for setting initial values of device control conditions.

  Conventionally, there is a technique for acquiring at least one of network connection information, position information, and time information of an information terminal, and setting a printer associated with the acquired information as a “normally used printer” from a plurality of printers. It is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-197773 A

By the way, for example, when moving with a notebook (laptop) computer and connecting the computer to a communication network at the destination and causing the printer to execute printing, printing conditions (control) according to the destination communication network You may want to change the (Condition) setting. For example, there is a case where a printing rule is determined for each communication network, and setting of printing conditions is changed according to the rule.
In such a case, according to the conventional technology, the user must change the setting of the printing condition every time the user moves through the communication network.

  The present specification discloses a technique that can reduce the trouble of changing the setting of the control condition of a device in accordance with a destination communication network.

  The device control program disclosed in the present specification is a device control program executed by an information processing apparatus connected to any one of a plurality of communication networks that can be distinguished from each other. A device connected to the same communication network as the communication network to which a processing device is connected is controlled according to a control condition, and is initial value information indicating an initial value of the control condition. An acquisition process for acquiring initial value information corresponding to the connected communication network; a setting process for setting the initial value indicated by the initial value information acquired by the acquisition process as an initial value of the control condition; Are executed by the information processing apparatus.

  Further, in the device control program disclosed in this specification, each communication network is connected to a default device that stores the initial value information corresponding to the communication network, and the information processing apparatus includes: A first storage unit that stores default device information indicating the default device connected to the communication network for each communication network, and the device control program includes the information processing in the acquisition process; Default device information indicating the default device of the communication network to which a device is connected is acquired from the first storage unit, and the initial value information is acquired from the default device indicated by the acquired default device information.

  Further, in the device control program disclosed in this specification, the information processing apparatus associates identification information for identifying a communication network for each communication network and the initial value information corresponding to the communication network. A second storage unit that is registered, and the device control program causes the user to select whether or not to acquire the initial value information from the default device in the acquisition process; If it is selected, the initial value information is acquired from the default device. If acquired from the default device but not selected, the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected is acquired. The initial value information registered in the second storage unit in association with Give to.

  Further, the device control program disclosed in the present specification acquires the initial value information corresponding to a user who is causing the information processing apparatus to execute the device control program from the default device in the acquisition process.

  In the device control program disclosed in this specification, the information processing apparatus includes a third storage unit, and the device control program is indicated by the initial value information acquired from the default device by the acquisition process. The initial value is acquired from the default device by the first registration process in which the initial value is registered in the third storage unit in association with the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected, and the acquisition process. When the initial value indicated by the initial value information is different from the initial value acquired as the initial value corresponding to the identification information of the communication network and registered in the third storage unit, The information processing apparatus is caused to execute notification processing for notifying the user of the fact.

  Further, in the device control program disclosed in this specification, the information processing apparatus associates identification information for identifying a communication network for each communication network and the initial value information corresponding to the communication network. A second storage unit that is registered, and the device control program is associated with the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected in the acquisition process; The initial value information registered in is acquired.

  Further, the device control program disclosed in the present specification is a registration determination process for determining whether or not the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected is registered in the second storage unit. When the registration determination process determines that the identification information of the communication network is not registered in the second storage unit, the initial value of the control condition is set by the user and set by the user. Causing the information processing apparatus to execute a second registration process in which the initial value information indicating the initial value and the identification information of the communication network are associated with each other and registered in the second storage unit.

  In the device control program disclosed in this specification, the initial value information is information indicating a source from which the initial value is acquired, and the information processing apparatus is connected in the device control program and the acquisition process. The initial value information corresponding to the communication network is acquired, and the initial value is acquired from an acquisition destination indicated by the acquired initial value information.

  Further, the device disclosed in the present specification is a device connected to any one of a plurality of communication networks that can be distinguished from each other, and is connected to the same communication network as the communication network to which the device is connected. A transmission request for the initial value information is sent from a fourth storage unit storing initial value information indicating an initial value of a control condition for controlling a device that is connected, and an information processing apparatus connected to the communication network. A receiving unit that receives the transmission request, and a transmission unit that transmits the initial value information stored in the fourth storage unit to the information processing apparatus when the transmission unit receives the transmission request.

  In the device disclosed in this specification, the fourth storage unit stores the initial value information in association with the user of the information processing apparatus, and the transmission request is transmitted to the user of the information processing apparatus. The transmission unit includes the initial value information stored in the fourth storage unit in association with the user indicated by the user information included in the transmission request. Send to processing device.

  According to the device control program, the initial value indicated by the initial value information corresponding to the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected can be set as the initial value of the control condition. Thereby, the user can reduce the trouble of changing the setting of the control condition according to the destination communication network.

  The present invention can be realized in various modes such as a device control program, a device, a device control apparatus, a device control method, and a recording medium on which the device control program is recorded.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a network configuration according to Embodiment 1. FIG. The block diagram which simplifies and shows the structure of PC. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a default printer table. The schematic diagram which shows an example of an initial value information table. The screen transition figure of the screen displayed when performing printing. The flowchart which shows the flow of an initial value information acquisition process. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an initial value information table for each user according to the second embodiment. The flowchart of an initial value information acquisition process. 10 is a flowchart of initial value information acquisition processing according to the third embodiment. 10 is a flowchart of initial value information acquisition processing according to the fourth embodiment.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(1) Network Configuration FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a network configuration according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated example, subnet N1, subnet N2, and subnet N3 are shown as communication networks, and these subnets are connected to the backbone network 5 via routers 3a to 3c.

  A personal computer 1 (an example of an information processing apparatus, hereinafter referred to as PC1) is, for example, a notebook (laptop) computer, and a user can move with the PC1. The user can connect the PC 1 to the destination subnet and cause the printer 2 connected to the destination subnet to execute printing.

  The plurality of printers 2 (printers 2a to 2f) are apparatuses that form an image on a recording medium such as paper by an electrophotographic method, an inkjet method, or the like. The plurality of printers may be different models or the same model. In the following description, the printer 2 is simply one of the printers 2a to 2f.

(2) PC Electrical Configuration FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the PC 1. The PC 1 includes a CPU 10, a ROM 11, a RAM 12, a storage unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, a network interface 16 (NW I / F), and the like.

  The CPU 10 controls each unit of the PC 1 by executing various programs stored in the ROM 11 and the storage unit 13. The ROM 11 stores various programs executed by the CPU 10 and data. The RAM 12 is used as a main storage device for the CPU 10 to execute various processes.

  The storage unit 13 (an example of a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a third storage unit) is a device that stores various programs and data using a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. . The storage unit 13 includes an operating system (OS) 21, an application program 22 (word processor, spreadsheet software, image editing software, etc.), a universal printer driver 23 (an example of a device control program), a default printer table 24 described later, and initial values. An information table 25 and the like are stored.

The display unit 14 includes a display device such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display, a drive circuit that drives the display device, and the like.
The operation unit 15 includes a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard.

  The network interface 16 is communicably connected to an external device such as the printer 2 via a communication network. Programs such as the application 22 and the universal printer driver 23 described above can be downloaded from an external server via a communication network.

(3) Universal Printer Driver The universal printer driver 23 is a printer driver that can control a plurality of printers 2 and has low model dependency. The CPU 10 that executes the universal printer driver 23 (hereinafter simply referred to as “universal printer driver 23”) controls the printer 2 connected to the same subnet as the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected according to the printing conditions (an example of control conditions). To do.

(4) Default Printer Table and Initial Value Information Table As shown in FIG. 1, one default printer (an example of a default device) is determined for each subnet. The default printer includes a reception unit, a transmission unit, a non-volatile storage unit (an example of a fourth storage unit), and the like (not shown). In the storage unit included in the default printer, initial value information (“initial value corresponding to the communication network” indicating initial values of printing conditions when the printer 2 connected to the subnet to which the default printer is connected performs printing is used. An example of “value information” is stored. The initial value information stored in the default printer can be changed by the administrator of each subnet.

  FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a default printer table 24 indicating default printers of each subnet. In the default printer table 24 (an example of default device information), identification information for identifying a subnet and information (IP address, device name, etc.) for identifying a default printer in the subnet are associated with each other.

  The subnet identification information is, for example, a combination of device names of the printers 2 connected to the subnet, a network address of the subnet, or the like. Details of the subnet identification information will be described later.

The default printer table 24 is stored in the storage unit 13 of the PC 1, and the universal printer driver 23 can specify the default printer of each subnet by referring to the default printer table 24 stored in the storage unit 13. .
The universal printer driver 23 can newly register identification information for identifying a subnet and information for specifying a default printer in the default printer table 24.
The default printer table 24 may be stored in a file server or the like connected to each subnet, and the default printer table 24 may be referred to.

An initial value information table 25 is stored in the storage unit 13 of the PC 1.
FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an initial value information table 25 indicating initial value information of each subnet.
In the initial value information table 25 (an example of initial value information corresponding to a communication network stored in the second storage unit), identification information for identifying a subnet and initial value information are associated with each other.

  The universal printer driver 23 can specify the initial value information of each subnet by referring to the initial value information table 25 stored in the storage unit 13. The universal printer driver 23 can newly register identification information for identifying a subnet and initial value information in the initial value information table 25.

(5) Printing conditions and initial value information The printing conditions are color / monochrome (color, monochrome), duplex printing / single-sided printing (double-sided printing, single-sided printing), single-sided printing page number (single-sided page, single-sided page 2 , 4 pages on one side), and a combination of setting values set for each print setting item such as image quality (high image quality, low image quality). The setting values that can be set for the print setting item are shown in parentheses.
In order to facilitate understanding, in the following description, three color setting items, “color / monochrome”, “double-sided printing / single-sided printing”, and “image quality” will be described as examples.

  The initial value information indicating the initial value of the printing condition may be the initial value of the printing condition itself, or information indicating the acquisition destination of the initial value of the printing condition. The information indicating the acquisition destination is the URL of the server storing the initial value of the printing condition, the directory name of the directory storing the initial value, and the like. In the first embodiment, a case where the initial value itself is used will be described as an example.

  For example, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the default printer 2b in the subnet N1 stores (color, single-sided printing, single-sided one page) as initial values of printing conditions. Similarly, the default printer 2d in the subnet N2 stores (Monochrome, single-sided printing, two pages on one side) as the initial value of the printing conditions, and the default printer 2f in the subnet N3 has (Monochrome, 2-sided printing, 1-sided page) is stored.

(6) Screen Transition FIG. 4 is a screen transition diagram of a screen displayed when printing is executed. When the user selects printing from a menu (not shown) displayed on the display unit 14 by the CPU 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as “application 22”) that executes the application program 22, a print screen 31 is displayed by the application 22, and the user Can select the printer 2 on the print screen 31.

  Since the universal printer driver 23 does not support only one specific type of printer 2, when printing using the universal printer driver 23, the user directly selects the universal printer driver 23 instead of the printer 2. And Here, it is assumed that the universal printer driver 23 is selected.

  When the user clicks the [Property] button 31a while the universal printer driver 23 is selected, the universal printer driver 23 is called from the application 22.

  When the universal printer driver 23 is called from the application 22, first, the printer 2 connected to the same subnet as the PC 1 transmits data requesting information (IP address, device name, etc.) for specifying the printer by broadcasting. Based on the information obtained as a response, the printer 2 connected to the subnet (the printer 2 that can be controlled by the universal printer driver 23) is searched (an example of search processing).

Next, the universal printer driver 23 displays a list of the printer names of the found printers 2 on the printer selection screen 32 (see FIG. 3).
When the user selects one of the printers 2 on the printer selection screen 32 and clicks the [OK] button 32a, the universal printer driver 23 obtains initial values of printing conditions corresponding to the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected. The “initial value information acquisition process” is executed.
The details of the “initial value information acquisition process” will be described later. In the “initial value information acquisition process”, the universal printer driver 23 sets the initial value stored in the default printer of the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected to the subnet. It is acquired as a corresponding initial value, or an initial value registered in the initial value information table 25 is acquired as an initial value corresponding to the subnet.
The “initial value information acquisition process” may be executed when the [property] button 31 a is clicked on the print screen 31.

  When the universal printer driver 23 acquires the initial value of the printing condition by the above-described “initial value information acquisition process”, the universal printer driver 23 stores the acquired initial value in “a variable for storing the printing condition” (an example of a setting process). For example, in the case of WINDOWS (registered trademark) which is an OS of Microsoft Corporation, the DEVMODE structure corresponds to “a variable for storing printing conditions”. The DEVMODE structure is a structure variable used for storing printing conditions in WINDOWS. In the following description, a DEVMODE structure will be described as an example of “a variable for storing printing conditions”.

  When the universal printer driver 23 stores (sets) the initial value of the printing condition in the DEVMODE structure, the universal printer driver 23 then displays a printing condition setting screen 33 for allowing the user to set the printing condition. When the print condition setting screen 33 is displayed, the universal printer driver 23 displays the set value (initial value) stored in the DEVMODE structure as an initial value on the print condition setting screen 33.

  For example, it is assumed that the PC 1 is connected to the subnet N2, and in this case, the initial value is acquired from the default printer. In this case, since the initial value stored in the default printer connected to the subnet N2 is (monochrome, single-sided printing, single-sided two-page printing), as shown in FIG. “Monochrome” is displayed as the initial value of the “Color / Monochrome” setting value, “Single-sided printing” is displayed as the initial value of the “Double-sided printing / Single-sided printing” setting value, and the “Single-sided printing page number” setting value “One side two pages” is displayed as an initial value.

  When the user wants to change the setting value displayed as the initial value on the printing condition setting screen 33, the user can change it appropriately on the printing condition setting screen 33. When the user changes the setting value and clicks the [OK] button 33a, the universal printer driver 23 overwrites the changed setting value in the DEVMODE structure.

  When the user clicks the [OK] button 33a on the print condition setting screen 33, the screen returns to the print screen 31 displayed by the application 22. When the user clicks the [Print] button 31 b on the print screen 31, a print command is output from the application 22 to the universal printer driver 23.

  When a print command is output from the application 22, the universal printer driver 23 generates print data based on the output print command and the setting value stored in the DEVMODE structure, and the generated print data is The data is output to the printer 2 (the printer 2 selected on the printer selection screen 32) via the OS 21.

(7) Subnet Identification Information Subnet identification can be performed by various methods. For example, it may be identified by a combination of device names of the printers 2 connected to the subnet. Specifically, for example, a printer 2 having a device name A and a printer 2 having a device name B are connected to a certain subnet, and a printer 2 having a device name A and a printer having a device name C are connected to another subnet. 2 is connected.
In this case, if the information acquired from each printer 2 by the above-described search processing includes the device name A and the device name B, it is determined that the subnet is present, and the device name A and C If the device name is included, it may be determined that the subnet is another.

  However, in this determination, it cannot be determined whether the subnet connected to the PC 1 is the subnet N1 or the subnet N2. However, in the present embodiment, it is not always necessary to specifically specify the subnet, and such a determination method may be used.

  In addition, when the subnet is identified by the combination of the device names of the printer 2, it is assumed that the combination of the device names of the connected printers 2 is different for each subnet.

  Further, for example, the subnet may be identified by the network address of the subnet. The network address of the subnet is an IP address uniquely assigned to the subnet itself. The subnet network address can be obtained by calculation from the IP address of the PC 1 itself and the subnet mask set in the PC 1. Each time the PC 1 is connected to a different subnet, an IP address corresponding to the connection destination subnet is assigned. Therefore, by calculating the network address from the assigned IP address and the subnet mask, the network of the connection destination subnet is obtained. You can ask for an address.

  When the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected is identified by a combination of device names of the printers 2 connected to the subnet, the combination of the device names can be used as subnet identification information. Further, when identifying a subnet by a network address, the network address of the subnet can be used as identification information.

(8) Initial Value Information Acquisition Process FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the initial value information acquisition process described above. Here, the user can register the initial value of the printing condition corresponding to the subnet and the identification information for identifying the subnet in association with each other in the initial value information table 25 of the PC 1 and is stored in the default printer. An example will be described in which the user can select whether to acquire an initial value or an initial value registered in the initial value information table 25.

  In S101, the universal printer driver 23 acquires the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected. For example, when the subnet is identified by the combination of the device names of the printers 2 connected to the subnet, the universal printer driver 23 acquires the combination of the device names of the printer 2 searched by the above-described search processing as subnet identification information.

In S102, the universal printer driver 23 determines whether or not the identification information acquired in S101 is registered in the storage unit 13 of the PC 1 (an example of a registration determination process).
Here, it is determined whether or not the identification information acquired in S101 is registered in the default printer table 24 and the initial value information table 25 stored in the storage unit 13.
When the PC 1 is connected for the first time to a subnet that has not been connected in the past, since the identification information of the subnet is not registered at S102, it is determined that it is not registered.

  The universal printer driver 23 proceeds to S103 if the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected is not registered in the storage unit 13, and proceeds to S106 if it is registered.

In S103, the universal printer driver 23 displays and registers a selection screen (not shown in FIG. 4) that allows the user to select whether or not to register the identification information of the subnet connected to the PC 1 in the storage unit 13. Or not.
The universal printer driver 23 proceeds to S104 when the user selects “Register”, and proceeds to S105 when “Do not register” is selected.

  In S104, the universal printer driver 23 first displays a print condition setting screen 33 for setting the initial value of the print condition and allows the user to set the initial value of each print setting item. Next, the universal printer driver 23 registers the initial value set by the user and the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is currently connected in the initial value information table 25 (an example of second registration processing). ).

When the subnet is identified by the combination of the device names of the printer 2, the universal driver 23 sets the printer 2 so that the combination of the device names of the connected printers 2 does not overlap with the identification information of other subnets. Automatically select a device name combination.
When the initial value is registered in S104, the registered initial value is also stored in the DEVMODE structure as “acquired initial value” (an example of acquisition processing).
In addition, the universal printer driver 23 may display an input screen for inputting information for specifying the default printer and allow the user to input the IP address of the default printer. The universal printer driver 23 may associate the information for specifying the default printer input by the user with the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is currently connected in the default printer table 24 in association with each other.

  In S105, the universal printer driver 23 acquires a default initial value (an example of an acquisition process). Assume that the default initial value is hard-coded in advance in the universal printer driver 23 itself, for example.

In S106, the universal printer driver 23 displays a selection screen (not shown in FIG. 4) that allows the user to select whether or not to obtain an initial value from the default printer. The universal printer driver 23 proceeds to S107 when the user selects “obtain from default printer”, and proceeds to S110 when “do not obtain from default printer” is selected (an example of an acquisition process).
However, if the identification information acquired in S101 is registered only in the initial value information table 25 in the determination in S102, the process automatically proceeds to S110.

  In S107, the universal printer driver 23 refers to the default printer table 24, identifies the default printer of the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected, and acquires an initial value from the identified default printer (an example of an acquisition process).

In S108, the universal printer driver 23 determines whether or not the initial value acquired as the initial value corresponding to the subnet last time and stored in the storage unit 13 as the history is the same as the initial value acquired in S107. judge.
As will be described in detail later, when the universal printer driver 23 acquires the initial value of the printing condition corresponding to the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected, the acquired initial value is associated with the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is connected. The history is stored in the storage unit 13 (S111). If the initial value acquired as the initial value corresponding to the subnet and stored in the storage unit 13 as the history is not the same as the initial value acquired in S107, the universal printer driver 23 proceeds to S109 and is the same. In the case, the process proceeds to S111.

  In S109, the universal printer driver 23 notifies the user that it is different from the previously acquired initial value (an example of notification processing). Specifically, for example, the universal printer driver 23 displays a message on the display unit 14 indicating that it is different from the previously acquired initial value.

In S110, the universal printer driver 23 acquires the initial value registered in association with the identification information of the subnet to which the PC 1 is currently connected from the initial value information table 25 (an example of an acquisition process).
In S111, the universal printer driver 23 stores the acquired initial value (including the initial value registered by the user in S104) in the storage unit 13 as a history (an example of a first registration process).

(9) Effects of the Embodiment According to the universal printer driver 23 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, when the user moves the PC 1 to another subnet (communication network), the moving destination is set as the initial value of the printing condition. The initial value corresponding to the subnet is set. As a result, the user can reduce the trouble of changing the print condition setting in accordance with the destination subnet.

  Further, according to the universal printer driver 23, the user associates the subnet identification information with the initial value of the printing condition and registers it in the initial value information table 25, and acquires the initial value stored in the default printer. Alternatively, it is possible to select whether to acquire an initial value registered in the initial value information table 25.

  Further, according to the universal printer driver 23, when the initial value acquired from the default printer is different from the history stored in the storage unit 13, the user is notified of this fact. When the initial value is acquired from the default printer, the initial value stored in the default printer may be changed between the previous acquisition and the current acquisition. According to the universal printer driver 23, when the initial value acquired from the default printer is different from the history stored in the storage unit 13, the user is notified so that the user knows that the initial value has been changed. Can do.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the second embodiment, initial values of printing conditions are stored in the default printer for each user, and the PC 1 acquires different initial values from the default printer depending on the user.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the user-specific initial value information table 26 stored in the default printer. The user-specific initial value information table 26 stores a user ID uniquely assigned to a user (an example of user information) and an initial value of printing conditions in association with each other.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of initial value information acquisition processing according to the second embodiment. Here, processes substantially the same as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. In addition, since the processes of S103 to S105 and S110 are the same as those in the first embodiment, they are not shown.

  In S201, the universal printer driver 23 acquires the user ID of the user who causes the PC 1 to execute the universal printer driver 23 from the OS 21, and acquires the user ID as a transmission request for requesting transmission of the initial value of the printing conditions. A transmission request including is transmitted to the default printer.

  The default printer receives the transmission request transmitted from the PC 1 and transmits the initial value registered in the user-specific initial value information table 26 in association with the user ID included in the transmission request to the PC 1.

  In S202, the universal printer driver 23 receives an initial value corresponding to the user ID from the default printer.

  According to the universal printer driver 23 according to the second embodiment of the present invention described above, the initial value corresponding to the user who is executing the universal printer driver 23 on the PC 1 is acquired from the default printer, so that different users can access the same communication network. When the PC 1 is connected, different initial values can be set depending on the user.

  Further, according to the default printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the initial value stored in the storage unit (fourth storage unit) is associated with the user ID included in the transmission request received from the PC 1. Since the data is transmitted to the PC 1, when different users connect the PC 1 to the same communication network, different initial values can be set for each user.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the third embodiment, the initial value information is always acquired from the default printer without storing the initial value information table 25 in the PC 1.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of initial value information acquisition processing according to the third embodiment. The initial value information acquisition process according to the third embodiment includes a process of registering subnet identification information and initial value information in the initial value information table 25 and a process of acquiring initial value information from the initial value information table 25. Except for this, it is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore, only a flowchart is shown here and description thereof is omitted.

  According to the universal printer driver according to the third embodiment of the present invention described above, an initial value corresponding to the communication network to which the PC 1 is connected can be set as the initial value of the printing condition.

  Further, according to this universal printer driver, the initial value is acquired from the default printer, so that it is not necessary to store the initial value in association with each subnet in the PC 1.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the fourth embodiment, the initial value information is always acquired from the initial value information table 25 without storing the initial value information in the default printer.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of initial value information acquisition processing according to the fourth embodiment. The flow of the initial value information acquisition process according to the fourth embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment except that there is no process for acquiring initial value information from the default printer. Is omitted.

  According to the universal printer driver according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention described above, an initial value corresponding to the communication network to which the PC 1 is connected can be set as the initial value of the printing condition.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

(1) Although the subnet has been described as an example of the communication network in the above embodiment, the unit of the communication network may not be a subnet.
For example, when a communication network is laid in one building and the communication network is connected to a plurality of subnets, the building may be used as a unit of one communication network. In this case, when the user moves to another building with the PC 1 and causes the printer 2 to execute printing in the destination building, the initial value of the printing condition corresponding to the destination building may be set. Good.
That is, the unit of the communication network is not limited to the subnet, and can be determined as appropriate.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the printer is described as an example of the device. However, the device is not limited to the printer, and may be, for example, a scanner or a facsimile machine.

  (3) In the above embodiment, a personal computer has been described as an example of the information processing apparatus. However, the information processing apparatus may be, for example, a mobile phone or a portable information terminal.

(4) In the above embodiment, the printer is described as an example of the default device, but the default device may be a server computer, for example.
In the above embodiment, the case where a default device is connected for each subnet has been described as an example. However, for example, only one default device may be provided as a whole. In that case, the default device is connected to one of the subnets, and the PC 1 always obtains the initial value corresponding to the connected subnet from the one default device, regardless of which subnet is connected. It may be.

  (5) In the above embodiment, the universal printer driver has been described as an example of the device control program. However, the device control program may be a dedicated printer driver developed exclusively for a specific type of printer.

  (6) In the above embodiment, “color / monochrome”, “double-sided printing / single-sided printing”, “image quality”, and the like have been described as print setting items for print conditions. However, the print setting item is, for example, “watermark image”. May be. For example, by synthesizing and printing a watermark image representing a subnet on which printing has been performed on the print target data, the user can easily know which subnet the printing was performed on. In this case, by setting a watermark image corresponding to the subnet as the initial value of the “watermark image”, the user can reduce the trouble of changing the setting of the watermark image every time the subnet is moved.

  (7) In the above embodiment, the case where the user can change the setting value displayed as the initial value on the printing condition setting screen 33 has been described as an example. For example, when the user changes a predetermined number or more, a warning is issued. You may make it emit.

  (8) Although the user ID has been described as an example of the user information in the second embodiment, the user information is not limited to the user ID. For example, it may be information such as the user's title or department. Thereby, even if the PC 1 is connected to the same subnet, different initial values can be set depending on the user's job title and department.

N1 ... Subnet N2 ... Subnet N3 ... Subnet 1 ... Personal computers 2a-2f ... Printers 3a-3c ... Router 5 ... Core network 10 ... CPU
11 ... ROM
12 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 ... Memory | storage part 14 ... Display part 15 ... Operation part 16 ... Network interface 22 ... Application program 23 ... Universal printer driver 24 ... Default printer table 25 ... Initial value Information table 26 ... User-specific initial value information table 31 ... Print screen 32 ... Printer selection screen 33 ... Print condition setting screen

Claims (10)

A device control program executed by an information processing apparatus connected to any one of a plurality of communication networks that can be distinguished from each other,
The device control program controls a device connected to the same communication network as the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected according to control conditions,
An acquisition process for acquiring initial value information indicating an initial value of the control condition and corresponding to the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected;
A setting process for setting the initial value indicated by the initial value information acquired by the acquisition process as an initial value of the control condition;
A device control program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute A device control program according to claim 1,
Each of the communication networks is connected to a default device that stores the initial value information corresponding to the communication network.
The information processing apparatus includes a first storage unit that stores default device information indicating the default device connected to the communication network for each communication network;
In the acquisition process, the device control program
The default device information indicating the default device of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected is acquired from the first storage unit, and the initial value information is acquired from the default device indicated by the acquired default device information A device control program. A device control program according to claim 2,
The information processing apparatus includes a second storage unit in which identification information for identifying the communication network for each communication network and the initial value information corresponding to the communication network are registered in association with each other,
In the acquisition process, the device control program
Whether or not to acquire the initial value information from the default device;
When obtaining from the default device is selected, the initial value information is obtained from the default device;
The initial value information registered in the second storage unit in association with the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected if acquired from the default device but not selected Get the device control program. A device control program according to claim 2 or claim 3,
In the acquisition process, a device control program that acquires, from the default device, the initial value information corresponding to a user who causes the information processing apparatus to execute the device control program. A device control program according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The information processing apparatus includes a third storage unit,
The device control program is
The initial value indicated by the initial value information acquired from the default device by the acquisition process is registered in the third storage unit in association with the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected. A first registration process to
The initial value indicated by the initial value information acquired from the default device by the acquisition process is acquired as an initial value corresponding to the identification information of the communication network last time and registered in the third storage unit. A device control program that, when different from the initial value, causes the information processing apparatus to execute notification processing for notifying the user of that fact. A device control program according to claim 1,
The information processing apparatus includes a second storage unit in which identification information for identifying the communication network is registered for each communication network and the initial value information corresponding to the communication network is registered in association with each other.
In the acquisition process, the device control program
A device control program that acquires the initial value information registered in the second storage unit in association with the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected. A device control program according to claim 3 or claim 6,
A registration determination process for determining whether or not the identification information of the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected is registered in the second storage unit;
When it is determined in the registration determination process that the identification information of the communication network is not registered in the second storage unit, the initial value of the control condition is set by the user, and the initial value set by the user A second registration process for registering the initial value information indicating a value and the identification information of the communication network in association with each other in the second storage unit;
A device control program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute A device control program according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The initial value information is information indicating an acquisition destination of the initial value,
In the device control program and the acquisition process, the initial value information corresponding to the communication network to which the information processing apparatus is connected is acquired, and the initial value is acquired from the acquisition destination indicated by the acquired initial value information A device control program. A device connected to one of a plurality of communication networks identifiable from each other,
A fourth storage unit storing initial value information indicating an initial value of a control condition for controlling a device connected to the same communication network as the communication network to which the device is connected;
A receiving unit that receives a transmission request for the initial value information from an information processing device connected to the communication network;
When the reception unit receives the transmission request, the transmission unit transmits the initial value information stored in the fourth storage unit to the information processing device;
A device comprising: The device of claim 9, comprising:
The fourth storage unit stores the initial value information in association with a user of the information processing apparatus,
The transmission request includes user information indicating a user of the information processing apparatus,
The transmitting unit transmits the initial value information stored in the fourth storage unit in association with the user indicated by the user information included in the transmission request to the information processing apparatus. .

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