JPH11249989A - Network utility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize the network traffic by checking whether an IP address is already set to every option I/F card to be set when a setting operation is performed to connect the I/F card to a network. SOLUTION: When a setting operation is performed to connect the option I/F cards 4a to 4j to a network 2, the host devices 1a to 1n start the utility software and broadcast the answer request packets to the network 2 for the management and setting operations. Then the cards 4a to 4j of printers 3a to 3j receive the packets and send the answer data to the devices 1a to 1n. The information on the cards 4a to 4j which answered the devices 1a to 1n are displayed on the screens of the devices 1a to 1n to check whether the IP addresses are correctly set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a network utility for connecting a network device such as a printer or a multi-function copier to a TCP / IP network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a so-called LAN environment in which a plurality of host devices and printing devices are connected via a network and shared by a plurality of users has been spreading at a remarkable rate for sharing and improving the efficiency of printing devices and storage devices. . In particular, TCP / I
The LAN environment connected by the P protocol is considered to be a network connection form that is expected to be most widely used in the future with the spread of the Internet. In the TCP / IP environment, a unique address is assigned to each network device such as a printing device and a host device, and data is transferred with this address as a destination. This address is called an IP address.
Since data cannot be transferred to a printing device for which a P address has not been set, it must be set before use. Conventionally, this IP address has been set from a panel device of the printing apparatus.

[0003]

However, since the panel device of the printing device is an LCD display of several lines,
When setting items were various, it took a complicated menu structure and it was very difficult to set. In recent years, some printing devices do not have a panel device for cost reduction,
The problem is how to set the IP address for this printing device.

In order to solve this problem, the printing device is set to T
Option I to connect to CP / IP network
When the setting protocol including the MAC address of the / F card is broadcast-transmitted to the local network and the option I / F card receives the setting protocol, the MAC address in the protocol is compared with its own MAC address. There is a network utility that can change its own settings, but this method also issues a broadcast even if an address has already been set, which unnecessarily increases network traffic, This may lead to a decrease in network response and a decrease in reliability.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages, and to provide a network utility which can easily set an indispensable setting such as an IP address when connecting a printing device to a network with a minimum network traffic. It is intended for.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A network utility according to the present invention includes various settings for connecting an optional I / F card for connecting a printing device such as a printer or a multi-function copier to a TCP / IP network. The option I / F card is connected to a network by a utility software capable of performing status monitoring and capable of broadcasting a setting protocol including a MAC address of the option I / F card to be set to a local network. When performing the setting for performing the setting, it is characterized in that it is checked whether or not the IP address is already set in the option I / F card to be set.

If an IP address has already been set in the option I / F card to be set, the setting packet is preferably transmitted only to the set IP address without broadcasting.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a network system according to the present invention, a plurality of host devices are connected to a network, and a plurality of printing devices shared by the plurality of host devices are each connected to the network by an optional I / F card. Utility software for monitoring and setting the printing performed by each printing device operates on the host device. When setting up the network connection of the option I / F card in this network system, when the host device starts the utility software, a response request packet for management and setting is broadcast-transmitted on the local network. Printing device option I
Upon receiving this packet, the / F card receives its own MA.
The response data including the C address is responded to the host device. The host device utility software is
By displaying the information of the option I / F card of the printer that has responded to the screen of the host device, it is possible to know which printer is currently operating. Therefore, Ping is issued to check whether the IP address of the option I / F card of the target printing apparatus is set correctly. If a Ping response is received from the option I / F card to be set, it means that the IP address has already been set correctly, and the setting protocol is issued to the specified IP address. If there is no Ping response from the option I / F card to be set, a setting packet including the MAC address of the option I / F card to be set is broadcast-transmitted. The option I / F card receiving this setting packet compares its own MAC address with the MAC address described in the packet, and when the own MAC address matches the MAC address described in the packet. Then, the setting is changed assuming that this packet has been sent to itself.
If the own MAC address does not match the MAC address described in the packet, the data is discarded.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a plurality of host devices 1a to 1n are connected to a network 2 and printing devices 3a to 3n shared by the host devices 1a to 1n.
j is connected to the network 2 by option I / F cards 4a to 4j. Utility software for monitoring and setting the printing performed by the printing devices 3a to 3j operates on the host devices 1a to 1n.

In this network system, option I
The operation when setting for connecting the / F card 4a to the network will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the utility software is started in the host device 1a, a packet for management and setting is broadcast-transmitted on the local network (step S1). Since broadcast transmission is to send data to all devices on the network irrespective of the IP address, even if the IP address is not set, this data will be transmitted to all the printing devices if they are physically connected. 3a to 3j. This packet is called a response request packet. On the other hand, upon receiving this packet, the option I / F card 4a of the printing device 3a supporting this protocol responds to the host device 1a with response data including its own MAC address (step S2). The utility software of the host device 1a transmits the option I / F of the printer 3a that has responded.
By displaying the information of the card 4a on the screen of the host device 1a, it is possible to know which printing device is currently operating. The response data includes the option I / F card 4
Since the MAC addresses a to 4j are included, it is possible to know which of the option I / F cards 4a to 4j has which MAC address.

Here, the IP address of the option I / F card 4a
When setting an address or the like, first, a ping is issued to check whether the IP address of the target option I / F card 4a is correctly set (step S3). Ping is a simple response request protocol used in the TCP / IP protocol. If there is a Ping response from the option I / F card 4a to be set, it means that the IP address has already been correctly set, and the setting protocol is issued to the specified IP address (steps S4 and S5). . The option I / F card 4a changes the setting contents according to the sent setting protocol (step S9). In addition, option I /
If there is no Ping response from the F card 4a, it is expected that the IP address is not set correctly.
A setting packet including the MAC address of the option I / F card 4a to be set is broadcasted (steps S4 and S6). Since this setting packet is a broadcast transmission, it is sent to all the option I / F cards 4a to 4j in the same manner as the response request packet.
Option I / F card 4 which received this setting packet
a compares its own MAC address with the MAC address described in the packet (step S7),
If the AC address matches the MAC address described in the packet, the setting is changed by regarding this packet as being sent to itself (step S8,
S9). If your MAC address and the MAC address described in the packet do not match,
It is considered that the data has been sent to the other option I / F cards 4b to 4j, and the data is discarded (step S
8, S10). In this way, an IP address can be set for an optional I / F card for which an IP address has not been set.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the option I / F to be set is set when the option I / F card for connecting the printing apparatus to the TCP / IP network is set for network connection. IP on card
Since it is checked whether or not an address has already been set, when a new printing apparatus is introduced into a network, an indispensable setting such as an IP address for network connection can be performed very easily.

If an IP address has already been set in the option I / F card to be set, the setting packet is not transmitted by broadcast but transmitted only to the set IP address. At the time of introduction, it is possible to make settings necessary for network connection such as an IP address with minimum network traffic.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host device 2 Network 3 Printer 4 Option I / F card

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Utility software capable of performing various settings and status monitoring for connecting an optional I / F card for connecting a printing device such as a printer or a multifunctional copying machine to a TCP / IP network. In a network utility capable of broadcasting a setting protocol including a MAC address of an option I / F card to be set to a local network, a setting object is set when setting the option I / F card for network connection. A network utility for checking whether an IP address has already been set in the optional I / F card. 2. The network utility according to claim 1, wherein when an IP address is already set in the option I / F card to be set, the setting packet is not transmitted by broadcast, but is transmitted only to the set IP address. .