Electronic apparatus, method for adding function, and non-transitory recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10997003-B2
Application number	US-201916571874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2016
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a memory and circuitry. The memory stores a plurality of programs, and program registration information including identification information of the plurality of programs each of which is permitted to be executed in the electronic apparatus. The circuitry executes a first program of the plurality of programs stored in the memory. The circuitry executes a second program according to a determination that the identification information of the program registration information includes identification information of the second program stored in an external memory connectable to the electronic apparatus. The circuitry causes the first program and the second program, which are executed, to be communicable with each other to newly add a function to the electronic apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured to,
receive setting data from a first image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via a network, the setting data being set in the first image forming apparatus,
receive a change request from a terminal apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the change request requesting a change of a value of a particular item of a plurality of items of the setting data,
determine whether a target item having a dependency relationship with the particular item of the change request exists within the setting data set in the first image forming apparatus by referring to dependency relationship information stored in a memory of the information processing apparatus,
generate import data based on whether the target item exists, and
transmit the import data to a second image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the import data of the particular item and the import data of the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item, in response to determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item exists.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the import data of only the particular item, in response to determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item does not exist.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the dependency relationship information, for each item of the setting data, an appropriate value of an item having the dependency relationship with the each item is set, and the processing circuitry is further configured to,
generate the import data of the item having the dependency relationship with the particular item as the target item of the change request, the import data being associated with the appropriate value, in response to determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item exists.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the dependency relationship information, for each item of the setting data, an appropriate value that the each item is required to take is set, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to,
determine whether a value of the particular item transmitted together with the change request is the appropriate value of the particular item, and
generate no import data, in response to determining that the value of the particular item is not the appropriate value.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setting data is exported from the first image forming apparatus into the information processing apparatus and the import data generated therefrom is subsequently imported from the information processing apparatus to the second image forming apparatus.

7. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving setting data from a first image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via a network, the setting data being set in the first image forming apparatus;
receiving a change request from a terminal apparatus that is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the change request requesting a change of a value of a particular item of a plurality of items of the setting data;
determining whether a target item having a dependency relationship with the particular item of the change request exists within the setting data set in the first image forming apparatus by referring to dependency relationship information stored in a memory of the information processing apparatus,
generating import data based on whether the target item exists; and
transmitting the import data to a second image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network.

8. The information processing method of claim 7 , wherein the generating generates the import data of the particular item and the import data of the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item, in response to the determining determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item exists.

9. The information processing method of claim 7 , the generating generates the import data of only the particular item, in response to the determining determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item does not exist.

10. The information processing method of claim 7 , wherein in the dependency relationship information, for each item of the setting data, an appropriate value of an item having the dependency relationship with the each item is set, and
the generating generates the import data of the item having the dependency relationship with the particular item as the target item of the change request, the import data being associated with the appropriate value, in response to the determining determining that the target item having the dependency relationship with the particular item exists.

11. The information processing method of claim 7 , wherein in the dependency relationship information, for each item of the setting data, an appropriate value that the each item is required to take is set,
wherein the determining includes determining whether a value of the particular item transmitted together with the change request is the appropriate value of the particular item, and
the generating includes generating no import data, in response to the determining determining that the value of the particular item is not the appropriate value.

12. The information processing method of claim 7 , wherein the setting data is exported from the first image forming apparatus into the information processing apparatus and the import data generated therefrom is subsequently imported from the information processing apparatus to the second image forming apparatus.

13. A non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor of an information processing apparatus, configures the processor to,
receive setting data from a first image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the setting data being set in the first image forming apparatus,
receive a change request from a terminal apparatus that is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the change request requesting a change of a value of a particular item of a plurality of items of the setting data,
determine whether a target item having a dependency relationship with the particular item of the change request exists within the setting data set in the first image forming apparatus by referring to dependency relationship information stored in a memory of the information processing apparatus,
generate import data based on whether the target item exists, and
transmit the import data to a second image forming apparatus communicably connected to the information processing apparatus via the network.

14. The non-transitory recording medium of claim 13 , the plurality of instructions, when executed, further configures the processor to,
generate the import data of the particular item and the import data

Assignees

• Yamawaki Taku
• Yokoyama Kayo
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamawaki Taku
• Yokoyama Kayo

Classifications

• H04N1/00938 Primary

  Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications (program loading in general G06F9/445) · CPC title

• H04N1/00278 Primary

  with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer · CPC title

• G06F3/1285

  Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F3/1224

  Client or server resources management · CPC title