Control system, electronic device, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11212178-B2
Application number	US-201816221336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2018
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a control system includes a client terminal, a first server and a second server. The client terminal transmits an assignment request of an IP address including first identification information that uniquely identifies the client terminal and is set as a host name to the first server. The first server assigns an IP address to the client terminal in accordance with the request, and transmits the IP address and the host name to the second server. The second server transmits, when one or more items of second identification information include the first identification information set as the host name and when a setup process of the client terminal has not been performed, data for the process of the client terminal to the client terminal using the IP address.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system comprising a client terminal and a server, wherein
the client terminal:
stores setting information and a first date and time of when the setting information is generated in the server, into a first memory in the client terminal, the setting information and the first date and time are included in first data transmitted from the server,
transmits, when the client terminal is booted after the setting information and the first date and time are stored into the first memory, second data to the server, the second data comprising a transmission request of a second date and time of when the setting information is updated in the server,
transmits, when third data has been received from the server and when the second date and time included in the third data is different from the first date and time, fourth data to the server, the fourth data comprising a transmission request of the updated setting information,
receives fifth data from the server,
updates the setting information stored in the first memory with the updated setting information included in the fifth data, and
updates the first date and time stored in the first memory with the second date and time, and

the server:
updates the setting information,
transmits, when the second data has been received from the client terminal, the third data comprising the second date and time to the client terminal, and
transmits, when the fourth data has been received from the client terminal, the fifth data comprising the updated setting information to the client terminal, and
stores first information and second information into a second memory of the server, the first information including pieces of information for first setting items that are set to a plurality of client terminals, respectively, the plurality of client terminals including the client terminal, the second information including pieces of information for second setting items that are set to a plurality of groups, respectively, the plurality of groups including a group to which the client terminal belongs,

wherein the first setting items and the second setting items include different setting items from each other, and
wherein the updated setting information in the fifth data is information used for setting of the client terminal registered with the server, and comprises a first value and a second value, the first value being determined based on identification information of the client terminal and the first information, the second value being determined based on the identification information and the second information.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein
the fifth data comprises a file for setting BIOS of the client terminal, and
the client terminal updates the setting information stored in the first memory, by using information obtained by analyzing the file.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein
the file comprises information related to setting of at least one of a language, a keyboard, a time zone, or a wireless local area network that are used by the client terminal.

4. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a management console that communicates with the server,
wherein the server updates at least one of the first information or the second information in accordance with an operation via the management console.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein
the first information is first table data including records that include values set as the first setting items,
the second information is second table data including records that include values set as the second setting items,
the server:
acquires a first record, which corresponds to the client terminal, from the first table data by using the identification information, and
specifies the group to which the client terminal belongs based on the identification information, and acquires a second record, which corresponds to the specified group, from the second table data,

the first value is included in the first record, and
the second value is included in the second record.

6. An electronic device comprising:
a processor that updates, after first data is transmitted to a client terminal, setting information, the first data comprising the setting information and a first date and time of when the setting information is generated; and
a transmitter that:
transmits, when second data has been received from the client terminal, third data to the client terminal, the second data comprising a transmission request of a second date and time of when the setting information is updated, the third data comprising the second date and time, and
transmits, when fourth data has been received from the client terminal, fifth data to the client terminal, the fourth data comprising a transmission request of the updated setting information, the fifth data comprising the updated setting information; and

a memory that stores first information and second information, the first information including pieces of information for first setting items that are set to a plurality of client terminals, respectively, the plurality of client terminals including the client terminal, the second information including pieces of information for second setting items that are set to a plurality of groups, respectively, the plurality of groups including a group to which the client terminal belongs,
wherein the first setting items and the second setting items include different setting items from each other, and
the updated setting information in the fifth data is information used for setting of the client terminal registered with the server, and comprises a first value and a second value, the first value being determined based on identification information of the client terminal and the first information, and the second value being determined based on the identification information and the second information.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
the fifth data comprises a file for setting BIOS of the client terminal, and
the file comprises information related to setting of at least one of a language, a keyboard, a time zone, or a wireless local area network that are used by the client terminal.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
the processor updates at least one of the first information or the second information in accordance with an operation via a management console that communicates with the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
the first information is first table data including records that include values set as the first setting items correspond to the client terminals, respectively,
the second information is second table data including records that include values set as the second setting items,
the processor:
acquires a first record, which corresponds to the client terminal, from the first table data by using the identification information, and
specifies the group to which the client terminal belongs based on the identification information, and acquires a second record, which corresponds to the specified group, from the second table data,

the first value is included in the first record, and
the second value is included in the second record.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a memory that stores setting information and a first date and time of when a server generates the setting information, the setting information and the first date and time being included in first data transmitted from the server;
a transmitter that:
transmits, when a client terminal is booted after the setting information and the first date and time are stored into the memory, second data comprising a transmission request of a second date and time of when the

Assignees

• Toshiba Client Solutions Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Kenji
• Matsuoka Yoshio

Classifications

• H04L41/0895

  Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements · CPC title

• H04L61/5014

  using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP] · CPC title

• H04L43/10

  Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route · CPC title

• G06F21/44

  Program or device authentication · CPC title

• G06F9/06

  using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs · CPC title