Network device, control method, and storage medium

Abstract

Conventionally, in order for a user to obtain error information, consumable information, and the like, it has been necessary for the user to go and check information, such as checking an LUI screen of a network device such as an image processing apparatus, or accessing a remote UI from a browser of a terminal owned by the user.SOLUTION: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network device including a providing unit configured to provide a web page to a web browser via a network, and a detection unit configured to detect an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, wherein the providing unit provides, as the web page, a web page in which a web application that provides at least a part of functions provided by the network device can be installed to a terminal on which the web browser is executed, in accordance with a predetermined operation of a user on the web browser that displays the web page.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for realizing notification from a network device such as an image processing device to a client device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, network devices such as image processing devices have been able to display their operational status on their displays, such as the occurrence of errors in the network device, counter information, information on the degree of consumption of consumables, and notifications from administrators.

[0003] Network devices also provide a function that enables client devices accessing the device via the network to check the operating status of the image processing device, operate jobs, configure various settings, etc. This function is called a remote user interface (hereafter referred to as a remote UI).

[0004] Here, the network device has a web server inside the device that can provide a remote UI. The URL of the remote UI can be accessed using a web browser (hereinafter referred to as a browser) on a client device. To access the URL of the remote UI, for example, an operation to input the IP address of the network device into the browser is required. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a remote UI provided by an image forming device provides information such as the status of jobs executed by a target user in response to a request to obtain information on error occurrence status or job status. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-267032 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, with the above-mentioned conventional technology, in order for a user to obtain information on the occurrence of errors in the image processing device, information on consumables, notices from the administrator, etc., the user had to either directly check the display of the image processing device or operate the browser described above to access the remote UI and check the information.

[0007] Network device users have been hoping for a more convenient information provision mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The network device of the present invention is a network device having a providing means for providing a web page to a web browser via a network, and a detecting means for detecting an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, wherein the providing means provides the web page as the web page, in accordance with a predetermined user operation on the web browser displaying the web page, on a terminal on which the web browser is executed, the web page capable of installing a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the network device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a new mechanism for providing information about network devices that is more convenient than conventional techniques. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the configuration of a network system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of an image processing apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the hardware configuration of a client device and a push server. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software module configuration of the image processing apparatus. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software module configuration of a push server. [Figure 6] 1 is a sequence illustrating an overview of the entire process executed in a network system. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display on a web browser of a remote UI provided by the image processing apparatus. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating details of a push notification request process performed by the image processing device. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a progressive web app. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of program code for generating a push notification request. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] The mechanism for providing information about network devices by the network system in this embodiment is realized using Progressive Web Apps (hereinafter referred to as PWA), a technology that enables web applications on websites to be used as if they were applications running on a client device.

[0013] Furthermore, PWAs do not require users to download and install them on their client devices from an application store provided by an operating system (OS) vendor. For example, if a website supports PWAs, users can access the website in a browser on their client device, download the app, and then use the PWA. Website providers can also freely design the content of PWAs.

[0014] Furthermore, by utilizing the functionality of ServiceWorker, PWAs can send push notifications to client devices from application servers built by website providers, display icons on the home screen, etc. These push notifications are sent via push servers provided by browser vendors, etc., using specific APIs supported by the client device's OS and browser.

[0015] In this embodiment, the remote UI provided by the web server of the network device corresponds to a PWA-compatible website, which is also a feature of the embodiment.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a network system according to this embodiment. In Fig. 1, 101 denotes a LAN, 102 denotes an image processing apparatus which is an example of a network device, 103 denotes a proxy server, and 104 denotes a firewall installed to enhance the security of an intranet. 105 denotes a client device (hereinafter also referred to as a user terminal 105) such as a personal computer (PC) used by a user, which is connected to the LAN 101. 106 denotes an intranet environment.

[0017] Here, the client device may be a PC, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. Other examples of network devices to which this embodiment can be applied include devices that have a web server and can provide a remote UI, such as a network router, a surveillance camera, and a digital medical device.

[0018] Reference numeral 108 denotes a push server provided by browser and OS vendors to provide push services. The push server 108 mediates communication between the user's terminal and the image processing device 102 to realize push notifications from an application server to a client device using a PWA (Personalized Web Application), which will be described later. In the system shown in FIG. 1, the intranet environment 106 and the push server 108 are interconnected via the Internet 107. It is technically possible to build the push server 108 on an intranet.

[0019] Furthermore, the networks in this embodiment, such as the LAN 101, are realized by either wired communication or wireless communication such as WiFi or a mobile network, or a combination thereof.

[0020] 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the image processing device 102. The image processing device 102 is composed of a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, a storage device 204, a network I / F 205, an internal bus 206, a device control 207, a printing unit 208, an input / output I / F 209, and an input / output device 210. The CPU 201 has programs stored in the ROM 202 (including programs that implement the processes in FIGS. 6 and 8 described below) and controls each device overall via the internal bus 206. The RAM 203 functions as a memory and work area for the CPU 201, and stores information about events that occur in the image processing device 102, various counter information, information about the wear level of consumable parts, various logs, and the like. The image processing device may be a scanner device equipped with a scanner, or may be a multifunction peripheral equipped with both a printing unit and a scanner.

[0021] The network I / F 205 exchanges data unidirectionally or bidirectionally with external network devices or personal computers (PCs) via the LAN 101. The device control 207 controls the printing unit 208 in accordance with print requests and the like. The CPU 201 executes programs together with the ROM 202 and RAM 203 and also records image data on a recording medium such as the storage device 204. The storage device 204 functions as an external storage device and, in addition to storing image data and the like, can also store the above-mentioned event information, various counter information, wear level information on consumable parts, and various logs in place of the RAM 203. The input / output device 210 accepts input from the user (scanning, button input, etc.) and notifies the respective processing units described above via the input / output I / F 209.

[0022] In addition to the remote UI, the storage device 204 also stores a web server program, HTML, script data, and related setting information required to provide the PWA.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the terminal 105 and the push server 108. As shown in FIG.

[0024] 3(a) shows the hardware configuration of the terminal 105. It has a CPU 301 that executes programs stored in a ROM 303, and controls all devices via an internal bus 306. The programs executed by the CPU 301 include application programs such as a web browser (browser 309).

[0025] Connected to the internal bus 306 are RAM 302, ROM 303, storage device 304, network I / F 305, and input / output I / F 307. The input / output device 308 is an operation unit including a keyboard, a CRT or LCD display, etc., and can be connected to the terminal 105 via the input / output I / F 307. The terminal 105 can connect to the Internet 107 via the network I / F 305 and further via the Proxy Server 103 and Firewall 104, and can communicate with the image processing device 102 and the push server 108. Data for implementing a Web page and a ServiceWorker, as described below, is downloaded from a network device and stored in the ROM 303 or storage device 304.

[0026] 3(b) shows the hardware configuration of the push server 108. It has a CPU 301 that executes programs stored in a ROM 323 (including programs that implement the processes of S6011, S6012, and S6019 in FIG. 6, which will be described later), and performs overall control of each device via an internal bus 326. A RAM 322, a ROM 323, a storage device 324, and a network I / F 325 are connected to the internal bus 326. The push server 108 is connected to the Internet 107 via the network I / F 325, and further via a proxy server 103 and a firewall 104, and can communicate with the image processing device 102 and the terminal 105.

[0027] 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the software module configuration of the image processing device 102. The image processing device 102 includes a transmission / reception unit 401, a storage unit 402, an image forming unit 403, a status management unit 404, an operation unit 405, a display unit 406, an event management unit 407, a notification unit 408, and a web server 409.

[0028] The transmitting / receiving unit 401 transmits data processed by the image processing device 102 to the outside via the network. Protocols such as SMTP, HTTP / HTTPS, SMNP, FTP, and SMB are used for transmitting and receiving data. It also receives print data from client devices. The memory unit 402 performs storage control such as saving and reading information to and from the ROM 202, RAM 203, and storage device 204. The memory unit 402 also stores management information required for managing the image processing device 102. Specifically, it stores, for example, device configuration information such as firmware information and the identification number of the image processing device 102, various counter information, wear level information for consumable parts, operation history of the image processing device 102, and history information (log data) indicating various abnormal conditions.

[0029] The image forming unit 403 has a function of generating and outputting print data to be passed to the printing unit 208. The status management unit 404 performs printing control and abnormality status management of the image processing device 102, as well as counter information and notification information management. Counter information such as the number of pages printed by the image processing device 102 counted by a sensor or the like, and consumption level information indicating the degree of consumption of parts or the remaining amount of consumables such as toner bottles are stored and managed in the storage unit 402.

[0030] An operation unit 405 is an interface that enables a user to issue operation instructions, such as print instructions, to the image processing device 102. A display unit 406 controls the display of the image processing device 102's display (not shown), including status information of the device itself, information on the consumption rates of various consumables (including information on remaining toner), setting information, function buttons, and the like.

[0031] The event management unit 407 receives events that occur in the image processing device 102 and manages event information. The event information managed by the event management unit 407 includes print job events issued by users of the image processing device 102, errors (sometimes called failures), and general status information of the image processing device 102. For example, errors of the image processing device 102 include highly urgent errors such as hard disk errors, and warning-level errors such as paper jams or toner low. Event information indicating toner bottle replacement and firmware updates are also notified to the event management unit 407. The event management unit 407 also detects the occurrence of an event and issues a push notification request to the notification unit 408, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] The notification unit 408 is realized as a function of an application server implemented in the image processing device 102. Upon receiving a request from the event management unit 407, the notification unit 408 issues data for a push notification to the terminal 105 that is a pre-registered notification target. Upon receiving a push notification request from the event management unit 407, the notification unit 408 edits data related to the notification content into a predetermined format and transmits it to the push server 108.

[0033] The notification targets include information about the image processing device 102 stored in the storage device 304 (hereinafter referred to as device information), event information that has occurred in the image processing device 102, various counter information, and wear level information for consumable parts. The device information includes identification information (serial number), network information (IP address), and operation information for the image processing device 102, and any of this information is used for notification as needed.

[0034] The web server 409 is a module used by the image processing apparatus 102 to provide a remote UI.

[0035] 5 is a diagram illustrating the software module configuration of push server 108. Push server 108 is made up of a communication unit 501, a storage unit 502, a request receiving unit 503, a response generating unit 504, a notification target management unit 505, and a notification forwarding unit 506.

[0036] The communication unit 501 has a function of communicating with the image processing device 102 and the terminal 105. It receives push notification requests sent from the image processing device 102 and sends push notifications to the terminal 105. The storage unit 502 performs storage control such as reading and writing of information to the RAM 322, ROM 323, and storage device 324. Targets of storage control include information on push notification target terminals and information on push notification requests.

[0037] The request receiving unit 503 receives a request to register as a push notification target sent from the browser 309 of the terminal 105, and a push notification request from the notification unit 408. The response generating unit 504 sends a Push Subscription object (described later) to the browser 309 that sent the request as a response to the request to register as a push notification target. The notification target management unit 505 manages information about terminals registered as push notification targets. Specifically, the information includes an identifier for identifying the target terminal, a Push Subscription object, and the like.

[0038] The notification transfer unit 506 transfers the push notification request to the notification target terminal based on the endpoint information included in the push notification request received from the notification unit 408. In this embodiment, notifications transferred to the terminal 105 by the notification transfer unit 506 include, for example, information about an error that occurred in the image processing device 102, information about the degree of consumption of consumables, and notices from the administrator.

[0039] Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram outlining the overall processing executed in the network system. Fig. 6 explains the PWA installation processing (6000), the push notification target terminal registration processing (6100), and the push notification processing (6200) in this embodiment.

[0040] In the image processing device 102 of the present invention, a device administrator can set in advance whether or not to permit some of the functions provided by the image processing device 102 (such as functions provided by a remote UI) to be used as a PWA.

[0041] 7(c) is an example of a setting screen for permitting the use of some of the functions provided by the image processing device 102 as a PWA. This screen may be provided to a user with administrator privileges of the image processing device 102. Note that the window screen 700 in FIG. 7(c) shows the screen of the browser 309 executed on the terminal 105, and the content within the window screen 700 is one of the pages provided as a remote UI by accessing the image processing device 102 with the browser 309. Note that the setting of whether to permit use as a PWA may be set by an administrator via the operation unit 405 of the image processing device 102.

[0042] Reference numeral 701 on the settings screen in FIG. 7(c) is a setting area for setting the use of PWA, and reference numeral 702 is a checkbox for allowing users to use some of the functions provided by the image processing device 102 as a PWA. When an administrator checks 702, users of the image processing device 102 can use the PWA that can be downloaded via the remote UI. Reference numeral 703 is an area for setting the target of notifications. Notification content provided by the image processing device 102 and notified to the terminal 105 by the PWA notification function described below can be selectively set by type. Notification content types include information about errors and consumables, bulletin board information such as administrator announcements, and suggested software and websites recommended by the vendor of the image processing device 102. The notification content selected here becomes the target of the push notification function using PWA.

[0043] First, the PWA installation process (6000) for the terminal 105 will be described.

[0044] In S6001, the web browser 309 of the terminal 105 accesses the remote UI provided by the image processing device 102 based on an operation from the user. In S6002, the browser 309 downloads content data such as HTML data for the remote UI from the image processing device 102 via HTTPS communication, and displays the screen shown in FIG. 7(a). The screen shown in FIG. 7(a) also includes an icon 710 that can instruct PWA installation. Note that in FIG. 6, the remote UI provided by the browser 309 is illustrated as a web page.

[0045] In step S6003, based on the fact that the use of PWA has been previously permitted on the screen of FIG. 7C and the user's operation on the icon 710, the web browser 309 displays the confirmation screen 711 of FIG. 7B. The confirmation screen 711 is a screen that prompts the user to confirm the use of PWA, and operating an install button 712 enables installation of the PWA on the terminal 105. In other words, the install button 712 is an instruction button for downloading and installing a ServiceWorker and content required to make at least some of the functions provided by the image processing device 102 available as a PWA. In this embodiment, this installation makes it possible to use information provision functions, setting functions, and the like on the remote UI as a PWA application on the terminal 105.

[0046] In S6004, the browser 309 detects that the user has pressed the install button 712. Based on this detection, the PWA is installed on the terminal 105, and in S6005, the browser 309 registers the ServiceWorker downloaded from the image processing device 102 via the Remote UI. The ServiceWorker is a program (JavaScript) that defines behaviors such as receiving push notifications, offline operation, and displaying an icon on the home screen, which are characteristics of PWAs on the terminal 105, and runs in the background separately from the web page provided by the browser 309. In other words, even when the browser 309 is not connected to the Remote UI, push notifications for the installed PWA can be realized via the ServiceWorker running in the background. In S6006, when the registration process to the browser is complete, the browser 309 returns the registration result (success or failure) to the web page and displays the result of the registration process. do.

[0047] Next, the process of registering a target terminal for push notification (6100) will be described.

[0048] In S6007, the browser 309 accepts a request to register the terminal 105 as a target terminal for push notification via the remote UI, which is the currently accessed web page. This request corresponds to a push notification regarding the notification content of the setting 703 in FIG. 7C. In S6008, the browser 309 displays a screen (not shown) for the user to confirm permission for the push notification. When the browser 309 accepts the user's operation to permit the push notification in S6009, in S6010, the browser 309 transmits a request to the push server 108 to register the browser 309 of the terminal 105 as a target terminal for push notification.

[0049] In S6011, based on the reception of the request by the request receiving unit 503, the push server 108 executes the registration of the terminal 105 as a push notification target by the notification target management unit 505 and the issuance of a Push Subscription object.

[0050] A Push Subscription object connects the sender and receiver of a push notification and includes information required when the notification unit 408 sends a push notification to the browser 309 of the user's terminal 105. Specifically, the Push Subscription object includes push server endpoint information required when the notification unit 408 makes a push notification request to the ServiceWorker of the notification target terminal via the push server 108. For example, the endpoint information is composed of a push server URL such as "endpoint":https: / / test.pushserver.con / send / testEndPoint0001 and endpoint text that differs for each terminal. In S6012, the response generation unit 504 of the push server 108 sends the issued Push Subscription object to the browser 309 that sent the request as a response to the request for registration as a push notification target.

[0051] In step S6013, the browser 309 passes the Push Subscription object to the web page, which is the remote UI. In step S6014, the terminal 105, in accordance with the script of the remote UI, transmits the Push Subscription object via the browser 309 to the notification unit 408, which is the application server of the image processing device 102, for registration.

[0052] In S6015, the notification unit 408 of the image processing apparatus 102 saves the Push Subscription object in the storage unit 402. The saved Push Subscription object will be used when the push server 108 sends a push notification request to the target terminal.

[0053] Next, a process (6200) performed by the notification unit 408 of the image processing apparatus 102 to send a push notification to the target terminal via the push server 108 will be described.

[0054] In S6016, the notification unit 408 receives a push notification request from the event management unit 407 regarding an event that has occurred in the image processing device 102. In S6017, the notification unit 408 acquires, from the storage unit 402, information on the device that is the target of the notification.

[0055] Table A is a management table of notification target terminals managed in the storage unit 402 by the notification unit 408 of the image processing device 102. It manages information acquired from the Push Subscription object in the registration process of S6015. The target terminal (endpoint) is information on the endpoint of each terminal required when making a push notification request to the ServiceWorker of the notification target terminal, the notification target flag is information indicating whether each terminal is a push notification target terminal, and the update date and time indicates the date and time when the flag was updated.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] The notification target flag is set to 1 (target) if the administrator of the image processing device 102 permits the use of PWA (if 702 is checked ON), and to 0 (not target) if the administrator does not permit it (if 702 is checked OFF).

[0058] For example, if the setting 702 is changed to unchecked after the information of the terminal 105 is registered as a push notification target terminal, the flags of all target terminals are updated to 0 (not target). After that, even if a push notification request is received from the event management unit 407, the notification unit 408 will no longer generate a push notification request for the terminal 105 to the push server 108.

[0059] In S6018, the notification unit 408 generates a push notification request for the target terminal based on the terminal information of the notification target acquired in S6017, and transmits the request to the push server .

[0060] 10(a) shows an example of program code (JavaScript) used by the notification unit 408 to generate a push notification request. The request includes the Push Subscription object described above and component information of the push notification to be displayed on the device. Among the component information of the push notification, "title" indicates the title to be displayed in the notification banner, "body" indicates character string information to be displayed in the body message of the notification banner, and "icon" indicates the path to the icon image to be displayed together with the body message of the notification banner.

[0061] In S6019, the notification transfer unit 506 of the push server 108 transfers the push notification request to the notification target terminal based on the endpoint information included in the push notification request received by the request receiving unit 503.

[0062] In S6020, ServiceWorker provides a display on terminal 105 indicating that a push notification has been received based on the received push notification request. The installed PWA then displays the push notification content. Figure 10(b) shows an example of program code (JavaScript) used by ServiceWorker to generate a push notification display request. The request includes the above-mentioned push notification component information, and the PWA that receives the push notification instruction from ServiceWorker implements a display based on the request content.

[0063] FIG. 9(a) shows an example of a PWA screen 900 displayed by ServiceWorker. Unlike the Remote UI screen 700 displayed in the browser 309 shown in FIG. 7(a), the PWA screen 900 has the appearance of a normal application presentation screen without an address bar. In this example, the PWA screen 900 provides some of the Remote UI functions. Then, in response to the push notification in S6020, the PWA screen 900 displays 910 in FIG. 9(b), realizing a display in accordance with the push notification by ServiceWorker. As shown in FIG. 9(b), a notification based on the component information included in the push notification request is displayed.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing details of the push notification request process (S6016) performed by the event management unit 407 of the image processing apparatus 102.

[0065] In S801, the event management unit 407 detects the occurrence of an event. In S802, the event management unit 407 acquires push notification setting information in the image processing device 102 to determine whether the event is a target event for push notification. Table B is an example of a notification target event management table managed by the notification unit 408 of the image processing device 102, and manages the contents set by the administrator in 703 in FIG. 7(c). The notification target event is information indicating the target event for push notification, the flag is information indicating whether each event is a target event for notification, and the update date and time indicates the date and time when the flag was updated.

[0066] [Table 2]

[0067] In S803, if the event management unit 407 determines that the detected event is set as a notification target, the process proceeds to S804, but if it determines that the event is not a notification target, the process ends. In S804, the event management unit 407 requests the notification unit 408 to send a push notification to the notification target terminal.

[0068] (Application example) As described above, the information to be subject to push notification can be set by the administrator of the image processing device 102, but there may be messages that do not require notification depending on the user. The network system in this embodiment allows users to extend the scope of notifications to exclude certain types of notifications.

[0069] Figure 9(c) shows a screen provided by the PWA, which is an extension of the push notification screen in Figure 9(b) that allows users to set notifications to be excluded. In Figure 9(c), a "Don't notify me of this message again" button 911 is displayed on the notification 910. If the user operates button 911, the browser of S6020 can be set not to issue push notification instructions thereafter, even if a notification request for that message is received.

[0070] Table C is a table that manages push notification targets managed by ServiceWorker by notification type. The notification type indicates the type of push notification, the notification target flag indicates whether each notification type is a push notification target, and the update date and time indicates the date and time the flag was updated.

[0071] [Table 3]

[0072] The initial settings are those set by the administrator of the image processing device 102 in 703 in FIG. 7(c). When ServiceWorker detects an operation on button 911 via PWA, it identifies the type of notification from the component information (e.g., title) of the push notification included in the currently received push notification request. It then sets the notification target management table in Table C so that the request is not a target for notification. When ServiceWorker receives a push notification request in S6019, it references the notification target management table in Table C and determines whether the received push notification request is a target for notification on the terminal. Only if it determines that the event is a target for notification is ServiceWorker instructing the browser to send a push notification in S6020.

[0073] (Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide at least some of the functions provided by a network device (e.g., the image processing device 102) as a PWA. Therefore, it is possible to manage terminals permitted for use as a PWA as push notification target terminals. In particular, it is possible to detect the event information providing function, such as a remote UI provided by the image processing device 102, and provide the event information to the user as a push notification without the user having to access the image processing device via a web browser or the like. This is a significant advantage in device management in providing useful notifications to the user.

[0074] Furthermore, PWAs can be downloaded and installed between the terminal 105 and network devices without being registered in the application store of the vendor that provides the operating system of the terminal 105. Therefore, in use cases that involve simple device management, this has the effect of enabling software releases with less hassle for both the vendor that provides the PWA and the user.

[0075] (Other Examples) The present invention also includes an apparatus or system configured by appropriately combining the above-described embodiments, and a method thereof.

[0076] Here, the present invention is a device or system that executes one or more pieces of software (programs) that realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. Also, a method for implementing the above-described embodiments executed by the device or system is also one aspect of the present invention. The program is supplied to the system or device via a network or various storage media, and is read into one or more memories and executed by one or more computers (CPUs, MPUs, etc.) of the system or device. In other words, the present invention also includes the program itself, or various storage media that store the program and are readable by a computer. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 102 Image processing device 105 terminals 108 Push Server 309 Browser

Claims

1. providing means for providing a web page to a web browser via a network; a detection means for detecting an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, A network device characterized in that the providing means provides, as the web page, a web page that can install a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the network device on a terminal on which the web browser is running, in accordance with a specified user operation on a web browser that displays the web page.

2. 2. The network device according to claim 1, wherein the providing unit provides, as one of the setting screens of the web page, a setting screen on which a user can make settings to permit the user to use the web application.

3. the web application supports a function for pushing notifications regarding events detected on the network device; The network device according to claim 1 , wherein when the web application is installed on the terminal, a service worker for realizing the push notification is registered on the terminal.

4. The network device according to claim 3 , wherein the providing unit provides, as one of the setting screens of the web page, a setting screen on which the event to be the target of the push notification can be set.

5. The network device according to claim 3, characterized in that the providing means provides, as one setting screen of the web page, a setting screen on which the information provided can be set as the target of the push notification to be at least one of administrator notice information, software suggestions, and website suggestions.

6. The network device according to claim 3 , wherein the push notification provides information on at least one of an error in the network device and information on consumable items.

7. a notification means for transmitting a request for the push notification to a push server; The network device according to claim 3 , wherein a push notification is sent from the push server to the service worker in accordance with the request.

8. the network device has a printing unit; 2. The network device according to claim 1, wherein the information displayed on the web page includes information about consumables used in the printing unit.

9. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the network device is one of a network router, a surveillance camera, and a digital medical device.

10. An image processing device having at least one of a printing unit and a scanner, providing means for providing a web page to a web browser via a network; a detection means for detecting an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, The providing means provides the web page as the web page, which can install a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the image processing device on a terminal on which the web browser is running, in accordance with a predetermined user operation on a web browser that displays the web page.

11. the web application supports a function for sending a push notification of information related to an event detected by the image processing device; The image processing device according to claim 10 , wherein when the web application is installed on the terminal, a service worker for realizing the push notification is registered on the terminal.

12. A control method for a network device, comprising: providing a web page to a web browser via a network; a detection step of detecting an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, A control method characterized in that in the providing step, a web page is provided that can install a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the network device on a terminal on which the web browser is running, in accordance with a specified user operation on a web browser that displays the web page.

13. A control method for an image processing device having at least one of a printing unit and a scanner, comprising: providing a web page to a web browser via a network; a detection step of detecting an event corresponding to information displayed on the web page, A control method characterized in that in the providing step, a web page is provided that can install a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the image processing device on a terminal on which the web browser is executed, in accordance with a predetermined user operation on a web browser that displays the web page.

14. A computer that can detect events corresponding to information displayed on a web page. A program for executing a providing step of providing a web page to a web browser via a network, In the providing step, a program is provided in which, as the web page, a web application that provides at least some of the functions provided by the network device can be installed on a terminal on which the web browser is executed in accordance with a predetermined user operation on a web browser that displays the web page.

Images