Control device, method and program for the control device

Abstract

To improve user convenience in checking the status of task errors. [Solution] The device management server 101, which manages network devices via the network, has a task management unit 32 that executes tasks on network devices selected from among the managed devices, and a task display unit 32 that controls the display of the execution results of the tasks. The task display unit 32 displays a detailed screen for tasks that terminated due to an error. This screen displays information indicating the target network device for the task, as well as a list of error types and detailed error information for each network device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a method for a management device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] [[ID=*12*]]Conventionally, a device management system for acquiring and managing data such as operation information of image forming devices (hereinafter referred to as devices) such as printers and multifunction peripherals is known. In the device management system, it is possible to manage an address book or the like that includes a plurality of pieces of destination information such as the status, setting values, firmware, and email addresses of network devices to be managed. The device management system can acquire and distribute data to network devices to be managed via a network. The acquisition and distribution of data are often realized as the execution of tasks, and it is common to be able to set the execution time of tasks. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for controlling the execution of subsequent tasks according to the result of the execution of a preceding task in a batch task (hereinafter referred to as a batch processing task) that processes a plurality of tasks in a batch.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Note: There seems to be a small error in the original text where "特開2011-141697号公報" is translated as "Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-14169 *7*" in the provided translation. It should be "Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-141697". The corrected translation would be:

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a method for a management device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a device management system for acquiring and managing data such as operation information of image forming devices (hereinafter referred to as devices) such as printers and multifunction peripherals is known. In the device management system, it is possible to manage an address book or the like that includes a plurality of pieces of destination information such as the status, setting values, firmware, and email addresses of network devices to be managed. The device management system can acquire and distribute data to network devices to be managed via a network. The acquisition and distribution of data are often realized as the execution of tasks, and it is common to be able to set the execution time of tasks. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for controlling the execution of subsequent tasks according to the result of the execution of a preceding task in a batch task (hereinafter referred to as a batch processing task) that processes a plurality of tasks in a batch.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to improve user convenience in checking the error status of tasks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a management device for managing network devices via a network, comprising: task execution means for executing tasks on network devices selected from among those to be managed; and display control means for controlling the display of the execution results of the tasks, wherein the display control means displays a detailed screen that lists information indicating the target network device of the task, the type of error for each network device, and detailed information of the error. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience of users in checking the error status of tasks. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the configuration of the device management system. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the hardware configuration of the device management server. [Figure 3]This diagram shows the software configuration of the device management server. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the software configuration of the device. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a UI for device discovery. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a task creation UI. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a task creation UI. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the UI for task execution history. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a detailed screen of the task execution results in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows the process for displaying the detailed task execution result screen in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows the process for displaying detailed error information. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a detailed screen of the task execution results for a batch processing task in the first embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a detailed screen of the task execution results in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This flowchart shows the display process for the detailed task execution result screen in the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This flowchart shows the device display process according to the selected error type. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of a detailed screen of the task execution results for a batch processing task in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a device management system. A network device management system (hereinafter referred to as a device management system) provides services (functions) to network devices (hereinafter also referred to as devices) via a network. When the number of devices to be managed is large, the device management system may be composed of a management device that performs overall management and a plurality of agents that execute processing on devices according to the instructions of the management device.

[0010] The device management server 101 manages network devices via a network. The device management server 101 is, for example, a management device having a device management application. The device management application provides functions for managing network devices to be managed. Agents 106 and 107 are agent devices having agent applications. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the device management system has one device management server 101 and agents 106 and 107 as a plurality of agent application devices. The device management system manages devices 102, 103, 110, and 111 as network devices.

[0011] The agent and the network device are linked according to the address of the device or the like. For example, agent 106 is linked to devices 102 and 103, and agent 107 is linked to devices 110 and 111. In this embodiment, two agents and four devices are described as an example. However, even when tens of thousands of devices are managed via a dozen or so agents, the configuration and operation are the same as the description of this embodiment.

[0012] The device management system may also include a directory server 105. The directory server 105 is an information processing device that manages user information such as user accounts. The device management server 101 and the directory server 105 are interconnected by a network 104. The device management server 101 can also be configured to allow users of the directory server 105 to log in as users of the device management server 101.

[0013] The device management server 101, directory server 105, agent 106, device 102, and device 103 are interconnected by network 104. Network 104 is, for example, a WAN. Agent 107, device 110, and device 111 are interconnected by network 108. Network 108 is, for example, a LAN. Network 104 and network 108 are connected by router 109. Router 109 can be configured to, for example, allow communication between the device management server 101 and agent 107 on network 108, but block communication between the device management server 101 and devices 110 and 111. In this embodiment, the case where network 104 is a WAN and network 108 is a LAN is used as an example, but networks 104 and 108 only need to be configured to send and receive data, and the communication method is not limited. For example, each network may consist of one or a combination of LAN, WAN, cellular networks such as LTE or 5G, wireless networks, telephone lines, dedicated digital lines, etc.

[0014] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the communication between the device management server 101 and the devices 102 and 103 is performed via the agent 106. Also, it is assumed that the communication between the device management server 101 and the devices 110 and 111 is performed via the router 109 and the agent 107. In this embodiment, an example where the device management server 101 and the agent 106 operate on different hosts will be described, but it is also possible to operate the device management server 101 and the agent 106 on the same host. When the device management server 101 and the agent 106 operate on the same host, the devices 102 and 103 can communicate directly with the device management server 101.

[0015] The device management server 101 provides various services (functions) to the network devices to be managed. Note that the device management server 101 of this embodiment provides services to network devices using agents. Services provided by the device management server 101 include, for example, firmware distribution (update) of network devices. Also, the device management server 101 can collect data from network devices and provide the operation information of the network devices to the administrator. Note that the device management server 101 may be realized by a virtual machine (cloud service) that utilizes resources provided by a data center including one or more information processing devices, or a combination thereof. The directory server 105 may also be realized by a virtual machine (cloud service) that utilizes resources provided by a data center including one or more information processing devices, or a combination thereof. Also, the device management system can be implemented as a web-based application and can be used on a PC via a web browser.

[0016] Agents 106 and 107 are agent devices that communicate with network devices based on instructions from the device management server 101. Agents 106 and 107 are associated with network devices according to their addresses, etc. Agent 106 is associated with devices 102 and 103. Agent 107 is associated with devices 110 and 111.

[0017] Devices 102, 103, 110, and 111 are managed by the device management server 101 and are network devices capable of communicating with the device management server 101. Network devices are image processing devices with printing capabilities, such as multifunction printers (MFPs) that integrate multiple functions such as printing, scanning, and faxing. Network devices may also be image forming devices such as printers, scanners, 3D printers, information processing devices such as PCs, image processing devices such as cameras, smart home appliances, etc.

[0018] The following describes the processing performed by the network device management system, using the device management server 101, agent 106, and device 102 as examples. First, the process flow for providing services to network devices by the network device management system is explained. The device management server 101 instructs agent 106 to perform an operation on device 102. Agent 106, following the instructions of the device management server 101, performs operations such as sending a request to device 102 and sends the result back to the device management server 101. In this way, communication takes place between the device management server 101 and agent 106, and between agent 106 and device 102. Note that if the number of network devices to be managed is small, an agent may not be necessary, and it is possible for the device management server 101 and the network devices to communicate directly without going through an agent.

[0019] Figure 2 shows the hardware configuration of the device management server 101. The device management server 101 has a CPU 10, ROM 11, RAM 12, VC 14, KBC 16, DKC 18, and NIC 21. These are connected via a system bus 13. The device management server 101 also has an HDD 19 and a Disk Drive 20. The CPU 10 controls the entire device management server 101. ROM 11 is a memory dedicated to data reading and stores, for example, the basic control program of the device management server 101. RAM 12 is a memory that can read / write data and functions as a work area for the CPU 10. DKC (Disk Controller) 18 controls access to storage devices such as the HDD 19. The HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 19 is an example of a storage device that stores various programs, data, etc. In this embodiment, an example in which the information processing device has an HDD 205 as a storage device is described, but it is not limited to this, and other storage devices such as an SSD may be used. DiskDrive20 can accommodate external storage media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, and IC memory cards. The CPU10 uses RAM12 as a work area and executes programs stored in ROM11 or HDD19 to comprehensively control each component connected to the system bus13.

[0020] The VC (Video Controller) 14 is an output interface and controls the display on the display device 15. The display device 15 is a display that shows the output from the device management server 101 to the user, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The KBC (Keyboard Controller) 15 is an input interface and controls the input from KB17 to the device management server 101. KB17 is a keyboard that accepts input from the user. Note that the keyboard is just one example of an input device, and other input devices such as a pointing device may be connected to the KBC 15. Also, the display device 15 and KB17 may be implemented as an integrated touch panel. By associating input coordinates and display coordinates on the touch panel, a GUI can be configured that makes it appear as if the user can directly operate the screen displayed on the touch panel. The NIC (Network Interface Board) 21 is a communication controller. The device management server 101 connects to the network 104 via the NIC 21 and performs data communication with devices on the network 104.

[0021] Figure 3 shows the software configuration of the device management server 101. The device management server 101 has software modules: a UI control unit 30, a device control unit 31, a task control unit 32, a function control unit 33, and a communication unit 34. The software module configuration is realized when the CPU 10 reads programs stored in memory (ROM 11 or HDD 19) into RAM 12 and executes them.

[0022] The UI control unit 30 includes a device display unit 301, a task display unit 302, and a function display unit 303. The device display unit 301 controls the display of the UI of the device control unit 31 and accepts user operations on the UI. The task display unit 302 controls the display of the UI of the task control unit 32 and accepts user operations on the UI. Specifically, the task display unit 302 and the task control unit 32 control the display of a screen for checking the execution results (execution history) of a task and a screen for checking the details of errors that occurred during task execution. The function display unit 303 controls the display of the UI of the function control unit 33 and accepts user operations on the UI. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the UI is displayed on the display device 15 of the device management server 101, but it is not limited to this. The UI control unit 30 may also provide the UI to an external device on the network via a web browser and display it on the external device's monitor.

[0023] The device control unit 31 manages information about devices for which device management services are provided by the device management server 101. The device control unit 31 includes a device connection unit 311, a device data management unit 312, and a device data storage unit 313. The device connection unit 311 performs device discovery, collects information from devices, and issues configuration instructions to devices. One example of the functions of the device connection unit 311 is the device discovery function for device 102 using SNMP, IP Broadcast, SLP / Multicast, etc. In this case, the device connection unit 311 performs a discovery for device 102 at any time. The device connection unit 311 also has the function of acquiring / modifying device information such as MIB (Management Information Base) security policy information via the network 104. In addition, as a result of device discovery, the device connection unit 311 acquires device information such as device name, product name, and IP address, and saves it to the device data storage unit 313. The device data management unit 312 manages the data in the device data storage unit 313. The device data storage unit 313 stores device information, etc. The device data storage unit 313 is a data recording medium such as a database that operates on the HDD 19.

[0024] The task control unit 32 manages tasks provided by the device management service. In this embodiment, the services (functions) that the device management server 101 provides to devices are managed as tasks. For example, a task includes the process to be executed on the device, the execution date and time, and the target device from among the devices managed by the device management server 101. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the processes of distributing settings to be applied to a device and distributing an address book are executed as tasks.

[0025] The task control unit 32 includes a task management unit 321 and a task storage unit 322. The task management unit 321 works in conjunction with the functions of the function control unit 33 to generate and manage tasks input from the task display unit 302 and store them in the task storage unit 322. The task management unit 321 also instructs the agent 106 to operate the device 102 via the function control unit 33 upon task execution. The task management unit 321 also acquires and manages the execution results of tasks from the device. Furthermore, the task management unit 321 performs display control to display the task execution results on the display device 15 via the task display unit 302. Therefore, the task management unit 321 and the task display unit 302 function as display control means for controlling the display of tasks. As part of the display of task execution results, the task management unit 321 also controls the display of detailed task errors. The task storage unit 322 stores the tasks generated by the task management unit 321. The task storage unit 322 is a data recording medium such as a database that operates on the HDD 19.

[0026] The function control unit 33 controls the functions provided to the device. In this embodiment, the function control unit 33 executes tasks for the device based on instructions from the task control unit 32. The function control unit 33 includes a device setting distribution unit 331, an address book distribution unit 332, and a function information storage unit 333. The device setting distribution unit 331 controls the distribution of settings to the device based on input from the function display unit 303 or a schedule specified in a distribution task. The address book distribution unit 332 controls the distribution of address books to network devices based on input from the function display unit 303 or a schedule specified in a distribution task. In this way, the device setting distribution unit 331 and the address book distribution unit 332 execute tasks according to instructions from the task management unit 321 to provide functions to the device. The task management unit 321 and each distribution unit of the function control unit 33 function as task execution means that execute tasks targeting devices selected from among the managed devices. The function information storage unit 333 records data distributed by the device setting distribution unit 331 and the address book distribution unit 332. The data stored in the function information storage unit 333 includes, for example, a task list, a device list, and function information. The communication unit 34 controls communication with external devices on the network, such as device 102.

[0027] Figure 4 shows the software configuration of device 102. The configuration of the software module is realized by the CPU of device 102 executing a program stored in memory. As a software module, device 102 has an information control unit 40 and a communication unit 41 for managing multiple dynamically changing information sets. The information control unit 40 has a counter information management unit 401, an MIB information management unit 403, a power information management unit 405, a status information management unit 407, an address book information management unit 409, and a setting value information management unit 411. In addition, it has a counter storage unit 402, an MIB information storage unit 404, a power information storage unit 406, a status information storage unit 408, an address book information storage unit 410, and a setting value information storage unit 412 as data storage areas corresponding to each management unit.

[0028] The counter information management unit 401 manages the number of printed pages, etc., and stores it in the counter storage unit 402. The MIB information management unit 403 manages MIB information, which is the aforementioned device information, and stores it in the MIB information storage unit 404. The power information management unit 405 manages power-off information and reboot information and stores it in the power information storage unit 406. The status information management unit 407 manages device status information such as online, offline, and error, and stores it in the status information storage unit 408.

[0029] The address book information management unit 409 manages information such as the structure and data of the address book and stores it in the address book information storage unit 410. Address book information distributed from the device management server 101 is also managed by the address book information management unit 409 and stored in the address book information storage unit 410. The setting value information management unit 411 manages various device setting values, such as settings for printing and network-related settings, and stores them in the setting value information storage unit 412. The data managed by each management unit is sent to the device management server 101 via SNMP or other protocols according to the request of the device management server 101. The communication unit 41 controls communication with external devices on the network, such as the device management server 101. The connection method between the communication unit 41 and the network 104 is not limited to a specific method, such as wireless LAN, network card (LAN card), or wired cable.

[0030] As part of device management, the device management server 101 creates and executes tasks targeting devices, manages the execution results of tasks as a history, and displays the task history for users to refer to. The flow of device discovery, task creation, and task history referencing in the device management server 101 is explained using Figures 5 to 8. For example, when the device management system selects the task button on the home screen provided by the device management server 101, a task management screen including the device tab 501, task tab 502, and data tab 503 is displayed. Figures 5 to 8 are examples of task management screens.

[0031] First, let's explain device discovery using Figure 5. Figure 5 shows an example of a UI for device discovery. When the device management server 101 manages a device, it first discovers the network devices to be managed. The device management server 101 discovers the network devices to be managed from the network. The algorithm for this discovery can be SNMP, for example, but the method is not specified. Device discovery can be performed by the user each time, or it can be performed periodically by setting a schedule.

[0032] When the UI control unit 30 detects that the user has selected the device tab 501 on the task management screen, it displays the discovery screen 500. The discovery screen 500 is a UI provided by the UI control unit 30 of the device management server 101. The discovery screen 500 displays a discovery button 504. When the discovery button 504 is pressed, a discovery settings screen (not shown) is displayed. The user configures the discovery settings on the discovery settings screen and instructs the system to discover devices. On the discovery settings screen, the user can configure, for example, the network range for discovering devices, the discovery method, and IP addresses to exclude from the discovery range. The device management server 101 discovers devices according to the discovery settings specified by the user.

[0033] After the device search is complete, the search screen 500 displays a device list 505 showing the search results. The device list 505 displays the device information of the devices that have been found. This device information includes, for example, the device name, product name, IP address, and serial number. The device information displayed in the device list 505 includes, for example, the device information of the devices acquired in the current search and the device information acquired in previous searches and stored in the device data storage unit 313. The device data management unit 312 manages the devices displayed in the device list 505, i.e., all managed devices that have been searched so far, in a device list. The user can select the network device to be targeted for the task from among the managed network devices in the device list 505.

[0034] Figures 6 and 7 show an example of the UI for task creation. In this embodiment, an example of creating a task to distribute an address book is described. When the task tab 502 is selected, the UI control unit 30 displays a popup 603 that allows the user to choose whether to configure the task or display the task history. The popup 603 displays a task configuration button 601 to select when configuring the task, and a history button 602 to select when displaying the task history. When the selection of the task configuration button 601 is detected, the UI control unit 30 displays a task list 605, which is a list of currently configured tasks, and a task screen 600 including a +Create button 604. Note that the +Create button 604 may initially be displayed as unselectable, but may become selectable when the task configuration button 601 is selected. When the selection of the +Create button 604 is detected, the UI control unit 30 displays a list of tasks that can be created. The list of tasks that can be created includes batch processing tasks, which allow the creation of a task that performs multiple processes (tasks) at once. Figure 7 shows an example where "Address Book Distribution" is selected in the list of available tasks.

[0035] The address book distribution settings screen 700 is used to create a task for distributing an address book to network devices. The address book distribution settings screen 700 displays, for example, a schedule tab 701, a settings tab 702, a checkbox 703, and a create button 705. Checkbox 703 is a checkbox for selecting whether or not to distribute to selected devices. If checkbox 703 is checked, a task is created to distribute the address book, which is pre-associated with the devices previously selected in the device list 505, etc. On the other hand, if checkbox 703 is not checked, the task details are configured from the settings tab 702. When the settings tab 702 is selected, the UI control unit 30 displays the address book list 704. The address book list 704 displays a list of address books stored in the function information storage unit 333. The address book list 704 displays, for example, a checkbox for selecting an address book, the name of the address book, and the number of devices or device groups associated with the address book. The user selects the address book to distribute and checks the corresponding checkbox. When the schedule tab 701 is selected, the UI control unit 30 displays a screen for setting the schedule (distribution date and time) for distributing the address book. The user sets the address book to be distributed and the distribution date and time, and then selects the create button 705. When the create button 705 is detected to have been selected, the task management unit 321 creates an address book distribution task based on the set information. The created task is saved in the task storage unit 322.

[0036] A created task is displayed in the task list 605 on the task screen 600 until it is executed. After a task is executed, it is displayed on a screen showing the task execution history. An example of the task execution history screen is shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of the UI for the task execution history. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the history button 602 has been selected in the popup 603 that appears after selecting the task tab 502, it displays the task execution history screen 800. The task execution history screen 800 displays a list of executed tasks as the execution history list 801. The execution history list 801 may display tasks executed within a predetermined period, such as the last three months, or it may display all executed tasks. The execution history list 801 may display, for example, the task name, task type, task execution status, and task completion date and time.

[0037] If the task status is "Error Termination," indicating that the task was terminated (interrupted) due to an error, the user can click "Error Termination" to request a detailed display of the error. Note that the display indicating that a task was terminated (interrupted) due to an error is not limited to "Error Termination"; it may also be displayed as an icon or other indicator. Task 1 in the execution history list 801 indicates that the address book distribution task shown in Figure 6 was terminated due to an error. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the status "Error Termination" has been clicked, it displays the task execution result details screen. In this embodiment, the screen displaying the task execution result details (hereinafter referred to as the task execution result details screen) can display a list of error details for the task execution for each target device.

[0038] Figure 9 shows an example of a task execution result details screen in the first embodiment. The task execution result details screen 900 is displayed by the UI control unit 30 when a status indicating that a task has terminated with an error is selected in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800. Figure 9 shows an example where the error termination of the address book distribution task, which is task 1, is selected in the execution history list 801 of Figure 8. The task execution result details screen 900 displays the task information tab 901 and the execution target tab 902 as selectable options, and displays information corresponding to the tab specified by the user. When the task information tab 901 is selected, detailed information set for the task, such as the content of the corresponding task and the target device, is displayed. Figure 9 shows the state when the execution target tab 902 is selected. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the execution target tab 902 has been selected, it displays the details of the task execution results for each target device in the details list 903.

[0039] The detailed list 903 displays information about tasks that terminated with an error, including the target network device of the task and the error type and detailed error information for each network device. The detailed list 903 may also display the task status and the date and time the task was executed. The detailed list 903 shown in Figure 9 displays, for example, the device name, task status, and error details (error type and detailed error information), which are information indicating the target device of the task. The information indicating the target network device of the task only needs to be information that can identify the device, and may include other device information such as serial number, IP address, and installation location. The error details display the error type and detailed error information. The error type is a category of error that classifies (groups) errors based on their content. The detailed error information includes, for example, the cause of the error, the component where the error occurred, and at least one of the recommended actions to resolve the error. The recommended actions to resolve the error are estimated by the device management server 101 or a server cooperating with the device management server 101 based on, for example, the cause of the error. Furthermore, detailed error information may include whether remote intervention is possible to resolve the error. In the example shown in Figure 9, Device 1 shows that the cause of the task's termination was a communication error, and the details indicate that authentication information could not be read. Device 2 shows that the cause of the task's termination was an unclassified other error, and the details indicate that the printer settings were incorrect. In this way, the detailed list 903 can display detailed error information for each device, allowing users to quickly understand what kind of errors occurred on each device by checking the detailed list 903.

[0040] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the display process for the task execution result details screen in the first embodiment. Each process shown in Figure 10 is implemented by the CPU 10 of the device management server 101 executing a program stored in memory (ROM 11 or HDD 19). This process is started when the device management server 101 detects that the user has selected a status indicating that the task terminated with an error in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800.

[0041] In S1001, the task management unit 321 retrieves task data from the task storage unit 322. The task data retrieved here is information about tasks for which the user has selected a status indicating that the task terminated with an error. The task data includes the execution details set for the task, information about the target device for task execution, and the task execution results, including details of the error. For example, if the execution history list 801 shown in Figure 8 has selected a status indicating that Task 1 (address book distribution task) terminated with an error, the task management unit 321 retrieves the target device and task information for the address book distribution task. Here, the target devices are Device1 and Device2, and both devices terminated with errors, specifically a communication error (unable to read authentication information) and another error (incorrect printer settings), respectively.

[0042] Each of the processes in S1002 to S1006 is repeatedly executed for each target device of the task until the process is completed for all target devices. In S1002, the task display unit 302 displays the device identification information of the task data acquired in S1001 for each device on which the task is executed. Identification information refers to the device information of the target device of the task. Identification information may also include the device's IP address, installation location, and task execution date and time. In the detailed list 903, the identification information is the device name. The task status may also be displayed along with the identification information. For example, if the target device of the process is Device1, Device1 will be displayed as the device name and Error Termination will be displayed as the status information.

[0043] In S1003, the task management unit 321 determines whether the task status is an error termination. If the task status is an error termination, the process in S1004 is performed. On the other hand, if the task status is not an error termination, the process in S1005 is performed. In S1004, the task display unit 302 displays the error details. The error details display shows the type of error and detailed error information. The error details are displayed together with the target device identification information, and are therefore displayed for each device that the task is executed on in the list screen. Figure 9 shows the details of the error details display process in S1004. If the displayed task is not a batch processing task, the error details are displayed in S1013. The case where the task is a batch processing task will be described later.

[0044] In S1005, the task management unit 321 determines whether it is the last target device for the task. If there are still target devices for the task that are not displayed in the detailed list 903, and it is determined that it is not the last target device for the task, the process in S1006 is performed. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is the last target device for the task, that is, if it is determined that all target devices for the task are displayed in the detailed list 903, this process is terminated. In S1006, the task management unit 321 updates the target of the process to the next target device and returns to S1002.

[0045] The S1002-S1004 process, which targets Device1 as the target device, displays the error details for Device1, "Communication Error (Authentication information could not be read)," in the detailed list 903 of Figure 9. S1005 and S1006 proceed to the process targeting Device2. The S1002-S1004 process, which targets Device2 as the target device, displays the error details for Device2, "Other Error (Printer settings are incorrect)," in the detailed list 903 of Figure 9. This series of operations makes it possible to display the error details for Device1 and Device2 on the task execution result details screen (Figure 9), which can be checked from the task execution history. As a result of the above process, if the task terminates with an error, the detailed list 903 of the task execution result details screen 900 shown in Figure 9 displays a list of error details for each target device of the task.

[0046] Next, we will explain how to display detailed error information when the task that terminated with an error is a batch processing task. Figure 11 is a flowchart of the error detailed information display process. Each process shown in Figure 11 is implemented by the CPU 10 of the device management server 101 executing a program stored in memory (ROM 11 or HDD 19). This process is the process executed in S1004 in Figure 10. A batch processing task is a task that processes multiple tasks at once. When displaying detailed error information for a batch processing task, the error details for each task included in the batch processing task are displayed in a list.

[0047] In S1007, the task management unit 321 determines whether the selected task is a batch processing task. If it is determined that the selected task is a batch processing task, the process in S1008 is performed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the selected task is not a batch processing task, the process proceeds to S1013. If the selected task is not a batch processing task, the details of the error indicating termination are displayed as explained in Figure 10.

[0048] If the selected task is a batch processing task, the processes S1008 to S1012 are repeatedly executed to display each task included in the batch processing task, along with the status and error details for each task. In the processes S1008 to S1010, the task and status are displayed for one of the multiple tasks included in the batch processing task, and it is determined whether the status is an error termination. If it is an error termination, the details are displayed. This process is then repeatedly executed for all tasks included in the batch processing task. In S1008, the task display unit 302 displays the target task and its status. The target task here is one of the multiple tasks included in the batch processing task. Therefore, the task display unit 302 displays the task name and status of the one task that is the target of processing from among the multiple tasks included in the batch processing task for which the user has requested detailed error information. If the execution order of tasks is set in the batch processing task, the target task may be determined according to the execution order.

[0049] In S1009, the task management unit 321 determines whether the status of the target task is an error termination. If the task status is an error termination, the process in S1010 is performed. On the other hand, if the task status is not an error termination, the process in S1011 is performed. In S1010, the task display unit 302 displays the error details. The task display unit 302 displays the error type and detailed error information as error details. Figure 12 shows the details of the error details display process in S1004.

[0050] Here, we will explain how to display the task execution result details screen when the task is a batch processing task. Figure 12 shows an example of the task execution result details screen for a batch processing task in the first embodiment. The task execution result details screen 1200 is displayed by the UI control unit 30 when a status indicating that the task terminated with an error is selected in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800.

[0051] The task execution results details screen 1200 displays the task information tab 901 and the execution target tab 902 as selectable options, and displays information corresponding to the tab selected by the user. Figure 11 shows the state when the execution target tab 902 is selected. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the execution target tab 902 has been selected, it displays the details of the task execution results for each target device in the details list 1201.

[0052] The detailed list 1201 displays, for example, the device name, information on each task included in the batch processing task, the status of each task, and detailed error information. The device name only needs to be something that identifies the device, and may also be other device information such as a serial number. The device's IP address, installation location, and the date and time the task was executed may also be displayed. The detailed error information displays specific information about the error. In the example shown in Figure 11, the batch processing task executed on Device1 consists of two tasks: a distribution value setting task and an address book distribution task, and it displays that each task terminated with an error and details of the error for each task. The cause of the distribution value setting task's failure was a communication error, and the details show that the authentication information could not be read. The cause of the address book distribution task's failure was an unclassified other error, and the details show that the printer settings were incorrect. In the example shown in Figure 11, it can be seen that Device2 is the same as Device1. If the execution order of each task is set in the batch processing task, the information of the first task to be executed may be displayed next to the device information, and the task information may be displayed according to the execution order (for example, from left to right). In this way, for batch processing tasks, the detailed list 1201 displays the status of each individual task included in the batch processing task, and if an error occurred, it displays the detailed content of the error. The detailed list 1201 can display the detailed error content of each task included in the batch processing task for each device, and by checking the detailed list 1201, users can see at a glance what kind of error occurred on each device.

[0053] In S1011, the task management unit 321 determines whether it is the last target task. That is, the task management unit 321 determines whether the processes in S1008 to S1010 have been performed for all tasks included in the batch processing task. If it is the last target task, this process ends. On the other hand, if it is not the last target task, the process in S1012 is performed. In S1012, the task management unit 321 updates to the next target task and returns to S1008. The next target task is a task included in the batch processing task for which the processes in S1008 to S1010 have not been performed.

[0054] Figures 8 and 12 illustrate an example of how detailed error information is displayed for batch processing tasks. For example, suppose a batch processing task is created to distribute settings and address book data, executed at the set time, and fails, and is displayed as Task 2 in the execution history list 801 in Figure 8. When the user clicks on the "Error Termination" status of Task 2, which is the batch processing task shown in the execution history list 801, S1001 retrieves the target device and task information for this batch processing task. Here, the target devices are Device1 and Device2, and they terminated with errors. The setting distribution resulted in a communication error (authentication information could not be read), and the address book distribution resulted in another error (incorrect printer settings).

[0055] S1002 displays "Error Completed" as the status information for the batch processing task on Device1 obtained in S1001. S1003 determines that the status is "Error Completed," and S1004 executes the error details display process in S1007-S1013. S1007 determines that the task is a batch processing task. S1008 first displays "Error Completed," which is the status of the configuration value distribution task. S1009 determines that the status of the configuration value distribution task is "Error Completed," and S1010 displays "Communication Error (Authentication information could not be read)." S1011 and S1012 move the process to display the next task (address book distribution task). Following similar steps in S1008-S1010, the "Error Completed" display for address book distribution and the error details "Other Error (Printer settings are incorrect)" are displayed. Then, S1011 determines that it is the last task, and the process in S1004 ends. The S1005 and S1006 processes cause the target device to switch to Device2. The same processes are performed on Device2 as on Device1. This series of operations makes it possible to display the error details for each task on Device1 and each task on Device2 in the detailed execution result screen of the batch processing task, which can be viewed from the task execution history (Figure 12).

[0056] According to this process, if a task is a batch processing task composed of multiple tasks, the detailed list will display a list for each device showing each task included in the batch processing task, along with the error details for each task (error type and detailed error information). Therefore, users can see the error details for each task within the batch processing task for each target device at a glance.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, when a task terminates with an error, the detailed task execution result screen, accessed from the task execution history, can display a list of error details for each device targeted by the task. Furthermore, if the task is a batch processing task, the detailed error details for each batch processing task for each device targeted by the task can be displayed in a list. By displaying the error details in a consolidated list, the readability of details, including the cause of errors for each device, can be improved, making it easier for users to grasp the details of what kind of errors occurred on each device at a glance. As a result, even when there are many devices, it is no longer necessary to check the error details for each device, improving the ease with which users can understand the error situation and enhancing user convenience.

[0058] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, an example was described in which detailed information about all errors was displayed for all target devices for tasks that terminated with errors. In this embodiment, an example of displaying information according to the type of error is described. More specifically, an example is described in which the type of error is selected and only the devices on which that particular error occurred are displayed. In the following, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described, and the same configurations and processes will be denoted by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0059] First, we will explain the case where the target task consists of a single task using Figures 13 to 15. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the task execution result details screen in the second embodiment. The task execution result details screen 900 is displayed by the UI control unit 30 when a status indicating that the task terminated with an error is selected in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800. Figure 13 is an example where the error termination of the address book distribution task, which is task 1, is selected in the execution history list 801 of Figure 8. The task execution result details screen 1300 displays the task information tab 901 and the execution target tab 902 as selectable options, and displays information corresponding to the tab specified by the user. Figure 13 shows the state where the execution target tab 902 is selected. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the execution target tab 902 has been selected, it displays the details of the execution result of the task for each target device in the details list 1301.

[0060] The detailed list 1301 displays, for example, the device name, task status, error details, and the error type selection area 1302. The error details display the error type and detailed information about the error. The error type selection area 1302 is, for example, a dropdown menu listing error types. The dropdown menu displays multiple error types such as "communication error" and "other error," as well as "all" to display all error types. Note that the selection of error types is not limited to the dropdown menu. In the example shown in Figure 13, "communication error" is selected as the error type in the error type selection area 1302. Therefore, only devices with a communication error are displayed in the detailed list 1301. The task displayed in Figure 13 is the same task as the address book distribution task displayed in Figure 9. In Figure 9, both Device1, which has a communication error, and Device2, which has an other error, are displayed, but in Figure 13, only Device1, which has a communication error, is displayed. In this embodiment, the detail screen 1300 accepts the user's selection of the error type, and the detail list 1301 displays a list of network devices with the same error type as the selected error type. By displaying information according to the selected error type, it is possible to display only devices that have experienced similar errors.

[0061] The process for displaying information according to the type of error will be explained using Figure 14. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the display process for the task execution result details screen in the second embodiment. Each process shown in Figure 14 is implemented by the CPU 10 of the device management server 101 executing a program stored in memory (ROM 11 or HDD 19). This process is started when the device management server 101 detects that the user has selected a status indicating that the task terminated with an error in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800. It is also assumed that a communication error has been selected in the error type selection area 1302.

[0062] In S1001, after acquiring data for the target task, the process in S1401 is performed. In S1401, the task management unit 321 determines whether the task status is "error termination" and whether an error type has been selected. If the task status is "error termination" and an error type has been selected, the process in S1402 is performed. On the other hand, if the task status is not "error termination" or an error type has not been selected, the process in S1002 is performed. The process for cases where the task status is not "error termination" or an error type has not been selected is the same as in the first embodiment, so the explanation is omitted.

[0063] In S1402, the task display unit 302 displays the devices according to the selected error type. The process of displaying devices according to the selected error type will be explained using Figure 15. Figure 15 is a flowchart of the process of displaying devices according to the selected error type. Each process shown in Figure 15 is implemented by the CPU 10 of the device management server 101 executing a program stored in memory (ROM 11 or HDD 19). The process in S1402, that is, each process shown in Figure 15, is repeatedly executed for each target device of the task, and the process in S1402 ends when the processing is completed for all target devices of the task. In the following, it is assumed that the data acquired in S1001 is that the target devices of the address book distribution task are Device1 and Device2, both devices have terminated with errors, and the error types are communication error and other error, respectively.

[0064] In S1501, the task management unit 321 determines whether an error of the error type selected by the user has occurred. If it determines that an error of the error type selected by the user has occurred, it proceeds to S1502. On the other hand, if it determines that an error of the error type selected by the user has not occurred, it proceeds to S1004. For example, in the display of error details for the address book distribution task in Figure 8, if "communication error" is selected in the error type selection area 1302 and the target device for processing is Device1, it is determined that an error of the selected error type has occurred. On the other hand, if the target device for processing is Device2, it is determined that an error of the selected error type has not occurred.

[0065] In S1502 and S1503, the system displays device information and error details for devices where an error of the specified error type has occurred. In S1502, the task display unit 302 displays specific information for the target device of the data acquired in S1001. This specific information includes device information, status, etc. In S1503, the task display unit 302 displays detailed error information. The processing in S1503 is the same as in S1004 (S1007 and S1013) in the first embodiment when there is only one task (not a batch processing task). For example, for Device1, S1502 and S1503 display device information and detailed error information (Figure 13).

[0066] In S1504, the task management unit 321 determines whether it is the last target device for the task. If it is determined that it is not the last target device for the task, it proceeds to S1505. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is the last target device for the task, this process is terminated. In S1505, the task management unit 321 updates the target of the process to the next target device and returns to S1501.

[0067] Through this series of processes, it becomes possible to select an error type on the task execution results screen, which can be viewed from the task execution history, and display only the devices with that specific error. This makes it possible to display only the devices that have experienced a specific error, improving the ease with which users can understand the error situation and enhancing user convenience.

[0068] Next, we will explain how to display error details according to the type of error in a batch processing task. Figure 16 shows an example of the task execution result details screen for a batch processing task in the second embodiment. The task execution result details screen 1600 is displayed by the UI control unit 30 when a status indicating that the task terminated with an error is selected in the execution history list 801 of the task execution history screen 800. Figure 16 shows an example where the batch processing task, which is task 2, terminated with an error is selected in the execution history list 801 of Figure 8. The task execution result details screen 1600 displays the task information tab 901 and the execution target tab 902 as selectable options, and displays information corresponding to the tab specified by the user. Figure 16 shows the state where the execution target tab 902 is selected. When the UI control unit 30 detects that the execution target tab 902 has been selected, it displays the details of the task execution results for each target device in the details list 1601.

[0069] The detailed list 1601 displays, for example, the device name, the task status for each task, error details, and error type selection areas (selection areas 1602 and 1603). The error details display the error type and detailed error information. The error type selection areas 1602 and 1603 are, for example, dropdown menus displaying a list of error types. Selection area 1602 is the area for selecting the error type for the configuration distribution task. Selection area 1603 is the area for selecting the error type for the address book distribution task. In this way, the error type can be selected for each task included in the batch processing task. In the example shown in Figure 13, "communication error" is selected as the error type in the error type selection area 1302, and "other error" is selected as the error type in the selection area 1303. By displaying according to the selected error type, it is possible to list only devices that have experienced similar errors.

[0070] The process of displaying the detailed task execution result screen 1600 of the batch processing task shown in Figure 16 will be explained using Figures 14 and 15. Here, it is assumed that a batch processing task having two tasks, a configuration distribution task and an address book distribution task, has been selected as the batch processing task to be displayed. The target device and error details for this batch processing task are as shown in Figure 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, it is assumed that "communication error" is selected as the error type to display for the configuration distribution task, and "other error" is selected as the error type to display for the address book distribution task.

[0071] S1001 retrieves the target devices and task information for this batch processing task. Here, the target devices are Device1 and Device2, and the task has terminated with an error. The setting value distribution is due to a communication error (authentication information could not be read), and the address book distribution is due to another error (incorrect printer settings). S1401 determines that the task status is terminated with an error and that an error type has been selected. In S1402, processing S1501 to S1505 is performed for each device.

[0072] First, processing is performed on Device1. S1501 determines that the selected error type has occurred on Device1 because a communication error occurred in the configuration distribution task and another error occurred in the address book distribution task. Then, S1502 and S1503 display Device1 along with the error details. Next, S1504 and S1505 move the processing target to Device2. S1501 to S1503 perform the same processing on Device2 as on Device1. S1504 determines that Device2 is the last device and terminates this process. As a result of the above processing, the detailed task execution result screen 1600 (Figure 16) for the batch processing task corresponding to the selected error type is displayed.

[0073] In S1501, it is determined that an error of the selected error type has occurred for all of the multiple tasks. If the setting value distribution is not a communication error, or if the address book distribution is not an other error, S1501 determines that it is not a target for display, and S1502 and S1503 are not performed, and it is not displayed. In this embodiment, an example has been described in which only devices whose selected error types all match in a batch processing task containing multiple tasks are displayed, but it is not limited to this. If even one of the selected error types for each task matches the type of error that occurred, the device may be displayed in the list display. For example, suppose that the error type to be displayed for the setting distribution task is a communication error, and the error type to be displayed for the address book distribution task is other errors. If both the setting distribution task and the address book distribution task are communication errors, the error type of the address book distribution task is different from the specified error type, but the error type of the setting distribution task matches, so this device may be displayed in the detailed list 1601.

[0074] Through this series of processes, even for batch processing tasks, it becomes possible to select an error type on the detailed task execution result screen, which can be viewed from the task execution history, and display only the devices corresponding to that specific error type. This makes it possible to display only the devices that have experienced a specific error, improving the ease with which users can understand the error situation and enhancing user convenience.

[0075] Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system consisting of multiple devices (e.g., a host computer, interface devices, readers, printers, etc.) or to a device consisting of a single device (e.g., a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.). The object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a recording medium containing program code that realizes the functions of the embodiments described above to a system or device, and having the computer of that system or device read and execute the program code stored on the recording medium. In this case, the program code read from the recording medium itself realizes the functions of the embodiments described above, and the program code itself and the recording medium that stores the program code constitute the present invention.

[0076] Furthermore, the present invention also includes cases in which an operating system (OS) or the like running on a computer performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program code, and the functions of the embodiments described above are realized through that processing. Moreover, the present invention also applies when program code read from a storage medium is written to the memory of a function expansion card inserted into a computer or a function expansion unit connected to a computer. In that case, the CPU or the like in the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the written program code, and the functions of the embodiments described above are realized through that processing.

[0077] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration of the control device. (Composition 1) A management device for managing network devices via a network, A task execution means that performs a task on network devices selected from among those to be managed, It includes a display control means for controlling the display of the execution results of the task, The display control means is a management device characterized by displaying a detailed screen that lists information indicating the target network device for a task that has terminated due to an error, as well as the type of error and detailed error information for each network device. (Configuration 2) The management device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that, if the task terminated due to the aforementioned error is a batch processing task that processes multiple tasks at once, the display control means displays each task included in the batch processing task, the type of error for each task, and detailed information of the error. (Composition 3) The management device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the detailed screen accepts the user's selection of the type of error, and the display control means displays a list of network devices of the same type of error as the selected type of error on the detailed screen. (Composition 4) The control device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the detailed information of the error indicates at least one of the cause of the error, the part in which the error occurred, and the recommended action to resolve the error. (Composition 5) The management device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the network device is an image processing device having a printing function.

[0078] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0079] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist.

Claims

1. A management device for managing network devices via a network, A task execution means that performs a task on network devices selected from among those to be managed, It includes a display control means for controlling the display of the execution results of the task, The display control means is a management device characterized by displaying a detailed screen that lists information indicating the target network device for a task that has terminated due to an error, as well as the type of error and detailed error information for each network device.

2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein, if the task terminated due to the aforementioned error is a batch processing task that processes multiple tasks at once, the display control means displays each task included in the batch processing task, the type of error for each task, and detailed information of the error.

3. The management device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detailed screen accepts a selection of error type from the user, and the display control means displays a list of network devices of the same error type as the selected error type on the detailed screen.

4. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the detailed information of the error indicates at least one of the cause of the error, the part in which the error occurred, and the recommended action to resolve the error.

5. The management device according to claim 1, characterized in that the network device is an image processing device having a printing function.

6. A control method for a management device that manages network devices via a network, The process involves performing tasks on network devices selected from the managed devices, The process includes a step of controlling the display of the execution results of the task, The control method for a management device is characterized in that, when displaying the execution results of the aforementioned tasks, for tasks that terminated with an error, a detailed screen is displayed that lists information indicating the target network device of the task, the type of error for each network device, and detailed information about the error.

7. A program that causes the computer of the control device to execute each of the steps described in claim 6.

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