Intermediary device and intermediary program

Abstract

To provide a mediation device that can update software of an electronic apparatus even if the same cannot be accessed from an apparatus management system, a mediation program, an apparatus management system, and the apparatus management program.SOLUTION: A mediation device mediates between an image forming apparatus and an apparatus management system that creates an F / W update task as a task of updating firmware of the image forming apparatus, and the mediation device periodically requests, from the apparatus management system, the F / W update task for the image forming apparatus that the mediation device itself manages (S361-S362), and executes the F / W update task transmitted from the apparatus management system.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 39

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an intermediary device, an intermediary program, a device management system, and a device management program that mediate between an electronic device and a device management system that generates a task for updating software of the electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional intermediary device, there is known one that mediates between an image forming apparatus as an electronic device and a device management system that remotely updates firmware as software of the image forming apparatus (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). Here, the firmware update is executed, for example, to add a new function to the image forming apparatus or to repair a defect that has occurred in the image forming apparatus.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional intermediary device has a problem that it cannot update the firmware of the image forming apparatus when it is impossible to be accessed from the device management system.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an intermediary device, an intermediary program, a device management system, and a device management program that can update the software of an electronic device even when it is impossible to access from the device management system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The intermediary device of the present invention is an intermediary device that mediates between an electronic device and a device management system that generates a task for updating the software of the electronic device, and periodically requests the device management system for the task for the electronic device managed by the intermediary device itself, and executes the task transmitted from the device management system.

[0007] With this configuration, the intermediary device of the present invention periodically requests the device management system for a task for software update of the electronic device managed by the intermediary device itself, and executes the task transmitted from the device management system. Therefore, even when it is impossible to access from the device management system, the software of the electronic device can be updated.

[0008] In the intermediary device of the present invention, a scheduled execution time is set for the task, and the intermediary device may start executing this task at the time set for the task.

[0009] With this configuration, the intermediary device of the present invention starts executing the task at the time set for the task for software update of the electronic device. Therefore, even when it is impossible to access from the device management system, the software of the electronic device can be updated at the time set in the device management system.

[0010] When the current time reaches the time set for the task, the mediation device of the present invention requests the task for the electronic device managed by the mediation device itself from the device management system, and when the task for which the current time has reached the set time is sent from the device management system, this task may be executed.

[0011] With this configuration, when the current time reaches the time set for the task of updating the software of the electronic device, the mediation device of the present invention requests the task for the electronic device managed by the mediation device itself from the device management system, and when the task for which the current time has reached the set time is sent from the device management system, this task is executed, so that the possibility of erroneously executing a task aborted in the device management system can be reduced.

[0012] When the mediation device of the present invention executes the task, when the mediation device itself holds the software targeted by this task, the mediation device itself holds this software and uses it to execute the task, and when the mediation device itself does not hold this software, this software may be downloaded from the device management system, the downloaded software may be held, and the task may be executed using this software.

[0013] With this configuration, when the mediation device of the present invention executes the task of updating the software of the electronic device, when the mediation device itself holds the software targeted by this task, the mediation device itself holds this software and uses it to execute the task, and when the mediation device itself does not hold this software, this software is downloaded from the device management system, the downloaded software is held, and the task is executed using this software, so that it is possible to prevent the same software from being downloaded from the device management system multiple times, and it is possible to reduce the load on the device management system, the load on the communication path between the device management system and the mediation device itself, and the load on the mediation device itself.

[0014] The mediation program of the present invention causes a computer to mediate between an electronic device and a device management system that generates a task for software update of the electronic device, and causes the computer to periodically request the task for the electronic device managed by the computer to the device management system, and causes the computer to execute the task transmitted from the device management system to the computer.

[0015] With this configuration, the computer that executes the mediation program of the present invention periodically requests the device management system for a software update task for the electronic devices managed by the computer itself, and executes the task transmitted from the device management system. Therefore, even if it is impossible to be accessed from the device management system, the software of the electronic device can be updated.

[0016] The device management system of the present invention is a device management system that generates a task for software update of an electronic device, manages the execution state of the task transmitted by a mediation device that mediates between the electronic device and the device management system, and when the task is requested by the mediation device, transmits only the unexecuted task for the electronic device managed by this mediation device to the mediation device.

[0017] With this configuration, the device management system of the present invention manages the execution state of the software update task of the electronic device transmitted by the mediation device, and when a task is requested by the mediation device, transmits only the unexecuted task for the electronic device managed by this mediation device to the mediation device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the same task from being transmitted to the mediation device unnecessarily many times, and it is possible to reduce the load on the device management system itself, the load on the communication path between the mediation device and the load on the mediation device.

[0018] The device management program of the present invention causes a computer to generate a task for software update of an electronic device, manages, by the computer, the execution status of the task transmitted to the computer by an intermediary device that mediates between the electronic device and the computer, and when the task is requested by the computer by the intermediary device, causes only the unexecuted task among the tasks for the electronic device managed by this intermediary device to be transmitted to the intermediary device by the computer.

[0019] With this configuration, a computer that executes the device management program of the present invention manages the execution status of a software update task of an electronic device transmitted by an intermediary device, and when a task is requested by the intermediary device, transmits only the unexecuted task for the electronic device managed by this intermediary device to the intermediary device, so that it is possible to prevent the same task from being transmitted to the intermediary device unnecessarily many times, and it is possible to reduce the load on the computer itself, the load on the communication path between the intermediary device, and the load on the intermediary device.

Effect of the Invention

[0020] The intermediary device, intermediary program, device management system, and device management program of the present invention can update the software of an electronic device even if it cannot be accessed from the device management system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] First, the configuration of the information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information processing system 10 according to the present embodiment.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 10 includes a device management system 20 that manages an image forming apparatus as an electronic device. The device management system 20 can execute a manual F / W update in which a task of updating firmware (hereinafter referred to as "F / W update") as software of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "F / W update task") is individually specified by a user of the device management system 20, and an automatic F / W update in which the device management system 20 automatically generates an F / W update task in response to an instruction from a user of the device management system 20. The device management system 20 may be configured by one computer or may be configured by a plurality of computers.

[0026] The information processing system 10 is capable of accessing the device management system 20 without going through an intermediary device described later, and can also be accessed from the device management system 20 without going through an intermediary device. The information processing system 10 includes an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a "non-intermediated image forming apparatus") 30. The information processing system 10 can include at least one non-intermediated image forming apparatus other than the non-intermediated image forming apparatus 30. As non-intermediated image forming apparatuses other than the non-intermediated image forming apparatus 30, those arranged on the same LAN (Local Area Network) as the LAN where the non-intermediated image forming apparatus 30 is arranged and those arranged on a LAN different from the LAN where the non-intermediated image forming apparatus 30 is arranged are conceivable.

[0027] The information processing system 10 includes an intermediary device 40 that mediates between the device management system 20 and an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus (hereinafter, an image forming apparatus arranged on the same LAN as the LAN where the intermediary device 40 is arranged and mediated between the device management system 20 by the intermediary device is referred to as a "mediated image forming apparatus") 50 arranged on the same LAN as the LAN where the intermediary device 40 is arranged. The intermediary device 40 can access the device management system 20, but it is made impossible to be accessed from the device management system 20, for example, by a firewall not shown in the figure. The information processing system 10 can include at least one mediated image forming apparatus other than the mediated image forming apparatus 50 arranged on the same LAN as the LAN where the mediated image forming apparatus 50 is arranged and mediated between the device management system 20 by the intermediary device 40. The information processing system 10 can include at least one intermediary device that is arranged on a LAN different from the LAN where the intermediary device 40 is arranged and mediates between the device management system 20 and an image forming apparatus. The information processing system 10 can include at least one mediated image forming apparatus arranged on the same LAN as any intermediary device different from the intermediary device 40 and mediated between the device management system 20 by this intermediary device.

[0028] The image forming apparatus in the information processing system 10 is configured by, for example, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), a dedicated printer, or the like. The mediation apparatus in the information processing system 10 is configured by a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer).

[0029] The information processing system 10 includes a user terminal 60 used by a user of the device management system 20. The information processing system 10 can also include at least one user terminal other than the user terminal 60 used by a user of the device management system 20. The user terminal is configured by a computer such as a PC, for example. Examples of the users of the device management system 20 include a person on the dealer side who provides an image forming apparatus to a user of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a "device user"), an administrator (hereinafter referred to as a "dealer side administrator") who manages the image forming apparatus provided by this dealer to the device user, a service person (hereinafter referred to as a "dealer side service person") who is a person on the dealer side and performs services such as maintenance on the image forming apparatus provided by this dealer to the device user, a person on the sales company side who provides an image forming apparatus to the device user or manages the dealer, and an administrator (hereinafter referred to as a "sales company side administrator") who manages the image forming apparatus provided by this sales company to the device user and the image forming apparatus provided by the dealer managed by this sales company to the device user, and a service person (hereinafter referred to as a "sales company side service person") who is a person on the sales company side and performs services such as maintenance on the image forming apparatus provided by this sales company to the device user and the image forming apparatus provided by the dealer managed by this sales company to the device user.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a group of image forming apparatuses in the information processing system 10.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus in the information processing system 10 is managed in a hierarchical structure by the device management system 20.

[0032] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 includes a delegated group 71 corresponding to a specific sales company. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may include delegated groups corresponding to sales companies in addition to the delegated group 71 for each sales company.

[0033] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 includes a delegated group 72 corresponding to a specific dealer under the delegated group 71 corresponding to the sales company that manages this dealer. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may include delegated groups corresponding to dealers under the delegated group corresponding to the sales company that manages each dealer.

[0034] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 includes a group 73 corresponding to a specific device user under the delegated group 71 corresponding to the sales company that directly manages this device user. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may include groups corresponding to device users under the delegated group corresponding to the sales company that directly manages each device user.

[0035] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 has a group 74 to which at least some of the image forming apparatuses used by a specific device user belong, provided under a group 73 corresponding to this device user. For example, the group 74 is a group of image forming apparatuses existing in a specific office of the device user corresponding to the group 73. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may have a group to which at least some of the image forming apparatuses used by a device user directly managed by a sales company belong, provided under the group corresponding to this device user.

[0036] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 has a group 75 corresponding to a specific device user, provided under a delegated group 72 corresponding to a dealer who directly manages this device user. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may have a group corresponding to a device user provided under the delegated group corresponding to a dealer who directly manages this device user for each device user.

[0037] The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 has a group 76 to which at least some of the image forming apparatuses used by a specific device user belong, provided under a group 75 corresponding to this device user. For example, the group 76 is a group of image forming apparatuses existing in a specific office of the device user corresponding to the group 75. The hierarchical structure managed by the device management system 20 may have a group to which at least some of the image forming apparatuses used by a device user directly managed by a dealer belong, provided under the group corresponding to this device user.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the device management system 20 when it is configured by one computer.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 3, the device management system 20 includes an operation unit 21 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or a mouse for inputting various operations, a display unit 22 which is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for displaying various information, a communication unit 23 which is a communication device for communicating directly with an external device by wire or wirelessly via a network such as a LAN or the Internet or without going through a network, a storage unit 24 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) for storing various information, and a control unit 25 for controlling the entire device management system 20.

[0040] The storage unit 24 can store a device management program 24a for managing the image forming apparatus. The device management program 24a may be installed in the device management system 20 at the manufacturing stage of the device management system 20, may be additionally installed in the device management system 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or may be additionally installed in the device management system 20 from the network.

[0041] The storage unit 24 stores authentication information 24b indicating information necessary for authenticating users of the device management system 20 for each user identification information (hereinafter referred to as "user ID").

[0042] The storage unit 24 stores authorization information 24c indicating the authorities of users of the device management system 20 for each user ID. The authorities of users of the device management system 20 include, for example, the authority of an administrator of the device management system 20 (hereinafter referred to as "system administrator"), the authority of a sales company side administrator of a specific sales company, the authority of a dealer side administrator of a specific dealer, the authority of a sales company side service person of a specific sales company, and the authority of a dealer side service person of a specific dealer.

[0043] The storage unit 24 stores address information 24d indicating the e-mail address of the user of the device management system 20 for each user ID.

[0044] The storage unit 24 stores group information 24e indicating information on groups managed by the device management system 20. The group information 24e includes, for example, information having a hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 2.

[0045] The storage unit 24 stores device information 24f indicating information on the image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20.

[0046] The storage unit 24 can store language settings 24g indicating languages to be used for various outputs, such as the display languages of a group setting editing screen, a test progress status screen, a package management screen, an impact notification screen, and a plan editing screen, which will be described later, for each delegated group.

[0047] The storage unit 24 can store a firmware package (hereinafter referred to as "F / W package") 24h of the image forming apparatus. The storage unit 24 can store at least one F / W package other than the F / W package 24h.

[0048] The storage unit 24 can store a manual F / W update task 24i, which is an F / W update task in manual F / W update. The storage unit 24 can store at least one manual F / W update task other than the manual F / W update task 24i.

[0049] The storage unit 24 can store an automatic F / W update plan 24j, which is a setting for automatically generating an F / W update task, which is an F / W update task in automatic F / W update. The storage unit 24 can store at least one automatic F / W update plan having the same configuration as the automatic F / W update plan 24j other than the automatic F / W update plan 24j.

[0050] The storage unit 24 can store the automatic F / W update group setting 24k, which is the setting for each group to which the image forming apparatus belongs for executing the automatic F / W update. The storage unit 24 can store the automatic F / W update group setting having the same configuration as the automatic F / W update group setting 24k for each group shown in FIG. 2.

[0051] The storage unit 24 can store the automatic F / W update task 24l. The storage unit 24 can store at least one automatic F / W update task other than the automatic F / W update task 24l. The storage unit 24 can store one automatic F / W update task for each image forming apparatus for each automatic F / W update plan.

[0052] The storage unit 24 can store the test F / W update task 24m, which is the F / W update task for testing the F / W update. The storage unit 24 can store at least one test F / W update task other than the test F / W update task 24m.

[0053] The storage unit 24 can store the task information 24n indicating various information of the F / W update task.

[0054] The control unit 25 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and various data, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a volatile storage device used as the working area of the CPU of the control unit 25. The CPU of the control unit 25 executes the programs stored in the storage unit 24 or the ROM of the control unit 25.

[0055] By executing the device management program 24a, the control unit 25 realizes a login processing unit 25a that executes processing for user login of the device management system 20, a package management unit 25b that manages the F / W package, a manual update unit 25c that executes manual F / W update, an automatic update unit 25d that executes automatic F / W update, a task management unit 25e that manages F / W update tasks, and a device management unit 25f that manages the image forming apparatus.

[0056] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the device information 24f.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, the device information 24f includes, for example, a device ID that is identification information of the image forming apparatus, a group ID that is identification information of the group to which the image forming apparatus belongs, when the image forming apparatus is an intermediate image forming apparatus, an intermediate device ID that is identification information of the intermediate device that manages this image forming apparatus, information indicating the model of the image forming apparatus, information indicating whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the image forming apparatus, the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, the release type of the firmware is simply referred to as the "release type"), and the version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, the version of the firmware is referred to as the "F / W version") for each image forming apparatus. Here, as the release type, there are "official" indicating that it is an uncustomized official firmware and "customize" indicating that it is a customized firmware.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the F / W package 24h.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 5, the F / W package 24h includes firmware, release type information indicating the release type of this firmware, F / W version information indicating the F / W version of this firmware, and target model information indicating the model of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, the model of the image forming apparatus targeted by the firmware is referred to as the "target model") targeted by this firmware.

[0060] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the manual F / W update task 24i.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 6, the manual F / W update task 24i is set with, for example, the scheduled time of execution of the manual F / W update task 24i (hereinafter, the scheduled time of execution is simply referred to as the "scheduled execution time"), the target image forming apparatus of the manual F / W update task 24i, a link for downloading the target F / W package of the manual F / W update task 24i from the device management system 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "package download link"), and the F / W version of the firmware in the target F / W package of the manual F / W update task 24i. In the manual F / W update task 24i, the target image forming apparatus is represented by a device ID. The configurations of manual F / W update tasks other than the manual F / W update task 24i, the configurations of automatic F / W update tasks, and the configurations of test F / W update tasks are the same as the configuration of the manual F / W update task 24i.

[0062] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the automatic F / W update plan 24j.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 7, the automatic F / W update plan 24j includes an item "target F / W package" indicating the F / W package to be subject to automatic F / W update, an item "target group" indicating the group to be subject to automatic F / W update, an item "automatic F / W update mode" indicating the mode of automatic F / W update, and an item "enabled / disabled" indicating whether the automatic F / W update plan 24j itself is enabled or disabled.

[0064] The item "target F / W package" designates the F / W package by, for example, the identification information of the F / W package (hereinafter referred to as "package ID"). For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the F / W package specified by the package ID "P0001" is designated in the item "target F / W package".

[0065] The item "target group" can be specified with any one of the values: "All Accessible" indicating all groups under the specified delegated group, "Exclusively Managed" indicating all groups directly under the specified delegated group, and "Off" indicating that the groups are specified individually.

[0066] When "All Accessible" is specified in the item "target group", any delegated group is further specified in the item "target group". For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, "All Accessible" is specified in the item "target group", and the delegated group 71 is further specified in the item "target group". When "All Accessible" and the delegated group 71 are specified in the item "target group", as shown in FIG. 2, not only the groups 73 and 74 corresponding to the equipment users directly managed by the sales company corresponding to the delegated group 71, but also the groups 75 and 76 corresponding to the equipment users directly managed by the dealers managed by this sales company are subject to automatic F / W update.

[0067] When "Exclusively Managed" is specified in the "Target Group" item, any of the delegated groups is further specified in the "Target Group" item. For example, when "Exclusively Managed" and delegated group 71 are specified in the "Target Group" item, as shown in Figure 2, groups 73 and 74 corresponding to the device users directly managed by the sales company corresponding to delegated group 71 are subject to automatic F / W update, but groups 75 and 76 corresponding to the device users directly managed by the dealers managed by this sales company are not subject to automatic F / W update.

[0068] When "Off" is specified in the "Target Group" item, the groups subject to automatic F / W update are individually further specified in the "Target Group" item.

[0069] The "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item can be specified with either of the values "Gradually Update", which performs F / W update on all the image forming apparatuses subject to automatic F / W update in 4 weeks by increasing the actually targeted image forming apparatuses for F / W update among all the image forming apparatuses subject to automatic F / W update by one per week, and "Urgent Update", which performs F / W update on all the image forming apparatuses subject to automatic F / W update in 1 week. That is, the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item is an item for specifying the speed of F / W update. Note that the default value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item is "Gradually Update".

[0070] Figure 8 is a table showing the specific content of "Gradually Update" in the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 8, in the first week, attempts are made to perform F / W updates on 2% of all the image forming apparatuses targeted for automatic F / W updates. By the second week, attempts are made to perform F / W updates on 15% of all the image forming apparatuses targeted for automatic F / W updates, including the image forming apparatuses on which attempts were made to perform updates in the first week. By the third week, attempts are made to perform F / W updates on 50% of all the image forming apparatuses targeted for automatic F / W updates, including the image forming apparatuses on which attempts were made to perform updates by the second week. By the fourth week, it is set to attempt to perform F / W updates on all the image forming apparatuses targeted for automatic F / W updates. As shown in FIG. 8, "gradually update" is a mode in which the speed of F / W updates is increased every week. Note that "urgently update" is a mode in which the speed of F / W updates does not change.

[0072] The "enabled / disabled" item shown in FIG. 7 can be specified with either a value of "enabled" indicating that the automatic F / W update plan 24j itself is enabled or a value of "disabled" indicating that the automatic F / W update plan 24j itself is disabled. Note that the default value of the "enabled / disabled" item is "enabled".

[0073] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the automatic F / W update group setting 24k.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 9, the automatic F / W update group setting 24k includes an "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item indicating the setting for generating an automatic F / W update task according to any automatic update plan, a "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item indicating whether to permit automatic F / W update for each automatic F / W update plan for which the target group of the automatic F / W update group setting 24k is the target of the automatic F / W update, a "Notification Setting" item indicating the user to be notified by e-mail when an event related to the automatic F / W update plan for which the target group of the automatic F / W update group setting 24k is the target of the automatic F / W update occurs, an "Execution Time Zone Setting" item indicating the time zone for starting the execution of the F / W update in the automatic F / W update, and a "Pre-Print Setting" item indicating the setting related to pre-printing which causes the image forming apparatus targeted for the automatic F / W update to print a notification indicating that the automatic F / W update is to be executed before the execution of the automatic F / W update.

[0075] The "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item can be specified with any of the values of "ON" indicating that an automatic F / W update task is generated according to all automatic F / W update plans, "OFF" indicating that an automatic F / W update task is not generated without following any automatic F / W update plan, and "Selected" indicating that an automatic F / W update task is generated according to an individually selected automatic F / W update plan. Note that the default value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item is "OFF".

[0076] For each automatic F / W update plan where the target group of the automatic F / W update group setting 24k is the target of automatic F / W update, either a value of "Permit", which indicates permission for automatic F / W update, or a value of "Prohibit", which indicates no permission for automatic F / W update, can be specified for the "Plan Permit / Prohibit" item. In the "Plan Permit / Prohibit" item, the automatic F / W update plan is indicated by identification information (hereinafter referred to as "Plan ID"). For example, in the example shown in FIG. 9, at least permission for automatic F / W update using the automatic F / W update plan specified by the plan ID of "PL0001" and no permission for automatic F / W update using the automatic F / W update plan specified by the plan ID of "PL0003" are shown. Note that the default value of the "Plan Permit / Prohibit" item is "Prohibit".

[0077] The "Notification Setting" item is specified by the user, for example, by the user ID. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 9, at least the user specified by the user ID of "U0001" and the user specified by the user ID of "U0005" are specified in the "Notification Setting" item. The users specified in the "Notification Setting" item are, for example, dealer-side service personnel and sales company-side service personnel.

[0078] The "Execution Time Zone Setting" item includes a "Date Setting" item indicating the date to start the F / W update in the automatic F / W update, and a "Time Zone Setting" item indicating the time zone to start the F / W update in the automatic F / W update. The "Date Setting" item can be specified with either a value of "Every Day" indicating to start the F / W update in the automatic F / W update every day, or a value of "Day of the Week Specified" indicating to start the F / W update in the automatic F / W update on the specified day of the week. When "Day of the Week Specified" is specified in the "Date Setting" item, at least one day of the week to start the F / W update in the automatic F / W update is further specified in the "Date Setting" item. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 9, Saturday and Sunday are specified in the "Date Setting" item. Since the image forming apparatus cannot be used while the F / W update is being executed, it is preferable that the "Execution Time Zone Setting" item specifies a time zone with fewer problems even if the device user cannot use the image forming apparatus.

[0079] The "Pre-Print Setting" item includes a "Pre-Print Existence" item indicating the presence or absence of pre-print execution, and a "Language Setting" item indicating the language of the notification target for pre-print. The "Pre-Print Existence" item can be specified with either a value of "ON" indicating to execute pre-print or a value of "OFF" indicating not to execute pre-print. Note that the default value of the "Pre-Print Existence" item is "OFF". The "Language Setting" item can be specified with either a value of "Language Set in the Delegated Group Belonging to the Target Group of the Automatic F / W Update Group Setting 24k in the Language Setting 24g" indicating the language set in the language setting 24g in the delegated group to which the target group of the automatic F / W update group setting 24k belongs, or a value of "Specifically Specified Language". Note that the default value of the "Language Setting" item is "Language Set in the Delegated Group Belonging to the Target Group of the Automatic F / W Update Group Setting 24k in the Language Setting 24g".

[0080] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the task information 24n.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 10, the task information 24n includes, for example, a "Task ID" item indicating a task ID as identification information of the F / W update task, a "Generation Date / Time" item indicating the date and time of generation of the F / W update task, a "Task Type" item indicating the type of the F / W update task such as "Manual F / W Update Task", "Automatic F / W Update Task", "Test F / W Update Task", etc., a "Status" item indicating the status of the F / W update task, a "Target Device" item indicating the image forming apparatus targeted by the F / W update task, and a "Related Plan" item indicating the automatic F / W update plan that generated this automatic F / W update task when the F / W update task is an automatic F / W update task. Examples of the status indicated in the "Status" item include "Pending" indicating the state before execution of the F / W update task, "Cancelled" indicating the state where the execution of the F / W update task has been cancelled, "Waiting for Execution" indicating the state of waiting for execution of the F / W update task, "Executing" indicating the state where the F / W update task is being executed, "Success" indicating the state where the F / W update by the F / W update task has succeeded, and "Failure" indicating the state where the F / W update by the F / W update task has failed. In the task information 24n, the image forming apparatus is represented by a device ID. In the task information 24n, the automatic F / W update plan is represented by a plan ID.

[0082] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the mediation-free image forming apparatus 30 when configured by an MFP.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 11, the direct image forming apparatus 30 includes an operation unit 31 which is an input device such as a button for inputting various operations, a display unit 32 which is a display device such as an LCD for displaying various information, a printer 33 which is a printing device for printing an image on a recording medium such as paper, a scanner 34 which is a reading device for reading an image from an original, a facsimile communication unit 35 which is a facsimile device for performing facsimile communication via a communication line such as an external facsimile apparatus (not shown) and a public telephone line, a communication unit 36 which is a communication device for communicating with an external device directly by wire or wirelessly via a network such as a LAN or the Internet, or without passing through a network, a storage unit 37 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD for storing various information, and a control unit 38 for controlling the entire direct image forming apparatus 30, and is a computer.

[0084] The storage unit 37 can store firmware 37a for controlling the direct image forming apparatus 30. The firmware 37a may be installed in the direct image forming apparatus 30 at the manufacturing stage of the direct image forming apparatus 30, may be additionally installed in the direct image forming apparatus 30 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or may be additionally installed in the direct image forming apparatus 30 from the network.

[0085] The control unit 38 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM for storing programs and various data, and a RAM as a volatile storage device used as a working area for the CPU of the control unit 38. The CPU of the control unit 38 executes a program stored in the storage unit 37 or the ROM of the control unit 38.

[0086] The configuration of the image forming apparatus in the information processing system 10 is the same as that of the direct image forming apparatus 30.

[0087] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the mediation apparatus 40.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 12, the mediation device 40 includes an operation unit 41 which is an operation device such as a keyboard or a mouse for inputting various operations, a display unit 42 which is a display device such as an LCD for displaying various information, a communication unit 43 which is a communication device for communicating directly with an external device by wire or wirelessly via a network such as a LAN or the Internet or without going through a network, a storage unit 44 which is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD for storing various information, and a control unit 45 for controlling the entire mediation device 40.

[0089] The storage unit 44 can store a mediation program 44a for mediating between the device management system 20 and the mediation-enabled image forming apparatus. The mediation program 44a may be installed in the mediation device 40 at the manufacturing stage of the mediation device 40, for example, or may be additionally installed in the mediation device 40 from an external storage medium such as a USB memory, or may be additionally installed in the mediation device 40 from the network.

[0090] The storage unit 44 stores device information 44b indicating an image forming apparatus that the mediation device 40 itself mediates between the device management system 20, that is, an image forming apparatus managed by the mediation device 40.

[0091] The storage unit 44 can store an F / W package 44c. The storage unit 44 can store at least one F / W package other than the F / W package 44c.

[0092] The storage unit 44 can store a manual F / W update task 44d. The storage unit 44 can store at least one manual F / W update task other than the manual F / W update task 44d.

[0093] The storage unit 44 can store an automatic F / W update task 44e. The storage unit 44 can store at least one automatic F / W update task other than the automatic F / W update task 44e.

[0094] The storage unit 44 can store the test F / W update task 44f. The storage unit 44 can store at least one test F / W update task other than the test F / W update task 44f.

[0095] The control unit 45 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM as a volatile storage device used as the working area of the CPU of the control unit 45. The CPU of the control unit 45 executes the program stored in the storage unit 44 or the ROM of the control unit 45.

[0096] The control unit 45 realizes an F / W update unit 45a that executes an F / W update by executing an intermediary program 44a.

[0097] The configuration of the intermediary device in the information processing system 10 is the same as the configuration of the intermediary device 40.

[0098] Next, the operation of the information processing system 10 will be described.

[0099] First, the operation of the device management system 20 when updating the device information 24f will be described.

[0100] The non-intermediary image forming apparatus periodically transmits various information about itself, such as the release type and F / W version of the firmware installed in itself, to the device management system 20, for example, once a day. Also, the non-intermediary image forming apparatus transmits various information about itself, such as the release type and F / W version of the firmware installed in itself, to the device management system 20 even when starting the connection with the device management system 20. Therefore, each time information is transmitted from the non-intermediary image forming apparatus, the device management unit 25f of the device management system 20 updates the device information 24f based on the information transmitted from the non-intermediary image forming apparatus.

[0101] In addition, the mediation device periodically acquires, for example, once a day, various information regarding the image forming device with mediation it manages, such as the release type and F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming device with mediation, from this image forming device with mediation, and each time it acquires the information, it transmits the acquired information to the device management system 20. Therefore, each time information is transmitted from the mediation device, the device management unit 25f of the device management system 20 updates the device information 24f based on the information transmitted from the mediation device.

[0102] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when logged in by the user will be described.

[0103] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when logged in by the user.

[0104] A user of the device management system 20 can send a request to log in to the device management system 20 via the user terminal. Here, this request includes information necessary for authenticating the user of the device management system 20. When the control unit 25 of the device management system 20 receives a request to log in to the device management system 20, it executes the operation shown in FIG. 13.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 13, the login processing unit 25a determines whether the information necessary for authenticating the user of the device management system 20 included in the request to log in to the device management system 20 is included in the authentication information 24b (S101).

[0106] If the login processing unit 25a determines in S101 that the information included in the request to log in to the device management system 20 is included in the authentication information 24b, it returns a login success to the user terminal that is the source of the request to log in to the device management system 20 (S102), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 13.

[0107] If the login processing unit 25a determines in S101 that the information included in the login request to the device management system 20 is not included in the authentication information 24b, it returns a login failure to the user terminal that is the source of the login request to the device management system 20 (S103) and ends the operation shown in FIG. 13.

[0108] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when managing the F / W package will be described.

[0109] FIG. 14 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when managing the F / W package. FIG. 15 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 14.

[0110] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request to display a screen for managing the F / W package (hereinafter referred to as the "package management screen") (hereinafter referred to as the "package management screen display request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as the "target user terminal" in the description of FIGS. 14 and 15). When the control unit 25 of the device management system 20 receives the package management screen display request, it executes the operations shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0111] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the package management unit 25b determines whether the authority of the user who sent the package management screen display request (hereinafter referred to as the "requester" in the description of FIGS. 14 and 15) is equal to or higher than that of a service person based on the user ID of this requester and the authorization information 24c (S121). Here, the authorities equal to or higher than that of a service person include, for example, the authority of a dealer-side service person, the authority of a sales company-side service person, and the authority of an administrator or higher. The authorities of an administrator or higher include, for example, the authority of a dealer-side administrator, which is higher than the authority of a dealer-side service person, the authority of a dealer-side administrator, and the authority of a sales company-side administrator, which is higher than the authority of a sales company-side service person, and the authority of a system administrator, which is higher than the authority of a sales company-side administrator.

[0112] If the package management unit 25b determines in S121 that the authority of the requester is not higher than that of the service person, the package management unit 25b causes the user terminal of the target to display that the requester does not have the authority to display the package management screen (S122), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0113] If the package management unit 25b determines in S121 that the authority of the requester is higher than that of the service person, the package management unit 25b causes the target user terminal to display the package management screen by transmitting the data of the package management screen to the target user terminal (S123).

[0114] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the package management screen 510 displayed on the user terminal in the operations shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0115] As shown in FIG. 16, the package management screen 510 includes a list 511 showing a list of F / W packages stored in the storage unit 24, an upload button 512 for uploading the F / W package to the device management system 20, a delete button 513 for deleting the F / W package selected in the list 511 from the device management system 20, a publish button 514 for publishing the F / W package selected in the list 511, and an unpublish button 515 for unpublishing the F / W package selected in the list 511.

[0116] The list 511 includes, for each F / W package, a package ID, a release type of the firmware in the F / W package, an F / W version and a target model, and a publish state indicating whether it is published or not.

[0117] The delete button 513, the publish button 514, and the unpublish button 515 can be operated only when at least one F / W package is selected in the list 511.

[0118] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, after the process of S123, the package management unit 25b determines whether the upload button 512 has been pressed (S124).

[0119] If the package management unit 25b determines in S124 that the upload button 512 has been pressed, it determines whether the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator based on the user ID of this requester and the authorization information 24c (S125). Here, the authorities equal to or higher than that of an administrator include, for example, the authority of a dealer-side administrator, the authority of a sales company-side administrator which is higher than the authority of a dealer-side administrator, and the authority of a system administrator which is higher than the authority of a sales company-side administrator. On the other hand, the authorities equal to or higher than that of an administrator do not include, for example, the authority of a dealer-side service person and the authority of a sales company-side service person.

[0120] If the package management unit 25b determines in S125 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to upload the F / W package (S126), and executes the process of S124.

[0121] If the package management unit 25b determines in S125 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display a package specification screen for allowing the user to specify the F / W package to be uploaded (S127). Here, the package specification screen is a screen that is closed when the F / W package is specified.

[0122] After the process of S127, the package management unit 25b determines whether the F / W package has been specified on the package specification screen until it determines that the F / W package has been specified on the package specification screen (S128).

[0123] When the package management unit 25b determines in S128 that the F / W package has been specified on the package specification screen, it accepts the upload of the F / W package specified on the package specification screen (S129). That is, the package management unit 25b stores the F / W package specified on the package specification screen in the storage unit 24.

[0124] After the process of S129, the package management unit 25b updates the package management screen so that the information shown in the list 511 becomes the latest information (S130), and executes the process of S124.

[0125] When the package management unit 25b determines in S124 that the upload button 512 has not been pressed, it determines whether the delete button 513 has been pressed (S131).

[0126] When it is determined in S131 that the delete button 513 has been pressed, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S132).

[0127] When the package management unit 25b determines in S132 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to delete the F / W package (S133), and executes the process of S124.

[0128] When the package management unit 25b determines in S132 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display a screen for notifying that it will affect the automatic F / W update (hereinafter referred to as the "impact notification screen") (S134).

[0129] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the impact notification screen 520 displayed on the user terminal in the operations shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 17, the impact notification screen 520 includes a message 521 indicating that there is an impact on the automatic F / W update, an OK button 522 for instructing the continuation of the process, and an NG button 523 for instructing the cancellation of the process. The impact notification screen 520 is a screen that is closed when the OK button 522 or the NG button 523 is pressed.

[0131] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, after the process of S134, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the OK button has been pressed on the impact notification screen (S135).

[0132] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S135 that the OK button has not been pressed on the impact notification screen, it determines whether the NG button has been pressed on the impact notification screen (S136).

[0133] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S136 that the NG button has not been pressed on the impact notification screen, it executes the process of S135.

[0134] If it is determined in S135 that the OK button has been pressed on the impact notification screen, the package management unit 25b deletes the F / W package selected in the list 511 from the storage unit 24 when the delete button 513 is pressed (S137).

[0135] After the process of S137, the automatic update unit 25d changes the value of the "enabled / disabled" item of the automatic F / W update plan for which the F / W package deleted in S137 is the target of the automatic F / W update to "Warning", indicating that the automatic F / W update plan is not appropriate (S138).

[0136] Next, the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "Cancelled" for all the automatic F / W update tasks related to the automatic F / W update plan that targets the F / W package deleted in S137 and for which the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "Pending" (S139), and executes the process of S130.

[0137] If it is determined in S136 that the NG button has been pressed on the impact notification screen, or if it is determined in S131 that the delete button 513 has not been pressed, the package management unit 25b determines whether the publish button 514 has been pressed (S140).

[0138] If the package management unit 25b determines in S140 that the publish button 514 has been pressed, it determines whether the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S141).

[0139] If the package management unit 25b determines in S141 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to publish the F / W package (S142), and executes the process of S124.

[0140] If the package management unit 25b determines in S141 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it publishes the F / W package selected in the list 511 when the publish button 514 was pressed (S143).

[0141] After the process of S143, the package management unit 25b executes the process of S130.

[0142] If the package management unit 25b determines in S140 that the publish button 514 has not been pressed, it determines whether the unpublish button 515 has been pressed (S144).

[0143] When it is determined in S144 that the unpublish button 515 has been pressed, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S145).

[0144] When the package management unit 25b determines in S145 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to unpublish the F / W package (S146), and executes the process of S124.

[0145] When the package management unit 25b determines in S145 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display an impact notification screen in the same manner as the process of S134 (S147).

[0146] After the process of S147, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the OK button has been pressed on the impact notification screen (S148).

[0147] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S148 that the OK button has not been pressed on the impact notification screen, it determines whether the NG button has been pressed on the impact notification screen (S149).

[0148] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S149 that the NG button has not been pressed on the impact notification screen, it executes the process of S148.

[0149] When it is determined in S148 that the OK button has been pressed on the impact notification screen, the package management unit 25b unpublishes the F / W package selected in the list 511 when the unpublish button 515 was pressed (S150).

[0150] After the process of S150, the automatic update unit 25d changes the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item of the automatic F / W update plan for which the F / W package unpublished in S150 is the target of automatic F / W update to "Warning" (S151).

[0151] Next, for all the automatic F / W update tasks related to the automatic F / W update plan for which the F / W package unpublished in S150 is the target of automatic F / W update, and for which the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "Pending", the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "Cancelled" (S152), and executes the process of S130.

[0152] If the package management unit 25b determines in S144 that the unpublish button 515 has not been pressed, or determines in S149 that the NG button has been pressed on the impact notification screen, it determines whether the package management screen 510 has been closed (S153).

[0153] If the package management unit 25b determines in S153 that the package management screen 510 has not been closed, it executes the process of S124.

[0154] If the package management unit 25b determines in S153 that the package management screen 510 has been closed, it ends the operations shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0155] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when performing a manual F / W update will be described.

[0156] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when performing a manual F / W update.

[0157] While logged in to the device management system 20, a user can send a request for manual F / W update settings (hereinafter referred to as "manual F / W update settings request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 18). When the manual update unit 25c of the device management system 20 receives a manual F / W update settings request, it executes the operations shown in FIG. 18.

[0158] As shown in FIG. 18, the manual update unit 25c determines whether the authority of the user who sent the manual F / W update settings request (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the description of FIG. 18) is equal to or higher than that of a service person in the same manner as the process of S121 (S161).

[0159] If the manual update unit 25c determines in S161 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of a service person, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to set the manual F / W update (S162), and ends the operations shown in FIG. 18.

[0160] If the manual update unit 25c determines in S161 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of a service person, it causes the target user terminal to display the manual F / W update settings screen (hereinafter referred to as "manual F / W update settings screen") by sending the data of the manual F / W update settings screen to the target user terminal (S163).

[0161] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the manual F / W update settings screen 530 displayed on the user terminal in the operations shown in FIG. 18.

[0162] As shown in FIG. 19, the manual F / W update setting screen 530 includes a drop-down list 531 for selecting an image forming apparatus to be subject to manual F / W update, a drop-down list 532 for selecting an F / W package to be subject to manual F / W update, and drop-down lists 533a, 533b, 533c, 533d, 533e for selecting the "year", "month", "day", "hour", and "minute" of the scheduled execution time of the manual F / W update, respectively, a cancel button 534 for canceling the settings on the manual F / W update setting screen 530, and an execution button 535 for executing the settings on the manual F / W update setting screen 530. In the drop-down list 531, the image forming apparatus is represented by a device ID. In the drop-down list 532, the F / W package is represented by a package ID. The manual F / W update setting screen 530 is a screen that is closed when the cancel button 534 or the execution button 535 is pressed.

[0163] As shown in FIG. 18, after the process of S163, the manual update unit 25c determines whether the cancel button 534 has been pressed (S164).

[0164] If the manual update unit 25c determines in S164 that the cancel button 534 has been pressed, the operation shown in FIG. 18 ends.

[0165] If the manual update unit 25c determines in S164 that the cancel button 534 has not been pressed, it determines whether the execution button 535 has been pressed (S165).

[0166] If the manual update unit 25c determines in S165 that the execution button 535 has not been pressed, it executes the process of S164.

[0167] When it is determined in S165 that the execution button 535 has been pressed, the manual update unit 25c performs a manual F / W update task for the image forming apparatus specified by the drop-down list 531 at the time when the execution button 535 was pressed, using the F / W package specified by the drop-down list 532 at the time when the execution button 535 was pressed. The manual update unit 25c sets the scheduled execution time specified by the drop-down lists 533a, 533b, 533c, 533d, 533e at the time when the execution button 535 was pressed and generates it on the storage unit 24 (S166).

[0168] After the process of S166, the manual update unit 25c adds the information of the manual F / W update task generated in S166 to the task information 24n (S167). Here, when adding information to the task information 24n in S167, the manual update unit 25c enters "Pending" as the value of the "Status" item in the information to be added.

[0169] After the process of S167, the manual update unit 25c ends the operation shown in FIG. 18.

[0170] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when the automatic F / W update group setting is edited will be described.

[0171] FIG. 20 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when the automatic F / W update group setting is edited. FIG. 21 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 20.

[0172] While the user is logged in to the device management system 20, the user can request the start of editing the automatic F / W update group settings for a specific group shown in the group information 24e (hereinafter referred to as the "request to start editing group settings") via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as the "target user terminal" in the descriptions of FIGS. 20 and 21 and the description of FIG. 23 to be described later) to the device management system 20. When the control unit 25 of the device management system 20 receives the request to start editing group settings, it executes the operations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.

[0173] As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the user who sent the request to start editing group settings (hereinafter referred to as the "requester" in the descriptions of FIGS. 20 and 21 and the description of FIG. 23 to be described later) is equal to or higher than that of a service person in the same manner as the process of S121 (S181).

[0174] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S181 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of a service person, it determines whether the group targeted by the request to start editing group settings is within the scope of the requester's authority (S182).

[0175] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S181 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of a service person, or determines in S182 that the group targeted by the request to start editing group settings is not within the scope of the requester's authority, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to edit the automatic F / W update group settings for the group targeted by the request to start editing group settings (S183), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.

[0176] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S182 that the group targeted by the request to start editing group settings is within the scope of the requester's authority, it causes the target user terminal to display the group settings editing screen by sending the data of the screen for editing the automatic F / W update group settings (hereinafter referred to as the "group settings editing screen") to the target user terminal (S184).

[0177] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a group setting edit screen 600 displayed on a user terminal in the operations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 22, the group setting edit screen 600 includes an area 610 for editing the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, an area 630 for editing the "Execution Time Zone Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, an area 660 for editing the "Pre-Print Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a cancel button 671 for canceling the editing in the group setting edit screen 600, and a save button 672 for saving the content edited in the group setting edit screen 600.

[0179] The area 610 includes a radio button 611 for specifying "ON" as the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a radio button 612 for specifying "OFF" as the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a radio button 613 for specifying "Select" as the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, and an area 620 that is operable only when the radio button 613 is selected. Only one of the radio buttons 611 to 613 is always selected.

[0180] The area 620 includes an area 621 for editing the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, an area 622 for editing the "Notification Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, and an area 623 for executing a test of the F / W update.

[0181] The area 621 includes a list 621a showing a list of automatic F / W update plans set in the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a radio button 621b for designating "Permission" indicating permission to perform an automatic F / W update based on the automatic F / W update plan shown in the list 621a, and a radio button 621c for designating "Prohibition" indicating non - permission to perform an automatic F / W update based on the automatic F / W update plan shown in the list 621a. In the list 621a, the automatic F / W update plan is represented by a plan ID. The automatic update unit 25d shows in the list 621a the automatic F / W update plans for which the target group of the group setting screen 600 is the target of automatic F / W update, regardless of whether the automatic F / W update plan is in an effective, invalid, or Warning state. The radio button 621b and the radio button 621c are arranged for each automatic F / W update plan shown in the list 621a. For each automatic F / W update plan, only one of the radio button 621b and the radio button 621c is always selected.

[0182] The area 622 includes a list 622a showing a list of users who can be set in the "Notification Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a drop - down list 622b for selecting a user to add to the list 622a, an add button 622c for adding the user selected in the drop - down list 622b to the list 622a, and a delete button 622d for deleting the user selected in the list 622a from the list 622a. In the list 622a and the drop - down list 622b, the user is represented by a user ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the users included in the address information 24d in the drop - down list 622b.

[0183] The area 623 includes a drop-down list 623a for selecting an automatic F / W update plan that executes the test of the F / W update, a drop-down list 623b for selecting an image forming apparatus to be the target of the test of the F / W update, and a test execution button 623c for executing the test of the F / W update. In the drop-down list 623a, the automatic F / W update plan is represented by a plan ID. In the drop-down list 623b, the image forming apparatus is represented by a device ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the automatic F / W update plans in which the target group of the group setting edit screen 600 is the target of the automatic F / W update in the drop-down list 623a regardless of whether the automatic F / W update plan is in an effective, invalid, or Warning state. The automatic update unit 25d can display, based on the device information 24f, only the image forming apparatuses that are the target models of the F / W packages of the automatic F / W update plan selected by the drop-down list 623a among the image forming apparatuses belonging to the target group of the group setting edit screen 600 in the drop-down list 623b.

[0184] The area 630 includes an area 640 for editing the "day setting" item of the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting and an area 650 for editing the "time zone setting" item of the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting.

[0185] Area 640 includes a radio button 641 for specifying "every day" as the value of the "day setting" item in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, a radio button 642 for specifying "day of the week specified" as the value of the "day setting" item in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, and an area 643 that is operable only when the radio button 642 is selected. Only one of the radio buttons 641 and 642 is always selected. Area 643 includes check boxes 643a, 643b, 643c, 643d, 643e, 643f, and 643g for specifying "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday", and "Sunday", respectively, as the value of the "day setting" item in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting.

[0186] Area 650 includes a drop-down list 651 for specifying the start date of the time zone that is the value of the "time zone setting" item in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, and a drop-down list 652 for specifying the end date of the time zone that is the value of the "time zone setting" item in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting.

[0187] Area 660 includes an area 661 for editing the "pre-printing presence / absence" item in the "pre-printing setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting, and an area 662 for editing the "language setting" item in the "pre-printing setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting.

[0188] Area 661 includes radio buttons 661a and 661b for specifying "ON" and "OFF", respectively, as the value of the "pre-printing presence / absence" item in the "pre-printing setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting. Only one of the radio buttons 661a and 661b is always selected.

[0189] The area 662 includes a drop-down list 662a for specifying the value of the "Language setting" item in the "Pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting. The automatic update unit 25d can display, in the drop-down list 662a, the "Language set in the delegated group to which the target group of the group setting edit screen 600 belongs" indicating the language set in the language setting 24g in the delegated group to which the target group belongs, and several specific languages.

[0190] As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, after the process of S184, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the test execution button 623c has been pressed (S185).

[0191] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S185 that the test execution button 623c has been pressed, for the image forming apparatus selected in the drop-down list 623b at the time when the test execution button 623c is pressed, it starts the execution of the F / W update test using the F / W package targeted by the automatic F / W update plan selected in the drop-down list 623a at the time when the test execution button 623c is pressed (S186).

[0192] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S185 that the test execution button 623c has not been pressed, or when the process of S186 ends, it determines whether the cancel button 671 has been pressed (S187).

[0193] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S187 that the cancel button 671 has not been pressed, it determines whether the save button 672 has been pressed (S188).

[0194] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S188 that the save button 672 has not been pressed, it executes the process of S185.

[0195] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S188 that the save button 672 has been pressed, it saves, as the automatic F / W update group setting, the content edited on the group setting edit screen 600 at the time when the save button 672 was pressed, to the storage unit 24 (S189). Here, if the radio button 613 is not selected on the group setting edit screen 600 at the time when the save button 672 is pressed, the automatic update unit 25d does not store the values of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item and the "Notification Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting to be saved in S189.

[0196] After the process of S189, when the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 is not newly created, that is, when the existing automatic F / W update group setting has been edited, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the value of the "Execution Time Zone Setting" item or the "Pre-Print Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed by the save in S189 (S190).

[0197] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S190 that neither the value of the "Execution Time Zone Setting" item nor the value of the "Pre-Print Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed by the save in S189, it determines whether the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 is "OFF" (S191).

[0198] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S190 that the value of the "Execution time zone setting" item or the "Pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed by the saving in S189, or determines in S191 that the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 is "OFF", for all the automatic F / W update tasks in which the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n is "Pending" among the automatic F / W update tasks targeting the target group of the group setting edit screen 600, the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n is set to "Cancelled" (S192).

[0199] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S191 that the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 is not "OFF", it determines whether there is an automatic F / W update plan in which the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan permission / Prohibition" item is "Prohibited" in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 (S193).

[0200] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S193 that there is an automatic F / W update plan in which the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan permission / Prohibition" item is "Prohibited" in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189, for all the automatic F / W update tasks in which the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n is "Pending" among the automatic F / W update tasks related to the automatic F / W update plan in which the value of the "Plan permission / Prohibition" item is "Prohibited" in the automatic F / W update group setting saved in S189 among the automatic F / W update tasks targeting the target group of the group setting edit screen 600, the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n is set to "Cancelled" (S194).

[0201] The automatic update unit 25d determines at S187 whether the cancel button 671 has been pressed, or determines at S193 that there is no automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting saved at S189 where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item is "Prohibited". When the processes of S192 or S194 are completed, the display of the group setting editing screen 600 is terminated on the target user terminal (S195), and the operations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 are terminated.

[0202] Note that the operations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 are the operations of the device management system 20 when editing the automatic F / W update group setting of a specific group. However, the device management system 20 can similarly edit the automatic F / W update group settings of multiple groups simultaneously.

[0203] FIG. 23 is a flowchart of the operations of the device management system 20 when executing a test of the F / W update.

[0204] When the automatic update unit 25d executes the process of S186 shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, as shown in FIG. 23, it displays a test progress status screen indicating the progress status of the F / W update test on the target user terminal (S201). Here, the automatic update unit 25d subsequently shows the progress status of the F / W update test on the test progress status screen at an appropriate timing, such as the timing when a change occurs in the progress status. Note that the test progress status screen can be closed by the user of the target user terminal.

[0205] After the process of S201, when the test execution button 623c is pressed, the automatic update unit 25d generates a test F / W update task on the storage unit 24 to be executed using the F / W package targeted by the automatic F / W update plan selected in the drop-down list 623a at the time when the test execution button 623c is pressed, for the image forming apparatus selected in the drop-down list 623b at the time when the test execution button 623c is pressed (S202). Here, the test F / W update task is an F / W update task that is immediately executed when the F / W update in the target image forming apparatus is executable. Therefore, the automatic update unit 25d does not set a specific execution scheduled time for the test F / W update task.

[0206] After the process of S202, the automatic update unit 25d adds the information of the test F / W update task generated in S202 to the task information 24n (S203). Here, when the automatic update unit 25d adds information to the task information 24n in S203, it enters "Pending" as the value of the "Status" item in the information to be added.

[0207] After the process of S203, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether or not the execution of the test F / W update task generated in S202 has ended until it determines that the execution of the test F / W update task generated in S202 has ended (S204). Here, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the execution of the test F / W update task generated in S202 has ended when the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n regarding the test F / W update task generated in S202 becomes "Cancelled", "Success" or "Failure".

[0208] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S204 that the execution of the test F / W update task generated in S202 has ended, it determines whether or not the test progress status screen is closed (S205).

[0209] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S205 that the test progress status screen is not closed, it displays the update result obtained by executing the test F / W update task generated in S202 on the test progress status screen (S206).

[0210] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S205 that the test progress status screen is closed, or when the process of S206 ends, it notifies the update result obtained by executing the test F / W update task generated in S202 to the e-mail address of the requester stored in the address information 24d (S207), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 23.

[0211] The user who has confirmed the result displayed on the test progress status screen in S206 or the result notified in S207 can, for example, in the result displayed on the test progress status screen in S206 or the result notified in S207, if the update is successful, set the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan of the test target to "Permit" via the group setting edit screen, and if the update fails in the result displayed on the test progress status screen in S206 or the result notified in S207, set the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan of the test target to "Prohibit" via the group setting edit screen.

[0212] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when the automatic F / W update plan is edited will be described.

[0213] FIG. 24 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when the automatic F / W update plan is edited. FIG. 25 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 24. FIG. 26 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 25.

[0214] A user who is logged in to the machine management system 20 can send a request to start editing the automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter referred to as "plan editing start request") to the machine management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the descriptions of FIGS. 24 to 26). When the control unit 25 of the machine management system 20 receives the plan editing start request, it executes the operations shown in FIGS. 24 to 26.

[0215] As shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the user who sent the plan editing start request (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the descriptions of FIGS. 24 to 26) is equal to or higher than that of an administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S221).

[0216] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S221 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to edit the automatic F / W update plan (S222), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 24 to 26.

[0217] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S221 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display a plan editing screen (hereinafter referred to as "plan editing screen") by sending the data of the plan editing screen for editing the automatic F / W update plan to the target user terminal (S223).

[0218] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of the plan editing screen 700 displayed on the user terminal in the operations shown in FIGS. 24 to 26.

[0219] As shown in FIG. 27, the plan editing screen 700 includes an area 710 for editing the "Target F / W Package" item in the automatic F / W update plan, an area 720 for editing the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan, an area 760 for editing the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan, an area 770 for editing the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan, a cancel button 781 for canceling the editing on the plan editing screen 700, and a save button 782 for saving the content edited on the plan editing screen 700.

[0220] The area 710 includes a drop-down list 711 for selecting the F / W package set for the "Target F / W Package" item in the automatic F / W update plan. In the drop-down list 711, the F / W package is represented by the package ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the F / W packages uploaded to the device management system 20, that is, the F / W packages stored in the storage unit 24 that are published and have a firmware release type of "Official" in the drop-down list 711.

[0221] The area 720 includes a radio button 721 for specifying "All Accessible" as the value of the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan, a radio button 722 for specifying "Exclusively Managed" as the value of the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan, a radio button 723 for specifying "Off" as the value of the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan, an area 730 that is operable only when the radio button 721 is selected, an area 740 that is operable only when the radio button 722 is selected, and an area 750 that is operable only when the radio button 723 is selected. Only one of the radio buttons 721 to 723 is always selected.

[0222] Area 730 includes a drop-down list 731 for selecting a delegated group to be set in the "Target Group" item when "All Accessible" is specified in the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan. In the drop-down list 731, the delegated group is represented by a group ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the delegated groups within the scope of the requester's authority in the drop-down list 731 based on the group information 24e.

[0223] Area 740 includes a drop-down list 741 for selecting a delegated group to be set in the "Target Group" item when "Exclusively Managed" is specified in the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan. In the drop-down list 741, the delegated group is represented by a group ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the delegated groups within the scope of the requester's authority in the drop-down list 741 based on the group information 24e.

[0224] Area 750 includes a list 751 showing a list of groups that can be set in the "Target Group" item when "Off" is specified in the "Target Group" item in the automatic F / W update plan, a radio button 752 for designating "Select" indicating selection of the group shown in the list 751, and a radio button 753 for designating "Deselect" indicating non-selection of the group shown in the list 751. In the list 751, the group is represented by a group ID. The automatic update unit 25d shows the groups within the scope of the requester's authority in the list 751 based on the group information 24e. The radio button 752 and the radio button 753 are arranged for each group shown in the list 751. For each group, only one of the radio button 752 and the radio button 753 is always selected.

[0225] The area 760 includes a radio button 761 for designating "Update Immediately" as the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan, and a radio button 762 for designating "Update Gradually" as the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan. Only one of the radio buttons 761 to 762 is always selected.

[0226] The area 770 includes a radio button 771 for designating "Enabled" as the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan, and a radio button 772 for designating "Disabled" as the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan. Only one of the radio buttons 771 to 772 is always selected.

[0227] As shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, after the process of S223, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the cancel button 781 has been pressed (S224).

[0228] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S224 that the cancel button 781 has not been pressed, it determines whether the save button 782 has been pressed (S225).

[0229] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S225 that the save button 782 has not been pressed, it executes the process of S224.

[0230] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S225 that the save button 782 has been pressed, it stores, as an automatic F / W update plan, the content edited on the plan editing screen 700 at the time when the save button 782 was pressed in the storage unit 24 (S226).

[0231] After the process of S226, the automatic update unit 25d identifies the group to be automatically updated based on the information indicated in the "target group" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 (S227).

[0232] After the process of S227, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is newly created (S228).

[0233] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S228 that the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is newly created, it determines whether the value of the "enabled / disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is "enabled" (S229).

[0234] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S229 that the value of the "enabled / disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is "enabled", it determines whether a group whose value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected" exists in the group to be automatically updated identified in S227 (S230).

[0235] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S230 that a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it notifies the user whose email address is stored in the address information 24d and shown in the "Notification Setting" item of the automatic F / W update group setting of the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 that a new automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been created (S231). Therefore, the user who has received the notification in S231 can, for example, set the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to "Permit" via the group setting edit screen in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227. Note that when the automatic update unit 25d sends an email notification in S231 to the email address of the user shown in the "Notification Setting" item of the automatic F / W update group setting of the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected", it attaches a link to the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the page of the group setting edit screen of this automatic F / W update group setting to this email.

[0236] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S228 that the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is not newly created, that is, an existing automatic F / W update plan has been edited, it resets all of the flags 1 to 6 (S232).

[0237] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the value of the "target F / W package" item in the automatic F / W update plan has been changed by the save in S226 (S233).

[0238] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S233 that the value of the "target F / W package" item in the automatic F / W update plan has been changed by the save in S226, it sets flag 1 (S234).

[0239] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a group in which the value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 (S235).

[0240] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S235 that a group in which the value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it sets flags 2 and 4 (S236).

[0241] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S233 that the value of the "target F / W package" item in the automatic F / W update plan has not been changed by the save in S226, or determines in S235 that a group in which the value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected" does not exist in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, or if the process of S236 ends, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a new group has been added to the group targeted for automatic F / W update by the save in S226 (S237).

[0242] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S237 that a new group has been added to the group of targets for automatic F / W update by the save in S226, it determines whether there is a group in the group newly added to the group of targets for automatic F / W update by the save in S226 for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" (S238).

[0243] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S238 that there is a group in the group newly added to the group of targets for automatic F / W update by the save in S226 for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected", it sets flag 3 (S239).

[0244] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S237 that no new group has been added to the group of targets for automatic F / W update by the save in S226, or when it determines in S238 that there is no group in the group newly added to the group of targets for automatic F / W update by the save in S226 for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected", or when the process of S239 ends, it determines whether the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan has been changed by the save in S226 (S240).

[0245] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S240 that the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan has been changed by the save in S226, it sets flag 1 (S241).

[0246] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 (S242).

[0247] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S242 that a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it sets flags 2 and 5 (S243).

[0248] The automatic update unit 25d determines whether the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the automatic F / W update plan has been changed by the save in S226 in S240, or whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" does not exist in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 in S242, or after the process of S243 ends, determines whether the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been changed to "Enabled" by the save in S226 (S244).

[0249] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S244 that the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been changed to "Enabled" by the save in S226, it determines whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 (S245).

[0250] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S245 that a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it sets flag 6 (S246).

[0251] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S244 that the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has not been changed to "Enabled" by the save in S226, it determines whether the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been changed to "Disabled" by the save in S226 (S247).

[0252] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S247 that the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been changed to "Disabled" by the save in S226, it sets flag 1 (S248).

[0253] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227 (S249).

[0254] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S249 that a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" exists in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it sets flag 2 (S250).

[0255] The automatic update unit 25d determines in S245 whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" does not exist in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, or whether the process of S246 ends, or determines in S247 whether the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has not been changed to "Disabled" by the saving in S226, or determines in S249 whether a group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" does not exist in the group targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, or when the process of S250 ends, determines whether flag 2 is set (S251).

[0256] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S251 that flag 2 is set, in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update identified in S227, it sets the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to "Prohibited" (S252).

[0257] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S251 that flag 2 is not set, or when the process of S252 ends, it determines whether flag 1 is set (S253).

[0258] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S253 that flag 1 is set, for all the automatic F / W update tasks related to the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226, among which the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "Pending", it sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "Cancelled" (S254).

[0259] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S253 that flag 1 is not set, or when the process of S254 ends, it determines whether flag 3 is set (S255).

[0260] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S255 that flag 3 is set, among the groups newly added by the save in S226 to the group targeted for automatic F / W update, for the users indicated in the "Notification Settings" item of the automatic F / W update group settings of the groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group settings is "Selected", it notifies the email addresses stored in the address information 24d that this group has been newly added to the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 (S256). Therefore, the user who receives the notification in S256 can, for example, set the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to "Permit" via the group settings edit screen in the automatic F / W update group settings of the groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group settings is "Selected" among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227. Note that when the automatic update unit 25d sends an email notification in S256 to the email addresses of the users indicated in the "Notification Settings" item of the automatic F / W update group settings of the groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group settings is "Selected", it attaches a link to the URL of the page of the group settings edit screen of this automatic F / W update group settings to this email.

[0261] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S255 that flag 3 is not set, or when the process of S256 ends, it determines whether any of flags 4 to 6 is set (S257).

[0262] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S257 that any of the flags 4 to 6 is set, it creates an e-mail addressed to the e-mail address stored in the address information 24d of the user indicated in the "notification setting" item of the automatic F / W update group setting for the group targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227, among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227, where the value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected" (S258). Note that the automatic update unit 25d attaches the link to the URL of the page of the group setting edit screen of the automatic F / W update group setting for the group where the value of the "automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "selected", among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227, to this e-mail.

[0263] When the process of S258 ends, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether flag 4 is set (S259).

[0264] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S259 that flag 4 is set, it adds a message indicating that the F / W package has been changed in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to the body of the e-mail created in S258 (S260).

[0265] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S259 that flag 4 is not set or when the process of S260 ends, it determines whether flag 5 is set (S261).

[0266] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S261 that flag 5 is set, it adds a message indicating that the automatic F / W update mode has been changed in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to the body of the e-mail created in S258 (S262).

[0267] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S261 that flag 5 is not set, or when the process of S262 ends, it determines whether flag 6 is set (S263).

[0268] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S263 that flag 6 is set, it adds to the body of the e-mail created in S258 that the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 has been changed to "valid" (S264).

[0269] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S263 that flag 6 is not set, or when the process of S264 ends, it transmits the e-mail created in S258 (S265). Therefore, a user who has received the e-mail transmitted in S265 can, for example, in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" among the groups targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227, set the value of the "Plan permission / forbidden" item for the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 to "Permitted" via the group setting edit screen.

[0270] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S224 that the cancel button 781 has been pressed, or when it determines in S229 that the value of the "Valid / invalid" item in the automatic F / W update plan saved in S226 is not "valid", i.e., is "invalid", or when it determines in S230 that the group in which the value of the "Automatic F / W update setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" does not exist in the group targeted for automatic F / W update specified in S227, or when the process of S231 ends, or when it determines in S257 that none of flags 4 to 6 are set, or when the process of S265 ends, it ends the display of the plan edit screen 700 on the target user terminal (S266) and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 24 to 26.

[0271] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting the automatic F / W update plan will be described.

[0272] FIG. 28 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting the automatic F / W update plan.

[0273] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request to delete the automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter referred to as "plan deletion request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 28). When the device management system 20 receives the plan deletion request, it executes the operation shown in FIG. 28.

[0274] As shown in FIG. 28, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the user who sent the plan deletion request (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the description of FIG. 28) is equal to or higher than that of the administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S271).

[0275] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S271 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to delete the automatic F / W update plan (S272), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 28.

[0276] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S271 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it deletes the target automatic F / W update plan of the plan deletion request from the storage unit 24 (S273).

[0277] Next, for all the automatic F / W update tasks associated with the automatic F / W update plan deleted in S273 in the task information 24n, the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "Cancelled" (S274), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 28.

[0278] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when starting the execution of the automatic F / W update will be described.

[0279] FIG. 29 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when starting the execution of the automatic F / W update.

[0280] When a new automatic F / W update plan with the value of the "Enable / Disable" item being "Enabled" is newly stored in the storage unit 24, the automatic update unit 25d executes the operation shown in FIG. 29 for this automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter, referred to as the "target automatic F / W update plan" in the description of FIG. 29). Also, when the value of the "Enable / Disable" item of an existing automatic F / W update plan is changed to "Enabled", the automatic update unit 25d executes the operation shown in FIG. 29 for this automatic F / W update plan. Note that when the value of the "Enable / Disable" item of an existing automatic F / W update plan is changed to "Disabled", the automatic update unit 25d terminates the execution of the operation shown in FIG. 29 for this automatic F / W update plan.

[0281] As shown in FIG. 29, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether there is a group in the group of targets for the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "target group" in the description of FIG. 29) in which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON" (S276). Note that the automatic update unit 25d identifies the target group based on the information indicated in the "Target Group" item in the target automatic F / W update plan.

[0282] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S276 that there is a group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON", it starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON" (S277).

[0283] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S276 that there is no group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON", or when the process of S277 ends, it determines whether there is a group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted" (S278).

[0284] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S278 that there is a group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted", it starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the group among the target groups for which the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted" (S279).

[0285] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S278 that there is no group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted", or when the process of S279 ends, it determines whether there is a group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "ON" (S280).

[0286] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S280 that there is a group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "ON", it starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "ON" (S281).

[0287] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S280 that there is no group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "ON", or when the process of S281 ends, it determines whether there is a group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "Permitted" (S282).

[0288] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S282 that there is a group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "Permitted", the automatic update unit 25d starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "Permitted" (S283).

[0289] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S282 that there is no group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting has been changed to "Permitted", or when the process of S283 ends, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a new group has been added to the target group (S284).

[0290] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S284 that a new group has been added to the target group, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether there is a new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON" (S285).

[0291] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S285 that there is a new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON", it starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON" (S286).

[0292] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S285 that there is no new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "ON", or when the process of S286 ends, it determines whether there is a new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted" (S287).

[0293] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S287 that there is a new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted", it starts the execution of the automatic F / W update based on the target automatic F / W update plan for the new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted" (S288).

[0294] The automatic update unit 25d determines in S284 whether no new group has been added to the target group, or in S287 determines that there is no new group among the target groups where the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan in the automatic F / W update group setting is "Permitted", or when the process of S288 ends, executes the process of S280.

[0295] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when executing the automatic F / W update will be described.

[0296] FIG. 30 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when executing the automatic F / W update. FIG. 31 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 30.

[0297] The automatic update unit 25d executes the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 for each combination of a group and an automatic F / W update plan. Note that when the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group targeted by the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "targeted group" in the descriptions of FIGS. 30 and 31) is changed to "OFF", the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 are terminated. Also, when the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the targeted group is "Selected", and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan targeted by the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "targeted automatic F / W update plan" in the descriptions of FIGS. 30 and 31) in this automatic F / W update group setting is changed to "Prohibited", the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 are also terminated. Further, when the value of the "Enabled / Disabled" item in the targeted automatic F / W update plan is changed to "Disabled", the operations shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 are also terminated.

[0298] As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the automatic update unit 25d determines the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item of the targeted automatic F / W update plan (S291).

[0299] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S291 that the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item of the targeted automatic F / W update plan is "Gradually Update", it extracts the image forming apparatuses for which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted among all the image forming apparatuses belonging to the targeted group (S292). Here, the automatic update unit 25d determines the image forming apparatuses belonging to the targeted group based on the device information 24f.

[0300] After the process of S292, the automatic update unit 25d extracts image forming apparatuses in which the release type of the installed firmware is "official" from among all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S292 (S293).

[0301] Next, the automatic update unit 25d extracts, from among all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S293, image forming apparatuses in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the firmware within the F / W package set in the "target F / W package" item in the target automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter simply referred to as "target firmware" in the descriptions of FIGS. 30 and 31) (S294).

[0302] Next, for all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S294, the automatic update unit 25d generates an automatic F / W update task based on the target automatic F / W update plan so that the F / W update is executed over four weeks as shown in FIG. 8, and sets the scheduled execution time of this automatic F / W update task on the storage unit 24 (S295). Here, the automatic update unit 25d sets the scheduled execution time of the automatic F / W update task within the time zone indicated in the "execution time zone setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the target group.

[0303] After the process of S295, the automatic update unit 25d adds the information of the automatic F / W update task generated in S295 to the task information 24n (S296). Here, when adding information to the task information 24n in S296, the automatic update unit 25d enters "pending" as the value of the "Status" item in the information to be added.

[0304] After the process of S296, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether four weeks have elapsed since the start of the immediately preceding process of S295 (S297).

[0305] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S297 that four weeks have not elapsed since the start of the process of the immediately preceding S295, it determines whether a cancellation due to a specific cause has occurred in any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S295 (S298). The "cancellation due to a specific cause" in S298 includes cancellation due to a change in the value of the "execution time zone setting" item or the "pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting (YES in S190 and S192), cancellation due to a change in the target F / W package in the automatic F / W update plan (YES in S233 and S254), and cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode in the automatic F / W update plan (YES in S240 and S254).

[0306] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S298 that a cancellation due to a specific cause has occurred in any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S295, it determines whether the cancellation determined to have occurred in S298 is a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode (S299).

[0307] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S299 that the cancellation determined to have occurred in S298 is a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode, it executes the process of S291.

[0308] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S299 that the cancellation determined to have occurred in S298 is not a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode, it executes the process of S292.

[0309] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S298 that a cancellation due to a specific cause has not occurred in any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S295, it executes the process of S297.

[0310] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S291 that the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Mode" item in the target automatic F / W update plan is "Update Immediately", or determines in S297 that four weeks have elapsed since the start of the process in the immediately preceding S295, it extracts image forming apparatuses in which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted from among all the image forming apparatuses belonging to the target group (S300). Here, the automatic update unit 25d determines the image forming apparatuses belonging to the target group based on the device information 24f.

[0311] After the process of S300, the automatic update unit 25d extracts image forming apparatuses in which the release type of the installed firmware is "Official" from among all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S300 (S301).

[0312] Next, the automatic update unit 25d extracts image forming apparatuses in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the target firmware from among all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S301 (S302).

[0313] Next, for all the image forming apparatuses extracted in S302, the automatic update unit 25d generates an automatic F / W update task based on the target automatic F / W update plan so that the F / W update is executed over a period of one week, and sets the scheduled execution time of this automatic F / W update task and stores it on the storage unit 24 (S303).

[0314] After the process of S303, the automatic update unit 25d adds the information of the automatic F / W update task generated in S303 to the task information 24n (S304). Here, when adding information to the task information 24n in S304, the automatic update unit 25d enters "Pending" as the value of the "Status" item in the information to be added.

[0315] After the process of S304, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether one week has elapsed since the start of the process of the immediately preceding S303 (S305).

[0316] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S305 that one week has not elapsed since the start of the process of the immediately preceding S303, it determines whether any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S303 has been canceled due to a specific cause (S306). The "cancellation due to a specific cause" in S306 is the same as the "cancellation due to a specific cause" in S298.

[0317] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S306 that any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S303 has been canceled due to a specific cause, it determines whether the cancellation determined to have occurred in S306 is a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode (S307).

[0318] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S307 that the cancellation determined to have occurred in S306 is a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode, it executes the process of S291.

[0319] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S307 that the cancellation determined to have occurred in S306 is not a cancellation due to a change in the automatic F / W update mode, it executes the process of S300.

[0320] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S306 that any of the automatic F / W update tasks generated in the immediately preceding S303 has not been canceled due to a specific cause, it executes the process of S305.

[0321] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S305 that one week has elapsed since the start of the process of the immediately preceding S303, it executes the process of S300.

[0322] As described with reference to FIGS. 30 and 31, for "update immediately", the length of one cycle of executing one automatically generated F / W update task for all the image forming apparatuses in the target group is always one week from the first cycle. For "update gradually", the length of one cycle is four weeks for the first cycle, but is always one week from the second cycle onward.

[0323] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when managing the automatic F / W update task will be described.

[0324] FIG. 32 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when managing the automatic F / W update task.

[0325] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request for display of a screen for managing the automatic F / W update task (hereinafter referred to as the "task management screen") (hereinafter referred to as the "task management screen display request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as the "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 32). When the automatic update unit 25d of the device management system 20 receives the task management screen display request, it executes the operation shown in FIG. 32.

[0326] As shown in FIG. 32, the automatic update unit 25d causes the target user terminal to display the task management screen by transmitting the data of the task management screen to the target user terminal (S311).

[0327] FIG. 33 is a diagram showing an example of the task management screen 810 displayed on the user terminal in the operation shown in FIG. 32.

[0328] As shown in FIG. 33, the task management screen 810 includes a list 811 showing a list of automatic F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24, text boxes 812a, 812b, 812c, and 812d into which text used for a search filter for searching for automatic F / W update tasks is input, and a "Cancel Selected Task" button 813 for canceling the automatic F / W update task selected in the list 811.

[0329] The list 811 shows, for each automatic F / W update task, for example, the task ID of the automatic F / W update task, "Status" indicating the status of the automatic F / W update task, "Serial number" which is identification information of the image forming apparatus targeted by the automatic F / W update task and is information set by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, "Asset number" which is identification information of the image forming apparatus targeted by the automatic F / W update task and is information set by the device user, and "Group" indicating the group to which the image forming apparatus targeted by the automatic F / W update task belongs. In the list 811, the group is represented by a group ID. The automatic update unit 25d can display only the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses belonging to the group within the authority range of the requester (hereinafter referred to as the "requester" in the description of FIG. 32) who has transmitted the task management screen display request, based on the user ID of the requester, the authorization information 24c, and the device information 24f, among the automatic F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24, in the list 811.

[0330] The text boxes 812a, 812b, 812c, and 812d are for inputting text used in search filters by "Status", "Serial number", "Asset number", and "Group", respectively. When multiple search filters are specified, the automatic update section 25d performs an AND search. When text is input into any of the text boxes 812a, 812b, 812c, and 812d, the list 811 displays only the automatic F / W update tasks narrowed down by the search filter corresponding to the input text.

[0331] The "Cancel selected task" button 813 can be operated only when only the automatic F / W update tasks with the value of the "Status" item being "Pending" in the list 811 are selected.

[0332] As shown in FIG. 32, when the process of S311 ends, the automatic update section 25d determines whether the "Cancel selected task" button 813 has been pressed (S312).

[0333] If the automatic update section 25d determines that the "Cancel selected task" button 813 has not been pressed, it determines whether the task management screen 810 has been closed (S313).

[0334] If the automatic update section 25d determines in S313 that the task management screen 810 has not been closed, it executes the process of S312.

[0335] If the automatic update section 25d determines in S312 that the "Cancel selected task" button 813 has been pressed, it determines whether the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the service person in the same manner as the process of S121 based on the user ID of this requester and the authorization information 24c (S314).

[0336] If it is determined in S314 that the authority of the requester is not higher than that of the service person, the automatic update unit 25d causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to cancel the automatic F / W update task (S315), and executes the process of S312.

[0337] If it is determined in S314 that the authority of the requester is higher than that of the service person, when the "Cancel Selected Task" button 813 is pressed, for the automatic F / W update task selected in the list 811, the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is set to "Cancel" (S316), and the process of S312 is executed.

[0338] If it is determined in S313 that the task management screen 810 has been closed, the automatic update unit 25d ends the operation shown in FIG. 32.

[0339] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting an image forming apparatus from the management target will be described.

[0340] FIG. 34 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting an image forming apparatus from the management target.

[0341] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request to delete an image forming apparatus from the management target (hereinafter referred to as "device deletion request") to the device management system 20 via a user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 34). When the device management system 20 receives the device deletion request, it executes the operation shown in FIG. 34.

[0342] As shown in FIG. 34, the device management unit 25f determines whether the authority of the user who sent the device deletion request (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the description of FIG. 34) is higher than that of an administrator in the same manner as the process of S125 (S321).

[0343] If the device management unit 25f determines in S321 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of an administrator, the device management unit 25f causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to delete the image forming apparatus from the management target (S322), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 34.

[0344] If the device management unit 25f determines in S321 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of an administrator, the device management unit 25f deletes the image forming apparatus that is the target of the device deletion request from the device information 24f (S323).

[0345] Next, for all the automatic F / W update tasks associated in the task information 24n with the image forming apparatus deleted from the device information 24f in S323, and for which the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "pending", the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "canceled" (S324), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 34.

[0346] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting the group to which the image forming apparatus belongs will be described.

[0347] FIG. 35 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when deleting the group to which the image forming apparatus belongs.

[0348] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request to delete the group to which the image forming apparatus belongs (hereinafter referred to as "group deletion request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 35). When the device management system 20 receives the group deletion request, the device management system 20 executes the operation shown in FIG. 35.

[0349] As shown in FIG. 35, the device management unit 25f determines whether the authority of the user (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the description of FIG. 35) who sent the group deletion request is equal to or higher than that of an administrator in the same manner as the process in S125 (S325).

[0350] If the device management unit 25f determines in S325 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it causes the user terminal of the target to display that the requester does not have the authority to delete the group (S326), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 35.

[0351] If the device management unit 25f determines in S325 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator, it deletes the group targeted by the group deletion request from the group information 24e (S327).

[0352] Next, for all the automatic F / W update tasks associated in the task information 24n with the image forming apparatuses belonging to the group deleted from the group information 24e in S327, the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "Cancelled" (S328), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 35.

[0353] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when performing pre-printing on the non-relay image forming apparatus will be described.

[0354] FIG. 36 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when performing pre-printing on the non-relay image forming apparatus.

[0355] The automatic update unit 25d executes the operation shown in FIG. 36 for each combination of the non-relay image forming apparatus and the automatic F / W update task.

[0356] As shown in FIG. 36, for the automatic F / W update task targeted by the operation shown in FIG. 36 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "target automatic F / W update task" in the description of FIG. 36), the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "Pending" (S331).

[0357] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S331 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is not "Pending" for the target automatic F / W update task, it ends the operation shown in FIG. 36.

[0358] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S331 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "Pending" for the target automatic F / W update task, it determines whether it is 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task (S332).

[0359] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S332 that it is not 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task, it executes the process of S331.

[0360] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S332 that it is 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task, it determines whether the value of the "Pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target image forming apparatus" in the description of FIG. 36) belongs is "ON" (S333). Here, the automatic update unit 25d determines the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs based on the device information 24f.

[0361] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S333 that the value of the "Pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs is "ON", it determines based on the device information 24f whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the target image forming apparatus (S334).

[0362] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S334 that F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is "official" based on the device information 24f (S335).

[0363] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S335 that the release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is "official", it determines whether the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is older than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task based on the device information 24f (S336).

[0364] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S336 that the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is older than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task, it generates print data for notifying that the execution of the F / W update in the automatic F / W update will start at the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task (S337). Here, as the language of the notification in S337, the automatic update unit 25d uses the language indicated in the "language setting" item of the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs.

[0365] After the process of S337, the automatic update unit 25d transmits the print data generated in S337 to the target image forming apparatus (S338).

[0366] Note that even if the transmission in S338 fails or the printing in the target image forming apparatus based on the print data transmitted in S338 fails, the automatic update unit 25d does not transmit the print data generated in S337 to the target image forming apparatus again.

[0367] The automatic update unit 25d determines in S333 whether the value of the "pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs is not "ON", or determines in S334 whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is not permitted for the target image forming apparatus, or determines in S335 whether the acquired release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is not "official", or determines in S336 whether the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is not older than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task. When the process of S338 ends, the operation shown in FIG. 36 ends.

[0368] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when an automatic F / W update task is executed for an image forming apparatus without mediation will be described.

[0369] FIG. 37 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when an automatic F / W update task is executed for an image forming apparatus without mediation. FIG. 38 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 37.

[0370] The automatic update unit 25d of the device management system 20 executes the operations shown in FIGS. 37 and 38 for each automatic F / W update task for an image forming apparatus without mediation among the automatic F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24.

[0371] As shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, for the automatic F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target automatic F / W update task" in the description of FIGS. 37 and 38) that is the target of the operations shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "pending" (S341).

[0372] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S341 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is not "pending" for the target automatic F / W update task, it ends the operations shown in FIGS. 37 and 38.

[0373] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S341 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "pending" for the target automatic F / W update task, it determines whether the scheduled execution time set for the target automatic F / W update task has arrived (S342).

[0374] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S342 that the scheduled execution time set for the target automatic F / W update task has not arrived, it executes the process of S341.

[0375] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S342 that the scheduled execution time set for the target automatic F / W update task has arrived, it sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "awaiting execution" for the target automatic F / W update task (S343).

[0376] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether there is a previous F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as "previous F / W update task") for the target image forming apparatus of the target automatic F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as "target image forming apparatus" in the descriptions of FIGS. 37 and 38) in which the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is set to "awaiting execution" or "executing" prior to the target automatic F / W update task and has not yet been set to "success" or "failure". It determines whether there is a previous F / W update task for the target image forming apparatus until it determines that there is none (S344).

[0377] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S344 that there is no prior F / W update task for the target image forming apparatus, it determines based on the device information 24f whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the target image forming apparatus (S345).

[0378] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S345 that F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the target image forming apparatus, it determines based on the device information 24f whether the release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is "official" (S346).

[0379] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S346 that the release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is "official", it determines based on the device information 24f whether the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is older than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (S347).

[0380] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S347 that the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is older than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task, it requests execution of F / W update for the target image forming apparatus using the F / W package specified by the package ID set for the target automatic F / W update task among the F / W packages stored in the storage unit 24 (S348). Note that the image forming apparatus may not be able to start execution of F / W update in specific cases, for example, when printing is in progress.

[0381] After the process of S348, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the target image forming apparatus has notified that it has been able to start the execution of the F / W update (S349). For example, when the image forming apparatus is in the middle of executing printing, when the printing ends, the image forming apparatus starts the execution of the F / W update and notifies the device management system 20 that it has been able to start the execution of the F / W update.

[0382] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S349 that the target image forming apparatus has not notified that it has been able to start the execution of the F / W update, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether a specific situation has occurred in which the execution of the F / W update is not started in the target image forming apparatus (S350). Here, as the specific situation, for example, there is a situation where the target image forming apparatus is in a state of temporarily connecting to the device management system 20 only at the timing when the image forming apparatus transmits information of the image forming apparatus such as the number of printed sheets to the device management system 20.

[0383] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S350 that a specific situation in which the execution of the F / W update is not started in the target image forming apparatus has not occurred, the automatic update unit 25d executes the process of S349.

[0384] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S349 that the target image forming apparatus has notified that it has been able to start the execution of the F / W update, for the target automatic F / W update task, the automatic update unit 25d sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "executing" (S351).

[0385] After the process of S351, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has been successful (S352). Here, the automatic update unit 25d can determine in S352 that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has been successful when the target image forming apparatus notifies that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has been successful.

[0386] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S352 that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has not been successful, it determines whether the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has failed (S353). Here, when it is notified from the target image forming apparatus that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has failed, the automatic update unit 25d can determine in S353 that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has failed.

[0387] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S353 that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has not failed, it determines whether it has not been notified from the target image forming apparatus that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 is in progress for a specific time, such as 45 minutes (S354). Here, when the target image forming apparatus is executing the F / W update requested for execution in S348 from the device management system 20, it notifies the device management system 20 that the F / W update is in progress, for example, every minute.

[0388] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S354 that it has not been the case that it has not been notified from the target image forming apparatus that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 is in progress for a specific time, it executes the process of S352.

[0389] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S352 that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has been successful, it sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "success" for the target automatic F / W update task (S355).

[0390] The automatic update unit 25d determines in S345 whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is not permitted for the target image forming apparatus, or determines in S346 whether the release type of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is not "official", or determines in S347 whether the F / W version of the firmware installed in the target image forming apparatus is not older than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task, or determines in S350 whether a specific situation has occurred in which the execution of the F / W update is not started in the target image forming apparatus, or determines in S353 whether the F / W update requested for execution in S348 has failed, or determines in S354 whether it has not been notified from the target image forming apparatus for a specific time that the F / W update requested for execution in S348 is being executed, and then sets the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n to "failed" for the target automatic F / W update task (S356).

[0391] The automatic update unit 25d determines in S341 whether the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n is not "pending" for the target automatic F / W update task, and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 37 and 38 when the processing of S355 or S356 ends.

[0392] The operation of the device management system 20 when the automatic update unit 25d executes an automatic F / W update task for an image forming apparatus without mediation has been described above.

[0393] The automatic update unit 25d executes a test F / W update task for the non-mediated image forming apparatus in the same manner as when executing an automatic F / W update task for the non-mediated image forming apparatus. Here, since no specific execution scheduled time is set for the test F / W update task, the automatic update unit 25d immediately determines that the execution scheduled time set for the test F / W update task has arrived with respect to the test F / W update task stored in the storage unit 24.

[0394] Also, the manual update unit 25c executes a manual F / W update task for the non-mediated image forming apparatus in the same manner as when the automatic update unit 25d executes an automatic F / W update task for the non-mediated image forming apparatus. However, when the manual update unit 25c executes the manual F / W update task, it does not execute the processes corresponding to S346 to S347, and immediately executes the process corresponding to S348 when it determines in the process corresponding to S345 that F / W update using the device management system 20 for the target image forming apparatus is permitted.

[0395] Next, the operation of the information processing system 10 when the mediation apparatus periodically requests an F / W update task to the device management system 20 will be described.

[0396] FIG. 39 is a flowchart of the operation of the mediation apparatus when periodically requesting an F / W update task to the device management system 20.

[0397] As shown in FIG. 39, the F / W update unit of the mediation apparatus determines whether or not a periodic time has elapsed until it determines that a periodic time has elapsed (S361). Here, the periodic time is, for example, a time every three hours.

[0398] When the F / W update unit determines at S361 that a regular time has elapsed, it requests the device management system 20 to perform all F / W update tasks for each of all the image forming apparatuses indicated in the device information stored by the mediation apparatus itself, that is, all the image forming apparatuses managed by the mediation apparatus itself (S362).

[0399] FIG. 40 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when an F / W update task is requested from the mediation apparatus. FIG. 41 is a flowchart that continues the flowchart shown in FIG. 40.

[0400] When an F / W update task is requested from the mediation apparatus, the task management unit 25e of the device management system 20 executes the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0401] As shown in FIGS. 40 and 41, the task management unit 25e determines whether there is an unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the mediation apparatus that is the source of the request for the F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as the "requesting mediation apparatus" in the description of FIGS. 40 and 41) among the F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24 (S381). Here, the task management unit 25e determines the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation apparatus based on the device information 24f, and determines the F / W update task for the image forming apparatus based on the task information 24n. Further, the task management unit 25e determines an F / W update task whose "Status" item value in the task information 24n is "pending" as an unexecuted F / W update task.

[0402] When the task management unit 25e determines in S381 that there is an unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation apparatus among the F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24, it determines whether there is an F / W update task for the image forming apparatus for which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted in the unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation apparatus (S382). Here, the task management unit 25e determines whether F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted for the image forming apparatus based on the device information 24f.

[0403] When the task management unit 25e determines in S382 that there is an F / W update task for the image forming apparatus for which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted in the unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation apparatus, it extracts only the F / W update task for the image forming apparatus for which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted from the unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation apparatus (S383).

[0404] After the process of S383, the task management unit 25e determines whether there is a test F / W update task or an automatic F / W update task in the F / W update task extracted in S383 (S384).

[0405] When the task management unit 25e determines in S384 that there is no test F / W update task or automatic F / W update task in the F / W update task extracted in S383, it transmits an F / W update task other than the test F / W update task or the automatic F / W update task, that is, a manual F / W update task, to the requesting mediation apparatus (S385), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0406] When the task management unit 25e determines in S384 that there is a test F / W update task or an automatic F / W update task in the F / W update task extracted in S383, it extracts the test F / W update task and the automatic F / W update task from the F / W update task extracted in S383 (S386).

[0407] Next, the task management unit 25e determines whether there is an F / W update task for an image forming apparatus in which the release type of the installed firmware is "official" in the test F / W update task and the automatic F / W update task extracted in S386 (S387). Here, the task management unit 25e determines whether the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus is "official" based on the device information 24f.

[0408] When the task management unit 25e determines in S387 that there is an F / W update task for an image forming apparatus in which the release type of the installed firmware is "official" in the test F / W update task and the automatic F / W update task extracted in S386, it extracts only the F / W update task for an image forming apparatus in which the release type of the installed firmware is "official" from the test F / W update task and the automatic F / W update task extracted in S386 (S388).

[0409] Next, the task management unit 25e determines whether there is an F / W update task for an image forming apparatus in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the F / W version set for the target F / W update task among the F / W update tasks extracted in S388 (S389). Here, the task management unit 25e determines whether the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus is older than the F / W version set for the target F / W update task based on the device information 24f.

[0410] If the task management unit 25e determines in S389 that there is an F / W update task for an image forming apparatus in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the F / W version set for the target F / W update task among the F / W update tasks extracted in S388, the task management unit 25e extracts only the F / W update tasks for image forming apparatuses in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the F / W version set for the target F / W update task from the F / W update tasks extracted in S388 (S390).

[0411] Next, the task management unit 25e determines whether there is a manual F / W update task among the F / W update tasks extracted in S383 (S391).

[0412] If the task management unit 25e determines in S391 that there is a manual F / W update task among the F / W update tasks extracted in S383, the task management unit 25e transmits the F / W update tasks extracted in S390 and the manual F / W update tasks extracted in S383 to the requesting mediation apparatus (S392), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0413] If the task management unit 25e determines in S391 that there is no manual F / W update task for the F / W update task extracted in S383, it transmits the F / W update task extracted in S390 to the requesting mediation device (S393) and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0414] If the task management unit 25e determines in S381 that there is no unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation device among the F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24, or determines in S382 that there is no F / W update task for the image forming apparatus for which F / W update using the device management system 20 is permitted among the unexecuted F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatus managed by the requesting mediation device, or determines in S387 that there is no F / W update task for the image forming apparatus in which the release type of the installed firmware is "official" among the test F / W update tasks and automatic F / W update tasks extracted in S386, or determines in S389 that there is no F / W update task for the image forming apparatus in which the F / W version of the installed firmware is older than the F / W version set for the target F / W update task among the F / W update tasks extracted in S388, it transmits a notification to the requesting mediation device that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted (S394) and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0415] Note that even if the task management unit 25e transmits the F / W update tasks stored in the storage unit 24 to the mediation device, it does not delete these F / W update tasks from the storage unit 24.

[0416] As shown in FIG. 39, after the process of S362, the F / W update unit of the mediation device determines whether it has received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted (S363).

[0417] If the F / W update unit determines in S363 that it has not received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, it determines whether it has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20 (S364).

[0418] If the F / W update unit determines in S364 that it has not received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, it executes the process of S363.

[0419] If the F / W update unit determines in S364 that it has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, it determines whether there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S365). Here, the F / W update unit identifies the F / W update task by the task ID set in the F / W update task.

[0420] If the F / W update unit determines in S365 that there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, it stores in the storage unit of the mediation device itself the F / W update tasks that are not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S366).

[0421] If the F / W update unit determines in S363 that it has received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, or determines in S365 that there is no F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, or when the process of S366 ends, it executes the process of S361.

[0422] Next, the operation of the mediation device when performing pre-printing on the image forming apparatus it manages will be described.

[0423] FIG. 42 is a flowchart of the operation of the mediation device when performing pre-printing on the image forming apparatus it manages.

[0424] The F / W update unit of the mediation device executes the operation shown in FIG. 42 for each combination of the image forming apparatus managed by the mediation device itself and the automatic F / W update task stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself.

[0425] As shown in FIG. 42, the F / W update unit determines whether it has reached 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the automatic F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target automatic F / W update task" in the description of FIG. 42) until it determines that it has reached 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the automatic F / W update task (S401).

[0426] When the F / W update unit determines in S401 that it has reached 12 hours before the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task, it inquires of the device management system 20 to determine whether the value of the "pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target image forming apparatus" in the description of FIG. 42) that is the target of the operation shown in FIG. 42 belongs is "ON" (S402).

[0427] When the F / W update unit determines in S402 that the value of the "pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs is "ON", it requests the device management system 20 for all F / W update tasks for each of all the image forming apparatuses indicated in the device information stored by the mediation device itself, that is, all the image forming apparatuses managed by the mediation device itself (S403). Accordingly, the task management unit 25e of the device management system 20 executes the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0428] As shown in FIG. 42, after the processing of S403, the F / W update unit of the mediation device determines whether it has received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted (S404).

[0429] If it is determined in S404 that the F / W update unit has not received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, the F / W update unit determines whether it has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20 (S405).

[0430] If it is determined in S405 that the F / W update unit has not received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, the F / W update unit executes the processing of S404.

[0431] If it is determined in S405 that the F / W update unit has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, the F / W update unit determines whether there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S406). Here, the F / W update unit identifies the F / W update task by the task ID set in the F / W update task.

[0432] If it is determined in S406 that there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, the F / W update unit stores in the storage unit of the mediation device itself the F / W update tasks that are not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S407).

[0433] If the F / W update unit determines in S406 that there is no F / W update task in the storage unit of the mediation device itself that does not exist in the F / W update task received from the device management system 20, or when the process of S407 ends, it determines whether the target automatic F / W update task exists in the F / W update task received from the device management system 20 (S408). Here, the F / W update unit identifies the F / W update task by the task ID set in the F / W update task.

[0434] If the F / W update unit determines in S408 that the target automatic F / W update task exists in the F / W update task received from the device management system 20, it generates print data for notifying that the execution of the F / W update in the automatic F / W update will start at the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task (S409). Here, the F / W update unit inquires the device management system 20 about the language indicated in the "Language Setting" item of the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs, and uses the language replied from the device management system 20 as the language of the notification in S409.

[0435] After the process of S409, the F / W update unit transmits the print data generated in S409 to the target image forming apparatus (S410).

[0436] Note that even if the transmission in S410 fails or the printing in the target image forming apparatus based on the print data transmitted in S410 fails, the F / W update unit does not transmit the print data generated in S409 to the target image forming apparatus again.

[0437] The F / W update unit determines in S402 that the value of the "Pre-print setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the group to which the target image forming apparatus belongs is not "ON", or determines in S404 that it has received a notification from the device management system 20 indicating that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, or determines in S408 that the target automatic F / W update task does not exist in the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20. When the process of S410 ends, the operation shown in FIG. 42 ends.

[0438] Next, the operation of the mediation device when executing an automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus it manages will be described.

[0439] FIG. 43 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the mediation device when executing an automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus it manages. FIG. 44 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 43.

[0440] The F / W update unit of the mediation device executes the operations shown in FIGS. 43 and 44 for each automatic F / W update task stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself.

[0441] As shown in FIGS. 43 and 44, the F / W update unit of the mediation device determines whether the scheduled execution time set for the target automatic F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target automatic F / W update task" in the description of FIGS. 43 and 44) has arrived until it determines that the scheduled execution time has arrived (S421).

[0442] When the F / W update unit determines in S421 that the scheduled execution time of the target automatic F / W update task has arrived, it requests all F / W update tasks for each of all the image forming apparatuses indicated in the device information stored by the mediation apparatus itself, that is, all the image forming apparatuses managed by the mediation apparatus itself, from the device management system 20 (S422). Accordingly, the task management unit 25e of the device management system 20 executes the operations shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

[0443] As shown in FIGS. 43 and 44, after the process of S422, the F / W update unit of the mediation apparatus determines whether it has received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted (S423).

[0444] When the F / W update unit determines in S423 that it has not received from the device management system 20 a notification that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, it determines whether it has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20 (S424).

[0445] When the F / W update unit determines in S424 that it has not received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, it executes the process of S423.

[0446] When the F / W update unit determines in S424 that it has received an F / W update task from the device management system 20, it determines whether there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation apparatus itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S425). Here, the F / W update unit identifies the F / W update task by the task ID set in the F / W update task.

[0447] If the F / W update unit determines in S425 that there is an F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, the F / W update unit stores, in the storage unit of the mediation device itself, the F / W update tasks that are not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S426).

[0448] If the F / W update unit determines in S425 that there is no F / W update task that is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, or if the process of S426 ends, the F / W update unit determines whether the target automatic F / W update task exists among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20 (S427). Here, the F / W update unit identifies the F / W update task by the task ID set in the F / W update task.

[0449] If the F / W update unit determines in S427 that the target automatic F / W update task exists among the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, the F / W update unit determines whether the F / W package specified by the package ID set in the target automatic F / W update task (hereinafter referred to as the "target F / W package" in the descriptions of FIGS. 43 and 44) is stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself (S428).

[0450] If the F / W update unit determines in S428 that the target F / W package is not stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself, the F / W update unit downloads the target F / W package from the device management system 20 using the link for package download set in the target automatic F / W update task (S429). That is, the F / W update unit acquires the target F / W package from the device management system 20 and stores the acquired F / W package in the storage unit of the mediation device itself.

[0451] When the F / W update unit determines in S428 that the target F / W package is stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself, or when the process of S429 ends, it uses the target F / W package stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself to request the target image forming apparatus (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "target image forming apparatus" in the descriptions of FIGS. 43 and 44) of the target automatic F / W update task to execute the F / W update (S430). Note that the image forming apparatus may not be able to start the execution of the F / W update in a specific case, such as when printing is being executed.

[0452] After the process of S430, the F / W update unit determines whether it has been notified by the target image forming apparatus that the execution of the F / W update has started (S431). For example, when the image forming apparatus was in the middle of executing printing, when printing ends, it starts the execution of the F / W update and notifies the mediation device that it has been able to start the execution of the F / W update.

[0453] If the F / W update unit determines in S431 that it has not been notified by the target image forming apparatus that the execution of the F / W update has started, it determines whether a specific situation has occurred in which the execution of the F / W update is not started in the target image forming apparatus (S432).

[0454] If the F / W update unit determines in S432 that a specific situation in which the execution of the F / W update is not started in the target image forming apparatus has not occurred, it executes the process of S431.

[0455] If the F / W update unit determines in S431 that it has been notified by the target image forming apparatus that the execution of the F / W update has started, it transmits "executing" as the value of the "Status" item of the task information to the device management system 20 for the target automatic F / W update task (S433).

[0456] After the process of S433, the F / W update unit determines whether the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has succeeded (S434). Here, the F / W update unit can determine in S434 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has succeeded when it is notified from the target image forming apparatus that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has succeeded.

[0457] If the F / W update unit determines in S434 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has not succeeded, it determines whether the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has failed (S435). Here, the F / W update unit can determine in S435 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has failed when it is notified from the target image forming apparatus that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has failed.

[0458] If the F / W update unit determines in S435 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has not failed, it determines whether one minute has elapsed since it immediately sent "In Execution" as the value of the "Status" item of the task information to the device management system 20 for the target automatic F / W update task (S436).

[0459] If the F / W update unit determines in S436 that one minute has not elapsed since it immediately sent "In Execution" as the value of the "Status" item of the task information to the device management system 20 for the target automatic F / W update task, it executes the process of S434.

[0460] If the F / W update unit determines in S436 that one minute has elapsed since it immediately sent "In Execution" as the value of the "Status" item of the task information to the device management system 20 for the target automatic F / W update task, it executes the process of S433.

[0461] When the F / W update unit determines at S434 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has been successful, for the target automatic F / W update task, it transmits "success" as the value of the "Status" item in the task information to the device management system 20 (S437).

[0462] When the F / W update unit determines at S432 that a specific situation has occurred where the execution of the F / W update has not started in the target image forming apparatus, or determines at S435 that the F / W update requested for execution in S430 has failed, for the target automatic F / W update task, it transmits "failure" as the value of the "Status" item in the task information to the device management system 20 (S438).

[0463] When the F / W update unit determines at S423 that it has received a notification from the device management system 20 that there is no F / W update task to be transmitted, or determines at S427 that the target automatic F / W update task does not exist in the F / W update tasks received from the device management system 20, or when the processing of S437 or S438 ends, it ends the operations shown in FIGS. 43 and 44.

[0464] In the above, the operation of the mediation device when the F / W update unit executes an automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus having mediation has been described.

[0465] The F / W update unit executes a test F / W update task for the image forming apparatus having mediation in the same manner as when executing an automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus having mediation. Here, since no specific execution scheduled time is set for the test F / W update task, the F / W update unit immediately determines that the execution scheduled time set for the test F / W update task has arrived for the test F / W update task stored in the storage unit of the mediation device itself.

[0466] Further, the F / W update unit executes a manual F / W update task for the image forming apparatus with a mediator in the same manner as when executing an automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus with a mediator.

[0467] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when setting the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n of the F / W update task for the image forming apparatus with a mediator will be described.

[0468] FIG. 45 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when setting the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n of the F / W update task for the image forming apparatus with a mediator.

[0469] The task management unit 25e of the device management system 20 executes the operation shown in FIG. 45 for each F / W update task for the image forming apparatus with a mediator.

[0470] As shown in FIG. 45, the task management unit 25e determines whether or not the scheduled execution time set for the target F / W update task (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target F / W update task" in the description of FIG. 45) has arrived until it is determined that the scheduled execution time has arrived (S441).

[0471] When it is determined in S441 that the scheduled execution time set for the target F / W update task has arrived, the F / W update unit determines whether or not the value of the "Status" item of the task information has been transmitted from the mediator device for a specific time from the scheduled execution time set for the target F / W update task (S442). Here, the specific time is, for example, 30 minutes.

[0472] When the F / W update unit determines in S442 that the value of the "Status" item of the task information has been sent from the mediation device within a specific time from the scheduled execution time set for the target F / W update task, it determines whether "In progress" has been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task (S443).

[0473] When the task management unit 25e determines in S443 that "In progress" has been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task, it sets the value of the "Status" item of the task information 24n to "In progress" for the target F / W update task (S444).

[0474] When the task management unit 25e determines in S443 that "In progress" has not been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task, or when the process of S444 ends, it determines whether "Success" has been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task (S445).

[0475] When the task management unit 25e determines in S445 that "Success" has not been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task, it determines whether "Failure" has been sent from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item of the task information for the target F / W update task (S446).

[0476] When the task management unit 25e determines in S446 that, for the target F / W update task, "failure" has not been transmitted from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item in the task information, it determines whether a specific time has elapsed since "in progress" was transmitted from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item in the task information for the target F / W update task (S447). Here, the specific time is a time exceeding 1 minute, which is the determination criterion for the process of S436, for example, 10 minutes.

[0477] When the task management unit 25e determines in S447 that, for the target F / W update task, a specific time has not elapsed since "in progress" was transmitted from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item in the task information, it executes the process of S442.

[0478] When the task management unit 25e determines in S445 that, for the target F / W update task, "success" has been transmitted from the mediation device, it sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "success" for the target F / W update task (S448).

[0479] When the task management unit 25e determines in S442 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information has not been transmitted from the mediation device for a specific time from the scheduled execution time set for the target F / W update task, or determines in S446 that, for the target F / W update task, "failure" has been transmitted from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item in the task information, or determines in S447 that a specific time has elapsed since "in progress" was transmitted from the mediation device as the value of the "Status" item in the task information for the target F / W update task, it sets the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n to "failure" for the target F / W update task (S449).

[0480] When the processing of S448 or S449 ends, the task management unit 25e ends the operation shown in FIG. 45.

[0481] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when showing the progress of the F / W update by the automatic F / W update plan will be described.

[0482] FIG. 46 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when showing the progress of the F / W update by the automatic F / W update plan.

[0483] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can specify a specific automatic F / W update plan and send a request to check the progress of the F / W update by this automatic F / W update plan (hereinafter referred to as "progress check request") to the device management system 20 via the user terminal (hereinafter referred to as "target user terminal" in the description of FIG. 46). When the automatic update unit 25d of the device management system 20 receives the progress check request, it executes the operation shown in FIG. 46.

[0484] As shown in FIG. 46, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the authority of the user who sent the progress check request (hereinafter referred to as "requester" in the description of FIG. 46) is equal to or higher than that of an administrator based on the user ID of this requester and the authorization information 24c in the same manner as the processing of S125 (S461).

[0485] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S461 that the authority of the requester is not equal to or higher than that of an administrator, it causes the target user terminal to display that the requester does not have the authority to check the progress of the F / W update by the automatic F / W update plan (S462), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 46.

[0486] When it is determined in S461 that the authority of the requester is equal to or higher than that of the administrator, the automatic update unit 25d transmits data of a screen (hereinafter referred to as the "progress status screen") showing the progress status of the F / W update according to the automatic F / W update plan for the progress status confirmation request to the target user terminal, causing the target user terminal to display the progress status screen (S463), and ends the operation shown in FIG. 46.

[0487] FIG. 47 is a diagram showing an example of the progress status screen 820 displayed on the user terminal in the operation shown in FIG. 46.

[0488] As shown in FIG. 47, the progress status screen 820 includes a "Success" item indicating the number of image forming apparatuses that have successfully updated the F / W based on the automatic F / W update plan, a "Skip" item indicating the number of image forming apparatuses that have skipped the F / W update based on the automatic F / W update plan, a "Failure" item indicating the number of image forming apparatuses that have failed to update the F / W based on the automatic F / W update plan, a "Not Target" item indicating the number of image forming apparatuses that are not targets of the F / W update based on the automatic F / W update plan, an "Execution Pending" item indicating the number of image forming apparatuses waiting to execute the F / W update based on the automatic F / W update plan, and a "Total" item indicating the total number of image forming apparatuses targeted by the automatic F / W update plan.

[0489] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when updating the progress status screen 820 will be described.

[0490] FIG. 48 is a partial flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when updating the progress status screen 820. FIG. 49 is a continuation flowchart of the flowchart shown in FIG. 48.

[0491] The automatic update unit 25d updates the progress status shown on the progress status screen 820 at least daily. The automatic update unit 25d executes the operations shown in FIGS. 48 and 49 at the timing of updating the progress status screen 820.

[0492] As shown in FIGS. 48 and 49, the automatic update unit 25d sets the values of the "Success" item, "Skip" item, "Failure" item, "Excluded" item, "Pending Execution" item, and "Total" item to 0 (S481).

[0493] Next, based on the information shown in the "Target Group" item in the target automatic F / W update plan on the progress status screen 820 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "target automatic F / W update plan" in the descriptions of FIGS. 48 and 49), the automatic update unit 25d identifies the group of devices to be automatically updated by the target automatic F / W update plan (S482).

[0494] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether at least one group has been identified in S482 (S483).

[0495] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S483 that at least one group has been identified in S482, it targets only one group among the groups identified in S482 that has not yet been targeted in the operations shown in FIGS. 48 and 49 this time (S484).

[0496] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether at least one image forming apparatus belongs to the current target group (S485).

[0497] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S485 that at least one image forming apparatus belongs to the current target group, it targets only one image forming apparatus among the image forming apparatuses belonging to the current target group that has not yet been targeted in the operations shown in FIGS. 48 and 49 this time (S486).

[0498] Next, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether there is an automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus (S487).

[0499] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S487 that there is no automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the reason why the automatic F / W update task has not been generated in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus corresponds to the reason of "excluded" (S488). Here, the reasons corresponding to "excluded" include, for example, the reason that the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the current target group is "OFF", and in the automatic F / W update group setting of the current target group, the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item is "Selected", and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the automatic F / W update plan of the target is "Prohibited", and the reason that F / W update using the device management system 20 has not been permitted for the current target image forming apparatus, and the reason that the release type of the firmware installed in the current target image forming apparatus is not "Official".

[0500] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S488 that the reason why the automatic F / W update task has not been generated in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus corresponds to the reason of "excluded", it increments the value of the "excluded" item by 1 (S489). That is, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the current progress status of the F / W update by the automatic F / W update plan of the target for the current target image forming apparatus is "excluded".

[0501] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S488 that the reason why the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus has not been generated is not a reason corresponding to "excluded", it determines whether the reason why the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus has not been generated is a reason corresponding to "skipped" (S490). Here, reasons corresponding to "skipped" include, for example, the reason that the F / W version of the firmware installed in the current target image forming apparatus is not older than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task.

[0502] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S490 that the reason why the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus has not been generated is a reason corresponding to "skipped", it increments the value of the "skipped" item by 1 (S491). That is, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the current progress status of the F / W update according to the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "skipped".

[0503] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S487 that there is an automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "success" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus (S492).

[0504] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S492 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "success" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it increments the value of the "success" item by 1 (S493). That is, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the current progress status of the F / W update according to the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "success".

[0505] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S492 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is not "success" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "cancel" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus (S494).

[0506] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S494 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "cancel" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it executes the process of S489.

[0507] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S494 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is not "cancel" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failure" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus (S495).

[0508] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S495 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, it determines whether the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus corresponds to the reason of "excluded" (S496). Here, the reasons corresponding to "excluded" include, for example, the reason that the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item in the automatic F / W update group setting of the current target group is "OFF", the reason that in the automatic F / W update group setting of the current target group, the value of the "Automatic F / W Update Setting" item is "Selected" and the value of the "Plan Permission / Prohibition" item for the target automatic F / W update plan is "Prohibited", the reason that F / W update using the device management system 20 is not permitted for the current target image forming apparatus, the reason that the release type of the firmware installed in the current target image forming apparatus is not "Official", and the reason that the target image forming apparatus was in a state where it temporarily connected to the device management system 20 only at the timing when the image forming apparatus transmitted information of the image forming apparatus such as the number of printed sheets to the device management system 20.

[0509] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S496 that the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus corresponds to the reason of "excluded", it executes the process of S489.

[0510] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S496 that the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the current automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus is not a reason corresponding to "excluded", the automatic update unit 25d determines whether the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the current automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus is a reason corresponding to "skipped" (S497). Here, reasons corresponding to "skipped" include, for example, the reason that the F / W version of the firmware installed in the current target image forming apparatus is not older than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task.

[0511] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S497 that the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the current automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus is a reason corresponding to "skipped", the automatic update unit 25d executes the process of S491.

[0512] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S497 that the reason why the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is "failed" for the current automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus is not a reason corresponding to "skipped", the automatic update unit 25d increments the value of the "failed" item by 1 (S498). That is, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the current progress status of the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "failed".

[0513] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S490 that the reason why the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus has not been generated is not a reason corresponding to "skip", or determines in S495 that the value of the "Status" item in the task information 24n is not "failed" for the automatic F / W update task in the current cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, then it is determined whether the progress of the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan was determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the current target image forming apparatus (S499).

[0514] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S499 that the progress of the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan was determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, then for the current target image forming apparatus, it is determined which of "success", "skip", "failure", "excluded", and "pending execution" is the progress determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan (S500).

[0515] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S500 that the progress determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "success", then the process of S493 is executed.

[0516] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S500 that the progress determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "skip", then the process of S491 is executed.

[0517] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S500 that the progress status determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "failed", it executes the process of S498.

[0518] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S500 that the progress status determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "excluded", it executes the process of S489.

[0519] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S499 that it did not determine the progress status of the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the current target image forming apparatus, or when it determines in S500 that the progress status determined at the end of the immediately preceding cycle for the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "pending execution", it increments the value of the "pending execution" item by 1 (S501). That is, the automatic update unit 25d determines that the current progress status of the F / W update by the target automatic F / W update plan for the current target image forming apparatus is "pending execution".

[0520] When the process of S489, S491, S493, S498, or S501 ends, the automatic update unit 25d determines whether or not it has targeted all the image forming apparatuses belonging to the current target group (S502).

[0521] When the automatic update unit 25d determines in S502 that it has not targeted at least one image forming apparatus belonging to the current target group, it executes the process of S486.

[0522] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S485 that no image forming apparatus belongs to the current target group, or determines in S502 that all the image forming apparatuses belonging to the current target group are targeted, it determines whether all the groups specified in S482 are targeted (S503).

[0523] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S503 that it is not targeting at least one of the groups specified in S482, it executes the process of S484.

[0524] If the automatic update unit 25d determines in S483 that no group is specified in S482, or determines in S503 that all the groups specified in S482 are targeted, it calculates the value of the "total" item by summing the value of the current "success" item, the value of the current "skip" item, the value of the current "failure" item, the value of the current "excluded" item, the value of the current "pending execution" item (S504).

[0525] Next, the automatic update unit 25d updates the progress status screen 820 based on the value of the current "success" item, the value of the current "skip" item, the value of the current "failure" item, the value of the current "excluded" item, the value of the current "pending execution" item, and the value of the current "total" item (S505), and ends the operations shown in FIGS. 48 and 49.

[0526] FIG. 50 is a diagram showing an example of changes in the progress status shown on the progress status screen 820.

[0527] In the example shown in FIG. 50, the progress status is updated daily. In FIG. 50, the execution cycles of the automatic F / W update task are shown up to the third time. Since the example shown in FIG. 50 is an example where the mode of the automatic F / W update is "update immediately", all the cycles are one week, that is, 7 days.

[0528] Describe the first day of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. Since the numbers shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 indicate that the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses A and E in the first cycle has been successful (YES in S492), the number is "2" (S493). Since there is no image forming apparatus corresponding to those managed by the device management system 20 in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820, the number is "0" (S481). Since there is no image forming apparatus corresponding to those managed by the device management system 20 in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820, the number is "0" (S481). Since F / W update using the device management system 20 for the image forming apparatus F is not permitted (YES in S488), the number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489). Since the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses B, C, G, and H have not yet been executed (NO in S499), the number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "4" (S501). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "7" (S504). Note that regarding the image forming apparatus D, since it is not yet managed by the device management system 20, it is not reflected on the progress status screen 820.

[0529] The second day of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50 will be described. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S493) because the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the first cycle has been successful (YES in S492). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because F / W update using the device management system 20 is not permitted for the image forming apparatus F (YES in S488). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S501) because the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses C, G, and H have not been executed yet (NO in S499). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "7" (S504). Note that with respect to the image forming apparatus D, since it is not yet managed by the device management system 20, it is not reflected on the progress status screen 820.

[0530] Describe the third day of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S493) because the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the first cycle has been successful (YES in S492). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S498) because the execution of the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus C in the first cycle has failed (NO in S497). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S489) because F / W update using the device management system 20 is not permitted for the image forming apparatus F (YES in S488) and the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "Official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S501) because the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus G has not been executed yet (NO in S499). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "7" (S504). Note that regarding the image forming apparatus D, since it is not yet managed by the device management system 20, it is not reflected in the progress status screen 820.

[0531] Describe the fourth day of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. On the fourth day of the first cycle, F / W update using the device management system 20 for the image forming apparatus F is permitted. However, since it is in the middle of the first cycle, no new automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus F is generated. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S493) because the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the first cycle has been successful (YES in S492). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S491) because the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S498) because the execution of the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus C in the first cycle has failed (NO in S497). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S501) because the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus F has not been executed yet (NO in S499). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "7" (S504). Note that regarding the image forming apparatus D, since it has not been managed by the device management system 20 yet, it is not reflected in the progress status screen 820.

[0532] The fifth day of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50 will be described. On the fifth day of the first cycle, the image forming apparatus D has come to be newly managed by the device management system 20. However, since it is in the middle of the first cycle, the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus D is not newly generated. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S493) because the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the first cycle has been successful (YES in S492). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S491) because the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S498) because the execution of the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus C in the first cycle has failed (NO in S497). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S501) because the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses D and F have not been executed yet (NO in S499). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0533] Regarding the progress status screen 820 on the 6th to 7th days of the first cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50, it is the same as the progress status screen 820 on the 5th day of the first cycle.

[0534] Describe the first day of the second cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S493) because although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses B and E in the second cycle have not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses B and E in the first cycle was "Success" (success in S500). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S491) because the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus A is the same as the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S498) because although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus C in the second cycle has not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus C in the first cycle was "Failure" (failure in S500). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus H in the second cycle has not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus H in the first cycle was "Excluded" (excluded in S500). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S501) because although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses D and F in the second cycle have not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses D and F in the first cycle was "Pending Execution" (pending execution in S500). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0535] Describe the second day of the second cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. Since the number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S493) because the last progress status of the image forming apparatus E in the first cycle is "Success" (success in S500) although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus E in the second cycle has not been executed yet. The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S491) because the F / W versions of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatuses A and B are the same as the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S498) because the last progress status of the image forming apparatus C in the first cycle is "Failure" (failure in S500) although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus C in the second cycle has not been executed yet. The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "Official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S501) because the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses D and F in the first cycle is "Pending Execution" (pending execution in S500) although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses D and F in the second cycle have not been executed yet. Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0536] Describe the third day of the second cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 indicates that the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses C and D in the second cycle has been successful (YES in S492), and although the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus E in the second cycle has not yet been executed, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus E in the first cycle was "Success" ("Success" in S500), so it is "3" (S493). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 indicates that the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatuses A and B is the same as the F / W version set for the corresponding automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the corresponding automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), so it is "3" (S491). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 (S481). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H was not "Official" (YES in S496) (S489). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" because although the automatic F / W update task for the image forming apparatus F in the second cycle has not yet been executed, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus F in the first cycle was "Pending Execution" ("Pending Execution" in S500) (S501). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0537] The fourth day of the second cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50 will be described. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "3" (S493) because the execution of the automatic F / W update tasks for the image forming apparatuses C, D, and F in the second cycle has been successful (YES in S492). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "4" (S491) because the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E is the same as the F / W version set for the corresponding automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the corresponding automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S481) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "Official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0538] Regarding the progress status screen 820 for the fifth to seventh days of the second cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50, it is the same as the progress status screen 820 for the fourth day of the second cycle.

[0539] Describe the first day of the third cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S493) because although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses C and D in the third cycle have not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses C and D in the second cycle is "Success" (success at S500). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "5" (S491) because although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the third cycle have not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses A, B, and E in the second cycle is "Skip" (skip at S500), the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus F is the same as the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task (YES at S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task (YES at S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S489) because although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus H in the third cycle has not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus H in the second cycle is "Excluded" (excluded at S500). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0540] Describe the second day of the third cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "2" (S493) because although the automatic F / W update tasks of the image forming apparatuses C and D in the third cycle have not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatuses C and D in the second cycle was "Success" ("Success" in S500). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "5" (S491) because although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus E in the third cycle has not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus E in the second cycle was "Skip" ("Skip" in S500), the F / W versions of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatuses A, B, and F are the same as the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G was newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S481) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H was not "Official" (YES in S496). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" (S481) because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20. Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0541] Describe the third day of the third cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50. Since there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820, the number shown is "0" (S481). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is such that although the automatic F / W update task of the image forming apparatus E in the third cycle has not been executed yet, the last progress status of the image forming apparatus E in the second cycle was "Skip" ( "Skip" in S500), the F / W versions of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus A, the image forming apparatus B, the image forming apparatus C, the image forming apparatus D, and the image forming apparatus F are the same as the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set in the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), so it is "7" (S491). Since there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820, the number shown is "0" (S481). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" (S481) because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H was not "Official" (YES in S496). Since there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820, the number shown is "0" (S481). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0542] The fourth day of the third cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50 will be described. The number shown in the "Success" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 (S481). The number shown in the "Skip" item of the progress status screen 820 is "7" because the F / W versions of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatuses A, B, C, D, E, and F are the same as the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497), and the F / W version of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus G is newer than the F / W version set for the target automatic F / W update task (YES in S497) (S491). The number shown in the "Failure" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 (S481). The number shown in the "Excluded" item of the progress status screen 820 is "1" because the release type of the firmware installed in the image forming apparatus H is not "official" (YES in S496) (S481). The number shown in the "Pending Execution" item of the progress status screen 820 is "0" because there is no corresponding image forming apparatus managed by the device management system 20 (S481). Therefore, the number shown in the "Total" item of the progress status screen 820 is "8" (S504).

[0543] Regarding the progress status screen 820 for the 5th to 7th days of the third cycle in the example shown in FIG. 50, it is the same as the progress status screen 820 for the fourth day of the third cycle.

[0544] Note that in the example shown in FIG. 50, for the sake of facilitating the understanding of the changes in the progress status shown in the progress status screen 820, the progress status of a plurality of image forming apparatuses with the same cycle update timing is shown. However, the progress status screen 820 can show the progress status of a plurality of image forming apparatuses with different cycle update timings.

[0545] Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when displaying a list of image forming apparatuses that it manages will be described.

[0546] A user logged in to the device management system 20 can send a request to display a list of image forming apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as a "device list") managed by the device management system 20 (hereinafter referred to as a "device list display request") to the device management system 20 via a user terminal (hereinafter referred to as a "target user terminal"). When the device management unit 25f of the device management system 20 receives the device list display request, it causes the target user terminal to display the device list by sending the data of the device list to the target user terminal. Here, the device management unit 25f includes the latest date and time when the F / W update by the F / W update task was executed in the information of each image forming apparatus in the device list.

[0547] As described above, the mediation apparatus periodically requests the device management system 20 to perform an F / W update task for the image forming apparatuses managed by the mediation apparatus itself (S361 to S362), and executes the F / W update task transmitted from the device management system 20 (S430). Therefore, even if it is impossible to access from the device management system 20, the firmware of the image forming apparatus can be updated.

[0548] Since the mediation apparatus starts the execution of this F / W update task at the scheduled execution time set in the F / W update task (YES in S421 and S430), even if it is impossible to access from the device management system 20, the firmware of the image forming apparatus can be updated at the scheduled execution time set in the device management system 20.

[0549] When the current time reaches the scheduled execution time set for the F / W update task (YES in S421), the mediation device requests the F / W update task for the image forming device managed by the mediation device itself from the device management system 20 (S422). When the F / W update task for which the current time has reached the scheduled execution time is sent from the device management system 20 (YES in S427), this F / W update task is executed (S430). Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility of erroneously executing the F / W update task aborted in the device management system 20.

[0550] When the mediation device executes the F / W update task, if the firmware targeted by this F / W update task is held by the mediation device itself (YES in S428), the mediation device executes the task using this firmware held by itself (S430). When the mediation device does not hold this firmware (NO in S428), this firmware is downloaded from the device management system 20 (S429), the downloaded firmware is held, and the task is executed using this firmware (S430). Therefore, it is possible to prevent downloading the same firmware from the device management system 20 multiple times, and it is possible to reduce the load on the device management system 20, the load on the communication path between the device management system 20 and the mediation device itself, and the load on the mediation device itself.

[0551] The device management system 20 manages the execution status of the F / W update task sent by the mediation device (S443 to S449). When the F / W update task is requested by the mediation device, only the unexecuted F / W update task for the image forming device managed by this mediation device is sent to the mediation device (S381 to S393). Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessarily sending the same F / W update task to the mediation device multiple times, and it is possible to reduce the load on the device management system 20 itself, the load on the communication path between the mediation device, and the load on the mediation device.

[0552] The electronic device of the present invention is an image forming apparatus in the present embodiment, but may be an electronic device other than an image forming apparatus, such as a PC or the like.

[0553] The software of the present invention is firmware in the present embodiment, but may be software other than firmware, such as application software or the like.

Explanation of Signs

[0554] 20 Device management system (computer) 24a Device management program 24i Manual F / W update task (task) 24l Automatic F / W update task (task) 24m Test F / W update task (task) 40 Intermediary device (computer) 44a Intermediary program 50 Intermediary image forming apparatus (electronic device)

Claims

1. An intermediary device that mediates between an electronic device and a device management system that generates a task for software update of the electronic device, regularly requests the device management system for the task for the electronic device managed by the intermediary device itself, and executes the task sent from the device management system, the task has a scheduled execution time set, when the current time reaches the time set for the task, the intermediary device requests the device management system for the task for the electronic device managed by the intermediary device itself, and when the task for which the current time has reached the set time is sent from the device management system, executes this task. The intermediary device is characterized by this.

2. When executing the task, when the intermediary device itself holds the software targeted by this task, the intermediary device uses the software held by itself to execute the task, when the intermediary device itself does not hold this software, downloads this software from the device management system, holds the downloaded software, and uses this software to execute the task. The intermediary device according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

3. An intermediary program that causes a computer to mediate between an electronic device and a device management system that generates a task for software update of the electronic device, causing the computer to regularly request the device management system for the task for the electronic device managed by the computer, and causing the computer to execute the task sent from the device management system to the computer, the task has a scheduled execution time set, when the current time reaches the time set for the task, the intermediary program causes the computer to request the device management system for the task for the electronic device managed by the computer, and when the task for which the current time has reached the set time is sent from the device management system, causes the computer to execute this task. The intermediary program is characterized by this.

Images