system

Abstract

To provide a system that, when transmitting a message from a device management system to a device in a Pub / Sub method, can correct a failure in registration of the transmission of the message addressed to the device in a broker.SOLUTION: In a system, when the connection between a device as a subscriber and a device connection unit 32 as a broker is established, the device asks the device connection unit 32 to transmit a message addressed to the device, the device connection unit 32 registers the transmission of the message addressed to the device in response to the asking, and when the device connection unit 32 receives a setting information request message from a device management unit 31 as a publisher, if the device connection unit 32 is not registered with the transmission of the message addressed to the device that is a destination of the setting information request message (S161 or S163), the device connection unit 32 re-connects to the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system including a device and a device management system for managing the device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system including a device and a device management system for managing the device has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional system has a problem that it does not consider the case where the message transmission method from the device management system to the device is the Pub / Sub method.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a system capable of correcting a failure in registering a message addressed to a device with a broker for transmitting the message to the device in the Pub / Sub method when transmitting a message from a device management system to the device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention comprises a device and a device management system for managing the device, wherein the device management system comprises a device management unit for managing the device and a device connection unit to which the device is connected, the device management unit functions as a Publisher for sending messages, the device connection unit functions as a Broker for mediating messages, the device functions as a Subscriber for receiving messages, the device applies to the device connection unit to send a message addressed to itself when a connection is established with the device connection unit, the device connection unit registers the transmission of the message addressed to the device when the device applies to send a message addressed to the device, and the device connection unit, when it receives a specific message from the device management unit, reconnects to the device that is the destination of the specific message if it has not registered the transmission of the message addressed to the device that is the destination of the specific message.

[0007] With this configuration, the system of the present invention, when a connection is established between a device functioning as a Subscriber and a device connection unit functioning as a Broker, the device requests the device connection unit to send a message addressed to itself, and when the device requests the device connection unit to send a message addressed to the device, the device connection unit registers the message addressed to the device. When the device connection unit receives a specific message from a device management unit functioning as a Publisher, and the device connection unit has not registered the message addressed to the device that is the destination of the specific message, the device connection unit reconnects to the device that is the destination of the specific message. Therefore, when a specific message is sent from the device management system to a device using the Pub / Sub method, if the message addressed to this device is not registered in the device connection unit, the device connection unit can attempt to register the message addressed to this device again by reconnecting to the device. Thus, the system of the present invention can correct the failure of registration of the message addressed to a device with the device connection unit as a Broker when a message is sent from the device management system to a device using the Pub / Sub method.

[0008] In the system of the present invention, the device management unit may resend the specific message to the device connection unit when the device connection unit reconnects to the device which is the destination of the specific message.

[0009] With this configuration, the system of the present invention, when the device connection unit receives a specific message from the device management unit, and the device connection unit has not registered to send a message to the device that is the destination of the specific message, even if the specific message is not validly registered in the device connection unit, the device management unit will resend the specific message to the device connection unit when the device connection unit reconnects to the device that is the destination of the specific message. This improves the likelihood that the specific message will be sent from the device management system to the device using the Pub / Sub method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The system of the present invention can correct the failure of registration of a message to a device with the Broker when sending a message to a device from a device management system using the Pub / Sub method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a device connects to a device management system. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a sequence diagram of the system's operation when a web browser displays device settings information. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a sequence diagram of the processing when registration is complete. [Figure 5] Figure 3 shows the sequence diagram for processing when the user is not registered. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a sequence diagram of the connection state change process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] First, the configuration of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0014] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the system according to this embodiment.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the system 10 according to this embodiment includes a device 20. The system 10 can include at least one device similar to device 20. For example, the system 10 can include 1 million devices. The devices included in the system 10 consist of image forming equipment such as MFPs (Multifunction Peripherals) and dedicated printers. The devices included in the system 10 are located on a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) managed by the end users of the devices.

[0016] System 10 includes a device management system 30 for remotely managing devices provided in System 10. The device management system 30 can be used, for example, by device distributors, retailers, and end-users. The device management system 30 is a system for, for example, providing users of the device management system 30 with various device information and performing various device settings on devices, such as updating device firmware. The device management system 30 is implemented by a computer executing a program. The device management system 30 is implemented by at least one computer. The device management system 30 is implemented by cloud computing, for example, Microsoft® Azure®.

[0017] The device management system 30 includes a device management unit 31 that manages devices. The device management unit 31, for example, restarts a device, executes various settings of the device on the device, obtains specific information in the device from the device, such as toner information in the device, counter information in the device, error information in the device, etc., and performs remote maintenance on the device.

[0018] The device management system 30 includes a device connection unit 32 to which a device is connected. The device connection unit 32 is realized, for example, by Azure IoT Hub.

[0019] The device, the device management unit 31, and the device connection unit 32 constitute a Pub / Sub messaging model. That is, the device management unit 31 functions as a Publisher that sends messages, the device connection unit 32 functions as a Broker that mediates messages, and the device functions as a Subscriber that receives messages.

[0020] The system 10 includes a web browser 40 realized by a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) not shown in the figure. Similarly, the system 10 can include a web browser other than the web browser 40 realized by a computer not shown in the figure. The user of the device management system 30 can access the device management system 30 from the web browser.

[0021] Next, the operation of the system 10 will be described.

[0022] First, the operation of the system 10 when a device connects to the device management system 30 will be described.

[0023] In the following, the operation of system 10 when a device connects to the device management system 30 will be explained using the operation of system 10 when device 20 connects to the device management system 30 as an example.

[0024] Figure 2 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 10 when device 20 connects to the device management system 30.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, if a connection between device 20 and the device management system 30 has not been established, device 20 sends a connection request to the device connection unit 32 of the device management system 30 (S101).

[0026] When the device connection unit 32 receives the connection request in S101, and the device management system 30 manages that the device 20 and the device management system 30 are in a state where they cannot connect, it sends a notification to the device 20 indicating that the connection between the device 20 and the device management system 30 has failed (S102).

[0027] When the device connection unit 32 receives the connection request in S101, and the device management system 30 manages that the device 20 and the device management system 30 are in a state where they can be connected, it establishes a connection between the device 20 and the device management system 30 (S103). In other words, the device 20 and the device management system 30 remain permanently connected.

[0028] When the process in S103 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device management unit 31 indicating that a connection has been established between the device 20 and the device management system 30 (S104).

[0029] When the process in S104 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device 20 indicating that a connection has been established between the device 20 and the device management system 30 (S105).

[0030] System 10 repeats processes S101 to S105 until a connection is established between device 20 and device management system 30.

[0031] When device 20 receives the notification in S105 after establishing a connection between device 20 and the device management system 30, it requests the device connection unit 32 to send a message to device 20 (S106).

[0032] When the device connection unit 32 receives the request in S106, if the processing by the device connection unit 32 for the request in S106 is successful, it registers the sending of a message to device 20 (S107).

[0033] On the other hand, even if the device connection unit 32 receives a request in S106, if the processing by the device connection unit 32 for the request in S106 fails, it will not register the transmission of a message to device 20. For example, in MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) v3.1.1, there is no specification defined for the Broker to send a notification to the Subscriber indicating that the processing by the Broker for the request to send a message to the Subscriber has failed. Therefore, for example in MQTT v3.1.1, the Subscriber cannot recognize that the processing by the Broker for the request to send a message to the Subscriber has failed. In this embodiment as well, it is assumed that device 20 cannot recognize that the processing by the device connection unit 32 for the request to send a message to device 20 has failed.

[0034] Next, we will describe how System 10 behaves when a web browser displays device configuration information.

[0035] Device configuration information may include, for example, network configuration information for the device and printer configuration information for the device.

[0036] In the following, the operation of system 10 when a web browser displays device configuration information will be explained using the operation of system 10 when a web browser 40 displays device configuration information as an example.

[0037] Figure 3 is a sequence diagram of the operation of system 10 when the web browser 40 displays the configuration information of device 20. Figure 4 is a sequence diagram of the registered processing shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a sequence diagram of the unregistered processing shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a sequence diagram of the connection status change processing shown in Figure 5.

[0038] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the web browser 40 requests the device management unit 31 of the device management system 30 to display the configuration information of device 20, for example, when instructed by the user of the device management system 30 (S121). The request in S121 includes identification information of device 20, such as the serial number of device 20.

[0039] When the device management unit 31 receives the request in S121, it sends a message to the device connection unit 32 requesting configuration information for device 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "configuration information request message") (S122). The configuration information request message includes identification information for device 20.

[0040] When the device connection unit 32 receives a configuration information request message in S122, if it has registered to send a message to device 20, which is the destination of the received configuration information request message, it sends the configuration information request message sent from the device management unit 31 to device 20 in S122 (S141).

[0041] When device 20 receives the configuration information request message in S141, it starts the process of sending the configuration information of device 20 to the device management system 30 (hereinafter referred to as the "configuration information transmission process") (S142).

[0042] When the processing in S142 is completed, device 20 sends a notification to the device connection unit 32 indicating that it has completed receiving the configuration information request message (S143).

[0043] When the device connection unit 32 receives the notification in S143, it sends a notification to the device management unit 31 indicating that it has completed receiving the configuration information request message from the device 20 (S144).

[0044] When the processing in S143 is completed, device 20 sends a notification to the device connection unit 32 indicating that the configuration information transmission process is in progress (hereinafter referred to as the "processing in progress notification") (S145).

[0045] When the device connection unit 32 receives the processing execution notification in S145, it sends the processing execution notification to the device management unit 31 (S146).

[0046] When the processing in S146 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device 20 indicating the completion of receiving the processing execution notification (S147).

[0047] When device 20 receives the notification in S147, it generates a compressed file of its configuration information (S148). Here, the compressed file is, for example, a ZIP file.

[0048] When the processing in S148 is completed, device 20 sends the compressed file generated in S148 to the device management unit 31 (S149).

[0049] When the processing in S149 is completed, device 20 sends a notification to the device connection unit 32 indicating that the configuration information transmission process has been completed (hereinafter referred to as the "processing completion notification") (S150).

[0050] When the device connection unit 32 receives the processing completion notification in S150, it sends the processing completion notification to the device management unit 31 (S151).

[0051] When the processing in S151 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device 20 indicating that it has completed receiving the processing completion notification (S152).

[0052] When the device management unit 31 receives the compressed file sent from device 20 in S149, it decompresses the compressed file sent from device 20 in S149 and extracts the configuration information of device 20 (S153).

[0053] When the device connection unit 32 receives a configuration information request message in S122, if it has not registered the sending of a message to device 20, which is the destination of the received configuration information request message, it sends a notification to the device management unit 31 indicating that it has not registered the sending of a message to device 20 (hereinafter referred to as "unregistered notification") (S161).

[0054] When the device management unit 31 receives the unregistered notification in S161, it sends an instruction to the device connection unit 32 to make it impossible to connect the device 20, which is the destination of the configuration information request message, with the device management system 30 (S181).

[0055] When the device connection unit 32 receives the instruction in S181, it makes it impossible to connect the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 (S182). Therefore, the connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 is disconnected. If the connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 is not established, the device 20 executes the process in S101 (see Figure 2) as described above. However, since the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 are in a state where they cannot connect, the connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 fails (S102 (see Figure 2)).

[0056] When the process in S182 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device management unit 31 indicating that it has made it impossible to connect the device 20 with the device connection unit 32 (S183).

[0057] When the device management unit 31 receives the notification in S183, it sends an instruction to the device connection unit 32 to enable connection between the device 20 and the device management system 30 (S184).

[0058] When the device connection unit 32 receives the instruction in S184, it makes the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 connectable (S185). If the connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 has not been established, the device 20 executes the process in S101 (see Figure 2) as described above. Since the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 are now connectable, the connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 is established in S103 (see Figure 2).

[0059] When the process in S185 is completed, the device connection unit 32 sends a notification to the device management unit 31 indicating that it has enabled a connection between the device 20 and the device connection unit 32 (S186).

[0060] When the device management unit 31 receives the notification in S186, it resends a configuration information request message to the device connection unit 32 (S162). The configuration information request message in S162 includes identification information for device 20. The device management unit 31 sets a specific time, such as 30 seconds, in the configuration information request message in S162.

[0061] When the device connection unit 32 receives the configuration information request message in S162, if it does not register the transmission of a message to device 20, which is the destination of the configuration information request message, within the time set in the configuration information request message, it sends an unregistered notification to the device management unit 31, similar to the process in S161 (S163).

[0062] Next, system 10 executes processes S181 to S186.

[0063] When the device connection unit 32 receives the configuration information request message in S162, the system 10 repeatedly executes processes S162-S163 and S181-S186 until the device connection unit 32 registers to send a message to device 20, which is the destination of the configuration information request message, before the time set in the configuration information request message has elapsed.

[0064] When the device connection unit 32 receives the configuration information request message in S162, it registers to send a message to device 20, which is the destination of the configuration information request message, before the time specified in the configuration information request message has elapsed, and then executes the processes in S141 to S153.

[0065] When the processing in S153 is completed, the device management unit 31 sends the configuration information of device 20 extracted in S153 to the web browser 40 (S123).

[0066] When the web browser 40 receives the configuration information in S123, it displays the received configuration information on the display unit of the computer that implements the web browser 40 (S124). Therefore, for example, a user of the device management system 30 can recognize the configuration information of device 20.

[0067] The above describes the operation of system 10 when a configuration information request message is sent from the device management unit 31 to the device. However, the operation of system 10 is the same when a message other than a configuration information request message is sent from the device management unit 31 to the device. For example, the operation of system 10 is the same when a restart request message for device 20 is sent from the device management unit 31 to device 20 when a user of the device management system 30 instructs the device 20 to restart from a web browser 40.

[0068] As described above, when a connection is established in S103 between a device functioning as a Subscriber and a device connection unit 32 functioning as a Broker, the system 10 requests the device to send a message addressed to itself to the device connection unit 32 (S106), when the device requests the device connection unit 32 to send a message addressed to itself, the device connection unit 32 registers the sending of the message addressed to the device (S107), and when the device connection unit 32 receives a configuration information request message from the device management unit 31 functioning as a Publisher in S122 or S162, the destination of the configuration information request message is the device... When the device connection unit 32 has not registered the transmission of a message addressed to a device (S161 or S163), the device connection unit 32 reconnects to the device that is the destination of the configuration information request message (S182 and S185). Therefore, when the device management system 30 sends a configuration information request message to a device using the Pub / Sub method, if the transmission of a message addressed to this device is not registered in the device connection unit 32 (S161 or S163), the device connection unit 32 reconnects to this device (S182 and S185), allowing the system to try again to register the transmission of the message addressed to this device with the device connection unit 32 (S107). Thus, when the device management system 30 sends a message to a device using the Pub / Sub method, the system 10 can correct the failure to register the transmission of a message addressed to a device with the device connection unit 32 as a Broker.

[0069] When the device connection unit 32 receives a configuration information request message from the device management unit 31 in S122 or S162, and the device connection unit 32 has not registered to send a message to the device that is the destination of the configuration information request message (S161 or S163), even if the configuration information request message is not validly registered in the device connection unit 32, if the device connection unit 32 reconnects to the device that is the destination of the configuration information request message (S182 and S185), the device management unit 31 will resend the configuration information request message to the device connection unit 32 (S162). This improves the likelihood that the configuration information request message will be sent from the device management system 30 to the device using the Pub / Sub method. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 10 Systems 20 devices (Subscribers) 30 Device Management Systems 31. Device Management Department (Publisher) 32. Device connection section (Broker)

Claims

1. The device and A device management system for managing the aforementioned devices Equipped with, The aforementioned device management system is A device management unit that manages the aforementioned devices, The device connection part to which the aforementioned device is connected Equipped with, The device management unit functions as a Publisher that sends messages, The device connection unit functions as a Broker that mediates the message, The device functions as a Subscriber that receives the message, When the device establishes a connection with the device connection unit, it requests the device connection unit to send the message addressed to itself. The device connection unit registers the transmission of the message to the device when the device requests the transmission of the message to the device. The system is characterized in that, when the device connection unit receives a specific message from the device management unit, it has not registered the transmission of the message to the device that is the recipient of the specific message, and therefore reconnects to the device that is the recipient of the specific message.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the device management unit resends the specific message to the device connection unit when the device connection unit reconnects to the device which is the destination of the specific message.

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