Patent ID: 7587476
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An image printing device configured to be connected to a plurality of other image printing devices via a network, said image printing device comprising: a web server which can be a centralized management server for the network in an event that the image printing device is selected as a centralized management device; a management unit configured to manage the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device; a comparing unit configured to compare characteristics for each of the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device; a selection unit, provided in said image printing device, configured to select a managing image printing device to manage the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device based on a result of a comparison between the characteristics for each of the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device, wherein said characteristics include one or more of central processing unit performance, memory size, or average load, wherein the managing image printing device is selected by said selection unit out of a group including the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device; a setting unit configured to set a default URL for said web server to correspond to the web server of the managing image printing device selected by the selection unit, wherein default URLs of web servers in the plurality of other image printing devices are also set to correspond to the web server of the managing image printing device a checking unit configured to check if another image printing device is managing the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device; and a disabling unit configured to disable the management unit when the another image printing device is managing the plurality of other image printing devices and said image printing device.