Patent ID: 7711817
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A service menu display method for use in an information processing system comprising: information processing apparatuses including a plurality of processors each having a device; and an information processing apparatus which is a client connected to said information processing apparatuses including the plural processors via a communication line, the method comprising the steps of: each of said information processing apparatuses including the plural processors stores function and performance information of a device included in the information apparatus including an associated processor in a memory included in the information processing apparatus including the associated processor; each of said processors transmits the stored function and performance information of the device included in the information processing apparatus including an associated processor via said communication line and said client information processing apparatus acquires function and performance information of a device included in each of the information processing apparatuses including the processors and stores the acquired function and performance information in a memory included in said client information processing apparatus, wherein said client information processing apparatus stores information of service conversion in a memory included in the client information processing apparatus, said information of service conversion being used for converting function and performance information of a device included in each of said information processing apparatuses including the plural processors to respective service information pieces to be provided to a user, wherein said client information processing apparatus displays a first service menu for receiving a designation of a type of service to be provided to the user on an input/output device connected to said client information processing apparatus, wherein said client information processing apparatus receives the designation of the type of service to be provided to the user from the input/output device displaying said first service menu, and wherein said client information processing apparatus converts each of function and performance information of a device relating to the service identified by said designation into respective service information pieces to be provided to the user by using said information of service conversion and displays respective service information pieces obtained by said conversion into a second service menu, said second service menu being used for receiving a designation as to which of the devices is to be used in connection with said identified service.