Patent ID: 9159007
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: G06K,H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A network system comprising: a plurality of network apparatuses; at least one of the plurality of said network apparatuses that supports a non-operational state wherein said one of the plurality of said network apparatus is substantially non-operational, and supports an operational state wherein said one of the plurality of said network apparatus is substantially operational; a terminal apparatus that issues a start request, the start request including identification information specifying a target network apparatus selected from among said at least one of the plurality of said network apparatuses; and a start management apparatus that receives the start request and transmits a start-up command to the targeted network apparatus specified by the identification information of the start request; wherein while in its non-operational state, the targeted network apparatus receives and responds to the transmitted start-up command by initiating a start process that transits said targeted network apparatus from its non-operational state to its operational state; wherein the start-up management apparatus and the targeted network apparatus are connected to the terminal apparatus through a repeating apparatus, wherein the targeted network apparatus includes a status transmitting section that transmits an execution notice indicating the execution of the start process to the start management apparatus while the targeted network apparatus is in its non-operational state, and transmits a completion notice to the start management apparatus when the targeted network apparatus finishes its transition to its operational state, wherein the start management apparatus includes a status monitoring section that receives transmissions of said execution notice and said completion notice, and retransmits the received transmissions of said execution notice and completion notice to the terminal apparatus through the repeating apparatus, wherein the terminal apparatus includes a status receiving section that receives the execution notice and the completion notice from the start management apparatus, and a network-apparatus control section that transmits a network-apparatus control command to the targeted network apparatus in response to receiving the completion notice, and wherein: the terminal apparatus further includes a status displaying section that displays an execution progress in response to receiving the execution notice until the completion notice is received; said execution notice includes an estimated time required for the targeted network apparatus to complete execution of said start process and be in its operational state; and the status displaying section displays a progress of the targeted apparatus's execution of its start process based on the estimated tine to inform the user, wherein all of said plurality of network apparatuses further support the functions of said start management apparatus, and a freely selected one among said plurality of network apparatuses is designated said start management apparatus, and wherein the network apparatus that is currently designated as said start management apparatus is herein termed a current management apparatus; all of said plurality of network apparatus include an apparatus information transmitting section that transmit apparatus information about themselves to the currently designated start management apparatus; and the current start management apparatus further includes; an apparatus information collecting section that collects the apparatus information of each of the plurality of network apparatuses; and a switching section that selects a particular one of the plurality of network apparatus satisfying predetermined conditions based on the collected apparatus information and switches operational roles with the selected network apparatus so that current start management apparatus becomes one of said plurality of network apparatus and the selected network apparatus is newly designated as the current start management apparatus.