Abstract:
There is provided an installation location management system includes a management device (MD) and an information processing device (IPD). A MD includes a map information memory storing map information associating coordinate information with character string information, a map image information output unit outputting the information to the IPD, a coordinate information receiving unit receiving IPD&#39;S coordinate information from the IPD, a character string information obtaining unit using the map information and the coordinate information and a character string information transmitting unit sending the information to the IPD. A IPD includes a map image information receiving unit, a map image output unit using the map image information, a coordinate information receiving unit receiving an input of the coordinate information about the IPD, a coordinate information transmitting unit sending the information to the MD, a character string information receiving unit and a character string information memory.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 from, Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-349998 filed Dec. 26, 2006. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an installation location management system and an installation location management method. 
     2. Related Art 
     There has been proposed a management system that remotely manages a printer and other information processing device connected to a network. The management system manages such information as locations where the information processing devices are installed. 
     In the management system of this type, information about the installation location of an information processing device has to be consistent between the information processing device and a management device. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an installation location management system including: 
     a management device that includes:
         a map information memory that stores map information, the map information associating coordinate information with character string information which represents a location;   a map image information output unit that outputs map image information to an information processing device connected via a communication system;   a coordinate information receiving unit that receives, from the information processing device, coordinate information about a location where the information processing device is installed;   a character string information obtaining unit that uses the map information stored in the map information memory and the coordinate information received by the coordinate information receiving unit to obtain the character string information; and   a character string information transmitting unit that sends, to the information processing device, the character string information obtained by the character string information obtaining unit; and       

     the information processing device that includes:
         a map image information receiving unit that receives the map image information that the management device outputs;   a map image output unit that outputs a map image in accordance with the received map image information;   a coordinate information receiving unit that receives an input of the coordinate information about the installation location of the information processing device;   a coordinate information transmitting unit that sends the received coordinate information to the management device;   a character string information receiving unit that receives the character string information associated with the coordinate information and sent from the management device; and   a character string information memory that stores the received character string information.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a configuration example of an installation location management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams showing an example of map image information and an example of map information, respectively; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of an operation example of the installation location management system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of another operation example of the installation location management system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing another configuration example of an installation location management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows a configuration example of an installation location management system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The installation location management system of  FIG. 1  includes a management device  10 , an information processing device  20 , and a communication system  30 . 
     The management device  10  is composed of a computer, and exchanges information with the information processing device  20  via the communication system  30  to manage the installation location or the like of the information processing device  20 . 
     The information processing device  20  is a device that performs information processing such as obtaining and outputting of information. A printer, a copier, a scanner, or the like serves as the information processing device  20 . 
     The communication system  30  is a network or other devices for enabling the management device  10  and the information processing device  20  to exchange information. 
     The management device  10  includes a map image information output unit  100 , a character string information controller  102 , a communication unit  104 , an output controller  106 , an update controller  108 , and a memory  110 . 
     A program that controls a central processing unit (CPU) and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the map image information output unit  100 . The map image information output unit  100  outputs map image information, which shows the installation location of the information processing device  20 , to the information processing device  20  via the communication unit  104  and the communication system  30 . 
     A program that controls the CPU and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the character string information controller  102 . Based on map information, which is stored in the memory  110 , and coordinate information, which is associated with installation location information of the information processing device  20  and received from the information processing device  20  by the communication unit  104 , the character string information controller  102  obtains character string information, which represents a location indicated by coordinate information. The map information is information that associates coordinate information with character string information that represents the location indicated by the coordinate information. The obtained character string information is sent to the information processing device  20  via the communication unit  104  and the communication system  30 . 
     A suitable communication interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB) port or a network port, serves as the communication unit  104 . The communication unit  104  receives the coordinate information from the information processing device  20  via the communication system  30 , and sends the character string information to the information processing device  20  via the communication system  30 . The communication unit  104  also executes processing of sending map image information to the information processing device  20  in accordance with an instruction of the map image information output unit  100 . 
     A program that controls the CPU and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the output controller  106 . The output controller  106  causes an output device  40  to output the coordinate information, the character string information, and the like. The output controller  106  outputs map image information, which illustrates the installation location of the information processing device  20 , based on installation location information, which is composed of the coordinates of a location where the information processing device  20  is set up. The output device  40  is a device capable of printing or displaying information, such as a printer, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a touch panel. 
     A program that controls the CPU and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the update controller  108 . The update controller  108  controls updating of information stored in the memory  110 , and controls whether it is possible to update the information or not. 
     A random access memory (RAM) used as a work memory of a CPU, a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk device, or other computer readable storage devices serves as the memory  110 . The memory  110  stores, for example, the programs that control the CPU&#39;s processing operation, map image information, coordinate information, character string information, and map information which associates the coordinate information with the character string information representing a location. Also stored in the memory  110  is installation location information, which is information about the coordinates of the installation location of the information processing device  20 . In the case where the communication unit  104  receives identification information from the information processing device  20 , the memory  110  may store the identification information in association with map image information. 
     The information processing device  20  includes a communication unit  200 , an output controller  202 , an input receiving unit  204 , and a memory  206 . 
     A suitable communication interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB) port or a network port, serves as the communication unit  200 . The communication unit  200  receives the map image information and the character string information from the management device  10  via the communication system  30 , and sends the coordinate information to the management device  10  via the communication system  30 . Preferably, the communication unit  200  is configured to send, to the management device  10 , identification information stored in the memory  206  for each information processing device  20 . 
     A program that controls a CPU and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the output controller  202 . The output controller  202  causes an output device  50  to output images such as map image information. The output device  50  is a device capable of printing or displaying information, such as a printer, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or a touch panel. 
     A program that controls the CPU and the CPU&#39;s processing operation functions as the input receiving unit  204 . The input receiving unit  204  receives coordinate information entered by a user through an input device  60 . This coordinate information is constituted of coordinates showing, on map image information received by the communication unit  200 , a location where the information processing device  20  is set up. The input device  60  is a device with which information is entered, such as a touch panel, a keyboard, or a mouse. The input device  60  may be configured to obtain coordinate information from given location information, which is noted by a user on a map image read by a scanner capable of reading map images. The location information noted on the map image can be a suitable mark such as a cross, a black circle, or a white circle, or a string of characters. 
     A random access memory (RAM) used as a work memory of a CPU, a read only memory (ROM), a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk device, or other computer readable storage devices serves as the memory  206 . The memory  206  stores the programs that control the CPU&#39;s processing operation. The memory  206  also stores character string information received from the management device  10  by the communication unit  200 , and other data. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show an example of map image information and an example of map information, respectively. Map information shown in  FIG. 2B  associates coordinate information with character string information representing a location, and is used by the character string information controller  102  in the processing of obtaining character string information. 
     The example of map image information shown in  FIG. 2A  illustrates a floor of a building that is used as an office. The floor has a corridor α and rooms β. Corresponding coordinate information is respectively set to the corridor α and the rooms β. The information processing device  20  is installed in each of the rooms β. The example of map information shown in  FIG. 2B  is character string information that respectively represents the rooms β shown in  FIG. 2A  as the installation locations of the information processing devices  20 . The map information of  FIG. 2B , too, includes coordinate information set to the respective rooms, and the coordinate information is associated with character string information. 
     A user who has changed the installation location of an existing information processing device  20 , or has installed a new information processing device  20 , consults map image information that the output controller  202  outputs from the output device  50 , and enters coordinate information indicating the installation location of the information processing device  20  through the input device  60 . The user can enter the coordinate information by, for example, pressing the installation location of the information processing device  20  on the map image information displayed on a touch panel with the finger or the like, inputting numerical values or the like of the coordinate information with a keyboard, specifying the installation location of the information processing device  20  on the map image information displayed on the screen with a mouse or other pointing devices, or noting location information on a printed map image and then having a scanner or the like read the printed map image. 
     When the management device  10  receives the coordinate information, the character string information controller  102  refers to the map information of  FIG. 2B  to obtain character string information that represents a room corresponding to the received coordinate information. 
       FIG. 3  shows the flow of an operation example of the installation location management system according to the exemplary embodiment. In  FIG. 3 , when a user enters through the input device  60  an instruction to update the installation location information of the information processing device  20  (S 1 ), an update starting request is sent from the communication unit  200  to the management device  10 . Identification information of the information processing device  20  is attached to the update starting request. 
     In the management device  10 , the update starting request is received by the communication unit  104  and subsequently by the update controller  108  (S 2 ). The update controller  108  then restricts updating of the installation location information of the information processing device  20  stored in the memory  110  (S 3 ). This update control is accomplished by rejecting any update starting requests that are made by information processing devices  20  other than the one that has sent the received update starting request. 
     The map image information output unit  100  outputs, to the information processing device  20 , via the communication unit  104 , map image information that indicates the installation location of the information processing device  20  that is identified by the identification information (S 4 ). 
     In the information processing device  20 , the communication unit  200  receives the map image information and the output controller  202  outputs from the output device  50  a map image based on the received map image information (S 5 ). 
     The user consults the output map image and enters coordinate information that indicates the new installation location of the information processing device  20  through the input device  60 . The entered coordinate information is received by the input receiving unit  204  (S 6 ). The coordinate information received by the input receiving unit  204  is sent to the management device  10  by the communication unit  200  (S 7 ). 
     In the management device  10 , the coordinate information is received by the communication unit  104 . Based on the received coordinate information, the update controller  108  updates the installation location information of the information processing device  20  stored in the memory  110  (S 8 ). 
     The character string information controller  102  uses the received coordinate information and map information stored in the memory  110  to obtain character string information that represents a location indicated by the coordinate information (S 9 ). The character string information controller  102  then sends the obtained character string information to the information processing device  20  via the communication unit  104  (S 10 ). 
     The character string information is received by the communication unit  200  in the information processing device  20 . Character string information that has been stored in the memory  206  is updated with the received character string information, and the updated character string information is stored in the memory  206  (S 11 ). 
       FIG. 4  shows the flow of another operation example of the installation location management system according to the exemplary embodiment. This operation example describes a case in which the information processing device  20  has a component equivalent to the character string information controller  102  of the management device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  shows another configuration example of the case described above. 
     In  FIG. 4 , when a user enters, through the input device  60 , an instruction to update the installation location information of the information processing device  20  (S 101 ), an update starting request is sent from the communication unit  200  to the management device  10 . Identification information of the information processing device  20  is attached to the update starting request. 
     In the management device  10 , the update starting request is received by the communication unit  104  and subsequently by the update controller  108  (S 102 ). The update controller  108  then restricts updating of the installation location information of the information processing device  20  stored in the memory  110  (S 103 ). This update control is accomplished by rejecting any update starting requests that are made by information processing devices  20  other than the one that has sent the received update starting request. 
     The map image information output unit  100  outputs, to the information processing device  20 , via the communication unit  104 , installation location information which associates with map image information that indicates the installation location of the information processing device  20  that is identified by the identification information, coordinate information, and character string information representing an installation location (S 104 ). 
     In the information processing device  20 , the communication unit  200  receives the map image information and the output controller  202  outputs from the output device  50  a map image based on the received map image information (S 105 ). 
     The user consults the output map image and enters coordinate information that indicates the new installation location of the information processing device  20  through the input device  60 . The entered coordinate information is received by the input receiving unit  204  (S 106 ). The coordinate information received by the input receiving unit  204  is sent to the management device  10  by the communication unit  200  (S 107 ). 
     A character string information controller  102  in the information processing device  20  uses the entered coordinate information and map information stored in the memory  206  to obtain character string information that represents a location indicated by the coordinate information (S 108 ). The character string information controller  102  in the information processing device  20  then updates character string information stored in the memory  206  with the obtained character string information, and stores the updated character string information in the memory  206  (S 109 ). 
     In the management device  10 , the coordinate information is received by the communication unit  104 . Based on the received coordinate information, the update controller  108  updates the installation location information of the information processing device  20  stored in the memory  110  (S 110 ). 
     Programs that execute the steps shown in  FIG. 3  may be provided through communications, or may be provided on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.