Patent Publication Number: US-2006007487-A1

Title: Printer, control method, program and recording medium

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a scheme of setting the time for a printer.  
      2. Related Background Art  
      Conventionally, the printer that uses E-mail for various notifications to the outside or the printer that records the log with time appended is well known.  
      The apparatus having a printer function that is connected to the network has usually a simple clock function installed, because the clock function is indispensable. However, the apparatus having the printer function of low price often mounts a clock not backed up with the battery while the power is turned off to reduce the costs. In this case, though the almost correct time is obtained since the clock is put right till the power is turned off, the correct time will not be obtained once the power is turned off, as long as the clock is put right again.  
      And as a method for the apparatus connected to the network to acquire the time, a method for notifying the time from a host computer at higher rank has been proposed. For instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-105694 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-260851 are well known.  
      A technology as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-105694 involves setting the time of an internal clock of the apparatus having the printer function, using the time included in registered data from the host computer.  
      Moreover, a technology as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-260851 involves setting the time of the host computer that firstly sent the print data to an internal clock of the printer by including the time information in the print data.  
      However, according to the conventional technologies, when the time of the host computer is not accurate, the inaccurate time may be set to the printer, whereby it is desired to provide a scheme for setting more accurate time.  
      Moreover, if the printer itself acquires the time from a time server, and is set to the acquired time, the accurate time can be set to the printer. However, there was a problem that the time could not be set when the time server was down by some causes.  
      Moreover, it is possible to prevent the situation where the time itself cannot be set when the time server is down by some causes.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention is conceived as a response to the above-described-disadvantages of the conventional art.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention, preferably, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising determination device for determining the priority of the time externally input, and setting device for setting the time based on the time of which the priority is determined to be higher by the determination device.  
      With the above configuration, when the time of the host computer is wrong or incorrect, the wrong or incorrect time is prevented from being set to the printer, whereby the more correct time is set up.  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures there. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the system configuration of a network architecture comprising a data processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system, and mainly showing a host computer according to the embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the printing system according to the embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing a time setting processing routine of the invention in a program for transmitting the time information to the printer in the host computer;  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a time setting processing routine of the invention in the printer;  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the time setting processing routine of the invention in the printer;  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing an error log creation processing routine of the invention in the printer;  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing a log acquisition command processing routine of the invention in the printer;  
       FIG. 9  is an example of displaying the job log information;  
       FIG. 10  is an example of a user interface screen for setting the device time;  
       FIG. 11  is an example of a user interface screen for designating a server that sets up the device time; and  
       FIG. 12  is a display example of the error log information. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement of the components, the numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention unless it is specifically stated otherwise.  
      The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawing.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing system having an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
      The image processing system of this embodiment is constituted of an image forming apparatus  150  comprising a plurality of host computers  110 / 111  connected to a network, various kinds of servers  112 / 113 , a controller (image processing apparatus)  120  for performing a predetermined image processing for image data transmitted through an interface (local I/F  121 - 1  or network I/F  121 - 2 ) from the host computers or the servers, and an engine  130  such as a copying machine connected to the controller  120  to print out the digital image in color or gray scale.  
      The controller  120  has an external interface  121  connected via an interface  121  ( 121 - 1 ,  121 - 2 ) to the host computer  110 , the external interface being connected to a CPU bus  123 . The CPU bus has connected to a CPU  124  for controlling the operation of the whole apparatus, a ROM  125  storing a control program (including a flow as will be described later), a RAM  126  ( 126 - 1 ,  126 - 2 ) for use as a work area, an HDD controller  127  for controlling an internal hard disk (HDD)  128  storing the font data, temporary stored data, and print image data, and an FIFO  129 . Herein, the RAM comprises a frame memory  126 - 1  storing the raster image data, and a PDL buffer  126 - 2  holding the PDL image data. The raster image data is not stored in the frame memory  126 - 1 , but may be stored in the internal HDD  128 . Also, plural pieces of image data stored in the internal HDD  128  may be printed out in the order according to an edit mode designated on an operation part  132  of the printer.  
      In this controller  120 , the PDL (Page Description Language) image data transmitted through the local interface  121 - 1  or the network interface  121 - 2  from the host computer  110  is once stored via the CPU bus  123  in a PDL buffer  126 - 2 . The CPU  124  expands the PDL image data saved in the PDL buffer  126 - 2  into raster image data, using the font data in the ROM  125  or internal HDD  128 , and writes it into the frame memory  126 - 1 .  
      From this controller  120 , the raster image data is sent via the CPU bus  123  and the FIFO  129  on a forming signal  141  to the print engine  130 , whereby the image is formed based on that signal. Also, the controller  120  and the printer engine  130  communicate via an interface  142  in various ways.  
      The printer engine  130  comprises an image forming part  131 , an operation part  132 , and a control part  133 . The image forming part  131  has a function of outputting the image data sent from the host computer  110  onto a recording medium, in color or gray scale, at a resolution of 400 dpi for the image processing apparatus. The control part  133  controls the printer  130  to perform a printing function in accordance with the communication substance between the operation part  132  and the image processing apparatus  120 . The operation part  132  is used to make various settings of the printer or instruct various operations.  
      The controller  120  can communicate via the network interface  121 - 2  to the device on the network, and communicate not only the print data but also the device control data, device status and management information.  
      As an example, the consumables information, including toner residual amount, residual number of sheets for every size in every cassette, and residual amount of staples, may be communicated. Also, the status information (door open, paper jam) of the printer, and the presence or absence of mounting various kinds of optional devices (paper ejector (sorter), Z folder, paper deck) may be communicated. The device set values may be also communicated.  
      In the forgoing explanation, the image forming apparatus  150  is the type of receiving the PDL data from the host computer, and making the rendering of image and the print control for the image within the printing apparatus, but may be the type of making the rendering of print image and the print control in a PrinterDriver (printer driver)  202  or a LanguageMonitor (language monitor)  203  operating on the host computer  110  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The configuration of the host computer in this case will be described below.  
       FIG. 2  is a software block diagram of the host computer in a print control system to carry out the invention. In the host computer  200 , an Application (print application)  201  for performing the printing is operating. When a print process is issued, a printer driver  202  installed beforehand is initiated to produce the print image data. The produced print image data is passed to the language monitor  203 , which then transfers various kinds of commands for controlling the printing and the produced print image data via a USBPortMonitor (USB port monitor)  205  through a USB cable  206  to a printer  210  in accordance with a prescribed protocol. In the case of the network connection, but not the USB, they are transferred via a network port monitor and a network LAN to the printer  210 .  
      Various kinds of control commands are interpreted and performed by the printer. If it is required to reply to the host computer, a reply process is performed. As an example, there are various kinds of status information in the printing apparatus. This returned status is received through a connection port by the language monitor, whereby the printing process is further performed in accordance with its substance, and the status is notified to a StatusWindow (status window)  204 , which then displays the printing situation and the status of the printing apparatus on the host computer.  
      Also, the status window  204  as shown in  FIG. 2  can accept an operation request of the user such as a print suspend or cancel, its request being appropriately conveyed to the language monitor  203 . The language monitor  203  transfers a command corresponding to the conveyed operation request via the USB port monitor  205  and the USB cable  206  to the printer  210  in accordance with the prescribed protocol, whereby the controller part performs a process according to the transferred command.  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the whole of a print control system that implements the invention. An SNTP server  360 / 361  for servicing the time information exists on the network. More than one SNTP server may exist. Though the SNTP server exists here, an NTP server may exist. A network printer  370  singly has no clock function. The SNTP server and the network printer  370  communicate to employ the time information acquired from the server as the time information within the printer. On the host computer  3 , a Web browser is operable in which a Remote UI utility capable of setting up the printer is performed. Thereby, an SNTP time acquisition function is also set up.  
      In this setting environment, the printer  370  makes an inquiry for the time to the server and sets the time.  
      In the case where the SNTP server does not exist on the network, the host computer  1  ( 351 ) of local connection or the host computer  2  ( 352 ) of network connection may set the time information for the printer  370 . In the present situation, the host computer has normally a real time timer to hold the time information.  
      In the setting environment, the printer does not inquire the time, but the host computer makes a compulsory instruction of setting the time.  
      The time information of the host computer acquired by receiving a setting instruction on the printer side includes the time and the attribute of time correctness. When a time setting instruction is issued to the printer  370 , the time, its the attribute and the host name are included. Time correctness comparison means compares the substance of the time setting instruction received from the host computer and the set substance of the already set time and determines which time should be set up.  
      When the time setting instruction from the host computer is accepted (step S 513  in  FIG. 5 , step S 603  in  FIG. 6 ), or when the time is acquired from the network time server (step S 503  in  FIG. 5 ), the time information including the instruction time and the acquisition time are set as the printer time by time setting means. At this time, various attributes (e.g., host name) of the time are also recorded.  
      When the time setting instruction from the host computer is not accepted, time setting instruction interrupting means  377  may instruct the time setting instruction means of the host computer not to make the time setting instruction anymore. On the host computer side, the following time setting instruction is not issued by the time setting instruction means, if instructed.  
      The communicated time information is all GMT. On the time receiving side, the time information is obtained by converting the time in terms of a time difference and calculating the local time.  
      However, needless to say, the time difference information may be appended to the “time information”.  
      In this embodiment, the time is communicated in the GMT, and on the time receiving side, the local time is calculated by converting the time in terms of the time difference.  
      [Operation on the Host Side] 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing the operation on the host side in this embodiment. The operation on the host side will be described below in detail using to this flowchart. In practice, a transmission program process is performed by the host computer  351  or  352  in  FIG. 4 .  
      The flowchart of  FIG. 4  is performed when a user setting of whether or not to perform the flowchart of  FIG. 4  (transmitting a time setting command to the printer) is made in the PrintDriver (print driver) or the LanguageMonitor (language monitor) on the host side, and the setting is effective to perform the flowchart of  FIG. 4 . Also, the setting of whether or not to perform the flowchart of  FIG. 4  may be referred to by the PrinterDriver (printer driver) or LanguageMonitor (language monitor) itself, when the PrinterDriver (printer driver) or LanguageMonitor (language monitor) is initiated.  
      The transmission program uses the time information, the attribute of time and the status in a work area. The time information holds the time information of the host, and the initial value is the time when the transmission program is started. Among the attributes of the time, the attributes classified in 1 and 2 and beyond indicate how and via which route the time in the host computer is set up, in which the initial value is 1. The attribute takes the values of 0, 1, and 2 and beyond.  
      The attribute of 0 indicates the unset time in the printer, and is used as the attribute of the time in the printer. The attribute of 1 indicates the time of using a local real time clock, in other words, the time in the host computer not connected to the network for access to the NTP server. In this embodiment, 2 and beyond indicate the time acquired by an NTP (Network Time Protocol) or an SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol). The time acquired by the NTP is based on the time acquired by an atomic clock or the GPS, and more accurate than the time acquired from the local real time clock.  
      Also, the NTP server can transfer the time information to another NTP server. When the time information is transferred, the time is delayed by a transfer processing time, and the originality (correctness) of the time information may be degraded. Hence, this value is incremented by +1 every time the time information is transferred. And the time of any originality is acquired by the host computer or SNTP server. Also, the status holds the time setting information, and the time setting information includes the host name that sets up the time, and the attribute of the time.  
      First of all, an instance where the time of the printer is autonomously set up from the host side will be described below. If started, the transmission program operating on the host side acquires the time setting method of the host as to whether or not the NTP is set up from the OS at step S 401 . If it is set up, the attribute of the time is set to 2 or beyond, or if not, the attribute is set to 1.  
      At step  402 , it is judged whether or not a predetermined time has passed in terms of the time of the host computer. This is because the time setting to the device is made at certain intervals.  
      At step S 403 , the time information within the host computer is processed for the time setting command. This processing is performed by the PrinterDriver (printer driver) or the LanguageMonitor (language monitor) in  FIG. 2 . At step S 404 , a status acquisition command is transmitted to the printer, and as its response, a printer time setting information status (already set flag, refusal flag, etc.) is acquired.  
      At step S 405 , it is discriminated whether or not the time attribute of the time setting information of the received status is 0. If it is 0, it is discriminated that the time information is unset, and the procedure goes to step S 407 , or otherwise, goes to step S 406 .  
      At step S 406 , the value of a time setting refusal flag is evaluated. If it is 0, the procedure goes to step S 407 , because the time setting is not refused, or if it is 1, the procedure gets back to step S 302  to suppress the transmission of the time setting command because the time setting is refused. The default value of the refusal flag stored beforehand in the memory of the host computer is “0”.  
      At step S 407 , the time setting command prepared is transmitted via the PrinterDriver (printer driver)  202  and the LanguageMonitor (language monitor)  203  of  FIG. 2  to the printer. The time setting command includes the time, the attribute of the time and its host name. Any one of the modules  202  and  203  may issue the time setting command on the host computer side, and is called control software or control means.  
      At step S 408 , it is discriminated whether or not the time setting command is refused from the response of the time setting command. If it is refused, the procedure goes to step S 409 , or if it is accepted, to step S 410 .  
      At step S 409 , the refusal flag is set to 1, and the procedure returns to step S 402 . At step S 410 , the refusal flag is set to 0, and the procedure gets back to step S 402 .  
      If the time information is not acquired at step S 301 , the time setting is not made.  
      [Operation on the Printer Side] 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing the operation on the printer side in this embodiment. The operation will be described in detail, using this flowchart. In practice, this operation is performed by a control circuit  120  of the printer in  FIG. 1  and the printer  370  in  FIG. 3 .  
      The control circuit uses the time, the attribute of time, the host name and the elapsed time in a work area. The time holds the set-up time, and the initial value is 0. The attribute of the time indicates the method for acquiring the set-up time. The meaning has been explained in the operation on the host side. The host name holds the host name making the time setting, and no initial value is written. The elapsed time holds the time elapsed since the last time setting, and the initial value is 0. Also, an internal clock measures the elapsed time.  
      First of all, if the control circuit is initiated, the network time information is inquired to the SNTP server on the network at step S 501 .  
      If there is a response to this inquiry at step S 502 , the time information within the printer device is set using the responded time at step S 503 .  
      At step S 504 , it is discriminated whether or not a command from any one of the host computers is received via any one of the interfaces  211  and  212 . If the command is received, the procedure goes to step S 507 , of if not, to step S 505 .  
      At step S 505 , it is discriminated whether or not the elapsed time is more than the preset time (e.g., one hour). If the preset time has not passed, the procedure gets back to step S 504 , or if it has passed, proceeds to step S 506 .  
      At step S 506 , there is possibility that the host is down because no time setting instruction is made for a certain period of time. Therefore, the attribute of the time is initialized to 0 of the unset state, enabling the time setting to be accepted from any other external time originator, and the procedure returns to step S 501 . Herein, the time is set by making an inquiry to the SNTP server again. The processing at steps S 505  and S 506  is effective especially when the precision of the clock function of the printer is so bad as to shift the time.  
      At step S 507 , it is discriminated whether or not the command is the time setting command. In case of the time setting command, the procedure proceeds to step S 509 , or otherwise, goes to step S 508 .  
      At step S 508 , the relevant command process is performed, and the procedure gets back to step S 504 .  
      At step S 509 , it is discriminated whether or not the attribute of the set-up time is 0. If it is 0, it is discriminated that the attribute is unset, and the procedure goes to step S 513 . Otherwise, it is discriminated that the attribute is set, and the procedure proceeds to step S 510 .  
      At step S 510 , it is discriminated whether or not the time setting command is from the host name of the currently set time by comparing the host name included in the time setting command received at step S 504  and the host name in the work area.  
      If the host names are matched, it is discriminated that the command is from the currently setting host, and the procedure proceeds to step S 511 . If unmatched, the procedure goes to step S 511  because the setting command is from another host.  
      At step S 511 , the attribute (originality) of the time of the time setting command received at step S 504  and the attribute (originality) of the currently set time are compared to discriminate which of them is correct. The time discriminated to be correct is considered the time with high priority. That is, the time has higher priority in the order in which the attribute of the command is 2, 2 or beyond, 1 and 0. If the time with high priority is determined, namely, the time indicating more correct attribute is received, the procedure proceeds to step S 513 .  
      If it is determined that the currently set time has higher priority, the procedure goes to step S 512 .  
      At step S 512 , the refusal of the time setting command is notified to the host, and the procedure gets back to step S 504 .  
      At step S 513 , the time setting is made based on the time included in the time setting command, in which the host name and attribute of the originator of the time setting command are saved in the work area. Since the time is set at step S 411 , the elapsed time is reset to 0, and the procedure proceeds to step S 515 . At step S 515 , it is notified to the host that the time setting command is accepted, and the procedure gets back to step S 504 .  
      In accordance with the flowchart of  FIG. 5  as described above, in the printer that can communicate with the external host computer, the priority of the time inputted from each of a plurality of time originators  110  to  113  of  FIG. 1  is determined at step S 511 , and the time determined to have higher priority is set at step S 513 , whereby it is possible to set more correct time in the printer main body. Also, even if any device is in a state of issuing no time setting command due to some causes, such as power off, the time is set based on the time setting command from any other time originator.  
      Herein, the time originator, for example, may be another device like those 110 to 113 of  FIG. 1 , or another software module such as the SNTP server function or Language Monitor  203  within the same device.  
      Though the flowchart of  FIG. 5  is described with the interfaces  211  and  212  in  FIG. 2 , it is not limited thereto. For example, the interface  211  may be excluded, and the priority of the time from each of the plurality of time originators inputted into the network interface  212  may be determined, thereby performing the time setting process.  
      Reference is made to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6 , like  FIG. 5 , is another example showing the operation for the time setting command in the print controller. At step S 601 , the kind of interface through which the time setting command is received is determined. If the time setting command is received through the local interface, the procedure goes to step S 605 , or if it is received through the network interface, proceeds to step S 602 .  
      A determination process at step S 601  may be made by including the attribute of the time in the time setting command and determining this attribute in the same manner as step S 511 . In this case, the time setting command may include the attribute of 1 for the local interface or the attribute of 2 or 2 and beyond for the network interface in accordance with the kind of interface used for data communication in the host computer of originator of the time setting command.  
      Turning back to  FIG. 6 , at step S 602 , an already set flag indicating that the time setting command is received through the network interface is set up. This flag is cleared immediately after the power is turned on. That is, the flag, once set, is invalid, if the power is turned off.  
      At step S 603  following step S 602 , the time notified with the time setting command is stored in an allocated area on the RAM. Finally, at step S 604 , a response command indicating that the time is normally set is returned to the command originator, and the time setting command process is ended.  
      On the other hand, if the time setting command is received through the local interface, the already set flag stored in the RAM at step S 605  is checked. If the already set flag is not set, namely, if the time setting command is not received through the network interface, the procedure goes to step S 603  to perform the time setting process. On the other hand, if the already set flag is set, namely, if the time setting command is already received through the network interface, the time setting command from the local PC is ignored and the procedure goes to step S 606 , where the response data indicating ignorance is returned to the command originator. Thereby, the time setting command process is ended.  
      In the flowchart of  FIG. 6 , the priority of the time is determined based on the kind of interface into which the time setting commands from a plurality of time originators are inputted, whereby the more correct time setting through the network can be effected. Even if the time setting through the network can not be made, the time setting process may be made based on the time setting command inputted through the local interface such as USB interface.  
      With the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment of the invention as described above, of the time setting commands from the local host computer, the time setting command through the network interface is preferentially dealt with in the controller part, whereby the time information of high reliability can be held within the printer.  
      In the actual network environment, the time is periodically acquired from the host computer. Only if the time service is not provided because the host computer is abnormal, the time is inquired to another host computer, to which the invention is also applicable.  
      Only one time information that the printer driver acquires from the outside is saved in this embodiment. However, there are multiple functional parts needing the time information, the time information for use may be preferably controlled for each function.  
      As an example, there are a device error log and a job log.  
      For the error log of device, the network time is stored in its log contents. Because the log is created in an error occurrence event for the device simplex.  
      For the job log, opposed to the error log, the operation time (creation time of the job) of the host computer generating the job and the print time of the job are stored in the log. That is, the job log is not configured only by time within the printer device. The creation time of this job is recorded in the job, and the log is created by its information.  
       FIG. 9  is an example of displaying the job log in a utility operating on the host PC. In this example, an item of “print date” indicates the creation time of the job. In this example, the print time of the job is not displayed, but held as the log contents.  
      Though the time information of “final update” is displayed in  FIG. 9 , this time information is displayed using the time information of the host PC on which the utility is operating (example of this utility is a Web browser, in which the displayed contents of the Web are produced by a network interface card.)  
       FIG. 10  is another functional screen in the same utility as in  FIG. 9 , in which the time within the network interface card is displayed and a user interface for making an inquiry to the SNTP server on the network is provided.  
      It is the time information held in the network interface that is displayed in the “device held time”. And by pressing a “update at once” button, it is possible to remotely issue an instruction of enabling the printer to make an inquiry for the time to the server on the network. The log of the access is displayed on a list box thereon.  
      The time displayed in the “final update” at the top is the time of the host PC.  
      When the time information is acquired from the server by pressing the “update at once” button, needless to say, the time is notified to the print device.  
       FIG. 11  is another functional screen in the same utility as in  FIG. 9 , in which a user interface for designating the SNTP server on the network is provided.  
      Only one SNTP address can be set. Since the time received from the server is the GMT, the time zone and the summer time can be set up as the setting information for calculating the local time. Multiple addresses may be assigned to the server. Also, the time may be inquired by broadcasting.  
      Referring to a flowchart of  FIG. 7 , the creation of error log that is an example of the use form of the time set up in the flowcharts of  FIGS. 5 and 6  as described above will be described below.  
      First of all, at step S 701 , the status information of the printer device is acquired. Then, an error state is detected based on its information (step S 702 ).  
      If the error state is detected, the error detailed information is acquired from the device side (step S 703 ).  
      And the status information (status code) substance and the error detailed information are processed to produce the information required for the error log (jam log included in the error log) (step S 704 ).  
      At this time, the time information for use is acquired (step S 705 ). In this case, because of the jam log, the time within the network I/F (the time set up at step S 513  or step S 603 ) is acquired and recorded on the log at step S 711 . And the service of error log is suspended (step S 706 ), and the newly created log information is additionally registered into the database of error log (step S 707 ). Finally, the service of error log is resumed (step S 708 ).  
      Though the above explanation is made in the case of error log, when the jam state is detected by determining the substance of status code, the jam log may be created. This jam log may be also created based on the time information within the network I/F.  
      Also, when the job end state is detected, the job log is created. In the case of the job log as previously described, the time information of the log contents is the job creation time included in the job.  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , a log acquisition command process (log service process) will be described below. This process corresponds to the process where the log created in  FIG. 7  is notified to the external host computer.  
      First of all, the substance of the log acquisition command is judged (step S 801 ).  
      Since the log functions has plural kinds of log, it is determined to which log access is made (step S 802 ), and the process is subsequently performed for the designated log (step S 802  and beyond). The log acquisition command includes the detailed information for access, such as number designation in the log, whereby the relevant log information is drawn out of the database for log in accordance with its information (step S 802 ). The necessary information is further processed from the relevant log information to create the information required for reply (step S 803 ). And the created reply information is returned to a functional part requesting the log acquisition command process (step S 804 ).  
       FIG. 12  is an example of the error log, in which the error log contents are displayed by the utility on the host acquiring the log using the log service process.  
      As previously described, the time in the data of one item of this error log is the time within the network I/F.  
      An object of the invention may be achieved in such a manner that a recording medium recording the program code of the software for implementing the functions of this embodiment is supplied to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) in the system or the apparatus reads and execute the program code stored in the recording medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium may implement new functions of the invention, whereby the recording medium recording the program code and the program constitute this invention.  
      The recording medium for supplying the program code may be a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, an optical magnetic disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic disk, a non-volatile memory card or a ROM.  
      Also, the functions of this embodiment may be implemented not only by executing the program code read by the computer, but also by an OS (operating system) operating on the computer performing a part or all of the processing in accordance with an instruction of the program code.  
      Moreover, the program code read from the recording medium is written into a memory provided in a function extension board inserted into the computer or a function extension unit connected to the computer, and then the CPU provided in the function extension board or function extension unit performs a part or all of the actual processing in accordance with an instruction of the program code, whereby the functions of this embodiment may be implemented.  
      This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-203397 filed Jul. 9, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.