Image processing apparatus, network system, information processing method, program, and storage medium

Abstract

An object of this invention is to realize maintenance of a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected to a network at low cost while suppressing the time and labor. According to this invention, an image processing apparatus ( 303 ) connectable to a network ( 301 ) includes a unit ( 411 ) which stores set information for operating the image processing apparatus, a unit ( 410 ) which updates the set information stored in the unit ( 411 ) by using set information which is received via the network ( 301 ) from another image processing apparatus ( 302 ) connected to the network and used to operate the image processing apparatus ( 302 ), a storage unit which stores the set information before update by the update unit, a return instruction acceptance unit which accepts from the user an instruction to return the set information updated by the update unit to the set information before update, and a return unit which returns the set information to the set information before update that is stored in the storage unit when the return instruction acceptance unit accepts the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update.

1 . An image processing apparatus connectable to a network, comprising: 
 holding unit configured to hold set information for operating the image processing apparatus;    update unit configured to update the set information held by said holding unit by using set information which is received via the network from another image processing apparatus connected to the network and used to operate said another image processing apparatus;    storage unit configured to store the set information before update by said update unit;    return instruction acceptance unit configured to accept from a user an instruction to return the set information updated by said update unit to the set information before update; and    return unit configured to return the set information to the set information before update that is stored in said storage unit when said return instruction acceptance unit accepts the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said return unit overwrites the updated set information by using the set information stored in said storage unit.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising enable/disable instruction acceptance unit configured to accept from the user an instruction to enable/disable update, 
 wherein said update unit does not update the set information held by said holding unit when said enable/disable instruction acceptance unit accepts an update disable instruction.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said enable/disable instruction acceptance unit accepts, for each item of the set information, an instruction to enable/disable update, and said update unit updates the set information by determining, for each item of the set information, whether to enable/disable update.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said update unit compares the set information held by said holding unit with the set information for operating the another image processing system, and updates the set information for a common set item.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said update unit refers to definition information contained in the set information of a structured document form and selectively updates set information settable by the image processing apparatus.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the structured document form includes XML (extensible Markup Language), and the definition information uses an XML schema.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the set information is received in accordance with a procedure defined by SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol).  
   
   
       9 . An information processing method in an image processing apparatus connectable to a network, comprising: 
 a holding step of holding set information for operating the image processing apparatus;    an update step of updating the set information held in the holding step by using set information which is received via the network from another image processing apparatus connected to the network and used to operate the another image processing apparatus;    a storage step of storing the set information before update in the update step;    a return instruction acceptance step of accepting from a user an instruction to return the set information updated in the update step to the set information before update; and    a return step of returning the set information to the set information before update that is stored in the storage step when the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update is accepted in the return instruction acceptance step.    
   
   
       10 . A network system which can connect at least a first image processing apparatus and a second image processing apparatus, comprising: 
 transmission unit configured to transmit, to the second image processing apparatus, set information which is set in the first image processing apparatus and used to operate the first image processing apparatus;    reception unit configured to receive the set information transmitted by said transmission unit;    update unit configured to update the set information received by said reception unit in the second image processing apparatus;    storage unit configured to store the set information before update by said update unit;    return instruction acceptance unit configured to accept from a user an instruction to return the set information updated by said update unit to the set information before update; and    return unit configured to return the set information to the set information before update that is stored in said storage unit when said return instruction acceptance unit accepts the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update.    
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said transmission unit transmits common set information to a plurality of image processing apparatuses.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said transmission unit selectively transmits pieces of set information for respective items.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 10 , further comprising recording unit configured to record a transmission log when said transmission unit transmits the set information, 
 wherein said transmission unit can perform retransmission by using a destination contained in the transmission log.    
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said transmission unit converts the set information into a structured document containing definition information, and then transmits the set information.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the structured document form includes XML, and the definition information uses an XML schema.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said transmission unit adds a SOAP header to the set information, and transmits the set information in accordance with a procedure defined by SOAP.  
   
   
       17 . An information processing method in a network system which can connect at least a first image processing apparatus and a second image processing apparatus, comprising: 
 a transmission step of transmitting, to the second image processing apparatus, set information which is set in the first image processing apparatus and used to operate the first image processing apparatus;    a reception step of receiving the set information transmitted in the transmission step;    an update step of updating the set information received in the reception step in the second image processing apparatus;    a storage step of storing the set information before update in the update step;    a return instruction acceptance step of accepting from a user an instruction to return the set information updated in the update step to the set information before update; and    a return step of returning the set information to the set information before update that is stored in the storage step when the instruction to return the set information to the set information before update is accepted in the return instruction acceptance step.    
   
   
       18 . A storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer to implement an information processing method defined in  claim 9 .  
   
   
       19 . A control program for causing a computer to implement an information processing method defined in  claim 9.