Method and system for selecting devices in information networks, including inputting/outputting data to a specified device selected by p

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices; and

inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen,

wherein the operating state of said I/O device indicates that said I/O device is currently in use.

2. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices; and

inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen,

wherein the operating state of said I/O device indicates that said I/O device is currently unusable.

3. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices; and

inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen,

wherein the operating state of said I/O device indicates the amount of data waiting to be input to or output from said I/O device.

4. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;

inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen; and

indicating an input or output to said I/O device by directly pointing a cursor to the design representing said I/O device.

5. A shared source managing device including a plurality of information processing devices each having a central processing unit, a display unit, a storage unit and I/O devices shared by said plurality of information processing devices, said information processing devices and I/O devices being connected to a communication network, comprising:

a sketch information file provided in said storage unit for storing data of a sketch of a building having said plurality of I/O devices installed therein and an I/O device attribute information file storing at least type information and installation location information for each of said I/O devices; and

display means for displaying said sketch of said building and a design locating each of said I/O devices at the corresponding installed locations within said sketch on a screen of said display means based on said sketch information file and I/O device attribute information file.

6. The shared source managing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said information processing devices comprise means for requesting current operating information for each of said I/O devices and means for displaying the operating state information within said design of said I/O device, and said each of said I/O devices comprise means for transmitting its respective operating state in response to said request from said information processing device.

7. The shared source managing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a operating state of said I/O device indicates either that said I/O device is currently unusable, contains data waiting for being input or output, or is equipped with a part(s).

8. The shared source managing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said information processing devices provide a display and pointing means for directly pointing to the design identifying said I/O device on the screen and an I/O device selecting means for indicating an I/O to the I/O device matching to the design indicated by said display and point means.

9. The shared source managing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sketch information file stores a respective screen for each story of said building.

10. The shared source managing device including a plurality of information processing devices each having a central processing unit, a display unit, a storage unit and I/0 devices shared by said plurality of information processing devices, said information processing devices and I/O devices being connected to a communication network, comprising:

a sketch information file provided in said storage unit for storing data of a sketch of a building having said plurality of I/O devices installed therein and an I/O device attribute information file storing at least type information and installation location information for each of said I/O devices,

wherein said sketch information file stores information for each screen representing more than one story three-dimensionally as a sketch corresponding to said building; and

display means for displaying said sketch of said building and a design locating each of said I/O devices at the corresponding installed locations within said sketch on a screen of said display means based on said sketch information file and I/O device attribute information file.

11. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said I/O devices installed therein and indicators representing said I/O devices to enable a user Go locate said I/O devices within said building structure;

selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen; and

inputting/outputting data regarding operation of said selected I/O device.

12. The input/output method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of identifying and displaying the kind or type of said I/O devices on said screen of said information processing devices together with said indicators comprising character strings or designs representing said I/O devices.

13. The input/output method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of displaying the current operating states of said I/O devices to be used on the screens of said information processing devices together with said indicators comprising character strings or designs representing said I/O device.

14. The input/output method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of identifying, and subsequently displaying on said screens, which of said I/O devices are currently in use together with said indicators comprising character strings or designs representing said I/O devices.

15. The input/output method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of identifying and displaying which of said I/O devices is unusable on the screens of said information processing devices together with said indicators comprising character strings or designs representing said I/O device.

16. The input/output method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of displaying the amount of data waiting for being input or output together with said indicators comprising character strings or designs representing said I/O device to be used on the screen of said information processing device.

17. A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said I/O devices and said peripheral devices installed therein and indicators representing said devices to enable a user to locate said I/O and said peripheral devices;

selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen; and

controlling said selected one of said I/O devices and said peripheral devices designated by said cursor on said screen.

18. The controlling method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said peripheral device is a phone terminal, and said method further comprises the steps of displaying designs identifying phones connected to said phone terminal at respective installation locations on said sketch, identifying and displaying which of said phones is currently in use by identifying corresponding indicators, and calling a specified one of said phones by directly pointing a cursor to the corresponding design.

19. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of I/O devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said I/O devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate said I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices; and

inputting/outputting data to a specified one of said I/O devices selected by pointing to a corresponding indicator on said screen.

20. A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying the connection among said I/O devices and said peripheral devices graphically and corresponding indicators representing said devices with respective current operating states on a screen of said information processing unit to enable a user to locate respective I/O devices and corresponding operating states of said I/O devices;

selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen; and

controlling said selected one of said I/O devices and said corresponding peripheral devices designated by said cursor on said screen.

21. A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network on one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

drawing a sketch, on a screen of one of said information processing units, of a building having said I/O and peripheral devices installed therein based on drawing data stored in a drawing information file;

drawing designs representing said I/O and peripheral devices at designated installation locations throughout said building for said devices on said sketch based on data stored in a shared I/O and peripheral device attribute file;

receiving current operating state information from respective I/O and peripheral devices in said information processing unit;

displaying current operating states of said I/O and peripheral devices on said screen of said information processing unit, with said designs representing said I/O and peripheral devices based on said received current operating state information of said I/O and peripheral devices;

selecting a designated one of said I/O devices on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected I/O device on said screen; and

controlling said selected one of said I/O and peripheral devices designated by pointing said cursor to a corresponding design on said screen.

22. An input/output method for at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said printers installed therein and indicators representing said printers to enable a user to locate said printers within said building structure;

selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen; and

outputting printing data regarding operation of said selected printer.

23. A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network via one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a screen of one of said information processing units a sketch of a building structure having said printers installed therein and indicators representing said devices to enable a user to locate said printers;

selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen; and

controlling said selected one of said printers designated by said cursor on said screen.

24. A method for controlling at least one of a plurality of printers for an information network shared by a plurality of information processing units connected to said information network on one of said information processing units, said method comprising the steps of:

drawing a sketch, on a screen of one of said information processing units, of a building having said printers installed therein based on drawing data stored in a drawing information file;

drawing designs representing said printers at designated installation locations throughout said building for said devices on said sketch based on data stored in a shared printer attribute file;

receiving current operating state information from respective printers in said information processing unit;

displaying current operating states of said printers on said screen of said information processing unit, with said designs representing said printers based on said received current operating state information of said printers;

selecting a designated one of said printers on said screen by pointing a cursor to a corresponding indicator of said selected printer on said screen; and

controlling said selected one of said printers designated by pointing said cursor to a corresponding design on said screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and device for managing shared sources in an information processing device connected to one or more I/O devices through a communication line. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and device for managing shared sources in the information processing device, which method and device are preferable provided that the information processing device is separated from the I/O device allowing information to be input to or output from the information processing device.

To input or output data at more than one I/O device provided in the information processing device through communication lines, a user is required to know the kinds and locations of the I/O devices.

One example of the information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected thereto is described on page 84 of "Introduction to MS-NETWORKS and Personal Computer LAN" published in Gijiyutu-Hyouron (Technique critique) Company Edition. According to this publication, a user takes the steps of specifying a title of an object I/O device for indicating an input or output to the I/O device or displaying a list of I/O devices connected to the information processing device for referring to each title of the I/O devices.

An example of a network management system is described in "ANM" Automated Network Management System", IEEE Network, Vol. 2, No. 2, March 1988, pp. 13-19. This system is designed to graphically display how the devices are connected by referring to the connecting state of those devices.

The foregoing prior arts have the following disadvantages.

If a person uses an information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines, the user often wants to know where each I/O device is located. In particular, the user is anxious to know the location of each data-outputting device, such as a printer or plotter, or each data-inputting device, such as a card reader. One reason for knowing the location is that if the I/O device located near the user malfunctions or outputs a great deal of data, another I/O device is required. Another reason is that it may be necessary to make sure if a rarely-used special I/O device is connected to the system and know the location of the I/O device. In these instances, the prior art has been designed to display the list of each I/O device connected to the information processing device and to allow the user to suppose the location of each I/O device based on the title of each I/O device indicated in the list.

The foregoing "ATM" Automated Network Management System" discloses the technique of graphically displaying on a CRT how the I/O or other devices are connected in a LAN system. This technique, however, cannot provide information about the location of each I/O device to a user.

As is understood from the above, the foregoing prior art has disadvantages in that it is difficult for a user to positively and easily know each location of I/O devices connected to the information processing device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and device for managing shared sources in an information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines or the like, in which the method and device allow a user to positively and easily locate shared sources such as I/O devices or processors.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and device for managing shared sources in an information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines or the like, in which the method and device allow a user to discern the type and the operating state of each I/O device.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device for managing shared sources in an information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines or the like, in which the method and device allow a user to immediately attribute an input or output to an object I/O device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and device for managing shared sources in an information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines or the like, in which the method and device allow a user to easily discern which I/O device is being used on its basis of the location, the type and the operating state of each I/O device and immediately select a proper I/O device and attribute an input or output thereto.

To achieve the foregoing objects, according to a first aspect of the invention, the method for managing shared sources, designed to manage a plurality of I/O devices as shared sources in a plurality of information processing devices, comprises the process of displaying on the screens of the information processing devices a sketch representing a building within which the I/O devices are installed as well as a design and a character string representing the I/O device at the installed location of each I/O device inside of the sketch, for the purpose of allowing a user to locate the installation of each I/O device.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the method for managing shared sources in an information processing device, designed to manage a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices as shared sources in a plurality of information processing devices, comprises the process of displaying on the screens of the information processing devices a sketch representing a building within which the I/O devices and peripheral devices are installed as well as a design and a character string representing the devices at the installed location of each device inside of the sketch, for the purpose of allowing a user to locate each device.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the method for managing shared sources, designed to manage a plurality of I/O devices as shared sources in a plurality of information processing devices, comprises the process of graphically displaying on the screens of the information processing devices the connection state of the I/O devices to be used as well as the design representing each I/O device together with the current operating state of each I/O device.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the method for managing shared sources, designed to manage a plurality of I/O devices and peripheral devices as shared sources in a plurality of information processing devices, comprises the process of, when using the information processing devices and the I/O devices, graphically displaying on the screens of the information processing devices the connection state of the information processing devices, the I/O devices, and the peripheral devices and the design representing each device together with the current operating state of each device.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the method for managing shared sources, designed to manage a plurality of information processing devices and I/O devices as shared sources in the information processing devices, comprises the steps of drawing a sketch representing the inside of a building in which the shared sources are installed on the basis of the drawing data stored in a sketch information file, drawing the designs representing the shared sources at the installed locations of these sources inside of the sketch on the basis of the data stored in a shared source attribute information file, and displaying the current operating state of each shared source accompanied with each corresponding design.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the device for managing shared sources for information processing, designed to connect a plurality of information processing devices each having a central processing unit, a display unit and a storage unit, and a plurality of I/O devices shared by the information processing units through a communication network, comprises a sketch information file storing the drawing data about a sketch drawing a building in which the I/O devices are installed, an I/O device attribute information file in which at least the kind and the installed location of each I/O device are described, both files being provided in the storage unit, and a display means for displaying the sketch on which the inside of a building is drawn and a design representing each I/O device at its respective installed location within the sketch on the screen of the display unit on the basis of the sketch information file and the I/O device attribute information file.

When one information processing device uses a specific I/O device served as a shared source, the method and device for managing shared sources for information processing is designed to allow the display-indicating means to indicate the display of the installed location, the type and the operating state of each I/O device to the information processing device. In response to the indication, the information processing device sends a message inquiring the operating state to each I/O device with a communication means provided in the information processing device. In response to the message, each I/O device sends a message notifying the information processing device of the operating state of the I/O device with a communication means provided in the I/O device. Then, the information processing device acquires the operating state of each I/O device from the message.

Next, the information processing device activates the display means to display on the display unit the drawing data stored in the sketch information file and a design representing the type and the operating state of each I/O device at the installed location of the I/O device in an overlapping manner with the drawing data. Then, an I/O device is selected by using the I/O device selecting means, the I/O means performs the I/O operation of the I/O device.

As described above, the information processing device having a plurality of I/O devices connected through communication lines or the like is designed to display a design representing each I/O device on a sketch illustrating the inside of a building for indicating the installed location of each I/O device. It allows in allowing a user to positively and easily locate each I/O device.

As another displaying method, there is provided a means of graphically displaying the connection state of the information processing device and a plurality of peripheral devices like I/O devices. It also allows a user to easily discern the connecting state of the peripheral devices.

And, the information processing device is also designed to display the type and the operating state of each I/O device and allow the design of each I/O device displayed on the display unit to be pointed for indicating an input or output to the I/O device. It results in allowing a user to easily decide which I/O device should be used on the basis of the install