초록 ▼

There is provided an information processing apparatus which is constructed by a host computer and a peripheral device connected to the host computer through a bidirectional interface and which inputs and outputs data between the host computer and the peripheral device through a device driver that co

There is provided an information processing apparatus which is constructed by a host computer and a peripheral device connected to the host computer through a bidirectional interface and which inputs and outputs data between the host computer and the peripheral device through a device driver that corresponds to the peripheral device and is loaded in the OS of the host computer. An output device such as a printer which is controlled by the host computer has an identifying unit to identify the kind of OS of the host computer and a controller to output a device driver for controlling the device to the host computer on the basis of the identification result. The peripheral device has a memory in which the device driver corresponding to the peripheral device has been stored, the device driver in the memory is transferred to the host computer as necessary and is loaded into the OS of the host computer.

대표청구항 ▼

There is provided an information processing apparatus which is constructed by a host computer and a peripheral device connected to the host computer through a bidirectional interface and which inputs and outputs data between the host computer and the peripheral device through a device driver that co

There is provided an information processing apparatus which is constructed by a host computer and a peripheral device connected to the host computer through a bidirectional interface and which inputs and outputs data between the host computer and the peripheral device through a device driver that corresponds to the peripheral device and is loaded in the OS of the host computer. An output device such as a printer which is controlled by the host computer has an identifying unit to identify the kind of OS of the host computer and a controller to output a device driver for controlling the device to the host computer on the basis of the identification result. The peripheral device has a memory in which the device driver corresponding to the peripheral device has been stored, the device driver in the memory is transferred to the host computer as necessary and is loaded into the OS of the host computer. t with a record identifying a plurality of carriers serving the remote service switching point, the record including a cost for using each identified carrier and a number of available circuits in each identified carrier; means for receiving a call and destination number at the local service switching point; and means for selecting a carrier from the record, the selected carrier having a predetermined number of available circuits that can connect the received call to the destination number for the lowest cost. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising: means for routing the call to the selected carrier. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for routing further comprises: means for prompting the gatekeeper to establish a call pathway from the packet switched network to the remote SSP via the gateway; and means for connecting the call from the local SSP to the selected carrier via the packet switched network, the gateway, and the remote SSP. 18. The system of claim 15, further comprising: means for receiving the call from an automatic call distributor. 19. The system of claim 15, further comprising: means for updating the record identifying the plurality of carriers serving the remote service switching point when a change in carrier service is detected. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the change in carrier service is a change in the number of available circuits in an identified carrier. 21. The system of claim 19 wherein the change in carrier service is a change in the cost to use an identified carrier. 22. The system of claim 21 wherein the change in cost is based on a time of day a call is made. 23. The system of claim 21 wherein the change in cost is based on a day of week a call is made. 24. The system of claim 21 wherein the change in cost is based on a day of month a call is made. 25. The system of claim 21 wherein the change in cost is based on a prefix of the destination number. 26. The system of claim 21 wherein the change in cost is based on the local service switching point. 27. The system of claim 19 wherein the change in carrier service is an addition of an identified carrier serving the remote service switching point. 28. The system of claim 19 wherein the change in carrier service is a removal of an identified carrier serving the service switching point. 29. A mixed circuit and packet switched system, the system comprising: a packet switched network; a circuit switched network having a plurality of carriers, each carrier containing a dynamically varying number of available circuits; a plurality of service switching points in communication with the circuit switched network, each service switching point associated with a carrier such that each service switching point can direct a telephone call over an available circuit in the associated carrier, each service switching point containing a global circuit availability record, the global circuit availability record providing circuit availability for every carrier associated with the plurality of service switching points; a plurality of gateways interconnecting the packet switched network and the circuit switched network, each gateway in communication with a service switching point such that a telephone call can be carried between the service switching point and the packet switched network via the gateway; a plurality of gatekeepers, each gatekeeper in communication with a gateway such that each gatekeeper controls a connection of a telephone call between the packet switched network and the circuit switched network via the gateway, each gatekeeper in communication with a service switching point such that the gatekeeper permits the connection of the telephone call through the gateway in response to a prompt from the service switching point; and wherein a first service switching point receives an incoming call on an associated carrier and directs the received call, via the packet switched network, to a gateway in communicatio n with a second service switching point after prompting a gatekeeper in communication with the gateway, the first service switching point selecting the second service switching point from the plurality of service switching points based on a global circuit availability record contained in the first service switching point. 30. The system of claim 29 wherein each service switching point maintains a circuit availability record for its associated carrier. 31. The system of claim 30, further comprising: a system management point in communication with the plurality of service switching points, the system management point receiving the circuit availability records from the plurality of service switching points, deriving the global circuit availability record from the received circuit availability records, and transmitting the global circuit availability data record to each service switching point. 32. The system of claim 31 wherein the system management point periodically receives the circuit availability records from the plurality of switching points, updates the global circuit availability record if there is change in circuit availability, and transmits the global circuit availability record if an update has occurred. 33. The system of claim 32 wherein the change in circuit availability is a change in the number of available circuits in a carrier. 34. The system of claim 32 wherein the change in circuit availability is a change in a cost to use an available circuit in a carrier. 35. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on a time of day a call is made. 36. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on a day of week a call is made. 37. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on a day of month a call is made. 38. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on a destination number prefix. 39. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on a class of call. 40. The system of claim 34 wherein the change in cost is based on an originating service switching point. 41. The system of claim 29 wherein the first service switching point directs the received call to the gateway in communication with the second service switching point only if the global circuit availability record indicates that a carrier associated with the second service switching point has at least a predetermined number of available circuits. 42. The system of claim 41 wherein the first service switching point directs the received call to the gateway in communication with the second service switching point only if the global circuit availability record indicates that a carrier associated with the second service switching point has a predetermined number of circuits that are available for a predetermined cost. 43. The system of claim 29 wherein the first service switching point directs the received call to the gateway in communication with the second service switching point only if the global circuit availability record indicates that a carrier associated with the second service switching point has at least one circuit that is available for a predetermined cost. 44. A system for routing a call via a packet switched network having a gateway and a gatekeeper controlling call pathways through the gateway, the system comprising: a remote service switching point; a local service switching point in communication with the remote gateway and the remote gatekeeper via the packet switched network, the local service switching point containing a global record identifying a plurality of carriers that serve the remote service switching point, the global record including a cost of using each identified carrier and a number of available circuits in each identified carrier; and wherein the local service switching point selects a carrier from the global record in response to receiving an incoming call and a destination number, the selected carrier having a predetermined number of circuits that can connect the incoming call to the destination number for the lowest cost. 45. The system of claim 44 wherein the local service switching point establishes a call route to the remote service switching point by prompting the gatekeeper to establish a call pathway from the packet switched network to the remote service switching point via the gateway, the established call route extending from the local service switching point to the remote service switching point via the packet switched network and the gateway. 46. The system of claim 45 wherein the local service switching point directs the incoming call over the established call route to the remote service switching point. 47. The system of claim 46 wherein the remote service switching point connects the incoming call to a circuit in the selected carrier in response to receiving the incoming call from the local service switching point. 48. The system of claim 44, further comprising: an automatic call distributor in communication with the local service switching point, the automatic call distributor initially receiving the incoming call and directing the incoming call to the local service switching point. 49. The system of claim 44 wherein the remote service switching point maintains a carrier record identifying the plurality of carriers that serve the remote service switching point, the carrier record including the cost of using each identified carrier and the number of available circuits in each identified carrier. 50. The system of claim 49, further comprising: a system management point in communication with the local service switching point and the remote service switching point, the system management point receiving the carrier record from the remote service switching point, deriving the global record from the carrier record, and transmitting the global record to the local service switching point. 51. The system of claim 50 wherein the system management point derives the global record from a plurality of carrier records received from a plurality of remote service switching points in communication with the system management point. 52. The system of claim 50 wherein the system management point periodically receives the carrier record from the remote service switching point, derives the global record from the carrier record if there is a change in the carrier record, and transmits the global record to the local service switching point. 53. The system of claim 52 wherein the change in the carrier record is a change in a number of circuits available in a carrier. 54. The system of claim 52 wherein the change in the carrier record is a change in a cost to use a carrier. 55. The system of claim 54 wherein the change in the cost is based on a time of day a call is made. 56. The system of claim 54 wherein the change in the cost is based on a day of week a call is made. 57. The system of claim 54 wherein-the change in the cost is based on a day of month a call is made. 58. The system of claim 54 wherein the change in the cost is based on a destination number prefix. 59. The system of claim 54 wherein the change in the cost is based on a class of call. 60. The system of claim 54 wherein the change in the cost is based on an originating which correspond to specification of a certain printer; means for identifying the kind of the OS on which the information processing apparatus is operating, based on the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command received by said reception means of said output control apparatus; and control means for selecting, at said output control apparatus, a printer driver for generating print data on the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of printer drivers stored in said memory means, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identifying means, and for outputting the selected printer driver to the information processing apparatus. 2. An output control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means selects the printer driver corresponding to the OS identified by said identifying means. 3. An output control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the printer driver corresponding to the OS identified by said identifying means cannot be selected, said control means notifies the information processing apparatus of such fact. 4. An output control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 5. An output control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus and said output control apparatus are connected through a bi-directional interface. 6. An information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, said apparatus comprising: means for identifying what kind of device the device is; a judging means for judging whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identifying means; request means for sending a command to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, for requesting the external apparatus to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when said judging means judges that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on; and control means for receiving the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus in response to the command sent by said request means and for controlling the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of said information processing apparatus. 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the device is a printer. 8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said information processing apparatus is a host computer. 9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said information processing apparatus and the device are connected through a bi-directional interface. 10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the device driver is a printer drive and wherein said control means generates print data based on the printer driver. 11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when said judging means judges that the device driver exists in the memory, said control means controls the device based on the existing device driver. 12. A memory medium for use in an output control apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus, and suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein a printer driver output command is received from the information processing apparatus for instructing the output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a printer driver for generating print data in the information processing apparatus, the printer driver output command including OS identification information identifying what kind of OS the inform ation processing apparatus operates on, a kind of an OS of the information processing apparatus is identified in response to the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command, and the printer driver is selected for generating print data on the OS of the information processing apparatus, from among a plurality of printer drivers stored in a memory means of the output control apparatus, and the selected printer driver is output to the information processing apparatus on the basis of an identification result. 13. A medium according to claim 12, wherein said program selects the printer driver which corresponds to the identified OS. 14. A medium according to claim 13, wherein, when the printer driver corresponding to the identified OS cannot be selected, said program notifies the information processing apparatus of such fact. 15. A medium according to claim 12, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 16. A medium according to claim 12, wherein the information processing apparatus and output control apparatus are connected through a bi-directional interface. 17. A memory medium for use in an information processing apparatus for controlling a device, and suitable for use in an environment out with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein an identification is made as to what kind of device the device is, a judgment is made as to whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory or not, on the basis of the identification, a command is sent to an external apparatus for requesting the external apparatus, which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OS's which correspond to specification of a certain device, to transmit the device driver to the information processing apparatus, when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, and the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus is received in response to the command, and the device is controlled based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of the information processing apparatus. 18. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the device is a printer. 19. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 20. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the information processing apparatus and the device are connected through a bi-directional interface. 21. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the device driver is a printer drive and wherein print data is generated based on the printer driver. 22. A medium according to claim 17, wherein, when it is judged that the device driver exists in the memory, the device is controlled based on the existing device driver. 23. A method according to claim 17, wherein the information processing apparatus and the device are connected through a bi-directional interface. 24. A method of controlling an output control apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein a printer driver output command is received from the information processing apparatus for instructing the output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a printer driver for generating print data in the information processing apparatus, the printer driver output command including OS identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, a kind of an OS of the information processing apparatus is identified in response to the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command, and the printer driver is selected for generating print data on the OS of the information processing apparatus, from among a plurality of printer drivers store d in a memory means of the output control apparatus, and the selected printer driver is output to the information processing apparatus on the basis of an identification result. 25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the kind of the OS of the information processing apparatus is identified on the basis of OS identification information included in a printer driver output command. 26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the printer driver which corresponds to the identified OS is selected. 27. A method according to claim 26, wherein, when the printer driver corresponding to the identified OS cannot be selected, said program notifies the information processing apparatus of such fact. 28. A method according to claim 24, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 29. A method according to claim 24, wherein the information processing apparatus and the output control apparatus are connected through a bi-directional interface. 30. A method used in an information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein what kind of device the device is, is identified, a judgment is made as to whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory or not, on the basis of an identification result, a command is sent to an external apparatus for requesting the external apparatus, which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, to transmit the device driver to the information processing apparatus, when it is judged that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, and the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus is received in response to the command, and the device is controlled based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of the information processing apparatus. 31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the device is a printer. 32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the sent command includes information for identifying a kind of an OS of the information processing apparatus. 34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the device driver is a printer drive and wherein print data is generated based on the printer driver. 35. A method according to claim 30, wherein, when it is judged that the device driver exists in the memory, the device is controlled based on the existing device driver. 36. An output control apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running on multiple operating systems, said output control apparatus comprising: a receiver arranged to receive from the information processing apparatus a printer driver output command for instructing said output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a printer driver for generating print data in the information processing apparatus, the printer driver output command including OS identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on; memory, arranged to receive and store a plurality of different printer drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain printer; an OS identification unit, adapted to identify the kind of the OS on which the information processing apparatus is operating, based on the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command received by said receiver of said output control apparatus; and a controller, adapted to select, at said output control apparatus, a printer driver for generating print data on the OS of the information processing apparatus from among the plurality of printer drivers stored in said memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said OS identification unit, and for outputting the selected printer driver to the information processing apparatus. 37. An output control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said controller selects the printer driver corresponding to the OS identified by said OS identification unit. 38. An output control apparatus according to claim 37, wherein, when the printer driver corresponding to the OS identified by said OS identification unit cannot be selected, said controller notifies the information processing apparatus of such fact. 39. An output control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer. 40. An output control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the information processing apparatus and said output control apparatus are connected through a bi-directional interface. 41. An information processing apparatus for controlling a device, suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, said apparatus comprising: an identification unit, adapted to identify what kind of device the device is; a judgment unit, adapted to judge whether a device driver for controlling the device exists in a memory, on the basis of an identification result provided by said identification unit; a request originator, which sends a command to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of different device drivers used for respective OSs which correspond to specification of a certain device, to request the external apparatus to transmit the device driver for the device to said information processing apparatus when said judgment unit judges that the device driver does not exist in the memory, the command including information identifying what kind of OS said information processing apparatus operates on; and a controller adapted to receive the device driver transmitted by the external apparatus in response to the command sent by said request originator and to control the device based on the received device driver, the received device driver being optimum for the OS of said information processing apparatus. 42. An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the device is a printer. 43. An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said information processing apparatus and the device are connected through a bi-directional interface. 44. An information processing apparatus according to 41, wherein the command sent by said request originator includes information for identifying a kind of an OS of the information processing apparatus. 45. An information processing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the device driver is a printer drive and wherein said controller generates print data based on the printer driver. 46. An information processing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein, when said judgment unit judges that the device driver exists in the memory, said controller controls the device based on the existing device driver. 47. An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said information processing apparatus is a host computer. 48. A program product for use in an output control apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus, and suitable for use in an environment with workstations running in multiple operating systems, wherein a printer driver output command is received from the information processing apparatus for instructing the output control apparatus to send to the information processing apparatus a printer driver for generating print data in the information processing apparatus, the printer driver output command including OS identification information identifying what kind of OS the information processing apparatus operates on, a kind of an OS of the information processing apparatus is identified in response to the OS identification information included in the printer driver output command, and the printer driver is selected for