Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition attached to a metal surface. The composition includes an acrylic copolymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture, the monomer mixture including: at least one monomer (monomer m1) selected from alkyl(meth)acrylates represented by the formula (I): CH2?C(R1)COOR2 in which R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, in an amount of 50 to 99.9% by weight based on a total amount of the monomer mixture, and at least one monomer (monomer m2) selected from N-hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylamides represented by the formula (II): CH2?C(R3)CONHR4 in which R3 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R4 is a hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, in an amount of 0.1 to 25% by weight based on the total amount of the monomer mixture. The monomer mixture includes substantially no carboxyl group-containing monomer.

Abstract: At an upload time, each of multiple printers connecting with a network identifies storage or non-storage of any unsent monitor information file, which has not yet been sent to a management server. In the case of storage of any unsent monitor information file, the printer collects from the other printers unsent monitor information files, which are stored in the other printers and have not yet been sent to the management server, and uploads the collected monitor information files and the unsent monitor information file stored in the self printer to the management server. This arrangement effectively reduces the access frequency from the respective printers to the management server for transmission of monitor information files from the printers to the management server.

Abstract: An information processing method for evaluating a communication state of a device, includes: (a) obtaining communication data including content of communication between a plurality of devices; (b) creating a first test program on the basis of the content of communication included in the communication data obtained in (a), the first test program to be executed when performing communication between a test-target device and another device; and (c) executing the first test program created in (b) and generating performance results regarding communication performed between the test-target device and the other device.

Abstract: In a device monitor system of the invention including multiple devices, a monitor apparatus, and a terminal that are mutually connected via a network, a serial number (first identifier of physically identifying the device) and a private address of the device are sent from the terminal to the monitor apparatus by e-mail. The monitor apparatus generates an installation ID (second identifier of logically identifying the device) correlated to the received serial number (first identifier), creates a document of a link for an HTTP request including the generated installation ID, a URL of the monitor apparatus, and the received private address of the device, and sends back the document to the terminal by e-mail. The user operates the terminal to click the link for the HTTP request and send the HTTP request to the device. The device receives and analyzes the HTTP request and stores the installation ID in a preset storage location.

Abstract: A network system including a plurality of devices connected to one another via a network includes a grouping processing section configured to, from among the plurality of devices, perform grouping of devices having at least one predetermined item common thereto in terms of device usage, and a representative selection section configured to select one of the devices having been grouped as a representative device. Further, the network system includes a control section configured to cause non-representative devices, which are remaining devices resulting from excluding the representative device from the devices having been grouped, to perform synchronously a mode switching operation for switching between a normal mode and a power saving mode in which an amount of power consumption is smaller than that in the normal mode, and cause the representative device to perform the mode switching operation independently of the mode switching operation performed by the non-representative devices.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition attached to a metal surface. The composition includes an acrylic copolymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture, the monomer mixture including: at least one monomer (monomer m1) selected from alkyl(meth)acrylates represented by the formula (I): CH2?C(R1)COOR2 in which R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, in an amount of 50 to 99.9% by weight based on a total amount of the monomer mixture, and at least one monomer (monomer m2) selected from N-hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylamides represented by the formula (II): CH2?C(R3)CONHR4 in which R3 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R4 is a hydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, in an amount of 0.1 to 25% by weight based on the total amount of the monomer mixture. The monomer mixture includes substantially no carboxyl group-containing monomer.

Abstract: A device management system for managing a device based on management information is presented. The system includes a device monitoring unit for obtaining management information from a device, a relay server coupled to the device monitoring unit over a network, and a management server, coupled to the relay server over a network, configured to manage the device based on the management information. The device monitoring unit obtains the management information from the device and transmits the obtained management information without encryption. Upon receiving the management information, the relay server encrypts and transmits to the management server the received management information.

Abstract: A mediation server 200 mediates a print demand from a client device 100 to a printing device 300. In order to elude a firewall F/W set between the mediation server 200 and the printing device 300, the printing device 300 first sends an HTTP request to the mediation server 200. The mediation server 200 sends back an HTTP response including a print demand to the printing device 300. Encrypted communication may be established between the client device 100 and the printing device 300 according to the following procedure. The mediation server 200 decrypts cipher data, which is encrypted with a public key by the client device, with a private key, re-encrypts the decrypted data with another private key, and mediates the encrypted data to the printing device 300. The printing device 300 decrypts the encrypted data with the public key and carries out printing. This arrangement enables the printing device to carry out printing in response to a demand from the client device via respective secure network environments.

Abstract: At a download time, each of multiple printers connecting with a network identifies storage or non-storage of any unsent download request file, which has not yet been sent to a management server. In the case of storage of any unsent download request file, the printer collects from the other printers unsent download request files, which are stored in the other printers and have not yet been sent to the management server, and sends the collected download request files and the unsent download request file stored in the self printer to the management server. The printer receives a download data file sent back from the management server in response to the download request files, creates delivery data from the received download data file, and distributes relevant delivery data to each of the other printers.

Abstract: The serial number of a first printer in which a network board is installed before power supply of the first printer is turned is stored in the network board. The network board determines whether or not the current serial number of the first printer in which the network board is currently installed and the serial number of a second printer in which the network board is installed before the power supply of the first printer is turned ON are identical. If the two serial numbers are determined to be not identical, the network board transmits the model name of the first printer to a management server. When the management server receives the model name of the first printer, the management server transmits the configuration file associates with the model name of the first printer to the network board.

Abstract: The invention provides a technique improving the reliability of acquisition of management information from a network device.

Abstract: In order to properly allocates a limited number of sockets to applications (202, 202, . . . ) in a computer system so as to improve the system network performance, an application management module (300) memorizes the total number of sockets which OS (100) can supply to the applications (202, 202, . . . ), and a target number of sockets for each application. When an application (202) wants to obtain a socket, the application management module (300) recalculates the target number of sockets which can be allocated to the application (202), using a predetermined scheduling algorithm (312), based on the number of sockets presently unallocated and the priority revel of the application (202), and notifies the recalculated target number to the application (202). The application (202) judges from the notified target number whether a socket can be obtained or not, and based on the judgment determines whether or not to actually obtain a socket from the OS (100).

Abstract: A network system including a plurality of devices connected to one another via a network includes a grouping processing section configured to, from among the plurality of devices, perform grouping of devices having at least one predetermined item common thereto in terms of device usage, and a representative selection section configured to select one of the devices having been grouped as a representative device. Further, the network system includes a control section configured to cause non-representative devices, which are remaining devices resulting from excluding the representative device from the devices having been grouped, to perform synchronously a mode switching operation for switching between a normal mode and a power saving mode in which an amount of power consumption is smaller than that in the normal mode, and cause the representative device to perform the mode switching operation independently of the mode switching operation performed by the non-representative devices.

Abstract: A mediation server 200 mediates a print demand from a client device 100 to a printing device 300. In order to elude a firewall F/W set between the mediation server 200 and the printing device 300, the printing device 300 first sends an HTTP request to the mediation server 200. The mediation server 200 sends back an HTTP response including a print demand to the printing device 300. Encrypted communication may be established between the client device 100 and the printing device 300 according to the following procedure. The mediation server 200 decrypts cipher data, which is encrypted with a public key by the client device, with a private key, re-encrypts the decrypted data with another private key, and mediates the encrypted data to the printing device 300. The printing device 300 decrypts the encrypted data with the public key and carries out printing. This arrangement enables the printing device to carry out printing in response to a demand from the client device via respective secure network environments.

Abstract: A client computer of the invention utilizes a printer driver for a distribution source printer to send a print job to the distribution source printer. The distribution source printer distributes each print job sent with setting of a preset second port number to multiple distribution destination printers.

Abstract: An information processing method for evaluating a communication state of a device, includes: (a) obtaining communication data including content of communication between a plurality of devices; (b) creating a first test program on the basis of the content of communication included in the communication data obtained in (a), the first test program to be executed when performing communication between a test-target device and another device; and (c) executing the first test program created in (b) and generating performance results regarding communication performed between the test-target device and the other device.

Abstract: A network device is provided with a storage and adapted to be connected to a network. A document acquirer is operable to acquire a structured document in which a rule of processing executed by the network device is described by at least one first element defining at least one condition and at least one second element defining at least one content of the processing. A document analyzer is operable to analyze the structured document to obtain an analysis result and to store the analysis result in the storage. An operation controller is operable to control an operation of the network device in accordance with the analysis result stored in the storage.

Abstract: To provide a technology for, if a first distribution destination printing device cannot continue printing according to a print job, causing a second distribution destination printing device to execute an unexecuted print job without using a server. The first distribution destination printing device, used for a printing system, includes a print job processing module that acquires a distributed print job supplied from a distribution source device and gives the distributed print job to a printing execution module. The print job processing module acquires, from the distribution source device, device identification information for identifying the second distribution destination printing device among a plurality of distribution destination printing devices, the second distribution destination printing device belonging to the same group as the first distribution destination printing device.

Abstract: On the printer PRT, there is a service call button installed on an operating panel 200 for notifying the management system 100 of a repair request when an error occurs that is difficult for the printer itself to detect, such as when during printing processing, work-up of the back surface, or missing dots occur. When it receives notice that the service call button has been pressed, the management system 100 creates a web page 500 that displays the input screen for inputting the details of the error contents, notes the URL of the web page 500 on an e-mail 10 and sends this to the user. Information relating to the printer PRT such as the usage history, years of use, and model, etc. stored in the database DB are reflected in the web page 500. For example, error contents inference from the usage history are selectively displayed, or errors that occurred before the service call button was pressed are displayed.

Abstract: At a download time, each of multiple printers connecting with a network identifies storage or non-storage of any unsent download request file, which has not yet been sent to a management server. In the case of storage of any unsent download request file, the printer collects from the other printers unsent download request files, which are stored in the other printers and have not yet been sent to the management server, and sends the collected download request files and the unsent download request file stored in the self printer to the management server. The printer receives a download data file sent back from the management server in response to the download request files, creates delivery data from the received download data file, and distributes relevant delivery data to each of the other printers.