Image forming apparatus and method for the same

Abstract

An image forming apparatus compares device identification information acquired from XML setting information received from a connected device with device identification information of the image forming apparatus, and determines an import level based on a comparison result. The image forming apparatus extracts a setting according to the import level using each module of a plurality of applications for the image forming apparatus, and stores the extracted setting in a storage that is used for control performed in each application. The device identification information that determines the import level includes at least one of firmware version, destination information, user editing information, accessory connection information, and license information, in addition to model management number and machine body management number.

1 . An image forming apparatus configured to control a plurality of applications according to setting information, the image forming apparatus comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store, in a temporary region, setting information, described in Extensible Markup Language (XML), that is received from a connected device;   an acquisition unit configured to acquire device identification information from the setting information stored in the temporary region;   a determination unit configured to compare the device identification information acquired by the acquisition unit with device identification information of the image forming apparatus and to determine an import level used to reflect each setting included in the setting information stored in the temporary region; and   a storing unit configured to extract a setting to be reflected according to the import level from the stored setting information using each module of the plurality of applications, and to store the extracted setting in a storage that is used for control performed in each application,   wherein the device identification information that determines the import level includes at least one of firmware version, destination information, user editing information, accessory connection information, and license information, in addition to model management number and machine body management number.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second determination unit configured to determine an export level based on an input by a user, and   a writing unit configured to extract a required setting according to the determined export level from the setting information included in the storage that is used for control performed in each application, using each module of the plurality of applications, and to write the extracted setting into a database that manages setting information to be exported.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the connected device includes a universal serial bus (USB) storage device. 
     
     
         4 . A method for an image forming apparatus configured to control a plurality of applications according to setting information, the method comprising:
 storing, in a temporary region, setting information received from a connected device;   acquiring device identification information from the setting information stored in the temporary region;   comparing the acquired device identification information with device identification information of the image forming apparatus and determining an import level used to reflect each setting included in the setting information stored in the temporary region; and   extracting a setting to be reflected according to the import level from the stored setting information using each module of the plurality of applications, and storing the extracted setting in a storage that is used for control performed in each application,   wherein the device identification information that determines the import level includes at least one of firmware version, destination information, user editing information, accessory connection information, and license information, in addition to model management number and machine body management number.   
     
     
         5 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method for an image forming apparatus configured to control a plurality of applications according to setting information, the method comprising:
 storing, in a temporary region, setting information received from a connected device;   acquiring device identification information from the setting information stored in the temporary region;   comparing the acquired device identification information with device identification information of the image forming apparatus and determining an import level used to reflect each setting included in the setting information stored in the temporary region; and   extracting a setting to be reflected according to the import level from the stored setting information using each module of the plurality of applications, and storing the extracted setting in a storage that is used for control performed in each application,   wherein the device identification information that determines the import level includes at least one of firmware version, destination information, user editing information, accessory connection information, and license information, in addition to model management number and machine body management number.