Control Device, Method of Controlling A Multifunction Device, And A Storage Medium Storing A Program Executed By A Control Unit That Controls A Recording Device

Abstract

When using a multifunction device having plural devices providing the multiple functions, a control device, a method of controlling the multifunction device, and a program enable programs that are not optimized for the multifunction device to use the multifunction device. A host computer controlling a multifunction device through application program execution units executes plural application programs each corresponding to at least one of the multiple devices. A port control process receives data from the multifunction device through a USB port, exclusively controls data output by the application program execution units, sends the data from the USB port to the multifunction device, and filters and passes data received from the multifunction device by the port control process to the application program execution units.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control device that controls a multifunction device having a plurality of devices, comprising:
 a plurality of application execution units that respectively execute a plurality of application programs each corresponding to at least one of the plural devices;   a port control unit that receives data from the multifunction device through a connection port, exclusively controls data input from the plural application execution units, and sends data from the connection port to the multifunction device; and   a plurality of interfaces that correspond to the plural application execution units, and filter and pass data received by the port control unit to the application execution units.   
     
     
         2 . The control device described in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of filter units that correspond individually to the plural interfaces, and extract status information related to the application program corresponding to the matching interface from the data received by the port control unit from the multifunction device.   
     
     
         3 . The control device described in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of command control units that correspond individually to the application programs and generate commands controlling the multifunction device based on data input from the application execution units, and
 can generate normal commands causing the multifunction device to execute a particular device function, real-time commands that are executed with priority over normal commands, and a status monitor configuration command that causes the multifunction device to send a status report when the operating status changes. 
   
     
     
         4 . The control device described in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the port control unit exchanges data with the multifunction device through the single connection port,
 outputs data received from the multifunction device through the connection port to all interfaces, and 
 exclusively sends commands generated by any command control unit through the connection port to the multifunction device. 
   
     
     
         5 . A method of controlling a control device that controls a multifunction device having a plurality of devices, comprising steps of:
 executing a plurality of application programs each corresponding to at least one of the plural devices;   receiving data from the multifunction device through a connection port connected to the multifunction device, exclusively controlling data from the plural application programs, and sending data from the connection port to the multifunction device; and   filtering and passing data received from the multifunction device to the application programs.   
     
     
         6 . The method of controlling a control device described in  claim 5 , further comprising a step of:
 extracting status information related to the corresponding application program from the data received from the multifunction device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of controlling a control device described in  claim 5 , further comprising steps of:
 generating commands controlling the multifunction device based on data from the application programs; and   generating normal commands causing the multifunction device to execute a particular device function, real-time commands that are executed with priority over normal commands, and a status monitor configuration command that causes the multifunction device to send a status report when the operating status changes.   
     
     
         8 . The method of controlling a control device described in  claim 7 , further comprising steps of:
 exchanging data with the multifunction device through the single connection port;   outputting data received from the multifunction device through the connection port; and   exclusively sending generated commands through the connection port to the multifunction device.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program executed by a control unit that controls a multifunction device having a plurality of devices, wherein the program causes the control unit to execute steps of:
 executing a plurality of application programs each corresponding to at least one of the plural devices;   receiving data from the multifunction device through a connection port, exclusively controlling data from the plural application programs, and sending data from the connection port to the multifunction device; and   filtering and passing data received from the multifunction device to the application programs.