Driver management method, driver management apparatus and program for driver management

1. A driver management method for managing a driver that is used when an output apparatus is used from a plurality of terminal apparatuses, comprising:

monitoring a state of the output apparatus; and

restricting availability of the driver to the plurality of apparatuses, according to the state of the output apparatus wherein the restriction on the availability of the driver is effected by uninstalling the driver.

2. The driver management method according to claim 1 , wherein the state of the output apparatus is identified based on a state of consumables for the output apparatus.

3. The driver management method according to claim 2 , wherein the restriction on the availability of the driver is effected according to a remaining quantity of the consumables.

4. The driver management method according to claim 2 , wherein the restriction on the availability of the driver is effected according to types of the consumables.

5. The driver management method according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction on the availability of the driver is removed according to the state of the output apparatus.

6. The driver management method according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction on the availability of the driver is effected by uninstalling the driver after backing up the driver in a recoverable state.

7. A driver management apparatus for managing a driver that is used when an output apparatus is used from a plurality terminal apparatuses, comprising:

a monitoring section that monitors a state of the output apparatus; and

an availability restricting section that restricts availability of the driver to the plurality of terminal apparatuses according to the state of the output apparatus monitored by the monitoring section wherein the availability restricting section comprises driver uninstalling unit that uninstalls the driver.

8. The driver management apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the monitoring section identifies the state of the output apparatus based on a state of consumables for the output apparatus.

9. The driver management apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the availability restricting section restricts the availability of the driver according to a remaining quantity of the consumables monitored by the monitoring section.

10. The driver management apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the availability restricting section restricts the availability of the driver according to types of the consumables monitored by the monitoring section.

11. The driver management apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the availability restricting section comprises restriction removing unit that removes the restriction on the availability of the driver according to the state of the output apparatus monitored by the monitoring section.

12. The driver management apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the availability restricting section comprises:

a driver backing-up unit that duplicates the driver, and backs up the duplicate into a recoverable state; and

a driver uninstalling unit that uninstalls the driver backed up by the driver backing-up unit.

13. A program for driver management executable by a computer to perform a function for managing a driver that is used when an output apparatus is used from a plurality of terminal apparatuses, the function comprising the steps of:

monitoring a state of the output apparatus; and

restricting availability of the driver to the plurality of terminal apparatuses according to the state of the output apparatus monitored by the monitoring process wherein the availability restriction step comprises a driver uninstalling step that uninstalls the driver.

14. The program for driver management according to claim 13 , wherein the monitoring step identifies the state of the output apparatus based on a state of consumables for the output apparatus.

15. The program for driver management according to claim 14 , wherein the availability restricting step restricts the availability of the driver according to a remaining quantity of the consumables monitored by the monitoring step.

16. The program for driver management according to claim 14 , wherein the availability restricting step restricts the availability of the driver according to types of the consumables monitored in the monitoring step.

17. The program for driver management according to claim 13 , further comprising a restriction removing step for removing the restriction by the availability restricting step according to the state of the output apparatus monitored in the monitoring step.

18. The program for driver management according to claim 13 , wherein the availability restricting step comprises:

a driver backing-up step for duplicating the driver, and then, backing up the duplicate into a recoverable state; and

a driver uninstalling step for uninstalling the driver backed up by the driver backing-up step.