Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium

1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating via a network with plural devices, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores program code, a device table including device identifiers indicating the plural devices registered in the information processing apparatus, user tables each of which corresponds to one of the device identifiers in the device table and includes one or more user identifiers indicating users of one of the plural devices that corresponds to the one of the device identifiers, and one or more sets of program information associated with each of the one or more user identifiers; and

a processor that executes the program code stored in the memory to perform a process including

receiving a device identifier from the one of the plural devices,

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a user list including the one or more user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the received device identifier,

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, a user identifier that is selected by a user from among the user identifiers in the user list displayed on a user selection screen on the one of the plural devices, and

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a program list including the one or more sets of program information associated with the received user identifier in the memory, each of the one or more sets of program information representing a program to be executed to execute a function of the one of the plural devices.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs;

the process further includes receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices; and

the information processing apparatus sends, to the one of the plural devices, the user list including the user identifiers that are associated with the received device identifier and are also associated, respectively, with at least one set of the program information that includes a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs; and

the process further includes

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices,

attaching a valid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with at least one set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices, and

attaching an invalid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with no set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device identifier includes at least one of individual identification information of the one of the plural devices, communication address information of the one of the plural devices, and network identification information of a network to which the one of the plural devices belongs.

5. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 ,

wherein when the device identifier including one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information is received, the information processing apparatus sends the user list including the user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information;

wherein when the device identifier including two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information is received, the information processing apparatus sends the user list including the user identifiers in two of the user tables that correspond to the two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information.

6. A method performed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating via a network with plural devices, the method comprising:

receiving a device identifier from one of the plural devices, the information processing apparatus including a memory that stores program code, a device table including device identifiers indicating the plural devices registered in the information processing apparatus, user tables each of which corresponds to one of the device identifiers in the device table and includes one or more user identifiers indicating users of one of the plural devices that corresponds to the one of the device identifiers, and one or more sets of program information associated with each of the one or more user identifiers;

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a user list including the one or more user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the received device identifier;

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, a user identifier that is selected by a user from among the user identifiers in the user list displayed on a user selection screen on the one of the plural devices; and

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a program list including the one or more sets of program information associated with the received user identifier in the memory, each of the one or more sets of program information representing a program to be executed to execute a function of the one of the plural devices.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs;

the method further comprises receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices; and

the information processing apparatus sends, to the one of the plural devices, the user list including the user identifiers that are associated with the received device identifier and are also associated, respectively, with at least one set of the program information that includes a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs; and

the method further comprises

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices,

attaching a valid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with at least one set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices, and

attaching an invalid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with no set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the device identifier includes at least one of individual identification information of the one of the plural devices, communication address information of the one of the plural devices, and network identification information of a network to which the one of the plural devices belongs.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 ,

wherein when the device identifier includes one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information, the user list sent to the one of the plural devices includes the user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information;

wherein when the device identifier includes two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information, the user list sent to the one of the plural devices includes the user identifiers in two of the user tables that correspond to the two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing an information processing apparatus capable of communicating via a network with plural devices to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a device identifier from one of the plural devices, the information processing apparatus including a memory that stores program code, a device table including device identifiers indicating the plural devices registered in the information processing apparatus, user tables each of which corresponds to one of the device identifiers in the device table and includes one or more user identifiers indicating users of one of the plural devices that corresponds to the one of the device identifiers, and one or more sets of program information associated with each of the one or more user identifiers;

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a user list including the one or more user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the received device identifier;

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, a user identifier that is selected by a user from among the user identifiers in the user list displayed on a user selection screen on the one of the plural devices; and

sending, to the one of the plural devices, a program list including the one or more sets of program information associated with the received user identifier in the memory, each of the one or more sets of program information representing a program to be executed to execute a function of the one of the plural devices.

12. The storage medium as claimed in claim 11 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs;

the method further comprises receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices; and

the information processing apparatus sends, to the one of the plural devices, the user list including the user identifiers that are associated with the received device identifier and are also associated, respectively, with at least one set of the program information that includes a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

13. The storage medium as claimed in claim 11 , wherein

the memory stores plural sets of the program information where programs are associated with function identifiers indicating functions of the devices used by the programs; and

the method further comprises

receiving, from the one of the plural devices, function identifiers of functions of the one of the plural devices,

attaching a valid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with at least one set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices, and

attaching an invalid flag to each of the user identifiers that is in the user list and associated with no set of the program information including a function identifier corresponding to one of the received function identifiers of the one of the plural devices.

14. The storage medium as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the device identifier includes at least one of individual identification information of the one of the plural devices, communication address information of the one of the plural devices, and network identification information of a network to which the one of the plural devices belongs.

15. The storage medium as claimed in claim 14 ,

wherein when the device identifier includes one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information, the user list sent to the one of the plural devices includes the user identifiers in one of the user tables that corresponds to the one of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information;

wherein when the device identifier includes two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information, the user list sent to the one of the plural devices includes the user identifiers in two of the user tables that correspond to the two of the individual identification information, the communication address information, and the network identification information.