Network system using WSD protocol, comprising plurality of devices capable of changeover between representative device and non-representative device, and management method therefor

摘要

The network system includes: a command transmitting unit that transmits a command for requesting information required by the representative device for network management from the non-representative device, when the non-representative device has joined a network or when there is a change in a state of the non-representative device; a command receiving unit that receives a command including the information sent from the non-representative device that has received the command; a management unit that manages the information received by the command receiving unit as device management information; a representative device selecting unit that selects a next representative device using the device management information when functions of the representative device are to be disabled. The network system does not need a special management apparatus when there is a changeover between a representative device and a non-representative device and management authority as the representative device as well as accumulated information are inherited.