Maintenance system and method for performing apparatus management using network
First Claim
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1. A maintenance system for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto, comprising:
- a receiver adapted to receive maintenance information required for maintaining each of the apparatuses;
a message-transfer unit adapted to transfer, to an information terminal of a serviceperson, a message created based on the maintenance information received by said message-transfer unit and which instructs the serviceperson to perform maintenance;
an input unit adapted to allow the serviceperson to input, when the transferred message is displayed by the information terminal, an estimated time of arrival at a location of one of the apparatuses requiring maintenance; and
a transfer unit adapted to transfer the inputted estimated time of arrival to the apparatus requiring maintenance.
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Abstract
A maintenance system for improving maintenance service includes a copying machine and a management server. When a copying machine uses a communication server to notify a management server of malfunction, the management server posts malfunction details and the names of components required for repair to an information terminal of a serviceperson. The copying machine is notified of an estimated time of arrival of the serviceperson, and the time is displayed on an operation panel.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A maintenance system for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto, comprising:
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a receiver adapted to receive maintenance information required for maintaining each of the apparatuses;
a message-transfer unit adapted to transfer, to an information terminal of a serviceperson, a message created based on the maintenance information received by said message-transfer unit and which instructs the serviceperson to perform maintenance;
an input unit adapted to allow the serviceperson to input, when the transferred message is displayed by the information terminal, an estimated time of arrival at a location of one of the apparatuses requiring maintenance; and
a transfer unit adapted to transfer the inputted estimated time of arrival to the apparatus requiring maintenance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A maintenance method of using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto, comprising:
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a receiving step of receiving maintenance information required for maintaining each of the apparatuses;
a message-transfer step of generating a maintenance-instruction message based on the received maintenance information and transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson; and
a transfer step for, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to one of the apparatuses requiring the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival of the serviceperson at a location of the apparatus requiring maintenance, which is input by the serviceperson using the information terminal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable recording medium storing a control program for implementing a method of controlling a maintenance system that uses a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto, the control program controlling a computer in the maintenance system to execute a process, and the control program comprising:
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code for a receiving step of receiving maintenance information required for maintaining each of the apparatuses;
code for a message-transfer step of generating a maintenance-instruction message based on the received maintenance information and transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson; and
code for a transfer step of, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to one of the apparatuses requiring the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival of the serviceperson at a location of the apparatus requiring maintenance, which is input by the serviceperson using the information terminal.
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22. A control program product for controlling a maintenance system that uses a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto, said control program product controlling a computer in the maintenance system to execute a process, said control program product comprising:
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code for a receiving step of receiving maintenance information required for maintaining each of the apparatuses;
code for a message-transfer step of generating a maintenance-instruction message based on the received maintenance information and transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson; and
code for a transfer step of, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to one of the apparatuses requiring the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival of the serviceperson at a location of the apparatus requiring maintenance, which is input by the serviceperson using the information terminal.
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Specification