Information processing apparatus, device management apparatus, network system, method of coping with a device problem, and storage medium

• US 20020051186A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0733 in a data processing system embedded in an image processing device, e.g. printer, facsimile, scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/603 controlled by characteristics of the picture signal generator or the picture reproducer

Abstract

A network system with which a user can easily cope with various problems of a device and a maintenance service side can manage a device efficiently is provided. A user side transmits information that is a quantified version of a sensory problem, which a user feels when the user uses a device (printer), to the maintenance service side. The maintenance service side returns information for coping with the problem, which is based on the quantified information transmitted from the user side, to the user side. The user side performs operations and processing based on the information for coping with the problem received from the maintenance service side, and solves the problem of the device.

Claims

1. A management apparatus for managing a device, comprising:

receiving means for receiving problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device from a user side apparatus including said device, wherein the problem information is selected from hierarchical types and degrees of a problem; and

transmitting means for transmitting information coping with the problem based on said problem information received by said receiving means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said device is a printer for printing to output inputted information.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said device is a printer for printing to output inputted information, and said user side apparatus included an information processing apparatus that is communicatable with said printer.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

diagnosing means for diagnosing the problem by said problem information received by said receiving means, wherein

said transmitting means transmits information for coping with the problem based on diagnosis results of said diagnosing means to said user side apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said diagnosing means transmits said information for coping with the problem based on a type of said device to said user side apparatus.

6. A user side apparatus including said device that is communicatable with a management apparatus for managing the device, comprising:

selecting means for selecting problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device out of hierarchical types and degrees of a problem;

transmitting means for transmitting said problem information selected by said selecting means to said management apparatus; and

receiving means for receiving information for coping with the problem based on said problem information from said management apparatus.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said device is a printer for printing to output inputted information.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said device is a printer for printing to output inputted information, and said user side apparatus includes an information processing apparatus that is communicatable with said printer.

9. A network system consisting of a device and a server for managing the device that are connected on a network, comprising a user side apparatus including said device, wherein

said user side apparatus comprising:

selecting means for selecting problem information concerning a problem that has occurred in said device out of hierarchical types and degrees of a problem; and

first transmitting means for transmitting said problem information selected by said selecting means to said server, and wherein

said server comprising;

second transmitting means for transmitting information for coping with the problem based on said problem information transmitted from said user side apparatus to said user side apparatus.

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

diagnosing means for diagnosing a problem of said device based on said transmitted problem information, wherein

said second transmitting means transmits said information for coping with the problem based on diagnosis results by said diagnosing means to said user side apparatus.

11. A method of coping with a device problem for a user side of a device to cope with a problem that a user feels when the user uses said device, comprising:

a selecting step in which a user side apparatus including said device selects problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device based on hierarchical types and degrees of a problem;

a first transmitting step in which said user side apparatus transmits said problem information selected in said selecting step to a management side apparatus for managing said device;

a receiving step in which said management side apparatus receives said problem information transmitted in said first transmitting step; and

a second transmitting step in which said management side apparatus transmits information for coping with the problem to said user side apparatus based on said problem information received in said receiving step.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a diagnosing step in which said management side apparatus diagnoses the problem based on a type of said device in which the problem occurs, wherein

in said second transmitting step, said management side apparatus transmits said information for coping with the problem to said user side apparatus based on diagnosis results in said diagnosing step.

13. A storage medium having a program for executing processing for a method of coping with a device problem readably stored thereon, wherein the program comprising:

a selecting step in which a user side apparatus including said device selects problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device based on hierarchical types and degrees of a problem;

a first transmitting step in which said user side apparatus transmits said problem information selected in said selecting step to a management side apparatus for managing said device;

a receiving step in which said management side apparatus receives said problem information transmitted in said first transmitting step; and

a second transmitting step in which said management side apparatus transmits information for coping with the problem to said user side apparatus based on said problem information received in said receiving step.

14. A control method for controlling a management apparatus for managing a device, comprising:

a receiving step for receiving problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device from a user side apparatus including said device, wherein said problem information is selected based on hierarchical types and degrees; and

a transmitting step for transmitting information for coping with the problem based on said problem information received by said receiving step to said user side apparatus.

15. A control method for controlling a user side apparatus including a device, comprising:

a selecting step for selecting problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device out of hierarchical types and degrees of a problem;

a transmitting step for transmitting said problem information selected in said selecting step to a management apparatus for managing said device; and

a receiving step for receiving information for coping with the problem based on said problem information from said management apparatus.

16. A storage medium having a program for controlling a management apparatus for managing a device stored thereon, wherein the program comprising:

a receiving step for receiving problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device from a user side apparatus including said device, wherein said problem information is selected based on hierarchical types and degrees; and

a transmitting step for transmitting information for coping with the problem based on said problem information received by said receiving step to said user side apparatus.

17. A storage medium having a program for controlling a user side apparatus for managing a device stored thereon, wherein the program comprising:

a selecting step for selecting problem information concerning a problem that occurs in said device out of hierarchical types and degrees of a problem;

a transmitting step for transmitting said problem information selected in said selecting step to a management apparatus for managing said device; and

a receiving step for receiving information coping with the problem based on said problem information from said management apparatus.