Image forming device and remote monitoring system for the same

• US 20020091971A1
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Sawada, Masaichi, Koyama, Kiyohisa
• Granted Patent: US 6,876,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/46
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00405 Output means output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00814 according to a detected condition or state of the reading apparatus, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00824 for displaying or indicating, e.g. a condition or state details of displaying or indicating means H04N1/00405
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2307 Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device, according to a measured quantity H04N1/27, H04N1/29 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2346 according to a detected condition or state of the reproducing device, e.g. temperature or ink quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2392 for displaying or indicating, e.g. a condition or state details of displaying or indicating means H04N1/00405
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32609 Fault detection or counter-measures, e.g. original mis-positioned, shortage of paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3263 of reading apparatus or transmitter, e.g. original jam
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32635 of reproducing apparatus or receiver, e.g. out of paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32641 of transmission or transmitted data, e.g. interruption or wrong number of pages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32657 locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 : remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming device includes a communication unit connecting the device to a support center via a communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the support center. An error detecting unit detects an error of the device. A first warning unit controls, when the error is detected, an operation/display unit to display a repair call activation menu that indicates a defective condition of the device and enables a user to decide whether activation of a repair call transmitting function is allowed. A second warning unit controls a warning device to produce at least a warning sound indicating the defective condition of the device. When the defective condition of the device continues for a time, exceeding a predetermined period, without taking any repairing action, a warning executing unit executes either one of the warning controls of the first and second warning units or both.

Claims

1. An image forming device, comprising:

a communication unit connecting the image forming device to an external support center via a communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the support center;

an error detecting unit detecting an error of the image forming device;

a first warning unit controlling, when the error is detected by the error detecting unit, an operation/display unit to display a repair call activation menu thereon that indicates a defective condition of the image forming device and enables a user to decide whether activation of a repair call transmitting function is allowed or not;

a second warning unit controlling a warning device to produce at least a warning sound indicating the defective condition of the image forming device; and

a warning executing unit executing selectively one or both of the warning control of the first warning unit and the warning control of the second warning unit, wherein, when the defective condition of the image forming device continues for a time, exceeding a predetermined period, without taking any repairing action, the warning executing unit executing either one of the warning controls of the first and second warning units or both.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a warning condition setting unit that changes initial setting data, including a validity flag of the first warning unit and a validity flag of the second warning unit, in accordance with user demands.

5. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the second warning unit controls the warning device to produce any combination of a warning sound, a synthesized voice or music, and a flash light.

6. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the warning executing unit controls, when a repair call button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the communication unit to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

7. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the second warning unit and the warning executing unit are activated even when the image forming device is set in a power-saved standby mode.

8. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a warning condition setting unit that changes initial setting data, including a predetermined period value, a warning duration value, a warning interrupt duration value and the number of repeated warning attempts, in accordance with user demands.

9. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation restart/stop unit that stops the warning control processes of the first and second warning units during an arbitrarily set stop period and restarts the warning control processes at an end of the stop period.

10. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the warning executing unit inhibits, when a cancel button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the repair call transmitting function to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

11. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the warning executing unit executes the warning control of the second warning unit when the image forming device continues to be in a running state over a predetermined running period.

12. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the warning executing unit executes the warning control of the second warning unit when the image forming device continues to be in a waiting state over a predetermined waiting period.

13. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the warning device includes a speaker and a built-in flash.

18. The remote monitoring system according to claim 17, wherein the image forming device further comprises a warning condition setting unit that changes initial setting data, including a validity flag of the first warning unit and a validity flag of the second warning unit, in accordance with user demands.

19. The remote monitoring system according to claim 17, wherein the warning executing unit controls, when a repair call button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the communication unit to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

20. The remote monitoring system according to claim 17, wherein the warning executing unit inhibits, when a cancel button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the repair call transmitting function to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

2. An image forming device, comprising:

a communication unit connecting the image forming device to an external support center via a communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the support center;

an error detecting unit detecting an error of the image forming device;

a first warning unit controlling an operation/display unit to display a repair call activation menu thereon that indicates a defective condition of the image forming device and causes a user to decide whether activation of a repair call transmitting function is allowed or not;

a second warning unit controlling a warning device to produce at least a warning sound indicating the defective condition of the image forming device; and

a warning executing unit executing selectively one or both of the warning control of the first warning unit and the warning control of the second warning unit, wherein, when the error is detected by the error detecting unit, the warning executing unit executing the warning control of the second warning unit, and, when the defective condition of the image forming device continues for a time, exceeding a predetermined period, without taking any repairing action, the warning executing unit executing both the warning controls of the first and second warning units.

14. The image forming device according to claim 2, further comprising a warning condition setting unit that changes initial setting data, including a validity flag of the first warning unit and a validity flag of the second warning unit, in accordance with user demands.

15. The image forming device according to claim 2, wherein the warning executing unit controls, when a repair call button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the communication unit to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

16. The image forming device according to claim 2, wherein the warning executing unit inhibits, when a cancel button of the repair call activation menu is depressed, the repair call transmitting function to transmit a repair call to the support center via the communication line.

3. An image forming device, comprising:

a communication unit connecting the image forming device to an external support center via a communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the support center;

an error detecting unit detecting an error of the image forming device;

a first warning unit controlling, when the error is detected by the error detecting unit, an operation/display unit to display a repair call activation menu thereon that indicates a defective condition of the image forming device and enables a user to decide whether activation of a repair call transmitting function is allowed or not;

a second warning unit controlling a warning device to produce at least a warning sound indicating the defective condition of the image forming device; and

a warning executing unit executing selectively one or both of the warning control of the first warning unit and the warning control of the second warning unit, wherein, when the error is detected by the error detecting unit, the warning executing unit executing the warning control of the second warning unit, and, when the defective condition of the image forming device continues for a time, exceeding a predetermined period, without taking any repairing action, the warning executing unit executing the warning control of the first warning unit.

17. A remote monitoring system including a host computer of a support center and an image forming device which are connected together via a communication line, the image forming device comprising:

a communication unit connecting the image forming device to the host computer of the support center via the communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the host computer;

an error detecting unit detecting an error of the image forming device;

a first warning unit controlling, when the error is detected by the error detecting unit, an operation/display unit to display a repair call activation menu thereon that indicates a defective condition of the image forming device and enables a user to decide whether activation of a repair call transmitting function is allowed or not;

a second warning unit controlling a warning device to produce at least a warning sound indicating the defective condition of the image forming device; and

a warning executing unit executing selectively one or both of the warning control of the first warning unit and the warning control of the second warning unit, wherein, when the defective condition of the image forming device continues for a time, exceeding a predetermined period, without taking any repairing action, the warning executing unit executing either one of the warning controls of the first and second warning units or both.