Imaging apparatus help system

• US 20040162890A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Yasutoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/779,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162890A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An imaging apparatus help system includes an imaging apparatus having a display/input apparatus unit and an information storage unit, and a help server that are connected to a network. When a predetermined type of help is requested at the display/input apparatus unit, help data corresponding to the predetermined type of help are read from a cache memory of the information storage unit and displayed on a touch panel LCD. If the corresponding help data are not stored in the cache memory, a request for the corresponding help data is made to the help server so that the corresponding help data may be sent from the help server to be stored in the cache memory and displayed on the touch panel LCD. When the remaining storage capacity of the cache memory is reduced to no more than a predetermined capacity, the imaging apparatus deletes the help data stored in the cache memory according to a predetermined deletion rule. Further, the imaging apparatus help system may include a plurality of imaging apparatuses, and when a given imaging apparatus of the imaging apparatuses connected to the network requires a predetermined type of help data, an inquiry about an availability of the predetermined type of help data may be made to a device other than the given imaging apparatus that is connected to the network. In this way, help data may be efficiently provided.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus help system comprising:

an imaging apparatus that is connected to a network and is adapted to output and record an image on paper, the imaging apparatus including an operation unit, a display unit, and an information memory unit; and

an information server that is connected to the network and is adapted to receive a communication information request from the imaging apparatus, the information server including an information storage unit storing a plurality of types of communication information, wherein

when a user request for a predetermined type of the types of communication information is made at the operation unit of the imaging apparatus, if the predetermined type of communication information is stored in the information memory unit of the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus reads the predetermined type of communication information from the information memory unit and displays the read communication information on the display unit, and if the predetermined type of communication information is not stored in the information memory unit of the imaging apparatus., the imaging apparatus sends a request for the predetermined type of communication information to the information server, and the information server reads the predetermined type of communication information from the information storage unit and sends the predetermined type of communication information to the imaging apparatus, and the imaging apparatus stores the predetermined type of communication in the information memory unit and displays the predetermined type of communication information on the display unit; and

the imaging apparatus stores in the information memory unit one or more of the types of communication information received from the information server, and deletes at least a portion of the stored one or more types of communication information when a remaining storage capacity of the information memory unit is reduced to no more than a predetermined capacity.

2. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication information corresponds to help information pertaining to operating the imaging apparatus.

3. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deletion of the communication information is performed in chronological order according to a storage date of the communication information stored in the information memory unit.

4. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deletion of the communication information is performed based on a usage frequency order of the communication information stored in the information memory unit.

5. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deletion of the communication information is performed based on a data size of the communication information stored in the information memory unit.

6. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication information includes a program that is executable at the imaging apparatus.

7. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the program corresponds to a JAVA applet.

8. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the program corresponds to a mobile agent.

9. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each type of communication information is described in a plurality of formats, and a format is selected at the imaging apparatus for providing the predetermined type of communication information that is requested at the operation unit, the predetermined type of communication information in the selected format being read from the information memory unit and displayed if the predetermined type of communication information in the selected format is stored in the information memory unit, and a communication information request for the predetermined type of communication information in the selected format being made to the information server if the predetermined type of communication information in the selected format is not stored in the information memory unit, after which the predetermined type of communication information in the selected format from the information server is stored in the information memory unit and displayed on the display unit.

10. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication information in one format includes a program that is executable at the imaging apparatus.

11. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication information in one format includes switching a language in which the communication information is to be displayed.

12. An imaging apparatus help system comprising:

a plurality of imaging apparatuses and a help server that are connected to a network, wherein each of the imaging apparatuses and the help server has a storage unit for storing help data; and

help data operation means for realizing a help data operation when one of the imaging apparatuses connected to the network requires a predetermined type of help data, the help data operation being performed on at least one other device connected to the network.

13. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the help data operation includes at least one of reading, writing, and deleting predetermined help data.

14. An imaging apparatus help system comprising:

a plurality of imaging apparatuses and a help server that are connected to a network, wherein each of the imaging apparatuses and the help server has a storage unit for storing help data; and

inquiry means for making an inquiry about an availability of help data when one of the imaging apparatuses connected to the network requires a predetermined type of help data, the inquiry being made on at least one other device connected to the network.

15. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device corresponds to another imaging apparatus connected to the network.

16. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device corresponds to the help server.

17. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the help data includes a moving image object.

18. The imaging apparatus help system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the help data includes audio data.

19. An imaging apparatus help system comprising:

a plurality of imaging apparatuses and a help server that are connected to a network, wherein each of the imaging apparatuses and the help server has a storage unit for storing help data; and

comparing means for comparing the help data stored in one of the imaging apparatuses connected to the network and the help data stored in the help server; and

updating means for updating the help data stored in said one imaging apparatus when it is determined by the comparison means that the help data stored in said one imaging apparatus are old, the updating being realized by downloading the help data stored in the help server to said one imaging apparatus.

20. An imaging apparatus help system comprising:

a plurality of imaging apparatuses and a plurality of help servers that are connected to a network, wherein each of the help servers has a storage unit for storing help data that are to be provided to the imaging apparatuses; and

comparing means for comparing help data stored in the respective help servers; and

updating means for updating help data when it is determined by the comparing means that the help data stored in one of the help servers are old, the updating being realized by downloading to said one help server the help data stored in another one of the help servers storing new help data.

21. A method of providing help information to an imaging apparatus that is connected to a help server via a network, wherein the help server has a storage unit storing a plurality of types of help information, and the imaging apparatus has a memory unit for storing one or more of the types of help information received from the help server, the method comprising:

searching for a predetermined type of the types of help information in the memory unit of the imaging apparatus;

requesting the help server to send the predetermined type of help information to the imaging apparatus when the predetermined type of help information is not found in the searching step;

sending the predetermined type of help information from the help server to the imaging apparatus and storing the predetermined type of help information in the memory unit; and

deleting at least a portion of the one or more types of help information stored in the memory unit according to a predetermined rule when a remaining storage capacity of the memory unit is reduced to no more than a predetermined capacity.

22. A method of providing help data to an imaging apparatus that is connected to at least one other imaging apparatus and a help server via a network, wherein the imaging apparatus, the other imaging apparatus and the help server each have a storage unit for storing one or more types of help data, the method comprising:

making an inquiry about an availability of a predetermined type of help data to the other imaging apparatus; and

if the predetermined type of help data is available at the other imaging apparatus, reading and sending the predetermined type of help data from the other imaging apparatus to the imaging apparatus, and storing the predetermined type of help data in the imaging apparatus.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:

comparing the help data stored in the imaging apparatus and the help data stored in the help server; and

updating the help data stored in the imaging apparatus when it is determined in the comparing step that the help data stored in the imaging apparatus are old, the updating being realized by downloading to the imaging apparatus the help data stored in the help server corresponding to new help data.

24. A method of providing help data to an imaging apparatus that is connected to a local help server, and a global help server via a network, wherein the imaging apparatus, the local help server, and the global help server each have a storage unit for storing one or more types of help data, the method comprising:

making an inquiry about an availability of a predetermined type of help data to the local help server; and

if the predetermined type of help data is available at the local help server, reading and sending the predetermined type of help data from the local help server to the imaging apparatus, and storing the predetermined type of help data in the imaging apparatus.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

comparing the help data stored in the local help server and the help data stored in the global help server; and

updating the help data stored in the local help server when it is determined in the comparing step that the help data stored in the local help server are old, the updating being realized by downloading to the local help server the help data stored in the global help server corresponding to new help data.

27. An imaging apparatus for use in an imaging apparatus help system, which help system includes an information server connected to the imaging apparatus via a network, the information server including an information storage unit for storing a plurality of types of communication information, and being adapted to receive a communication information request from the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus comprising:

an operation unit for making a user request for a predetermined type of the types of communication information;

a display unit for displaying the requested communication information; and

a memory unit for storing one or more of the types of communication information;

wherein

if the predetermined type of communication information is stored in the memory unit, the imaging apparatus reads the predetermined type of communication information from the memory unit and displays the read communication information on the display; and

if the predetermined type of communication information is not stored in the memory unit, the imaging apparatus makes a communication information request for the predetermined type of communication information to the information server, and the information server reads the predetermined type of communication information from the storage unit and sends the predetermined type of communication information to the imaging apparatus, and the imaging apparatus stores the predetermined type of communication information in the memory unit and displays the predetermined type of communication information on the display unit; and

the imaging apparatus deletes at least a portion of the one or more types of communication information stored in the memory unit when a remaining storage capacity of the memory unit is reduced to no more than a predetermined capacity.