Image processing apparatus, and method of and system for managing image processing apparatus

• US 20040184066A1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Urabe, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 7,586,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job

Abstract

A managing apparatus connected to a computer network manages an image processing apparatus via the computer network. The image processing apparatus is connected to the computer network via a firewall that allows data transmitted using predetermined protocols to pass through, and at least one of the predetermined protocols has an immediacy. A report generation/transmission unit provided in the image processing apparatus generates and transmits a report data to the managing apparatus through the computer network, using the protocol having the immediacy. The managing apparatus outputs contents of the report data received, and sends a reply data in response to the report data, to the image processing apparatus through the computer network using the protocol having the immediacy.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus management system comprising:

a managing apparatus connected to a computer network; and

an image processing apparatus that is connected to the computer network and managed by the managing apparatus via the computer network, wherein the image processing apparatus is connected to the computer network via a firewall that allows data transmitted using predetermined protocols to pass through, wherein at least one of the predetermined protocols has an immediacy, and the image processing apparatus having a report generating/transmitting unit that generates report data and transmits the report data to the managing apparatus through the computer network using the protocol having the immediacy.

2. The image processing apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the firewall allows reply data sent by the managing apparatus in response to the report data, to pass through and reach the image processing apparatus.

3. The image processing apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein when the report data sent by the image processing apparatus includes a request for a program, the managing apparatus includes the program in the reply data.

4. The image processing apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the protocol having the immediacy is hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

5. The image processing apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the managing apparatus includes an informing unit that informs an operator of an identification of the image processing apparatus that sent the report data and contents of the report data.

6. The image processing apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the managing apparatus includes a report outputting unit that outputs contents of the report data, and an identification of the image processing apparatus that sent the report data.

7. An image processing apparatus that is connected to a computer network via a firewall that allows data transmitted using predetermined protocols to pass through, wherein at least one of the predetermined protocols has an immediacy, wherein a managing apparatus connected to the computer network manages a predetermined image processing apparatus, comprising:

a report generating/transmitting unit that generates report data and transmits the report data to the managing apparatus through the computer network using the protocol having the immediacy.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a remaining amount detecting unit that detects an amount of unused consumable product in the image processing apparatus, wherein

if the amount detected is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including therein, information about the consumable product.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a product replacement detecting unit that detects whether a product in the image processing apparatus must be replaced, wherein

if the product replacement detecting unit detects that the product must be replaced, the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including therein, information about the product to be replaced.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an abnormal condition detecting unit that detects an occurrence or a possibility of occurrence of an abnormal condition in the image processing apparatus, wherein

if the occurrence or the possibility of occurrence of the abnormal condition is detected, the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including therein, information about the abnormal condition.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an inputting unit that inputs an instruction, wherein

if the instruction is input, the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including the instruction therein.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an order information inputting unit that inputs order information to order a consumable product, wherein

if the order information is input, the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including the order information therein.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including therein, a request to send a program, and transmits the report data to the managing apparatus at a predetermined interval.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a utilization state acquiring unit that acquires state information about a utilization state of the image processing apparatus, wherein

the report generating/transmitting unit generates the report data by including the state information therein, and transmits the report data to the managing apparatus at a predetermined interval.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the protocol having the immediacy is hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

16. A method in which a managing apparatus manages an image processing apparatus, the managing apparatus and the image processing apparatus being connected via a computer network, and the image processing apparatus being connected to the computer network via a firewall that allows data transmitted using predetermined protocols to pass through, wherein at least one of the predetermined protocols has an immediacy, comprising:

the managing apparatus receiving report data from the image processing apparatus sent through the computer network using the protocol having the immediacy, wherein the report data includes information about the image processing apparatus;

the managing apparatus outputting contents of the report data received; and

the managing apparatus sending a reply data to the image processing apparatus, in response to the report data received.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the protocol having the immediacy is hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).