Monitoring apparatus for image forming apparatus, control method executed by the monitoring apparatus, program for implementing the control method, and management apparatus, control method executed by the management apparatus, and program for implementing the control method
First Claim
1. A monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored and communicating with a management apparatus, comprising;
- an e-mail device that carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
a processing device operable when said e-mail device has received second modules for updating first modules, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, from the management apparatus by e-mail, to automatically update the first modules in operation to the second modules;
an information collecting device that collects version information on the first modules when said e-mail device has received a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail; and
a returning device that sends the version information collected by said information collecting device to the management apparatus by return e-mail.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a monitoring apparatus which makes it possible to efficiently update modules on which the monitoring apparatus operates by remote control from a management apparatus. The monitoring apparatus carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail. When the monitoring apparatus receives other modules for updating the modules in the monitoring apparatus from the management apparatus by e-mail, the monitoring apparatus automatically updates the modules to the other modules. The monitoring apparatus collects version information on the modules when receiving a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail. The monitoring apparatus sends the collected version information to the management apparatus by return mail.
49 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored and communicating with a management apparatus, comprising;
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an e-mail device that carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
a processing device operable when said e-mail device has received second modules for updating first modules, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, from the management apparatus by e-mail, to automatically update the first modules in operation to the second modules;
an information collecting device that collects version information on the first modules when said e-mail device has received a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail; and
a returning device that sends the version information collected by said information collecting device to the management apparatus by return e-mail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, comprising:
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an instructing device that collectively instructs the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
an acquisition requesting device that collectively gives a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses by e-mail; and
an acquisition device that acquires the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent by said acquisition requesting device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A control method executed by a monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored, and communicating with a management apparatus, comprising;
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a communication step of carrying out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
a processing step of automatically updating first modules in operation, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, to second modules for updating the first modules when the second modules is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
an information collecting step of collecting version information on the first modules when a version information acquisition request is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step; and
a returning step of sending the version information collected in said information collecting step to the management apparatus by return mail. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A control method executed by a management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, comprising:
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an instructing step of collectively instructing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
an acquisition requesting step of collectively giving a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses by e-mail; and
an acquisition step of acquiring the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent in said acquisition requesting step. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A program for causing a computer to execute a control method implemented by a monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored, and communicating with a management apparatus, the method comprising;
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a communication step of carrying out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
a processing step of automatically updating first modules in operation, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, to second modules for updating the first modules when the second modules for updating the modules is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
an information collecting step of collecting version information on the first modules when a version information acquisition request is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step; and
a returning step of sending the version information collected in said information collecting step to the management apparatus by return mail.
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18. A program for causing a computer to execute a control method implemented by a management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, the method comprising:
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an instructing step of collectively instructing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
an acquisition requesting step of collectively giving a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses; and
an acquisition step of acquiring the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent in said acquisition requesting step.
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Specification