DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE, DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, DIAGNOSTIC METHOD, PROGRAM AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20060098992A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/8
• 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 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00113 Plurality of apparatus configured in groups each with its own host
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0017 Preparing data for the controlling system, e.g. status, memory data

Abstract

A diagnostic system that effectively presents optimum products to the users by effectively using information about the use history of an image forming apparatus used by the users and other information specific to the image forming apparatus that may be stored in advance. The diagnostic system includes a management device that receives and manages management information including at least information of print volume of an image forming apparatus for a predetermined period, a determination device that determines an optimum image forming apparatus based on the information of print volume in the predetermined period managed by the management device, and a notification device that notifies information indicative of the optimum image forming apparatus determined by the determination device to an information processing apparatus that is capable of communication via a communication line.

Claims

1-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A diagnostic method carried out in a diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, said method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining information of print volume of an image forming apparatus for a certain period;

a determination step of determining a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained in said obtaining step; and

a notification step of notifying the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined in said determination step via a communication device.

46. A diagnostic method carried out in a diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, said method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining information of print volume for a certain period via a communication line, the information being entered in the information processing apparatus by a user;

a determination step of determining a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained in said obtaining step; and

a notification step of notifying the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined in said determination step.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein said notification step includes notifying the information processing apparatus of information on an option to the recommendable image forming apparatus whose type is determined in said determination step.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein the information on the option is provided based on the information of print volume obtained in said obtaining step.

49. A diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, said system comprising:

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain information of print volume of an image forming apparatus for a certain period;

a determination unit adapted to determine a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained by said obtaining unit; and

a notification unit adapted to notify the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit via a communication device.

50. A diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, said system comprising:

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain information of print volume for a certain period via a communication line, the information being entered in the information processing apparatus by a user;

a determination unit adapted to determine a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained by said obtaining unit; and

a notification unit adapted to notify the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined by said determination unit.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein said notification unit notifies the information processing apparatus of information on an option to the recommendable image forming apparatus whose type is determined by said determination unit.

52. A system according to claim 51, wherein the information on the option is provided based on the information of print volume obtained by said obtaining unit.

53. A program stored in a computer-readable storage medium such that, when executed by a computer, the program causes the computer to execute a diagnostic method carried out in a diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining information of print volume of an image forming apparatus for a certain period;

a determination step of determining a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained in said obtaining step; and

a notification step of notifying the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined in said determination step via a communication device.

54. A program stored in a computer-readable storage medium such that, when executed by a computer, the program causes the computer to execute a diagnostic method carried out in a diagnostic system capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining information of print volume for a certain period via a communication line, the information being entered in the information processing apparatus by a user;

a determination step of determining a type of a recommendable image forming apparatus based on the information obtained in said obtaining step; and

a notification step of notifying the information processing apparatus of information indicative of the type of the recommendable image forming apparatus determined in said determination step.

55. A program according to claim 54, wherein said notification step includes notifying the information processing apparatus of information on an option to the recommendable image forming apparatus whose type is determined in said determination step.

56. A program according to claim 55, wherein the information on the option is provided based on the information of print volume obtained in said obtaining step.