Method and system of remote diagnostic control and information collection using a dynamic linked library of multiple formats and multiple protocols

• US 20060168103A1
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Fong, Tetsuro Motoyama
• Original Assignee: Avery Fong, Tetsuro Motoyama
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for (1) collecting information from a remote application unit and/or (2) diagnosing or controlling the remote application unit. By utilizing a shareable computer code device (e.g., a dynamic linked library), a new application can utilize tested, proven code without having to reproduce existing functionality. Moreover, by supporting multiple data formats and/or multiple communication protocols, a computer code device increases the likelihood that a supported format and/or protocol will be either receivable or understandable by a receiver.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A microprocessor program product, comprising:

a microprocessor storage medium and a microprocessor program code mechanism embedded in the microprocessor storage medium of an image handling device for causing a microprocessor to control a protocol used for data communication between a remote receiver and at least one of a device, an application and an application unit of the image handling devices, the microprocessor program code mechanism comprising;

a first microprocessor code device configured to provide plural communications protocols capable of providing data transfer;

a second microprocessor code device configured to select a first protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a third microprocessor code device configured to select a second protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a fourth microprocessor code device configured to collect events at the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a fifth microprocessor code device configured to attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit using the first protocol; and

a sixth microprocessor code device configured to attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit using the second protocol after attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit using the first protocol.

21. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20, wherein the image handling device is a printer.

22. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the image handling device is a digital image forming device.

23. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the image handling device is a scanner.

24. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the plural communications protocols comprise (1) a simple mail transfer protocol and (2) at least one of (a) a file transfer protocol and (b) a hypertext transfer protocol.

25. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the sixth microprocessor device comprises a seventh microprocessor code device configured to check for a transmission failure before transferring the collected events using the second protocol.

26. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the sixth microprocessor device comprises a seventh microprocessor code device configured to transfer the collected events using the second protocol in order to increase redundancy.

27. A microprocessor program product, comprising:

a microprocessor storage medium and a microprocessor program code mechanism embedded in the microprocessor storage medium for causing a microprocessor of an image handling device to control a data format used for data communication between a remote receiver and at least one of a device, an application and an application unit of the image handling devices, the microprocessor program code mechanism comprising;

a first microprocessor code device configured to provide plural communications formats capable of providing data transfer;

a second microprocessor code device configured to select a first format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a third microprocessor code device configured to select a second format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a fourth microprocessor code device configured to collect events at the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit;

a fifth microprocessor code device configured to attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least of the device, the application and the application unit using the first format; and

a sixth microprocessor code device configured to attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an appliance, an application and an application unit using the second format after attempting to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of the device, the application and the application unit using the first format.

28. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein the image handling device is a printer.

29. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein the image handling device is a digital image forming device.

30. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein the plural communications formats comprise at least two formats selected from the group consisting of:

binary, text, hypertext markup language (HTML), and extended markup language (XML).

31. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein at least one of the plural communications formats comprises a compressed format.

32. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein the sixth microprocessor device comprises a seventh microprocessor code device configured to check for a transmission failure before transferring the collected events using the second format.

33. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27,

wherein the sixth microprocessor device comprises a seventh microprocessor code device configured to transfer the collected events using the second format in order to increase redundancy.

34. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a seventh microprocessor code device configured to provide plural communications protocols capable of providing data transfer; and

an eighth microprocessor code device configured to select a first protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit,

wherein the fifth microprocessor code device is further configured to transfer the collected events with the first protocol using the first format.

35. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a seventh microprocessor code device configured to provide plural communications protocols capable of providing data transfer; and

an eighth microprocessor code device configured to select a first protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit,

wherein the sixth microprocessor code device is further configured to transfer the collected events with the first protocol using the second format.

36. The microprocessor program product as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

a seventh microprocessor code device configured to provide plural communications protocols capable of providing data transfer; and

an eighth microprocessor code device configured to select a first protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit,

wherein the fifth microprocessor code device is further configured to transfer the collected events with the first protocol using the first format;

a ninth microprocessor code device configured to select a second protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit,

wherein the sixth microprocessor code device is further configured to transfer the collected events with the second protocol using the second format.

37. A microprocessor-implemented method for causing a microprocessor to control a protocol used for data communication to a remote receiver, comprising:

providing plural communications protocols capable of transferring data;

selecting a first protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and at least one of a device, an application and an application unit;

selecting a second protocol of the plural communications protocols to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application, and an application unit;

collecting events at the at least one of a device, an appliance, and an application unit;

performing a first attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit using the first protocol; and

performing a second attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit using the second protocol after the first attempt

38. A microprocessor-implemented method for causing a microprocessor to control a format used for data communication to a remote receiver, comprising:

providing plural communications formats capable of providing data transfer;

selecting a first format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and at least one of a device, an application and an application unit;

selecting a second format of the plural communications formats to transfer data between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit;

collecting events at the at least one of a device, an application, and an application unit;

performing a first attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit using the first format; and

performing a second attempt to transfer the collected events between the remote receiver and the at least one of a device, an application and an application unit using the second format after the first attempt.

39. The microprocessor-implemented method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the step of performing a first attempt to transfer the collected events comprises performing an attempt using a first protocol.