APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING IMAGE

• US 20080068639A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamane, Jun, Ue, Kohji, Yamashita, Masahide, Sawada, Masaichi, Takahashi, Shintaroh, Ochiai, Noriyuki, SATOH, Osamu, Nakazato, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/002 Interacting with the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/027 Test patterns and calibration arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a failure prediction unit, an image identification unit, a simulated-image generating unit, and an output unit. The failure prediction unit prepares an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional signal, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus, and compares the index value with a first threshold value to predict a failure mode of the image forming apparatus. The image identification unit identifies types of abnormal images based on the failure mode predicted by the failure prediction unit. An identified abnormal image is predicted to be appear a given time later. The simulated-image generating unit generates a simulated image of the identified abnormal image. The output unit outputs the identified abnormal image as the simulated image.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a failure prediction unit configured to prepare an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional signal, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus, and to compare the index value with a first threshold value to predict a failure mode of the image forming apparatus;

an image identification unit configured to identify types of abnormal images based on the failure mode predicted by the failure prediction unit, an identified abnormal image being predicted to be appear a given time later;

a simulated-image generating unit configured to generate a simulated image of the identified abnormal image; and

an output unit configured to output the identified abnormal image as the simulated image.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first threshold value is adjustable.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input unit configured to input a judgment result of an operator for accepting or not accepting the simulated image output by the output unit, the judgment result is used to adjust a second threshold value.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second threshold value is adjustable by the operator.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a level adjustment unit, and wherein the second threshold value is adjusted with the level adjustment unit when the judgment result of the simulated image is acceptable, in which a value of the adjusted second threshold value is less severe compared to a value of the second threshold value before adjustment.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a call unit configured to call a maintenance request to a maintenance service entity when the judgment result of the simulated image is unacceptable.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the simulated image is generated and output by using a print job data, which is actually used by an operator.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the output unit outputs a plurality of simulated images having a plurality of levels using the print job data, which is actually used by the operator.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of simulated images having the plurality of levels is outputable on one sheet.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a storage unit configured to store historical data for operation conditions of the image forming apparatus including the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output unit outputs the historical data as text data.

12. A method of managing images produced by an image forming apparatus, comprising:

preparing an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional information, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus;

predicting a failure mode of the image forming apparatus by comparing the index value with a first threshold value;

identifying types of abnormal images to appear a given time later based on the predicted failure mode;

generating an identified abnormal image as a simulated image; and

outputting the simulated image of the identified abnormal image.

13. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium for causing a computer to execute a method of managing images produced by an image forming apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

preparing an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional information, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus;

predicting a failure mode of the image forming apparatus by comparing the index value with a first threshold value;

identifying types of abnormal images to appear a given time later based on the predicted failure mode;

generating an identified abnormal image as a simulated image; and

outputting the simulated image of the identified abnormal image.