IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT METHOD OF THE SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR STORING PROGRAM THEREOF

• US 20090237741A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurahashi, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,503,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32609 Fault detection or counter-measures, e.g. original mis-positioned, shortage of paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3263 of reading apparatus or transmitter, e.g. original jam
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32635 of reproducing apparatus or receiver, e.g. out of paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32657 locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus, a storage unit configured to store information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus, and a plurality of output units configured to output the stored information by different output methods. The image forming apparatus also includes a display unit configured to display information regarding each of the plurality of output units, and a selection unit configured to select an output unit designated by a user using the displayed information. The image forming apparatus outputs the stored information using the selected output unit.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus;

a storage unit configured to store information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus;

a plurality of output units configured to output the stored information in different output methods;

a display unit configured to display information regarding each of the plurality of output units; and

a selection unit configured to select an output unit designated by a user using the displayed information,

wherein the image forming apparatus outputs the stored information using the selected output unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a search unit configured to search for an available output unit from among the plurality of output units, wherein the display unit displays information regarding the output unit searched for by the search unit.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a limiting unit configured to limit an amount of the information output from the storage unit according to a type of the selected output unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a limiting unit configured to limit an amount of the information output from the storage unit based on a content of the abnormal state determined by the determination unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if the abnormal state determined by the determination unit is an abnormal state concerning a paper jam, the information to be output includes a paper jam history.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if the abnormal state determined by the determination unit is an abnormal state concerning an error, the information to be includes an error history.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to accept a specific operation from a user,

wherein if the specific operation is accepted by the input unit, the determination unit determines the abnormal state of the image forming apparatus.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the input unit accepts an operation for requesting repair or service as the specific operation.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of output units include at least two of a memory output unit configured to output information to a removable memory, a barcode output unit configured to output information as a barcode, a paper output unit configured to output information on a sheet, a display output unit configured to output information on a display unit, and a personal computer output unit configured to output information to a personal computer.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the amount of information to be output is limited to include at least one of information regarding software version information, configuration information of the image forming apparatus, jam information, error information, and log information indicating an operating procedure of the image forming apparatus, based on an amount of information that can be output by the selected output unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein if the log information is included in the information to be output, the limiting unit further controls a level of detail of the log information stored in the storage unit, based on an amount of information that can be output from the selected output unit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the limiting unit further controls the level of detail of the log information so that if the amount of information that can be output from the selected output unit is larger than a predetermined value, log information having a higher level of detail is stored in the storage unit, and if the amount of information that can be output from the selected output unit is smaller than a predetermined value, log information having a lower level of detail, the level of which is lower than the higher level, is stored in the storage unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is unconnected to a communication line used for notification of the stored information to an external apparatus.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connection state determination unit configured to determine whether the image forming apparatus is connectable to a communication line to be used for notification of the stored information to the external apparatus,

wherein the selection unit selects the output unit if the image forming apparatus is determined to be in an abnormal state by the determination unit and the image forming apparatus is determined as being unconnectable to the external apparatus by the connection state determination unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the image forming apparatus provides the external apparatus with the stored information via the communication line if the image forming apparatus is determined to be in the abnormal state by the determination unit and determined as being connectable to the external apparatus by the connection state determination unit.

16. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus comprising:

determining an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus;

storing information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus;

displaying information regarding each of a plurality of output units configured to output the stored information in different output methods;

selecting an output unit designated by a user using the displayed information; and

outputting the stored information using the selected output unit.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling an image forming apparatus, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

computer-executable instructions for determining an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus;

computer-executable instructions for storing information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus;

computer-executable instructions for displaying information regarding each of a plurality of output units configured to output the stored information by different output methods;

computer-executable instructions for selecting an output unit designated by a user using the displayed information; and

computer-executable instructions for outputting the stored information using the selected output unit.