Methods and Systems for Outlying Peripheral Device Management

• US 20100281188A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hopper, Harold Scott, Ferlitsch, Andrew Rodney, Bourret, Mary Louise
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/18
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, 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: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention comprise systems and methods for detecting and managing peripheral devices that perform outside a given performance envelope. In some aspects, one or more threshold values may be determined prior to or during implementation by heuristic or other methods. These threshold values may then be used to determine device performance. In some aspects, threshold values may relate to performance parameters comprising device failures, consumption levels, output quality and other parameters. In some aspects, multiple threshold values may be used to determine device performance. In an exemplary aspect, a sheet usage threshold, a tone usage threshold and a power usage threshold may be used to determine if a device is an outlying device. In some aspects, performance below an excellence threshold value may indicate that a device has excellent performance.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating network device performance, said method comprising:

a) determining a network device performance threshold value;

b) measuring the performance of at least one network device, thereby determining a network device performance value, wherein said at least one network device is connected, via a network, to a data collection center (DCC);

c) sending said network device performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

d) comparing said network device performance value to said network device performance threshold value at said data collection center; and

e) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said network device performance value exceeds said network device performance threshold value.

2. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising automatically reconfiguring said at least one network device in response to said designating.

3. A method as described in claim 2 wherein said automatically reconfiguring comprises automatically downloading firmware modification instructions from said DCC.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said at least one network device is separated from said DCC by a firewall and said connection between said at least one network device and said DCC is routed through a master device that is authorized to communicate through said firewall.

5. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising modifying a maintenance schedule for said at least one network device when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

6. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising scheduling said at least one network device for component replacement when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said at least one network device is a multi-function peripheral (MFP) device.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said network device performance value relates to a period of time between device failures.

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said network device performance value relates to consumption of a consumable material by said at least one network device.

10. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said network device performance value relates to power consumption by said at least one network device.

11. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said network device performance value relates to a device fault performed by said at least one network device.

12. A method for evaluating network device performance, said method comprising:

a) determining first and second network device performance threshold values, wherein said first and second network device performance threshold values relate to a first device factor;

b) determining third and fourth network device performance threshold values wherein said third and fourth network device performance threshold values relate to a second device factor;

c) determining a fifth network device performance threshold value, wherein said fifth network device performance threshold value relates to a poor count;

d) measuring the performance of at least one network device in relation to said first device factor, thereby determining a first network device performance value, wherein said at least one network device is connected, via a network, to a data collection center;

e) sending said first network device performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

f) comparing said network device performance value to said first network device performance threshold value at said data collection center;

g) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said network device performance value exceeds said first network device performance threshold value;

h) comparing said network device performance value to said second network device performance threshold value at said data collection center when said network device performance value does not exceed said first network device performance threshold value;

i) incrementing a network device poor count value when said network device performance value exceeds said second network device performance threshold value;

j) measuring the performance of said at least one network device in relation to said second device factor, thereby determining a second network device performance value;

k) sending said second network device performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

l) comparing said second network device performance value to said third network device performance threshold value at said data collection center;

m) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said second network device performance value exceeds said third network device performance threshold value;

n) comparing said second network device performance value to said fourth network device performance threshold value at said data collection center when said second network device performance value does not exceed said third network device performance threshold value;

o) incrementing said network device poor count value when said second network device performance value exceeds said fourth network device performance threshold value;

p) comparing said poor count value to said fifth network device performance threshold value at said data collection center; and

q) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said poor count value exceeds said fifth network device performance threshold value.

13. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said first network device performance value relates to at least one of:

a period between faults occurring in said at least one network device;

consumable consumption by said at least one network device and power consumption by said at least one network device.

14. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said second network device performance value relates to at least one of:

a period between faults occurring in said at least one network device;

consumable consumption by said at least one network device and power consumption by said at least one network device.

15. A method as described in claim 12 further comprising modifying a maintenance schedule for said at least one network device when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

16. A method as described in claim 12 further comprising scheduling said at least one network device for component replacement when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

17. A method as described in claim 12 further comprising:

a) determining sixth and seventh network device performance threshold values wherein said sixth and seventh network device performance threshold values relate to a third device factor;

b) measuring the performance of said at least one network device in relation to said third device factor, thereby determining a third network device performance value;

c) sending said third network device performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

d) comparing said third network device performance value to said sixth network device performance threshold value at said data collection center;

e) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said third network device performance value exceeds said sixth network device performance threshold value;

f) comparing said second network device performance value to said seventh network device performance threshold value at said data collection center when said third network device performance value does not exceed said sixth network device performance threshold value;

g) incrementing said network device poor count value when said third network device performance value exceeds said seventh network device performance threshold value;

h) wherein steps in this claim are performed prior to said comparing said poor count value to said fifth network device performance threshold value at said data collection center

18. A method as described in claim 17 wherein said third network device performance value relates to at least one of:

a period between faults occurring in said at least one network device;

consumable consumption by said at least one network device and power consumption by said at least one network device.

19. A method for evaluating network device performance in a system comprising at least one network device connected, via a network, to a data collection center, said method comprising:

a) determining a sheet usage threshold value;

b) determining a toner usage threshold value;

c) determining a power usage threshold value;

d) measuring the performance of said at least one network device in relation to sheet usage, thereby determining a sheet usage performance value,

e) sending said sheet usage performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

f) measuring the performance of said at least one network device in relation to toner usage, thereby determining a toner usage performance value,

g) sending said toner usage performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

h) measuring the performance of said at least one network device in relation to power usage, thereby determining a power usage performance value,

i) sending said power usage performance value from said at least one network device to said data collection center;

j) comparing said sheet usage performance value to said sheet usage threshold value at said data collection center;

k) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said sheet usage performance value exceeds said sheet usage threshold value;

l) comparing said toner usage performance value to said toner usage threshold value at said data collection center when said sheet usage performance value does not exceed said sheet usage threshold value;

m) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said toner usage performance value exceeds said toner usage threshold value;

n) comparing said power usage performance value to said power usage threshold value at said data collection center when said toner usage performance value does not exceed said toner usage threshold value; and

o) designating said at least one network device as an outlying device when said power usage performance value exceeds said power usage threshold value.

20. A method as described in claim 19 further comprising modifying a maintenance schedule for said at least one network device when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

21. A method as described in claim 19 further comprising scheduling said at least one network device for component replacement when said at least one network device is designated as an outlying device.

22. A method as described in claim 19 further comprising:

a) determining an exceptional sheet usage threshold value;

b) determining an exceptional toner usage threshold value;

c) determining an exceptional power usage threshold value;

d) comparing said sheet usage performance value to said exceptional sheet usage threshold value at said data collection center;

e) designating said at least one network device as an exceptional device when said exceptional sheet usage performance value is below said exceptional sheet usage threshold value;

f) comparing said toner usage performance value to said exceptional toner usage threshold value at said data collection center when said sheet usage performance value is not below said exceptional sheet usage threshold value;

g) designating said at least one network device as an exceptional device when said toner usage performance value is below said exceptional toner usage threshold value;

h) comparing said power usage performance value to said exceptional power usage threshold value at said data collection center when said toner usage performance value is not below said exceptional toner usage threshold value; and

i) designating said at least one network device as an exceptional device when said power usage performance value is below said exceptional power usage threshold value.

23. A method as described in claim 22 further comprising using at least one of said sheet usage performance value, said toner usage performance value and said power usage performance value as a performance model when said at least one network device is designated as an exceptional device.

24. A method as described in claim 22 further comprising reconfiguring other network devices on said network with configuration parameters from said at least one network when said at least one network device is designated as an exceptional device.