MONITORING APPARATUS, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, FIRMWARE UPDATING METHOD, AND PROGRAM THEREOF
First Claim
1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus comprising:
- a memory; and
a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control;
an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to a management apparatus;
a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored;
a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction;
a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; and
a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit,wherein the monitoring unit monitors whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring apparatus includes an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to a management apparatus, a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored, a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored, an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction, a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction, and a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus comprising:
-
a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control; an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to a management apparatus; a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; and a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit monitors whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A management system including a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a management apparatus for managing information about the image forming apparatuses, and a distribution server for controlling distribution of firmware to the image forming apparatuses,
the monitoring apparatus comprising: -
a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control; an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to the management apparatus; a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; a monitoring unit configured to monitor whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; and a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit, and the management apparatus comprising; a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control; an instruction transmission unit configured to, when the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus is set, transmit the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus to the monitoring apparatus in response to the inquiry from the monitoring apparatus; and a notification reception unit configured to receive a notification from the monitoring apparatus.
-
-
10. A method for a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the method comprising:
-
making an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; transmitting to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; monitoring a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; and monitoring whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction.
-
-
11. A method performed by a management system including a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a management apparatus for managing information about the image forming apparatuses, and a distribution server for controlling distribution of firmware to the image forming apparatuses, the method comprising;
-
making, via the monitoring apparatus, an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, via the monitoring apparatus, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; transmitting, via the monitoring apparatus, to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; monitoring, via the monitoring apparatus, as monitoring of a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction, whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying, via the monitoring apparatus, the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; transmitting, via the management apparatus, when the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus is set, the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus to the monitoring apparatus in response to the inquiry from the monitoring apparatus; and receiving, via the management apparatus, a notification from the image forming apparatus.
-
-
12. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method for a monitoring apparatus monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the method comprising:
-
making an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; transmitting to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; monitoring a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; and monitoring whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction.
-
Specification