SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLABORATIVE DEVICE DATA COLLECTION

• US 20190056900A1
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Published: 02/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: CHANNA, Jonathan A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,359,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1235 caused by end of consumables, e.g. paper, ink, toner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00042 Monitoring, i.e. observation H04N1/00029 - H04N1/00039 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A system and method for multifunction peripheral data collection includes a network data connection with one or more multifunction peripherals and at least one peer data collector. A memory stores address data identifying each of a set of multifunction peripherals tasked for data collection. A processor initiates data transfer sessions in accordance with stored address data with each of the plurality of multifunction peripherals to retrieve device report data. Device report data from each successful data transfer session is retrieved and each device with an unsuccessful data transfer session is identified. A collection report is generated from retrieved device report data and this report is sent to an associated networked server. A generated problem list is sent to at least one other one networked device for further data collection and processing.

Claims

1. A multifunction peripheral data collector comprising:

a network interface configured for data communication with a plurality of multifunction peripherals,

the network interface further configured for data communication with at least one peer data collector;

a processor; and

a memory in which data for each of the plurality of multifunction peripherals is stored,

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate a data transfer session in accordance with stored address data with each of the plurality of multifunction peripherals to retrieve corresponding device report data,

wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve device report data from each successful data transfer session, wherein the processor is further configured to generate problem list data corresponding to an identity of each multifunction peripheral associated with an unsuccessful data transfer session,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate a collection report in accordance with the retrieved device report data,

wherein the processor is further configured to output a generated collection report to an associated server via the network interface, and

wherein the processor further configured to communicate generated problem list data to at least one networked device via the network interface.

2. The data collector of claim 1 wherein the at least one networked device is comprised of a cloud server.

3. The data collector of claim 1 wherein the at least one networked device is comprised of at least one peer data collector.

4. The data collector of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to receive incoming problem list data from the at least one peer data collector.

5. The data collector of claim 4

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate a peer device data transfer session in accordance with address data corresponding to each of a second plurality of multifunction peripherals associated with the incoming problem list data,

wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve peer device report data from each successful peer data transfer session,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate peer problem list data corresponding to an identity of each unsuccessful peer data transfer session,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate a peer collection report in accordance retrieved peer device report data,

wherein the processor is further configured to output a generated peer collection report to an associated server via the network interface, and

wherein the processor is further configured to communicate generated peer problem list data to at least one networked device server via the network interface.

6. The data collector of claim 5 wherein the at least one networked device server is comprised of a cloud server.

7. The data collector of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to pair with the peer data collector.

8. The data collector of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to load balance retrieval of device report data and peer device report data with a paired peer data collector.

9. A method for multifunction peripheral data collection comprising:

communication data with a plurality of multifunction peripherals via a network interface;

communicating data with at least one peer data collector via the network interface;

storing identity data and associated address data for each of the plurality of multifunction peripherals in a memory;

initiating a data transfer session in accordance with the associated stored address data with each of the plurality of multifunction peripherals to corresponding retrieve device report data;

retrieving device report data from each successful data transfer session;

generating problem list data corresponding to an identity of each multifunction peripheral associated with an unsuccessful data transfer session;

generating a collection report in accordance retrieved device report data;

outputting a generated collection report to an associated server via the network interface; and

communicating generated problem list data to at least one networked device via the network interface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one networked device is comprised of a cloud server.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one networked device is comprised of a data collector.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving incoming problem list data from the at least one peer data collector.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

initiating a peer device data transfer session in accordance with address data corresponding to each of a second plurality of multifunction peripherals associated with the incoming problem list data;

retrieving peer device report data from each successful peer data transfer session;

generating peer problem list data corresponding to an identity of each multifunction peripheral associated with an unsuccessful peer data transfer session;

generating a peer collection report in accordance retrieved peer device report data;

outputting a generated peer collection report to an associated server via the network interface; and

outputting generated peer problem list data to at least one networked device server via the network interface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one networked device server is comprised of a cloud server.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising pairing with the peer data collector.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising load balancing the retrieval of device report data and peer device report data with the paired peer data collector.

17. A device data collector for multifunction peripherals comprising:

a network interface;

a processor configured for data communication with a second device data collector via the network interface, the processor further configured to pair with the second device data collector via the network interface; and

a memory configured to store device list data comprising address data for each of a plurality of monitored multifunction peripherals,

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate an SNMP data exchange with each of the plurality of monitored multifunction peripherals,

wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve device report data for each successful SNMP data exchange,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate a problem list identifying each multifunction peripheral associated with an unsuccessful SNMP data exchange,

wherein the processor is further configured to communicate a generated problem list to the paired second device data collector, and

wherein the processor is further configured to communicate the report data to an associated cloud server via the network interface.

18. The device data collector of claim 17

wherein the processor is further configured to receive an incoming problem list from the paired second device data collector, the incoming problem list including address data for at least one problematic multifunction peripheral and incoming process data corresponding to a collection process associated with identification of the at least one problematic multifunction peripheral,

wherein the processor is further configured to initiate an SNMP data exchange with each of problematic multifunction peripherals identified in the incoming problem list with a distinct collection process relative to the incoming process data,

wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve device report data for each successful SNMP data exchange with a multifunction peripheral identified in the incoming problem list,

wherein the processor is further configured to remove from the problem list each multifunction peripheral for which an SNMP data exchange is successful, and

wherein the processor is further configured to communicate at least one of the problem list and the report data to at least one associated networked data device via the network interface.

19. The device data collector of claim 18 wherein the at least one associated networked data device comprises the paired second device data collector.

20. The device data collector of claim 18 wherein the at least one associated networked data device comprises the cloud server device.