Control system for copying machine with improved communication function to centralized control unit

• US 5,216,461 A
• Filed: 07/30/1991
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Maekawa, Kazunobu, Hirata, Sumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US07/738,239
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 355/200, 355/203, 355/204, 355/205, 355/206, 355/202, 379/106, 364/184, 364/185, 364/186
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32074 Redialing, e.g. after failure to make a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32797 Systems adapted to communicate over more than one channel, e.g. via ISDN changing transmission mode according to type of channel H04N2201/33364; multichannel or multilink communication protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/002 Selecting or switching between an image communication channel and a non-image communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data

Abstract

A copying machine control system according to the present invention is a copying machine control system having a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station communicating data with the data terminal through a communication network, wherein the centralized control station includes a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal, and the data terminal includes a memory device for storing first and second calling data for calling the first and second communication terminals, respectively, a first calling device for calling the first communication terminal with the first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, a determining device for making a determination that connection can not be made to the first communication terminal in spite of operation of the first calling device, and a second calling device for calling the second communication terminal with the second calling data in response to an output of the determining device.

Claims

1. A copying machine control system having a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station communicating data with the data terminal through a communication network, wherein:

said centralized control station comprises;

a first communication terminal, and

a second communication terminal,

said data terminal comprises;

storing means for storing first and second calling data for calling said first and said second communication terminals, respectively,

first calling means for calling said first communication terminal with said first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied;

determining means for making a determination that connection can not be made to said first communication terminal in spite of operation of said first calling means, and

second calling means responsive to said determining means for calling said second communication terminal with said second calling data.

2. The copying machine control system according to claim 1, wherein forms of data to be received by said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal differ from each other.

3. The copying machine control system according to claim 2, wherein said data terminal comprises changing means for changing a data format to be transmitted to said centralized control station so that the data format in communication with said first communication terminal and the data format in communication with said second communication terminal differ from each other.

4. A data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and communicating with first and second communication terminals through a communication network, comprising:

storing means for storing first and second calling data for calling said first and said second communication terminals, respectively;

first calling means for calling said first communication terminal with said first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied;

determining means for making a determination that connection can not be made to said first communication terminal in spite of operation of said first calling means; and

second calling means responsive to said determining means for calling said second communication terminal with said second calling data.

5. The data terminal according to claim 4, further comprising changing means for changing a data format to be transmitted to a centralized control station so that the data format in communication with said first communication terminal and the data format in communication with said second communication terminal differ from each other.

6. A data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and communicating with first and second communication terminals through a communication network, comprising:

storing means for storing first and second calling data for calling said first and said second communication terminals, respectively;

first calling means for calling said first communication terminal with said first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, the predetermined transmission condition including one with high priority and one with low priority;

determining means for making a determination that connection is not executed with said first communication terminal in spite of operation of said first calling means;

distinguishing means for distinguishing the priority of the predetermined transmission condition; and

second calling means responsive to said determining means and distinguishing means for calling said second communication terminal with said second calling data.

7. The data terminal according to claim 6, further comprising changing means for changing a data format to be transmitted to a centralized control station so that the data format in communication with said first communication terminal and the data format in communication with said second communication terminal differ from each other.

8. The data terminal according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined transmission condition with low priority is satisfied when a present time comes to a predetermined time previously set.

9. The data terminal according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined transmission condition with high priority is satisfied when a trouble occurs.

10. A copying machine control system including a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station performing data communication with the data terminal through a communication network:

wherein

said centralized control station comprises;

a computer for collecting data from said data terminal,

receiving means called with particular first calling data for inputting data transmitted through said communication network from said data terminal into said computer, and

telephone machine which is called with particular second calling data, and

said data terminal comprises;

storing means for storing said first and said second calling data,

first communicating means for calling the receiving means with said first calling data when predetermined transmission condition is satisfied and for performing data communication after connection is made with said receiving means,

determining means for making a determination that connection is not made to said receiving means in spite of operation of said first calling means, and

second communicating means for calling said telephone machine with said second calling data in response to a determination of said determining means and for communicating by voice after connection is made to said telephone machine.

11. The copying machine control system according to claim 10, wherein said second communicating means comprises means for storing a voice message corresponding to the transmission condition.

12. A copying machine control system including a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station performing data communication with said data terminal through a communication network, wherein:

said centralized control station comprises;

a computer for collecting data from said data terminal,

receiving means, which is called with particular first calling data, for inputting data transmitted through said communication network from said data terminal in the computer; and

facsimile device, which is called with particular second calling data, for printing out received facsimile data, and

said data terminal comprises;

storing means for storing said first and said second calling data,

first communicating means for calling said receiving means with said first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied and for making data communication after connection is made with said receiving means,

determining means for making a determination that connection with said receiving means is not made in spite of operation of said first communication means, and

second communicating means for calling said facsimile device with said second calling data in response to a determination of said determining means and for communicating facsimile data after connection is made to said facsimile device.

13. A copying machine control system including a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine, a centralized control station performing data communication with said data terminal through a communication network, and a facsimile device provided corresponding to said data terminal, wherein

said data terminal comprises;

counting means for counting the number of copies, and

first transmitting means for transmitting said counted number of copies to said centralized control station, and

said centralized control station comprises;

receiving means for receiving the number of copies transmitted from said first transmitting means,

totalizing means for totalizing the received number of copies, and

second transmitting means for transmitting image information on the basis of the totalized number of copies to said facsimile device.

14. The copying machine control system according to claim 13, wherein said totalizing means totalizes the number of copies within a predetermined time period.

15. The copying machine control system according to claim 13, wherein said second transmitting means stores a telephone number of said facsimile device.

16. A centralized control unit receiving data related to a plurality of copying machines and controlling each of said copying machines, comprising

receiving means for receiving count data of the number of copies in said plurality of copying machines;

totalizing means for totalizing said received count data for each of said copying machines;

storing means for storing a telephone number of a facsimile device provided corresponding to each of said copying machines; and

transmitting means for transmitting image information on the basis of said totalized count data to the facsimile device provided corresponding to each of said copying machines.

17. The centralized control unit according to claim 16, wherein said totalizing means totalizes the number of copies within a predetermined time period about each of said copying machines.

18. A copying machine control system including a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station communicating data with said data terminal through a communication network, wherein

said data terminal comprises;

counting means for counting the number of copies,

first transmitting means for transmitting the counted number of copies to said centralized control station, and

image forming means for making said copying machine form an image corresponding to the image information from said centralized control station, and

said centralized control station comprises;

receiving means for receiving the number of copies transmitted from said first transmitting means,

totalizing means for totalizing the received number of copies, and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image information on the basis of the totalized number of copies to said data terminal.

19. The copying machine control system according to claim 18, wherein said totalizing means totalizes the number of copies within a predetermined period.

20. The copying machine control system according to claim 18, wherein said second transmitting means stores a telephone number of said data terminal.

21. A centralized control unit receiving data related to a plurality of copying machines through a communication network and controlling the copying machines, comprising:

receiving means for receiving count data of the number of copies in said plurality of copying machines;

totalizing means for totalizing said received count data for each of said copying machines;

storing means for storing a telephone number of a destination set corresponding to each of said copying machines; and

transmitting means for transmitting image information on the basis of said totalized count data to the destination set corresponding to each of said copying machines.

22. The centralized control unit according to claim 21, wherein said totalizing means totalizes the number of copies within a predetermined period for each of said copying machines.