Image forming apparatus capable of efficient maintenance work
First Claim
1. A portable maintenance device connectable to each of an image forming apparatus and a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus, comprising:
- receiving means for receiving condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus and disconnected from said central control unit;
storing means for storing said received condition data; and
transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central controlling unit when connected to said central control unit and disconnected from said image forming apparatus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system of image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes image forming apparatus and a portable maintenance device connectable thereto. The image forming apparatus transmits first condition data indicating conditions of the apparatus to the portable maintenance device when the portable maintenance device is connected thereto, and the portable maintenance device receives the condition data from the image forming apparatus when it is connected to the image forming apparatus. Also, the portable maintenance device can be input second condition data indicating conditions of the image forming apparatus, and displays at least one piece of stored guide information on the basis of the first and second condition data.
85 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A portable maintenance device connectable to each of an image forming apparatus and a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus and disconnected from said central control unit; storing means for storing said received condition data; and transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central controlling unit when connected to said central control unit and disconnected from said image forming apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system comprising:
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an image forming apparatus for forming an image on paper; a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus; and a portable maintenance device connectable to each of said image forming apparatus and said central control unit;
whereinsaid image forming apparatus comprises first transmitting means for transmitting condition data indicating conditions of the image forming apparatus to said portable maintenance device when said portable maintenance device is connected thereto; said portable maintenance device comprises first receiving means for receiving the condition data from said first transmitting means when connected to said image forming apparatus and disconnected from said central control unit, storing means for storing said received condition data, and second transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central control unit when connected to said central control unit and disconnected from said image forming apparatus; and said central control unit comprises second receiving means for receiving the condition data from said second transmitting means. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 28, 29, 30)
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13. A control system of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a portable maintenance device connectable to said image forming apparatus;
whereinsaid image forming apparatus comprises transmitting means for transmitting first condition data indicating condition of the image forming apparatus to said portable maintenance device when said portable maintenance device is connected thereto, and said portable maintenance device comprises, receiving means for receiving the first condition data from said transmitting means when connected to said image forming apparatus and disconnected from a central control unit, storing means for storing guide information indicating a procedure of maintenance work for said image forming apparatus, character display means, and display control means for controlling said character display means so that said stored guide information is displayed on the basis of said received first condition. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A control system of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a portable maintenance device connectable to said image forming apparatus;
whereinsaid image forming apparatus comprises transmitting means for transmitting first condition data indicating conditions of the image forming apparatus to said portable maintenance device when said portable maintenance device is connected thereto, and said portable maintenance device comprises, receiving means for receiving the first condition data from said transmitting means when connected with said image forming apparatus and disconnected from a central control unit, operation input means for inputting the second condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus, storing means for storing plural pieces of guide information indicating procedures of maintenance work for said image forming apparatus, display means, selecting means for selecting at least one piece of said stored guide information on the basis of said transmitted first and said inputted second condition data, and display control means for controlling said display means so that the guide information selected by said selecting means is displayed.
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17. A portable maintenance device connectable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving first condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus and disconnected from a central control unit; storing means for storing guide information indicating a procedure of maintenance work for said image forming apparatus; character display means; and display control means for controlling said character display means to display said stored guide information on the basis of said received first condition data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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an image forming apparatus; a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus; and a portable maintenance device connectable to each of said image forming apparatus and said central control unit;
whereinsaid image forming apparatus comprises first transmitting means for transmitting first condition data indicating conditions of the image forming apparatus to said portable maintenance device when said portable maintenance device is connected thereto, said portable maintenance device comprises, first receiving means for receiving said first condition data transmitted from said first transmitting means when connected to said image forming apparatus, operation input means for inputting second condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus, storing means for storing said received first and said inputted second condition data, storing means for storing plural pieces of guide information indicating procedures of maintenance work for said image forming apparatus, display means, selecting means for selecting at least one piece of said stored guide information on the basis of said stored first and second condition data, display control means for controlling said display means to display the guide information selected by said selecting means, and second transmitting means for transmitting the first and second condition data stored in said storing means to said central control unit when connected with said central control unit, said central control unit comprises, second receiving means for receiving the first and second condition data from said second transmitting means, and third transmitting means for transmitting a signal for varying the guide information stored in said storing means to said portable maintenance device when said portable maintenance device is connected thereto, and said portable maintenance device further comprises third receiving means for receiving said transmitted signal and guide information varying means for varying the guide information stored in said storing means on the basis of said received signal.
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21. A control system of an image forming apparatus having image forming means for forming an image on paper, comprising:
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a central control unit; and a portable maintenance device;
whereinsaid portable maintenance device is connectable to said central control unit, and comprises; first storing means for storing condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus, and transmitting means for transmitting said condition data to said central control unit when connected to said central control unit and disconnected from said image forming apparatus, said central control unit comprises, means for receiving the condition data transmitted from said portable maintenance device, third storing means for storing said received condition data, means for producing guide information for indicating a procedure of maintenance work for said image forming apparatus on the basis of the condition data stored in said third storing means, and means for transmitting said produced guide information to said portable maintenance device, and said portable maintenance device further comprises, means for receiving guide information transmitted from said central control unit, second storing means for storing said received guide information, display means, and display control means for controlling said display means so that said maintenance work procedure is displayed on the basis of said stored condition data and said stored guide information. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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24. A control system of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
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a portable maintenance device connectable to said image forming apparatus for data communications, said portable maintenance device including storing means for storing guide information indicating maintenance procedures for said image forming apparatus; said image forming apparatus including an image forming means for forming images on paper and detecting means for detecting condition of the image forming means; selecting means for selecting guide information stored in said stored means in accordance with the condition detected by said detecting means; and character display means for displaying the selected guide information. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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31. A portable maintenance device connectable to each of an image forming apparatus and a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus; storing means for storing said received condition data; transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central controlling unit when connected to said central control unit; and means for downloading diagnostic data related to malfunctions from said central control unit into the storing means when said portable maintenance device is connected to said central control unit.
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32. A portable maintenance device connectable to each of an image forming apparatus and a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus; storing means for storing said received condition data; transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central controlling unit when connected to said central control unit; and image reading means for scanning a copy produced by said image forming apparatus, wherein a resultant image is stored in said storing means as condition data.
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33. A portable maintenance device connectable to each of an image forming apparatus and a central control unit for controlling said image forming apparatus, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving condition data indicating conditions of said image forming apparatus transmitted from said image forming apparatus when connected to said image forming apparatus and for receiving guidance data when connected to said central control unit; storing means for storing said received condition data; and transmitting means for transmitting the condition data stored in said storing means to said central controlling unit when connected to said central control unit and for transmitting signals to said image forming apparatus when connected thereto.
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Specification