Copying machine control system with communication states with control center being displayed

• US 5,373,349 A
• Filed: 12/09/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ito, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew S.
• Application Number:
  US07/987,791
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 355/200, 355/202-206, 355/208, 355/209, 355/207, 358/434, 358/438, 358/439, 358/404, 358/441, 358/444, 358/437, 371/29.1, 379/106, 364/184-186
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0733 in a data processing system embedded in an image processing device, e.g. printer, facsimile, scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00

Abstract

A copying machine executing a processing for connecting a control center and a communication line by activating a modem when a trouble is detected, and transmitting data related to the trouble to the centralized control unit of the control center after the connection of the communication line is made, the machine includes a display apparatus, a communication control apparatus for monitoring the communication state of the modem, a memory in which data for display corresponding to each communication state is stored, display control apparatus for reading data for display corresponding to a communication state monitored by the communication control apparatus from the memory when a trouble is detected, and controlling the display apparatus to display the data.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus controlled by a centralized control unit located at a remote site, via a communication network, comprising:

a message display;

a communication device which is connected with said communication network to call said centralized control unit and to transmit information related to said image forming apparatus to said centralized control unit;

a memory which stores a plurality of messages corresponding to states of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit; and

a controller which determines that said image forming apparatus has attained a predetermined calling condition and activates said communication device to call said centralized control unit in response to a determination result;

said controller monitoring a state of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit after activating said communication device, selecting one of said plurality of messages stored in said memory according to the monitored state of communication and causing said message display to display the selected message.

2. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined calling condition is a problem condition.

3. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said state of communication includes a state in which said communication device is calling said centralized control unit.

4. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said state of communication includes a state in which said communication state includes a state in which said communication device is impeded from calling said centralized control unit.

5. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said state of communication includes a state in which said communication device is being connected with said centralized control unit.

6. An image forming apparatus controlled by a centralized control unit located at a remote site, via a communication network, comprising:

an operation panel to input operational data;

a message display provided on said operation panel;

a communication device which is connected with said communication network to call said centralized control unit and to transmit information related to said image forming apparatus to said centralized control unit;

a memory which stores a plurality of messages corresponding to states of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit and problem conditions of said image forming apparatus; and

a controller which determines that said image forming apparatus has attained a problem condition and activates said communication device to call said centralized control unit in response to a determination result;

said controller monitoring a condition of said image forming apparatus and a state of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit after activating said communication device, selecting one of said plurality of messages stored in said memory according to the monitored result and causing said message display to display the selected message.

7. A system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a centralized control unit which is located at a remote site to collect information transmitted from the respective image forming apparatuses through a communication network;

each of said plurality of image forming apparatuses including;

an operation panel to input operational data,

a message display provided on said operation panel,

a communication device which is connected with said communication network to call said centralized control unit,

a memory which stores a plurality of messages corresponding to states of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit, and

a controller which determines that said image forming apparatus has attained a predetermined calling condition and activates said communication device in response to a determination result,

said controller monitoring a state of communication between said communication device and said centralized control unit after activating said communication device, selecting one of said plurality of messages stored in said memory according to the monitored state of communication and causing said message display to display the selected message.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said centralized control unit generates and transmits message data to said image forming apparatus, and said image forming apparatus controls said message display to display said message data received from said centralized control unit.