System for remote diagnosis of image forming apparatuses, including intelligent communications control for data therefrom

• US 5,727,248 A
• Filed: 04/16/1996
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogura, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Joan H.
• Application Number:
  US08/633,217
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 399/8, 346/138, 376/107
• 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: G03G 2215/00113 Plurality of apparatus configured in groups each with its own host
• 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: G06F 11/349 for interfaces, buses
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C

Abstract

A remote diagnosis apparatus comprising communication control units which store particular data sent from a plurality of copying machines and execute communication control for the data and a controller which is connected via a public line network to the communication control units and into which data stored in the communication control units is inputted to be stored therein, the communication control units comprising a counter counting times of recalling, and a control means for sending a call again in a state where particular data can not be transmitted and setting a particular value in the counter when new data to be transmitted is received while waiting for an opportunity to send a call again.

Claims

1. The remote diagnosis apparatus having centralized control, the apparatus comprising:

a communication line for carrying data;

at least one image forming apparatus;

at least one communication controller connected to said image forming apparatus for receiving and storing particular data sent from said image forming apparatus and executing communication control by accessing said communication line and completing a call to a data controller over said communication line for forwarding said particular data to said data controller; and

wherein said data controller is connected to the communication line and includes an access portion permitting said data controller to access said communication controller over said communication line, said communication controller receiving control data from said data controller and processing it into a form for local communication control or for sending to the image forming apparatus for image forming apparatus control, said communication controller providing said data controller with response data indicating the completion of control processing over said communication line.

2. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication controller further comprises:

a counter for counting the number of times that the at least one communication controller attempts to secure access on the communication line to the data controller to establish a particular data sending connection, and

said communication controller including a portion responsive to a failed communication state where said particular data cannot be transmitted to said data controller for attempting to again secure said access at a later time and setting said counter to a particular counter number when said communication controller receives new particular data to be transmitted to said data controller while waiting for an opportunity to attempt to secure said access on the communication line to the data controller.

3. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication line is included in a public line network.

4. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where a further communication controller is occupying said communication line.

5. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where said particular data includes a data error.

6. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where other communication equipment connected to said communication controller preferentially uses said communication line.

7. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said the communication equipment is a telephone device or a facsimile machine.

8. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said counter further comprises:

a first counter initiating an attempt to re-secure said access by said communication controller upon obtaining an initiating count value for sending a call again; and

a second counter for counting the number of times of executing said call again;

wherein said counter sets a number of times for initiating the attempt to re-secure said access operation by removing a counting number provided by said first counter to said second counter when new particular data to be transmitted is received.

9. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second counter is an adding counter which is reset by a control portion of said communication controller when said control portion detects that new particular data to be transmitted has been received.

12. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claims 1, 7, 9 or 11, wherein the particular data are data generated with a remote message key is operated as a trigger.

13. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, 7, 9 or 11, wherein the particular data are data indicating an abnormal state of an image processing apparatus.

14. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claims 1, 7, 9 or 11, wherein the particular data are data due to pre-warming.

15. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claims 1, 7, 9 or 11, wherein the particular data are data for total counter value.

10. A remote diagnosis apparatus which provides centralized control, said apparatus comprising:

a communication line for carrying data;

an image forming apparatus;

a communication controller connected to said image forming apparatus for controlling the providing of particular data from said image forming apparatus to said communication line and for controlling the providing of further communication line data from said communication line to said image forming apparatus; and

a data controller connected to said communication line and providing said further communication line data to said communication line for controlling processing by said communication controller and said image forming apparatus, wherein said communication controller includes a response portion for returning a response on said communication line to said data controller indicating the completion of processing indicated by said further communication line data from said data controller.

11. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said communication controller further comprises

a counter for counting the number of times that the communication controller unsuccessfully attempts to access the data controller on the communication line to transfer the particular data to the data controller, and

a communication controller portion for again attempting to access the data controller when said communication controller portion detects that said particular data cannot be successfully transmitted on the communication line to said data controller, said communication controller portion controlling said counter to indicate a particular counting number when said communication controller portion receives new particular data to be transmitted on said communication line to said data controller while waiting to attempt to access the data controller on said communication line to provide for sending a call again.

16. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said communication controller further comprises:

a counter for counting the number of times that the at least one communication controller attempts to secure access on the communication line to the data controller to establish a particular data sending connection;

said at least one communication controller includes a portion responsive to a failed communication state where said particular data cannot be transmitted for establishing another attempt to again secure said access at a later time and setting said counter to a particular counter number when said at least one communication controller receives new particular data to be transmitted to said data controller awaiting for an opportunity to attempt to re-secure said access on the communication line to the data controller.

17. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said communication line is included in a public line network.

18. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where a further communication controller is occupying said communication line.

19. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where said particular data includes a data error.

20. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where other communication equipment connected to said communication controller preferentially uses said communication line.

21. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said communication equipment is a telephone device or a facsimile machine.

22. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said counter further comprises:

a first counter initiating an attempt to re-secure said access by said at least one communication controller upon obtaining and initiating count value for sending a call again; and

a second counter for counting the number of times of executing said call again;

wherein said counter sets a number of times for initiating the attempt to re-secure said access by removing a counting number provided by said first counter to said second counter when new particular data to be transmitted is received.

23. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claims 2, 7, 9 or 11, wherein times of recalling or an interval between calls is set through a communication line from an external device in the communication control unit.

24. A remote diagnosis apparatus for providing centralized control over data, comprising:

a) a communication line for carrying the data;

b) an image forming apparatus;

c) a communication controller connected to said image forming apparatus for executing communication control for particular data, said communication controller including,

a controller for recalling by sending a call again when the particular data can not be transmitted, said recalling performed prespecified times, and said recalling times sent from the data controller via the communication line to the communication controller; and

d) a data controller, connected via said communication line to said communication controller, for inputting and controlling data stored in said communication controller.

25. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said communication controller further comprising:

a counter for counting times of recalling, and

a controller for sending a call again in a state where said particular data can not be transmitted and setting a particular counting number in said counter when said controller receives new data to be transmitted while waiting for an opportunity for sending a call again.

26. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said communication line is included in a public line network.

27. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where a further communication controller is occupying said communication line.

28. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where said particular data includes a data error.

29. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said state where particular data can not be transmitted is a state where other communication equipment connected to said communication controller preferentially uses said communication line.

30. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said other communication equipment is a telephone device or a facsimile machine.

31. A remote diagnosis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said counter further comprises:

a first counter for setting times of recalling by said controller; and

a second counter for counting times of executed recall;

whereby said counter sets times of recalling by removing a counting number provided by said first counter to said second counter when new data to be transmitted is received.

32. A remote diagnostic apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said counter is initialized by inputting new data.