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Remote service system for image forming apparatuses

  • US 5,835,816 A
  • Filed: 07/10/1997
  • Issued: 11/10/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A control unit in an image forming apparatus service system comprising:

  • a first communications line configured to connect on one end to a plurality of image forming apparatuses, each of said plurality of image forming apparatuses configured to provide information regarding respective detected errors and predicted future errors which occur therein;

    a second communications line connected on one end to a control device, said second communications line configured to deliver to said control device a maintenance message indicative of which of said plural image forming apparatuses requires servicing;

    storing means, coupled to another end of said first communications line, for sequentially storing the information from said plurality of image forming apparatuses;

    analyzing means for analyzing the information stored in the storing means and for producing an analysis result;

    predicting means for predicting one of the predicted future errors and detecting one of the detected errors based on said analysis result, and for determining whether to dispatch a serviceperson to repair the predicted future error and the detected error; and

    transmitting means, coupled to another end of the second communications line, for transmitting the maintenance message to said control device assigned to service a particular image forming apparatus of said plurality of image forming apparatuses that produced said information resulting in said predicting means either predicting the future error or detecting the detected error associated with said particular image forming apparatus.

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