Image forming apparatus service system
First Claim
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1. An image forming apparatus service system comprising:
- a plurality of image forming apparatuses;
a managing unit connected to said plurality of image forming apparatuses by a communication network for remote-managing said plurality of image forming apparatuses; and
a plurality of terminal units connected to said managing unit by a communication network, and each being located at a particular service station;
said plurality of image forming apparatuses each sending, when an abnormal phenomenon or pre-phenomenon occurs during operation, alarm data indicative of said phenomenon or pre-phenomenon to said managing unit, said plurality of image forming apparatuses each including alarm data invalidating means for invalidating said alarm data based on whether a number of copies counted is less than a standard value when the abnormal phenomenon or pre-phenomenon occur, said managing unit analyzing said alarm data to thereby selectively send data relating to maintenance or repair to said plurality of terminal units;
said managing unit comprising;
received data storing means for storing data received from any one of said plurality of image forming apparatuses;
analyzing means for analyzing said data stored in said received data storing means;
predicting means for predicting, based on a result of analysis output from said analyzing means, whether or not a serviceman'"'"'s visit is necessary; and
transmitting means for transmitting a result of prediction output from said predicting means to one of said plurality of terminal units located at the service station covering the image forming apparatus needing a serviceman'"'"'s visit.
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus service system of the present invention includes a shared managing unit capable of predicting whether or not a serviceman'"'"'s visit is necessary on the basis of data received from each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, including low CV layer apparatuses, operated in a broad area including a number of service stations. The service system therefore allows a serviceman to take an adequate measure rapidly and efficiently before a critical trouble occurs in any one of the apparatuses.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus service system comprising:
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a plurality of image forming apparatuses; a managing unit connected to said plurality of image forming apparatuses by a communication network for remote-managing said plurality of image forming apparatuses; and a plurality of terminal units connected to said managing unit by a communication network, and each being located at a particular service station; said plurality of image forming apparatuses each sending, when an abnormal phenomenon or pre-phenomenon occurs during operation, alarm data indicative of said phenomenon or pre-phenomenon to said managing unit, said plurality of image forming apparatuses each including alarm data invalidating means for invalidating said alarm data based on whether a number of copies counted is less than a standard value when the abnormal phenomenon or pre-phenomenon occur, said managing unit analyzing said alarm data to thereby selectively send data relating to maintenance or repair to said plurality of terminal units; said managing unit comprising; received data storing means for storing data received from any one of said plurality of image forming apparatuses; analyzing means for analyzing said data stored in said received data storing means; predicting means for predicting, based on a result of analysis output from said analyzing means, whether or not a serviceman'"'"'s visit is necessary; and transmitting means for transmitting a result of prediction output from said predicting means to one of said plurality of terminal units located at the service station covering the image forming apparatus needing a serviceman'"'"'s visit.
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2. An image forming apparatus service system comprising:
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a plurality of image forming apparatuses; a managing unit connected to said plurality of image forming apparatuses by a communication network for remote-managing said plurality of image forming apparatuses; and a plurality of terminal units connected to said managing unit by a communication network, and each being located at a particular service station; said plurality of image forming apparatuses each sending, when an abnormal phenomenon or pre-phenomenon occurs during operation, alarm data indicative of said phenomenon or pre-phenomenon to said managing unity, said managing unit analyzing said alarm data to thereby selectively send data relating to maintenance or repair to said plurality of terminal units; said managing unit comprising; received data storing means for storing data received from any one of said plurality of image forming apparatuses; analyzing means for analyzing said data stored in said received data storing means; predicting means for predicting, based on a result of analysis output from said analyzing means, whether or not a serviceman'"'"'s visit is necessary; and transmitting means for transmitting a result of prediction output from said predicting means to one of said plurality of terminal units located at the service station covering the image forming apparatus needing a serviceman'"'"'s visit; wherein said plurality of image forming apparatuses each comprises adding means for adding to said alarm data, state data including integrated numbers of images formed and each corresponding to one of a preselected number of latest abnormal phenomena or pre-phenomena occurred. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification