Apparatus having a help function, image-forming apparatus, and method and program for displaying help information

• US 6,606,460 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Konno, Michiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Sophia S.
• Application Number:
  US10/024,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 399/8, 399/9, 399/11, 399/81, 399/82, 399/83, 399/85, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 708/173
• US Class Current: 399/9
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, method and program having a help function allow a user to obtain help information after first checking what help information is available at a host computer. In the image-forming apparatus 100, a first CPU 16 which serves as the controller in a printer/scanner section 10 accesses, via an external interface 20, an information source connected to a network NW, and has a list of help information displayed. In response to a help request selected and input from a control panel 15, necessary portions of detailed operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions are successively downloaded from the information source through the external interface and displayed on a control panel. The apparatus makes it possible to check what help information is available at a host computer and to obtain desired help information. Information capable of providing detailed instructions can be furnished without requiring the apparatus to have a large memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus having a help function, the apparatus being comprised of:

communication means for connecting via a communications line to an information source containing help information that includes at least operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions;

first help information selecting means for selecting desired help information from said information source connected via said communication means;

first help information displaying means for acquiring from said information source and displaying help information selected by said first help information selecting means;

memory means for storing help information;

means for deciding whether the apparatus is connected via a communications line to said information source and is ready to receive help information from said information source; and

second help information displaying means for displaying help information stored in said memory means if said decision means determines that the apparatus is not in a ready-to-receive state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first help information selecting means has a means for displaying a first list of help information items available at said information source and for selecting desired items of help information from said list.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first information list includes at least dictionary help information, operating help information, or troubleshooting information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, if said decision means determines that the apparatus is not in a ready-to-receive state, said communication means initiates connection to said information source and attempts to set the apparatus in a ready-to-receive state.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 which has second help information selecting means for displaying a second information list of help information items stored in said help information memory means and for allowing desired help information to be selected from the list and displayed on said second help information displaying means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 which has second help information selecting means for displaying a second information list of help information items stored in said help information memory means and for allowing desired help information to be selected from the list and displayed on said second help information displaying means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 which additionally comprises section indicating means that allows an input to be made indicating the section of said apparatus for which specific help information is desired.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said section indicating means displays a structural diagram of the apparatus which is divided into a plurality of zones and allows the section in question to be selected.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 which is an image-forming apparatus.

10. An apparatus having a help function, the apparatus being comprised of:

means for detecting a given status of the apparatus;

means for connecting the apparatus, based on results of detection by said status detection means, to a specific information source via a communications line;

help information displaying means for acquiring information on said given status from said specific information source and displaying it as help information; and

connection request indicating means for indicating, based on the results of detection by said status detection means, a request to initiate connection by said connection means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein, based on the results of detection by said status detection means, said help information displaying means retrieves help information on said given status from said specific information source and displays the retrieved help information.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 which additionally comprises means for notifying a service center of a given status of said apparatus, based on the results of detection by said status detection means.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 which is an image-forming apparatus.

14. A method for displaying help information in an apparatus having a help function, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting the apparatus via a communications line to an information source containing help information that includes at least operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions;

selecting desired help information from said information source connected via said communications line;

acquiring from said information source and displaying on a display help information selected in said help information selecting step; and

displaying on the display secondary help information which is already stored in a memory provided in said apparatus if the connection to said information source is unsuccessful.

15. A method for displaying help information in an apparatus having a help function, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a given status of said apparatus;

based on results of said given status detecting step, connecting the apparatus to a specific information source via a communications line;

acquiring information on said given status from said specific information source and displaying it as help information; and

displaying on the display secondary help information which is already stored in a memory provided in said apparatus if the connection to said information source is unsuccessful.

16. A method for displaying help information in an apparatus having a help function, the method comprising the steps of:

based on a help request, attempting to access and connect to an information source containing as help information at least operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions;

determining whether access is successful;

if access is successful, displaying a list of help information on a display and allowing desired help information to be selected;

acquiring from said information source help information relating to a selected item; and

if access to said information source is unsuccessful, displaying on the display secondary help information which is already stored in a memory provided in said apparatus.

17. A program for displaying help information in an apparatus having a help function, which program executes on a computer the steps of:

connecting the apparatus via a communications line to an information source containing help information that includes at least operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions;

selecting desired help information from said information source connected via said communication line;

acquiring help information selected in said help information selecting step from the information source and displaying it on a display; and

displaying on the display secondary help information which is already stored in a memory provided in said apparatus if the connection to said information source is unsuccessful.

18. A program for displaying help information in an apparatus having a help function, which program executes the steps of:

detecting a given status of said apparatus;

based on results of said given status detecting step, connecting the apparatus to a specific information source via a communications line;

acquiring information on said given status from said specific information source and displaying it as help information; and

displaying on the display secondary help information which is already stored in a memory provided in said apparatus if the connection to said information source is unsuccessful.

19. An image-forming apparatus in which available explanatory material on operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions is pre-stored in a memory and which, when a help request asking for operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions is received, can respond to a user request by displaying said explanatory material on a control panel, the apparatus comprising:

an external interface which can be connected through a network to an information source containing operating instructions and troubleshooting instructions more detailed than the explanatory material stored in the memory so as to enable access to the information source; and

a controller which, when a help request is received from a user, attempts to access said information source through said external interface and, if access is successful, displays a list of services available for the help request, then downloads from said information source and displays on the control panel explanatory material on whichever service is selected from among those displayed, but, if access to said information source is not successful, displays on the control panel the explanatory material already stored in the memory.

20. The image-forming apparatus of claim 19 wherein, when a malfunction requiring the attention of a service technician occurs during operation of the apparatus, said controller displays on the control panel a message prompting the user to issue a help request for a service call, and initiates access to said information source in response to the help request issued as a result of the displayed message.

21. The image-forming apparatus of claim 19 wherein, upon receiving a help request, said controller displays on the control panel a structural diagram of the apparatus divided into a plurality of zones for clear indication of the section of the apparatus to which the help request pertains, and allows that section to be selected.

22. An apparatus having a help function, the apparatus being comprised of:

communication means for connecting via a communications line to an information source containing help information that includes at least operating instructions or troubleshooting instructions;

first help information selecting means for selecting desired help information from said information source connected via said communication means;

first help information displaying means for acquiring from said information source and displaying help information selected by said first help information selecting means; and

section indicating means that allows an input to be made indicating the section of said apparatus for which specific help information is desired, wherein said section indicating means displays a structural diagram of the apparatus which is divided into a plurality of zones and allows the section in question to be selected.