Image forming device management system and method

• US 6,775,238 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Koubun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven H. D
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAND, ROBERTA A
• Application Number:
  US09/603,917
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 370/242, 370/244, 370/245, 370/250, 370/254, 370/216, 709/220, 709/221, 709/224, 709/249, 714/1-4, 340/3.1, 340/3.43, 340/3.44, 340/3.9, 700/65, 700/66
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

In an image forming device management system and method, a failure in any of a plurality of image forming devices on a first LAN is detected by a management apparatus. A failure message is transmitted from the management apparatus to a center system via a public switched telephone network when the failure is detected, the failure message including a failure code provided to identify the failure. The failure message, transmitted by the management apparatus, is received at the center system. A database of the center system is accessed by using the failure code of the received failure message so as to produce results of the accessing at the center system. A service department ID is extracted from the database based on the accessing results. A service request message is transmitted from the center system to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

Claims

1. An image forming device management system comprising a customer system and a center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the image forming device management system comprising:

monitoring means, provided in the management apparatus, for monitoring operating conditions of the image forming devices on the first LAN;

storing means, provided in the management apparatus, for storing results of the monitoring of the operating conditions by the monitoring means;

failure detecting means, provided in the management apparatus, for detecting a failure in any of the image forming devices on the first LAN;

first message means, provided in the management apparatus, for transmitting a failure message to the center system via the network when the failure is detected by the failure detecting means, the failure message including a failure code provided to identify the failure;

reading means, provided in the center system, for reading the results of the monitoring of the operating conditions of the image forming devices from the management apparatus;

retrieval means, provided in the center system, for receiving the failure message transmitted by the first message means, and for accessing a database of the center system using the failure code of the received failure message to produce results of the accessing; and

second message means, provided in the center system, for extracting a service department ID from the database based on the accessing results produced by the retrieval means, and for transmitting a service request message to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

2. The image forming device management system according to claim 1, wherein the management apparatus is configured such that the management apparatus can be selectively set in one of an auto message mode or a manual message mode, and, when the management apparatus is set in the auto message mode, the first message means automatically transmits the failure message to the center system upon occurrence of the failure, and, when the management apparatus is set in the manual message mode, the first message means transmits the failure message to the center system in response to a manual operation performed on the management apparatus by an operator.

3. The image forming device management system according to claim 2, wherein the management apparatus is configured such that the setting of the management apparatus in one of the auto message mode or the manual message mode can be changed in response to a manual operation performed on the management apparatus by the operator.

4. The image forming device management system according to claim 2, wherein the management apparatus is configured such that the setting of the management apparatus in one of the auto message mode or the manual message mode can be changed in response to a setting command remotely sent to the management apparatus by the center system.

5. The image forming device management system according to claim 1, wherein the center system further includes maintenance means for changing a message destination setting data, stored in the management apparatus, to a new data by remotely transmitting a setting command from the center system to the management apparatus.

6. The image forming device management system according to claim 1, wherein the center system further includes maintenance means for changing a device-type-basis message destination setting data, stored in the management apparatus with respect to respective types of the image forming devices, to a new data by remotely transmitting a setting command from the center system to the management apparatus.

7. The image forming device management system according to claim 1, wherein the customer system further comprises a communication adapter configured to connect the management apparatus through the communication adapter to the network, and a communication line, configured for one of the image forming devices to connect to the network, is shared with the management apparatus by using the communication adapter.

8. The image forming device management system according to claim 5, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination telephone number, and the maintenance means changes the destination telephone number to a new destination telephone number by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

9. The image forming device management system according to claim 5, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination electronic mail address, and the maintenance means changes the destination electronic mail address to a new destination electronic mail address by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

10. The image forming device management system according to claim 5, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination network address, and the maintenance means changes the destination network address to a new destination network address by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

11. A center system for use in an image forming device management system comprising a customer system and the center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the center system comprising:

reading means for reading results of monitoring of operating conditions of the image forming devices from the management apparatus;

retrieval means for receiving a failure message transmitted by the management apparatus via the network, and for accessing a database of the center system using a failure code contained in the received failure message to produce results of the accessing; and

message means for extracting a service department ID from the database based on the accessing results produced by the retrieval means, and for transmitting a service request message to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

12. The center system according to claim 11, further comprising maintenance means for changing a message destination setting data, stored in the management apparatus, to a new data by remotely transmitting a setting command from the center system to the management apparatus.

13. The center system according to claim 11, further comprising maintenance means for changing a device-type-basis message destination setting data, stored in the management apparatus with respect to respective types of the image forming devices, to a new data by remotely transmitting a setting command from the center system to the management apparatus.

14. The center system according to claim 12, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination telephone number, and the maintenance means changes the destination telephone number to a new destination telephone number by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

15. The center system according to claim 12, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination electronic mail address, and the maintenance means changes the destination electronic mail address to a new destination electronic mail address by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

16. The center system according to claim 12, wherein the message destination setting data stored in the management apparatus includes at least a destination network address, and the maintenance means changes the destination network address to a new destination network address by remotely transmitting a predetermined destination setting command code to the management apparatus.

17. A management method for an image forming device management system comprising a customer system and a center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the management method comprising the steps of:

monitoring operating conditions of the image forming devices on the first LAN by the management apparatus;

storing results of the monitoring of the operating conditions of the image forming devices;

detecting a failure in any of the image forming devices on the first LAN by the management apparatus;

transmitting a failure message from the management apparatus to the center system via the network when the failure is detected, the failure message including a failure code provided to identify the failure;

reading the monitoring results from the management apparatus by the center system;

receiving the failure message, transmitted by the management apparatus, at the center system;

accessing a database of the center system using the failure code of the received failure message to produce results of the accessing;

extracting a service department ID from the database based on the accessing results; and

transmitting a service request message from the center system to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

18. A management method for a center system in an image forming device management system comprising a customer system and the center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the management method comprising:

reading results of monitoring of operating conditions of the image forming devices from said at least one management apparatus;

receiving a failure message transmitted by said at least one management apparatus via the network;

accessing a database of the center system using a failure code contained in the received failure message to produce results of the accessing;

extracting a service department ID from the database based on the accessing results; and

transmitting a service request message to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

19. An image forming device management system comprising a customer system and a center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the image forming device management system comprising:

a monitoring unit provided in said at least one management apparatus and configured to monitor operating conditions of the image forming devices on the first LAN;

a storing unit provided in said at least one management apparatus and configured to store results of the monitoring of the operating conditions by the monitoring unit;

a failure detecting unit provided in said at least one management apparatus and configured to detect a failure in any of the image forming devices on the first LAN;

a first message unit provided in said at least one management apparatus and configured to transmit a failure message to the center system via the network when the failure is detected by the failure detecting unit, the failure message including a failure code provided to identify the failure;

a reading unit provided in the center system and configured to read the results of the monitoring of the operating conditions of the image forming devices from said at least one management apparatus;

a retrieval unit provided in the center system and configured to receive the failure message transmitted by the first message unit, and to access a database of the center system using the failure code of the received failure message to produce results of the access; and

a second message unit provided in the center system and configured to extract a service department ID from the database based on the access results produced by the retrieval unit, and to transmit a service request message to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

20. A center system for use in an image forming device management system comprising a customer system and the center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and at least one management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at a customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the center system comprising:

a reading unit configured to read results of monitoring of operating conditions of the image forming devices from said at least one management apparatus;

a retrieval unit configured to receive a failure message transmitted by said at least one management apparatus via the network, and to access a database of the center system using a failure code contained in the received failure message to produce results of the access; and

a message unit configured to extract a service department ID from the database based on the access results produced by the retrieval unit, and to transmit a service request message to a service department indicated by the service department ID.

21. A management apparatus for use in an image forming device management system comprising a customer system and a center system linked by a network, the customer system having a plurality of image forming devices and the management apparatus connected onto a first LAN at customer location, the center system having one or a plurality of computers connected onto a second LAN at a center location, the management apparatus comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring operating conditions of the image forming devices on the first LAN;

storing means for storing results of the monitoring of the operating conditions by the monitoring means;

failure detecting means for detecting a failure in any of the image forming devices on the first LAN; and

message means for transmitting a failure message to the center system via the network when a failure is detected by the failure detecting means, the failure message including a failure code provided to identify the failure, wherein

the management apparatus is configured such that the management apparatus can be selectively set in one of an auto message mode or a manual message mode, and, when the management apparatus is set in the auto message mode, the message means automatically transmits the failure message to the center system upon occurrence of the failure, and, when the management apparatus is set in the manual message mode, the message means transmits the failure message to the center system in response to a manual operation performed on the management apparatus by an operator.

22. The management apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the management apparatus is configured such that the setting of the management apparatus in one of the auto message mode or the manual message mode can be changed in response to the manual operation performed on the management apparatus by the operator.