Managing method of electrical device, management apparatus, electrical device, communications device, program therefor, and management system of electrical device
First Claim
1. A managing method of one or more electrical devices, comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more of the electrical devices at a plurality of remote locations;
sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices from a management apparatus via the Internet either to a communications device connected to the electrical device being managed or to the electrical device itself being managed, the management apparatus operably connected to all of the electrical devices at the plurality of remote locations;
returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device, to the management apparatus from the communications device or the electrical device itself, in response to the request for malfunction information from the management apparatus; and
controlling, by the management apparatus, a timing for sending the request, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communications processing section of a management apparatus sends a request for malfunction information via the Internet to one or more electrical devices being managed. A database manager of the management apparatus refers to data stored in a database and updates the record of the electrical device therein. A timing control section of the management apparatus carries out control so that the number of electrical devices requested upon by the management apparatus does not exceed a predetermined value. In this way, despite the management apparatus centrally manages the malfunction information of each electrical device, a peak quantity of the malfunction information received by the management apparatus can be suppressed and the workload on the management apparatus can be relieved, as opposed to the case where each electrical device sends the malfunction information at its own timing. As a result, a management system of electrical devices is provided, which is capable of managing malfunction information of electrical devices without putting a heavy workload on the management apparatus.
14 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A managing method of one or more electrical devices, comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more of the electrical devices at a plurality of remote locations; sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices from a management apparatus via the Internet either to a communications device connected to the electrical device being managed or to the electrical device itself being managed, the management apparatus operably connected to all of the electrical devices at the plurality of remote locations; returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device, to the management apparatus from the communications device or the electrical device itself, in response to the request for malfunction information from the management apparatus; and controlling, by the management apparatus, a timing for sending the request, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A management apparatus, comprising:
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one or more electrical devices provided at a plurality of remote locations; sending means for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices via the Internet either to a communications device connected to the electrical device being managed or to the electrical device itself being managed; updating means, in receipt of the malfunction information indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device from the communications device or the electrical device itself, for updating a database that stores the malfunction information of the electrical device, based on the malfunction information; and timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending the request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices from the sending means, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value wherein the management apparatus is operably connected to all of the electrical devices at the plurality of remote locations. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A management apparatus running a computer-program for causing a computer to execute procedures, the management apparatus comprising:
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one or more electrical devices provided at a plurality of remote locations; sending means for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices via the Internet either to a communications device connected to the electrical device being managed or to the electrical device itself being managed; updating means, in receipt of the malfunction information indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device from the communications device or the electrical device itself, for updating a database that stores the malfunction information of the electrical device, based on the malfunction information; and timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending the request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices from the sending means, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value wherein the management apparatus is operably connected to all of the electrical devices at the plurality of remote locations.
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17. At least one electrical device, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a request for malfunction information via the Internet from a management apparatus that includes timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending the request for malfunction information with respect to the at least one electrical device being managed, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction, to the management apparatus, wherein the at least one electrical device is provided at a remote location, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the at least one electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. At least one electrical device running a computer-readable program for causing a computer to execute procedures, the at least one electrical device comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a request for malfunction information via the Internet from a management apparatus that includes timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to the at least one electrical device being managed, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction, to the management apparatus, wherein the at least one electrical device is provided at a remote location, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the at least one electrical device.
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23. A communications device, connectable to at least one electrical device, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a request for malfunction information via the Internet from a management apparatus that includes timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to the at least one electrical device being managed, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device connected to the communications device, to the management apparatus, wherein the at least one electrical device is provided at a remote location, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the at least one electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. At least one electrical device running a computer-program for causing a computer that is connectable to the at least one electrical device to operate as a communications device, said at least one electrical device comprising:
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receiving means for receiving a request for malfunction information via the Internet from a management apparatus that includes timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to the at least one electrical device being managed, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction of the electrical device connected to the communications device, to the management apparatus, wherein the at least one electrical device is provided at a remote location, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the at least one electrical device.
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29. A management system of at least one electrical device, comprising:
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a management apparatus; and the at least one electrical device to be managed by the management apparatus, the management apparatus including sending means for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more electrical devices via the Internet to the electrical device; updating means, in receipt of the malfunction information indicative of a malfunction in the electrical device from the electrical device, for updating a database that stores the malfunction information of the electrical device, based on the malfunction information; and timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending the request for malfunction information with respect to the at least one electrical device from the sending means, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value, the at least one electrical device including; receiving means for receiving the request from the management apparatus via the Internet; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction, to the management apparatus, wherein the at least one electrical device is provided at a remote location, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the at least one electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A management system of one or more electrical devices, comprising:
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a management apparatus; and a communications device, connected to one or more of the electrical devices to be managed by the management apparatus, the management apparatus including; sending means for sending a request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices via the Internet to the communications device; updating means, in receipt of the malfunction information indicative of a malfunction in one or more of the electrical devices from the communications device, for updating a database that stores the malfunction information of the electrical device, based on the malfunction information; and timing controlling means for controlling a timing for sending the request for malfunction information with respect to one or more of the electrical devices from the sending means, monitoring a load on the management apparatus, and delaying the timing for sending the request when the load exceeds a predetermined value, the communications device including; receiving means for receiving the request from the management apparatus via the Internet; and reply means, in response to the request for malfunction information, for returning the malfunction information, indicative of a malfunction, to the management apparatus, wherein the one or more electrical devices are provided at remote locations, and the management apparatus is operably connected to the one or more electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification