Method and system of remote monitoring of image forming apparatus

• US 7,518,750 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Rocoh Company, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Wright, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich; Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US09/986,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,714 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358/504, 358/406, 358/468, 358435-439, 382260-267, 382199-200, 382/274
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and controlling machines, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machine and other image forming machines. A server is used for transmitting and communicating information among machines and computers. The server acquires, after machine installation, reference values and during operation, current condition information. The server evaluates this information with the reference values such that a response to the machine may be executed remotely. The server also may update the reference values which change during operation.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a first parameter representing a condition of at least one part of said image forming apparatus;

storing said first parameter;

receiving, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a second parameter after at least one image forming operation is executed by the image forming apparatus, said second parameter representing said condition of said at least one part of said image forming apparatus;

comparing, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, said received first and second parameters;

setting a first flag based on the comparing when the first and second parameters are different;

comparing a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter to a stored tolerance range, the tolerance range including an upper limit value and a lower limit value;

determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range by determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is greater than the upper limit value or less than the lower limit value;

setting a second flag when the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range; and

controlling a display of said condition on a terminal that is remote from said image forming apparatus based on the setting of at least one of the first and second flags.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

controlling a display of said condition represented by said second parameter in a highlighted manner on said terminal, when the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is determined to be outside of said tolerance range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said first parameter comprises:

receiving said first parameter from said image forming apparatus after said image forming apparatus is operated to execute a test operation when said image forming apparatus is installed at a user site so that said first parameter represents an acceptable condition existing at a time of installation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a message indicating an occurrence of an error in said image forming apparatus; and

sending at least one email from the location which is remote to at least one email address which has been stored in a memory to indicate that said message has been received from said image forming apparatus.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said email at said remote terminal;

instructing, at the remote terminal, that at least said second parameter is to be transmitted to the remote terminal;

transmitting the second parameter to the remote terminal; and

displaying said second parameter on said remote terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

adjusting, at the remote terminal, said second parameter to form an updated second parameter;

sending, to said image forming apparatus, said updated parameter; and

whereby said updated second parameter modifies said condition of said image forming apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is one of a temperature and a voltage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is a parameter determined upon initialization of the image forming apparatus.

9. An image forming apparatus monitoring system, comprising:

means for receiving, at a location which is remote from an image forming apparatus, a first parameter representing a condition of at least one part of said image forming apparatus;

means for storing said first parameter;

means for receiving, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a second parameter after at least one image forming operation is executed by the image forming apparatus, said second parameter representing said condition of said at least one part of said image forming apparatus;

means for comparing, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, said received first parameter and second parameter to form compared data;

means for setting a first flag based on the compared data when the first and second parameters are different;

means for comparing a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter to a stored tolerance range, the tolerance range including an upper limit value and a lower limit value;

means for determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range by determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is greater than the upper limit value or less than the lower limit value;

means for setting a second flag when the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range; and

means for controlling a display of said condition on a terminal that is remote from said image forming apparatus based on the setting of at least one of the first and second flags.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for controlling a display of said condition represented by said second parameter in a highlighted manner on said terminal, when said compared data indicates the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of said tolerance range.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said first parameter is transmitted from said image forming apparatus after said image forming apparatus is operated to execute a test operation when said image forming apparatus is installed at a user site so that said first parameter represents an acceptable condition existing at a time of installation.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising;

means for receiving, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a message indicating an occurrence of an error in said image forming apparatus; and

means for sending at least one email from the location which is remote to at least one email address which has been stored in a memory to indicate that said message has been received from said image forming apparatus.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means for receiving said email at said remote terminal;

means for instructing, at the remote terminal, that at least said second parameter is to be transmitted to the remote terminal;

means for transmitting the second parameter to the remote terminal; and

means for displaying said second parameter on said remote terminal.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for adjusting, at the remote terminal, said second parameter to form an updated second parameter; and

means for sending, to said image forming apparatus, said updated parameter, wherein

said updated second parameter modifies said condition of said image forming apparatus.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said condition is one of a temperature and a voltage.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first parameter is a parameter determined upon initialization of the image forming apparatus.

17. An image forming device monitoring apparatus configured to monitor an image forming device which is remotely located, comprising:

a receive module configured to means for receiving a first parameter representing a condition of at least one part of said image forming device;

a storage device configured to store said first parameter;

a second receive module configured to receive a second parameter after at least one image forming operation is executed by the image forming device, said second parameter representing said condition of said at least one part of said image forming device;

a comparison device configured to compare said received first parameter and second parameter to form compared data;

a setting module configured to set a first flag based on the compared data when the first and second parameters are different;

a comparison device configured to compare a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter to a stored tolerance range, the tolerance range including an upper limit value and a lower limit value, and determine whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range by determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is greater than the upper limit value or less than the lower limit value;

a setting module configured to set a second flag when the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range; and

a control device configured to control a display of said condition on a terminal that is remote from said image forming device based on the setting of at least one of the first and second flags.

18. The monitoring apparatus of claim 17, further comprising

a control device configured to control a display said condition represented by said second parameter in a highlighted manner on said terminal, when said compared data indicates the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of said tolerance range.

19. The monitoring apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first parameter is transmitted from said image forming device after said image forming device is operated to execute a test operation when said image forming device is installed at a user site so that said first parameter represents an acceptable condition existing at a time of installation.

20. The monitoring apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

a third receive module configured to receive a message indicating an occurrence error in said image forming device; and

a sending module configured to send at least one email from the location which is remote to at least one email address which has been stored in a memory to indicate that said message has been received from said image forming device.

21. The monitoring apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

a fourth receive module configured to receive said email at said remote terminal;

a control device configured to instruct that at least said second parameter is to be transmitted to the remote terminal;

a transmitting module configured to transmit the second parameter to the remote terminal; and

means for displaying said second parameter on said remote terminal.

22. The monitoring apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

an adjustment device configured to adjust said second parameter to form an updated second parameter; and

a transmit module configured to send to said image forming device said updated parameter, wherein

said updated second parameter modifies said condition of said image forming device.

23. The monitoring apparatus of claim 17, wherein said condition is one of a temperature and a voltage.

24. The monitoring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first parameter is a parameter determined upon initialization of the image forming apparatus.