Monitoring apparatus for image forming apparatus, control method executed by the monitoring apparatus, program for implementing the control method, and management apparatus, control method executed by the management apparatus, and program for implementing the control method

• US 7,882,180 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeno, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mejia; Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/755,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/206, 709/220, 709/202, 709/221, 709/224, 717/168, 717/174, 717/11, 717/170, 717/177, 702/188, 714/4, 715/229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network

Abstract

There is provided a monitoring apparatus which makes it possible to efficiently update modules on which the monitoring apparatus operates by remote control from a management apparatus. The monitoring apparatus carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail. When the monitoring apparatus receives other modules for updating the modules in the monitoring apparatus from the management apparatus by e-mail, the monitoring apparatus automatically updates the modules to the other modules. The monitoring apparatus collects version information on the modules when receiving a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail. The monitoring apparatus sends the collected version information to the management apparatus by return mail.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus for acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored and communicating with a management apparatus, the monitoring apparatus comprising:

an e-mail unit that carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;

a receiving unit that receives an update instruction e-mail containing second modules for updating first modules, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, and an install script thereof;

a processing unit operable when said receiving unit has received an update instruction e-mail containing the second modules and the install script, to automatically update the first modules in operation to the second modules corresponding to description of the install script, so that the management apparatus enables the first modules of the monitoring apparatus to update to the second modules with the update instruction e-mail, wherein said processing unit starts the updating at first timing when said first modules does not start in accordance with the description of the install script, second timing when said first modules are caused to stop, third timing when said first module finishes executing, and fourth timing when said monitoring apparatus has just restarted;

an information collecting unit that collects version information on the first modules when said e-mail unit has received a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail; and

a returning unit that sends the version information collected by said information collecting unit to the management apparatus by return e-mail, so that the management apparatus enables to determine with the return e-mail whether or not the first modules in operation is updated.

2. A control method executed by a monitoring apparatus that acquires information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored, and communicates with a management apparatus, the method comprising:

an e-mail step of carrying out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;

a receiving step of receiving an update instruction e-mail containing second modules for updating first modules, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, and an install script thereof;

a processing step of automatically updating the first modules in operation to the second modules corresponding to description of an install script, so that the management apparatus enables the first modules of the monitoring apparatus to update to the second modules with the update instruction e-mail, when said receiving step has received an update instruction e-mail containing the second modules for updating the first modules and the install script in said receiving step, wherein said processing step starts the updating at first timing when said first modules does not start in accordance with the description of the install script, second timing when said first modules are caused to stop, third timing when said first module finishes executing, and fourth timing when said monitoring apparatus has just restarted;

an information collecting step of collecting version information on the first modules when said e-mail step has received a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail; and

a returning step of sending the version information collected by said information collecting unit to the management apparatus by return e-mail, so that the management apparatus enables to determine with the return e-mail whether or not the first modules in operation is updated.