Method and system of remote diagnostic, control and information collection using a dynamic linked library of multiple formats and multiple protocols with restriction on protocol

• US 8,402,149 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fong, Avery, Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/472,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/224, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for (1) collecting information from a remote application unit and/or (2) diagnosing or controlling the remote application unit. By utilizing a shareable computer code device (e.g., a dynamic linked library), a new application can utilize tested, proven code without having to reproduce existing functionality. Moreover, by supporting multiple data formats and/or multiple communication protocols, a computer code device increases the likelihood that a supported format and/or protocol will be either receivable or understandable by a receiver.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of reporting event data of an apparatus to at least one predetermined remote computer, comprising:

obtaining the event data of the apparatus by monitoring events associated with an internal state change within the apparatus and monitoring user interaction with at least one application executed by the apparatus, the monitoring occurring independently of communications from the predetermined remote computer;

storing the obtained event data in a memory;

selecting, by a monitoring system of the apparatus, one of a plurality of Internet application layer protocols including at least two different ones of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which are supported by the apparatus, based on a protocol selection command from an application configured to monitor the internal state change;

selecting, by the monitoring system of the apparatus, a data format to transfer a message;

formatting the stored event data based on the selected data format;

generating a message that includes the formatted event data of the apparatus in response to the internal state change within the apparatus, the formatted event data including an indication of a problem within the apparatus and the monitored user interaction with the at least one application executed by the apparatus, and

sending, by a communication unit of the apparatus, the generated message via the corresponding Internet application layer protocol when the internal state change occurs in the apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining step comprises:

receiving the event data from the application of the apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step comprises:

generating an electronic mail message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sending step comprises:

transmitting the electronic mail message using an Internet email protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step comprises:

generating the message including a unique identifier that corresponds to the apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is one of an image handling device and a household appliance.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the data format comprises:

selecting, by the monitoring system of the apparatus and independent of the step of selecting the one of the plurality of Internet application layer protocols, the data format to transfer the message.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the data format comprises:

selecting, by the monitoring system of the apparatus, the data format to transfer the message based on a data format selection command from the application configured to monitor the internal state change.

7. A system for reporting event data of an apparatus to at least one predetermined remote computer, comprising:

means for obtaining the event data of the apparatus by monitoring events associated with an internal state change within the apparatus and monitoring user interaction with at least one application executed by the apparatus, the monitoring occurring independently of communications from the predetermined remote computer;

means for storing the obtained event data in a memory;

means for selecting one of a plurality of Internet application layer protocols including at least two different ones of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which are supported by the apparatus, based on a protocol selection command from an application configured to monitor the internal state change;

means for selecting a data format to transfer a message;

means for formatting the stored event data based on the selected data format;

means for generating a message that includes the formatted event data of the apparatus in response to the internal state change within the apparatus, the formatted event data including an indication of a problem within the apparatus and the monitored user interaction with the at least one application executed by the apparatus; and

means for sending the generated message via the corresponding Internet application layer protocol when the internal state change occurs in the apparatus.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for obtaining comprises:

means for receiving the event data from the application of the apparatus.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for generating the message includes means for generating an electronic mail message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for sending comprises:

means for transmitting the electronic mail message using an Internet email protocol.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for generating comprises:

means for generating the message including a unique identifier that corresponds to the apparatus.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for obtaining the event data comprises:

means for obtaining the event data of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is one of an image handling device and a household appliance.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for reporting event data of an apparatus to at least one predetermined remote computer, the method comprising:

obtaining the event data of the apparatus by monitoring events associated with an internal state change of the apparatus and monitoring user interaction with at least one application executed by the apparatus, the monitoring occurring independently of communications from the predetermined remote computer;

storing the obtained event data in a memory;

selecting, by a monitoring system of the apparatus, one of a plurality of Internet application layer protocols including at least two different ones of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which are supported by the apparatus, based on a protocol selection command from an application configured to monitor the internal state change;

selecting, by the monitoring system of the apparatus, a data format to transfer a message;

formatting the stored event data based on the selected data format;

generating a message that includes the formatted event data of the apparatus in response to the internal state change within the apparatus, the formatted event data including an indication of a problem within the apparatus and the monitored user interaction with the at least one application executed by the apparatus, and

sending the generated message via the corresponding Internet application layer protocol when the internal state change occurs in the apparatus.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the obtaining comprises:

receiving the event data from the application of the apparatus.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the generating comprises:

generating an electronic mail message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the sending comprises:

transmitting the electronic mail message using an Internet email protocol.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the generating comprises:

generating the message including a unique identifier that corresponds to the apparatus.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is one of an image handling device and a household appliance.