Method and system for remote diagnostic, control, and information collection based upon a connection or connectionless communication method for sending messages to the resource manager

• US 8,676,957 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Golabbakhsh, Ebrahim
• Application Number:
  US10/665,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,830 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A method, system, and program product for communicating with machines connected to a network. Information sent to or from the machines is transmitted using electronic mail or via a direct connection. The electronic mail may be transmitted over the Internet to a service center or from a service center to a resource administrator, but also may remain within a local or wide area network for transmission between a machine and a resource administrator. E-mail messages may be transmitted from a computer which is attached to a device that is being monitored or controlled and include information regarding the status, usage, or capabilities of the attached device. The device may send status messages and usage information of the device to either a resource administrator or to a service center on the Internet through a firewall. The message may be sent directly to the resource administrator station if urgent service is needed by the device. For routine information, the service center may manage all the resources on an intranet and may send predetermined types of information to the resource administrator using e-mail.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a plurality of image printing devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

periodically obtaining, from an image printing device of the plurality of image printing devices by a service machine connected to a second local network at a service center using a first Internet protocol via a firewall over the Internet, first device information of the image printing device, the first device information including a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the image printing device;

storing, by the service machine, the obtained first device information into an information storage;

processing, by the service machine, stored information of the plurality of image printing devices monitored by the service machine to generate second device information that includes a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image printing devices; and

transmitting, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the second device information using a second Internet protocol from the service machine to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image printing devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first Internet protocol and the second Internet protocol are a same Internet protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first Internet protocol and the second Internet protocol are different Internet protocols.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

formatting the second device information into a format suitable for display on a web page; and

receiving a request for transmission of the second device information from the second computer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first device information comprises an Internet electronic mail message, and the second device information transmitted by the service machine comprises an electronic mail message.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the service machine, the second device information to include summary information regarding usage of the plurality of image printing devices,

wherein the step of transmitting the second device information from the service machine comprises transmitting, by the service machine, the second device information that includes the information regarding usage of the plurality of image printing devices to the second computer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of image printing devices is one of a printer, a copier, a multifunction device, and a facsimile machine.

8. A system for monitoring a plurality of image printing devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

a service machine connected to a second local network at a service center and configured to

(1) periodically obtain from an image printing device of the plurality of image printing devices using a first Internet protocol via a firewall over the Internet, first device information of the image printing device, the first device information including a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the image printing device;

(2) store the obtained first device information into an information storage;

(3) process stored information of the plurality of image printing devices monitored by the service machine to generate second device information that includes a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image printing devices; and

(4) transmit, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the second device information using a second Internet protocol from the service machine to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image printing devices; and

the second computer configured to receive said second device information.

9. A method of monitoring a plurality of image printing devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

periodically receiving from the plurality of image printing devices via a firewall over the Internet using a first Internet protocol, first device information of the plurality of image printing devices by a service center computer connected to a second local network at a service center, wherein the first device information includes a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the plurality of image printing devices;

storing, by the service center computer, the obtained first device information into a storage device;

processing, by the service center computer, information in the storage device of the plurality of image printing devices monitored by the service center computer to generate a usage report for the plurality of image printing devices that includes a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image printing devices; and

transmitting, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the usage report using a second Internet protocol, from the service center computer to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image printing devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the usage report from the service center computer to the second computer as an e-mail message.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first Internet protocol and the second Internet protocol are different Internet protocols.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

translating the usage report into a format suitable for display on a web page; and

receiving a request for transmission of the usage report from the second computer.

13. A system for monitoring a plurality of image printing devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

a service center computer connected to a second local network at a service center, the service center computer configured to

(1) periodically receive from the plurality of image printing devices via a firewall over the Internet using a first Internet protocol first device information of the plurality of image printing devices, wherein the first device information includes a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the plurality of image printing devices;

(2) store the obtained first device information into a storage device;

(3) process information in the storage device to generate a usage report for the plurality of image printing devices that includes a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image printing devices; and

(4) transmit, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the usage report using a second Internet protocol, from the service center computer to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image printing devices; and

the second computer configured to receive the usage report.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which, when executed by a service machine connected to a second local network at a service center, causes the service machine to monitor a plurality of an image handling devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

instructions for periodically obtaining, from an image handling device of the plurality of image handling devices by the service machine using a first Internet protocol via a firewall over the Internet, first device information of the image handling device, the first device information including a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the image printing device;

instructions for storing, by the service machine, the obtained device information into an information storage;

instructions for processing, by the service machine, stored information of the plurality of image handling devices to generate second device information including a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image handling devices; and

instructions for transmitting, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the second device information using a second Internet protocol from the service machine to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image handling devices.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which, when executed by a service machine connected to a second local network at a service center, causes the service machine to monitor a plurality of image handling devices communicatively coupled to a first local network, comprising:

instructions for periodically receiving, from the plurality of image handling devices by the service machine at the service center via a firewall using a first Internet protocol over the Internet, first device information of the image handling devices, the first device information including a globally unique identifier and at least one of a semi-static state and a dynamic state of the plurality of image handling devices;

instructions for storing, by the service machine, the obtained device information into a storage device;

instructions for processing, by the service machine, information in the storage device to generate second device information that includes a statistical summary of status information of each of the plurality of image handling devices; and

instructions for transmitting, at regular periodic intervals or upon request, the second device information using a second Internet protocol from the service machine to a second computer that is connected to the first local network of the plurality of image handling devices.