Remote support apparatus, electronic apparatus, remote support method, and storage medium

• US 9,232,082 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Kenta
• Primary Examiner(s): ZONG, HELEN
• Application Number:
  US14/462,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20150055165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0733 in a data processing system embedded in an image processing device, e.g. printer, facsimile, scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00015 Reproducing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00053 out of service, i.e. outside of normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00061 using a remote apparatus H04N1/00066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00076 locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00084 Recovery or repair, e.g. self-repair
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0003 Method used
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus including a plurality of processing units capable of performing different support processing for a user asking for support, and a remote support apparatus operated by an operator are connected via a communication path. The remote support apparatus transmits to the image forming apparatus a request to perform the support using the selected processing unit, or a request to switch the processing unit to a selected specific processing unit and a request to perform the support. The image forming apparatus allows the processing unit which follows the request to perform the support, to perform the support, and switches the processing unit according to the request to switch the processing unit to allow the switched processing unit to perform the support. Further, the image forming apparatus returns a result which should be returned, among results of the performed support, to the remote support apparatus.

Claims

1. A remote support system in which a support apparatus remotely supports an information processing apparatus via a relay server using HTTP communication, the system comprising:

a support apparatus including,

a selection unit configured to select support processing from among a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of the information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus,

a transmission unit configured to transmit information indicating the support processing selected by the selection unit to the relay server according to a POST request,

a first support unit configured to, in a case where the first support processing is selected by the selection unit, receive an image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, to display the received image on a display unit of the support apparatus, and to transmit an operation command based on an operation with respect to the displayed image to the relay server according to a POST request, and

a second support unit configured to, in a case where the second support processing is selected by the selection unit, transmit an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request; and

an information processing apparatus including,

a reception unit configured to receive the information indicating the support processing selected by the selection unit, which has been transmitted by the transmission unit to the relay server, according to a GET request,

a first supported unit configured to, in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the first support processing, transmit the image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request, to receive the operation command for operating the operation panel from the relay server according to a GET request, and to control the operation panel based on the received operation command, and

a second supported unit configured to, in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the second support processing, receive an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, and to display the received image on the operation panel.

2. The remote support system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus further includes,

a storage unit configured to store a first Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the relay server, and

a first acquisition unit configured to transmit authentication information according to a POST request with respect to the first URI and to acquire a second URI for performing communication for remote support, according to an authentication result based on the authentication information,

wherein the support apparatus further includes,

a second acquisition unit configured to acquire a second URI from the relay server according to a GET request with respect to the first URI, and

wherein the information processing apparatus and the support apparatus perform communication via the relay server using the second URI acquired by the first acquisition unit and the second acquisition unit.

3. The remote support system according to claim 1, wherein the operation command includes information indicating an operational position on the operation panel.

4. The remote support system according to claim 1, wherein support processing that can be selected by the selection unit includes a third support processing for displaying video data of a portion where an error has occurred in the image processing apparatus on the support apparatus,

wherein the support apparatus further includes a third support unit configured to, in a case where the third support processing is selected by the selection unit, receive the video data of the portion where the error has occurred from the relay server according to a GET request, and to display the received video data, and

wherein the information processing apparatus further includes a third supported unit configured to, in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the third support processing, transmit the video data of the portion where the error has occurred to the relay server according to a POST request.

5. A support apparatus capable of remotely supporting an information processing apparatus via a relay server using HTTP communication, the apparatus comprising:

a selection unit configured to select support processing from among a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of the information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus;

a transmission unit configured to transmit information indicating the support processing selected by the selection unit to the relay server according to a POST request;

a first support unit configured to, in a case where the first support processing is selected by the selection unit, receive an image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, to display the received image on a display unit of the support apparatus, and to transmit an operation command based on an operation with respect to the displayed image to the relay server according to a POST request; and

a second support unit configured to, in a case where the second support processing is selected by the selection unit, transmit an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request.

6. The support apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a first Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the relay server; and

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a second URI from the relay server according to a GET request with respect to the first URI,

wherein the support apparatus perform communication with the information processing apparatus and via the relay server using the second URI acquired by the acquisition unit.

7. An information processing apparatus capable of receiving a remote support from a support apparatus capable of performing a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of the information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus, via a relay server using HTTP communication, the apparatus comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive information indicating support processing selected by the support apparatus according to a GET request;

a first supported unit configured to, in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the first support processing, transmit the image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request, to receive the operation command for operating the operation panel from the relay server according to a GET request, and to control the operation panel based on the received operation command, and

a second supported unit configured to, in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the second support processing, receive an image for supporting the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, and to display the received image on the operation panel.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a first Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the relay server; and

an acquisition unit configured to transmit authentication information according to a POST request with respect to the first URI and to acquire a second URI for performing communication for remote support, according to an authentication result based on the authentication information,

wherein the information processing apparatus performs communication with the support apparatus via the relay server using the second URI acquired by the acquisition unit.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a scanner unit configured to read an image on an original document and generate image data.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a printing unit configured to print image data on a sheet.

11. A method in which a support apparatus remotely supports an information processing apparatus via a relay server using HTTP communication, the method comprising:

under control of the support apparatus,

selecting support processing from among a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of the information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus,

transmitting information indicating the selected support processing to the relay server according to a POST request,

in a case where the first support processing is selected, receiving an image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, displaying the received image on a display unit of the support apparatus, and transmitting an operation command based on an operation with respect to the displayed image to the relay server according to a POST request, and

in a case where the second support processing is selected, transmitting an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request; and

under control of the information processing apparatus,

receiving the information indicating the selected support processing, which has been transmitted to the relay server, according to a GET request,

in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the first support processing, transmitting the image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request, receiving the operation command for operating the operation panel from the relay server according to a GET request, and controlling the operation panel based on the received operation command, and

in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the second support processing, receiving an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, and displaying the received image on the operation panel.

12. A method of remotely supporting an information processing apparatus via a relay server using HTTP communication, the method comprising:

selecting support processing from among a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of the information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus;

transmitting information indicating the selected support processing to the relay server according to a POST request;

in a case where the first support processing is selected, receiving an image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, displaying the received image on a display unit of a support apparatus, and transmitting an operation command based on an operation with respect to the displayed image to the relay server according to a POST request; and

in a case where the second support processing is selected, transmitting an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request.

13. A method of receiving a remote support from a support apparatus capable of performing a plurality of support processing including a first support processing for remotely operating an operation panel of an information processing apparatus and a second support processing for displaying an image for supporting a user of the information processing apparatus on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus, via a relay server using HTTP communication, the method comprising:

receiving information indicating support processing selected by the support apparatus according to a GET request;

in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the first support processing, transmitting the image displayed on the operation panel of the information processing apparatus to the relay server according to a POST request, receiving the operation command for operating the operation panel from the relay server according to a GET request, and controlling the operation panel based on the received operation command, and

in a case where the information indicating support processing indicates the second support processing, receiving an image for supporting the information processing apparatus from the relay server according to a GET request, and displaying the received image on the operation panel.