Image forming apparatus that transmits and receives maintenance work data to and from information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium

• US 9,389,816 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, King
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddo, Ibrahim
• Application Number:
  US14/459,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 358 11- 19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00917 Resuming after an intentional interruption, e.g. resetting parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00928 Initialisation or control of normal start-up or shut-down, i.e. non failure or error related

Abstract

An information processing apparatus without bothering a user, even when it is necessary to disconnect and restart the image forming apparatus which has been connected to the information processing apparatus so as to transmit and receive maintenance work data for performing the maintenance work on the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is required to be disconnected and reconnected after restarting the image forming apparatus during connection with the information processing apparatus, identification information for identifying an information processing apparatus to be reconnected is stored in a storage section. The image forming apparatus is reconnected to the information processing apparatus identified by the identification information stored in the storage section after the image forming apparatus is restarted.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus that connects to a call center terminal related to maintenance work on the image forming apparatus, comprising:

a restart unit configured to restart the image forming apparatus when receiving a remote restart instruction from an operator of the call center terminal or a local restart instruction from a user of the image forming apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive, from the call center terminal, reconnecting information required for reconnection to the call center terminal in a case where the image forming apparatus is restarted, wherein the reconnecting information includes at least identification information of the call center terminal;

a storage unit configured to store the reconnecting information received by said receiving unit;

a first determining unit configured to determine whether the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction or the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction; and

a reconnection unit configured to

in a case where it is determined by the first determining unit that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction, automatically reconnect to the call center terminal based on the identification information stored by the storage unit, and

in a case where it is determined by the first determining unit that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction, reconnect to the call center terminal subject to the user logging in the image forming apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a data transmission/reception unit configured to transmit and receive moving image data for performing the maintenance work to and from the call center terminal.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a data transmission/reception unit configured to transmit and receive voice data for performing the maintenance work to and from the call center terminal.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reconnecting information further includes information indicating an expiration date and time,

wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a second determining unit configured to determine whether or not the expiration date and time has been expired, in a case where the image forming apparatus is restarted,

wherein the reconnection unit does not reconnect to the call center terminal in a case where it is determined by the second determination unit that the expiration date and time has been expired,

wherein the reconnection unit automatically reconnects to the call center terminal in a case where it is determined by the second determination unit that the expiration date and time has not been expired and it is determined by the first determining unit that that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction, and

wherein the reconnection unit reconnects to the call center terminal subject to the user logging in the image forming apparatus, in a case where it is determined by the second determination unit that the expiration date and time has not been expired and it is determined by the first determining unit that that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction.

5. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus that connects to a call center terminal related to maintenance work data for performing maintenance work on the image forming apparatus, comprising:

restarting the image forming apparatus when receiving a remote restart instruction from an operator of the call center terminal or a local restart instruction from a user of the image forming apparatus;

receiving , from the call center terminal, reconnecting information required for reconnection to the call center terminal in a case where the image forming apparatus is restarted, wherein the reconnecting information includes at least identification information of the call center terminal;

storing the received reconnecting information;

determining whether the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction or the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction; and

in a case where it is determined that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction, automatically reconnecting to the call center terminal based on the stored identification information; and

in a case where it is determined that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction, reconnecting to the call center terminal subject to the user logging in the image forming apparatus.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for executing a method of controlling an image forming apparatus that connects to a call center terminal related to maintenance work data for performing maintenance work on the image forming apparatus,

wherein the method comprises:

restarting the image forming apparatus when receiving a remote restart instruction from an operator of the call center terminal or a local restart instruction from a user of the image forming apparatus;

receiving , from the call center terminal, reconnecting information required for reconnection to the call center terminal in a case where the image forming apparatus is restarted, wherein the reconnecting information includes at least identification information of the call center terminal;

storing the received reconnecting information;

determining whether the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction or the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction; and

in a case where it is determined that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the remote restart instruction, automatically reconnecting to the call center terminal based on the stored identification information; and

in a case where it is determined that the image forming apparatus is restarted according to the local restart instruction, reconnecting to the call center terminal subject to the user logging in the image forming apparatus.