Method and system for diagnosis and control of machines using connection and connectionless modes of communication

• US 7,185,080 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Prieto; Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/457,669
• Time in Patent Office: 2,637 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 369/53.1, 340 31- 39, 340/853.2, 399/8, 379/1.01, 358/404, 358/1.15, 710/15, 715/736
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• 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: H04N 1/00029 Diagnosis, i.e. identifying a problem by comparison with a normal state
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00042 Monitoring, i.e. observation H04N1/00029 - H04N1/00039 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00061 using a remote apparatus H04N1/00066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0009 Storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring, controlling and diagnosing operation of a machine such as a business office machine including a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer. When the speed of communication between the remote device and machine is not urgent, a connectionless mode of communication may be used. The form of connectionless communication is an electronic mail message transmitted over the Internet. However, when a condition needs urgent action, a direct connection is used for communication such as communication via a telephone or ISDN line. The information obtained from the machine is stored in one or more data bases within a company and information of the machine is shared between a service department, engineering and design department, manufacturing department, and marketing department. As communication over the Internet via electronic mail is not secure, the connectionless-mode messages transmitted using Internet electronic mail are encrypted.

Claims

1. A business office device configured to connect to a monitoring device that monitors the business office device, the business office device comprising:

at least one memory, within the business office device, for storing status information of the business office device; and

a communications interface, within the business office device, for transmitting, using an Internet e-mail protocol at an application layer, an e-mail containing a first portion of the status information to the monitoring device, wherein the business office device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a scanner, a metering system and a multi-function copier.

2. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a direct connection mode-based interface for transmitting to the monitoring device at least one of a second portion of the status information and the first portion of the status information.

3. The business office device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one memory stores the status information such that both the e-mail interface and the direct connection-mode interface can each transmit at least one of the first and second portions of the status information.

4. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the business office device transmits the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device at a predetermined interval.

5. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the business office device transmits the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device when an event occurs in the business office device.

6. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned name of the business office device.

7. The business office device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the assigned name is communicated to the monitoring device.

8. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned address of the business office device.

9. The business office device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the assigned address is communicated to the monitoring device.

10. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the status information transmitted by the communications interface is transmitted to the monitoring device based on a request received from the monitoring device.

11. The business office device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the request is received via e-mail.

12. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an option configuration.

13. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a model number.

14. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a serial number.

15. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing characteristics of said business office device which do not change over a life of said business office device.

16. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing dynamic data.

17. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a paper tray present in the business office device.

18. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a voltage used in the business office device.

19. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a status of paper in a paper tray present in the business office device.

20. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of oil in the business office device.

21. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of toner in the business office device.

22. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a sensitivity of a photo-receptor in the business office device.

23. The business office device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a number of prints made by the business office device.

24. A business system comprising:

a business office device selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a scanner, a metering system and a multi-function copier; and

a monitoring device for monitoring the business office device from a remote location, wherein the business office device includes, internal to the business office device, (1) at least one memory for storing status information of the business office device, and (2) a communications interface for transmitting, at an application layer using an Internet e-mail protocol, an e-mail containing a first portion of the status information to the monitoring device.

25. A monitoring method executed internally to a business office device, the method comprising:

storing status information of the business office device in at least one memory within the business office device; and

transmitting, using an Internet e-mail protocol at an application layer, an e-mail containing a first portion of the status information from the business office device to a remotely located monitoring device, wherein the business office device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a scanner, a metering system and a multi-function copier.

26. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising:

establishing a direct connection to the monitoring device; and

transmitting, across the direct connection, at least one of a second portion of the status information and the first portion of the status information.

27. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of storing comprises storing the status information in a common memory such that both the first and second portions of the status information are read from the common memory.

28. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device at a predetermined interval.

29. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device when an event occurs in the business office device.

30. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned name of the business office device.

31. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising the step of communicating the assigned name to the monitoring device.

32. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned address of the business office device.

33. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the step of communicating the assigned address to the monitoring device.

34. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of receiving a request from the monitoring device to cause the first portion of the status information to be transmitted to the monitoring device.

35. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the request via e-mail.

36. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an option configuration.

37. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a model number.

38. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a serial number.

39. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing characteristics of said business office device which do not change over a life of said business office device.

40. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing dynamic data.

41. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a paper tray present in the business office device.

42. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a voltage used in the business office device.

43. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a status of paper in a paper tray present in the business office device.

44. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of oil in the business office device.

45. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of toner in the business office device.

46. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a sensitivity of a photo-receptor in the business office device.

47. The monitoring method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a number of prints made by the business office device.

48. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for internally monitoring a business office device, the computer program code mechanism comprising;

a first computer code configured to store status information of the business office device in at least one memory; and

a second computer code configured to transmit, using an Internet e-mail protocol at an application layer, an e-mail containing a first portion of the status information from the business office device to a remotely located monitoring device, wherein the business office device is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a copier, a scanner, a metering system and a multi-function copier.

49. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, further comprising:

a third computer code device configured to establish a direct connection to the monitoring device; and

a fourth computer code device configured to transmit, across the direct connection, at least one of a second portion of the status information and the first portion of the status information.

50. The computer program product as claimed in claim 49, wherein the first computer code device comprises a third computer code device configured to store the status information in a common memory such that both the first and second portions of the status information are read from the common memory.

51. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the second computer code device comprises a third computer code device configured to transmit the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device at a predetermined interval.

52. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the second computer code device comprises a third computer code device configured to transmit the first portion of the status information to the monitoring device when an event occurs in the business office device.

53. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned name of the business office device.

54. The computer program product as claimed in claim 53, further comprising a third computer code device configured to communicate the assigned name to the monitoring device.

55. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an assigned address of the business office device.

56. The computer program product as claimed in claim 55, further comprising a third computer code device configured to communicate the assigned address to the monitoring device.

57. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, further comprising a third computer code device configured to receive a request from the monitoring device to cause the first portion of the status information to be transmitted to the monitoring device.

58. The computer program product as claimed in claim 57, wherein the third computer code device receives the request via e-mail.

59. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a semi-static memory for storing an option configuration.

60. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a model number.

61. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing a serial number.

62. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a static memory for storing characteristics of said business office device which do not change over a life of said business office device.

63. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing dynamic data.

64. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a paper tray present in the business office device.

65. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a voltage used in the business office device.

66. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a status of paper in a paper tray present in the business office device.

67. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of oil in the business office device.

68. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of an amount of toner in the business office device.

69. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a sensitivity of a photo-receptor in the business office device.

70. The computer program product as claimed in claim 48, wherein the at least one memory comprises a dynamic memory for storing an indication of a number of prints made by the business office device.