Method and system for monitoring, collecting information, diagnosing and servicing a remote system

• US 7,376,728 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US09/575,710
• Time in Patent Office: 2,856 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223, 709/318, 709/217, 709/203, 709/244, 709/246, 714/48, 714/57, 714 25- 27, 702/188, 340/825.16, 340/506, 340/517, 379 903- 904, 705/59
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A monitoring system, method, and computer-program product tracks events and device states in a device and sends those events and states to a remote central service center using an Internet access module. The remote central service center monitors the received events and states for errors or warnings. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to more effectively communicate the event and state information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a device, comprising:

a monitoring unit located within the device and configured to obtain and store information of an event in the device which is an interaction between a user and the device, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to

monitor the event as it occurs using sensors internal to the device;

record ID information, a cumulative session identifier for the event, and a duration of the event corresponding to the cumulative session identifier;

determine and store a sequence of use for a plurality of subcomponents of the device; and

transmit the information of the event from the device, wherein the information of the event includes the sequence of use, the ID information, the cumulative session identifier, and the duration of the event;

a receiver configured to receive the information of the event of the device transmitted by the monitoring unit;

an analyzer configured to analyze the information of the event to identify a problem or abnormal condition of the device to determine a service request to be performed on the device; and

a service depot comprising a computer configured to receive the service request from the analyzer over a Wide Area Network (WAN), to analyze the service request, and to contact a user of the device regarding the service request.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to determine and store, in a memory, a cumulative number of uses of a subcomponent of the device that caused the event.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a service history of the device to the service depot.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a configuration receiver configured to obtain system information from the device over a Wide Area Network.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a business office machine.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the business office machine comprises at least one of a copier, a printer, a fax, a scanner, and a thin server.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile unit.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mobile unit comprises at least one of an automobile, a boat, a train, and an airplane.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the service depot is configured to transmit the service request to an owner of the device as an electronic mail message.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to contact the user of the device through the WAN.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to contact the user of the device by telephone or through an electronic mail message.

12. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer system to monitor a device, the computer program code mechanism comprising;

a first computer code device configured to obtain and store information of an event in the device which is an interaction between a user and the device, wherein the first computer code device is configured to

monitor the event as it occurs using sensors internal to the device;

record ID information, a cumulative session identifier for the event, and a duration of the event corresponding to the cumulative session identifier;

determine and store a sequence of use for a plurality of subcomponents of the device; and

transmit the information of the event from the device, wherein the information of the event includes the sequence of use, the ID information, the cumulative session identifier, and the duration of the event;

a second computer code device configured to receive the information of the event of the device transmitted by the first computer code device;

a third computer code device configured to analyze the information of the event to identify a problem or abnormal condition of the device to determine a service request to be performed on the device; and

a fourth computer code device configured to cause a service depot comprising a computer to receive the service request from the third computer code device over a Wide Area Network (WAN), to analyze the service request, and to contact a user of the device regarding the service request.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first computer code is further configured to determine and store, in a memory, a cumulative number of uses of a subcomponent of the device that caused the event.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a fifth computer code device configured to transmit a service history of the device to the service depot.

15. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first computer code device comprises a fifth computer code device configured to obtain system information from the device over a Wide Area Network.

16. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device comprises a business office machine.

17. The computer program product as claimed in claim 16, wherein the business office machine comprises at least one of a copier, a printer, a fax, a scanner, and a thin server.

18. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device comprises a mobile unit.

19. The computer program product as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mobile unit comprises at least one of an automobile, a boat, a train and an airplane.

20. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the fourth computer code device is configured to transmit the service request to an owner of the device as an electronic mail message.

21. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the fourth computer code device is configured to contact the user of the device through the WAN.

22. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the fourth computer code device is configured to contact the user of the device by telephone or through an electronic mail message.

23. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a device, comprising:

obtaining and storing, by a monitoring unit located within the device, information of an event in the device which is an interaction between a user and the device, wherein the obtaining step comprises

monitoring the event as it occurs using sensors internal to the device;

recording ID information, a cumulative session identifier for the event, and a duration of the event corresponding to the cumulative session identifier;

determining and storing a sequence of use for a plurality of subcomponents of the device; and

transmitting the information of the event from the device, wherein the information of the event includes the sequence of use, the ID information, the cumulative session identifier, and the duration of the event;

receiving, by a receiver, the information of the event of the device transmitted by the monitoring unit;

analyzing, by an analyzer, the information of the event to identify a problem or abnormal condition of the device to determine a service request to be performed on the device;

receiving, by a service depot comprising a computer, the service request from the analyzer over a Wide Area Network (WAN);

analyzing, by the service depot, the service request; and

contacting, by the service depot, a user of the device regarding the service request.

24. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the obtaining step comprises determining and storing a cumulative number of uses of a subcomponent of the device that caused the event.

25. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

transmitting a service history of the device to the service depot.

26. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the receiving step comprises:

obtaining system information from the device over a Wide Area Network.

27. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the device comprises a business office machine.

28. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the business office machine comprises at least one of a copier, a printer, a fax, a scanner, and a thin server.

29. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the device comprises a mobile unit.

30. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the mobile unit comprises at least one of an automobile, a boat, a train and an airplane.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the service request to an owner of the device as an electronic mail message.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the contacting step comprises:

contacting the user of the device through the WAN.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the contacting step comprises:

contacting the user of the device by telephone or through an electronic email message.