System uses Internet electronic mail for requesting status of a monitored device from a monitoring device

• US 7,480,249 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US10/983,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/241
• 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 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• 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 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00007 : relating to particular apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00029 : Diagnosis, i.e. identifying a problem by comparison with a normal state
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 : Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 : with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00312 : with a digital transmission apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, SMS or ISDN device transmitting or receiving via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network or the internet H04N1/00214; transmission of digital information H04L
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 : transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/44 : Secrecy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33342 : of transmission mode

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 method for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising:

determining information to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the monitored device, the monitored device being one of a printer, a scanner, and a copier, the information including a request for at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data of the monitored device; and

transmitting the information through electronic mail from the monitoring device to the monitored device using an Internet e-mail protocol,

wherein the static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that do not change over a life of the monitored device, the semi-static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that infrequently change over the life of the monitored device, and the dynamic data represents characteristics of the monitored device that change according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the monitored device,

the method further including

analyzing the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data by the monitored device, wherein the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data is transmitted in the Internet electronic mail message from the monitored device when the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting comprises:

transmitting the information through an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet from the monitoring device to the monitored device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the static data includes one of a model number, a serial number, and model characteristics of the monitored device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the semi-static data includes an option configuration of the monitored device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic data includes one of a status of paper in a paper tray, a number of prints, paper locations, and a sensitivity of a photoreceptor of the monitored device.

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

receiving the transmitted information by the monitored device; and

transmitting, through the Internet, an Internet electronic mail message from the monitored device to the monitoring device containing at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data of the monitored device, in response to the transmitted information from the monitoring device.

7. A method for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device, comprising:

determining at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data of the machine; and

transmitting an electronic mail message using an Internet e-mail protocol from the machine to the monitoring device containing at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data, the machine being one of a printer, a scanner, and a copier,

wherein the static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that do not change over a life of the monitored device, the semi-static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that infrequently change over the life of the monitored device, and the dynamic data represents characteristics of the monitored device that change according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the monitored device,

the method further including

analyzing the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data by the machine,

wherein the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data is transmitted in the Internet electronic mail message from the machine when the at least one of the static data, the semi-static data, and the dynamic data is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the static data includes one of a model number, a serial number, and model characteristics of the monitored device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the semi-static data includes an option configuration of the monitored device.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the dynamic data includes one of a status of paper in a paper tray, a number of prints, paper locations, and a sensitivity of a photoreceptor of the monitored device.

11. A system for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising:

means for determining information to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the monitored device, the monitored device being selected from the group consisting of a printer, a scanner, and a copier, the information including a request for at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data of the monitored device; and

a transmitter of the monitoring device configured to transmit the information through electronic mail from the monitoring device to the monitored device using an Internet e-mail protocol,

wherein the static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that do not change over a life of the monitored device, the semi-static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that infrequently change over the life of the monitored device, and the dynamic data represents characteristics of the monitored device that change according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the monitored device,

the system further including

means for analyzing the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data by the monitored device, wherein the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data is transmitted using the transmitter of the monitored device when the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for static data including one of a model number, a serial number, and model characteristics of the monitored device.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for semi-static data including an option configuration of the monitored device.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for dynamic data including one of a status of paper in a paper tray, a number of prints, paper locations, and a sensitivity of a photoreceptor of the monitored device.

15. A system for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device, comprising:

means for determining at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data of the machine to be transmitted to the monitoring device, the machine being selected from the group consisting of a printer, a scanner, and a copier; and

a transmitter of the machine configured to transmit the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data using an electronic mail message from the machine to the monitoring device using an Internet e-mail protocol,

wherein the static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that do not change over a life of the monitored device, the semi-static data represents characteristics of the monitored device that infrequently change over the life of the monitored device, and the dynamic data represents characteristics of the monitored device that change according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the monitored device,

the system further including

means for analyzing the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data by the machine,

wherein the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data is transmitted using the transmitter of the machine when the at least one of static data, semi-static data, and dynamic data is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for static data including one of a model number, a serial number, and model characteristics of the monitored device.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for semi-static data including an option configuration of the monitored device.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining a request for dynamic data including one of a status of paper in a paper tray, a number of prints, paper locations, and a sensitivity of a photoreceptor of the monitored device.