Monitoring apparatus, management system, firmware updating method, and program thereof
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus comprising:
- a memory; and
a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control;
an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to a management apparatus;
a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored;
a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction;
a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; and
a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit,wherein the monitoring unit monitors whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus according to time information corresponding to the update instruction;
wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, control method, and system for updating firmware of an image forming apparatus remotely such that the image forming apparatus is monitored to determine the state of the image forming apparatus at the time the update instruction is received and to monitor whether the firmware in the image forming apparatus has been updated successfully.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus comprising:
-
a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control; an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to a management apparatus; a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; a monitoring unit configured to monitor a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; and a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit monitors whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus according to time information corresponding to the update instruction; wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A management system including a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a management apparatus for managing information about the image forming apparatuses, and a distribution server for controlling distribution of firmware to the image forming apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus comprising:
-
a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control;
an inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry to the management apparatus;a reception unit configured to receive, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; an acquiring unit configured to acquire time information corresponding to the update instruction from a distribution system to download the firmware based on the update instruction; a transmission unit configured to transmit to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with the distribution system; a monitoring unit configured to monitor whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus according to the time information corresponding to the update instruction; and a notification unit configured to notify the management apparatus of a result of monitoring performed by the monitoring unit, and the management apparatus comprising; a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to control;
an instruction transmission unit configured to, when the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus is set, transmit the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus to the monitoring apparatus in response to the inquiry from the monitoring apparatus; anda notification reception unit configured to receive a notification from the monitoring apparatus; wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus.
-
-
9. A method for a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the method comprising:
-
making an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; transmitting to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; monitoring a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; and monitoring whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus according to time information corresponding to the update instruction; wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus.
-
-
10. A method performed by a management system including a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a management apparatus for managing information about the image forming apparatuses, and a distribution server for controlling distribution of firmware to the image forming apparatuses, the method comprising;
-
making, via the monitoring apparatus, an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, via the monitoring apparatus, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; acquiring time information corresponding to the update instruction from a distribution system to download the firmware based on the update instruction; transmitting, via the monitoring apparatus, to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with the distribution system; monitoring, via the monitoring apparatus, as monitoring of a state of the image forming apparatus according to the time information corresponding to the update instruction, whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying, via the monitoring apparatus, the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; transmitting, via the management apparatus, when the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus is set, the update instruction for updating the firmware of the image forming apparatus to the monitoring apparatus in response to the inquiry from the monitoring apparatus; and receiving, via the management apparatus, a notification from the image forming apparatus; wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus.
-
-
11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer to execute a method for a monitoring apparatus monitoring a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the method comprising:
-
making an inquiry to the management apparatus; receiving, as a response to the inquiry, an update instruction for updating firmware of the image forming apparatus to be monitored; transmitting to the image forming apparatus to be monitored an instruction for performing communication with a distribution server to download the firmware based on the update instruction; monitoring a state of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the update instruction; notifying the management apparatus of a result of the monitoring; and monitoring whether the firmware has been updated in the image forming apparatus according to time information corresponding to the update instruction; wherein, when the transmission unit fails in the transmission of the instruction, the notification unit notifies an error to the management apparatus.
-
Specification