Electronic device monitoring method, electronic device, computer, and program thereof

Abstract

Processing relating to maintenance of a monitoring subject device is performed by detecting by a computer an IP address of an electronic device connected to a LAN, automatically referring to communication protocol specification data indicating a communication protocol with the electronic device indicated in remote maintenance management data provided in advance or obtained from the electronic device, and performing a communication with the electronic device by using said communication protocol and the IP address indicated by the communication protocol specification data.

1 . An electronic device maintenance method for performing maintenance of an electronic device by a computer via a network, comprising: 
 a first step that said computer obtains remote maintenance management data indicating a communication protocol used in a communication relating to maintenance of said electronic device from said electronic device via said network; and    a second step that said computer performs processing relating to maintenance of said electronic device by performing a communication with said electronic device by using said communication protocol indicated by said remote maintenance management data obtained in said first step.    
     
     
         2 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a third step that, when connection by said electronic device to said network is recognized, said computer obtains identification data of the recognized electronic device on said network; and    in said second step, said computer performs said communication with said electronic device by further using said identification data obtained in said third step.    
     
     
         3 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein 
 in said first step, said computer obtains from said electronic device said remote maintenance management data indicating correspondence between a kind of one or a plurality of functions relating to said maintenance and said communication protocol used in communication relating to the function; and    in said second step, said computer performs communication relating to said specified kind of function by using said communication protocol corresponding to said specified kind of function with said electronic device based on said remote maintenance management data.    
     
     
         4 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein 
 in said second step, said computer displays on a display means of said computer a screen for allowing to specify said function indicated by said remote maintenance management data and performs a communication with said electronic device relating to said specified function in accordance with said screen.    
     
     
         5 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein 
 in said first step, said computer obtains from said electronic device said remote maintenance management data indicating correspondence between a kind of a plurality of functions relating to said maintenance, said communication protocol used in a communication relating to said respective plurality of functions, and use authorization data regulating respective use authorization of said plurality of functions; and    in said second step, said computer performs a communication relating to said specified function by using said communication protocol corresponding to said specified kind of said function with said electronic device based on said remote maintenance management data.    
     
     
         6 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein 
 in said first step, said computer obtains from said electronic device said remote maintenance management data further indicating path specification data indicating a path to a directory storing data or a program relating to said maintenance in a memory means of said electronic device; and    in said second step, said computer specifies a path indicated by said path specification data in said memory means and makes an access to said memory means based on said remote maintenance management data.    
     
     
         7 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a fourth step that said electronic device transmits condition data indicating a condition of the electronic device to said computer via said network; and    a fifth step that said computer display on a display means a screen in accordance with said condition data received in said fourth step.    
     
     
         8 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a sixth step that said computer automatically writes to said electronic device identification data for identifying the computer on a network as transmission destination data; and    a seventh step that said electronic device transmits an interruption signal to said computer by using said transmission destination data written in said sixth step when the electronic device becomes a predetermined condition.    
     
     
         9 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein 
 in said seventh step, said electronic device notifies to said computer said predetermined condition together with said interruption signal.    
     
     
         10 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising 
 an eighth step that said electronic device stores status data indicating whether the transmission destination data can be rewritten by making to correspond to said transmission destination data written in said sixth step; and    a ninth step that said computer rewrites said transmission destination data corresponding to said status data under a condition that the status data indicates that rewriting is possible.    
     
     
         11 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein 
 in said eighth step, said electronic device stores table data having one or a plurality of entries composed of said transmission destination data and said status data corresponding to the transmission destination data; and    said electronic device maintenance method further includes 
 a tenth step that said computer requires adding of said entry to said electronic device; and  
 an eleventh step that said electronic device adds said new entry to said table data in response to said request in said tenth step.  
   
     
     
         12 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said electronic device can be set one mode selected from a first mode for permitting to write said identification data of said computer as said transmission destination data from said computer and a second mode for forbidding to write said identification data from said computer.  
     
     
         13 . An electronic device maintenance method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein in the case that identification data for identifying said computer on said network after starting up, restarting or initializing in the previous time, said electronic device permits said computer to write said identification data after changed as said transmission destination data corresponding to said status data under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible.  
     
     
         14 . A computer for performing maintenance of an electronic device via a network, comprising: 
 an interface for performing a communication with said electronic device via said network;    a memory means for storing remote maintenance management data indicating a communication protocol used in a communication relating to maintenance of said electronic device obtained from said electronic device via said interface; and    a control means for performing processing relating to maintenance of said electronic device by performing a communication with said electronic device via said interface by using said communication protocol indicated by said remote maintenance management data stored in said memory means.    
     
     
         15 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said control means, when recognizing connection by said electronic device to said network, obtains identification data of the recognized electronic device on said network via said interface, stores the same in said memory means, and performs said communication with said electronic device by further using the identification data.  
     
     
         16 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising a specification means, wherein 
 said memory means stores said remote maintenance management data further comprising maintenance function specification data indicating a kind of one or a plurality of functions relating to said maintenance; and    said control means refers to said maintenance function specification data and performs said communication relating to a specified function among said one or a plurality of functions indicated by the maintenance function specification data with said electronic device.    
     
     
         17 . A computer as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a display means, wherein 
 said control means displays on said display means a screen for allowing to specify one or a plurality of functions indicated by said maintenance function specification data and performs said communication relating to a function specified by said specification means with said electronic device in accordance with said screen.    
     
     
         18 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein 
 said memory means stores said remote maintenance management data further comprising use authorization data regulating use authorization of the function for respective functions indicated by said maintenance function specification data; and    said control means refers to said use authorization data and performs said communication relating to the specified function with said electronic device under a condition that a person specified the function has use authorization of the function.    
     
     
         19 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein 
 said memory means stores said remote maintenance management data further including path specification data indicating a path to a directory storing data or a program relating to said maintenance in a memory means of said electronic device; and    said control means refers to said path specification data and makes an access to said memory means of said electronic device by specifying a path indicated by said path specification data in a memory means of said electronic device.    
     
     
         20 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising a display means, wherein 
 said interface means receives condition data indicating a condition of said electronic device from the electronic device via said network; and    said control means displays on said display means a screen in accordance with said condition data.    
     
     
         21 . A computer as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said control means makes an access from said interface means via said network to a memory means of said electronic device storing transmission destination data specifying a transmission destination of an interruption signal to be sent and writes identification data for identifying the computer on the network as said transmission destination data when said electronic device becomes a predetermined condition.  
     
     
         22 . A computer as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein 
 when said memory means of said electronic device stores status data indicating whether the transmission destination data can be rewritten by making to correspond to said transmission destination data,    said control means writes said identification data as said transmission destination data corresponding to the status data to said memory means of said electronic device via said interface under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible.    
     
     
         23 . An electronic device subjected to maintenance by a computer via a network, comprising: 
 an interface for performing a communication with said computer via said network;    a memory means for storing remote maintenance management data indicating a communication protocol used in a communication relating to maintenance by said computer; and    a control means for transmitting said remote maintenance management data to said computer via said interface and performs a communication relating to said maintenance with said computer by using said communication protocol indicated by said remote maintenance management data in accordance with a request from said computer.    
     
     
         24 . An electronic device as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said memory means stores transmission destination data indicating a transmission destination of an interruption signal to be sent when said electronic device becomes a predetermined condition and is written by said computer via said interface identification data for identifying the computer on said network as said transmission destination data; and    said control means notifies a condition of the electronic device by transmitting said interruption signal to said computer via said interface based on said transmission destination data stored in said memory means when said electronic device becomes said predetermined condition.    
     
     
         25 . An electronic device as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein 
 said memory means stores status data indicating whether the transmission destination data can be rewritten by making to correspond to said transmission destination data; and    said control means permits said computer to write identification data of the computer as said transmission destination data corresponding to the status data under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible.    
     
     
         26 . An electronic device as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said memory means stores table data having one or a plurality of entries composed of said transmission destination data and said status data corresponding to the transmission destination data; and    said control means adds a new entry to said table data in accordance with the request when receiving a request to add said entry from said computer via said interface.    
     
     
         27 . An electronic device as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein said control means, when identification data for identifying said computer on said network is changed after starting up, restarting or initializing said electronic device in the previous time, permits said computer to write said identification data as said transmission destination data corresponding to said status data under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible.  
     
     
         28 . An electronic device as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein said control means, when transmission destination data stored in said memory means indicates a predetermined initial value and said status data corresponding to the transmission destination data indicates that rewriting is possible, permits said computer to write identification data of the computer as said transmission destination data corresponding to the status data.  
     
     
         29 . A program executed by a computer for performing maintenance of an electronic device via a network, comprising: 
 a first step for receiving remote maintenance management data indicating a communication protocol used in a communication relating to maintenance of said electronic device from said electronic device via said network;    a second step for storing said remote maintenance management data received in said first step in a memory means provided to said computer; and    a third step for processing relating to maintenance of said electronic device by performing a communication with said electronic device via said network by using said communication protocol indicated by said remote maintenance management data stored in said memory means.    
     
     
         30 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a fourth step, when recognizing connection by said electronic device to said network, for obtaining identification data of the recognized electronic device on said network via said network and stores the same in said memory means; and    wherein in said third step, said communication is performed with said electronic device by further using said identification data obtained and stored in said memory means in said fourth step.    
     
     
         31 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein 
 in said first step, said remote maintenance management data indicating correspondence between a kind of one or a plurality of functions relating to said maintenance and said communication protocol used in a communication relating to the function is received from said electronic device via said network; and    in said third step, based on said remote maintenance management data, a communication relating to said specified kind of function is performed with said electronic device by using said communication protocol corresponding to a specified kind of said function.    
     
     
         32 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein in said third step, a screen for allowing to specify said function indicated by said remote maintenance management data is displayed by a display means of said computer and communication relating to said specified function is performed with said electronic device in accordance with said screen.  
     
     
         33 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein in said first step, said remote maintenance management data indicating correspondence between a kind of one or a plurality of functions relating to said maintenance, said communication protocol used in a communication relating to said plurality of functions and use authorization data regulating respective use authorization of said plurality of functions is received from said electronic device via said network; and 
 in said third step, based on said remote maintenance management data, a communication relating to said specified function is performed with said electronic device by using said communication protocol corresponding to said specified kind of said function under a condition that a person specified said function has use authorization of the function.    
     
     
         34 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein 
 in said first step, said remote maintenance management data further indicating path specification data indicating a path to a directory storing data or a program relating to said maintenance in a memory means of said electronic device is received via said electronic device via said network; and    in said third step, based on said remote maintenance management data, an access is made to said memory means by specifying a path indicated by said path specification data in said memory means.    
     
     
         35 . A program as set forth in  claim 29 , further comprising a fourth step for making an access via said network to a memory means of said electronic device for storing transmission destination data indicating a transmission destination of an interruption signal to be sent when said electronic device becomes a predetermined condition and writes identification data for identifying said computer on the network as said transmission destination data.  
     
     
         36 . A program as set forth in  claim 35 , wherein in said fourth step, in the case where said memory means of said electronic device stores status data indicating whether the transmission destination data can be rewritten by making to correspond to said transmission destination data, said identification data of said computer is written to a memory means of said electronic device as said transmission destination data corresponding to said status data under a condition that the status data indicates that rewriting is possible.  
     
     
         37 . A program executed in an electronic device subjected to maintenance by a computer via a network, comprising 
 a first step for transmitting to said computer via said network remote maintenance management data indicating a communication protocol used in a communication relating to maintenance of said electronic device with said computer; and    a second step for performing communication relating to said maintenance with said computer by using said communication protocol indicated by said remote maintenance management data.    
     
     
         38 . A program as set forth in  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a third step that identification data of said computer on said network is written to a memory means of said electronic device by said computer as transmission destination data of an interruption signal; and    a fourth step for transmitting said interruption signal to said computer by using the transmission destination data stored in the memory means of said electronic device in said third step when said electronic device becomes a predetermined condition.    
     
     
         39 . A program as set forth in  claim 38 , wherein 
 in said third step, status data indicating whether the transmission destination data can be rewritten is stored in said memory means by making to correspond to said transmission destination data; and    said program further comprises a fifth step, under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible, for permitting said computer to write identification data of the computer as said transmission destination data corresponding to the status data.    
     
     
         40 . A program as set forth in  claim 38 , further comprising a sixth step, in the case said memory means stores table data having one or a plurality of entries composed of said transmission destination data and said status data corresponding to the transmission destination data, when receiving a request for adding said entry from said computer, for adding said new entry to said table data in response to the request.  
     
     
         41 . A program as set forth in  claim 38 , further comprising a seventh step, when identification data for identifying said computer on said network is changed after starting up, restarting or initializing said electronic device in the previous time, for permitting said computer to write said identification data as said transmission destination data corresponding to said status data under a condition that said status data indicates that rewriting is possible.  
     
     
         42 . A program as set forth in  claim 41 , wherein in said seventh step, when transmission destination data stored in said memory means indicates a predetermined initial value and said status data corresponding to the transmission destination data indicates that rewriting is possible, writing identification data of said computer as said transmission destination data corresponding to the status data is permitted to said computer.