Method and system of remote monitoring of image forming apparatus

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and controlling machines, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machine and other image forming machines. A server is used for transmitting and communicating information among machines and computers. The server acquires, after machine installation, reference values and during operation, current condition information. The server evaluates this information with the reference values such that a response to the machine may be executed remotely. The server also may update the reference values which change during operation.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A method of monitoring an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 communicating from the image forming apparatus to a server which is remote from the image forming apparatus a condition of the image forming apparatus;   sending an email from the server to a terminal which is remote from the image forming apparatus and remote from the server;   reading the email at the terminal, using an email program; and   viewing, in response to a reading of the email, a condition of the image forming apparatus, using a browser.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of viewing comprises:
 viewing the condition using a web browser which is different from the email program.   
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of sending is performed in response to an abnormal condition in the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of communicating is performed in response to an abnormal condition in the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       5. A method of monitoring an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
 determining at the image forming apparatus a machine notification based on a condition of the image forming apparatus;   transmitting, from the image forming apparatus to a server, said machine notification;   determining, at said server, at least one electronic address which is capable of receiving an electronic message, whereby the step of determining is based on the machine notification;   sending, from said server to at least one terminal which is remote from the image forming apparatus, said electronic message based on said machine notification;   opening, at said remote computer, a browser; and   accessing, via said browser, data related to operation of said image forming apparatus, said data determined based on said electronic message.   
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said electronic message is at least one of an e-mail, a telephone call and a pager message. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said machine notification includes a machine identification and a type of machine notification. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , further including the steps of:
 sending, to said image forming apparatus, a termination of said machine notification, said termination based on the evaluation of said data.   
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said machine notification is selected from the group consisting of a manual call, a service call and a customer call. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said machine notification is automatically initiated by said image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said machine notification is initiated by a user at said image machine. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 5 , further including the steps of:
 adjusting, from the server, said data associated with operation of said image machine.   
     
     
       13. An image forming apparatus monitoring system, comprising:
 means for communicating from the image forming apparatus to a server which is remote from the image forming apparatus a condition of the image forming apparatus;   means for sending an email from the server to a terminal which is remote from the image forming apparatus and remote from the server;   means for reading the email at the terminal, using an email program; and   means for viewing, in response to a reading of the email, a condition of the image forming apparatus, using a browser.   
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said means for viewing includes a web browser which is different from the email program. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said e-mail is sent based on an abnormal condition in the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein said abnormal condition is selected from the group consisting of hardware problems, software problems, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein said condition is communicated based on said abnormal condition in the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a resource planning system which determines, based on said machine notification, a status of service dispatching.   
     
     
       19. A system for monitoring an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 means for determining at the image forming apparatus a machine notification based on a condition of the image forming apparatus;   means for transmitting, from the image forming apparatus to a server, said machine notification;   means for determining, at said server, at least one electronic address which is capable of receiving an electronic message, whereby the step of determining is based on the machine notification;   means for sending, from said server to at least one terminal which is remote from the image forming apparatus, said electronic message based on said machine notification;   means for opening, at said remote computer, a browser; and   means for accessing, via said browser, data related to operation of said image forming apparatus, said data determined based on said electronic message.   
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein said electronic message is at least one of an e-mail, a telephone call and a pager message. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 19 , wherein said machine notification includes a machine identification and a type of machine notification. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 means for sending, to said image forming apparatus, a termination of said machine notification, said termination based on the evaluation of said data.   
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , wherein said machine notification is selected from the group consisting of a manual call, a service call and a customer call. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 19 , wherein said machine notification is automatically initiated by said image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 19 , wherein said machine notification is initiated by a user at said image machine. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 19 , further including the steps of:
 adjusting, from the server, said data associated with operation of said image machine.   
     
     
       27. A method of communicating, comprising:
 sending an email from a first device containing information related to an image forming apparatus to a second device;   reading the email at the second device, using an email program; and   viewing, in response to a reading of the email, a condition of the image forming apparatus, using a browser.   
     
     
       28. A system for communicating, comprising:
 means for sending an email from a first device containing information related to an image forming apparatus to a second device;   means for reading the email at the second device, using an email program; and   means for viewing, in response to a reading of the email, a condition of the image forming apparatus, using a browser.   
     
     
       29. An image-forming system for sending, to a remote device, an electronic mail message containing information related to the image-forming system, the image-forming system comprising:
 means for determining a condition of the image-forming system;   means for generating the electronic mail message based on the determined condition of the image-forming system, the electronic mail message including information enabling status information indicative of at least one current monitored machine condition of the image-forming system to be accessed, from the image-forming system, and viewed at the remote device, using a browser; and   means for sending the electronic mail message to the remote device.   
     
     
       30. The image-forming system of claim 29, wherein the means for generating generates the electronic message, the electronic message including an identifier of the image-forming system. 
     
     
       31. The image-forming system of claim 29, wherein the means for generating generates the electronic message, the electronic message including information of an abnormal condition of the image-forming system. 
     
     
       32. The image-forming apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for determining comprises:
 means for determining at least one of a hardware problem and a software problem in the image-forming system.   
     
     
       33. An image-forming system for sending, to a remote device, an electronic mail message containing information related to the image-forming system, the image-forming system comprising:
 a processor configured to determine a condition of the image-forming system; and   an e-mail processor configured (1) to generate the electronic mail message based on the determined condition of the image-forming system, the electronic mail message including information enabling status information indicative of at least one current monitored machine condition of the image-forming system to be accessed, from the image-forming system, and viewed at the remote device, using a browser, and (2) to send the electronic mail message to the remote device.   
     
     
       34. The image-forming system of claim 29, further comprising:
 an image forming apparatus and a server.   
     
     
       35. The image-forming system of claim 34, wherein
 the image forming apparatus is configured to generate a machine notification to the server, and   the server is configured to send the electronic mail message based on the machine notification to the remote device.   
     
     
       36. The image-forming system of claim 33, further comprising:
 an image forming apparatus and a server.   
     
     
       37. The image-forming system of claim 36, wherein
 the image forming apparatus is configured to generate a machine notification to the server, and   the server is configured to send the electronic mail message based on the machine notification to the remote device.