Method and system for diagnosis and control of machines using connection and connectionless modes of communication
View Patent ↗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.
1. A method for communicating between a paper image output device and a monitoring device, comprising:
obtaining, in the paper image output device, a status of the paper image output device determined using sensors within the paper image output device;
generating an electronic mail message, in the paper image output device, based on the obtained status; and
transmitting the electronic mail message over an Internet protocol network to the monitoring device from the paper image output device using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the paper image output device is directly connected to the Internet protocol network,
wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the paper image output device, a job count of the paper image output device, a toner level of the paper image output device, use of duplexing, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the paper image output device, and copy count by paper size of the paper image output device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the paper image output device, a message that includes a request for the status of the paper image output device; and
analyzing the received message.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status is information regarding the toner level of the paper image output device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status is information regarding the malfunction of the paper image output device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating and transmitting steps are performed at regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the paper image output device.
6. A method for communicating between a copier and a monitoring device, comprising:
obtaining, in the copier, a status of the copier determined using sensors within the copier;
generating an electronic mail message, in the copier, based on the obtained status; and
transmitting the electronic mail message over an Internet protocol network to the monitoring device from the copier using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the copier is directly connected to the Internet protocol network,
wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the copier, a job count of the copier, a toner level of the copier, paper jams of the copier, use of duplexing, use of reduction, use of enlargement, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the copier, and copy count by paper size of the copier.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving, by the copier, a message that includes a request for the status of the copier; and
analyzing the received message.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the status is information regarding the toner level of the copier.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the status is information regarding the malfunction of the copier.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the status is information regarding the paper jams of the copier.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the generating and transmitting steps are performed at regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the copier.
12. A paper image output device configured to communicate with a monitoring device, comprising:
hardware components configured to form an image;
means for obtaining a status of the paper image output device determined using sensors within the paper image output device;
means for generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
means for transmitting the electronic mail message over an Internet protocol network to the monitoring device from the paper image output device using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the paper image output device is directly connected to the Internet protocol network,
wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the paper image output device, a job count of the paper image output device, a toner level of the paper image output device, use of duplexing, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the paper image output device, and copy count by paper size of the paper image output device.
13. The paper image output device of claim 12 , further comprising:
means for receiving a message that includes a request for the status of the paper image output device; and
means for analyzing the received message.
14. The paper image output device of claim 12 , wherein the status is information regarding the toner level of the paper image output device.
15. The paper image output device of claim 12 , wherein the status is information regarding the malfunction of the paper image output device.
16. The paper image output device of claim 12 , further comprising:
means for causing the means for generating to generate the electronic mail message and at regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the paper image output device; and
means for causing the means for transmitting to transmit the electronic mail message at the regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the paper image output device.
17. A copier configured to communicate with a monitoring device, comprising:
hardware components configured to form an image;
means for obtaining a status of the copier determined using sensors within the copier;
means for generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
means for transmitting the electronic mail message over an Internet protocol network to the monitoring device from the copier using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the copier is directly connected to the Internet protocol network,
wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the copier, a job count of the copier, a toner level of the copier, paper jams of the copier, use of duplexing, use of reduction, use of enlargement, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the copier, and copy count by paper size of the copier.
18. The copier of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for receiving, by the copier, a message that includes a request for the status of the copier; and
means for analyzing the received message.
19. The copier of claim 17 , wherein the status is information regarding toner level of the copier.
20. The copier of claim 17 , wherein the status is information regarding the malfunction of the copier.
21. The copier of claim 17 , wherein the status is information regarding the paper jams of the copier.
22. The copier of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for causing the means for generating to generate the electronic mail message and at regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the copier; and
means for causing the means for transmitting to transmit the electronic mail message at the regular intervals, automatically without receiving a request by a user of the copier.