Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of promoting independent counteraction to malfunctions of an image forming apparatus by a user.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit, a calculation unit, and a display processing unit. The detection unit detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus. The calculation unit calculates an amount of carbon dioxide emitted in a visit of a service engineer for maintenance work for the malfunction detected by the detection unit. The display processing unit displays the amount of carbon dioxide calculated by the calculation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD An embodiment of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Problems that can occur in an image forming apparatus include problems that require a service technician to handle and problems that can be handled by a user, such as replacing consumables or cleaning the image forming apparatus.

[0003] If a user requests a service technician to handle a problem that can be handled by the user, the user will have to wait for the technician to arrive, which will extend the period during which the user cannot use the image forming apparatus normally. Furthermore, the technician will have to make unnecessary visits, which will increase service costs. Therefore, it is important to encourage users to handle problems independently. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-95532 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a technique that can encourage users to independently deal with problems in an image forming apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a detection unit, a calculation unit, and a display processing unit. The detection unit detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus. The calculation unit calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits the image forming apparatus to perform maintenance work on the malfunction detected by the detection unit. The display processing unit displays the amount of carbon dioxide calculated by the calculation unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of an example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of information processing in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a carbon dioxide amount display image displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a response method display image displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a point display image displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals whenever possible, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0009] (Configuration example) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing system S according to an embodiment. The information processing system S includes an image forming apparatus 1, a point management server 2, a worker terminal 3, and a communication device 4. The image forming apparatus 1, the point management server 2, the worker terminal 3, and the communication device 4 are communicably connected to each other via a network NW. The network NW is realized by at least one network selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a mobile network, and a LAN (Local Area Network). The network may include a wireless network or a wired network. The information processing system S may also refer to a system including at least two elements selected from the group consisting of the image forming apparatus 1, the point management server 2, the worker terminal 3, and the communication device 4.

[0010] The image forming apparatus 1 is an electronic device equipped with an electrophotographic printing function. The image forming apparatus 1 will be described as an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) equipped with a copy function, a print function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, etc. An example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described later.

[0011] The point management server 2 is a device that collects and processes data. The device includes a computer. The point management server 2 is communicatively connected to the image forming device 1, the worker terminal 3, and the communication device 4 via the network NW. The point management server 2 receives various data from the image forming device 1, the worker terminal 3, and the communication device 4, and outputs various data to the image forming device 1, the worker terminal 3, and the communication device 4.

[0012] The point management server 2 is a device that manages points of users who use the image forming device 1. The point management server 2 is a device that manages points of users who use multiple image forming devices 1. For example, the point management server 2 stores user information of users who use the image forming device 1. The user information indicates point information of the user. The point information is a collection of point records generated for each user. The point record includes, for example, a user ID and point data. The user ID is, for example, information that can uniquely identify a user. Points indicate the number of points that can be exchanged for benefits. Benefits are beneficial events given to users. For example, users can obtain benefits based on the number of accumulated points. Benefits include, for example, the ability to exchange points for consumables, the ability to obtain gifts, the ability to obtain tickets to enter prize draws, etc. Points are an example of a benefit. The point data includes, for example, data such as the point balance, the acquired point number, and the accumulated point number. The point balance indicates the point number up to the previous time. The acquired point number indicates the point number to be added.

[0013] The worker terminal 3 is a device capable of communicating with other devices. The worker terminal 3 is a device used by a service engineer (worker) who performs maintenance work. The worker terminal 3 is a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. The worker terminal 3, for example, receives a visit request notice regarding maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1. The visit request notice is, for example, a notice indicating that maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 is required. The maintenance work includes work such as repair and maintenance of each part of the image forming apparatus 1. In accordance with the visit request notice, the service engineer visits the location where the image forming apparatus 1 is installed and performs the maintenance work. After completing the maintenance work, the service engineer may input the results of the maintenance work into the worker terminal 3. The worker terminal 3 may transmit the results of the maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 to a maintenance work management server, etc.

[0014] The communication device 4 is a device capable of communicating with other devices. The communication device 4 is a device carried by a service engineer who performs maintenance work. The communication device 4 includes a LAN interface such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and a wide-area wireless communication interface such as cellular wireless. The communication device 4 includes a positioning device such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) module. The communication device 4 acquires position information of the service engineer from the positioning device. The position information is, for example, coordinate information. The communication device 4 is an example of an electronic device.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of an example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is an electronic device having an electrophotographic printing function, and will be described as an MFP having a copy function, a print function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, and the like.

[0016] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10, a control panel 20, a scanner unit 30, a communication circuit 40, an input / output interface 50, an audio output device 60, a printer unit 70, and a power supply circuit 80.

[0017] The control unit 10 controls the operation of each part of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 10 includes a control circuit 11, a main memory 12, and a storage 13.

[0018] The control circuit 11 corresponds to the central part of the image forming apparatus 1. The control circuit 11 is an element that constitutes the computer of the image forming apparatus 1. The control circuit 11 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In addition to or instead of the CPU, the control circuit 11 may include an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control circuit 11 loads programs that are pre-stored in the main memory 12 or the storage 13 into the main memory 12. The control circuit 11 executes the programs loaded into the main memory 12 to perform various processes. The programs are programs that cause the control circuit 11 to realize each unit described below and to execute the processes of each unit. The control circuit 11 is an example of a processing circuit.

[0019] The main memory 12 corresponds to the main storage portion of the image forming apparatus 1. The main memory 12 is an element that constitutes the computer of the image forming apparatus 1. The main memory 12 includes a nonvolatile memory area and a volatile memory area. The main memory 12 stores an operating system or a program in the nonvolatile memory area. The main memory 12 uses the volatile memory area as a work area where data is rewritten as appropriate by the control circuit 11. For example, the main memory 12 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) as a nonvolatile memory area. For example, the main memory 12 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a volatile memory area.

[0020] The storage 13 corresponds to an auxiliary storage portion of the image forming apparatus 1. The storage 13 is an element that constitutes the computer of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the storage 13 includes an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage 13 may include a semiconductor storage medium such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) in addition to or instead of the HDD. The storage 13 stores the above-mentioned programs, data used by the control circuit 11 in performing various processes, and data generated by the processes of the control circuit 11. The storage 13 is an example of a storage device.

[0021] The storage 13 stores information about malfunctions of the image forming device 1. The malfunctions include malfunctions that can be handled by the user and malfunctions that cannot be handled by the user. A malfunction that can be handled by the user is a malfunction that can be recovered by taking action by the user. A malfunction that cannot be handled by the user is a malfunction that cannot be recovered by taking action by the user, or a malfunction that requires action by a service engineer. The information about malfunctions is, for example, a malfunction table. The malfunction table includes information indicating the type of malfunction, how to handle it, and whether it can be handled by the user. The types of malfunctions include, for example, jam, out of paper, out of toner, sensor abnormality, memory abnormality, etc. The types of malfunctions can be classified by error code.

[0022] The response method is information indicating a response method for each malfunction. The response methods include response methods that can be handled by the user and response methods that cannot be handled by the user. A response method that can be handled by the user is a response method that can be handled by the user. An example of a response method that can be handled by the user is replacing a toner cartridge. A response method that cannot be handled by the user is a response method that cannot be handled by the user. An example of a response method that cannot be handled by the user is maintenance work by a service engineer. The user response information indicates whether the malfunction can be handled by the user. For example, consider a case where the malfunction is "out of toner." The "out of toner" malfunction is a malfunction that can be handled by the user because it can be resolved by replacing a toner cartridge by the user. For example, the "sensor abnormality" malfunction is a malfunction that cannot be handled by the user because it requires the attention of a service engineer. The malfunction table is a table that links error codes, types of malfunctions, response methods, and information indicating whether the malfunction can be handled by the user. The malfunction table can be set in advance by an administrator of the image forming device 1 or the like. The malfunction table can also be updated by an administrator of the image forming device 1 or the like.

[0023] The storage 13 stores the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during a visit. The carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during a visit are information indicating the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during a visit by a service engineer. The storage 13 stores, for example, coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the visit distance based on coordinate information of the service base where the service engineer in charge of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 is stationed. The visit distance is an example of the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer. The visit distance is, for example, the distance between the service base and the image forming apparatus 1. The visit distance may also be the distance between the service engineer's current location and the image forming apparatus 1. The storage 13 estimates and stores the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during a visit based on the means of transportation used by the service engineer for the visit. For example, if the means of transportation is a certain model of company vehicle, the storage 13 stores the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance of that model of vehicle as the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during a visit. The visit distance may be calculated based on the coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the location information of the service engineer. The transportation means may include a plurality of transportation means. The storage 13 may store the carbon dioxide emission amount per unit distance corresponding to the plurality of transportation means as the carbon dioxide emission amount per unit distance during the visit.

[0024] The control panel 20 includes a touch panel 21 and input buttons 22 .

[0025] The touch panel 21 is a device capable of displaying images and capable of inputting instructions based on user operations on the touch panel 21. The touch panel 21 includes a display device capable of displaying images. The display device is, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The touch panel 21 includes an input device that is stacked on the display device and capable of inputting instructions based on user operations on the touch panel 21. A user operation on the touch panel 21 is a user operation that involves touching the touch panel 21. The touch panel 21 is also called a touch screen.

[0026] The input button 22 is a button that can be pressed, such as a print start button, etc. The input button 22 is an interface that allows instructions to be input based on a user operation on the input button 22.

[0027] The scanner unit 30 is a device that reads images such as characters, figures, and photographs drawn on a sheet placed at a predetermined position. The scanner unit 30 includes a line sensor. The line sensor may be a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type or a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) type. The scanner unit 30 generates image data based on an image read using the line sensor. The scanner unit 30 transmits the generated image data to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 stores the received image data in the storage 13 or transmits it to the printer unit 70.

[0028] The communication circuit 40 is an interface for communicatively connecting the image forming apparatus 1 and a user terminal via a wired or wireless network. For example, the user terminal is a PC (Personal Computer) or the like, but is not limited to this.

[0029] The input / output interface 50 is an interface for connecting the image forming apparatus 1 to an external device. The input / output interface 50 includes a connector for a wired cable.

[0030] The audio output device 60 is a device that can output audio under the control of the control circuit 11. For example, the audio output device 60 is a speaker.

[0031] The printer unit 70 is a unit that forms an image on a sheet. The printer unit 70 uses a print function to form an image on a sheet based on image data transmitted from a user terminal via a network. The printer unit 70 uses a copy function to form an image on a sheet based on image data generated by the scanner unit 30. Here, an example of a printer unit 70 that uses a tandem toner image transfer unit will be described. The printer unit 70 includes a storage section 71, a conveying section 72, an image forming section 73, and a fixing unit 74.

[0032] The storage unit 71 stores sheets. The storage unit 71 includes a paper feed cassette and a pickup roller. The paper feed cassette stores sheets. The pickup roller picks up sheets one by one from the paper feed cassette. The pickup roller supplies the picked-up sheets to the conveying unit 72.

[0033] The conveying section 72 conveys a sheet in the printer unit 70. The conveying section 72 includes a plurality of rollers and a registration roller. The plurality of rollers includes a roller that conveys the sheet supplied by the pickup roller to the registration roller. The plurality of rollers includes a roller that is provided downstream of a fixing device 74 (described later) and discharges the sheet to an output tray. The registration roller conveys the sheet to a transfer section in accordance with the timing at which the transfer section of the image forming section 73 (described later) transfers a toner image onto the sheet.

[0034] The image forming unit 73 forms a toner image on a sheet. The image forming unit 73 includes an intermediate transfer belt, multiple developing units, an exposure unit, a transfer unit, and the like. The intermediate transfer belt is an endless belt. The multiple developing units correspond to the number of toner types. The multiple developing units include a black developing unit, a cyan developing unit, a magenta developing unit, and a yellow developing unit. Each developing unit includes a photosensitive drum. Each developing unit includes a charger, a developing device, a primary transfer roller, a cleaning unit, and a static eliminator around the photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum is a drum with a photosensitive layer on its surface. The charger uniformly charges the photosensitive layer on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum with toner. The developing device forms a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The primary transfer roller faces the photosensitive drum, sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt between them. The primary transfer roller transfers the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum onto the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaning unit removes untransferred toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum. The static eliminator irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum with light. The static eliminator eliminates static electricity from the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum by irradiating it with light. The exposure unit irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum in each development unit with laser light via an optical system such as a polygon mirror. The exposure unit forms an electrostatic pattern on the surface of the photosensitive drum as an electrostatic latent image. The transfer unit transfers the charged toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt to a sheet. The transfer unit includes a support roller and a secondary transfer roller configured to sandwich the intermediate transfer belt and the sheet from both sides in the thickness direction.

[0035] The fixing device 74 applies heat and pressure to the sheet on which the toner image is formed and which is supplied from the image forming unit 73. The fixing device 74 fixes the toner image formed on the sheet to the sheet by the heat and pressure.

[0036] The power supply circuit 80 converts AC power supplied from a commercial power source into DC power and supplies the power to each unit of the image forming apparatus 1. The power supply circuit 80 can be controlled by the control circuit 11.

[0037] The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 is not limited to the above configuration. The image forming apparatus 1 allows the above components to be omitted or changed and new components to be added as appropriate. The image forming apparatus 1 does not need to have the audio output device 60. The audio output device 60 may be connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via the input / output interface 50.

[0038] Each unit realized in the above-mentioned control circuit 11 will be described. The control circuit 11 realizes a detection unit 111, a calculation unit 112, a display processing unit 113, an acquisition unit 114, a point processing unit 115, and an output unit 116. Each unit realized in the control circuit 11 can also be referred to as each function. Each unit realized in the control circuit 11 can also be referred to as being realized in a control unit including the control circuit 11 and the main memory 12.

[0039] The detection unit 111 detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1. The detection unit 111 may acquire a notification of the malfunction from each part of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, if a jam is detected in the printer unit 70, the printer unit 70 may notify the detection unit 111 of an error code indicating the jam. The detection unit 111 detects recovery from the malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1. The detection unit 111 may acquire a notification of recovery from the malfunction from each part of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0040] The calculation unit 112 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits to perform maintenance work on the malfunction detected by the detection unit 111. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted is also referred to as the carbon dioxide emission amount. The calculation unit 112 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits, based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emission per unit distance according to the service engineer's visit method. The calculation unit 112 may calculate the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer based on location information of the service engineer's current location.

[0041] The display processing unit 113 displays the carbon dioxide emission amount calculated by the calculation unit 112 on the touch panel 21. The display processing unit 113 displays a message on the touch panel 21 asking whether to request a service engineer's visit. The display processing unit 113 displays on the touch panel 21 how to deal with the malfunction detected by the detection unit 111. When it is detected that the malfunction detected by the detection unit 111 has been recovered from, the display processing unit 113 displays on the touch panel 21 the points to be awarded to the user.

[0042] The acquisition unit 114 acquires various instructions based on user operations. The instructions include an instruction to request a visit by a service engineer. The instructions include an instruction not to request a visit by a service engineer. The instructions include an instruction indicating that response to the malfunction has been completed.

[0043] The point processing unit 115 performs point processing. The point processing unit 115 performs processing to award points to the user when it detects that a recovery from the malfunction detected by the detection unit 111 has been detected. The detection of a recovery from the malfunction is an example of the malfunction no longer being detected.

[0044] The output unit 116 outputs a visit request notice to the worker terminal 3 based on receiving an instruction to request a service engineer's visit. The visit request notice may include a message requesting a service engineer's visit. The visit request notice may include image forming device identification information for identifying the image forming device 1 that is the target of maintenance work. The image forming device identification information may include, for example, the serial number, model number, and user name of the image forming device 1. In the following description, "output" may be read as "send."

[0045] (Example of operation) FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of information processing in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. The processing procedure described below is merely an example, and each process may be changed as much as possible. In the processing procedure, each process may be omitted or replaced depending on the embodiment, and new processes may also be added.

[0046] The following process will be described taking as an example a case where a user uses the print function of image forming apparatus 1. The following process is started when detection unit 111 detects a malfunction that has occurred in image forming apparatus 1. The following process is started when the detected malfunction is a malfunction that can be handled by the user.

[0047] For example, the control circuit 11 of the image forming apparatus 1 detects a malfunction that has occurred in the image forming apparatus 1. This processing may be processing by a detection unit 111 realized by the control circuit 11. The control circuit 11 may, for example, acquire an error code corresponding to the malfunction. For example, if the malfunction is a jam, the control circuit 11 may acquire an error code from the printer unit 70. The control circuit 11 determines whether the detected malfunction can be handled by the user based on the malfunction table. The control circuit 11 acquires information linked to the error code indicating whether the malfunction can be handled by the user. The control circuit 11 determines whether the malfunction can be handled by the user based on the information indicating whether the malfunction can be handled by the user. The control circuit 11 performs the following processing based on whether the detected malfunction can be handled by the user.

[0048] The control circuit 11 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit (ACT1). The amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit is an example of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits for maintenance work. ACT1 may be processing by the calculation unit 112 implemented by the control circuit 11. In ACT1, for example, the control circuit 11 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits the installation location of the image forming device 1 to perform maintenance work on the image forming device 1 that has developed a malfunction. The control circuit 11 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit based on the distance between the image forming device 1 and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance depending on the method of the service engineer's visit.

[0049] In one example, the control circuit 11 calculates the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer based on location information of the service center where the service engineer in charge of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 is stationed. Specifically, the control circuit 11 acquires coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 from the storage 13. The control circuit 11 acquires coordinate information of the service center where the service engineer in charge of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 is stationed from the storage 13. The control circuit 11 calculates the visit distance from the coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the coordinate information of the service center. The control circuit 11 may store the visit distance in the storage 13 in advance. The distance between the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the service center is an example of the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer. The control circuit 11 calculates the carbon dioxide emission amount per unit distance during the visit based on the means of transportation used by the service engineer for the visit. The control circuit 11 may store the carbon dioxide emission amount per unit distance during the visit in the storage 13 in advance.

[0050] In another example, the control circuit 11 calculates the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer based on the location information of the service engineer in charge of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1. The location information of the service engineer is location information indicating the current location of the service engineer. Specifically, the control circuit 11 acquires coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 from the storage 13. The control circuit 11 acquires the location information of the service engineer in charge of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 1 from the communication device 4. The control circuit 11 calculates the visit distance from the coordinate information of the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the coordinate information of the service engineer. The control circuit 11 may store the visit distance in the storage 13. The distance between the installation location of the image forming apparatus 1 and the current location of the service engineer is an example of the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer. The control circuit 11 calculates the carbon dioxide emission per unit distance during the visit based on the means of transportation used by the service engineer for the visit. The control circuit 11 may store the carbon dioxide emission per unit distance during the visit in the storage 13 in advance.

[0051] The control circuit 11 calculates the carbon dioxide emission amount during the visit by multiplying the visiting distance by the carbon dioxide emission amount per unit distance during the visit. The control circuit 11 may store the visiting carbon dioxide emission amount in the storage 13.

[0052] The control circuit 11 displays the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit on the touch panel 21 (ACT2). ACT2 may be processing by the display processing unit 113 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT2, for example, the control circuit 11 displays a carbon dioxide amount display image on the touch panel 21. The carbon dioxide amount display image includes, for example, a message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit. The message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit is, for example, "260g of carbon dioxide will be emitted during the service engineer's visit."

[0053] The control circuit 11 displays an inquiry message on the touch panel 21 (ACT3). The inquiry message is an example of a message asking whether to request a service engineer's visit. The inquiry message is, for example, a message instructing whether to request a service engineer's visit. ACT3 may be processing by the display processing unit 113 implemented by the control circuit 11. In ACT3, for example, the control circuit 11 displays an image including the inquiry message on the touch panel 21. The inquiry message is a message inquiring whether to request a service engineer's visit. An example of the inquiry message is "Do you want to request a visit?" The inquiry message may include a message indicating that the problem can be handled by the user. An example of a message indicating that the problem can be handled by the user is "The problem can be handled by the customer." The inquiry message may include a button through which an instruction as to whether to request a visit can be input. The control circuit 11 may display a button through which an instruction as to whether to request a visit can be input together with the display of the inquiry message. The button through which an instruction can be input is an operator for instructing whether to request a service engineer's visit. The buttons that can be used to input instructions are, for example, a "Yes" button and a "No" button. The "Yes" button is an operator that can be used to input an instruction to request a service engineer's visit. The "No" button is an operator that can be used to input an instruction not to request a service engineer's visit.

[0054] The control circuit 11 may display a carbon dioxide amount display image including an inquiry message on the touch panel 21. In one example, the control circuit 11 may display the inquiry message on the touch panel 21 together with the message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit. In another example, the control circuit 11 may display the inquiry message on the touch panel 21 after displaying the message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit.

[0055] The control circuit 11 determines whether the user has requested a visit (ACT4). ACT4 may be processing by the acquisition unit 114 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT4, for example, the control circuit 11 determines whether the user has operated the "Yes" button. The control circuit 11 acquires an instruction to request a visit based on the user's operation of the "Yes" button. If the control circuit 11 acquires an instruction to request a visit, it determines that the user has requested a visit. If the control circuit 11 acquires an instruction not to request a visit based on the user's operation of the "No" button. If the control circuit 11 acquires an instruction not to request a visit, it determines that the user has not requested a visit. If the user has requested a visit (ACT4: YES), the process transitions from ACT4 to ACT5. If the user has not requested a visit (ACT4: NO), the process transitions from ACT4 to ACT6.

[0056] When a user inputs an instruction to request a service engineer's visit, the control circuit 11 outputs a visit request notice (ACT5). ACT5 may be processing by the output unit 116 implemented by the control circuit 11. In ACT5, for example, the control circuit 11 outputs the visit request notice in response to the user's instruction to request a visit. The control circuit 11 outputs the visit request notice to the worker terminal 3 via the communication circuit 40. The control circuit 11 outputs the visit request notice to the worker terminal 3, for example, based on information identifying the worker terminal 3 used by the service engineer stored in the storage 13. The visit request notice includes, for example, a message requesting a visit. The message requesting a visit may be, for example, "A service engineer's visit has been requested." The visit request notice may include information such as image forming device identification information and an error code that can identify the image forming device 1 in which a malfunction has been detected.

[0057] When the user inputs an instruction not to request a service engineer's visit, the control circuit 11 displays a solution to the detected malfunction on the touch panel 21 (ACT6). ACT6 may be processing by the display processing unit 113 implemented by the control circuit 11. In ACT6, for example, the control circuit 11 displays a solution on the touch panel 21 in response to the user's instruction not to request a visit. The instruction not to request a visit may include an error code indicating the malfunction. The control circuit 11 acquires information on a solution to the malfunction from the storage 13. The control circuit 11 acquires information on the solution associated with the error code based on the malfunction table. The solution is, for example, text information indicating the solution to the malfunction. The solution may also be text information indicating the steps of the solution. The control circuit 11 displays a solution display image including a message indicating the solution on the touch panel 21. The message indicating the solution is, for example, "Please replace the toner cartridge." The solution display image may include a "solution completed" button to indicate that the solution has been completed. The "Response Completed" button is an operator that allows the user to input an instruction indicating that the response to the problem has been completed. Note that the response method may be an image, video, or audio indicating the response method to the problem.

[0058] The control circuit 11 determines whether the response to the malfunction has been completed (ACT7). ACT7 may be processing by the acquisition unit 114 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT7, for example, the control circuit 11 determines whether the user has operated the "Response Completed" button. The control circuit 11 determines that the response to the malfunction has been completed based on the user's operation of the "Response Completed" button. The control circuit 11 determines that the response to the malfunction has not been completed based on the user's failure to operate the "Response Completed" button. If the response to the malfunction has been completed (ACT7: YES), the process transitions from ACT7 to ACT8. If the response to the malfunction has not been completed (ACT7: NO), the process repeats ACT7.

[0059] The control circuit 11 determines whether the malfunction has been recovered from (ACT8). ACT8 may be processing by the detection unit 111 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT8, for example, the control circuit 11 detects recovery from the malfunction. The control circuit 11 may determine that the malfunction has been recovered from based on receiving a recovery notification from the location where the malfunction occurred. For example, if the malfunction is a jam, the control circuit 11 may receive a recovery notification from the printer unit 70. The control circuit 11 may determine that the malfunction has been recovered from based on the malfunction no longer being detected by the detection unit 111. If the malfunction has been recovered from (ACT8: YES), the process transitions from ACT8 to ACT10. If the malfunction has not been recovered from (ACT8: NO), the process transitions from ACT8 to ACT9.

[0060] If the "Response Completed" button is pressed when recovery from the malfunction cannot be detected, the control circuit 11 outputs an error notification (ACT9). ACT9 may be processing by the output unit 116 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT9, for example, the control circuit 11 outputs an error notification to the worker terminal 3 via the communication circuit 40. The error notification includes, for example, a message indicating that a malfunction has occurred. An example of a message indicating that a malfunction has occurred is "A malfunction has occurred in image forming device A." The error notification may include information such as image forming device identification information that can identify the image forming device 1 in which the malfunction was detected, an error code, etc.

[0061] When the malfunction is no longer detected, the control circuit 11 processes the awarding of points to the user (ACT10). ACT10 may be processing by the point processing unit 115 realized by the control circuit 11. In ACT10, for example, the control circuit 11 outputs information indicating the acquired points to the point management server 2 via the communication circuit 40. The acquired points may be a predetermined number of points awarded when the malfunction is addressed. The acquired points may be different points depending on the type of malfunction addressed. In this case, the control circuit 11 may obtain the acquired points according to the type of malfunction, for example, based on a malfunction table. The information indicating the acquired points may include user identification information that can identify the user of the image forming device 1. The user identification information is, for example, a user ID. The point management server 2 adds the acquired points to the point balance of the corresponding user based on the user ID. The point management server 2 may output the user's point information to the image forming device 1. The point information includes information indicating the point balance, the acquired points, and the accumulated points. The image forming device 1 may acquire point information from the point management server 2 via the communication circuit 40. Based on the point information, the image forming device 1 may display a point display image on the touch panel 21. The point display image includes, for example, a message indicating the remaining point number, the acquired point number, and the accumulated point number.

[0062] The control circuit 11 may output information indicating that the user has dealt with the problem to the point management server 2 via the communication circuit 40. The point management server 2 may calculate the number of earned points based on the information indicating that the user has dealt with the problem.

[0063] In ACT6, the control circuit 11 may display an image or video showing the response method on the touch panel 21 instead of or in addition to the message showing the response method. The control circuit 11 may output a sound showing the response method from the audio output device 60. The control circuit 11 may also guide the user to another system showing the response method. For example, the control circuit 11 may display link information of a website showing the response method on the touch panel 21.

[0064] According to this example, the control circuit 11 detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1, calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits to perform maintenance work on the detected malfunction, and displays the calculated amount of carbon dioxide. For example, when the control circuit 11 detects a malfunction and requests a service engineer to visit to address the malfunction, the control circuit 11 presents the user with the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the service engineer's visit. The user of the image forming apparatus 1 can recognize in advance the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the service engineer's visit. Therefore, the user can decide whether to request a service engineer's visit based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. For example, a user who is sensitive to carbon dioxide emissions may refrain from requesting a service engineer's visit based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. In this way, the control circuit 11 can motivate the user to address the malfunction themselves based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to address malfunctions of the image forming apparatus 1 independently. For example, when a malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1 can be handled by the user, the control circuit 11 can display the amount of carbon dioxide emissions at the time of the visit on the touch panel 21. The control circuit 11 can display a message indicating that the malfunction can be handled by the user on the touch panel 21. Therefore, by recognizing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that would be emitted if the user of the image forming apparatus 1 requests a service engineer to visit for a malfunction that the user can handle themselves, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 can refrain from requesting a service engineer to visit. In this way, the control circuit 11 can motivate the user to handle a malfunction that the user can handle themselves based on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to independently handle malfunctions of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0065] Furthermore, the control circuit 11 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emission during a visit, for example, when a malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1 can be handled by the user. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can omit the process of calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during a visit when the malfunction cannot be handled by the user. By determining whether the malfunction can be handled by the user, the control circuit 11 can reduce the amount of processing required for calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during a visit.

[0066] Furthermore, the control circuit 11 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits, based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance according to the service engineer's visit method. For example, if the service engineer's service base and visit method are fixed, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit can be calculated based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can simplify the process of calculating the amount of carbon dioxide.

[0067] The control circuit 11 also calculates the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer based on the service engineer's location information. For example, even if the service engineer is not at the service base, such as when the service engineer is visiting the installation location of another image forming apparatus, the control circuit 11 can accurately calculate the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer by acquiring the service engineer's location information. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can more accurately calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the visit. As a result, the control circuit 11 can motivate the user to fix problems that can be fixed themselves based on the more accurately calculated carbon dioxide emissions. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to independently fix problems with the image forming apparatus 1. Furthermore, for example, if the service engineer happens to be near the image forming apparatus where the problem occurred, and carbon dioxide emissions are low, the user can feel free to request a service engineer's visit.

[0068] Additionally, the control circuit 11 displays a message asking whether to request a service engineer's visit, either together with or after displaying the amount of carbon dioxide emitted upon the service engineer's visit. For example, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 can instruct whether to request a service engineer's visit at the same time as or after checking the amount of carbon dioxide emitted upon the service engineer's visit. Therefore, the user can instruct whether to request a service engineer's visit based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted upon the service engineer's visit. This allows the control circuit 11 to motivate the user to address any malfunctions on their own based on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to address any malfunctions of the image forming apparatus 1 independently.

[0069] Furthermore, when the user inputs an instruction not to request a service engineer's visit, the control circuit 11 displays a method for dealing with the malfunction. For example, after inputting an instruction not to request a service engineer's visit, the user deals with the malfunction themselves. When the user deals with the malfunction themselves, the control circuit 11 displays the method for dealing with the malfunction, thereby providing the user with an appropriate method for dealing with the malfunction. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can support the user in dealing with the malfunction themselves. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to deal with the malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1 independently.

[0070] Furthermore, when a user inputs an instruction to request a visit from a service engineer, the control circuit 11 outputs a visit request notice. In response to the instruction to request a visit, the control circuit 11 can request a service engineer to visit by outputting the visit request notice to the worker terminal 3. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can easily request a service engineer to visit.

[0071] Furthermore, if the malfunction is no longer detected after the display of the troubleshooting method, the control circuit 11 processes the awarding of points to the user. For example, when the user manually handles the malfunction, the control circuit 11 determines whether the malfunction has been resolved. The control circuit 11 processes the awarding of points to the user based on whether the malfunction has been resolved. The user can earn points when the user manually handles the malfunction and resolves the malfunction. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can motivate the user to manually handle the malfunction. In this way, the image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to independently handle malfunctions in the image forming apparatus 1. Furthermore, the control circuit 11 performs point processing only when the malfunction has been resolved. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can perform point processing only when the malfunction has been resolved. This allows the control circuit 11 to reduce the processing load for point processing.

[0072] (Display example) An image displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a carbon dioxide amount display image displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.

[0073] 4 is a diagram showing the carbon dioxide amount display image Ima displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the display processing unit 113 displays the carbon dioxide amount display image Ima on the touch panel 21 when a malfunction that can be fixed by the user is detected. The display processing unit 113 may display a message indicating that a malfunction has occurred or a message indicating the type of malfunction on the touch panel 21, and then display the carbon dioxide amount display image Ima on the touch panel 21. For example, the display processing unit 113 displays a message such as "A jam has occurred" together with a confirmation button or the like on the touch panel 21. The display processing unit 113 may display the carbon dioxide amount display image Ima on the touch panel 21 based on the user operating the confirmation button or the like.

[0074] The carbon dioxide amount display image Ima includes a carbon dioxide emission amount display area Ma, an inquiry message display area Mb, a "Yes" button Ba, and a "No" button Bb. The carbon dioxide emission amount display area Ma is an area that displays a message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission at the time of the visit. The message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission at the time of the visit may be, for example, "260 g of carbon dioxide will be emitted when a service engineer visits." Based on the message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission, the user of the image forming apparatus 1 can recognize the amount of carbon dioxide that will be emitted if they request a service engineer visit to address a malfunction.

[0075] The inquiry message display area Mb is an area for displaying an inquiry message. An inquiry message may be, for example, "You can handle this yourself. Would you like to request a visit?" Based on the inquiry message, the user of the image forming device 1 can recognize that the problem can be handled by themselves. Based on the inquiry message, the user of the image forming device 1 can select whether or not to request a visit by a service engineer.

[0076] The "Yes" button Ba is an operator that allows the user to input an instruction to request a service engineer's visit. When requesting a service engineer's visit, the user selects the "Yes" button Ba by a touch operation or the like. The control circuit 11 acquires the instruction to request a service engineer's visit based on the touch operation of the "Yes" button Ba. The control circuit 11 outputs a visit request notification based on the instruction to request a service engineer's visit.

[0077] The "No" button Bb is an operator that allows the user to input an instruction not to request a service engineer's visit. If the user does not want to request a service engineer's visit, the user selects the "No" button Bb by touching or the like. Based on the touch operation of the "No" button Bb, the control circuit 11 acquires the instruction not to request a service engineer's visit. Based on the instruction to request a service engineer's visit, the control circuit 11 displays a response method display image showing a response method on the touch panel 21.

[0078] The control circuit 11 may simultaneously display a message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during the visit and an inquiry message on the touch panel 21. The control circuit 11 may display an inquiry message on the touch panel 21 after displaying a message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during the visit on the touch panel 21.

[0079] The control circuit 11 may output an image, video, or audio as a message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during the visit or an inquiry message in addition to or instead of a text message. For example, the control circuit 11 may display an image or video indicating the message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during the visit or an inquiry message on the touch panel 21. The control circuit 11 may output the message indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emission during the visit or the inquiry message as audio via the audio output device 60.

[0080] According to this example, the control circuit 11 can display the amount of carbon dioxide emission at the time of the visit on the touch panel 21 when the malfunction of the image forming device 1 can be handled by the user. The user of the image forming device 1 can recognize the amount of carbon dioxide emission that will be emitted if they request a service engineer to visit to handle the malfunction. The user can decide whether to request a service engineer to visit based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can motivate the user to handle the malfunction themselves based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission. The user can choose to handle the malfunction themselves to reduce carbon dioxide emission based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission. In this way, the image forming device 1 can encourage the user to handle the malfunction of the image forming device 1 independently.

[0081] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a response method display image displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.

[0082] 5 is a diagram showing a response method display image Imb displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the display processing unit 113 displays the response method display image Imb on the touch panel 21 based on a user inputting an instruction not to request a visit from a service engineer. The display processing unit 113 displays the response method display image Imb on the touch panel 21 based on receiving an instruction not to request a visit from a service engineer.

[0083] The response method display image Imb includes a response method display area Mc and a "Response Complete" button Bc. The response method display area Mc is an area that displays a message indicating how to respond to the malfunction. The message indicating the response method is, for example, "Please replace the toner cartridge." The user of the image forming apparatus 1 can respond to the malfunction based on the message indicating the response method.

[0084] The "Response Completed" button Bc is an operator that allows the user to input an instruction indicating that the response to the malfunction has been completed. After the user has responded to the malfunction based on the response method, the user selects the "Response Completed" button Bc by a touch operation or the like. The control circuit 11 determines that the response to the malfunction has been completed based on the touch operation of the "Response Completed" button Bc.

[0085] The control circuit 11 may output an image, video, or audio as a message indicating the corrective action in addition to or instead of a text message. For example, the control circuit 11 may display an image or video indicating the corrective action on the touch panel 21. The control circuit 11 may output audio indicating the corrective action via the audio output device 60.

[0086] According to this example, when the user of image forming apparatus 1 inputs an instruction not to request a visit from a service engineer, control circuit 11 can display a message indicating a response method on touch panel 21. The user of image forming apparatus 1 can respond to the malfunction by themselves based on the message indicating the response method. In this way, image forming apparatus 1 can encourage the user to respond to malfunctions of image forming apparatus 1 independently.

[0087] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a point display image displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. 6 is a diagram showing a point display image Imc displayed on the touch panel 21 of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, when a user inputs an instruction indicating that the troubleshooting has been completed and it is determined that the troubleshooting has been resolved, the display processing unit 113 displays the point display image Imc on the touch panel 21. The display processing unit 113 displays the point display image Imc on the touch panel 21 based on the user's point information acquired from the point management server 2, for example.

[0088] The point display image Imc includes a point display area Md and a "Confirm" button Bd. The point display area Md is an area that displays information about the points of the user of the image forming device 1. The information about points includes, for example, information indicating the number of points earned, the number of points remaining, and the total number of points. The point display area Md includes a message about points. The message about points includes, for example, "XXX points earned this time," "YYY points up to last time," and "ZZZ points to total." Based on the message about points, the user of the image forming device 1 can recognize the number of points earned for addressing the malfunction and the total number of points.

[0089] The "Confirm" button Bd is an operator that allows the user to input an instruction to hide the point display image Imc. After the user checks the message regarding points, the user selects the "Confirm" button Bd by a touch operation or the like. The control circuit 11 hides the point display image Imc based on the touch operation of the "Confirm" button Bd.

[0090] The control circuit 11 may output an image, video, or audio message related to points in addition to or instead of a text message. For example, the control circuit 11 may display an image or video showing information related to points on the touch panel 21. The control circuit 11 may output audio showing information related to points via the audio output device 60.

[0091] According to this example, the control circuit 11 can display on the touch panel 21 a message indicating points to be awarded to a user of the image forming apparatus 1 when the user takes action to resolve a malfunction. The user of the image forming apparatus 1 can check the points that can be acquired if the user takes action to resolve a malfunction on his or her own. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 can motivate the user to take action to resolve a malfunction on his or her own, based on the number of points acquired. This allows the image forming apparatus 1 to encourage the user to take action to resolve a malfunction of the image forming apparatus 1 on his or her own initiative. Furthermore, when the malfunction is no longer detected, the control circuit 11 can award points to the user and display information about the awarded points on the touch panel 21. Therefore, the control circuit 11 can perform point processing only when the malfunction is resolved by the user's response. This allows the control circuit 11 to limit the cases where point processing is performed, thereby reducing the amount of processing related to point processing.

[0092] (Variation) In the above example, the image forming apparatus 1 calculates the carbon dioxide emissions during the visit based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer and the carbon dioxide emissions per unit distance during the visit, but this is not limited to this. The image forming apparatus 1 may calculate the carbon dioxide emissions during the visit using other activity amounts or emission units. The image forming apparatus 1 may also calculate the carbon dioxide emissions during the visit according to the type of malfunction. For example, if the location of the service engineer varies depending on the type of malfunction, the image forming apparatus 1 may obtain the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the service engineer according to the type of malfunction and calculate the carbon dioxide emissions during the visit. The image forming apparatus 1 may also calculate the carbon dioxide emissions during the visit based on the amount of power consumption required to address the malfunction, etc.

[0093] In the above example, the image forming apparatus 1 calculates the visit-time carbon dioxide emission amount when the malfunction can be handled by the user, but this is not limited to this. The image forming apparatus 1 may calculate the visit-time carbon dioxide emission amount each time a malfunction is detected. According to this example, the image forming apparatus 1 can omit the process of determining whether the malfunction can be handled by the user. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 can reduce the amount of processing required for the process of determining whether the malfunction can be handled by the user.

[0094] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiment has been described using an image forming apparatus as an example, but is not limited thereto. The embodiment can be applied to an apparatus having at least one of a sensor, a camera, and a microphone. The embodiment can also be applied to a POS (Point of Sales) device.

[0095] Some or all of the multiple storage areas of the image forming apparatus 1 may be held by a single electronic device other than the image forming apparatus 1. Some or all of the multiple storage areas of the image forming apparatus 1 may be distributed among multiple electronic devices other than the image forming apparatus 1.

[0096] The image forming apparatus 1 may be realized by one electronic device, or may be realized by a plurality of electronic devices with distributed functions.

[0097] The above-described embodiments may be applied to a method executed by the system, a program that can cause the computer of the system to execute each function, or a recording medium that stores the program.

[0098] Each of the one or more circuits constituting the processing circuit performs one or more of the multiple processes. When the processing circuit is composed of a single circuit, the single circuit performs all of the multiple processes. When the processing circuit is composed of multiple circuits, each of the multiple circuits performs a part of the multiple processes. The part of the multiple processes may be one of the multiple processes, or two or more of the multiple processes. When the processing circuit is composed of multiple circuits, the multiple circuits may be included in a single device or may be distributed across multiple devices.

[0099] The program may be transferred in a state where it is stored in the electronic device according to the embodiment, or in a state where it is not stored in the electronic device. In the latter case, the program may be transferred via a network, or in a state where it is recorded on a recording medium. The recording medium is a non-transitory tangible medium. The recording medium is a computer-readable medium. The recording medium may be in any form, such as a CD-ROM or a memory card, as long as it is capable of storing the program and is computer-readable.

[0100] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0101] The above embodiment may be expressed as follows. (1) a detection unit that detects a malfunction of an image forming apparatus; a calculation unit that calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits the facility to perform maintenance work on the malfunction detected by the detection unit; and a display processing unit that displays the amount of carbon dioxide calculated by the calculation unit; An image forming apparatus comprising: (2) The image forming device described in (1), wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits based on the distance between the image forming device and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance according to the service engineer's visit method. (3) The image forming apparatus according to (2), wherein the calculation unit calculates the distance between the image forming apparatus and the service engineer based on location information of the service engineer. (4) The image forming device described in (1), wherein the display processing unit displays a message asking whether to request a visit from the service engineer, together with or after displaying the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits. (5) when a user inputs an instruction not to request a visit from the service engineer, the display processing unit displays a method for dealing with the malfunction detected by the detection unit; and a point processing unit that processes the awarding of a benefit to the user when the malfunction is no longer detected by the detection unit after the display of the response method. (4) An image forming apparatus according to (4). [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1...image forming apparatus, 2...point management server, 3...worker terminal, 4...communication device, 10...control unit, 11...control circuit, 12...main memory, 13...storage, 20...control panel, 21...touch panel, 22...input button, 30...scanner unit, 40...communication circuit, 50...input / output interface, 60...audio output device, 70...printer unit, 71...storage section, 72...conveyor section, 73...image forming section, 74...fixing unit, 80...power supply circuit, 111...detection section, 112...calculation section, 113...display processing section, 114...acquisition section, 115...point processing section, 116...output section, Ba to Bd...buttons, Ima...carbon dioxide amount display image, Imb...response method display image, Imc...point display image, Ma...carbon dioxide emission amount display area, Mb...message display area, Mc...response method display area, Md...point display area, NW...network, S...information processing system.

Claims

1. a detection unit that detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus; a calculation unit that calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a service engineer visits the facility to perform maintenance work on the malfunction detected by the detection unit; and a display processing unit that displays the amount of carbon dioxide calculated by the calculation unit; An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits based on the distance between the image forming apparatus and the service engineer and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance according to the service engineer's visit method.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the distance between the image forming apparatus and the service engineer based on location information of the service engineer.

4. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display processing unit displays a message asking whether to request a visit from the service engineer, together with or after displaying the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when the service engineer visits.

5. the display processing unit, when a user inputs an instruction not to request a visit from the service engineer, displays a method for dealing with the malfunction detected by the detection unit; and a point processing unit that processes the awarding of a benefit to the user when the malfunction is no longer detected by the detection unit after the display of the response method. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 .

Images