System and method

Abstract

The goal is to improve the horizontal application of treatments to devices. [Solution] A system comprising a plurality of network devices and a device management system, characterized by having means for performing an action on a first network device among the plurality of network devices; means for receiving the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device which is the target to which the action performed on the first network device will be reflected; means for determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions; and means for reflecting the action performed on the first network device on the determined target network device.

Description

Technical Field

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and a method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system for remotely managing a digital multifunction peripheral (MFP) has been constructed. For example, a remote monitoring system has been constructed that receives and collects device information and status of an MFP at a server in a remote location, and monitors and manages the occurrence status of MFP failures (when, which multifunction peripheral, and what error occurred). In addition, a remote repair system has been constructed that enables an MFP and a server in a remote location to communicate and perform repair operations involving operations such as setting changes and updates of the MFP from the server in the remote location. With these systems, a customer engineer can remotely perform (remote maintenance) the detection and maintenance / repair of an MFP failure, and a sales company can repair an MFP failure without directly dispatching and visiting a customer engineer to a customer site. Here, a customer engineer is, for example, a person who manages customers who use an MFP, a sales company that operates services and maintenance of the MFP, and a person in the sales company who is in charge of maintenance requested within the company.

[0003] In a system for remotely monitoring and repairing an MFP as described above, when a setting change or update of the MFP is performed, the same setting information can be distributed to another device within the same network, so that the devices can be collectively processed and uniformly managed. Patent Document 1 discloses a method (hereinafter also referred to as "horizontal expansion") of distributing setting information of a reference device to devices within the same network. The method disclosed in Patent Document 1 determines whether there is a problem with the setting information when distributing the setting information of the reference device to other devices, and distributes it when it is determined that there is no problem. Thereby, even if a setting that causes a problem in managing the device is set in the reference device, the distribution of the setting information to other devices can be appropriately controlled.

Prior Art Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-46303 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The method disclosed in Patent Document 1 determines whether there is a problem with the configuration information to be distributed, but does not determine whether or not it is necessary to distribute that configuration information to the device. As a result, the configuration information is distributed to devices that do not need to receive it, such as devices experiencing errors that are unlikely to be resolved by distributing the configuration information, or devices that do not have the target device installed. An example of a device that does not have the target device installed is a device that does not have the external accessory that the configuration information is configured on. Consequently, conventionally, devices to which the configuration information has been distributed may be forced to perform unnecessary configuration update processing, which can degrade processing performance. Furthermore, the method does not consider a flow in which the device administrator (hereinafter referred to as the device administrator) is asked to confirm whether it is okay to distribute the configuration information and to obtain their approval.

[0006] Therefore, there has traditionally been room for improvement in terms of the application of treatments to devices such as MFPs.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to improve the application of treatments to devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a system including a plurality of network devices and a device management system, characterized by having means for performing an action on a first network device among the plurality of network devices; means for receiving the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device which is the target to which an action of the same content as the action performed on the first network device should be reflected; means for determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions; and means for reflecting an action of the same content as the action performed on the first network device on the determined target network device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, improvements can be made regarding the lateral application of treatments to devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the software configuration of the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows the screen configuration for remote repair using the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows the screen configuration for remote repair using the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the processing flow of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the processing flow of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the processing flow of the remote repair process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 9]This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing the screen configuration of the device status confirmation screen according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing the processing flow of the treatment horizontal expansion process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configuration for realizing the present invention is not limited only to the configuration described in the embodiments. A part of the configuration described in the embodiments may be omitted or replaced with an equivalent within the range where the same effect can be obtained.

[0012] In Embodiment 1, in a system that performs remote maintenance, when the settings of an image forming apparatus are changed, a method of distributing the same settings to other image forming apparatuses under the same conditions as the image forming apparatus with the approval of the administrator will be described.

[0013] <System Configuration> ​FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. System 10 is configured such that an information processing apparatus 101, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 102, and a remote repair server 103 can communicate with each other via a network 100. The image forming apparatus 102 is an example of a device. The image forming apparatus 102 is an example of a network device. The remote repair server 103 is an example of a device management system. System 10 is constructed by adopting cloud computing technology. The remote repair server 103 functions as a cloud server in System 10. Note that the remote repair server 103 may be realized by a plurality of servers, and further, it may be constructed using a server computer instead of cloud computing.

[0014] The network 100 is a so-called communication network realized by, for example, a LAN such as the Internet, a WAN, a telephone line, etc., and any network capable of transmitting and receiving data may be used. LAN is an abbreviation for Local Area Network. WLAN is an abbreviation for Wireless LAN.

[0015] The information processing apparatus 101 is a PC or the like, and a predetermined OS and a browser 311 are installed therein. PC is an abbreviation for Personal Computer. OS is an abbreviation for Operating System. When the information processing apparatus 101 transmits a device status acquisition request for the image forming apparatus 102 to the remote repair server 103, it receives information corresponding to the request from the remote repair server 103 and displays it in a GUI that can be browsed and operated on the browser 311. GUI is an abbreviation for Graphical User Interface. Also, when the information processing apparatus 101 transmits a communication request with the image forming apparatus 102 to the remote repair server 103, it receives information corresponding to the request from the remote repair server 103 and displays it in a GUI that can be browsed and operated on the browser 311.

[0016] The image forming apparatus 102 is a digital multifunction device, also known as a printer or MFP, and is equipped with functions such as printing, faxing, copying, and scanning. When the image forming apparatus 102 detects an error, it sends error information, including its own device information, to the remote repair server 103. Also, when the image forming apparatus 102 receives a command from the remote repair server 103, it executes that command. Note that the image forming apparatus 102 may be configured as a group of multiple units.

[0017] The remote repair server 103 receives equipment information and error information from the image forming apparatus 102 and manages it as operational information, as well as information on actions to resolve errors. When the remote repair server 103 receives a device status acquisition request, it sends the operational information and action information to the requester. When the remote repair server 103 receives a communication request with the image forming apparatus 102, it communicates with the image forming apparatus 102 and sends commands to the image forming apparatus 102 to perform configuration changes and updates. Subsequently, the remote repair server 103 communicates with the image forming apparatus 102 and performs the configuration changes and updates performed thereon on other image forming apparatuses 102 that can be deployed laterally.

[0018] <Hardware Configuration> To realize the system 10 described above, each device has the following configuration. System 10 is provided as a cloud computing service. Cloud computing includes serverless computing and virtual machines. In cloud computing, multiple hardware resources shown in Figure 2 are used. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Note that system 10 may be implemented using a single physical machine or multiple physical machines.

[0019] Figure 2(A) is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 101 and the remote repair server 103. The CPU 201 directly or indirectly controls each device (ROM, RAM, etc., described later) connected via the internal bus 200 and executes a program to realize the present invention. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit.

[0020] ROM202 stores the BIOS. ROM stands for Read Only Memory. RAM203 is a direct memory device used as a work area for the CPU201 or as temporary storage for loading software modules to realize the present invention. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. HDD204 is an indirect memory device that stores the basic software, such as the OS and software modules. HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive. Note that HDD204 may be an indirect memory device such as an SSD.

[0021] Input device 205 is a keyboard or pointing device (not shown). Output device 206 is connected to a display. I / F 207 is an interface for connecting to network 100. I / F is an abbreviation for interface.

[0022] In this hardware, after booting, the CPU (CPU 201) executes the BIOS, and the OS is loaded from the HDD (HDD 204) into RAM (RAM 203) in an executable state. BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. OS stands for Operating System.

[0023] The CPU 201 loads various software modules, described later, from the HDD 204 to the RAM 203 in an executable state as needed, in accordance with the OS operation. These software modules are executed and operated by the CPU 201 through the cooperation of the above-mentioned devices. The I / F 207 is connected to the Internet 100 or the local network 101, and is controlled by the CPU 201 in accordance with the OS operation, enabling communication using the communication means described above.

[0024] Figure 2(B) is a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 102. Of the configuration shown in Figure 2(B), the part excluding the print engine 238 is sometimes called the controller that manages the control system of the image forming apparatus 102. Each hardware component is connected to the system bus 230.

[0025] The CPU 231 controls the entire image forming apparatus 102 and comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 230. This control is based on a control program stored in the ROM 232, or on control programs and resource data (resource information) stored in the external memory 236 connected via the DKC 235. DKC is an abbreviation for Disk Controller. The RAM 233 functions as the main memory and work area of ​​the CPU 231, and is configured so that its memory capacity can be expanded by optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The storage device 240 is an external storage means that functions as a large-capacity memory.

[0026] The control panel 239 is an example of an operating unit. The control panel 239 displays a screen and accepts user operation instructions via the screen. The control panel 239 also includes buttons for setting the operating mode of the image forming apparatus 102, displaying the operating status of the image forming apparatus 102, and specifying content data to be printed, as well as a display unit that displays an LCD panel or the like.

[0027] The network controller 234 is, for example, a network interface card (NIC), and data is exchanged with external devices via the network controller 234. The raster controller 237 is, for example, a controller that converts print data described in PDL language into image data. PDL is an abbreviation for page description language.

[0028] The print engine 238 uses known printing techniques to form an image on the sheet based on image data input from the raster controller 237. Examples of the print engine 238 include electrophotographic (laser beam), inkjet, and sublimation (thermal transfer) print engines.

[0029] Device I / F241 is a connection interface for external devices that can be connected via USB, etc. USB is an abbreviation for Universal Serial Bus.

[0030] <Software Configuration> The following describes the module configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus 102 and the remote repair server 103 using a diagram of the system 10. These configurations and operations are realized by the CPU executing programs stored in the memory of each device. Note that the schemas and data in the tables described below are merely examples, and the schemas and data formats of the tables are not limited to these examples.

[0031] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the software configuration of the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. First, the software configuration of the remote repair server 103 will be described. The remote repair server 103 includes an operational information receiving unit 331, a treatment determination unit 332, a treatment management unit 333, a remote monitoring system 3301, a remote repair system 3302, and a treatment lateral deployment unit 340.

[0032] The operation information receiving unit 331 receives operation information such as equipment information and error information from the image forming apparatus 102. When the treatment determination unit 332 receives error information from the operation information receiving unit 331, it determines a treatment candidate to resolve the error from a predefined list of treatment candidates for resolving the error. The treatment candidate list is organized so that for each error, the content of the treatment to resolve the error and the estimated time required for that treatment are linked together. Table 1 is an example of a part of the treatment candidate list. The treatment candidate list shown in Table 1 includes the error code, which is the type of error, the treatment content, which is the content of the treatment candidate to resolve the error, and the estimated treatment time, which is the estimated time required for the treatment candidate. [Table 1]

[0033] The Action Management Unit 333 manages the error information received from the Operation Information Receiving Unit 331 by linking it with the action candidates determined by the Action Determination Unit 332. Table 2 shows some examples of the linking of error information and action candidates managed by the Action Management Unit 333. Each record in the link shown in Table 2 includes the error code, which is the type of error that occurred; the action candidate, which is the content of the action candidate to resolve the error that occurred; and the estimated action time, which is the estimated time required for the action candidate. Note that Table 2 is an example of what happens when an error with error code E751 occurs. [Table 2]

[0034] The remote monitoring system 3301 includes a device management unit 334, an error history management unit 335, a device status display unit 336, and a treatment confirmation display unit 337. The device management unit 334 manages operational information received from the image forming apparatus 102 via the operational information receiving unit 331. Table 3 shows some examples of operational information managed by the device management unit 334. Each operational information record shown in Table 3 includes a device ID that uniquely identifies the image forming apparatus 102, the model of the image forming apparatus 102, and a status indicating whether or not an error has occurred in the image forming apparatus 102. Each operational information record shown in Table 3 further includes a management organization, which is an ID that uniquely identifies the organization that manages the image forming apparatus 102, the administrator of the image forming apparatus 102, and the administrator's contact information, which is the contact information of the administrator of the image forming apparatus 102. The status in Table 3 is "Error" if the operational information received from the image forming apparatus 102 via the operational information receiving unit 331 includes error information, and "Normal" otherwise. Furthermore, the management organization, administrator, and administrator contact information in Table 3 are pre-registered information in the image forming apparatus 102. The administrator contact information is, for example, an email address. [Table 3]

[0035] The error history management unit 335 stores and manages error information received from the image forming apparatus 102 via the operation information receiving unit 331 as an error history. Table 4 shows some examples of error history managed by the error history management unit 335. Each record in the error history shown in Table 4 includes an error ID that uniquely identifies the error, a device ID that uniquely identifies the device on which the error occurred, and the model of the device. Each record in the error history shown in Table 4 further includes an error code which is the type of error that occurred, the date and time the error occurred, and the action taken which is the status of the error. For errors that have been taken care of via the remote repair work screen 420 generated by the remote repair work display unit 338 described later, the action in Table 4 will be "Completed". [Table 4]

[0036] When the remote repair server 103 receives a device status acquisition request that includes a device ID, the device status display unit 336 acquires operational information matching the device ID from the device management unit 334. The device status display unit 336 also acquires all error history matching the device ID from the error history management unit 335. The device status display unit 336 generates a device status confirmation screen 400 (see Figure 4(A)) consisting of the operational information and error history acquired based on the device ID specified in the request. The device status confirmation screen 400 is a screen specific to the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to the specified device ID. Details of the device status confirmation screen 400 will be described later. The generated device status confirmation screen 400 can be accessed from a browser 311 launched by the information processing device 101.

[0037] When a specific error is selected from the error history displayed on the device status confirmation screen 400 by the device status display unit 336, the treatment confirmation display unit 337 retrieves all treatment candidates that match the error code from the treatment management unit 333. Subsequently, the treatment confirmation display unit 337 generates a treatment confirmation screen 410 (see Figure 4(B)) composed of the retrieved treatment candidates and displays it on the operation browser 311 using the information processing device 101. The treatment confirmation screen 410 is a screen specific to the image forming apparatus 102 and the error corresponding to the specified device ID. Details of the generated treatment confirmation screen 410 will be described later.

[0038] The remote repair system 3302 includes a remote repair work display unit 338 and a device communication unit 339. When the remote repair work display unit 338 determines that a repair should be performed via the repair confirmation screen 410 generated by the repair confirmation display unit 337, it generates a remote repair work screen 420 (see Figure 4(C)). The remote repair work screen 420 is an error-specific screen that occurs in the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to a specified device ID, and is a screen for maintaining the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to that device ID. The remote repair work screen 420 displays a GUI that can be viewed and operated on a browser 311 for receiving maintenance operations from a remote maintenance person. Details of the generated remote repair work screen 420 will be described later.

[0039] The device communication unit 339 communicates with the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to the device ID to be maintained. The device communication unit 339 also sends commands for maintenance operations entered via the remote repair work screen 420 displayed by the remote repair work display unit 338 to the image forming apparatus 102, which is the communication partner. The means of communication in this case include MIB exchange via SNMP, and remote login via SSH or VPN connection. SNMP is an abbreviation for Simple Network Management Protocol. MIB is an abbreviation for Management Information Base. SSH is an abbreviation for Secure Shell. VPN is an abbreviation for Virtual Private Network.

[0040] When the procedure performed via the remote repair work screen 420 generated by the remote repair work display unit 338 is completed, the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 generates a procedure lateral expansion confirmation screen 411 (see Figure 4(D)) and displays it on the browser 311 launched by the information processing device 101. The procedure lateral expansion confirmation screen 411 is a screen for obtaining confirmation from the remote maintenance personnel whether or not to perform the procedure on the image forming apparatus 102, which was performed via the remote repair work screen 420, on other devices (lateral expansion). When it is decided to perform the procedure laterally via the procedure lateral expansion confirmation screen 411, the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 generates a procedure lateral expansion target selection screen 412 (see Figure 5(A)) and displays it on the browser 311 launched by the information processing device 101. The procedure lateral expansion target selection screen 412 is a screen for determining the image forming apparatus 102 (hereinafter referred to as the procedure lateral expansion target device) to which the procedure will be laterally expanded. When a target device for horizontal deployment is determined via the target device selection screen 412, the procedure horizontal deployment display unit 340 generates a horizontal deployment approval request screen 413 (see Figure 5(C)) and displays it in the browser 311 launched by the information processing device 101. The horizontal deployment approval request screen 413 is a screen for requesting approval from the administrator of the target device (hereinafter referred to as the device administrator) to horizontally deploy the procedure to that device. Details of each screen generated by the procedure horizontal deployment display unit 340 will be described later.

[0041] When the procedure lateral deployment unit 341 determines that the request has been approved via the lateral deployment approval request screen 413 displayed by the procedure lateral deployment display unit 340, it sends a notification to the device administrator to obtain approval for the lateral deployment of the procedure to the target device. Once the procedure lateral deployment unit 341 obtains approval from the device administrator for the lateral deployment of the procedure, it executes the procedure performed via the remote repair work screen 420 on the target device selected via the lateral deployment target selection screen 412. Here, the procedure executed by the procedure lateral deployment unit 341 is to distribute the setting information of the image forming apparatus 102, which was processed via the remote repair work screen 420, to the target device selected via the lateral deployment target selection screen 412.

[0042] The device to be processed laterally, as determined via the later processing target selection screen 412, is an image forming apparatus 102 that meets certain conditions. These conditions include, for example, the same error that occurred before processing on the processed image forming apparatus 102 occurring, or the same model as the processed image forming apparatus 102. These conditions are also called reflection conditions, as they reflect the same processing as the processed image forming apparatus 102. The case where the same error that occurred before processing on the processed image forming apparatus 102 occurs will henceforth be referred to as "the same error occurring." Similarly, a device of the same model as the processed image forming apparatus 102 will henceforth be simply referred to as "the same model."

[0043] Furthermore, notifications to obtain approval from device administrators for the lateral deployment of procedures are sent to the administrator contact associated with the device ID of the lateral deployment target device managed by the operational information of the device management unit 334. This notification is also made, for example, by email, which provides the URL of the lateral deployment approval screen 414 (see Figure 5(D)) where the device administrator approves the procedure. The URL is an abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. The lateral deployment approval screen 414 is generated by the procedure lateral deployment display unit 340 when the request execution is decided via the lateral deployment approval request screen 413 displayed by the procedure lateral deployment display unit 340. The lateral deployment approval screen 414 is a screen for obtaining approval from device administrators for the lateral deployment of procedures, and displays a GUI that can be viewed and operated on the browser 311.

[0044] Next, the software configuration of the image forming apparatus 102 will be described. The image forming apparatus 102 includes an operation information transmission / reception unit 321, a job execution unit 322, a control unit 323, and a display unit 324. The operation information transmission / reception unit 321 transmits the equipment information of the image forming apparatus 102, and error information generated in the image forming apparatus 102 collected by the control unit 323 (described later), to the remote repair server 103.

[0045] The job execution unit 322 executes the jobs that are fed into the image forming apparatus 102. For example, if a print job is fed into the image forming apparatus 102, the job execution unit 322 executes the printing process based on the print job.

[0046] The control unit 323 detects errors occurring in the image forming apparatus 102, collects error information, and transmits the error information to the remote repair server 103 via the operation information transmission / reception unit 321. The control unit 323 also communicates with the remote repair server 103, receives commands sent from the remote repair server 103, and executes them.

[0047] The display unit 324 displays a screen indicating that remote maintenance is in progress when the control unit 323 starts communicating with the remote repair server 103.

[0048] <Screen layout> Figures 4 and 5 show the screen configuration for remote repair using a system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The screens in Figures 4 and 5 are generated by the device status display unit 336, the treatment confirmation display unit 337, the remote repair work display unit 338, and the treatment horizontal display unit 340 when the remote repair server 103 receives a request. Figures 4 and 5 show the screen configuration displayed as a GUI in the browser 311 launched by the information processing device 101.

[0049] Figure 4(A) shows an example of a device status confirmation screen 400 generated by the device status display unit 336. A unique screen is generated for each device ID included in the device status acquisition request received by the remote repair server 103. The device status confirmation screen 400 consists of the operational information of the device management unit 334 that matches the device ID, and the error history of the error history management unit 335.

[0050] The device status confirmation screen 400 displays the device ID, product name (model), and last update date of the operational information as device information 401. In addition, the device status confirmation screen 400 displays the error history list 402, which includes the error ID, error code, date and time the error occurred, and the action taken to resolve the error.

[0051] The device information 401 and error history list 402 displayed on the device status confirmation screen 400 show the latest status. That is, the device status confirmation screen 400 displays the latest status in accordance with the contents of the device management unit 334 and the error history management unit 335. The contents of the device management unit 334 and the error history management unit 335 are updated whenever the operation information receiving unit 331 receives information or whenever action is taken via the remote repair work screen 420 generated by the remote repair work display unit 338. In addition, the last update date of the device information 401 displays the update date and time of the aforementioned device management unit 334 and error history management unit 335.

[0052] Figure 4(B) shows an example of a treatment confirmation screen 410 generated by the treatment confirmation display unit 337. A unique screen is generated for each error ID in the error history list 402 on the device status confirmation screen 400. The treatment confirmation screen 410 consists of all treatment candidates from the treatment management unit 333 that match the error code associated with the error ID, and a treatment execution instruction button that, when pressed, instructs the system to perform the treatment.

[0053] Figure 4(C) shows an example of a remote repair work screen 420 generated by the remote repair work display unit 338. The remote repair work screen 420 is a screen that allows the user to instruct the image forming apparatus 102, the communication partner, to execute a command. The remote repair work screen 420 consists of an input / output field that receives command input from the user and displays the response from the image forming apparatus 102, and a procedure completion instruction button that, when pressed, instructs the system to complete the procedure.

[0054] Figure 4(D) shows an example of a lateral expansion confirmation screen 411 generated by the treatment lateral expansion display unit 340. The lateral expansion confirmation screen 411 consists of a message asking whether or not to perform the treatment on the image forming apparatus 102, which was performed via the remote repair work screen 420, on other devices (lateral expansion). The lateral expansion confirmation screen 411 also consists of a lateral expansion execution instruction button that, when pressed, instructs the system to perform lateral expansion.

[0055] Figures 5(A) and 5(B) show an example of a lateral expansion target selection screen 412 generated by the treatment lateral expansion display unit 340. The lateral expansion target selection screen 412 consists of operational information from the device management unit 334 that matches the management organization and administrator associated with the device ID of the image forming apparatus 102 that was treated via the remote repair work screen 420.

[0056] The horizontal expansion target selection screen 412 in Figure 5(A) is an example where the device ID of the image forming apparatus 102 that performed the procedure is DEV000001, and the operational information in Table 3 is referenced to match the management organization and administrator associated with that device ID. Here, the device ID, model, and status of the operational information are displayed as device list information on the horizontal expansion target selection screen 412. The displayed contents of the device list information are filtered according to the display condition settings.

[0057] Figure 5(B) is an example of the horizontal expansion target selection screen 412, which has been narrowed down to operational information where the same error occurred before the processing of the image forming apparatus 102 (i.e., the processed error) is occurring. The horizontal expansion target selection screen 412 in Figure 5(B) is an example where the displayed content has been narrowed down by checking the "Same error occurring" checkbox in the horizontal expansion target selection screen 412 in Figure 5(A).

[0058] Figure 5(C) shows an example of a lateral deployment approval request screen 413 generated by the treatment lateral deployment display unit 340. The lateral deployment approval request screen 413 consists of a list of devices whose display content has been narrowed down by the display condition settings on the lateral deployment target selection screen 412, and a message requesting approval from the device administrator for the treatment to be performed. The lateral deployment approval request screen 413 also consists of an approval request instruction button that, when pressed, instructs the system to request approval from the device administrator.

[0059] Figure 5(D) shows an example of a lateral expansion approval screen 414 generated by the treatment lateral expansion display unit 340. The lateral expansion approval screen 414 consists of a message asking whether or not to approve the lateral expansion of the treatment to the image forming apparatus 102 performed via the remote repair work screen 420, and a lateral expansion approval button that, when pressed, instructs the system to approve the lateral expansion.

[0060] Furthermore, when the screens shown in Figures 4 and 5 are displayed in the browser 311 using a GUI, they are scaled up or down according to the window size, and only a portion of the display area is shown. A scroll bar is provided to move the display area as needed.

[0061] <Operation of the image forming apparatus> Figure 6 is a diagram showing the processing flow of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This processing is achieved by the CPU 231 reading the controller program recorded in the storage device 240, loading it into the RAM 233, and executing it. This starts when the power to the image forming apparatus 102 is turned ON, and the CPU 231 starts the processing of steps S501 to S503 and the processing of steps S504 to S511 as separate processes.

[0062] First, the process from steps S501 to S503 will be explained. In step S501, the control unit 323 collects equipment information of the image forming apparatus 102 and transmits it as operational information to the remote repair server 103 via the operational information transmission / reception unit 321.

[0063] In step S502, the control unit 323 detects the occurrence of an error within the image forming apparatus 102 and determines whether or not an error has occurred. If the control unit 323 determines that an error has occurred, the process in step S503 is executed. If the control unit 323 determines that no error has occurred, the process in step S512 is executed.

[0064] In step S503, the control unit 323 collects the error information detected in step S502 and transmits it as operational information to the data management server 103 via the operational information transmission / reception unit 321.

[0065] Next, the processes from steps S504 to S511 will be described. In step S504, the control unit 323 receives a communication start request and determines whether or not it has received the request. If the control unit 323 determines that it has received a communication start request, the process in step S505 is executed. If the control unit 323 determines that it has not received a communication start request, the process in step S512 is executed.

[0066] In step S505, the control unit 323 starts a communication session with the sender of the communication start request received in step S504. In subsequent processing, data is transmitted and received with the communication partner with whom the communication session was started in step S505.

[0067] In step S506, the control unit 323 generates a maintenance screen consisting of the time the communication session was started in step S505 and the phrase indicating that maintenance is being performed. Here, the time the communication session with the remote repair server 103 was started is the work start time. When the control unit 323 generates the maintenance screen, the display unit 324 displays the screen, disables the functions of the operation panel 239, and stops accepting execution instructions from the user (hereinafter referred to as user operations). Before displaying the maintenance screen, the display unit 324 may display a confirmation message asking whether to allow the start of maintenance and a screen where the user can perform the permission operation. When the display unit 324 displays the maintenance screen, the control unit 323 responds to the communication partner. The control unit 323 also collects the setting information of the image forming apparatus 102 (setting information before treatment) and transmits it to the communication partner.

[0068] In step S507, the control unit 323 receives a command and determines whether or not it has received the command. If the control unit 323 determines that it has received the command, the process in step S508 is executed. If the control unit 323 determines that it has not received the command, the process in step S509 is executed.

[0069] In step S508, the control unit 323 executes the command received in step S507 and sends the result of the command execution to the remote repair server 103. In step S509, the control unit 323 receives a communication termination request and determines whether or not it has received the request. If the control unit 323 determines that it has received a communication termination request, the process in step S510 is executed. If the control unit 323 determines that it has not received a communication termination request, the process in step S507 is executed.

[0070] In step S510, the control unit 323 collects the setting information (setting information after treatment) of the image forming apparatus 102 and transmits it to the remote repair server 103. In step S511, the display unit 324 hides the maintenance screen displayed in step S506, enables the functions of the operation panel 239, and starts accepting user operations. The control unit 323 also deletes the maintenance screen generated in step S506 and sends a communication termination response to the communication partner to terminate the communication session started in step S504.

[0071] In step S512, the CPU 231 determines whether or not to terminate the process. If a predetermined operation to terminate the process is performed, such as turning off the power to the image forming apparatus 102, the CPU 231 determines to terminate the process. If the CPU 231 determines to terminate the process, it terminates the process shown in Figure 6. If the CPU 231 determines not to terminate the process, the processes in steps S501 and S504 are executed.

[0072] <Operation of the remote repair server> Figure 7 is a diagram showing the processing flow of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This processing is achieved by the CPU 201 reading the controller program recorded in the HDD 204, loading it into the RAM 203, and executing it.

[0073] In step S601, the device status display unit 336 generates a device status confirmation screen 400 unique to each device ID managed by the device management unit 334. Subsequently, the CPU 201 starts the processes in steps S602 to S608 and the processes in steps S610 to S618 as separate processes.

[0074] First, the processes from steps S602 to S608 will be explained. In step S602, the operation information receiving unit 331 receives operation information such as equipment information and error information of the image forming apparatus 102 and determines whether or not it has received operation information. If the operation information receiving unit 331 determines that it has received operation information, the process in step S603 is executed. If the operation information receiving unit 331 determines that it has not received operation information, the process in step S609 is executed.

[0075] In step S603, the device management unit 334 saves the operational information received in step S602. In step S604, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the operational information received in step S602 contains error information. If the CPU 201 determines that the operational information contains error information, the process in step S605 is executed. If the CPU 201 determines that the operational information does not contain error information, the process in step S608 is executed.

[0076] In step S605, the action determination unit 332 determines a candidate action to resolve the error in the error information included in the operational information received in step S602. Here, the action determination unit 332 refers to a list of candidate actions in which the content of the action to resolve each error is predetermined, based on the error code of the error information included in the operational information received in step S602, and determines a candidate action to resolve the error.

[0077] In step S606, the procedure management unit 333 manages the error information included in the operational information received in step S602 by linking it with the procedure candidates determined in step S605. In step S607, the error history management unit 335 saves the error information included in the operational information received in step S602 as an error history.

[0078] In step S608, the device status display unit 336 updates the device status confirmation screen 400 generated in step S601 with the latest operational information and error history associated with the device ID corresponding to that screen. At this time, the device status display unit 336 notifies that an error has occurred using a predetermined notification method, based on the error occurrence status in the operational information and error history. This predetermined notification method is implemented, for example, by sending a notification to a pre-registered contact (e.g., an email address) or by displaying an alert on the device status confirmation screen 400.

[0079] Next, the processes from steps S610 to S618 will be described. In step S610, the device status display unit 336 determines whether a specific error has been selected from the error history displayed on the device status confirmation screen 400. If the device status display unit 336 determines that an error has been selected, the process in step S611 is executed. If the device status display unit 336 determines that no error has been selected, the process in step S609 is executed.

[0080] In step S611, the treatment confirmation display unit 337 refers to the treatment management unit 333 and obtains all treatment candidates whose error codes match those of the error information specified in step S610. In step S612, the treatment confirmation display unit 337 generates a treatment confirmation screen 410 composed of the obtained treatment candidates.

[0081] In step S613, the procedure confirmation display unit 337 receives an instruction to perform a procedure via the procedure confirmation screen 410 and determines whether or not an instruction to perform a procedure has been received. If the procedure confirmation display unit 337 determines that an instruction to perform a procedure has been received, the process in step S614 is executed. If the procedure confirmation display unit 337 determines that an instruction to perform a procedure has not been received, the process in step S609 is executed.

[0082] In step S614, CPU201 executes remote repair processing for the device ID for which it received a processing instruction via the processing confirmation screen 410. Details of the remote repair processing will be described later.

[0083] In step S615, the error history management unit 335 updates the action in the error history associated with the error code of the error information specified in step S610 to "completed". In step S616, the action horizontal expansion display unit 340 generates a horizontal expansion confirmation screen 411. In step S617, the action horizontal expansion display unit 340 receives an instruction to perform a horizontal expansion of the action via the horizontal expansion confirmation screen 411 and determines whether or not an instruction to perform a horizontal expansion of the action has been received. If the action horizontal expansion display unit 340 determines that an instruction to perform a horizontal expansion of the action has been received, the process in step S618 is executed. If the action horizontal expansion display unit 340 determines that an instruction to perform a horizontal expansion of the action has not been received, the process in step S609 is executed.

[0084] In step S618, CPU201 executes the procedure lateral deployment process based on the device ID that received the instruction to perform the procedure lateral deployment via the lateral deployment confirmation screen 411. Details of the procedure lateral deployment process will be described later.

[0085] In step S609, the CPU 201 determines whether or not to terminate the process. If a predetermined operation to terminate the process is performed, such as turning off the power to the remote repair server 103, the CPU 201 determines to terminate the process. If the CPU 201 determines to terminate the process, it terminates the process shown in Figure 7. If the CPU 201 determines not to terminate the process, the processes in steps S602 and S610 are executed.

[0086] <Remote Repair Processing Flow> Figure 8 is a diagram showing the processing flow of the remote repair process of a remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This process is realized by the CPU 201 reading the controller program recorded in the HDD 204, loading it into the RAM 203, and executing it. This remote repair process is an example of a means for performing a procedure on the first network device among the plurality of network devices.

[0087] In step S701, the device communication unit 339 refers to the predefined association between the device ID and the image forming apparatus 102 to identify the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to the target device ID for this process and sends a communication start request. The image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to the target device ID for this process is an example of the first network device.

[0088] In step S702, the device communication unit 339 receives a response to the communication start request sent in step S701 and determines whether or not it has received a response indicating that communication has started. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has received a communication start response, the process in step S703 is executed. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has not received a communication start response, the process in step S702 is repeatedly executed.

[0089] In step S703, the remote repair work display unit 338 generates a remote repair work screen 420. In step S704, the remote repair work display unit 338 receives a command to be executed by the image forming apparatus 102, the communication partner, and determines whether or not the command has been received. If the remote repair work display unit 338 determines that a command has been received, the process in step S705 is executed. If the remote repair work display unit 338 determines that a command has not been received, the process in step S706 is executed. The command is received via the remote repair work screen 420 generated in step S703.

[0090] In step S705, the device communication unit 339 transmits the command received in step S704 to the image forming apparatus 102, which is the communication partner. When the remote repair work display unit 338 receives a response from the image forming apparatus 102, which is the communication partner, it displays the response on the remote repair work screen 420.

[0091] In step S706, the remote repair work display unit 338 receives a treatment completion instruction and determines whether or not it has received the instruction. If the remote repair work display unit 338 determines that it has received a treatment completion instruction, the process in step S707 is executed. If the remote repair work display unit 338 determines that it has not received a treatment completion instruction, the process in step S704 is executed. The treatment completion instruction is received via the remote repair work screen 420 generated in step S703.

[0092] In step S707, the device communication unit 339 sends a communication termination request to the image forming apparatus 102, the communication partner. In step S708, the device communication unit 339 receives a communication termination response and setting information from the image forming apparatus 102, and determines whether or not it has received the response and setting information. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has received the communication termination response and setting information, it terminates the process shown in Figure 8. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has not received the communication termination response and setting information, the process in step S708 is repeated.

[0093] <Processing flow for horizontal deployment of treatment> Figures 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating the processing flow of the lateral deployment process of a remote repair server according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This process is achieved when the CPU 201 reads the controller program recorded in the HDD 204, loads it into the RAM 203, and executes it.

[0094] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the procedure lateral expansion process. In step S801, the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 generates the lateral expansion target selection screen 412. In step S802, the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 accepts the specification of procedure lateral expansion conditions via the lateral expansion target selection screen 412 and determines whether or not lateral expansion conditions have been specified. If the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 determines that lateral expansion conditions have been specified, the process in step S803 is executed. If the procedure lateral expansion display unit 340 determines that no lateral expansion conditions have been specified, the process in step S802 is repeatedly executed. Here, the procedure lateral expansion conditions are display condition settings that narrow down the display content of the lateral expansion target selection screen 412, such as "the same error is occurring" or "the same model." "The same error is occurring" means that the status of the operational information managed by the device management unit 334 is an error. Furthermore, "the same error is occurring" means that the same error that occurred before the image forming apparatus 102 was processed via the remote repair work screen 420 is stored in the error history managed by the error history management unit 335. "Same model" means that the model of the operating information managed by the device management unit 334 matches the model of the image forming apparatus 102 that was processed. The lateral deployment condition of the processing is an example of a reflection condition for determining the target network device to which the processing of the same content as the processing performed on the first network device will be reflected. The processing in step S802 is an example of a means for accepting the selection of a reflection condition.

[0095] In step S803, the processing lateral deployment unit 341 obtains devices to be deployed laterally by referring to the operational information managed by the device management unit 334 and the error history managed by the error history management unit 335. The devices to be deployed laterally are image forming apparatuses 102 that match the management organization and administrator associated with the device ID of the image forming apparatus 102 that was processed via the remote repair work screen 420, and that also meet the lateral deployment conditions specified in step S802.

[0096] In step S804, the Treatment Lateral Deployment Display Unit 340 updates the Lateral Deployment Target Selection Screen 412 to display only the Lateral Deployment Target Devices acquired in step S803 as the display content. In step S805, the Treatment Lateral Deployment Display Unit 340 receives the determination of the Lateral Deployment Target via the Lateral Deployment Target Selection Screen 412 and determines whether or not the Lateral Deployment Target has been determined. If the Treatment Lateral Deployment Display Unit 340 determines that the Lateral Deployment Target has been determined, the process in step S806 is executed. If the Treatment Lateral Deployment Display Unit 340 determines that the Lateral Deployment Target has not been determined, the process in step S802 is executed. The process in step S805 is an example of a means for determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions.

[0097] In step S806, the procedure horizontal expansion display unit 340 generates a horizontal expansion approval request screen 413. In step S807, the procedure horizontal expansion display unit 340 receives an approval request instruction for horizontal expansion via the horizontal expansion approval request screen 413 and determines whether or not an approval request instruction has been received. If the procedure horizontal expansion display unit 340 determines that an approval request instruction has been received, the process in step S808 is executed. If the procedure horizontal expansion display unit 340 determines that an approval request instruction has not been received, the process in Figure 9 is terminated.

[0098] In step S808, the lateral deployment unit 341 generates a lateral deployment approval screen 414. In step S809, the lateral deployment unit 341 sends a notification containing the URL of the lateral deployment approval screen 414 to the contact information of the administrator associated with the device ID of the lateral deployment target device managed by the operational information of the device management unit 334. In step S810, the lateral deployment unit 341 receives an approval instruction for lateral deployment via the lateral deployment approval screen 414 and determines whether or not an approval instruction has been received. If the lateral deployment unit 341 determines that an approval instruction for lateral deployment has been received, the process in step S811 is executed. If the lateral deployment unit 341 determines that an approval instruction for lateral deployment has not been received, the process in Figure 9 is terminated. The process in step S810 is an example of a means of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for reflecting the same action performed on the first network device to the determined target network device.

[0099] In step S811, the lateral deployment unit 341 executes a setting distribution process to deliver setting information (hereinafter referred to as "setting information to be deployed") received from the image forming apparatus 102 that performed remote repair processing in step S614 to the device to be deployed laterally. The setting distribution process in step S811 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 10.

[0100] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the configuration distribution process. In step S8111, the device communication unit 339 refers to the predefined association between the device ID and the image forming apparatus 102 to identify the image forming apparatus 102 corresponding to the horizontally distributed device ID and sends a communication start request.

[0101] In step S8112, the device communication unit 339 receives a response to the communication start request transmitted in step S701 and configuration information, and determines whether or not it has received the communication start response and configuration information. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has received the communication start response and configuration information, the process in step S8113 is executed. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has not received the communication start response and configuration information, the process in step S8112 is repeatedly executed.

[0102] In step S8113, the lateral expansion unit 341 determines whether the lateral expansion condition specified in step S802 via the lateral expansion target selection screen 412 is "the same error is occurring". That is, it determines whether the setting change to be expanded is a change to resolve an error or a change to update information. If the lateral expansion unit 341 determines that the lateral expansion condition is "the same error is occurring", the process in step S8116 is executed. If the lateral expansion unit 341 determines that the lateral expansion condition is not "the same error is occurring", the process in step S8114 is executed.

[0103] In step S8114, the processing lateral deployment unit 341 determines whether there is a difference between the setting information to be deployed laterally and the setting information received from the image forming apparatus 102 (hereinafter referred to as the setting information of the device to be deployed laterally) in step S8112. That is, it determines whether the setting information to be deployed laterally has not yet been delivered to the device to be deployed laterally and needs to be delivered. If the processing lateral deployment unit 341 determines that there is a difference between the setting information, the process in step S8115 is executed. If the processing lateral deployment unit 341 determines that there is no difference between the setting information, the process in step S8117 is executed.

[0104] In step S8115, the lateral processing unit 341 determines whether any value is set for each item of the setting information to be laterally processed in the setting information of the device to be laterally processed. That is, it determines whether there are any items in the setting information to be laterally processed that are not configurable on the device to be laterally processed. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that the setting information to be laterally processed is configurable on the device to be laterally processed, the process in step S8116 is executed. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that the setting information to be laterally processed is not configurable on the device to be laterally processed, the process in step S8117 is executed.

[0105] In step S8116, the lateral deployment unit 341 transmits the configuration information to be deployed laterally to the image forming apparatus 102, the communication partner. The process in step S8116 is an example of a means to reflect the same treatment applied to the first network device to the determined target network device. The process in step S8116 is an example of a means to reflect the same treatment applied to the first network device to the target network device in accordance with the approval obtained.

[0106] In step S8117, the device communication unit 339 sends a communication termination request to the image forming apparatus 102, the communication partner. In step S8118, the device communication unit 339 receives a communication termination response from the image forming apparatus 102 and determines whether or not it has received the response. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has received a communication termination response, the process in step S8119 is executed. If the device communication unit 339 determines that it has not received a communication termination response, the process in step S8118 is repeatedly executed.

[0107] In step S8119, the lateral processing unit 341 determines whether or not the processing in steps S8111 to S8118 has been performed on all lateral processing target devices. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that the processing has been performed on all lateral processing target devices, the processing in Figure 10 is terminated. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that the processing has not been performed on all lateral processing target devices, the processing in step S8111 is executed.

[0108] As described above in this embodiment, the remote maintenance personnel communicate with the remote repair server 103 and the image forming apparatus 102 and perform remote maintenance via the remote repair work screen 420 accessed from the browser 311 of the information processing device 101. Upon completion of the remote maintenance, the remote repair server 103 displays a screen that allows the performed actions to be spread to other devices. It also notifies the device administrator that the actions will be spread to other devices. This improves the work efficiency and maintenance flow efficiency in the remote maintenance of the image forming apparatus 102.

[0109] The lateral deployment conditions in the above-mentioned lateral deployment process are merely examples and are not limited to "the same error occurring" or "the same model." For example, the lateral deployment conditions may be "the same firmware" or "a specified device." "The same firmware" means that an image forming apparatus 102 with the same firmware as the image forming apparatus 102 that performed the processing will be designated as the target device for lateral deployment. "A specified device" means that along with the specification of the lateral deployment conditions, the input of a device ID will be accepted, and the image forming apparatus 102 with the input device ID will be designated as the target device for lateral deployment.

[0110] <Embodiment 2> Embodiment 2 of the present invention describes a method for automatically expanding a procedure laterally without accepting the specification of lateral expansion conditions. The system configuration of Embodiment 2 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, except for the characteristic parts. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0111] <Processing flow for horizontal deployment of treatment> Figures 11 and 12 are diagrams showing the processing flow of the lateral deployment process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This process is achieved when the CPU 201 reads the controller program recorded in the HDD 204, loads it into the RAM 203, and executes it.

[0112] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the treatment lateral deployment process. In step S901, the treatment lateral deployment unit 341 obtains the target device for lateral deployment by referring to the operational information managed by the device management unit 334 and the error history managed by the error history management unit 335. The treatment lateral deployment unit 341 obtains the image forming apparatus 102 as the target device for lateral deployment, which matches the management organization and administrator associated with the device ID of the image forming apparatus 102 that was treated via the remote repair work screen 420. The processing from steps S806 to S811 is the same as the processing steps with the same symbols in the flowchart of Figure 9. The processing in step S901 is an example of a means for determining the target network device that is the target of the treatment that reflects the same content as the treatment performed on the first network device.

[0113] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the configuration distribution process. The processes from step S8111 to step S8112 are the same as the process steps indicated by the same symbols in the flowchart of Figure 10.

[0114] In step S902, the lateral processing unit 341 refers to the error history managed by the error history unit 335 and obtains the error history associated with the device ID of the device to be processed. In step S903, the lateral processing unit 341 determines whether the error history obtained in step S902 is the same error that occurred before processing the image forming apparatus 102 via the remote repair work screen 420. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that it is the same error, the process in step S8116 is executed. If the lateral processing unit 341 determines that it is not the same error, the process in step S8114 is executed.

[0115] The processes from step S8114 to step S8119 are the same as the process steps indicated by the same symbols in the flowchart of Figure 10.

[0116] As described above in this embodiment, in the treatment lateral deployment process, all image forming apparatuses 102 of the device administrator are acquired as target devices for lateral deployment, and in the setting distribution process, it is automatically determined which ones have errors and which do not. As a result, treatments can be automatically deployed laterally without accepting the specification of lateral deployment conditions.

[0117] <Embodiment 3> Embodiment 3 of the present invention describes a method for automatically obtaining approval from the device administrator during the lateral processing of a procedure. The system configuration of Embodiment 3 is the same as that of Embodiments 1 and 2, except for the characteristic components. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for similar components, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0118] <Screen layout> Figure 13 shows the screen configuration of a device status confirmation screen according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. A unique screen is generated for each device ID included in the device status acquisition request received by the remote repair server 103. The device status confirmation screen 400 consists of operational information of the device management unit 334 that matches the device ID, the error history of the error history management unit 335, and the automatic action approval switch 1001.

[0119] When the automatic procedure approval switch 1001 is turned on, the operational information for the device ID corresponding to the device status confirmation screen 400 managed by the device management unit 334 is updated with the approval status "Completed". When the automatic procedure approval switch 1001 is turned off, the approval status is updated to "Not yet". The automatic procedure approval switch 1001 is turned on or off in advance with the approval of the device administrator corresponding to the device ID.

[0120] <Processing flow for horizontal deployment of treatment> Figures 14 and 15 are diagrams showing the processing flow of the treatment lateral deployment process of the remote repair server according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Figure 14 is a flowchart explaining the operation process of the entire treatment lateral deployment process. Figure 15 is a flowchart explaining the process following Figure 14. This process is achieved by the CPU 201 reading the controller program recorded in the HDD 204, loading it into the RAM 203, and executing it.

[0121] The processes from step S801 in Figure 14 to step S807 in Figure 15 are the same as the process steps with the same symbols in the flowchart in Figure 9. In step S1101 in Figure 15, the lateral deployment unit 341 obtains the approval status of the lateral deployment target devices by referring to the operational information managed by the device management unit 334. In step S1102, the lateral deployment unit 341 determines whether the approval status of all lateral deployment target devices obtained in step S1101 is "completed". If the lateral deployment unit 341 determines that the approval status of all lateral deployment target devices is "completed", the process in step S811 is executed. If the lateral deployment unit 341 determines that the approval status of all lateral deployment target devices is not "completed", the process in step S808 is executed. The lateral deployment unit 341 generates a lateral deployment approval screen 414 and accepts the approval instruction from the device administrator.

[0122] The processes from step S808 to step S811 are the same as the process steps indicated by the same symbols in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0123] As described above, the device administrator's approval status is registered in advance, and the approval status is retrieved during the procedure deployment process to determine whether or not it has been approved. This allows the procedure to be automatically deployed without having to obtain the device administrator's approval each time.

[0124] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0125] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its essence.

[0126] This embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Composition 1) A system including multiple network devices and a device management system, Means for performing an action on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A means for accepting the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device that is subject to the same action as the action taken on the first network device, A means for determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions, A means for reflecting the same action performed on the first network device to the target network device that was determined above, A system characterized by having the following features. (Configuration 2) A system including multiple network devices and a device management system, Means for performing an action on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A means for determining a target network device that is subject to the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, A means of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, In accordance with the approval obtained, the target network device is provided with means for reflecting the same measures as those taken for the first network device, A system characterized by having the following features. (Composition 3) The means for carrying out the above measures includes carrying out measures to resolve an error that occurred in the first network device, The aforementioned conditions for reflection include that the target network device is experiencing the same error as the first network device, and that the target network device is of the same model as the first network device. The system according to configuration 1, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 4) The means for carrying out the above measures includes carrying out measures to resolve an error that occurred in the first network device, The means for determining the target network device determines a network device that has the same management organization and administrator as the first network device as the target network device. The system according to configuration 2, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 5) The system has a means of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device to apply the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, The means of reflection, in accordance with the approval obtained, reflects the same measures on the target network device as those taken on the first network device. The system according to configuration 1, characterized by the features described above. (Method 1) A method for controlling a system including multiple network devices and a device management system, A step of performing a procedure on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A step of accepting the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device that will be subject to the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, A step of determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions, A step of applying the same treatment to the target network device as the treatment applied to the first network device to the target network device determined above, A method characterized by having the following: (Method 2) A method for controlling a system including multiple network devices and a device management system, A step of performing a procedure on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A step of determining a target network device that will reflect the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, The process of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, In accordance with the approval obtained, the process involves applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, A method characterized by having the following: [Explanation of Symbols]

[0127] 10 Systems 100 Networks 101 Information Processing Device 102 Image forming apparatus 103 Remote Repair Server 400 Device Status Check Screen 410 Action Confirmation Screen 411 Horizontal Expansion Confirmation Screen 412 Horizontal Expansion Target Selection Screen 413 Horizontal Expansion Approval Request Screen 414 Horizontal expansion approval screen 420 Remote Repair Operation Screen

Claims

1. A system including multiple network devices and a device management system, Means for performing an action on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A means for receiving the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device that is subject to the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, A means for determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions, A means for reflecting the same action performed on the first network device to the target network device that was determined above, A system characterized by having the following features.

2. A system including multiple network devices and a device management system, Means for performing an action on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A means for determining a target network device that is subject to the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, A means of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, In accordance with the approval obtained, the target network device is provided with means for reflecting the same measures as those taken for the first network device, A system characterized by having the following features.

3. The means for carrying out the above measures includes carrying out measures to resolve an error that occurred in the first network device, The aforementioned reflection conditions include the fact that the target network device is experiencing the same error as the first network device, and that the target network device is of the same model as the first network device. The system according to feature 1.

4. The means for carrying out the above measures includes carrying out measures to resolve an error that occurred in the first network device, The means for determining the target network device determines a network device that has the same management organization and administrator as the first network device as the target network device. The system according to feature 2.

5. The system has a means of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, The means of reflection, in accordance with the approval obtained, reflects the same measures on the target network device as those applied to the first network device. The system according to feature 1.

6. A method for controlling a system including multiple network devices and a device management system, A step of performing a procedure on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A step of accepting the selection of reflection conditions for determining a target network device that will be subject to the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, A step of determining the target network device according to the selected reflection conditions, A step of applying the same treatment to the target network device as the treatment applied to the first network device to the target network device that was determined above, A method characterized by having the following:

7. A method for controlling a system including multiple network devices and a device management system, A step of performing a procedure on the first network device among the plurality of network devices, A step of determining a target network device that will reflect the same treatment as the treatment performed on the first network device, The process of obtaining approval from the administrator of the target network device for applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, In accordance with the approval obtained, the process involves applying the same measures to the target network device as those applied to the first network device, A method characterized by having the following:

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