Anomaly response data collection system, anomaly response data collection method, and program

Abstract

To provide an abnormality addressing data aggregation system, an abnormality addressing data aggregation method, and a program that facilitate obtaining a solution to an image quality abnormality more quickly without time and effort.SOLUTION: An abnormality addressing data aggregation system comprises: a control unit (410) of a server device (400) as acquisition means that acquires addressing information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus (100) and abnormal image data related to an output image including the image quality abnormality from the image forming apparatus (100) in association with each other as abnormality solving data; and an abnormality solving data storage unit (510) in a database device (500) that stores and holds the acquired abnormality solving data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an anomaly response data collection system, an anomaly response data collection method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] There are image forming devices that apply color materials to recording media to form various images. When an abnormality occurs in any part of the image forming device, images may not be formed with normal image quality. In this case, a user, an image forming device manager, or a maintenance technician must determine the cause of the abnormality and take appropriate action. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that makes it easy to take appropriate action by displaying the cause of the image quality abnormality and a maintenance method on a display unit in the image forming device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-222769 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there are many different causes and contents of anomalies, and depending on the experience and knowledge of the person dealing with them, it may be difficult to deal with them, or even impossible to narrow down the cause. This has led to the problem that it may take a long time and effort to finally get someone with sufficient knowledge and experience to make a judgment and take action.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an anomaly countermeasure data collection system, an anomaly countermeasure data collection method, and a program that make it easier to find a solution to an image quality anomaly more quickly and with less effort. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 comprises: A storage means; an acquisition means for acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus, and for storing and holding the acquired countermeasure information and the abnormal image data as abnormality resolution data in the storage means in association with each other; a selection means for comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage means, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality that is similar to the image quality abnormality; an output means for outputting the anomaly resolution data selected by the selection means; Equipped with When a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, the output means outputs list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the content of the image quality anomaly. The abnormality handling data collection system is characterized by the above.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is the anomaly response data collection system described in claim 1, The handling information includes precautions to be taken when handling the problem. It is characterized by:

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is the anomaly handling data collection system described in claim 1 or 2, The abnormal image data is image data obtained by extracting the portion of the output image where the image quality abnormality is detected.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 provides an anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The handling information includes information on a procedure for solving the image quality abnormality.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is an anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The countermeasure information includes information relating to a location where the image quality abnormality occurs.

[0011] The invention described in claim 6 provides an anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The problem solving information includes an explanation of the problem with the image forming apparatus that causes the image quality abnormality.

[0014] In addition, claims 7 The invention described is as follows: Any one of 1 to 6 In the abnormality response data collection system described above, The present invention is characterized by comprising a first authentication means for determining whether or not to output the handling information in response to an output request from outside.

[0015] In addition, claims 8 The invention described is as follows: 1~7 In the anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, an editing means for accepting editing of the handling information stored in the storage means; A second authentication means for determining whether or not the editing by the editing means is acceptable; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0016] In addition, claims 9 The invention described is as follows: 1~8 In the anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The handling information includes information on a processing procedure for solving the image quality abnormality and information on the degree of difficulty of the processing procedure, When the degree of difficulty is lower than a predetermined standard, the output unit outputs a message suggesting that the problem can be dealt with by a user of the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by:

[0017] In addition, claims 10 The invention described is as follows: 1~9 In the anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The handling information includes information on a processing procedure for solving the image quality abnormality and information on the degree of difficulty of the processing procedure, When the level of difficulty is higher than a predetermined standard, the output means outputs a message suggesting that the problem be dealt with by a specialist. It is characterized by:

[0018] In addition, claims 11 The invention described is as follows: 1~10In the anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The image forming apparatus further comprises a conversion unit that converts the handling information output by the output unit into data for image formation.

[0019] In addition, claims 12 The invention described is An anomaly response data collection method executed by a control unit of an anomaly response data collection system, an acquisition step of acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus; a storage step of storing and holding the acquired handling information and the abnormality image data as abnormality resolution data in association with each other; a selection step of comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in the image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage step, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality similar to each other; an output step of outputting the anomaly resolution data selected in the selection step; Including, In the output step, when a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the contents of the image quality anomaly is output. The abnormality handling data collection method is characterized in that

[0020] In addition, claims 13 The invention described is Computer, An acquisition unit for acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus; a storage means for storing and holding the acquired handling information and the abnormality image data as abnormality resolution data in association with each other; a selection means for comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in the image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage means, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality that is similar to the image quality abnormality; an output means for outputting the anomaly resolution data selected by the selection means; Function as a When a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, the output means outputs list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the content of the image quality anomaly. The program is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to more quickly and easily obtain a solution to an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus. [Diagram 3] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of an abnormality detection status displayed as a list on a display unit of the image forming apparatus; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display of an input screen for a solution report. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a process flow up to registration of a resolution report when an abnormality is resolved. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of an image quality inspection control process executed in the image forming apparatus. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display of a solution report. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating display of similar cases when an image quality abnormality occurs in an image forming apparatus. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the control procedure of the image quality inspection control process. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a report editing control process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system 1 which is an abnormality handling data collection system according to this embodiment.

[0024] The image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 100, terminal devices 200 and 300, a server device 400, a database device 500, and the like, which are connected to each other via a network so as to be able to communicate with each other. The image forming apparatus 100 performs an operation of forming an image on a medium based on image data of a target to be formed. The image data of a target to be formed may be acquired from an external source, or may be read and generated by the image forming apparatus 100 itself. That is, the image forming apparatus 100 may have a copying function. The terminal device 200 is a PC (Personal Computer) or the like that outputs a command to the image forming apparatus 100 to form an image as job data (image forming command) to the image forming apparatus 100. The job data may include part or all of the image data of a target to be formed and various settings related to image formation, such as output size, output direction, number of output sheets, whether or not color image formation is performed, and selection data of various image formation modes that are set in advance. The image data of a target to be formed may not be directly included in the job data, but may be specified by a pointer, link, or the like. For the server device 400 and the database device 500, there may be a plurality of image forming devices 100 and a plurality of terminal devices 200, respectively.

[0025] The terminal device 300 is portable by a professional maintenance person of the image forming apparatus 100, and is, for example, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone. The terminal device 300 may also include various PCs that the maintenance person can access from his / her workplace or home. The terminal device 300 includes a control unit 310, a storage unit 320, a communication unit 330, a display unit 351, an operation reception unit 352, and the like. The control unit 310 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control unit 310 centralizes and controls the overall operation of the terminal device 300. The storage unit 320 stores a program 321 and various setting data, and the like. The program 321 includes a program that accesses the server device 400 and transmits and receives data related to image quality abnormalities in image formation by the image forming apparatus 100. The communication unit 330 communicates with external devices and controls the communication. The communication unit 330 controls the communication according to a communication standard related to a wireless LAN, for example. The display unit 351 has a display screen capable of displaying images including characters, and performs various displays under the control of the control unit 310. The display screen is, for example, a liquid crystal display screen. The operation reception unit 352 receives external input operations by a user or the like, and outputs the operations as input signals to the control unit 310. The operation reception unit 352 has, for example, a keyboard, various pointing devices, and / or a touch panel positioned over the display screen.

[0026] The server device 400 externally acquires data of a solution report (countermeasure information) generated when an image quality abnormality that occurred in the image forming device 100 is resolved, and abnormality detection image data (abnormal image data) related to the formed image including the image quality abnormality, and stores these in association with each other as abnormality solution data in the database device 500. The server device 400 also searches for a similar registered solution report based on the abnormality detection image data, and outputs the search information.

[0027] The server device 400 may be, for example, a normal PC (a computer that executes a program). The server device 400 includes a control unit 410, a storage unit 420, a communication unit 430, a display unit 451, an operation reception unit 452, and the like. The control unit 410 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control unit 410 centrally controls the overall operation of the server device 400. The storage unit 420 stores a program 421 and various setting data, and the like. The program 421 includes a program that accesses the image forming apparatus 100, the terminal device 300, and the like and transmits and receives data related to image quality abnormalities in image formation of the image forming apparatus 100. The communication unit 330 communicates with an external device and controls the communication. The communication unit 330 controls the communication according to, for example, a communication standard related to a wireless LAN. The display unit 351 has a display screen that can display images including characters, and performs various displays based on the control of the control unit 310. The display screen is, for example, a liquid crystal display screen. The operation reception unit 352 receives an external input operation by a user or the like, and outputs the operation as an input signal to the control unit 310. The operation reception unit 352 includes, for example, various pointing devices such as a keyboard and a mouse.

[0028] The database device 500 has an abnormality resolution data storage unit 510 (storage means). The abnormality resolution data storage unit 510 stores and holds the abnormality resolution data input from the server device 400.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. The image forming apparatus 100 includes a control unit 10, a memory unit 20, a communication unit 30, an input / output interface 40 (I / O), a display unit 51, an operation reception unit 52, a forming operation unit 60, an image reading unit 70, and the like.

[0030] The control unit 10 is a controller that controls the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 100. The control unit 10 has a CPU 11 (Central Processing Unit, a hardware processor) and a RAM 12 (Random Access Memory). The CPU 11 performs various calculation processes. The RAM 12 provides a working memory space for the CPU 11 and stores temporary data. For example, a job list 121 and the like are stored in the RAM 12. The control unit 10 performs image forming operations in order according to the job list 121, and also performs processes related to abnormality detection related to image formation and display of the detection results.

[0031] The storage unit 20 includes, for example, a volatile memory (such as a DRAM) that stores a large amount of temporary data, and a non-volatile memory and / or a hard disk drive (HDD) that stores generated data, setting data, and a program 23 that are retained regardless of the power supply status. The non-volatile memory is, for example, a flash memory (including a solid state drive (SSD)). The temporary data includes, for example, job data 21 related to the formation of each image and the processing data thereof. The generated data includes, for example, anomaly detection image data 22 and the captured image data of the output image that is the source of the image data. The program 23 includes a program for causing the control unit 10 to execute and control an image formation control process described below.

[0032] The communication unit 30 controls data transmission and reception with external devices via a network. The communication unit 30 includes a network card that controls data transmission and reception according to a predetermined communication standard, for example, a protocol such as TCP / IP.

[0033] The input / output interface 40 is an interface for connecting to peripheral devices and transmitting / receiving data. The input / output interface 40 has, for example, a USB terminal and enables transmission / reception of data in accordance with a corresponding communication standard.

[0034] Here, a display unit 51, an operation reception unit 52, and the like are connected to the input / output interface 40. The display unit 51 has a display screen that displays a status or menu related to the image forming operation, a predetermined notification content, and the like based on the control of the control unit 10. The display unit 51 may also have an LED lamp or the like for performing a predetermined notification operation. The operation reception unit 52 receives an input operation from the outside, such as a user, and outputs it to the control unit 10 as an input signal. The operation reception unit 52 has, for example, a touch panel located over the display screen, a push button switch, a rocker switch, a slide switch, a part or all of a numeric keypad, or a keyboard, and the like.

[0035] The forming operation unit 60 performs an operation of forming an image (output image) on a recording medium (medium) based on image data to be formed as specified in the job data 21. The forming operation unit 60 performs an operation of applying and fixing toner on the recording medium transported at a predetermined speed by an electrophotographic method, although it is not particularly limited to such a method. The recording medium is, although it is not particularly limited to such a method, various types of printing paper, and the operation of the forming operation unit 60 may be adjusted depending on the thickness, the presence or absence of a coating, etc.

[0036] The image reading unit 70 captures an image of the surface of the recording medium to generate imaging data. The image reading unit 70 has, for example, a line sensor that captures images in each of the RGB colors, and generates two-dimensional image data (imaging data) by sequentially capturing images of the surface of the recording medium that passes through the image forming operation position by the forming operation unit 60 and is transported. When an image is formed on the surface of the recording medium by the forming operation unit 60, imaging data of the formed image is obtained.

[0037] Next, an abnormality detection operation of the formed image in the image forming apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described. In the image forming apparatus 100, when the forming operation unit 60 forms an image based on the target image data in response to a predetermined command, the formed image (formed image) is read by the image reading unit 70 to generate imaging data. Then, based on the difference between the target image data and the imaging data, an abnormal part that occurred during the image forming operation is detected and specified from the imaging data. Examples of abnormalities include inappropriate adhesion of coloring material (the occurrence of an abnormal adhesion part due to foreign matter, stains or defects due to an abnormal operation of the forming operation unit 60), localized stains due to a conveying roller that moves the recording medium, and peeling due to poor fixing. In order to detect the above difference, a process may be performed to suitably match the format and resolution of the target image data to the imaging data. Only the detected abnormal part (the part where the image quality abnormality is detected) of the imaging data (here, "only" may include a surrounding area of ​​a small width in consideration of the detection accuracy, etc.) is extracted, and abnormality detection image data 22 is generated that shows the occurrence position of the abnormality.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen W1 for displaying a list of abnormality detection situations displayed on the display unit 51 of the image forming apparatus 100. As shown in FIG.

[0039] In the list display screen W1, for example, the abnormality detection status for three images is shown. The captured image F1 and the abnormality detection image F2 are shown side by side so as to be easily compared, in association with each file name and image formation date and time (i.e., the creation date and time of the captured image data and the abnormality detection image data 22). Here, no abnormality is detected for file A, and the abnormality detection image is entirely white. For files B and C, abnormalities detected in the captured images are extracted and shown in the abnormality detection image. For file B, black dots and lines have appeared, and for file C, vertical streaks have appeared.

[0040] In addition to the display columns for these images, the display screen W1 also shows a column (column) labeled "Solution Method" and a column (column) labeled "Input." In the "Solution Method" column, an operation button B1 labeled "View" is shown, and in the "Input" column, an operation button B2 labeled "Edit" is shown.

[0041] The solution column is intended for viewing measures to solve an abnormality when an abnormality is detected. Therefore, if no abnormality is detected, such as file A, no display is made. Here, the operation button B1 is also not displayed for file C, in which an abnormality is detected. If a solution to a related abnormality is not registered, the operation button B1 does not need to be displayed. As will be described later, when searching for a solution after the operation button B1 is selected, the operation button B1 may be displayed uniformly when the display screen W1 is displayed, without determining whether a solution is available.

[0042] The input column is for inputting new solutions to detected anomalies or for making supplementary corrections to solutions that have already been input. Therefore, if no anomalies are detected, as in the case of file A, no display will be made.

[0043] Next, the solution to the image quality abnormality will be described. As described above, image quality abnormalities are likely to be affected by abnormalities in the hardware of the image forming apparatus 100, and to resolve these, manual maintenance work or part replacement is often required. To address these issues, it is first necessary to determine the maintenance content to be performed based on the nature of the image quality abnormality. Furthermore, the maintenance content to be performed ranges from what can be easily performed by a general user of the image forming apparatus 100 to what requires a certain degree of specialized knowledge and skill.

[0044] The knowledge required to determine the maintenance contents from the image quality abnormality varies widely from general users, administrators, and maintenance staff to newcomers and experts, and it is a heavy burden to make inquiries to a small number of knowledgeable people every time. In the image forming system 1 of this embodiment, when an abnormality in the image forming device 100 is resolved by a maintenance staff (which may be limited to a part of knowledgeable experts), a report on the resolution method (resolution report) is requested from the person who resolved the problem. The input resolution report is acquired by the server device 400 in association with the abnormality detection image data, and is collected and stored in the database device 500. When an image quality abnormality occurs in the image forming device 100, a general user, an administrator, a person in charge of a consultation reception desk at a maintenance company, an inexperienced maintenance staff, etc. can search the report to learn the appropriate procedure for resolving the abnormality.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of an input screen for a solution report. As shown in Fig. 4(a), when the operation button B2 is selected on the display screen W1, the authentication screen W2 is displayed first to authenticate whether the person is qualified to input a report. This makes it possible to eliminate input of low-quality data.

[0046] When the person who is qualified to input data is authenticated, as shown in Fig. 4(b), an input screen W3 for a solution report is displayed, and input to each of the previously set items becomes possible. If it is difficult for the maintenance person to secure sufficient time for inputting data, such as when this input screen W3 is displayed on the display screen of the image forming apparatus 100, only the report number (identification information) and the abnormality detection image data are associated with each other by a predetermined saving operation, and later, input of each item may be made possible from a separate terminal device 300 or the like based on the identification information of the report. If the identification information is assigned by the server device 400 independently of the image forming apparatus 100, the report number does not need to be displayed in the initial input field.

[0047] The input items for the solution report include, for example, paper size, paper type, toner type, color where the abnormality occurred, printer model, problem content (explanation of the problem), part where the problem occurred, solution procedure (processing procedure), precautions, difficulty level, replacement parts, etc. Paper size may include normal sizes such as A and B, as well as modified sizes such as postcards and envelopes. Paper type may include plain paper, high-quality paper, coated paper, as well as types for use such as backing paper. These, as well as toner type, color where the abnormality occurred, printer model, etc., are not necessarily factors specific to the abnormality that has occurred, and may be used as reference information.

[0048] The problem content and problem occurrence location are recorded as the result of the judgment and the content determined by the solution. In other words, if the initial judgment result is incorrect, the content and location that are finally correctly recognized should be recorded. Note that if the abnormality is resolved by trial and error, but the cause remains unknown, it is not necessary to create a report.

[0049] The method of describing the solution procedure is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to indicate each processing step in bullet points or the like. In addition, the solution procedure can be accompanied by an image such as a photograph of the target location. As described above, it may be possible to upload the image data separately after other processing. Note that the image data does not need to be taken at the time of dealing with the image quality abnormality, and some or all of the image data may be taken later or in advance for other purposes by an image forming device that is operating normally.

[0050] The notes may be written based on the subjective opinion of the person in charge of recording, and may include, for example, points where mistakes are likely to be made, points where mistakes are likely to be made, and tools necessary for the work. If there is nothing in particular, it is not necessary to write it down, or it may be written as "none".

[0051] The difficulty level indicates the level of a person who can handle the task based on the amount of knowledge and skill. Here, the difficulty level can be described arbitrarily, but it may be selected from options set in advance, for example, a pull-down menu. Also, it may be possible to clearly associate "easy" with general users and "difficult" with only experts, and to allow the user to simply write "easy" or "difficult".

[0052] The replaced part indicates the part that was actually replaced during the treatment. If there was no replaced part, there may be no description, or "none" may be described.

[0053] In this input screen W3, the update history is displayed in the lower right. If a more efficient solution procedure is found, or if a person who has taken action after reading this solution report notices a caution, it is possible to add to it at any time, which prevents the information from becoming outdated and becoming useless data. In this case, the previously written content is also written on the input screen. If another person erases this content without permission, it may cause trouble, so it is preferable to focus on additions and display the history so that the person who made the update can be identified. It may also be possible to prevent anyone other than the person who wrote it previously from erasing the registered written content.

[0054] When the operation button B31 labeled "Register" located at the bottom of the input screen W3 is selected, the input contents are sent to the server device 400 and registered. On the other hand, when the operation button B32 labeled "Cancel" is selected, the input contents are erased and are not sent to the server device 400 or registered. When the operation button B33 labeled "Export" at the bottom left is selected, data including the contents currently being input is converted into a file of a predetermined format such as document data or PDF data and output. The file format conversion process may be performed by the image forming device 100 (or the terminal device 300), but may also be requested to be performed by the server device 400. Even in this case, it is not necessary for the server device 400 to hold the data that was being input after the conversion process.

[0055] In the terminal device 300, this output file can be opened again so that it can be edited, and after editing, it can be sent to the server device 400. This allows the person in charge of resolving the anomaly to, for example, input a memo that will not be forgotten immediately after resolving the image quality anomaly, and then rewrite it as proper text when things have calmed down, and also add image data, etc., depending on the situation. With this type of input, it is possible to register an easy-to-read resolution report, which will be useful when searched and viewed later. In order to edit the exported file, a dedicated program (application software) may be required, or the output format data may be directly editable using a general-purpose editor or the like.

[0056] 5 is a diagram showing the flow of processing up to registration of a resolution report when an abnormality is resolved. Note that the processing by the person in charge on the left side includes a case where the person in charge visually checks the display content of the image forming device and directly responds, and a case where the person in charge obtains output via a terminal device at hand and also performs input.

[0057] As shown in the sequence diagram of FIG. 5(a), when an image forming apparatus 100 detects an image quality abnormality, information indicating that the image quality abnormality has been detected in the image forming apparatus 100 is displayed on the display unit. The display unit may be not only the display unit 51 of the image forming apparatus 100 but also the display unit of the terminal device 300. Both display units may be capable of displaying simultaneously. The terminal device 300 may directly access the image forming apparatus 100, or may access the server device 400 to indirectly request information related to the image quality abnormality of the image forming apparatus 100. In the latter case, the server device 400 obtains information related to the abnormality of the image forming apparatus 100, and the terminal device 300 obtains the information related to the image quality abnormality from the server device 400 and displays it on the display unit 351.

[0058] The person in charge determines the cause of the abnormality based on the displayed abnormality detection image and takes appropriate measures to address the cause. If it is confirmed as a result of the measures taken that the abnormality has been resolved in the image forming device, a request is made from image forming device 100 to input a solution report. In response to the request, the person in charge inputs information and performs a registration operation. If the input and registration operations are performed on image forming device 100, image forming device 100 transmits the input data to server device 400. If the registration operation is performed on terminal device 300, the input data is transmitted directly from terminal device 300 to server device 400.

[0059] When the server device 400 receives the data of the resolution report, it transmits this data to the database device 500, which stores and registers the data in the anomaly resolution data storage unit 510. Identification information (here, a number) is assigned to the resolution report. The contents of the resolution report may be broken down into items and stored so that they can be reconstructed later according to unique identification information depending on the type of database.

[0060] 5B is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the report registration process executed by the server device 400. This report registration process is started every time data of a solution report is received from the image forming device 100.

[0061] When the report registration process is started, the control unit 410 (CPU) acquires the received solution report data (step S401; acquisition means, acquisition step). The control unit 410 outputs the acquired solution report data to the database device 500, and stores it in the anomaly resolution data storage unit 510 (step S402; storage means, storage step, editing means). At this time, if identification information has not been assigned to the solution report, the control unit 410 may assign identification information to the solution report. Then, the control unit 410 ends the report registration process.

[0062] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 10 (CPU 11) of the image quality inspection control process executed in the image forming apparatus 100. This image quality inspection control process is called and started in the image forming apparatus 100, for example, before starting to form a large number of identical images or after forming a predetermined number of sheets. It may also be started based on a predetermined input operation when a person in charge visually notices an image quality abnormality while forming a large number of identical images. This aims to reduce costs and time required for discarding or redoing formed images that contain defective parts.

[0063] The control unit 10 (CPU 11) acquires image data of an image to be formed, and performs processing according to the driving operation of the forming operation unit 60 (step S101). The control unit 10 causes the forming operation unit 60 to form an image of the target image (step S102). The control unit 10 causes the image reading unit 70 to read the image formed on the recording medium, and generates imaging data (step S103).

[0064] The control unit 10 compares the captured image data with the target image data and detects any difference as an abnormality (step S104). The control unit 10 generates abnormality detection image data 22 by extracting the difference (step S105).

[0065] The control unit 10 determines whether or not an abnormality was detected as a result of the abnormality detection (step S106). If it is determined that no abnormality was detected ("NO" in step S106), the control unit 10 ends the image quality inspection control process. The control unit 10 may perform a predetermined output indicating that no abnormality was detected before ending the process, such as file A on the display screen W1.

[0066] If it is determined that an abnormality has occurred ("YES" in step S106), control unit 10 appropriately displays on display unit 51 that an abnormality has occurred, and waits for the person in charge to finish dealing with the abnormality. Control unit 10 determines whether or not dealing with the abnormality has been completed (step S107). Control unit 10 determines that dealing with the abnormality has been completed when, for example, an input is made via operation reception unit 52 or the like indicating that dealing with the abnormality has been completed, or a command is obtained to perform image formation operation of the same image again. If it is determined that dealing with the abnormality has not been completed ("NO" in step S107), control unit 10 repeats the processing of step S107.

[0067] When it is determined that the abnormality has been dealt with ("YES" in step S107), the control unit 10 causes the forming operation unit 60 to perform the image forming operation again based on the currently held image formation target data (step S108). The control unit 10 causes the image reading unit 70 to read the formed image and generate imaging data (step S109). The control unit 10 compares the imaging data after the abnormality has been dealt with with the target image data to detect an abnormality (step S110).

[0068] The control unit 10 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred as a result of the detection (step S111). If it is determined that an abnormality has occurred ("YES" in step S111), the process of the control unit 10 returns to step S107. If it is determined that no abnormality has occurred ("NO" in step S111), the control unit 10 transitions to a screen requesting input of a solution report, and requests authentication information related to editing the solution report (step S112). The transition to the process of step S112 may be limited to only when the operation button B2 is pressed on the input screen W3 or the like.

[0069] The control unit 10 waits for the input of authentication information and determines whether or not the authentication has been successful (whether or not the editing is acceptable) (step S113; second authentication means). If it is determined that the authentication has not been successful ("NO" in step S113), the control unit 10 ends the image quality inspection control process.

[0070] If it is determined that the authentication has been successful ("YES" in step S113), the control unit 10 causes the display unit 51 to display a solution report input screen (step S114). The control unit 10 may cause the input contents to be reflected in the display on the display screen at any time. The control unit 10 determines whether or not an input termination operation has been accepted (step S115). If it is determined that the operation has been accepted ("YES" in step S115), the current display contents are discarded and the image quality inspection control process is terminated.

[0071] If it is determined that the end operation has not been accepted (step S115: NO), the control unit 10 determines whether or not the registration operation of the input contents has been accepted (step S116). If it is determined that the registration operation has not been accepted (step S116: NO), the process of the control unit 10 returns to step S115. If it is determined that the registration operation has been accepted (step S116: YES), the control unit 10 transmits the contents inputted into the new input screen to the server device 400 as new solution report data (step S117). Note that, if the communication connection between the image forming device 100 and the server device 400 is cut off when the registration operation is accepted, the data to be transmitted may be temporarily stored and held, and transmitted to the server device 400 at an appropriate timing after the connection is resumed. Also, if the data is exported as described above, the data may be transmitted to the server device 400 at an appropriate timing from the terminal device 300 that has been reconnected to the server device 400 after editing the output data.

[0072] In this way, by having the server device 400 centrally manage information related to solving image quality abnormalities caused by the image forming device 100, it is possible to prevent knowledge from being scattered and to make the knowledge easily available.

[0073] Next, the use of the solution report aggregated as described above will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the display of the solution report.

[0074] As described above, when the operation button B1 indicating "View" in the solution method column is selected on the list display screen of the abnormality detection images, the image forming apparatus 100 requests the server apparatus 400 to output a list of solution reports related to abnormalities similar to the target abnormality detection image data 22, and can obtain and display the list.

[0075] When displaying the solution report (output from the server device 400), authentication may be required in the same way as when creating and editing the solution report. The authentication information in this case may be different from the authentication information related to creating and editing the solution report, and may be made widely available to those who may deal with the abnormality. For example, the solution report may be viewable by an inexperienced maintenance worker such as a new employee who is not the target of creating the solution report, or a receptionist (who does not deal with the problem himself) who receives inquiries from users by phone or the like and displays a list on the terminal device 300 at hand. In addition, the solution report may be widely available to users and / or administrators of the image forming device 100. Alternatively, the solution may be freely viewable from the image forming device 100 without the user having to input authentication information.

[0076] When the operation button B1 is selected, a display screen W4 is displayed on the display screen, which displays a list of solution procedures associated with an anomaly detection image similar to the obtained anomaly detection image. In FIG. 7(a), 17 search results can be displayed by scrolling. In this case, the similarity degree may be quantitatively evaluated and the list may be displayed in order of the degree of similarity. A list (list data) of solution reports in order of the degree of similarity may be output from the server device 400 as initial data, or the display order may be freely changed on the display side of the image forming device 100 or the like. In addition, it may be possible to further narrow down the search results or change the display order based on the type of the image forming device 100 or the type of recording medium, which are optional items, as described above.

[0077] In the list display screen W4, an abnormality detection image F3 corresponding to the solution report extracted by the search and an excerpt of the solution procedure are displayed. On the right side of the display screen, an abnormality detection image F2 related to an abnormality currently occurring in the image forming apparatus 100 is also displayed, making it easy to select a similar abnormality detection image F3.

[0078] Each solution report has an operation button B3 labeled "Details," and selecting any of these displays the details of the selected solution report. The list display screen W4 also has an operation button B2 labeled "Edit," but operation of the operation button B2 may be accepted only when the current image quality abnormality has been resolved.

[0079] The details display screen W5 displays the contents entered on the solution report input screen W3, as shown in Fig. 7(b). The person in charge of dealing with the anomaly checks the contents and judges whether or not it is an appropriate solution report. If it is difficult to judge which of the solution reports at the top of the list is the most appropriate, the reports may be displayed in order by selecting the operation button B4 marked "Previous" and the operation button B5 marked "Next." If it is determined that none of the solution reports apply to the current anomaly, the display may be cancelled by pressing the operation button B6 marked "Cancel," and the person in charge may attempt to resolve the issue on their own.

[0080] Also, on this display screen W5, an operation button B7 labeled "Print" is displayed. By selecting this operation button B7, the contents of the displayed solution report are converted into image formation data, and the image is formed and output by the formation operation unit 60 of the image forming apparatus 100. Depending on the cause of the abnormality, it may be necessary to stop the power supply to the image forming apparatus 100 once when dealing with the abnormality, and during this time, it is not possible to deal with the abnormality while looking at the display content on the display unit 51. By forming an image of the solution procedure and outputting it, it is possible to deal with the abnormality while looking at the output medium. In this case, image quality abnormalities may also occur in the output, but in this case, it is sufficient if the contents can be recognized.

[0081] When it is determined which of the solution reports corresponds to the current image quality abnormality, the person in charge of troubleshooting can determine whether he or she can handle the problem on the spot by looking at the level of difficulty and replacement parts, and can contact a person of a suitable level to handle the problem or procure replacement parts as necessary. Note that, as described above, since the range that can be filled in is narrower than the range in which the solution report can be viewed, if the level of the person who should handle the problem is not clearly indicated in the display of the level of difficulty, the display may be adjusted to suggest whether the user of image forming apparatus 100 is recommended to handle the problem himself or what level of specialized maintenance company he or she should request, so that even an inexperienced user of image forming apparatus 100 can easily understand. In addition, when a receptionist at the consultation desk selects the corresponding solution report, the receptionist can decide whether to explain the problem to the user (inquirer) and have him / her handle it himself / herself, or to assign it to a person with a suitable level of skill. In other words, in this case, the work can be quickly assigned to a person with the appropriate skill and knowledge level, so that unnecessary shuffling of tasks and excessive burden on experienced people can be prevented.

[0082] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the display of similar cases when an image quality abnormality occurs in image forming apparatus 100. In FIG. Fig. 8(a) is a diagram for explaining data transmission and reception performed when an image quality abnormality occurs in image forming apparatus 100. Fig. 8(b) is a flowchart showing a control procedure by control unit 410 of similar case search processing executed by server device 400.

[0083] When the display is performed on the terminal device 300, as in the case shown in FIG. 5(a), the terminal device 300 may be able to directly access the image forming device 100, or may access the server device 400 to request information relating to image quality abnormalities of the image forming device 100.

[0084] When a display is displayed indicating that an image quality abnormality has been detected and a request is received from the person in charge for a resolution report for an abnormality similar to the image quality abnormality, the image forming device 100 transmits the abnormality detection image data 22 to the server device 400 and also makes a search request for a resolution report for an abnormality having a pattern similar to the abnormality detection image.

[0085] The server device 400 accesses the database device 500 and performs a search process for anomalies with a pattern similar to the anomaly detection image. The search process can be performed by, for example, various image processing, but since a comparison process between the currently acquired anomaly detection image data and all stored anomaly detection image data is performed every time a request is received, it is preferable to convert the feature amount into a numerical value, for example, calculate a multidimensional vector, based on the feature amount in advance. An anomaly detection image with a pattern similar to a predetermined standard or more is extracted according to the degree of similarity of the numerical values ​​(such as the relative distance between the multidimensional vectors), and a solution report corresponding to the anomaly detection image is extracted. Display data related to the display contents on the image forming device 100 or the terminal device 300 is generated and output by the server device 400 in a predetermined format, and the image forming device 100 or the terminal device 300 may simply display the received display data.

[0086] The person in charge selects the case (corresponding case) that is determined to correspond to the current image quality abnormality from the displayed contents. When the selection operation is accepted by the image forming apparatus 100 or the terminal device 300, the display unit displays details of the selected corresponding case. This detailed display data may be all acquired in advance from the server device 400 together with the list display data, or the image forming apparatus 100 or the terminal device 300 may request the server device 400 again, and the display data generated by the server device 400 may be acquired and displayed by the image forming apparatus 100 or the terminal device 300.

[0087] When the abnormality is dealt with, the resolution of the abnormality is confirmed in the image forming apparatus 100. Regarding the creation of a solution report thereafter, the flow may continue to the flow shown in FIG.

[0088] The similar item search process shown in FIG. 8(b) is initiated when a search request in response to the selection operation of operation button B1 is received from image forming apparatus 100 or terminal apparatus 300 together with anomaly detection image data, if necessary, as described above.

[0089] When the similar case search process is started, the control unit 410 (CPU) of the server device 400 acquires anomaly detection image data (step S411). The control unit 410 analyzes the anomaly detection image data and digitizes the features (calculates the feature amount) (step S412).

[0090] The control unit 410 accesses the database device 500, and compares the feature amount of the corresponding image with the calculated feature amount among the stored and registered solution reports, and extracts (selects) those whose difference (such as Euclidean distance in the case of multidimensional quantities, or angle difference in the case of unit vectors) is within a predetermined range (i.e., those similar to each other) (step S413; selection means). The control unit 410 arranges the feature amounts in ascending order of difference between the feature amount of the anomaly detection image data and the feature amount related to each extracted solution report, and determines the order of display in the list. The control unit 410 generates display data for the list display in a predetermined format in the order (step S414). At this time, the control unit 410 may also generate detailed display data for each extracted solution report.

[0091] The control unit 410 outputs the display data related to the generated abnormality resolution data to the requesting image forming apparatus 100 or terminal device 300 (step S415; output means). Then, the control unit 410 ends the similar case search process.

[0092] FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a control procedure by the control unit 10 of the image quality inspection control process in the case where the process includes the display and selection of the solution report. In this image quality inspection control process, steps S130 to S142 are added to the image quality inspection control process shown in Fig. 6, and step S106 is replaced with step S106a. Among steps S112 to S117, steps S112, S113, S115, and S116 are included in a report edit control process (see Fig. 10) shown as step S142, which will be described later, and steps S114 and S117 are replaced with steps S114a and S117a, respectively, in the report edit control process. The other process contents are the same in both control processes, and the same process contents are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail.

[0093] Following the processing of step S105, the control unit 10 (CPU 11) displays a display screen W1 related to a list display of the abnormality detection results (step S130). Note that in the display immediately after the inspection, it is not necessary to display a list of all target images for which the abnormality detection images and detection results are stored, and only display of the inspected target images may be performed. For images with abnormalities, the control unit 10 displays an operation button B1 related to "view" and an operation button B2 related to "edit". Then, the processing of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S106.

[0094] When it is determined in the determination process of step S106 that an abnormality has occurred and the process proceeds to "YES", the control unit 10 determines whether or not a display related to the solution of the detected abnormality has been selected, that is, whether or not the operation of the operation button B1 related to the target image has been accepted (step S131). If it is determined that the operation has not been accepted ("NO" in step S131), the process of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S140.

[0095] If it is determined that the request has been accepted ("YES" in step S131), the control unit 10 requests a password for displaying the solution (step S132). The control unit 10 may request an ID for authentication in addition to the password. The control unit 10 determines whether or not the authentication has been successful (determines whether output is possible) (step S133; first authentication means). If it is determined that the authentication has not been successful ("NO" in step S133), the process of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S140.

[0096] If it is determined that the authentication has been successful ("YES" in step S133), the control unit 10 transmits anomaly detection data including the anomaly detection image data 22 to the server device 400 and requests a search for similar image quality anomalies and their resolution reports (step S134). The control unit 10 waits for a reply from the server device 400 and obtains the search results contained in the reply. The control unit 10 causes the display unit 51 to display a list of the resolution reports and corresponding anomaly detection images based on the search results (step S135). Then, the processing of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S107.

[0097] When it is determined in the process of step S107 that the abnormality has not yet been dealt with and the process branches to "NO", the control unit 10 determines whether or not any selection operation of the solution report (selection operation of the operation button B3) has been accepted (step S136). When it is determined that the selection operation has not been accepted ("NO" in step S136), the process of the control unit 10 returns to step S107.

[0098] If it is determined that the selection operation of the solution report has been accepted ("YES" at step S136), the control unit 10 causes the details of the selected solution report to be displayed (step S137). The control unit 10 determines whether or not a print command for the detailed display content of the solution report has been accepted (step S138). If it is determined that the print command has not been accepted ("NO" at S138), the processing of the control unit 10 returns to step S107. If it is determined that the detailed display content of the solution report has been accepted ("YES" at step S138), the control unit 10 converts the detailed display content of the solution report into data for image formation (operation as a conversion means), and causes the formation operation unit 60 to form an image and output it (step S139). Then, the processing of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S140. Note that power supply to image forming apparatus 100 may be temporarily interrupted before proceeding from each process to step S107 or step S140. After recovery from the interruption, this process may be automatically resumed from step S140. In this case, the screen displayed at the time of resumption may be any one of display screens W1, W4, W5, etc. Also, in the above, the processes related to the operation of the operation buttons B4 to B6 are omitted, but may be added as appropriate.

[0099] When the process proceeds to step S140, the control unit 10 determines whether or not the abnormality has been dealt with (step S140). The determination may be performed by the same process as step S107. If it is determined that the abnormality has not been dealt with ("NO" in step S140), the control unit 10 repeats the process of step S140. If it is determined that the abnormality has been dealt with ("YES" in step S140), the process of the control unit 10 proceeds to step S108.

[0100] After the processes of steps S108 to S110, if it is determined in the determination process of step S111 that an abnormality has occurred ("YES" in step S111), the process of the control unit 10 returns to step S133. Note that the determination process when returning to step S133 may be performed based on the result according to the authentication information previously requested in step S132, and the authentication input acceptance and confirmation process may not be performed again.

[0101] When it is determined in the determination process of step S111 that there is no abnormality and the process branches to "NO", the control unit 10 determines whether or not an operation related to a request to edit a solution report, that is, a selection operation of the operation button B2, has been performed (step S141). The operation button B2 may be for editing an already registered solution report as shown in Fig. 7(a), or may be for registering a new solution report as shown in Fig. 3.

[0102] If it is determined that the operation button B2 has not been selected ("NO" in step S141), the control unit 10 ends the image quality inspection control process. If it is determined that the operation button B2 has been selected ("YES" in step S141), the control unit 10 calls and executes the report editing control process (step S142).

[0103] Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing the control procedure of the report editing control process. As described above, the processes of steps S112, S113, S115, and S116 in the report editing control process are all the same as the processes in the image quality inspection control process shown in Fig. 6, and detailed explanations will be omitted. Note that, in the determination process of step S112, if the authentication information is the same as the authentication information authenticated in step S133 and is an authentication ID with editing authority, there is no need to request input of authentication information again.

[0104] If it is determined in the determination process of step S113 that authentication has been successful ("YES" in step S113), the control unit 10 displays an editing screen for the solution report corresponding to the selected operation button B2 (step S114a). When displaying an editing screen for a solution report to be newly registered, the control unit 10 displays an input screen W3 with all input fields blank, as shown in FIG. 4(b). When displaying an editing screen for a solution report that has already been registered, the control unit 10 displays an editing screen with the registration contents written in the entry fields.

[0105] If it is determined in the determination process of step S116 that the operation to register the solution report has been accepted, the control unit 10 transmits the edited solution report data to the server device 400 (step S117a). The control unit 10 may select and transmit only the data of the edited items. The control unit 10 may automatically generate and add history data. The history data may be generated by the server device 400. Then, the control unit 10 ends the report editing control process and returns the process to the image quality inspection control process.

[0106] As described above, the server device 400 and database device 500 of the image forming system 1 constituting the anomaly handling data collecting system of this embodiment include the control unit 410 of the server device 400, and the anomaly resolution data storage unit 510 of the database device 500 that stores anomaly resolution data. The control unit 410, as an acquisition unit, associates handling information for solving an image quality anomaly that has occurred in the image forming device 100 with anomaly detection image data 22 related to an output image including an image quality anomaly by the image forming device 100, and acquires the associated data as anomaly resolution data. The anomaly resolution data storage unit 510 stores and holds the anomaly resolution data acquired by the server device 400. In this way, by centrally storing and managing information on solving problems with the image forming apparatus 100, particularly image quality abnormalities of many image forming apparatuses 100 located in various locations, it becomes possible to easily search for and use information required when an image quality abnormality occurs. Therefore, with this abnormality response data aggregation system (image forming system 1), it becomes easier to find a solution to an image quality abnormality that occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 more quickly and with less effort.

[0107] In addition, the control unit 410 of the server device 400, as a selection means, compares the abnormality detection image data 22 relating to the output image including the image quality abnormality that occurred in the image forming device 100 with the abnormality image data contained in the abnormality resolution data stored in the abnormality resolution data storage unit 510, selects the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality that is similar to each other, and, as an output means, outputs the selected abnormality resolution data to the image forming device 100 that made the request, the terminal device 300, etc. By having such a search capability in server device 400, the site where the problem occurred or the person in charge who received the inquiry from the site can easily guess the cause and deal with it. Also, since the degree of similarity is determined based on the image data of the image quality abnormality that actually occurred, it is possible to refer to a large amount of abnormality resolution data across different models of image forming devices, etc., and the possibility of not being able to find the necessary information can be reduced.

[0108] Furthermore, the abnormality detection image data 22 is image data obtained by extracting a detected portion of an image quality abnormality from an output image of an image to be recorded in the image forming apparatus 100. In other words, since the information of the original output image is deleted, it is possible to accurately determine the degree of similarity based only on information such as the content and position of the abnormality. Also, comparison between images is easy. Moreover, since the content of the original object to be formed is not disclosed to a third party, it is safe from a security standpoint.

[0109] The resolution report also includes information on the procedure for resolving the image quality abnormality, which allows the maintenance staff to easily deal with the problem by simply following the procedure.

[0110] The resolution report also includes information on the location where the image quality abnormality occurred. By clearly indicating the location where the image abnormality occurred in an image forming apparatus that has many parts, it becomes easier to deal with the abnormality.

[0111] The solution report also includes an explanation of the problem with the image forming device that caused the image quality abnormality. By clarifying the cause of the problem, it becomes clear what purpose and how to perform the core process in the solution procedure, and it is possible to reduce the increase in effort due to insufficient measures.

[0112] The solution report also includes points to note when dealing with the problem. Image forming devices have many small parts and generate voltage and heat to apply and fix color materials, so there are risks such as electric shock, burns, stains, and part loss, and tools may be required depending on the location of the part replacement. By providing advance warning, it is possible to safely and reliably solve image quality abnormalities in one go.

[0113] Furthermore, when multiple anomaly resolution data are selected, the control unit 410, as an output means, outputs list data in which the anomaly resolution data is arranged in descending order of similarity to the content of the image quality anomaly. Similar image quality anomalies may occur for different causes, and in the case of such anomaly detection images, the maintenance staff must select the appropriate one, but it may be time-consuming to check all the resolution reports. By prioritizing the most likely ones and displaying them in a list, the staff can easily find the ones that they determine match the current image quality anomaly early on, and can save the time of checking the remaining resolution reports.

[0114] Furthermore, the image forming system 1 performs authentication as a first authentication means to determine whether or not a solution report can be output in response to an external output request. Such information does not need to be completely disclosed to the public, but only to users of the corresponding image forming apparatuses and personnel such as maintenance companies. Therefore, by making an authentication request when requesting information, it is possible to provide the information appropriately. Also, it is possible to appropriately manage and control access from general terminal devices 300, not limited to access from the image forming apparatus 100.

[0115] Furthermore, the image forming system 1 can accept editing of the resolution report stored in the anomaly resolution data storage unit 510 as an editing means. At this time, the image forming system 1 can determine whether or not to accept editing of the resolution report as a second authentication means. This prevents the inclusion of low-quality or dangerous information, such as self-taught solutions by outsiders or people with little knowledge, and more reliably outputs appropriate information. In addition, editing can be performed in response to a change in the situation due to product improvements after registration, when information that was forgotten to be written needs to be added, when a more appropriate resolution procedure is found, etc., so that registration is prevented from becoming outdated and becoming useless early, and at the same time, information that has become outdated and is no longer necessary is prevented from being searched for and output.

[0116] The solution report also includes information on the degree of difficulty of the solution procedure. If the degree of difficulty is lower than a predetermined standard, an output is made suggesting that the problem can be dealt with by the user of the image forming apparatus 100. In other words, there is no need to call a maintenance company more than necessary, which reduces the burden on the maintenance company and shortens the downtime of the image forming apparatus 100 until the maintenance company deals with the problem, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0117] Moreover, if the level of difficulty is higher than a predetermined standard, an output is made suggesting that a specialized person be requested to handle the problem. On the other hand, if a part replacement or the like is required and it is difficult for a general user with little knowledge or skill to handle the problem, the system prevents the user from wasting time, and prevents further accidents and breakdowns in the image forming apparatus 100. Also, by contacting staff who can handle the problem promptly, the system can efficiently and appropriately allocate a maintenance company.

[0118] Furthermore, the control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 100 operates as a conversion means for converting the solution report (which may or may not include an abnormality detection image) output by the server device 400 into data for image formation. By converting the data into data for image formation and having the formation operation unit 60 form an image using the data, a person in charge can take appropriate action while looking at a printed paper or the like even when the power supply to the image forming apparatus 100 is cut off during maintenance processing.

[0119] In addition, the anomaly handling data aggregation method of this embodiment includes an acquisition step of correlating a resolution report for resolving an image quality anomaly that has occurred in image forming apparatus 100 with anomaly detection image data relating to an output image including an image quality anomaly by image forming apparatus 100 and acquiring the resulting anomaly resolution data, and a storage step of storing and holding the acquired anomaly resolution data. In this way, by aggregating and storing abnormality resolution data regarding image quality abnormalities in image forming devices, it becomes possible for a person at the site where the image quality abnormality has occurred to make the best possible decision quickly, and for a person who is able to deal with the problem efficiently to take appropriate action.

[0120] In addition, the program 421 of this embodiment causes the computer to function as an acquisition means that associates a resolution report for resolving an image quality abnormality that has occurred in the image forming apparatus 100 with abnormality detection image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus 100 and acquires the associated data as abnormality resolution data, and as a storage means that stores and holds the acquired abnormality resolution data. In this way, by installing the program in a normal program and controlling it, it is possible to easily collect information on solving image quality abnormalities in many image forming devices via the Internet, etc., without requiring any special configuration. As a result, when a new image quality abnormality occurs in an image forming device, it becomes possible to more easily obtain information based on image quality abnormalities that have occurred in the past from the collected information, and to deal with it efficiently.

[0121] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be modified in various ways. For example, in the above embodiment, the output image and the abnormality detection image are displayed side by side on the list display screen of the abnormality detection results, but the output image does not need to be displayed for displays other than the most recent results.

[0122] In addition, in the above embodiment, the solution report can be printed out, but it may also be converted into a format that can be displayed as an image on the terminal device 300, such as PDF data, and the user may take action while viewing the PDF data without forming an image.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the difficulty level is determined so that it can be determined whether a general user can handle the problem, but the difficulty level does not necessarily have to determine whether a general user can handle the problem. For example, if a special tool or replacement part is required, it may be determined separately from the difficulty level because it may be easy but problematic for a general user to do it themselves. Furthermore, since a general user does not necessarily need to know the level of maintenance required, the level of maintenance required may be described in an expression that can be determined within the maintenance company.

[0124] In addition to the above level of difficulty, input items different from those in the solution report shown in the embodiment may be specified, and some may be omitted to the extent that the image quality abnormality can be solved. If the solution procedure does not fit in the entry field, it may be possible to scroll the display as appropriate. In this case, it is preferable that the entire report be easily displayed when printed.

[0125] In the above embodiment, the degree of similarity is calculated based on the feature amounts of the anomaly detection images, but the degree of similarity may be calculated by comparing more general parameters, such as differences in the colors of the anomalies, the shapes and sizes of the areas where the anomalies occur, and the shapes and sizes of the individual anomalies. The calculated numerical values ​​of the similarity may also be displayed together with the list display screen W4. The anomaly detection image data may also be compared directly, instead of comparing the calculated feature amounts.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the server device 400 performs a comparative search of anomaly detection image data in response to a request from the image forming device 100 or the terminal device 300, and outputs a resolution report having an anomaly similar to the anomaly detection image data acquired in response to the request, but the server device 400 may simply be remotely accessed from the terminal device 300, and a person in charge may search for a resolution report related to a similar anomaly. In this case, an index may be added to each resolution report to facilitate direct search. Alternatively, the terminal device 300 may directly access the database device 500 to perform a search process.

[0127] In addition, in the embodiment, a part of the solution procedure is displayed on the display screen W4 which displays a list of the searched and extracted solution reports, but instead, the content of the problem or the location where the problem occurred may be displayed.

[0128] In the above embodiment, the abnormality handling data collection system includes at least the server device 400 and the database device 500, and further includes the image forming device 100 and the terminal devices 200 and 300, but is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the abnormality resolution data storage unit 510 of the database device 500 may be a storage unit built into the server device 400 or an external storage unit attached as a peripheral device. That is, the abnormality handling data collection system may be a single server device 400. Also, for example, an intermediate server device that mediates communication may be located between the server device 400 and the image forming device 100 and the terminal devices 200 and 300. Also, the server device 400 is not limited to one, and multiple server devices may operate in parallel in a distributed manner.

[0129] Furthermore, the search request and display of similar cases may be performed simultaneously in parallel by the image forming apparatus 100 and the terminal apparatus 300, and the switching of the display and the selection of one of the candidates may be performed separately. Note that the editing and registration operation of the solution report after the abnormality is resolved may be exclusively controlled so that it is possible only on one of the devices.

[0130] In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, but the image forming apparatus may be an image forming apparatus that performs image forming operations using other methods.

[0131] In the above description, the storage unit 420 is exemplified as a computer-readable medium for storing the program 421 relating to the aggregation control of anomaly handling data of the present invention, which is made up of a non-volatile memory such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory, but is not limited thereto. As other computer-readable media, other non-volatile memories such as MRAM, and portable recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD disks can be applied. In addition, a carrier wave is also applied to the present invention as a medium for providing data of the program according to the present invention via a communication line. In addition, the specific configurations, contents and procedures of the processing operations shown in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1. Image forming system 10 Control section 11 CPU 12 RAM 121 Job List 20 Memory section 21 Job Data 22 Anomaly detection image data 23 Programs 30 Communications Department 40 Input / Output Interface 51 Display section 52 Operation reception section 60 Forming operation section 70 Image reading unit 100 Image forming device 200, 300 terminal equipment 310 Control section 320 Storage section 321 Program 330 Communications Department 351 Display section 352 Operation reception section 400 Server Device 410 Control section 420 Storage section 421 Program 430 Communications Department 451 Display section 452 Operation reception section 500 Database device 510 Abnormality resolution data storage unit F1 Image capture F2, F3 Anomaly detection images W1, W4, W5 display screen W2 authentication screen W3 Input Screen

Claims

1. A storage means; an acquisition means for acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus, and for storing and holding the acquired countermeasure information and the abnormal image data as abnormality resolution data in the storage means in association with each other; a selection means for comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage means, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality that is similar to the image quality abnormality; an output means for outputting the anomaly resolution data selected by the selection means; Equipped with When a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, the output means outputs list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the content of the image quality anomaly. The abnormality handling data collection system according to the present invention is characterized in that:

2. An abnormality handling data collection system as described in claim 1, wherein the handling information includes precautions to take when handling an abnormality.

3. 3. The anomaly countermeasure data collecting system according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality image data is image data obtained by extracting the portion where the image quality abnormality is detected from the output image.

4. 4. The anomaly handling data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the handling information includes information on a processing procedure for solving the image quality anomaly.

5. 5. The abnormality countermeasure data collecting system according to claim 1, wherein the countermeasure information includes information relating to a location where the image quality abnormality has occurred.

6. 6. The abnormality handling data collection system according to claim 1, wherein the handling information includes an explanation of a problem with the image forming apparatus that causes the image quality abnormality.

7. 7. The anomaly handling data collection system according to claim 1, further comprising a first authentication means for determining whether or not to output the handling information in response to an output request from outside.

8. an editing means for accepting editing of the handling information stored in the storage means; a second authentication means for determining whether or not the editing by the editing means is acceptable; The anomaly handling data collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising:

9. The handling information includes information on a processing procedure for solving the image quality abnormality and information on the degree of difficulty of the processing procedure, When the degree of difficulty is lower than a predetermined standard, the output unit outputs a message suggesting that the problem can be dealt with by a user of the image forming apparatus.

9. The anomaly handling data collection system according to claim 1,

10. The handling information includes information on a processing procedure for solving the image quality abnormality and information on the degree of difficulty of the processing procedure, When the level of difficulty is higher than a predetermined standard, the output means outputs a message suggesting that the problem be dealt with by a specialist.

10. The anomaly handling data collection system according to claim 1,

11. 11. The abnormality handling data collection system according to claim 1, further comprising a conversion unit that converts the handling information output by the output unit into data for image formation.

12. An anomaly response data collection method executed by a control unit of an anomaly response data collection system, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus; a storage step of storing and holding the acquired handling information and the abnormality image data as abnormality resolution data in association with each other; a selection step of comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in the image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage step, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality similar to each other; an output step of outputting the anomaly resolution data selected in the selection step; Including, In the output step, when a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the contents of the image quality anomaly is output.

13. An anomaly handling data collection method comprising:

13. Computer, An acquisition unit for acquiring countermeasure information for solving an image quality abnormality occurring in an image forming apparatus and abnormal image data relating to an output image including the image quality abnormality by the image forming apparatus; a storage means for storing and holding the acquired handling information and the abnormality image data as abnormality resolution data in association with each other; a selection means for comparing the abnormal image data relating to an output image including an image quality abnormality occurring in the image forming apparatus with the abnormal image data included in the abnormality resolution data stored in the storage means, and selecting the abnormality resolution data relating to the image quality abnormality that is similar to the image quality abnormality; an output means for outputting the anomaly resolution data selected by the selection means; Functioning as a When a plurality of the anomaly solution data are selected, the output means outputs list data in which the anomaly solution data are arranged in order of similarity to the content of the image quality anomaly. A program characterized by:

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