Remote Maintenance System for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming systems for production markets, where an image forming apparatus and a print server are configured, remote maintenance services face challenges in identifying the cause of failures due to lack of comprehensive information transmission, leading to slow troubleshooting and inefficient failure analysis.
Innovation Solution
A remote maintenance system that enables the transmission and display of device information from both the image forming apparatus and the print server to an external terminal, allowing operators to analyze failures more effectively by generating and transmitting support data containing necessary device information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If remote maintenance service is provided for image forming apparatus only, then the operator can obtain device information of the image forming apparatus, but the operator cannot obtain device information of the print server which is necessary for failure analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the information collection functions for both the image forming apparatus and print server into a unified remote maintenance system. The external terminal is configured to automatically collect device information from both devices when a remote maintenance request is received, merging previously separate information gathering processes into a single integrated operation that provides comprehensive system information to the operator.
2Reliability
If comprehensive device information from both image forming apparatus and print server is transmitted, then failure analysis capability is improved, but information transmission complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the external terminal automatically collect and organize device information from both the image forming apparatus and print server before the operator begins failure analysis. The system proactively gathers configuration information, status data, and diagnostic information in advance, so that when a failure occurs, all necessary information is already prepared and available for immediate analysis without requiring complex manual information gathering during the troubleshooting process.
3Loss of information
If remote maintenance service collects only basic job information, then transmission overhead is reduced, but the information is insufficient for analyzing the cause of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively transmitting different types and levels of information based on the specific failure scenario and device state. Rather than uniformly transmitting all possible data or only basic information, the system intelligently determines which device information parameters are relevant to the current issue and transmits only those necessary datasets. This allows comprehensive diagnostic capability while optimizing network bandwidth usage by avoiding transmission of unnecessary information.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus accepts a start of the remote maintenance function for resolving a failure of the image forming apparatus in accordance with instructions of an operator using an external terminal, generates support data including information of at least one of device information of the print server and device information of the image forming apparatus, which is that is information necessary when the operator analyzes the failure of the image forming apparatus, and transmits it to the external terminal.