JP2004234639A - Communication device, remote control system therefor, control method when transmission factor is occurred, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restart transmission when a main power supply is turned on again, even when the transmission is interrupted by interruption of the main power supply during execution of the transmission, to an external device, of event information for notifying an event acting as a transmission factor, in a communication device of the an image forming apparatus or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 100 transmits toner supply call information (advance event information) for notifying a toner near end (order of a toner bottle) to a controller 102, when detecting the toner near end by occurrence of the toner near end (abnormal advance event), and sets therein an under-execution-of-supply-call flag for indicating under-execution of the transmission for the toner supply call information. When receiving from the controller 102 a transmission result that the toner supply call information is finished to be received normally, the toner supply call information is determined to be transmitted successfully, and the toner supply call information is reset to '0'. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote management system including a communication device having a function of communicating with an external device, a communication device and a management device for remotely managing the communication device via a network, and when a transmission factor occurs in the communication device. And a program for realizing a function (a function according to the present invention) necessary for a computer that controls the communication device.

  Conventionally, including image processing devices such as printers, facsimile (FAX) devices, digital copiers, scanner devices, and digital multifunction devices with communication functions, network home appliances, vending machines, medical devices, power supplies, air conditioning systems, An electronic device (communication device) having a communication function in a gas / water / electricity metering system or the like is a managed device. A remote management system for remotely managing a managed device has been proposed.

Alternatively, if the managed device does not have a communication function, an intermediate device having communication means (communication function) is connected to the managed device via a network, and the management device remotely manages the managed device via the network and the intermediate device. Remote management systems have been proposed.
Here, for example, the managed device is an image forming device, and the image forming device will be briefly described.
As an image forming apparatus, an apparatus that forms an image on plain paper using a known photosensitive member electrostatic process is generally used. However, a trouble (abnormality) occurs from a mechanism that performs such a photosensitive member electrostatic process. Because of the high rate of maintenance and the need for regular overhaul to maintain performance, a maintenance management service system is adopted.

For the purpose of enhancing the maintenance management, a communication means is provided inside or outside the image forming apparatus as a remote management system for the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus and the management apparatus installed in the service center are connected to a public line (telephone line). ), And an event that is a cause of notification such as an abnormal event of the image forming apparatus (self-diagnosis error) or an abnormal pre-event (advance warning that requires preventive maintenance such as reaching the sensor standard level) occurs. In such a case, an event is detected by an event detection unit including a sensor or the like, and event information or the like that notifies the occurrence of the event is transmitted to a management device (external device) by a communication unit. It is commercially available. As the transmission of the event information to the management device, a serviceman call for reporting self-diagnosis abnormality information due to the occurrence of a self-diagnosis abnormality, and an alarm call (for example, a supply call) for reporting advance warning information due to the occurrence of a preliminary warning. is there.
JP-A-2002-6693

Control when an abnormal event (advance warning) occurs in the image forming apparatus in such a remote management system will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 34 and FIG. 35 are diagrams showing different examples of the communication sequence when an abnormal event occurs in the image forming apparatus in the conventional remote management system.
The image forming apparatus includes an event detection unit (event detection unit) including a sensor or the like in the plotter engine, and the event detection unit monitors the state of the plotter engine. In this case (when the amount of toner in the toner bottle serving as a toner supply falls below a predetermined amount), the toner near end is detected, and the occurrence of the toner near end is notified to the CPU in the controller.

  When the CPU in the controller is notified from the plotter engine that a toner near-end has occurred, it determines that a toner near-end has occurred in the plotter engine, and executes a toner supply call in an NV-RAM (non-volatile memory). The value of the completed flag (called flag) and the value of the post-call toner supply counter (called post-call number counter) are checked (checked), and the toner supply call completed flag is reset to “0” and after the call. If the value of the sheet passing counter is equal to or more than "1000" (however, if the device has never made a toner supply call, this condition is ignored), the toner supply call issuance condition is satisfied. It is determined that there is.

Then, after the toner supply call retry counter (retry counter) in the NV-RAM is set to "3", the toner supply call (automatic notification of toner supply call information notifying the occurrence of a toner near end, that is, an order for a toner bottle). To the line adapter (mediation device).
In addition, a message of “toner supply call in progress” is displayed on a character display on the operation unit.

Upon receiving the toner supply call message from the controller, the line adapter makes a toner supply call to the management device of the service center via the public line. That is, toner supply call information (prior event information) notifying the order of the toner bottle is automatically notified to the management device of the service center via the public line.
The management device of the service center receives the toner supply call information reported from the line adapter installed at the device user (the user using the image forming device in this example), and the reception ends normally. Then, a call result (OK) to that effect (to the effect that the process for the toner supply call was successful) is transmitted to the line adapter of the report source via the public line.

Further, the received toner supply call information is stored in a queue (for example, a database in a hard disk device), and the processing is performed by an operator of the management device (hereinafter, referred to as a “center operator”). Ing (hold).
Further, the received toner supply call information is displayed on the display unit to notify the center operator.
When the center operator recognizes that the toner near end has occurred in the engine of the image forming apparatus connected to the line adapter of the notification source and the toner bottle has been ordered by looking at the display contents of the display unit of the management device, A bottle ordering operation is performed, and, for example, a service person is arranged to deliver the toner bottle to the installation location of the line adapter of the notification source.

The line adapter of the report source, as a result of the toner supply call to the management device of the service center (transmission result of the toner supply call information), receives a call from the management device indicating that the reception of the toner supply call information has been normally completed. When the transmission result is received, the call OK is notified to the controller of the image forming apparatus.
When the CPU in the controller of the image forming apparatus receives the notification of the call OK from the line adapter, it determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus has been successful, and displays a “toner supply call successful” message on the character display on the operation unit. Display a message.
In addition, the toner supply call completed flag indicating the success of the toner supply call in the NV-RAM 202 is set to “1”, and both the value of the post-call sheet number counter and the value of the retry number counter in the NV-RAM are set. It is reset to “0” so that the counting operation can be performed from “0”.

When the toner bottle in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus is replaced and toner full occurs (when the toner amount in the toner bottle becomes full), the event detection unit detects the toner full and informs that toner full has occurred. To the controller.
When the CPU in the controller receives a notification from the plotter engine that toner full has occurred, it resets the called flag in the NV-RAM to "0" so that a supply call can be performed at the next toner near end. However, if the value of the post-call sheet number counter does not become “1000”, the supply call is not performed.

On the other hand, as a result of the toner supply call to the management apparatus of the service center (transmission result of the toner supply call information), the line adapter of the notification source calls OK (the reception of the toner supply call information from the management apparatus is normally completed). Is not received within a predetermined period of time, a call NG is notified to the controller of the image forming apparatus.
When the CPU of the controller of the image forming apparatus receives the call NG from the line adapter, it determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus has failed, and displays a “toner supply call failed” message on a character display on the operation unit. I do.

After decrementing (-1) the retry counter in the NV-RAM, the value of the retry counter is checked, and if the value is not "0" (the number of times of reporting the same toner supply call information). Is less than the preset number of times, ie, three times), the same toner supply call message as in the first notification is sent to the line adapter again. Here, the first notification means the first notification of the same toner supply call information.
When receiving the same toner supply call message from the controller as in the first notification, the line adapter causes the management device of the service center to perform the toner supply call again via the public line. That is, the same toner supply call information as that at the time of the first notification is automatically notified again to the management device of the service center via the public line.

Thereafter, as a result of the toner supply call to the management device of the service center, if the call OK cannot be received from the management device even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the call NG is again sent to the controller of the image forming device. Notice.
When the CPU in the controller of the image forming apparatus receives the call NG again from the line adapter, it determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus has failed, and decrements (−1) the retry number counter in the NV-RAM. The value of the retry counter is checked, and if the value is not "0", the same toner supply call message as in the first notification is sent to the line adapter again, and thereafter the same control as described above is performed. I do.

  Thereafter, when the call NG is received again from the line adapter, it is determined that the toner supply call to the management device has failed, the retry counter in the NV-RAM is decremented (−1), and the value of the retry counter is reset. When checked, the value is "0" (the same number of times of reporting the same toner supply call information has reached 3 times), so the same toner supply call message as the first report is sent to the line adapter. Stop (stop) (retry).

FIG. 36 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing (control) when a toner near-end occurs by the CPU in the controller of the image forming apparatus.
The CPU of the controller of the image forming apparatus receives the notification that the toner near end has occurred by the occurrence of the toner near end in the plotter engine and the detection of the toner near end by the corresponding event detection unit. The process is started. First, the state of the toner supply call completed flag in the NV-RAM is checked in step S101, and if it is confirmed that the toner supply call completed flag is reset to "0", the process proceeds to step S102. Then, after the image forming apparatus is delivered, it is determined whether a supply call is to be performed for the first time.

Then, if a supply call is to be performed for the first time after delivery of the image forming apparatus (when a toner near end occurs), the process directly proceeds to step S104, but if a supply call is not performed for the first time, a call in the NV-RAM is performed in step S103. It is determined whether or not the value of the post-sheet passing number counter (the number of sheet passing sheets at the time of the previous notification) has reached "1000", and if it has reached "1000", the flow proceeds to step S104. This determination corresponds to erroneous detection of toner near end due to a door open or the like.
In step S104, "3" is set (set) in the retry counter in the NV-RAM.

Then, in step S105, a message for toner supply call is notified to the line adapter, and the management device of the service center is made to perform the toner supply call via the public line.
Thereafter, the process waits for a notification from the line adapter. If a call OK notification is received from the line adapter, it is determined in step S106 that the toner supply call to the management device has succeeded, and the process proceeds to step S107. I do.
If a call NG notification has been received from the line adapter, it is determined in step S106 that the toner supply call to the management device has failed, and the flow advances to step S110 to perform the following processing.

  That is, after the retry counter in the NV-RAM is decremented (−1) in step S110, the value of the retry counter is checked in step S111, and if the value is not “0” (the same toner When the number of times of reporting the supply call information has not reached three times), the process returns to step S105, where the same message for the toner supply call as that at the time of the first reporting is again notified to the line adapter, and thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeated. When the value of the retry counter reaches “0”, the processing in FIG. 36 ends.

  If it is determined in step S106 that the toner supply call to the management device has succeeded before the value of the retry counter reaches "0", the toner supply call completed flag in the NV-RAM is set to "1" in step S107. After that, the value of the post-call number-of-sheets counter in the NV-RAM is reset to "0" in step S108, and the value of the retry counter is reset to "0" in step S109, and the processing in FIG. 36 ends.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing when the transfer paper is normally discharged by the CPU in the controller of the image forming apparatus.
The CPU of the controller of the image forming apparatus, when the transfer sheet on which the image is formed is normally discharged out of the apparatus and the discharge is detected by the event detection unit, increments the post-call sheet number counter (+1). I do.
FIG. 38 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process when the toner is full by the CPU in the controller of the image forming apparatus.
The CPU of the controller of the image forming apparatus resets the toner supply call completion flag in the NV-RAM to “0” when toner full occurs due to replacement of the toner bottle and the toner full is detected by the event detection unit.

  However, in such a remote management system, the image forming apparatus on the device user side uses an intermediary apparatus (line adapter) or independently (in this case, has a function as an intermediary apparatus) to send an abnormal pre-event to the management apparatus. During the execution of the notification of the event information such as the information or the abnormal event information, if its own main power supply is turned off / on by the operation of the device user or the like (when it is once cut off and then turned on again), Since the report is interrupted, there is a problem that the report being executed cannot be resumed unless the same event occurs again thereafter. For example, if the main power supply is turned off / on by the operation of the device user or the like during the execution of the toner supply call, the toner supply call is interrupted. Can not immediately resume the toner supply call. Depending on the toner remaining amount detection mechanism of the device, the toner near end state may be canceled by opening / closing the main cover or turning off / on the main power once the toner near end is reached. It is also conceivable that the toner bottle is replaced while the main power is off. In such a case, the toner near end state is canceled by turning off / on the main power supply, so that the state in which the toner near end has occurred may not be continued. Since the device user knows that an event such as an abnormal event may be canceled by turning off / on the main power supply, a corresponding error message is displayed on the operation unit upon detection of the event such as the abnormal event. In such a case, an operation for turning off / on the main power supply is often performed.

In the management device, when the report of the event information from the mediation device or the image forming device is interrupted, the event information may not be normally received. For example, when a supply call is interrupted, supply call information may not be normally received. In this case, the supply order will not be placed.
On the other hand, even when the notification of event information from the mediation device or the image forming device is interrupted, the event information may be normally received. For example, even when a supply call is interrupted, supply call information may be normally received. In that case, a supply order will be made.

However, after the event information is normally received, the same event occurs again on the image forming apparatus side, and when the event information notifying the event is received, the same event information is received in duplicate. For example, the same supply call information will be received in duplicate, and the same supply will be double ordered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a communication apparatus such as an image forming apparatus generates an event that is a transmission factor (reporting factor) such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event. During the transmission of the event information to be notified to the external device, even if the own main power is turned off and the transmission during the execution is interrupted, the transmission of the event information being executed is performed. To be able to restart when its own main power is turned on again.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention realizes a communication device, a remote management system for the communication device, a control method when a transmission factor event occurs in the communication device, and a function required for a computer that controls the communication device. Provide programs for:
The communication device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a communication unit that communicates with an external device, an event detection unit that detects an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event, and detects the event. An event information transmitting means for transmitting event information notifying the occurrence of the event to the external device by the communication means when an event causing a notification is detected by the communication means, wherein the event information transmitting means When the event information is transmitted to the external device, the event information transmitting state setting means for setting the event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted is provided.

  A communication device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first aspect, wherein the event information transmitting means has normally received event information from the external device as a result of the event information transmission to the external device. A transmission result determining unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful when the transmission result is received; and a transmission result determination unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful. And an event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling the event information transmitting state.

  A communication device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the second aspect, wherein the transmission result determination unit receives event information from the external device as a result of the event information transmission unit transmitting the event information to the external device. When the transmission result indicating that the transmission has been completed normally cannot be received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, and the event information transmitting means is transmitted to the external device by the transmission result determining means. If it is determined that the transmission of the event information has failed, and if the number of transmissions of the same event information as the event information has not reached the predetermined number set in advance, the event information is transmitted to the external device again. Means for performing retransmission control for stopping the retransmission of the event information when the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number, and stopping the retransmission by the event information transmitting means. Transmission failure notification means for notifying that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, and a notification for setting a notification completed state indicating that the notification has been performed when the notification is performed by the means. And a notification prohibiting means for prohibiting the transmission failure notifying means from notifying when the notification completed state is set by the means.

  A communication device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the third aspect, wherein, after the notified state is set by the notified state setting unit, an event that causes a notification is detected by the event detecting unit. A notification state releasing means for releasing the notification state, and a notification inhibition release means for releasing the notification inhibition by the notification inhibition means when the notification state is released by the means. is there.

  A communication device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the second aspect, further comprising time measuring means for measuring time, wherein the transmission result determining means transmits the event information to the external device by the event information transmitting means. As a result, when the transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the external device cannot be received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed. When it is determined by the transmission result determination means that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, and when the number of transmissions of the same event information as the event information has not reached the predetermined number of times set in advance, Means for retransmitting the event information to the external device, and performing retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information when the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number of times; Means for starting the time measurement by the time measuring means after the stop, and means for performing the retransmission control again when the time measured by the time measuring means elapses a predetermined time set in advance. .

  A communication device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the second aspect, wherein the transmission result determination unit receives event information from the external device as a result of the event information transmission unit transmitting the event information to the external device. Means for judging that the transmission of event information to the external device has failed when the transmission result indicating that the communication has been normally completed is not received, and the event information being transmitted by the event information transmitting state setting means when the power is turned on. Checking whether the transmission status is set or not, if it is confirmed that the event information transmission status is set, it is determined that the event information transmission means has not successfully transmitted the event information to the external device. Means for performing the same event as the event information when the transmission result determination means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed. If the number of times of transmission of the information has not reached the predetermined number of times set in advance, the event information is transmitted to the external device again, and if the number of times of transmission of the event information has reached the predetermined number of times, the event information is transmitted. Means for performing retransmission control to stop retransmission, and also when the transmission result determination means determines that transmission of event information to the external device is not successful at power-on, the retransmission control is also performed. And means for performing the operation.

  A communication device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the first aspect, further comprising: an event type determining unit configured to determine a type of an event detected by the event detecting unit; When an event that causes a notification is detected by the above, information indicating the type of the event determined by the event type determining unit is added to the event information notifying the occurrence of the event, and transmitted to the external device by the communication unit. The event information transmitting state setting means may be a means for setting the event information transmitting state in association with information indicating the type of the event determined by the event type determining means.

  The communication device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the event information transmission means sends the event information to the external device as a result of the event information being normally received from the external device. A transmission result determining unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful when the transmission result is received; and a transmission result determination unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful. And an event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling the event information transmitting state corresponding to the information indicating the type of the event added to the event information.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the eighth aspect, the transmission result determining means receives event information from the external device as a result of the event information transmission means transmitting the event information to the external device. When the transmission result indicating that the transmission has been completed normally cannot be received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, and the event information transmitting means is transmitted to the external device by the transmission result determining means. If it is determined that the transmission of the event information has failed, and if the number of transmissions of the same event information as the event information has not reached the predetermined number set in advance, the event information is transmitted to the external device again. Means for performing retransmission control to stop the retransmission of the event information when the number of transmissions of the event information reaches the predetermined number.

  A communication device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the ninth aspect, wherein after the retransmission by the event information transmitting means is stopped, the transmission failure notifying that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed. Notifying means, and when the means has failed to transmit the event information to the external device, the type of the event added to the event information in a notified state indicating that the notification has been performed is displayed. A notified state setting means for setting the information to be associated with the information, and a notification prohibiting means for prohibiting the transmission failure notifying means from notifying the information corresponding to the notified state when the notified state is set by the means. Is provided.

A communication device according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the communication device according to the tenth aspect, wherein after the notified state is set by the notified state setting unit, the event detection unit sets a notification factor corresponding to the notified state. And a notification corresponding to the notified state by the notification prohibiting means when the notified state is released by the notified state releasing means for releasing the notified state when the event is detected. Notification prohibition canceling means for canceling the prohibition.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the communication apparatus according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, the event information transmitting means converts information to be transmitted to the external device by the communication means into a structured language format. Means.

  A remote management system according to a thirteenth aspect is a remote management system for remotely managing a plurality of communication devices via a network by a management device, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices communicates with the management device. An event detecting means for detecting an event that causes a report such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event, and an event detecting means for detecting the event when the means for detecting the event is detected by the means. An event information transmitting unit that adds its own identification information to the event information to be notified and causes the communication unit to transmit the event information to the management device; and transmitting the event information when the event information is transmitted to the management device by the unit. Event information transmitting state setting means for setting an event information transmitting state indicating the event information transmitting state, wherein the managing device communicates with the plurality of communication devices; When the event information is received from any of the communication devices, and the reception is normally completed, the transmission result to that effect is transmitted to the communication device that transmitted the event information based on the identification information added to the event information. And a transmission result transmitting means for transmitting by the communication means.

  A remote management system according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices receives an event from the management device as a result of transmission of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission means. A transmission result determining unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has been successful when receiving a transmission result indicating that the reception of the information has been normally completed; Event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling the event information transmitting state when transmission is determined to be successful.

  According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the remote management system according to the fourteenth aspect, the transmission result determination means of each of the communication devices performs the management as a result of transmission of event information to the management device by the event information transmission means. When the transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the device cannot be received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, and the event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices has If the transmission result determination means determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, and if the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information has not reached the predetermined number of times set in advance, Means for retransmitting the event information to the management device, and performing retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information when the number of transmissions of the event information reaches the predetermined number. Transmission failure reporting means for reporting to the plurality of communication devices that transmission of event information to the management device has failed after the retransmission by the event information transmission device of each of the communication devices has stopped; and Notification state setting means for setting a notification completed state indicating that the notification has been performed, and notification by the transmission failure notification means when the notification completed state is set by the means. And a notification prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation.

  A remote management system according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the fifteenth aspect, wherein the notified state is set by the notified state setting means in each of the communication devices, and then the event detection means reports Reported state canceling means for canceling the notified state when a factor event is detected, and notification for canceling the notification prohibition by the notification inhibiting means when the notified state is canceled by the means. Prohibition releasing means is provided.

  The remote management system according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the fourteenth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices is provided with time measurement means for performing time measurement, and the transmission result determination means of each of the communication devices includes Sending the event information to the management device when the event information transmission means cannot receive the transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information from the management device has been normally completed as the transmission result of the event information to the management device; Is determined to have failed, and if the transmission of the event information to the management device is determined to have failed by the transmission result determination means, the same event information as the event information If the number of transmissions of the information has not reached the predetermined number of times set in advance, the event information is transmitted to the management device again, and the number of transmissions of the event information reaches the predetermined number of times. Means for performing retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information, and after stopping the retransmission, causing the time measurement means to start time measurement, and setting the time measured by the time measurement means in advance. Means for re-executing the retransmission control when a predetermined time has elapsed.

  The remote management system according to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the fourteenth aspect, wherein the transmission result determination means of each of the communication devices transmits the event information as a result of transmission of event information to the management device by the event information transmission means. Means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed when the transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the device has not been received; The presence / absence of setting of the event information transmitting state by the setting means is checked. If it is confirmed that the event information transmitting state is set, the event information transmitting means transmits the event information to the management device. Means for determining that the transmission of event information to the management device has failed due to the transmission result determination means. If it is determined that the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information has not reached the preset predetermined number, the event information is transmitted to the management device again, and the transmission of the event information is performed. Means for performing retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information when the number of times reaches the predetermined number of times; and transmitting the event information to the management device by the event information transmitting means by the transmission result determining means when the power is turned on. Means for performing the above-mentioned retransmission control even when it is determined that the transmission has not been successful.

  The remote management system according to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the plurality of communication devices each include an event type determination unit that determines a type of an event detected by the event detection unit. The event information transmitting means of each communication device indicates the type of the event determined by the event type determining means to the event information notifying the occurrence of the event when the event causing the event is detected by the event detecting means. Means for transmitting information and self-identification information to the management device by the communication means, and setting the event information transmitting state setting means of each communication device to the event information transmitting state by the event type determining means. This is a means for associating and setting information indicating the type of the determined event.

  A remote management system according to a twentieth aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the nineteenth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of communication devices receives an event from the management device as a result of transmission of event information to the management device by the event information transmission means. A transmission result determining unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has been successful when receiving a transmission result indicating that the reception of the information has been normally completed; When the transmission is determined to be successful, there is provided event information transmitting state releasing means for releasing the event information transmitting state corresponding to the information indicating the type of event added to the event information.

  According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the remote management system according to the twentieth aspect, the transmission result determination means of each of the communication devices performs the management as a result of transmission of event information to the management device by the event information transmission means. When the transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the device cannot be received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, and the event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices has If it is determined by the transmission result determination means that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, if the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information has not reached a predetermined number of times, Means for performing retransmission control for causing the event information to be transmitted to the management device again and stopping retransmission of the event information when the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number of times. Than it is.

  A remote management system according to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the twenty-first aspect, wherein the retransmission of the event information to the plurality of communication devices is stopped by the event information transmitting means, and the event information is transmitted to the management device. Transmission failure notifying means for notifying that the transmission has failed, and, when the transmission failure notifying means has notified that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, a notification indicating that the notification has been performed. Reported state setting means for associating information indicating the type of event added to the event information with a state, and, when the reported state is set by the means, the notification by the transmission failure notifying means Notification prohibiting means for prohibiting the notification corresponding to the completed state.

  A remote management system according to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention is the remote management system according to the twenty-second aspect, wherein after the notified state is set by the notified state setting means in each of the plurality of communication devices, the event detection means A notified state canceling means for canceling the notified state when an event serving as a notification factor corresponding to the notified state is detected; and a notification prohibition when the notified state is canceled by the means. Means for canceling the notification prohibition corresponding to the notified state by the means.

  The control method when a transmission factor occurs according to the invention according to claim 24, wherein, when an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs, the event is detected and event information for notifying the occurrence of the event is externally output. A method of controlling when a transmission factor occurs in a communication device for transmitting to an apparatus, wherein when transmitting event information to the external apparatus, the external apparatus sets an event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted. Things.

  A control method when a transmission factor occurs according to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention is the control method according to the twenty-fourth aspect, wherein the reception of the event information from the external device as a result of transmitting the event information to the external device is performed normally. When the transmission result indicating the end is received, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful, and the above-described event information transmitting state is released.

  A program according to a twenty-sixth aspect is configured such that, when an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs, the event is detected, and event information notifying the occurrence of the event is transmitted to an external device. And a computer for controlling the communication device that has performed the event information transmitting state setting function of setting the event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted when transmitting the event information to the external device. It is.

  A program according to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention is the program according to the twenty-sixth aspect, wherein the computer receives, from the external device, a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed as the event information transmission result to the external device. And a transmission result determination function for determining that the transmission of the event information to the external device has succeeded, and the event information has been determined to be successful when the function has determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device has succeeded. This is also for realizing the event information transmitting state canceling function for canceling the transmitting state.

  According to the present invention, a communication device such as an image forming apparatus may generate an event such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event, which is a transmission factor, and transmit event information notifying the event to an external device. Even if the main power supply is turned off and the transmission of the event information being executed is interrupted, the transmission of the event information that was being executed can be resumed after the own main power supply is turned on again. become.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
First, a configuration example of a remote management system using a communication device according to the present invention as a managed device will be described.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of the remote management system. Here, a communication device (electronic device) having a communication function and managed by the management device is referred to as a “managed device” for convenience of description.

  This remote management system includes image forming apparatuses such as printers, fax machines, digital copiers, and digital multifunction peripherals, image processing apparatuses including scanners, network home appliances, vending machines, medical equipment, power supplies, air conditioning systems, gas This is a management system in which a communication device (electronic device) having a communication function in a metering system such as a water supply / electricity or the like is provided as a managed device 10 (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f). As an external device connected to the managed device 10 (as viewed from the managed device side), an intermediary device which is a remote management intermediary device connected to the managed device 10 by a network such as a LAN (local area network). 101 (101a, 101b, 101c), and a management device 102 that functions as a server device connected to the mediation device 101 via the Internet 103 (or another network such as a public line). In this embodiment, each managed device 10 can be centrally and remotely managed via the mediation device 101. The managed device 10 and the mediation device 101 are installed in an office or the like on the device user (user) side, and the management device 102 is installed in a service center (management center).

Here, in order to realize a service (NRS) that is managed remotely by the management apparatus 102 using a new method, the mediation apparatus 101 and software that support NRS are installed in a network such as a LAN on the device user side. The management device 10 is connected. The mediation device 101 and the managed device 10 are also equipped with CSS-compatible software in order to realize a service (CSS) that is managed remotely by the management device 102 using a conventional method. In order to realize NRS, the mediation device 101 and the managed device 10 may be initially installed as in the case of realizing CSS.
As a public line (or a dedicated line), there are a fixed telephone line such as an analog line, an ADSL line, a digital line (ISDN line) and a line using an optical fiber, and a mobile telephone line such as a mobile telephone line and a PHS line.
The connection between the mediation device 101 and the managed device 10 is not limited to a network, but may be performed by a serial connection conforming to the RS-485 standard or the like, a parallel connection conforming to the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) standard, or the like. Is also good. For example, in the case of the RS-485 standard, up to five managed devices 10 can be connected to the mediation device 101 in series.

The mediation device 101 and the managed device 10 form various hierarchical structures according to the usage environment.
For example, in the installation environment A shown in FIG. 1, the mediation device 101a that can establish a direct connection with the management device 102 by HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) has a simple hierarchical structure in which the managed devices 10a and 10b follow. However, in the installation environment B shown in the figure, since four managed devices 10 are installed, the installation of one intermediary device 101 alone increases the load. Therefore, the mediation device 101b that can establish a direct connection with the management device 102 by HTTP follows not only the managed devices 10c and 10d but also another mediation device 101c, and the mediation device 101c manages the managed devices 10e and 10f. It forms a hierarchical structure that can be further followed. In this case, information issued from the management device 102 for remotely managing the managed devices 10e and 10f is transmitted to the managed device 10e or 10f via the mediation device 101b and the mediation device 101c which is a lower node thereof. Will be reached.

Further, as in the installation environment C, managed devices 11 a and 11 b having an intermediary function (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “managed devices”) in which the managed device 10 has the function of the intermediary device 101 are separately attached to the intermediary device 101. May be connected to the management apparatus 102 via the Internet 103 without going through the Internet.
Although not shown, the managed device 10 can be further connected to the managed device 11 having the mediation function.
In each of the installation environments A, B, and C, a firewall 104 (104a, 104b, 104c) is installed in consideration of security. This firewall 104 is configured by a proxy server.
Further, a terminal device such as a personal computer or another electronic device (external device) can be connected to each of the managed devices 10 and 11 via a network.

In such a remote management system, the mediation apparatus 101 has an application program for controlling and managing the managed apparatus 10 connected thereto.
The management device 102 is installed with an application program for performing control management of each mediation device 101 and control management of the managed device 10 via the mediation device 101. Each of the nodes in the remote management system, including the managed device 10, transmits a "request" which is a request for processing to a method of an application program to be mounted by RPC (remote procedure call). "Response" as a result of the performed processing can be obtained.

That is, the mediation device 101 or the managed device 10 connected thereto can generate a request to the management device 102, pass it to the management device 102, and obtain a response to the request, while the management device 102 A request to the mediation device 101 is generated and delivered to the mediation device 101, and a response to the request can be obtained. This request includes causing the mediation device 101 to transmit various requests to the managed device 10 and acquiring a response from the managed device 10 via the mediation device 101.
To realize RPC, a known protocol (communication standard) such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), HTTP, FTP (File Transfer Protocol), COM (Component Object Model), CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture), and the like. , Technology, specifications, etc. can be used.

The data transmission / reception model of this transmission / reception is shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG.
(A) is a case where a request to the management device 102 has occurred in the managed device 10. In this case, the managed device 10 generates a managed device-side request a, and the management device 102 that has received the request a via the intermediary device 101 returns a response a to the request. It can be assumed that there are a plurality of mediation devices 101 shown in FIG. (A) shows a case in which not only the response a but also the response delay notification a 'is returned. This is because when the management device 102 receives a request from the managed device via the mediation device 101 and determines that a response to the request cannot be returned immediately, it notifies the response delay notification and disconnects the connection once. This is because the communication is released (cancellation of the communicable state) and the response to the above request is delivered again at the next connection.

  (B) is a case where a request for the managed device 10 has occurred in the management device 102. In this case, the management device 102 generates a management device-side request b, and the managed device 10 that has received the request b via the mediation device 101 returns a response b to the request. In the case of (B), returning the response delay notification b 'when the response cannot be returned immediately is the same as the case of (A).

Next, the physical configuration of the management device 102 shown in FIG. 1 will be briefly described. The management device 102 is configured by a control device including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, a database, a modem, a proxy (Proxy) server, and the like. Have been. The configuration will be described later in detail.
Further, the physical configuration of the mediation device 101 shown in FIG. 1 will be briefly described. The mediation device 101 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a nonvolatile memory, a network interface (NIC), and the like.
In the managed device 11 with the mediation function, these units may be simply added to the managed device 10 in order to realize the function of the mediation device 101, but the CPU, ROM, and RAM provided in the managed device 10 The functions of the intermediary device 101 can also be realized by making the CPU execute an appropriate application or program module using hardware resources such as.

Hereinafter, as a more specific example of the remote management system shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus management system which is a remote management system in which an image forming apparatus which is a communication apparatus according to the present invention is a managed apparatus will be described. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the image forming apparatus management system. The only difference from FIG. 1 is that it has been changed to “image forming apparatus” 110, and a description of the overall configuration of the system will be omitted.
The image forming apparatus 100 is a digital multifunction peripheral having functions such as copying, facsimile, and scanner, and a function of communicating with an external device, and has an application program for providing a service related to those functions. It is. Further, the image forming apparatus with mediation function 110 is obtained by adding the function of the mediation apparatus 101 to the image forming apparatus 100.

The physical configuration of such an image forming apparatus 100 (or 110) will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a physical configuration in the image forming apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a controller board 200, an HDD (hard disk drive) 201, an NV-RAM (non-volatile RAM) 202, a PI (personal interface) board 203, a PHY (physical media interface) 204, An operation panel 205, a plotter / scanner engine board 206, a power supply unit 207, a finisher 208, an ADF (automatic document feeder) 209, a paper feed bank 210, and other peripheral devices 211 are provided. Each of these units is a hardware resource in the image forming apparatus 100.

Here, the controller board 200 corresponds to a control unit, includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and controls each function via a PCI-BUS (Peripheral Components Interconnect-Bus) 212. The HDD 201 corresponds to a storage unit. The NV-RAM 202 is a non-volatile memory corresponding to a storage unit, such as a flash memory.
The PI board 203 and the PHY 204 correspond to communication means and perform communication with the outside, and correspond to, for example, a communication board. The PI board 203 has an interface conforming to the RS485 standard, and is connected to a public line via a line adapter. As described above, the image forming apparatus 100 and the intermediary apparatus 101 can be connected using the PI board 203. The PHY 204 is an interface for communicating with an external device via a network such as a LAN.

The operation panel 205 is a user interface corresponding to an operation unit (operation unit) and a display unit (display unit). The operation unit can input various instructions by a user operation. The display unit can display a setting state, an operation state, and the like of the image forming apparatus 100.
Here, ENGRDY in the figure notifies the controller board 200 that various initial settings on the engine unit (plotter engine, scanner engine) side are completed and preparation for transmission and reception of commands with the controller board 200 is completed. Signal line. PWRCTL is a signal line for controlling power supply to the engine unit from the controller board 200 side. The operation of these signal lines will be described later.

Next, a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 (or 110) will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 100.
The software configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 includes an application module layer, a service module layer, and a general-purpose OS layer. Then, programs constituting these software are stored in the HDD 201 or the RAM on the controller board 200, read out as necessary, and executed by the CPU on the controller board 200. The CPU executes these programs as needed to control the apparatus, thereby controlling each function (event information transmission information generation means, event information transmission means, event information transmission state setting means). , Transmission result judgment means, event information sending state canceling means, transmission failure notifying means, notified state setting means, notification prohibiting means, notified state canceling means, notification prohibition canceling means, time measuring means, event type discriminating means Function) can be realized.

  The software in the application module layer is constituted by a program for causing a CPU (controller CPU) on the controller board 200 to function as a plurality of application control means for operating hardware resources to realize predetermined functions. Software interposes a controller CPU between a hardware resource and each application control means, receives an operation request for a hardware resource from a plurality of application control means, arbitrates the operation request, and performs the operation request. It is constituted by a program for functioning as service control means (processing execution means) for performing execution control of an operation based on the program.

Note that, among the functions of the controller CPU, a method of realizing a function relating to communication with the management apparatus 102 (function as a communication unit) differs between the image forming apparatus 100 and the image forming apparatus 110. That is, in the case of the image forming apparatus 110, since the function of the mediation apparatus 101 is provided, the function related to the communication with the management apparatus 102 can be realized by the controller CPU executing the corresponding program. In the case of the image forming apparatus 100, a function related to communication with the management apparatus 102 can be realized by the controller CPU executing the corresponding program and using the mediation apparatus 101.
Further, the image forming apparatus 100 includes an event detection unit (event detection unit) including a sensor or the like in an engine unit including a scanner engine and a plotter engine.

  The service module layer includes an operation control service (OCS) 300, an engine control service (ECS) 301, a memory control service (MCS) 302, a network control service (NCS) 303, a fax control service (FCS) 304, and a system control service ( SCS) 306, system resource manager (SRM) 307, image memory handler (IMH) 308, delivery control service (DCS) 316, and user control service (UCS) 317. In the application module layer, an NRS application (hereinafter simply referred to as “NRS”) 305, a CSS application (hereinafter simply referred to as “CSS”) 315, a copy application 309, a fax application 310, a printer application 311, a scanner application 312, a network file An application 313 and a web application 314 are mounted. Further, a general-purpose OS 320 is mounted on the general-purpose OS layer.

These will be described in more detail.
The OCS 300 is a module that controls the operation panel 205.
The ECS 301 is a module that controls an engine unit such as a hardware resource.
The MCS 302 is a module that performs memory control, and acquires and releases an image memory, uses the HDD 201, and the like, for example.
The NCS 303 is a module that performs mediation processing between the network and each application program in the application module layer.
The FCS 304 is a module that performs facsimile transmission / reception, facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and the like.

The SCS 306 is a module that performs start management and end management of each application program in the application module layer according to the content of the command.
The SRM 307 is a module that controls a system and manages resources.
The IMH 308 is a module for managing a memory for temporarily storing image data.
The DCS 316 is a module that transmits and receives image files and the like stored in the HDD 201 and the memory on the controller board 200 using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
The UCS 317 is a module that manages user information such as destination information and address information registered by a user (device user).

Each of the NRS 305 and the CSS 315 is a module that integrates functions related to remote management (functions related to communication with the management apparatus 102) using different methods.
The copy application 309 is an application program for implementing a copy service.
The fax application 310 is an application program for implementing a fax service.
The printer application 311 is an application program for implementing a printer service.
The scanner application 312 is an application program for implementing a scanner service.

The net file application 313 is an application program for implementing a net file service.
The web application 314 is an application program for implementing a web service.
The general-purpose OS 320 can use an operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), Linux (registered trademark), or Windows (registered trademark). The operating system manages processing for executing programs in the service module layer and the application module layer. Here, if UNIX or Linux is used, security due to open source is secured and there are advantages such as easy availability of source code.

Here, the operation of the above-described ENGRDY signal and PWRCTL signal will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6A shows an example of the operation of the ENGRDY signal and the PWRCTL signal when the device starts up. When the main power switch (AC-POWER-SW) is turned on, power is supplied from the power supply unit of AC-POWER (AC 100 V) to the power supply unit (main power supply) 207 (AC power supply is turned on), and the power supply unit 207 is turned on. In this state, power supply (power supply) from the power supply unit 207 to the entire apparatus including the controller board 200 is started, and at the same time, the ENGRDY signal goes high. In this state, communication with the engine unit cannot be performed. This is because the initial setting of the engine unit has not been completed. Then, after a certain period of time, the initialization of the engine unit is completed, and communication with the engine unit becomes possible when the ENGRDY signal becomes low.

  Next, FIG. 6B shows an example of the operation of the ENGDY signal and the PWRCTL signal when the mode shifts to the energy saving mode. When the power supply unit 207 is in the ON state (during power supply from the power supply unit 207 to the entire apparatus), for example, an operation of a software power key (not shown) on the operation panel 205 is instructed to stop power supply to the engine unit which is a hard unit. Then, in order to shift to the energy saving mode, the PWRCTL signal is turned off by the controller board 200. At the same time, the power supply from the power supply unit 207 to the engine unit stops. Along with this, the ENGRDY signal becomes High and shifts to the energy saving mode. Next, the case of returning from the energy saving mode is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9C shows an example of the operation of the ENGDY signal and the PWRCTL signal when returning from the energy saving mode. When returning from the above energy saving mode (B), for example, an operation to release power supply to the engine unit is instructed by operating a soft power key, and the PWRCTL signal is turned on by the controller board 200. At the same time, the suspension of power supply from the power supply unit 207 to the engine unit is released. However, as shown in the above (A), the ENGDY signal is in a High state until the initialization of the engine unit is completed, and when the initialization is completed, communication with the engine unit becomes possible, and the Low and the ENGDY signals are transmitted. Become.

Next, the internal configuration of the NRS module included in the software configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 will be further described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the NRS 305. As shown in the drawing, the NRS 305 performs processing between the SCS 306 and the NCS 303. The web server function unit 500 performs a response process for a request received from the outside. The request here may be, for example, a SOAP request according to a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) described in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) format which is a structured language. The web client function unit 501 performs a process of issuing an external request. A libsoap 502 is a library for processing SOAP, and a libxml 503 is a library for processing data described in XML format. Further, libgwww 504 is a library that processes HTTP, and libgw_ncs 505 is a library that performs processing with the NCS 303.

Next, a physical configuration of the management apparatus 102 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a physical configuration of the management device 102.
The management device 102 includes a modem 601, a communication terminal 602, a proxy (Proxy) server 603, an operator terminal 604, a database 605, a control device 606, and the like.
The modem 601 communicates with the mediation apparatus 101 or the image forming apparatus 110 on the device user side (for example, a user using the image forming apparatus) via a public line, and modulates and demodulates data to be transmitted and received. The modem 601 and a communication terminal 602 described later function as communication means.
The communication terminal 602 controls communication by the modem 601.

The proxy server 603 performs communication (data transmission / reception) with the intermediary apparatus 101 or the image forming apparatus 110 on the user (device user) side via the Internet 103 and performs security management. This proxy server 603 also functions as a communication unit.
The operator terminal 604 is a terminal operated by a center operator who is an administrator of the service center. The operator terminal 604 accepts input of various data by an operation on an input unit such as a keyboard and a pointing device (mouse or the like) by the center operator. Information to be notified to the operator is displayed on the display unit. The input data includes, for example, customer information such as an IP address and a telephone number (call destination telephone number) used when the mediation apparatus 101 or the image forming apparatus 110 of each user communicates with the management apparatus 102. .

The database 605 is stored in a storage device such as a HDD (hard disk device) of a server (not shown), and the IP address and telephone number of the mediation device 101 and the image forming device 110 on each user side, and data (information) received from those devices. And various data such as data input from the operator terminal 604, a model database and a customer database, and a program according to the present invention.
The control device 606 includes a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like (not shown), and controls the entire management device 102 as a whole. The CPU operates according to the above-described program (executes the above-described program as necessary), and selectively uses the modem 601, the communication terminal 602, the proxy server 603, the operator terminal 604, or the database 605 as necessary. By doing so, the function according to the present invention (function as transmission result transmitting means) can be realized.

Based on the above-described configuration, an example of a communication sequence at the time of data transmission / reception performed in the image forming apparatus remote management system of FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG. The processing by the SCS 306 and the NRS 305 described below is actually executed by the CPU (controller CPU) of the image forming apparatus 100 operating according to these programs. However, for the sake of explanation, the programs execute the processing. It shall be. Hereinafter, the same applies when the description is made assuming that the program performs some processing.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication sequence at the time of data transmission and reception performed between the management apparatus 102, the mediation apparatus 101, and the image forming apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG.

  In this example, first, the mediation apparatus 101 performs polling (inquiry as to whether there is a transmission request) to the management apparatus 102 via the Internet 103 (S601). That is, a polling SOAP message to which an identifier which is its own identification information is added is generated (the polling information is converted into an XML format which is a structured language format), and an HTTP message including the SOAP message is generated based on the SOAP message. Then, it transmits it to the management device 102 via the Internet 103. As shown in FIG. 3, since a firewall 104 is provided between the mediation device 101 and the management device 102, a communication session cannot be established from the management device 102 to the mediation device 101. Therefore, even if it is desired to transmit a request to the mediation apparatus 101 (or the image forming apparatus 100 via the mediation apparatus 101), it is necessary to wait for polling (inquiry as to whether there is a transmission request) from the mediation apparatus 101 as described above. is there. If there is no firewall 104, there is no need to perform polling.

  Upon receiving the HTTP message (HTTP request) from the mediation device 101, the management device 102 generates an HTTP message (HTTP response) including a SOAP message of information indicating a request to acquire a charging counter (counter information), and transmits the HTTP message (HTTP response) to the Internet 103. The response is sent as a response to the polling to the corresponding mediation device 101 (the source of the received SOAP message) via (S602). At this time, the corresponding mediation apparatus 101 is recognized based on the identifier added to the SOAP message in the received HTTP message. As described above, if a response (HTTP response) to a communication (HTTP request) from inside the firewall 104, data can be transmitted from outside the firewall 104 to the inside.

Upon receiving the HTTP message from the management device 102, the mediation device 101 generates a SOAP message of information indicating a charging counter acquisition request on the packet based on the HTTP message, and connects the SOAP message to the self via a network. Is transmitted to the NRS 305 of the image forming apparatus 100 (S603).
The NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of a charging counter acquisition request described in the SOAP message received from the mediation device 101 (S604).
Upon receiving the notification of the charging counter acquisition request from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 reads the charging counter data stored in the NV-RAM 202 (or the HDD 201) (S605). Then, the read data (response data) of the charging counter is transferred to the NRS 305 (S606).

Upon receiving (acquiring) the accounting counter data (counter information indicating the counter value) from the SCS 306, the NRS 305 generates a SOAP message of the data (converts the received data into an XML format, which is a structured language format). Then, it is transmitted to the mediation apparatus 101 via the network (S607).
Upon receiving the SOAP message of the data of the charging counter from the NRS 305, the mediation apparatus 101 generates an HTTP message including the SOAP message based on the SOAP message, and transmits the generated HTTP message to the management apparatus 102 via the Internet 103 (S608).
Thus, data transmission and reception are performed by the communication sequence.

Next, unlike FIG. 9, an example of a communication sequence when data is transmitted from the image forming apparatus 100 to the management apparatus 102 via the mediation apparatus 101 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication sequence when data is transmitted from the image forming apparatus 100 to the management apparatus 102.
In this example, first, the OCS 300 notifies the SCS 306 that a user call key (not shown) on the operation panel 205 has been pressed (S701).
Upon receiving the notification from the OCS 300 that the user call key has been pressed, the SCS 306 notifies the NRS 305 of a user call request (S702).

Upon receiving the notification of the user call request from the SCS 306, the NRS 305 generates a SOAP message for a user call, which is user call information for notifying the user call, and transmits the SOAP message to the mediation apparatus 101 via the network (S703).
Upon receiving the SOAP message for the user call from NRS 305, mediation apparatus 101 adds an identifier which is its own identification information to the SOAP message, generates an HTTP message including the same based on the SOAP message, and generates an HTTP message based on the SOAP message. A user call is made to the management device 102 via the terminal. That is, an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a user call added with its own identifier is reported to the management device 102 via the Internet 103 (S704). In this case, since the transmission is performed from the inside to the outside of the firewall 104, the mediation apparatus 101 can transmit data by itself establishing a session to the management apparatus 102.
Here, the pattern after the processing in step S704 will be described separately from the following (A) to (C).

First, in (A), the management apparatus 102 receives an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a user call from the intermediary apparatus 101 of the user, and if the reception is normally completed, the fact (the user call is If the call result (success) is not normally terminated (abnormal termination), an HTTP message including a SOAP message indicating the call result of the fact (user call failed) is generated, This is transmitted as a response to the mediation apparatus 101 of the report source via the Internet 103 (S705).
When receiving the HTTP message including the SOAP message indicating the call result from the management apparatus 102, the mediation apparatus 101 generates a SOAP message indicating the call result on the packet based on the HTTP message, and transmits the SOAP message to the user call via the network. The key is transmitted to the NRS 305 of the image forming apparatus 100 whose key is pressed (S706).

When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call result from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 interprets (determines) the call result indicated by the SOAP message and notifies the SCS 306 of the result (S707).
When the SCS 306 receives the call result, it hands it over to the OCS 300.
Upon receiving the call result from the SCS 306, the OCS 300 displays the content, that is, a message indicating whether the user call was successful or unsuccessful, on a character display on the operation panel 205 (S708).

Next, in (B), if the mediation apparatus 101 determines that there is no response from the management apparatus 102 even after a lapse of a specified time (predetermined predetermined time), the mediation apparatus 101 returns a call result indicating that the user call has failed. A SOAP message is generated and transmitted to the NRS 305 (S709).
When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call result indicating failure, the NRS 305 interprets the call result indicating failure described in the SOAP message and notifies the SCS 306 of the result (S710).
When the SCS 306 receives the call result from the NRS 305, it hands it over to the OCS 300.

Upon receiving the call result from the SCS 306, the OCS 300 displays the content thereof, that is, a message indicating that the user call failed, on a character display on the operation panel 205 (S711).
Next, in (C), if the NRS 305 determines that there is no response from the mediation apparatus 101 even after the specified time has elapsed, it notifies the SCS 306 of a call result indicating that the user call has failed (S712).
When the SCS 306 receives the call result from the NRS 305, it hands it over to the OCS 300.
Upon receiving the call result from the SCS 306, the OCS 300 displays the content thereof, that is, a message indicating that the user call failed, on a character display on the operation panel 205 (S713).

  Here, in order to transmit data from the management apparatus 102 to the relay apparatus 101 (or the image forming apparatus 100 via the relay apparatus 101) via the firewall 104, the data is transmitted in the form of a response to an HTTP request from the relay apparatus 101. However, the means that goes through the firewall 104 is not limited to this. For example, using the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), the management apparatus 102 sends a mail describing or attached data to be transmitted from the management apparatus 102. Transmission to the mediation device 101 is also conceivable. However, HTTP is excellent in terms of reliability.

  Here, when an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal event occurs in its own engine unit, the image forming apparatus 100 detects the event and performs different processing depending on the type of the event. Therefore, information serving as a criterion for determining the type of event is required, and the example of FIG. 11 shows a data structure of a table showing an example of information serving as a criterion for determining the type of an abnormal event. Here, “SC (serviceman call)” corresponds to “abnormal event”. As shown in the figure, the type is determined by the detected SC. Therefore, each type will be described.

  The SC of “type A” is an SC that cannot be released by the user (device user) among those whose use is prohibited (unusable) by displaying the SC on the operation panel 205. This type A SC cannot perform “SC reset” from the management apparatus 102. For example, a fixing system SC is used. “Type A” is recovered by turning off / on the main power supply by turning off / on the main switch (main power supply switch) on the image forming apparatus 100 (device) side or by stopping / releasing power supply to the engine unit by operating the soft power key. Can not.

“Type B” is an SC in which only a specific function in which an abnormality is detected (detected) cannot be used. During normal use, SC display is not performed on the operation panel 205, but SC display is performed on the operation panel 205 only when a function in which an abnormality is detected is selected. For example, this corresponds to a case where the duplex mode is selected when a duplex unit (duplex tray) is abnormal.
The “Type C” does not display the SC on the operation panel 205 even when an abnormality occurs, but internally logs only the occurrence of the SC. For example, a case where communication is disabled is applicable.

“Type D” is prohibited from being used by displaying an SC on the operation panel 205, but the main unit is turned off / on by turning off / on the main switch of the image forming apparatus 100 or the engine unit is operated by operating the soft power key. This SC can be released by stopping / releasing the power supply to the SC. However, after the main power is turned on (power is turned on) or after the power supply to the engine unit is stopped / released, the abnormality may be detected again, and it may not be apparently released. For example, a motor abnormality corresponds to this.
It is conceivable that the reference information for the determination is stored in a predetermined storage area of the NV-RAM 202 (or the HDD 201). It should be noted that events for each unit, such as the SC of the scanner engine and the SC of the plotter engine, are also treated as different types of events.

Next, an embodiment of the above-described image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus management system, that is, an operation (control when a notification factor occurs in the image forming apparatus) which is a feature of the present invention and a configuration for realizing the operation will be described. I do.
As described above, this image forming apparatus is provided with both communication means corresponding to a public line and communication means corresponding to Internet communication.
The image forming apparatus 100 communicates with the management apparatus 102 via the mediation apparatus 101 and the public line, and performs remote management (remote service: RS) by the CSS method, and communicates with the management apparatus 102 via the mediation apparatus 101 and the Internet 103. It is configured to be a target of remote management by the NRS method. Since the image forming apparatus 110 has the function of the mediation apparatus 101, remote management based on the CSS method for communicating with the management apparatus via a public line and remote management based on the NRS method for communicating with the management apparatus 102 via the Internet 103. It is configured so that it can be a target.

  Here, the image forming apparatus 100 and the image forming apparatus 110 transmit information indicating the state of their own engine unit, or an event that causes a report such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs in its own engine unit. In this case, a CSS 315 corresponding to the above-mentioned CSS system and an NRS 305 corresponding to the above-mentioned NRS system are provided as programs for notifying the management device of event information or the like for notifying the event.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the control according to the present invention when the image forming apparatus 100 uses the NRS 305 will be described. However, it is assumed that only the scanner engine and the plotter engine correspond to the engine unit.
Note that the control according to the present invention can also be performed by using the CSS 315 in the image forming apparatus 100. The control according to the present invention can also be performed by using the NRS 305 or the CSS 315 in the image forming apparatus 110.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a first example (an example of a successful toner supply call) of a communication sequence when a toner near end (pre-error event) occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system.
In the image forming apparatus 100, each unit in the scanner engine and the plotter engine is provided with an event detection unit. For example, as shown in FIG. When the amount of toner in the toner bottle becomes equal to or less than the predetermined amount), the corresponding event detection unit detects the toner near end, and notifies the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 that the toner near end has occurred (S1001).

  Upon receiving a notification from the plotter engine that a toner near end has occurred, the SCS 306 determines that a toner near end has occurred in the plotter engine, and determines that the toner supply call has been completed in the NV-RAM (non-volatile memory) 202. (S1002, S1003), and the toner supply call completed flag (called flag) is reset to "0". If the value of the post-call sheet number counter is equal to or greater than "1000" (however, if the device has never made a toner supply call, this condition is ignored), the toner supply call issuance condition Is determined to be satisfied.

  Then, after the mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is reset to “0” (S1004), “3” is set to the toner supply call retry counter (retry counter) in the NV-RAM (S1005). A call ID (event information transmission information) for identifying a toner supply call (automatic notification of toner supply call information indicating occurrence of a toner near end, that is, an order for a toner bottle) is generated (S1006), and the call ID is stored in the NV-RAM 202. After saving (S1007), a supply call execution flag (event information transmitting state) indicating that a toner supply call is being executed is set (set) to "1" (S1008), and then a toner supply call request is notified to the NRS 305. (S1009). At this time, device number information as identification information of the image forming apparatus 100 and a call ID stored in the NV-RAM 202 are added to the toner supply call request. In addition, the character display on the operation panel 205 displays a message of “during toner supply call”.

Upon receiving the notification of the toner supply call request, the NRS 305 receives a toner bottle call (occurrence of toner near end), a toner supply call SOAP message (toner supply information added to the toner supply call request). And a call ID), and transmits it to the mediation apparatus 101 (S1010).
Upon receiving the SOAP message for the toner supply call from the NRS 305, the intermediary device 101 adds an intermediary device identifier as its own identification information to the SOAP message, generates an HTTP message based on the SOAP message, and generates an HTTP message. A toner supply call is made to the management device 102 via the server (S1011). That is, an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a toner supply call to which the own mediation device identifier is added is automatically notified (automatically transmitted) to the management device 102 of the service center via the Internet 103.

Here, a format example of the SOAP message (excluding the mediation device identifier) for the toner supply call in the HTTP message will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 31 and 32.
FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a format of a SOAP message for a toner supply call in an HTTP message, and FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a configuration of main parts (data) thereof.

  As can be seen from these figures, the SOAP message for the toner supply call includes machine number information as identification information of the image forming apparatus 100 in which the toner near end has occurred, an arbitrary call ID for identifying the toner supply call, and The information includes a call type (in the first embodiment, information indicating the type of the toner supply call is not included) and information indicating the details of the call. The value of the jam, SC, status (state), counter value, and log (history information) of the image forming apparatus 100 in which the toner near end has occurred can be added to the SOAP message for the toner supply call as additional information. .

  The management device 102 receives an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a toner supply call notified from any of the mediation devices 101 on the device user side, and when the reception is completed normally, the received HTTP message Based on the device number information and the intermediary device identifier added to the SOAP message in, the call OK indicating the call result indicating that the reception of the HTTP message has been normally completed (the process for the toner supply call has been successful) is shown. An HTTP message including a SOAP message is generated and transmitted to the mediation apparatus 101 (the mediation apparatus 101 that has transmitted the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the toner supply call) via the Internet 103 (S1012).

Also, the SOAP message (toner supply call information) in the received HTTP message is stored in a queue (database 605) and queued (held) until the center operator performs a corresponding process, that is, a toner bottle ordering operation.
Further, the content of the SOAP message in the received HTTP message is displayed on the display unit of the operator terminal 604 to notify the center operator.
The center operator looks at the contents displayed on the display unit of the operator terminal 604 and finds that a toner near end has occurred in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 connected to the mediation apparatus 101 of the notification source, and that the toner bottle has been ordered. After recognizing, a toner bottle ordering operation is performed, and for example, a service person is arranged and the toner bottle is delivered to the installation location of the mediation apparatus 101 as the report source.

As a result of the toner supply call (automatic notification of the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the toner supply call) to the management device 102, the mediation device 101 calls OK (the reception of the HTTP message ends normally) from the management device 102. When an HTTP message including a SOAP message indicating a call result indicating that the call has been received is received, a SOAP message indicating a call OK is generated based on the HTTP message, and the generated SOAP message is transmitted to the corresponding image forming apparatus 100 (where a toner near end has occurred). The data is transmitted to the NRS 305 (S1013).
When the NRS 305 receives the SOAP message indicating the call OK from the mediation apparatus 101, it notifies the SCS 306 of the call OK (to the effect that the toner supply call has been normally completed) (S1014).

When the SCS 306 receives the notification of the call OK from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has been successful, and displays a “toner supply call successful” message on a character display on the operation panel 205.
Further, the supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 is reset (released) to “0” (S1015), and the toner supply call completion flag (event transmission completed state) in the NV-RAM 202 indicating the success of the toner supply call is set. It is set to "1" (S1016).
Further, both the value of the post-call sheet number counter and the value of the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202 are reset to "0" (S1017, S1018), and the counting operation can be performed from "0".

When the toner bottle in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 is replaced and toner full occurs (when the amount of toner in the toner bottle becomes full), the corresponding event detection unit detects the toner full, and the toner full is detected. The occurrence is notified to the SCS 306 (S1019).
Upon receiving the notification from the plotter engine that toner full has occurred, the SCS 306 resets the called flag in the NV-RAM 202 to “0” (S1020), so that a supply call can be performed at the next toner near end. However, if the value of the post-call sheet number counter does not become “1000”, the supply call is not performed.

FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are diagrams showing a second example (toner supply call failure example) of a communication sequence when a toner near end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system. The control in steps S2001 to S2011 is the same as the control in steps S1001 to S1011 in FIG. 12, and a description thereof will be omitted.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, for example, as shown in FIG. An HTTP message including a SOAP message indicating a call OK (call result indicating that the reception of the HTTP message has been completed normally) is received from the management apparatus 102 even after a lapse of a specified time (a predetermined time). If not, a SOAP message indicating a call NG is generated based on the HTTP message, and transmitted to the NRS 305 of the corresponding image forming apparatus 100 (S2012).
When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call NG from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of the call NG (to the effect that the toner supply call did not end normally) (S2013).

When the SCS 306 receives the notification of the call NG from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and displays a “toner supply call failed” message on a character display on the operation panel 205.
Further, the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (-1) (S2014), and a retry is performed to re-report an HTTP message including a SOAP message for the same toner supply call as that at the time of the first call (first report). (Re-notification) Control is performed.
That is, first, the value of the retry number counter is checked, and if the value is not “0” (if the number of the same toner supply call has not reached the preset predetermined number of three), The same toner supply call request as in the first call is sent to the NRS 305 again (S2015). At this time, the same call ID as that at the time of the first call stored in the NV-RAM 202 is added to the toner supply call request. The first call here refers to the first report of an HTTP message including a SOAP message for the same toner supply call.

When the NRS 305 receives the same toner supply call request notification from the SCS 306 as in the first call, the NRS 305 generates the same toner supply call SOAP message as in the first call and transmits it to the intermediary device 101 (S2016). .
Upon receiving the same SOAP message for the toner supply call from the NRS 305 as in the first call, the mediation apparatus 101 adds its own mediation apparatus identifier to the SOAP message again, and further generates an HTTP message based on the SOAP message. Then, a toner supply call is made to the management device 102 via the Internet 103 (S2017). That is, an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a toner supply call to which an identifier of itself is added is automatically notified to the management device 102 of the service center via the Internet 103.

Thereafter, as a result of the toner supply call to the management device 102 of the service center, if the HTTP message including the SOAP message indicating the call OK is not received from the management device 102 even after the lapse of the specified time, the HTTP message is again returned. Then, a SOAP message indicating a call NG is generated based on the above, and transmitted to the NRS 305 of the corresponding image forming apparatus 100 (S2018).
When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call NG again from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of the call NG (S2019).

Upon receiving the notification of the call NG again from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, decrements the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202 (-1) (S2020), and The value of the retry counter is checked, and if the value is not “0”, the same toner supply call request as in the first call is notified to the NRS 305 again (S2021). As a result, the NRS 305 and the mediation apparatus 101 perform the same processing (control) as described above (S2022, S2023).
Thereafter, when the call NG is again notified from the NRS 305 (S2025), it is determined that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (−1) (S2026). When the value of the retry counter is checked, the value is "0" (the number of times of the same toner supply call has reached three), so the retry (retransmission) described above is stopped. Is performed.

That is, the status of the mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked (S2027), and if it is confirmed that the mail transmission flag is “0”, the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails. The DCS 316 is notified of an e-mail transmission request for notifying that the request has been made (S2028). At this time, the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100 and the same call ID as in the first call are added to the e-mail transmission request. Then, after notifying the DCS 316 of the e-mail transmission request, the e-mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to "1" (S2029), and a 24H (24 hour) timer (time measuring means) not shown is activated. (Start) (S2030).
Upon receiving the notification of the e-mail transmission request from the SCS 306, the DCS 316 transmits an e-mail for notifying that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed to a supply management terminal (not shown) (not shown) via the LAN. I do.

Here, an e-mail for notifying that the toner supply call (order of toner supply) to the management device 102 has failed will be briefly described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the content of the e-mail.
This e-mail is reported to an address (xxxx@zz.yy.co.jp) set in advance by the system initialization of the image forming apparatus 100 or the like. In this example, a notification is sent to a supply management terminal for managing supplies. The supply management terminal device is used by a supply management person.

The e-mail includes an apparatus identification ID (machine number information), which is identification information of the image forming apparatus 100, and an ID that is a set of the same call ID as in the first call (the first 11 digits are the apparatus identification ID, In addition to the digits of the call ID, a supply name (black toner bottle in this example) and a contact telephone number which is a telephone number of the service center are attached (added). In the first embodiment, since only one color (black) toner bottle is provided, the name of the supply may be simply a toner bottle. In a second embodiment to be described later, the supply names are black toner bottles and red toner bottles in order to provide a plurality of color toner bottles. That is, information indicating the type of the toner bottle is attached to the electronic mail.
The supply management clerk using the supply management terminal device receiving the e-mail calls the contact telephone number described in the e-mail, and informs the name and ID of the supply at that time.
The service center performs the following operations (1) and (2) in order to prevent double ordering of toner supply.

(1) An HTTP message (toner supply call information) including a SOAP message for a toner supply call of the same ID from the image forming apparatus 100 that has transmitted the e-mail via the mediation apparatus 101 after the telephone call from the device user side. Is automatically notified to the management device 102 of the service center via the Internet 103 (NRS communication returns to normal after the telephone call), and when the HTTP message is normally received by the management device 102, the toner supply call (toner supply Ignore call order information). Therefore, the management apparatus 102 registers the ID notified by telephone communication, and then, when receiving the order call information having the same ID as the ID, automatically discards the information as non-order-receiving call information. I do. In this case, the center operator starts ordering the toner supply by telephone communication.

(2) If a telephone call is made after the order call information of the same ID has already been reported (when NRS communication has been restored to normal before the telephone call), the center operator uses the same ID at the time of the telephone call. Investigate whether toner supply has been ordered. If there is an order history with the same ID as the ID communicated by telephone, the ordering business has already been started by NRS communication, so that the ordering business by telephone communication is not performed.
The call ID is reset to “0” when the image forming apparatus 100 is delivered.

  After activating the 24H timer (S2030), the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100 in which the toner near end has occurred (S2030), for example, as shown in FIG. After the retry counter is set to "3" again (S2032), the same retry control as described above is performed again in order to re-notify the HTTP message including the same SOAP message for the toner supply call as in the first call. Performed (S2033).

  Even if the retry control (first retry control) is performed, if the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails (if the call NG is notified again from the NRS 305) (S2037), the NV-RAM 202 Is decremented by 1 (S2038), and the same retry control (second retry control) as described above is performed again (S2039). If the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 still fails, (S2043), the retry counter is decremented (−1) (S2044), and the same retry control (third retry control) as described above is performed again (S2045).

  Even if the third retry control is performed, if the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails (S2049), the retry counter is decremented (−1) (S2050), and the value of the retry counter becomes “0”. (The number of the same toner supply call has reached three times), the retry (retransmission) described above is stopped again, and the state of the mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked (S2051). In this case, since the mail transmission flag has already been set to "1", the DCS 316 is not notified of an e-mail transmission request for notifying that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed ( E-mail notification is prohibited). However, the 24H (24 hour) timer is restarted (S2052), and thereafter the same control as described above is repeated until the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 succeeds.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a third example of the communication sequence when the toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system (an example when the main power is turned off / on during the toner supply call).
By the way, when the main power supply (power supply unit 207) of the main body is turned off / on (when the main power supply of the main body is once turned off and then turned on again) during execution of the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102, for example, FIG. The following control is performed.
That is, the status of the supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked (S3001), and if it is confirmed that the supply call execution flag has been reset to “0”, nothing is performed, but “1” is set. Is set to "", the main power supply of the main body is turned off / on during execution of the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102, and the toner supply call has not succeeded. Is set to "3" (S3002), and the same retry control as described above is performed (S2003).

  Thereafter, substantially the same control as in FIG. 14 is performed. The difference is that, even if the third retry control is performed, if the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails, the retry number counter is decremented (-1) (S3031). Since it is “0”, the retry (retransmission) described above is stopped again, and then the state of the mail transmitted flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked (S3051), but the mail transmitted flag is “1”. Therefore, the DCS 316 is notified of an electronic mail transmission request for notifying that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed.

FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 are flowcharts illustrating a schematic example of a process performed by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100 when toner near-end occurs.
The SCS 306 of the image forming apparatus 100 receives the notification that the toner near-end has occurred by the occurrence of the toner near-end in the plotter engine and the detection of the toner near-end by the corresponding event detection unit. In step S1, the state of the toner supply call completion flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked. If it is confirmed that the toner supply call completion flag is reset to "0", the process proceeds to step S2. Then, after delivery of the image forming apparatus 100, it is determined whether or not to perform a toner supply call for the first time.

  If the toner supply call is performed for the first time after delivery of the image forming apparatus 100 (when the toner near end occurs for the first time), the process proceeds to step S4. It is determined whether or not the value of the post-call sheet number counter in the RAM 202 has reached "1000", and if it has reached "1000", the flow advances to step S4 to generate a call ID. As this call ID, a call ID different from the one generated last time is generated. For example, if the call ID generated last time is “0000000001”, the call ID generated this time is “0000000000002”. At the time of retry control, the same call ID is used repeatedly.

Next, the call ID generated in step S5 is stored (set) in the NV-RAM 202, the supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to "1" in step S6, and the call ID in the NV-RAM 202 is set in step S7. The mail transmission completed flag is reset to "0", and in step S8, "3" is set in the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202. In step S9, the machine number information and NV of the image forming apparatus 100 are included in the toner supply call request. -Add the call ID stored in the RAM 202 and notify the NRS 305.
Thereafter, in step S10, the presence or absence of the notification from the NRS 305 is checked. If the notification of the call OK is received from the NRS 305, it is determined that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has been successful, and the process proceeds to step S11. Is performed.

  If the notification of the call NG is received from the NRS 305, it is determined that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and the process proceeds to step S 15, where the retry number counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (−1). In step S16, the value of the retry counter is checked, and if the value is not "0" (if the number of the same toner supply call has not reached three), the process returns to step S9, and the first time is performed again. The same toner supply call request as that at the time of the call is notified to the NRS 305 (the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100 and the same call ID as at the time of the first call stored in the NV-RAM 202 are added to the toner supply call request). ), And thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeated. Then, when the value of the retry counter reaches “0”, the following processing is performed.

  That is, the state of the mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked in step S17 of FIG. 18, and if it is confirmed that the mail transmission completed flag is set to "1", the process directly proceeds to step S20. However, if it is confirmed that the toner supply call has been reset to “0”, an e-mail transmission request for notifying that the toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed in step S18 is sent to the DCS 316. At this time, the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100 and the same call ID as at the time of the first call are added to the e-mail transmission request. Then, after notifying the DCS 316 of the e-mail transmission request, the e-mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to "1" in step S19, and a 24-hour timer is started in step S20. After the measurement time has elapsed for 24 hours, the process returns to step S8 in FIG. 17, and the same processing as described above is repeated.

  If it is determined in step S10 that the toner supply call to the management device 102 is successful before the value of the retry number counter becomes “0”, the toner supply call completion flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to “in step S11”. In step S12, the value of the post-call sheet number counter in the NV-RAM 202 is reset to "0". In step S13, the value of the retry counter is reset to "0". The supply call execution flag is reset to “0”, and the processing in FIGS. 17 and 18 ends.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a part of a processing example when the main power is turned on by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
The SCS 306 of the image forming apparatus 100 checks the state of the supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 when the main power is turned on, and only when it is confirmed that the supply call execution flag is set to “1”. Then, the same processing as the processing after step S8 in FIG. 17 is performed.
Note that the processing when the transfer paper is normally discharged and the processing when the toner is full by the SCS 306 are the same as the processing described with reference to FIGS.

According to the first embodiment, the following effects (1) to (10) can be obtained.
(1) Toner supply call information for notifying the toner near end (toner bottle ordering) when the image forming apparatus 100 (or 110) detects the toner near end (own order of toner bottle) when the toner near end is detected due to the occurrence of the toner near end (preliminary event). (Preliminary event information) is transmitted (reported) to the management apparatus 102, and at this time, a supply call execution flag indicating that toner supply call information is being transmitted is set to “1” (in the event information transmission state). The main power is turned off during transmission of the toner supply call information, and the transmission of the toner supply call information during the execution is performed. Even if interrupted, transmission of toner supply call information that was being executed after the main power was turned on again It is possible to resume.

(2) When the image forming apparatus 100 transmits the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102, the image forming apparatus 100 generates a call ID for identifying the transmission and adds the generated call ID to the toner supply call information. Since the same toner supply call information transmitted twice (for example, double transmitted) from the image forming apparatus 100 can be easily grasped on the side, it is also possible to prevent duplicate ordering of toner bottles.
(3) When the image forming apparatus 100 receives a transmission result indicating that the toner supply call information has been normally received from the management apparatus 102 as a transmission result of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102, By determining that the toner supply call information has been successfully transmitted and resetting the supply call execution flag to “0” (to cancel the event information transmission state), the state of the SC call completed flag can be referred to thereafter. For example, it is possible to confirm that the transmission of the toner supply call information has been completed.

(4) When the image forming apparatus 100 cannot receive the transmission result indicating that the toner supply call information has been normally received from the management apparatus 102 as the transmission result of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 It is determined that the transmission of the toner supply call information has failed, and in this case, if the number of transmissions of the same toner supply call information as the toner supply call information does not reach the predetermined number, the toner Supplying the supply call information to the management device 102 again, and performing retransmission (retry) control for stopping retransmission of the toner supply call information when the number of transmissions of the toner supply call information reaches the predetermined number. Therefore, even if a communication problem occurs while sending toner supply call information, It is possible to complete the transmission of the toner supply call information.

(5) The image forming apparatus 100 repeatedly adds the same call ID (the call ID generated when the supply call information is transmitted for the first time) to the same toner supply call information to be retransmitted by the retransmission control, so that the same Since it is not necessary to perform a process of generating a different call ID every time the toner supply call information is transmitted, the processing efficiency is improved accordingly.
(6) After stopping retransmission of the toner supply call information by the retransmission control, the image forming apparatus 100 notifies the supply management terminal by e-mail that transmission of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 has failed. (The notification may be made by displaying on the operation panel 205 or forming an image on paper.) If the supply management person using the supply management terminal refers to the content of the notification, the toner supply call information The contents of (order of toner bottle) can be transmitted to the center operator by telephone. That is, the contents of the toner supply call information can be reliably transmitted to the center operator.

(7) After the image forming apparatus 100 notifies that the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 has failed by e-mail, the image forming apparatus 100 sets a mail transmission completed flag indicating that to "1" (notified By setting this state) and prohibiting the notification, duplication of the notification can be avoided, and the processing efficiency is improved accordingly.
(8) When the image forming apparatus 100 sets the mail transmission completed flag to “1” and newly detects a toner near end, resets the mail transmission completed flag to “0” (cancels the notified state). By releasing the prohibition of the notification, it is possible to notify again by e-mail that the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management device 102 has failed, so that the content of the toner supply call information can be further improved. It can be reliably transmitted to the center operator.

(9) When the image forming apparatus 100 causes the 24H timer (24 hours is set in advance) to start time measurement, and when the time measured by the 24H timer has passed 24 hours (preset time), By performing the same retransmission control as described above, the toner supply call information can be more reliably transmitted to the center operator. Note that a timer other than the 24H timer (a predetermined time other than 24 hours is set in advance) can also be used.

(10) The image forming apparatus 100 checks the state of the supply call execution flag (presence / absence of setting) when the main power is turned on (power is turned on), and confirms that the supply call execution flag is set to “1”. In this case, it is determined that the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management device 102 has not been successful, and in that case, the retransmission control similar to that described above is performed, whereby the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management device 102 is performed. Even if its own main power supply is turned off during transmission and transmission of the toner supply call information being executed is interrupted, when the main power supply is turned on again, the toner supply call information being executed is not displayed. Transmission can be resumed automatically. Therefore, the contents of the toner supply call information can be transmitted to the center operator at the highest speed and with certainty.
The state of the supply call execution flag is checked when the main power is turned on, and if it is confirmed that the supply call execution flag is set to “1”, the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management device 102 is performed. It is also possible to determine that the operation has not been successful, and to notify that effect by displaying it on the operation panel 205 or forming an image on a sheet. When this notification is performed, the transmission of the toner supply call information that was being executed can be restarted by, for example, an operation on the operation panel 205.

[Second embodiment]
FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a communication sequence when a toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system. FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing states of two types of supply call execution flags in the NV-RAM 202. Note that the black toner call process and the red toner call process in FIG. 20 are substantially the same as the processes described in the first embodiment, and thus the details thereof are omitted. The difference is that various flags, counters, and the like exist for each toner color, and processing is performed for each toner color.
When a toner near-end of the black toner bottle (black toner near-end) occurs in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 (when the amount of toner in the black toner bottle as the black toner supply becomes less than a predetermined amount), a corresponding event The detecting unit detects the black toner near end, and notifies the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 that the black toner near end has occurred.

  Upon receiving notification from the plotter engine that a black toner near-end has occurred, the SCS 306 determines that a black toner near-end has occurred in the plotter engine (that is, determines that a toner near-end has occurred and determines the type of the toner near-end). ), And check the values of the black toner supply call completed flag and the black toner supply call post-sheet number counter (black toner call post-sheet number counter) in the NV-RAM 202, respectively. Is reset to "0", and the value of the number-of-sheets-to-be-passed counter after the black toner call is "1000" or more (however, if the device has never made a black toner supply call, this condition is ignored. In some cases, it is determined that the conditions for issuing a black toner supply call are satisfied. To.

  After resetting the black toner mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 to “0”, the toner supply call retry counter (retry counter) in the NV-RAM is set to “3”, and the black toner supply call is reset. A call ID for identifying (automatic notification of black toner supply call information indicating occurrence of a black toner near end, that is, an order for a toner bottle) is generated, and the call ID is stored in the NV-RAM 202, and a black toner supply call is being executed. Is set (set) to "1" indicating that the black toner supply call is being executed (event information transmitting state), and a black toner supply call request is notified to the NRS 305. At this time, in the toner supply call request, the machine number information as the identification information of the image forming apparatus 100, the call ID stored in the NV-RAM 202, and the information indicating the type of the determined toner near end (or the corresponding toner supply call). (Call type) is added. The character display on the operation panel 205 displays a message "black toner supply call in progress".

Upon receiving the notification of the black toner supply call request, the NRS 305 receives a black toner supply call SOAP message (a black toner supply call request), which is black toner supply call information notifying the order of the black toner bottle (the occurrence of black toner near end). (Including the added device number information, call ID, and call type), and transmits it to the mediation device 101.
Upon receiving the SOAP message for the black toner supply call from the NRS 305, the intermediary device 101 adds an intermediary device identifier, which is its own identification information, to the SOAP message, and further generates an HTTP message based on the SOAP message. A black toner supply call is made to the management device 102 via 103. That is, an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a black toner supply call to which the own mediation device identifier is added is automatically notified to the management device 102 of the service center via the Internet 103.

  The management device 102 receives the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the black toner supply call notified from the mediation device 101 on the device user side, and when the reception is normally completed, the received HTTP message Based on the device number information and the mediation device identifier added to the SOAP message in the message, a call OK, which is a call result indicating that the reception of the HTTP message has been normally completed (the processing for the black toner supply call has been successful). Is generated, and transmitted to the mediation device 101 (the mediation device 101 that has transmitted the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the black toner supply call) via the Internet 103.

The SOAP message (black toner supply call information) in the received HTTP message is stored in a queue and queued until a corresponding process is performed by the center operator, that is, a black toner bottle ordering operation is performed.
Further, the content of the SOAP message in the received HTTP message is displayed on the display unit of the operator terminal 604 to notify the center operator.
The center operator looks at the display content on the display unit of the operator terminal 604, a black toner near-end occurs in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 connected to the mediation apparatus 101 of the notification source, and the black toner bottle is ordered. Upon recognizing that, a black toner bottle ordering operation is performed, and for example, a service person is arranged to deliver the black toner bottle to the installation location of the mediation apparatus 101 as the notification source.

As a result of the black toner supply call (the automatic notification of the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the black toner supply call) to the management apparatus 102, the mediation apparatus 101 calls OK from the management apparatus 102 (the reception of the HTTP message is normal). When an HTTP message including a SOAP message indicating that the call has been completed is received, a SOAP message indicating that the call is OK is generated based on the HTTP message, and the corresponding SOAP message is generated (for which black toner near-end has occurred). The data is transmitted to the NRS 305 of the device 100.
When the NRS 305 receives the SOAP message indicating the call OK from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of the call OK (that the black toner supply call has been completed normally).

When the SCS 306 receives the call OK notification from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has been successful, and displays a “black toner supply call successful” message on a character display on the operation panel 205. .
Further, the black toner supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 is reset (released) to “0”, and the black toner supply call completed flag (event transmitted state) indicating the success of the black toner supply call in the NV-RAM 202. Is set to “1”.
Further, the value of the post-black-toner-call sheet number counter and the value of the retry number counter in the NV-RAM 202 are both reset to “0” so that the counting operation can be performed from “0”.

When the black toner bottle in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 is replaced and black toner full occurs (when the amount of toner in the black toner bottle becomes full), the corresponding event detection unit detects black toner full. The SCS 306 is notified that black toner full has occurred.
Upon receiving notification from the plotter engine that black toner full has occurred, the SCS 306 resets the black toner supply call completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 to “0” so that a supply call can be performed at the next black toner near end. . However, if the value of the sheet passing counter after the black toner call does not become “1000”, the black toner supply call is not performed.

On the other hand, as a result of the black toner supply call (the automatic notification of the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the black toner supply call) to the management device 102 of the service center, the mediation device 101 of the notification source makes a call OK from the management device 102. If an HTTP message including a SOAP message indicating that the reception of the HTTP message has been normally completed is not received even after a specified time has elapsed, a SOAP message indicating a call NG based on the HTTP message is not received. Is generated and transmitted to the NRS 305 of the corresponding image forming apparatus 100.
When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call NG from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of the call NG (that the black toner supply call did not end normally).

Upon receiving the notification of the call NG from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and displays a “black toner supply call failed” message on a character display on the operation panel 205. .
In addition, the retry count counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (−1), and a retry (re-notification) is performed in order to re-notify an HTTP message including a SOAP message for the same toner supply call as the first call (first notification). ) Control.
That is, first, the value of the retry number counter is checked, and if the value is not "0" (if the number of times of the same black toner supply call does not reach the predetermined number of times, ie, three), Then, the same black toner supply call request as in the first call is notified to the NRS 305 again. At this time, the same call ID as that at the time of the first call stored in the NV-RAM 202 is added to the black toner supply call request.

When receiving the same black toner supply call request notification from the SCS 306 as the first call, the NRS 305 generates the same black toner supply call SOAP message as the first call and transmits it to the intermediary device 101.
Upon receiving the same SOAP message for the black toner supply call from the NRS 305 as the first call, the mediation apparatus 101 adds its own mediation apparatus identifier to the SOAP message again, and further generates an HTTP message based on the SOAP message. Then, a black toner supply call is made to the management device 102 via the Internet 103. That is, an HTTP message including a SOAP message for a black toner supply call with its own identifier added is automatically notified to the management device 102 of the service center via the Internet 103.

Thereafter, as a result of the black toner supply call to the management device 102 of the service center, if the HTTP message including the SOAP message indicating the call OK is not received from the management device 102 even after the lapse of the specified time, the HTTP message is again transmitted. A SOAP message indicating a call NG is generated based on the message, and transmitted to NRS 305 of corresponding image forming apparatus 100.
When receiving the SOAP message indicating the call NG again from the mediation apparatus 101, the NRS 305 notifies the SCS 306 of the call NG.

When receiving the call NG notification again from the NRS 305, the SCS 306 determines that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, decrements the retry number counter in the NV-RAM 202 (−1), and then executes the retry number. The value of the counter is checked, and if the value is not "0", the same black toner supply call request as that at the time of the first call is notified to the NRS 305 again, and thereafter, the same processing as described above is performed.
Thereafter, when the call NG is again notified from the NRS 305, it is determined that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and the retry number counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (−1), and then the retry number counter is decremented. When the value is checked, the value is "0" (the number of times of the same black toner supply call has reached three times). Therefore, the above-described retry (retransmission) is stopped, and the following processing is performed. Do.

That is, the status of the black toner mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked, and if it is confirmed that the black toner mail transmission flag is “0”, the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 is made. The DCS 316 is notified of an e-mail transmission request for notifying that has failed. At this time, the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100, the same call ID as at the time of the first call, and the call type are added to the e-mail transmission request. Then, after notifying the DCS 316 of the e-mail transmission request, the black toner mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to “1”, and the 24H timer is started.
Upon receiving the notification of the e-mail transmission request from the SCS 306, the DCS 316 transmits an e-mail for notifying that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed to the supply management terminal (not shown) via the LAN.

  After activating the 24H timer, the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100 in which the black toner near-end has occurred activates the 24H timer, and when the time measured by the 24H timer elapses 24 hours, sets the retry number counter to “3” again. Thereafter, in order to re-notify the HTTP message including the SOAP message for the same black toner supply call as that at the time of the first call, the same retry control as described above is performed again.

  Even if this retry control is performed, if the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails three times, the retry is stopped again and the status of the black toner mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked. In this case, since the black toner mail transmission flag has already been set to “1”, the DCS 316 is not notified of an electronic mail transmission request for notifying that the black toner supply call to the management device 102 has failed ( E-mail notification is prohibited). However, the 24H timer is restarted, and thereafter, the same control as described above is repeated until the black toner supply call to the management device 102 succeeds.

By the way, during the execution of the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102, when the main power of the main body is turned off / on (when the main power of the main body is once turned off and then turned on again), the black toner in the NV-RAM 202 is turned off. The status of the supply call execution flag is checked, and if it is confirmed that the black toner supply call execution flag has been reset to "0", nothing is performed, but it is confirmed that the flag is set to "1". If this is possible, the main power supply of the main body is turned off / on during execution of the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102, and the toner supply call has not been successful, so that the same retry control as described above is performed.
If the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 fails three times even after performing the retry control, the retry is stopped, and the state of the black toner mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked. Control similar to the above is performed according to the check result.

On the other hand, when a toner near end (red toner near end) of the red toner bottle occurs in the plotter engine of the image forming apparatus 100 (when the amount of toner in the red toner bottle as the red toner supply becomes less than a predetermined amount), The event detector detects the red toner near-end and notifies the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 that the red toner near-end has occurred.
Upon receiving a notification from the plotter engine that a red toner near-end has occurred, the SCS 306 determines that a red toner near-end has occurred in the plotter engine (that is, determines that a toner near-end has occurred and determines the type of the toner near-end). Determine).
Thereafter, the image forming apparatus 100, the intermediary apparatus 101, and the management apparatus 102 perform substantially the same processing as in the case where the black toner near-end occurs, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIGS. 22 to 25 are flowcharts illustrating another schematic example of the process when the toner near end occurs by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
Upon receiving notification from the plotter engine that a black or red toner near end has occurred, the SCS 306 of the image forming apparatus 100 determines that a toner near end has occurred and starts the processing routine of FIGS. To determine the type of the toner near end.

  If it is confirmed that the generated toner near end is the black toner near end, the state of the black toner supply call completed flag of the NV-RAM 202 is checked in step S32, and the black toner supply called flag is set to “0”. If it is confirmed that the black toner supply call has been reset, the process proceeds to step S33, and it is determined whether or not to perform a black toner supply call for the first time after delivery of the image forming apparatus 100. In that case, the process directly proceeds to step S35, but if the black toner supply call is not performed for the first time, it is determined in step S34 whether or not the value of the number of sheets passed after black toner call in the NV-RAM 202 has reached "1000". Judgment is made, and if it has reached "1000", the process proceeds to step S35 to generate a call ID.

Next, the call ID generated in step S36 is stored in the NV-RAM 202, the black toner supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to "1" in step S37, and the black toner in the NV-RAM 202 is set in step S38. The toner mail transmission completion flag is reset to “0”, and in step S39, “3” is set in the retry counter in the NV-RAM 202. Then, in step S40, the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100 is included in the toner supply call request. The call ID stored in the NV-RAM 202 and the type of the determined toner near end (or the corresponding toner supply call) are added to generate a black toner supply call request, and the request is sent to the NRS 305.
Thereafter, in step S10, the presence or absence of the notification from the NRS 305 is checked. If the notification of the call OK is received from the NRS 305, it is determined that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has been successful, and the process proceeds to step S42. The processing described below is performed.

  When the notification of the call NG is received from the NRS 305, it is determined that the black toner supply call to the management apparatus 102 has failed, and the process proceeds to step S46, where the retry number counter in the NV-RAM 202 is decremented (−1). Thereafter, in step S47, the value of the retry number counter is checked. If the value is not "0" (if the number of times of the same black toner supply call has not reached three), the process returns to step S40. Again, the same black toner supply call request as in the first call is notified to the NRS 305 (device number information of the image forming apparatus 100 in the toner supply call request, the same call ID as the first call stored in the NV-RAM 202, The determined toner near-end type is added to make a black toner supply call request). Repeat the process. Then, when the value of the retry counter reaches “0”, the following processing is performed.

  That is, the state of the black toner mail transmission flag in the NV-RAM 202 is checked in step S48 in FIG. 24, and if it is confirmed that the black toner mail transmission flag is set to "1", the process proceeds to step S48. The process proceeds to S51, but if it is confirmed that the black toner supply call has been reset to “0”, the DCS 316 is notified of an e-mail transmission request for notifying that the black toner supply call to the management device 102 has failed in step S49. I do. At this time, the device number information of the image forming apparatus 100, the same call ID as in the first call, and the type of the determined toner near end (or the corresponding toner supply call) are added to the e-mail transmission request. Then, after notifying the DCS 316 of the electronic mail transmission request, the black toner mail transmission completed flag in the NV-RAM 202 is set to "1" in step S50, and then the 24-hour timer is started in step S20, and the 24-hour timer is started. Waiting for the time measured by the timer to elapse of 24 hours, the process returns to step S39 in FIG. 22, and the same processing as described above is repeated.

  If it is determined in step S41 that the black toner supply call to the management device 102 has succeeded before the value of the retry number counter becomes "0", the black toner supply call completion flag in the NV-RAM 202 in step S42. Is set to “1”, the value of the number-of-sheets-after-black-toner-call counter in the NV-RAM 202 is reset to “0” in step S43, and the value of the retry counter is reset to “0” in step S44. -The black toner supply call execution flag in the RAM 202 is reset to "0", and the processing in FIGS.

On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the generated toner near end is the red toner near end, the state of the red toner supply call completed flag of the NV-RAM 202 is checked in step S52, and the red toner supply called flag is set to “0”. If it is confirmed that the reset has been performed, the process proceeds to step S53, and it is determined whether or not a red toner supply call is to be performed for the first time after delivery of the image forming apparatus 100. In this case, the process directly proceeds to step S55, but if the red toner supply call is not performed for the first time, it is determined in step S54 whether or not the value of the number-of-sheet-feeding-counter after red toner call in the NV-RAM 202 has reached “1000”. It is determined that if the number has reached “1000”, the process proceeds to step S55, and a call ID is generated.
Thereafter, in steps 56 to S71, substantially the same processes as those in steps 36 to S51 described above are performed (however, the flags and the counters are different), so that the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process when the transfer sheet is normally discharged by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
The SCS 306 starts the processing routine of FIG. 26 when the transfer sheet on which the image is formed is normally discharged out of the apparatus and the discharge is detected by the event detection unit, and the image formation (printing) is performed on the transfer sheet. If the red toner is used in step (1), the post-call number counter after red toner call is incremented (+1), and if the black toner is used for image formation on the transfer sheet, the post-sheet number counter after black toner call is incremented (+1). .

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing when the black toner is full by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
The SCS 306 detects a black toner full state in the NV-RAM 202 when a black toner full state occurs due to the replacement of the toner bottle, and the black toner full state is detected by the corresponding event detection unit and a notification that the black toner full state has occurred is received. Resets the called flag to “0”.
FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing when the red toner is full by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
When the toner bottle is replaced and red toner full occurs, and the red toner full is detected by the corresponding event detection unit, and the SCS 306 receives a notification that the red toner full has occurred, the SCS 306 stores the red toner supply in the NV-RAM 202. Resets the called flag to “0”.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a part of another processing example when the main power is turned on by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
The SCS 306 of the image forming apparatus 100 checks the state of the black toner supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 when the main power is turned on, and can confirm that the black toner supply call execution flag is set to “1”. Only in this case, the same processing as the processing after step S39 in FIG. 22 is performed.
FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a part of still another processing example when the main power is turned on by the SCS 306 of the controller board 200 of the image forming apparatus 100.
The SCS 306 of the image forming apparatus 100 checks the state of the red toner supply call execution flag in the NV-RAM 202 when the main power is turned on, and can confirm that the red toner supply call execution flag is set to “1”. Only in this case, the same processing as the processing after step S59 in FIG. 23 is performed.

According to the second embodiment, the following effects (1) to (10) can be obtained.
(1) When the image forming apparatus 100 (or 110) detects the toner near end due to its own occurrence of the toner near end (preliminary event), the type is determined and the toner near end (order of the toner bottle) is determined. Is added to the toner supply call information (preliminary event information) that informs the user of the information, and the information indicating the type of the toner near end is transmitted to the management apparatus 102 (notification). By setting the indicated supply call execution flag to “1” (set to the event information transmission state), if the state of the supply call execution flag is referred to thereafter, the transmission of any toner supply call information can be performed. If the main power supply is turned off during execution and transmission of toner supply call information during the execution is interrupted, But, after the main power is turned ON again, it is possible to resume the transmission of the toner supply call information was that running.

(2) When the image forming apparatus 100 transmits any toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102, a call ID for identifying the transmission is generated, and the call ID is added to the toner supply call information. Since the same toner supply call information duplicately transmitted (for example, duplicately transmitted) from the image forming apparatus 100 can be easily grasped for each type of toner on the management apparatus 102 side, it is possible to prevent a duplicate order of a black toner bottle or a red toner bottle. You can also.
(3) When the image forming apparatus 100 receives a transmission result indicating that the reception of the toner supply call information has been normally completed from the management apparatus 102 as a transmission result of any of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 Then, it is determined that the transmission of the toner supply call information has succeeded, and the corresponding supply call execution flag is reset to “0” (the event information transmission state is released). By referring to the state, it can be confirmed that transmission of any of the toner supply call information is completed.

(4) The image forming apparatus 100 cannot receive a transmission result indicating that the reception of the toner supply call information has been normally completed from the management apparatus 102 as a transmission result of any of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102. In this case, it is determined that the transmission of the toner supply call information has failed, and in this case, if the number of transmissions of the same toner supply call information as the toner supply call information has not reached the preset predetermined number, Then, the toner supply call information is transmitted to the management device 102 again, and when the number of transmissions of the toner supply call information reaches the predetermined number, retransmission (retry) control for stopping retransmission of the toner supply call information is performed. Communication problems during transmission of any toner supply call information. Even if it occurs, it is possible to complete the transmission of the toner supply call information.

(5) The image forming apparatus 100 repeatedly adds the same call ID (the call ID generated when the supply call information is transmitted for the first time) to the same toner supply call information to be retransmitted by the retransmission control, so that the same Since it is not necessary to perform a process of generating a different call ID every time the toner supply call information is transmitted, the processing efficiency is improved accordingly.
(6) After the image forming apparatus 100 stops retransmission of any of the toner supply call information by retransmission control, the supply management is performed by e-mail indicating that the transmission of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 has failed. By notifying to the terminal (may be notified by displaying on the operation panel 205 or forming an image on paper), if the supply management person using the supply management terminal refers to the content of the notification, The contents of the toner supply call information (order of the black toner bottle or red toner bottle) can be transmitted to the center operator by telephone. That is, the contents of any of the toner supply call information can be reliably transmitted to the center operator.

(7) After the image forming apparatus 100 notifies by e-mail that transmission of any of the toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 has failed, the e-mail transmission completion flag indicating that fact is set to "1". (Set to the notified state) and prohibiting the notification, the duplication of the notification can be avoided, and the processing efficiency is improved accordingly.
(8) When the image forming apparatus 100 sets the mail transmission completed flag to “1” and newly detects the same toner near end as the previous time, resets the corresponding mail transmitted flag to “0” ( By canceling the notification prohibition state) and canceling the prohibition of the notification, it becomes possible to notify again by email that transmission of any toner supply call information to the management apparatus 102 has failed. The contents of the toner supply call information can be more reliably transmitted to the center operator.

(9) When the image forming apparatus 100 causes the 24H timer (24 hours is set in advance) to start time measurement, and when the time measured by the 24H timer has passed 24 hours (preset time), By performing the same retransmission control as above, any toner supply call information can be transmitted to the center operator more reliably. Note that a timer other than the 24H timer (a predetermined time other than 24 hours is set in advance) can also be used.

(10) The image forming apparatus 100 checks the state of the supply call execution flag (presence / absence of setting) corresponding to the main power ON (power ON), and determines that the supply call execution flag is set to “1”. If it can be confirmed, it is determined that the transmission of the corresponding toner supply call information to the management device 102 has not been successful, and in that case, the same retransmission control as described above is performed, so that any Even if the main power supply is turned off during the transmission of the toner supply call information and the transmission of the toner supply call information being executed is interrupted, the execution is not performed when the main power supply is turned on again. The transmission of the toner supply call information can be automatically restarted. Therefore, the contents of the toner supply call information can be reliably and quickly transmitted to the center operator for each type of toner.

  In the second embodiment, when the image forming apparatus includes two color toner bottles of a black toner bottle and a red toner bottle in the plotter engine, and detects a toner near-end (an abnormal pre-event) in one of them, The toner supply call information (pre-event event information) notifying the toner near-end (or the order of the corresponding toner bottle) is transmitted to the management device 102, but the C (cyan) toner bottle and the M (magenta) toner bottle , Y (yellow) toner bottle, K (black) toner bottle, four color (full color) toner bottles or toner bottles of a plurality of other colors. Or a toner supply call information that informs the customer of an order for the corresponding toner bottle) It is also possible to send to 02.

  In the first and second embodiments, when the image forming apparatus detects the toner near end, the image forming apparatus transmits the toner supply call information for notifying the toner near end to the management apparatus 102. Of course, it is also possible to detect an event that is a cause of a report such as an abnormal prior event or an abnormal event such as an SC (serviceman call) and transmit event information notifying the advance to the management device 102.

  For example, abnormal pre-events other than toner near-end include near-end of staples (indicating that the number of stitches has become a predetermined number or less) and near-end of stamp ink (indicating that the ink amount has become a predetermined amount or less). Yes, if the near end of the staple is detected, the near end (or the order of the corresponding staple) is indicated. If the near end of the stamp ink is detected, the near end (or the order of the corresponding stamp ink) is indicated. The information to be notified is transmitted to the management device 102. When there are multiple types of staples and stamp inks, if the near end of any one of the staples is detected, the near end (or order of the corresponding staple) is replaced with the near end of any one of the stamp inks. If it is detected, information for notifying the near end (or the order of the corresponding stamp ink) is transmitted to the management device 102.

  In addition, as an example of the communication device (electronic device), the image forming device 110 having the communication function (mediation function) and the image forming device 100 connected with the mediation device 101 performing the communication function have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Network appliances, vending machines, medical equipment, power supplies, air-conditioning systems, gas / water / electricity metering systems, etc. that have communication functions or are connected to intermediary devices that perform communication functions. The present invention is applicable to various electronic devices having a communication function, including possible computers and the like. Further, even when these devices are used as managed devices, the remote management system can be operated in the same manner as in the case described above. Further, also in the remote management system of the communication device, the configurations of the communication device, the remote management mediation device, the management device, and the connection form thereof are not limited to the above-described embodiment.

  For example, in the remote management system shown in FIG. 1, it is conceivable to configure the remote management system as shown in FIG. 33 by using the various electronic devices described above as managed devices. In FIG. 33, network home appliances such as a television receiver 12a and a refrigerator 12b, a medical appliance 12c, a vending machine 12d, a weighing system 12e, and an air conditioning system 12f are given as examples of managed devices provided with the mediation device 101 separately. ing. Then, as examples of the managed device having the function of the mediation device 101, an automobile 13a and an aircraft 13b are cited. In a device that moves over a wide range, such as an automobile 13a or an aircraft 13b, it is preferable that the device also has the function of a firewall (FW) 104.

  Further, the program according to the present invention provides a computer for controlling a communication device such as the above-described image forming apparatus provided with a communication unit for communicating with an external device with each function (event information transmission information generation unit, event information transmission Means, event information transmitting state setting means, transmission result judging means, event information transmitting state releasing means, transmission failure notifying means, notified state setting means, notification inhibiting means, notified state releasing means, notification inhibition releasing means, time This is a program for realizing the function as the measuring means and the event type determining means), and the above-described effects can be obtained by causing a computer to execute such a program.

Such a program may be stored in a storage means such as a ROM or an HDD provided in the computer from the beginning, but may be stored in a non-volatile storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a flexible disk, an SRAM, an EEPROM, or a memory card as a recording medium. It can also be provided by recording it on a medium (memory). Each of the above-described procedures can be executed by installing the program recorded in the memory in the computer and causing the CPU to execute the program, or reading and executing the program from the memory by the CPU.
Further, the program can be downloaded from an external device provided with a recording medium storing the program or an external device having the program stored in the storage means and executed.

  The present invention can be applied to various communication devices having communication functions, including network home appliances, vending machines, medical devices, power supply devices, air conditioning systems, gas / water / electricity metering systems, and the like, and computers connectable to networks. (Managed device), and is applicable to a remote management system including the communication device and a management device that manages the communication device.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of a remote management system for a communication device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a data transmission / reception model in the remote management system. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image forming apparatus remote management system that is a communication apparatus remote management system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus which is the communication apparatus according to the present invention and configures the image forming apparatus remote management system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing an ENGRDY signal and a PWRCTL signal in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an NRS module in the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a management device 102 in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication sequence at the time of data transmission / reception performed in the image forming apparatus remote management system of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication sequence when data is transmitted from the image forming apparatus of FIG. 3 to the management apparatus 102.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a table of information serving as a reference for determining a type of an abnormal event. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a communication sequence when a toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a communication sequence when a toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a communication sequence when a toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the content of an electronic mail transmitted by the DCS 316 of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process performed by the SCS 306 in FIG. 5 when a toner near end occurs. It is a flowchart which shows the continuation processing. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a part of a processing example when a main power supply is turned on by an SCS 306 in FIG. 5. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a communication sequence when a toner near-end occurs in the image forming apparatus 100 in the remote management system illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing states of two types of supply call execution flags in the NV-RAM 202 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another schematic example of the process performed by the SCS 306 in FIG. 5 when a toner near end occurs. It is a flowchart which shows a part of remaining processing. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing another portion of the remaining processing. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the remaining processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing performed by the SCS 306 in FIG. 5 when a transfer sheet is normally discharged. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process when the black toner is full. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing when the red toner is full. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a part of another processing example when the main power is turned on. 15 is a flowchart showing a part of still another processing example when the main power is turned on.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a format example of a SOAP message for a toner supply call in an HTTP message. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a main part thereof. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of the remote management system illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication sequence when an abnormal event occurs in an image forming apparatus in a conventional remote management system. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the communication sequence when an abnormal prior event occurs. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of processing (control) when toner near-end occurs by a CPU in a controller of a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process when a transfer sheet is normally discharged. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic example of a process when toner is full.

Explanation of reference numerals

10: Managed Device 11: Managed Device with Mediation Function 100: Image Forming Device 101: Mediation Device 102: Management Device 103: Internet 104: Firewall 110: Image Forming Device with Mediation Function 200: Controller Board 201: HDD 202: NV -RAM 203: PI board 204: PHY 205: Operation panel 206: Plotter / scanner engine board 207: Power supply unit 212: PCI-BUS 300: OCS 301: ECS 302: MCS 303: NCS 304: FCS 305: NRS 306: SCS 307: SRM 308: IMH 309: Copy application 310: Fax application 311: Printer application 312: Scanner application 313: Netf File application 314: Web application 315: CSS 316: DCS 317: UCS 320: General-purpose OS 601: Modem 602: Communication terminal 603: Proxy server 604: Operator terminal 605: Database 606: Control device

Claims (27)

A communication means for communicating with an external device, an event detection means for detecting an event which causes a report such as an abnormal event or a pre-error event, and an event which causes the report is detected by the means. In the case, the communication device having event information transmitting means for transmitting the event information to notify the occurrence of the event to the external device by the communication means,
When event information is transmitted to the external device by the event information transmitting unit, an event information transmitting state setting unit that sets an event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted is provided. Communication device. The communication device according to claim 1,
And transmitting the event information to the external device when the event information transmitting unit receives a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the external device as a result of transmitting the event information to the external device. Transmission result determining means for determining that the
A communication device comprising: an event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling the event information transmitting state when the event information is successfully transmitted to the external device by the means. . The communication device according to claim 2,
The transmission result determination unit, when a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information from the external device has not been normally received as the transmission result of the event information to the external device by the event information transmission unit, Judging that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed,
The event information transmitting means, when the transmission result determining means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, sets a predetermined number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information. If the number of times has not reached the number of times, the event information is transmitted to the external device again, and if the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number, retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information is performed. Means to do,
After the retransmission by the event information transmitting unit is stopped, a transmission failure notifying unit that notifies that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed,
When the notification by the means is made, a notified state setting means for setting a notified state indicating that the notification has been performed,
A communication device comprising: a notification prohibiting unit that prohibits the transmission by the transmission failure notification unit when the notification completed state is set by the unit. The communication device according to claim 3,
After the notified state is set by the notified state setting unit, when an event that causes a notification is detected by the event detecting unit, a notified state releasing unit that releases the notified state,
A communication device, comprising: notification prohibition canceling means for canceling notification prohibition by the notification prohibiting means when the notified state is canceled by the means. The communication device according to claim 2,
Providing time measurement means for measuring time,
The transmission result determination unit, when a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information from the external device has not been normally received as the transmission result of the event information to the external device by the event information transmission unit, Judging that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed,
The event information transmitting means, when the transmission result determining means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, sets a predetermined number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information. If the number of times has not reached, the event information is transmitted to the external device again, and if the number of times of transmission of the event information has reached the predetermined number, retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information is performed. Means for performing, and after stopping the retransmission, causing the time measurement means to start time measurement, and when the time measured by the time measurement means has passed a predetermined time, performs the retransmission control again. And a communication device. The communication device according to claim 2,
The transmission result determination unit, when a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information from the external device has not been normally received as the transmission result of the event information to the external device by the event information transmission unit, Means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed; and checking whether or not the event information transmitting state has been set by the event information transmitting state setting means when the power is turned on. Means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the external device by the event information transmitting means has not been successful when it is confirmed that the state is set.
The event information transmitting means, when the transmission result determining means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, sets a predetermined number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information. If the number of times has not reached, the event information is transmitted to the external device again, and if the number of times of transmission of the event information has reached the predetermined number, retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information is performed. Means for performing the retransmission control even when the transmission result determination means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is not successful at power-on. Communication device. The communication device according to claim 1,
Providing an event type determining means for determining the type of event detected by the event detecting means,
The event information transmitting means, when an event that causes a notification is detected by the event detecting means, indicates the type of the event determined by the event type determining means in event information indicating occurrence of the event. Means for adding information and transmitting the information to the external device by the communication means,
The event information transmitting state setting means is means for setting the event information transmitting state in association with information indicating the type of the event determined by the event type determining means. apparatus. The communication device according to claim 7,
And transmitting the event information to the external device when the event information transmitting unit receives a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the external device as a result of transmitting the event information to the external device. Transmission result determining means for determining that the
When the means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful, the event information transmitting state for canceling the event information transmitting state corresponding to the information indicating the type of the event added to the event information is being transmitted. A communication device comprising: a state canceling unit. The communication device according to claim 8,
The transmission result determination unit, when a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information from the external device has not been normally received as the transmission result of the event information to the external device by the event information transmission unit, Judging that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed,
The event information transmitting means, when the transmission result determining means determines that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, sets a predetermined number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information. If the number of times has not reached, the event information is transmitted to the external device again, and if the number of times of transmission of the event information has reached the predetermined number, retransmission control for stopping retransmission of the event information is performed. A communication device having means for performing the communication. The communication device according to claim 9,
After the retransmission by the event information transmitting unit is stopped, a transmission failure notifying unit that notifies that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed,
When the means notifies the user that the transmission of the event information to the external device has failed, information indicating the type of the event added to the event information corresponds to a notified state indicating that the notification has been performed. A notified state setting means to be attached and set;
A communication device comprising: a notification prohibiting unit that prohibits a transmission corresponding to the notified state by the transmission failure notifying unit when the notified state is set by the unit. The communication device according to claim 10,
After the notified state is set by the notified state setting unit, when the event detecting unit detects an event that is a reporting factor corresponding to the notified state, a notification that cancels the notified state. Completed state release means,
A communication device comprising: a notification prohibition canceling means for canceling a notification prohibition corresponding to the notified state by the notification prohibiting means when the notified state is canceled by the means. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
A communication device, wherein the event information transmitting means has means for converting information to be transmitted to the external device by the communication means into a structured language format. A remote management system for remotely managing a plurality of communication devices via a network by the management device,
In each of the plurality of communication devices, a communication unit that communicates with the management device, an event detection unit that detects, when an event that causes a report such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs, detects the event, An event information transmitting unit that, when an event that causes a notification is detected, adds its own identification information to event information that notifies the occurrence of the event and transmits the event information to the management device by the communication unit; When event information is transmitted to the device, an event information transmitting state setting means for setting an event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted is provided,
A communication means for communicating with the plurality of communication apparatuses, the event information being received from any of the communication apparatuses by the means, and when the reception is normally completed, a transmission result to that effect is transmitted to the management apparatus. A remote management system comprising: a transmission result transmitting unit that causes the communication unit to transmit the event information based on the identification information added to the information by the communication unit. The remote management system according to claim 13,
When each of the plurality of communication devices receives a transmission result indicating that reception of event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit, A transmission result determining unit that determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has succeeded; and, if it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has succeeded, the event information transmitting state A remote management system comprising: an event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling. The remote management system according to claim 14,
The transmission result determination unit of each of the communication devices cannot receive a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit. It is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed,
The event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices sets the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information in advance when the transmission result determining unit determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed. If the predetermined number of times has not been reached, the event information is transmitted to the management device again. If the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number, re-transmission of the event information is stopped. Means for performing transmission control,
Transmission failure reporting means for reporting to the plurality of communication devices that transmission of event information to the management device has failed after the retransmission by the event information transmission device of each of the communication devices has stopped; and Notification state setting means for setting a notification state indicating that the notification has been performed when the notification has been performed, and notification by the transmission failure notification means when the notification state has been set by the means. And a notification prohibiting means for prohibiting the operation. The remote management system according to claim 15,
After the notified state is set by the notified state setting means in each of the communication devices, a notification for releasing the notified state is provided when an event that causes a notification is detected by the event detecting means. A remote management system comprising: a completed state canceling means; and a notification prohibition canceling means for canceling the notification prohibition by the notification prohibiting means when the notified state is canceled by the means. The remote management system according to claim 14,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is provided with time measuring means for measuring time,
The transmission result determination unit of each of the communication devices cannot receive a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit. It is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed,
The event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices sets the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information in advance when the transmission result determining unit determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed. If the predetermined number of times has not been reached, the event information is transmitted to the management device again. If the number of times of transmission of the event information reaches the predetermined number, re-transmission of the event information is stopped. Means for performing transmission control, and after stopping the retransmission, causing the time measurement means to start time measurement, and when the time measured by the time measurement means has passed a predetermined time, the retransmission control And a means for performing again. The remote management system according to claim 14,
The transmission result determination unit of each of the communication devices cannot receive a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit. In this case, means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, and whether or not the event information transmitting state has been set by the event information transmitting state setting means when the power is turned on is checked. Means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the management device by the event information transmitting means has not been successful when it is confirmed that the event information is being set to the event information transmitting state,
The event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices sets the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information in advance when the transmission result determining unit determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed. If the predetermined number of times has not been reached, the event information is transmitted to the management device again. Means for performing transmission control, and also when the transmission result determination means determines that transmission of event information to the management device by the event information transmission means is not successful at power-on, the retransmission control is also performed. And a means for performing the remote management system. The remote management system according to claim 13,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is provided with an event type determination unit that determines a type of an event detected by the event detection unit,
The event information transmitting means of each of the communication devices, when an event that causes a notification is detected by the event detecting means, the event information of the occurrence of the event, the event information of the event determined by the event type determining means Means for transmitting information to the management device by the communication means by adding information indicating the type and self identification information,
The event information transmitting state setting unit of each of the communication devices is a unit that sets the event information transmitting state in association with information indicating the type of the event determined by the event type determining unit. And a remote management system. 20. The remote management system according to claim 19,
When each of the plurality of communication devices receives a transmission result indicating that reception of event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit, A transmission result determining means for determining that the transmission of the event information to the management device has succeeded; and an event added to the event information when the transmission means has determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has succeeded. And an event information transmitting state canceling means for canceling the event information transmitting state corresponding to the information indicating the type of the remote management system. The remote management system according to claim 20,
The transmission result determination unit of each of the communication devices cannot receive a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the management device as a transmission result of the event information to the management device by the event information transmission unit. It is determined that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed,
The event information transmitting unit of each of the communication devices sets the number of times of transmission of the same event information as the event information in advance when the transmission result determining unit determines that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed. If the number of transmissions of the event information has not reached the predetermined number of times, the event information is transmitted to the management device again, and if the number of transmissions of the event information has reached the predetermined number of times, the retransmission of the event information is stopped. A remote management system having means for performing control. The remote management system according to claim 21,
Transmission failure notifying means for notifying that the transmission of event information to the management device has failed after the retransmission by the event information transmitting means has stopped, to the plurality of communication devices, respectively, and the transmission failure notifying means When it is notified that the transmission of the event information to the management device has failed, the information indicating the type of the event added to the event information is associated with a notified state indicating that the notification has been performed. A notification state setting means for setting, and a notification prohibiting means for prohibiting notification corresponding to the notification state by the transmission failure notification means when the notification state is set by the means. And a remote management system. 23. The remote management system according to claim 22,
In each of the plurality of communication devices, after the notified state is set by the notified state setting means, when an event serving as a reporting factor corresponding to the notified state is detected by the event detecting means, A notified state canceling means for canceling the notified state; and a notification inhibition canceling means for canceling the notification inhibition corresponding to the notified state by the notification inhibiting means when the notified state is canceled by the means. Remote management system characterized by having provided. When an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs, the control method is used when a transmission factor occurs in a communication device that detects the event and transmits event information indicating the occurrence of the event to an external device. So,
When transmitting event information to the external device, the external device sets an event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted. The control method when a transmission factor occurs according to claim 24,
If a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the external device is received as the transmission result of the event information to the external device, it is determined that the transmission of the event information to the external device has been successful, A control method when a transmission factor occurs, wherein the event information transmitting state is canceled. When an event that causes a notification such as an abnormal event or an abnormal pre-event occurs, the computer that controls the communication device that detects the event and transmits event information notifying the occurrence of the event to an external device includes: A program for realizing an event information transmitting state setting function for setting an event information transmitting state indicating that the event information is being transmitted when transmitting the event information to the external device. The program according to claim 26,
When the computer receives a transmission result indicating that the reception of the event information has been normally completed from the external device as a result of transmitting the event information to the external device, the transmission of the event information to the external device is successful. And an event information transmitting state canceling function that cancels the event information transmitting state when it is determined that the event information has been successfully transmitted to the external device by the function. Program to make it happen.

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