JPH03252267A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the service to a user by generating information corresponding to conditions such as a trouble condition and a use condition in an electronic apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine and automatically and directly transmitting this information to the transmission destination such as a service company without passing the user. CONSTITUTION:If error which a service man must repair occurs in, for example, a laser printer, a control part 1 expands data from a host computer 2 as picture information on a picture buffer 8, and this data is printed out to an engine part 4. When the error position is in a fixing unit, its discrimination number is reported to the control part 1 through an engine interface part 7, and this information is given to a facsimile part 25 through a facsimile interface part 24 and is automatically transmitted from this part 25 to the service company. When the number of prints stored in a non-volatile memory 11 reaches a certain value, the use state of paper, toner, or the like is transmitted in the same manner.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to electronic devices such as printers and copying machines.

[Conventional technology]

Traditionally, when an error occurs in an electronic device such as a printer or a copier that requires repair by a service person, the user learns of the error from the display on the operation panel and then goes to a service company listed in the manual etc. I started calling myself and calling a service person. Additionally, users have come to purchase consumables such as paper and toner themselves.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In this way, with conventional electronic devices, when an error occurs or when consumables are needed, the user must contact the service company or purchase them himself. It is time-consuming and requires the service company to visit the user each time to find out the situation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that can significantly improve services to users and significantly reduce the management burden on service companies and the like.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a status notification means for notifying the status of a device, an information generation means for generating information according to the status notified from the status notification means, and a transmission destination for the generated information. It is characterized by comprising an information transmission control means for controlling transmission.

[Effect]

In the electronic device configured as described above, information can be generated according to the failure status, usage status, etc. of the electronic device, and this information can be automatically transmitted to a destination such as a service company without user intervention.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a laser printer as an example of the electronic device of the present invention.

This laser printer includes a controller unit 1 that receives data from a host computer 2 and performs predetermined processing, and a controller unit 1 that develops the data received from the host computer 2 into image information and prints the image information. It has an engine section 4 that performs output, etc., and an operation panel section 22 that displays errors occurring in the engine section 4 and inputs predetermined information.

Further, the controller unit 1 functions as an interface between a processor 5 that controls the entire system, a host interface unit 10 that functions as an interface with the host computer 2, an image buffer 8 where image information is expanded, and an interface with the engine unit 4. , an engine interface section 7 that receives an error identification number from the engine section 4 when an error or the like occurs in the engine section 4, and an operation panel section 22.
A panel interface unit 12 functions as an interface with the facsimile unit 12, and a facsimile unit 25 functions as an interface with the facsimile unit 25, supplies information such as errors occurring in the engine unit 4 to the facsimile unit 25, and transmits it to a destination such as a service company. An interface unit 24, a program memory 9 in which character strings, etc. corresponding to identification numbers such as errors sent from the engine unit 4 are stored in advance, and the product name, product number, number of prints, etc. of this laser printer, service company, etc. It has a nonvolatile memory 11 in which information such as the telephone number of the destination is stored, and a font memory 23 in which character image data and the like are stored.

Next, an explanation will be given of the operation when an error requiring repair by a service person occurs in a laser printer having such a configuration.

The controller section 1 develops data from the host computer 2 as image information on an image buffer 8, sends the image information to the engine section 4, and causes the engine section 4 to perform operations such as print output. By the way, engine part 4
If, for example, a fixing unit error occurs while printing is being performed in this manner, the engine unit 4 notifies the controller unit 1 of the identification number of the fixing unit error via the engine interface unit 7. do. Conventionally, the controller section 1 simply sent this identification number to the operation panel section 22 via the panel interface section 12 and displayed a message to that effect on the operation panel section 22 to inform the user. Then, the controller section 1 further supplies this error information to the facsimile section 25 via the facsimile interface section 24, and the facsimile section 25 automatically transmits it to the service company or the like.

That is, after receiving the error identification number from the engine unit 4, the controller unit 1 reads the character string “Fusing unit error occurred” corresponding to the error identification number from the program memory 9, and also reads the product name PC. -LAS
ER6000J, product number r1234567-894
The controller section 1 then reads information such as "and the current number of prints r5432" from the non-volatile memory 11 and converts this information into the porter F as shown in FIG. 2 using the character image data in the font memory 23. , the telephone number of the destination, such as a service company, is read from the non-volatile memory 11, and this telephone number and the image data F are provided to the facsimile unit 25 via the facsimile interface unit 24. etc., it is possible to automatically notify this laser printer that a fixing unit error has occurred.

Furthermore, even if no error has occurred in the engine section 4, when it is determined that the current number of prints stored in the non-volatile memory 11 has reached a certain number, the controller section 1 may detect that an error has occurred. In the same way as the above procedure, you can send the product name, product number, and current number of prints to the service company, etc., and automatically notify the service company, etc. of the usage status of consumables such as paper and toner. can.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the user does not have to notify the service company etc. of what kind of error occurred in which device or purchase consumables by himself, which saves the user's time and effort. This can significantly improve service to users. Furthermore, since the service company or the like can centrally manage the failure status and usage status without having to visit the user, the burden on the service company or the like can be significantly reduced.

Note that the product number, telephone number, etc. to be registered in the nonvolatile memory 11 may be input and set from the operation panel section 22. In this case, the product number, telephone number, etc. It is extremely convenient for service personnel to be able to set the product number and phone number of the nearest service company, etc., and since this information is registered in the non-volatile memory 11, even when the power is turned off. Similarly, the number of prints will not be erased even if it is
- Each time a sheet is printed, it is stored in the non-volatile memory 11, so the number of sheets printed up to now is saved without being erased even if the power is turned off.

Although the above-described embodiments have been explained using a laser printer as an example, the present invention can also be applied to a copying machine or the like. Further, in the above embodiment, information is transmitted by facsimile, but transmission means other than facsimile 1
For example, it is also possible to transmit the information using a personal computer or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, information according to the situation is transmitted to a destination such as a service company without user intervention, thereby significantly improving the service to the user. The administrative burden on companies, etc. can also be significantly reduced.

24...Facsimile interface section, 25...
Facsimile department

Claims (1)

[Claims] A status notification means for notifying the status of the device, an information generation means for generating information according to the status notified from the status notification means, and an information transmission control means for controlling transmission of the generated information to a destination. An electronic device comprising: