JPS60216652A - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain an optimum service plan by transmitting managing information of equipment to an opposite equipment and transmitting mode identification information of the equipment to the equipment receiving the managing information to recognize the mode identification information of the equipment at a remote location. CONSTITUTION:In operating a key A1 of an operating section A, a CPUB activates a communication section C, a prescribed signal is transmitted to an exchange F so as to establish the link with the equipment L. When the link is established, a command is transmitted, and a CPUB' of the equipment L extracts the mode identification information of the own equipment stored in a storage section E according to the command, transmits it via a communication section C', and the CPUB receives the data via the communication section C. Then the CPUB edits the data and prints the data by using a print section D.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to electronic equipment, and more specifically, to electronic equipment, and more specifically, to electronic equipment, and more specifically, to a means for controlling each part constituting the equipment, and a control program for the control means that stores at least management information of the equipment. The present invention relates to an electronic device having a storage means, an expression means for outputting information in a perceivable form, and a communication means for transmitting and receiving information via a predetermined transmission path.

[Prior Art] Examples of the queen-like device include terminal equipment for a computer system, a personal computer as a communication terminal, and communication equipment such as a word processor or a facsimile machine.

In such conventional devices, each operating section is controlled by a device composed of a microprocessor or the like.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a communication system between such electronic devices.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a control means consisting of a microprocessor, etc., and this control means 1 is a RAM.
．． Each operating member is controlled or data processed based on a storage means 4 comprised of a ROM or the like. The processing results are expressed by an expression means 3 consisting of a printing device, a display, etc. Further, in order to exchange data with other systems, a communication means 2 such as a modem is connected to the control means, and input data or processing results are transmitted and received via this communication means. Communication is carried out via a communication line such as a telephone line with similar control means 1°, communication means 2'',
This is done with other systems having representation means 3' and storage means 4'.

The software stored in the storage means 4 is regularly or irregularly debugged and modified and updated to improve its quality.

Due to this version upgrade, the communication protocols and control programs for each operating part may differ between the old version and the new version, and due to hardware improvements, the software of the old model may not work on the new model, or Problems such as the machine not being able to communicate properly are occurring frequently.

/<- Version identification is usually done by putting a sticker on the surface of the device, or by displaying or printing a number indicating the version at startup, etc. for devices with a display or printing device. There is.

However, information on such versions (hereinafter referred to as form identification information) may not be standardized even for products from the same company, or the format may change depending on the date of manufacture. It can be difficult.

Therefore, in the past, service personnel often determined that the failure was due to a version mismatch, but it was another failure, and this required them to visit the equipment installation site many times. The problem was that the service took a very long time.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device that can perform services such as maintenance and repair easily and in short sentences, and can provide complete service even in a small-scale service system. With the goal.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the example shown in the drawings. Here, explanation will be given using a facsimile machine as an example.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic device of the present invention.
In the figure, what is indicated by the symbol A is an operating section. The operation section A is equipped with a numeric keypad, a display, etc., and allows operation input for each village. Also,
The operation section A is provided with a key A1, and when this key is pressed, mode identification information of the control program is transmitted and received.

The operation 1/F, A is connected to a CPU (central antibiotic processing unit) B, to which a printing section consisting of a thermal printer or the like and a storage section E are connected.

A control program is stored in the storage section E, and mode identification information for identifying the version of this program is also stored together with the control program.

Communication is performed by CPt1B exchanging image data via communication section C. The received data undergoes predetermined processing such as decoding by CPU B, and is recorded by the printing unit. Further, the image data read by a reading section (not shown) undergoes predetermined processing such as encoding in CPU B, and is then transmitted via communication section C.

Data is routed to line X and switch Z via F.

On the opposite side of the exchanger is equipment having the same parts (designated by the same numbers with a dash) as above.
M and N can be connected.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows the procedure of the communication operation between the major devices according to the present invention.Here, the operation when the device on the upper side of FIG. 2 causes the device to transmit mode identification information is shown.

In step S1 of FIG. 3, when the key AI of the operating section A is operated, the PU B activates the communication section C, sends a predetermined signal to the exchange F, and establishes a link with the equipment. This operation is performed by various known procedures.

In step S2, it is determined whether a link has been established according to a predetermined procedure in the system. If the link has not been established, the process moves to an error handling routine (not shown).

If the link is established, a command corresponding to the pressing of key A1 is transmitted from CPU B in step S3, and in response, CPIJ B' of the device reads the state identification of the own device stored in storage E. Information is retrieved and transmitted via communication section C', and CPU B receives this data via communication section C.

In step S4, the CPU B uses the storage section E to edit data such as deleting unnecessary data or changing the format to a format that can be processed by the printing section, and stores the results in the storage section E.

In step S5, CPU B confirms the end of communication and sends a message. If the communication has not ended, return to step S3,
If it has ended, the line is released and the process moves to step S6.

In step S6, the mode identification information edited in step S4 is retrieved from the storage section E, and printed on the printing section to be visualized.

As described above, it is possible to know the mode identification information of a device at a remote location, thereby making it possible to take optimal service measures. For example, if failures with the same symptoms occur in different locations due to version inconsistency, if you send the mode identification information of the device as described above, you can determine the cause without having to go to the site. can.

In the above description, the data to be communicated is limited to mode identification information, but it may also be management information including information such as statistical data such as the number of device communications and the number of errors. With this configuration, more diagnostic materials will be available, and even if the cause of the failure cannot be determined through communication, it will be easier to prepare parts to carry to the site, improving maintainability.

Additionally, the device control program itself may be transmitted and received. In this way, a problematic program can be replaced without having to go to the site. Further, the function of transmitting the management information of the other party's device may be provided only in the device for service, and the device sold to the user may be provided with only the transmitting function.

As described above, the present invention can be expected to significantly improve maintainability.

[Effects] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided a means for controlling each part constituting a device, a storage means that stores at least management information of the device together with a control program for the control means, It has an expression means for outputting information in a recognizable form and a communication means for transmitting and receiving information via a predetermined transmission path, and transmits the management information in the storage means to the other party's device based on a predetermined procedure. On the other hand, since the equipment on the side that receives this management information is configured to output the received management information using the above-mentioned expression means, it is highly maintainable and can provide complete services even in a small-scale service system. Electronic equipment can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of a communication system between electronic devices, FIG. 2 is a block diagram explaining the configuration of a communication system between electronic devices of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a communication procedure in the configuration of FIG. 2. It is a flowchart figure explaining. A, A'...Operation unit B, B', CPUC,
C'...Communication section D, D'...Printing section E, E'...
・Storage unit F...Switchboard Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A means for controlling each part constituting the device, a storage means for storing at least management information of the device together with a control program for the control means, an expression means for outputting information in a recognizable form, and a predetermined transmission path. The device has a communication means for transmitting and receiving information through the storage means, and transmits the management information in the storage means to the other party's device based on a predetermined procedure, while the device on the receiving side receives the management information by the expressing means. An electronic device characterized by outputting management information.