JP2002125084A - Equipment managing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an equipment managing device capable of recognizing the state of equipment which is not provided with any means for communicating equipment management information, and notifying a host computer of the result. SOLUTION: A voice signal (error state notification information) from a buzzer 12 of a printing device 10 obtained by a microphone 1 is collated with a pattern stored in the data table of data 4 for information conversion. In this case, frequency distribution and pronunciation patterns to be detected are preserved in the data 4 for information conversion, and equipment management information corresponding to the various frequency distribution and pronunciation patterns is stored in the data table in the data 4 for information conversion. An information converting part 3 judges whether or not the received voice signal is matched with the patterns stored in the data 4 for information conversion in a specified error range, judge that any error state is generated by referring to the pertinent equipment management information in the data table when they are matched, and notifies a host computer 20 of the result through a communicating part 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device management device for assisting the management of various devices, such as a printing device, a copying machine, and a facsimile device, which cannot transmit device management information by bidirectional communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a network environment in an office has been improved, the necessity of collective management of various devices including a printing apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, a copying machine, and the like in the office has been increasing. For example, in the case of a printing device, IEEE
(Institute of Electrical a
nd Electronics Engineers)
Bidirectional communication via a parallel interface specified by 1284, SNMP (Simple Network)
Device information of the printing apparatus is provided to the host computer via a network using the Management Protocol, and the host computer manages various devices by receiving the information.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-239825 discloses a state detecting step for detecting the state of the device itself, a displaying step for displaying the state, and a determining step for determining whether the state requires replacement of consumables. And a creation step of creating a document required for exchanging consumables based on the determination result of the determination step, so that a state notification method that does not require a burden on device management and a network system using the same are described. Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 9-77580 discloses a peripheral device management device which can connect a SCSI interface scanner and a parallel interface printer to be compatible with a network, and can effectively use the plurality of scanners and printers. The control method is described. Further, JP-A-11-3
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05606 discloses that a user can provide accurate information on the state of a device to a support destination, and the user can accurately and efficiently perform a repair request and an inquiry. A device management system, a device management method, and a storage medium that can be appropriately performed are described.

[0004]

However, there are devices in the office that do not have a two-way communication function, that is, devices that cannot provide device management information. In some cases, it was not possible to obtain device management information for such devices. Further, in the conventional device management apparatus and device management method, the condition that the device to be managed itself can notify the device management information is a condition, and even if the device does not have a means for notifying the device management information, the device management is not performed. It was not targeted.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a device management apparatus capable of recognizing the state of a device and notifying the host computer of a device having no means for notifying device management information. It is. Second embodiment of the present invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device management apparatus that can recognize the state of a device by emitting light and notify the host computer of the device without the function of generating a warning sound when an error occurs. A third object of the present invention is to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device management apparatus capable of recognizing a state other than the time of an error such as recovery from a device error or completion of printing, and notifying the host computer of the status.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus management apparatus for managing a state of each apparatus such as one or more image forming apparatuses and image processing apparatuses, wherein at least one of the plurality of apparatuses is provided. Sound information receiving means for receiving sound information output from two devices, and state information storage for storing state information such as normal operation and error for each device corresponding to the sound information received by the sound information receiving means Means, based on sound information output from each of the devices, state analysis means for detecting corresponding state information from the state information storage means and analyzing the state of the equipment, and analyzing the result of the state analysis by the apparatus. The first object is achieved by providing a device information output unit that outputs information.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in a device management device for managing the state of each device such as one or more image forming devices and image processing devices, an output is provided from at least one of the plurality of devices. Optical information receiving means for receiving optical information; normal operation for each device corresponding to the optical information received by the optical information receiving device; status information storage means for storing status information such as an error; State analysis means for detecting the corresponding state information from the state information storage means and analyzing the state of the apparatus based on the optical information output from the apparatus, and apparatus information for outputting the analysis result by the state analysis means as apparatus information With the provision of the output means, the second object is achieved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises setting means for switching to a setting for learning state information of the plurality of devices, and the setting means causes the device management apparatus to switch the plurality of devices to the plurality of devices. When set to learn the state information of the device, the state information storage means,
The third object is achieved by learning the tendency of each device state based on the sound information output from the plurality of devices received by the sound information receiving means and storing it as state information corresponding to each sound information. To achieve.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises setting means for switching to a setting for learning the state information of the plurality of devices. When set to learn the state information of the device, the state information storage means,
The third object is achieved by learning the tendency of each device state based on the optical information output from the plurality of devices received by the optical information receiving unit and storing it as state information corresponding to each optical information. To achieve.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device management apparatus according to the present embodiment. The device management apparatus 100 includes a microphone 1, an optical sensor 2, an information conversion unit 3, information conversion data 4, a communication unit 5, and an operation unit 6. Microphone 1 and optical sensor 2
Receives error state notification information emitted from the LED (light emitting diode) 11 or the buzzer 12 of the printing apparatus 10 by light or sound.

The information conversion unit 3 converts the error state notification information received by the microphone 1 or the optical sensor 2
Is converted to device management information indicating the error status of each device. The information conversion data 4 includes a data table indicating what error state the sound or light error state notification information corresponds to, and converts the error state notification information into device management information by the information conversion unit 3. Is defined based on a data table of device management information corresponding to each error status notification information of each printing device stored in advance in the information conversion data 4 and conversion is performed. The communication unit 5 notifies the host computer 20 of the device management information converted and detected by the information conversion unit 3. The operation unit 6 includes at least one
The device management apparatus 100 has one or more selection buttons.
Can be controlled by the user pressing a selection button.

Next, a first embodiment of the device management apparatus will be described. In the present embodiment, the printing device 1
0 has no means for notifying the device management information, and emits a specific buzzer sound when an error state occurs. In the first embodiment, the device management apparatus 100 is arranged at a position where the microphone 1 can collect the buzzer sound, the buzzer sound received from the printing apparatus 10 is analyzed as a sound signal, and the information conversion unit 3 is based on the analysis result. Is an error sound, the host computer 20 is notified of this.

An audio signal (corresponding to error state notification information) from the buzzer 12 of the printing apparatus 10 obtained by the microphone 1 is collated with a pattern stored in the data table of the information conversion data 4 in advance. The information conversion data 4 stores a frequency distribution and a sound pattern to be detected as shown in FIG. The data table in the information conversion data 4 stores device management information corresponding to the various frequency distributions and sound patterns. The information conversion unit 3 determines whether or not the received audio signal matches within an error range defined by the pattern stored in the information conversion data 4 and, if so, refers to the pattern (see the thick solid line in FIG. 2). ), Referring to the corresponding device management information in the data table, determining that an error has occurred, and notifying the host computer 20 of the fact via the communication unit 5.

Next, a second embodiment of the device management apparatus will be described. In the present embodiment, the printing device 1
0 has no means for notifying the device management information, and turns on the LED 11 instead of generating a buzzer sound when an error condition occurs. In the second embodiment, the light sensor 2 is an LED
If the device management device 100 is arranged at a position where the lighting of the LED 11 can be detected, the lighting of the LED 11 received from the printing device 10 is analyzed as an optical signal, and based on the analysis result, the information conversion unit 3 determines that the lighting is due to an error. This is an embodiment of notifying the host computer 20 of the fact.

Printing device 1 detected by optical sensor 2
An optical signal (corresponding to error state notification information) generated by turning on the LED 11 of 0 is compared with a pattern stored in advance in the data table of the information conversion data 4. In the data 4 for information conversion, a pattern corresponding to the color, frequency information, light amount, and the like of the optical signal to be detected is stored in advance. The data table in the information conversion data 4 stores device management information corresponding to these various patterns. The information conversion unit 3 determines whether the detected optical signal matches the error range defined in the pattern stored in the information conversion data 4 and, if so, the corresponding device in the data table. With reference to the management information, it is determined that the state is an error state, and the fact is notified to the host computer 20 via the communication unit 5. In addition, LED
Reference numeral 11 denotes a frequency lower than that of the buzzer 12, that is, a kind of color, for example, mainly green and red. Thus, if the optical sensor 2 is provided with a filter to detect, for example, only red light, the frequency information is not necessary for the information conversion data 4, and the error state can be detected only with the time information.

Next, a third embodiment of the device management apparatus will be described. In the present embodiment, the printing device 1
0 has no means for notifying the device management information, and turns on a specific buzzer sound or the LED 11 when an error state occurs. In the third embodiment, the device management device 100 in which the button of the operation unit 6 is pressed, that is, the button is pressed, at a position where the microphone 1 can collect the buzzer sound or a position where the optical sensor 2 can detect the lighting of the LED 11. Then, the device management apparatus 100 that is in the learning mode is arranged. When an error condition such as opening a cover at an appropriate position occurs in the printing apparatus 10,
When the audio signal received at the time of occurrence of this error state or the detected optical signal is analyzed, and based on the analysis result, the information conversion unit 3 determines that the lighting is caused by an error sound or an error,
The information device management apparatus 100 learns that it is in an error state, and thereafter performs error detection using this information.

When the button of the operation unit 6 is pressed, the mode of the device management apparatus 100 switches to the learning mode. When the device management apparatus 100 is in the learning mode, if the user forcibly causes the printing apparatus 10 to generate an error state such as opening a cover at an appropriate position or not setting a paper feed tray, the printing apparatus 10 Notifies the error state by generating a buzzer sound or turning on the LED 11. The information conversion unit 3 of the device management apparatus 100 receives or detects the error state notification information (generation of a buzzer sound or lighting of the LED 11) received or detected by the microphone 1 or the optical sensor 2, which is the first event after pressing the button. Various information such as frequency information and time information relating to the audio signal and the optical signal until “cannot be used” or “a predetermined time has elapsed since the reception or detection of the error state notification information” is stored in the information conversion data 4. As a result, it is possible to acquire various types of information relating to the error state of the printing apparatus 10 in the learning mode and store the information in the information conversion data 4, and perform the first embodiment based on the information stored in the information conversion data 4. The status of the printing apparatus 10 can be notified to the host computer 20 as in the embodiment and the second embodiment.

In the third embodiment, the device management apparatus 100 can learn in the learning mode not only by an error state of the printing apparatus 10 but also by generating various states such as a printing state and a paper shortage. , Can learn. The device management apparatus according to each embodiment has been described as receiving information from the printing apparatus 10 as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
Information from an image reading device such as a digital camera, an image processing device such as a copying machine or a facsimile can also be received by the device management device. In each of the embodiments, the case in which the number of the printing apparatuses 10 is one has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the device management apparatus according to the present embodiment manages information of a plurality of printing apparatuses. I can help you.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, based on sound information output from each device, state analysis means for detecting corresponding state information from the state information storage means and analyzing the state of the equipment, A device information output unit that outputs an analysis result by the analysis unit as device information, so that the printing device can notify the host computer of the device status information even if the printing apparatus does not have a device of notifying the device management information. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, based on the optical information output from each device, state analysis means for detecting corresponding state information from the state information storage means and analyzing the state of the equipment, and state analysis means And a device information output unit that outputs the result of the analysis as device information, so that even for a printing device that cannot generate a buzzer sound when an error occurs, the host computer can be notified of the device status information.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the device management device is set to learn the status information of a plurality of devices by the setting device, the status information storage device stores the plurality of devices received by the sound information receiving device. Learns the tendency of each device state based on the sound information output from the device and stores it as state information corresponding to each sound information, so obtains state information on various devices that do not have a means for notifying device management information. It is possible to notify the host computer of the status information of each device.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the device management apparatus is set to learn the status information of the plurality of devices by the setting device, the status information storage device stores the plurality of devices received by the optical information receiving device. Learns the tendency of each device status based on the optical information output from the device, and stores it as status information corresponding to each optical information, so that status information about various devices having no means for notifying device management information is obtained. It is possible to notify the host computer of the status information of each device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device management apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a frequency distribution to be detected and a sound generation pattern stored in information conversion data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 microphone 2 optical sensor 3 information conversion unit 4 information conversion data 5 communication unit 6 operation unit 10 printing device 11 LED (light emitting diode) 12 buzzer 20 host computer 100 device management device

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus management apparatus for managing a state of each apparatus such as one or more image forming apparatuses and image processing apparatuses, wherein a sound receiving sound information output from at least one of the plurality of apparatuses is provided. Information receiving means, state information storage means for storing state information such as normal operation and error for each device corresponding to the sound information received by the sound information receiving means, and sound information output from each of the devices Based on the state information storage means, corresponding state information is detected from the state analysis means to analyze the state of the device, device information output means for outputting the result of analysis by the state analysis unit as device information An apparatus management device, characterized in that: 2. An apparatus management apparatus for managing a state of each apparatus such as one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and image processing apparatuses, wherein a light receiving optical information output from at least one of the plurality of apparatuses. Information receiving means; status information storage means for storing status information such as a normal operation and an error for each device corresponding to the optical information received by the optical information receiving means; and optical information output from each of the devices. Based on the state information storage means, corresponding state information is detected from the state analysis means to analyze the state of the device, device information output means for outputting the result of analysis by the state analysis unit as device information An apparatus management device, characterized in that: 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a setting unit configured to switch to a setting for learning state information of the plurality of devices, wherein the setting unit sets the device management apparatus to learn state information of the plurality of devices. The state information storage unit learns a tendency of each device state based on the sound information output from the plurality of devices received by the sound information receiving unit, and stores the state as state information corresponding to each sound information. The device management device according to claim 1, wherein 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit configured to switch to a setting for learning state information of the plurality of devices, wherein the setting unit sets the device management apparatus to learn the state information of the plurality of devices. The state information storage unit learns a tendency of each device state based on the optical information output from the plurality of devices received by the optical information receiving unit, and stores the state as state information corresponding to each optical information. The device management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein