JP2004240588A - Information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly and accurately solve troubles in a user's environment. <P>SOLUTION: If a trouble such as an error occurs at a printer 105 (S101), the content of the trouble is reported to the host 104 (S103). On receiving the report, the host 104 reports the trouble to a server 109 (S105). On receiving the error report, the server 109 searches a database 100 based on a variety of trouble information received (S106) and, once measures against the trouble are found, reports a list of the measures and countermeasure software versions to the user's environment (S108). When the host 104 requests downloading (S110), the server 109 transmits countermeasure software to the host 104 (S111). The host 104 downloads the received countermeasure software (S112) to the printer 105 (S113), restarts the printer 105 (S114), and retransmits transmission data to perform a reprinting process (S115). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for coping with a trouble that has occurred at a user site using a communication line such as a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a service center has taken measures against troubles occurring in a user environment from the Internet or a public telephone line.
[0003]
Troubles that occur in the user environment can be mainly classified into the following four from the user's point of view, and their countermeasures are different.
[0004]
(1) The user responds by telephone or e-mail about a solution to the trouble caused by the user's operation error.
[0005]
(2) A trouble service person due to a failure or a service life visits the user to take action.
[0006]
Mail or bring it to a service center for repairs like home appliances.
[0007]
(3) A trouble service person due to a software program defect visits the user and exchanges a storage medium (such as an EPROM) for a device program. For products that support program download, the user downloads the program from the host computer.
[0008]
(4) Inconsistent device configuration and software version This is a case where when a user additionally connects an optional unit, a malfunction occurs because the software version is not compatible with the optional unit. Action is required.
[0009]
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism from the occurrence of a trouble to the solution in the related art.
[0010]
When a trouble occurs in the printer in the user environment (A101), the printer notifies the host or the like of the trouble (A102), and the host displays the trouble contents (A103). The operator notifies the call center of the contents by telephone (A104) or notifies the contents via the Internet such as e-mail (A104 '). In the service center (or call center), when the trouble content is received by telephone or e-mail (A105), the operator searches for the trouble content in a database or a manual (A106), and transmits the countermeasure software (program) via the net or in a portable medium. (A107). In the user environment, the countermeasure software is received (A108, A108 '), and the countermeasure software is downloaded to the printer (A109, A109').
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if a problem occurs due to a software-related problem at the user's site, the user has to read the manual, understand the specifications correctly, and make an inquiry in order to report the problem.
[0012]
In addition, in order to convey further information for presenting a solution, the trouble is often caused again at the user's site, which is troublesome.
[0013]
Also, troubles do not always occur during the reception hours of the call center, and depending on the time, even if inquiries by e-mail, the e-mail is not read until the next day or the end of the holiday, and it may not be possible to take immediate action There were many.
[0014]
In addition, since the above measures were always performed by humans, labor costs were high, and if a failure that occurred in the user was due to a software defect, the information was actually transmitted to the development and countermeasure side, and the countermeasures were taken. It took a considerable amount of time to be reflected to the user.
[0015]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and an object of the present invention is to solve a trouble in a user environment quickly and accurately.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a system according to the present invention comprises:
An information processing system including a device connected via a communication line, a trouble database storing trouble information of the device and a countermeasure program for the trouble, and an information processing device managing the trouble database,
The information processing device,
Acquisition means for acquiring the trouble information from the device via a communication line,
Search means for searching for the countermeasure program from the trouble database using the obtained trouble information as a key,
Transmitting means for transmitting the countermeasure program to the device;
Has,
The device comprises:
The information processing apparatus further includes a change unit that downloads the countermeasure program from the information processing apparatus and changes all or a part of the control program of the device to the countermeasure program.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in this embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only thereto.
[0018]
(1st Embodiment)
Hereinafter, an information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a laser printer to completion of a countermeasure, and FIG. 2 is an event trace diagram illustrating the operation system of the laser printer from the occurrence of a trouble to completion of a countermeasure. It is.
[0020]
In FIG. 1, a host 103 having an IP (Internet Protocol) address of “111.2.33.34”, a host 104 having an IP address of “111.2.33.35”, and a printer 105 are located on a LAN 102 of a user environment 101. The server 109 and the database 110 having the IP address “223.33.4.111” are configured on the LAN 108 of the service center 107, and the server 113 and the database 114 having the IP address “333.3.4.111” are further configured. It is configured above the LAN 112 of the countermeasure center 111. The countermeasure center includes the development department. Further, the LAN 102 of the user environment 101 and the LAN 108 of the service center 107 are connected via the Internet, and the LAN 108 of the service center 107 and the LAN 112 of the countermeasure center 111 are connected by a dedicated line.
[0021]
Further, the database 110 includes elements of a trouble to be dealt with, a trouble to be dealt with, and software data. The coping trouble is a trouble in which a control program for which a countermeasure for the printer has already existed, the unhandled trouble is a trouble in which no countermeasure control program exists, and the software data is the above-described control program itself.
[0022]
The database 114 is intended for countermeasures, includes unsolved troubles and software data, and is shared with the database 110 by mutual update.
[0023]
Under such a system, an operator (user) transmits print data from the host 104 to the printer 105 in order to perform printing, and a processing procedure when a trouble occurs at that time is shown in FIGS. This will be described with reference to FIG.
[0024]
In FIG. 2, the user issues a print instruction from the host 104 and transmits data (S100). At this time, if a trouble such as an error occurs in the printer 105 (S101), and the printing cannot be performed, the error content is displayed on the panel of the printer 105 (S102), and the trouble content is notified to the host 104 (S103). ). The host 104 that has received the notification displays the details in a window, for example, on a printer, and displays detailed information that cannot be displayed on the printer panel so that the user can easily understand the details (S104).
[0025]
In the present embodiment, it is possible to save the trouble of the user from here onward, and to present a countermeasure to the user as soon as possible, or to automatically perform the countermeasure. Can be easily used.
[0026]
The host 104 that has received the error notification notifies the service center 107 of a trouble (S105), and has the database 110 managed by the service center 107 diagnose what the cause is and how to deal with it.
[0027]
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining error notification information transmitted from the host 104 to the service center 107 in step S105. As shown in FIG. 3, the error notification information 300 includes user information 301, model information 302, error information 303, setting information 304, and the like. The user information 301 is mainly used as information for returning a diagnosis result, and the model information 302 is mainly used as information on where to refer to a database managed by the service center. The error information 303 and the setting information 304 are used as information for accessing a database relating to specific error information in a database managed for each model, and the cause and countermeasure are found based on the information. The information transmitted in step S105 includes, in addition to the above, log information such as an error log and an operation log accumulated for each device.
[0028]
The format of the information to be transmitted to the service center 107 in step S105 may be any format that can be interpreted by the product software and the server software. For example, even if the information is transmitted in text format by e-mail, MIB, Internet FAX, job control The language (JL) or the like may be a unique language, or a combination thereof.
[0029]
The server 109 of the service center 107 that has received the error notification interprets the received various information, accesses the database 110, and searches for a coping method (S106). Further, the number of trouble information that has already occurred in the market is counted up, and the contents of new contents are added as unhandled troubles, and the database is further enhanced (S107). ). As a result of the search, if a coping method is found, a list of coping methods and countermeasure software versions is notified to the user environment in which the trouble has occurred based on the received user information (S108), and the host 104 interprets the content. Then, the contents are displayed on the host screen (S109).
[0030]
If it is determined in step S107 that the trouble is a new unresolved trouble, the server 109 notifies the countermeasure center 111 of the new unresolved trouble information (S200). The server 113 acquires new body trouble information data from the database 110 (S201) and creates countermeasure software for taking countermeasures (S202). Then, the countermeasure software data is transmitted to the service center 107 (S203). The server 109 receives the countermeasure software data and registers it in the database 110 (S204). The creation of the countermeasure software may be performed by a countermeasure host (not shown).
[0031]
FIG. 4 is an example of a screen displayed by the host 104 in step S109, in which the printer detects an error during printing due to a software defect. This example is the case where it can be avoided by changing to the countermeasure driver software and the countermeasure printer software, changing the print resolution specification, and changing the print to another printer on the LAN, in which the operator has selected the change to the countermeasure software. Is represented. When the operator clicks the "OK button" from this state, the host 104 requests the service center 107 to download (S110).
[0032]
The server 109 of the service center 107 transmits the countermeasure software to the host 104 (S111). Upon receiving the countermeasure software (S112), the host 104 instructs the printer 105 to cancel the previously transmitted job, downloads the countermeasure software to the printer 105 (S113), and restarts the printer 105 (S113). (S114), retransmit the transmission data and perform the reprint processing (S115).
[0033]
As described above, the printing intended by the user can be performed only by the operator selecting and instructing the countermeasure software list display.
[0034]
In many cases, it is more desirable for a user to be in a state in which desired printing can be performed than to why printing cannot be performed. Therefore, a list of methods for coping with the error that has occurred is shown, so that automatic setting can be performed according to a user's instruction. Since the countermeasure differs depending on the use environment, etc., the diagnosis is performed in consideration of the printer configuration, the specification environment, the driver setting, and the like.
[0035]
Next, referring to FIG. 5, the diagnosis processing in the service center 107 will be described.
[0036]
First, when trouble information is sent from the user environment 101 to the service center 107 (S521), a model information search (S522), an error information search (S523), and a setting information search (S524) in the trouble information are performed. Access the target information in the database and pick up the countermeasures. It is determined whether or not the content has occurred during the market or during the evaluation period (S525). If the content has already occurred, the number of occurrences is counted up, and information such as the location, date and time of occurrence is updated. (S531). If a new event has occurred, an information table corresponding to S531 is newly created, and the process of S531 is enabled from the next time (S526). Further, the information is registered in the database as new unsupported information, and is notified to the countermeasure center 111 as unhandled trouble information (S527). Next, a countermeasure software list is created based on the hit information (S528), and the countermeasure software list information is notified to a user in which a trouble has occurred in a predetermined format (S529).
[0037]
In the present embodiment, the service center 107 has one server. However, it goes without saying that the service center 107 may have a plurality of servers and perform processing in parallel by classifying products and regions.
[0038]
Next, FIG. 6 shows an example of a UI screen for performing user registration for automatically avoiding a trouble.
[0039]
Here, a case is shown in which the user information and the model information of the transfer information shown in FIG. 3 are registered. The user information is used to determine the response destination when the service center receives a notification of trouble or to determine where to dispatch a serviceman. The model information should be used to access which part of the database. Or information for narrowing down a situation in which a trouble has occurred and performing an accurate search as soon as possible.
[0040]
These pieces of information may be managed by a service center, or may be managed by an application on a host, and may be transmitted whenever trouble information is transmitted.
[0041]
As described above, when a trouble occurs, notify the contents of the trouble to the service center via the network, search for the countermeasure software based on the trouble information at the service center, and download the countermeasure software to the device by simple operation of the user Thus, the user can avoid the trouble without sufficiently understanding the contents of the trouble. Further, since the service center can automatically grasp the trouble information generated at the user's site, it is possible to quickly respond to market needs.
[0042]
That is, when a trouble occurs, the content of the trouble is automatically notified to the service center, the search for the countermeasure software and the distribution of the countermeasure software are automated, and the download of the countermeasure software to the device is automated. Thereby, the trouble of the user regarding the trouble notification can be saved. In addition, optimal measures can be promptly provided to the user around the clock. Further, it is possible to allow the user to avoid troubles and take measures as easily as possible. In addition, it is possible to reduce the labor cost from the point where the content of the trouble is taken from the market to the time when the measure is taken. Furthermore, it is possible to easily grasp the contents, occurrence frequency, urgency, etc. of market troubles, and to find a radical solution to each trouble as quickly as possible to increase user satisfaction. .
[0043]
(2nd Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, an example of a printer system has been described, but a system without a host computer such as a copier or a facsimile may be used.
[0044]
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a copy machine or a facsimile to the completion of a measure, and FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a copy machine or a FAX to the completion of a measure. FIG. 9 is an event trace diagram showing the operation.
[0045]
In FIG. 7, a copy machine 200 having an IP (Internet Protocol) address of “111.2.33.38” and a FAX 201 having an IP address of “111.2.33.37” are configured on the same LAN 102, and a service center 107 is provided. The configuration of the countermeasure center 111 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0046]
In such a system, a processing procedure when a user is performing copying or a trouble occurs during FAX transmission / reception will be described with reference to FIGS. Since these cases are almost the same as those in the first embodiment, the same processes are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.
[0047]
However, since the copy machine 200, the FAX 201, and the like can operate without the intervention of the host computer, almost all the processing performed on the host 104 in the first embodiment is performed by the copy machine 200, the FAX 201 itself. For example, the error display is displayed on a display panel of the copy machine 200 or the FAX 201 (S702), and the trouble information is notified to the service center 107 directly by the copy machine 200 or the FAX 201 (S703). become. Specifically, steps S104 and S105 are omitted. When the copy machine 200 or the FAX 201 downloads the countermeasure software, the download completion display is displayed (S712), the printing is canceled by itself (S713), and the restart is performed (S714). Then, it waits for a reprint instruction (S715) from the user.
[0048]
(Third embodiment)
In the above embodiment, an example of a network connection device has been described, but a product other than a network device such as a digital camera may be used.
[0049]
FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a digital camera to completion of a countermeasure, and FIG. 10 is an event trace diagram illustrating an operation system of the digital camera from the occurrence of a trouble to completion of a countermeasure. It is.
[0050]
In FIG. 9, a host 300 having an IP (Internet Protocol) address of “111.2.33.34” and a printer 202 having an IP address of “111.2.33.35” are configured on the same LAN 102, and a service center 107 is provided. The configuration of the countermeasure center 111 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0051]
In such a system, a procedure of processing when a trouble occurs when a user uses a non-network product will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0052]
When a trouble occurs in a non-network product such as a digital camera, the trouble content is stored in a storage device of the device (S902). Then, for example, when a connection is made to a host such as a personal computer, a printer, a copying machine, or the like, the host recognizes the trouble information saved when a trouble occurs, using the connection as a trigger (S903).
[0053]
Other processes are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same processes are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.
[0054]
(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the network connection device is connected to the service center via the network has been described. However, for example, “(4) Device configuration and software version mismatch” described in the conventional example is a predictable trouble. Therefore, it is not limited to the network connection with the service center.
[0055]
In other words, a software version corresponding to the optional device configuration is prepared in advance in the storage device of the printing device or the host computer, and the automatic download of the software corresponding to the limited optional device configuration is performed instead of all the optional device configurations. You may.
[0056]
In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which a printing device such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile is operated by connecting to a network. May be printed.
[0057]
By doing so, it is possible to directly fax the print contents or call the call center while viewing the contents.
[0058]
In the above-described embodiment, an example of mainly an office machine has been described. However, if the product is controlled by software and the software can be downloaded, for example, a television, a personal computer, a microwave oven, a refrigerator, Home products such as washing machines, air conditioners, stereo components, electronic pianos, game machines, etc. may be used, and automatic troubleshooting of troubles related to application software running on personal computers, game machines, etc. as in the previous year's embodiment will be taken. It may be performed.
[0059]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which error information or the like is directly notified to the service center when an error occurs has been described. Alternatively, the log information may be stored in a storage device of a printer, a copier, a facsimile, or the like, and the user may select any timing by a simple operation such as specifying a panel or pressing a button from an application on the host. The inquiry may be made by using.
[0060]
In the above-described embodiment, a countermeasure report (a difference between the downloaded software version and the conventional one, etc.) may be displayed or printed to the user after the processing such as the download of the countermeasure software is completed.
[0061]
For example, in the first embodiment, this can be realized by the host 104 displaying on the screen after all processing steps.
[0062]
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices, or may be applied to an apparatus including a single device.
[0063]
According to the present invention, a software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is directly or remotely supplied to a system or apparatus, and a computer of the system or apparatus reads and executes the supplied program code. Including the case that is also achieved by In that case, the form need not be a program as long as it has the function of the program.
[0064]
Therefore, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. That is, the claims of the present invention include the computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.
[0065]
In this case, any form of the program, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, and script data to be supplied to the OS, may be used as long as the program has a function.
[0066]
As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card , ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R) and the like.
[0067]
In addition, as a method of supplying the program, a client computer connects to an Internet homepage using a browser, and downloads the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function to a recording medium such as a hard disk from the homepage. Can also be supplied. Further, the present invention can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. In other words, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for implementing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the claims of the present invention.
[0068]
In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and downloaded to a user who satisfies predetermined conditions from a homepage via the Internet to download key information for decryption. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer to realize the program.
[0069]
The functions of the above-described embodiments are implemented when the computer executes the read program, and an OS or the like running on the computer executes a part of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program. Alternatively, all the operations are performed, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the processing.
[0070]
Further, after the program read from the recording medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the A CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing also realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.
[0071]
Hereinafter, the concept included in the present invention will be described as an embodiment.
[0072]
(Embodiment 1)
An information processing system including a device connected via a communication line, a trouble database storing trouble information of the device and a countermeasure program for the trouble, and an information processing device managing the trouble database,
The information processing device,
Acquisition means for acquiring the trouble information from the device via a communication line,
Search means for searching for the countermeasure program from the trouble database using the obtained trouble information as a key,
Transmitting means for transmitting the countermeasure program to the device;
Has,
The device comprises:
An information processing system comprising: a change unit that downloads the countermeasure program from the information processing apparatus and changes all or a part of a control program of the device to the countermeasure program.
[0073]
(Embodiment 2)
The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the trouble information is model information, error information, setting information, user information, and log information including an error and an operation.
[0074]
(Embodiment 3)
The information according to the first or second embodiment, further comprising a creating unit that creates a countermeasure program when the countermeasure program for the trouble information is not found in the trouble database as a result of the search by the search unit. Processing system.
[0075]
(Embodiment 4)
The device comprises:
Storage means for storing the trouble information generated during the non-connection state with the information processing device,
A notification unit that notifies the information processing apparatus of the trouble information stored in the storage unit when the information processing apparatus is connected to the information processing apparatus;
The information processing system according to the first, second, or third embodiment, further comprising:
[0076]
(Embodiment 5)
The information processing system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the device further includes an output unit that outputs a countermeasure report indicating what kind of change has been performed by the countermeasure program.
[0077]
(Embodiment 6)
An information processing device that manages a trouble database that stores trouble information of a device connected via a communication line and a countermeasure program for the trouble,
Acquisition means for acquiring the trouble information from the device via a communication line,
Search means for searching for the countermeasure program from the trouble database using the obtained trouble information as a key,
Transmitting means for transmitting the countermeasure program to the device;
An information processing apparatus comprising:
[0078]
(Embodiment 7)
An image processing device connected to the information processing device via a communication line,
Notifying means for notifying the information processing device of the content of the trouble when a trouble occurs,
From the information processing device, receiving means for receiving a countermeasure program corresponding to the trouble content,
By the countermeasure program received by the receiving means, changing means for changing all or a part of the control program,
An image processing apparatus comprising:
[0079]
(Embodiment 8)
An information processing method using a device connected via a communication line, a trouble database storing trouble information of the device and a countermeasure program for the trouble, and an information processing device managing the trouble database, ,
The information processing device, a receiving step of receiving the trouble information from the device via a communication line,
A search step of searching for the countermeasure program from the trouble database using the received trouble information as a key,
A change step of downloading the countermeasure program to the device and changing all or a part of the control program of the device to the countermeasure program,
An information processing method comprising:
[0080]
(Embodiment 9)
A program for realizing the image processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment by being executed by a computer.
[0081]
(Embodiment 10)
A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to the ninth embodiment.
[0082]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to quickly and accurately solve a trouble in the user environment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a printer 104 to the completion of a countermeasure in a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an event trace diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in the printer 104 to the completion of a countermeasure in the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information transferred to a service center 107 in the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen for displaying a countermeasure for a trouble that has occurred and selecting the same in the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a diagnosis process in a service center 107 in the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen for performing user registration for receiving an automatic service in the first embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in a copy machine 200 or a facsimile machine 201 to completion of a countermeasure in a second embodiment.
FIG. 8 is an event trace diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in the copying machine 200 or the facsimile machine 201 to completion of a countermeasure in the second embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in the digital camera 301 to the completion of countermeasures in the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is an event trace diagram for explaining an operation system from the occurrence of a trouble in the digital camera 301 to the completion of a countermeasure in the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism from the occurrence of a trouble to the solution in the related art.

Claims (1)

An information processing system including a device connected via a communication line, a trouble database storing trouble information of the device and a countermeasure program for the trouble, and an information processing device managing the trouble database,
The information processing device,
Acquisition means for acquiring the trouble information from the device via a communication line,
Search means for searching for the countermeasure program from the trouble database using the obtained trouble information as a key,
Transmitting means for transmitting the countermeasure program to the device;
Has,
The device comprises:
An information processing system comprising: a change unit that downloads the countermeasure program from the information processing apparatus and changes all or a part of a control program of the device to the countermeasure program.

Images