JP2012221199A - Image forming apparatus-monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine whether an image forming apparatus generates a large number of pieces of information to be reported to a management server so that an event report to the management server should be limited in an overall system, and limit communications depending on characteristics of a customer and those of the monitoring-target image forming apparatus.SOLUTION: A management server retains event-report upper-limit information in association with a customer and a monitoring-target image forming apparatus. A monitoring device accumulates and retains the number of event reports for each event report and each period, thereby managing the number of event reports. Determining that an event report to the management server is to be limited, the monitoring device reports event report limitation to the management server. Receiving the event report limitation data, the management server returns an event report limitation method to the monitoring device as a response, on the basis of the number of received events and the event-report upper-limit information.

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for monitoring the state of an image forming apparatus and the like, and more particularly to a method and program for notifying a state in a monitoring apparatus with a limited amount of communication data to a server.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a monitoring system is known that collects failure information indicating a failure or abnormality such as a paper jam in an image forming apparatus connected to a network and counter information such as the number of printed sheets indicating the amount of the image forming apparatus. The monitoring system includes a monitoring device installed in a customer network where the image forming device is set, and a management server that centrally manages the image forming device and the monitoring device remotely.

  The monitoring apparatus collects failure information, counter information, and the like from the image forming apparatus, and notifies the management server of the collected information.

  The above-described data notification from the monitoring device to the management server is generally via the Internet today.

  However, it has been difficult to introduce a monitoring system to customers such as major financial institutions and some government offices that do not allow Internet connection due to security policies, or customers who cannot use the Internet such as depopulated areas and remote islands.

  Therefore, we decided to introduce a monitoring system that sends data notification to the management server via the mobile phone network to customers who are difficult to introduce the above-mentioned monitoring system based on the Internet connection.

  When using a cellular phone network, it is necessary to pay a provider corresponding to the number of packets to be transmitted to the cellular phone network provider. Therefore, in a monitoring system using a mobile phone network, it is necessary to control data notification processing on the monitoring device side so that the number of data notified to the management server does not exceed the number of packets assumed as the monitoring system.

  For example, when the image forming apparatus falls into an abnormal state that cannot be predicted, and as a result, the monitoring apparatus collects a large amount of failure information (hereinafter referred to as an event) indicating failure or abnormality from the image forming apparatus. It is necessary to control such that event notification to the management server is not performed.

  This control is performed in cooperation with the monitoring device and the management server.

  For this control, the monitoring device determines the upper limit value of the number of notification events for each period, integrates the number of notification events to the management server within that period, compares the integrated value with the upper limit number of notification events, and notifies Determine if it is possible. However, since the monitoring device cannot know the usage status of the number of packets as the entire monitoring system, the packet cannot be used effectively, and determination by the monitoring device alone is insufficient.

  Therefore, the monitoring device notifies the management server that knows the status of the entire monitoring system that data notification to the management server is not performed. The management server determines whether it is necessary to stop event notification from the number of packets that can be used by the entire monitoring system and the number of received packets. An instruction is sent from the management server to the monitoring device whether it is necessary to stop the event notification or not to stop the event notification completely, but to notify the event if a certain condition is met.

  Therefore, there is a technique as disclosed in Patent Document 1. More specifically, the printer server manages the number of printable sheets, and automatically determines a priority print job when the print request from the user exceeds the upper limit.

JP 2008-77493 A

  However, in the prior art, it is the upper limit management for each individual user, and it cannot be said that the resources as the image forming apparatus are effectively used. Therefore, there was room for improvement in the prior art.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide the following three mechanisms.

  First, when the abnormal state of the image forming apparatus, that is, the error occurrence state continues, the monitoring apparatus notifies the management server that the event notification suppression mode is entered.

  Second, when the management server receives the event notification suppression mode notification data from the monitoring device, the management server issues an instruction to the monitoring device regarding the event notification from the overall packet usage status.

  Third, the management server manages the upper limit of the number of packets used for each customer and each image forming apparatus.

In order to solve the above-described problem, an image forming apparatus monitoring system according to the present invention includes:
It is a system that is installed at a customer site, collects various information from the image forming apparatus, and notifies the management server, and a management server that receives and manages the information collected by the monitoring apparatus,
The monitoring device
An upper limit holding means for holding the upper limit of the number of events to be notified;
An event detection means for detecting the occurrence of a notification target event;
A cumulative calculation means for accumulating the number of notification target events for a predetermined period;
A comparison means for comparing the upper limit value held by the upper limit holding means with the cumulative value calculated by the cumulative calculation means;
When the comparison means determines that the upper limit has been exceeded, a transmission means for sending a notice suppression notice,
Have
The management server
Group information holding means for grouping and holding monitoring devices;
Receiving means for receiving data from the monitoring device;
A transmission source determination unit for determining a transmission source of data received by the reception unit;
Data type determination means for determining the data type received by the reception means, means for determining a transmission suppression method from the amount of transmission data in groups held by the group information holding means,
And a means for returning a transmission suppression method as a response to the monitoring device.

  According to the image forming apparatus monitoring system of the present invention, while controlling the upper limit of the number of notification events, the control of the number of notification data that matches the service level to the customer and the control of the number of notification data according to the characteristics of the image forming apparatus are performed. Is possible.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration example in this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the management server 109 in this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the monitoring apparatus 101 in this invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of an image forming apparatus 102 according to the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the software of the management server 109 in this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the software of the monitoring apparatus 101 in this invention. It is a figure which shows the module structure of the management server 109 in this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the module of the monitoring apparatus 101 in this invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of image forming apparatus management data in a management server 109. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a storage example of image forming apparatus management data stored in a management server 109. FIG. It is an example of the data which the monitoring apparatus 101 notifies to a management server. It is an example of the notification suppression notice data which the monitoring apparatus 101 notifies to a management server. 7 is an example of data notified by the management server 109 as a response to the monitoring apparatus 101. It is an example of a data notification schedule to the management server 109 held by the monitoring apparatus 101. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a traffic limit setting operation of the management server 109. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a transmission suppression determination operation of the management server 109. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a transmission suppression determination operation of the monitoring apparatus 101. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an abnormality continuation determination operation of the management server 109.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Example 1]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a system including an apparatus according to the present invention. Reference numeral 101 denotes a monitoring device in the local system in which an image forming apparatus to be monitored such as a customer is installed. Reference numerals 102 and 103 denote image forming apparatuses to be monitored by the monitoring apparatus 101. Examples of the image forming apparatus include a printer, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral. The processing described below regarding the present invention is applicable to any apparatus. The monitoring apparatus 101 acquires operation information from the image forming apparatuses 102 and 103 via the network 104. Here, the operation information includes information such as counter information indicating the number of printed sheets and the number of times the component is used, status information such as errors and jams, and an environment log. The monitoring apparatus 101 transmits the information acquired from the image forming apparatus to the management server 109 that remotely manages the image forming apparatus via the network 105, the mobile network conversion router 106, the mobile network 108, the exchange 102, and the dedicated line 110. To do.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the management server 109.

  The CPU 201 is for controlling the entire management server 109. A ROM 202 is a read-only memory for storing various programs for realizing a boot program and information management processing necessary for system startup. The RAM 203 is used as a working memory required when the CPU 201 executes a program. The network I / F 204 is a component for communicating with the exchange 107 via the dedicated line 110. A display unit 209 is connected to the display control unit 206, and input units 210 and 211 are connected to the input control unit 207. Information necessary for operating the system including information from the monitoring apparatus 101 is input / output through these input / output devices (209 to 211). Reference numeral 208 denotes an HDD that stores programs executed by the CPU 201 and application information. Further, the configuration described here is a configuration connected to the system bus 205.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the monitoring apparatus 101.

  The CPU 301 is for controlling the entire monitoring apparatus 101. A ROM 302 is a read-only memory for storing various programs for realizing a boot program necessary for system startup, an image forming apparatus monitoring process, and the like. The RAM 304 is used as a working memory required when the CPU 301 executes a program. A network I / F (1) 305 is a component for the monitoring apparatus 101 to communicate with the image forming apparatuses 102 and 103. The network I / F (2) 306 is a component for the monitoring apparatus 101 to communicate with the management server 109 via the mobile network conversion router 106. The flash ROM 307 is used for storing monitoring data and the like. The configuration described here is a configuration connected to the system bus 302.

  FIG. 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of the image forming apparatuses 102 and 103 used in this embodiment.

  Reference numeral 401 denotes a document feeding unit that automatically sends a document to the image reader 402, and the document is read by the image reader (scanner) 402. Reference numeral 403 denotes an image forming unit for converting / printing the read original and data received from a network or the like into a print image. Reference numeral 404 denotes a paper feeding unit that feeds printing paper. Reference numeral 405 denotes a paper discharge unit that performs post-processing such as sorting and stapling of printed paper and discharging the paper. Reference numeral 406 denotes a network I / F for connecting to a LAN, the Internet, or the like and performing communication with the outside. Reference numeral 407 denotes a sensor that detects the state of each part of the image forming apparatus.

  Reference numeral 408 denotes a CPU that controls the entire image forming apparatus. Reference numeral 409 denotes a ROM for storing various programs for realizing a boot program and various processes necessary for starting the system. Reference numeral 410 denotes a RAM that is used as a work memory or the like that is required when data to be temporarily stored is stored or when the CPU 408 executes a program. Reference numeral 411 denotes an HDD for storing programs and data related to various processes, user information transmitted to the own apparatus, and the like. Reference numeral 412 denotes an operation unit that receives an instruction input. Reference numeral 413 denotes a display unit for displaying the operation information of the own device and information related to the operation of the operation unit 412. Reference numeral 414 denotes a modem connected to a connection line for external connection. Reference numeral 415 denotes a system bus for connecting the components listed here.

  In an image forming apparatus other than the image forming apparatus used in this embodiment, the image reader 402, the image forming unit 403, the modem 414, and the like differ in operation or are not included as components depending on the functions of the apparatus. Sometimes. However, even such an apparatus can apply the characteristic processing described later in the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is a software block diagram of the management server 109.

  Reference numeral 501 denotes an OS (operating system), 502 a library, 503 a Web server, and 504 an application. An image forming apparatus monitoring program 505 for managing information from the monitoring apparatus 101 is included as part of the application. A hardware control program 506 includes a network board control program 507 and an HD (hard disk) control program 508 as a part thereof.

  FIG. 6 is a software block diagram of the monitoring apparatus 101.

  Reference numeral 601 denotes an OS (operating system), 602 a library, 603 a Web server, and 604 an application. As a part of the application, an image forming apparatus monitoring program 605 for managing information related to the image forming apparatus and performing control based on information from the management server 109 is included. A hardware control program 606 includes a network board control program 607 and a FlashROM input / output control program 608 as part of the hardware control program.

  FIG. 7 is a module configuration diagram of the management server 109.

  The activation processing unit 701 controls processing at the time of activation of the image forming apparatus information management program. The activation processing unit 701 calls the command processing unit 702. The command processing unit 702 accepts a unit for limiting the number of events and a setting for the limit number of events. When receiving the setting, the command processing unit 702 notifies the setting change processing unit 703 of the setting information. The setting change processing unit 703 saves the received setting information in the RAM 203 or the storage unit 708 that is the HDD 208.

  When the reception control unit 707 receives data from the monitoring apparatus 101, the reception control unit 707 stores the reception data in the storage unit 708 and notifies the reception data processing unit 705 that the data has been received. The reception data processing unit 705 reads reception data from the recording unit 708. When the reception data processing unit 705 determines that the reception data is “notification suppression notice”, the reception data processing unit 705 notifies the transmission suppression determination unit 704 of information specifying the monitoring device 101. The transmission suppression determination unit 704 reads the reception data stored in the storage unit 708, the event number limit group, and the event limit number, and determines whether transmission suppression is necessary. Then, the notification suppression determination unit 704 stores the determination result in the recording unit 708 in the form of a response to the monitoring apparatus 101. The transmission control unit 709 reads data to be transmitted from the recording unit 708 and transmits the data to the monitoring apparatus 101 as a response.

  FIG. 8 is a module configuration diagram of the monitoring apparatus 101.

  The activation processing unit 801 controls processing when the monitoring program is activated. The activation processing unit 801 calls the command processing unit 802. The command processing unit 802 accepts registration of an image forming apparatus to be started, settings for transmission suppression determination values, and transmission suppression determination methods. Then, the command processing unit 802 notifies the received data to the setting change processing unit 803. The setting change processing unit processes the data notified from 802 and stores it in the recording unit 808 that is the RAM 304 or the Flash ROM 307.

  The reception control unit 806 notifies the command processing unit 802 when data is received from the management server 109. When the command processing unit 801 determines that the notified data includes a transmission suppression determination value or a transmission suppression determination method, the command processing unit 801 notifies the setting change processing unit 803.

  The status acquisition unit 804 starts processing upon notification from the timer 805 and requests status information from the image forming apparatuses 102 and 103. The status acquisition unit 804 stores the status information acquired from the image forming apparatuses 102 and 103 in the recording unit 808 and notifies the transmission determination unit 809 that the status information has been acquired. The transmission determination unit 809 reads status information, a transmission suppression determination value, a transmission suppression determination method, the number of transmissions, and the number of transmission target information from the recording unit 803. In step 803, it is determined whether the status information is a transmission target. If the status information is a transmission target, it is determined whether to suppress transmission. If 803 determines that there is no need to suppress transmission, it requests transmission control unit 807 to transmit status information. If it determines that transmission suppression is necessary, it requests transmission control unit 807 for transmission suppression notice transmission.

  FIG. 9A is a diagram showing a configuration of image forming apparatus management data in the management server 109.

  The monitoring server 109 associates and holds the monitoring device 901 and one or more image forming transmissions 904 that are the monitoring targets. Further, the image forming apparatus 904 is associated with error information 906, jam (paper jam) information 907, and counter information 908 such as the number of printed sheets and the number of parts used. The information held in association with the image forming apparatus 904 includes status data of individual image forming apparatuses such as the temperature inside the machine, humidity, and the state of consumables, in addition to those shown in the figure.

  Although not shown, the monitoring devices 901, 902, and 903 are associated with the customer as the installation destination. For example, the management server 109 holds information that the monitoring devices 901 and 902 are installed at the customer A.

  FIG. 9B is an example of error information that is one of the image forming apparatus information received from the monitoring apparatus 101 stored in the recording unit 708 by the management server 109.

  Each piece of information includes information such as a monitoring device ID 909, an image forming device ID 910, an occurrence date and time 911, a code 912 for identifying an error, and a detail 913 as a detail code and the cumulative number of prints when an error occurs.

  FIG. 10 is an example of data in which the monitoring apparatus 101 notifies the management server of error information.

  Reference numeral 1001 represents a transmission data type, and in the example, postErrorInformation means that the transmission data type is error information. Reference numeral 1002 denotes information identifying the transmission source monitoring apparatus 101, that is, an ID, which is AAA00001. Reference numeral 1003 denotes information indicating the type of the monitoring device, which is an XX-Agent having a limited transmission data amount. Reference numeral 1004 denotes a version of the image forming apparatus monitoring program 605 stored in the ROM 302 of the monitoring apparatus 101, which is 3.3.99.

  Reference numeral 1005 denotes information specifying an image forming apparatus from which the data transmitted by the monitoring apparatus 101 is acquired, and is LSX00018.

  Reference numeral 1006 denotes a code for specifying an error, which is E010. Reference numeral 1007 denotes a detailed code indicating the details of the error, which is 0021.

  Reference numerals 1008 and 1009 are incidental information relating to errors, where 1008 is the number of printed sheets when an error occurs, and 1009 is an error occurrence date and time.

  In the example, error information is shown, but the transmission format such as the number of printed sheets and the number of parts used also conforms to this example. That is, the transmission data type is indicated by 1001, 1002, 1003, and 1004 are included as information for specifying the monitoring apparatus 101, and 1005 is included as information for specifying the image forming apparatus from which the information is acquired.

  FIG. 11 is an example of notification suppression notice data that the monitoring apparatus 101 notifies the management server.

  1101 indicates that the transmission data is a transmission suppression notice, and 1102 is information for specifying the monitoring apparatus 101.

  FIG. 12 is an example of data notified by the management server 109 as a response to the monitoring apparatus 101.

  1201 indicates whether it is necessary to suppress notification. Need indicates that transmission suppression is necessary. If notification suppression is not necessary, no need is set to result.

  1202 sets details of the suppression method when 1201 is needed, that is, when notification suppression is required. In the figure, all indicates that transmission of all events is suppressed. As another example of the suppression method, when suppressing a paper jam (jam) notification, there is a setting of jam and the number of events that can be notified before the notification suppression starts.

  FIG. 13 is an example of a data transmission schedule.

  Reference numeral 1301 denotes data held by the monitoring apparatus 101, which is obtained from the image forming apparatus and associates a transmission method name specifying the type of data transmitted by the management server 109 with a transmission interval.

  1302 is information relating to error information transmission, and is −1 which means that transmission is not regular but is transmitted when an event occurs.

  1303 is information relating to the transmission of paper jam information, and the transmission interval is not regular, and is -1 which means that transmission is performed when an event occurs.

  1304 is information related to the transmission of the error occurrence notice information, and the transmission interval is not regular, and is -1 which means that transmission is performed when an event occurs.

  Reference numeral 1305 denotes a billing counter, that is, data for charging a usage fee charged to a customer who uses the image forming apparatus. As an example, information relating to transmission of the number of printed sheets is provided, and the transmission interval is 24 hours.

  Reference numeral 1306 denotes information indicating the current state of the image forming apparatus. The transmission interval is not regular, and is -1 which means that transmission is performed when the state changes.

  The above-described transmission intervals 1302, 1303, 1304, and 1306 are collectively referred to as events.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the traffic limit value setting operation of the management server 109. The management server 109 holds the upper limit value of the communication amount as the image forming apparatus system in the recording unit.

  In step S1401, the command processing unit 702 accepts selection of a unit for setting a traffic limit. The communication amount restriction unit is a product, a customer, and a monitoring device representing the type of image forming apparatus.

  In step S1402, the designated setting unit is determined. If it is determined that the setting unit is a product, the processing from step S1403 is performed. If it is determined that the setting unit is a customer, the processing from step S1406 is performed. If it is determined that the setting unit is a monitoring device, the processing after the raw tap S1409 is performed.

  First, processing when it is determined that the setting unit is a product will be described.

  In step S1403, a list of product names of image forming apparatuses managed by the management server 109 and an average number of transmissions per unit for each product are displayed. The product name displayed in a list here relates to an image forming apparatus managed by a monitoring apparatus having a traffic limit.

  Furthermore, the actual number of transmissions may be displayed for each product. The transmission data limit number candidate value for each product is also displayed. The transmission data limit number candidate value is the actual number of transmission data, or the number of data or the ratio in which the total number of transmittable data is equally allocated to individual image forming apparatuses.

  In step S1404, designation of the number of transmission data is accepted. The designation of the number of transmission data is the number of data or a ratio. The ratio here refers to designation of how many times other products are to be increased when the number of transmission data per unit of the reference product is 1. That is, when product A is set to 1, product B has many events to be transmitted, so 1.5 is designated. Here, designation for one or more products is accepted.

  In step S1405, in accordance with the designation method in step S1404, adjustment and determination are made according to the configuration of the monitoring target image forming apparatus, that is, which products are present so as not to exceed the total number of transmittable data.

  Next, processing when it is determined that the setting unit is a customer will be described.

In step S1406, a list of customers managed by the management server 109 is displayed. What is displayed here as a list is a customer who has installed one or more monitoring devices with limited traffic.
In addition, the number of image forming apparatuses installed in the customer and the candidate value of the transmission data limit number for each customer are displayed. The candidate value is a value obtained by equally allocating the actual number of transmission data or the total number of transmittable data to individual image forming apparatuses and multiplying that value by the number of image forming apparatuses installed at the customer site.

  In step S1407, designation of the number of transmission data is accepted. The designation of the number of transmission data is the number of data or the ratio as in step S1404. Here, a designation for one or more customers is accepted.

  In step S1408, according to the designation method in step S1407, the number of transmittable data is allocated for each customer so as not to exceed the total number of transmittable data.

  Finally, processing when it is determined that the setting unit is a monitoring device will be described.

  In step S1409, a list of monitoring devices managed by the management server 109 is displayed. What is displayed as a list here is a monitoring device with a traffic limit.

  In addition, the number of image forming apparatuses managed by the monitoring apparatus and the candidate value of the transmission data limit number for each monitoring apparatus are displayed. The candidate value is a value obtained by equally assigning the actual number of transmission data or the total number of transmittable data to individual image forming apparatuses and multiplying that value by the number of image forming apparatuses monitored by the monitoring apparatus.

  In step S1410, designation of the number of transmission data is accepted. The designation of the number of transmission data is the number of data or the ratio as in step S1404. Here, designation for one or more monitoring devices is accepted.

  In step S1410, according to the designation method in step S1410, the number of transmittable data is assigned to each monitoring device so as not to exceed the total number of transmittable data.

  In step S1412, the transmission data trend reduction value determined in any one of steps S1405, S1408, and S1411 is stored in the recording unit 708 as the transmission data number management unit.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the notification suppression determination operation of the management server 109.

  In step S1501, it waits for data reception from the monitoring apparatus 101.

  In step S1502, it is determined whether or not the notification is a notification suppression advance notice depending on whether the received data includes 1101, that is, ns1: stopSending. If it is determined that the notification is a notification suppression advance notice, the processing after step S1503 is performed. If it is determined that the notification is not a notification suppression advance notice, the processing after step S1508 is performed.

  Processing when it is determined that the received data is a transmission suppression notice will be described.

  In step S1504, it is determined whether the type of the transmission source monitoring apparatus of the data received in step S1502 is 1003, that is, whether the type of the monitoring apparatus is XX-Agent with a limited transmission data amount. If it is determined that it is XX-Agent, the processing after step S1504 is performed. If it is determined that it is not XX-Agent, transmission suppression is unnecessary, and therefore a transmission suppression unnecessary response is returned to the monitoring apparatus as a data reception response in step S1507.

In step S1504, information related to transmission data number restriction is acquired from the recording unit 708.
The received data is read from the recording unit 708 according to the transmission data limit setting unit, and the number of data is obtained.

  In step S1505, it is determined whether transmission suppression is necessary. If it is determined that transmission suppression is not necessary, a transmission suppression unnecessary response is returned to the monitoring device as a data reception response in step S1507. If it is determined that transmission suppression is necessary, the process of step S1506 is performed.

  In step S1506, a transmission suppression method is determined from the number and types of received data and the remaining period of the number of transmittable data, and the determined transmission suppression method is returned to the monitoring device as a data reception response.

Next, processing when it is determined that the received data is not a transmission suppression advance notice will be described.
In step S1509, the received data is stored in the recording unit 708 in the format shown in FIG.

  In step S1510, a normal reception response is returned to the data transmission source monitoring apparatus.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining the transmission suppression determination process of the monitoring apparatus 101.
In step S1601, the number of transmitted data is initialized and the transmission data number integration start date is set.

  Further, the transmission data number limit value is calculated from the allowable transmission data number in the predetermined period (number of days) and the transmission data number integration period (days) per image forming apparatus. The transmission data number limit value is (allowable transmission data number ÷ predetermined period) × transmission data number integration period. Here, the allowable number of transmission data is based on the estimated number of transmission data per image forming apparatus obtained from statistics, that is, the occurrence frequency of events to be transmitted to the management server 109. The frequency of event occurrence varies depending on the product and its usage. The allowable number of transmission data is determined in consideration of variations in event occurrence frequency for each image forming apparatus and how much the occurrence frequency exceeds an assumption that it should be determined that an abnormal state has occurred.

  Also, 0 is set, which is a value indicating that the transmission suppression notice flag indicating that the transmission restriction notice to the management server 109 has been sent is not notified.

  In steps S1602 to S1606, information is sequentially acquired from one or more image forming apparatuses to be monitored, and data is transmitted to the management server 109.

  In step S1602, an information acquisition request is sent to the image forming apparatus to acquire information.

  In step S1603, it is determined whether the information acquired from the image forming apparatus is data to be transmitted to the management server 109. If it is determined that the data is transmission target data, the processing from step S1604 is performed. If it is determined that the data is not transmission target data, the processing from step S1606 is performed.

  In step S1604, it is determined whether the acquired transmission target data can be transmitted.

  When the transmission suppression notice has been received and the transmission suppression method is received from the management server 109, it is determined whether transmission is possible according to the transmission suppression method. For example, when the transmission suppression method received from the management server 109 is “send paper jam only”, it is determined whether the acquired data is a paper jam, and if it is a paper jam, it is determined that transmission is possible.

  If the transmission suppression advance notice has not been completed, the determination is made based on the number of transmitted data and the transmission data number limit value. If the number of transmitted data is less than the transmission data number limit value, it is determined that transmission is possible, and the processes after step S1605 are performed. If the number of transmitted data is greater than or equal to the limit on the number of transmitted data, it is determined that transmission is not possible, and processing from step S1609 is performed.

  In step S1605, the number of transmitted data is counted up, and the data is transmitted to the management server 109.

  In step S1606, it is determined whether the monitoring apparatus 101 has acquired data of all the image forming apparatuses to be monitored. If there is an unacquired image forming apparatus, the process returns to step S1602 to continue the acquisition process. . If it is determined that data has been acquired from all the image forming apparatuses, the process waits for a predetermined time in step S1607.

  In step S1608, the date is confirmed, and when it is determined that the transmission data number integration period has elapsed from the integration start date, the integration start date is updated and the number of transmitted data is updated. Then, the process returns to step S1602.

  In step S 1609, it is determined whether notification suppression notice has been sent to the management server 109. If it has already been transmitted, the processing from step S1606 is performed. If not yet transmitted, the processing from step S1610 is performed.

  In step S1610, notification suppression notice data is transmitted to management server 109, and a response from management server 109 is awaited. The notification suppression method included in the response data from the management server 109 is stored in the recording unit 808.

[Example 2]
An embodiment in which transmission of the accounting counter is not subject to transmission data number limitation will be described.

  The operation of the monitoring apparatus 101 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S1603 that the data acquired from the image forming apparatus is a charging counter, it is not determined in step S1604 whether transmission is possible.

  In step S1605, data is transmitted to the management server 109 without counting up the number of transmission data.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the management server receives the accounting counter.

  In step S1701, it is determined whether the type of the transmission source monitoring device is 1003, that is, whether the type of the monitoring device is XX-Agent with a limited transmission data amount. If it is determined that it is not XX-Agent, the process is terminated. If it is determined that it is XX-Agent, the processing after step S1702 is performed.

  In step S1702, the previously received charging counter value is compared with the charging counter value received this time. If the billing counter value received this time exceeds the billing counter value received last time, it is determined that the image forming apparatus from which the billing counter is acquired is operating normally, and the process is terminated. If the billing counter value received this time is the same as the billing counter value received last time, it is determined that there is a possibility that the image forming apparatus from which the billing counter is acquired is not operating normally, and the processing from step S1703 is performed.

  In step S 1703, the received data is acquired from the recording unit 708. The received data is sequentially analyzed in the past.

  In step S1704, it is determined from the analysis result in step 1703 whether maintenance work is required for the image forming apparatus.

  In the following case, it is determined that maintenance work is necessary, and the processing after step S1705 is performed.

  First, information (postErrorInformation) indicating that an error that cannot be eliminated by a general user operation, such as power on / off of the image forming apparatus or reconnection of the connection cable, has been received. And after that, when the received data is only the billing counter.

  When many paper jams of the same type occur, for example, at the same paper feed port or the same paper discharge port.

  The billing counter value does not change for a certain period. The period that the predetermined period refers to depends on the usage status of the image forming apparatus. The period is determined and determined from the increasing tendency of the past billing counter value stored in the HDD 208.

  In step S1705, information including a coping method including the image forming apparatus ID is generated. Then, the maintenance staff of the target image forming apparatus is notified of the information. The information includes information necessary for maintenance such as replacement parts necessary to cope with a predicted situation, that is, an error that has occurred.

101 Monitoring apparatus 102, 103 Image forming apparatus

Claims (1)

It is a system that is installed at a customer site, collects various information from the image forming apparatus, and notifies the management server, and a management server that receives and manages the information collected by the monitoring apparatus,
The monitoring device
Upper limit holding means for holding the upper limit of the number of notification target events (S1601, S1608)
Event detection means (S1602) for detecting the occurrence of a notification target event;
A cumulative calculation means (S1606) for accumulating the number of notification target events for a predetermined period;
A comparison means (S1604) for comparing the upper limit value held by the upper limit holding means with the cumulative value calculated by the cumulative calculation means;
When the comparison means determines that the upper limit has been exceeded, a transmission means (S1610) for sending an event notification suppression notice;
Have
The management server
Group information holding means (S1412) for holding monitoring devices in groups;
Receiving means (S1501) for receiving data from the monitoring device;
A transmission source determination unit (S1503) for determining a transmission source of data received by the reception unit;
Data type determining means (S1502) for determining the data type received by the receiving means;
Means for determining a notification suppression method from the amount of transmission data in units of groups held by the group information holding means (S1505);
An image forming apparatus monitoring system comprising means (S1506, S1507) for returning a notification suppression method as a response to the monitoring apparatus.