JP3768010B2 - Center system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data registration service system in which an image forming apparatus and a center system as a management apparatus are connected via a communication line.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The conventional data registration service system reads out user setting data from the image forming apparatus and re-registers the user setting data in the exchange model machine by a plurality of telephone calls between the operator of the center system and the CE in charge of the image forming apparatus destination. And the one that checks in advance whether or not the user setting data held by the current model can be re-registered in the replacement model.
[0003]
Also, it is known that after the re-registration of user setting data to the replacement model is completed, the user operates the replacement model, and the user setting data is printed out by the printing unit of the replacement model.
[0004]
Further, it is known that after a user registration data migration registration service from the current model to the replacement model is performed, a service charge request notification is made to the customer and the business district in charge by telephone contact by an operator.
[0005]
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-7590, by providing a dedicated line for remote maintenance between a facsimile adapter for storing user setting data and a communication line, it is possible to perform remote control from a FAX apparatus at all times regardless of whether FAX transmission / reception is being performed. A facsimile adapter capable of receiving maintenance is disclosed.
[0006]
According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-284449, it is possible to specify a FAX adapter that is a target of remote maintenance from the center system by setting identification information of the exchange on a FAX adapter connected to the exchange, and to perform remote maintenance work. A facsimile adapter that simplifies the process is disclosed.
[0007]
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 9-261326 and 9-261327, an image forming apparatus including a communication control unit controls communication, so that setting data can be transmitted and received between different types of image forming apparatuses. A communication device is disclosed.
[0008]
An example of operation of a conventional data registration service system will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8, the user transmits to the operator of the center system that the user equipment data transfer registration request from the current model to the replacement model of the FAX apparatus as the image forming apparatus is requested by the telephone equipped in the current model. (201). The operator listens to and records the customer name, the FAX number of the current model, the current model, the machine number, the user's contact telephone number, and the person in charge. The operator determines whether or not migration registration of user setting data from the current model to the replacement model is possible, and if not, notifies the user that migration registration of user setting data is impossible. If possible, the user setting data is read from the current model (202), and the center system reads the user setting data from the current model (203) and stores it.
[0009]
After the user setting data reading operation by the center system is normally completed, the operator notifies the user by telephone that the reading processing operation of the user setting data has been normally performed, and requests to switch to the replacement model ( 204). After the switching of the device by the responsible CE and the confirmation of the function of the exchange model, the user makes a request for downloading the read user setting data to the exchange model by telephone contact (205). The operator downloads the corresponding user setting data (206). The user or the CE in charge confirms that the user setting data is stored in the memory of the exchange model, prints the user setting data by a print output operation, and refers to the user setting data that has been printed out, thereby setting the user setting data. Confirm completion of data migration registration work. After confirming the end of the user setting data transfer registration work, the user or the CE in charge calls the operator to notify the user setting data transfer registration work completion (207).
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the data registration service system shown in the above-mentioned conventional example has a large workload of the center system operator and the CE in charge, and with the increase in the number of registration services for migration of user setting data to the replacement model, There was a problem that it was necessary to increase the number of operators.
[0011]
Also, when confirming the completion of re-registration of user setting data to the replacement model by user setting data printout, there is a problem that the user needs to have knowledge of an operation method for printing user setting data. there were.
[0012]
Furthermore, since the operator performs all the preparation and transmission of the service execution fee billing notice to the customer and the business district in charge, there is a problem that an excessive load is imposed on the operator.
[0013]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, automatically determines whether to shift registration of the user setting data from the working model to exchange models, the center system that allows to dispense with the conventional labor The purpose is to provide.
[0014]
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to perform a migration registration process by the center system automatically determining whether migration registration of user setting data from the current model to the replacement model is possible.
[0020]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the present invention has the following features.
A center system according to the present invention is a center system that manages a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a communication control unit that controls communication with a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and a machine that stores data relating to various models as machine data Based on the database and the data received from the image forming apparatus by the communication control means, the machine data stored in the machine database is referred to, and the model of the currently used image forming apparatus and the scheduled replacement from the used image forming apparatus And whether the user setting data relating to the operation specifications held by the use image forming apparatus can be registered for transfer from the use image forming apparatus to the exchange image forming apparatus. And a determination means.
[0021]
In addition, the center system according to the present invention includes a user setting data acquisition unit that acquires user setting data from the used image forming apparatus and a user setting data acquisition unit when the determination unit determines that the migration registration of the user setting data is possible. And print requesting means for transmitting the user setting data acquired by the above to the exchange image forming apparatus and printing out the user setting data in the exchange image forming apparatus.
[0033]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of a data registration service system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a data registration service system according to the present invention.
[0034]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a data registration service system of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the data registration service system includes a center system 100 and various image forming apparatuses 30 and 40 installed at customer sites. The center system 100 includes a voice response subsystem 10 and a remote centralized management system 20, and the voice response subsystem 10 and the remote centralized management system 20 are connected via a LAN. The voice response subsystem 10 includes computer terminals 11 and 12, and the audio terminals 13 and 14 and the machine database units 15 and 16 are connected to the computer terminals 11 and 12, respectively. The customer-installed various image forming apparatuses 30 and 40 include communication adapters 32 and 42, FAX apparatuses 33 and 43, general telephones 34 and 44, and various image forming apparatuses 35, 36, 37, and 45, respectively. 35, 36, 37, and 45 are connected via dedicated interface lines 31 and 41, and FAX apparatuses 33 and 43 and various image forming apparatuses 35, 36, 37, and 45 are connected via communication adapters 32 and 42. The
[0035]
When replacing any of the FAX apparatuses 33 and 43 or the various image forming apparatuses 35, 36, 37, and 45, the user is based on the voice guidance selected from the voice file units 13 and 14 of the voice response subsystem 10. A push button signal is transmitted to the remote centralized management system 20 of the center system 100 from the telephones equipped in the general telephones 34 and 44 or the FAX apparatuses 33 and 43. The center system 100 determines whether or not migration registration of user setting data at the time of replacement is possible based on the customer database unit 24, the machine database units 15 and 16, and the data transmitted by the push button signal.
[0036]
Next, a computer terminal constituting the voice response subsystem according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, each of the computer terminals 11 and 12 constituting the voice response subsystem is connected to a CPU 201 that controls the entire computer terminal, a real-time clock unit 202 that displays the current time, and a public communication line network. Connected to line control units 203a and 203b that perform transmission and signal processing, voice buffers / output units 204a and 204b that temporarily store voice memory and output to the line control units 203a and 203b, and line control units 203a and 203b Are connected to the communication control units 205a and 205b, the ROM 206, the RAM 207, the machine database units 15 and 16, and the voice file units 13 and 14 for controlling communication via the public communication line network. External memory for managing and controlling audio file sections 13 and 14 A control unit 208 and a CRT display unit 212 are connected to each other, a display control unit 209 that controls image display on the CRT display unit 212, and a keyboard unit 213, and a keyboard interface circuit unit 210 that is an interface with the keyboard unit 213. LAN interface units 211a and 211b that are interfaces with a LAN connected to other devices, audio file units 13 and 14 in which an audio memory is stored, and a CRT display for notifying an operator of the work status through image display The unit 212 and the keyboard unit 213 are configured.
[0037]
A computer terminal constituting the remote centralized management system in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, each of the computer terminals 21, 22, and 23 constituting the remote centralized management system includes a CPU 301 that controls the entire computer terminal, a real-time clock unit 302 that displays the current time, and a communication control unit that controls communication. 303a, 303b, ROM 304, RAM 305, external memory control unit 306 for managing and controlling the customer database unit 24 provided in the remote centralized management system and the hard disk drive 310 provided in each of the computer terminals 21, 22, 23, A display control unit 307 that controls image display on the CRT display unit 311, a keyboard interface circuit unit 308 that is an interface with the keyboard unit 312, and an LA that is connected to other devices. Interface LAN interface unit 309a, 309b and a with, constituted by a hard disk drive 310 as an external storage device, the image display and the CRT display unit 311 to notify the working state to the operator, a keyboard unit 312.
[0038]
FIG. 4 shows an operation example of one embodiment of the data registration service system of the present invention.
In FIG. 4, along with the replacement of the image forming apparatus, the user connects to the center system by using a telephone installed in the image forming apparatus (101). The center system transmits to the telephone a voice guidance indicating that the user setting data held by the image forming apparatus is to be read (102). The user receives the corresponding voice guidance on the telephone, and transmits a push button signal for requesting reading of the user setting data to the center system according to the voice guidance instruction (103). The center system receives the corresponding transmitted push button signal, performs signal processing, and recognizes that the signal processed push button signal is a user setting data read request.
[0039]
The center system requests the user to input a push button signal of the CE code, the current model code, and the exchange model code by voice guidance (104). The user transmits a push button signal of the CE code, the working model code, and the exchange model code to the center system (105), and the center system refers to the customer database unit 24 and has already registered the received CE code. Determine whether or not. If not registered, the center system transmits a voice guidance requesting re-input of the push button signal of the CE code to the user (106).
[0040]
If already registered, the center system refers to the machine database for the current model code and the exchange model code transmitted with the push button signal, and determines whether or not the user setting data can be registered for migration to the exchange. If the migration registration of the user setting data is impossible, the center system transmits a migration registration impossible message to the user by voice guidance (107). If transfer registration is possible, the center system transmits a message indicating that transfer registration is possible by voice guidance to the user (108), and also transmits a message requesting a switching operation from the telephone installed in the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus. To do. Alternatively, the center system automatically performs a switching operation from the telephone to the image forming apparatus.
[0041]
Thereafter, when the center system detects that the telephone set installed in the image forming apparatus is switched to the image forming apparatus, the center system transmits a read command of user setting data held by the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus that has received the corresponding command transmits user setting data to the center system (110). The center system receives the transmitted user setting data and stores it in the memory, and then transmits a request for switching from the image forming apparatus to the telephone by FAX. Alternatively, the center system automatically performs a switching operation from the FAX apparatus to the telephone.
[0042]
The center system detects that the image forming apparatus has been switched to the telephone, and uses voice guidance to request switching from the currently used image forming apparatus to the replacement model that is the image forming apparatus to be replaced. Is transmitted to the user (111). The user who has received the corresponding message completes the image forming apparatus replacement work and the function confirmation work of the exchange model, and then connects to the center system using the telephone set in the exchange model (112).
[0043]
The center system transmits a message requesting transmission of a push button signal, which is a notification of completion of the image forming apparatus replacement work, to the telephone (113). The user who has received the corresponding message transmits a push button signal, which is a notification of completion of the image forming apparatus replacement work, to the center system in accordance with the voice guidance instruction (114). The center system receives the corresponding push button signal, and recognizes that the image forming apparatus replacement work has been completed and that the user setting data stored in the memory of the center system is a download request to the replacement model. The center system sequentially transmits a message requesting the push button input of the CE code and the exchange model number by voice guidance (115).
[0044]
The user who has received the corresponding message sequentially transmits the CE code and the exchange model number to the center system using a push button signal (116). The center system refers to the customer database for the received CE code, and determines whether it is already registered. If not registered, the center system transmits a voice guidance requesting re-input of the push button signal of the CE code to the user (117). If already registered, the center system transmits a message requesting to switch from the telephone installed in the exchange model to the exchange model by voice guidance to the user (118).
[0045]
The center system detects the switching from the telephone to the replacement model, and transmits the user setting data stored in the memory of the center system to the replacement model (119). The exchange model receives the corresponding user setting data and prints out the contents of the user setting data. When the user confirms and accepts the contents of the user setting data printed out, if the user connects to the center system by telephone (120), the center system pushes that the user setting data migration registration completion to the replacement model has been confirmed. A message requesting button signal transmission is transmitted to the user by voice guidance (121).
[0046]
The user who has received the corresponding voice guidance transmits the corresponding push button signal to the center system (122). The center system that has received the corresponding push button signal transmits the user setting data re-registration service execution fee billing notification data by FAX to the replacement model (123). In addition, the user setting data re-registration service execution fee billing notification data is transmitted to the business district in charge (124).
[0047]
An example of the contents and format of data communicated between the center system and various image forming apparatuses installed at the customer site in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, (a), (d), and (f) indicate the contents of a push button signal transmitted from a general telephone or a telephone included in the image forming apparatus to the center system. (B), (c), and (e) show format examples of data communicated between the center system and various customer-installed image forming apparatuses.
[0048]
In (a), the contents of the push button signal transmitted to the center system based on the voice guidance instruction transmitted from the center system are the CE code and the current machine model, the machine number code and the replacement model, and the machine code. is there. In (b), it is the read command data of the user setting data held by the current model transmitted from the center system. The user setting data read command data includes a data read command code, a working model, and a machine number code from the head in the data traveling direction.
[0049]
In (c), data that is a response from the image forming apparatus to the data read command data transmitted from the center system includes user setting data, data read command response code, current machine model, machine number code from the head in the data traveling direction. It is. In (d), after completion of the exchange work from the current model to the exchange model, push button signals transmitted by the user's push button operation are the CE code, the exchange model, and the machine number code.
[0050]
In (e), in response to the user setting data download execution request from the exchange model, the data to be transmitted from the center system to the exchange model is the user setting data, the data download execution request response code, the exchange model, It is a machine number code. In (f), after the exchange work is completed, the push button signal transmitted by the user's push button operation is a migration confirmation approval code, which is an acknowledgment of the migration confirmation of the user setting data, the exchange model, and the machine number code.
[0051]
FIG. 6 is an example of print output of user setting data by the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the user setting data printed out by the image forming apparatus is a one-touch dial registration list, and the user refers to the corresponding one-touch dial registration list and confirms the end of the migration registration work of the user setting data.
[0052]
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a customer database in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, by referring to the customer database, it is possible to extract the name of the customer who performed the image forming apparatus replacement work, the name of the department in charge, the name of the sales department in charge, the name of the salesman in charge.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention , the center system automatically determines whether or not the user setting data can be registered for transfer from the current model to the replacement model, and transfers the user setting data to the replacement model. By performing the registration process, the workload of the operator of the center system is reduced, and the responsible CE can perform the work according to his / her convenience.
[0054]
Further , according to the present invention , the center system automatically prints out the user setting data on the exchange model, so that the user does not need knowledge about the operation method in the print output, and the user setting data migration registration is not necessary. The migration registration can be confirmed without having to wait for the confirmation from the operator.
[0055]
Further , according to the present invention , customer data can be automatically retrieved by installing a customer database in the center system.
[0056]
In addition, according to the present invention , the center system can automatically calculate the service execution fee in the migration registration of the user setting data, and can send the service execution fee billing notice to the customer and the business district. It is possible to reduce the labor of the operator and the processing time.
[0057]
Further , according to the present invention , in accordance with an instruction from the center system, the user has confirmed that the registration of the migration of the user setting data has been confirmed by pressing the push button of the telephone set installed on the general telephone or the image forming apparatus. After the push button signal is transmitted to the center system, the center system automatically transmits a service execution charge request notification to the user by FAX, so that it is possible to prevent the service execution charge request notification from being issued when the service is not executed.
[0058]
In addition, according to the present invention , the user can replace the image forming apparatus by operating a push button on a general telephone or a telephone installed in the image forming apparatus in accordance with a voice guidance instruction from the center system. Therefore, it is possible to perform an exchange operation that is easy for the user.
[0059]
In addition, according to the present invention , since the center system automatically responds with a voice message by dialing a telephone equipped in an image forming apparatus such as a general telephone or a FAX apparatus, it is easy to operate from the place where the image forming apparatus is installed. In the center system, the current model already registered user setting data can be re-registered to the replacement model, and the corresponding process is automatically performed, reducing the work load of the center operator and the CE in charge. Can carry out various tasks according to their own circumstances.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a data registration service system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a computer terminal constituting the voice response subsystem in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a computer terminal constituting the remote centralized management system in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation example of an embodiment of the data registration service system of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing data contents and format examples communicated between the center system and various image forming apparatuses installed at a customer site in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an output example of print output of user setting data by the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a customer database in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation example of a conventional data registration service system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Voice response subsystem 11, 12, 21, 22, 23 Computer terminal 13, 14 Voice file part 15, 16 Machine database part 20 Remote centralized management system 24 Customer database part 30, 40 Various image forming apparatuses 31, 41 installed at customer sites Dedicated interface lines 32, 42 Communication adapters 33, 43 FAX devices 34, 44 General telephones 35, 36, 37, 45 Various image forming apparatuses 100 Center systems 201, 301 CPU
202, 302 Real-time clock unit 203a, 203b Line control unit 204a, 204b Voice buffer / output unit 205a, 205b, 303a, 303b Communication control unit 206, 304 ROM
207, 305 RAM
208, 306 External memory control unit 209, 307 Display control unit 210, 308 Keyboard interface circuit unit 211a, 211b, 309a, 309b LAN interface unit 212, 311 CRT display unit 213, 312 Keyboard unit 310 Hard disk drive

Claims (2)

A center system for managing a plurality of image forming apparatuses,
Communication control means for controlling communication with the plurality of image forming apparatuses;
A machine database that stores data on various models as machine data;
Based on the data received from the image forming apparatus by the communication control means, the machine data stored in the machine database is referred to, and the model of the currently used image forming apparatus and the used image forming apparatus are used. Judgment of the capability of the replacement image forming apparatus to be replaced and the ability to register the transfer of user setting data regarding the operation specifications held by the used image forming apparatus from the used image forming apparatus to the replacement image forming apparatus A determination means for determining whether or not,
The center system characterized by having. User setting data acquisition means for acquiring the user setting data from the used image forming apparatus when it is determined by the determination means that migration registration of the user setting data is possible;
Print request means for transmitting the user setting data acquired by the user setting data acquisition means to the exchange image forming apparatus and printing out the user setting data in the exchange image forming apparatus;
The center system according to claim 1, comprising:

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