JP4687618B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing system, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and a program.

  In recent years, the necessity of crisis management for disasters has been strongly screamed. Examples of disasters include fires, meteorological disasters (heavy rain, thunder, snow, etc.), major disasters such as earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis, and typhoons. For example, various devices such as an image processing apparatus for processing an image to be output to a recording medium have been studied for dealing with such disasters.

  Here, conventionally, there is a measure for ensuring safety as a countermeasure when a disaster occurs in an image processing apparatus. As a conventional technique described in the publication, for example, a technique for confirming an earthquake or a fall of the apparatus from the fluctuation of the voltage or period of the apparatus through the abnormal vibration determination function means and forcibly stopping the power supply of the fixing heater (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  As another technology described in the publication, a copier or printer connected to a network or a telephone line has a function of receiving a disaster signal from a signal source, and when the disaster signal is received, the disaster data is printed on a sheet. There is a technique for outputting a printout and then shutting off the power (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  In addition, in image forming devices such as copiers, emergency alerts are sent when disasters such as earthquakes occur in order to prevent secondary disasters when disasters such as earthquakes occur and to make it easier to return to the original state. Equipped with an emergency broadcast receiver that receives broadcasts, the copier itself is operated in conjunction with the emergency broadcast, and the passage to the heat source such as the heater of the fuser is stopped, or the job being executed is suspended and is in a standby state Then, there is a technique for cutting off the main power supply (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP-A-11-184327 JP 2001-023060 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-143029

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that prevents, for example, the operation of a highly urgent device from stopping due to a malfunction of some functions when a disaster occurs.

  In order to solve the technical problem, an image processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied includes an acquisition unit that acquires information about a disaster, and self-diagnosis of the device according to the information about the disaster acquired by the acquisition unit. A diagnosis executing means for executing at least one of diagnoses related to communication with another apparatus, a switching means for switching the operation mode of the apparatus to an operation mode different from the normal according to a diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis executing means, and And image processing means for executing image processing in an operation mode different from the normal mode switched by the switching means.

Here, the acquisition unit acquires the degree of disaster influence on the apparatus from the acquired information on the disaster and outputs the disaster degree to the diagnosis execution unit. The diagnosis execution unit uses the information on the degree of disaster influence output by the acquisition unit. Controlling the diagnosis to be performed.
In addition, the acquisition unit acquires the disaster impact level on the device from the acquired disaster information and outputs the disaster level to the switching unit. The switching unit uses the information on the disaster level output from the acquisition unit to operate the operation mode. It is characterized by controlling the switching of.
In addition, the degree of impact of a disaster is determined based on the type of disaster and the scale of the disaster.

Further, the diagnosis execution means executes the diagnosis when the influence degree is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
In addition, the acquisition unit acquires the disaster impact level on the apparatus from the acquired disaster information and outputs the disaster impact level to the switching unit. The switching unit is operable in the operation mode when the disaster impact level is greater than a predetermined threshold. It is characterized by switching.

Still further, the diagnosis execution means executes different diagnoses according to the type of disaster.
Further, the switching means reads the correspondence information in which the relationship between the failure location of the apparatus and the operation mode is associated from the correspondence information holding unit, and switches the operation mode according to the failure location obtained from the diagnosis result by the diagnosis execution means. Features.
Furthermore, the switching means includes a normal mode return determination means for switching the apparatus from the operation mode different from the normal mode to the normal mode, and the return time to the normal mode varies depending on the disaster.

  From another point of view, the image processing system to which the present invention is applied corresponds to a communication unit that communicates with an external device, an acquisition unit that acquires information about a disaster, and information about the disaster acquired by the acquisition unit. The diagnosis execution means for executing the self-diagnosis of the image processing apparatus and the diagnosis relating to communication with the external device, and the operation mode of the apparatus according to the diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis execution means is the normal operation mode. It is characterized by comprising switching means for switching to a different operation mode and image processing means for executing image processing in the operation mode switched by this switching means.

Here, a management apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus via a communication unit is further provided, and the acquisition unit acquires information on a disaster from the management apparatus via the communication unit.
Further, the communication means communicates with the management apparatus or other image processing apparatus, and the switching means reads out information stored in the memory of the image processing apparatus according to the diagnosis result, via the communication means. The operation mode is switched to the operation mode transmitted to and held in the image processing apparatus.

  On the other hand, a program to which the present invention is applied includes an acquisition function for acquiring information related to a disaster in a computer, and a diagnosis related to self-diagnosis of a device and communication with another device according to the information related to the disaster acquired by the acquisition function. And a switching function for switching the operation mode of the apparatus related to image processing to a specific operation mode different from the normal operation mode according to the diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis execution function.

Here, the acquisition function is characterized in that the degree of disaster influence on the apparatus is acquired from the acquired information on disaster and information on the degree of disaster influence is output to the diagnosis execution function and / or the switching function.
The diagnosis execution function is characterized by executing different diagnoses depending on the type of disaster.
Further, this switching function is characterized in that the correspondence information in which the relationship between the failure location of the device and the operation mode is associated is read from the correspondence information holding unit, and the operation mode is switched according to the failure location of the device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that is continuously operated by switching to an operation mode that is different from a normal operation mode based on information relating to a disaster.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to more appropriately control diagnosis according to the state of the disaster as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to more appropriately control the switching of the operation mode in accordance with the disaster state as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided.
According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to optimize the degree of influence of the disaster as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, diagnosis can be performed more appropriately than in the case where the present configuration is not provided.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the operation mode can be switched more appropriately than in the case where the present configuration is not provided.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to make an appropriate diagnosis according to the type of disaster as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, the disaster occurrence mode switching operation can be performed better than when the present configuration is not adopted.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the ease of return from a disaster can be improved as compared with the case where the present invention is not adopted.

According to the invention described in claim 10, it is possible to realize an image processing system capable of continuously operating in a disaster.
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a good disaster response from a remote location as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to keep the reliability of the system better even in the event of a disaster as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, compared to a case where the present invention is not adopted, for example, a computer that functions as an image processing apparatus can be improved in function continuity in an emergency such as a disaster.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, compared with a case where this configuration is not adopted, for example, a computer functioning as an image processing apparatus can realize appropriate processing according to a disaster.
According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, compared with a case where this configuration is not adopted, for example, a more preferable diagnosis process can be realized in a connected image processing apparatus at the time of a disaster.
According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide the user with an appropriate mode that takes into account, for example, the failure location of the connected image processing apparatus, as compared with the case where this configuration is not adopted.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image processing apparatus 10 to which the exemplary embodiment is applied. The image processing apparatus 10 includes a computer apparatus such as an embedded computer integrated with an image forming apparatus functioning as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copier, etc., a computer apparatus such as a personal computer externally connected to the image forming apparatus, or a scanner. It is realized by a computer device such as an embedded computer integrated with an image input device functioning as a computer device or a computer device such as a personal computer externally connected to the image input device. The image processing apparatus 10 is installed, for example, in a so-called convenience store that is a retail store that handles a large number of varieties in a small space. The image processing apparatus 10 installed in a so-called convenience store or the like is used as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a scanner, or an apparatus for printing out a photograph taken with a digital camera during normal operation. There is.

  The image processing apparatus 10 also has an external IF (interface) that performs communication with external devices, such as acquiring various types of information from a central management server (not shown) that centrally manages the image processing apparatus 10 via a network. 11 is provided. The external IF 11 is connected to, for example, an in-house network, the Internet, a dedicated line for connecting to a server, a VPN (Virtual Private Network), or the like. The image processing apparatus 10 also includes a disaster recognition unit 12 that recognizes disaster information (information related to disasters), and a diagnosis execution unit that determines a diagnosis method using information such as the degree of disaster impact output from the disaster recognition unit 12 13. In addition, a mode switching unit 14 that determines and switches mode candidates to be used from the diagnosis result output from the diagnosis execution unit 13 is provided.

  The image processing apparatus 10 includes a presentation unit that presents information to the user, a position pointing device such as a mouse and a touch panel, or an input device such as a keyboard, and a reception unit that receives a user operation. A user interface unit (UI unit) 15 including an instruction specifying unit that specifies an instruction related to image processing based on the received operation is provided. The UI unit 15 reads out and expands predetermined UI information from a UI information storage unit (not shown) in which various user interface information is stored.

The presentation unit included in the UI unit 15 is for a user (including a user, an operator, an operator, or a store clerk of a retail store) who uses the image processing apparatus 10 by using a display function such as a display. Predetermined information is visually presented. The display is realized by a VFD (fluorescent display tube) or a liquid crystal display having various resolutions as required. In addition to visual presentation, for example, presentation by voice using a voice generator such as a speaker, presentation by blinking light using a lamp or the like, presentation by vibration using a vibration generating element such as a vibrator may be used.
The reception unit is realized by a sensor provided on a display that detects an operation on virtual switches such as buttons displayed on the display, a hardware switch, and the like, and is operated by a user who uses the image processing apparatus 10. Accept. The reception unit may receive a voice operation using a microphone or the like that performs voice input.
The instruction specifying unit is realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program held in the memory, and specifies an instruction related to image processing from the received operation.

  The UI unit 15 having such a function is provided in the image processing apparatus 10 itself, and for example, an information processing device such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), an electronic notebook, or a personal computer is connected by wire or wirelessly. You can also In some cases, information input from a user such as disaster information may be recognized using various input functions.

  Furthermore, the image processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an apparatus control unit 16 that controls the entire image processing apparatus 10. As various functions involved in image processing, for example, an image acquisition unit 17 that acquires image data to be processed from a computer such as a scanner, a telephone line, or an externally connected PC (personal computer), and the acquired image An image processing unit 18 for processing data and an image forming unit 19 for outputting processed image data are provided. Here, the image forming unit 19 is an image forming apparatus that employs, for example, an image forming system that forms a toner image on a sheet by an electrophotographic system, or an ink jet system that forms an image by ejecting ink onto a sheet. Can be included. Note that the image forming unit 19 is configured not to execute until an image is actually formed on a sheet, but to output image data to an image forming apparatus connected via a predetermined line. It is also possible.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining in detail the various functions of the disaster recognition unit 12, the diagnosis execution unit 13, and the mode switching unit 14 shown in FIG. In some cases, these function blocks may be implemented as an information processing apparatus.
The disaster recognition unit 12 includes a disaster information acquisition unit 21 that acquires disaster information and a disaster determination unit 22 that outputs a disaster impact level. For example, the disaster information acquisition unit 21 acquires information about a disaster using information distributed from a central management server via a network. In addition, for example, emergency warning broadcasts distributed through public broadcasts in the event of a disaster, information from the disaster button operated by the user in the event of a disaster, emergency of the Japan Meteorological Agency issued by estimating the time to reach the main movement in the event of an earthquake In some cases, information related to disasters may be obtained from earthquake warnings, earthquake sensors that detect earthquake shaking, or information obtained from sensors that are connected directly or directly, such as sensors that detect inundation. The types of disasters here include earthquakes, floods, fires, volcanoes, heavy rains, typhoons and other weather, and power outages.

  The disaster determination unit 22 performs determination for shifting to the next diagnosis operation and disaster mode from the information from the disaster information acquisition unit 21. As this determination, it is determined whether or not the degree of influence exceeds a preset threshold value by using the record of disaster information such as the type of disaster and the occurrence time and the degree of influence of the disaster on the image processing apparatus 10. . The threshold is set in advance for each image processing apparatus 10 and stored in a memory such as various ROMs. For example, switching the mode when the influence is too low is not preferable as an excessive reaction. This threshold value is preferably determined in consideration of the urgency at the time of disaster occurrence and the maintenance continuity of the function. Based on the result of this determination, the diagnosis execution unit 13 and the mode switching unit 14 execute the next diagnosis operation and the transition process to the disaster mode.

The impact of the disaster here is
(I) When the influence level is input from the central management server or user,
(Ii) When calculated from sensor input values such as earthquake and flooding,
(Iii) There are cases where the image processing apparatus itself calculates.
In particular, in the case of (iii) above, the degree of influence is calculated from the scale of the disaster and the approximate (approximate) distance from the disaster occurrence site from wide-area information such as warning broadcasts. In other words, even if the scale of the disaster is small, the degree of influence on the image processing apparatus is large if the distance from the occurrence site is short, and the degree of influence is small if the distance is long even if the disaster is large. Therefore, as shown in the following formula, the distance factor is added to the degree of influence of the disaster.
Disaster impact factor = disaster type coefficient × disaster scale × 1 / distance (or1 / distance squared) (1) Formula For example, the disaster type coefficient is 1-5, the disaster scale is 1-7, the distance is 1-5, etc. Is set based on information stored in a predetermined memory as shown in FIG.
Moreover, in the disaster determination part 22, when there is disaster information from a plurality of inputs, priority is given to a disaster having a large influence degree.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the disaster-specific information table used by the disaster determination unit 22 to calculate the disaster impact level. This disaster-specific information table is information stored in a memory such as a hard disk drive (HDD) described later of the image processing apparatus 10 and is read by a CPU that executes a processing program. For example, it is temporarily stored in various RAMs that are working memories. As shown in FIG. 3, the disaster-specific information table stores information that can determine the disaster type coefficient, the disaster scale, and the distance value for each disaster type. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the disaster types include earthquake disaster, storm and flood disaster, volcanic disaster, nuclear disaster, snow disaster disaster, accident disaster, and other disasters. In FIG. 3, an earthquake disaster is selected.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the disaster type coefficient is set to “5” as the evaluation item of the earthquake disaster. The disaster scale is set to “1” “3” “7” depending on the magnitude of the epicenter or the seismic intensity of the device itself. Furthermore, the distance is set to “5” “3” “1” for the distance from the own device to the epicenter. The disaster determination unit 22 acquires each value from the table information as shown in FIG. 3 based on the disaster information acquired by the disaster information acquisition unit 21, and substitutes a numerical value in the above-described equation (1). To calculate the degree of disaster impact.

As described above, the disaster recognition unit 12 executes a process for recognizing a disaster from the acquired disaster information. However, the disaster recognition performed by the disaster recognition unit 12 includes other modes. For example, when the power of the image processing apparatus 10 is turned on, it is determined whether or not the final power-off operation has been normally performed. When it is determined that the image processing apparatus 10 has not ended normally, a UI screen for inputting a power-off cause is displayed via the UI unit 15. To display. Then, the user information on the UI screen is recognized by the disaster information acquisition unit 21 via the UI unit 15, and in the case of a disaster, the user is prompted to input disaster information. Here, the power-off operation that is not normally terminated includes (i) power failure, (ii) power-off by receiving disaster information, and (iii) power-off by disaster detection (for example, shaking detection).
Note that there is also a method in which a UI screen for confirming whether or not to recover from the occurrence of a disaster when the power is turned on is displayed on the UI unit 15 and disaster information is acquired by input from the user.

  Next, the diagnosis execution unit 13 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the diagnosis execution unit 13 includes a diagnosis sequence determination unit 31 that determines a diagnosis to be performed using information on the degree of disaster impact from the disaster recognition unit 12, and a self that performs diagnosis of the main body of the image processing apparatus 10. And a diagnosis unit 32. Further, a network diagnosis unit 33 that diagnoses an external communication network such as an Internet line or a telephone line, and a diagnosis result recording unit 34 that records the diagnosis results of the network and the image processing apparatus 10 in a memory are provided. The diagnosis result recording unit 34 can also be provided in the mode switching unit 14.

The diagnosis execution unit 13 usually diagnoses the main body when the image processing apparatus 10 is powered on. In the present embodiment, in addition to this, the contents of diagnosis are changed based on the information on the disaster impact determined by the disaster recognition unit 12.
That is, the diagnosis sequence determination unit 31 is provided with a plurality of diagnosis sequences (predetermined order of operations for diagnosis), and the sequence is determined according to the type of disaster, the distance from the disaster occurrence location, and the degree of influence of the disaster. To decide. For example, in the case of water damage, it is diagnosed whether or not paper feeding is possible for all the paper trays. In addition, for example, when a large-scale power outage has occurred, the stability of the power supply is confirmed and the network is diagnosed in time to determine whether communication with an external server is possible. In this way, in order to better realize, for example, appropriate diagnosis and / or faster diagnosis, self-diagnosis and network environment diagnosis are performed in accordance with the acquired information on the disaster. In other words, for example, diagnosis execution corresponding to information related to disasters is realized, such as diagnosis location pickup, prioritization of diagnosis locations, and diagnosis of specific locations not performed in diagnosis in the normal mode.

  The self-diagnosis unit 32 performs a diagnosis for each subsystem of the image processing apparatus 10 such as the image acquisition unit 17, the image processing unit 18, and the image forming unit 19. For example, the image acquisition unit 17 has subsystems such as an illumination system, an imaging optical system, a photoelectric conversion element, and an automatic document feeder, and these are diagnosed. Further, the image processing unit 18 has a subsystem such as an HDD, and a diagnosis for these is performed. Further, for the image forming unit 19, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit (C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), K (black) in the case of an apparatus for forming a color image)) Diagnosis is performed on subsystems such as a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a paper feed unit (paper tray).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a self-diagnosis process unique to the occurrence of a disaster executed by the self-diagnosis unit 32. Self-diagnosis processing at the time of occurrence of a disaster by the self-diagnosis unit 32 includes common processing and processing performed for each disaster type. First, as a common process, the stability of the power supply is diagnosed (step 201). That is, it is diagnosed whether the voltage current of the power supply is stable. Next, the frequency of occurrence of instantaneous electric power (instant blackout) is diagnosed in the power supply, and if it occurs frequently, processing for stopping components vulnerable to instantaneous electric power is executed (step 202). For example, there is an HDD as a component that is vulnerable to instantaneous electric power. Next, a storage device such as an HDD or a non-volatile memory is diagnosed (step 203). In other words, here, for example, a storage device that stores important customer information such as an HDD is diagnosed. More specifically, in addition to the read / write test, the error rate (number of retries) held by the HDD is read to determine whether it is below a certain reference value. The diagnosis result of the common process up to step 203 is output to the mode switching unit 14 (step 204).

  Next, the self-diagnosis unit 32 recognizes the disaster type determined by the diagnosis sequence determination unit 31 (step 205), and performs a diagnosis process for each disaster type (step 206). Then, the result of the diagnostic process is output to the mode switching unit 14 (step 207), and the process is terminated.

  As a diagnosis process performed for each disaster type in step 205 and subsequent steps, for example, when an earthquake occurs, for example, a diagnosis of a module disposed on the upper part of the apparatus that is easily affected by shaking is performed. For example, an image reading unit (scanner) is generally installed in the upper part of the apparatus, and an optical unit that is easily affected by shaking is important because the mounting accuracy of a mirror, a lens, and a CCD is important. Therefore, for example, when an earthquake occurs, the diagnosis of the image reading unit is performed more finely and more focused. When an earthquake occurs, a diagnosis process is performed to determine whether the device has fallen.

In the event of a flood or flood, we will focus on diagnosing modules located under the machine that are susceptible to flooding. For example, a diagnosis is made as to whether or not a paper tray for storing paper on which an image is formed is affected by flooding. More specifically, the sheet is actually conveyed from the sheet tray to determine whether or not an abnormality has occurred.
Thus, in step 205 and subsequent steps, necessary diagnosis processing is executed for each disaster type according to the disaster.

  Next, the network diagnosis unit 33 diagnoses communication with other devices such as communication with an external network. Specifically, whether the communication line connected to the image processing apparatus 10 such as the Internet line (LAN) or the telephone line can be communicated with the central management server or can be communicated with surrounding image processing apparatuses. Check whether it is a test. The diagnosis result recording unit 34 records the diagnosis results from the self-diagnosis unit 32 and the network diagnosis unit 33 in a predetermined memory and outputs the results to the mode switching unit 14.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of network diagnosis processing executed by the network diagnosis unit 33 when a disaster occurs. In the network diagnosis unit 33, as a process unique to the occurrence of a disaster, first, information on the central management server is read to diagnose whether communication is possible (step 301). For example, the case where access to the central management server is possible is set to “level 1”. Next, information such as a digital multi-function peripheral installed around the installation location (for example, the same chome in the same area) is read to diagnose whether communication with these is possible (step 302). For example, the case where it is possible to communicate with a plurality of image processing apparatuses provided in the vicinity, for example, provided by the same company and that a small network can be configured is defined as “level 2”. Further, for example, a level at which communication with surrounding image processing apparatuses is possible but network configuration is impossible is “level 3”. Next, it is diagnosed whether communication with other external devices (such as a specific server (site)) is possible (step 303). For example, when communication with the outside is impossible, “level 0” is set.

  Then, the network diagnosis unit 33 determines whether or not the diagnosis using all external communication means has been completed (step 304). If all the processes have not been completed, the process returns to step 301 and is repeated. When all the processes are completed, the diagnosis result is output to the diagnosis result recording unit 34 (step 305), and the process ends. As described above, the network diagnosis unit 33 diagnoses all external communication means when there are a plurality of external communication means such as the Internet and a telephone line. As a process unique to the occurrence of a disaster, a diagnosis at a plurality of levels is performed instead of selecting between normal and abnormal, and these results are recorded in a predetermined memory.

Next, the mode switching unit 14 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the mode switching unit 14 includes a mode determination unit 41 that determines a mode candidate to be used from the output results from the diagnosis execution unit 13 and the disaster recognition unit 12, and a normal determination that returns to the normal mode. A mode return determination unit 42. That is, in addition to the diagnosis result from the diagnosis execution unit 13, mode candidates are determined based on the information on the disaster impact determined by the disaster recognition unit 12. This mode switching unit 14 determines whether or not the disaster impact determined by the disaster recognition unit 12 is greater than a predetermined threshold. This “predetermined threshold value” is used as one of the determinations as to whether or not to switch the operation mode. For example, when the disaster impact level is very small, it is not necessary to set the mode different from the normal mode. Therefore, the “predetermined threshold value” is maintained in the normal mode or the mode different from the normal mode. Is pre-determined as a preferable value for the determination, and the value is stored in the memory. If the acquired disaster impact value is larger than the “predetermined threshold value”, it is determined that disaster response is necessary, and the mode is shifted to a mode different from the normal mode (disaster occurrence mode).
The operation modes determined by the mode determination unit 41 include (i) safety mode and (ii) function limited mode as disaster occurrence modes. In addition, there is (iii) normal operation mode as a normal operation mode in which no disaster has occurred.

  The safety mode, which is one of the disaster occurrence modes, is an operation mode for continuing the service of the image processing apparatus 10 for as long as possible. Specific operations include stopping power supply to HDD for information protection and prohibiting access, controlling toner consumption, suppressing color image formation for energy saving, lowering fixing temperature, lowering charging voltage, liquid crystal For example, lowering the backlight brightness. Further, the counter that records the number of processed documents after the transition to the safety mode is recorded by a counter different from the normal mode.

  The function-limited mode, which is another disaster occurrence mode, is an operation mode when it is diagnosed that some subsystems have failed, and without stopping all operations due to some errors. In this mode, the operation is performed in an unaffected part. For example, even when a failure occurs in the image reading unit and the image cannot be read, the operation is performed by limiting the operation only to the printer output. Conversely, facsimile transmission using the image reading unit and data communication can be made possible even when there is a failure in the paper transport system. Furthermore, even if communication with an external network is not possible, it can be used as a stand-alone device.

  As a common operation in the disaster occurrence mode, for example, a display indicating that the disaster occurrence mode is in effect and a print output are performed. For example, the disaster occurrence mode candidates (a plurality of modes) to be used may be displayed on the display by the UI unit 15 so that the user can select any mode. Further, as described above, it is also effective to switch the counter used for charge conversion to a dedicated counter. However, in the case of “free”, it is preferable to require permission from the central management server to prevent mischief.

  As another common operation, it is also effective to communicate with the central management server or the peripheral digital multifunction peripheral, transmit the self-diagnosis result and the disaster information, and confirm whether or not the inputted disaster information is correct. In addition, the operation | movement using the diagnostic result by said network diagnostic part 33 is also preferable. For example, it is also effective to add an operation for backing up important information in the HDD and switch the backup destination to a central management server or a peripheral device according to the level of the diagnosis result.

  The return to the normal operation mode by the normal mode return determination unit 42 returns to the normal operation mode when the elapsed time from the occurrence of the disaster has exceeded the required return time that is uniquely determined based on the previously determined disaster influence degree. . For example, when the disaster impact level is small, the recovery required time is shortened, and when the disaster impact level is large, the automatic recovery time is set longer in consideration of the time required for recovery. It is also possible to change the return time according to the type of disaster. In this way, it can be configured to return by changing the return time according to the disaster (according to the disaster impact level or the type of disaster).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a matching table (corresponding information) that is used when mode selection is executed by the mode determination unit 41 and that associates the relationship between the failure location and the disaster occurrence mode. This matching table is stored in, for example, a non-volatile memory (ROM) that is a correspondence information holding unit, is read by software executed by the CPU, is stored in a volatile memory (RAM), and is used for the determination process of the CPU. . In the example shown in FIG. 6, a safety mode and a function limited mode are shown as modes, and the respective functions are shown. As a result of the diagnosis by the diagnosis execution unit 13, if the image input unit, the image forming unit, and the network are all good, “function 1” of the safety mode is selected. On the other hand, when all the functions of the image input unit and the image forming unit are good but the network connection is not possible, “function 2” of the safety mode is selected.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6, each function of copy, print, facsimile (FAX), image reading (scanning), and browser can be selected as the function restriction mode. For example, in the copying function, when the image input unit is all good, and there is a failure in a part of the image forming unit, a copy function that does not cause a problem even if the failure occurs is selected. If the image input unit is out of order, each print function is selected. On the other hand, when the image forming unit is out of order, processing that does not use the image forming unit, for example, a FAX transmission function or an image reading (scanning) function is selected. Further, when there is a failure in the image input unit and the image forming unit, a browser function for performing only communication is selected.

Finally, a hardware configuration of a part of the image processing apparatus 10 that functions as a computer will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration in a portion that functions as a computer of the image processing apparatus 10, for example. The computer shown in FIG. 7 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 which is a calculation means, a mother board (M / B) chipset 202, and a main memory 203 connected to the CPU 201 via a CPU bus. Further, the video card 204 and the display 210 are connected to the CPU 201 via the M / B chipset 202. Further, for example, a hard disk device (HDD) 205 and a network interface 206 connected to the M / B chipset 202 via a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or the like are provided. Furthermore, a keyboard / pointing device 209 connected from the PCI bus to the M / B chipset 202 via a low-speed bus such as a bridge circuit 207 and an ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus is provided.

  Here, the CPU 201 executes various software such as an OS (Operating System) and an application to realize the various functions described above. The main memory 203 functioning as a working memory has a storage area for storing various software, data used for executing the software, and the like. Further, the hard disk device 205 is a memory having a storage area for storing input data for various software, output data from various software, and the like. Instead of the hard disk device 205, a semiconductor memory typified by a flash memory may be used.

  As described above, the various processes shown in the present embodiment are realized by application programs executed by the CPU 201 using the main memory 203 which is a working memory. When the application program is provided to a customer (including a user) for the image processing apparatus 10 that is a computer, the application program is a program that is executed by the computer in addition to a case where the application program is installed in the apparatus. A form provided by a storage medium or the like stored in a computer-readable manner is conceivable. Further, these programs may be provided via a network interface 206 via a network by a program transmission apparatus such as a centralized management server.

  As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, in an ordinary image processing apparatus (or image forming apparatus), when an error occurs in a part of the apparatus, all operations related to image formation are stopped. The functions related to image formation cannot be used until the cause of the error is solved or the maintenance person cancels the error. For this reason, when a part of the apparatus is damaged due to a disaster or the like, it cannot be used even when the function of the part that is not damaged is urgently used. However, according to the present embodiment, function continuity can be improved in an emergency such as the occurrence of a disaster. In addition, even in the event of a disaster, it becomes possible to use the device without stopping the operation of a highly urgent device due to a malfunction of some functions. That is, even when a part of the apparatus is damaged, the service can be continuously provided at the time of disaster by shifting to the specific disaster occurrence mode determined from the disaster information and the diagnosis result. Furthermore, the ease of return from a disaster can be improved. Furthermore, if you connect to a centralized management server or peripheral digital multifunction peripherals and send self-diagnosis results and disaster information, the self-diagnosis results and disaster information of each multifunction peripheral that are useful for recovery operations are stored in the management device or peripheral devices. This is effective for formulating an efficient recovery plan and for quick recovery work.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the structural example of the image processing apparatus with which this Embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining in detail various functions of a disaster recognition unit, a diagnosis execution unit, and a mode switching unit shown in FIG. 1. It is the figure which showed the example of the information table classified by disaster used in order to calculate a disaster influence degree in a disaster determination part. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the self-diagnosis process intrinsic | native at the time of the disaster occurrence performed by the self-diagnosis part. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the network diagnostic process performed at the time of disaster occurrence in a network diagnostic part. It is the figure which showed the example of the matching table (corresponding information) which matched the relationship between a failure location and a disaster occurrence mode used when mode selection is performed in a mode determination part. For example, it is a diagram showing a hardware configuration in a part functioning as a computer of the image processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image processing apparatus, 11 ... External IF (interface), 12 ... Disaster recognition part, 13 ... Diagnosis execution part, 14 ... Mode switching part, 15 ... User interface part (UI part), 16 ... Apparatus control part, 17 ... Image acquisition unit, 18 ... image processing unit, 19 ... image forming unit

Claims (16)

An acquisition means for acquiring information on disaster;
Diagnosis execution means for executing at least one of self-diagnosis of the device and diagnosis regarding communication with another device in accordance with the information on the disaster acquired by the acquisition means;
Switching means for switching the operation mode of the apparatus to an operation mode different from normal according to the diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis execution means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that executes image processing in an operation mode different from the normal mode switched by the switching unit. The acquisition unit acquires the degree of disaster influence on the device from the acquired information on the disaster and outputs the degree of disaster to the diagnosis execution unit,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis execution unit controls diagnosis performed using information on the degree of influence of the disaster output from the acquisition unit. The acquisition unit acquires the degree of disaster influence on the device from the acquired information about the disaster and outputs the degree of disaster to the switching unit,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit controls switching of the operation mode using information on the degree of influence of the disaster output from the acquisition unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the degree of influence of the disaster is determined based on a disaster type and a disaster scale.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the diagnosis execution unit executes the diagnosis when the degree of influence is greater than a predetermined threshold. The acquisition unit acquires the degree of disaster influence on the device from the acquired information about the disaster and outputs the degree of disaster to the switching unit,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the switching unit switches the operation mode when the influence degree is larger than a predetermined threshold value.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis execution unit executes a different diagnosis according to a disaster type.   The switching means reads correspondence information in which the relationship between the failure location of the apparatus and the operation mode is associated from the correspondence information holding unit, and switches the operation mode according to the failure location obtained from the diagnosis result by the diagnosis execution means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.   2. The switching means includes a normal mode return determination means for switching the apparatus from an operation mode different from the normal mode to a normal mode, and the return time to the normal mode varies depending on a disaster. The image processing apparatus described. A communication means for communicating with an external device;
An acquisition means for acquiring information on disaster;
Diagnosis execution means for executing a self-diagnosis of the image processing apparatus and a diagnosis regarding communication with the external device in accordance with the information about the disaster acquired by the acquisition means;
Switching means for switching the operation mode of the apparatus to an operation mode different from the normal operation mode according to the diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis execution means;
An image processing system comprising: image processing means for executing image processing in the operation mode switched by the switching means. A management device connected to the image processing device via the communication means;
The image processing system according to claim 10, wherein the acquisition unit acquires information on the disaster from the management device via the communication unit. The communication means communicates with a management apparatus or another image processing apparatus,
The switching unit reads out information stored in the memory of the image processing apparatus according to the diagnosis result, and transmits the information to the management apparatus or the other image processing apparatus via the communication unit to hold the operation mode. The image processing system according to claim 10, wherein the image processing system is switched to. On the computer,
An acquisition function to acquire information about disasters;
A diagnosis execution function for executing a self-diagnosis of the device and a diagnosis regarding communication with another device according to the information about the disaster acquired by the acquisition function;
A program that realizes a switching function for switching an operation mode of the apparatus related to image processing to a specific operation mode different from a normal operation mode according to a diagnosis result executed by the diagnosis execution function.   The acquisition function acquires a disaster impact level on the apparatus from the acquired disaster-related information, and outputs information on the disaster impact level to the diagnosis execution function and / or the switching function. Item 14. The program according to Item 13.   14. The program according to claim 13, wherein the diagnosis execution function executes different diagnoses according to the type of disaster.   The switching function reads out correspondence information in which a relationship between a failure location of the device and the operation mode is associated from a correspondence information holding unit, and switches to the operation mode according to the failure location of the device. 13. The program according to 13.

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