JP5502030B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can appropriately support a user's request for a business trip by a user when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a user of an image forming apparatus requests a serviceman to make a business trip through a contact means such as a telephone, FAX, or e-mail when a predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus including a display unit that displays information received from an external apparatus (see Patent Documents 1 to 3).

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is an image forming apparatus connected to a host device as an external device. This image forming apparatus stores a unique message such as an error message and a user-defined message such as an error message created by the user on the host device. When a message display request is received, the unique message and user-defined message are stored. Any one of the messages is displayed on the display unit of the image forming apparatus itself.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 2 is a multifunction peripheral connected to a host computer as an external apparatus. This multifunction device displays a message registered in the host computer on the screen of the multifunction device itself.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 3 is an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine connected to a PC as an external apparatus. This image forming apparatus displays messages such as schedule information such as conference guidance, message information, and weather forecasts created by a user on a PC on the display of the image forming apparatus itself.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus that transmits information to an external apparatus is also known (see Patent Document 4).

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 4 is an image forming apparatus such as a copier that displays an inquiry button to be pressed when an operator makes an inquiry to a service center on a touch panel screen. When the inquiry button displayed on the touch panel screen is pressed, the image forming apparatus displays a screen including a text input field and a transmission button on the touch panel screen. When the transmission button is pressed on the touch panel screen, The text entered in the text input field by the operator is sent to the service center by electronic mail.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-249781 JP 2001-358877 A JP 2004-345161 A JP 2006-180163 A

  However, there is no known image forming apparatus that can support a service person's business trip request using a function of transmitting / receiving information to / from an external apparatus when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately supporting a user's request for a business trip by a user when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention is a display unit that displays information, and display information that is information to be displayed on the display unit, and is fixed information that allows a user to request a business trip of a serviceman. An image forming apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores information for fixed display; and a display control unit that displays the information for fixed display on the display unit when a predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus. Alternative display receiving means for receiving alternative display information, which is the display information instead of the fixed display information, from an external device and storing the information in the storage unit, and the display control means includes the display control means, When the alternative display information is stored in a storage unit, the alternative display information is displayed on the display unit instead of the fixed display information.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention causes the display unit to display the alternative display information instead of the fixed display information when the alternative display information received from the external device is stored in the storage unit. Therefore, unnecessary re-requests for business trips by service users by users can be suppressed. That is, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can appropriately support a request for a business trip of a serviceman by a user when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an operation unit to which an operation by the user is input, and business trip request information that transmits business trip request information, which is information for requesting a business trip of the serviceman, to the external device. The business trip request information transmission means sends the business trip request information to the fixed display information displayed on the display unit according to the operation input to the operation unit. You may transmit to an external apparatus.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention transmits the business trip request information to an external device in response to an operation input to the operation unit, so that when a predetermined abnormality occurs, the user requests a serviceman business trip. Can be facilitated.

  In addition, the predetermined abnormality of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is that a predetermined defect that is recovered by restarting the image forming apparatus occurs a predetermined number of times or more. The fixed display information may be displayed on the display unit when it occurs and the image forming apparatus is restarted.

  With this configuration, when the image forming apparatus is restarted after a predetermined failure that has been recovered by restarting the image forming apparatus has occurred a predetermined number of times or more, Since the display information is displayed on the display unit, it is possible to appropriately support a serviceman's business trip request by a user who has restarted the image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus program according to the present invention includes a display unit for displaying information, and display information that is information to be displayed on the display unit, and is fixed information for requesting a user to make a business trip for a serviceman. A display control step of causing the display unit to display the fixed display information when a predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including a storage unit that stores the fixed display information. An alternative information receiving step of receiving, from the external device, the alternative display information that is the display information instead of the fixed display information and storing the information in the storage unit, and the display control step includes the storage When the alternative display information is stored in a section, the display section displays the alternative display information instead of the fixed display information.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus that executes the program for the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can perform the alternative display instead of the fixed display information when the alternative display information received from the external apparatus is stored in the storage unit. Since the information is displayed on the display unit, it is possible to suppress unnecessary re-requests for service trips by service users. That is, the image forming apparatus that executes the program for the image forming apparatus of the present invention can appropriately support a request for a serviceman's business trip by the user when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention can appropriately support a user's request for a business trip by a user when a predetermined abnormality occurs.

1 is a block diagram of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram of PC shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 1 when recovering from a problem. It is a figure which shows an example of the information for fixed displays displayed on the display part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the information for alternative displays displayed on the display part shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 1 when recovering from a problem when business trip request information is not transmitted to a PC in accordance with an operation input to an operation unit. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of fixed display information displayed on the display unit illustrated in FIG. 2, which is an example different from the example illustrated in FIG. 5.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of the network system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the network system 10 includes an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 20 that is an image forming apparatus, and a PC (Personal Computer) 30 that is an apparatus external to the MFP 20. The MFP 20 and the PC 30 are communicably connected to each other via a network 11 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the MFP 20 includes a control unit 21 that controls the entire MFP 20, a storage unit 22 that is a storage device such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) that stores various data, and a user. An operation unit 23 which is an input device such as buttons for inputting various operations by the user (hereinafter referred to as “MFP user”), and a display unit which is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for displaying various information. 24, a printer 25 that is a printing device that performs printing on paper, a scanner 26 that is a reading device that reads an image from a document, an external facsimile apparatus (not shown), and a fax communication via a communication line such as a public telephone line. A facsimile communication section 27 is a fax device which performs, and a network communication unit 28 is a network communication device for communicating with an external device via the network 11.

  The control unit 21 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and various data in advance, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area of the CPU. ing. The CPU is configured to execute a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22. The ROM is display information that is information to be displayed on the display unit 24 as information to be displayed on the display unit 24, and is fixed information of the MPF 20 that causes the MFP user to request a business trip of a service person. Some fixed display information is stored. That is, the control unit 21 constitutes a part of the storage unit of the present invention.

  The storage unit 22 stores an image forming apparatus program 22 a that is a program for the MFP 20. Further, the storage unit 22 includes an alternative display information 22b that is an alternative display information of the fixed display information stored in the ROM of the control unit 21, and a counter 22c for recording the number of malfunctions described later. Can be remembered.

  The image forming apparatus program 22a may be installed in the MFP 20 at the manufacturing stage of the MFP 20, or may be installed from a storage medium such as a CD (Compact Disk) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or from the network 11 on the MFP 20. It may be additionally installed.

  The control unit 21 executes the image forming apparatus program 22a stored in the storage unit 22 to receive and store the display control unit 21a for controlling display by the display unit 24 and the alternative display information 22b from the PC 30. It functions as the alternative information receiving means 21b to be stored in the unit 22 and the business trip request information transmitting means 21c for transmitting to the PC 30 the business trip request information which is information for requesting a serviceman's business trip.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the PC 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the PC 30 includes a control unit 31 that controls the entire PC 30, a storage unit 32 that is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores programs and various types of data, and a user An operation unit 33 that is an input device such as a mouse and a keyboard to which various operations are input, a display unit 34 that is a display device such as an LCD that displays various information, and the external device via the network 11 are communicated. And a network communication unit 35 which is a network communication device.

  The control unit 31 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data in advance, and a RAM that is used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU is configured to execute a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 32.

  The user of the PC 30 is a trader who arranges a business trip for a service person.

  Next, the operation of the network system 10 will be described.

  In the following, the control unit 31 of the PC 30 can send and receive information to and from the MFP 20 via, for example, a web browser displayed on the display unit 34. Note that the control unit 31 may transmit / receive information to / from the MFP 20 by a method other than the web browser.

<Failure of MFP 20>
For example, when print data that cannot be processed is input, the control unit 21 of the MFP 20 has a problem that the state of the RAM becomes abnormal and cannot be operated thereafter. If the MFP user has a problem that the RAM status becomes abnormal and cannot be operated thereafter, the MFP user turns off the power of the MFP 20 and then turns it on, that is, by restarting the MFP 20. The MFP 20 can be recovered from the malfunction.

<Operation of MFP 20 when recovering from failure>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP 20 when recovering from a problem.

  The control unit 21 of the MFP 20 executes the process shown in FIG. 4 every time the above-described failure occurs, when it is first restarted after the failure.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the display control means 21a of the control unit 21 increases the value of the counter 22c by 1 (S101).

  Next, the display control unit 21a determines whether or not the value of the counter 22c is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (S102).

  When the display control unit 21a determines in S102 that the value of the counter 22c is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the process illustrated in FIG. That is, the display control unit 21a does not execute either the display of fixed display information or the display of alternative display information 22b, which will be described later, when the above-described problem has not occurred for a predetermined number of times.

  On the other hand, when the display control unit 21a determines in S102 that the value of the counter 22c is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, an abnormality has occurred that the above-described problem has occurred a predetermined number of times or more, the display control unit 21a It is determined whether or not the information 22b is stored (S103).

  If the display control unit 21a determines in S103 that the alternative display information 22b is not stored in the storage unit 22, the display control unit 21a displays the fixed display information stored in the ROM on the display unit 24 (S104).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of fixed display information displayed on the display unit 24 in S104.

  The fixed display information shown in FIG. 5 includes a business trip request button 41 for requesting a serviceman's business trip, and a close button 42 for terminating display of the fixed display information on the display unit 24. .

  As shown in FIG. 4, the display control unit 21a determines whether or not the business trip request button 41 is pressed by the operation input to the operation unit 23 after the process of S104 (S105).

  When the display control unit 21a determines in S105 that the business trip request button 41 has been pressed, the business trip request information transmission unit 21c of the control unit 21 sends the business trip request information, which is information for requesting a business trip of the service person, to the network communication unit 28. (S106). The transmission of the business trip request information from the MFP 20 to the PC 30 may be executed by e-mail.

  Next, the display control unit 21a ends the display of the fixed display information on the display unit 24 (S107), and ends the process shown in FIG.

  If it is determined in S105 that the business trip request button 41 has not been pressed, the display control means 21a determines whether or not the close button 42 has been pressed by the operation input to the operation unit 23 (S108).

  If the display control unit 21a determines in S108 that the close button 42 has not been pressed, the display control unit 21a returns to the process of S105 again.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S108 that the close button 42 has been pressed, the display control unit 21a ends the display of the fixed display information on the display unit 24 (S107), and ends the process shown in FIG.

  When determining in S103 that the alternative display information 22b is stored in the storage unit 22, the display control unit 21a displays the alternative display information 22b stored in the storage unit 22 on the display unit 24 (S109).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the alternative display information 22b displayed on the display unit 24 in S109.

  The alternative display information 22b shown in FIG. 6 includes a close button 43 for ending the display of the alternative display information 22b by the display unit 24.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the display control unit 21 a determines whether or not the close button 43 has been pressed by the operation input to the operation unit 23 until it is determined that the close button 43 has been pressed after the process of S <b> 109. (S110).

  If the display control means 21a determines in S110 that the close button 43 has been pressed, it terminates the display of the alternative display information 22b on the display unit 24 (S111) and ends the processing shown in FIG.

<Operation of PC 30 when Travel Request Information is Received>
Upon receiving the business trip request information transmitted from the MFP 20 in S106 via the network communication unit 35, the control unit 31 of the PC 30 displays the received business trip request information on the display unit 34.

  Accordingly, the user of the PC 30 arranges a service person who makes a business trip in accordance with the business trip request information displayed on the display unit 34, and then substitute display information 22b (see FIG. 6) to be displayed on the display unit 24 of the MFP 20. ) Is input via the operation unit 33 of the PC 30.

  When the alternative display information 22b is input, the control unit 31 of the PC 30 transmits the input alternative display information 22b to the MFP 20 via the network communication unit 35.

<Operation of MFP 20 when Substitute Display Information 22b is Stored>
When the substitute information receiving unit 21 b of the control unit 21 of the MFP 20 receives the substitute display information 22 b via the network communication unit 28, the substitute information receiving unit 21 b stores the received substitute display information 22 b in the storage unit 22.

  When the user of the PC 30 gives an instruction to delete the alternative display information 22b via the PC 30, the control unit 21 of the MFP 20 deletes the alternative display information 22b instructed to be deleted from the storage unit 22. It may be like this. In addition, when a special operation for deleting the alternative display information 22b is input from the operation unit 23 by an operator such as a service person who has traveled, the control unit 21 stores the alternative display information 22b in the storage unit 22. It may be deleted from.

  In addition, when a special operation for resetting the value of the counter 22c is input from the operation unit 23 by an operator such as a service person who has traveled, the control unit 21 sets the value of the counter 22c to zero. It may be.

  As described above, when the alternative display information 22b received from the PC 30 is stored in the storage unit 22 (YES in S103), the MFP 20 displays the alternative display information 22b instead of the fixed display information. 24 is displayed (S109), it is possible to suppress unnecessary re-requests for the serviceman's business trip by the user. That is, the MFP 20 can appropriately support the service request of the service person by the MFP user when a predetermined abnormality occurs (YES in S102).

  When the MFP 20 is restarted after an abnormality has occurred that the above-mentioned problem that is recovered by restarting the MFP 20 occurs more than a predetermined number of times (YES in S102), the information for fixed display or for alternative display is displayed. Since the information 22b is displayed on the display unit 24 (S104 or S109), it is possible to appropriately support a service person's business trip request by the MFP user who has restarted the MFP 20.

  In addition, the content of the malfunction and abnormality in this invention may be other than the content mentioned above.

  The MFP 20 transmits the business trip request information to the PC 30 in response to the operation input to the operation unit 23 (YES in S105) (S106), so that it is easy for the MFP user to request a service business trip when a predetermined abnormality occurs. Can be

  Note that the MFP 20 may not be configured to transmit the business trip request information to the PC 30 according to the operation input to the operation unit 23.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of the MFP 20 when recovering from a problem when the business trip request information is not transmitted to the PC 30 according to the operation input to the operation unit 23.

  When executing the process shown in FIG. 7 instead of the process shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 21 of the MFP 20 displays fixed display information as shown in FIG. 8 on the display unit 24 in S104.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of fixed display information displayed on the display unit 24 in S104, which is an example different from the example illustrated in FIG.

  The fixed display information shown in FIG. 8 does not include a business trip request button 41 (see FIG. 5) for requesting a business trip of the service person.

  In response to the fixing information shown in FIG. 8 displayed on the display unit 24, the MFP user requests the service person to make a business trip to a service provider who arranges a business trip for the service person by means of contact means such as telephone, FAX, or e-mail. can do. The supplier who has received the request arranges a service person who makes a business trip in response to the request, and then substitute information 22b (see FIG. 6) for display on the display unit 24 of the MFP 20 via the operation unit 33 of the PC 30. The substitute display information 22b thus entered can be transmitted from the PC 30 to the MFP 20 as described above.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an MFP in the present embodiment, but may be an image forming apparatus other than the MFP, such as a printer dedicated machine.

  The external device of the present invention is a PC in the present embodiment, but may be a device other than a PC.

20 MFP (image forming apparatus)
21 Control unit (storage unit)
21a Display control means 21b Alternative information receiving means 21c Business trip request information transmitting means 22 Storage section 22a Image forming apparatus program 22b Alternative display information 23 Operation section 24 Display section 30 PC (external apparatus)

Claims (4)

An operation section operated by the user is input, a display unit for displaying information, in order to request the travel service person to the user an information display information is to be displayed on the display unit An image forming apparatus comprising a storage unit that stores fixed display information that is fixed information,
Display control means for displaying the fixed display information on the display unit when a predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus, and business trip request information which is information for requesting a business trip of the service person. The business trip request information transmitting means for transmitting to the site and the alternative display information which is the display information instead of the fixed display information from the external device to which the business trip request information is transmitted by the business trip request information transmitting means. Alternative information receiving means for receiving and storing in the storage unit,
The business trip request information transmitting means transmits the business trip request information to the external device according to the operation input to the operation unit with respect to the fixed display information displayed on the display unit,
The display control unit causes the display unit to display the fixed display information when the predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus and the storage unit does not store the alternative display information. the alternate display information in the storage unit the image forming apparatus according to claim be displayed the alternate display information in place of the lever said fixed display information is stored in the display unit.   The predetermined abnormality is that a predetermined defect that is recovered by restarting the image forming apparatus occurs a predetermined number of times or more,
  The display control unit displays the fixed display information when the predetermined abnormality occurs and the alternative display information is not stored in the storage unit when the image forming apparatus is restarted. 2. The display unit is displayed on the display unit, and the alternative display information is displayed on the display unit instead of the fixed display information if the alternative display information is stored in the storage unit. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   An operation unit to which an operation by a user is input, a display unit that displays information, and display information that is information to be displayed on the display unit, for causing the user to request a business trip of a serviceman An image forming apparatus including a storage unit that stores fixed display information that is fixed information;
  A display control step for displaying the fixed display information on the display section when a predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus, and a business trip request information which is information for requesting a business trip of the serviceman. A business trip request information transmission step to be transmitted to the device, and an alternative display information which is the display information instead of the fixed display information, from the external device to which the business trip request information has been transmitted by the business trip request information transmission step. An alternative information receiving step of receiving and storing in the storage unit,
  The business trip request information transmission step is a step of transmitting the business trip request information to the external device according to the operation input to the operation unit with respect to the fixed display information displayed on the display unit. Yes,
  In the display control step, when the predetermined abnormality occurs in the image forming apparatus, if the alternative display information is not stored in the storage unit, the display unit displays the fixed display information. A program for an image forming apparatus, characterized in that, if the alternative display information is stored in a storage unit, the alternative display information is displayed on the display unit instead of the fixed display information.   The predetermined abnormality is that a predetermined defect that is recovered by restarting the image forming apparatus occurs a predetermined number of times or more,
  In the display control step, the fixed display information is displayed if the alternative display information is not stored in the storage unit when the predetermined abnormality occurs and the image forming apparatus is restarted. It is a step of displaying on the display unit, and displaying the alternative display information on the display unit instead of the fixed display information if the alternative display information is stored in the storage unit. The program for an image forming apparatus according to claim 3.

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