JP6028048B2 - Device management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a device management system that manages a large number of devices.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system for managing a large number of devices, a system for monitoring the state of a device existing in a remote place is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-269460 A

  However, in the conventional system, although the state of a device existing in a remote place can be monitored, it cannot be determined whether or not the device is properly managed, so that the device is appropriately managed. There is a problem that it is not possible to maintain the state.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a device management system capable of maintaining a state in which devices are appropriately managed.

  The device management system of the present invention includes a management state determination unit that determines whether or not the device is appropriately managed based on information from an application for managing the device, and the device is not properly managed A management status notification means for performing a management inappropriate notification indicating that the device is inadequate. The management status notification means determines that the device is not properly managed by the management status determination means. In this case, the management inappropriate notification is performed.

  With this configuration, when the device management system of the present invention determines that the device is not properly managed based on the information from the application for managing the device, the device management system according to the present invention indicates that the device is not properly managed. Keeping devices properly managed by letting device management personnel know that devices are not being properly managed, as notifications of inappropriate management are sent to specific destinations Can do.

  The device management system of the present invention further comprises group management means for managing the device, a group to which the device belongs, and a group manager as a manager of the group, and the group management means appropriately Management inappropriate device belonging group management as the group manager of the management inappropriate device belonging group as the group to which the management inappropriate device as the device determined to be unmanaged is determined by the management state determination means The management status notifying unit may perform the management inappropriate notification with the destination of the inappropriate group belonging to the management device specified by the group management unit as the specific destination.

  With this configuration, the device management system according to the present invention allows the management inappropriate device group manager to recognize that the device is not properly managed, thereby improving the possibility that the management inappropriate device is appropriately managed. be able to.

  In the device management system of the present invention, the group management unit manages a device manager as a manager of the device, and the group management unit does not manage the device inappropriate for management as the device manager. An appropriate device administrator is identified, and the management status notification means is configured to send a destination of the inappropriate management device group manager when the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group manager are different. If the management inappropriate device manager and the management inappropriate device group manager are the same, the management inappropriate device administrator, and The operation may be different from the case where the group administrator belonging to the inappropriate management device is different.

  If the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group administrator are the same, the inappropriate management device group administrator is the management of the inappropriate management device. If the management inappropriate notification is simply sent to the destination of the group manager, the possibility of appropriately managing the inappropriate management device is low. Therefore, the device management system of the present invention is configured such that when the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group manager are the same, the inappropriate management device administrator and the inappropriate management device group manager By performing an operation different from the case where the device is different from the case where the device is different from the device, it is possible to improve the possibility that the unmanaged device is appropriately managed.

  In the device management system of the present invention, the group management unit manages a hierarchical structure between the groups, and the group management unit includes a higher level group as the higher level group to which the inappropriate management device group belongs. And the management status notification means performs the management inappropriate notification a specific number of times using the destination of the group administrator belonging to the inappropriate management device as the specific destination. Thereafter, when the management status determination unit still determines that the inappropriate management device is not properly managed, the higher group administrator destination specified by the group management unit is set as the specific destination. The management inappropriate notification may be performed.

  With this configuration, the device management system according to the present invention specifies the management inappropriate notification to the destination of the inappropriate management device group administrator before performing the management inappropriate notification to the higher group administrator destination. When the inappropriate management device is managed properly by recognizing that the device is not properly managed by the group administrator belonging to the inappropriate management device. There is no need to notify the destination of inappropriate management. Therefore, the device management system of the present invention can reduce the burden on the upper group manager.

  Further, the device management system of the present invention comprises a group management means for managing the device, a group to which the device belongs, a group manager as a manager of the group, and a hierarchical structure between the groups, The group management means includes the management inappropriate device belonging group as the group to which the management inappropriate device as the device to which the management state determination means has been determined as not being properly managed belongs. The upper group manager as the group manager of the upper group as a group is specified, and the management status notifying means uses the destination of the higher group manager specified by the group management means as the specific destination as the management Inappropriate notification may be made.

  With this configuration, the device management system of the present invention makes it possible for the upper group administrator to recognize that the device is not properly managed, so that it is possible to improve the possibility that the inappropriate management device is appropriately managed.

  Further, in the device management system of the present invention, the management status notification means is a device movement instruction for receiving an instruction to change the affiliation destination of the inappropriate management device from the inappropriate management device group to the higher level group. Including the reception unit in the inappropriate management notification to the destination of the higher-level group manager, and the group management unit, when the instruction is received by the device movement instruction reception unit, the affiliation of the inappropriate management device The destination may be changed from the inappropriate management device group to the upper group.

  With this configuration, the device management system of the present invention changes the location of the inappropriate management device from the inappropriate management device group to the higher group in response to an instruction from the upper group manager. The possibility of being appropriately managed by the group can be improved.

  The device management system of the present invention can maintain a state in which devices are appropriately managed.

1 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group to which the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 belongs. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system shown in FIG. 1 when determining whether or not the image forming apparatus is properly managed. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system shown in FIG. 1 when it is determined that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed. It is a figure which shows an example of the management inappropriateness notification transmitted to the address | destination of a group manager by the management status notification means shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the management inappropriate notification with a warning transmitted to the address | destination of a group manager by the management status notification means shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the management inappropriateness notification transmitted to the address | destination of a high-order group administrator by the management status notification means shown in FIG.

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

  First, the configuration of the system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

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

  As shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 includes a device management system 20 that manages a large number of image forming apparatuses as devices. The device management system 20 is realized by at least one computer. For example, the device management system 20 is operated by a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus.

  The device management system 20 can execute a fleet assessment 21, a fleet management 22, and a fleet maintenance 23 as applications for managing the image forming apparatus. The fleet assessment 21 is an application for diagnosing the status of a group to which the image forming apparatus belongs, such as the operating status of the image forming apparatus and the implementation status of maintenance. The fleet management 22 is an application for managing the image forming apparatus, and constitutes a group management means for managing the group to which the image forming apparatus belongs. The fleet maintenance 23 is an application for performing maintenance of the image forming apparatus from a remote place.

  The device management system 20 executes a specific program to determine whether or not the image forming apparatus is properly managed based on information from an application for managing the image forming apparatus. And a management status notification unit 25 that performs management inappropriateness notification indicating that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed to a specific destination.

  The system 10 includes a large number of image forming apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses 31, 32, and 33. The image forming apparatus is, for example, an image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), a print-only machine, a copy-only machine, or a scan-only machine. Each of the large number of image forming apparatuses is installed in the environment of the user of the image forming apparatus itself.

  The image forming apparatus 31 can execute a device agent 31a as an application for managing the image forming apparatus 31 itself. The device agent 31a collects information necessary for management of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “Fleet Data”) from the image forming apparatus 31 itself, and the collected fleet data is transmitted to the device via a network such as the Internet. This is an application to be transmitted to the management system 20. Here, the fleet data includes, for example, that a recording medium such as paper has disappeared in the image forming apparatus, that any color toner has disappeared in the image forming apparatus, and the cover of the image forming apparatus has been opened. Information indicating the state of the image forming apparatus, such as the failure of the image forming apparatus and the power-on of the image forming apparatus. The system 10 includes many image forming apparatuses similar to the image forming apparatus 31.

  The system 10 includes a computer 40 such as a PC (Personal Computer) that manages a large number of image forming apparatuses such as the image forming apparatus 32. The computer 40 is installed in the environment of the user of the image forming apparatus. The computer 40 can execute a gateway 40a as an application for managing the image forming apparatus. The gateway 40a is an application that collects fleet data from each of the image forming apparatuses and transmits the collected fleet data to the device management system 20 via a network such as the Internet. The system 10 includes a number of computers similar to the computer 40.

  The system 10 includes a portable device 50 such as a smartphone or a tablet that can communicate with an image forming apparatus such as the image forming apparatus 33 by near field communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The portable device 50 is carried by a device administrator such as a service person as an administrator of the image forming apparatus. The portable device 50 can execute a mobile agent 50a as an application for managing the image forming apparatus. The mobile agent 50a is an application that collects fleet data from the image forming apparatus through short-range communication, and transmits the collected fleet data to the device management system 20 via a network such as 3G (third generation mobile communication system). The system 10 includes many portable devices similar to the portable device 50.

  The system 10 includes a computer 60 such as a PC that is used by either a device manager or a group manager as a group manager to which the image forming apparatus belongs. The computer 60 is installed in the environment of the user of the computer 60 itself among the device manager and the group manager. The computer 60 communicates with the device management system 20 via a network such as the Internet, and can use the fleet assessment 21, the fleet management 22, and the fleet maintenance 23 provided by the device management system 20. The system 10 includes a number of computers similar to the computer 60.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group to which the image forming apparatus belongs.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a group manager belongs to the group. The group manager can register or delete the image forming apparatus, the device manager, and the group in the same group as the group manager. A plurality of image forming apparatuses, device managers, and groups can belong to one group. The group manager registers or changes which device manager manages which image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus and device manager belonging to the same group as the group manager. Can be. The device administrator is an administrator of at least one image forming apparatus that belongs to the same group as the device administrator itself.

  Groups have a hierarchical structure. For example, in FIG. 2, the group 91 is an upper group of the group 92. The highest group is, for example, an exclusive sales company of the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus. The lowest group is, for example, a user of the image forming apparatus. There is no group between the highest group and the lowest group, or there is a group of one or more layers. The group that exists between the highest group and the lowest group is, for example, a sales company that is not exclusively owned by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “non-exclusive sales company”).

  The fleet management 22 (see FIG. 1) manages a group, an image forming apparatus belonging to the group, a device manager and a group manager, and a hierarchical structure between the groups.

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

  First, the operation of the device management system 20 when determining whether or not the image forming apparatus is properly managed will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when determining whether or not the image forming apparatus is appropriately managed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the management status determination means 24 of the device management system 20 determines whether or not the group status diagnosis by the fleet assessment 21 has been used during a specific period in the past based on the current time. Judgment is made (S101).

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S101 that the diagnosis of the group state by the fleet assessment 21 has been used, the management state determination unit 24 determines that the image forming apparatuses belonging to the group are appropriately managed (S102).

  When the management state determination unit 24 determines in S101 that it has not been used or when the processing in S102 ends, the device administrator has logged in to the fleet management 22 for a specific period in the past based on the current time. It is determined whether or not (S103).

  When determining in S103 that the device administrator has logged in to the fleet management 22, the management state determination unit 24 determines that the image forming apparatus to be managed by the device administrator is appropriately managed (S104).

  When the management state determination unit 24 determines in S103 that the user has not logged in, or when the processing of S104 ends, the fleet maintenance 23 performs maintenance of the image forming apparatus during a specific period in the past based on the current time. It is determined whether or not it has been performed (S105).

  When the management state determination unit 24 determines in S105 that the maintenance of the image forming apparatus has been performed by the fleet maintenance 23, the management state determination unit 24 determines that the image forming apparatus is appropriately managed (S106).

  The management state determination unit 24 determines in S105 that the management has not been performed, or when the processing of S106 ends, the device management system 20 uses the device agent 31a or the gateway 40a during a specific period in the past based on the current time. It is determined whether or not fleet data has been transmitted (S107).

  When the management state determination unit 24 determines in S107 that the fleet data has been transmitted to the device management system 20 by the device agent 31a or the gateway 40a, the management state determination unit 24 determines that the target image forming apparatus of the fleet data is appropriately managed. (S108).

  The management state determination means 24 determines in S107 that it has not been transmitted, or when the processing in S108 is completed, whether or not the mobile agent 50a has been used during a specific period in the past based on the current time. Judgment is made (S109).

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S109 that the mobile agent 50a has been used, it determines that the image forming apparatus to be managed by the device administrator using the mobile agent 50a is appropriately managed (S110). ).

  The management state determination unit 24 determines in S109 that it has not been used, or when the processing of S110 ends, it is not determined that “properly managed” in any of S102, S104, S106, S108, and S110. It is determined that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed (S111), and the operation shown in FIG.

  Next, the operation of the device management system 20 when it is determined that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the device management system 20 when it is determined that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed.

  When the device management system 20 determines in S111 that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed, the image management apparatus 20 determines that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed (hereinafter referred to as “target device”). The operation shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the management state notification means 25 specifies the device manager of the target device by the fleet management 22 (S131).

  Next, the management status notifying unit 25 specifies the group manager of the group to which the target device belongs by using the fleet management 22 (S132).

  Next, the management status notification unit 25 determines whether or not the device administrator identified in S131 and the group administrator identified in S132 are the same person (S133).

  If the management status notifying means 25 determines that they are not the same person in S133, it sets the value of the variable t to 0 (S134), and sends the management error as shown in FIG. An appropriate notification is transmitted (S135).

  Next, similarly to the operation shown in FIG. 3, the management state determination unit 24 determines whether or not the target device is appropriately managed based on information from an application for managing the image forming apparatus (S136). .

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S136 that the target device is properly managed, the operation illustrated in FIG. 4 is terminated.

  On the other hand, if the management state determination unit 24 determines in S136 that the target device is not properly managed, it determines whether or not a specific time has passed (S137).

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S137 that the specific time has not elapsed, it executes the process of S136.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S137 that the specific time has elapsed, the management state determination means 24 increments the value of the variable t by 1 (S138), and determines whether the variable t is equal to or greater than the specific value (S138). S139).

  If it is determined in S139 that the variable t is not equal to or greater than a specific value, the management state notification unit 25 executes the process of S135.

  If the management status notification means 25 determines that they are the same person in S133, the management status notification means 25 sends a management inappropriate notification with a warning as shown in FIG. 6, for example, to the destination of the group administrator specified in S132 (S140).

  Next, the management state determination unit 24 determines whether or not the target device is appropriately managed based on information from an application for managing the image forming apparatus, similarly to the operation shown in FIG. 3 (S141). .

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S141 that the target device is properly managed, the operation illustrated in FIG. 4 ends.

  On the other hand, if the management state determination unit 24 determines in S141 that the target device is not properly managed, the management state determination unit 24 determines whether or not a specific time has passed (S142).

  If the management state determination unit 24 determines in S142 that the specific time has not elapsed, the management state determination unit 24 executes the process of S141.

  When it is determined in S139 that the variable t is equal to or greater than a specific value or in S142 that the specific time has elapsed, the management status notification unit 25 is one higher than the group to which the target device belongs. The group manager (hereinafter referred to as “upper group manager”) of the group in the hierarchy is identified by the fleet management 22 (S143).

  Then, the management status notification means 25 transmits a management inappropriate notification as shown in FIG. 7 to the destination of the higher level group administrator identified in S143 (S144). Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the management state notifying unit 25 receives a device movement instruction for receiving an instruction for moving the target device to a group in a hierarchy one level higher than the group to which the target device belongs. The device movement button 201 as a copy is included in the management inappropriateness notification transmitted in S144. As a result of reading the management inappropriateness notification transmitted in S144, the upper group manager identified in S143 needs to move the target device to a group in the hierarchy one level higher than the group to which the target device belongs. If it is determined that there is, the device movement button 201 may be pressed. On the other hand, as a result of reading the inappropriate management notification transmitted in S144, the higher-level group administrator identified in S143 changes the person who is the device administrator of the target device in the inappropriate management notification as a result of the change in the organization. If it is determined that it is not necessary to move the target device to a group that is one level higher than the group to which the target device belongs, such as when the device is no longer a device administrator of the target device, the device move button 201 If you don't press When the device movement button 201 is pressed, the fleet management 22 moves the target device to a group that is one level higher than the group to which the target device belongs.

  When the process of S144 ends, the management state notification unit 25 ends the operation illustrated in FIG.

  As described above, the device management system 20 determines that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed based on information from an application for managing the image forming apparatus (S111). Since the inappropriate management notification indicating that the apparatus is not properly managed is sent to a specific destination (S135, S140, and S144), it is determined that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed. By making the parties concerned recognize, it is possible to maintain a state in which the image forming apparatus is appropriately managed. Therefore, the device management system 20 is used when, for example, an image forming apparatus sold by a non-exclusive sales company is managed by the non-exclusive sales company itself, and the non-exclusive sales company no longer appropriately manages the image forming apparatus. Even if the image forming apparatus is not properly managed, it is possible to maintain the state in which the image forming apparatus is properly managed by recognizing the person concerned in managing the image forming apparatus. Functions such as a printing function provided to the user of the image forming apparatus by the forming apparatus can be appropriately continued to be provided to the user of the image forming apparatus.

  The device management system 20 indicates that an image forming apparatus is not properly managed, that a group to which an image forming apparatus that is not properly managed (hereinafter referred to as “inadequate management device”) belongs (hereinafter “inadequate management”). The device manager (referred to as “device affiliation group”) is recognized (hereinafter referred to as “administration inappropriate device affiliation group administrator”) (S135, S140), so the possibility that the inappropriate management device can be appropriately managed Can be improved.

  If the device manager of the inappropriate management device (hereinafter referred to as “management inappropriate device administrator”) and the management inappropriate device group manager are the same (YES in S133), the management inappropriate device Since the group manager himself / herself is the manager of the inappropriate management device, the management inappropriate device is appropriately managed only by notifying the management inappropriate device belonging group administrator to the destination of the management inappropriate device (S135). Is less likely to be Therefore, when the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group manager are the same, the device management system 20 determines that the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group manager. By performing different operations (S140 to S142) from the different cases (NO in S133), it is possible to improve the possibility of appropriately managing inappropriate management devices.

  The device management system 20 sends a management inappropriate notification to the group manager of the upper group to which the management inappropriate device group belongs, that is, the management inappropriate notification to the destination of the higher group administrator (S144). Since the inappropriate management notification is sent to the belonging group manager's destination a specific number of times (S134 to S139 or S140 to S142), the inappropriate management device belonging group manager recognizes that the device is not properly managed. Therefore, when an inappropriate management device is appropriately managed, it is not necessary to send an inappropriate management notification to the address of the upper group manager. Therefore, the device management system 20 can suppress the burden placed on the upper group manager.

  The device management system 20 allows the upper group manager to recognize that the image forming apparatus is not properly managed (S144), so that it is possible to improve the possibility that an inappropriate management device will be appropriately managed.

  The device management system 20 changes the affiliation location of the inappropriate management device from the inappropriate management device group to the higher group in response to the instruction from the higher level group administrator to which the inappropriate management notification is transmitted in S144. It is possible to improve the possibility that the appropriate device is appropriately managed in the upper group.

  The device of the present invention is an image forming apparatus in the present embodiment, but may be a device other than the image forming apparatus.

20 Device management system 21 Fleet assessment (application)
22 Fleet management (application, group management means)
23 Fleet maintenance (application)
24 management state determination unit 25 management state notification unit 31 image forming apparatus (device)
31a Device agent (application)
32, 33 Image forming apparatus (device)
40a Gateway (application)
50a Mobile Agent (Application)
91, 92 group 201 Device movement button (device movement instruction receiving part)

Claims (4)

Management status determination means for determining whether or not the device is appropriately managed based on information from an application for managing the device;
A management status notification means for performing a management inappropriate notification indicating that the device is not properly managed to a specific destination;
It said management state notification means is a device management system that the device is not properly managed to perform the management improper notification when it is determined by the management status determining means,
Group management means for managing the device, a group to which the device belongs, and a group manager as a manager of the group,
The group management means as the group manager of the group of inappropriate management device belonging to the group to which the inappropriate management device as the device to which the management status determination means is determined not to be properly managed belongs Identify the inappropriate device group administrator for
The group management means manages a device administrator as an administrator of the device,
The group management means identifies a management inappropriate device manager as the device manager of the management inappropriate device,
The management status notification means includes
When the inappropriate management device manager is different from the inappropriate management device group manager, the management inappropriate device group administrator specified by the group management unit is set as the specific destination. A management inappropriateness notification,
When the inappropriate management device administrator and the inappropriate management device group manager are the same, the inappropriate management device manager and the inappropriate management device group manager are different. A device management system characterized by performing different operations.   The group management means manages a hierarchical structure between the groups,
  The group management means identifies an upper group manager as the group manager of the upper group as the upper group to which the inappropriate management device group belongs,
  The management status notification means, after performing the management inappropriate notification a specific number of times using the management inappropriate device belonging group administrator as the specific destination, the management inappropriate device is not appropriately managed The management inappropriateness notification is performed with the destination of the higher-level group manager specified by the group management unit as the specific destination when the management status determination unit remains determined. 2. The device management system according to 1.   Management status determination means for determining whether or not the device is appropriately managed based on information from an application for managing the device;
  A management status notification means for performing a management inappropriate notification indicating that the device is not properly managed to a specific destination;
  The management status notification means is a device management system that performs the inappropriate management notification when the management status determination means determines that the device is not properly managed,
  Group management means for managing the device, a group to which the device belongs, a group manager as a manager of the group, and a hierarchical structure between the groups,
  The group management means includes the management inappropriate device belonging group as the group to which the management inappropriate device as the device to which the management state determination means has been determined as not being properly managed belongs. Identify the upper group manager as the group manager of the upper group as a group,
  The device management system according to claim 1, wherein the management status notification means performs the management inappropriateness notification with the destination of the higher level group administrator specified by the group management means as the specific destination.   The management status notification means includes a device movement instruction reception unit for receiving an instruction to change the affiliation destination of the inappropriate management device from the inappropriate management device group to the higher group. Include in the inappropriate management notification to the destination,
  The group management means, when the instruction is accepted by the device movement instruction accepting unit, changes the affiliation destination of the inappropriate management device from the inappropriate management device group to the higher level group. The device management system according to claim 2 or 3.

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