Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Sanyo Electric Col, Ltd.

Sumiaki Hirata

Kazunobu Maekawa

Kenzo Nagata

Ikunori Yamaguchi

Toru Kirimura

Yoji Sawada

Seiji Watanabe

Masazumi Ito

Kenji Shibazaki

A central control system that monitors and remotely controls one or more terminal devices which may be part of an apparatus such as an imaging machine. Each terminal device communicates with the central control system at a predetermined time and relays the operational conditions of the apparatus to which it is associated. Relayed conditions may include information such as the number of imaging operations performed in a period of time. The central control system controls each of the terminal devices in accordance with the information transmitted from each of the terminal devices. The central control system supervises incoming transmissions from the terminal devices and detects when a terminal device has not communicated at its predetermined time. When this condition arises, the identity of the non-reporting terminal, as well as the predetermined time it was to have contacted the central control system, are displayed at the central control system.

Centralized control system for terminal device

A copying machine control system includes a plurality of copying machines, a plurality of data terminals connected to the individual copying machines and which collect identification data particular to the copying machines, and a centralized control unit performing communication of data with the data terminals through a communication network. Each copying machine stores identification data particular to that copy machine and transmits it to the data terminal in response to a request. Each data terminal includes a receiving device for receiving the identification data and a transmitting device for transmitting the identification data to the centralized controller. The centralized controller confirms the data terminal and associated copy machine and therefore accurate control can be achieved.

Copying maching control system with improved reliability of

A copying machine control system according to the present invention is a copying machine control system including data terminals collecting data related to copying machines, and a centralized control unit performing communication of data with the terminals through a communication network. Each terminal includes a holding device for holding an identification code for initialization and a first transmitter for transmitting an identification code to the centralized control unit when the centralized control unit is connected to a copying machine. The centralized control unit includes a memory for storing the identification code held in the data terminal, a confirming device for confirming a data terminal on the basis of the identification code and a second transmitter for transmitting the data for initialization to the confirmed data terminal, and the data terminal further includes an initialization device. The data terminals collects a first data relating to the frequency of use of the copy machine and a second data relating to operation of the copier (such as jams), compares the second data to a prescribed range and updates the range by either narrowing or expanding the range depending on the frequency of use.

Copying machine control system with improved reliability of

A copying machine which detects its own condition, such as the surface potential of a photosensitive member and the toner density in a developer, and communicates with a central supervisory apparatus to transmit the detected data at a preset time or when a specified number of copies are made. The communication is controlled in accordance with the number of copies which have been made since the previous communication or the time which it has taken to make the specified number of copies since the previous communication. When the number of copies is smaller than a reference number or when the time is shorter than a reference time, the communication is canceled, or alternatively, the image forming apparatus sends the central supervisory apparatus such information. When regular communication is conducted, only items of data which have changed since the previous communication are transmitted.

Image forming apparatus provided with a device for controlling

A centralized control system capable of remote controlling terminal devices such as a copying machine or automatic vending machine by using communication lines. The system displays information identifying the terminal devices which have not transmitted the information to a central unit after predetermined time. Further, the system is provided with a back-up power source for backing up a memory storing the information to be transmitted and an IC for clocking the present time. The information stored in the memory is to be transmitted when the power is supplied again in the case where the transmission has not been carried out at the predetermined time because the power source for the terminal device was shut off. Moreover, the system judges, in the case where an image forming apparatus is adapted as a terminal device, whether the image forming apparatus has recovered from trouble condition to normal condition by judging whether a copy paper is actually discharged.

A copying-machine management system for effecting centralized management of a plurality of copying machines in such a manner that data about problems developed during the maintenance of each copying machine is not counted as data about the problem occurring in each copying machine. A control CPU incorporated into a copying machine on the user side is electrically connected to a management CPU on the service station side through a communication line. Thus, a signal indicative of the state of the copying machine on the user side is sent to the management CPU on the service station, where each of the copying machines is managed. When a serviceman is sent to repair the copy machine, a serviceman mode is set. When the serviceman mode is set, the data indicating a problem is prohibited from being transmitted to the management CPU. Therefore, the data about a problem developed due to a reproduction test is not counted as the data about the problem occurring in each copying machine. Thus, since the data developed during the maintenance of each copying machine is not counted, each of the copying machines can be accurately managed.

Image forming apparatus connected to an information management apparatus

A copying machine control system in accordance with the present invention includes a control terminal collecting data about a copying machine and a centralized control unit collecting data from the control terminal. The centralized control unit includes a first timer device for counting the present time, and a transmitting device for transmitting the present time counted by the first timer device as the present time data. The control terminal includes a first receiving device for receiving the data from the copying machine, a second timer device for counting the present time, a communication device for communicating with the centralized control unit on the basis of the data received by the first receiving device when the present time counted by the second timer device comes to a predetermined time, a second receiving device for receiving the present time data from the transmitting device of the centralized control unit, and a correcting device for correcting the present time counted by the second timer device on the basis of the present time data received by the second receiving device.

Control appartus of copying machine with improved communication function

A control apparatus according to the present invention is a control apparatus collecting data about copying machines and communicating with a centralized control unit on the basis of the collected data, including a detection device for detecting trouble occurrence on the basis of the data from the copying machines, a counter for counting the number of times the trouble occurrence in response to an output of the detection device, a calculating device for calculating a trouble occurrence frequency on the basis of the number of times of trouble occurrence while the copying machine performs copying operation for a predetermined number of times, a determination device for determining that the trouble occurrence frequency calculated by the calculating device exceeds a predetermined value, and a communication device for calling the centralized control device in response to an output of the determining device.

Control apparatus for copying machine with improved communication

A copying machine control system according to the present invention is a copying machine control system including a control terminal collecting data related to a copying machine, a centralized control unit for receiving the data collected by the control terminal, and a facsimile device provided corresponding to the control terminal. The control terminal includes a first receiving device for receiving data from the copying machine, and a first transmitting device for transmitting the data received by the first receiving device to the centralized control unit. The centralized control unit includes a second receiving device for receiving the data from the first transmitting device of the control terminal, a determination device for determining that the data received by the second receiving device is predetermined data, and a second transmitting device for transmitting predetermined image information to a facsimile device in response to an output of the determining device.

Control apparatus of copying machine with improved communication

A copier system or similar image forming system includes a centralized control unit. The centralized control unit has a data base storing information pertaining to machine model specifications, operating manuals and other related know-how pertinent to the operation of the copiers. Using data received from the copying machines, the centralized control unit employs fuzzy logic to identify abnormal operating conditions of the copiers and possible repair procedures.

Centralized control system for an image forming apparatus which employs

In a method and system for controlling a plurality of copying machines, plural control units respectively associated with the copying machines are connected with one another by means of a private branch exchange (PBX) telephone system. A control unit calls one or more of the other control units, internally through the extension lines of the PBX, at a prescribed data and time, to detect any abnormality in the operation of the called unit. If an abnormality is detected, a call is placed to a control center located external to the PBX, to thereby inform the control center of the detected abnormality.

System of controlling a plurality of copying machines interconnnected

A control apparatus according to the present invention is a control apparatus collecting data related to copying machines and communicating with a centralized control unit on the basis of the data collected, including a communication device for calling the centralized control unit, a determination device for determining that connection with the centralized control device can not be made in spite of the fact that the communication device is activated, a setting device for setting a retransmission time on the basis of a random number in a predetermined time period in response to a determination output of the determination device, a timer device for counting the present time, and a control device for having the communication device call the centralized control unit again when the present time becomes the retransmission time.

A method of controlling a plurality of copying machines through a communication network in accordance with the present invention receives data from a copying machine, detects the state of trouble occurrence as to a particular portion of the copying machine based on the data from the copying machine, determines whether or not the use of the particular portion should be prohibited based on the detected state of trouble occurrence, and transmits a prohibition signal instructing prohibition of the use of the particular portion to the copying machine, when it is determined that the use of the particular portion should be prohibited.

Copying machine control system controlling a plurality of copying

A copying machine control system according to the present invention includes a plurality of data terminals collecting data related to a plurality of copying machines, respectively, a centralized control unit for communicating data with each data terminal through a communication network, and a communication control unit for connecting the plurality of data terminals and the communication network. Each of the data terminals includes a request device for requesting the communication control unit communication with the centralized control unit when predetermined transmission condition including one with high priority and one with low priority is satisfied, a transmitting device for transmitting the priority of the transmission condition to the communication control unit when the predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, and a communication device for communicating with the centralized control unit when communication with the centralized control unit is permitted by the communication control unit. The communication control unit includes a first controller for, when request for communication is caused by only one of the data terminals, permitting the data terminal to communicate with the centralized control unit, and a second controller for, when requests for communication are caused from a plurality of the data terminals, permitting a data terminal having transmission condition with the highest priority to communicate with the centralized control unit.

Control system for copying machines with improved communication function

A copying machine control system according to the present invention is a copying machine control system having a data terminal collecting data related to a copying machine and a centralized control station communicating data with the data terminal through a communication network, wherein the centralized control station includes a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal, and the data terminal includes a memory device for storing first and second calling data for calling the first and second communication terminals, respectively, a first calling device for calling the first communication terminal with the first calling data when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, a determining device for making a determination that connection can not be made to the first communication terminal in spite of operation of the first calling device, and a second calling device for calling the second communication terminal with the second calling data in response to an output of the determining device.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi, Japan

Sumiaki Hirata