The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 06, 2003
Filed:
May. 14, 1999
Ikunori Yamaguchi, Toyokawa, JP;
Atsushi Tomita, Toyohashi, JP;
Naohiro Yonezu, Toyohashi, JP;
Masazumi Ito, Toyohashi, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A management unit includes a collector for collecting various data of a connected unit, a connector to a communication line, a communicator transmitting the various data to a centralized management unit through the communication line. The management unit has at least two data communication processing methods, and includes a timer, a comparator for comparing the time measured by the timer with a time band set in advance in the centralized management unit, and a communication process initiator responsive to the results of comparison by the comparator for selecting a data communication processing methods and initiating a communication process. As a result, it is possible for one centralized management unit to manage a plurality of management units transmitting data in accordance with different communication methods.