# US 11,310,374 B2 · System and processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,374 B2 - Document ID: US11310374B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/586,705 - Filed: 2019-09-27 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-02 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Katsuyoshi Kondoh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310374B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00403: {Voice input means, e.g. voice commands} - G06F 3/121: {Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted} - G06F 3/1212: {achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start} - G06F 3/1234: {Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting (G06F3/1261 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue - H04N 1/00395: {Arrangements for reducing operator input (input arrangements for job or mode instructions or parameters H04N1/00962; intelligent menu interfaces H04N1/00437)} - G06F 3/1204: {resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data} - G06F 3/1253: {Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client} - G06F 3/1288: {in client-server-printer device configuration} - G10L 15/30: Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications - G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command} - G10L 2015/225: {Feedback of the input speech} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract This system includes: an apparatus; a first server; and a second server connectable to the apparatus and the first server. The first server includes a voice receiver that receives a voice from a user, a command transmitter that transmits a command based on the voice to the second server, and an output part that, responsive to a response signal received from the second server, provides an output based on the response signal. The second server includes a command processor that transmits a response signal to the first server responsive to a first command received from the first server, and that acquires a status of the apparatus, and a status transmitter that transmits a response signal based on the acquired status of the apparatus to the first server responsive to a second command received from the first server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an apparatus; a first server; and a second server connectable to the apparatus and the first server, wherein the first server includes a first receiver that receives a voice from a user, a first transmitter that transmits a command based on the voice to the second server, and an output part that, responsive to a response signal received from the second server, provides an output based on the response signal, and the second server includes a controller that transmits a response signal to the first server responsive to a first command received from the first server, and that acquires a status of the apparatus, and a second transmitter that transmits a response signal based on the acquired status of the apparatus to the first server responsive to a second command received from the first server. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmitter transmits, as the command, data obtained by extracting predetermined information from the voice. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first command is a command indicating that the apparatus is to be operated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a voice output device that outputs a voice, wherein the output part provides, to the voice output device, an output based on a response signal as voice data, and the voice output device outputs the voice data as a voice. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus is an image forming apparatus, and the voice output device outputs a status of the image forming apparatus as a voice. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the status of the image forming apparatus includes at least one of an error status, capability information, and option information of the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmitter determines whether the status of the apparatus acquired by the controller is related to the second command and, in a case where the status of the apparatus is related to the second command, transmits a response signal based on the acquired status of the apparatus to the second server. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first server determines whether the status of the apparatus acquired by the controller is related to the second command, transmits the second command to the apparatus in a case where the status of the apparatus is not related to the second command, and refrains from transmitting the second command to the apparatus in a case where the status of the apparatus is related to the second command. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmitter determines whether the status of the apparatus acquired by the controller is related to the second command and, in a case where the status of the apparatus is related to the second command, transmits display information based on the acquired status of the apparatus to the apparatus. ### Claim 10 A processing apparatus connectable to an apparatus and a server capable of receiving a command, the processing apparatus comprising: a second receiver that receives a command from the server; a controller that, responsive to a first command received from the server, transmits a response signal to the server and acquires a status of the apparatus; and a second transmitter that, responsive to a second command received from the server, transmits a response signal based on the acquired status of the apparatus to the server.