Image forming system detecting change in physical quantity (sound) from variable mechanism and determining and notifying an abnormal condition based on the change compared to a threshold

An image forming system comprising:

• an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium;
• and
• a management apparatus configured to manage the image forming apparatus,
• wherein the image forming apparatus includes:
• a variable mechanism configured to change from a first state to a second state or from the second state to the first state in response to being physically operated by a user;
• a first state detection unit configured to detect a change in a state of the variable mechanism;
• a second state detection unit configured to detect a change in the state of the variable mechanism at a position different from a position of the first state detection unit;
• an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an occurrence of an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a transmission unit configured to transmit a detection result of the first state detection unit, a detection result of the second state detection unit, and a detection result of the abnormality detection unit to the management apparatus,
• wherein the management apparatus includes:
• a determination unit configured to determine whether the abnormal condition is caused by a change in the state of the variable mechanism, based on the detection results transmitted from the transmission unit;
• and
• a notification unit configured to provide a notification that the abnormal condition is caused by a change in the state of the variable mechanism in accordance with a determination result of the determination unit,
• wherein the determination unit is configured to determine that the abnormal condition is caused by a change in the state of the variable mechanism when a time interval from detection of the change in the state by the first state detection unit to detection of the change in the state by the second state detection unit is shorter than a threshold time and thereafter the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit,
• wherein the determination unit is configured to determine that the abnormal condition is caused by a change in the state of the variable mechanism when a difference between the number of sheets printed up to a first time point at which the time interval shorter than the threshold time is detected and the number of sheets printed up to a second time point at which the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined number of printed sheets, and
• wherein the determination unit is configured not to determine that the abnormal condition is caused by a change in the state of the variable mechanism when the difference is larger than the predetermined number of printed sheets.

An image forming system comprising:

• a server;
• and
• an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus including:
• a main body;
• a unit configurable in a first state in which the unit is pulled out from the main body and a second state in which the unit is attached to the main body;
• a physical quantity detection unit configured to detect a physical quantity changing while the unit changes from the first state to the second state;
• an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an occurrence of an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a transmission unit configured to obtain (i) data from the physical quantity detection unit and (ii) a detection result of the abnormality detection unit and transmit the data and the detection result to the server,
• wherein the server is configured to communicate with the image forming apparatus, the server including:
• a determination unit configured to determine whether the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit after the data exceeds a threshold, based on the data and the detection result;
• and
• a notification unit configured to notify a display device so that the display device displays an information related to the abnormal condition and an abnormal operation of the unit when the determination unit determines that the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit after the data exceeds the threshold,
• wherein the data is related to the physical quantity detected when the unit changes from the first state to the second state,
• wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether a difference between the number of sheets printed up to a first time point at which the data exceeds the threshold and the number of sheets printed up to a second time point at which the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined number of printed sheets, and
• wherein the notification unit is configured to notify the display device so that the display device displays the information when the determination unit determines that a difference between the number of sheets printed up to a first time point at which the data exceeds the threshold and the number of sheets printed up to a second time point at which the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined number of printed sheets.

A server for communicating with an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium, wherein the image forming apparatus includes:

• a main body;
• a unit configurable in a first state in which the unit is pulled out from the main body and a second state in which the unit is attached to the main body;
• a physical quantity detection unit configured to detect a physical quantity changing while the unit changes from the first state to the second state;
• an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an occurrence of an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a transmission unit configured to obtain (i) data from the physical quantity detection unit and (ii) a detection result of the abnormality detection unit and transmit the data and the detection result to the server,
• wherein the server comprises:
• a determination unit configured to determine whether the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit after the data exceeds a threshold, based on the data and the detection result;
• and
• a notification unit configured to notify a display device so that the display device displays an information related to the abnormal condition and an abnormal operation of the unit when the determination unit determines that the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit after the data exceeds the threshold,
• wherein the data is related to the physical quantity detected when the unit changes from the first state to the second state,
• wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether a difference between the number of sheets printed up to a first time point at which the data exceeds the threshold and the number of sheets printed up to a second time point at which the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined number of printed sheets, and
• wherein the notification unit is configured to notify the display device so that the display device displays the information when the determination unit determines that a difference between the number of sheets printed up to a first time point at which the data exceeds the threshold and the number of sheets printed up to a second time point at which the abnormal condition is detected by the abnormality detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined number of printed sheets.