Mamagement system, electronic instrument, and management method

A management system comprising:

• an electronic instrument that uses a managed article;
• and
• a management server configured to communicate with the electronic instrument,
• the electronic instrument including
• an acquisition section configured to acquire identification information from an item accompanying the managed article used by the electronic instrument, the identification information being read-only information, and
• an electronic instrument-side communication section configured to transmit information including the identification information acquired by the acquisition section to the management server, and
• the management server including
• a management server-side communication section configured to receive the information transmitted from the electronic instrument,
• a storage section configured to store registered database in which information corresponding to the identification information of a plurality of managed articles is registered in advance, and to store identification information database, and
• a management section configured to reference the registered database using the identification information included in the information transmitted from the electronic instrument to determine whether the identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument, and to record at least a portion of the information transmitted from the electronic instrument in the identification information database as being associated with the identification information when it is determined that the identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument.

A management server for managing a managed article used by an electronic instrument with identification information for the managed article being recorded as read-only information on the managed article or an item accompanying the managed article, the management server comprising:

• a management server-side communication section configured to receive the identification information from the electronic instrument;
• a storage section configured to store registered database in which information corresponding to the identification information of a plurality of managed articles is registered in advance, and to store identification information database;
• and
• a management section configured to reference the registered database using the identification information included in the information transmitted from the electronic instrument to determine whether the identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument, and to record at least a portion of the information transmitted from the electronic instrument in the identification information database as being associated with the identification information when it is determined that the identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument.

An electronic instrument adapted to use a managed article managed by a management system including a management server, the electronic instrument comprising:

• an acquisition section configured to acquire identification information from the managed article or from an item accompanying the managed article, the identification information being read-only information;
• a state detection section configured to detect a state of the managed article used by the electronic instrument;
• and
• an electronic instrument-side communication section configured to transmit information including the identification information acquired by the acquisition section to the management server, and to receive information corresponding to the state of the managed article that is recorded in the management server as being associated with the identification information acquired by the acquisition section.

A management method for managing by a management server a managed article used by an electronic instrument configured to communicate with the management server, the management method comprising:

• acquiring by the electronic instrument identification information from the managed article or from an item accompanying the managed article, the identification information being read-only information;
• transmitting information including the identification information acquired by the electronic instrument from the electronic instrument to the management server;
• receiving by the management server the information transmitted from the electronic instrument;
• referencing by the management server registered database in which information corresponding to the identification information of a plurality of managed articles is registered in advance by using the identification information included in the information transmitted from the electronic instrument to determine whether identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument;
• and
• recording by the management server at least a portion of the information transmitted from the electronic instrument in identification information database as being associated with the identification information when it is determined that the identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument.