# US 2022/0035291 A1 · Information processing apparatus and system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0035291 A1 - Document ID: US20220035291A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/319,521 - Filed: 2021-05-13 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-03 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kazuhiko KIKUCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220035291A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/2042: {specially for the axial heat partition} - G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display} - G03G 15/2039: {with means for controlling the fixing temperature} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract According to one embodiment, the information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a derivation unit, and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires voltage information indicating a voltage applied to a heat generation unit that heats a sheet in an image forming apparatus. The derivation unit derives a fluctuation range in the voltage indicated by the voltage information acquired by the acquisition unit. The determination unit determines whether or not there is an indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit using the fluctuation range derived by the derivation unit and a reference fluctuation range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus, comprising: a storage unit; a processor configured to: acquire voltage information for an image forming apparatus, the voltage information indicating voltages applied to a heat generation unit of the image forming apparatus for heating a sheet in the image forming apparatus, calculate a fluctuation range for the voltages in the voltage information, and detect whether there is an indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit based on at least a comparison of the calculated fluctuation range and a reference fluctuation range stored in the storage unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit is additionally based on a comparison of a maximum voltage level in the voltage information and a reference voltage level stored in the storage unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage information excludes voltages detected during a startup period of the heat generating unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the startup period is a return after a device idle state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause a warning message to be transmitted when there is an indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the warning message is transmitted via a network connection to the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the warning message is transmitted via a network connection to a mobile terminal associated with the image forming apparatus in the storage unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the reference information to be stored in the storage unit when the reference information is received from the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of image forming apparatus are connected to the information processing apparatus via a network. ### Claim 10 An information processing system for managing image forming apparatuses, the system comprising: an information processing apparatus including a processor and a first storage unit; and an image forming apparatus including: a heater to heat a sheet in an image forming operation, a second storage unit configured to store voltage information indicating voltages applied to the heater during a period of time after a startup period, and a communication interface configured to transmit the voltage information to the information processing apparatus, wherein the processor of the information processing apparatus is configured to: acquire the voltage information from the image forming apparatus, calculate a fluctuation range for the voltages in the voltage information, and detect whether there is an indication of a malfunction in the heater based on at least a comparison of the calculated fluctuation range and a reference fluctuation range stored in the first storage unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the detection of the indication of a malfunction in the heater is additionally based on a comparison of a maximum voltage level in the voltage information and a reference voltage level stored in the first storage unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the voltage information excludes voltages detected during the startup period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the startup period is a return after a device idle state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause a warning message to be transmitted when there is an indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information processing system according to claim 14, wherein the warning message is transmitted via a network connection to the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the warning message is transmitted via a network connection to a mobile terminal associated with the image forming apparatus in the first storage unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the reference information to be stored in the first storage unit when the reference information is received from the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The information processing system according to claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of image forming apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus via a network. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions which when executed by a processor of an information processing apparatus causes the information processing apparatus to perform a method comprising: acquiring voltage information for an image forming apparatus, the voltage information indicating voltages applied to a heat generation unit of the image forming apparatus for heating a sheet in the image forming apparatus; calculating a fluctuation range for the voltages in the voltage information; and detecting whether there is an indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit based on at least a comparison of the calculated fluctuation range and a reference fluctuation range stored in the storage unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the detecting of the indication of a malfunction in the heat generation unit is additionally based on a comparison of a maximum voltage level in the voltage information and a reference voltage level stored in the storage unit.