Image forming apparatus and management system therefor

An image forming apparatus management system comprising:

• a network terminal having;
• a first network interface for connecting the network terminal to a network as a network terminal;
• an image forming apparatus having;
• a second network interface for connecting the image forming apparatus to the network as a network terminal;
• an electronic mail communication control unit for communicating an electronic mail with another network terminal through said first and second network interfaces;
• a memory for storing an address of said network terminal;
• a sensor for detecting an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a controller for producing the electronic mail according to the address stored in the memory, the electronic mail including a notice of the occurrence of the abnormal condition, an appropriate order form selected based on the abnormal condition and an ordering address selected based on the abnormal condition,
• wherein said electronic mail communication control unit sends an electronic mail produced by said controller to the network terminal when said sensor detects an abnormal condition, wherein a user of the other network terminal can determine if a supply order is necessary and, if necessary, fill in the order form and send the order form to an appropriate destination using the ordering address provided in the electronic mail.

An image forming method comprising steps of:

• providing an image forming apparatus on a network as a network terminal;
• an electronic mail communication control step for communicating an electronic mail with other network terminals through said network;
• storing an address of a predetermined network terminal;
• detecting, an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• producing the electronic mail according to the address stored in the memory, the electronic mail including a notice of the occurrence of the abnormal condition, an appropriate order form selected based on the abnormal condition and an ordering address selected based on abnormal condition,
• wherein said electronic mail communication control step sends an electronic mail to the predetermined network terminal when said detection step detects an abnormal condition, wherein a user of the predetermined network terminal can determine if a supply order is necessary and, if necessary, fill in the order form and send the order form to an appropriate destination using the ordering address provided in the electronic mail.

An image forming apparatus management method comprising steps of:

• providing a first network interface for connecting a network terminal to a network as a network terminal;
• providing a second network interface for connecting an image forming apparatus to the network as a network terminal;
• an electronic mail communication control step for communicating an electronic mail with another network terminal through said first and second network interfaces;
• a storing step for storing an address of said network terminal;
• a detection step for detecting an abnormal condition of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a producing step for producing the electronic mail according to the address stored in the storing step, the electronic mail including a notice of the occurrence of the abnormal condition, an appropriate order form selected based on the abnormal condition and an ordering address selected based on the abnormal condition,
• wherein said electronic mail communication control step sends an electronic mail produced by said producing step to the network terminal when said detection step detects an abnormal condition, wherein a user of the other network terminal can determine if a supply order is necessary and, if necessary, fill in the order form and send the order form to an appropriate destination using the ordering address provided in the electronic mail.