System and method for monitoring the state of a plurality of machines connected via a computer network
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorHiroaki Sekizawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Each agent unit gets status information indicating the state of each of network printers connected by a LAN from the network printers every first time period. Whenever each agent unit gets the status information from the network printer, it overwrites a status log data file with the gotten status information. Each agent unit converts all status information stored in the status log data file into status mail of electronic mail and transmits the status mail to a mail server every second time period longer than the first time period. On the other hand, a console unit accesses the mail server and reads the status mail in a proper time period to the console unit.
Claims69
A local monitor unit for transmitting status information formed of a plurality of pieces of information indicating an operation state of a machine to be monitored to an integrated monitor unit through a computer network, said local monitor unit comprising:
- local information getting means for getting the status information from the machine through a first-type computer network;
- local information retention means for retaining the status information gotten by said local information getting means;
- and
- local information transmission means for transmitting at least a part of the plurality of pieces of the status information retained in said local information retention means to the integrated monitor unit through a second-type computer network connecting the first-type computer network to the integrated monitor unit.
A local monitor unit for transmitting status information indicating an operation state of a machine to be monitored to an integrated monitor unit through a computer network, said local monitor unit comprising:
- local information getting means for getting the status information from the machine;
- electronic mail preparation means for converting the status information gotten by said local information getting means into a format of electronic mail to which an address of the integrated monitor unit is added;
- and
- local information transmission means for sending electronic mail prepared by said electronic mail preparation means to a mail server of the computer network.
An integrated monitor unit for receiving status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, connected to a first-type computer network through a second-type computer network connected to the first-type computer network, said integrated monitor unit comprising:
- global information getting means for getting the status information from the plurality of machines;
- a database for storing information concerning the plurality of machines;
- database management means for updating said database based on the status information gotten by said global information getting means;
- and
- display means for displaying the information stored on said database.
An integrated monitor unit for receiving status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network, said integrated monitor unit comprising:
- electronic mail reception means for receiving electronic mail containing the status information from a mail server of the computer network;
- extraction means for extracting the status information from the electronic mail received by said electronic mail reception means;
- a database for storing information concerning the plurality of machines;
- database management means for updating said database based on the status information extracted by said extraction means;
- and
- display means for displaying the information stored on said database.
An integrated monitor unit for receiving status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network, said integrated monitor unit comprising:
- global information getting means for getting the status information from the plurality of machines;
- and
- display means for displaying, in installation area units of the plurality of machines, the status information gotten by said global information getting means.
An integrated monitor unit for receiving status information containing remaining amount information of a consumable article of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network, said integrated monitor unit comprising:
- global information getting means for periodically getting the status information from the plurality of machines;
- a database for storing information concerning the plurality of machines;
- database management means for storing the status information gotten by said global information getting means on said database;
- statistical processing means for predicting statistics of the remaining amount of the consumable article based on a plurality of pieces of the status information of each machine stored on said database;
- and
- output means for outputting the remaining amount statistics of the consumable article predicted by said statistical processing means.
A machine monitor system for centrally monitoring status information, said status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, said machine monitor system comprising:
- local monitor unit being connected to the plurality of machines to be monitored through a first-type computer network for sending status information of the plurality of machines to be monitored to a second-type computer network;
- and
- an integrated monitor unit for receiving the status information sent by said local monitor unit to the second-type computer network.
A machine monitor system for centrally monitoring status information, the status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, said machine monitor system comprising:
- a local monitor unit being connected to the machines to be monitored through a first-type network for converting status information of the plurality of machines to be monitored into a format of electronic mail and sending the electronic mail to a second-type network;
- and
- an integrated monitor unit for receiving the electronic mail sent by said local monitor unit to the second-type network and extracting the status information from the electronic mail.
A method for monitoring a machine comprising:
- a local monitor step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, a group of said plurality of machines being connected to one of a plurality of first-type computer networks and sending the status information to a second-type computer network connected to the first-type computer network;
- and
- a global monitor step of getting the status information through the second-type computer network;
- wherein said local monitor step comprises:
- a local information getting step of getting the status information of the plurality of machines;
- a local information retention step of retaining the gotten status information;
- and
- a local information transmission step of sending the retained status information to the second-type computer network;
- and
- wherein said global monitor step comprises:
- a global information getting step of getting the status information through the second-type computer network;
- a step of providing a machine database for storing information concerning the plurality of machines to be monitored;
- a database management step of updating said machine database based on the status information;
- a step of providing a display;
- and
- a display step of displaying the information stored on said machine database on said display.
A method for monitoring a machine comprising:
- a local monitor step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored and sending the status information to a computer network;
- and
- a global monitor step of getting the status information through the computer network;
- wherein said local monitor step comprises:
- a local information getting step of getting the status information of the plurality of machines;
- an electronic mail preparation step of converting the gotten status information into a format of electronic mail;
- and
- a local information sending step of sending prepared electronic mail to the computer network;
- and
- wherein said global monitor step comprises:
- an electronic mail reception step of receiving the electronic mail through the computer network;
- an extraction step of extracting the status information from the received electronic mail;
- a step of providing a machine database for storing information concerning the plurality of machines to be monitored;
- a database management step of updating said machine database based on the status information;
- a step of providing a display;
- and
- a display step of displaying the information stored on said machine database on said display.
A method for monitoring a machine comprising:
- a data getting step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, the plurality of machines being connected to a computer network and the information being gotten through the computer network;
- a step of providing a display;
- and
- a display step of displaying on said display, in installation area units of the machines, the status information of the plurality of machines.
A method for monitoring a machine comprising:
- a data getting step of periodically getting status information containing remaining amount information of a consumable article of each of a plurality of machines to be monitored, the plurality of machines being connected to a computer network;
- a data retention step of retaining the gotten status information;
- a statistical processing step of predicting statistics of the remaining amount of the consumable article based on a plurality of pieces of the retained status information of each of said plurality of machines;
- and
- an output step of outputting the predicted remaining amount statistics of the consumable article.
A computer-readable medium storing thereon a program for causing a computer connected to a plurality of machines to be monitored through a first-type computer network to execute:
- a local information getting step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of the plurality of machines to be monitored;
- a local information retention step of retaining the status information;
- and
- a local information transmission step of sending the status information to a second-type computer network.
A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to a machine to be monitored to execute:
- a local information getting step of getting status information indicating an operation state of the machine to be monitored;
- an electronic mail preparation step of converting the gotten status information into a format of electronic mail;
- and
- a local information transmission step of sending the prepared electronic mail to a computer network.
A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network to execute:
- a global information getting step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of the plurality of machines to be monitored through the computer network;
- a database management step of updating a machine database storing monitor information of the plurality of machines based on the status information;
- and
- a display step of displaying on a display, in installation area units of the plurality of machines, the information stored on the machine database.
A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network to execute:
- an electronic mail reception step of receiving electronic mail storing status information indicating an operation state of each of the plurality of machines to be monitored through the computer network;
- an extraction step of extracting the status information from the received electronic mail;
- a database management step of updating a machine database containing information concerning the plurality of machines to be monitored based on the status information;
- and
- a display step of displaying the information stored on the machine database on a display.
A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network to execute:
- a global information getting step of getting status information indicating an operation state of each of the plurality of machines to be monitored through the computer network;
- and
- a display step of displaying, in installation area units of the plurality of machines, the gotten status information.
A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to a plurality of machines to be monitored through a computer network to execute:
- a global information getting step of periodically getting status information containing remaining amount information of a consumable article of each of the plurality of machines to be monitored;
- a data retention step of retaining the gotten status information;
- a statistical processing step of predicting statistics of the remaining amount of the consumable article based on a plurality of pieces of the retained status information of each of the plurality of machines;
- and
- an output step of outputting the predicted remaining amount statistics of the consumable article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.