Image forming apparatus and host terminal apparatus
AssigneeOki Data Corporation
InventorShoichi Ii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a storing section, an interface an abnormality-detecting section, and an information-outputting section. The storing section stores a first item of information on a print job that has been processed in accordance with data received in the image forming apparatus. The interface provides the first item of information stored in the storing section to an external apparatus. The abnormality-detecting section determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the external apparatus. The abnormality is detected based on a manner in which communication is performed between the image forming section and the external apparatus. The information-outputting section outputs a second item of information based on detection of abnormality performed by the abnormality-detecting section.
Claims11
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a print-log information producing section that produces print log information on a print job that has been printed in accordance with data received in the image forming apparatus;
- an operation panel including a display;
- a storing section that stores the print log information;
- an interface that receives a request-to-obtain-print-log outputted at regular intervals from an external apparatus and provides the print log information stored in said storing section directly to the external apparatus in response to the request-to-obtain-print-log, the external apparatus using the print log information to compute an amount of use of the image forming apparatus;
- an operation condition detecting section that makes a determination that the external apparatus is not normally operating and that the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus because the external apparatus is not normally operating, the determination being made if the interface fails to receive the request-to-obtain-print-log in a certain period of time;
- and
- an information-outputting section that outputs an item of information indicative that the external apparatus is not normally operating, the item of information being displayed on the display to a user of the image forming apparatus if the print-log information that should be sent to the external apparatus is in the storing section and the operation condition detecting section determines that the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus, and that does not output the item of information if the print log information that should be sent to the external apparatus is not in the storing section and the operation condition detecting section determines that the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a print-log information producing section that produces print log information on a print job that has been printed in accordance with data received in the image forming apparatus;
- an operation panel including a display;
- a storing section that stores the print log information;
- an interface that receives a request-to-obtain-print-log outputted at regular time intervals from an external apparatus and provides the print log information stored in said storing section directly to the external apparatus in response to the request-to-obtain-print-log, the external apparatus using the print log information to compute an amount of use of the image forming apparatus;
- an operation condition detecting section that makes a determination that the external apparatus is down and the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus, the determination being made if the interface fails to receive the request-to-obtain-print-log in a certain period of time;
- and
- an information-outputting section that outputs an item of information indicative that the external apparatus is down to a user of the image forming apparatus to the display of the operation panel,
- wherein the information-outputting section outputs the item of information if the print log information that should be sent to the external apparatus is in the storing section and the operation condition detecting section determines that the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus because the external apparatus is down, and
- wherein the information-outputting section does not output the item of information if the print log information that should be sent to the external apparatus is not in the storing section and said operation condition detecting section determines that the print log information cannot be sent to the external apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.