Image forming apparatus connected to an information management apparatus through a communication line

• Main Authors: HIRATA; SUMIAKI, YAMAGUCHI; IKUNORI, MAEKAWA; KAZUNOBU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.08.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

A copying-machine management system for effecting centralized management of a plurality of copying machines in such a manner that data about problems developed during the maintenance of each copying machine is not counted as data about the problem occurring in each copying machine. A control CPU incorporated into a copying machine on the user side is electrically connected to a management CPU on the service station side through a communication line. Thus, a signal indicative of the state of the copying machine on the user side is sent to the management CPU on the service station, where each of the copying machines is managed. When a serviceman is sent to repair the copy machine, a serviceman mode is set. When the serviceman mode is set, the data indicating a problem is prohibited from being transmitted to the management CPU. Therefore, the data about a problem developed due to a reproduction test is not counted as the data about the problem occurring in each copying machine. Thus, since the data developed during the maintenance of each copying machine is not counted, each of the copying machines can be accurately managed.