JPH01248246A - Electronic file device with remote diagnostic function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the title device so that a professional person in charge can analyze the contents of a fault in a remote place by providing a fault diagnosing means for detecting the generation of a fault of each part in the device and storing prescribed fault information in a prescribed memory, and a means for sending out the fault information stored in the memory to a prescribed other party by a communication means. CONSTITUTION:A service center which has received communication of the generation of a fault from a user couples a communication means of the electronic file device concerned and a communication terminal of the service center through a communication line 16, transmits fault information stored in a memory 12 of a fault diagnosing means to the service center and outputs it to a display 6 and a printer 10. Accordingly, in the service center located in a remote place, the fault information of the device concerned can be looked at. In case of a slight fault which can be released by a simple operation, its fact is transmitted to the user and its release operation is entrusted to the user. Even in other case, a person in charge makes an appropriate preparation in advance and can go to a job site. In such a way, a countermeasure at the time when a fault has been generated can be executed more quickly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention relates to an electronic filing device with a remote diagnosis function.

As is well known in the art, electronic file devices are information processing devices with considerably complex and advanced functions in terms of both hardware and software, and the manner in which failures occur is complex and diverse. Therefore, like many information processing devices, it is equipped with a fault diagnosis function. In other words, the operation of each part is constantly checked, and if an abnormal operation (failure) is detected, fault information such as the fault location, fault details, and date and time of the fault is automatically recorded in a predetermined memory in a predetermined format. It is supposed to be done.

The fault information recorded in the memory is output to a display or a printer when a staff member performs a predetermined operation. The staff looks at this failure information and analyzes the cause of the failure.
Take appropriate measures.

Problems to be solved by the invention Ideally, the system would be simple enough for general users of electronic file devices to be able to see and understand the above-mentioned failure information, analyze the cause, and take recovery measures. It is. However, since the configuration and functions of the devices are complex and sophisticated, it is difficult to realize such an ideal failure countermeasure system at a limited cost.

Therefore, in the current electronic file device, the system is based on the premise that a person in charge with specialized repair knowledge reads out the failure information from the memory and analyzes it. Therefore, in general, when a device malfunctions, a user contacts a service center, etc., and a specialized staff member then goes to the location where the device is installed, outputs the failure information for the first time, and takes recovery measures. As a result, users are dissatisfied with long waiting times, and service providers are also faced with the problem of having to travel.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide an electronic file device with a remote diagnosis function that allows countermeasures to be taken more quickly when a failure occurs.

Means for Solving the Problems Therefore, in the present invention, in an electronic file device having a communication means for exchanging image data etc. with other devices via a communication line, the occurrence of a failure in each part of the device is detected. A fault diagnosis means for storing predetermined fault information in a predetermined memory, and a means for transmitting the fault information stored in the memory to a predetermined party using the communication means are provided.

When the service center receives notification of the occurrence of a failure from the user, the communication means of the corresponding electronic file device and the communication terminal of the service center are connected via the communication line,
The fault information stored in the memory of the fault diagnosing means is transmitted to a service center and output to a display or printer.

In other words, failure information about the device can be viewed at a remote service center. If the failure is a minor one that can be recovered with a simple operation, the user can be informed of this and the recovery operation can be left to the user. Even if this is not the case, the staff member can make appropriate preparations in advance and go to the site. Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an electronic file device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A CPU, main memory 2, hard disk drive 3, and timer 4 for obtaining date and time information constitute an information processing system that controls the entire apparatus. A display 6 and a keyboard 7 are connected via a controller 8 to a CPU bus 5a and an image data bus 5b of this system, and an image scanner 9 and a printer 10 are connected via a controller 11. a buffer memory 12, an image-data compression/decompression unit 13, an optical disk device 14 as a file memory for organizing and storing a large amount of image data, and a communication line 1.
A transmission control section 15 for exchanging image data and the like with other devices is connected via the device 6.

The controller 8, controller 11, buffer memory 12, compression/expansion unit 13, optical disk device 14, transmission control unit 15, etc. each have a fault diagnosis function, and if they detect a fault, they will notify the cPUl of the fault. Notice.

Upon receiving this notification, the CPUI executes the process shown in FIG. 2, creates fault information in the format shown in FIG. 3, and records it in the memory.

When the notification is received, the CPU 1 obtains the date and time information of the failure occurrence from the timer 4, and sets it in a predetermined area of the main memory 2 (step 2o1 in FIG. 2). Next, check the processing classification, device ID, fault level, and fault code at that time, and write these main memory 2 as shown in the format shown in Figure 3.
is set in a predetermined area (step 202).

Note that the "processing category" is an ID number of a process classified by the business menu of the electronic file system.

[Device IDJ is an ID number assigned to each block (display 6, keyboard 7, scanner 9, etc.) constituting the electronic file device. The "failure level" indicates the degree of the detected abnormality, such as a document jam in the scanner 9 or an out of recording paper in the printer 10, which can be easily recovered by operator intervention (level 1), or a failure in the optical disk device 14 that can be easily recovered by operator intervention. These are classified into cases where the margin of the area falls below a certain level (Level 2), and failures that are difficult for the operator to recover from (Level 3). "Fault code"
is a code that specifies the content and type of failure.

Next, the CPU checks the state of the software at the time of the failure, codes the states (running, waiting, stopped, etc.) of up to five related tasks, and stores them in the main memory in the format shown in Figure 3. (Step 203
). Next, the identifier, physical track, and physical sector of the optical disk that was accessed immediately before the failure occurred, and the command responses (up to 5) exchanged between the CPU 1 and the optical disk device 14 before the failure occurred. It is set in the main memory 2 in the format shown in Figure 3 (step 204).

Then, the fault information in Figure 3 created in main memory 2 is...
- transcribe to the hard disk device 3 (step 205).

When another external device (for example, a computer at a service center) connected to the electronic file device via the communication line 16 issues a request to transfer fault information to the electronic file device, the electronic file device that received the request Then, the processing shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

A request from an external device is received and analyzed by the transmission control unit 15, and if it is a request to transfer fault information, that fact is notified to the CPUI (steps 401 and 402 in FIG. 4).

Upon receiving this notification, the CPUI reads out the aforementioned failure information from the hard disk device 3, develops it in the main memory 2, and causes the transmission control unit 15 to send it to the line 16 (steps 403, 404, and 405).

In this way, the failure information of the electronic file device is transferred to a remote external device and output to a printer or display.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, the electronic file device with remote diagnosis function according to the present invention is capable of transmitting failure information recorded in the device to a computer at a service center or the like via a communication line. Since it is possible to output
A specialized staff member can analyze the details of the problem at a remote location. As a result, if the failure is minor, it is possible to instruct on-site users to carry out recovery operations without the need for staff to go to the site. Furthermore, even if the staff needs to go to the site, appropriate preparations can be made in advance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic file device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a processing flowchart when a fault occurs in the same device, Fig. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the format of fault information, and Fig. 4 is a fault diagram. It is a processing flowchart when transmitting information to the outside. 1...CPU, 15...Transmission control unit, 16...Communication line. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1
Figure @2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A means for organizing and storing image data read by an image scanner in a file memory, a means for outputting image data arbitrarily retrieved from the file memory, and a means for transmitting image data, etc., between the image data and other devices via a communication line. a communication means for transmitting and receiving information; a fault diagnosis means for detecting the occurrence of a fault in each part of the device and storing predetermined fault information in a predetermined memory; An electronic file device with a remote diagnosis function.