JP2005202120A - Expendables management device, image forming apparatus, expendables management program and expendables management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an expendables management device reducing the number of times of user's expendables orderings and the number of times of maintenance staff's visitings. <P>SOLUTION: When judging that the remaining amount of an expendable article is less than a threshold (YES in S101), an expendables management unit transmits an expendable article exchange requirement message to apparatuses connected to a network (S103). When receiving a response message, based on the response message, an origin device selects a device by which the remaining life of its own expendable article gets long and the standard deviation of the remaining lives of the expendable articles of all the apparatuses connected to the network is reduced by exchanging the expendable article in a state where devices having the expendable article whose remaining life is longer than that of its own expendable article are set as objects and decides the device as an exchange object device (S109 to S113). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a consumables management apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a consumables management program, and a consumables management method, and in particular, consumables for determining whether or not to replace consumables between a plurality of devices connected to a network. The present invention relates to a management apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a consumable management program, and a consumable management method.

  As a conventional technique, there is known a centralized management server provided in a network, in which centralized management of consumables of devices connected to the network is performed.

  In relation to such technology, the following Patent Document 1 describes a centralized management system using a server that calculates the remaining life from the remaining amount of consumables and the usage time of consumables and issues a warning to the user when the replacement time is reached. Disclosure.

  Patent Document 2 below discloses a centralized management system using a server that reads consumable history information, predicts the consumable duration, and prepares consumables in advance so that downtime is minimized. doing.

Patent Document 3 below discloses a technique for displaying consumables acquisition information on a main body display unit when the consumable replacement time is reached. Here, the consumables acquisition information is static information set in advance at the store.
JP 2003-186649 A JP 2002-127568 A JP 2001-331069 A

  However, in the conventional technology, when there are no consumables, the user and the maintenance staff are contacted each time, so the number of consumables ordered by the user and the number of visits by the maintenance staff are frequent and complicated. was there.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a consumable management device, an image forming apparatus, and a consumable that can reduce the number of consumables ordered by a user and the number of visits by maintenance personnel. It is to provide a management program and a consumable management method.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a consumables management device mounted on a device that uses consumables includes a consumables remaining amount sensor, a monitoring unit that monitors a consumption rate of consumables, A transmission unit that transmits a message to an external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the remaining amount sensor, and a reception unit that receives information returned from the external device in response to the transmission of the message by the transmission unit; Exchange consumables with external devices based on the information received from the external device received by the receiving means, the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor, and the consumption rate output by the monitoring means. Determination means for determining the suitability of the system.

  Preferably, the consumable management device further includes a calculation unit that calculates a remaining life of the consumable from the remaining amount of the consumable detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor and the consumption rate output by the monitoring unit. There are a plurality of devices, the transmission means transmits a message to a plurality of external devices, the reception means receives information from the plurality of external devices, and the determination means includes information from the plurality of external devices and consumables. Selection means for selecting, from a plurality of external devices, an external device whose consumable item should be replaced based on the remaining amount of the consumable item detected by the remaining amount sensor and the consumption rate output by the monitoring unit.

  Preferably, the determination unit includes a first calculation unit that calculates a remaining life of the consumable when the consumable is exchanged with the external device based on information received from each of the plurality of external devices; And a second calculating means for calculating a variation in the remaining life of the consumables of the external device and the plurality of external devices when the consumable is replaced with the external device based on the information received from each The determination is made based on the calculation result of the second calculation means.

  Preferably, the consumable management apparatus further includes means for acquiring position information of each of the plurality of external devices, and the selection means performs selection in consideration of the position information.

  Preferably, the transmission means transmits a message to another external device on the network by broadcast or multicast.

  Preferably, the consumable item management apparatus further includes an output unit that outputs an instruction to the user that the consumable item should be exchanged with an external device based on the determination result of the determination unit.

  Preferably, the transmission means transmits the compatibility code of the consumables held by the device together with the message, and the receiving means receives information from an external device having compatible consumables.

  Preferably, the information received by the receiving unit includes at least the remaining amount and the consumption rate of the consumables of the external device.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes any of the consumable management devices described above.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, a consumable item management system includes any of the above-described consumable item management devices and a plurality of external devices connected to the consumable item management device via a network.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, in a consumable management program used to control a device using a consumable, the device includes a consumable remaining amount sensor, and the consumable management program monitors a consumption rate of the consumable. Monitoring step, a transmission step for transmitting a message to the external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor, and information returned by the external device in response to the transmission of the message in the transmission step. The consumable item is identified as the external device from the receiving step received, the information received from the external device received by the receiving step, the consumable amount remaining detected by the consumable amount sensor, and the consumption rate output in the monitoring step. And a determination step of determining whether or not to exchange between the computers.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, in a consumable management method used for controlling a device using a consumable, the device includes a consumable remaining amount sensor, and the consumable management method monitors a consumption rate of the consumable. Monitoring step, a transmission step for transmitting a message to the external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor, and information returned by the external device in response to the transmission of the message in the transmission step. The consumable item is identified as the external device from the receiving step received, the information received from the external device received by the receiving step, the consumable amount remaining detected by the consumable amount sensor, and the consumption rate output in the monitoring step. And a determination step for determining whether or not to exchange between the two.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall outline of a printing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a print system 10 includes multifunction peripherals (hereinafter referred to as “MFP” (Multi Function Peripheral)) 1A to 1E, a printer server 2, a user computer 4A, each connected to a network 3. 4B.

  In the figure, an example in which five MFPs 1A to 1E, one printer server 2, and two user computers 4A and 4B are connected to the network 3 will be described. However, if there are a plurality of MFPs 1A to 1E, it is not necessary to have five MFPs. The printer server 2 may be a plurality of printers, and any one of the MFPs 1A to 1E may also serve as the printer server.

  MFPs 1 </ b> A to 1 </ b> E are image processing apparatuses, which include a scanner for reading a document, an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium such as paper based on image data, and a facsimile machine. As a result, the MFPs 1A to 1E have an image reading function, a copying function, a facsimile transmission / reception function, and a printing function for printing data.

  The MFPs 1A to 1E receive job data output from the user computers 4A and 4B via the printer server 2 and output the job data from the image forming apparatus. In addition, the MFPs 1A to 1E output image data output by the scanner using the image forming apparatus.

  Further, a memory card 6 that is a portable and detachable storage device is attached to the MFP 1A. The print job management program and the consumable management program stored in the memory card 6 are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) provided in the MFP 1A. Note that the print job management program and the consumable management program may be stored in an IC chip type semiconductor memory mounted on the substrate instead of being read from the memory card 6. The MFP 1A executes a program stored in the semiconductor memory by the CPU. Further, if an EEPROM (electrically erasable / programmable read only memory) is used as the semiconductor memory, for example, the stored contents can be rewritten or additionally written, so that another computer connected to the network 3 can be stored in the EEPROM of the MFP 1A. The stored print job management program or consumable management program may be rewritten, or a new print job management program or consumable management program may be added and written.

  Further, the MFP 1A may download a print job management program or the like from another computer connected to the network 3, and store the print job management program in the EEPROM.

  In addition, it is assumed that the print job management program and the consumable management program are also recorded in the MFPs 1B to 1E.

  In addition, some or all of the MFPs 1 </ b> A to 1 </ b> E may be printers having an image forming function and connected to the network 3.

  The user computers 4A and 4B are general personal computers. In the user computers 4A and 4B, various application programs for generating printing data such as a document creation program, a drawing program, a spreadsheet program, an image editing program, and a drawing program are executed. The user operates the user computers 4A and 4B to cause the user computers 4A and 4B to execute these application programs and generate print data. If an instruction to output the print data generated by the user computers 4A and 4B is given, job data obtained by adding the job mode to the print data is transmitted to the MFPs 1A to 1E via the printer server 2. The The job mode is data that defines the number of prints, the number of pages to be printed on one recording medium, and the like. The print data and the job mode are collectively called job data. Here, a case where job data is transmitted will be described as an example, but only print data may be transmitted.

  The MFPs 1A to 1E store the received job data in a storage device such as a hard disk included in the MFP 1A to 1E. The MFPs 1A to 1E output the stored job data in response to a user operation.

  Job data can be transmitted from the user computers 4A and 4B to all the MFPs 1A to 1E, but can be transmitted to at least one MFP selected from the MFPs 1A to 1E. The user of the user computers 4A and 4B selects which of the MFPs 1A to 1E transmits the job data when transmitting the job data.

  The printer server 2 is a general personal computer. A CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) 5 is mounted on the printer server 2. The print job management program recorded on the CD-ROM 5 is read by a CD-ROM drive or the like and temporarily stored in the hard disk. Further, it is read from the hard disk to a random access memory (RAM) and executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

  The network 3 is a local area network (LAN), the Internet, or a general public line, and may be wired or wireless. Although an example in which the MFPs 1A to 1E and the printer server 2 are connected via the network 3 is shown here, the MFPs 1A to 1E and the printer server 2 may be connected using a serial line or a parallel line.

  An example in which a print job management program executed by the printer server 2 is stored and distributed on a CD-ROM, and a print job management program and a consumable management program executed by the MFP 1A are stored in the memory card 6 and distributed. However, other recording media such as flexible disks, cassette tapes, hard disks, optical disks (MO (Magnetic Optical Disc) / MD (Mini Disc) / DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)), IC cards (including memory cards) ), An optical card, a mask ROM, an EPROM (Erasable and Programmable ROM), a semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM), or the like may be a medium that carries a fixed program.

  Furthermore, the print job management program and the consumable management program may be provided from another computer not via the recording medium but via the network 3 (or via the Internet or the like).

  The program here is a concept including not only a program directly executable by the CPU but also a program in a source program format, a compressed program, an encrypted program, and the like.

  In the print system 10 according to the present embodiment, as described above, when the user operates the user computers 4A and 4B and transmits job data to the plurality of MFPs 1A to 1E desired by the user, the MFPs 1A to 1E receive the data. The job data is temporarily stored in a recording medium such as a hard disk. The job data is assigned a job number, and any of the MFPs 1A to 1E can specify the stored print job by the job number. Instead of using the job number, for example, the print job may be specified by the file name of the data that is the basis of the print data included in the job data.

  The user computers 4A and 4B designate and transmit the MFPs 1A to 1E to the printer server 2 without directly transmitting job data to the MFPs 1A to 1E. For this reason, the transmission processing of the user computers 4A and 4B is simplified. The printer server 2 transfers job data to the designated MFPs 1A to 1E. Thus, job data is stored in all of MFPs 1A to 1E.

  The user can output job data from any of the MFPs 1A to 1E. Further, since the same job data is stored in a plurality of MFPs 1A to 1E, even if some reason, for example, when one of the MFPs 1A to 1E is infected with a computer virus and the job data is destroyed, the data is destroyed. Job data can be output from the remaining MFPs. Further, when the MFPs 1A to 1E are installed at different locations, job data can be output from the MFP installed at a desired location.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of the functions of the MFP in the present embodiment.

  Since all the functions of the MFPs 1A to 1E are the same, the MFP 1A will be described as an example here. Referring to FIG. 2, MFP 1A includes a control unit 100 that controls the entire MFP 1A, an image reader unit 101 that reads image data from a document, a printer unit 102 that prints an image on a sheet, and MFP 1A over network 3. A communication unit 103 for connection, a storage unit 104 for storing job data, an operation panel 105 that is an interface with a user, and a sensor unit 107 that detects the remaining amount of consumables and the like are included.

  Here, the consumable means the toner, the remaining capacity of the toner waste bottle, the photoconductor, the print paper, and the like. In order to measure the remaining amount of toner and the remaining capacity of the toner waste bottle, a weight sensor, an optical sensor, or the like is used, and the remaining amount of usable photoreceptor (in this case, the number of usable times or the time until deterioration is shown) ) Is measured using a counter, a device that acquires a measured value of a timer, or the like.

  In order to measure the remaining amount of paper, a weight sensor, a contact type sensor, a non-contact type sensor that detects the remaining number of paper sheets, or the like is used.

  The communication unit 103 is an interface for connecting the MFP 1 </ b> A to the network 3. Therefore, the control unit 100 can communicate with the printer server 2 and other MFPs connected to the network, and receives job data from the user computers 4A and 4B via the printer server 2. The control unit 100 stores the job data transmitted from the user computers 4A and 4B in the storage unit 104. The storage unit 104 is a magnetic recording device such as a hard disk.

The image reader unit 101 irradiates a document with light and reflects the reflected light to a CCD (Charge Coupled).
Device) receives the light and outputs the image data to the control unit 100. The control unit 100 performs predetermined image processing such as noise removal processing and color conversion processing on the image data, and outputs print data to the printer unit 102.

The printer unit 102 is controlled by the control unit 100, and according to the printing data included in the job data stored in the storage unit 104 or the printing data generated from the image data output from the image reader unit 101, paper or the like An image is formed on the recording medium. The printer unit 102 forms an image with a single color (for example, black). A color image may be formed. Operation panel 105 is provided on the upper surface of MFP 1A.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel provided in the MFP.

  Referring to the figure, operation panel 105 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 91, a numeric keypad 92, a clear key 93 for returning a set numerical value to an initial value, an interrupt key 94 for executing interrupt copying, A copy start key 95 is provided.

  The liquid crystal touch panel 91 includes a liquid crystal display device and a touch panel made of a transparent member placed on the liquid crystal display device. The touch panel is a coordinate input device. The operation panel 105 displays a button on a liquid crystal display device, for example, and detects an operation of the user pressing the displayed button with a touch panel. Thereby, it is not necessary to use a switch button fixed to the input device, and various operations can be input.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the user computers 4A and 4B or the printer server 2 shown in FIG.

  Referring to the figure, a user computer 4A, 4B or printer server 2 includes a CPU 601 for controlling the entire apparatus, a display 605, and a LAN (local area network) card for connecting to a network or communicating with the outside. 607 (or a modem card), an input device 609 including a keyboard and a mouse, a flexible disk drive 611, a CD-ROM drive 613, a hard disk drive 615, a RAM 617, and a ROM 619 are provided.

  Data such as a program recorded on the flexible disk F can be read by the flexible disk drive 611, and data such as a program recorded on the CD-ROM 613a can be read by the CD-ROM drive 613. .

  In the present embodiment, the system of FIG. 1 is installed in an office, building, office, etc., and devices (printers and MFPs) connected to the network autonomously have information such as the consumption rate of their consumables. When the remaining amount of consumables on a device is low (when the remaining amount of consumables falls below the value set as the consumable replacement threshold), a device that can replace consumables It selects autonomously and issues an instruction to the user to replace consumables between devices, and operates to average the lifetime of the consumables.

  In other words, each device has a consumables remaining sensor, a function that can monitor the consumption rate that is the consumption speed, a function that can calculate the remaining life of the consumables from the remaining consumables and the consumables, and a consumable replacement message. A network connection function capable of transmitting and receiving; a function of determining a device to which a consumable item is exchanged; and a function of displaying an instruction to the user. A system is configured by connecting a plurality of such devices to a network. As a result, consumables management of the printer and MFP can be performed appropriately.

  Further, if the system is configured so that messages and information can be directly transmitted and received between devices, it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated management server, so that the introduction cost and the occupied area can be reduced.

  More specifically, when the remaining amount of consumables for a device falls below the value set as the consumable replacement threshold, the device sends a consumable replacement request message including the consumable compatibility code to other devices on the network. To the other device using broadcast / multicast.

  The device that received the consumable replacement request message checks the compatibility code in the message, and if a consumable with the same code is installed, the consumable remaining amount and consumable rate, and the consumable calculated from them Send a response message including the remaining life of the product.

  The original device that received the response message targets the device group that has a longer remaining life than that of the device itself (original device), and the remaining life when consumables are exchanged between itself and the devices in the target group Standard deviation is calculated for each device in the target group.

  If there is a replacement combination in which the remaining life becomes positive compared to the present and the remaining life standard deviation becomes smaller after replacement, the target device at that time is determined as a replacement candidate destination device.

  When the replacement candidate device is determined, the display unit (display device, etc.) on the main unit displays the replacement candidate device (product name, IP address, installation location, etc.) and replaces the device with the consumable Prompt the user to

  When the replacement candidate device is determined, position information where the device is installed may be taken into consideration. For example, the nearest device may be preferentially replaced with consumables.

  When sufficient information cannot be displayed on the main body display unit, the information may be output on paper instead.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a consumable item management unit (consumable item management program) provided in each of MFP 1A to MFP 1E.

  Referring to the figure, the consumable item management unit includes a consumable item remaining amount monitoring unit 201, a message creation unit 202, a replacement destination selection unit 203, a consumable item replacement destination instruction unit 204, a response message reception unit 205, A transmission / reception unit 206.

  When the consumable item remaining amount monitoring unit 201 uses the sensor unit 107 to detect that the remaining amount of the consumable item to be monitored falls below a predetermined threshold value, the consumable item remaining monitoring unit 201 sends a consumable item replacement request message to the message creating unit 202. Request transmission. The message creation unit 202 creates a consumable replacement request message including a consumable compatibility code, and transmits the message to other devices on the network using the transmission / reception unit 206.

  If the other device that received the consumable replacement request message has the same attachment as the compatibility code in the message, it returns a response message that includes the remaining consumable amount, the consumable rate, and the remaining life. . The device that has received the reply by the transmission / reception unit 206 temporarily stores the response message in the response message reception unit 205.

  The exchange destination selection unit 203 extracts a message from the response message reception unit 205 and performs a series of calculation processes. If there is a replacement destination device as a result of the processing, the consumable replacement destination instruction unit 204 is used to instruct the user of the replacement destination device most suitable for replacement.

  With such a configuration, in the present invention, it is possible to manage consumables with only the device without placing a central management server, and since the consumption rate of consumables is averaged, the number of visits of the maintenance staff and the user's The number of consumables orders can be reduced.

  The relationship between the remaining amount of consumables, the consumption rate, and the remaining life of the consumables is as follows.

Consumables remaining amount (for example, g) / consumable rate (g / day) = remaining life of consumables (day)
The other device that received the replacement request message returns a response message that includes the remaining amount of consumables, the consumable rate, and the remaining life of the consumables. It is also possible to calculate the remaining life of the consumable by the device that received the response message and included in the response message.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the consumable management unit.

  With reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6, the replacement destination selection process will be described in detail below.

  Here, it is assumed that devices A, B, C, and D are connected to the network in addition to its own device (a device that issues an exchange request message and is referred to as device Z).

  The device Z knows its own consumable remaining amount X, consumable rate R, and consumable remaining life S.

  If it is determined in step S101 that the remaining amount of consumables X (or the remaining life S of the consumables) is below the threshold, the consumable management unit has connected the consumable replacement request message to the network in step S103. Send to the device.

  When a response message is received from another device in step S105, it is temporarily stored in the response message receiving unit 205, and is extracted in step S107.

As a result of the above processing, when the remaining amount X of the consumables is reduced, the device Z obtains the following information by exchanging messages. (It is assumed that the compatibility codes of the consumables are all the same for the devices Z and A to D, and all the devices A to D have returned response messages.)
-Remaining consumables Xa to Xd of devices A to D
-Depletion rates Ra to Rd of devices A to D
The remaining life Sa to Sd of the consumables of each of the devices A to D (this can also be calculated on the device Z side from Xa to Xd, Ra to Rd)
Next, in step S109, the device Z compares the remaining life S of its own consumables with Sa to Sd, and leaves only a device having a remaining life larger than the remaining life S of its own consumables. Here, it is assumed that only the device D does not meet the conditions and the devices A to C remain.

  Furthermore, the device Z compares the remaining life S (= X / R) of its own consumables with Xa / R, Xb / R, and Xc / R. Choose an extension. Here, it is assumed that device C does not meet the conditions and devices A and B remain.

  Next, the device Z obtains the variation (standard deviation, variance, etc.) of the remaining lifetime of the consumables of the devices in the current network.

  That is, for example, the standard deviation s of {S, Sa, Sb, Sc, Sd} is obtained.

Next, the device Z obtains the variation in the remaining life of each consumable when assuming that the consumable has been replaced. That is,
For example, standard deviation of {Xa / R, X / Ra, Sb, Sc, Sd} (this indicates the remaining life of the consumables of each device when the consumables are exchanged between the devices Z and A). sA,
For example, the standard deviation of {Xb / R, Sa, X / Rb, Sc, Sd} (this indicates the remaining life of the consumables of each device when the consumables are exchanged between the devices Z and B). sB is obtained.

  In step S111, one of sA and sB having a standard deviation smaller than s is selected. If there are a plurality of sA and sB, the smaller one is selected and used as an object of exchange. An instruction for replacement is output to the display unit provided in the device or the display unit of the PC of the person in charge (step S113).

  If there is no combination that increases the remaining life or decreases the standard deviation of the remaining life in step S111, in step S115, the service person is informed of the remaining life of the consumables in all devices. Since it became shorter, a message prompting for replacement is sent.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the device that has received the consumable replacement request message.

  Referring to the figure, when the device receives the consumable replacement request message (S201), it checks the compatibility code included in the message and determines whether it matches the own code (S203). If YES, in step S205, information about its own consumables is transmitted to the device that transmitted the consumable replacement request message.

  In the above description, the standard deviation is obtained by the following equation, for example.

  The remaining life of each of the consumables of the devices A, B,..., N when it is assumed that the consumables have been replaced is indicated by x1 to xN.

It becomes.

  A program for executing the processing of the flowchart in the above-described embodiment can be provided, or the program can be recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, or a memory card. You may decide to provide it. The program may be downloaded to the apparatus via a communication line such as the Internet.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

1 is a diagram showing an overview of a printing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating an outline of functions of an MFP according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel provided in the MFP. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of user computers 4A, 4B or printer server 2 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the consumables management unit with which each of MFP1A-MFP1E is equipped. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of a consumables management unit. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the apparatus which received the consumable goods exchange request message.

Explanation of symbols

  1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E MFP, 2 printer server, 3 network, 4A, 4B user computer, 10 print system, 91 liquid crystal touch panel, 100 control unit, 101 image reader unit, 102 printer unit, 103 communication unit, 104 storage unit 105 operation panel 201 consumables remaining amount monitoring unit 202 message creation unit 203 replacement destination selection unit 204 consumable replacement destination instruction unit 205 response message reception unit 206 transmission / reception unit

Claims (12)

A consumable management device mounted on a device that uses consumables,
A consumables sensor,
Monitoring means for monitoring the consumption rate of the consumables;
Transmitting means for transmitting a message to an external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the remaining amount sensor;
Receiving means for receiving information returned by the external device in response to transmission of the message by the transmitting means;
Based on the information received from the external device received by the receiving unit, the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumable item remaining amount sensor, and the consumption rate output by the monitoring unit, the consumable item is identified as the external device. A consumables management apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not to exchange between the two. Further comprising a calculation means for calculating the remaining life of the consumables from the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor and the consumption rate output by the monitoring means,
There are a plurality of the external devices,
The transmission means transmits a message to the plurality of external devices,
The receiving means receives information from the plurality of external devices,
The determination unit should replace the consumable item based on information from the plurality of external devices, the consumable item remaining amount detected by the consumable item remaining amount sensor, and the consumption rate output by the monitoring unit. The consumable management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit that selects an external device from the plurality of external devices. The determination means includes
First calculating means for calculating a remaining life of the consumable when the consumable is exchanged with the external device based on information received from each of the plurality of external devices;
Calculating a variation in remaining life of the consumables of the device and the plurality of external devices when the consumables are exchanged with the external device based on information received from each of the plurality of external devices; A calculation means,
The consumable management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein determination is performed based on calculation results of the first and second calculation means. Means for obtaining position information of each of the plurality of external devices;
The consumable management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection unit performs selection in consideration of the position information.   The consumable management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit transmits a message to another external device on the network by broadcast or multicast.   The consumption according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an output means for outputting an instruction to the user to exchange the consumable item with the external device based on a determination result of the determination means. Product management device. The transmission means transmits the compatibility code of the consumables held by the device together with the message,
The consumables management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit receives information from an external device having compatible consumables.   The consumable management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information received by the receiving unit includes at least a remaining amount and a consumption rate of the consumable of the external device.   An image forming apparatus comprising the consumable item management apparatus according to claim 1. Consumables management device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A consumable management system comprising a plurality of external devices connected to the consumable management device via a network. A consumable management program used to control equipment that uses consumables,
The device includes a consumables remaining amount sensor,
The consumable management program
A monitoring step of monitoring a consumption rate of the consumables;
A transmitting step of transmitting a message to an external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the remaining amount sensor;
A reception step of receiving information returned by the external device in response to transmission of the message by the transmission step;
Based on the information received from the external device received in the reception step, the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor, and the consumption rate output in the monitoring step, the consumables are classified into the external device. A consumables management program for causing a computer to execute a determination step for determining whether or not to exchange between the two. A consumable management method used to control a device that uses consumables,
The device includes a consumables remaining amount sensor,
The consumable management method includes:
A monitoring step of monitoring a consumption rate of the consumables;
A transmitting step of transmitting a message to an external device based on the remaining amount of consumables detected by the remaining amount sensor;
A reception step of receiving information returned by the external device in response to transmission of the message by the transmission step;
Based on the information received from the external device received in the reception step, the remaining amount of consumables detected by the consumables remaining amount sensor, and the consumption rate output in the monitoring step, the consumables are classified into the external device. A consumable management method comprising: a determination step for determining whether or not to exchange between the two.

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