JPH06284150A - Management system for peripheral equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a management system of a peripheral device,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a peripheral device management system that can easily obtain management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to N from a remote location. [Configuration] A predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are collected by the predetermined peripheral device, and necessary. Accordingly, the information is transferred to the management device through the public line.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a peripheral device management system, and more particularly, to a peripheral device management system such as a network-connected facsimile machine, a copying machine with a facsimile option, and a word processor with a facsimile adapter. In particular, the present invention relates to a peripheral device management system capable of easily obtaining management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to a LAN from a remote location.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a remote area LAN (Local Area Network)
work) to connect each other, the network layer (third layer)
There was a router connection for devices that worked in. This router interprets an input packet up to the header of the network layer (for example, IP) and determines whether or not to output to the other, so that a protocol that can be handled is determined.

[0003]

As described above, conventionally, in order to connect LANs at remote places, connection by a router has been performed, and the router is supplied by a large number of vendors. The interconnection is not guaranteed and the connection is currently very difficult. Therefore, even if the manufacturer delivers the device to many users and attempts to manage the device from a remote location,
From a remote management device connected to N to the manufacturer's LAN
There is a problem in that it is impossible to obtain management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the user's LAN through. This occurs when the manufacturers of the routers are different, but even if the routers of the same manufacturer are occupied by the work of the user, the connection is very difficult.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a management system for peripheral devices which can easily obtain management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to a LAN from a remote location.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are collected by the predetermined peripheral device, and as necessary. It is characterized in that the information is transferred to a management device at a remote place through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device.

According to the invention described in claim 2, a predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is connected to a LAN (Local Ar
ea Network) interface to allow management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN to be collected by the predetermined peripheral device, and the information can be remotely transmitted through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as needed. The feature is that the data is output to a local facsimile machine.

According to the invention described in claim 3, a predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is connected to a LAN (Local Ar).
ea Network) having an interface and a routing function, and allowing a management device at a remote place to collect management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as needed. It is characterized by that.

The peripheral device according to the present invention includes a facsimile machine, a copying machine with a facsimile option, a word processor with a facsimile adapter, and a P with a facsimile adapter.
C (Programmable Controller), WS (Workstation) with a facsimile adapter, and the like are included. The public line according to the present invention includes a public telephone line and ISDN (Integrated S
ervices Digital Network) line, etc.

The routing function according to the present invention includes a function of sending information destined outside the own network address from the routing table for a destination.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are collected in the predetermined peripheral device. The predetermined peripheral device is configured to transfer the information to the management device at a remote place through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as necessary. Collect and store device management information and error information,
The information can be transferred to a remote management device.
Therefore, the management device at the remote location can easily obtain the information on the peripheral device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are provided to the predetermined peripheral device. The predetermined peripheral device is in the connected LAN environment in order to collect and output the information to the facsimile device at a remote place through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as necessary. The management information and error information of the peripheral device can be collected and stored, and the information can be output to a facsimile device at a remote place. Therefore, information on peripheral devices can be easily obtained at a remote location.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a predetermined peripheral device having an interface of a public line is provided with a LAN interface and a routing function, and a management device at a remote place can, if necessary, various peripheral devices connected to the LAN. In order to collect the management information and error information of the device through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device, the management device at the remote location directly requests the information from the peripheral device, and returns the returned information to the peripheral device. The management device can directly receive the information by using the routing function of a predetermined peripheral device. Therefore, information on peripheral devices can be easily obtained at a remote location.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a management system for peripheral devices according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention (claim 1).
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a function added to a predetermined peripheral device according to the first embodiment of the present invention (claim 1). 1 and 2
In the figure, 1 to 4 are predetermined peripheral devices (for example, a facsimile device), a word processor, a copying machine, and a printer each connected to the LAN 5, and 6 is a management device at a remote place from the predetermined peripheral device 1. The predetermined peripheral device 1 is a LAN
It has an I / F (interface) unit 7 and a public line I / F unit 8, and an SNMP (Si
mple Network Management Protocol manager (M
management information collection function unit 9 that imprints the anager) function
And the G3 protocol N via the I / F unit 8 of the public line.
It has a communication control function unit 10 with respect to the management device that uses SF (Non Standard Frame). The management information collection function unit 9 requests each device for necessary information, stores the returned information, and the management device communication control function unit 10 transfers the collected information to the management device 6. Control the communication procedure when doing.

In this embodiment, a predetermined peripheral device 1 having a public line I / F unit 7 is provided with a LAN I / F unit 7 and L
The predetermined peripheral device 1 is made to collect the management information and error information of the word processor 2, the copying machine 3 and the printer 4 of the various peripheral devices connected to the AN 5, and the information is transmitted through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device 1 as necessary. It is configured to be transferred to the management device 6 at a remote place. Therefore, the predetermined peripheral device 1 collects and stores the management information and error information of the word processor 2, the copying machine 3 and the printer 4 of the peripheral devices in the LAN 5 environment connected by the management information collecting function unit 9. The information can be transferred to the management device 6 at a remote place by using the communication control function unit 10 for management device. Therefore, the management device 6 at the remote location can easily obtain the information of the peripheral device.

Regarding the transfer of the information, the information collected at a predetermined time is transferred to the management device 6 or when an inquiry comes from the management device 6. (Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a management system for peripheral devices according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention (claim 2), and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a function added to a predetermined peripheral device according to a second embodiment of the present invention (claim 2). Figures 3 and 4
In the figure, 21 to 24 are predetermined peripheral devices (for example, a facsimile device), a word processor, a copying machine, and a printer each connected to the LAN 25, and 26 is a facsimile device remote from the predetermined peripheral device 21. The predetermined peripheral device 21 is
It has a LAN I / F unit 27 and a public line I / F unit 28,
A management information collection function unit 29 for imprinting the SNMP manager function via the LAN I / F unit 27, a facsimile communication function unit 30 via the public line I / F unit 28,
It has a management information image conversion function unit 31 using a ready-made code image conversion module. Management information collection function
29 requests each device for necessary information, stores the returned information, the facsimile communication function unit 30 controls the communication procedure of the G3 or G4 protocol, and the management information image conversion function unit 31 The collected information by the facsimile device 26
The stored code information is converted to image information for sending to.

In this embodiment, a predetermined peripheral device 21 having an I / F unit 28 of a public line is provided with a LAN I / F unit 27 and L
Word processor 22 for various peripheral devices connected to AN25, copier
A predetermined peripheral device 21 is made to collect the management information and error information of the printer 23 and the printer 24, and the information is transmitted through a public line of the predetermined peripheral device 21 as required to a facsimile device at a remote location.
To output to. For this reason, a given peripheral device
21 is an LA connected by the management information collecting function unit 29
The management information and error information of the word processor 22, the copying machine 23 and the printer 24 of the peripheral devices in the N25 environment are collected and stored, and the information is converted into image information by using the management information image conversion function unit 31. The converted image information can be output to the facsimile device 26 at a remote place by the facsimile communication function unit 30. Therefore, information on peripheral devices can be easily obtained at a remote location.

In the first embodiment, the management device 6 is installed at a remote place.
In the second embodiment, the case where the facsimile device 26 is used in a remote place has been described. However, both the management device 6 and the facsimile device 26 may be used in a remote place. As a function to be added to the device, a predetermined peripheral device is configured to have both a communication control function unit for management apparatus and a facsimile communication function unit. (Third Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a management system for peripheral devices according to a third embodiment of the present invention (claim 3).
Is a block diagram showing functions added to a predetermined peripheral device according to the third embodiment of the present invention (claim 3), and FIG. 7 is a management device according to the third embodiment of the present invention (claim 3). It is a block diagram showing the function of. In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numerals 41 to 44 denote predetermined peripheral devices (for example, facsimile devices) connected to the LAN 45, word processors, copying machines, and printers, respectively.
Is a management device at a remote place from a predetermined peripheral device 41.
The predetermined peripheral device 41 has a LAN I / F unit 47 and a public line I / F unit 48, and has an SNMP manager function via the LAN I / F unit 47 and the public line I / F unit 48. A management information collection function unit 49 for imprinting, a routing function unit 50 for imprinting a simple routing function,
It has a communication control function unit 51 for a management device using NSF of G3 protocol. The management information collecting function unit 49 requests each device for necessary information and stores the returned information, and the routing function unit 50 obtains the information outside the own network address from the routing table. The management device communication control function unit 51 for sending out controls the communication procedure when transferring the collected information to the management device 46.
On the other hand, the management device 46 has a predetermined peripheral device communication control function unit 52 that uses NSF of the G3 protocol and a management information collection function unit that implements the manager function of SNMP.
With 53. The predetermined peripheral device communication control function unit 52 is
Controlling the communication procedure when transferring the information collected from the predetermined peripheral device 41, the management information collecting function unit 53 makes a request for necessary information to each device and stores the returned information.

In the present embodiment, a predetermined peripheral device 41 having an I / F unit 47 of a public line is provided with a LAN I / F unit 48 and a routing function unit 50, and a management device 46 at a remote place can, if necessary. , A word processor for various peripheral devices connected to LAN45 4
2. The management information and error information of the copying machine 43 and the printer 44 are collected through a public line of a predetermined peripheral device 41. Therefore, the management device 46 at the remote place directly requests the information from the peripheral device, and uses the returned information by the routing function unit 50 of the predetermined peripheral device 41.
46 can receive the information directly. Therefore, information on peripheral devices can be easily obtained at a remote location.

[0019]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to a LAN from a remote place.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a management system of peripheral devices according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions added to a predetermined peripheral device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a management system of peripheral devices according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing functions added to a predetermined peripheral device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a management system of peripheral devices according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing functions added to a predetermined peripheral device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing functions of a management device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,21,41 Predetermined peripheral device 2,22,42 Word processor 3,23,43 Copier 4,24,44 Printer 5,25,45 LAN 6,46 Management device 7,27,47 LAN I / F unit 8 , 28, 48 Public line I / F unit 9, 29, 49, 53 Management information collection function unit 10, 51 Communication control function unit for management device 26 Facsimile device 30 Facsimile communication function unit 31 Management information image conversion function unit 50 Routing Function part 52 vs. predetermined peripheral device communication control function part

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Internal reference number FI Technical indication H04M 11/00 301 7470-5K H04N 1/00 Z 7232-5C

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are collected in the predetermined peripheral device. ,
A management system for a peripheral device, wherein the information is transferred to a management device at a remote place through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as needed. 2. A predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface is provided with a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, and management information and error information of various peripheral devices connected to the LAN are collected in the predetermined peripheral device. ,
A peripheral device management system characterized in that the information is output to a remote facsimile machine through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device as needed. 3. A peripheral device provided with a LAN (Local Area Network) interface and a routing function in a predetermined peripheral device having a public line interface, and various peripheral devices connected to the LAN as required by a remote management device. Management information and error information of the peripheral device are collected through the public line of the predetermined peripheral device.