Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-21
2004-12-14
Jankus, Almis R. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06831665
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control system of an image processor by which transmission and receiving can be conducted with an equipment placed in a store, office, hospital, etc., and with a control apparatus to conduct a maintenance control of the equipment.
Particularly, the present invention relates to a control system of a medical image processor to process a photosensitive medium such as a laser imager, automatic processor, or CR (Computed Radiography).
As an equipment of an image processor, there is also a photo printer to print a photograph from, for example, a negative film onto a printing paper, or a print making apparatus to obtain a print by development processing an exposed film, printing a photograph from the development-processed negative film onto the printing paper, and conducting development processing. However, the image processor referred herein is not limited to so-called a printing apparatus, but includes an image processor to process an image, and combine images, or a means for recording as processing, and an apparatus for recording such as a thermal recording to conduct various image recording, recording of such as inkjet, or recording of such as electrophotography.
In such an equipment, the serviceman conducts the periodic inspection, and when a abnormality occurs in the equipment, the user makes a contact with the serviceman by telephone, and according to the instruction of the serviceman, the user solves the abnormal status by himself.
Further, when the maintenance processing only by the telephone is difficult, the serviceman goes to the place at which the equipment is installed, and solves the abnormal status of the equipment.
In this connection, there is a case where correct processing against abnormality can not be conducted only through the telephone correspondence with the user, or because the serviceman can not obtain the correct information, even when the abnormal status can be solved without the serviceman going to the place, the situation that it is necessary to go to the place, often occurs.
Further, the processing and recording of the medical image in the hospital are important and the strictness is required, and for an image in the office, in color matching or the like, because there is a possibility that the user has the misunderstanding due to the color difference, or it influences on the product image, it is very important to check from the control apparatus whether the correct and adequate processing is conducted in each of image processors. Under the decreasing tendency of the number of the skilled persons, the control of each equipment by using the network is further important.
Further, in a medical image processor to image-wise exposure, or develop onto a photosensitive medium such as an X-ray film or stimulative fluorescent plate, even when the mechanical trouble occurs and operation failure occurs, because the photosensitive medium exists in the apparatus different from electrophotographic type copiers, the user can not simply cope with the trouble by opening the apparatus at once.
For example, when a mechanical trouble occurs in a conveyance path of the photosensitive medium, even though the mechanical trouble position can be generally grasped by a switching sensor provided in the conveyance path, it can not be known that what kind of mechanical trouble occurred, therefore, actually, the service man goes to the installation position, and conducts each kind of inspection by actually moving and opening the apparatus and confirms the content of the mechanical trouble, and copes with the trouble. According to the content of the mechanical trouble which can be confirmed, it is necessary to obtain replacement parts from another place or when the cause of the mechanical trouble can not finally be found, it is necessary that the service man goes back to talk the situation to his office for discussion. However, even when the situation is carried back for discussion, in the judgment in which the cause of the mechanical trouble is the aging deterioration of the parts, mixing-in of the foreign matters, or software trouble, although there is also a case where aging information is necessary, in such the maintenance method, only the information after the failure is obtained, and the problem like as it takes a lot of period of time for research of the cause, also occurs naturally.
Recently, a technology by which the operation log of the image processor is stored as the data in a memory of the apparatus, and service man confirms it at the time of maintenance operation, or the operation log is transmitted through a telecommunication circuit, and the operation condition of the apparatus is grasped at the remote place, is put to practical use. However, by only the operation log of the mechanism or operation log of the software, although it can be grasped that the operation is normal or abnormal, it is a practical situation that there is only a case in which the service man actually goes to the installation position and confirms what mechanical trouble occurs, and what countermeasure is necessary. Further, for the grasp of the peripheral trouble other than the fault portion, it is a practical situation that there is almost no other method but that the service man only goes to the apparatus installation position and searches the trouble.
Further, for example, when the information such as an image, sound, or character can be transmitted and received through the telephone circuit or Internet between the devices installed in a shop, hospital, or factory, particularly the image processing and image recording apparatus (devices) and a control apparatus to conduct the maintenance control of the devices, although the appropriate maintenance instruction can be given from the control apparatus side without making a business trip, it is necessary that the exact information is transmitted and received in a short time and at a low cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is attained in view of the foregoing problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a control system of an image processor by which a maintenance operation can be carried out according to the correct information.
In view of such the problems, another object of the present invention is to provide an image processor by which the content of the mechanical trouble in the image processor can be previously grasped and can cope with it at once.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a device control system by which the exact information can be transmitted and received in a short time at the low cost, and the maintenance operation can be conducted according to the exact information.
In order to solve the above problems and attain the object, the present invention is structured as follows.
1. A maintenance control system of an image processor having the following structure: the image processor; a communication section for transmitting and receiving the information between a control apparatus and the image processor; and an information obtaining means for obtaining the information to reproduce the condition of the image processor on the control apparatus side, wherein the information obtained by the information obtaining means is transmitted to the control apparatus through the communication section.
2. The maintenance control system according to the item
1
, wherein the information is one to reproduce the motion condition of the image processor, and the operation condition to the image processor on the control apparatus side.
3. The maintenance control system according to the item
1
, wherein the predetermined information is transmitted in parallel with the maintenance instruction of the control apparatus side.
4. The maintenance control system according to the item
1
, wherein the information obtaining means is a photographing means for photographing the operation condition and/or the motion condition of the image processor, and the image information photographed by the photographing means is transmitted to the con
Igarashi Takashi
Iizuka Hiroyuki
Ito Tsuyoshi
Nagatsuka Sumiya
Ohkoshi Yasuo
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Jankus Almis R.
Konica Corporation
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