Image forming apparatus and management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10412239-B1
Application number	US-201916351697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a sensor, an operation section, a controller, and a communication section. The sensor detects a sensor target. The operation section receives an operation instruction. The controller adjusts a sensitivity level of the sensor. The communication section transmits an instruction signal and a reception signal to an external device and receives an adjustment instruction from the external device. The instruction signal indicates an instruction for sensitivity level adjustment for the sensor. The adjustment instruction is an instruction as to whether or not to adjust the sensitivity level based on the instruction signal and the reception signal. The reception signal includes first information indicating time of detection signal reception by the controller receives the detection signal within a specific time period and second information indicating whether the operation section receives the operation instruction. The controller adjusts the sensitivity level of the sensor according to the adjustment instruction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a sensor target;
an operation section configured to receive an operation instruction;
a controller configured to adjust a sensitivity level of the sensor; and
a communication section configured to transmit an instruction signal and a reception signal to an external device and receive an adjustment instruction from the external device, wherein
the instruction signal indicates an instruction for sensitivity level adjustment for the sensor,
the adjustment instruction is an instruction as to whether or not to adjust the sensitivity level based on the instruction signal and the reception signal,
the reception signal includes first information and second information, the first information indicating time of detection signal reception by the controller within a specific period, the second information indicating whether or not the operation section receives the operation instruction,
the detection signal indicates detection of the sensor target by the sensor,
the controller adjusts the sensitivity level of the sensor according to the adjustment instruction, and
the sensitivity level is a level of sensitivity for the sensor target.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
adjustment of the sensitivity level of the sensor includes provisional adjustment and final adjustment, the provisional adjustment being adjustment in which reversion of the sensitivity level to a value before adjustment is permitted, the final adjustment being adjustment in which reversion of the sensitivity level to the value before the adjustment is not permitted.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a storage section that stores therein values of the sensitivity level of the sensor, wherein
after the controller adjusts the sensitivity level of the sensor, the controller stores a value of the sensitivity level after adjustment in the storage section, and
after the controller stores the value of the sensitivity level after the adjustment in the storage section, the controller changes the sensitivity level to a value before the adjustment.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller restricts adjustment of the sensitivity level of the sensor for a specific period after adjustment of the sensitivity level of the sensor.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor is a motion sensor.

6. An management system comprising an image forming apparatus and a management server, wherein
the image forming apparatus includes:
a sensor configured to detect a sensor target;
a first operation section configured to receive an operation instruction;
a first controller configured to adjust a sensitivity level of the sensor; and
a first communication section configured to transmit an instruction signal and a reception signal to the management server and receive an adjustment instruction from the management server,

the instruction signal indicates an instruction for sensitivity level adjustment for the sensor,
the adjustment instruction is an instruction as to whether or not to adjust the sensitivity level based on the instruction signal and the reception signal,

the reception signal includes first information and second information, the first information indicating time of detection signal reception by the controller within a specific period, the second information indicating whether or not the operation section receives the operation instruction,
the detection signal indicates detection of the sensor target by the sensor,
the first controller adjusts the sensitivity level of the sensor according to the adjustment instruction,
the sensitivity level is a level of sensitivity for the sensor target, and
the management server includes:
a second communication section configured to receive the instruction signal and the reception signal from the image forming apparatus;
a second operation section configured to receive input of the adjustment instruction in response to the reception signal; and
a second controller configured to control the second communication section to transmit the adjustment instruction to the first communication section.

7. The management system according to claim 6 , wherein
the management server transmits to the image forming apparatus time information indicating a period for which adjustment of the sensitivity level is restricted.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Shibata Yukihiro
• Ohashi Akira
• Okazaki Yusuke
• Sato Satoshi
• Yamamoto Yuki
• Tagaki Koji

Classifications

• H04N1/00323 Primary

  with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location · CPC title

• H04N1/00925

  Inhibiting an operation · CPC title

• H04N1/00344

  with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus (monitoring H04N1/00002) · CPC title

• H04N1/0097

  Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs · CPC title

• H04N1/00405

  Output means (output arrangements for computers G06F3/00) · CPC title