Image forming apparatus, remote control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with remote control program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9860399-B2
Application number	US-201414488383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2014
Priority date	Sep 17, 2013
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a path establishing portion to establish a communication path with a remote operation device; an active device setting portion to set the remote operation device with which the communication path is established to be an active device; a process execution portion to execute a process in accordance with a remote operation received from the active device; and a standby device setting portion to, in response to a communication path being established with another remote operation device, set another remote operation device to be a standby device. The active device setting portion includes a sequential setting portion to, in response to detection of an end state in which no remote operation is received from the active device, set the standby device to be an active device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a hardware processor configured to:
in response to a connection request being received from a remote operation device, establish a communication path with the remote operation device;
set the remote operation device with which the communication path is established to be an active device;
cause the image forming apparatus to execute a process in accordance with a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device;
in response to a communication path being established with another remote operation device different from the remote operation device set as an active device, set another remote operation device different from the remote operation device set as an active device to be a standby device;
in response to detection of an end state in which no remote operation is received from the remote operation device set as an active device, set the remote operation device set as a standby device to be an active device;
set a number of jobs executable through a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device to a set number of executable jobs;
detect an end state when the number of jobs executed through a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device becomes equal to or greater than the set number of executable jobs; and
transmit to the standby device a numerical value representing the number of executable jobs remaining under the number of executable jobs set for the active device.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, in response to the remote operation device set as a standby device being set as an active device, notify the remote operation device newly set as an active device that a remote operation is enabled.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to allow the remote operation device set as an active device to display a remote operation screen.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to reset a sleep mode if the remote operation device set as an active device is in the sleep mode.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to notify the remote operation device set as a standby device of device identification information for identifying the remote operation device set as an active device.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to notify the remote operation device set as an active device of the number of remote operation devices set as standby devices.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, if a plurality of remote operation devices are set as standby devices, associate priorities with the remote operation devices set as standby devices, wherein
the hardware processor is further configured to set one of the remote operation devices set as standby devices that has the highest priority to be an active device.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to maintain the communication path established with the remote operation device set as a standby device by the hardware processor until the remote operation device set as a standby device is set as an active device, wherein
the hardware processor is further configured to change the priority associated to the lowest priority for a remote operation device corresponding to a communication path having a communication error continuing for a predetermined time, among a plurality of communication paths maintained for a plurality of remote operation devices set as standby devices.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, if a cancel instruction is received from the remote operation device set as a standby device, reset a setting as a standby device for the remote operation device that has transmitted the cancel instruction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to maintain the communication path established with the remote operation device set as a standby device by the hardware processor until the remote operation device set as a standby device is set to be an active device.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, in response to a standby device being set, cut off the communication path established with the remote operation device set as a standby device, wherein
the hardware processor is configured to, in response to the remote operation device set as a standby device being set to be an active device, establish a communication path with the remote operation device set as an active device.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect, as the end state, a state in which the communication path established with the remote operation device set as an active device is cut off.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect a state in which the communication path is cut off if a communication error continues for a predetermined time or longer in the communication path established with the remote operation device set as an active device.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect the end state if no remote operation is received from the active device continuously for a predetermined time.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a hardware processor configured to:
in response to a connection request being received from a remote operation device, establish a communication path with the remote operation device;
set the remote operation device with which the communication path is established to be an active device;
cause the image forming apparatus to execute a process in accordance with a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device;
in response to a communication path being established with another remote operation device different from the remote operation device set as an active device, set another remote operation device different from the remote operation device set as an active device to be a standby device;
in response to detection of an end state in which no remote operation is received from the remote operation device set as an active device, set the remote operation device set as a standby device to be an active device;
limit a number of jobs executable through a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device;
detect an end state when the number of jobs executed through a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device becomes equal to or greater than a set upper limit value;
count a time during which a setting value for executing a job to be executed by the image forming apparatus is set through a remote operation received from the remote operation device set as an active device, and
change the set upper limit value based on the counted setting time.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a hardware processor configured to:
in response to a connection request being received fr

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Nishimura Ryosuke
• Kurumasa Yoichi
• Tamai Yoshiyuki
• Kawabata Mie
• Morita Mitsutaka

Classifications

• H04N1/00408

  Display of information to the user, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/1203

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management · CPC title

• H04W76/36

  for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections · CPC title

• H04N1/00352 Primary

  Input means (H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/1239

  Restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts · CPC title