Patent ID: 6597470
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: G03G,H04N

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus supervising system having a central control apparatus, a plurality of image forming apparatuses each having a memory and connected to the central control apparatus with a first communication line, and a data communication apparatus connected to the plurality of image forming apparatuses and the central control apparatus using a second communication line, comprising:an information code data transmitting device configured to transmit information code data, having a plurality of levels in which character data is respectively included, from the central control apparatus to the image forming apparatuses; a data reading device configured to read data corresponding to said information code data from a respective memory of a respective image forming apparatus; and a response data transmitting device configured to transmit the data read from the respective memory to the central control apparatus via the data communication apparatus and the first communication line; wherein said central control apparatus changes all character data included in one or more levels lower than a prescribed level of the information code data with particular character data before transmitting the information code data when reading all data in the respective memory, which accords with character data included in one or more levels higher than the prescribed level of the information code data; and said data reading device reads only data of the respective memory which accords with the character data not changed with said particular character data when receiving the information code data.