Patent ID: 7518750
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: receiving, at a location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a first parameter representing a condition of at least one part of said image forming apparatus; storing said first parameter; receiving, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, a second parameter after at least one image forming operation is executed by the image forming apparatus, said second parameter representing said condition of said at least one part of said image forming apparatus; comparing, at the location which is remote from the image forming apparatus, said received first and second parameters; setting a first flag based on the comparing when the first and second parameters are different; comparing a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter to a stored tolerance range, the tolerance range including an upper limit value and a lower limit value; determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range by determining whether the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is greater than the upper limit value or less than the lower limit value; setting a second flag when the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter is outside of the tolerance range; and controlling a display of said condition on a terminal that is remote from said image forming apparatus based on the setting of at least one of the first and second flags.