Patent ID: 8117561
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: G06F,G09G,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus management system comprising: an apparatus configured to perform a process in response to an operation on an operation screen; and a management device that is connected to the apparatus via a network, and configured to manage the apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a first displaying unit configured to display the operation screen and configured to receive an input from the operation screen, a first storage unit configured to store therein screen element data on screen elements that configure the operation screen, screen design data on the screen element data that configures the operation screen, setting data on settings for the apparatus, and log data on a log of an operation performed by a user on the operation screen, a first screen drawing unit configured to create the operation screen based on the screen element data and the screen design data, and configured to draw a created operation screen on the first displaying unit, and a first transmitting unit configured to transmit the screen design data and the setting data to the management device, the management device includes a second displaying unit configured to display thereon the operation screen, a second storage unit configured to store therein the screen element data that configures the operation screen for a plurality of apparatuses, a second receiving unit configured to receive the screen design data and the setting data from the apparatus, and a second screen drawing unit configured to create the operation screen from the screen element data based on the screen design data and the setting data received by the second receiving unit, and configured to draw a created operation screen on the second displaying unit, the first transmitting unit configured to transmit, when there is an operation input by the user on the operation screen, a new log data in which the operation input is recorded to the management device, the second receiving unit further receives the new log data from the apparatus, the second screen drawing unit configured to update the operation screen displayed on the second displaying unit based on the received new log data and the screen element data stored in the second storage unit, and configured to draw an updated operation screen on the second displaying unit, the second screen drawing unit drawing a same operation screen as a current operation screen displayed by the apparatus, the same operation screen drawn based on an operation screen information received from the apparatus, and the second screen drawing unit configured to receive a notification of operation log message along with the received new log data, update the display on the second display unit based on the received notification of operation log message and store the received new log data the log data and the new log data being a record of an operation history of the apparatus, wherein the first transmitting unit transmits an inquiry about an operational information of the management device to a second transmitting unit of the management device at predetermined intervals, upon receiving the inquiry, the second transmitting unit transmits the operational information to the apparatus, and the first screen drawing unit creates a new operation screen on the first displaying unit based on the transmitted operation information, and wherein the first displaying unit is further configured to switch between the operation screen created by the second screen drawing unit and the operation screen created by the first screen drawing unit in response to a user input.