Patent ID: 7426748
Filing Date: 2008-09-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A management mediating device, comprising: a management system communication unit making a connection to a management system outside a fire wall from inside the fire wall, and receiving a command from the management system; a storage unit storing a connection schedule of the management system communication unit inside the firewall to make the connection to the management system outside the firewall; an instructing unit that, in accordance with the connection schedule, instructs the management system communication unit to start a connection operation to make the connection to the management system, wherein after the management system communication unit makes the connection to the management system, and transmits a command check to the management system, the management system communication unit receives the command from the management system in response to the transmitted command check; and a processor performing a process in accordance with the received command, the process including to send a test signal to a hardware resource of an image forming apparatus to obtain data indicating a usage state of the image forming apparatus in a local area, the data indicating the usage state including information in response to the test signal from the hardware resource; the management system communication unit transferring the obtained data to the management system at a time the connection schedule indicates to connect to the management system.