Machine dedicated monitor, predictor, and diagnostic server

In one embodiment, a server electrically connected to an image processing machine provides local data access and includes a monitor component, an analysis and prediction component to analyze data to track machine trends and predict machine subsytem and element faults, a diagnostic component capable of machine diagnostics at a higher level, components, and a communication component to provide a remote communication link. In a second embodiment, a first level of server modules are directly connected to given machines, a second level of server modules with trend analysis and diagnostic capability are connected to a network and associated with a set of machines on the network, and a third level of server modules are associated with a plurality of sets of machines on the network with the analysis and prediction components and diagnostic components providing trend data, fault prediction data, and machine corrective data for the plurality of sets of machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a server for monitoring machine data, 
predicting trends, and providing corrective response, and to a 
hierarchical system of provide predetermined degrees of response on the 
basis of a single machine, set of machines, or a plurality of sets of 
machines. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Recently, systems for monitoring the operation of a plurality of 
reprographic machines from a remote source by use of a powerful host 
computer having advanced, high level diagnostic capabilities have been 
installed. These systems have the capability to interact remotely with the 
machines being monitored to receive automatically initiated or user 
initiated requests for diagnosis and to interact with the requesting 
machine to receive stored data to enable higher level diagnostic analysis. 
Such systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,319, and 5,057,866 (the 
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference), owned by the 
assignee of the present invention. These systems employ Remote Interactive 
Communications (RIC) to enable transfer of selected machine operating data 
(referred to as machine physical data) to the remote site at which the 
host computer is located, through a suitable communication channel. The 
machine physical data may be transmitted from a monitored document system 
to the remote site automatically at predetermined times and/or response to 
a specific request from the host computer. 
In a typical RIC system, the host computer is linked via a public switched 
telephone system or a combination of public and dedicated systems to local 
reprographic machines via modems. The host computer may include a compiler 
to allow communication with a plurality of different types of machines and 
an expert diagnostic system that performs higher level analysis of the 
machine physical data than is available from the diagnostic system in the 
machine. After analysis, the expert system can provide an instruction 
message which can be utilized by the machine operator at the site of the 
document system to overcome a fault. 
Alternatively, if the expert system determines that more serious repair is 
necessary or a preventive repair is desirable, a message is sent to a 
local field work office giving the identity of the machine and a general 
indication of the type of service action required. 
One difficulty with the above described system is the requirement for large 
date transmission and bandwidth capacity in the remote transmission. U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,394,453 discloses a machine communications interface for 
transferring data either locally or remotely to a diagnostic device. 
However, the key communication elements are standard modems and RS-232 
interfaces. A difficulty with this system is a relatively low data 
bandwidth for remote monitoring and capability of only infrequent 
monitoring. More importantly, there is disclosed a relatively dumb 
communications interface for transferring data either locally or remotely. 
There is lack of capability of trend analysis and diagnostics within the 
interface and the ability to reduce raw date to machine status before 
transmission. The system of the above described patent also lacks the 
ability for interaction with other servers on a network for a progressive 
technique or hierarchy of analysis and diagnostic applicable to a single 
machine or family of machines. 
It is expected that future office products could be serviced by a variety 
of individuals that could include the customer, representative of product 
manufactures, or third party service organizations. The service may 
include parts repair or replacements, adjustments or software updates and 
should be made as conveniently and readily available as possible. On order 
to meet this new level of convenient service in an ever complex set of 
products, a new strategy needs to be developed to provide rapid, easily 
interpretable information on the status of the machines, to those that are 
likely to service the product. To ensure an economically viable strategy, 
product design must address the issue of service in a modular manner with 
upgradeable hardware and software and extendible to a series of products 
that use the same basic technologies and sensor and diagnostic techniques. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a machine 
server that is capable of machine trend analysis and diagnostics while 
still providing a relatively large capacity data interface locally or to a 
remote host. It is another object of the present invention to provide a 
progressive level or hierarchy of servers on a network to monitor trends 
and diagnose a single machine, a family of machines or various families of 
machines. 
In one embodiment, a server electrically connected to an image processing 
machine provides local data access and includes a monitor component, an 
analysis and prediction component to analyze data to track machine trends 
and predict machine subsytem and element faults, a diagnostic component 
capable of machine diagnostics at a higher level, the diagnostic component 
connected to the monitor and analysis and prediction components, and a 
communication component to provide a remote communication link. In a 
second embodiment, a first level of server modules are directly connected 
to given machines, a second level of server modules with trend analysis 
and diagnostic capability are connected to a network and associated with a 
set of machines on the network, and a third level of server modules are 
associated with a plurality of sets of machines on the network with the 
analysis and prediction components and diagnostic components providing 
trend data, fault prediction data, and machine corrective data for the 
plurality of sets of machines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The type of printer suitable for use with the server of the present 
invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,526, hereby incorporated by 
reference. A similar reprographic color printer 10 using the controls 
system architecture of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. It should 
be understood that the server can be implemented in a wide variety of IOTs 
and is not necessarily limited to the particular printing system shown in 
FIG. 1. For example the invention applies to a variety off marking systems 
besides xerography such as lithography thermal ink jet, liquid 
development, or thermal transfer. 
In FIG. 1, during operation of the printing system, a multicolor original 
document 38 is positioned on a raster input scanner (RIS) 12. RIS 12 
contains document illumination tamps, optics, and a mechanical scanning 
drive, and a charge coupled device (CCD array). ROS 12 captures the entire 
original document and converts it to a series of raster scan lines and 
measures a set of primary color densities, i.e., red, green and blue 
densities, at each of the original documents. This information is 
transmitted to an image processing system (IPS) 14. IFS 14 is the control 
electronics which prepare and manage the image data flow to the raster 
output scanner (ROS) 16. A signal corresponding to the desired image is 
transmitted from IPS 14 to ROS 16 which creates the output copy image. ROS 
16 lays out the image in a series of horizontal scan lines with each line 
having a specific number of pixels per inch. ROS 16 includes a laser with 
a rotating polygon mirror block. ROS 16 exposes the charged 
photoconductive surface of printer 10 to achieve a set of subtractive 
primary latent images. The latent images are developed with cyan, magenta, 
yellow and black developer material, respectively. These developed images 
are transferred to a copy sheet and superimposed in registration with one 
another to form a multicolored image on the copy sheet. This multicolored 
image is then fused to the copy sheet forming a color copy. 
With continued reference to FIG. 1, printer or marking engine 18 is an 
electrophotographic printing machine. The electrophotographic printing 
machine employs a photoreceptor or photoconductive belt 20. Belt 20 moves 
in the direction of arrow 22 to advance successive portions of the 
photoconductive surface sequentially through the various processing 
stations disposed about the path of movement. Belt 20 is entrained about 
transfer rollers 24 and 26, tension roller 28 and drive roller 30. Drive 
roller 30 is rotated by a motor 32 coupled thereto by suitable means such 
as a belt drive. As drive roller 30 rotates, belt 20 is advanced in the 
direction of arrow 22. Initially, a portion of photoconductive belt 20 
passes through a charging station 34. At charging station 34, corona 
generating devices or a scorotron charge photoconductive belt 20 to a 
relatively high substantially uniform potential. 
Next, the charged photoconductive surface of belt 20 is moved to the 
exposure station 36. Exposure station 36 receives image information from 
RIS 12 having a multicolored original document 36 positioned thereon. RIS 
12 captures the entire image from the original document 38 and converts it 
to a series of raster scan lines which are transmitted as electrical 
signals to IPS 14. The electrical signals from RIS 12 correspond to the 
red, green and blue densities at each point in the document. IPS 14 
converts the set of red, green and blue density signals, i.e. the set of 
signals corresponding to the primary color densities of original document 
38, to a set of colorimetric coordinates. IPS 14 then transmits signals 
corresponding to the desired image to ROS 16. ROS 16 includes a laser with 
rotating polygon mirror blocks. Preferably, a nine-facet polygon is used. 
ROS 16 emits a beam which illuminates the charged portion of 
photoconductive belt 20 at a rate of 400 pixels per inch. ROS 16 exposes 
the photoconductive belt to record four latent images. One latent image is 
adapted to the developer with cyan developer material. Another latent 
image is adapted to be developed with magenta developer material with the 
third latent image adapted to be developed with yellow developer material 
and the fourth with black material. The latent image is formed by ROS 16 
on the photoconductive belt corresponding to the signals from IPS 14. 
After the electrostatic latent image has been recorded on photoconductive 
belt 20, belt 20 advances the electrostatic image thereon to the 
development station 37. The development station includes four individual 
developer units 40, 42, 44 and 46 which develop the electrostatic latent 
images using toner particles of appropriate color as is conventional. 
After development, the toner is moved to the transfer station 48 where the 
toner image is transferred to a sheet of support material 52, such as 
plain paper. At transfer station 48, the sheet transport apparatus 
comprising a sheet conveyor 50 moves the sheet into contact with 
photoconductive belt 20. At transfer station 48, a scorotron 66 sprays 
ions onto the backside of the sheet to charge the sheet to proper 
magnitude and polarity for attracting the toner image from photoconductive 
belt 20. In this way, the four color toner images are transferred to the 
sheet in superimposed registration with one another. After the sheet is 
fed around sheet conveyor 50 four times, the sheet is then released and 
fed to a sheet transport 54 in the direction of arrow 56 between fuser 
roll 58 and pressure roll 60 and then is deposited in a sheet receiving 
tray 62. 
A hierarchical process controls architecture 110, as shown generally in 
FIG. 2, can be implemented in a printer such as printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 
or in any other suitable marking device to provide required data to a 
diagnostic server. The hierarchical process controls architecture 110 is 
implemented in the process controls 11 in marking engine 18 as shown in 
FIG. 1, and indicates a close relationship between a diagnostic server and 
the marking engine being serviced. In accordance with the present 
invention, intimate, low level details of operation and state of operation 
are communicated from a marking engine to a diagnostic server on frequent, 
regular intervals. The control architecture 110 is an example of the more 
general notion of close coupling between sewer and marker. The internals 
of the control structure for different technologies may differ, but are 
similar in providing intimate and detailed data to a diagnostic server on 
the state and operation of a machine engine marking device to provide 
required data to a diagnostic server. 
Architecture 110 in process controls 11 communicates with IPS 14 and ROS 16 
to control the quality of images output by printer 10. A primary object of 
architecture 110 is to maintain a desired IOT image quality by maintaining 
a desired tone reproduction curve (TRC). An image input to be copied or 
printed has a specific TRC. The IOT outputting a desired image has an 
intrinsic TRC. If the IOT is allowed to operate uncontrolled, the TRC of 
the image output by IOT will distort the color rendition of the image. 
Thus, an IOT must be controlled to match its intrinsic TRC to the TRC of 
the input image. An intrinsic TRC of an IOT may vary due to changes in 
such uncontrollable variables such as humidity or temperature and the age 
of the xerographic materials, i.e. the number of prints made since the 
developer, photoreceptor, etc. were new. As shown in FIG. 2, to 
accommodate and correct for the various changes, architecture 110 takes a 
system-wide view of the IOT marking engine and controls both the various 
physical subsystems 113 of the IOT and the inter-relationships between 
subsystems 113. 
As seen in FIG. 2, architecture 110 may be divided into three levels, Level 
1, Level 2 and Level 3. Architecture 110 also has a controls supervisor 
112 for coordinating the interactions between the controllers of various 
levels. Level 1 includes controllers 114 for each of the subsystems 113. 
Subsystem 113 for example, can be the charge, exposure, development, of 
fusing stations of a xerographic device. Level 2 includes at least two 
controllers 115 which cooperate with the Level 1 controllers 114. Level 3 
includes at least one controller 116. Each of the controllers function and 
communicate with other controllers through specific interfaces provided in 
controls supervisor 112 in addition to direct connections. 
In general, at Level 1 the algorithms are responsible for maintaining their 
corresponding subsystems at their setpoints. Level 2 determines what those 
setpoints should be and notifies the L1 algorithms of it's decisions to 
change them. L2 examines for example, the toner patches in the 
interdocument zones of the photoreceptor placed there by the patch 
scheduling algorithm and the optical sensor reads those patches to 
determine the amount of toner placed there by the development system. The 
patches may be either full solid area patches or 50% (for example) 
halftone patches. From the densities of these patches, the level 2 
algorithms determine the appropriate setpoints for the electrostatic 
voltages and toner concentration. Level 2 does not acknowledge the TRC as 
an entity, only as three points (maximum darkness white and some 
intermediate darkness (50% in the example). Level 3 treats the TRC as a 
curve made up of a number of discrete points (the three from level 2 and 
usually about 4-6 more. For further details on control architecture 110, 
reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,313 incorporated herein. 
Level 1 controllers 114 are required to maintain a scalar setpoint for each 
subsystem 113 to allow for short term stability of subsystems 113 which is 
required by Level 2 algorithms. Each subsystem 113 has a separate 
controller 114 which directly controls the particular parameter or 
performance setpoint of that particular subsystem. Level 1 controllers 114 
are sent information by various information sensors which sense the 
subsystem performance parameters locally as shown by the direct control 
loops depicting controllers 114 shown in FIG. 2. The sensed parameters are 
sent through a single process step or algorithm from which actuation 
control parameters are output to control various IOT subsystems 113. Two 
separate algorithms may be provided for each Level 1 controller 114. One 
algorithm provides rapid response time when a Level 1 subsystem setpoint 
is changed to allow for quick stabilization required by Level 2 
controllers 115. The second algorithm provides for noise immunity during a 
normal subsystem operation in which a setpoint is not changed. The control 
supervisor provides the means for determining which algorithm will adjust 
the activator value. 
Level 2 controllers 115 operate regionally, rather than operating locally 
as do Level 1 controllers 113. Level 2 controllers 115 control an 
intermediate process output. Input to the algorithms of Level 2 
controllers 115 consist of a composite set of scalar quantities including 
temperature, humidity, developer age and any other factor affecting Level 
2 controllers 115. Two examples of regional control configurations are 
shown in FIG. 2, but any appropriate configuration which operates 
regionally may be used. Level 2 controllers 115 receive input data from 
either an information processing system in printer 10 or a scanner in a 
copier or a user interface. The input data informs Level 2 controllers 115 
what the customer desires to be output. It is important to note that an 
image output desired by the customer may not always be exactly the same 
image that is input. That is, the customer may want to customize or change 
the appearance of the image. 
The data input to Level 2 controllers 115 comprises multiple bits per pixel 
of a desired image to be output by an image output terminal. It is assumed 
that the input data are to be reproduced exactly as transmitted. That is, 
the colorimetric coordinates of the input image should match the measured 
colorimetric coordinates in the corresponding regions-of the image output 
by the IOT. In order for the architecture of the present invention to 
accomplish this colorimetric coordinate matching function, the TRC 
intrinsic in a particular IOT must be determined. A TRC of a particular 
IOT is sensed by an optical sensor viewing test patches placed on the 
photoreceptor. Once an intrinsic TRC of a particular IOT is determined, 
the Level 2 controllers 115 control discrete points on the intrinsic TRC 
to match the TRC of the input image date. That is, the tone reproduction 
curve allows the IOT to output an image that corresponds to the image 
desired by the customer. Level 2 controllers 115 do this by sensing and 
deriving various discrete setpoints corresponding to the intrinsic IOT 
tone reproduction curve. Then Level 2 controllers 115 sense the 
performance of the setpoints of the tone reproduction curve with respect 
to corresponding setpoints on the desired TRC. 
Level 2 controllers 115 send Level 1 subsystem performance parameter 
recommendations to controls supervisor 112. As described later, controls 
supervisor 112 either accepts or adjusts these parameter recommendations 
and sends them to the Level 1 subsystem actuators to change the 
performance of Level 1 subsystems 113. By changing the Level 1 subsystems 
performances by a controlled amount, the Level 2 setpoints are maintained 
at their desired locations on the tone reproduction curve. To sense and 
create the intrinsic TRC, Level 2 controllers 115 select the darkest or 
densest bit from the input data stream and assigns this density a value 
corresponding to the highest setpoint on a tone reproduction curve. Level 
2 controllers 115 also select a certain density level, for example 50%, 
and assign this bit another density value corresponding to another 
setpoint on the tone reproduction curve. The lowest setpoint on the tone 
reproduction curve is always 0 and corresponds to background or white area 
on the image input Level 2 controllers 115 set the white areas or 0 
density areas of the input image and maintain this background area by 
maintaining a constant value of V.sub.clean. Thus, Level 2 controllers 115 
set up at least three points on the tone reproduction curve which are used 
to control the image output process. 
Level 2 controllers 115 then sense the performance of the IOT corresponding 
to the few discrete points set up by Level 2 controllers 115 on the tone 
reproduction curve of the input image. That is, Level 2 controllers sense 
what density level is output and what density level is input and compares 
the two. If the setpoint of the intrinsic TRC moves or is different from 
the input density level, then the controllers 115 send a Level 1 parameter 
recommendation to correct for this difference. Level 2 controllers 
continuously check the output of the few discrete points to control these 
points on the tone reproduction curve. 
While the Level 2 controllers control the solid area and halftone area or 
the upper and middle regions of the TRC, and V.sub.clean maintains the 
lower end of the TRC, other setpoints along the tone reproduction curve 
must be set up and controlled to produce an image with a desired color 
stability. These other regions are known as the highlight and shadow 
regions which experience variations in output density values just as the 
other areas do. The Level 3 controller 116 provides setpoints to control 
the output of the highlight and shadow regions and controls these 
setpoints to produce a high quality image output. Level 3 controller 116 
senses the performance of the image output terminal corresponding to the 
highlight and shadow region setpoints and compares the performance data to 
the input data. Level 3 controller 116 then corrects for any difference 
between output performance data and input data by changing how RIS 12 
interprets the input image. 
In one embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, Level 1 subsystems to be controlled 
may include a charging subsystem 118, an exposure subsystem 120, a 
development subsystem 122, and a fuser subsystem 126. Further, any other 
physical subsystems of a printer or copier can be easily controlled and 
included in the architecture. The Level 1 subsystems controllers may 
include any or all of the following controllers: a charging controller, an 
laser power controller, a toner concentration controller, a transfer 
efficiency controller, a fuser temperature controller, a cleaning 
controller, a decurler controller and a fuser stripper controller. Other 
IOT controllers which control various physical subsystems of the IOT not 
mentioned here can be used by simply designing the controllers such that 
they can be controlled by controls supervisor 112 as shown in FIG. 2 and 
can be inserted in a plug and play manner as described above. 
In order to offer customers value added diagnostic services using add-on 
hardware and software modules which provide service information on 
copier/printer products a hierarchy of machine servers are described in 
accordance with the present invention. In the following "machine" is used 
to refer to the device whose performance is being monitored, typically, 
but not limited to, a copier or printer. "Server" is used to refer to the 
device which is performing the monitoring and analysis function and 
providing the communication interface between the "machine" and the 
service environment. Such a server would consist of a computer with 
ancillary components, as well as software and hardware parts to receive 
raw data from various sensors located within the machine at appropriate, 
frequent intervals, on a continuing basis and to interpret such data and 
report on the functional status of the subsystem and systems of the 
machine. In addition to the direct sensor data received from the machine, 
a knowledge of the parameters in the process control algorithms (levels 1, 
2 and 3) is also passed in order to acknowledge the fact that process 
controls attempt to correct for machine parameter and materials drift and 
other image quality affectors. One quality of control systems is that the 
effects of drift are masked through compensatory actuation until the 
operational boundaries (latitudes) are reached. Thus the control system 
algorithm parameters may be interrogated to assess the progress of the 
system toward the latitude bounds. If the distance from the bounds can be 
determined and the rate of system degradation toward those bounds 
assessed, then a prediction may be made which forecasts the time of 
failure of the component approaching latitude bounds. Such a server, would 
have sufficient storage capacity to allow machine data and their 
interpretations to be stored until such time that the server is prompted 
to report through a local display or a network. The server could also be 
programmed to provide alert signals locally or through a network 
connection when the conditions of the machine, as detected by the server, 
required immediate attention. 
In addition, when degradation of components or performance is detected, 
predictions of the impending failure cause a series of actions to occur 
depending on the service strategy for the machine. These actions could 
range from key operator notification of the predicted need for service to 
actually placing an order for the appropriate part for "just in time" 
delivery prior to actual part failure. The server is equipped to perform a 
set of specific functions for each family of products and would provide 
instructions for customer or a service representative to perform whatever 
repair, part replacement, etc. that may be necessary for the maintenance 
and optimum operation of the machine. Such functions include status of 
periodic parts replacement due to wear or image quality determinations 
which may require adjustment of operational parameters of various modules 
or replacement of defective components. 
The software that is loaded in such a server would, in part, be generic to 
common modules among all machine and in part, specific to the machine that 
the customer has purchased. The server could be configured to serve on or 
several machines within the same campus and be capable of receiving such 
data from various machines over radio transmitter, phone lines, or network 
connection. The server thus will provide the interpretation of the complex 
raw data that continually emanates from various components and modules of 
the machine(s), and will be able to provide the customer information on 
the nature of the actions that need to be taken to maintain the machine 
for optimum performance. 
The concept of "Basic Diagnostics" are "Value Added Diagnostics" is 
implemented by providing only uninterpreted (raw) data at the machine 
interface as a basic diagnostic component. The server accepts this raw 
data and interprets it to provide reduced service time (even zero if the 
customer performs the service action) resulting from the specific and 
correct diagnosis of both actual as predicted failures of machine parts. 
This server is given very intimate details of the inter workings of the 
machine being monitored and thus provides similarly detailed information 
about the state of each individual component. This information is useful 
not only for field service diagnostics but also before and after product 
life in manufacturing by testing the behavior of the individual components 
and comparing it to standard, known, correct behavior in remanufacturing 
remembering exactly the part failed and providing information as a 
database entry specific to a part and serial number. 
There are basically two flavors of the server. A "local" server (including 
hand held device) is connected to a single machine to perform monitoring, 
analysis, diagnostic, and communication functions. A second embodiment 
resides on a network and servers the diagnostic needs of a population of 
machines to which is connected. A scaleable set of solutions provide cost 
benefit points for customer decisions. 
These servers, in accordance with the present invention would provide an 
intermediate level of diagnostic capability between those located within 
the machine and those maintained at a remote service location. 
Intermediate not only in the size of the domain being served but also in 
complexity, bandwidth, scope of analysis, and response time. While the 
diagnostic capability which is embedded within the produce itself has the 
most immediate access to the raw sensor data, the highest potential 
bandwidth, and the fastest possible response time, it is limited by cost 
and functional requirements in the level of analysis, breadth of scope and 
depth of storage which can be maintained. The remote diagnostic server on 
the other hands has the potential for virtually unlimited storage for 
monitoring and trend analysis, a more global perspective on the population 
of machines in question, and more computational horsepower for a detailed 
analysis of whatever data can be made available. The local and network 
based servers enable a continuum of diagnostic product offerings between 
the existing internal and remote systems. 
Current practice is to transmit raw (NVM) data to remote locations from 
which diagnostic information about each machine is derived using 
sophisticated technologies. The limitations of the current situation lie 
predominantly in the area of data content, bandwidth, and response time. 
Remote access currently is conducted over telephone lines with their 
associated low speed and connection charges. Data sampling typically 
occurs on the order of once a day (week) and is not sufficiently 
responsive to take preventative action in many instances and or accurately 
determine the trends in rapidly changing parameters. 
The diagnostic server, in accordance with the present invention, augment 
the internal machine diagnostic capabilities and provide value to the 
customer measured in decreased downtime due to improved diagnostic and 
prognostic information which could be used in a service strategy to either 
reduce customer visit length or to provide the capability for customer 
parts replacement, avoiding a customer visit altogether. 
A multiplicity of machines (typically, but not restricted to, copiers and 
printers) on the network are in contact with a single network server. The 
existing computational capabilities on the net, or newly purchased ones 
specifically for this purpose, are equipped with software with the 
capability of sampling machine state on a per job basis or even more 
frequently if that is required. A network based diagnostic server acts as 
the contact point for an entire site back to a central "headquarters" type 
of field service operation thus reducing the number of external 
connections required by the customer. The network server maintains a 
continuously updated detailed machine state database. This data base would 
include non error state information such as loaded paper sizes, color, job 
queue length jam state and current quality capability. The data base of 
capabilities (including everything needed to describe the machine state) 
enables services beyond diagnostics including job scheduling, print queues 
management, resource allocation, and user notification to provide optimal 
mapping of job to machine based on the customers requirement for the job 
being printed. 
With reference to FIG. 4, a server generally shown at 200, includes a 
subsystem and component monitor 202, an analysis and predictions component 
204, a diagnostic component 206, and a communication component 208. It 
should be understood that suitable memory is inherent in the server 200 in 
the monitor, analysis and predictions, diagnostics, and communication 
components. The monitor element contains a pre-processing capability 
including a feature extractor which isolates the relevant portions of data 
to be forwarded on to the analysis and diagnostic elements. In general, 
the monitor element 202 receives machine data as illustrated at 210 and 
provides suitable data to the analysis and predictions component 204 to 
analyze machine operation and status and track machine trends such as 
usage of disposable components as well as usage data, and component and 
subsystem wear data. Diagnostic component 206 receives various machine 
sensor and control data from the monitor 202 as well as data from the 
analysis and prediction 204 to provide immediate machine correction as 
illustrated at 216 as well as to provide crucial diagnostic and service 
information through communication component 208 on line 212 to an 
interconnected network to a remote server on the network or to a 
centralized host machine with various diagnostic tools such as an expert 
system. Included can be suitable alarm condition reports, requests to 
replenish depleted consumable, and data sufficient for a more thorough 
diagnostics of the machine. Also provided is a local access 214 or 
interface for a local service representative to access various analysis, 
prediction, and diagnostic data stored in the server 200 as well as to 
interconnect any suitable diagnostic device. 
With reference to FIG. 5, there is disclosed a typical machine server 200 
interconnected to a printing or any other suitable electronic imaging 
machine 222 as well as connected to network 220. It should be understood 
that the scope of the present invention contemplates various 
configurations of a machine server as well as interconnections to machines 
networks and other network servers. It should be understood that the 
present invention encompasses various alternatives of a machine server 
such as analysis and predictor elements, a diagnostic element capable of a 
hierarchy of diagnostic levels, and various configurations to receive 
sensed data and controlled data from a machine. For example, in FIG. 5 
certain sensed data illustrated at 228 is provided both to the monitor 202 
and machine control 224. Other data illustrated at 226 is provided 
directly only to monitor 202, which also receives control data on line 
230. Both the communication element 208 and control 224 are shown as 
connected to the network 220. Network server 218 connected to network 220 
provides a higher level of analysis and diagnostics to machine 22 than the 
machine server 200 and provides a higher level of analysis and diagnostics 
to other machines on the network as is illustrated in FIG. 6. 
FIG. 6 illustrates machine 1, 232, machine 2, 240 and machine 3, 248 
interconnected to network 220 through lines 236, 244, and 252. Attached to 
machine 1 is server 234, to machine 2 server 242, and to machine 3 server 
250. It should be understood that within the scope of the present 
invention, each of these machines servers can be an integral part of a 
machine, a standalone component but permanently attached to a given 
machine, or an adjunct or portable component easily moved to another 
machine. Servers 234, 242, and 250 are also interconnected to network 220 
through lines 238, 246, and 254. In one embodiment, a network server 256, 
interconnected to the network via line 258, is dedicated to machines 1, 2 
and 3. Network server 256 could have the same basic elements: monitor, 
analysis and predictor, diagnostic element and communication element as 
well as a local access element as a typical machine server. In a preferred 
embodiment, network server 256 provides a next level of sophistication in 
monitoring, predicting trends and diagnosing a given family of machines. 
Further illustrated in FIG. 6, machine A 260 with server 262, machine B 
276 with server 278, and machine C 265 with server 270 are interconnected 
to network 220 through lines 264, 266, 272, 274, and 280, and 282. Also 
interconnected to the network 220 is network server 284 via line 286, 
network server 284 providing a further level of analysis and diagnostic 
for machines A, B, and C. In one embodiment, machines 1, 2 and 3 are of 
one class of imaging device and machines A, B and C are of a second class 
of family imaging devices. Thus, network servers 256 and 284 may be 
significantly different in operation, being set up to monitor a entirely 
different class of machine. Also interconnected to network servers 258 and 
284 is network server 290 providing a next level higher analysis, 
diagnostic capability and even job routing than either server 256 or 284 
for machines 1, 2, 3, A, B and C. Network server 290 interconnected to 
network 220 via line 292 in one embodiment could also be a host machine at 
a central diagnostic station with various expert analysis tools for trend 
analysis, signature analysis, configuration analysis, and parts supply 
tracking. 
With reference to FIG. 7, there is disclosed in flowchart form, a given 
scenario for a interconnection of various machine servers and network 
servers on a network to provide progressive levels of monitoring, 
analysis, and diagnostics for a given machine. At block 300, there is 
illustrated the sensing of status for a given machine at level 1. It 
should be understood that a level 1 status could be sensing a certain 
number of machine sensors and controlled data. Block 302 illustrates a 
level 1 analysis and in decision block 304, there is a determination based 
upon the level 1 analysis at 302 whether or not a level 1 response is 
required. It should be understood that a level 1 analysis could simply be 
an analysis and corrective feedback automatically provided by the sensors 
and control in a given machine. 
However, in the present invention, a level 1 analysis is an analysis 
performed by a machine server over and above the ordinary or routine 
analysis in a given machine. Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, a level 1 
analysis would be the further analysis done by monitor component 202, 
analysis and prediction component 204, diagnostic component 205 beyond a 
typical machine analysis. This could include some level of trend tracking 
such as tracking machine fault trends, tracking component wear, and 
tracking machine usage as discussed above. This level of information could 
be forwarded over a network to a more sophisticated monitor and could also 
be available over a local or remote access by a service representative or 
even a trained operator. 
Assuming a level 1 response is required at block 304, a level 1 action is 
taken for a given machine as shown in block 308. Block 308 determines the 
action is complete regarding the level 1 analysis at 302. If the 
correction is not complete, for example there are several level 1 actions 
based upon the level 1 analysis, the level 1 analysis at 302 continues. 
Upon the determination at decision block 304 that there is no further 
level 1 response required or on a determination at decision block 308 that 
the correction is complete, the system senses the machine status at a 
level 2. At a level 2 analysis, additional sensors or additional control 
and first level diagnostic analysis information is considered. At block 
316 there is an analysis of the data provided at the sensed status at 
level 2 block 314. As in the level 1 loop, decision block 318 determines 
if a level 2 response if required. If no, the analysis continues to the 
sensing of status at a level 3. However, if the level 2 analysis requires 
a response, at block 320 a level 2 action is taken. 
In accordance with the present invention, the level 2 analysis is 
equivalent to a network analysis server such as provided by either network 
server 256 or 284 in FIG. 6. At this level, a response required could be a 
response for more than one machine, for example, network server 256 could 
determine a response for machines 1, 2 and 3 or a combination of machines 
1, 2 and 3 and network server 254 could determine a response necessary for 
a combination of machines A B and C. If the corrective action is complete 
as determined at decision block 322, or if there is no level of response 
required at decision block 318, the system enters into a sense status at 
level 3 mode at block 328. It should be understood that, the monitor, 
analysis, and diagnostic loops at 3 levels are shown sequentially. However 
it should be understood that portions of the analysis can be done 
concurrently at various levels since common sensor and control data and 
available diagnostic data may be available concurrently. 
The sense status at level 3 block 328 provides data for the level 3 
analysis shown at block 330. With respect to FIG. 6, the level 3 analysis 
is equivalent to the analysis of network server 290 receiving various 
analytical and diagnostic data from both servers 256 and 284. As in the 
previous loops, decision block 332 determines whether or not a level 3 
response if required, and if so block 334 illustrates a level 3 action. A 
level 3 action, for example by network server 290 in the present example 
could require action to machines 1, 2, 3, A, B, and C or any combination 
thereof. As discussed above, it is the next level of analysis and 
diagnostics in the hierarchy level of monitoring, analysis, trend setting, 
scheduling prediction, and diagnostics. If the correction at level 3 is 
complete or if there is no level response required, the system will remain 
idle until the sense status at level 1 is initiated after a given time 
period or after the completion of a given event or the occurrence of the 
given event. 
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred 
embodiments thereof which are illustrative and non-limiting. Various 
changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the 
invention as defined in the appended claims.