Information processing device to store log information during communication failure

An information processing device includes control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to store, in a first memory, record information formed each time a predetermined event occurs in a device and perform an update process of successively updating an old piece of record information with a new piece of record information in the record information stored in the first memory; transmit the record information stored in the first memory via a first signal line; transfer communication abnormality record information stored in the first memory to a second memory, which is configured not to update record information, and store the communication abnormality record information in the second memory when a communication abnormality signal of the first signal line is supplied via a second signal line; and transmit the communication abnormality record information stored in the second memory via the first signal line when communication of the first signal line is restored.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-022737, filed on Feb. 12, 2019, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an information processing device, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an information processing method.

Discussion of the Background Art

At present, there is known an electronic device that stores log information at the time of occurrence of an abnormality in order to analyze a cause when the abnormality occurs.

In addition, there is known a machine scheduled suspension checking system capable of separately detecting abnormal suspension of a machine and scheduled suspension during maintenance among a normal operation, scheduled suspension, and abnormal suspension corresponding to operation information of a monitored machine when an operation of the monitored machine is checked from a monitoring machine.

In such a machine scheduled suspension checking system capable of performing detection, a machine operation checking processor checks the operation of the monitored machine, and a scheduled suspension flag file transfer processor transfers scheduled suspension information of the monitored machine to the monitoring machine and stores the information in a scheduled suspension flag file storage area. A machine operation checking table update processor reflects the scheduled suspension information stored in the scheduled suspension flag file storage area in a database of a machine operation checking table.

Furthermore, there is also known an electronic device that stores log information in a large-capacity memory of a master-side central processing unit (CPU) (management-side) while filing the log information, and refers back to the log information when an abnormality occurs in the case where mutual communication is disconnected, thereby being able to detect a state at the time of occurrence of the abnormality.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing device that includes control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to store, in a first memory, record information formed each time a predetermined event occurs in a device and perform an update process of successively updating an old piece of record information with a new piece of record information in the record information stored in the first memory; transmit the record information stored in the first memory via a first signal line; transfer communication abnormality record information corresponding to the record information stored in the first memory to a second memory, which is configured not to update record information, and store the communication abnormality record information in the second memory when a communication abnormality signal indicating a communication abnormality of the first signal line is supplied via a second signal line; and transmit the communication abnormality record information stored in the second memory via the first signal line when communication of the first signal line is restored.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an image forming apparatus that includes the information processing device and an image forming device configured to form a predetermined image.

In still another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an image forming system that includes a first image forming apparatus, a second image forming apparatus, the first signal line, and the second signal line. The first image forming apparatus is configured to form an image. The second image forming apparatus is the above-described image forming apparatus configured to form an image. The first signal line connects the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus for communication. The second signal line connects the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus for communication. The first image forming apparatus includes control circuitry configured to transmit the communication abnormality signal indicating the communication abnormality of the first signal line to the second image forming apparatus via the second signal line when the communication abnormality of the first signal line is detected; and acquire the communication abnormality record information corresponding to the communication abnormality of the first signal line transmitted from the second image forming apparatus via the first signal line and store the acquired communication abnormality record information in a communication abnormality memory when communication of the first signal line is restored. The control circuitry of the second image forming apparatus is configured to transmit the communication abnormality record information stored in the second memory to the first image forming apparatus via the first signal line when communication of the first signal line is restored.

In still yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing method comprising: storing, in a first memory, record information formed each time a predetermined event occurs in a device; performing an update process of successively updating an old piece of record information with a new piece of record information in the record information stored in the first memory; transmitting the record information stored in the first memory via a first signal line; transferring communication abnormality record information corresponding to the record information stored in the first memory to a second memory, which is configured not to update record information and causing the second memory to store the communication abnormality record information when a communication abnormality signal indicating a communication abnormality of the first signal line is supplied via a second signal line; and transmitting the communication abnormality record information stored in the second memory via the first signal line when communication of the first signal line is restored.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an image forming system of an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

System Configuration

FIG. 1is a system configuration diagram of an image forming system of an embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the image forming system of the embodiment is formed by interconnecting a first MFP1and a second MFP2through a normal signal line154and an emergency signal line180. Referring to interconnected MFPs, three or more MFPs may be interconnected to form the image forming system.

For example, the MFPs1and2include image forming devices160and170(examples of an image forming unit), respectively, having image forming functions such as a copy function, a scanner function, a printing function, and a facsimile transmission/reception function. Note that any one of the image forming functions may be provided, or a plurality of the image forming functions may be provided.

Further, in addition to the image forming device160having such an image forming function(s), the first MFP1includes a system controller130, a memory unit131, a reading unit132, a writing unit133, and a customer support system (CSS)137that is a remote diagnosis system.

The system controller130includes a central processing unit (CPU)134. The memory unit131has a volatile memory136and a nonvolatile memory138. Further, the memory unit131stores a log processing program135. The CPU134of the system controller130executes the log processing program135to collect log information at the time of an emergency such as interruption of communication with the second MFP2from the second MFP2when communication is restored. As a result, it is possible to analyze a cause of the communication interruption, etc. Details will be described later.

Similarly to the first MFP1, in addition to the image forming device170having the image forming function(s), the second MFP2includes a system controller140, a memory unit141, a reading unit142, a writing unit143, and a CSS150.

The system controller140includes a CPU144. The memory unit141includes a volatile memory146(an example of a first storage unit) and a nonvolatile memory148(an example of a second storage unit). Further, the memory unit141stores a log processing program145. The CPU144of the system controller140executes the log processing program145to store log information at the time of interruption of communication with the first MFP1, and transmits the log information to the first MFP1when communication is restored. As a result, it is possible to analyze a cause at the time of the communication interruption, etc. Details will be described later.

The first MFP1and the second MFP2are interconnected by the normal signal line154and the emergency signal line180. The first MFP1and the second MFP2normally communicate with each other via the normal signal line154. When communication is interrupted, occurrence of communication interruption is notified from a master-side CPU to a slave-side CPU via the emergency signal line180(communication interruption notification signal). The slave-side CPU receiving the communication interruption notification signal (an example of a communication abnormality signal) saves and stores log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality in the nonvolatile memory. Then, when communication is restored, the slave-side CPU reads the log information at the time of occurrence of communication interruption from the nonvolatile memory, and transmits the log information to a mater-side MFP via the normal signal line154. In this way, it is possible to analyze the log information at the time of occurrence of communication interruption. The log information is an example of record information.

Inconvenience at the Time of Communication Interruption

Here, a description will be given of an inconvenience at the time of communication interruption of each of the MFPs1and2based onFIG. 2. For example, it is presumed that the first MFP1and the second MFP2are interconnected by the normal signal line154(an example of a first signal line), the CPU134of the first MFP1operates as a master CPU, and the CPU144of the second MFP2operates as a slave CPU. The master CPU134of the first MFP1controls the entire first MFP1and peripheral devices connected to the first MFP1. Similarly, the CPU144of the second MFP2controls the entire second MFP2and peripheral devices connected to the second MFP2.

The CPU134of the first MFP1on the master side and the CPU144of the second MFP2on the slave side communicate with each other. The master-side CPU134stores, in the nonvolatile memory138, log information indicating operation states of the own device and the peripheral device. The slave-side CPU144temporarily stores log information indicating operation states of the own device and the peripheral device in the volatile memory146, and transmits the log information to the first MFP1at a predetermined timing. The master CPU134of the first MFP1stores the log information acquired from the second MFP2in the nonvolatile memory138. In this way, when an abnormality occurs, by analyzing the log information on the first MFP1side stored in the nonvolatile memory138of the first MFP1and the log information on the second MFP2side, it is possible to investigate a cause of the occurrence of the abnormality.

Here, as illustrated inFIG. 3, it is presumed that immediately after the master-side CPU134starts communication with the slave-side CPU144(immediately after starting), communication between the respective CPUs134and144is interrupted. In this case, log information (communication interruption occurrence log information: an example of communication abnormality record information) corresponding to communication interruption occurring immediately after starting the communication is formed by the slave-side CPU144and temporarily stored in the volatile memory146.

The temporarily stored communication interruption occurrence log information is transmitted from the second MFP2on the slave side to the first MFP1, and is stored in the nonvolatile memory138of the first MFP1. However, when communication interruption between the respective CPUs134and144occurs, the communication interruption occurrence log information may not be transferred from the second MFP2to the first MFP1, and the communication interruption occurrence log information is temporarily stored in the volatile memory146of the second MFP2. In this state, when subsequent log information (second log, third log . . . ) is formed, the subsequent log information is overwritten on the communication interruption occurrence log information, and the inconvenience of losing the communication interruption occurrence log information occurs.

For this reason, the image forming system of the embodiment connects the master-side MFP and the slave-side MFP with each other via the normal signal line154, and connects the master-side MFP and the slave-side MFP with each other via the emergency signal line180(an example of a second signal line). Then, when communication interruption of the normal signal line154occurs, a communication interruption notification signal is transmitted from the master-side MFP to the slave-side MFP via the emergency signal line180. Upon receiving the communication interruption notification signal, the slave-side MFP saves and stores log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality in the nonvolatile memory. Then, when the normal signal line154is restored, the slave-side MFP reads the log information at the time of occurrence of communication interruption from the nonvolatile memory, and transmits the log information to the mater-side WP via the normal signal line154. In this way, it is possible to analyze the log information at the time of occurrence of communication interruption.

Function Based on Log Processing Program

Such operation at the time of occurrence of communication interruption is implemented by the respective CPUs134and144on the master side and the slave side executing the log processing program135or the log processing program145illustrated inFIG. 1. The log processing program135or the log processing program145is a program having the same function, and the CPU operating as the master side implements the function on the master side based on the log processing program. Further, the CPU operating as the slave side implements the function on the slave side based on the log processing program.

That is,FIG. 4is a functional block diagram of each function implemented by executing the log processing program135or the log processing program145. As illustrated inFIG. 4, when the log processing program145is executed, respective functions of an interruption notification unit191, a log update suspension unit192, a storage controller193, a restoration notification unit194, a log transfer unit195, and an output controller196are implemented. The master-side CPU selects and executes the master-side function among these functions, and the slave-side CPU selects and executes the slave-side function among these functions.

System Operation when Communication Interruption Occurs

FIG. 5is a sequence diagram illustrating a system operation when communication interruption occurs. In addition,FIG. 6is a diagram schematically illustrating a system operation when communication interruption occurs. Note that, as an example, the CPU134of the first MFP1is set to the master-side CPU, and the CPU144of the second MFP2is set to the slave-side CPU.

While communication is normally performed between the first MFP1and the second MFP2, the log information generated by the second MFP2is read from the volatile memory146as an example of the first storage unit or a first memory by the storage controller193as an example of a storage controller, transmitted to the first MFP1via the normal signal line154as an example of a first signal line by the output controller196as an example of a transmission unit, and stored in the nonvolatile memory138.

However, as illustrated inFIG. 5andFIG. 6, when communication interruption of the normal signal line154occurs, the master-side CPU134functions as the interruption notification unit191as an example of an abnormality notification unit to transmit the communication interruption notification signal (notification number) to the slave-side CPU144via the emergency signal line180as an example of a second signal line (step S1: interruption notification).

Upon receiving the communication interruption notification signal, the slave-side CPU144forms log information at the time of occurrence of the abnormality (communication interruption occurrence log information) and temporarily controls storage in the volatile memory146as an example of the second storage unit or a second memory. In addition, the CPU144functions as the log update suspension unit192to suspend a process of updating the log information until the communication abnormality record information is transferred to the nonvolatile memory148by the log transfer unit195as an example of a transfer unit described later or until communication of the normal signal line154is restored (step S2). Then, the slave-side CPU144functions as the log transfer unit195to transfer the communication interruption occurrence log information from the volatile memory146to the nonvolatile memory148and save the communication interruption occurrence log information. As a result, erroneous erasure due to updating of the log information and erroneous erasure due to non-energization of the nonvolatile memory148are prevented, so that it is possible to protect the communication interruption occurrence log information.

In this example, when an abnormality occurs, after the process of updating the volatile memory146is suspended, the communication interruption occurrence log information stored in the volatile memory146is transferred to the nonvolatile memory148and saved. However, when the communication interruption notification signal is supplied via the emergency signal line180, the log update suspension unit192may not suspend update of the log information, and the log transfer unit195may immediately transfer the communication interruption occurrence log information stored in the volatile memory146to the nonvolatile memory148and save the communication interruption occurrence log information. In this case, the log update suspension unit192may not be used, and program configurations of the log processing programs135and145may be simplified.

Subsequently, when communication with the slave-side CPU144via the normal signal line154is restored, the master-side CPU134functions as the restoration notification unit194and transmits restoration notification to the slave-side CPU144(step S4). Upon receiving the restoration notification, the slave-side CPU144functions as the storage controller193to read the communication interruption occurrence log information saved in the nonvolatile memory148. In addition, the slave-side CPU144functions as the output controller196as an example of the transmission unit to transfer the communication interruption occurrence log information read from the nonvolatile memory148to the master-side CPU134via the restored normal signal line154(step S5).

The master-side CPU134functions as the storage controller193as an example of a communication abnormality storage controller to control storage of the communication interruption occurrence log information received from the slave-side CPU144in the nonvolatile memory138as an example of a communication abnormality storage unit on the master side (step S6). In this way, it is possible to acquire the communication interruption occurrence log information formed when communication interruption occurs, and it is possible to analyze investigation of a cause of the occurrence of the communication interruption.

In the case where there is a limit to the allowed number of times of writing in the nonvolatile memory138, the communication interruption occurrence log information may be written when an abnormality occurs. In this case, the nonvolatile memory138can be used for a long time.

Further, in this example, the communication interruption occurrence log information protected on the slave side is stored in the nonvolatile memory138on the master side. However, the communication interruption occurrence log information stored in the nonvolatile memory148on the slave side may be output to a debugging device (an example of an external device for debugging) externally connected to the slave-side CPU144. In this case, the slave-side CPU144functions as the output controller196(an example of an output unit) and outputs the communication interruption occurrence log information read from the nonvolatile memory148on the slave side to the debugging device (step S7). In this way, the debugging device can analyze the communication interruption occurrence log information to investigate a cause of the communication interruption.

Effect of Embodiment

As is clear from the above description, the image forming system of the embodiment can save the communication interruption occurrence log information formed when the communication interruption of the normal signal line154occurs without losing the communication interruption occurrence log information on the slave side. Then, when the normal signal line154is restored, the communication interruption occurrence log information protected on the slave side is transferred to the master side. In this way, it is possible to reliably acquire the communication interruption occurrence log information, which is formed when communication interruption occurs, on the master side, and it is possible to analyze investigation of a cause of the occurrence of the communication interruption.

The communication interruption occurrence log information is formed when communication interruption occurs, which is an example. It should be understood that when any error occurs, error information indicating the occurring error is formed.

Modification

In the above embodiment, a total of two MFPs, that is, the first MFP1and the second MFP2are formed by interconnecting the normal signal line154and the emergency signal line180. Three or more MFPs may be connected to each other.FIG. 7illustrates an example in which first to third MFPs1to3are interconnected to by the normal signal line154and the emergency signal line180. InFIG. 7, a first CPU134of the first MFP1is a main CPU, and controls the first MFP1and peripheral devices connected to the first MFP1. A second CPU144of the second MFP2is a slave CPU, and controls the second MFP2and peripheral devices connected to the second MFP2. A third CPU174of the third MFP3is a slave CPU, and controls the third WP3and peripheral devices connected to the third MFP3.

The respective MFPs1to3are interconnected by the normal signal line154and the emergency signal line180. The first to third CPUs134,144, and174of the respective MFPs1to3can operate as master CPUs. When any one CPU operates as a master CPU, the CPUs of the other MFPs operate as slave CPUs.

In this example, the first CPU134serving as the master CPU stores log information indicating operation states of the first MFP1and the peripheral devices in the nonvolatile memory138. The second CPU144serving as the slave CPU stores log information indicating operation states of the second MFP2and the peripheral devices in the volatile memory146. Similarly, the third CPU174serving as the slave CPU stores, in the volatile memory178, log information indicating operation states of the third MFP3and the peripheral devices.

When communication interruption occurs between the first CPU134and the third CPU174, a communication interruption notification signal is transmitted from the first CPU134to the third CPU174via the above-described emergency signal line180. The third CPU174receiving the communication interruption notification signal suspends a process of updating the log information in the volatile memory178. Then, the communication interruption occurrence log information formed when the communication interruption occurs is transferred from the volatile memory178to the nonvolatile memory176and protected.

When the normal signal line154is restored, the third CPU174transmits the communication interruption occurrence log information protected by the nonvolatile memory176to the first CPU134via the normal signal line154. In this way, the first CPU134can analyze the communication interruption log information when the communication interruption occurs.

Note that, as described above, the debugging device may be connected to the third MFP3and the communication interruption occurrence log information stored in the nonvolatile memory176may be output to the debugging device. Further, even when three or more MFPs are connected in this way, the communication interruption log information at the time of occurrence of communication interruption may be saved and reliably referred to during analysis, etc.

Finally, the above-described embodiments have been presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the above-described embodiments are examples of application to a system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses such as MFPs is connected to each other. However, even when the image forming apparatus is not used, the present invention may be applied to any system in which devices can communicate with each other. In addition, the embodiments and variations of the respective embodiments are included in the scope and the gist of the present invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.