Patent ID: 7373382

Claim:
An electronic apparatus having a specific function and being capable of receiving service that cannot be remotely or automatically performed which adjusts the performance of the specific function from at least one servicing entity, comprising: communication means for transmitting an electronic mail to a predetermined receiving end linked with said electronic apparatus via a network, the predetermined receiving end in each instance of a receipt of service by said electronic apparatus being the one of said at least one servicing entity that provided the received service; operational information preparation means for preparing operational information indicative of whether or not the specific function has been successfully executed; and control means (a) for controlling said operational information preparation means so as to prepare the operational information after the specific function has been resumed by the electronic apparatus following a provision of a service that cannot be automatically or remotely performed thereto, and (b) for controlling said communication means so as to transmit the operational information to said predetermined receiving end; wherein: said service that cannot be remotely or automatically performed generically includes procedures carried out in connection with the specific function of the electronic apparatus which consist of elements of at least one of: (a) repair, (b) check, (c) cleaning, (d) uninstallation and installation of a unit subject to repair, check or cleaning, (e) replacement of a consumable or an exchange, and (f) replacement or installation of a unit which extends the specific function; the operational information preparation means tries execution of the specific function after said received service has been provided thereto and generates an operational information indicative of whether or not the specific function has been executed properly, the control means causes the communication means to send the operational information indicative of whether or not the serviced specific function has been executed properly to the predetermined receiving end as a voluntary information supplement without a receipt of a request therefor from the predetermined receiving end, and if the serviced specific function has not been executed properly, in order to have improper service corrected, the control means causes the communication means to send the operational information to the predetermined receiving end.