Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a prediction unit, an inquiry unit and a request unit. The inquiry unit judges whether or not the prediction unit deals with a type of a consumable item used in image formation processing. The request unit transmits use history information to a consumable item management apparatus and requests the consumable item management apparatus to predict a remaining usable period of the consumable item when the inquiry unit judges the prediction unit does not deal with the type of the consumable item in the image formation processing. The use history information indicates a use history of the consumable item. The prediction unit predicts the remaining usable period of the consumable item using the use history information in the image formation processing when the inquiry unit judges the first prediction unit deals with the type of the consumable item used in image formation processing.

Abstract: A management apparatus includes: a managing unit that manages production information corresponding to each of a plurality of information processing devices; a specifying unit that specifies, based on a defect notice for at least one component and the production information on the managed information processing devices, at least one of the information processing devices using the component; a state judging unit that judges whether each information processing device is in an operable state where a processing function of each information processing device is operable in an environment in which the processing function of each information processing device is provided; and an operation restricting unit that performs operation restriction for the processing function of each information processing device according to the defect notice if the state judging unit judges that each information processing device is in the operable state.

Abstract: A quality control method includes: extracting, from a time series distribution of troubles that have occurred in electronic equipments, a first characteristics of states of occurrence of the troubles; specifying one or more parts included in the electronic equipments, the parts being involved with the troubles; extracting, from another time series distribution of a rate of use corresponding to each of suppliers which supply the specified parts, a second characteristics of the parts; and specifying one or more of the suppliers supplying the parts correlated to the troubles based on a correlation between the extracted first characteristics and the extracted second characteristics.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes: a reception section that receives information including first use mode information from an first information processing apparatus; a storage section that stores the first use mode information received by the reception section; and a transmission section, when the reception section receives fault information together with the first use mode information from the first information processing apparatus, that transmits information concerning countermeasures against a fault to the first information processing apparatus based on the first use mode information and pieces of second use mode information, stored in the storage section, of second information processing apparatuses which normally operate.

Abstract: A failure diagnosis method diagnoses a failure occurring in a diagnosis target apparatus including a drive mechanism having a drive member that receives power supply to operate and a power transmission member that transmits drive force of the drive member to another member. The method includes automatically acquiring by a sensor an operation state signal indicating an operation state during the drive mechanism operating for a predetermined period; and analyzing the automatically acquired operation state signal based on a failure probability model, which is obtained by modeling a cause of failure occurring in the diagnosis target apparatus with using probabilities, to execute failure diagnosis with respect to each of constituent members of the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A prediction apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires an operation amount and a non-operation amount of a transporting unit that transports a medium; and a prediction unit that predicts a timing at which a transporting capability value changing with degradation of the transporting unit arrives at a threshold value using the operation amount and the non-operation amount of the transporting unit acquired by the acquisition unit based on (i) a relational expression between the operation amount of the transporting unit and the transporting capability value of the transporting unit and (ii) a relational expression between the non-operation amount of the transporting unit and the transporting capability value of the transporting unit.

Abstract: A transport device includes a feed unit that feeds transport subjects being loaded in a loading portion one by one in a transport direction, a protrusion amount detection unit that detects a protrusion amount of the transport subjects from the loading portion in the transport direction and an overlap feed sign detection unit that detects a sign of occurrence of overlap feed of the transport subjects based on a detection result of the protrusion amount.

Abstract: A management system includes: an image forming apparatus including a toner storage unit storing toner used in a developing unit, and a toner-transporting unit transporting the toner from the toner storage unit to the developing unit; and a management device connected to the apparatus through a communication unit, and managing a toner-remaining amount in the toner storage unit.

Abstract: A management system includes: an image forming apparatus including a toner storage unit storing toner used in a developing unit, and a toner-transporting unit transporting the toner from the toner storage unit to the developing unit; and a management device connected to the apparatus through a communication unit, and managing a toner-remaining amount in the toner storage unit.

Abstract: A failure analysis system includes an obtaining portion that obtains read-in image information that is image information obtained by reading an output image, a memory that stores fundamental image reduction information that is information in which an information amount of fundamental image information is reduced, the fundamental image information serving as a fundamental of the output image, a calculating portion that calculates a characteristic value of a projecting waveform by use of differential information between read-in image reduction information and the fundamental image reduction information, the read-in image reduction information being information in which the information amount of the read-in image information obtained by the obtaining portion is reduced, the fundamental image reduction information being stored in the memory; and a determining portion that determines a defect type group that is a group of defect types of elements included in the output image by use of a clustering process.

Abstract: A detected data processing apparatus includes a selecting unit that calculates mutual correlation between a plurality of groups of detected data acquired from a detecting unit that detects an operational state of a circuit board, and then selects as analysis data the detected data of a group whose value indicating correlation with other groups is smaller than a threshold value set up in advance; and a first calculating unit that calculates a first Mahalanobis distance on a basis of a first Mahalanobis space generated by using the analysis data selected by the selecting unit from the detected data obtained when a normal circuit board is operated and on a basis of the detected data obtained when a circuit board of diagnosis target is operated.

Abstract: A monitoring device includes: a receiving unit that receives information including first use mode information transmitted from a first information processing device; a memory unit that stores the received first use mode information; a creating unit that creates, when the receiving unit receives trouble information together with the first use mode information, a trouble prediction formula corresponding to the trouble information using second use mode information of a second information processing device in which the same trouble as that indicated in the trouble information has occurred; a storing unit that stores the created trouble prediction formula; and a determining unit that determines, when the receiving unit receives third use mode information of a third information processing device, whether or not a trouble in the third information processing device occurs in a high probability based on the stored trouble prediction formula and the received third use mode information.

Abstract: A transport device includes a feed unit that feeds transport subjects being loaded in a loading portion one by one in a transport direction, a protrusion amount detection unit that detects a protrusion amount of the transport subjects from the loading portion in the transport direction and an overlap feed sign detection unit that detects a sign of occurrence of overlap feed of the transport subjects based on a detection result of the protrusion amount.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes: a reception section that receives information including first use mode information from an first information processing apparatus; a storage section that stores the first use mode information received by the reception section; and a transmission section, when the reception section receives fault information together with the first use mode information from the first information processing apparatus, that transmits information concerning countermeasures against a fault to the first information processing apparatus based on the first use mode information and pieces of second use mode information, stored in the storage section, of second information processing apparatuses which normally operate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a prediction unit, an inquiry unit and a request unit. The inquiry unit judges whether or not the prediction unit deals with a type of a consumable item used in image formation processing. The request unit transmits use history information to a consumable item management apparatus and requests the consumable item management apparatus to predict a remaining usable period of the consumable item when the inquiry unit judges the prediction unit does not deal with the type of the consumable item in the image formation processing. The use history information indicates a use history of the consumable item. The prediction unit predicts the remaining usable period of the consumable item using the use history information in the image formation processing when the inquiry unit judges the first prediction unit deals with the type of the consumable item used in image formation processing.

Abstract: A management apparatus includes: a managing unit that manages production information corresponding to each of a plurality of information processing devices; a specifying unit that specifies, based on a defect notice for at least one component and the production information on the managed information processing devices, at least one of the information processing devices using the component; a state judging unit that judges whether each information processing device is in an operable state where a processing function of each information processing device is operable in an environment in which the processing function of each information proceeding device is provided; and a operation restricting unit that performs operation restriction for the processing function of each information proceeding device according to the defect notice if the state judging unit judges that each information processing device is in the operable state.

Abstract: A quality control method includes: extracting, from a time series distribution of troubles that have occurred in electronic equipments, a first characteristics of states of occurrence of the troubles; specifying one or more parts included in the electronic equipments, the parts being involved with the troubles; extracting, from another time series distribution of a rate of use corresponding to each of suppliers which supply the specified parts, a second characteristics of the parts; and specifying one or more of the suppliers supplying the parts correlated to the troubles based on a correlation between the extracted first characteristics and the extracted second characteristics.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a failure diagnosis system including: a causal relationship information storage unit configured to store causal relationship information representing a causal relationship between events regarding a diagnosis-target apparatus, the causal relationship information including: common causal relationship information that is commonly used in a plurality of types of failure diagnosis regarding the diagnosis-target apparatus; and specific causal relationship information that is used in each specific type of failure diagnosis among the plurality of types of failure diagnosis; and a diagnosis execution unit configured to selectively execute the plural types of failure diagnosis by using a combined causal relationship information that is a combination of the common causal relationship information and a piece of the specific causal relationship information corresponding to a diagnosis-target type of failure diagnosis.

Abstract: A paper wrinkle sign monitoring device includes: at least one timing detecting unit that is set on a transport path of a printing medium, and that detects transport timing of the printing medium; and a sign output unit that detects a sign of paper wrinkle generation in the transporting time of the printing medium based on the transport timing of the printing medium detected by the timing detecting unit, and that outputs the sign.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a determination unit determining, based on a pixel value of a prescribed background color area in image data obtained by inputting a printed image, and based on information regarding a color of a toner used in printing the image, whether or not the background color of the image corresponds to the color of the toner.