Abstract: An image forming apparatus manages a plurality of external apparatuses while collecting information regarding each external apparatus through a network using a communication condition acquired through the network. A managed object specifying part specifies managed object apparatuses that are managed by the image forming apparatus through a communication part. An apparatus correspondence communication condition acquiring part receives via the communication part information regarding communication condition corresponding to the managed object apparatuses specified by the managed object specifying part, and stores in a memory part the received information by relating to identification information of the managed object apparatuses. An apparatus monitoring part refers to the communication conditions stored in the memory part on an individual managed object apparatus basis so as to acquire state information via the communication part, and stores the acquired state information in the memory part.

Abstract: A remote management system for performing remote management of electronic apparatuses via a communication line and an intermediary apparatus by a managing apparatus is provided. The managing apparatus includes a storage part storing first software for updating second software of each of the electronic apparatuses and a software transmitting part that transmits the first software to the intermediary apparatus. The intermediary apparatus includes a storage part, a software writing part that writes the first software to the second storage part, and a software transmitting part that transmits the first software to one of the electronic apparatuses which one requires the second software thereof to be updated. The electronic apparatuses each includes a non-volatile storage part storing the second software and a software updating part that updates the second software based on the first software received from the intermediary apparatus.

Abstract: An image-forming-device management system includes an image-forming device, a data communication device and a central management device. A real-time clock circuit (RTC) of the data communication device compares a current time with a predetermined data transmission time. A CPU included in a part constantly supplied with electricity from a power source in the data communication device instructs a power-source controller to supply the electricity from the power source to a communication-related part including a network control unit (NCU), a modem and an image-forming-device interface, thereby activating the communication-related part. Subsequently, the CPU calls out the central management device by using the NCU, and transmits data acquired from the image-forming device in advance, to the central management device by using the modem.

Abstract: In an image forming device management system and method of the present invention, a data communication device is connected to one or a plurality of image forming devices and a central control system is connected to the data communication device via a public switched telephone network and provides a remote maintenance of the one or the plurality of image forming devices through the telephone network and the data communication device. A communication request signal is transmitted from the data communication device to the image forming device concerned. When the request signal is received by the image forming device concerned, a supplying of a power from a main power source to the image forming device concerned is automatically turned on. The supplying of the power from the main power source to the image forming device concerned is automatically turned off after a communication between the data communication device and the image forming device concerned ends.

Abstract: In image forming device management system and method of the present invention, a data communication device transmits, on an early message date that is earlier than a normal message date for a corresponding one of a plurality of image forming devices, a usage data of the corresponding one of the image forming devices to a center management device via a telephone network by using a call sent by the data communication device. The center management device receives, on the early message date for the corresponding one of the image forming devices, the usage data of the corresponding one of the image forming devices that is transmitted by the data communication device, by using the call sent by the data communication device. The center management device issues a billing of a usage charge of the corresponding one of the image forming devices based on the usage data received by the center management device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method supervising system includes a plurality of data communication apparatuses connecting at least one image forming apparatuses and a central control apparatus through a plurality of data communication apparatuses via a communication line. The image forming apparatus supervising system supervises the image forming apparatuses with the central control apparatus via the communication line and the data communication apparatus. A usage information transmitting device transmits usage information such as for example the total number of image formed sheets to the central control apparatus. An apparatus list generating device generates an apparatus list indicating which image forming apparatuses or data communication apparatuses have usage information to be transmitted. A first obtaining operation executing device obtains the usage information. A confirming device confirms at least one data communication or image forming apparatus with not-yet-obtained usage information.

Abstract: An image-forming-device management system includes an image-forming-device, a data communication device and a central management device. A real-time clock circuit (RTC) of the data communication device compares a current time with a predetermined data transmission time. If the current time matches with the data transmission time, the RTC generates a data transmission request that requests for data transmission to the central management device. A CPU included in a part constantly supplied with electricity from a power source in the data communication device instructs a power-source controller to supply the electricity from the power source to a communication-related part including a network control unit (NCU), a modem and an image-forming-device interface, thereby activating the communication-related part. Subsequently, the CPU calls out the central management device by using the NCU, and transmits data acquired from the image-forming-device in advance, to the central management device by using the modem.

Abstract: An image-forming-device management system includes an image-forming device, a data communication device and a central management device. A real-time clock circuit (RTC) of the data communication device compares a current time with a predetermined data transmission time. If the current time matches with the data transmission time, the RTC generates a data-transmission request that requests for data transmission to the central management device. A CPU included in a part constantly supplied with electricity from a power source in the data communication device instructs a power-source controller to supply the electricity from the power source to a communication-related part including a network control unit (NCU), a modem and an image-forming-device interface, thereby activating the communication-related part. Subsequently, the CPU calls out the central management device by using the NCU, and transmits data acquired from the image-forming device in advance, to the central management device by using the modem.

Abstract: The communication devices are produced with a distinct digital certificate to later identify themselves during communication with a central or remote management apparatus. The identity of the communication device guarantees that appropriate information is provided to the central management apparatus from the communication device. For example, if charge information is uploaded from the communication terminal to the central management apparatus to generate an invoice or a charge, the information should be native or germane to the original device containing the communication device. To avoid the inaccurate information, the digital certificate is confirmed according to the digital certificate at the central management apparatus prior to uploading the information.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an airtight vessel seals an evacuation tube after evacuating the inside of the vessel using the evacuation tube. A getter previously disposed in the vessel is activated followed by fusing a part of the evacuation tube to seal the vessel while heating the vessel.

Abstract: The communication devices are produced with a distinct digital certificate to later identify themselves during communication with a central management apparatus. The identity of the communication device guarantees that appropriate information is provided to the central management apparatus from the communication device. For example, if charge information is uploaded from the communication terminal to the central management apparatus to generate an invoice or a charge, the information should be native or germane to the original device containing the communication device. To avoid the inaccurate information, the digital certificate is confirmed against a predetermined list of the digital certificates at the central management apparatus prior to uploading the information.

Abstract: The remote management is efficient for maintaining the condition of a plurality of devices. When the communication device in the remote device transmits the information on a detected abnormal condition to a management device, the management device stores and manages the abnormal condition information until the abnormal condition is processed at the management device location to resolve the corresponding problem. To solve the problem, an operator at the management device site often gets involved in the process. Unfortunately, the operator wastes his or her effort to solve the problem that has been already resolved by the user. One exemplary situation of the above described case is that the user resets certain reported problem in an image forming machine such as a copier by temporarily switching off the copier.

Abstract: A remote management system for performing remote management of electronic apparatuses via a communication line and an intermediary apparatus by a managing apparatus is provided. The managing apparatus includes a storage part storing first software for updating second software of each of the electronic apparatuses and a software transmitting part that transmits the first software to the intermediary apparatus. The intermediary apparatus includes a storage part, a software writing part that writes the first software to the second storage part, and a software transmitting part that transmits the first software to one of the electronic apparatuses which one requires the second software thereof to be updated. The electronic apparatuses each includes a non-volatile storage part storing the second software and a software updating part that updates the second software based on the first software received from the intermediary apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus manages a plurality of external apparatuses while collecting information regarding each external apparatus through a network using a communication condition acquired through the network. A managed object specifying part specifies managed object apparatuses that are managed by the image forming apparatus through a communication part. An apparatus correspondence communication condition acquiring part receives via the communication part information regarding communication condition corresponding to the managed object apparatuses specified by the managed object specifying part, and stores in a memory part the received information by relating to identification information of the managed object apparatuses. An apparatus monitoring part refers to the communication conditions stored in the memory part on an individual managed object apparatus basis so as to acquire state information via the communication part, and stores the acquired state information in the memory part.

Abstract: An image display apparatus which is subjected to getter flashing during manufacturing, for the purpose of increasing the degree of vacuum in the air-tight container thereof, is provided with a getter scattering prevention member comprised of a plurality of getter scattering prevention walls. The getter scattering prevention walls prevent getter material from scattering to the image display portion of the image display apparatus, while allowing for smooth conductance of gas in the air-tight container during evacuation. Thus, evacuation by the getter can be further improved by increasing the area to which getter adheres to, deterioration of the image quality can be prevented by not allowing getter to adhere to the image display portion, the air-tight container can be evacuated in a shorter time, irregularities in brightness of the screen due to uneven pressure within the display portion can be done away with, and a higher degree of vacuum can be attained.

Abstract: The thickness of a face panel is greater at a peripheral edge portion than at a center portion. At the inner surface of the face panel, a curvature radius in a short axis direction on a long axis is set to decrease from the center of the face panel toward a long axis end and, with L representing a distance from the center of the face panel to the long axis end, has a minimal value at a position spaced from the center of the face panel more toward the long axis end than L/2. A phosphor screen on the face panel has phosphor layers and non-emitting black layers and a percentage of the non-emitting black layers per unit area at least in the neighborhood of a diagonal axis end of the face panel is equal to or smaller than that at the center portion of the face panel.

Abstract: In an image forming device management system and method of the present invention, a data communication device is connected to one or a plurality of image forming devices and a central control system is connected to the data communication device via a public switched telephone network and provides a remote maintenance of the one or the plurality of image forming devices through the telephone network and the data communication device. A communication request signal is transmitted from the data communication device to the image forming device concerned. When the request signal is received by the image forming device concerned, a supplying of a power from a main power source to the image forming device concerned is automatically turned on. The supplying of the power from the main power source to the image forming device concerned is automatically turned off after a communication between the data communication device and the image forming device concerned ends.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an airtight vessel seals an evacuation tube after evacuating the inside of the vessel using the evacuation tube. A getter previously disposed in the vessel is activated followed by fusing a part of the evacuation tube to seal the vessel while heating the vessel.