Method, system, and computer program product for transmitting information from a monitored device using email or a direct connection mode

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring, controlling and diagnosing operation of a machine such as a business office machine including a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer. When the speed of communication between the remote device and machine is not urgent, a connectionless mode of communication may be used. The form of connectionless communication is an electronic mail message transmitted over the Internet. However, when a condition needs urgent action, a direct connection is used for communication such as communication via a telephone or ISDN line. The information obtained from the machine is stored in one or more data bases within a company and information of the machine is shared between a service department, engineering and design department, manufacturing department, and marketing department. As communication over the Internet via electronic mail is not secure, the connectionless-mode messages transmitted using Internet electronic mail are encrypted.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A method for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising the steps of: 
 determining information to be transmitted by the monitored device, the information to be transmitted including information from sensors in the monitored device;    determining a mode of communication between the monitored and the monitoring device by determining if the information to be transmitted is to be transmitted using one of a connection-mode and a connectionless-mode of communication;    transmitting the information by a connection-mode of communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device, when the step of determining the mode of communication has determined that a connection-mode of communication is to be used; and    transmitting the information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device, when the step of determining the mode of communication has determined that a connectionless-mode of communication is to be used.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting the information by the connectionless-mode of communication comprises: 
 transmitting the information as an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting the information by the connection-mode of communication comprises: 
 transmitting the information using one of a telephone line and an ISDN line.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting a message from the monitored device comprises: 
 transmitting a message from a business office device.    
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of transmitting a message from a business office device comprises: 
 transmitting a message from one of a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, performed before the determining or transmitting steps, the step of: 
 registering address information of the monitoring device so that connection-mode and connectionless-mode communications can be sent to the monitoring device by the monitored device.    
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 encrypting the information to be transmitted when the step of determining the mode of communication has determined that a connectionless-mode of communication is to be used.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 receiving the connectionless-mode communication by the monitoring device through a firewall.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 storing the transmitted information in a data base; and    sharing information in the data base between more than one department in a company.    
     
     
         10 . A method for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising the steps of: 
 determining information to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the monitored device, the information including a request for a status of the monitored device determined using sensors within the monitored device; and    transmitting the information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the monitoring device to the monitored device.    
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of transmitting the information by the connectionless-mode of communication comprises: 
 transmitting the information as an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of transmitting a message from the monitoring device comprises: 
 transmitting a message to the monitored device which is a business office device.    
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the step of transmitting a message to the business office device comprises: 
 transmitting a message to one of a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving the transmitted information by the monitored device; and    transmitting a connectionless-mode communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device containing status information of the monitored device, in response to the transmitted information from the monitoring device.    
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting step comprises: 
 transmitting the information from the monitoring device to a plurality of monitored devices including the monitored device.    
     
     
         16 . A method for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device, comprising the steps of: 
 determining status information using at least one of a mechanical and electrical sensor; and    transmitting a connectionless-mode message from the machine to the monitoring device containing the status information.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 analyzing the status information by the machine,    wherein the status information is transmitted using the connectionless-mode message when the status information is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: 
 determining status information which is outside of normal operating parameters exists in the machine using at least one of the mechanical and electrical sensor; and    transmitting a connection-mode message from the machine to the monitoring device containing the status information which is outside of the normal operating parameters.    
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of transmitting between the business office machine and the monitoring device comprises: 
 transmitting an Internet electronic mail message between a device selected from the group consisting of a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer, and the monitoring device.    
     
     
         20 . A method for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a connectionless-mode message from the monitoring device by the machine;    analyzing the message by the machine; and    performing an action by the machine in response to the message, after the message is analyzed.    
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the analyzing step includes: 
 parsing the message; and    determining an action which the message requests to be taken.    
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the step of performing an action comprises: 
 transmitting a response message from the machine to the monitoring device in response to the message.    
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of transmitting comprises: 
 transmitting the response message which contains information of the machine including information obtained from sensors, when the received connectionless-mode message requests a value to be returned.    
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the step of transmitting comprises: 
 transmitting the response message which is a connectionless-mode message.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the receiving step comprises: 
 receiving the connectionless mode message which is an internet electronic mail message.    
     
     
         26 . A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for implementing communication between two devices, comprising: 
 means for determining information to be transmitted by a first device;    means for determining a mode of communication between the first and a second device by determining if the information to be transmitted is to be transmitted using one of a connection-mode and a connectionless-mode of communication;    means for transmitting the information by a connection-mode of communication from the first device to the second device, when the means for determining the mode of communication has determined that a connection-mode of communication is to be used; and    means for transmitting the information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the first device to a second device, when the means for determining the mode of communication has determined that a connectionless-mode of communication is to be used.    
     
     
         27 . A system for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising: 
 sensors within the monitored device which sense information to be transmitted to the monitoring device;    means for determining a mode of communication between the monitored and the monitoring device by determining if the information to be transmitted it to be transmitted using one of a connection-mode and a connectionless-mode of communication;    a connection-mode transmitter which transmits the information by a connection-mode of communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device, when the means for determining the mode of communication has determined that a connection-mode of communication is to be used; and    a connectionless-mode transmitter which transmits the information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device, when the means for determining the mode of communication has determined that a connectionless-mode of communication is to be used.    
     
     
         28 . A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the connectionless-mode transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the information as an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet.    
     
     
         29 . A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the connection-mode transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the information using one of a telephone line and an ISDN line.    
     
     
         30 . A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the monitored device is a business office device.  
     
     
         31 . A system according to  claim 30 , wherein the business office device is one of a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer.  
     
     
         32 . A system according to  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 means for registering address information of the monitoring device so that connection-mode and connectionless-mode communications can be sent to the monitoring device by the monitored device.    
     
     
         33 . A system according to  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 means for encrypting the information to be transmitted when the means for determining the mode of communication has determined that a connectionless-mode of communication is to be used.    
     
     
         34 . A system according to  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a firewall, connected to monitoring device, through which connection-mode communications from the monitored device pass.    
     
     
         35 . A system according to  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a data base which stores the transmitted information; and    means for sharing information in the data base between more than one department in a company.    
     
     
         36 . A system for communicating between a monitored device and a monitoring device, comprising: 
 means for determining information to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the monitored device, the information including a request for a status of the monitored device determined using sensors within the monitored device; and    a connectionless-mode transmitter which transmits the information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the monitoring device to the monitored device.    
     
     
         37 . A system according to  claim 36 , wherein the connectionless-mode transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the information as an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet.    
     
     
         38 . A system according to  claim 36 , wherein the monitoring device is a business office device.  
     
     
         39 . A system according to  claim 38 , wherein the business office device is one of a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer.  
     
     
         40 . A system according to  claim 36 , wherein the monitored device further comprises: 
 a receiver which receives the transmitted information; and    a transmitter which transmits a connectionless-mode communication from the monitored device to the monitoring device containing status information of the monitored device, in response to the transmitted information from the monitoring device.    
     
     
         41 . A system according to  claim 36 , wherein the connectionless-mode transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the information from the monitoring device to a plurality of monitored devices including the monitored device.    
     
     
         42 . A system for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device, comprising: 
 sensors within the machine which senses status information to be transmitted to the monitoring device; and    a connectionless-mode transmitter which transmits the status information by a connectionless-mode of communication from the machine to the monitoring device.    
     
     
         43 . A system according to  claim 42 , further comprising: 
 means for analyzing the status information by the machine,    wherein the status information is transmitted using the connectionless-mode transmitter when the status information is analyzed and determined to be within a standard operating range.    
     
     
         44 . A system according to  claim 43 , further comprising: 
 means for determining status information which is outside of normal operating parameters exists in the machine using said sensors; and    transmitting a connection-mode message from the machine to the monitoring device containing the status information which is outside of the normal operating parameters.    
     
     
         45 . A system according to  claim 43 , wherein the connectionless-mode transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the information as an Internet electronic mail message over the Internet.    
     
     
         46 . A system for communicating between a machine and a monitoring device comprising: 
 a receiver within the monitored device which receives a connectionless-mode message from the monitoring device;    means for analyzing the message by the machine; and    means for performing an action by the machine in response to the message, after the message is analyzed.    
     
     
         47 . A system according to  claim 46 , wherein the analyzing means includes: 
 a parser which parses the message; and    means for determining an action which the message requests to be taken.    
     
     
         48 . A system according to  claim 47 , wherein the means for performing an action comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits a response message from the machine to the monitoring device in response to the message.    
     
     
         49 . A system according to  claim 48 , wherein the transmitter comprises: 
 a transmitter which transmits the response message which contains information of the machine including information obtained from sensors, when the received connectionless-mode message requests a value to be returned.    
     
     
         50 . A system according to  claim 49 , wherein the transmitter is a connectionless-mode transmitter.  
     
     
         51 . A system according to  claim 46 , wherein the receiver is an Internet electronic mail receiver.