An example diagnostic apparatus includes a user interface device, a communication interface, a processor, and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The processor executes the instructions to receive, through the communication interface, a response packet in response to a network performance measurement packet transmitted to an image forming apparatus, determine a network performance between the image forming apparatus and a diagnostic apparatus based on network performance information measured based on the received response packet and reference network performance information corresponding to the image forming apparatus, and provide the determined network performance through the user interface device.

A diagnostic apparatus includes a first acquiring unit that acquires sound information, a second acquiring unit that acquires operation information indicating a component in operation among a plurality of components of an analysis target apparatus, and a display unit that, when the acquired sound information is reproduced, displays operating states of the plurality of components at the time point when the reproduced sound is acquired, using the operation information.

A system and method for maintenance and supplying of a fleet of multifunction peripheral devices includes two or more networked devices including a decision engine. Devices discover one another and one device is designated as a server. The server creates a virtual lobby accessible by other devices and its decision engine is enabled. The server invites other devices into its virtual lobby, and these devices join the lobby in response. Devices provide their device state information to the lobby. The enabled decision engine generates recommendations for consumable replenishment, device servicing or device configuration, relaying the recommendations to a system administrator's tablet or smartphone. The administrator may accept, reject, modify or implement received suggestions. Consumable supplies or servicing recommendations can be done automatically if enabled. Administrator actions are fed back to the server for machine learning to improve future suggestions.

There is provided an antitheft apparatus. An approach detector is disposed on an apparatus where consumables are mounted, and detects a person who approaches the corresponding apparatus. An image acquisition unit acquires a captured image of the person when the person's approaching is detected by the approach detector. A detector detects that the consumables are stolen from the apparatus. A recording unit, when the stealing is detected by the detector, matches an image which is captured by a capturing apparatus at a most recent time before the detecting, with information of the detection, and records the image and the information.

There is provided an image reading apparatus including a reading unit configured to sequentially read respective pages of a target original consisting of a plurality of pages to generate read images, and a determining unit configured to determine whether there is a missing page in the read images. The determining unit is configured to determine whether there is a missing page in the read images by applying, to a learned model, determination data based on a pair of consecutively-generated read images of the target original. The learned model is a model that has been derived through machine teaming using input data based on image pairs of consecutive pages and image pairs of non-consecutive pages of the original for learning, and training data that indicates whether each image pair is a pair of consecutive pages.

A maintenance support apparatus includes one or more processors and a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including: storing both (a) acceptable maintenance levels associated with a user that are related to an apparatus and (b) estimated failure levels corresponding to a plurality of diagnosis algorithms correlated with a plurality of maintenance works; acquiring operation log data of the apparatus and diagnose the operation log data according to each of the plurality of diagnosis algorithms; determining whether maintenance of the apparatus is necessary, based on a comparison between (a) the estimated failure levels corresponding to the one or more maintenance tasks identified when diagnosing the operation log data and (b) the acceptable maintenance levels of the user; and providing a notification indicating whether maintenance of the apparatus is necessary.

An image reading apparatus includes a light source to emit at least light in a first wavelength range and light in a second wavelength range, a background member having different light reflectances in the first and second wavelength ranges, an imaging device, and circuitry. The imaging device receives reflected light from the background member irradiated with the light in the first wavelength range, and generates first read information. The imaging device further receives reflected light from the background member irradiated with the light in the second wavelength range, and generates second read information. The circuitry detects presence or absence of a first foreign substance based on a difference in reading level of the first read information generated by the imaging device; and detect presence or absence of a second foreign substance based on a difference in reading level of the second read information generated by the imaging device.

A processor identifies a specific part composed of a plurality of significant pixels in a mixed-color test image. Furthermore, the processor identifies a color vector. The color vector represents a vector in a color space from one of a color of the specific part in the mixed-color test image and a color of a reference area including a periphery of the specific part to the other. Furthermore, the processor determines which of a plurality of image creating portions of an image forming device corresponding to a plurality of developing colors, is a cause of an image defect, based on the color vector identified from the mixed-color test image.

A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator, an abnormality detection device, and circuitry. The separator is configured to move to be inserted into a gap formed between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The abnormality detection device is configured to detect an abnormal state in which the gap larger than a predetermined size is not formed between the two sheets before the separator is inserted into the gap. The circuitry is configured to control movement of the separator based on a result detected by the abnormality detection device.

A method is disclosed. For example, the method executed by a processor of a multi-function device (MFD) includes monitoring operating parameters of a component in the MFD, calculating a life set point for the component based on the operating parameters, and changing a default life set point for the component stored in a memory of the MFD to the life set point that is calculated based on the operating parameters.