Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device monitoring method, an apparatus, a server, and a storage medium. The method includes receiving an authorization code, where the authorization code includes first information; the first information is configured to indicate a first value; and the first value is a maximum quantity of image forming devices capable of being monitored by a device monitoring system which is activated by the authorization code; determining the first value according to the authorization code; and configuring a first parameter value according to the first value, where the first parameter value is configured to record the maximum quantity of image forming devices capable of being monitored. The present disclosure reduces the data processing amount of the server where the device monitoring system is located, improves the monitoring effect of the device monitoring system on the image forming device and improves the user experience.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that executes image forming processing; a primary controller; a secondary controller that controls the image former; a sensor that detects a state of at least a unit of the image forming apparatus and transmits sensor data indicating the state to the secondary controller; a first transmission path for duplex communication between the primary and secondary controllers; and a second transmission path. The secondary controller: generates, from the sensor data, diagnostic data for failure diagnostics or life prediction, transmits data other than the diagnostic data to the primary controller via the first transmission path and transmits the diagnostic data to the diagnostic server via the second transmission path, or transmits data other than the sensor data to the primary controller via the first transmission path and transmits the sensor data to the diagnostic server via the second transmission path.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that performs image forming processing on a recording sheet; a primary central processing unit (CPU) and a secondary CPU, where the primary CPU receives a job externally and instructs the secondary CPU to monitor and control the image forming unit to perform the image forming processing; sensors that sense a state of the image forming unit and output sensor data indicating the state of the image forming unit, a first transceiver; and a second transceiver. The secondary CPU monitors the sensor data to generate diagnostic data. The first transceiver performs duplex communication with the primary CPU to send and receive data other than the diagnostic data. The second transceiver sends the diagnostic data to the diagnostic server without relaying via the primary CPU.

An image processing apparatus includes a display device, a network interface, and a processor configured to generate a first screen for display on the display device and through which one or more potential errors of the image processing apparatus are selectable, and control the network interface to transmit error information for the selected error(s) to another apparatus. The errors include a first error type for which an abnormal noise is made by the image processing apparatus. The processor is further configured to, when the first error type is selected, generate a second screen for display on the display device and through which reference sounds potentially corresponding to the abnormal noise are selectable. When a reference sound is selected, sound information corresponding to the selected reference sound is included in the transmitted error information.

A maintenance apparatus includes a controller including a processor. The processor has programmed instructions to acquire maintenance operation information indicating (i) a failure that occurred with an image forming apparatus and (ii) content of a maintenance operation performed on the image forming apparatus to fix the failure, determine whether predetermined information included with the maintenance operation information exceeds a threshold value, and generate support information based on the maintenance operation information that indicates the content of the maintenance operation in response to the predetermined information exceeding the threshold value. The support information is accessible by a maintenance person when performing future maintenance on the image forming apparatus.

Provided is a management apparatus includes: an acquisition unit acquiring remaining-quantity information indicating a remaining quantity of a consumable included in the image forming apparatus; a database storing the remaining-quantity information and image forming apparatus identification information in association with each other, and storing user identification information and a usage history of the image forming apparatus by the user in association with each other; a calculation unit reading the usage history from the database based on externally-designated user identification information, calculating a predicted usage quantity of the consumable in an image forming apparatus having externally-designated apparatus identification information based on the read usage history, reading the remaining-quantity information from the database based on the externally-designated apparatus identification information, generating required information on the consumable based on the read remaining-quantity information and the calculated predicted usage quantity; and a notification unit notifying the required information generated by the calculation unit.

An information processing apparatus manages an image forming apparatus installed in a building having a plurality of areas. The information processing apparatus includes an installation area information storage device, containing installation area information indicating each of the areas where the image forming apparatus is installed, a communication device that makes communication with an external apparatus, and a control device including a processor, and configured to acts as a controller, when the processor executes an operation control program. The controller transmits, when an abnormality detection device, provided in each of the areas to detect an abnormality that has occurred in the area, detects the abnormality, a command notice to turn off power for the image forming apparatus installed in the area where the abnormality has occurred, from the communication device to the image forming apparatus, according to the installation area information stored in the installation area information storage device.

An image processing apparatus includes a display device, a network interface, and a processor configured to generate a first screen for display on the display device and through which one or more potential errors of the image processing apparatus are selectable, and control the network interface to transmit error information for the selected error(s) to another apparatus. The errors include a first error type for which an abnormal noise is made by the image processing apparatus. The processor is further configured to, when the first error type is selected, generate a second screen for display on the display device and through which reference sounds potentially corresponding to the abnormal noise are selectable. When a reference sound is selected, sound information corresponding to the selected reference sound is included in the transmitted error information.

An information processing apparatus generates a learned model for estimating an operation error situation, using operation information of the information processing apparatus as training data, estimates an error of an operation by a user by using the generated learned model, and makes a notification to the user of an estimation result.

In a communication apparatus, a processor receives first and second requests from an external device via an internet. The first request has first port information indicating a first port. The second request has second port information indicating a second port. In response to receiving the first and second requests, the processor transmits first and second responses to the external device via the internet. After transmitting the first response and the second response, the processor receives result information from the external device via the internet. The result information is based on a fact that the external apparatus receives the first request and the second request; and performing an addressing process on a basis of the result information. The addressing process is for addressing a security issue concerning the first port and the second port.