An image forming apparatus including a plurality of processing units capable of performing different support processing for a user asking for support, and a remote support apparatus operated by an operator are connected via a communication path. The remote support apparatus transmits to the image forming apparatus a request to perform the support using the selected processing unit, or a request to switch the processing unit to a selected specific processing unit and a request to perform the support. The image forming apparatus allows the processing unit which follows the request to perform the support, to perform the support, and switches the processing unit according to the request to switch the processing unit to allow the switched processing unit to perform the support. Further, the image forming apparatus returns a result which should be returned, among results of the performed support, to the remote support apparatus.

An electronic device communicable with a server system via a network, includes circuitry to: transmit information on the electronic device to the server system; store in a memory information on a display component corresponding to the information on the electronic device that is acquired from the server system; read the information on the display component stored in the memory at a predetermined timing; display the display component that is read on a display; in response to selection of the display component, acquire information associated with the display component from the server system; and display the acquired information on the display.

A setting is made such that an operation screen based on screen information transmitted to an external apparatus is not displayed on a display during a connection with the external apparatus for remote control.

A disclosed example is a server residing on a first network. The server has an observer. The observer receives observational data from a media processing device residing on a second network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the server. The observer provides, via the first persistent connection, a configuration file to the media processing device that defines a type of the observational data to be collected by the media processing device. The observer is prevented from communicating an operational instruction to the media processing device. The operational instruction is to control media processing hardware of the media processing device.

The present disclosure relates to cloud-based document quality assurance. One example embodiment includes a method for evaluating document quality. The method includes receiving, by a cloud server, document data associated with an image forming device. The method also includes accessing, by the cloud server, a cloud service. Further, the method includes performing, by the cloud service, a data-segment comparison between the document data and reference document data from a quality assurance database. In addition, the method includes generating, by the cloud service, a quality assurance report based on the data-segment comparison between the document data and the reference document data.

An information processing apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires a log related to communication and execution of processing and transmits the log to a log collection server. The processing circuitry stores a log related to a transmission failure in a memory storage when transmission of the log to the log collection server fails due to occurrence of an error. When the transmission of the log to the log collection server succeeds after the transmission failure, the processing circuitry stores a log related to a transmission success in the memory storage and transmits the log related to the transmission failure and the log related to the transmission success to the log collection server.

A terminal device including a detection unit that detects a sound, and an output unit that outputs information regarding a detection method of detecting the sound by the detection unit.

The present disclosure relates to cloud-based document quality assurance. One example embodiment includes a method for evaluating document quality. The method includes receiving, by a cloud server, document data associated with an image forming device. The method also includes accessing, by the cloud server, a cloud service. Further, the method includes performing, by the cloud service, a data-segment comparison between the document data and reference document data from a quality assurance database. In addition, the method includes generating, by the cloud service, a quality assurance report based on the data-segment comparison between the document data and the reference document data.

Methods and apparatus to communicate data associated with media processing devices are disclosed. An example media processing device residing on a network includes a monitor configured to collect observational data associated with the media processing device in accordance with a configuration file stored on the media processing device; and communicate the observational data to a first device external to the network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the first external device; and a controller configured to receive an operational instruction from a second external device via a second persistent connection between the media processing device and the second external device, wherein the second persistent connection is independent of the first persistent connection; and implement the operational instruction on the media processing device, wherein the operation instruction controls media processing hardware of the media processing device.

Redundant monitoring of the same printer by multiple monitoring devices when multiple monitoring devices monitor multiple printers is prevented in a network system 1 including a printer, multiple monitoring devices able to monitor printer states, and an information processing device. A monitoring device requests, at a specific interval, from one or more printers targeted for monitoring, a response of printer state information related to a state of the printer; receives printer state information in response to the request; and sends the received printer state information to the information processing device. The information processing device manages the state of the printer based on the received printer state information. When requested for a response of printer state information by a different monitoring device, the printer stops requesting a response of printer state information by monitoring devices other than a specific monitoring device.