Equipment control apparatus

United States Patent [w]

Kaneko et al.

US006064915A [ii] Patent Number: 6,064,915 [45] Date of Patent: *May 16,2000

[54] EQUIPMENT CONTROL APPARATUS

[75] Inventors: Tokuharu Kaneko; Masanori Miyata, both of Yokohama; Hideki Adachi; Shinichi Nakamura, both of Kawasaki; Naoyuki Ohki, Yokohama; Satoshi Kuroyanagi; Hiroshi Ozaki, both of Tokyo; Hisatsugu Tahara; Satoshi Kaneko, both of Kawasaki; Taisei Fukada, Tokyo; Mitsuharu Takizawa, Fuchu, all of Japan

[73] Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan

[ * ] Notice: This patent issued on a continued prosecution application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(a)(2).

[21] Appl. No.: 08/797,891 [22] Filed: Feb. 10, 1997

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation of application No. 08/405,916, Mar. 16, 1995, abandoned, which is a continuation of application No. 07/870,664, Apr. 17, 1992, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Apr. 18, 1991 [JP] Japan 3-085604

Apr. 18, 1991 [JP] Japan 3-085611

Apr. 18, 1991 [JP] Japan 3-085612

[51] Int. C I. G05B 15/00

[52] U.S. CI 700/9; 399/8; 379/93.02

[58] Field of Search 340/825.31, 825.34,

340/825.35; 379/93.02-93.04, 93.12; 399/8, 9; 700/2, 3, 9, 79-82, 231, 236, 237, 244

[56] References Cited

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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Telecommunications, "Securing Dial-up Networks" Holmes Mar. 1984, pp. 84 and 124.

Xerox 1090 Copier Electronic Date Interface Operator Guide Nov 1988.

Kodak Ektaprint Brochure, Copyright, Eastman Kodak Company, 1986.

Smith, "Shared Line Billing and Data Interface," Xerox Disclosure Journal, vol. 12, No. 6, Nov./Dec. 1987.

J.D. Schoeftler, "IBM Series 1/The Small Computer Concept," IBM Corp. General Systems Division, pp. 386-423 (1978).

An equipment control apparatus in a system having an input unit for entering data on the conditions of equipment from the equipment, a communication unit for communicating with the apparatus located at a distance, and a control unit for exerting control in such a way as to transmit the data to the apparatus located at a distance through the steps of interrupting communication once on receiving a call from the apparatus requesting the data and then calling the apparatus located at a distance via the communication unit.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

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