1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming process device used to form an image;
a memory that engages with a replaceable component in a component unit forming the image forming process device and stores data about the replaceable component;
timing setting means for setting writing timing at which the data is written into the memory for the data to be stored therein;
writing instructing means for giving an instruction to write the data into the memory at timing set by the timing setting means; and
control means for controlling the image forming process device,
wherein the timing setting means inhibits writing of the data into the memory during an image forming process.
2. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming process device used to form an image;
a memory that engages with a replaceable component in a component unit forming the image forming process device and stores data about the replaceable component;
timing setting means for setting reading timing at which the data is read out from the memory;
reading instructing means for giving an instruction to read out the data from the memory at timing set by the timing setting means; and
control means for controlling the image forming process device,
wherein the timing setting means inhibits reading of the data from the memory during an image forming process.
3. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming process device used to form an image;
a memory that engages with a replaceable component in a component unit forming the image forming process device and stores data about the replaceable component;
timing setting means for setting writing timing at which the data is written into the memory for the data to be stored therein;
writing instructing means for giving an instruction to write the data into the memory at timing set by the timing setting means; and
control means for controlling the image forming process device,
wherein the timing setting means sets the timing at which the data is written into the memory for the data to be stored therein to either one of timing immediately after an occurrence of jamming and a service call and timing immediately before an error display.
4. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming process device used to form an image;
a memory that engages with a replaceable component in a component unit forming the image forming process device and stores data about the replaceable component;
timing setting means for setting reading timing at which the data is read out from the memory;
reading instructing means for giving an instruction to read out the data from the memory at timing set by the timing setting means; and
control means for controlling the image forming process device,
wherein the timing setting means sets the timing at which the data is read out from the memory to either one of timing immediately after an occurrence of jamming and a service call and timing immediately before an error display.
5. The image forming apparatus according to any of claims 1 through 4, wherein:
the image forming apparatus has a structure in which the replaceable component is not removed unless one of a door and a cover thereof is opened.
6. The image forming apparatus according to any of claims 1 through 4, wherein:
the memory is a non-volatile memory.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein:
in a case where an access error occurs when the writing instructing means has access to the memory, control to temporarily save data in a memory on an image forming apparatus main body side is performed.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein:
whether data to be written into the memory is updated is checked and writing processing into the memory is performed only when the data is updated.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 4, wherein:
in a case where an access error occurs when the reading means has access to the memory, control to temporarily save data in a memory on an image forming apparatus main body side is performed.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for monitoring the status of an electronic network, said method comprising:
executing a first program on at least one portion of said electronic network;
receiving first data resulting from the execution of said first program;
analyzing said first data to determine if said at least one portion of said network is not operating within a preselected specification;
executing a second program on said at least one portion of said electronic network if the analysis of said first data indicates that said at least one portion of said electronic network is not operating within said preselected specification;
receiving second data resulting from the execution of said second program; and
analyzing said first data and second data to determine the cause of said at least one portion of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said executing a first program comprises measuring the latency associated with said at least one portion of said electronic network.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one portion of said network has a connector associated therewith, said connector storing a management information base, and wherein said executing a first program comprises measuring data stored in said management information base.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said executing a first program comprises performing at least two measurements of a parameter of said network, and wherein said first data provides an indication of said network not operating within a preselected specification if the difference of said at least two measurements exceeds a preselected amount.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first program stores correlations between previous network conditions and previous network problems, and wherein said executing a first program comprises comparing present network conditions to stored network conditions and determining a network problem based at least in part on the comparison.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said executing said first program comprises running at least one trace route routine on said at least one portion of said network, said trace route routine measuring the latency of said at least one portion of said network.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said executing said first program comprises running a trace route routine a first time and a second time on said at least a portion of said network, said trace route routine measuring the latency of said at least one portion of said network, said first data corresponding to the difference between the latency measured said first time and said second time said trace route routine is run.
8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising displaying a graphical user interface representative of said network, said graphical user interface indicating said portion of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said graphical user interface further displays information relating to at least one cause of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
10. A device for evaluating the operational status of an electronic network, said device comprising a computer operatively connected to said network, said computer comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions for operating said computer and evaluating said network by:
executing a first program on at least one portion of said electronic network;
receiving first data resulting from the execution of said first program;
executing a second program on said at least one portion of said electronic network if the analysis of said first data indicates that said at least one portion of said electronic network is not operating within said preselected specification;
receiving second data resulting from the execution of said second program; and
analyzing said first data and second data to determine the cause of said at least one portion of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein said executing a first program comprises measuring the latency associated with said at least one portion of said electronic network.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one portion of said network has a connector associated therewith, said connector storing a management information base, and wherein said executing a first program comprises measuring data stored in said management information base.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein said executing a first program comprises performing at least two measurements of a parameter of said network, and wherein said first data provides an indication of said network not operating within said preselected specification if the difference of said at least two measurements exceeds a preselected amount.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein said first program stores correlations between previous network conditions and previous network problems, and wherein said executing a first program comprises comparing present network conditions to stored network conditions and determining a network problem based at least in part on the comparison.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein said executing said first program comprises running at least one trace route routine on said at least one portion of said network, said trace route routine measuring the latency of said at least one portion of said network.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein said executing said first program comprises running a trace route routine a first time and a second time on said at least a portion of said network, said trace route routine measuring the latency of said at least one portion of said network, said first data corresponding to the difference between the latency measured said first time and said second time said trace route routine is run.
17. The method of claim 10 and further comprising displaying a graphical user interface representative of said network, said graphical user interface indicating said portion of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said graphical user interface further displays information relating to at least one cause of said network not operating within said preselected specification.
19. A device for monitoring the status of an electronic network, said device comprising:
first diagnostic means for executing a first diagnostic program on at least one portion of said electronic network, said first diagnostic program generating first data representative of the status of said at least one portion of said electronic network;
first analysis means for analyzing said first data;
second diagnostic means for executing a second diagnostic program on at least one portion of said electronic network if said first analysis means determines that said at least one portion of said electronic network is not operating within a preselected specification, said second diagnostic program generating second data representative of the status of said at least one portion of said network; and
second analysis means for analyzing said first data and said second data, said second analysis means generating an indication representative of the cause of said at least one portion of said electronic network not operating within said preselected specification.