Method and apparatus for controlling and communicating with business office devices

摘要

A method and apparatus for controlling and communicating with business office devices, such as copiers, facsimiles and/or printers. The present invention communicates and controls various modules of business devices which allow an external device such as an operation panel to access the state of a target device, such as a copier, printer or facsimile. The operation panel can communicate with the target device and control the same target device. Also, a remote diagnostics station can provide remote diagnostics of the target device.