Consumables/printer management system with task and calendar links

• US 20020071685A1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,842,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5083 for scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00015 Reproducing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0005 in service, i.e. during normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00074 Indicating or reporting details of user-machine interface H04N1/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002

Abstract

A method of scheduling an event with respect to a hard copy output engine includes detecting a status of a portion of the hard copy output engine from a sensor incorporated in the hard copy output engine, composing an electronic message including the detected status and transmitting the electronic message to a scheduling engine.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling an event with respect to a hard copy output engine, comprising:

detecting a status of a portion of the hard copy output engine from a sensor incorporated in the hard copy output engine;

composing an electronic message including the detected status; and

transmitting the electronic message to a scheduling engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting a toner low or toner out status.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting a future need for preventative maintenance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein composing an electronic message includes composing the electronic message to include information chosen from a list consisting of:

percentage of remaining consumable, to whom assigned, blind carbon copy to, copy to, company addressed to, expected completion date, defer until, due date, duration, event address, expiration date, follow-up flag, importance, owner, priority, return receipt request status, remind beforehand, reminder, reminder override default, required attendee list, resources, sensitivity, date sent, start date, addressee, tracking status, consumables order list, maintenance items, malfunction and preventative maintenance items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a status includes detecting a status from a list of status items consisting of:

toner out, toner low, preventative maintenance alerts, including cleaning or replacement of component parts, consumables orders, internal billing dates for job accounting, external billing dates for job accounting, low or “

out of”

status for other consumables or need for other maintenance items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard copy output engine is chosen from a group consisting of:

facsimile machines, photocopiers and printers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the electronic message to a scheduling engine comprises transmitting an electronic message including a consumable order.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein to cause a processor to:

detect a status of a portion of the hard copy output engine from a sensor incorporated in the hard copy output engine;

compose an electronic message including the detected status; and

transmit the electronic message to a scheduling engine.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to detect includes computer readable code configured to cause the processor to detect a toner low or toner out status.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to detect includes computer readable code configured to cause the processor to detect a future need for preventative maintenance.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to compose an electronic message includes computer readable code configured to cause the processor to compose the electronic message to include information chosen from a list consisting of:

percentage of remaining consumable, to whom assigned, blind carbon copy to, copy to, company addressed to, expected completion date, defer until, due date, duration, event address, expiration date, follow-up flag, importance, owner, priority, return receipt request status, remind beforehand, reminder, reminder override default, required attendee list, resources, sensitivity, date sent, start date, addressee, tracking status, consumables order list, maintenance items, malfunction and preventative maintenance items.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to detect a status includes computer readable code configured to cause the processor to detect a status chosen from a list of status items consisting of:

toner out, toner low, preventative maintenance alerts, including cleaning or replacement of component parts, consumables orders, internal billing dates for job accounting, external billing dates for job accounting, low or “

out of”

status for other consumables or need for other maintenance items.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to detect comprises computer readable code configured to cause the processor to detect a status of a hard copy output engine chosen from a group consisting of:

facsimile machines, photocopiers and printers.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a processor to transmit comprises computer readable code configured to cause the processor to transmit an electronic message including a consumable order.

16. The computer implemented control system of claim 15, wherein the processor configured to detect includes a processor configured to detect a toner low or toner out status.

17. The computer implemented control system of claim 15, wherein the processor configured to detect includes a processor configured to detect a future need for preventative maintenance.

18. The computer implemented control system of claim 15, wherein the processor configured to compose an electronic message includes a processor configured to compose the electronic message to include information chosen from a list consisting of:

percentage of remaining consumable, to whom assigned, blind carbon copy to, copy to, company addressed to, expected completion date, defer until, due date, duration, event address, expiration date, follow-up flag, importance, owner, priority, return receipt request status, remind beforehand, reminder, reminder override default, required attendee list, resources, sensitivity, date sent, start date, addressee, tracking status, consumables order list, maintenance items, malfunction and preventative maintenance items.

19. The computer implemented control system of claim 15, wherein the processor configured to detect a status includes a processor configured to detect a status chosen from a list of status items consisting of:

toner out, toner low, preventative maintenance alerts, including cleaning or replacement of component parts, consumables orders, internal billing dates for job accounting, external billing dates for job accounting, low or “

out of”

status for other consumables or need for other maintenance items.

20. The computer implemented control system of claim 15, wherein the processor configured to detect comprises a processor configured to detect a status of a hard copy output engine chosen from a group consisting of:

facsimile machines, photocopiers and printers.

15. A computer implemented control system for a hard copy output engine, the system comprising:

a sensor coupled to a portion of the hard copy output engine, the sensor being configured to provide a status of the portion; and

processing circuitry coupled to the sensor and configured to;

detect the status of the portion;

compose an electronic message including the detected status; and

transmit the electronic message to a scheduling engine.