Printer with means for automatically reordering consumable media and associated method

• US 20020163662A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Orr, David, Cless, Gerhard, Schuette, Abbie, Bielowicz, Theodore, Kaufman, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US10/139,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0075 Low-paper indication, i.e. indicating the state when copy material has been used up nearly or completely
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00

Abstract

A printer is configured such that it can automatically order labels, tags or the like directly from a label, tag or the like production facility over a TCP/IP connection using such protocols as e-mail, hyper-text-transfer-protocol (i.e., web page), and TCP datagrams, and have the ordered labels, tags or the like delivered directly to the physical location of the printer.

Claims

1. A printer which is configured to print indicia on consumable media and automatically reorder its own consumable media, said printer comprising:

a consumable media measuring apparatus which is configured to measure a quantity of consumable media consumed by said printer; and

communications apparatus coupled to the consumable media measuring apparatus, wherein said consumable media measuring apparatus is configured to communicate consumable media consumption data to said communications apparatus and said communications apparatus is configured to transmit the consumable media consumption data to a destination which is external to said printer.

2. A printer as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications apparatus is configured to transmit the consumable media consumption data over a communications network.

3. A printer as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications apparatus is configured to transmit the consumable media consumption data to at least one of a TCP/IP address, UDP/IP address, FTP address, HTTP address and E-Mail address.

4. A printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications apparatus is configured to transmit consumable media consumption data to the destination once a pre-determined quantity of consumable media has been consumed by the printer.

5. A printer as recited in claim 4, wherein the printer is configured such that the pre-determined quantity of consumable media is receivable by the printer over a communications network.

6. A printer as recited in claim 5, wherein the printer is configured such that the pre-determined quantity of consumable media is receivable by the printer under at least one of TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTTP, E-Mail, serial port communications and parallel port communications.

7. A printer as recited in claim 5, further comprising an operations panel, wherein the pre-determined quantity of consumable media is receivable by the printer via the operations panel.

8. A printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the printer is configured to order consumable media.

9. A printer as recited in claim 8, wherein the printer is configured to fill in a web page, thereby ordering the consumable media.

10. A printer which is configured to print indicia on consumable media and automatically reorder its own consumable media, said printer comprising:

means for measuring a quantity of consumable media consumed by the printer;

means for generating a consumable media consumption value; and

means for communicating the consumable media consumption value to a destination external to said printer.

11. A method for a printer to automatically reorder its own consumable media comprising:

measuring the quantity of consumable media consumed by the printer;

creating a media consumption value based on the quantity of consumable media measured; and

communicating the consumable media consumption value to a destination external to the printer.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising transmitting the consumable media consumption data over a communications network.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising transmitting the consumable media consumption data to at least one of a TCP/IP address, UDP/IP address, FTP address, HTTP address and E-Mail address.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising transmitting the consumable media consumption data to the destination once a pre-determined quantity of consumable media has been consumed by the printer.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising receiving the pre-determined quantity of consumable media over a communications network.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving the pre-determined quantity of consumable media printer under at least one of TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTTP, E-Mail, serial port communications and parallel port communications.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving the pre-determined quantity of consumable media via an operations panel on the printer.

18. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising ordering consumable media.

19. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising filling in a web page, thereby ordering the consumable media.

20. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions readable by a printer, including instructions configured to direct the printer to measure a quantity of consumable media consumed by the printer, instructions configured to direct the printer to create a media consumption value based on the quantity of consumable media measured;

and instructions configured to direct the printer to communicate the consumable media consumption value to a destination external to the printer.

21. A method of keeping a printer supplied with consumable media, said method comprising:

having the printer monitor the quantity of consumable media consumed by the printer;

having the printer order consumable media from a order-fulfillment house; and

receiving fresh consumable media from the order-fulfillment house.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the step of having the printer order consumable media from the order-fulfillment house comprises having the printer fill in a web page.