Image forming devices and marketing methods

• US 20030036953A1
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Quintin T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Image forming devices and marketing methods are described. One aspect of the invention provides an image forming device including an image engine configured to use a consumable to form a hard image; a consumable interface adapted to couple with the consumable; and processing circuitry configured to: access a condition associated with an operation of the image forming device; monitor the operation of the image forming device; forward a request externally of the image forming device responsive to the monitoring indicating an occurrence of the condition; receive a message after the forwarding; and communicate the message.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising:

an image engine configured to use a consumable to form a hard image;

a consumable interface adapted to couple with the consumable; and

processing circuitry configured to;

access a condition associated with an operation of the image forming device;

monitor the operation of the image forming device;

forward a request externally of the image forming device responsive to the monitoring indicating an occurrence of the condition;

receive a message after the forwarding; and

communicate the message.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access the condition from the consumable.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the condition is related to a status of the consumable and the processing circuitry is configured to monitor the status of the consumable to monitor the operation of the image forming device.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the condition is not related to a status of the consumable.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the condition is related to a life span of the image forming device and the processing circuitry is configured to monitor the life span of the image forming device to monitor the operation of the image forming device.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the image engine is configured to use a plurality of consumables to form a hard image, and wherein the condition is related to a status of one of the consumables not having the condition and the processing circuitry is configured to monitor the status of the one consumable to monitor the operation of the image forming device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the image engine is configured to use a plurality of consumables to form a hard image, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access a plurality of conditions related to statuses of respective ones of the consumables and to monitor the statuses of the consumables to monitor the operation of the image forming device.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide an identifier of the image forming device within the request.

9. A marketing method comprising:

accessing a condition associated with an operation of an image forming device configured to use a consumable to form a hard image;

monitoring the operation of the image forming device;

communicating a request externally of the image forming device using the image forming device and responsive to the monitoring;

receiving a message responsive to the communicating the request; and

communicating the message using the image forming device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition from the consumable.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a status of the consumable and the monitoring comprises monitoring the status of the consumable.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition not related to a status of the consumable.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a life span of the image forming device and the monitoring comprises monitoring the life span of the image forming device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a status of another consumable not having the condition, and the monitoring comprises monitoring the status of the another consumable.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises accessing a plurality of conditions related to statuses of a plurality of consumables used by the image forming device to form the hard image, and the monitoring comprises monitoring the statuses of the consumables.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the communicating the request comprises communicating the request including an identifier of the image forming device.

17. A marketing method comprising:

accessing a condition associated with an operation of an image forming device configured to use a consumable to form a hard image;

monitoring the operation of the image forming device;

communicating a request using the image forming device to a marketing system external of the image forming device responsive to the monitoring;

communicating a message using the marketing system responsive to receiving the request; and

communicating the message using the image forming device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition from the consumable.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a status of the consumable and the monitoring comprises monitoring the status of the consumable.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition not related to a status of the consumable.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a life span of the image forming device and the monitoring comprises monitoring the life span of the image forming device.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the condition related to a status of another consumable not having the condition, and the monitoring comprises monitoring the status of the another consumable.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the communicating the request comprises communicating the request including an identifier of the image forming device, and further comprising selecting the message from a plurality of other messages using the identifier, and wherein the communicating the message comprises communicating the message after the selecting.