System for printer suggested upgrades to correct errors

• US 20040057767A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Travis J. Parry
• Original Assignee: Travis J. Parry
• Inventors: Parry, Travis J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,817,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for suggesting upgrades in response to printer errors. In one embodiment, a printer contains an error detecting device and an embedded Web server in communication with a global computer network. If printer errors are detected, error messages are generated. Each error message is conveyed through the embedded Web server to an external computer. The external computer may receive error information conveyed by a large number of printers, which can optionally be monitored and analyzed. Information on a selection of printer upgrades is maintained in a memory of the external computer. The external computer compares each error message received to this selection, if an upgrade corresponding to an error message is available, the system conveys a message detailing the availability of the upgrade.

Claims

1. A system for suggesting upgrades to ameliorate printer errors, comprising:

at least one printer linked to a network, said at least one printer comprising a error detector for detecting errors in printing functions, said at least one printer capable of generating an error message when an error in printing function is detected by said error detector and conveying said error message over said network; and

a receiving computer in communication with said network, said receiving computer having a memory thereon, said memory storing at least a collection of information on a set of printer upgrades including a summary of the content of the upgrade, the printer condition the upgrade improves, information for obtaining the upgrade, and a listing of printer errors ameliorated by the installation of the upgrade;

said receiving computer capable of receiving a said error message conveyed over said network by said at least one printer and selecting a selected printer upgrade from said set of printer upgrades in response to said error message.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising said receiving computer being configured to create a message containing information on said selected printer upgrade and conveying said message to said at least one printer.

3. The system of claim 1, where said receiving computer further comprises at least one online error database stored in said memory thereon, said at least one online error database capable of receiving said error message generated by said printer and conveyed over said network.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of printers, each of said plurality of printers comprising an error detector for detecting errors in printing functions, each of said plurality of printers capable of generating an error message when said error in said printing function is detected by said error detector and conveying said error message over said network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of printers incorporates a web server.