System and method for ensuring payment for sold or leased equipment

• US 20040118915A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M & R Printing Equipment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: M & R Printing Equipment Incorporated
• Inventors: Coe, Jason, Zupancic, Joel, Falk, Kenneth, Daniel, Robert, Abreu, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/04 in which the quantity mechanism is set forward automatically by the insertion of a coin
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/10 with alarm or warning devices, e.g. indicating the interrupting of the supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects

Abstract

A limited electronic system and method are provided for automatically shutting down equipment when an account associated with purchased or leased equipment falls into arrears. The system includes a control center (connected to a machine) with a screen display, means for entering a code, and a controller. The controller has a disabling program that shuts down the machine after a predetermined interval, such as time. Because the program automates the shut-down when no (timed) interval is in place, the user must obtain a “re-set code” from a non-user—i.e., the financing entity, the equipment supplier, the account manager, or other entity—and enter it into the system to set the next interval so the machine remains operational. The re-set code is generated by the machine. The non-user at a location remote from the machine receives or generates parallel re-set codes. The method involves: (a) activating the program, (b) assessing the payment status of the account, and (c) when the account is paid, releasing the re-set code to the user for manual entry it into the control center. If the account is in arrears, the re-set code is not released to the user, and no entry of a new re-set code, the program causes the machine to shut-down.

Claims

1. A method for automatically rendering unusable the operating functions of a machine in a user'"'"'s custody, associated with a credit account, and having a system comprising (i) a controller having a code generator and a disabling program for activating a shut-down sequence;

and (ii) a user-interface for entering a re-set code to set a new timed interval;

the method comprising;

(a) activating the disabling program to initiate a preselected interval associated with the account,

(b) upon a paid status of the account, releasing a re-set code from a location remote from the machine,

(c) entering the re-set code into the user interface to set the next interval, and,

(d) repeating steps (b)-(c) to keep the machine operational.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the interval is time.

3. The method of claim 1 including advising the user that the machine will shut-down unless a re-set code is entered.

4. The method of claim 1 further including generating the re-set code in the system and determining the re-set code by a non-user at a location remote from the machine for release to the user upon the paid status of the account.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the determining step includes transmitting the re-set code to the non-user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering the re-set code is performed manually by entering the re-set code into the user interface for setting the next interval.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of manually entering the re-set code is accomplished on the user interface chosen from the group consisting of a keypad and a touch screen.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a count of a predetermined parameter tracked by the machine to a location remote from the machine.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the count is a number of cycles performed by the machine.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of releasing the re-set code is accomplished by at least one means selected from the group consisting of telephone, facsimile, email, and Internet.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of releasing the re-set code includes confirming the user'"'"'s identity by checking at least two forms of identifying information of the user.

12. The method of claim 1 further including comparing the re-set code entered into the user interface to the re-set code released from the remote location to determine whether the codes match.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) is repeated until the account has a zero balance due.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising entering a final code for deactivating the disabling program.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating the disabling program is for initiating a timed interval for a printing machine.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating the disabling program is for initiating a timed interval for a screen printing machine.

17. A method for automatically rendering unusable a machine in a user'"'"'s custody upon an unpaid balance of an account associated with the use or purchase of the machine, where the machine is connected to a system having a control center comprising

a user interface for entering a code, and,

a controller having a code generator and a shut-down program for shutting the machine down at the end of a preselected interval unless a code is entered into the control center;

the method comprising

(a) activating the shut-down program to initiate an interval,

(b) at a defined point during the timed interval, determining that the account has a paid status,

(c) depending upon the paid status of the account, releasing a code selected from the group consisting of (i) a re-set code when the account has a balance due for initiating a new interval and (ii) a final code when the account has a zero balance due for disabling the shut-down program,

(d) entering the code into the user interface, and,

(e) if the code entered in step (d) was a re-set code, repeating steps (b)-(d) until the account has a zero balance.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the interval is time.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying a warning message to the user advising that the machine will be shut-down.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the re-set code released in step (c) is generated by a digital algorithm.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating the re-set code by the code generator.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising transmitting the generated re-set code from the controller to a non-user at a location remote from the machine.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the non-user is selected from the group consisting of an equipment supplier, a financing entity, and an account manager.

24. The method of claim 22 where the code entered in step (d) is the re-set code, further comprising comparing the re-set code generated by the controller to the re-set code entered to determine if the correct code was entered.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of releasing the code is conducted by at least one means chosen from telephone, facsimile, email, and Internet.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of releasing the code further includes checking the user'"'"'s identity before releasing the code to the user.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of checking the user'"'"'s identity includes checking at least two forms of identifying information of the user.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising transmitting a count of a predetermined parameter tracked by the machine to a non-user at a location remote from the machine.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of activating the shut-down program is for a printing machine.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of the activating the shut-down program is for a printing machine.

31. A method for automatically shutting down a machine when a credit account associated with the purchase or lease of the machine falls into arrears;

wherein the machine is connected to a control center of a shut-down system comprising a user interface for entering a re-set code to keep the machine operational, and a controller having a disabling program awaiting activation for triggering a timed sequence shut-down, a code generator, and means for monitoring a timed interval preceding the shut-down;

the method comprising;

(a) activating the disabling program to shut the machine down after a timed interval associated with the account,

(b) transmitting a re-set code generated by the code generator to a non-user at a location remote from the machine, and,

(c) at a defined point in the timed interval, triggering the timed sequence shut-down unless a code is entered into the user interface to initiate a new timed interval, wherein the code is obtained from the non-user upon the account having a paid status for the timed interval.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

(a) entering into the user interface the re-set code obtained from the non-user, and,

(b) comparing the user-entered re-set code against the re-set code generated by the code generator to determine that correct code was entered.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising entering a final code into the user interface for deactivating the disabling program permanently.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of activating the disabling program is conducted for a printing machine.

35. A system for ensuring that payments are made on a timely and regular basis to an account for the purchase or leasing of equipment, comprising:

means for checking on the payment status of the account; and

,

a control center connected to a machine and having a display screen for displaying a message, a user interface for entering a code into the machine, and a controller for controlling the operation of the machine;

the controller including a timed shut-down program for rendering the machine unusable after a timed interval when the account associated with the machine falls in arrears, means for monitoring the timed interval, and a code generator for generating a re-set code for entering into the user interface so as to initiate a new timed interval.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the user interface comprises a device chosen from the group consisting of a keypad and a touch screen.

37. The system of claim 35 further including auditory means for informing the user that the machine will shut-down after the first timed interval.

38. The system of claim 35 further comprising means for transmitting the system-generated re-set code to the non-user at a location remote from the machine.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the non-user is selected from the group consisting of an equipment supplier, a financing entity, or an account manager.

40. The system of claim 38 further comprising means for the non-user to release the system-generated re-set code to the user for entry into the machine.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the means for the non-user to release the system-generated re-set code to the user comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of a telephonic, facsimile, email, and Internet.

42. The system of claim 35 further comprising means for comparing the re-set code entered into the machine to the system-generated re-set code to determine whether the correct re-set code was entered.

43. The system of claim 35 wherein the machine is a printing machine.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the machine is a screen printing machine.