Method and system for diagnosis and control of machines using connection and connectionless modes of communication
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for monitoring, controlling and diagnosing operation of a machine such as a business office machine including a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer. When the speed of communication between the remote device and machine is not urgent, a connectionless mode of communication may be used. The form of connectionless communication is an electronic mail message transmitted over the Internet. However, when a condition needs urgent action, a direct connection is used for communication such as communication via a telephone or ISDN line. The information obtained from the machine is stored in one or more data bases within a company and information of the machine is shared between a service department, engineering and design department, manufacturing department, and marketing department. As communication over the Internet via electronic mail is not secure, the connectionless-mode messages transmitted using Internet electronic mail are encrypted.
89 Citations
73 Claims
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1-51. -51. (Canceled)
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52. A method for communicating between a printer and a monitoring device, comprising:
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obtaining a status of the printer determined using sensors within the printer;
generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
transmitting the electronic mail message to the monitoring device from the printer using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the printer, a job count of the printer, a toner level of the printer, use of duplexing, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the printer, and copy count by paper size of the printer. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method for communicating between a copier and a monitoring device, comprising:
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obtaining a status of the copier determined using sensors within the copier;
generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
transmitting the electronic mail message to the monitoring device from the copier using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the copier, a job count of the copier, a toner level of the copier, paper jams of the copier, use of duplexing, use of reduction, use of enlargement, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the copier, and copy count by paper size of the copier. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A system for communicating between a printer and a monitoring device, comprising:
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means for obtaining a status of the printer determined using sensors within the printer;
means for generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
means for transmitting the electronic mail message to the monitoring device from the printer using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the printer, a job count of the printer, a toner level of the printer, use of duplexing, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the printer, and copy count by paper size of the printer. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for communicating between a copier and a monitoring device, comprising:
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means for obtaining a status of the copier determined using sensors within the copier;
means for generating an electronic mail message based on the obtained status; and
means for transmitting the electronic mail message to the monitoring device from the copier using an Internet e-mail protocol, wherein the obtained status includes information regarding at least one of a copy count of the copier, a job count of the copier, a toner level of the copier, paper jams of the copier, use of duplexing, use of reduction, use of enlargement, use of manual feed, a malfunction of the copier, and copy count by paper size of the copier. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification