System and method to integrate device, user, and account information

• US 20060085535A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Meyer, Christopher, Rhodes, Bob, Mimura, Makoto, Hosoe, Yasuhiko
• Application Number:
  US10/913,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085535A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A system for managing and servicing at least one device communicatively coupled to a network, including a communication manager configured to receive an alert and monitored information from the at least one device over the network, and to receive a user request for information related to the at least one device; a device subsystem configured to store the monitored information received by the communication manager, and to store at least one of configuration and service information of the at least one device; a user subsystem configured to store information related to users of the at least one device; an account subsystem configured to store at least one of contract management information, billing management information, and order management information related to the at least one device; and a system controller configured to coordinate operations of the device subsystem, the user subsystem, and the account subsystem in responding to the received alert and in responding to the received user request for information.

Claims

1. A system for managing and servicing at least one device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

a communication manager configured to receive an alert and monitored information from the at least one device over the network, and to receive a user request for information related to the at least one device;

a device subsystem configured to store the monitored information received by the communication manager, and to store at least one of configuration and service information of the at least one device;

a user subsystem configured to store information related to users of the at least one device;

an account subsystem configured to store at least one of contract management information, billing management information, and order management information related to the at least one device; and

a system controller configured to coordinate operations of the device subsystem, the user subsystem, and the account subsystem in responding to the received alert and in responding to the received user request for information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an archive subsystem configure to store messages received by the communications manager, including the alert and the user request for information, in association with a unique identifier of the at least one device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user subsystem is configured to store, for the at least one device, information regarding at least one of administrators, key operators, service technicians, and sales operators.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the account subsystem is configured to store the contract management information related to the at least one device;

and

the system controller is configured to respond to the received alert based on the stored contract information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication manager is configured to receive page count and toner information from the at least one device;

and

the device subsystem is configured to store the received page count and toner information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication manager is configured to receive the alert and the monitored information from the at least one device over the Internet.

7. A method for managing and servicing at least one device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

receiving device information, including at least one of (1) an alert from the at least one device over the network, (2) monitored information from the at least one device over the network, and (3) a user request for information related to the at least one device;

storing at least one of configuration and service information of the at least one device;

storing information related to users of the at least one device;

storing business context information, including at least one of contract management information, billing management information, and order management information related to managing and servicing the at least one device; and

automatically responding to the received device information based on the stored user information, the stored configuration and service information, and the stored business context information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

storing the received device information in association with a unique identifier of the at least one device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of storing the user information comprises:

storing, for the at least one device, information regarding at least one of administrators, key operators, service technicians, and sales operators.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of storing business context information comprises:

storing the contract management information related to the at least one device; and

responding to the received alert based on the stored contract information.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving page count and toner information from the at least one device; and

storing the received page count and toner information.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving the alert and the monitored information from the at least one device over the Internet.

13. A computer program product having a computer readable medium for managing and servicing at least one device communicatively coupled to a network, comprising:

instructions for receiving device information, including at least one of (1) an alert from the at least one device over the network, (2) monitored information from the at least one device over the network, and (3) a user request for information related to the at least one device;

instructions for storing at least one of configuration and service information of the at least one device;

instructions for storing information related to users of the at least one device;

instructions for storing business context information, including at least one of contract management information, billing management information, and order management information related to managing and servicing the at least one device; and

instructions for automatically responding to the received device information based on the stored user information, the stored configuration and service information, and the stored business context information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for storing the received device information in association with a unique identifier of the at least one device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions for storing the user information comprise:

instructions for storing, for the at least one device, information regarding at least one of administrators, key operators, service technicians, and sales operators.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions for storing business context information comprise:

instructions for storing the contract management information related to the at least one device; and

instructions for responding to the received alert based on the stored contract information.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for receiving page count and toner information from the at least one device; and

instructions for storing the received page count and toner information.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions for receiving comprise:

instructions for receiving the alert and the monitored information from the at least one device over the Internet.