AUTOMATIC OPTIMIZATION OF HFSI WARNING THRESHOLDS BASED ON ACTUAL SERVICE INTERVAL STATISTICS

• US 20090309707A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kamprath, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.400
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job

Abstract

If the device-specific maintenance rate statistics is higher than the average maintenance rate statistics, method embodiments herein alter replacement warning thresholds for components of the device by extending the replacement warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds. If the specific device incurs unscheduled maintenance visits more often than average, the embodiments herein extend the replacement warning thresholds for components of the device. The amount that the replacement warning thresholds are extended is different for different parts, and is based on part life, part cost, and part service cost. If the device-specific maintenance rate statistics is lower than the average maintenance rate statistics, method embodiments herein alter replacement warning thresholds for components of the device by shortening the replacement warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds. If the specific device incurs unscheduled maintenance visits less often than average, the embodiments herein shorten the replacement warning thresholds for components of the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining device-specific maintenance rate statistics of a device;

calculating a device-specific usage amount that will occur before a next predicted maintenance service, based on said device-specific maintenance rate statistics of said device;

comparing said device-specific usage amount that will occur before said next predicted maintenance service to a predetermined usage amount of a predetermined replacement warning threshold of a component within said device;

if said device-specific usage amount is higher than said predetermined usage amount, altering replacement warning thresholds for said component by increasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

if said device-specific usage amount is lower than said predetermined usage amount, altering replacement warning thresholds for said component by decreasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

storing said modified replacement warning thresholds in a computer-readable medium within said device; and

in response to a query presented to said device, outputting from said device component replacement warnings using said modified replacement warning thresholds.

2. The method according to claim 1, said storing of said modified replacement warning thresholds comprising replacing said predetermined replacement warning thresholds with said modified replacement warning thresholds in said computer-readable medium within said device.

3. The method according to claim 1, said maintaining and said comparing being performed by said device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising supplying said predetermined usage amount to said device.

5. The method according to claim 1, said maintaining of said device-specific maintenance rate statistics comprising determining a rate at which maintenance services are periodically performed on said device.

6. A method comprising:

maintaining device-specific maintenance rate statistics of a device, said device being of a model type;

maintaining an average maintenance rate statistics of all devices of said model type;

comparing said device-specific maintenance rate statistics to said average maintenance rate statistics;

if said device-specific maintenance rate statistics is higher than said average maintenance rate statistics, altering replacement warning thresholds for components of said device by extending said replacement warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

if said device-specific maintenance rate statistics is lower than said average maintenance rate statistics, altering replacement warning thresholds for components of said device by shortening said replacement warning thresholds to produce said modified replacement warning thresholds;

storing said modified replacement warning thresholds in a computer-readable medium within said device; and

in response to a query presented to said device, outputting from said device component replacement warnings using said modified replacement warning thresholds.

7. The method according to claim 6, said storing of said modified replacement warning thresholds comprising replacing previous replacement warning thresholds with said modified replacement warning thresholds in said computer-readable medium within said device.

8. The method according to claim 6, said maintaining of said device-specific maintenance rate statistics and said comparing of said device-specific maintenance rate statistics to said average maintenance rate statistics being performed by said device.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising supplying said average unscheduled maintenance to said device.

10. The method according to claim 6, said device and said devices one of:

all have the same model number; and

are all of the same model class.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising;

maintaining device-specific maintenance rate statistics of a device;

calculating a device-specific usage amount that will occur before a next predicted maintenance service, based on said device-specific maintenance rate statistics of said device;

comparing said device-specific usage amount that will occur before said next predicted maintenance service to a predetermined usage amount of a predetermined replacement warning threshold of a component within said device;

if said device-specific usage amount is higher than said predetermined usage amount, altering replacement warning thresholds for said component by increasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

if said device-specific usage amount is lower than said predetermined usage amount, altering replacement warning thresholds for said component by decreasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

storing said modified replacement warning thresholds in a computer-readable medium within said device; and

in response to a query presented to said device, outputting from said device component replacement warnings using said modified replacement warning thresholds.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, said storing of said modified replacement warning thresholds comprising replacing said predetermined replacement warning thresholds with said modified replacement warning thresholds in said computer-readable medium within said device.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, said maintaining and said comparing being performed by said device.

14. The computer program product according to claim 11, further comprising supplying said predetermined usage amount to said device.

15. The computer program product according to claim 11, said maintaining of said device-specific maintenance rate statistics comprising determining a rate at which maintenance services are periodically performed on said device.

16. A printing device of a model type, said printing device comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

a processor operatively connected to said computer-readable medium and executing instructions stored on said computer storage media;

components operatively connected to said processor, said processor controlling said components to cause said components to print markings on printing media, at least one counter operatively connected to said processor, said counter determining a number of prints made by said printing device and counting a number of maintenance actions performed on said printing device, and said counter storing device-specific maintenance rate statistics in said computer-readable medium; and

an input/output operatively connected to said processor,

said processor calculating a device-specific usage amount that will occur before a next predicted maintenance service, based on said device-specific maintenance rate statistics;

said processor comparing said device-specific usage amount that will occur before said next predicted maintenance service to a predetermined usage amount of a predetermined replacement warning threshold of a component within said device;

if said device-specific usage amount is higher than said predetermined usage amount, said processor alters replacement warning thresholds for said component by increasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

if said device-specific usage amount is lower than said predetermined usage amount, said processor alters replacement warning thresholds for said component by decreasing said predetermined warning thresholds to produce modified replacement warning thresholds;

said processor storing said modified replacement warning thresholds in said computer-readable medium; and

in response to a query presented to said device, said processor outputs said component replacement warnings using said modified replacement warning thresholds.

17. The printing device according to claim 16, said processor storing said modified replacement warning thresholds by replacing said predetermined replacement warning thresholds with said modified replacement warning thresholds in said computer-readable medium within said device.

18. The printing device according to claim 16, said computer-readable medium storing said predetermined usage amount.

19. The printing device according to claim 16, said processor determining a rate at which maintenance services are periodically performed on said device.

20. The printing device according to claim 16, said printing device comprising one of an electrostatographic device and a xerographic device.