METHODS FOR CONFIGURING SETTINGS FOR AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH TEMPLATE SHEET

• US 20170374205A1
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: PANDA, Debashis
• Granted Patent: US 9,942,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00363 Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00366 Marks in boxes or the like, e.g. crosses or blacking out H04N1/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/04 Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versaH04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus prints a template sheet. The template sheet includes a graphical code and operation boxes. The graphical code includes information corresponding to a storage location address that stores information about settings for one or more image forming apparatuses. A user indicates what information is desired or to be changed on the image forming apparatus, marks it on the template sheet and scans the template sheet. Based on the instructions on the template sheet, information for settings is retrieved for an apparatus in a network. Maintenance information for the image forming apparatus also is retrieved using the template sheet and operation boxes.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving maintenance information about a target image forming apparatus on a network, the method comprising:

printing a template sheet for the target image forming apparatus at a source image forming apparatus, wherein the template sheet includes a graphical code and a plurality of operation boxes related to a plurality of components within the target image forming apparatus, and wherein the graphical code includes an identification information including a network address for the target image forming apparatus on the network;

scanning the template sheet using a scanner at the source image forming apparatus;

identifying that at least one of the plurality of operation boxes is checked using a processor at the source image forming apparatus;

determining the at least one component of the plurality of components that are checked using the processor at the source image forming apparatus;

retrieving maintenance information about the at least one component of the plurality of components within the target image forming apparatus according to the graphical code and at least one of a checked operation box of the plurality of operation boxes; and

printing a maintenance report for the target image forming apparatus, wherein the maintenance report includes the maintenance information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying a time for the maintenance information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the maintenance information includes retrieving events associated with the at least one component of the target image forming apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising retrieving a time for each event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the maintenance information at a storage location address associated with the graphical code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a predetermined time for the maintenance information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a location of the checked operation box on the template sheet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the retrieving step is a first instance of retrieving the maintenance information for the image forming apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the retrieving step includes retrieving maintenance information according to a predetermined time period.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical code is available for a predetermined period.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical code is available only once for the scanning step.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the maintenance information at a storage location address associated with the graphical code on the network, wherein the storage location address is not located at the image forming apparatus.

10. (canceled)

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21. A method for retrieving maintenance information about an image forming apparatus on a network, the method comprising:

printing a template sheet for the image forming apparatus, wherein the template sheet includes a graphical code and a plurality of operation boxes related to a plurality of components within the image forming apparatus, and wherein the graphical code includes an identification information including a network address for the target image forming apparatus on the network;

scanning the template sheet using a scanner at the image forming apparatus;

identifying that at least one of the plurality of operation boxes is checked using a process on the image forming apparatus;

determining that at least one component of the plurality of components that are checked on the image forming apparatus;

retrieving maintenance information about the at least one component of the plurality of components within the image forming apparatus according to the graphical code and at least one of a checked operation box of the plurality of operation boxes by

determining if a time is specified for an event one of the plurality of items within the image forming apparatus, and

if the time is determined to be specified, retrieving the maintenance information related to the event within the specified time; and

printing a maintenance report for the image forming apparatus, wherein the maintenance report includes the maintenance information.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

if the time is determined not be specified, determining if the maintenance report to be printed is a first maintenance report;

if the maintenance report is determined to be the first maintenance report, determining if a predetermined time is set for the first maintenance report.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

if the predetermined time is determined to be set, retrieving the maintenance information related to the event within the predetermined time, and

if the predetermined time is determined not to be set, retrieving the maintenance information related to the event from an installation of the image forming apparatus.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

if the maintenance report to be printed is not the first maintenance report, determining if a time for reporting is set;

if the time for reporting is determined to be set, retrieving the maintenance information related to the event within the time for reporting; and

if the time for reporting is determined not to be set,

specifying the time for reporting, and

retrieving the event information within the specified time for reporting.