Method of controlling copy machines from a remote location

• US 5,603,060 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Printer Corporation (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Joseph Weinberger
• Inventors: Laird, James, Weinberger, Joseph, Bricault, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US08/478,357
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/500, 395/575, 395/887, 395/200-09, 355/200-204, 355/205, 355/207, 371/16.4, 371/29.1
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0733 in a data processing system embedded in an image processing device, e.g. printer, facsimile, scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A method for controlling copy machine keystroke commands on a copy machine having operational keys thereon from a remote location by generating a copier control panel operation keystroke command from a remote location and transmitting a data pattern corresponding to the command to the copier control computer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling copy machine keystrokes on a copy machine from a remote location, said copy machine comprising a copier control panel having operational keys thereon and a copier control computer, comprising the steps of

a. generating a copier control panel operation keystroke command from said remote location;

and

b. transmitting a data pattern corresponding to said copier control panel operation keystroke command to the copier control computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of capturing said copier control panel operation keystroke command at an interface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the interface transmits the data pattern to said copier control computer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the interface comprises latches in which the data pattern is written for output to the copier control computer.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the copier control panel operation keystroke command is a non-copier specific command and the interface translates said copier control panel operation keystroke command into a data pattern which is equivalent to a data pattern generated upon a keystroke on the copier control panel specific to the copier being controlled.

6. A method of controlling copy machine keystrokes on a copy machine from a remote location, said copy machine comprising a copier control panel having operational keys thereon and a copier control computer, comprising the steps of

a. generating a copier control panel operation keystroke command from a remote location to an interface at the copy machine;

b. translating said copier control panel operation keystroke command into a copier specific data pattern at said interface, said copier specific data pattern being equivalent to a data pattern generated upon a keystroke on the copier control panel; and

c. transmitting said copier specific data pattern to said copier to initiate a copy machine panel accessible keystroke function.