Method and apparatus for managing remotely located document producing machines by using cellular radios
First Claim
1. An apparatus for managing remotely located document-producing machines by using a cellular radio network, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a plurality of remote document-producing nodes;
(b) a central computer generating a node management command directed towards a selected one of said remote nodes; and
(c) a central cellular radio station receiving said management command, said station having a central cellular radio transmitting communications to said remote nodes, said station transmitting via said central cellular radio said management command to said selected remote node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing remotely located document-producing machines by using cellular technology. One embodiment of the invention is an apparatus that includes a central computer, a central cellular radio station, and a number of remote document-producing nodes. The central computer generates a copier management command directed towards a selected one of the remote document-producing nodes, and supplies this command to the central cellular radio station. This radio station then uses a central cellular radio to relay the copier management command to the selected remote copier node. Alternatively, in another embodiment of the invention, a remote document-producing node initiates a remote management operation by transmitting management data to the central cellular station.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An apparatus for managing remotely located document-producing machines by using a cellular radio network, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote document-producing nodes; (b) a central computer generating a node management command directed towards a selected one of said remote nodes; and (c) a central cellular radio station receiving said management command, said station having a central cellular radio transmitting communications to said remote nodes, said station transmitting via said central cellular radio said management command to said selected remote node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for managing remotely located document-producing machines, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote document-producing nodes; (b) a central computer; and (c) a central cellular radio station communicatively coupled to said central computer, said station having a central cellular radio for receiving communications from said remote nodes, said station receiving via said central cellular radio a communication from one of said remote document-producing nodes and relaying this communication to said central computer.
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9. An apparatus for managing remotely located copiers by using a cellular radio network, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote copier nodes; (b) a central computer generating a copier management command directed towards a selected one of said remote copier nodes; (c) a central cellular radio station receiving said copier management command, said station having a central cellular radio transmitting communications to said remote copier nodes, said station transmitting via said central cellular radio said copier management command to said selected remote copier node. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for managing remotely located copiers, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote copier nodes; (b) a central computer; (c) a central cellular radio station communicatively coupled to said central computer, said station having a central cellular radio for receiving communications from said remote copier nodes, said station receiving via said central cellular radio a communication from one of said remote copier nodes and relaying this communication to said central computer.
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27. An apparatus for managing remotely located copiers, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote copier nodes; (b) a central computer for generating a copier management command directed towards a selected one of said remote copier nodes; (c) a central cellular radio station for receiving said copier management command, said station having a central cellular radio for transmitting and receiving communications to said remote copier nodes, said station for transmitting via said central cellular radio said copier management command to said selected remote copier node. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A remote copier node for use in an apparatus for managing remotely located copier nodes, said node comprising:
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(a) a copier for producing copies; (b) a copy counting circuit, coupled to said copier, for maintaining a copy count of number of copies produced by said copier; (c) a remote cellular radio, coupled to said copy counting circuit, for receiving a copier management command and supplying said command to said copy counting circuit; (d) wherein, when said copier management command is a request for said copy count, said copy counting circuit supplies said copy count to said remote cellular radio to broadcast said copy count. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification