Field service system for image forming devices

• US 6,317,570 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sekine, Hitoshi, Uchida, Yuki, Ishijima, Hisashi, Kudara, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, HOANG X
• Application Number:
  US09/710,615
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.06, 340/825.16, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 399/8, 399/9, 399/18, 399/81
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A method and a system for facilitating service for image forming devices such as copiers, fax machines and printers. A main service center receives a service request from a user, such as via an Internet home page that the main service center maintains. Based on the service requests and databases for user information and information regarding local service centers, the main service centers identifies the local service center(s) that are suitable for meeting the service request, in term of the type of devices and territories they service and other factors. The user, the main service center, and the one or more local service centers transmit information among themselves to track the service request and responses by the user and one or more local service centers and to ensure that the requested service is appropriately supplied.

Claims

1. A method of servicing image forming devices comprising:

storing a local service center database information for a main service center, said information identifying at least a plurality of local service centers and image forming devices and manufacturers thereof that respective local service centers service;

receiving a service request from a user at the main service center, said service request including information identifying an image forming device for which service is requested, via a communication link selectively connecting the user and the main service center;

processing information from the service request received at the main service center and information from the database stored for the main service center to select at least one local service center that can meet the service request and is suitable for meeting the request.

2. A method as in claim 1 in which the processing comprises creating a service menu including information indicative at least of the user'"'"'s identity and location, a manufacturer and model of the image forming device for which service is requested, and service items included in the service request.

3. A method as in claim 2 further including sending a service request from the main service center to at least one of the local service centers selected in said processing, via a communication link selectively connecting the main service center and said at least one selected local service center.

4. A method as in claim 3 further including sending responses from the one or more selected local service centers to the main service center containing information as to whether a selected local service accepts the service requests sent thereto from the main service center.

5. A method as in claim 4 further including receiving said responses sent by the one or more local service centers to the main service center indicative of acceptance of the service request, and identifying from among the responding one or more local service centers a suitable local service center based at least on information regarding a territory serviced by respective local service centers, an identity of the image forming device for which service is requested, and service items available at respective local service centers.

6. A method as in claim 5 further including sending a final service request, including a service menu, from the main service center to the suitable local service center.

7. A method as in claim 6 further including sending completion information from the suitable local service center indicative of completion of the requested service.

8. A method as in claim 1 in which said service request includes a location address and an e-mail address of the user.

9. A method as in claim 1 in which said service request includes a name and phone number of the user, the model designation and year of manufacture of the image forming device, an identification of one or more service items, and account information.

10. A method as in claim 1 in which said local service center database information comprises information identifying territories for respective local service centers, and models of image forming devices that the respective local service centers service.

11. A method as in claim 1 further including storing a user database information for the main service center.

12. A method as in claim 11 in which the user database information included at least user names, location and e-mail addresses, and phone numbers, and identifications of manufacturers, years of manufacture and models of users'"'"' image forming devices, and any preferred local service centers for users, and any service items previously requested by users.

13. A method as in claim 12 further including sending information from a local service center that is servicing a user request to the main service center, indicative of a completion of the service request, and further including updating said user database information accordingly.

14. A method as in claim 13 further including updating said local service center database in response to said information indicative of a completion of the service request.

27. A field service system as in claim 12 in which the local service centers include computer facilities and programming sending information to the main service center indicative of a completion of a service request directed thereto and completed thereby, and the main service center includes computer facilities and programming updating said user database accordingly.

28. A field service system as in claim 27 in which said main service center includes computer facilities and programming updating said local service center database in response to said information indicative of a completion of the service request.

15. A field service system comprising:

a main service center;

a plurality of local service centers at locations remote from the main service center;

a plurality of image forming devices that are at user side remote from the main service center and from the local service centers, and a plurality of communication devices at the user side for selectively establishing a communication link between a user at the user side and the main service center to transmit thereto a service request indicative of one or more service items the user requests for one or more respective image forming devices;

said main service center including computer facilities and at least one local service center database storing information identifying at least local service centers and at image forming devices serviced by respective local service centers;

said local service centers being selectively connected with the main service center to exchange information therewith over respective communication links; and

said main service center being programmed to respond to a service request transmitted thereto from a user and to information stored in said local service center database to select a subset of said local service centers for meeting the service request.

16. A field service system as in claim 15 in which said main center includes computer facilities and programming creating a service menu including information indicative at least of the user'"'"'s identity and location, a manufacturer and model of the image forming device for which service is requested, and service items included in the service request.

17. A field service system as in claim 16 in which the main service center includes computer facilities and programming sending the service request from the main service center to the selected subset of the local service centers, via a communication link selectively connecting the main service center and said selected subset.

18. A field service system as in claim 17 in which said selected subset of the local service centers includes computer facilities and programming sending responses to the main service center containing information on whether the local service(s) in the selected subset would accept the service requests sent thereto from the main service center.

19. A field service system as in claim 18 in which the main service center includes computer facilities and programming receiving one or more responses from the selected subset of local service centers to the main service center and to identify, from among the responding one or more local service centers, a suitable local service center based at least on information regarding a territory serviced by respective local service centers, an identity of the image forming device for which service is requested, and service items available at respective local service centers.

20. A field service system as in claim 18 in which the main service center includes computer facilities and programming sending a final service request, including a service menu, from the main service center to the suitable local service center.

21. A field service system as in claim 20 in which the local service centers include computer facilities and programming sending completion information indicative of completion of a service requested of and completed by respective local service centers.

22. A field service system as in claim 15 in which said service request includes a location address and an e-mail address of the user.

23. A field service system as in claim 22 in which said service request includes a name and phone number of the user, the model designation and year of manufacture of the image forming device, an identification of one or more service items, and account information.

24. A field service system as in claim 15 in which said local service center database information comprises information identifying territories for respective local service centers, and models of image forming devices that the respective local service centers service.

25. A field service system as in claim 15 in which said main service center comprises a user database.

26. A field service system as in claim 25 in which the user database stores information including at least user names, location and e-mail addresses, and phone numbers, and identifications of manufacturers, years of manufacture and models of users'"'"' image forming devices, and any preferred local service centers for users, and any service items previously requested by users.

29. A method of providing service for image forming devices comprising:

sending a service request from a user to a remotely located main service center, via a selectively established communication link, indicative of a request to service for an image forming device remote from the main service center;

said main service center receiving and processing the service request together with information from a user database and a local service database maintained for the main service center, to identify a subset of a plurality of local service centers that are remote from the user and the image forming device and from the main service center;

transmitting the service request together with a service menu from the main service center to the identified subset of local service center;

transmitting from the identified subset of local service center to the main service center responses indicative of whether the service request can be met;

processing said responses by the main service center to select a local service center within said subset to provide the service, and communicating information related to the selection to the user;

receiving a confirmation of a final service request from the user and communicating said final service request to the selected local service center; and

sending completion of service information from the selected service center to the user.

30. A method as in claim 29 in which said responses sent by local service centers in response to a service request sent thereto by the main service center comprise information indicative of expected time of completion of the requested service and a cost estimate.