Facilitating device upkeep

• US 6,820,039 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven M., Bolanos, Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walling, Meagan S
• Application Number:
  US10/125,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 709/217, 709/220, 709/224, 399/8, 399/10, 399/24, 399/27, 399/49, 347/19, 347/23, 358/406
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, systems, and arrangements facilitate the upkeep of an electronic device. In certain described implementations, one or more analyses and/or determinations may be completed with regard to one or more replaceable issues. If the replaceable issue(s) are determined to be deficient (including potentially deficient), then the electronic device may produce one or more upkeep-related items to facilitate an operator'"'"'s upkeep thereof. Exemplary replaceable issues may be related to consumable item(s), maintenance items(s), ability items(s), etc. Exemplary upkeep-related items may include order-related items, reports, etc. Exemplary order-related items may include order forms, discount coupons and codes, network address and information combinations, etc. In an exemplary described printing device implementation, a printing device is capable of determining that at least one consumable item or maintenance item is at or near a point of being exhausted or worn out and providing an order-related item that refers to the exhausted/worn out item.

Claims

1. A printing device adapted to facilitate its upkeep, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory in electronic communication with the at least one processor, the at least one memory including a replaceable issues data structure in which each of a plurality of replaceable issues is associated with a replaceable indicator that addresses the corresponding replaceable issue;

wherein said at least one processor is programmed to effectuate actions comprising;

perform an upkeep-related analysis;

determine a replaceable issue that is deficient, based at least partly on the upkeep-related analysis;

ascertain a replaceable indicator that corresponds to the replaceable issue using said replaceable issues data structure; and

provide an order-related item based on the replaceable indicator;

wherein said plurality of replaceable issues comprises consumable issues, maintenance issues and ability issues.

2. The printing device of claim 1, wherein the perform an upkeep-related analysis action comprises at least one of the following actions:

inspect a counter;

execute a test;

review an error/event log;

engage in a diagnostic;

access a remainder indication; and

query for a current firmware/software version number.

3. The printing device of claim 2, wherein the determine a replaceable issue action comprises at least one of the following actions:

compare the counter to a predetermined count level;

pinpoint a non-functioning part of the printing device based, at least partly, on the test;

correlate log information from the error/event log with at least one aspect of the printing device;

verify a poor performance area based, at least partly, on the diagnostic;

compare the remainder indication to a predetermined remainder level/amount; and

compare the current firmware/software version number to a latest firmware/software version number.

4. The printing device of claim 1, wherein the replaceable indicator identifies at least one replaceable item associated with the deficient replaceable issue.

5. The printing device of claim 4, wherein the at least one replaceable item comprises at least one of a pigment cartridge, a general roller, a memory, a transfer belt, a pick roller, a firmware/software application, a fuser, and a print engine.

6. The printing device of claim 1, wherein the provide an order-related item action comprises the following action:

present an order-related document using data included in said replaceable issues data structure in association with the replaceable indicator.

7. The printing device of claim 6, wherein the present an order-related document action comprises an action that prints the order-related document using the printing device.

8. The printing device of claim 6, wherein the present an order-related document action comprises an action that displays the order-related document on an electronic screen, wherein the electronic screen is integral with the printing device.

9. The printing device of claim 6, wherein the order-related document comprises an order discount item.

10. The printing device of claim 9, wherein the order discount item comprises at least one of a discount coupon and a discount code.

11. The printing device of claim 6, wherein the order-related documented comprises an order form.

12. The printing device of claim 1, wherein the provide an order-related item action comprises the following action:

present a network address and information combination.

13. The printing device of claim 12, wherein the network address comprises at least one of a uniform resource locator (URL) for the Internet and an e-mail address.

14. The printing device of claim 12, wherein the information comprises at least one of (i) at least one of the replaceable indicator and a name of a replaceable item associated with the replaceable issue and (ii) a discount code.

15. The printing device of claim 1, wherein the printing device is capable of performing at least one function selected from the group comprising:

scanning, faxing, and copying.

16. An upkeep handling method for an electronic device, comprising:

performing an upkeep-related analysis;

determining a replaceable issue that is deficient based, at least partly, on the upkeep-related analysis; and

providing an upkeep-related item that refers to the deficient replaceable issue by using a replaceable issues data structure in which each of a plurality of replaceable issues is associated with an upkeep-related item that addresses the corresponding replaceable issue;

wherein said plurality of replaceable issues comprises consumable issues and maintenance issues.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the action of providing an upkeep-related item comprises:

providing a report, the report listing a status of the replaceable issue.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the status comprises a recommendation to an operator of the electronic device regarding the replaceable issue.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the action of providing an upkeep-related item comprises:

providing an order-related item based on data taken from said replaceable issues data structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing an upkeep-related item further comprises providing an order discount item.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the order discount item comprises a discount coupon or discount code.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises an imaging appliance, a digital camera, or a hand-held computer.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

asking an operator of the electronic device whether a report, an order form, or both is/are desired; and

receiving an answer from the operator of the electronic device responsive to the action of asking an operator;

wherein the action of providing an upkeep-related item comprises providing the report, the order form, or both depending on the answer from the action of receiving an answer.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the action of providing an upkeep-related item comprises:

providing at least one of a firmware and a software application having a version number that is more recent than a version currently in use.

25. An electronic device that facilitates upkeep, comprising:

performing means for performing an upkeep-related analysis;

determination means for determining a replaceable issue that is deficient based, at least partly, on the upkeep-related analysis;

ascertainment means for ascertaining a replaceable indicator that corresponds to the replaceable issue that is deficient using a replaceable issues data structure in which each of a plurality of replaceable issues is associated with a replaceable indicator that addresses the corresponding replaceable issue; and

provision means for providing an upkeep-related item based on the replaceable indicator.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the performing means comprises:

means for acquiring data as a result of the upkeep-related analysis; and

means for providing the data to the determination means.

27. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the determination means comprises:

means for receiving data from the performing means; and

means for comparing the data to an expected or a predetermined value, level, number, or amount.

28. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the ascertainment means comprises:

means for storing said replaceable issues data structure; and

means for accessing the replaceable issues data structure at an entry for the replaceable issue that is deficient and extracting therefrom the replaceable indicator that corresponds to the replaceable issue that is deficient.

29. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the provision means comprises at least one of:

means for displaying the upkeep-related item; and

means for printing the upkeep-related item.

30. One or more electronically-accessible storage media, comprising information and electronically-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, accomplish actions comprising:

perform an upkeep-related analysis;

determine a replaceable issue that is deficient based, at least partly, on the upkeep-related analysis; and

provide an upkeep-related item based on the deficient replaceable issue by using a replaceable issues data structure in which each of a plurality of replaceable issues is associated with an upkeep-related item that addresses the corresponding replaceable issue.

31. A printing device adapted to facilitate its upkeep, comprising:

a print unit;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory in electronic communication with the at least one processor, the at least one memory including;

a replaceable issues data structure, in which each of a plurality of replaceable issues is associated with a replaceable indicator that addresses the corresponding replaceable issue by identifying a replaceable item associated with the replaceable issue; and

information for an order-related item.

32. The printing device of claim 31, wherein the data structure comprises at least a first entry and a second entry;

the first entry including a first replaceable indicator that identifies a pigment cartridge, and the second entry including a second replaceable indicator that identifies a roller.

33. The printing device of claim 31, wherein the information comprises a format for an order-related document.

34. The printing device of claim 33, wherein the order-related document comprises at least one of an order form and an order discount item.

35. The printing device of claim 34, wherein the order discount item comprises at least one of a discount code and a discount coupon.

36. The printing device of claim 31, wherein the information comprises a name and contact information for at least one of a manufacturer, a distributor, and a retailer.

37. The printing device of claim 36, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of a network address, a postal address, a telephone number, and a fax number.

38. The printing device of claim 31, wherein the information is related to at least one entry in particular in the replaceable issues data structure, to the exclusion of at least one other entry of the replaceable issues data structure.

39. The printing device of claim 31, wherein the information comprises at least one of a network address and a discount code.

40. The printing device of claim 39, wherein the network address comprises at least one of an e-mail address and a uniform resource locater (URL).

41. A method for facilitating upkeep of a printing device, comprising:

procuring a variable, the variable relating to useful life of a replaceable item;

comparing the variable to a predetermined useful life variable of the replaceable item;

determining, responsive to the comparing, whether the replaceable item is in a state of deficiency;

if so, accessing a data structure at an entry pertaining to the replaceable item and extracting a replaceable indicator from the entry, the replaceable indicator representing the replaceable item; and

printing an order-related item that includes the replaceable indicator.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the action of determining, responsive to the comparing, whether the replaceable item is in a state of deficiency comprises:

determining that the replaceable item is in a state of deficiency when the variable is at or near the predetermined useful life variable of the replaceable item.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the predetermined useful life variable of the replaceable item comprises at least one of a pigment level/amount and a number of pages printed.

44. A method of operating a printing device comprising:

printing two different test pages;

prompting a user for input on relative qualities of said two test pages; and

identifying action needed to improve device performance based on said user input regarding said two test pages;

wherein the step of identifying action needed to improve device performance is performed by accessing a replaceable issues data structure in which a plurality of replaceable issues are each associated with a corrective action needed to improve device performance.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising printing a report detailing said action needed to improve device performance.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising providing an order form for materials needed for said action to improve device performance.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising printing said order form.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising providing a discount item for said materials.

49. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

determining whether a component was made by an approved manufacturer;

if said component was not made by an approved manufacturer, recommending replacement of said component to a user; and

prompting a user to input data related to performance of said component.

50. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

determining whether a component was made by an approved manufacturer; and

if said component was not made by an approved manufacturer, recommending replacement of said component to a user;

wherein said electronic device comprises a printing device, said component comprises a toner cartridge and said user is prompted to input an indication of toner leakage within said printing device.