Image forming device, an image forming system, and a method of facilitating ordering of an imaging consumable

• US 6,985,241 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Robert E., Harper, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US09/710,404
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 399/9, 399/10, 399/11, 399/12, 399/24, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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

Abstract

An image forming device, an image forming system, and a method of facilitating ordering of an imaging consumable are provided. In one aspect, an image forming device includes storage circuitry configured to store an initial variable configured to control the formulation of an initial one of a plurality of consumable order assist functions configured to assist replenishment of an imaging consumable; imaging circuitry configured to consume the imaging consumable to form hard images; a sensor configured to monitor a status of the imaging consumable and to output a signal indicative of the status; processing circuitry configured to replace the initial variable with another variable configured to control the formulation of another of the consumable order assist functions, to receive the signal from the sensor, and to formulate the another consumable order assist function responsive to reception of the signal and the another variable; and an interface configured to communicate the another consumable order assist function externally of the image forming device.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store an initial variable configured to control the formulation of an initial one of a plurality of consumable order assist functions configured to assist replenishment of an imaging consumable;

imaging circuitry configured to consume the imaging consumable to form hard images;

a sensor configured to monitor a status of the imaging consumable and to output a signal indicative of the status;

processing circuitry configured to replace the initial variable with another variable configured to control the formulation of another of the consumable order assist functions, to receive the signal from the sensor, and to formulate the another consumable order assist function responsive to reception of the signal and the another variable; and

an interface configured to communicate the another consumable order assist function externally of the image forming device.

2. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the another variable using a remote query language.

3. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the another variable using a Simple Network Management Protocol.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the imaging circuitry comprises printer circuitry configured to print hard images upon media.

5. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to formulate the initial consumable order assist function comprising the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of the imaging consumable being monitored.

6. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to formulate the another consumable order assist function comprising the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable, an identifier of the image forming device, and an identifier of the imaging consumable being monitored.

7. The image forming device according to claim 1 the processing circuitry is configured to formulate the another consumable order assist function comprising an identifier of the imaging forming device and an order for the imaging consumable being monitored, and the processing circuitry is configured to forward the order to a predetermined location.

8. The image forming device according to claim 1 wherein the initial consumable order assist function comprises one of an identifier of a supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of a purchaser of the imaging consumable and the another consumable order assist function comprises an other of the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable, and wherein the initial and the another consumable order assist functions are different.

9. An image forming system comprising:

an image forming device configured to consume an imaging consumable to form hard images, to monitor a status of the imaging consumable, and to store an initial variable configured to control the formulation of an initial one of a plurality of consumable order assist functions configured to assist replenishment of the imaging consumable;

a host device coupled with the image forming device and configured to provide another variable to the image forming device to control the formulation of another one of the consumable order assist functions, wherein the image forming device is configured to replace the initial variable with the another variable to control the formulation of the another consumable order assist function responsive to the detection of a predetermined status of the imaging consumable; and

wherein the initial consumable order assist function comprises only one of an identifier of a supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of a purchaser of the imaging consumable and the another consumable order assist function comprises only an other of the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable.

10. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the host device is configured to provide the another variable to the image forming device using a remote query language.

11. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the host device is configured to provide the another variable to the image forming device using a Simple Network Management Protocol.

12. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the image forming device is configured to print images upon media to form images.

13. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the image forming device is configured to formulate the another consumable order assist function.

14. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the image forming device is configured to formulate the initial consumable order assist function comprising the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of the imaging consumable being monitored, and the host device is configured to display the identifier of the imaging consumable and the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable.

15. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the image forming device is configured to formulate the another consumable order assist function comprising the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable, an identifier of the image forming device, and an identifier of the imaging consumable being monitored, and the host device is configured to display the identifier of the imaging consumable and the purchaser of the imaging consumable.

16. The image forming system according to claim 9 wherein the image forming device is configured to formulate the another consumable order assist function comprising an identifier of the imaging forming device and an order for the imaging consumable being monitored, and the image forming device is configured to forward the order to a predetermined location.

17. A method of facilitating ordering of an imaging consumable useable within an image forming device comprising:

providing an image forming device configured to use an imaging consumable to form hard images;

providing an initial variable within the image forming device to control the formulation of an initial one of a plurality of consumable order assist functions configured to assist replenishment of the imaging consumable;

replacing the initial variable with another variable within the image forming device to control the formulation of another of the consumable order assist functions;

detecting an amount of the imaging consumable being at a predetermined status;

generating the another one of the consumable order assist functions responsive to the detecting and the replacing; and

wherein the generating comprises generating the another consumable order assist function using the image forming device.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising providing the another variable within the image forming device using a remote query language.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein the providing comprises providing an image forming device comprising printer circuitry configured to print images upon media to form hard images.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the providing the initial variable comprises providing the initial variable to cause the image forming device to formulate the initial consumable order assist function to comprise an identifier of a supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of the imaging consumable.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein the generating comprises formulating the another consumable order assist function to comprise an identifier of a purchaser of the imaging consumable, an identifier of the image forming device, and an identifier of the imaging consumable.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein the generating comprises formulating the another consumable order assist function to comprise an identifier of the imaging forming device and an order for the imaging consumable.

23. The method according to claim 17 wherein the initial consumable order assist function comprises one of an identifier of a supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of a purchaser of the imaging consumable and the another consumable order assist function comprises an other of the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable, and wherein the initial and the another consumable order assist functions are different.

24. A method of facilitating ordering of an imaging consumable useable within an image forming device comprising:

providing an image forming device configured to use an imaging consumable to form hard images;

providing an initial variable within the image forming device to control the formulation of an initial one of a plurality of consumable order assist functions configured to assist replenishment of the imaging consumable;

replacing the initial variable with another variable within the image forming device to control the formulation of another of the consumable order assist functions;

detecting an amount of the imaging consumable being at a predetermined status;

generating the another one of the consumable order assist functions responsive to the detecting and the replacing; and

wherein the initial consumable order assist function comprises one of an identifier of a supplier of the imaging consumable and an identifier of a purchaser of the imaging consumable and the another consumable order assist function comprises an other of the identifier of the supplier of the imaging consumable and the identifier of the purchaser of the imaging consumable, and wherein the initial and the another consumable order assist functions are different.