Notification system for notifying user of consumable product used by electronic device

• US 7,518,741 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Miyata, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles; Edward L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh; Satwant K
• Application Number:
  US10/420,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 358 115- 118, 358/1.13, 358/1.1, 399/27, 399/24, 347/217, 340/691.1, 340/500, 714/4, 710/10, 710/19, 379/1.01
• US Class Current: 358/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0075 Low-paper indication, i.e. indicating the state when copy material has been used up nearly or completely

Abstract

When paper needs to be loaded into a printing device but there is no particular hurry, a destination to issue a paper load notification is set to a user having the greatest amount of paper usage. When paper must be loaded into a printing device as quickly as possible, the notification destination is set to a user that has issued a print command within a prescribed time period prior to the current time.

Claims

1. A notification system comprising:

an electronic device that uses a consumable product; and

a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with the electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes;

a detecting unit that detects a remaining potential usage of the consumable product;

a plurality of destination determining units, each destination determining unit determining at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices;

a unit selecting unit that selects one of the plurality of destination determining units based on the remaining potential usage detected by the detecting unit, wherein the one of the destination determining units selected by the unit selecting unit determines at least one destination device from the terminal devices; and

a notifying unit that notifies at least one user of information relating to the consumable product through the at least one destination device determined by the selected destination determining unit.

2. The notification system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores one of a first usage history of the electronic device for a plurality of users and a second usage history of the electronic device for the plurality of terminal devices, wherein one of the destination determining units determines the destination device based on the one of the first usage history and the second usage history.

3. The notification system according to claim 2, wherein the first usage history indicates an amount of consumable product used by each of the users, and the second usage history indicates an amount of consumable product used by each of the terminal devices.

4. The notification system according to claim 1, wherein one of the destination determining units includes:

a location detecting unit that detects one of device locations of the terminal devices and user locations of users; and

a determining unit that determines the destination device based on the detection results of the location detecting unit.

5. The notification system according to claim 1, wherein one of the destination determining units includes a status detecting unit that detects operating status of the terminal devices and a determining unit that determines the destination device based on the detection results of the status detecting unit.

6. The notification system according to claim 1, wherein one of the destination determining units includes another detecting unit that detects at least one of the terminal devices and a plurality of users having requested a process that has not been completed and a determining unit that determines the destination device based on the detecting results of the another device detecting unit.

7. The notification system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores one of first usage history of the electronic device for a plurality of users and second usage history of the electronic device for the plurality of terminal devices, wherein:

a first one of the destination determining units determines the destination device based on the one of the first usage history and the second usage history;

a second one of the destination determining units includes;

a location detecting unit that detects one of device locations of the terminal devices and user locations of the plurality of users; and

a determining unit that determines the destination device based on the detection results of the location detecting unit;

the unit selecting unit selects the first one of the destination determining units when the remaining potential usage of the consumable product detected by the detecting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and

the unit selecting unit selects the second one of the destination determining units when the remaining potential usage of the consumable product detected by the detecting unit is less than the predetermined value.

8. The notification system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores one of first usage history of the electronic device for a plurality of users and second usage history of the electronic device for the plurality of terminal devices, wherein:

a first one of the destination determining units determines the destination device based on the one of the first usage history and the second usage history;

a second one of the destination determining units includes a status detecting unit that detects operating status of the plurality of terminal devices and a determining unit that determines the destination device based on the detection results of the status detecting unit;

the unit selecting unit selects the first one of the destination determining units when the remaining potential usage of the consumable product detected by the detecting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and

the unit selecting unit selects the second one of the destination determining units when the remaining potential usage of the consumable product detected by the detecting unit is less than the predetermined value.

9. The notification system according to claim 8, wherein the first usage history indicates an amount of consumable product used by each of the users and the second usage history indicates an amount of consumable product used by each of the terminal devices.

10. The notification system according to claim 1, wherein the information is related to one of loading and replacing the consumable product, and each of the destination determining units determines the destination device while considering past records of the users in taking measures in response to previous notifications.

11. The notification system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit further notifies the destination device to which a previous notification has been issued when measures are taken in response to the previous notification.

12. A notification system comprising:

an electronic device that uses a consumable product; and

a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with the electronic device, wherein;

the electronic device includes;

a memory that stores one of first usage history of the electronic device for each of a plurality of users and second usage history of the electronic device for each of the plurality of terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on the one of the first usage history and the second usage history; and

a notify unit that notifies the destination device of information regarding to the consumable product.

13. A notification system comprising:

an electronic device that uses a consumable product; and

a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with the electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes;

a location detecting unit that detects one of user locations of a plurality of users and device locations of the plurality of terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on detection results of the location detecting unit; and

a notify unit that notifies the at least one destination device of information regarding to the consumable product.

14. A notification system comprising:

an electronic device that uses a consumable product; and

a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with the electronic device, wherein;

the electronic device includes;

a status detecting unit that detects operating status of each of the plurality of terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on detection results of the status detecting unit; and

a notify unit that notifies the at least one destination device of information regarding to the consumable product.

15. A notification system comprising:

an electronic device that uses a consumable product; and

a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with the electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes;

an operating unit that performs processes using consumable product when requested by one of users and the plurality of terminal devices;

a memory that stores one of a first data indicating processes requested by the users in association with the users and a second data indicating processes requested by the terminal devices in association with the terminal devices;

a detecting unit that detects at least one of the users and the terminal devices having requested a process that has not been completed, based on one of the first data and the second data stored in the memory;

a determining unit that determines at least one notification destination from the at least one of the users and the terminal devices detected by the detecting unit; and

a notify unit that notifies the at least one notification destination of the information regarding to the consumable product.

16. An electronic device comprising:

an operating unit that performs processes using a consumable product;

a detecting unit that detects a remaining potential usage of the consumable product;

a plurality of determining units, each determining a destination device from a plurality of terminal devices;

a unit selecting unit that selects one of the plurality of destination determining units based on detection results of the detecting unit, wherein the selected one of the destination determining units determines the destination device; and

a notify unit that notifies a user of information relating to the consumable product through the destination device.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a communication unit that is communicable with a plurality of terminal devices;

a memory that stores one of a first amount of the consumable product used by each of a plurality of users and a second amount of the consumable product used by each of the plurality of terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on one of the first amount and the second amount stored in the memory; and

a notify unit that notifies the at least one destination device of information relating to the consumable product.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a communication unit that is communicable with a plurality of terminal devices;

an operating unit that performs processes using a consumable product;

a detecting unit that detects one of user locations of a plurality of users and device locations of the terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on detection results of the detecting unit; and

a notify unit that notifies the destination device of information regarding to the consumable product.

19. An electronic device comprising:

an operating unit that performs processes using a consumable product;

a communication unit that is communicable with a plurality of terminal devices;

a second detecting unit that detects operating status of each of the plurality of terminal devices; and

a determining unit that determines at least one destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on the detection results of the second detecting units; and

a notify unit that notifies the at least one destination device of information regarding to the consumable product.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a communication unit that communicable with a plurality of terminal devices;

an operating unit that performs processes using a consumable product when requested by one of users and the terminal devices;

a memory that stores one of a first data regarding processes requested by the users in association with the users and a second data regarding processes requested by the terminal devices in association with the terminal devices;

a determining unit that determines, as a notification destination, at least one of the users and the terminal devices having requested a process that has not been completed, based on one of the first data and the second data stored in the memory; and

a notify unit that notifies the notification destination of information regarding to the consumable product.

21. A notifying method of notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify method comprising the steps of:

detecting a remaining potential usage of a consumable product that is used by an electronic device communicable with each of a plurality of terminal devices;

selecting one of a plurality of determining methods based on the detected remaining potential usage, each of the plurality of determining methods being a method of determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices;

determining the destination device from the plurality of terminal devices by performing a process according to the selected method; and

notifying a user of information relating to the consumable product through the destination device.

22. A notifying method of notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify method comprising the steps of:

storing, into a memory, one of a first amount of a consumable product used by each of a plurality of users and a second amount of the consumable product used by each of a plurality of terminal devices, the consumable product being provided to an electronic device communicable with each of the plurality of terminal devices;

determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on one of the first amount and the second amount stored in the memory; and

notifying the destination device of information relating to the consumable product.

23. A notifying method of notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify method comprising the steps of:

detecting one of user locations of a plurality of users and device locations of a plurality of terminal devices communicable with an electronic device;

determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected locations; and

notifying the destination device of information relating to a consumable product that is used in the electronic device.

24. A notifying method of notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify method comprising the steps of:

detecting operating status of each of a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with an electronic device;

determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected operating status; and

notifying the destination device of information regarding to a consumable product that is used by the electronic device.

25. A notifying method of notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify method comprising the steps of:

storing one of a first data and a second data into a memory, the first data regarding to process requested by users in association with the users, the second data regarding to process requested by terminal devices each communicable with an electronic device in association with the terminal devices, the process being performed by the electronic device using a consumable product;

determining, as a notification destination, at least one of the users and the terminal devices having requested a process which has not been completed, based on one of the first data and the second data stored in the memory; and

notifying the notification destination of information regarding to the consumable product.

26. A notifying program stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable medium for notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify program comprising the programs of:

detecting a remaining potential usage of a consumable product that is used by an electronic device communicable with each of a plurality of terminal devices;

selecting one of a plurality of determining methods based on the detected remaining potential usage, each of the plurality of determining methods being a method of determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices;

determining the destination device from the plurality of terminal devices by performing a process according to the selected method; and

notifying a user of information relating to the consumable product through the destination device.

27. A notifying program stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable medium for notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify program comprising the programs of:

storing, into a memory, one of a first amount of a consumable product used by each of a plurality of users and a second amount of the consumable product used by each of a plurality of terminal devices, the consumable product being provided to an electronic device communicable with each of the plurality of terminal devices;

determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on one of the first amount and the second amount stored in the memory; and

notifying the destination device of information relating to the consumable product.

28. A notifying program stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable medium for notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify program comprising the programs of:

detecting one of user locations of a plurality of users and device locations of a plurality of terminal devices communicable with an electronic device;

determining a destination device from, the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected locations; and

notifying the destination device of information relating to a consumable product that is used in the electronic device.

29. A notifying program stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable medium for notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify program comprising the programs of:

detecting operating status of each of a plurality of terminal devices each communicable with an electronic device;

determining a destination device from the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected operating status; and

notifying the destination device of information regarding to a consumable product that is used by the electronic device.

30. A notifying program stored as computer-executable instructions on a computer-readable medium for notifying a destination device of information relating to a consumable product, the notify program comprising the programs of:

storing one of a first data and a second data into a memory, the first data regarding to process requested by users in association with the users, the second data regarding to process requested by terminal devices each communicable with an electronic device in association with the terminal devices, the process being performed by the electronic device using a consumable product;

determining, as a notification destination, at least one of the users and the terminal devices having requested a process which has not been completed, based on one of the first data and the second data stored in the memory; and

notifying the notification destination of information regarding to the consumable product.