Tracking usage of a functional unit
First Claim
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1. An image forming system comprising:
- means for receiving an identification signal from a first identification tag;
means for identifying a user associated with the identification signal;
means for monitoring usage of a plurality of functional units of the image forming system by the user subsequent to identifying the user;
means for recording information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user; and
means for preventing the usage of one of the plurality of functional units by the user in response to a predetermined number of uses of the one of the plurality of functional units being exceeded.
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Abstract
An image forming system for receiving an identification signal from a first identification tag, identifying a user associated with the first identification signal, and storing information that tracks usage of a functional unit by the user are disclosed.
28 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An image forming system comprising:
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means for receiving an identification signal from a first identification tag; means for identifying a user associated with the identification signal; means for monitoring usage of a plurality of functional units of the image forming system by the user subsequent to identifying the user; means for recording information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user; and means for preventing the usage of one of the plurality of functional units by the user in response to a predetermined number of uses of the one of the plurality of functional units being exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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receiving an identification signal from an identification tag; identifying a user associated with the identification signal; monitoring usage of a plurality of functional units by the user subsequent identifying the user; recording information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user; and preventing the usage of one of the plurality of functional units by the user for at least a first type of job. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An image forming system comprising:
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a plurality of functional units; a control module coupled to the plurality of functional units; and an identification unit configured to receive an identification signal from an identification tag; wherein the identification unit is configured to provide first information associated with the identification signal to the control module, wherein the control module is configured to identify a user using the first information, wherein the control module is configured to monitor usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user, wherein the control module is configured to record second information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user, and wherein the control module is configured to prevent the usage of at least one of the plurality of functional units by the user during predefined times. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a control module; and an identification unit for receiving a first identification signal from a first identification tag and a second identification signal from a second identification tag and for providing first information associated with the first identification signal and second information associated with the second identification signal to the control module, with the control module for identifying a first user using the first information and a second user using the second information, for monitoring simultaneous usage of a plurality of functional units by the first user and the second user subsequent to identifying the first user and the second user, and for recording third information that identifies the simultaneous usage of the plurality of functional units by the first user and the second user subsequent to identifying the first user and the second user; wherein the third information includes an allocation of the simultaneous usage between the first user and the second user in accordance with predefined allocation information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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a control module coupled to a plurality of functional units of an image forming system; and an identification unit configured to send a scanning signal over a field of detection and configured to receive a first identification signal from a first identification tag within the field of detection and a second identification signal from a second identification tag within the field of detection; wherein the identification unit is configured to provide first information associated with the first identification signal and second information associated with the second identification signal to the control module, wherein the control module is configured to identify a first user using the first information and a second user using the second information, wherein the control module is configured to select the one of the first tag and the second tag according to prioritization information, wherein the control module is configured to monitor usage of the plurality of functional units of the image forming system by the first user in response to the first tag being selected and by the second user in response to the second tag being selected, and wherein the control module is configured to record third information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the first user in response to the first tag being selected and by the second user in response to the second tag being selected. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method comprising:
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receiving an identification signal from an identification tag; identifying a user associated with the identification signal; monitoring usage of a plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user; recording information that identifies the usage of the plurality of functional units by the user subsequent to identifying the user; and preventing the usage of one of the plurality of functional units by the user in response to a predetermined number of uses of the one of the plurality of functional units being exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification