Method and system for online printer error database
First Claim
1. A method of collecting information on printer errors over a network, comprising:
- providing a printer incorporating a web server, said printer comprising a error detector for detecting errors in printing functions;
attaching said printer to a network, such that said web server is linked to said network;
providing at least one receiving computer in communication with said network, said at least one receiving computer including at least one online error database stored within a memory therein, said at least one online error database capable of receiving an error message generated by said printer and conveyed over said network;
conveying a print job over said network to said printer;
receiving said print job at said printer;
examining said print job for transmittal errors with said error detector;
detecting transmittal errors in said print jobs which contain transmittal errors generating a transmittal error message containing details of said transmittal errors;
conveying said transmittal error message over said network with said web server automatically in response to detection of the transmittal error;
receiving said transmittal error message into said at least one online error database by said receiving computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for generating an online database of printer error messages. In one embodiment, a printer contains an error detecting device and an embedded Web server in communication with a global computer network. If printer errors are detected, error messages are generated. Each error message is conveyed through the embedded web server to an online database. The online database contains error information conveyed by a large number of printers, which can be monitored and analyzed. Methods of the present invention include providing a printer incorporating an embedded web server linked to a network, and a error detector. The error detector monitors print jobs sent to the printer, generating an error message when an error is detected. Error messages are conveyed by the embedded web server through the network to an online error message database and may be written to an internal printer error log.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of collecting information on printer errors over a network, comprising:
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providing a printer incorporating a web server, said printer comprising a error detector for detecting errors in printing functions; attaching said printer to a network, such that said web server is linked to said network; providing at least one receiving computer in communication with said network, said at least one receiving computer including at least one online error database stored within a memory therein, said at least one online error database capable of receiving an error message generated by said printer and conveyed over said network; conveying a print job over said network to said printer; receiving said print job at said printer; examining said print job for transmittal errors with said error detector; detecting transmittal errors in said print jobs which contain transmittal errors generating a transmittal error message containing details of said transmittal errors; conveying said transmittal error message over said network with said web server automatically in response to detection of the transmittal error; receiving said transmittal error message into said at least one online error database by said receiving computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for garnering information on printer errors, comprising:
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a plurality of printers, each printer incorporating a web server linked to a network, each printer including an error detector for detecting errors in printing functions; at least one receiving computer in communication with said network, said at least one receiving computer having a memory thereon; and at least one online error database stored within the memory of said at least one receiving computer, said at least one online error database capable of receiving an error message generated by any of the plurality of printers and conveyed over said network, wherein the printer is configured to automatically generate and convey the error message over said network to the at least one online error database upon detection of an error.
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13. A method comprising:
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detecting a first error at a first printer incorporating a first web server; generating a first error message at the first printer; conveying the first error message to a first online error database with the first web server over a network; detecting a second error at a second printer incorporating a second web server; generating a second error message at the second printer; and conveying the second error message to the first online error database with the second web server over a network, wherein the first error messages automatically conveyed to the online error database in response to detection of the first error.
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14. A method comprising:
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detecting a first error at a first printer incorporating a first web server; generating a first error message at the first printer; conveying the first error message to a first online error database with the first web server over a network; detecting a second error at a second printer incorporating a second web server; generating a second error message at the second printer; and conveying the second error message to the first online error database with the second web server over a network; for each of a first plurality of printers comprising a first model type or running a first set of software programs, the first plurality of printers including the first printer and the second printer, conveying generated error messages to the first online error database based on the first model type or the first set of software programs of each of the first plurality of printers; and for each of a second plurality of printers having a second distinct model type or running a second distinct set of software programs, each printer of the second plurality of printers incorporating a web server; detecting error messages; generating error messages; and conveying the generated error messages to a second online error database based on the second distinct model type or second set of software programs of each of the second plurality of printers.
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Specification