Automated printing of return labels
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
a graphic user interface operatively connected to said processor;
a printing engine operatively connected to said processor; and
at least one exhaustible module operatively connected to said processor and comprising an electronic memory storing a return address, and further comprising a module processor operatively connected to said electronic memory,wherein said exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than a useful life of said apparatus, such that said exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during said useful life of said apparatus,wherein, when a predetermined amount of said useful life of said exhaustible module has expired, said module processor is adapted to;
automatically provide a module replacement notice on said graphic user interface; and
automatically print, using said printing engine, a return shipping label having said return address for use in shipping said exhaustible module after said exhaustible module is removed from said apparatus.
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Abstract
Embodiments herein provide for the automated printing of a shipping label as part of the software/memory of the customer replaceable unit (CRU). Such printing is controlled by information carried in the module itself. Thus, the embodiments work with exhaustible modules that include their own memory and potentially include their own module processor (that are contained within the exhaustible module and are separate from the memory and processor of the printing device).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a graphic user interface operatively connected to said processor; a printing engine operatively connected to said processor; and at least one exhaustible module operatively connected to said processor and comprising an electronic memory storing a return address, and further comprising a module processor operatively connected to said electronic memory, wherein said exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than a useful life of said apparatus, such that said exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during said useful life of said apparatus, wherein, when a predetermined amount of said useful life of said exhaustible module has expired, said module processor is adapted to; automatically provide a module replacement notice on said graphic user interface; and automatically print, using said printing engine, a return shipping label having said return address for use in shipping said exhaustible module after said exhaustible module is removed from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a graphic user interface operatively connected to said processor; a printing engine operatively connected to said processor; and at least one exhaustible module operatively connected to said processor and comprising an electronic memory storing a return address, and further comprising a module processor operatively connected to said electronic memory, wherein said exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than a useful life of said apparatus, such that said exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during said useful life of said apparatus, wherein, when a predetermined amount of said useful life of said exhaustible module has expired, said exhaustible module is adapted to send a module replacement notice to said processor, wherein said module replacement notice includes said return address; wherein, in response to said module exhaustion notice, said module processor is adapted to; automatically provide said module replacement notice to a user through said graphic user interface; and automatically print, using said printing engine, a return shipping label having said return address for use in shipping said exhaustible module after said exhaustible module is removed from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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an exhaustible module for use within a printing apparatus; and an electronic memory within said exhaustible module; a module processor within said exhaustible module, wherein said electronic memory is adapted to store a return address, wherein said exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than a useful life of said printing apparatus, such that said exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during said useful life of said printing apparatus, wherein, when a predetermined amount of said useful life of said exhaustible module has expired, said module processor is adapted to; automatically provide a module replacement notice on a graphic user interface of said printing apparatus; and automatically print a return shipping label having said return address for use in shipping said exhaustible module after said exhaustible module is removed from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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an exhaustible module for use within a printing apparatus, wherein said printing apparatus has a central processor, a printing engine, and a graphic user interface; an electronic memory within said exhaustible module; and a module processor within said exhaustible module, wherein said electronic memory is adapted to store a return address, wherein said exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than a useful life of said apparatus, such that said exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during said useful life of said apparatus, wherein, when a predetermined amount of said useful life of said exhaustible module has expired, said module processor is adapted to send a module replacement notice to said central processor, wherein said module replacement notice includes said return address; wherein, in response to said module exhaustion notice, said module processor is adapted to; automatically provide said module replacement notice to a user through said graphic user interface; and automatically print, using said printing engine, a return shipping label having said return address for use in shipping said exhaustible module after said exhaustible module is removed from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification