Mobile remote device management

• US 7,970,838 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Pothos, Kirk, Kammerdiener, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HITESHKUMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/122,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/206, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5075 Remote control machines, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network

Abstract

A mail relay server decodes a received command electronic message to produce and issue a command to a service manager server which is directed to a device manager server for a target printing device. The device manager server produces and issues instructions to the target printing device. If the command includes a request for the reply, the process of executing the instruction in the target printing device includes the target printing device producing and issuing, the reply to the device manager server. The device manager server collects any multi packet reply and transmits the reply to the service manager server which directs the reply to the mail relay server. The mail relay server encodes the received reply to produce and issue a reply electronic message to the requestor.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a mail relay server, a command electronic message from a requestor, said command electronic message specifying an operation to be performed by a target printing device in order to service said target printing device;

decoding, by said mail relay server, said command electronic message in order to produce and issue, to a service manager server, a command for performing said operation;

checking, by said service manager server, that said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device without requiring said requestor to log on to said service manager server;

when said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device, directing, by said service manager server, said command for performing said operation to a device manager server responsible for managing said target printing device;

formatting, by said device manager server, said command for performing said operation to be compatible with said target printing device in order to produce and issue, to said target printing device, an instruction for performing said operation; and

executing, by said target printing device, said instruction for performing said operation, said executing of said instruction comprising running, by said target printing device, at least one of a reboot sequence, a diagnostic sequence, and an internal parameter update sequence,

wherein said mail relay server, said service manager server, and said target printing device perform said method in a fully automated process that is based solely on said command electronic message and is performed without additional input from users.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said command comprises one of an action instruction and a data request.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said command electronic message comprises a message processed through one of an e-mail messaging system, an instant messaging system, and a text messaging system.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, by a mail relay server, a command electronic message from a requestor, said command electronic message specifying an operation to be performed by a target printing device in order to service said target printing device and further requesting a reply from said target printing device;

decoding, by said mail relay server, said command electronic message in order to produce and issue, to a service manager server, a command for performing said operation;

checking, by said service manager server, that said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device without requiring said requester to log on to said service manager server;

when said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device, directing, by said service manager server, said command for performing said operation to a device manager server responsible for managing said target printing device,

formatting, by said device manager server, said command for performing said operation to be compatible with said target printing device in order to produce and issue, to said target printing device, an instruction for performing said operation;

executing, by said target printing device, said instruction for performing said operation, said executing of said instruction comprising running at least one of a reboot sequence and a diagnostic sequence and further producing and issuing said reply to said device manager server;

transmitting, by said device manager server, said reply to said service manager server;

directing, by said service manager server, said reply to said mail relay server; and

encoding, by said mail relay server, said reply to produce and issue a reply electronic message to said requestor,

wherein said mail relay server, said service manager server, and said target printing device perform said method in a fully automated process that is based solely on said command electronic message and is performed without additional input from users.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said command comprises one of an action instruction and a data request.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said reply comprises one of data and a confirmation that said command was executed.

7. A system comprising:

at least one mail relay server receiving a command electronic message from a requestor, said command electronic message specifying an operation to be performed by a target printing device in order to service said target printing device and said mail relay server further decoding said command electronic message in order to produce and issue a command for performing said operation;

at least one service manager server operatively connected to said mail relay server and receiving said command for performing said operation from said mail relay server; and

at least one device manager server operatively connected to said service manager server and to a plurality of printing devices,

said service manager server checking that said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device without requiring said requestor to log on to said service manager server,

said service manager server identifying a selected device manager server from said at least one device manager server that is responsible for managing said target printing device and, when said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device, transmitting said command for performing said operation to said selected device manager server,

said selected device manager server formatting said command for performing said operation to be compatible with said target printing device in order to produce and issue, to said target printing device, an instruction for performing said operation, and

said target printing device executing said instruction for performing said operation, said executing of said instruction comprising running at least one of a reboot sequence, a diagnostic sequence, and an internal parameter update sequence,

wherein said mail relay server, said service manager server, and said target printing device perform actions in a fully automated process that is based solely on said command electronic message and is performed without additional input from users.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said command comprises one of an action instruction and a data request.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said command electronic message comprises a message processed through one of an e-mail messaging system, an instant messaging system, and a text messaging system.

10. A system comprising:

at least one mail relay server receiving a command electronic message from a requestor, said command electronic message specifying an operation to be performed by a target printing device in order to service said target printing device and further requesting a reply from said target printing device and said mail relay server further decoding said command electronic message in order to produce and issue a command for performing said operation;

at least one service manager server operatively connected to said mail relay server and receiving said command for performing said operation; and

at least one device manager server operatively connected to said service manager server and to a plurality of printing devices,

said service manager server checking that said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device without requiring said requestor to log on to said service manager server,

said service manager server identifying a selected device manager server from said at least one device manager server that is responsible for managing said target printing device and, when said requestor is authorized to issue said command for performing said operation to said target printing device, transmitting said command for performing said operation to said selected device manager server,

said selected device manager server formatting said command for performing said operation to be compatible with said target printing device in order to produce and issue, to said target printing device, an instruction for performing said operation,

said target printing device executing said instruction for performing said operation, said executing of said instruction comprising running at least one of a reboot sequence and a diagnostic sequence, and further producing said reply and transmitting said reply to said device manager server,

said device manager server further transmitting said reply to said service manager server,

said service manager server directing said reply to said mail relay server, and

said mail relay server encoding said reply to produce and issue a reply electronic message to said requestor,

wherein said mail relay server, said service manager server, and said target printing device perform actions in a fully automated process that is based solely on said command electronic message and is performed without additional input from users.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said command comprises one of an action instruction and a data request.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said reply comprises one of data and a confirmation that said command was executed.