Approach for determining alternative printing device arrangements

• US 8,121,958 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US12/480,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 705/7.13, 705/7.35, 710/6, 710/8, 710/15, 710/16, 710/38, 709/225, 709/226, 718/102, 718/104, 358/1.9, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1218 Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1221 with regard to power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1261 by using alternate printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an approach is provided for determining alternative printing device arrangements. In general, the geographic locations, usage and costs of an existing set of printing devices are analyzed. A determination is made, based upon this analysis, whether one or more of the existing printing devices can be replaced by one or more replacement printing devices to provide an alternative printing device arrangement that has lower costs. The lower costs may reflect lower operational costs, lower energy costs, lower acquisition costs, or any combination of lower operational costs, lower energy costs and lower acquisition costs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining an alternative printing device arrangement, the computer-implemented method comprising:

retrieving first printing device cost data for an existing printing device arrangement that indicates at least costs of printing on one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement using one or more options supported by the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement;

retrieving printing device usage data that indicates usage of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during a first specified time and the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time;

determining, based upon the printing device usage data and the first printing device cost data for the existing printing device arrangement, actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time;

retrieving second printing device attribute data that indicates at least one or more options supported by one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement;

retrieving second printing device cost data that indicates at least costs of printing on the one or more replacement printing devices using the one or more options supported by the one or more replacement printing devices;

a computer system determining an alternative printing device arrangement that has a lower estimated cost of operation during the first specified time than the actual cost of operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is determined based at least upon the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that were used during the first specified time as indicated by the usage data, the second printing device attribute data and the second printing device cost data,

wherein the alternative printing device arrangement does not include at least one of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement and includes one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement, and

the computer system storing in a memory data that represents the alternative printing device arrangement.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include costs attributable to energy consumed by the one or more printing devices during the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon energy that would have been consumed by the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include acquisition costs of the one or more printing devices attributable to the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon acquisition costs of one or more printing devices in the alternative printing device arrangement attributable to the first specified time.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is further determined based upon an estimated cost for operating the one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices during the first specified time.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that are replaced satisfy specified geographic location constraints.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein the specified geographic location constraints include one or more of a maximum distance between printing devices and the printing devices are located on the same floor of a building.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the alternative printing device arrangement includes the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for determining an alternative printing device arrangement, the computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, cause:

retrieving first printing device cost data for an existing printing device arrangement that indicates at least costs of printing on one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement using one or more options supported by the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement;

retrieving printing device usage data that indicates usage of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during a first specified time and the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time;

determining, based upon the printing device usage data and the first printing device cost data for the existing printing device arrangement, actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time;

retrieving second printing device attribute data that indicates at least one or more options supported by one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement;

retrieving second printing device cost data that indicates at least costs of printing on the one or more replacement printing devices using the one or more options supported by the one or more replacement printing devices; and

a computer system determining an alternative printing device arrangement that has a lower estimated cost of operation during the first specified time than the actual cost of operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is determined based at least upon the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that were used during the first specified time as indicated by the usage data, the second printing device attribute data and the second printing device cost data,

wherein the alternative printing device arrangement does not include at least one of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement and includes one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement, and

the computer system storing in a memory data that represents the alternative printing device arrangement.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include costs attributable to energy consumed by the one or more printing devices during the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon energy that would have been consumed by the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include acquisition costs of the one or more printing devices attributable to the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon acquisition costs of one or more printing devices in the alternative printing device arrangement attributable to the first specified time.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is further determined based upon an estimated cost for operating the one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices during the first specified time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein one or more of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that are replaced satisfy specified geographic location constraints.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the specified geographic location constraints include one or more of a maximum distance between printing devices and the printing devices are located on the same floor of a building.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the alternative printing device arrangement includes the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time.

15. An apparatus for determining an alternative printing device arrangement, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causing;

retrieving first printing device cost data for an existing printing device arrangement that indicates at least costs of printing on one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement using one or more options supported by the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement;

retrieving printing device usage data that indicates usage of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during a first specified time and the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time;

determining, based upon the printing device usage data and the first printing device cost data for the existing printing device arrangement, actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time;

retrieving second printing device attribute data that indicates at least one or more options supported by one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement;

retrieving second printing device cost data that indicates at least costs of printing on the one or more replacement printing devices using the one or more options supported by the one or more replacement printing devices;

a computer system determining an alternative printing device arrangement that has a lower estimated cost of operation during the first specified time than the actual cost of operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is determined based at least upon the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that were used during the first specified time as indicated by the usage data, the second printing device attribute data and the second printing device cost data,

wherein the alternative printing device arrangement does not include at least one of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement and includes one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement, and

the computer system storing in a memory data that represents the alternative printing device arrangement.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include costs attributable to energy consumed by the one or more printing devices during the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon energy that would have been consumed by the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time include acquisition costs of the one or more printing devices attributable to the first specified time and the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement is further determined based upon acquisition costs of one or more printing devices in the alternative printing device arrangement attributable to the first specified time.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is further determined based upon an estimated cost for operating the one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices during the first specified time.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein one or more of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that are replaced satisfy specified geographic location constraints.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the specified geographic location constraints include one or more of a maximum distance between printing devices and the printing devices are located on the same floor of a building.