System and method for registration device location

• US 8,203,744 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Oba, Kazutaka, Hattori, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, LENNIN R
• Application Number:
  US12/337,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of connecting an image forming apparatus (IFA) to a network and assigning the IFA a network address, selecting a map file image from a plurality of map file images, the selected map file image corresponding to a regional location of the IFA, outputting the selected map file image, selecting a location on the map file image which corresponds to a physical location of the IFA, and storing the location and the network address. An IFA configured to implement the method.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

connecting an image forming apparatus (IFA) to a network to assign the IFA a network address;

selecting a map file image from a plurality of map file images, the selected map file image corresponding to a regional location of the IFA;

outputting the selected map file image by printing the selected map file image, the printing including printing a computer readable barcode onto the map image file, the barcode corresponding to information including at least the network address of the IFA;

selecting a location on the map file image which corresponds to a physical location of the IFA by marking the printed map file image with a mark corresponding to the physical location of the IFA;

scanning the marked printed map file image, the scanning including reading the barcode;

comparing the scanned map file image with the selected map file image to determine a coordinate location of the mark;

identifying the network address of the IFA as a result of the reading of the barcode; and

storing the coordinate location of the mark resulting from the comparing as a location of the IFA together with the network address of the IFA identified from the barcode.

2. The method recited in claim 1, the barcode further corresponding to information including at least one of a function the IFA is configured to perform and an identification name of the IFA.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein

the barcode includes an instruction and the scanning includes reading the barcode for the instruction and the information corresponding to the barcode,

the storing includes transmitting the location, the network address, and the information to the recording device according to the instruction, recording the information in a database entry, and associating the information with the IFA.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the printing the selected map file image includes printing an overlay of a grid on the selected map file image, the grid having a plurality of marking areas corresponding to a plurality of respective coordinate locations on the map image file, wherein the marking the printed map image file includes marking one of the plurality of marking areas and the coordinate location of the mark is one of the plurality of respective coordinate locations.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the marking areas are periodically spaced blank areas which overlay atop the printed map file image.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the regional location is at least one of a country, state, city, zip code, address, building, floor and campus.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the storing includes storing the location and the network address in a database of a recording device, further comprising:

accessing the recording device through the network;

searching the database for a database entry corresponding to the IFA using a search term including at least one of the network address of the IFA, a function the IFA is configured to perform, and an identification name of the IFA; and

outputting a search result by creating a new map image file by overlaying the location of the IFA onto the selected map image file and displaying the new map image file.

8. An image forming apparatus (IFA), comprising:

a processor configured to query a map file image of a plurality of map file images, the map file image corresponding to a regional location of the IFA;

a printer configured to print the map file image and a computer readable barcode, the barcode configured to include information about the IFA, including at least a network address of the IFA, the printer further configured to print a grid overlay atop the map file image having a plurality of marking areas corresponding to a plurality of respective coordinate locations on the map image file;

a scanner configured to read the printed map image file having a mark in a marking area of the plurality of marking areas to determine a coordinate location of the mark, the scanner further configured to read the barcode to identify the network address of the IFA therefrom; and

a network transmitter configured to connect to a network and transmit the barcode information, including the network address of the IFA, and a coordinate location corresponding to the mark to a recording device to associate the IFA to the barcode information, including the network address of the IFA, and the coordinate location in a database.

9. The IFA according to claim 8, wherein the marking areas are periodically spaced blank areas which overlay atop the printed map file image.

10. A tangible computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

outputting a selected map file image, which was selected from a plurality of map file images to correspond to a regional location of the IFA, by printing the selected map file image, the printing including printing a computer readable barcode onto the map image file, the barcode corresponding to information including at least a network address of the IFA which was acquired by the IFA upon connection to a network;

comparing a scan of the printed map file image, after the printed map file image has been marked by a mark so as to indicate a physical location of the IFA on the printed map file image, with the selected map file image to determine a coordinate location of the mark;

obtaining the network address of the IFA by reading the barcode from the scan of the printed map file image; and

storing the coordinate location of the mark resulting from the comparing as a location of the IFA together with the network address of the IFA obtained by reading the barcode.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein:

the printing the selected map file image includes printing an overlay of a grid on the selected map file image, the grid having a plurality of marking areas corresponding to a plurality of respective coordinate locations on the map image file, and

the mark is in one of the plurality of marking areas and the coordinate location of the mark is one of the plurality of respective coordinate locations.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the marking areas are periodically spaced blank areas which overlay atop the printed map file image.