System, method, and computer-readable storage medium for transmitting a map and an image of a device

• US 9,122,429 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Cecile, Matt, Haapanen, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D
• Application Number:
  US14/201,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32117 in a separate transmission or protocol signal prior to or subsequent to the image data transmission, e.g. in digital identification signal [DIS], in non standard setup [NSS] or in non standard field [NSF] for mode signalling H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium including receiving, from an external device, a request for a map of a plurality of maps, the map illustrating a layout of a portion of a building, the map indicating a physical location of each of a plurality of devices within the portion of the building, transmitting, to the external device, the map, receiving, from the external device, a request for information of a device of the plurality of the devices, transmitting, to the external device, the information of the device, receiving, from the external device, a request for an image of the device, and transmitting, to the external device, the image of the device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a management apparatus including processing circuitry to

receive, from an external device, a request for a map of a plurality of maps, the map illustrating a layout of a portion of a building, the map indicating a physical location of each of a plurality of devices within the portion of the building,

transmit, to the external device, the map,

receive, from the external device, a request for information of a device of the plurality of the devices,

transmit, to the external device, the information of the device,

receive, from the external device, a request for an image of the device, and

transmit, to the external device, the image of the device, wherein

the management apparatus receives, prior to the management apparatus receiving the request for the image, the image of the device from a computing device that captured the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device is one of a cellular mobile device and a tablet computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and

the information of the device includes one of a device name, a device address, a device status, a toner level, a paper level, device capabilities, and finishing options.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and

the information of the device includes a list of one or more documents previously printed at the device, and a date and time the one or more documents were printed.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the computing device, which includes processing circuitry to communicate with the management apparatus via a network,

capture the image of the device, prior to the management apparatus receiving the request for the image,

receive as input a description related to the image of the device, and

send the captured image of the device to the management apparatus, wherein

the processing circuitry of the management apparatus stores, in a memory, the image of the device in association with the device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein

the processing circuitry of the computing device captures a plurality of images of the device,

a first image of the images is an actual, non-stock image of the device, and

a second image of the images is an image of the device at the physical location of the device and of an object that is external and adjacent to the device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein

the information of the device includes one of a device status, a toner level, a paper level, device capabilities, and finishing options.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein

the information of the device includes information on whether the device has been previously used by a particular user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein

the computing device captures the image of the device, prior to the management apparatus receiving the request for the image, and sends the captured image of the device to the management apparatus.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry of the management apparatus stores, in a memory, the image of the device in association with the device.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a management apparatus from an external device, a request for a map of a plurality of maps, the map illustrating a layout of a portion of a building, the map indicating a physical location of each of a plurality of devices within the portion of the building;

transmitting, by the management apparatus to the external device, the map;

receiving, by the management apparatus from the external device, a request for information of a device of the plurality of the devices;

transmitting, by the management apparatus to the external device, the information of the device;

receiving, by the management apparatus from the external device, a request for an image of the device;

transmitting, by the management apparatus to the external device, the image of the device; and

receiving, by the management apparatus, prior to the receiving by the management apparatus of the request for the image, the image of the device from a computing device that captured the image.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the external device is one of a cellular mobile device and a tablet computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP).

15. The method of claim 12, wherein

the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and

the information of the device includes one of a device name, a device address, a device status, a toner level, a paper level, device capabilities, and finishing options.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein

the device is one of a printer and a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and

the information of the device includes a list of one or more documents previously printed at the device, and a date and time the one or more documents were printed.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating, by the computing device, with the management apparatus via a network;

capturing, by the computing device, the image of the device, prior to the receiving of the request for the image;

receiving, by the computing device, as input a description related to the image of the device;

sending, by the computing device, the captured image of the device to the management apparatus; and

storing in a memory, by the management apparatus, the image of the device in association with the device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

capturing, by the computing device, a plurality of images of the device, wherein

a first image of the images is an actual, non-stock image of the device, and

a second image of the images is an image of the device at the physical location of the device and of an object that is external and adjacent to the device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, from an external device, a request for a map of a plurality of maps, the map illustrating a layout of a portion of a building, the map indicating a physical location of each of a plurality of devices within the portion of the building;

transmitting, to the external device, the map;

receiving, from the external device, a request for information of a device of the plurality of the devices;

transmitting, to the external device, the information of the device;

receiving, from the external device, a request for an image of the device;

transmitting, to the external device, the image of the device; and

receiving, prior to the receiving of the request for the image, the image of the device from a computing device that captured the image.