Information processing system, information processing device, and information processing method

• US 9,904,950 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US14/273,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system includes a notification unit configured to notify a server device of device information including identifying information for identifying an information processing device; a storage unit configured to store the identifying information and consumable article information that indicates a consumable article available in the information processing device identified by the identifying information so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding consumable article information; a specifying unit configured to specify, among a plurality of pieces of consumable article information stored in the storage unit, a piece of consumable article information associated with the identifying information included in the device information notified by the notification unit; a generator configured to generate an order image that encourages an order of a consumable article indicated by the piece of consumable article information specified by the first specifying unit; and a display unit configured to display the order image.

Claims

1. A multifunction peripheral (MFP) configured to communication with an external server device via a network, the MFP comprising:

a main body including a first central processing unit (CPU), a first operating system (OS), a service layer configured to provide an interface for a hardware resource of the main body, and an image forming device; and

an operation device including a second CPU, a second OS, an application running under the second OS, and a user interface to operate at least the image forming device, wherein

the operation device transmits a request to transmit identifying information for identifying the MFP to the service layer, the service layer transmitting the identifying information to the operation device in response to the request, and

the operation device receives the identifying information from the service layer, and transmits the received identifying information and article classification information that indicates a classification of consumable articles to the external server device, the consumable articles being designated by user input via the operation device.

2. The MFP according to claim 1, wherein the identifying information is included in device information and the external server device with which the MFP communicates includes

a memory configured to store the identifying information and consumable article information that indicates a consumable article available in the MFP identified by the identifying information so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding consumable article information;

a first specifying unit, implemented by circuitry, configured to specify, among a plurality of pieces of consumable article information stored in the memory, a piece of consumable article information associated with the identifying information;

a generator, implemented by the circuitry, configured to generate an order image that encourages an order of a consumable article indicated by the piece of consumable article information specified by the first specifying unit; and

a second specifying unit, implemented by the circuitry, configured to specify contract style information that indicates a contract style type of the MFP identified by the identifying information included in the device information, wherein

the memory is configured to store the identifying information, the contract style information, the consumable article information, and price information that indicates a price of the consumable article so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding contract style information, the corresponding consumable article information, and the corresponding price information,

the first specifying unit is configured to specify, among the plurality of pieces of consumable article information and a plurality of pieces of price information stored in the memory, a combination of a piece of consumable article information and a piece of price information corresponding to a combination of the identifying information included in the device information and the contract style information specified by the second specifying unit, and

the generator is configured to generate the order image to present the piece of consumable article information specified by the first specifying unit and the piece of price information specified by the first specifying unit so that the piece of consumable article information and the piece of price information are associated with each other.

3. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein the price indicated by the price information stored in the memory is set differently depending on the contract style information associated with the price information.

4. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein

the operation device is configured to designate the article classification information that indicates the classification of consumable articles,

the operation device is configured to notify the external server device of specifying information including the identifying information and the article classification information,

the memory is configured to store the identifying information, the article classification information, the contract style information, the consumable article information, and the price information so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding article classification information, the corresponding contract style information, the corresponding consumable article information, and the corresponding price information, and

the first specifying unit is configured to specify, among the plurality of pieces of consumable article information and the plurality of pieces of price information stored in the memory, a combination of a piece of consumable article information and a piece of price information corresponding to a combination of the identifying information and the article classification information included in the specifying information notified by the operation device and the contract style information specified by the second specifying unit.

5. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein

the device information includes specific information that indicates information specific to the MFP,

the memory is configured to store the specific information and the contrast style information so that each type of the specific information is associated with the corresponding contrast style information, and

the second specifying unit is configured to specify, among a plurality of pieces of contract style information stored in the memory, a piece of contract style information corresponding to the specific information included in the device information.

6. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein

the device information includes the contract style information that indicates a contract style type of the corresponding MFP, and

the second specifying unit is configured to specify the contract style information included in the device information.

7. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein

the device information includes remaining quantity information that indicates a remaining quantity of a consumable article equipped in the MFP, and

the generator is configured to generate the order image to present the piece of consumable article information specified by the first specifying unit and announcing information appropriate to the remaining quantity indicated by the remaining quantity information so that the piece of consumable article information and the announcing information are associated with each other.

8. The MFP according to claim 7, wherein

a plurality of types of the consumable article information are specified by the first specifying unit,

the plurality of types of the consumable article information include first consumable article information in which a remaining quantity indicated by the remaining quantity information for the corresponding consumable article is equal to or less than a threshold value and second consumable article information in which a remaining quantity indicated by the remaining quantity information for the corresponding consumable article is more than the threshold value, and

the generator is configured to generate the order image in which information in which the first consumable article information and the announcing information indicating that the remaining quantity is small are associated with each other is arranged above the second consumable article information.

9. The MFP according to claim 2, wherein the external server device with which the MFP communicates includes

a memory configured to store the identifying information and consumable article information that indicates a consumable article available in the MFP identified by the identifying information so that each type of the identifying information is associated with the corresponding consumable article information;

a first specifying unit, implemented by circuitry, configured to specify, among a plurality of pieces of consumable article information stored in the memory, a piece of consumable article information associated with the identifying information; and

a second specifying unit, implemented by the circuitry, configured to specify contract style information that indicates a contract style type that is associated with a set number of visits by a service person for servicing the MFP identified by the identifying information.

10. A method for a multifunction peripheral (MFP) that is configured to communication with an external server device via a network, the MFP including a main body that includes a first central processing unit (CPU), a first operating system (OS), a service layer configured to provide an interface for a hardware resource of the main body, and an image forming device, and the MFP including an operation device that includes a second CPU, a second OS, an application running under the second OS, and a user interface to operate at least the image forming device, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the operation device of the MFP, a request to transmit identifying information for identifying the MFP to the service layer, the service layer transmitting the identifying information to the operation device in response to the request;

receiving, by the operation device of the MFP, the identifying information from the service layer; and

transmitting, by the operation device of the MFP, the received identifying information and article classification information that indicates a classification of consumable articles to the external server device, the consumable articles being designated by user input via the operation device.