Configuring devices using device management templates
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A technician configurator application including one or more programs of instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by a processor of a host terminal to configure the host terminal to perform a method comprising:
- (a) determining, based on user credentials of a technician user of the host terminal, one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, by communicating via a network interface of the host terminal with a device management server that manages plural output device, and providing, via an application user interface displayed on the host terminal, a list of said output devices to be serviced by the technician user;
(b) obtaining, by network communication through the network interface of the host terminal with the device management server that manages plural output devices including said one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, configuration templates corresponding to said one or more output devices, respectively;
(c) obtaining, by point-to-point communication with an output device, amongst the one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, a device identifier of the output device;
(d) retrieving, by said point-to-point communication with the output device, configuration information corresponding to current configuration of the output device, displaying on the host terminal the retrieved configuration information of the output device, and retrieving a configuration template, amongst the obtained configuration templates, corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier obtained by said point-to-point communication, and upon confirmation by the technician user of the technician configurator application, applying configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier, to the output device,whereinupon the technician configurator application connecting with the output device, the technician configurator application retrieves current configuration settings of the output device from the output device, and validates the retrieved current configuration settings of the output device against configuration templates configured for the output device, and the technician configurator application stores locally on the host terminal a validation record including (I) a timestamp associated with the validation, (II) validation results and (III) the configuration templates employed in the validation, and whereinupon the technician configurator application connecting with the device management server, the technician configurator application uploads to the device management server the validation record stored locally on the host terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tools are provided to enable a service technician or administrator to apply settings, via a mobile terminal, from configuration templates to a device, particularly when the device is accessible through a network. Such configuration templates may be obtained or downloaded to the mobile terminal from a device management server on a regular basis or as needed or on demand.
23 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A technician configurator application including one or more programs of instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by a processor of a host terminal to configure the host terminal to perform a method comprising:
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(a) determining, based on user credentials of a technician user of the host terminal, one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, by communicating via a network interface of the host terminal with a device management server that manages plural output device, and providing, via an application user interface displayed on the host terminal, a list of said output devices to be serviced by the technician user; (b) obtaining, by network communication through the network interface of the host terminal with the device management server that manages plural output devices including said one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, configuration templates corresponding to said one or more output devices, respectively; (c) obtaining, by point-to-point communication with an output device, amongst the one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, a device identifier of the output device; (d) retrieving, by said point-to-point communication with the output device, configuration information corresponding to current configuration of the output device, displaying on the host terminal the retrieved configuration information of the output device, and retrieving a configuration template, amongst the obtained configuration templates, corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier obtained by said point-to-point communication, and upon confirmation by the technician user of the technician configurator application, applying configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier, to the output device, wherein upon the technician configurator application connecting with the output device, the technician configurator application retrieves current configuration settings of the output device from the output device, and validates the retrieved current configuration settings of the output device against configuration templates configured for the output device, and the technician configurator application stores locally on the host terminal a validation record including (I) a timestamp associated with the validation, (II) validation results and (III) the configuration templates employed in the validation, and wherein upon the technician configurator application connecting with the device management server, the technician configurator application uploads to the device management server the validation record stored locally on the host terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device management system configured to manage plural output devices that provide printing or scanning services, the system comprising:
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a device management server that maintains a device database of device data for managed devices and maintains configuration templates; and one or more host terminals, each host terminal hosting a technician configurator application including one or more programs of instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by a processor of the host terminal to configure the host terminal to perform a method comprising; (a) determining, based on user credentials of a technician user of the host terminal, one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, by communicating via a network interface of the host terminal with a device management server that manages plural output device, and providing, via an application user interface displayed on the host terminal, a list of said output devices to be serviced by the technician user; (b) obtaining, by network communication through the network interface of the host terminal with the device management server that manages the plural output devices including said one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, configuration templates corresponding to said one or more output devices, respectively; (c) obtaining, by point-to-point communication with an output device, amongst the one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, a device identifier of the output device; (d) retrieving, by said point-to-point communication with the output device, configuration, information corresponding to current configuration of the output device, displaying on the host terminal the retrieved configuration information of the output device, and retrieving a configuration template, amongst the obtained configuration templates, corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier obtained by said point-to-point communication, and upon confirmation by the technician user of the technician configurator application, applying configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier, to the output device, wherein upon the technician configurator application applying in a configuration session to the output device the configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template corresponding to the output device, the technician configurator application stores locally on the host terminal a configuration record of the configuration session including (I) a timestamp associated with the configuration session, and (II) configuration results including any failures during the configuration process, and wherein the technician configurator application provides the application user interface including an authentication user interface portion to require the technician user of the host terminal to enter user credentials via the authentication user interface portion, to commence a preparation session, and upon authentication of the technician user based on the user credentials entered via the authentication user interface and the technician configurator application connecting with the device management server in the preparation session, the technician configurator application uploads to the device management server the configuration record stored locally on the host terminal, and then the technician configurator application communicates with the device management server in the preparation session to determine a list of assigned devices to be serviced by the authenticated technician user. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method performed by a device management system including a device management server configured to maintain a device database of device data for plural output devices that provide printing or scanning services and maintain configuration templates, and the system additionally including a host terminal hosting a technician configurator application, the method comprising:
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(a) determining, based on user credentials of a technician user of the host terminal, one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, by communicating via a network interface of the host terminal with a device management server that manages plural output device, and providing, via an application user interface displayed on the host terminal, a list of said output devices to be serviced by the technician user; (b) obtaining, by network communication through the network interface of the host terminal with the device management server that manages plural output devices including said one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, configuration templates corresponding to said one or more output devices, respectively; (c) obtaining by the technician configurator application by point-to-point communication with an output device, amongst the one or more output devices to be serviced by the technician user, a device identifier of the output device; (d) retrieving by said point-to-point communication by the technician configurator application from the output device, configuration information corresponding to current configuration of the output device; (e) displaying on the host terminal the retrieved configuration information of the output device; (f) retrieving by the technician configurator application a configuration template, amongst the obtained configuration templates, corresponding to the output device indicated by the device identifier obtained by said point-to-point communication, and upon confirmation by the technician user of the technician configurator application, applying configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template, to the output device; and (g) performing a configuration process by the technician configurator application in a configuration session commenced upon the technician configurator application connecting with the output device, the configuration process including, in addition to applying the configuration settings from the retrieved configuration template to the output device, (g1) maintaining by the technician configurator application locally on the host terminal, as the technician configurator application applies the configuration settings to the output device, a configuration record including (i) a timestamp associated with the configuration settings applied or being applied, and (ii) configuration results including any failures during the configuration process (g2) collecting by the technician configurator application from the output device, data including status information indicating operating status of the authorized device, historical data corresponding to history log of the output device, and usage counter data and analytical data of the output device; and (g3) requesting by the technician configurator application, upon the technician configurator application connecting with the device management server, validation by the device management server of, and transmitting upon the validation to the device management server, the configuration record maintained in (g1) and the data collected in (g2) from the output device.
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Specification