SYSTEM USING AN INTERNET APPLICATION FOR MONITORING AN IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A method of managing device information, comprising:
- creating a first digital repository including first device information of an image-forming device;
transmitting, over the Internet, second device information of an image-forming device, the second device information including at least a serial number of the image-forming device;
receiving the transmitted device information;
storing the received device information in a second digital repository; and
linking the first device information in the first digital repository and the second device information in the second digital repository using the serial number of the image-forming device.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for monitoring, controlling and diagnosing operation of a machine such as a business office machine including a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer. When the speed of communication between the remote device and machine is not urgent, a connectionless mode of communication may be used. The form of connectionless communication is an electronic mail message transmitted over the Internet. However, when a condition needs urgent action, a direct connection is used for communication such as communication via a telephone or ISDN line. The information obtained from the machine is stored in one or more data bases within a company and information of the machine is shared between a service department, engineering and design department, manufacturing department, and marketing department. As communication over the Internet via electronic mail is not secure, the connectionless-mode messages transmitted using Internet electronic mail are encrypted.
98 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of managing device information, comprising:
-
creating a first digital repository including first device information of an image-forming device; transmitting, over the Internet, second device information of an image-forming device, the second device information including at least a serial number of the image-forming device; receiving the transmitted device information; storing the received device information in a second digital repository; and linking the first device information in the first digital repository and the second device information in the second digital repository using the serial number of the image-forming device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of managing device information, comprising:
-
transmitting, using an Internet application-layer protocol, the device information of an image-forming device automatically, without receiving a request for the device information, the device information including at least a globally unique identifier of the image-forming device; receiving, by a remote computer used by a company that is marketing the image-forming device via a firewall, the transmitted device information; storing, by the remote computer, the received device information into a database; and sharing the stored device information in the database among a plurality of departments within the company. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of managing device information within an organization, comprising:
-
transmitting, using an Internet application-layer protocol, the device information of an image-forming device, the device information including at least a unique identifier of the image-forming device; receiving, by a remote device via a firewall, the transmitted device information; storing, by the remote device, the received device information into a database; linking the database to other device databases within the organization, wherein the other device databases include at least one of a device history database and an attachment database; and sharing the stored device information in the database among a plurality of departments within the organization, wherein the unique identifier is a serial number and the linking step comprises linking the database and the other device databases using the serial number of the image-forming device.
-
-
12. A system for managing device information, comprising:
-
means for creating a first digital repository including first device information of an image-forming device; means for transmitting, over the Internet, second device information of an image-forming device, the second device information including at least a serial number of the image-forming device; means for receiving the transmitted device information; means for storing the received device information in a second digital repository; and means for linking the first device information in the first digital repository and the second device information in the second digital repository using the serial number of the image-forming device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for managing device information, comprising:
-
means for transmitting, using an Internet application-layer protocol, the device information of an image-forming device automatically, without receiving a request for the device information, the device information including at least a globally unique identifier of the image-forming device; means for receiving, by a remote computer used by a company that is marketing the image-forming device, via a firewall, the transmitted device information; means for storing, by the remote computer, the received device information into a database; and means for sharing the stored device information in the database among a plurality of departments within the company. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification