RECYCLING AID SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND RECYCLING AID METHOD

• US 20100017240A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: TAMADA, Yasuto
• Application Number:
  US12/502,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0894 Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1889 for auto-setting of process parameters, lifetime, usage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00987 Remanufacturing, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the image forming apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0697 being an electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1823 Cartridges having electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A recycling aid system for aiding a recycling process of an electronic apparatus is disclosed. The recycling aid system includes: the electronic apparatus; a radio communication apparatus placed in a location on a route through which the electronic apparatus moves; and a management server apparatus connected to the electronic apparatus via the radio communication apparatus. The electronic apparatus includes: a unit configured to obtain physical measurement data of environment of the electronic apparatus, and to store the physical measurement data in a storage unit; a unit configured to obtain traceability data, and to store the traceability data in the storage unit; a unit configured to transmit the environment history data and the traceability data to the management server apparatus; and a unit configured to receive data including the environment history data and the traceability data from the management server apparatus, and to visually output the received data.

Claims

1. A recycling aid system comprising:

an electronic apparatus;

a radio communication apparatus that is placed in a location on a route through which the electronic apparatus moves; and

a management server apparatus configured to perform data communication with the electronic apparatus via the radio communication apparatus;

the electronic apparatus comprising;

an environment history data obtaining unit configured to obtain physical measurement data of an environment of the electronic apparatus, and to store the physical measurement data in a storage unit as environment history data;

a traceability data obtaining unit configured to obtain traceability data used for determining the route, and to store the traceability data in the storage unit;

a communication unit configured to transmit the environment history data and the traceability data to the management server apparatus via the radio communication apparatus; and

an output unit configured to receive data including the environment history data and the traceability data from the management server apparatus, and to visually output the received data in order to aid a recycling process for the electronic apparatus.

2. The recycling aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus deletes the environment history data and the traceability data from the storage unit after the environment history data and the traceability data are transmitted to the management server apparatus.

3. The recycling aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the environment history data obtaining unit, the traceability data obtaining unit and communication unit are driven by a power source unit different from a power source unit of a main body of the electronic apparatus such that the environment history data obtaining unit, the traceability data obtaining unit and communication unit operate even when the electronic apparatus is off.

4. The recycling aid system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the power source unit different from the power source unit of the main body of the electronic apparatus includes a secondary battery that is charged by power supplied from the power source unit of the main body of the electronic apparatus.

5. The recycling aid system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an input unit configured to input a sampling cycle of the environment history data, wherein the environment history data obtaining unit obtains the physical measurement data at the sampling cycle.

6. The recycling aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the management server apparatus compares the environment history data with condition data for recycling, and sends a comparison result to the electronic apparatus.

7. An electronic apparatus used in a recycling aid system, the recycling aid system including a radio communication apparatus that is placed in a location on a route through which the electronic apparatus moves;

and a management server apparatus configured to perform data communication with the electronic apparatus via the radio communication apparatus, the electronic apparatus comprising;

an environment history data obtaining unit configured to obtain physical measurement data of environment of the electronic apparatus, and to store the physical measurement data in a storage unit as environment history data;

a traceability data obtaining unit configured to obtain traceability data used for determining the route, and to store the traceability data in the storage unit;

a communication unit configured to transmit the environment history data and the traceability data to the management server apparatus via the radio communication apparatus; and

an output unit configured to receive data including the environment history data and the traceability data from the management server apparatus, and to visually output the received data in order to aid a recycling process for the electronic apparatus.

8. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic apparatus deletes the environment history data and the traceability data from the storage unit after the environment history data and the traceability data are transmitted to the management server apparatus.

9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the environment history data obtaining unit, the traceability data obtaining unit and communication unit are driven by a power source unit different from a power source unit of a main body of the electronic apparatus such that the environment history data obtaining unit, the traceability data obtaining unit and communication unit operate even when the electronic apparatus is off.

10. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the power source unit different from the power source unit of the main body of the electronic apparatus includes a secondary battery that is charged by power supplied from the power source unit of the main body of the electronic apparatus.

11. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an input unit configured to input a sampling cycle of the environment history data, wherein the environment history data obtaining unit obtain the physical measurement data at the sampling cycle.

12. A recycling aid method performed by an electronic apparatus used in a recycling aid system, the recycling aid system including a radio communication apparatus that is placed in a location on a route through which the electronic apparatus moves;

and a management server apparatus configured to perform data communication with the electronic apparatus via the radio communication apparatus, the recycling aid method comprising;

obtaining physical measurement data of an environment of the electronic apparatus, and storing the physical measurement data in a storage unit as environment history data;

obtaining traceability data used for determining the route, and storing the traceability data in the storage unit;

transmitting the environment history data and the traceability data to the management server apparatus via the radio communication apparatus; and

receiving data including the environment history data and the traceability data from the management server apparatus, and visually outputting the received data in order to aid a recycling process for the electronic apparatus.

13. The recycling aid method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electronic apparatus deletes the environment history data and the traceability data from the storage unit after the environment history data and the traceability data are transmitted to the management server apparatus.