Consumables/printer management system with task and calendar links

• US 6,842,588 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brase, Sandra L.
• Application Number:
  US09/733,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20020071685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 399/1, 399/8, 399/11, 399/24, 399/27, 399/79, 399/81, 399/82
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5083 for scheduling
• 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: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00015 Reproducing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0005 in service, i.e. during normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00074 Indicating or reporting details of user-machine interface H04N1/0035
• 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 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002

Abstract

A method of scheduling an event with respect to a hard copy output engine includes detecting a status of a portion of the hard copy output engine from a sensor incorporated in the hard copy output engine, composing an electronic message including the detected status and transmitting the electronic message to a scheduling engine.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling a hard copy output engine event, comprising:

providing a hard copy output engine comprising;

a sensor;

a processor; and

a memory;

sensing status information of a plurality of hard copy output engine events;

processing the status information, wherein the processing includes comparing the status information to information housed in the memory to determine if any recipients should be appointed to a task corresponding to an event; and

appointing a recipient to a task, the appointing comprising;

composing an electric message to the recipients that includes the status information;

transmitting the electronic message from the hard copy output engine to a scheduling engine;

tasking the recipient; and

updating the status of the task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes at least one of a toner low or toner out status.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein information comprises one or more of percentage of remaining consumable, blind carbon copy to, copy to, company addressed to, expected completion date, defer until, due date, duration, event address, expiration date, follow-up flag, importance, owner, priority, return receipt request status, remind beforehand, reminder, reminder override default, required attendee list, resources, sensitivity, date sent, start date, addressee, tracking status, consumables order list, maintenance items, malfunction and preventative maintenance items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of events comprises one or more of toner out, toner low, preventative maintenance alerts, including cleaning or replacement of component parts, consumables orders, internal billing dates for job accounting, external billing dates for job accounting, low paper, out of paper, low consumables, out of consumables, and need maintenance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard copy output engine is chosen from a group consisting of:

facsimile machines, photocopiers and printers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message includes a consumable order.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of events comprises a future need for preventative maintenance.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating comprises calendaring acceptance or declination of a task.

9. A computer implemented hard copy output engine control system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors adapted to be coupled to a hard copy output engine, the sensors being configured to provide status information relating to a plurality of aspects of the hard copy output engine; and

processing circuitry coupled to the sensors, the processing circuitry configured to;

read the sensors and detect the status of the aspects of the hard copy output engine;

selectively look up from a memory recipients corresponding to the aspects;

schedule the recipients, the scheduling comprising composing an electronic message that includes a description of the aspect and appointing the recipient to address the aspect, wherein the appointing comprises tasking the recipient; and

updating the status of the task.

10. The computer implemented control system of claim 9, wherein the aspect comprises toner amount.

11. The computer implemented hard copy output engine control system of claim 9, wherein the electronic message comprises the one or more of a percentage of remaining consumable, blind carbon copy to, copy to, company addressed to, expected completion date, defer until, due date, duration, event address, expiration date, follow-up flag, importance, owner, priority, return receipt request status, remind beforehand, reminder, reminder override default, required attendee list, resources, sensitivity, date sent, start date, addressee, tracking status, consumables order list, maintenance items, malfunction and preventative maintenance items.

12. The computer implemented hard copy output engine control system of claim 9, wherein individual ones of the aspects of the hard copy output engine include one of more of toner out, toner low, preventative maintenance alerts, including cleaning or replacement of component parts, consumables orders, low paper, out of paper, low consumables, out of consumables, and need maintenance.

13. The computer implemented hard copy output engine control system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect a status of a hard copy output engine chosen from a group consisting of:

facsimile machines, photocopiers and printers.

14. The computer implemented hard copy output engine control system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect a future need for preventative maintenance.

15. The computer implemented control system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to detect a future need for cleaning or replacement of a component part.

16. The computer implemented hard copy output engine control system of claim 9, wherein the updating comprises calendaring acceptance or declination of a task.