Method and system for communicating with a device attached to a computer using electronic mail messages

• US 7,428,575 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1998
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited), Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US09/192,583
• Time in Patent Office: 3,598 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/245, 709202-205, 709/238, 709/246, 709/250, 709/223, 709/224, 707/10, 399/8, 714/25, 714/31, 714/46, 455/556, 358/1.15, 710/15, 379/88.22, 370/395, 370/409, 370/252, 370/384, 370/401, 370/353
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for communicating with machines connected to a network. Information sent to or from the machines is transmitted using electronic mail. The electronic mail may be transmitted over the Internet, but also may remain within a local or wide area network. When receiving electronic mail, the electronic mail message may be sent to a user who reads information regarding the purpose of the electronic mail message in the body of the message. When the user is satisfied that it is safe to perform the functions requested by the email, the user may execute a file which is attached to the incoming email message in order to perform the appropriate diagnostic or control operations. Alternatively, the incoming email message may contain a code or is sent to an address which causes automatic execution of the desired functions. In this embodiment, it may not be necessary for the user to manually perform any action in order to allow the appropriate processing to begin. Email messages may also be transmitted from the computer which is attached to the device which is being monitored or controlled and include information regarding the status or capabilities of the attached device.

Claims

1. A method of processing messages, comprising:

receiving an electronic mail message by a computer;

determining, by the computer whether the content of the received message provides instruction codes to an attached printing device associated with the computer, by detecting a predetermined code in a body or a subject line of the message, wherein the instruction to the attached printing device relates to monitoring or control of the attached printing device, the attached printing device including a processor;

transmitting a communication including the instruction codes from the computer to the attached printing device through a device driver component of the computer without displaying the received message to a user, if the determining step detects the predetermined code indicating that the content of the received message provides the instruction codes to the attached printing device; and

operating the processor of the attached printing device in response to the transmitted communication.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining whether the received message includes instructions for operating the printing device or whether the received message has the user of the computer as an end recipient.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving an Internet electronic mail message.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the printing device, the communication transmitted from the computer; and

transmitting parameters from the printing device to the computer, in response to the communication which has been received by the printing device.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

performing a mechanical action by the printing device, in response to the communication which has been received by the printing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting a code within the message.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting the code which is the subject of the message.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting the code which is in a body of the message.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the determining step is performed in response to a receipt of an incoming electronic mail message.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the determining step is performed in response to a receipt of an incoming electronic mail message which is detected by monitoring an existence of a file stored at a predetermined location in memory.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving data from the printing device, in response to the step of operating the processor;

creating an electronic mail message by the computer including the data which has been received; and

transmitting over the Internet the electronic mail message generated by the computer.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

executing, by a device driver of the computer, commands for at least one of controlling and monitoring the printing device.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing device at least one of generates an image on a recording medium and scans an image on a recording medium.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the communication as a command for processing by the processor of the printing device.

15. A system for processing messages, comprising:

means, associated with a computer, for receiving an electronic mail message;

means for determining, by the computer whether the content of the received message provides instruction codes to an attached printing device associated with the computer, by detecting a predetermined code in a body or a subject line of the message, wherein the instruction to the attached printing device relates to monitoring or control of the attached printing device, the attached printing device including a processor;

means for transmitting a communication including the instruction codes from the computer to the attached printing device through a device driver component of the computer without displaying the received message to a user, if the means for determining detects the predetermined code indicating that the content of the received message provides the instruction codes to the attached printing device; and

means for operating the processor of the attached printing device in response to the transmitted communication.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for determining whether the received message includes instructions for operating the printing device or whether the received message has the user of the computer as an end recipient.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the means for receiving comprises:

means for receiving an Internet electronic mail message.

18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving, by the printing device, the communication transmitted from the computer; and

means for transmitting parameters from the printing device to the computer, in response to the communication which has been received by the printing device.

19. A system according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for performing a mechanical action by the printing device, in response to the communication which has been received by the printing device.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting a code within the message.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the means for determining comprising:

means for determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting the code which is the subject of the message.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for determining that the message provides the instruction to the attached printing device automatically by detecting the code which is in a body of the message.

23. A system according to claim 20, wherein the means for determining operates in response to a receipt of an incoming electronic mail message.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the means for determining operates in response to a receipt of an incoming electronic mail message which is detected by monitoring an existence of a file stored at a predetermined location in memory.

25. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving data from the printing device, in response to an operation of the means for operating the processor;

means for creating an electronic mail message by the computer including the data which has been received; and

means for transmitting over the Internet the electronic mail message generated by the computer.

26. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for executing, by a device driver of the computer, commands for at least one of controlling and monitoring the printing device.

27. A system according to claim 15, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the communication as a command for processing by the processor of the printing device.