Method and apparatus for data communications capable of automatically sending a maintenance request

• US 7,584,273 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shibata, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shingles; Kristie D
• Application Number:
  US09/846,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20020008883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,045 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 15/556 for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00109 Remote control of apparatus, e.g. by a host
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002

Abstract

A data terminal apparatus includes a communications mechanism, a detector, a register, and a controller. The communications mechanism performs electronic communications with a manager supervising the apparatus. The detector detects a status of usage of a consumable product used in the apparatus and supplied by a service depot. The register registers electronic communications addresses of the manager and the service depot, identification of the apparatus, specification of the consumable product, and identification of the service depot. The controller sends a request for supplying the consumable product to the manager when the detector detects that the consumable product is nearly ended. The request includes the identification of the apparatus, the specification of the consumable product, and the identification of the service depot. Further, the controller sends a report for reporting a completion of supplying the consumable product on the apparatus when the detector detects that the consumable product is refilled.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

a consumable product status detector configured to automatically detect a status of said consumable product used in said image forming apparatus;

a manager registration part configured to register a manager email address and telephone number of the manager who administers said image forming apparatus;

a service depot registration part configured to register an email address and telephone number of a service depot;

a terminal identification information registration part configured to register terminal identification information of said image forming apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

a consumable product information registration part configured to register order details information, specification of said consumable product and identification of a supplier of the consumable product;

an email controller part configured to send a first email communicating a request for supplying said consumable product, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, the order details information, specification of said consumable product and the identification of the supplier, to said manager email address registered in said manager registration part, when said consumable product status detector detects that said consumable product is nearly ended, and configured to send, when said consumable product status detector has detected that replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, a second email communicating that the replenishment of said consumable product has been completed,

said request of the first email sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for sending to the service depot to order said consumable product and (ii) identifying the registered service depot email address of the supplier to which the order form is to be sent;

an email analysis part configured to analyze a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

a display part configured to display various information,

wherein the email controller part causes said display part to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display part to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display part after transmission of the second email indicating that the replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display part to display that the consumable product was replenished; and

a facsimile controller part wherein said facsimile controller part communicates with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registration part when said email communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

2. An image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said consumable product includes toner.

3. An image forming apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

a maintenance status detector configured to automatically detect an event indicative of a defect in a maintenance component used in said image forming apparatus;

a manager registration part configured to register a manager email address and telephone number of the manager who administers said image forming apparatus;

a service depot registration part configured to register a service depot email address and telephone number of a service depot;

a terminal identification information registration part configured to register terminal identification information of said image forming apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an email address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

a maintenance component information registration part configured to register order details information, specification of a maintenance component, and identification of said service depot;

detecting mean for automatically detecting an event indicating that said maintenance component is defective;

an email controller part configured to send a first email communicating a request for repair service, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, order details information, specification of a maintenance component and the identification of the event, to the respectively registered said manager and service depot email addresses automatically when said maintenance status detector detects said event, and configured to send, when said maintenance status detector detects said event, and configured to send, when said maintenance status detector has detected that the repair has been completed, a second email communicating that the repair has been completed,

said request of the first email sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for ordering said repair service and (ii) identifying the registered service depot email address of the service depot;

an email analysis part configured to analyze a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

a display part configured to display various information,

wherein the email controller part causes said display part to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display part to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display part after transmission of the second email indicating that the repair has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display part to display that the maintenance component was repaired; and

a facsimile controller part wherein said facsimile controller part communicates with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registration part when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

4. An image forming apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said maintenance component includes a photoconductor.

5. An communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

a consumable product status detector configured to detect automatically a status of said consumable product used in said communications terminal apparatus;

a manager registration part configured to register a manager email address and telephone number of said manager;

a service depot registration part configured to register a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

a terminal identification information registration part configured to register terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

a consumable product information registration part configured to register order details information, identification of a supplier of the consumable product and specification of said consumable product;

an email controller part configured to send a first E-mail requesting a delivery of said consumable product, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, the order details information, specification of said consumable product and the identification of the supplier, to said manager E-mail address registered in said manager registration part, automatically when said consumable product is determined to be in a short supply status based on detect information detected by said consumable product status detector, and configured to send, when said consumable product status detector has detected that replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, a second E-mail reporting that the replenishment of said consumable product has been completed,

said first E-mail sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for sending to the supplier to order said consumable product and (ii) identifying the registered service depot E-mail address of the supplier to which the order form is to be sent;

an email analysis part configured to analyze a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

a display part configured to display various information,

wherein the email controller part causes said display part to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display part to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display part after transmission of the second email indicating that the replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display part to display that the consumable product was replenished; and

a facsimile controller part wherein said facsimile controller part communicates with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registration part when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

6. A communications terminal apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said identification of said supplier of said consumable product includes at least one of an E-mail address and a telephone number.

7. An communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

a maintenance status detector configured to detect automatically an event indicative of a need to repair a specific a maintenance component;

a manager registration part configured to register a manager email address and telephone number of said manager;

a service depot registration part configured to register a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

a terminal identification information registration part configured to register terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

maintenance component information part configured to register order details information, specification of a maintenance component, and identification of said service depot;

detecting mean for automatically detecting an event indicating that said maintenance component is defective;

an email controller part configured to send a first email communicating requesting a repair service, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, order details information and the identification of the event, to said manager and service depot E-mail addresses registered in said manager and service depot registration parts, respectively, automatically when said maintenance status detector detects said event, and configured to send, when said maintenance status detector has been detected that the repair has been completed, a second email reporting completion of the repair,

said first email sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for ordering said repair service and (ii) identifying the registered E-mail address of the service depot;

an email analysis part configured to analyze a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

a display part configured to display various information,

wherein the email controller part causes said display part to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display part to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display part after transmission of the second email indicating that the repair has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display part to display that the maintenance component was repaired; and

a facsimile controller part wherein said facsimile controller part communicates with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registration part when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

8. An communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

communications means for performing E-mail communications and facsimile communications;

consumable product status detecting means for detecting automatically a status of said consumable product used in said communications terminal apparatus;

manager registering means for registering a manager E-mail address and telephone number of said manager;

service depot registering means for registering a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

terminal identification information registering means for registering terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

consumable product information registering means for registering order details information, specification of said consumable product and identification of a supplier of the consumable product;

email controlling means for sending a first E-mail requesting a delivery of said consumable product, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, the order details information, specification of said consumable product and the identification of the supplier, to said manager E-mail address registered in said manager registering means, automatically when said consumable product is determined to be in a short supply status based on detect information detected by said consumable product status detecting means, and for sending a second E-mail reporting that replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, as detected by said consumable product status detecting means,

said first E-mail sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for sending to the supplier to order said consumable product and (ii) identifying the registered service depot E-mail address of the supplier to which the order form is to be sent;

email analyzing means for analyzing a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

display means for displaying various information,

wherein the email controlling means causes said display part to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display means to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display means after transmission of the second email indicating that the replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display means to display that the consumable product was replenished; and

facsimile controlling means for communicating with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registering means when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

9. A communications terminal apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said identification of said supplier of said consumable product includes at least one of an E-mail address and a telephone number.

10. An communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, comprising:

communications means for performing E-mail communications and facsimile communications;

maintenance status detecting means for detecting automatically an event indicative of a need to repair a specific maintenance component;

manager registering means registering a manager E-mail address and telephone number of said manager;

service depot registering means for registering a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

terminal identification information registering means for registering terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

registering means for registering order details information, specification of a maintenance component, and identification of said service depot;

detecting mean for automatically detecting an event indicating that said maintenance component is defective;

email controlling means for sending a first E-mail requesting a repair service, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, order details information, specification of a maintenance component, and the identification of the event, to said manager and service depot E-mail addresses registered in said manager registering means and service depot registering means, respectively, automatically when said maintenance status detecting means detects said event, and for sending, when said maintenance status detecting means has detected that the repair has been completed, a second E-mail reporting completion of the repair,

said first E-mail sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for ordering said repair service and (ii) identifying the registered service depot E-mail address of the service depot;

email analyzing means for analyzing a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order; and

display means for displaying various information,

wherein the email controlling means causes said display means to display a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, causes said display means to stop displaying the receipt acknowledgement information which has been displayed in said display means after transmission of the second email indicating that the repair has been completed, to the manager and service depot, and causes said display means to display that the maintenance component was repaired; and

facsimile controlling means for communicating with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using said facsimile number registered in said terminal identification information registering means when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

11. An method for ordering a consumable product for a communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, said communications terminal including a processor with stored control programs for performing the steps comprising:

registering a manager E-mail address and telephone number of said manager;

registering a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

registering terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

registering order details information, identification of a supplier of the consumable product and specification of said consumable product;

detecting automatically a status of said consumable product used in said communications terminal apparatus;

detecting automatically an event indicating that said consumable product is nearly ended;

sending a first E-mail communicating a request for supplying said consumable product, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, the order details information, specification of said consumable product and the identification of the supplier, to said manager E-mail address, automatically when said event is detected, said request sent automatically to said manager E-mail address (i) including an order form for sending to the service depot an order for said consumable product and (ii) identifying the registered service depot E-mail address of the service depot to which the order form is to be sent;

determining that replenishment of the consumable product has been completed;

sending, when it is determined that the replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, a second E-mail to the manager E-mail address and service depot E-mail address automatically to report the replenishment of said consumable product;

analyzing a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order;

displaying a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, stopping display of the receipt acknowledgement information after transmission of the second email indicating that the replenishment of the consumable product has been completed, to the manager, and displaying that the consumable product was replenished; and

communicating with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using the registered facsimile number when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein said consumable product includes toner.

13. An method for ordering a repair service on a communications terminal apparatus capable of transferring and receiving data by email communication and facsimile communication and supervised by a manager who contacts a service depot when servicing is required, said communications terminal including a processor with stored control programs for performing the steps comprising:

registering a manager E-mail address and telephone number of said manager;

registering a service depot E-mail address and telephone number of a service depot;

registering terminal identification information of said communications terminal apparatus, wherein said terminal identification information includes at least one of an E-mail address, a serial number, a facsimile number, facsimile TTI information, and a telephone number of said apparatus;

registering order details information, specification of a maintenance component, and identification of said service depot;

detecting automatically an event indicating that said maintenance component is defective;

sending a first E-mail communicating a request for said repair service, including the terminal identification information of the communications terminal apparatus, the order details information, specification of the maintenance component, and the identification of the event, to said manager and service depot E-mail addresses, automatically when said event is detected, and said request sent automatically to said manager (i) including an order form for ordering said repair service and (ii) identifying the registered service depot E-mail address;

determining thereafter that repair of the maintenance component has been completed;

sending when it is determined that the repair of the maintenance component has been completed, a second E-mail to the manager E-mail address and service depot E-mail address automatically to report completion of the repair on the communications terminal apparatus;

analyzing a received email for receipt acknowledgement information indicating acknowledgement of receipt of the order, and response information responding to the order;

displaying a text message of the received email corresponding to the receipt acknowledgement information, stopping display of the receipt acknowledgement information after transmission of the second email indicating that the repair has been completed, to the manager, and displaying that the maintenance component was repaired; and

communicating with at least one of said manager and service depot through said facsimile communication using the registered facsimile number when said E-mail communication is not available to at least one of said manager and said service depot.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein said maintenance component includes a photoconductor.