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

• US 8,135,817 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited), Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited), Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US12/189,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 for receiving information of an attached business office device at a remote location through the Internet, comprising:

receiving, by a device driver operating in a computer, the information from the attached business office device, wherein the attached business office device is attached directly to the computer through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, and the information is obtained through the device driver, which contains a device identification;

transforming the obtained information into a format including the device identification, for transmission by the computer;

transmitting the transformed information including the device identification to the remote location through the Internet;

receiving, at the remote location, the transformed information along with the device identification; and

extracting information from the received transformed information and storing the extracted information in a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including a device model identifier to the remote location through the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of jams to the remote location through the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of jobs to the remote location through the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of pages to the remote location through the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of color pages to the remote location through the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a last twenty jobs, including time stamps, to the remote location through the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the transformed information including information of a last twenty abnormal jobs, including time stamps, to the remote location through the Internet.

9. A system for receiving information of an attached business office device at a remote location through the Internet, comprising:

means for receiving, by a device driver operating in a computer, the information from the attached business office device, wherein the attached business office device is attached directly to the computer through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, and the information is obtained through the device driver, which contains a device identification;

means for transforming the obtained information into a format including the device identification, for transmission by the computer;

means for transmitting the transformed information including the device identification to the remote location through the Internet;

means for receiving, at the remote location, the transformed information along with the device identification; and

means for extracting information from the received transformed information and storing the extracted information in a database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including a device model identifier to the remote location through the Internet.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of jams to the remote location through the Internet.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of jobs to the remote location through the Internet.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of pages to the remote location through the Internet.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a total number of color pages to the remote location through the Internet.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a last twenty jobs, including time stamps, to the remote location through the Internet.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for transmitting comprises:

means for transmitting the transformed information including information of a last twenty abnormal jobs, including time stamps, to the remote location through the Internet.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the device driver includes a device function support module configured to communicate with and control the attached business office device.