Status monitoring system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for monitoring a plurality of printing devices associated with a local network, the method comprising:
- providing a removable storage device to a client processor associated with the local network;
executing, with the client processor, a computer program stored at least partially on the removable storage device to acquire printer usage data including toner coverage data corresponding to the plurality of printing devices and to apply a scaling algorithm that converts raw value data into a percentage value to the printing device toner coverage data of a printing device that reports toner coverage data in raw value format to be included in the acquired printing device usage data, the acquired printing device usage data being stored on the removable storage device; and
providing the removable storage device to a remote processor to analyze the acquired printing device usage data, the remote processor not being associated with the local network,wherein the computer program includes conducting a first audit and a second audit of the printing device usage data, comparing the first audit with the second audit, and flagging a printing device that was present in one audit and absent from the other audit.
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Abstract
The system comprises a local network including several printing devices provided with a diagnostic unit collecting various device working data'"'"'s; and at least a connecting device connecting a plurality of printing devices, whereby the connecting device is adapted for collecting data'"'"'s from a plurality of printing devices and for storing said data'"'"'s in a digital repository, whereby said digital repository is in a form readable by a processor comprising instructions for treating at least some data'"'"'s of the digital repository.
16 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a plurality of printing devices associated with a local network, the method comprising:
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providing a removable storage device to a client processor associated with the local network; executing, with the client processor, a computer program stored at least partially on the removable storage device to acquire printer usage data including toner coverage data corresponding to the plurality of printing devices and to apply a scaling algorithm that converts raw value data into a percentage value to the printing device toner coverage data of a printing device that reports toner coverage data in raw value format to be included in the acquired printing device usage data, the acquired printing device usage data being stored on the removable storage device; and providing the removable storage device to a remote processor to analyze the acquired printing device usage data, the remote processor not being associated with the local network, wherein the computer program includes conducting a first audit and a second audit of the printing device usage data, comparing the first audit with the second audit, and flagging a printing device that was present in one audit and absent from the other audit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 32, 33, 34)
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6. A system for monitoring a plurality of printing devices associated with a local network, the system comprising:
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a client processor associated with the local network, the client processor operable to receive a removable storage device, identify at least one of the printing devices by searching the local network, execute a computer program stored at least partially on the removable storage device and access the identified printing devices to acquire printing device usage data including toner coverage data therefrom, apply a scaling algorithm that converts raw value data into a percentage value to the printing device toner coverage data of a printing device that reports toner coverage data in raw value format to be included in the acquired printing device usage data, and store the acquired printing device usage data on a computer-readable medium, wherein the acquired printing device usage data is stored on the removable storage device; and a remote processor not associated with the local network, the remote processor operable to be accessed by the client processor through the internet, acquire at least a portion of the stored printing device usage data, and analyze the acquired printing device usage data, wherein the computer program includes conducting a first audit and a second audit of the printing device usage data, comparing the first audit with the second audit, and flagging a printing device that was present in one audit and absent from the other audit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 25, 26, 27, 35, 36, 37)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon for monitoring a plurality of printing devices associated with a local network, the computer program comprising a plurality of code segments operable to:
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identify at least one of the printing devices by searching the local network; access the identified printing devices to acquire printing device usage data including toner coverage data therefrom; apply a scaling algorithm that converts raw value data into a percentage value to the printing device toner coverage data of a printing device that reports toner coverage data in raw value format to be included in the acquired printing device usage data; and store the acquired printing device usage data on the computer-readable medium, and; wherein the computer-readable storage medium includes a removable storage device provided to a client processor associated with the local network, wherein the computer program is stored at least partially on the removable storage device and the acquired printing device usage data is stored on the removable storage device, wherein the computer program includes conducting a first audit and a second audit of the printing device usage data, comparing the first audit with the second audit, and flagging a printing device that was present in one audit and absent from the other audit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification