Patent US5010551A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5010551A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self contained troubleshooting aid for declared and non declared machine problems

Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1989-04-14
•
Granted: 1991-04-23
•
Expires: 2009-04-14
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A technique for problem analysis to diagnose a declared machine fault of a suspected machine fault in a reproduction machine having a control with a touch operative user interface and screen display including the steps of placing the machine in a service mode and entering a fault analysis mode to allow access to a library of fault analysis information, providing the option of troubleshooting the declared machine fault by entering into the control a displayed first fault code, or selecting from a group of categories generally describing a problem area to trouble shoot the suspected machine fault including the steps of selecting one of the group of categories to display a plurality of potential defects related to the selected category in icons and/or text including an associated second fault code, matching one of the displayed plurality of potential defects with the suspected machine fault and entering into the control the associated second fault code, and displaying troubleshooting information related to the second fault code.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alan Goldsmith
  • 👤 Hugh O. Forbes

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 07:34
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/55; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/22; G06F11/2273; G06F11/30; G06F11/32

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 143 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if a machine fault actually exists, displaying a first plurality of system indicators related to suspected machine problems, touch entering into the control via the user interface a fault code number, if a fault code is manifested in said portion of the display, or touch activating one of the, system indicators and displaying a second plurality of system indicators related to said one of the systems indicators the second plurality of system indicators providing visual representations to identify said suspected machine problem.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 143 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if a machine fault actually exists, displaying a first plurality of system indicators related to suspected machine problems, touch entering into the control via the user interface a fault code number, if a fault code is manifested in said portion of the display, or touch activating one of the, system indicators and displaying a second plurality of system indicators related to said one of the systems indicators the second plurality of system indicators providing visual representations to identify said suspected machine problem.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a method of identifying a non-detected machine fault comprising the steps of: displaying on a first screen illustration a plurality of indicators related to the interactive machine components, selecting one of the indicators, the indicator identifying a given interactive component and displaying on a second screen illustration a visual likeness of a plurality of possible malfunctions related to said given interactive component identified by said indicator, each visual likeness having an associated code, and selecting one of said codes to display corrective information on a third screen illustration related to said given interactive component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a method of identifying a non-detected machine fault comprising the steps of: displaying on a first screen illustration a plurality of indicators related to the interactive machine components, selecting one of the indicators, the indicator identifying a given interactive component and displaying on a second screen illustration a visual likeness of a plurality of possible malfunctions related to said given interactive component identified by said indicator, each visual likeness having an associated code, and selecting one of said codes to display corrective information on a third screen illustration related to said given interactive component.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 62 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selecting one of said codes to display corrective information on a third screen illustration related to said given interactive component includes the step of displaying a definition of the fault and description of the conditions that cause it, discrete component checks and associated on-board diagnostic checks, or recommendations for parts adjustment or replacement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 177 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis to diagnose a declared machine fault or a suspected machine fault comprising the steps of: placing the machine in a service mode, entering a fault analysis mode to allow access to a library of fault analysis information, providing the option of troubleshooting the declared machine fault by entering into the control a displayed first fault code, or selecting from a group of categories generally describing a problem area to trouble shoot the non-declared machine fault including the steps of; selecting one of the group of categories to display a plurality of undetectable defects related to the selected category including an associated second fault code, matching one of the displayed plurality of potential or undetected defects with the suspected machine fault and entering into the control the associated second fault code, and displaying troubleshooting information related to the second fault code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 177 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a touch operative user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis to diagnose a declared machine fault or a suspected machine fault comprising the steps of: placing the machine in a service mode, entering a fault analysis mode to allow access to a library of fault analysis information, providing the option of troubleshooting the declared machine fault by entering into the control a displayed first fault code, or selecting from a group of categories generally describing a problem area to trouble shoot the non-declared machine fault including the steps of; selecting one of the group of categories to display a plurality of undetectable defects related to the selected category including an associated second fault code, matching one of the displayed plurality of potential or undetected defects with the suspected machine fault and entering into the control the associated second fault code, and displaying troubleshooting information related to the second fault code.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of displaying troubleshooting information related to the second fault code includes the step of displaying a definition of the fault and description of the conditions that cause it, discrete component checks and associated on-board diagnostic checks, or recommendations for parts adjustment or replacement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 85 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of analysis of non-detected machine faults comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, displaying a plurality of sub-system indicators related to non-detected machine faults, activating one of the sub-system indicators, and displaying a plurality of non-detected machine fault situations related to said one of the sub-system indicators.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 85 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of analysis of non-detected machine faults comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, displaying a plurality of sub-system indicators related to non-detected machine faults, activating one of the sub-system indicators, and displaying a plurality of non-detected machine fault situations related to said one of the sub-system indicators.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
The machine of claim of claim 6 wherein the sub-system indicators are icons on the screen display.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 101 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if there is a declared machine fault, displaying a plurality of sub-system indicators related to non-declared machine problems, and visually representing a plurality of non-declared machine fault situations related to said one of the sub-system indicators to identify the non-declared fault situation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 101 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if there is a declared machine fault, displaying a plurality of sub-system indicators related to non-declared machine problems, and visually representing a plurality of non-declared machine fault situations related to said one of the sub-system indicators to identify the non-declared fault situation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 114 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if a machine fault actually exists, displaying a first plurality of system indicators related to non-detected machine problems, activating one of the system indicators and displaying a second plurality of system indicators related to said one of the system indicators the second plurality of system indicators providing visual representations to identify said non-detected machine problem.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 114 words
In a reproduction machine having a plurality of interactive machine components cooperable to produce copies from document originals including a control having a user interface and screen display, a self contained method of problem analysis comprising the steps of: entering into a problem analysis mode in the machine, providing a portion of the display to manifest a fault code if a machine fault actually exists, displaying a first plurality of system indicators related to non-detected machine problems, activating one of the system indicators and displaying a second plurality of system indicators related to said one of the system indicators the second plurality of system indicators providing visual representations to identify said non-detected machine problem.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3575589A Cited
US4228537A Cited
US4434489A Cited
JPS5866967A Cited
US4499581A Cited
US4682158A Cited
US4649515A Cited
US4654852A Cited
US4912711A Cited
US4916699A Cited
US4878179A Cited
US4894829A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-04-22 1994-10-22 1995-04-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-04-22 1998-10-22 1999-04-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-04-22 2002-10-22 2003-04-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag