US5774678A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for controlling and communicating with business office devices
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-05-07
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Granted: 1998-06-30
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Expires: 2017-05-07
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for controlling and communicating with business office devices, such as copiers, facsimiles and/or printers. The present invention communicates and controls various modules of business devices which allow an external device such as an operation panel to access the state of a target device, such as a copier, printer or facsimile. The operation panel can communicate with the target device and control the same target device. Also, a remote diagnostics station can provide remote diagnostics of the target device.
Inventors
- 👤 Tetsuro Motoyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 02:33
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/22; G06F11/2294; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G03G15/5016; G03G15/5075; G03G15/5079; G03G15/55; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0706; G06F11/0733; G06F11/0748; G06F11/30; G06F11/3003; G06F11/3013; G06F11/3055; G06F11/3065; G06F11/3072; G06K; G06K15/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00323; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00025; G03G2215/00109; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1293; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0074; H04N2201/0075; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0082
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of communicating between a business office device and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing static state data representing a characteristic of said office device which does not change over a life of the business office device; storing semi-static state data representing a characteristic of said business office which infrequently changes over a life of the business office device; storing dynamic state data representing a characteristic of the business office device which changes according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the business office device; transmitting the static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; transmitting the semi-static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; and transmitting the dynamic state data from the business office device to the remote computer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of communicating between a business office device and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing static state data representing a characteristic of said office device which does not change over a life of the business office device; storing semi-static state data representing a characteristic of said business office which infrequently changes over a life of the business office device; storing dynamic state data representing a characteristic of the business office device which changes according to at least one of a mechanical and an electrical state of the business office device; transmitting the static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; transmitting the semi-static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; and transmitting the dynamic state data from the business office device to the remote computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving the static state data by the remote computer; receiving the semi-static state data by the remote computer; and receiving the dynamic state data by the remote computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: processing at least one of the static, semi-static, and dynamic data by the remote computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of: transmitting data used to control the business office device from the remote computer to the business office device after the processing step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting data used to control the business office device comprises: transmitting the data used to control the business office device to the business office device which is a printer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting data used to control the business office device comprises: transmitting the data used to control the business office device to the business office device which is a copier.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting the static state data which is a model number of the business office device.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting the static state data which is a serial number of the business office device.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting a plurality of types of static state data from the business office device.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
28 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the semi-static state data comprises: transmitting the semi-static state data which is a ROM version.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the semi-static state data comprises: transmitting the semi-static state data which is an option configuration of the business office device.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the dynamic state data comprises: transmitting the dynamic state data which is a number of prints made by the business office device.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the dynamic state data comprises: transmitting the dynamic state data which a toner status of the business office device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the business office device is a printer and the transmitting steps transmits each of the state data from the printer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the business office device is a copier and the transmitting steps transmits each of the state data from the copier.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
23 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, further comprising the step of: display each of the state data at the remote computer.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to claims 1 or 4, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting the static state data which is a model characteristic of the business office device.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim. 1, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting the static state data which is a model identification of the business office device.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of communicating between a business office device and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of types of static state data representing characteristics of said office device which do not change over a life of the business office device; transmitting the plurality of types of static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; and displaying the plurality of types of static state data at the remote computer.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of communicating between a business office device and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of types of static state data representing characteristics of said office device which do not change over a life of the business office device; transmitting the plurality of types of static state data from the business office device to the remote computer; and displaying the plurality of types of static state data at the remote computer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of: processing the static state data by the remote computer; and transmitting data used to control the business office device from the remote computer to the business office device after the processing step.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein: the step of transmitting data transmits the data used to control the business office device to the business office device which is a printer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein: the step of transmitting data transmits the data used to control the business office device to the business office device which is a copier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein the step of transmitting the static state data comprises: transmitting the static state data which is at least two of a model number, a serial number, and model characteristics of the business office device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of types of static state data comprises: transmitting one of the types of static state data which is a model identification of the business office device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of types of static state data comprises: transmitting said one of the types of static state data which is a model identification of the business office device which is a printer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of types of static state data comprises: transmitting said one of the types of static state data which is a model identification of the business office device which is a copier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein: the remote computer is configured to control different types of printers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of: controlling, by the remote computer, different types of printers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step, performed before the transmitting and displaying steps, of: turning on power to the business office device; and the method still further comprising the step, performed after the steps of turning on the power, transmitting, and displaying, of: transmitting a start command from the remote computer to the business office device.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of communicating between a printer and a computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the printer in the printer; initiating communication between the printer and the computer by the computer; transmitting the model identification of the printer from the printer to the computer; and receiving the model identification by the computer.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of communicating between a printer and a computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the printer in the printer; initiating communication between the printer and the computer by the computer; transmitting the model identification of the printer from the printer to the computer; and receiving the model identification by the computer.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of communicating between a printer and a computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the printer in the printer; initiating communication between the printer and the computer by the printer; transmitting the model identification of the printer from the printer to the computer; and receiving the model identification by the computer.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of communicating between a printer and a computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the printer in the printer; initiating communication between the printer and the computer by the printer; transmitting the model identification of the printer from the printer to the computer; and receiving the model identification by the computer.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to claims 30 or 31, wherein the storing step comprises: storing the model identification which is static state data.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to claims 30 or 31, wherein the storing step comprises: storing the model identification which does not change over a life of the printer.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to claims 30 or 31, wherein the storing step comprises: storing static state data which does not change over a life of the printer.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
29 words
A method according to claims 30 or 31, wherein the storing step comprises: storing model identification static state data which does not change over a life of the printer.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of communicating between a copier and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the copier in the copier; initiating communication between the copier and the remote computer by the remote computer; transmitting the model identification of the copier from the copier to the remote computer; and receiving the model identification by the remote computer.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of communicating between a copier and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the copier in the copier; initiating communication between the copier and the remote computer by the remote computer; transmitting the model identification of the copier from the copier to the remote computer; and receiving the model identification by the remote computer.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of communicating between a copier and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the copier in the copier; initiating communication between the copier and the remote computer by the copier; transmitting the model identification of the copier from the copier to the remote computer; and receiving the model identification by the remote computer.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of communicating between a copier and a remote computer, comprising the steps of: storing a model identification of the copier in the copier; initiating communication between the copier and the remote computer by the copier; transmitting the model identification of the copier from the copier to the remote computer; and receiving the model identification by the remote computer.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to claims 36 or 37, wherein the storing step comprises: storing the model identification which is static state data.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to claims 36 or 37, wherein the storing step comprises: storing the model identification which does not change over a life of the copier.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to claims 36 or 37, wherein the storing step comprises: storing static state data which does not change over a life of the copier.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
29 words
A method according to claims 36 or 37, wherein the storing step comprises: storing model identification static state data which does not change over a life of the copier.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-29 | 2001-12-29 | 2002-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-29 | 2005-12-29 | 2006-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-29 | 2009-12-29 | 2010-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |