Patent US6473812B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6473812B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System using internet email for communicating status information from business office printing device when it is in normal operating condition
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 2001-05-14
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Granted: 2002-10-29
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Expires: 2021-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for monitoring, controlling and diagnosing operation of a machine such as a business office machine including a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer. When the speed of communication between the remote device and machine is not urgent, a connectionless mode of communication may be used. The form of connectionless communication is an electronic mail message transmitted over the Internet. However, when a condition needs urgent action, a direct connection is used for communication such as communication via a telephone or ISDN line. The information obtained from the machine is stored in one or more data bases within a company and information of the machine is shared between a service department, engineering and design department, manufacturing department, and marketing department. As communication over the Internet via electronic mail is not secure, the connectionless-mode messages transmitted using Internet electronic mail are encrypted.
Inventors
- 👤 Tetsuro Motoyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G03G15/5075; G03G15/5079; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5691; H04L12/5692; H04L43/00; H04L43/06; H04L43/065; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0817; H04L51/00; H04L63/00; H04L63/02; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428; H04L63/14; H04L63/1408; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/12; H04L67/125; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00002; H04N1/00007; H04N1/00026; H04N1/00029; H04N1/00071; H04N1/00074; H04N1/00079; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00209; H04N1/00281; H04N1/00312; H04N1/32; H04N1/333; H04N1/33307; H04N1/33323; H04N1/44; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00025; G03G2215/00109; G06; G06F; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2105; H04L43/12; H04L43/16; H04L51/21; H04L51/23; H04L63/029; H04L67/02; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0034; H04N2201/0037; H04N2201/0039; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0094; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/333; H04N2201/33307; H04N2201/33342
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A method for using Internet electronic mail to manage a business office device automatically without human intervention, comprising the steps of: monitoring a business office device by a business office device server; generating a first Internet electronic mail message by the business office device server, the first Internet electronic mail message including a request for a status of the business office device determined using sensors within the business office device; transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message to the business office device; and generating a second Internet electronic mail message to report a status of the business office device and transmitting the second Internet electronic mail message to the business office device server in response to the request for a status of the first Internet electronic mail message, when the business office device is in a normal operating condition, wherein the business office device comprises at least one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
157 words
A method for using Internet electronic mail to manage a business office device automatically without human intervention, comprising the steps of: monitoring a business office device by a business office device server; generating a first Internet electronic mail message by the business office device server, the first Internet electronic mail message including a request for a status of the business office device determined using sensors within the business office device; transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message to the business office device; and generating a second Internet electronic mail message to report a status of the business office device and transmitting the second Internet electronic mail message to the business office device server in response to the request for a status of the first Internet electronic mail message, when the business office device is in a normal operating condition, wherein the business office device comprises at least one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: analyzing the first Internet electronic mail message; and performing a mechanical action by the business office device, in response to the analyzing step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein: the step of analyzing is performed by the business office device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein the analyzing step includes: parsing the first Internet electronic mail message; and determining an action which the first Internet electronic mail message requests to be taken.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of: analyzing the first Internet electronic mail message by performing the steps of: parsing the first Internet electronic mail message; and determining an action which the first Internet electronic mail message requests to be taken.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of generating the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: generating the first electronic mail message to include an identifier followed by an “@” symbol followed by a domain name.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of generating the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: generating the first electronic mail message to include a description of an encoding type of the e-mail message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message through a firewall of a network which includes the business office device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step comprises: transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message without using a telephone line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step comprises: transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message through a Local Area Network (“LAN”) which includes the business office device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the transmitting step comprises: transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message without using a telephone line.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
162 words
A system for using Internet electronic mail to manage a business office device automatically without human intervention, comprising: means for monitoring a business office device by a business office device server; means for generating a first Internet electronic mail message by the business office device server, the first Internet electronic mail message including a request for a status of the business office device determined using sensors within the business office device; means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message to the business office device; and means for generating a second Internet electronic mail message to report a status of the business office device and transmitting the second Internet electronic mail message to the business office device server in response to the request for a status of the first Internet electronic mail message, when the business office device is in a normal operating condition, wherein the business office device comprises at least one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
162 words
A system for using Internet electronic mail to manage a business office device automatically without human intervention, comprising: means for monitoring a business office device by a business office device server; means for generating a first Internet electronic mail message by the business office device server, the first Internet electronic mail message including a request for a status of the business office device determined using sensors within the business office device; means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message to the business office device; and means for generating a second Internet electronic mail message to report a status of the business office device and transmitting the second Internet electronic mail message to the business office device server in response to the request for a status of the first Internet electronic mail message, when the business office device is in a normal operating condition, wherein the business office device comprises at least one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 12 , further comprising: means for analyzing the first Internet electronic mail message; and means for performing a mechanical action by the business office device, in response an operation of the means for analyzing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 13 , wherein: the means for analyzing is a part of the business office device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 13 , wherein the means for analyzing includes: means for parsing the first Internet electronic mail message; and means for determining an action which the first Internet electronic mail message requests to be taken.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 12 , further comprising: means for analyzing the first Internet electronic mail message including: means for parsing the first Internet electronic mail message; and means for determining an action which the first Internet electronic mail message requests to be taken.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein the means for generating the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: means for generating the first electronic mail message to include an identifier followed by an “@” symbol followed by a domain name.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 17 , wherein the means for generating the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: means for generating the first electronic mail message to include a description of an encoding type of the e-mail message.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein the means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message comprises: means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message through a firewall of a network which includes the business office device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein the means for transmitting comprises: means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message without using a telephone line.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according claim 12 , wherein the means for transmitting comprises: means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message through a Local Area Network (“LAN”) which includes the business office device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 21 , wherein the means for transmitting comprises: means for transmitting the first Internet electronic mail message without using a telephone line.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-10-28 | 2006-04-29 | 2006-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-10-28 | 2010-04-29 | 2010-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-10-28 | 2014-04-29 | 2014-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |