EP0715221A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Imaging device with stock supervision means
Assignee: Kyocera Mita Industrial Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1995-11-28
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2015-11-28
Abstract
Abstract An imaging device supervision system stores data indicating, for instance, the number of sheets of paper supplied from each paper supply cassette in a copying machine (1), and/or the number of times the toner has been replenished, and the amount of toner cartridges in stock are stored in a copying machine supervision data base which is constructed, stored and maintained in a storage device, such as a hard drive. The supervision system (2) updates the stock amounts for each size of paper based on the data indicating the number of sheets of paper supplied, and formulates a consumable item delivery plan according to delivery conditions set in a delivery schedule setting screen 91, to reduce the downtime due to stocks of consumable items being exhausted in an imaging device (1). Further, the amount of toner cartridges in stock are updated by means of the number of times the toner has been replenished, and the stock data are displayed on a status information screen 66.
Inventors
- 👤 Yuji c/o Mita Industrial Co. Ltd. Yamashita
- 👤 Jiro c/o Mita Industrial Co. Ltd. Nagira
- 👤 Yasuhiro c/o Mita Industrial Co. Ltd. Hashimoto
- 👤 Fumio c/o Mita Industrial Co. Ltd. Aizawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:08
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/55; G03G15/553; G03G15/556; G03G15/50; G03G15/5075; G03G15/5079
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An imaging device supervision system comprising: an imaging device (1) having associated therewith a supply (12) of consumable items; a stock supervision device (2) electronically connected to said imaging device (1), said stock supervision device (2) being configured to electronically store stock data relating to said supply (12) of consumable items and said stock supervision device (2) being configured to update said stock data based on use data transmitted from said imaging device (1) to said stock supervision device (2); and a stock estimating device (4) connected to said stock supervision device (2), said stock estimating device (4) configured to estimate a time interval in which said supply (12) of consumable items of said imaging device (1) becomes exhausted in response to communications with said stock supervision device (2).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 1 wherein said stock supervision device (2) is connected to at least one sensor (14a, 15a, 16a, 17a) within said imaging device (1) which monitors paper usage within said imaging device (1).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 1 or 2, wherein said imaging device is a photocopying machine (1) and said stock supervision device (2) is connected to at least one sensor (34) within said photocopying machine (1) which monitors for a toner empty condition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The imaging device supervision system as in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said imaging device is a photocopying machine (1) and said stock supervision device (2) is connected to a controller (31) within said imaging device (1).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The imaging device supervision system as in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said stock estimating device is a host computer (4) having electronic communication means (3) connectable with a plurality of said supervision devices (2).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 5, wherein said host computer (4) calculates average use data for said imaging device (1), based on said use data, and estimates the time at which stocks of the consumable items will be exhausted, based on said stock data and said average use data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 5 or 6, wherein said supervision device (2) communicates at predetermined time intervals with said host computer (4).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The imaging device supervision system as in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said supervision device (2) transmits to said host computer (4) a paper supply count for each size of paper in said imaging device (1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The imaging device supervision system as in any of claims 5 to 8, wherein said supervision device (2) initiates communications with said host computer (4) in response to a predetermined variation in said use data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 9, wherein said supervision device (2) communicates with said host computer (4) in response to a toner-empty signal from said imaging device (2).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
The imaging device supervision system as in any of claims 5 to 10, wherein said host computer (4) is configured to calculate a delivery stock order of consumable items to add to said supply of consumable items in response to data transmitted from said supervision device to said host computer (4).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
An imaging device supervision system comprising: an imaging device (1); a supervision device (2) in electronic communication with said imaging device (1), said supervision device (2) being configured to electronically store stock data and use data, said supervision device (2) updating said stock data in response to said use data being transmitted from said imaging device (1); a host computer (4) in electronic communication with said supervision device (2), wherein said supervision device (2) being configured to compare said use data with said stock data and communicate with said host computer (4) in response to the comparison between said use data and said stock data and transmit said use data to said host computer (4);
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 10 or 12, wherein said stock data includes a threshold value representing a minimum amount of stock calculated based on previous use data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 10 or 12, wherein said host computer (4) calculates average use data based upon said use data, said host computer (4) calculates an estimated amount of consumable items used between a current date and an expected delivery date based upon said average use data, and said host computer (4) calculates a required minimum amount of stock based on a time lag between said expected delivery date and the real delivery date, and calculates an appropriate amount of stock based on said minimum amount of stock and said estimated amount of consumable items used.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The imaging device supervision system as in claim 10 or 12, wherein said host computer (4) includes a display means which displays said stock data.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for monitoring supplies of consumable items used by an imaging device (1) comprising the steps of: providing an imaging device with means (14a, 15a, 16a, 17a, 34) for sensing paper usage and toner usage and a supply (12) of paper proximate the imaging device (1); transmitting use data indicating paper usage to a supervision device (2) from the imaging device (1); transmitting use data from the supervision device (2) to a host computer (4), the host computer (4) maintaining a database having information about the supply of paper proximate the imaging device; calculating the amount of paper remaining proximate the imaging device (1) in response to the host computer (4) receiving transmitted use data from the supervision device (2); determining whether more paper is needed proximate the imaging device (1); calculating the amount of supplies needed to maintain a continuous supply of paper and toner proximate the imaging device (1) to avoid downtime.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of displaying the use data and the calculated information on a display monitor.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for monitoring supplies of consumable items used by an imaging device (1) comprising the steps of: providing an imaging device (1) with means (14a, 15a, 16a, 17a, 34) for sensing paper usage and toner usage and a supply (12) of paper and toner proximate the imaging device (1); transmitting use data indicating paper usage and toner usage to a supervision device (2) from the imaging device (1); transmitting use data from the supervision device (2) to a host computer (4), the host computer (4) maintaining a database having information about the supply of paper and toner proximate the imaging device (1); calculating the amount of supplies remaining proximate the imaging device (1) in response to the host computer (4) receiving transmitted use data from the supervision device (2); determining whether more supplies are needed proximate the imaging device (1); calculating the amount of supplies needed to maintain a continuous supply of paper and toner proximate the imaging device (1) to avoid downtime.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of displaying the use data and the calculated information on a display monitor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.