Diagnostic and administrative device for document production apparatus

Claim 3

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said device includes means for effecting check-out routines of replaceable units; and said listing means includes (1) means for identifying whether the listed replaceable units are of good or bad status, and (2) means for updating the status identifying means as check-out routines are run on the listed replaceable units.

Claim 4

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said device includes means for effecting check-out routines of replaceable units; and said listing means includes (1) means for identifying whether the listed replaceable units are of good or bad status, and (2) means for updating the status of one replaceable unit as check-out routines are run on other listed replaceable units.

Claim 5

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said replaceable unit listing means presents a list of replaceable units ranked in the order of probability that each listed replaceable unit is bad.

Claim 6

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for determining the order of probability that each listed replaceable unit is bad is adapted to determine the order on a basis of frequency of repair.

Claim 7

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for determining the order of probability that each listed replaceable unit is bad is adapted to determine a order on a basis of the date of last repair of the listed replaceable units.

Claim 8

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for determining the order of probability that each listed replaceable unit is bad is adapted to determine the order on a basis of a variable weighting factor.

Claim 9

A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said replaceable unit listing means presents a status entry pertaining to a condition of each listed replaceable unit.

Claim 10

A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said replaceable unit listing means presents an indication of how each status entry was determined.

Claim 11

A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said indication of how each status entry was determined includes means for determining status (1) from a check-out procedure for the replaceable unit to which the entry applies and (2) from a check-out procedure for a replaceable unit other than the replaceable unit to which the entry applies.

Claim 12

Document production apparatus having a plurality of replaceable units and diagnostic means for determining a condition of the replaceable units; said apparatus having: a computer control system for monitoring and controlling document production functions; a display means for providing instructions for error diagnostic sequences; a diagnostic microprocessor for processing diagnostic signals representative of document production device conditions, said microprocessor having data entry means, data output means, and storage means for storing diagnostic routines; and means for utilizing error isolation diagnostic procedures to identify suspect replaceable units, said procedures including displaying (1) a list of symptoms from which a user can select a symptom which best describes a condition of the document production apparatus, (2) a list, stored in said storage means, of suspect replaceable units which are being associated with a selected symptom, and (3) whether each suspect replaceable unit displayed is of good or bad status, wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures include displaying the list of supect replaceable units in an order of the probability of defect.

Claim 13

Document production apparatus having a plurality of replaceable units and diagnostic means for determining a condition of the replaceable units; said apparatus having: a computer control system for monitoring and controlling document production functions; a display means for providing instructions for error diagnostic sequences; a diagnostic microprocessor for processing diagnostic signals representative of document production device conditions, said microprocessor having data entry means, data output means, and storage means for storing diagnostic routines; and means for utilizing error isolation diagnostic procedures to identify suspect replaceable units, said procedures including displaying (1) a list of symptoms from which a user can select a symptom which best describes a condition of the document production apparatus, (2) a list, stored in said storage means, of suspect replaceable units which are being associated with a selected symptom, and (3) whether each suspect replaceable unit displayed is of good or bad status, wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures include displaying the list of supect replaceable units in an order of the probability of defect.

Claim 14

Document production apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures includes displaying how the status of each suspect replaceable unit was determined, whether by a check-out procedure for that unit or by a check-out procedure for another unit from which the condition of that unit can be inferred.

Claim 15

For use with a document production apparatus having a plurality of replaceable units and a computer control system for monitoring and controlling document production functions, diagnostic means for determining a condition of the replaceable units; said diagnostic means comprising: a display means for providing instructions for error diagnostic sequences; a diagnostic microprocessor for processing diagnostic signals representative of document production device conditions, said microprocessor having data entry means, data output means, and storage means for storing diagnostic routines; and means for utilizing error isolation diagnostic procedures to identify suspect replaceable units, said procedures including displaying (1) a list of symptoms from which a user can select a symptom which best describes a condition of the document production apparatus, (2) a list, stored in said storage means, of suspect replaceable units which are being associated with a selected symptom, and (3) the status of each suspect replaceable unit displayed, wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures include displaying the list of suspect replaceable units in an order of a probability of defect.

Claim 16

For use with a document production apparatus having a plurality of replaceable units and a computer control system for monitoring and controlling document production functions, diagnostic means for determining a condition of the replaceable units; said diagnostic means comprising: a display means for providing instructions for error diagnostic sequences; a diagnostic microprocessor for processing diagnostic signals representative of document production device conditions, said microprocessor having data entry means, data output means, and storage means for storing diagnostic routines; and means for utilizing error isolation diagnostic procedures to identify suspect replaceable units, said procedures including displaying (1) a list of symptoms from which a user can select a symptom which best describes a condition of the document production apparatus, (2) a list, stored in said storage means, of suspect replaceable units which are being associated with a selected symptom, and (3) the status of each suspect replaceable unit displayed, wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures include displaying the list of suspect replaceable units in an order of a probability of defect.

Claim 17

Diagnostic means as set forth in claim 13 wherein said error isolation diagnostic procedures includes displaying how the status of each suspect replaceable unit was determined, whether by a check-out procedure for that unit or by check-out procedure for another unit from which the condition of that unit can be inferred.

Claim 20

The method set forth in claim 15 further comprising listing the replaceable units ranked in the order of probability that each listed replaceable unit is bad.

Claim 21

The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising presenting a status entry pertaining to a condition of each listed replaceable unit.