US5293197A — Image forming device capable of being maintained …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 141 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information stored in a storage medium, comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, connection means on said main body to which said storage medium storing management data indicative of an improvement history of the apparatus may be detachably connected, data reading means on the main body for reading the management data from said connected storage medium, first displaying means on the main body for displaying the improvement history of the apparatus based on said read management data, inputting means for inputting state data indicative of a stage in the improvement history of the device, storing means for storing said input state data, and second displaying means on the main body for displaying the stage in the improvement history of the apparatus based on the state data stored in said storing means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 141 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information stored in a storage medium, comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, connection means on said main body to which said storage medium storing management data indicative of an improvement history of the apparatus may be detachably connected, data reading means on the main body for reading the management data from said connected storage medium, first displaying means on the main body for displaying the improvement history of the apparatus based on said read management data, inputting means for inputting state data indicative of a stage in the improvement history of the device, storing means for storing said input state data, and second displaying means on the main body for displaying the stage in the improvement history of the apparatus based on the state data stored in said storing means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first displaying means and said second displaying means comprise a common display portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said the state data of said storing means is updated every time said storing means receives an input from said inputting means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: determining means for determining as to whether the validity of said connected storage medium expires or not, and third displaying means responsive to the determination output of said determining means for displaying the expiration of the validity of the storage medium.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: determining means for determining as to whether the storage medium connected to said connection means stores management data or not, and controlling means responsive to the determination output of said determining means for simultaneously activating said first displaying means and said second displaying means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 123 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, connection means on the main body to which said storage medium storing management data of the apparatus is detachably connected, data reading means on the main body for reading the management data from said connected storage medium, first displaying means on the main body for displaying a plurality of items based on said read management data, selecting means for selecting at least one of said displayed items, storing means for storing item data corresponding to said selected item, and second displaying means on the main body for displaying a predetermined item based on the item data stored in said storing means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 123 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, connection means on the main body to which said storage medium storing management data of the apparatus is detachably connected, data reading means on the main body for reading the management data from said connected storage medium, first displaying means on the main body for displaying a plurality of items based on said read management data, selecting means for selecting at least one of said displayed items, storing means for storing item data corresponding to said selected item, and second displaying means on the main body for displaying a predetermined item based on the item data stored in said storing means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: determining means for determining as to whether validity of said connected storage medium expires or not, and third displaying means responsive to the determination output of said determining means for displaying the expiration of the validity of the storage medium.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second displaying means and said third displaying means include a common display portion.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 52 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: determining means for determining as to whether the storage medium connected to said connection means stores management data, and controlling means responsive to the determination output of said determining means for simultaneously activating said first displaying means and said second displaying means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said management data comprises service data.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 116 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium, comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, attaching means provided in the main body to which said storage medium storing management data of the apparatus is detachably attached, detecting means provided in the main body for detecting the attachment of said storage medium, permanent storing means in the main body for storing state data of the apparatus relative to said management data, and displaying means provided in the main body responsive to the detection output of said detecting means for reading said stored management data from said storage medium and state data from said storage means and for displaying the same.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 116 words

An image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium, comprising: a main body of the image forming apparatus, attaching means provided in the main body to which said storage medium storing management data of the apparatus is detachably attached, detecting means provided in the main body for detecting the attachment of said storage medium, permanent storing means in the main body for storing state data of the apparatus relative to said management data, and displaying means provided in the main body responsive to the detection output of said detecting means for reading said stored management data from said storage medium and state data from said storage means and for displaying the same.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 43 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: inputting means for inputting the state data of the apparatus, and updating means for updating the state data stored in said storing means by using the state data input in said inputting means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said management data includes data indicative of the improvement history of the apparatus.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said state data includes data indicative of the stage in said improvement history of the apparatus.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 58 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: determining means for determining as to whether the attached storage medium is at a predetermined state, and controlling means responsive to the determination output of said determining means for controlling said displaying means to display a predetermined message in place of said stored management data and state data.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said predetermined state includes a state of the expiration of the validity of the storage medium and said predetermined message relates to the validity.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 92 words

A management system of an image forming apparatus comprising: a storage medium detachably provided at an image forming apparatus for storing management data of said image forming apparatus, detecting means provided in said image forming apparatus for detecting an attachment of said storage medium, storing means provided in said image forming apparatus for storing state data of the apparatus relative to said management data, and displaying means provided in said image forming apparatus and responsive to the detection output of said detecting means for displaying said stored management data and state data.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 92 words

A management system of an image forming apparatus comprising: a storage medium detachably provided at an image forming apparatus for storing management data of said image forming apparatus, detecting means provided in said image forming apparatus for detecting an attachment of said storage medium, storing means provided in said image forming apparatus for storing state data of the apparatus relative to said management data, and displaying means provided in said image forming apparatus and responsive to the detection output of said detecting means for displaying said stored management data and state data.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 44 words

In management system according to claim 17, said image forming apparatus comprises: inputting means for inputting state data of the apparatus, and updating means for updating the state data stored in said storing means by using the state data input by said inputting means.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of managing an image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium detachably provided at a main body, comprising the steps of: reading management data from a storage medium detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus for storing management data indicative of an improvement history of the apparatus, displaying the improvement history of the image forming apparatus based on said read management data, and storing state data indicative of a stage in the improvement history of the image forming apparatus in a permanent memory provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of managing an image forming apparatus operable in response to information from a storage medium detachably provided at a main body, comprising the steps of: reading management data from a storage medium detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus for storing management data indicative of an improvement history of the apparatus, displaying the improvement history of the image forming apparatus based on said read management data, and storing state data indicative of a stage in the improvement history of the image forming apparatus in a permanent memory provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

The managing method according to claim 19, wherein said storing step includes a step of erasing the already stored state data and storing new state data in the memory.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 29 words

The managing method according to claim 19, wherein state data is also displayed together with the management data including the improvement history of the device in said displaying step.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of managing an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: attaching a storage medium detachably provided at the image forming apparatus for storing management data of the image forming apparatus, determining the attachment of said storage medium, reading the management data from said attached storage medium, and reading state data relative to said management data and stored in a permanent memory in said image forming apparatus, and displaying said read management data and state data.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of managing an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: attaching a storage medium detachably provided at the image forming apparatus for storing management data of the image forming apparatus, determining the attachment of said storage medium, reading the management data from said attached storage medium, and reading state data relative to said management data and stored in a permanent memory in said image forming apparatus, and displaying said read management data and state data.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

The managing method according to claim 22 further comprising: inputting new state data, and updating the state data stored in said image forming apparatus by said inputted new state data.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 38 words

The managing method according to claim 22, wherein said determination step includes the steps of detecting the expiration of the validity of the attached storage medium and displaying the expiration of the validity detected in said detection step.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-03-07	1997-09-06	1998-03-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-03-07	2001-09-06	2002-03-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-03-07	2005-09-06	2006-03-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image forming device capable of being maintained easily by using IC card

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