Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Document handling
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-26
2004-03-30
Grainger, Quana M. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Document handling
C399S024000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06714744
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus such as a printer, copying machine, or the like and, more particularly, to a printing apparatus which copes with a short supply of expendables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When expendables such as ink as a printing agent, paper sheets as a printing medium, or the like have run out, the conventional printing apparatus alerts the user to that state at that time, and the user supplies expendables in accordance with the information. A printing apparatus automatically ordering to a predetermined supplier based on supplier information stored in the apparatus in case of short supply of expendables is also provided.
However, it is very troublesome to supply expendables which have run out during a print process. Also, when expendables run short, the user must place an order to a retailer as a supplier of them, and a print process is suspended until the expendables are supplied.
Further, The main objective of the conventional manner of automatically ordering is to prevent expendables or stocks from running out. Thus, considering the cost and the like, useful retailers for users is not always set.
Further, when printing through use of a network, where there is a plurality of printing apparatuses, burdens on a system manager may increase since the manager must respectively manage each of the printing apparatuses and expendables such as toner and paper used in each of the printing apparatuses. A system which can easily manage expendables under such a network situation and can conduct useful ordering for users is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus which can quickly cope with a short supply of expendables, and an information method in the printing apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system, apparatus, method, medium, and program for managing expendables which can be ordered under useful conditions for users and can cope with a printing system under a network circumstance.
According to the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising:
measuring means for measuring a remaining amount of a predetermined expendable;
determination means for determining if the remaining amount is smaller than a threshold value, which is set in advance; and
information means for, when said determination means determines that the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold value, informing an user of that determination result.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an informing method for a printing apparatus, comprising:
the measuring step of measuring a remaining amount of a predetermined expendable;
the determination step of determining if the remaining amount is smaller than a threshold value, which is set in advance; and
the information step of informing an user of a determination result when it is determined in the determination step that the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold value.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording medium which records a program for making, for the purpose of informing a printing apparatus, a computer function as:
measuring means for measuring a remaining amount of a predetermined expendable;
determination means for determining if the remaining amount is smaller than a threshold value, which is set in advance; and
information means for, when said determination means determines that the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold value, informing an user of that determination result.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a printing apparatus comprising:
control means for issuing a search instruction for searching for supplier information of expendable used in the printing apparatus when the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables reaches a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for a printing apparatus comprising:
the control step of issuing search instruction for searching for supplier information of expendables used in the printing apparatus when the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables reaches a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording medium which records a program for making a computer for a printing apparatus function as:
control means for issuing a search instruction for searching for supplier information of expendables used in the printing apparatus when the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables reaches a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a program for making a computer for a printing apparatus function as:
control means for issuing a search instruction for searching for supplier information of expendables used in the printing apparatus when the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables reaches a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an external apparatus connected to a printing apparatus comprising:
control means for issuing a search instruction of expendables to an external database when it is informed that the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables which is detected by the printing apparatus reaches to a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for an external apparatus connected to a printing apparatus comprising:
the control step of issuing a search instruction of expendables to an external database when it is informed that the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables which is detected by the printing apparatus reaches to a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording medium which records a program for making a computer connected to a printing apparatus function as:
control means for issuing a search instruction of expendables to an external database when it is informed that the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables which is detected by the printing apparatus reaches to a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a program for making a computer connected to a printing apparatus function as:
control means for issuing a search instruction of expendables to an external database when it is informed that the remaining amount or the use amount of expendables which is detected by the printing apparatus reaches to a predetermined amount.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an external apparatus connected to a printing apparatus comprising:
receiving means for receiving a first search instruction from the printing apparatus, and
control means for issuing a second search instruction based on the received first search instruction to an external database via the Internet.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for an external apparatus connected to a printing apparatus comprising:
the receiving step of receiving a first search instruction from the printing apparatus, and
the control step for issuing a second search instruction based on the received first search instruction to an external database via the Internet.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a recording medium which records a program for making a computer connected to a printing apparatus function as:
receiving means for receiving a first search instruction from the printing apparatus, and
control means for issuing a second search instruction based on the received first search instruction to an external database via the Internet.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a program for making a computer connected to a printing apparatus function as:
receiving means for receiving a first search instruction from the printing apparatus, and
control means for issuing a second search instruction based on the received first search instruction to an external database via the Internet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5594529 (1997-01-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 60
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Grainger Quana M.
Robin Blecker & Daley
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