JP2001297237A - Automatic ordering system for printer consumption article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a user is possibly unaware that a printer runs out of consumption articles and unable to print on the spot since the user notices that no consumption articles are left for the first time when trying to print. SOLUTION: This is a consumption article replenishment system which replenishes the printer with consumption articles and equipped with a user terminal 10 having a consumption article remaining quantity acquisition part which detects the remaining quantities of the consumption articles and a consumption article automatic ordering device 20 having a consumption article management part which automatically determines an order quantity according to the printer consumption remaining quantities obtained by the consumption remaining quantity acquisition and orders an article.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printer consumable supply system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A user replenishes consumables used in a printer by confirming the remaining amount of consumables and purchasing the same.

[0003]

Consumables are consumed intermittently in a printer. Consumables include, for example, paper and ink for printing. Since the user does not always know the remaining amount of these consumables, the user may be unaware that the consumables are running out. In this case, when the user tries to print, he or she notices that there is no consumable item, so that printing cannot be performed on the spot.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic printer consumable supply ordering system capable of solving the above-mentioned problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

[0005]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a consumable supply system for replenishing printer consumables, comprising: means for detecting a remaining amount of consumables of the printer; Means for automatically determining the order quantity based on the remaining amount of the consumables and placing an order.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a consumable supply system for replenishing printer consumables, comprising: a user terminal having a consumable remaining amount acquisition unit for detecting the remaining amount of consumables of a printer; A consumable supply automatic ordering apparatus having a consumable supply management unit for automatically determining an order amount based on the remaining amount of printer consumable supplies acquired by the acquisition unit and placing an order may be provided.

The above-mentioned automatic ordering device is communicably connected to a plurality of user terminals, and automatically determines an ordering amount based on the remaining amount of printer consumables obtained by the consumables remaining amount obtaining units of the plurality of user terminals. A consumables management unit that determines and places an order may be provided.

The above-mentioned automatic ordering apparatus is provided in a user terminal, and the consumables for automatically deciding the order quantity based on the remaining amount of the printer consumables obtained by the consumables remaining amount obtaining section and ordering. It may have a management unit.

[0009] The user terminal may have an ID transmitting unit for transmitting the printer ID of the printer used in the user terminal to the automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus. The user terminal may have an ID transmitting unit that transmits identification information of the consumable used in the printer to the automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus.

A consumables automatic ordering device monitors the remaining amount of printer consumables, and when the remaining amount reaches a predetermined amount, notifies the consumables management unit that the printer is ready for ordering. And an ordering unit that places an order in accordance with an instruction from the consumable supplies management unit when the orderable state is reached.

The automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus may have a consumable supply database storing information on consumable supplies, and an order history database for storing information on ordering. The automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus may include an order quantity calculation unit that calculates an order quantity according to the frequency of use of the consumable supplies from data on past order results stored in the order history database.

When a consumable item is ordered, a value corresponding to the price of the consumable item may be subtracted from points available on the Internet, which can be taken in and out via a communication line.

[0013] The ordering section may utilize the consumables database to select the supplier with the lowest total cost in consideration of the price of the consumables and the delivery cost.

The above summary of the present invention does not enumerate all of the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these features may also constitute the present invention.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the present invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention and have the features described in the embodiments. Not all combinations are essential to the solution of the invention.

First, an overview of the entire printing system to which the present invention is applied will be described.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a system for printing an advertisement provided using the Internet 40 according to the present embodiment. A user terminal 10 having a printer 50, an information transmitting device 60, a print management device 30, an automatic consumable supply device 20, and an identification information reading device 70 are connected to the Internet 40.

In the present embodiment, the information transmission device 60 provides an advertisement through the Internet 40 at the command of an advertisement client who provides a certain product or service. When the user who has viewed the advertisement prints the advertisement, the cost required for printing is borne by the information transmission device 60. The printing cost is paid by giving points to the user. This point has the same value as the printing cost. An example is electronic money. The print management device 30 manages a process in which an advertisement for which printing cost is paid is printed by a user request, and has a database necessary for the process management. One example of a database is a print history beta base that records when a user has made a print that generates points.

The printed matter of the advertisement is attached with, for example, information on the user who printed the advertisement and a barcode on which information on the printed advertisement is recorded. Such a printed matter with a barcode can be used as follows. That is, the user brings and submits a printing unit with a barcode when purchasing a product or the like to be advertised. Information held by the barcode is read by an identification information reading device 70 (here, a barcode reader) placed in a store that provides products and the like. The read information and the purchase result are sent to the point-added print processing unit 81 and recorded.

If this record is totaled, statistical information on the case where the user browses the advertisement and subsequently purchases the product can be obtained, which can be used for evaluating the advertisement effect. The evaluation of the advertising effect allows for more effective advertising.

The automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus 20 has a configuration characteristic of the present embodiment, and checks the remaining amount of consumables such as paper or ink used in the printer 50, and automatically checks the amount of consumables to be used up. Place an order with.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the user terminal 10 and the printer 50 used in the present invention. User terminal 1
Reference numeral 0 includes a print processing unit with a point 81, an ID transmission unit 91, and a consumables remaining amount acquisition unit 100.

The point-added print processing section 81 performs print processing of print information to which points are given. ID transmission unit 91
Transmits the ID specifying the printer used by the user and the IDs of consumables such as paper and ink cartridges used in the printer to the automatic consumables ordering device 20. The consumables remaining amount obtaining unit 100 checks and obtains the remaining amount of the consumables of the printer.

The printer 50 includes a print monitoring unit 110 and a print certification unit 120. The print monitoring unit 110 monitors whether printing has been performed normally and whether the paper used for printing is the paper that should be used. Print certification unit 120
Issues a certificate certifying that the printing of the print information to which the points are given has been performed normally and that the printing is correct. For example, an electronic signature is used for the certificate, and the certificate is encrypted by the print certification unit. Print monitoring unit 110
The print certification unit 120 is necessary to ensure that points given for printing are valid.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an information transmitting device 60 used in the present invention. The information transmitting device 60 includes the information presenting unit 1
30 and a point issuing unit 140.

The information presenting unit 130 is connected to the Internet 40
The advertisement is presented to the user terminal 10 through.

The point issuing unit 140 is provided for the print management device 3
Points are issued in response to a point request from 0.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of the print management device 30.
The print management device 30 is roughly divided into a print management unit with points 150 and at least one or more databases.

The print management unit with points 150 includes a print authentication unit with points 160, a print cost calculation unit 170, a point request unit 180, and an identification information provision unit 190.

The print authentication unit 160 with points decodes and authenticates the print certificate issued by the print certification unit 120 of the printer 50.

The print cost calculation section 170 calculates the cost required for the printing in which points are given. To calculate the printing cost, a user database 80 described later is used.

The point request unit 180 requests the information transmitting device 60 for the printing cost authenticated by the print authentication unit 160 with points.

The identification information assigning section 190 assigns a user ID and identification information for specifying an advertisement to be printed to the print information.

The databases include a user database 80, an information usage statistics database 82, and a print history database 84. Samples of each database will be described.

FIG. 5 shows a sample of the user database 80. A user ID for specifying a user is given to each user. For each user, a contact with phone number or email is recorded. Further, a printing environment for each user is recorded. As the printing environment, an ID for specifying the printer used by the user, the model of the printer, the type of paper used in the printer, and the type of the ink cartridge are registered in advance. Based on the registered information, the cost required to print one sheet is determined. Each user has points used to bear the printing cost. There is a column indicating the points owned by each user at the time of counting, which is obtained as a result of counting the increase and decrease of the points. further,
There is a column in which the number of printed print information items for which points are imposed on the information transmitting device 60 within a predetermined period is shown for each user.

FIG. 6 shows a sample of the information use statistical database 82. The information usage statistics database 82 stores information for a print information source (URL of a Web page) to which points are given within a predetermined period (monthly in a sample).
A column is provided which indicates how many print requests have been made and how many of them have resulted in the purchase of the advertised product or the like. As a result, the effect of the advertisement can be quantitatively evaluated from the fluctuation of the number of requests every month, which information source is popular, or the ratio of the number of print requests to the number of purchases.

FIG. 7 shows a sample of the print history database 84. In the print history database 84, when points are generated for each user, the results are accumulated. In the sample, the date when the points are generated, the target for generating the points, and the UR of the Web page that is the information source
Columns are provided for L and points that have occurred. The print history database 84 stores the points currently held by the user in the user database 80,
And a database from which the number of prints of print information to which points are given within a predetermined period is calculated.

FIG. 8 shows an outline of the automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus 20. The automatic consumable supplies ordering apparatus 20 roughly includes a consumable supplies management unit 200 and at least one or more databases.

The automatic consumables ordering device 20 includes a remaining amount monitoring unit 2
10, an order amount calculation unit 220 and an order unit 230 are provided. The remaining amount monitoring unit 210 issues a command for checking the remaining amount of consumables such as paper and ink used in the printer 50.
The order quantity calculation unit 220 calculates the order quantity according to the degree to which the user consumes the consumables. The ordering unit 230 orders the quantity obtained by the order quantity calculation unit 220.

The databases included in the automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus 20 are a consumable supply database 86, an order history database 88, and a trader database 90.

FIG. 9 shows a sample of the consumables database 86. The consumables database 86 has an ID column for specifying a consumable item for each consumable item, an ID column for specifying a trader who handles the consumable item, and a column indicating the price at which the consumable item is traded. .

FIG. 10 shows a sample of the order history database 88. The order history database 88 records the order history of consumables for each user. The fields of the order history database 88 include a user ID, an order date, and a consumable item I.
D, the ordered quantity, the supplier ID of the supplier to which the order is placed, and the cost required for ordering the consumables are described.

FIG. 11 shows a sample of the trader database 90. The trader database 90 has, as data, a trader ID for specifying a trader who handles consumables, a trader name, a delivery area where the trader can deliver goods at a fixed transportation cost, a telephone number, and contact information such as e-mail.

FIG. 12 shows a sequence chart of the printing system of the present invention. The user terminal 10 receives an advertisement from the information transmitting device 60 (S10). User terminal 10
The point-added print information is exchanged between the printer and the print management device 30 (S20). Upon receiving the print information from the print management device 30, the user terminal 10 causes the printer 50 to execute a print process (S30). When the process is performed normally, the user terminal 10 transmits the print certificate issued in the print process S30 to the print management device 30 (S40). The print authentication unit with points 160 decrypts the received print certificate and performs authentication processing (S5).
0). When the authentication is performed, the point request unit 180 requests the information transmitting device 60 for a point corresponding to the printing cost of the print information (S60). The information transmitting device 60 issues points and transmits the points to the information transmitting device 60 (S70). The transmitted points are added to the points held by the user (S80). Finally, the version of the encryption software that created the print certificate received from the user terminal 10 is checked (S90). If the encryption software version is not the latest, the user terminal 1
0, the latest software is transmitted (S100), and the print certification unit 1
Upgrade the 20 encryption software (S11
0).

FIG. 13 shows the transfer of the print information with points (S
20 shows a sequence chart for the process 20).
In the user terminal 10, it is selected whether to add print information to which points are given in addition to the advertisement provided by the information provider (S120). When the addition of the print information is selected, the user ID, the print request with the point, and the print information with the point request are transmitted (S13).
0), the selected print information is added (S140).

For example, when a user requests printing of a suit advertisement provided by an information provider, a tie advertisement can be printed separately, and the printing cost of the suit advertisement and the tie advertisement is charged. The tie advertisement may be held in the print management device 30 in advance, and may be presented to the user terminal when the addition of the print information with the point is selected (S120). As a result, it is possible to provide advertisements that widely cover products and the like that the user is interested in.

The advertisement provided by the information provider is
Ordinary advertisements without printing costs may be used. In this case, the printing cost of the entire printed matter may be borne, not limited to the printing cost required for the printing information to which the added points are given.

On the other hand, selection of adding print information with point (S
If nothing is selected in 120), the print request with point and the user ID are transmitted to the print management device 30 (S1).
50). The point-attached print management unit 150 checks the number of sheets printed by the point within a certain period from the user database 80 (S152). This number is
If the number is larger than the predetermined number, the user terminal 10 is notified of the excess in order to restrict the printing with the point (S1).
54). As a result, it is possible to prevent the printing with points from being performed more than necessary.

If the number of printed sheets with points within a certain period has not reached the predetermined number, the identification information providing unit 190 specifies, in the advertisement requested to be printed, identification information for specifying the advertisement and the user who requested printing. The user ID is added (S160). Identification information and user ID are
For example, it is woven into a barcode as information. Finally, the print information is transmitted to the user terminal (S17)
0).

FIG. 14 is a sequence chart showing the printing process (S30). The printer 50 receiving the print command (S180) from the user terminal 10 sends the print
10, the paper used for printing is detected (S19).
0). The paper is detected by, for example, an optical sensor. It is determined whether the detected paper is the same as the paper registered in the user database 80 and used by the user (S200). If it is different from the registered paper, notification of paper replacement is given (S210). If it is determined that the registered paper is set, a printing process is executed (S220). The printed matter includes an advertisement requested by the user and a barcode for specifying the user, the advertisement, and the like. After printing, the print monitoring unit 110 determines whether the print processing has been normally performed (S230). If the printing is not successful, the printing process is tried again. If it is determined that printing has been performed normally, the print certification unit 120 issues an encrypted print certificate (S24).
0), and transmits to the user terminal 10 (S250). The print certificate has information identifying the user and the printed advertisement and the number of sheets on which the user has printed the print information as information. The print certificate can be decrypted and authenticated by the print management device 30.

FIG. 15 shows a sequence chart for a process in which a printed advertisement is used. The printed matter including the advertisement and the barcode is carried by the user to the identification information reading device 70, and the information of the barcode is read (S380). The identification information reading device 70 includes, for example, a bar code reader of a cash register of a store. When the user purchases the advertised product or the like, the user brings the printed advertisement and presents the advertisement printed at the cash register. At the cash register, the information on the printed barcode is read. The identification information reading device 70 may present a discount of the product price to the user (S390). The user can purchase a product at a discounted price (S400).

When the price is transferred, information on the purchased product and the user ID are transmitted to the print management device 30 (S410), and the print history database is updated as the purchase result (S420). Thereby, the user's consumption behavior is accumulated as data.

"Sequence of Printer Consumables Automatic Ordering System"

FIG. 16 shows an outline of a system sequence chart for automatically ordering printer consumables which is a feature of the present embodiment. The automatic consumable supply device 20 determines whether it is time to check the remaining amount of printer consumables such as paper and ink used in the printer (S260). The consumption speed of the printer consumables by the user is calculated from the order history database 88. From this consumption speed, a timing is required at which time required for ordering and delivery can be taken before a day when all printer consumables are assumed to be exhausted. The check of the remaining amount of the consumables may be performed periodically, and in this case, a predetermined periodic timing is required. When these timings are met, a consumables remaining amount confirmation command is transmitted to the user terminal 10 (S262). If the timing does not correspond to the above timing, the processing in the sequence chart here ends.

The user terminal 10 checks the remaining amount and used amount of the printer consumables by the remaining amount monitoring unit 210 (S2).
70). The remaining amount and used amount of the obtained printer consumables, the printer ID and the consumables ID are stored in the user terminal 1.
0 (S280).

The consumables management unit 200 determines whether the remaining amount of printer consumables is sufficient (S310). The reference value of whether there is enough is a remaining amount set for each printer from the order history database 88 and the remaining amount and used amount of printer consumables. The higher the consumption rate of the consumable, the higher the reference value. In other words, in the case of the same remaining amount, even if the remaining amount has reached the reference value to be ordered in a printer with a high consumption speed, no order is placed since the reference value to be ordered is not reached in a printer with a low consumption speed. . In this way, it is possible to place an order according to the usage status of each printer.

If the remaining amount is sufficient, the processing in the sequence chart here ends. If the remaining amount has reached the reference value to be ordered, the order amount calculation unit 220 calculates the order amount (S320). The order quantity is determined in accordance with the consumption speed of the consumables, similarly to the remaining amount check. For a printer with a high consumption speed, the order quantity ordered at a time is, for example, proportional to the average consumption of consumables in a certain period.

Next, the supplier is determined by the consumables management unit 200. The supplier determines from among the traders having the location of the user in the delivery area recorded in the trader database 90, the trader who has the lowest selling price of the consumables stored in the consumables database 86. When the order quantity and the ordering party are determined, an order is placed (S340). The total cost can be reduced by selecting the supplier with the lowest selling price of the consumables from the suppliers in the delivery area requiring a certain transportation cost.

The exchange of the ordered consumables has the same value as the price, and points used on the Internet are:
For example, electronic money may be used. The points possessed by the user may be managed in and out by the automatic consumable supply device 20 or the user terminal 10. further,,
The point-added print management unit 150 uses the user database 8
0 may be used for management.

After the order is placed, it is determined whether the points can be used (S350). When the user has points and uses the points, the points are reduced from the points of the user corresponding to the price. If the point is not used, the process of using the point is skipped.

Finally, the results regarding the ordering of the consumables are recorded in the order history database 88, and the data is accumulated.

The automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus 20 may be included in the user terminal 10. The supplier to which the order is placed may be an electronic store. An electronic store can make a transaction on the Internet, receive an order for printer consumables by e-mail, and have the user deliver the ordered goods. Using an electronic store enables online operations from checking the remaining amount of printer consumables to ordering.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It should be noted that such modified or improved embodiments may be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
It is clear from the description of the claims.

[0064]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the user can operate the printer without running out of printer consumables.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a system for printing an advertisement provided using the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a user terminal and a printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an information transmitting device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a print management apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sample of a user database.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a sample of an information usage statistics database.

FIG. 7 illustrates a sample print history database.

FIG. 8 is a view schematically showing an automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a sample of a consumables database.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sample order history database.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a sample of a trader database.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a sequence chart of the printing system of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a sequence chart relating to a process of giving and receiving print information with points.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a sequence chart illustrating a printing process.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a sequence chart regarding a process in which a printed advertisement is used.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a sequence chart of a system for automatically ordering printer consumables.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal 20 Consumables automatic ordering apparatus 40 Internet 50 Printer 86 Consumables database 88 Order history database 90 Trader database 91 ID transmission unit 100 Consumables remaining amount obtaining unit 110 Printing monitoring unit 120 Print certification unit 130 Information presentation unit 200 Consumables Management unit 210 Remaining amount monitoring unit 220 Order quantity calculation unit 230 Order unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Norihisa Haneda 3-11-46 Izumi, Asaka-shi, Saitama Fujisha Shin Film Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Ito 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo No.F-term in Fujisha Shin Film Co., Ltd. (reference) LL09

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A consumable supply system for replenishing printer consumables, comprising: means for detecting the remaining amount of printer consumables; Means for determining and ordering the consumables. 2. A consumables supply system for replenishing printer consumables, comprising: a user terminal having a consumables remaining amount acquisition unit for detecting a remaining amount of printer consumables; A consumable supply automatic ordering apparatus having a consumable supply management unit for automatically determining an order quantity based on the remaining amount of printer consumables and placing an order. 3. The automatic ordering device is communicably connected to a plurality of user terminals, and is automatically based on the remaining amount of printer consumables acquired by the consumables remaining amount acquisition unit of the plurality of user terminals. 3. The consumable supply system according to claim 2, further comprising a consumable supply management unit that determines an order quantity and places an order. 4. The automatic ordering device is provided in the user terminal, and automatically determines an ordering amount based on the remaining amount of printer consumables obtained by the consumables remaining amount obtaining unit and performs ordering. The consumable supply system according to claim 2, further comprising a consumable supply management unit. 5. The consumable supply system according to claim 3, wherein the user terminal has an ID transmitting unit for transmitting identification information of a printer used in the user terminal to the consumable automatic ordering apparatus. . 6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the user terminal includes an ID transmitting unit for transmitting identification information of a consumable used by the printer to the automatic consumable supply ordering apparatus.
Consumable supply system described in 1. 7. The consumables automatic ordering device monitors the remaining amount of the printer consumables, and when the remaining amount reaches a predetermined amount, notifies the consumables management unit that the printer is ready for ordering. 7. A consumable supply according to claim 2, further comprising: a remaining amount monitoring unit for notifying the consumable supply, and an ordering unit for performing an order in accordance with an instruction from the consumable supply management unit when the consumable supply is ready. Supply system. 8. The consumables automatic ordering device according to claim 2, further comprising a consumables database storing information on consumables and an order history database storing information on ordering. The consumables replenishment system described in Crab. 9. The consumables automatic ordering device includes an order quantity calculating unit that calculates an order quantity according to the frequency of use of consumables from data on past order results stored in the order history database. The consumables replenishment system according to claim 8, characterized in that: 10. The system according to claim 2, wherein when the consumable is ordered, a value corresponding to the price of the consumable is subtracted from points available on the Internet, which can be put in and out via a communication line. 9. The consumable supply system according to any one of items 1 to 8. 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ordering unit uses the consumables database to select an ordering party having the lowest total cost in consideration of a consumables price and a delivery cost. Consumable supply system as described.