JP2017054155A - Consumable management system, server, and consumable management method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute delivery management of consumables on a server, to reliably deliver consumables with a simple configuration without managing order status of the consumables on an image forming device.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus (10) includes: a consumable state control unit (14) which reads identification information attached to consumables, and monitors state of the consumables; and a state change determination unit which determines whether to request delivery of new consumables, on the basis of the change in consumable state, and transmits the identification information of the consumables to a server (20) when transmitting the request for delivery of the new consumables to the server (20). The server (20) includes: a storage unit (22) which stores the identification information of the consumables already delivered in the past; a data analysis processing unit (24) which reads the identification information of the consumables; and an automatic delivery determination unit (25) which determines whether the read identification information has been stored in the storage unit (22) or not, and executes automatic delivery processing for delivering the consumables when the information has not been stored.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a consumable management system and server, and more particularly to a consumable management system for managing delivery of consumables used in an image forming apparatus, a server for managing the consumables, and a consumable management method.

For example, in an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral that performs image development (printing) on recording paper by developing with toner, the toner is consumed when the image is formed on the recording paper. For this reason, for example, in an image forming apparatus that supplies toner from a toner cartridge, the toner cartridge is a consumable item. Accordingly, it is necessary to appropriately order and replace the toner cartridge according to the decrease in the toner in the toner cartridge.
For example, with respect to a system for ordering and exchanging consumables, the image forming apparatus is connected to a management server such as a sales company that handles consumables via a network, and the consumables are stored in the image forming apparatus. The decrease is monitored, and a delivery request is transmitted to the management server when a predetermined ordering timing is reached. The management server executes processing for delivering the requested consumable item to the request source in response to the transmitted delivery request.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a consumable management system for easily ordering consumables for devices and appropriately performing them at an intended time. In this consumables management system, a device that requires replacement of consumables and a management server that manages the ordering / delivery of consumables are connected via a communication path. A recording medium for storing the ID number of the consumable case is attached to the consumable case. The device reads the ID number of the recording medium of the consumable case and notifies it to the management server when placing an order for delivery of the consumable case with the remaining amount of consumables being a predetermined amount or less to the management server. When there is an order for a consumable case, the management server notifies the device in advance of the ID number of the consumable case delivered according to the order, and the device stores the notified ID number in the nonvolatile memory, and the ID number Order management and delivery management. As a result, it is possible to prevent duplicate orders on the device side.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a printer for the purpose of allowing a printer to confirm an ordered state without connecting to a server through a network or the like and making an inquiry. The printer includes an input unit that receives input of ordering information necessary for ordering consumables, a storage device that stores newly received ordering information, and ordered information including ordering information that has been processed. An order processing means for reading newly received order information and transmitting it to the order management destination via the network, and when the order information is transmitted to the order management destination, the ordered information is updated to include the order information. Information update means and display means for reading the ordered information from the storage device and displaying at least information indicating that the order has been placed and information indicating the type of the consumable item that has been ordered. As a result, the order status of the printer can be confirmed by operating only the printer.

JP 2005-18141 A JP 2007-223264 A

As described above, there is a system in which a delivery request for consumables consumed by the image forming apparatus is transmitted to a management server, and the management server executes delivery processing according to the delivery request.
In this case, conventionally, a system for avoiding double ordering of consumables (ordering more than the necessary number of consumables twice) has been executed. As an example, when the remaining amount of toner, which is a consumable item, is monitored by the image forming apparatus, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge falls below a certain value, the image forming apparatus delivers to the management server. Send a request. At this time, a toner delivery completed flag indicating that a toner delivery request has been transmitted is set to ON. After that, when the toner in the toner cartridge becomes empty and the next new toner cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus notifies the management server that the toner cartridge has been replaced with a new one, and the toner is delivered. Set the completed flag to OFF. Thus, the toner cartridge delivery request can be made only once for each toner cartridge, and double ordering can be prevented.

However, there may be a problem with the system as described above. For example, it is assumed that there is a user who has two kitchens having the same image forming apparatus. These image forming apparatuses are referred to as image forming apparatuses A and B. Here, it is assumed that the toner of the image forming apparatus A runs out while the image forming apparatus A is in use. At this time, the toner delivery completed flag of the image forming apparatus A is ON.
Here, it is assumed that the user moves and attaches the toner cartridge in use in the image forming apparatus B to the image forming apparatus A. In this case, since a new toner cartridge is not installed in the image forming apparatus A, the toner delivery completed flag remains ON. Here, for example, the installed information is set when a new toner cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus by the non-volatile memory included in the toner cartridge, and the toner cartridge is moved to another image forming apparatus and installed. Even in such a case, the image forming apparatus does not recognize that a new toner cartridge has been installed based on the installed information set in the non-volatile memory, and the toner delivery completed flag is kept ON.

  In this state, the image forming apparatus A is used until the toner in the toner cartridge runs out, but the toner delivery completed flag of the image forming apparatus A remains ON, and in order to avoid double ordering, a toner cartridge delivery request Will not be sent. As a result, an event occurs in which the delivery request is not transmitted to the toner cartridge originally mounted on the image forming apparatus B even if the toner runs out.

As described above, even when the mechanism for preventing double ordering is constructed by the image forming apparatus alone, when a toner cartridge in use is mounted, a delivery request for the toner cartridge in use is transmitted. The toner cartridge management problem may occur.
In Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above, a device (image forming apparatus) connected to a server manages the order status of consumables and prevents duplicate orders. However, since the order status of consumables is not managed on the management server side to which a plurality of multifunction peripherals are connected, it is not possible to centrally manage the usage status of consumables in devices on the network.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a system in which an image forming apparatus is connected to a server and a consumables delivery request is transmitted to the server, consumables delivery management is executed by the server. Thus, it is possible to provide a consumable management system, a server, and a consumable management method that can reliably deliver consumables with a simple configuration without having to individually manage the order status of consumables on the image forming apparatus side. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the first technical means of the present invention is configured to manage one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a server so that they can communicate with each other via a network and manage consumables of the image forming apparatuses. In this consumable management system, the image forming apparatus reads out identification information given to a predetermined consumable used in the image forming apparatus and monitors the state of the consumable State change determination for determining whether to perform a new consumable delivery request process based on the state of the consumable when there is a change in the state of the consumable monitored by the control unit and the consumable state control unit And the state change determination unit transmits the identification information of the consumable item to the server when the new consumable item needs to be delivered, and the server is a consumable item that has been delivered in the past. Product identification information A storage unit that stores information, a data analysis processing unit that reads identification information of the consumables transmitted from the image forming apparatus in accordance with a delivery request for the consumables transmitted from the image forming apparatus, and the data analysis processing unit An automatic delivery determination unit that determines whether or not the identification information is already stored in the storage unit, and executes an automatic delivery process for delivering the consumable when not stored. Is.

  According to a second technical means, in the first technical means, when the image forming apparatus transmits information indicating the delivery request to the server, a unique identification assigned to identify the image forming apparatus is provided. The information is transmitted to a server, and the server determines a destination of the consumable when executing the automatic delivery processing of the consumable based on identification information for identifying the image forming apparatus. is there.

  A third technical means is a consumable management server in which one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses are communicably connected via a network, and stores the identification information of consumables that have been delivered in the past. A data analysis processing unit that reads identification information of the consumables transmitted from the image forming device in accordance with a delivery request for the consumables transmitted from the image forming device, and the identification information read by the data analysis processing unit is An automatic delivery determination unit that determines whether the storage unit has already been stored and, if not, stores an automatic delivery process for delivering the consumables, .

  According to a fourth technical means, in the third technical means, the server uses the consumable item based on unique identification information given to identify the image forming apparatus transmitted from the image forming apparatus. It is characterized in that the destination of consumables when performing the automatic delivery process is determined.

  A fifth technical means is a consumable management method for managing consumables of the image forming apparatus, wherein one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a server are communicably connected via a network. The forming apparatus reads the identification information given to the predetermined consumable used in the image forming apparatus, monitors the state of the consumable, and changes the state of the monitored consumable. Determining whether to perform a new consumable delivery request process based on the state of the consumable, and when performing the new consumable delivery required processing, transmitting the consumable identification information to the server, The server stores the identification information of the consumables that have been delivered in the past, reads out the identification information of the consumables corresponding to the delivery request in accordance with the consumables delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus, and the read identification information The storage unit previously determined whether stored in, if not stored, to execute the automatic delivery processing for delivering the consumables, it is obtained by it said.

  According to the present invention, in a system in which an image forming apparatus is connected to a server and a consumables delivery request is transmitted to the server, the consumables delivery management is executed by the server, thereby causing individual consumption on the image forming apparatus side. It is possible to provide a consumables management system, a server, and a consumables management method capable of reliably delivering consumables with a simple configuration without managing the ordering status of the goods.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a main configuration of an image forming apparatus and a server according to the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the flow of a process in the consumables management system which concerns on this invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of the image forming apparatus in the consumable management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating an example of the process of the server in the consumables management system by embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of main parts of an image forming apparatus and a server according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 is configured as a MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Printer / Product) having a plurality of functions such as a facsimile communication function, a data filing function, and a scanner function in addition to a printer function and a copy function.

  The image forming unit 11 has a function of forming (printing) image data on a recording sheet. Here, image data acquired by a scanner unit (not shown), and other data acquired from an external device or a memory can be formed on a recording sheet. For example, the image forming unit 11 includes a recording paper conveyance device, a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a laser unit, a developing device, a transfer separation device, a cleaning device, a fixing device, and the like, and performs image formation by an electrophotographic process. Composed. Or you may print by other systems, such as a laser printer.

  The image forming unit 11 is mounted with a toner cartridge 12 that contains toner for forming an image on a recording sheet. The toner cartridge 12 stores unique physical identification information, for example, ID (identification) information, which can individually identify the toner cartridge 12. Here, for example, an IC chip is mounted on a toner cartridge, and ID information is recorded in advance in a nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or a ferroelectric memory. Alternatively, this ID information may be configured by a simple method such as a barcode.

The storage unit 16 temporarily stores data such as a nonvolatile ROM (Read Only Memory) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores programs and data for executing the functions of the image forming apparatus 10, and data. Storage means such as RAM (Random Access Memory).
The control unit 13 reads out and executes a control program stored in the storage unit 16 by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), thereby various functions according to the embodiment of the present invention. Is realized. The functions realized by the control unit 13 include a consumable state control unit 14 and a state change determination unit 15.

The consumable state control unit 14 reads identification information from the toner cartridge 12. Further, the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge 12 is monitored (monitored), and if there is a change in the toner state, the state change determination unit 15 is notified. For example, the remaining amount sensor in the toner cartridge 12 notifies the change in the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge to the state change determination unit 15.
The state change determination unit 15 determines whether or not to perform toner delivery request processing based on the remaining amount of toner notified from the consumable item state control unit 14. For example, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge 12 falls below a predetermined level, it is determined that the toner delivery request process is to be performed.
When the toner delivery request process is performed, the toner cartridge identification information is added to the command parameter, and is sent to the communication unit 17 as an alert notification of the toner delivery request.
The communication unit 17 communicates with a counterpart device, for example, the server 20 via the network N, and transmits and receives data. The communication unit 17 transmits an alert notification of the toner delivery request sent from the state change determination unit 15 to the server 20.

The server 20 communicates with the image forming apparatus 10 via the network N. Note that a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 can be connected to the server 20, and toner delivery requests from the plurality of image forming apparatuses 10 can be centrally managed.
The storage unit 22 is a storage unit such as a nonvolatile ROM or HDD that stores programs and data for executing the functions of the server, and a RAM that temporarily stores data. The storage unit 22 stores the ID of a toner cartridge that has been delivered in the past. As a result, when the ID of a toner cartridge that has been delivered in the past is transmitted again, the delivery of the toner cartridge can be rejected again.
The communication unit 21 communicates with an external device via the network N, and transmits and receives data.

The control unit 23 implements various functions according to the embodiment of the present invention by reading out and executing a control program stored in the storage unit 22 by a processor such as a CPU or MPU. The control unit 23 includes a data analysis processing unit 24 and an automatic delivery determination unit 25 as functions executed by the control unit.
The data analysis processing unit 24 determines whether the notification is a toner delivery request alert notification based on the contents of the command parameter included in the data transmitted from the image forming apparatus 10. If it is an alert notification for a toner delivery request, an ID, which is toner cartridge identification information, is extracted from the alert notification and notified to the automatic delivery determination unit 25.

  The automatic delivery determination unit 25 determines whether the same ID as the toner cartridge ID notified from the data analysis processing unit 24 is stored in the storage unit 22. If the same ID as the toner cartridge notified from the data analysis processing unit 24 is not stored in the storage unit, it is determined that the toner cartridge is the first toner delivery request. At this time, an automatic delivery process operates in the server 20, and based on this, a toner cartridge having a new ID is delivered to the user.

  In this example, the toner cartridge is taken as an example of the consumable item. However, the consumable item is a component that constitutes a part of the apparatus in terms of function, and whose performance can be recovered and maintained by replacement. For example, in the case of the image forming apparatus 10, in addition to the toner cartridge, the photosensitive member cartridge, the cartridge in which the developing member and the photosensitive member are integrally formed, the ink cartridge, the cartridge in which the ink tank and the print head are integrally formed, thermal transfer An ink sheet cartridge for a system can be targeted.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the flow of processing in the consumable item management system according to the present invention. In this example, it is assumed that two MFPs (MFP A and MFP B) having the same specifications are connected to a server (management server) via a network. Each multifunction machine is an example of an image forming apparatus. Here, an example of a toner cartridge is given as a consumable that is consumed by the multifunction peripheral.

Here, it is assumed that a toner cartridge with ID: 0001 is attached to the multifunction device A, and a toner cartridge with ID: 0002 is attached to the multifunction device B.
First, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge of the multi-function device A becomes a certain value or less, it is considered that the toner delivery timing has occurred (S1). In this case, the MFP A transmits an alert notification of a toner delivery request to the server (S2). Identification information of ID: 0001 is given to the alert notification of the toner delivery request.

  The server that has received the alert notification of the toner delivery request from the multifunction peripheral A extracts the ID (identification information) from the parameters included in the alert notification. In the server, the ID of the toner cartridge that has already been delivered is stored, and the ID extracted from the alert notification is compared with the ID of the toner cartridge that has been recorded as delivered. As a result of the comparison, if the same ID extracted from the alert notification is not recorded as delivered, it is assumed that the toner cartridge has not been delivered, and automatic delivery processing of the toner cartridge is executed in the management server. In the automatic delivery process, for example, instruction information for delivery is transmitted to a predetermined delivery department, and the delivery process is executed by the delivery department.

  When the automatic delivery process is performed, the server stores the ID of the toner cartridge that has undergone the automatic delivery process. In this case, since the server does not record ID: 0001 included in the alert notification transmitted from the multifunction device A as the delivered ID, the new toner cartridge is automatically delivered to the multifunction device A. (S3). A new ID that is not recorded as an ID already delivered by the server is assigned to the new toner cartridge.

  Next, it is assumed that the toner cartridge (ID: 0002) in use in the multifunction device B is replaced with the toner cartridge of the multifunction device A (S4). As a result, the ID of the toner cartridge in use in the multifunction device A is ID: 0002. Thereafter, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge becomes equal to or less than a certain value in the multi-function device A, it is considered that the toner delivery timing has occurred (S5). In this case, the MFP A transmits an alert notification of a toner delivery request to the server (S6). Identification information of ID: 0002 is assigned to the alert notification of the toner delivery request.

The server that has received the alert notification of the toner delivery request from the multifunction peripheral A extracts the ID (identification information) from the parameters included in the alert notification. The server checks the ID extracted from the alert notification by comparing the ID of the toner cartridge recorded as delivered. As a result of the comparison, if the same ID extracted from the alert notification is not recorded as delivered, it is assumed that the toner cartridge has not been delivered, and the toner cartridge automatic delivery process is executed in the server. When the automatic delivery process is performed, the server stores the ID of the toner cartridge that has undergone the automatic delivery process.
In this case, since the ID: 0002 included in the alert notification transmitted from the multifunction device A is not recorded in the server as the delivered ID, the new toner cartridge is automatically delivered to the multifunction device A. (S7). A new ID that is not recorded as an ID already delivered by the server is assigned to the new toner cartridge. At this time, ID: 0001 and ID: 0002 are recorded as delivered IDs in the storage unit of the server.

Next, it is assumed that the toner cartridge (ID: 0001) originally mounted on the multifunction device A is replaced with the toner cartridge of the multifunction device B (S8). As a result, the ID of the toner cartridge in use in the multifunction machine B becomes ID: 0001.
In the multi-function device B, when the toner remaining amount in the toner cartridge falls below a certain value, it is considered that the toner delivery timing has occurred. However, the toner cartridge (ID: 0001) installed in the multi-function device A is already in the toner. Since the remaining amount is equal to or less than a certain value, it is detected that the remaining amount of toner in the multifunction device B is equal to or less than the certain value when it is attached to the multifunction device B, and it is considered that the toner delivery timing has occurred. (S9).
In this case, the multifunction peripheral B transmits an alert notification of a toner delivery request to the server (S10). Identification information of ID: 0001 is given to the alert notification of the toner delivery request.

The server that has received the alert notification of the toner delivery request from the multifunction peripheral A extracts the ID (identification information) from the parameters included in the alert notification and compares it with the ID of the toner cartridge recorded as delivered.
In this case, since the ID: 0001 included in the alert notification transmitted from the multi-function peripheral A is already recorded in the server as the already delivered ID, automatic delivery processing for a new toner cartridge is not performed (S11).

Next, it is assumed that the toner cartridge of the multifunction machine B is replaced with a new toner cartridge (S12). The ID of this new toner cartridge is ID: 0003.
Then, when the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge of the multi-function device B falls below a certain value, it is considered that the toner delivery timing has occurred (S13). In this case, an alert notification of a toner delivery request is transmitted from the multifunction device B to the server (S14). Identification information of ID: 0003 is assigned to the alert notification of the toner delivery request.
The server that has received the alert notification of the toner delivery request from the MFP B extracts the ID (identification information) from the parameters included in the alert notification and compares it with the ID of the toner cartridge recorded as delivered. To check.

In this case, the server does not record the ID: 0003 included in the alert notification transmitted from the multifunction device B as a delivered ID, and therefore performs a new toner cartridge automatic delivery process for the multifunction device B. (S15). A new ID that is not recorded as an ID already delivered by the server is assigned to the new toner cartridge.
As described above, since the ID indicating that the toner cartridge has already been delivered is recorded on the server side, the ID that has been delivered in the past is received from any image forming apparatus. Can be managed by the side. As a result, the consumables delivery process can be executed only once reliably. Further, since it is not necessary to manage the transmission state of the consumable delivery request on the image forming apparatus side, the control mechanism can be simplified.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing of the image forming apparatus in the consumable item management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus monitors whether there is a change in the remaining amount of toner, which is a consumable item (step S11). If there is a change in the remaining amount of toner, it is determined whether or not the current remaining amount of toner satisfies a condition for transmitting an alert notification (step S12). The conditions for transmitting the alert notification include, for example, a case where it is detected that the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge has become a predetermined value or less. If it is not the condition for transmitting the alert notification in step S12, the process returns to step S11 to monitor the remaining amount of toner.

  If the condition for transmitting the alert notification is met in step S12, the image forming apparatus generates a toner delivery request alert notification including the toner cartridge identification information (step S13). Then, the generated toner delivery request is transmitted to the server (step S14).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of server processing in the consumable item management system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
First, when data reception processing from the image forming apparatus is performed (step S21), the server determines whether it is an alert notification of a toner delivery request (step S22). If it is not an alert notification of a toner delivery request, the process returns to step S21 to wait for data reception from the image forming apparatus. When the notification is a toner delivery request alert, the server extracts the toner cartridge ID from the alert notification (step S23). Then, the taken-out ID is compared with the delivered ID stored in the storage unit (ID recorded as having the toner cartridge already delivered) (step S24).

  If there is an overlap between the ID extracted from the alert notification and the above-mentioned delivered ID (step S25-No), the toner cartridge has already been delivered. finish. If there is no overlap between the ID extracted from the alert notification and the above-mentioned delivered ID (step S25-YES), the server performs an automatic toner cartridge distribution process (step S26). Then, the ID included in the alert notification is stored as the delivered ID of the toner cartridge (step S27).

(Embodiment 2)
As described in Embodiment 1 above, in the embodiment of the consumable item management system according to the present invention, the server performs the consumable item distribution from the alert notification according to the alert notification of the consumable item delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus. The identification information is read, and when the read identification information is not stored in the storage unit, an automatic delivery process for delivering the consumables is executed.
In the present embodiment, the server determines the destination of the consumable item when executing the automatic delivery process of the consumable item based on the identification information for identifying the image forming device transmitted from the image forming apparatus.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus constituting the consumable management system monitors the state of consumables such as a toner cartridge (for example, the state of the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge). When it is determined that the toner has reached, toner delivery request processing is performed. Here, the image forming apparatus transmits an alert notification of a toner delivery request to the server. The alert notification includes an ID that is identification information of the toner cartridge. In the server, when the toner cartridge has already been delivered, the ID is stored in advance, and if the ID included in the alert notification transmitted from the image forming apparatus is not stored in the server, the toner cartridge is delivered. .

In the second embodiment according to the present invention, in the system as described above, the image forming apparatus is assigned to identify the image forming apparatus when transmitting information indicating the alert notification of the toner delivery request to the server. The unique identification information is included in the alert notification together with the delivery request and transmitted to the server. For example, a serial number uniquely assigned to the image forming apparatus can be applied to the unique identification assigned to identify the image forming apparatus.
The server stores identification information such as the serial number of the image forming apparatus and the installation location of the image forming apparatus (that is, delivery destination information of consumables) in association with each other. Therefore, when the server receives an alert notification of the toner delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus, the server reads the serial number and the like and determines the delivery destination of the toner cartridge.

  At this time, in the server, when the ID is first transmitted from the image forming apparatus for the first time, if it is not stored as the previously delivered ID, the toner cartridge is delivered. In this case, based on the serial number of the image forming apparatus included in the alert notification of the delivery request, the image forming apparatus to which the alert notification is transmitted is specified, and the toner cartridge is stored in the delivery destination stored in association with the image forming apparatus. To deliver. Therefore, for example, when a toner cartridge used in a specific multi-function peripheral is replaced with another multi-function peripheral and an alert notification of a toner delivery request is transmitted from the other multi-function peripheral, the server serializes the other multi-function peripheral. According to the number, the toner cartridge can be delivered to the installation location of another multifunction device.

  In each of the above embodiments, the consumable item identification information or unique identification information provided to identify the image forming device is transmitted to the server in addition to the consumable item delivery request transmitted from the image forming device. However, the identification information of the consumables or the unique identification information given to identify the image forming apparatus is not necessarily added to the delivery request and transmitted to the server. You may transmit to a server individually so that the correspondence with each identification information can be discriminate | determined. In addition, the technical features (configuration requirements) described in the above embodiments can be combined with each other, and a new technical feature can be formed by combining them.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image forming apparatus, 11 ... Image forming part, 12 ... Toner cartridge, 13 ... Control part, 14 ... Consumables state control part, 15 ... State change determination part, 16 ... Memory | storage part, 17 ... Communication part, 20 ... Server , 21 ... communication unit, 22 ... storage unit, 23 ... control unit, 24 ... data analysis processing unit, 25 ... automatic delivery determination unit.

Claims (5)

One or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a server are communicably connected via a network, and are consumables management systems for managing consumables of the image forming apparatuses,
The image forming apparatus reads identification information given to a predetermined consumable used in the image forming apparatus, and monitors a state of the consumable.
A state change determination unit that determines whether to perform a new consumable delivery request process based on the state of the consumable when there is a change in the state of the consumable monitored by the consumable state control unit; Have
The state change determination unit, when performing the delivery required processing of the new consumable, transmits the consumable identification information to the server,
The server includes a storage unit that stores identification information of consumables that have been delivered in the past;
In accordance with the consumables delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus, a data analysis processing unit that reads identification information of the consumables transmitted from the image forming apparatus;
Determining whether the identification information read by the data analysis processing unit is already stored in the storage unit, and if not, storing an automatic delivery determination unit for executing an automatic delivery process for delivering consumables; And a consumable management system. The consumable management system according to claim 1,
When the image forming apparatus transmits information indicating the delivery request to the server, the image forming apparatus transmits unique identification information assigned to identify the image forming apparatus to the server,
The consumables management system, wherein the server determines a destination of consumables when executing the automatic delivery process of the consumables based on identification information for identifying the image forming apparatus. A consumable management server in which one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses are communicably connected via a network,
A storage unit for storing identification information of consumables that have been delivered in the past;
In accordance with the consumables delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus, a data analysis processing unit that reads identification information of the consumables transmitted from the image forming apparatus;
Determining whether the identification information read by the data analysis processing unit is already stored in the storage unit, and if not, storing an automatic delivery determination unit for executing an automatic delivery process for delivering consumables; The server characterized by having. The server according to claim 3,
The server determines a destination of the consumable when executing the automatic delivery process of the consumable based on the unique identification information given to identify the image forming apparatus transmitted from the image forming apparatus. A server characterized by determining. One or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a server are communicably connected via a network, and a consumable management method for managing consumables of the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus reads identification information uniquely given to a predetermined consumable used in the image forming apparatus and monitors the state of the consumable.
If there is a change in the status of the consumables being monitored, it is determined whether to process a new consumable delivery request based on the status of the consumables,
When processing the delivery of the new consumable item, the identification information of the consumable item is transmitted to the server,
The server stores identification information of consumables that have been delivered in the past,
According to the consumables delivery request transmitted from the image forming apparatus, the consumables identification information corresponding to the delivery request is read.
A consumables management method characterized in that it is determined whether the read identification information is already stored in the storage unit, and if not, the automatic delivery process for delivering the consumables is executed.

Images