...During the Civil War, the Confederacy established its own Patent Office which issued 266 patents, a third of which concerned implements of war.
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| Application No. | Application Title | Issue Date |
| 20120070161 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING CONTROL METHOD An image forming apparatus having a fixing part fixing a toner image onto a recording medium by heating it, includes an ambient temperature predicting part predicting an ambient temperature from a fixing temperature rising period of time taken until the fixing part reac... | 03/22/2012 |
| 20120045224 | Method for Delaying the Start of a Gage for Tracking the Life of a Consumable Item for an Imaging Device A method for delaying the start of a gage for tracking the life of a consumable item for an imaging device according to one exemplary embodiment includes counting the number of revolutions of a rotating imaging component having a correlation with the life of the consuma... | 02/23/2012 |
| 20120027429 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND OUTPUT SETTING METHOD OF CONSUMED STATUS OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item, a determining unit which determines whether to output an exch... | 02/02/2012 |
| 20120020682 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND MANAGEMENT METHOD EMPLOYED BY IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus including a plurality of replaceable parts and a control section which manages an accumulated amount of work of each of the parts; wherein the control section comprises reference values for replacement of each of the parts and performs, a firs... | 01/26/2012 |
| 20110293295 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus includes a first unit including means contributable to image formation; a second unit constituting a pair with the first unit and including means contributable to the image formation; a detecting device for detecting a degree of use of each of... | 12/01/2011 |
| 20110274447 | PROCESS UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME A process unit including a first housing detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, an image carrier to carry an image on a surface thereof, a charger to charge the surface of the image carrier, a developing device to form the image on the surface of the image... | 11/10/2011 |
| 20110255883 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developer bearing member for bearing and conveying a developer and configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member using the developer, a bias application unit configured to apply... | 10/20/2011 |
| 20110116814 | ERROR CORRECTION IN A MULTICOLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT ENGINE A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.... | 05/19/2011 |
| 20110116815 | Image Forming Apparatus and Method of Giving Alarm of Consumable Supply Near-End State in Image Forming Apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a toner bottle and a paper feed tray; sensors rendered operable immediately after the image forming apparatus is powered on, outputting detection signals that assume different values depending on whether remain... | 05/19/2011 |
| 20110091223 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND OUTPUT SETTING METHOD OF CONSUMED STATUS OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item, a determining unit which determines whether to output an exch... | 04/21/2011 |
| 20100290793 | PRINTING SYSTEM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS A printing system includes an instruction unit for instructing, in response to determination of using a reuse consumable in the case of replacement of a consumable of an image forming apparatus, a setting to be changed according to the replacement with the reuse consuma... | 11/18/2010 |
| 20100278546 | SELECTIVE JOB AGGREGATION A selective job aggregation method includes identifying a predetermined usage match between a first consumable component and a second consumable component of printer device. Print jobs are then selectively aggregated to encourage expiration of a first expected useful li... | 11/04/2010 |
| 20100272450 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING SERVICE INTERVALS FOR RELATED COMPONENTS A method and system for managing one or more high frequency service items associated with a device. A parent/child relationship between the high frequency service items can be defined to track replacement of components based on a service action related to a child compon... | 10/28/2010 |
| 20100202787 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONSUMABLE ITEM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM An image forming apparatus includes a prediction unit, an inquiry unit and a request unit. The inquiry unit judges whether or not the prediction unit deals with a type of a consumable item used in image formation processing. The request unit transmits use history inform... | 08/12/2010 |
| 20100191620 | MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE SAME A consumables stock subtraction processing unit in a management apparatus calculates a counter value used in the determination of stock subtraction for a consumable product by using the value of a counter included in a residual amount notification acquired from an image... | 07/29/2010 |
| 20100104295 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND OUTPUT SETTING METHOD OF CONSUMED STATUS OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item, a determining unit which determines whether to output an exch... | 04/29/2010 |
| 20100092187 | METHOD OF INITIALIZING NEW CONSUMABLE PART ACCORDING TO REPLACEMENT OF OLD CONSUMABLE PART IN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD A method of initializing an amount of use of a new consumable part according to replacement of an old consumable part and an image forming apparatus and system for performing the method, the method involves, when the old consumable part is replaced by the new consumable... | 04/15/2010 |
| 20090119066 | PROVIDING DIRECTIVE REPLACEMENT OF HFSI PARTS BASED ON SPECIFIC MACHINE PERFORMANCE Embodiments herein maintain an unscheduled maintenance rate of a first apparatus, of a group of apparatuses, based on a history of unscheduled maintenance service calls performed on the first apparatus. Other apparatuses in the group of apparatuses have different unsche... | 05/07/2009 |
| 20090080911 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MESSAGES ON A PRINTING COMPONENT A consumable printing component for use in a printing device includes an imaging member and a memory storing message data. In response to a trigger event, a message is formed on the imaging member at the end of a print job such that the message remains on the imaging me... | 03/26/2009 |
| 20090041483 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF IMAGE FORMATION Upon generation of an image forming request, a control unit sets a request flag in a nonvolatile rewritable memory. A toner consumption monitoring unit calculates amount of toner consumption during a process of image formation based on the image forming request and the ... | 02/12/2009 |
| 20090034994 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF An image forming apparatus includes a detachable consumable part having a storage unit configured to store information. The image forming apparatus includes a counting unit configured to count the number of times of access to the storage unit, a measurement unit configu... | 02/05/2009 |
| 20090016743 | Printer Consumable Ordering Direct From Printer A system for enabling ordering of printer supplies directly via a printer. The system provides an option for a user to request value bundled information before placing a printer supply order. By providing the option of requesting value bundled information, a customer ca... | 01/15/2009 |
| 20090016744 | ABNORMAL USAGE DETECTION A method and system compare actual consumable usage (e.g., toner usage) with expected consumable usage in a xerographic machine, such as a printer or copier. Expected toner usage may be predicted from pixel count (area coverage) and actual usage is obtained from monitor... | 01/15/2009 |
| 20080240745 | IMAGE PROCESSOR An image processor includes a main body and a consumable product which is replaceably installed to the main body is provided with a storage configured to store a table to which a record indicative of a usage status of the consumable product is to be successively added, ... | 10/02/2008 |
| 20080212984 | Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: a replaceable constituent element; an information storage unit that holds information indicating a type of the constituent element received by a user interface; and a life calculation controller that, when at least one piece of the i... | 09/04/2008 |
| 20080187329 | Image forming apparatus for counting images formed by the apparatus An apparatus having an operative mode and a non-operative mode with a method for counting events with a volatile counter and a non-volatile electronic memory having a number N of memory areas, includes counting events with the volatile counter, when the count value has ... | 08/07/2008 |
| 20080181625 | Reserve life run-on feature for customer replaceable units A printer includes at least one replaceable module which is removable from the printer. A processor discontinues an operation of the printer when the processor determines that an end of life value for the replaceable module is reached unless an appropriate identifier is... | 07/31/2008 |
| 20080181626 | PRINTER MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND PRINTER MANAGEMENT METHOD To allow a user to efficiently select a printer and a printer drive for the printer by providing information on a selection state of printers and printer drives for the printers of users around the user when the user selects a printer and a printer driver for the printe... | 07/31/2008 |
| 20080166141 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus has a main body with a casing and performs an image forming operation. A sheet receiving surface constitutes part of the casing and can receive a sheet discharged after an image forming process is performed. A window is provided on the sheet r... | 07/10/2008 |
| 20080124096 | Consumable management device, image forming apparatus, computer readable medium storing a program, and consumable management method A consumable management device includes a life determining unit that determines whether a consumable reaching a life end exists in an object apparatus which operates with a plurality of consumables or not, a stop process unit that, when the life determining unit determi... | 05/29/2008 |
| 20080080875 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus includes: plural cartridges; a storage unit provided in the respective cartridges; and a writing unit that writes data into the storage unit. The writing unit writes data on usage statuses of one cartridge and the other cartridges into one sto... | 04/03/2008 |
| 20080080887 | Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of functions including a function of executing an operation involving use of a consumable, a selecting unit that selects one function from the plurality of functions, a detector that detects a remaining level of the consum... | 04/03/2008 |
| 20080050130 | CONSUMABLE COMPONENT SORTING SYSTEM, INFORMATION MANAGING APPARATUS, COMPONENT MANAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE CONTROL METHOD A consumable component sorting system which make it possible to prolong the service life of a consumable component and reduce cost burdened on a user. An image forming apparatus collects information on its own operational environment or operational condition. A data ser... | 02/28/2008 |
| 20080025734 | Automated detection and notification of the need for service and/or supplies replenishment in a machine A system for automatically detecting the need to service a machine. The system includes a processor and at least one of a device component and a supply component. The processor determines a time at which the device component will require repair or replacement and when t... | 01/31/2008 |
| 20080002995 | Maintenance System and Method A technique is provided that enables reduction in cost related to maintenance services and that also enables reduction in downtime of a product. A maintenance system for making a maintenance plan for consumable parts of an apparatus that is... | 01/03/2008 |
| 20070189784 | Image formation device simulation apparatus An image formation device simulation apparatus performs a simulation of processing performed by an image formation device. The simulation apparatus includes: an image formation command acquisition unit that acquires an image formation command including information of a ... | 08/16/2007 |
| 20070166056 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND OUTPUT SETTING METHOD OF CONSUMED STATUS OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS An image forming apparatus which uses a consumable item is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a consumed status detecting unit which detects a value of the consumed status of the consumable item, a determining unit which determines whether to output an exch... | 07/19/2007 |
| 20070147854 | Monitoring apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system A monitoring apparatus includes a determining unit that determines in advance a first target amount, which is determined as a target of consumption amount of a colorant at a first timing, at which a first predetermined period from start of use of the colorant in image f... | 06/28/2007 |
| 20070122166 | Image forming apparatus and image forming system Process units, a transfer unit, a belt cleaning unit, a secondary transfer unit and a fixing unit each include a storage unit that stores therein information on the operation amount thereof measured by a controller as operation record with respect to each unit. The cont... | 05/31/2007 |
| 20070122167 | Lifetime management device and image forming system An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus that includes process units for different colors and a lifetime management device that manages lifetime information on each unit of the image forming apparatus. The lifetime management device counts the number ... | 05/31/2007 |