...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6915085 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING A DEVICE THAT UPDATES STORED PROGRAM BASED ON UPDATING DATA WHICH IS SELECTED BASED ON PROGRAM OF CONTROL SERVICE THAT IS STARTED OR STARTABLE, PROGRAM UPDATING METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM An image forming apparatus includes hardware resources used by an image forming process, a storage section that stores programs for carrying out processes of user services and control services related to the image forming process, an updating data selection section ... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6912071 | Virtual tech rep by remote image quality analysis A virtual tech rep system that can assist in reducing service call visits and customer complaints by readily analyzing image quality of an output image device, such as a copier or printer. The system generates a hardcopy test pattern output from the copier or printe... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6912552 | Method and system for migrating stored data to a build-to-order computing system A method and system for migrating data to a build-to-order computing system is provided. The method comprises storing an image at a remote site. The image comprises data stored on a computing system. An order is received to provide a second computing system to a cus... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6909519 | Method and system for printer suggested upgrades System and methods for printer suggested upgrades using fuzzy logic analysis. A printer tracks printer usage relative to the features of the printer and the type of print jobs performed. Using a fuzzy logic protocol, the printer then selects among possible upgrades ... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6903831 | Operating system for a printing machine, and method of updating the operating system An operating system for a printing machine includes a graphic operating interface for allowing the printing machine to be controlled by actions of an operator. Electronic documentation is selectively displayable on the operating interface as a result of actions by t... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6895196 | Image forming apparatus having reduced power consumption mode and control method therefor There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of responding to a status request with the minimum possible energy consumption even when the image forming apparatus is in a sleep state, to thereby achieve energy conservation. A main-chip microcomputer ... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6885829 | Method and arrangement to configure an electrophotographic printing system or copying system In a method and a system to configure an electrophotographic printing or copying system, a first data set and at least a second data set are stored in a databank. The first data set comprises at least a value of a first default value and the second data set comprise... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6876819 | Image forming device and remote monitoring system for the same An image forming device includes a communication unit connecting the device to a support center via a communication line and receiving and transmitting information by a communication with the support center. An error detecting unit detects an error of the device. A ... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6865349 | Machine post-launch process optimization through wireless connected customer replaceable unit memory The present invention relates to utilizing memory provided in a machine replaceable sub-assembly to be a medium of distribution for software code updates to that machine relating as to how that machine should operate. In one alternative, there is provided a method f... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6865354 | Method for using a user interface to resolve mismatches between printer resources and print job requirements A printer may detect a mismatch between print job attributes and available printer resources. The printer may then determine one or more options to correct the mismatch and may display these options on a user interface screen. The printer may then receive a selectio... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6859625 | Image forming device having a regular information dispatch judgment unit configured to determine irregular message transmission In an image forming device, a first transmitting unit periodically transmits a regular message, indicating a state information of the device, to a central management equipment by connecting the device to the management equipment via a communication line when a timin... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6850716 | Image forming apparatus using multiple removable cartridges, information processing apparatus used together with this apparatus, and methods of controlling these apparatus An image forming apparatus that uses a plurality of removable cartridges and that is so adapted that a desired cartridge can be exchanged with ease. The apparatus includes a cartridge management unit which, in accordance with a command supplied from a move-cartridge... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6850719 | Image forming apparatus and printer driver program To prevent mixture of papers discharged by an image forming apparatus when sheet post-treatment equipment that executes post-treatment on papers discharged by the image forming apparatus post-treats papers supplied directly to the sheet post-treatment equipment by a... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6842588 | Consumables/printer management system with task and calendar links A method of scheduling an event with respect to a hard copy output engine includes detecting a status of a portion of the hard copy output engine from a sensor incorporated in the hard copy output engine, composing an electronic message including the detected status... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6836623 | Imaging apparatus and remote management system of the same In a multi-function imaging machine, a termination condition for each application is managed at a remote location, and a termination operation of the application based on the termination condition is controlled at the imaging apparatus. This imaging apparatus implem... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6833928 | Image forming apparatus supervising system An image forming apparatus supervising system includes a central control apparatus, a plurality of image forming apparatuses each having a memory and connected to the central control apparatus with a communication line, and a data communication apparatus connected t... | 12/21/2004 |
| 6823146 | Image forming apparatus and self-diagnosis system An image forming apparatus and a self-diagnosis system suitable for grasping conditions relating to electrophotographic parameters of an engine in an image forming apparatus on the market, and for reducing customer complaints. The self-diagnosis system enables the e... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6807383 | Apparatus, system for forming image, and method for controlling image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of paper supply sections having a paper size sensor to detect a size of a print paper; an image forming section forming an image on the fed print paper; a paper discharge section stocking the print paper formed of the... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6798996 | Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes an operation management part managing the operation of the image forming apparatus. A first operation information storing part accumulates in chronological order operation information relating to the operation managed by the opera... | 09/28/2004 |
| 6798995 | Machine managing method, machine managed by such method, machine managing device, machine managing system, and machine managing program A terminal of a service provider is characterized in that it includes: a storage unit for registering unique information on a machine of a contract signer; a communications unit for detecting information on a remaining amount of a consumable article in the machine v... | 09/28/2004 |
| 6792216 | System for estimating the remaining life of a print cartridge A printing system is described. The printing system includes a printer capable of utilizing print material contained by a cartridge. The printer is capable of detecting when the level of the print material is at a different one of a plurality of pre-determined level... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6788902 | Service support system and method for image forming apparatus With a push of a maintenance button disposed on a printer, printer information mail is created based on information previously stored in a memory, and sent to a mail server. The sent mail is read by a support server, the support server extracts maintenance informati... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6782345 | Systems and methods for diagnosing electronic systems During the operation of an electronic system, such as a document processing system, machine and job data of the electronic system are collected by a diagnostic system for automated diagnosis or prognosis. Optionally, machine data and population based data are acquir... | 08/24/2004 |
| 6766118 | Image forming system In an image forming system of the present invention, a master image forming apparatus determines, at the beginning of a joint copy job, whether or not a user stamp is registered at a slave image forming apparatus. If the user stamp is not registered at the slave ima... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6754455 | Image forming apparatus and developer supply method therefor, and image processing board Image data is stored into an image memory, then an image processing unit performs image processing on the image data stored in the image memory and generates information on a predicted amount of developer consumed in image formation, based on the image data resulted... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6744998 | Printer with video playback user interface A network or local printer has a video demonstration mode, preferably using a control console of the printer to display steps to be performed by a human user, by producing a video presentation. A stored selection of video clips is stored or made available, each demo... | 06/01/2004 |
| 6735399 | Post-launch process optimization of replaceable sub-assembly utilization through customer replaceable unit memory programming The present invention relates to utilizing memory provided in a machine replaceable sub-assembly to be one medium of distribution for software code updates to that machine relating as to how that machine should use that replaceable sub-assembly. In one embodiment, t... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6717693 | Information processing apparatus and output apparatus An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit for acquiring information from a printer connected through a bidirectional interface, and a control unit for controlling a display status of a virtual printer, which is displayed on a display screen and ... | 04/06/2004 |
| 6674553 | Image reading apparatus and image processing system A change-over part of an image reading apparatus changes over the function of an operation part disposed on the main body of the image reading apparatus between functioning as an operation part for a connection apparatus and functioning as an operation pa... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6665086 | Automatic and transparent archiving of documents and document information An automatic archiving system that makes document archiving largely transparent to the user. In one embodiment, documents scanned in or printed during the course of office equipment operation are automatically archived. For example, an office local area n... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6647222 | Print media supply identification for a copier or printer A digital printer retains in memory detailed alphanumeric data describing the contents of its paper trays, as well as describing any unusual features thereof. The alphanumeric data is entered at the local user interface of the printer, and is retained at ... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6643473 | Image forming system In an image forming system of the present invention, a master image forming apparatus determines, at the beginning of a joint copy job, whether or not a user stamp is registered at a slave image forming apparatus. If the user stamp is not registered at th... | 11/04/2003 |
| 6636899 | Architecture for software for remote maintenance of a machine such as a copier Software in a computer which accesses one or more software-intensive devices, such as a digital copier or printer, is organized in a set of layers. A device-dependent layer converts data transferred over various means, such as a modem or network, to a uni... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6631247 | Method and system for remote diagnostic, control and information collection based on various communication modes for sending messages to a resource manager A method, system, and program product for communicating with machines connected to a network. Information sent to or from the machines is transmitted using electronic mail or a direct connection. The electronic mail may be transmitted over the Internet to... | 10/07/2003 |
| 6629134 | Context sensitive web-based user support A method of providing support to a user of a computer peripheral includes sensing a peripheral indicia at a computer and registering the peripheral and downloading from a server additional information about the peripheral based on the peripheral indicia. ... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6625402 | Printing system, image forming cartridge, information service system, and information service server An information service server, which manages a home page that provides information about an image forming cartridge and a printing apparatus using the image forming cartridge, and a printing system are connected to each other via a network. The printing s... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6606460 | Apparatus having a help function, image-forming apparatus, and method and program for displaying help information An image forming apparatus, method and program having a help function allow a user to obtain help information after first checking what help information is available at a host computer. In the image-forming apparatus 100, a first CPU 16 which serves as th... | 08/12/2003 |
| 6597470 | Image forming apparatus supervising system An image forming apparatus supervising system includes a central control apparatus, a plurality of image forming apparatuses each having a memory and connected to the central control apparatus with a communication line, and a data communication apparatus ... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6587646 | Maintenance system and method for performing apparatus management using network A maintenance system for improving maintenance service includes a copying machine and a management server. When a copying machine uses a communication server to notify a management server of malfunction, the management server posts malfunction details and... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6587647 | Method and system of remote monitoring of image forming apparatus A method and system for monitoring and controlling machines, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machine and other image forming machines. A server is used for transmitting and communicating information among machines and computers. The server acquires, ... | 07/01/2003 |