# US 11,310,373 B1 · System and method for monitoring, recommending, updating and supplying multifunction peripheral fleets

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- Number: US 11,310,373 B1
- Document ID: US11310373B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/180,222
- Filed: 2021-02-19
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2021-02-19
- Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Guillermo Hernandez Gallegos; David Fuentes; Kevin Marquez Vaca; Daniel Garcia Zuñiga; Carlos Perez Hermosillo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310373B1

## CPC

- H04N 1/00034: {Measuring, i.e. determining a quantity by comparison with a standard (H04N1/00031 takes precedence)}
- H04N 1/00344: {with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus (monitoring H04N1/00002)}
- H04N 1/0005: {in service, i.e. during normal operation}
- H04N 1/00074: {Indicating or reporting (details of user-machine interface H04N1/0035)}
- H04N 1/00079: {remotely}
- H04N 1/00127: {Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture}
- H04N 1/00244: {with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324)}
- H04N 1/00493: {Particular location of the interface or console}
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system and method for maintenance and supplying of a fleet of multifunction peripheral devices includes two or more networked devices including a decision engine. Devices discover one another and one device is designated as a server. The server creates a virtual lobby accessible by other devices and its decision engine is enabled. The server invites other devices into its virtual lobby, and these devices join the lobby in response. Devices provide their device state information to the lobby. The enabled decision engine generates recommendations for consumable replenishment, device servicing or device configuration, relaying the recommendations to a system administrator's tablet or smartphone. The administrator may accept, reject, modify or implement received suggestions. Consumable supplies or servicing recommendations can be done automatically if enabled. Administrator actions are fed back to the server for machine learning to improve future suggestions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a fleet of MFPs, the fleet of MFPs comprising a plurality of networked MFPs, each of the plurality of networked MFPs including,
a document processing engine including a scanner and a printer,
device sensors,
memory storing current device status data received from the device sensors,
a network interface,
a processor configured to discover other MFPs of the plurality of networked MFPs via the network interface; and
a server token stored in a server memory of one of the plurality of networked MFPs designating it as a designated fleet server for the plurality of networked MFPs;
wherein the designated fleet server includes,
a server processor further configured to form a data lobby in the server memory,
the server processor further configured to send an electronic invitation to the other MFPs via the network interface,
receive device status data from each of the plurality of networked MFPs into the data lobby via the network interface to generate fleet device data,
the server processor further configured to engage a decision engine to analyze the fleet device data to determine needs of the fleet of MFPs,
the server processor further configured to generate a notification relative to determined needs of the fleet of MFPs, and
the server processor further configured to communicate the notification to an associated user device via a wireless data interface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein status date includes one or more of MFP counter values, consumable levels, device capabilities, device configuration and device status alerts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein the decision engine includes a comparison of fleet device data to one or more preset threshold values for consumable levels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3 wherein the notification includes one or more of a need for consumable replenishment, a need for device servicing, and suggested or recommend device reconfiguration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 further comprising a portable data device including,
portable data device memory;
a user interface including a user input and a display;
a portable data device wireless data interface configured to receive the notification into memory;
a portable data device processor configured to show the notification on the display;
the portable data device processor further configured to receive user feedback relative to a received notification from an associated user via the user interface; and
the portable data device processor further configured to communicate the user feedback to the decision engine via the wireless data interface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5 wherein the decision engine includes application of machine learning to the user feedback to analyze the fleet device data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5 wherein the portable data device memory includes dealer contact data and wherein the portable data device processor is further configured to:
receive the notification including a need for consumable replenishment; and
automatically send a consumable order to a dealer associated with the dealer contact data responsive to the notification when preset to do so.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5 wherein the portable data device memory includes dealer contact data and wherein the portable data device processor is further configured to:
receive the notification including a need device service; and
automatically send a device service order to a dealer associated with the dealer contact data responsive to the notification when preset to do so.

### Claim 9

A method comprising:
in each of a plurality of networked MFPs, each of the plurality of networked MFPs including a processor, server memory, device sensors and a document processing engine including a scanner and a printer,
generating MFP status data from the device sensors,
storing current device status data received from the device sensors in a memory,
discovering other MFPs of the plurality of networked MFPs via a network interface; and
designating one of the plurality of networked MFPs as a designated fleet server for the plurality of networked MFPs in accordance with a server token;
in the designated fleet server,
forming a data lobby in the server memory,
sending an electronic invitation to the other MFPs via the network interface,
receiving device status data from each of the plurality of networked MFPs into the data lobby via the network interface to generate fleet device data,
engaging a decision engine to analyze the fleet device data to determine fleet needs,
generating a notification relative to determined fleet needs, and
communicating the notification to an associated user device via a wireless data interface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein status date includes one or more of MFP counter values, consumable levels, device capabilities, device configuration and device status alerts.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising comparing, via the decision engine, the fleet device data to one or more preset threshold values for consumable levels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the notification includes one or more of a need for consumable replenishment, a need for device servicing, and suggested or recommend device reconfiguration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising:
in a portable data device having a portable data device processor, a portable data device memory, a wireless data interface, and a user interface including a display,
receiving the notification into the portable data device memory;
showing the notification on the display;
receiving user feedback relative to a received notification from an associated user via the user interface; and
communicating received user feedback to the decision engine via the wireless data interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein machine learning is utilized in the decision engine to receive user feedback to analyze the fleet device data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising:
in the portable data device,
receiving the notification including a need for consumable replenishment, and
automatically sending a consumable order to a dealer associated with preset dealer contact data responsive to the notification when preset to do so.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising:
in the portable data device,
receiving the notification including a need for device service, and
automatically sending a device service order to a dealer associated with the preset dealer contact data responsive to the notification when preset to do so.

### Claim 17

A system comprising:
a plurality of networked MFPs, each of the plurality of networked MFPs including,
a document processing engine including a scanner and a printer,
device sensors including a page counter and a consumable level monitor;
memory storing current device status data received from the device sensors,
a network interface,
a processor configured to discover other MFPs of the plurality of networked MFPs via the network interface, and
a server subsystem operational in response to a received server token, the server subsystem configured to,
form a data lobby in server memory,
send an electronic invitation to the other MFPs via the network interface,
receive device status data from each of the plurality of networked MFPs into the data lobby via the network interface to generate fleet device data,
engage a decision engine to analyze the fleet device data to determine fleet needs in accordance with machine learning,
determine fleet consumable needs and fleet servicing needs in accordance with the decision engine,
generate recommendations relative to determined fleet consumable or service needs, and
communicate the recommendations to an associated user device via a wireless data interface;
a server token resident on one of the plurality of networked MFPs designating it as a designated fleet server and enabling its server subsystem; and
a portable data device including,
portable data device memory,
a user interface including a user input and a display,
a portable data device wireless data interface configured to receive the recommendations into memory,
a portable data device processor configured to show the recommendations on the display,
the portable data device processor further configured to receive user feedback relative to rating or ranking of the recommendations from an associated user via the user interface, and
the portable data device processor further configured to communicate received user feedback to the decision engine via the wireless data interface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein a server processor is further configured to transfer the server token to a different MFP of the plurality of networked MFPs when an operational issue affects the designated fleet server.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the portable data device processor is further configured to communicate an order for consumable or service to an associated dealership responsive a received notification.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the recommendations include modified device settings, software modifications or hardware modifications.