System and method for monitoring, recommending, updating and supplying multifunction peripheral fleets

A method comprising:

• in each of a plurality of networked MFPs, each of the plurality of networked MFPs including a processor, server memory and a document processing engine including a scanner and a printer,
• generating current MFP status data,
• storing the current device status data 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,
• sending an electronic invitation to the other MFPs via the network interface,
• receiving device status data from each of the plurality of networked MFPs 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.

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,
• memory storing current device status data including a page count and consumable level,
• 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,
• send an electronic invitation to the other MFPs via the network interface,
• receive device status data from each of the plurality of networked MFPs 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.