The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 16, 2024
Filed:
Mar. 24, 2023
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Takao Iwasaki, Tokyo, JP;
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus can include a communications circuit, a printer, and a controller. The communications circuit is configured to communicate with a networked image forming apparatus via a network. The printer is configured to form an image on a sheet. The controller includes a processor and a memory. The controller is configured to acquire sensor data from a sensor operatively coupled to the controller; determine, via the network, a relay image forming apparatus, the relay image forming apparatus having an operating rate being relatively lower than an operating rate of multiple image forming apparatuses including the image forming apparatus and the networked image forming apparatus; and transmit, via the relay image forming apparatus, the sensor data to a predetermined recipient apparatus.