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:
Jan. 22, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2000
Yuki Uchida, Wayne, NJ (US);
Toshihiro Kudara, River Edge, NJ (US);
Hisashi Ishijima, Fort Lee, NJ (US);
Yuki Uchida, Wayne, NJ (US);
Toshihiro Kudara, River Edge, NJ (US);
Hisashi Ishijima, Fort Lee, NJ (US);
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Corporation, West Caldwell, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method and a system to help users of image forming equipment make informed decision on when to order supplied therefor and from which supplier. The equipment at the user side automatically sends status information to a service center that keeps a database of independent suppliers. The service center analyzes the automatically transmitted information from the user side and when it detects a need for supplies for specific equipment of a specific user, it analyzes a database of independent potential suppliers to generate a list of suppliers matching the particular detected need. The service center sends the list and information about the suppliers and supplies on the list to the user side, from which the supplies are ordered from one or more suppliers and delivered thereby to the user side.