Remote Monitoring System for Document Processing Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance of multifunction peripherals (MFPs) distributed across various locations is resource-intensive and costly, requiring efficient monitoring and servicing to minimize device outages and maximize technician utilization.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a processor, memory, and user interface to generate device data lists and labels, allowing technicians to filter and manage device status data via a network, enabling efficient monitoring and maintenance of MFPs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If MFPs are distributed across multiple locations to serve users, then device accessibility and user convenience are improved, but monitoring and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service provider system as an intermediary between technicians and distributed MFPs. This system includes a server that receives device data from multiple MFPs across different locations, processes the information, and provides technicians with filtered device lists based on their preferences and expertise. The intermediary consolidates the complexity of monitoring numerous distributed devices while maintaining ease of access for users.
2Reliability
If service technicians manually monitor all distributed MFPs, then comprehensive device monitoring is achieved, but resource consumption and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and filters only the relevant device information that technicians need to see based on their specific preferences, expertise areas, and assigned responsibilities. Instead of presenting all device data from all MFPs to all technicians, the server selectively outputs device lists tailored to each technician's needs, reducing information overload and resource consumption while maintaining comprehensive monitoring coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables technicians to define their own preferences and criteria for device monitoring. Technicians can specify which types of devices they want to monitor, what parameters are important to them, and how they want to receive notifications. This self-service approach allows technicians to customize their monitoring workload, reducing unnecessary resource consumption while ensuring reliable monitoring of critical devices.
3Loss of information
If technicians are provided with complete device data from all MFPs, then thorough device information is available, but information organization and retrieval difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complete device data into organized lists based on technician preferences, device types, locations, and other relevant criteria. Instead of presenting a single overwhelming list of all devices, the server creates multiple organized subsets that technicians can easily navigate. This segmentation maintains complete device information availability while dramatically improving information retrieval ease through structured organization.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for servicing of devices includes a processor, associated memory and a user interface including a display. A display generator generates images on the display. The memory stores device data for each of a plurality of serviceable devices. Device data for each device includes a unique device identifier and associated device status data. The display generator is displays an image including a device data list on the display. The user interface receives filter data from an associated user and the processor generates a subset of the device data in accordance with received filter data. The processor generates a label corresponding to the subset and stores the label in the memory. The processor further receives a device inquiry from the associated user via the user interface, and the display generator generates a labeled display image including the label responsive to a received device inquiry.