Patent ID: 6370341
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: B41J,G03G,G06K,H04N

Abstract:
A consumable management device comprising:an interface adapted to communicate with an image forming device configured to use an imaging consumable to form a hard image, the interface being adapted to receive a status message from the image forming device corresponding to the status of the imaging consumable within the image forming device; storage circuitry configured to store a current inventory status of the imaging consumable within an inventory for the image forming device; and processing circuitry coupled with the interface and configured to update the current inventory status responsive to the status message providing an updated inventory status; wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate an inventory status message corresponding to the status of the imaging consumable within the inventory and the inventory status message comprising an order including an identifier and a quantity of the imaging consumable and the processing circuitry is further configured to address the order for communication externally of the consumable management device using the interface.