Abstract:
A method and system of marketing a consumable may include alerting a customer, via a printer status application, to the status of a consumable in a printing device. A printer identifier may be identified for the printing device via the printer status application. Information about a plurality of product selling entities and associations between each entity and one or more printer identifiers may be maintained in a computer-readable medium. The product selling entity that corresponds to the printer identifier may be determined. The customer may be directed to the product selling entity.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Printers are common peripheral devices associated with a computer. To function properly, a channel of communication may be established between a printer and a computer. The channel enables a printer to receive commands and information from a computer. Various embodiments provide a printer with a way to communicate with a computer. This communication also allows a printer to communicate with a computer regarding the status of the printer. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,031,933, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process to allow a user to reorder a consumable printing component. However, the user chooses the vendor. The user is not automatically directed to the product-selling entity to purchase a consumable printing component. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,377, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a reseller identification device which is associated with a printing component. However, the user of the printing component is not directed to order the printing device from the reseller&#39;s Internet website. 
     The disclosure contained herein describes methods of resolving one or more of the problems discussed above. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a method of marketing a consumable may include alerting, via a printer status application, a customer to the status of a consumable in a printing device. A printer identifier for the printing device may be identified via the printer status application. Information about a plurality of product selling entities and associations between each product selling entity and one or more printer identifiers may be maintained in a computer-readable storage medium. The product selling entity which corresponds to the identified printer identifier may be determined. The customer may be directed to the corresponding product selling entity. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of product selling entities which sold the printing device may be determined. Optionally, the product selling entity may be determined only if a request to order the consumable is received from the customer. In one embodiment, prior to the alerting, the printer status application may be used to obtain status information about the printing device. In one embodiment, directing the customer to the corresponding product selling entity may include delivering, to the customer via an electronic communication, information about the corresponding product selling entity. Information about the corresponding product selling entity may include a website of the product selling entity. Information about the corresponding product selling entity may also include consumables sold by the product selling entity. 
     In one embodiment, the printer identifier may include a device identifier, wherein the device identifier comprises a code from the printing device. The code from the printing device may include, but is not limited to, a serial number, a model number, and a Universal Product Code. The printer identifier may also include a consumable identifier, wherein the consumable identifier comprises a code from the consumable in the printing device. 
     In one embodiment, by automatically accessing the product selling entity and the printer identifier through a communication network, it may be determined which of the plurality of product selling entities corresponds to the identified printer identifier. A selection of a product selling entities may be displayed to the customer if the printer identifier does not correspond to any of the known product selling entities. 
     In one embodiment, a method may include alerting a customer on a computing device to the status of a consumable in a printing device. A printer identifier may be identified for the printing device. Information may be maintained in a computer-readable storage medium, about a plurality of product selling entities and associations between each entity and one or more printer identifiers. The product selling entity which corresponds to the identified printer identifier may be automatically determined. The customer may be directed to an electronic storefront of the corresponding product selling entity. 
     In one embodiment, the product selling entity&#39;s electronic storefront may include an Internet protocol address which includes the printer identifier. The plurality of product selling entities may be identified which sold the printing device. In one embodiment, the plurality of product selling entities may be automatically determined only if a request to order the consumable is received from the customer. 
     In one embodiment, the printer identifier may include a device identifier, wherein the device identifier comprises a code from the printing device. The printer identifier may also include a consumable identifier, wherein the consumable identifier comprises a code from the consumable in the printing device. 
     In one embodiment, a system may include a printing device that may have an associated printer identifier. A computer-readable storage medium may maintain information about a plurality of product selling entities and associations between each product selling entity and one or more printer identifiers. A server may determine which of the plurality of product selling entities corresponds to the associated printer identifier and may direct a customer to the product selling entity corresponding to the associated printer identifier. In one embodiment, a printer status application may alert a customer as to the status of a consumable in the printing device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a post-sale supply revenue system. 
         FIG. 2  depicts one embodiment of an alert on a computing device. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart describing one embodiment of a product selling entity sales method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before the present methods, systems and materials are described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodologies, systems and materials described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope. For example, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, the word “comprising” as used herein is intended to mean “including but not limited to.” Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , one or more printing devices  120  may be in communication with one or more computing devices  110  via a network  100  such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet or another communications network. The computing device  110  may, in some embodiments, be connected to the printing device  120  via multiple communications networks. In one embodiment a printing device  120  can be connected to a computing device  110  via a wireless network. Alternatively, a printing device  120  can be connected to a computing device  110  via a wired device such as, but not limited to, a universal serial bus (USB) port or outlet, or other non-wireless device. As used herein, the words “connected” and “connection” refers to devices that are configured for one or more wired and/or wireless networks so that they can pass information to each other through the network. 
     In one embodiment, a customer may be associated with one or more computing devices  110 . A customer may be a single user or a customer may be multiple users. A computing device  110  may include, but is not limited to, a computer, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a gaming system, and/or another device capable of communicating in a networked environment. A networked computing device  110  may be associated with one or more printing devices  120 . 
     A printing device  120  is an electronic device that is capable of receiving commands and printing text and/or images on a substrate. A printing device  120  may include, but is not limited to, a printer, a copier, a fax, a scanner, and/or another device using ink or toner. As used herein, the words ink and toner are used interchangeably to refer to wet or dry material that form an image or text on a substrate. A printing device  120  may also contain a combination of functions. 
     A printer identifier  122  may be associated with each printing device  120 . The printer identifier may be a numeric number, a letter, a symbol, a combination of these items, or another displayable image. The printer identifier  122  includes a device identifier. A printer identifier may also include a consumable identifier. A device identifier identities a type and/or brand of a printing device. The device identifier may include, but is not limited to, a serial number, a model number, a Universal Product Code (UPC), and/or other identifying codes. A consumable identifier identifies a replaceable product in the printing device. The consumable identifier may be included in the printer identifier or it may be separate. A consumable or replaceable product in a printing devices, may include, but is not limited to, a toner cartridge, a black ink cartridge, a color ink cartridge, a print head, and/or paper. For example, consumable identifier  002  may identify a black ink cartridge. 
     In one embodiment, if a printer identifier includes both a device identifier and a consumable identifier, a printing device may have more than one consumable identifier. For example, the printing device may have a different consumable identifier each time the printing device needs a different consumable. 
     A printer identifier  122  may be used to determine a product selling entity. A product selling entity is a vendor of a consumable. In one embodiment, a product selling entity may be the entity that sold the printing device. In another embodiment, the product selling entity may be affiliated with the entity that sold the printing device. Alternatively, the product selling entity may not be related to the entity that sold the printing device. For example, a product selling entity may have bought a printing device from the original equipment manufacturer and sold the device to the public. 
     In one embodiment, a customer of a computing device may receive an alert regarding the status of a consumable in a printing device.  FIG. 2  depicts one embodiment of an alert. An alert  200  is a type of message transmitted to a computing device regarding the status of a device. An alert may occur when a printing device needs more of a particular consumable. 
     An alert  200  may appear on a customer&#39;s computing device  110 . In one embodiment, an alert may appear as a display on the computing screen. In another embodiment, an alert may be an icon, an e-mail, a text message, a pop-up window, and/or another electronic display. Alternatively, an alert may include a noise from a computing device. In another embodiment, an alert may be printed or displayed by a customer&#39;s printing device. In one embodiment, an alert may appear on all computing devices connected to a printing device. Alternatively, an alert may appear only on the computing device of an administrator who purchases the supplies. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , a printer status application  115  may determine when to provide instructions to transmit an alert. A printer status application  115  may reside within a computing device  110 . The computing device  110  may communicate with the printing device  120  via the printer status application software  115 . In one embodiment, the printer status application  115  may be part of the printing device software installed in a computing device  110  when a customer first establishes a connection with the printing device  120 . In another embodiment, the printer status application  115  may be a separate piece of hardware installed on the computing device  110 . In one embodiment, the printer status application  115  and the printer driver may be installed on a computing device  110  simultaneously. 
     The printer status application  115  may communicate with a printing device at predetermined or random times. In one embodiment, the printer status application  115  may check for an alert in the printing device  120  and may direct that an action be taken in response to the alert. In one embodiment, the printer status application  115  may wait for certain events from the printing device  120  to occur before an alert notifies a customer. In an embodiment, the event may be a detection of a particular level of a printing device consumable. For example, the printer status application may instruct the computing device  110  to create an alert when the ink is two-thirds empty. In one embodiment, a printer identifier  122  which includes a consumable identifier may be sent to the computing device  110  to create the alert. In another embodiment, the consumable identifier may be sent separately to the computing device  110 . The consumable identifier may be used by the alert to inform a customer of the needed consumable (i.e., toner is low). In one embodiment, the printer status application  115  may instruct the computing device  110  to display an alert message at specific consumable levels, at a certain time, and/or when other benchmarks are satisfied. 
     In one embodiment, a printer status application  115  may access dynamic link libraries (DLLs) when communicating with a printing device  120 . DLLs may allow a printer status application  115  to access information such as, but not limited to, the country of use. The country of use is the country where the printing device is located. In one embodiment, the country of use may also be included in the printer identifier  122 . In another embodiment, the country of use could be a separate identifier received by the computing device  110  from the printing device  120  using DLLs. Determining the printing device&#39;s country of use may be necessary for displaying the alert as printing devices may be used in a variety of countries. The alert may need to be displayed in a variety of different languages. The computing device  110  may communicate with the printing device  120  using DLLs to determine the language needed for the alert. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, an alert may include instructions to enable a customer to order a consumable. In one embodiment, an alert may display a navigation element  210  to an electronic storefront when the navigation element is selected by the user. An electronic storefront is an online retail location where commerce is transacted electronically over a communication network. An electronic storefront may include, but is not limited to, a website or webpage. Alternatively, the navigation element may display a different type of electronic document. The navigation element may be associated with a software application that displays text, images, and other information located on the Internet. The navigation element may be, but is not limited to, a hyperlink, an electronic input device, or an image that connects to a display on the Internet. In one embodiment, the alert may display a hyperlink which may open a browser window to the Internet. In one embodiment, the navigation element may become more prominent as the consumable supply diminishes in the printing device. 
     In one embodiment, a customer may decide to close or ignore an alert. In another embodiment, a customer may choose to order a consumable and a computing device may communicate with a printing device. The computing device may obtain the printer identifier of the printing device if not previously determined. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , a printing device  120  may communicate with a computing device  110  to obtain a printing device&#39;s printer identifier  122 . In one embodiment, a printer identifier may include only a device identifier. In another embodiment, a printer identifier may include a device identifier and a consumable identifier. A computing device  110  may access a server  125  via a communication network  100 . The server  125  may communicate with an external database  140  and/or a management information base (MIB)  130 . An external database  140  and a MIB  130  are both organized collections of information stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as but not limited to, a list, table or database. Some or all of the external database  140  and/or the MIB  130  may reside independently, with a server, with a printing device, with a computing device, or in various other embodiments. Some or all of the external database  140  and/or the MIB  130  may reside within any of the devices  110 ,  120 ,  125 . The external database  140  and/or the MIB  130  may include printer identifiers and each printer identifier may be associated with a product selling entity. In one embodiment, there may be many printer identifiers associated with a single product selling entity. The external database  140  and/or the MIB  130  may be searched to obtain the product selling entity associated with a particular printer identifier  122 . Product selling entity information including, but not limited to, location, phone number, and an Internet protocol address (Internet address) may be returned by the external database  14  and/or the MIB  130 . In one embodiment, a product selling entity information may include an Internet address to buy the consumable associated with the alert message for the particular type of printing device. In one embodiment, product selling entity information, such as the electronic storefront information, may be added to the external database  140  and/or the MIB  130  at any time. In one embodiment, the information may be included simultaneously with the printer identifier information. In an alternative embodiment, the product selling entity information may be added at a different time such as, but not limited to, the time of shipment and the time of delivery. 
     In one embodiment, the product selling entity information may be passed to the server  125  from the external database  140  and/or the MIB  130 . The server  125  may communicate with the computing device to display the product selling entity&#39;s website and allow a customer of the computing device  110  to purchase the consumable. In one embodiment, the Internet address may contain the printer identifier. In one embodiment, the Internet address may contain some portion of the printer identifier. In one embodiment, the printer identifier may be associated with the product selling entity&#39;s homepage and the homepage may be displayed. In another embodiment, the printer identifier may include both the device identifier and the consumable identifier in order to display the particular consumable from the product selling entity&#39;s website. In another embodiment, the customer need not view the product selling entity&#39;s website and instead the consumable may be automatically ordered and the customer may receive a delivery confirmation receipt. In another embodiment, the product selling entity may not have an Internet address and the customer may receive the product selling entity&#39;s contact information, such as, but not limited to, address and phone number. 
     In one embodiment, a customer may only access the product selling entity&#39;s Internet address if the customer responds to the alert message. In one embodiment, the customer may respond to an alert message by a mouse click. In one embodiment, the customer may first view the manufacturer&#39;s website and may then be redirected to the product selling entity&#39;s website after the product selling entity&#39;s information is obtained from the MIB and/or the external database. In another embodiment, the product selling entity&#39;s website may appear even if the user does not click on the alert message. Alternatively, the product selling entity&#39;s website or entity information may be displayed on the computing device instead of an alert message. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of one embodiment of a product selling entity sales method. An alert may appear on a customer&#39;s computing device to inform the customer that a consumable is needed. The alert may display a navigation element that is enabled by the customer  300 . In one embodiment, the computing device may have already obtained a printer identifier which includes the consumable identifier and the device identifier. In another embodiment, the computing device has only obtained the consumable identifier and must communicate with the printing device to obtain the printer identifier with the device identifier. After the computing device obtains the printer identifier, the computing device may send the printer identifier to a server  305 . The server can transmit the printer identifier to the external database and/or the MIB  305  if there is a connection to the Internet  310 . 
     If the computing device is not connected to the Internet, but a product selling entity was previously chosen  315 , the customer may receive the entity&#39;s contact information  320 . The product selling entity contact information may include, but is not limited to, the address, an order form, and/or the entity&#39;s consumables. 
     Alternatively, if the product selling entity was not previously chosen by the customer  315 , the customer may choose a product selling entity with whom they want to purchase the consumable. In one embodiment, the customer may select an entity from a group of pre-selected entities. In a further embodiment, the entities may be pre-selected based on the customer&#39;s location  325 . The entity may be any entity that sells the needed consumable or it may be an entity that sells the printing device and the consumable. After a customer selects a product selling entity  330 , the product selling entity&#39;s contact information may be displayed for the customer. The product selling entity chosen for the customer&#39;s particular printing device may be stored in a local computer-readable storage medium and associated with the printing device&#39;s printer identifier. 
     Alternatively, a customer&#39;s computing device may be connected to the Internet  335  and a browser may open on the customer&#39;s computing device. In one embodiment, the browser may open automatically. In another embodiment, the customer may open the browser. In one embodiment, the original manufacturer&#39;s website may be displayed on the customer&#39;s computing device. In another embodiment, the customer may choose what to display or there may be a default display. 
     If there is an Internet connection, a server may search the external database and/or the MIB to determine if there is a printer identifier associated with a product selling entity  340 . If there is no product selling entity associated with the printer identifier in the MIB and/or the external database, then the customer may be asked, via the browser or other Internet display, to choose a product selling entity. A product selling entity may be chosen, as discussed above, by a customer picking an entity or through a pre-selected set. After the customer chooses a product selling entity, the entity may be associated with the printer identifier and may be saved to the external database and/or the MIB  345 . 
     If the server associates the printer identifier with a product selling entity  340 , then the browser may be redirected  350 . If the product selling entity has no website  355 , then the product selling entity information may be displayed  360 . The product selling entity&#39;s information may be received from the external database and/or MIB and displayed on a website, such as, but not limited to, the manufacturer&#39;s website. 
     If the product selling entity has a website  355 , the customer may be directed to the entity&#39;s website. In one embodiment, based on the printer identifier, the customer may be connected to a marketplace displaying the product selling entity&#39;s name and address. Alternatively, the customer may be directed to a webpage of the product selling entity where the customer can order the consumable  365 . In one embodiment, if the printer identifier includes the device identifier and the consumable identifier, then the customer may be connected to a consumable-specific webpage of the product selling entity where the customer can order the consumable for their particular printing device. The webpage may include the specific consumable that is needed for the customer&#39;s printing device. Alternatively the Internet address may be a webpage of the product selling entity that displays the customer&#39;s printing device model. 
     It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.