Image forming apparatus with contract renewal device
US5752128A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 20, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 12, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 20, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G21/02
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a copier, to execute renewal of a maintenance contract with ease and without fail, a current date is compared with a contract expiry date, and a current total count of copies is compared with a count prescribed by the contract. As long as the contract is valid, the copier is operated in a normal copying mode. Meanwhile, the difference between the current count and the contract count is monitored every time a copying operation takes place. When the contract count is exceeded, the copier displays a message indicating expiry of the contract and requesting renewal of the contract in order to notify its user that the contract count has been exceeded. The copier then switches to a restricted copying operation mode. If the user chooses to renew the contract, the user contacts a service provider, so that the service provider checks the state of the contract for the copier and performs a procedure for renewing the contract.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.