초록 ▼

Image forming devices and methods of assisting with maintenance of image forming device consumables are described. According to one aspect, an image forming device includes: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network com

Image forming devices and methods of assisting with maintenance of image forming device consumables are described. According to one aspect, an image forming device includes: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; and processing circuitry coupled with the image engine and configured to forward a search request to the interface for communication to the network, to receive information regarding the consumable from the plurality of network devices via the interface responsive to the search request, to generate a message including information received from at least one of the network devices, and to control communication of the message.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An image forming device comprising: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; memory configured to store network id

What is claimed is: 1. An image forming device comprising: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; memory configured to store network identifiers of the network devices; processing circuitry coupled with the image engine and configured to forward a search request, at a desired interval, to the interface for communication to the network, to receive information regarding the consumable from the plurality of network devices via the interface responsive to the search request, to generate a message including information received from at least one of the network devices, and to control communication of the message; and wherein the processing circuitry of the image forming device is configured to, using the network identifiers, address the search request for communication to the network devices and to thereafter forward the search request to the interface for communication to the network devices. 2. The image forming device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the network devices individually comprise an entity capable of supplying the consumable. 3. An image forming device comprising: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; processing circuitry coupled with the image engine and configured to forward a search request, at a desired interval, to the interface for communication to the network, to receive information regarding the consumable from the plurality of network devices via the interface responsive to the search request, to generate a message including information received from at least one of the network devices, and to control communication of the message; wherein the processing circuitry of the image forming device is configured to address the search request for communication to the network devices and to thereafter forward the search request to the interface for communication to the network devices; and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the message comprising an electronic message, and to forward the message to the interface for communication externally of the image forming device. 4. A method of assisting with maintenance of image forming device consumables comprising: providing an image forming device configured to use a consumable to form a plurality of hard images; the image forming device communicating a search request, at a desired interval, regarding the consumable to a network including a plurality of network devices; responsive to the communicating step, the image forming device receiving information regarding the consumable from the network devices; and communicating a message including information regarding the consumable received from at least one of the network devices, wherein the communicating comprises communicating using the image forming device; and the image forming device storing a plurality of network identifiers of the network devices. 5. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising; the image forming device selecting information received from one of the network devices; and disregarding information received from another of the network devices, and wherein the communicating the message comprises communicating the message not including the disregarded information. 6. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the receiving comprises receiving price information of the consumable, and the selecting and the disregarding comprise comparing the price information from the one network device with the price information from the another network device and disregarding the price information from the another network device greater than the price information from the one network device. 7. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising detecting a predetermined moment in time, and wherein the communicating the search request is responsive to the detecting. 8. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising receiving a status of the consumable, and wherein the communicating the search request is responsive to the receiving the status. 9. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the communicating the message comprises communicating the message as an electronic message externally of the image forming device. 10. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the communicating comprises printing the message upon media. 11. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the receiving comprises receiving price information, and the communicating the message comprises communicating the message identifying at least one the network devices having the lowest price information. 12. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising addressing, using the image engine, the search request with the plurality of network identifiers. 13. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising identifying, using the image forming device, the network devices in the search request, and wherein the network devices comprise entities which are individually configured to supply the consumable. 14. The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the communicating the search request comprises directly communicating the search request to the network devices identified in the search request and comprising retailers of the consumable. 15. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the communicating the message comprises displaying on a display of the image forming device. 16. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the communicating the message comprises communicating responsive to the receiving. 17. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the network devices comprise retailers of the consumable. 18. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising storing identification information of the network devices comprising retailers of the consumable prior to formulating the search request by the processing circuitry. 19. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the communicating the search request comprises communicating the search request at a plurality of different moments in time, and wherein immediately adjacent ones of the different moments in time are separated by the desired interval comprising a common length of time. 20. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the storing the network identifiers comprises storing the network identifiers which are electronic addresses and which are associated with respective ones of the network devices, and further comprising formulating the search request to include the electronic addresses of the network devices using the image forming device, and wherein the communicating the search request comprises communicating the search request including the electronic addresses using the image forming device. 21. The method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the network devices individually comprise an entity capable of supplying the consumable. 22. An image forming device comprising: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; processing circuitry coupled with the image engine and configured to forward a search request, at a desired interval, to the interface for communication to the network, to receive information regarding the consumable from the plurality of network devices via the interface responsive to the search request, to generate a message including information received from at least one of the network devices, and to control communication of the message; wherein the processing circuitry of the image forming device is configured to address the search request for communication to the network devices and to thereafter forward the search request to the interface for communication to the network devices; and wherein the interface receives the information regarding the consumable directly from the network devices comprising retailers of the consumable. 23. An image forming device comprising: an image engine configured to utilize a consumable to form hard images; an interface adapted to communicate with a network comprising a plurality of network devices external of the image forming device; processing circuitry coupled with the image engine and configured to forward a search request, at a desired interval, to the interface for communication to the network, to receive information regarding the consumable from the plurality of network devices via the interface responsive to the search request, to generate a message including information received from at least one of the network devices, and to control communication of the message; wherein the processing circuitry of the image forming device is configured to address the search request for communication to the network devices and to thereafter forward the search request to the interface for communication to the network devices; and wherein storage circuitry of the image forming device comprises identification information of the network devices comprising retailers of the consumable prior to formulation of the search request by the processing circuitry.