WO2005062661A1

WO2005062661A1 - Method and apparatus for monitoring a clerical device

Info

Publication number: WO2005062661A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/005380
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clifford James Hazel; Mitchell Jan Collins
Original assignee: Mf Logic Limited
Priority date: 2003-12-22
Filing date: 2004-12-22
Publication date: 2005-07-07
Also published as: GB0329719D0

Abstract

An apparatus (104) for monitoring a multifunction clerical device (102) having at least one clerical facility, such as scanning, copying, printing, facsimile receptions and/or transmission, includes a communications interface for interfacing to a communications port (106). The monitoring device (104) is arranged to monitor use of a clerical facility of the multifunction clerical device (102) and to communicate the monitored usage via the communications port (106). The apparatus (104) can be incorporated in the multifunction clerical device (102), or can be provided separately.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A CLERICAL DEVICE

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring a clerical device of the type, for example, providing one or more clerical facilities, such as a scanning, a copying , a printing facility and/or a communications facility (for example, facsimile reception and/or transmission). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus of monitoring usage of a clerical device, which apparatus may be separate from or incorporated into the device.

In some hotels, it is known to provide facsimile machines in guest rooms. These machines are typically dual-facility machines, namely they are only capable of transmitting and receiving facsimiles and nothing more. In some hotels, multiple facility machines are provided, such machines being capable not only of transmitting and receiving facsimiles, but also of scanning pages and printing copies of the scanned pages. In the case of the simple facsimile machine, the hotel is able to record outgoing usage of the facsimile machine through usage of the telephone line in a guest's room used to transmit a facsimile. However, incoming facsimiles are not monitored. Similarly, in the case of the multifunction machine, it is not possible to monitor use of the copying facility of the multifunction machine with a view to charging for the use of the copying facility. This is particularly important, since hotel resources, such as toner or ink, are still being used by the guest, but the cost of these not

recovered. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a clerical device having at least one clerical facility; a communications port; and a monitoring device coupled to the communications port, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor, when in use, use of a predetermined facility of the clerical device.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for monitoring a clerical device having at least one clerical facility, the apparatus comprising a communications interface for interfacing to a communications line, a device interface for interfacing to the clerical device, and a monitoring device coupled to the device interface and the communications interface, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor, when in use, use of a clerical facility of the clerical device and to communicate the monitored usage via the communications line.

For the avoidance of doubt, the clerical device is capable of providing one or more clerical-related facility, for example, but not exclusively limited to, facsimile receipt, facsimile transmission, printing, copying and/or scanning.

The predetermined facility may be a scanning facility. Additionally or alternatively, the predetermined facility may be a printing facility. Preferably, the facsimile communication facility and/or printing facility comprises communication means for transmitting, when in use, a facsimile. More preferably, the communications means is coupled to the communications port. Very preferably, the communication means is coupled to the communications port via the monitoring device.

In a preferred embodiment, the clerical device includes a motor for enabling a clerical facility, and the monitoring device is arranged to monitor operation of the motor. The monitoring device may monitor use of a clerical facility of the clerical device by sensing a current signal flowing through the motor. The monitoring device may alternatively monitor use of a clerical facility of the clerical device by sensing a characteristic of a power signal applied to the clerical device.

The apparatus may comprise a scanning means, for example a scanner. A first motor may be provided as part of the scanning means. The apparatus may further comprise printing means, for example a printer. A second motor may be provided as part of the printing means.

Preferably, the monitoring device is arranged to monitor operation of the first motor. Preferably, the monitoring device is arranged to monitor operation of the second motor. Operation of the first or second motor may be activation thereof and/or deactivation thereof. The monitoring device may comprise or be coupled to a modem device for communication of use data. The monitoring device may be remotely contacted to download the use data.

Preferably, the monitoring device is arranged to record use of the predetermined facility of the multifunction device.

The apparatus may be arranged to be enabled and/or disabled remotely. A predetermined facility may be specifically enabled/disabled remotely. Preferably, the enablement and/or disablement of the apparatus is executed by the monitoring device in response to an instruction received from a remote source, for example a remote terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method of monitoring usage of a clerical device having at least one clerical facility, the method comprising the steps of monitoring use of a clerical facility of the clerical device, and communicating monitored usage data to a remote terminal.

In one embodiment, the method involves monitoring usage of a communications apparatus, the communications apparatus comprising: a multifunction device having a facsimile communication facility and a printing facility, the method comprising the step of: monitoring use of a predetermined facility of the multifunction device. Preferably, the method comprises the further steps of remotely enabling the clerical device, remotely requesting the monitored usage data to be communicated to the remote terminal, and remotely disabling the clerical device after the monitored usage data has been communicated to the remote terminal.

It is thus possible to provide an apparatus, and method therefor, capable of monitoring more than transmission of a facsimile by a clerical machine. Consequently, a hotel or other establishment providing private-use clerical machines is able to recover costs of materials and avoid user-inconvenience by knowing when consumables need to be replaced before they are eventually exhausted.

At least one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus constituting an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 , a communications apparatus 100 comprises a multifunction facsimile device 102, including a monitoring module 104. In this example, the monitoring module 104 is provided within a housing (not shown) to prevent tampering with the communications apparatus 100. The monitoring module 104 can be provided as a circuit included as part of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) of the communications apparatus 100. Alternatively, a suitably programmable electronic component, for example, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) can be provided with the functionality of the monitoring module 104. However, if suitable tamper-prevention measures are provided, the monitoring module 104 can be provided externally to the multifunction facsimile device 102.

The monitoring device 104 is coupled to a communications port 106. The multifunction facsimile device 102 is capable of providing a number of facilities, for example, facsimile transmission and reception. Additionally, by virtue of a printing facility for printing received facsimiles, a document copying facility is provided.

The construction of multifunction facsimile devices is well-known in the art and so for the sake of simplicity and clarity of description, the structure of the multifunction facsimile device 102 will not be described in further detail herein. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated that the multifunction facsimile device, in this example, comprises a scanner (not shown) and a printer (not shown). The scanner comprises a first motor 108 and the printer comprises a second motor 110 in order to facilitate provision of the facsimile facility, but also the document copying facility.

In this example, the monitoring device 104 is coupled to the first motor 108 and the second motor 110 and comprises a current sensing circuit (not shown). The communications apparatus 100 is coupled to an existing Private Automatic Branch exchange (PABX) 112 via the communications port 106, the monitoring device 104 comprising a first modem (not shown) for communication with a remote terminal 114, such as a suitably programmed Personal Computer (PC) or Server having a second modem (not shown). Of course, any other suitable communications link can be used, such as a Local Area Network (LAN) to communicate between the communications apparatus 100 and the remote terminal 114.

In a hotel environment, the communications apparatus 100 is provided in one or more guest rooms (not shown) and coupled to the PABX 112 via a wall socket (not shown) provided in the guest room.

The remote terminal 114 is typically located at a hotel Reception (not shown) or in an administrative office (not shown) and coupled to the PABX 112 via another wall socket (not shown). In this example, the remote terminal 114 is also equipped with a built-in modem (not shown).

In operation, a guest checks-in at the hotel and expresses a desire for a facsimile and copying facility in the guest room to be provided. In response, the communications apparatus 100 is enabled by selecting an activate option using the remote terminal 114, resulting in the remote terminal 114 issuing an activate command to the monitoring device 104 of the communications apparatus 100. Thereafter, use of the communications apparatus 100 is possible until a countermanding deactivate command is issued to the monitoring device 104 by the remote terminal 114 in response to a deactivate option being selected.

In response to the activate command, the monitoring device 104 permits the multifunction facsimile device 102 to power-up and be used by the guest, or other user.

If the multifunction facsimile device 102 is capable of receiving facsimiles, receipt of a facsimile is monitored and recorded by the monitoring device 104 by detection of activation of the second motor 110 of the printer, for example, by sensing and/or monitoring a first current signal flowing through the second motor 110. Consequently, it is possible to sense reception of the facsimile and to determine the number of pages being printed.

For some facilities, such as in incoming facsimiles, telecommunications information borne by a communications signal, for example Calling Line Identification (CLI) data, can be used to monitor facsimile receipt.

Similarly, if the multifunction facsimile device 102 is connected to a PC (not shown) in the guest room in order to be able to scan documents, the monitoring device 104 detects activation of the first motor 108 by sensing and/or monitoring a second current signal flowing through the first motor 108, thereby monitoring a number of pages scanned by the multifunctional facsimile device 102. It will, of course, be appreciated that other characteristics of a power signal applied to the multifunctional facsimile device 102 can be sensed instead of current flowing through the motors, if desired.

In the event that the multifunction facsimile device 102 is used for document copying, combined use of the first and second motors 108, 110 is detected by the monitoring device 104 and monitored to determine a number of pages being copied. Again, detection and monitoring of the first and second current signals is carried out to achieve detection and monitoring of the activation of the first and second motors 108, 110.

Of course, whilst the above examples have been described in the context of monitoring electrical current signals, the skilled person will readily appreciate that other, suitable, techniques can be employed to monitor usage of the scanning facility and/or the printing facility.

At the end of the guest's stay, periodically, or on an event-driven basis, the remote terminal 114 communicates with the monitoring device 104 of the communications apparatus 100 and retrieves information relating to the facility used by the guest and a number of pages involved. Optionally, date and time information can also be retrieved to indicate when a particular facility is used.

The information collected by the remote terminal 114 can then be provided to a billing system of the hotel in order to charge the guest for use of facsimile and/or copying facilities provided in the guest rooms. The facilities can be charged at variable rates.

Additionally, the remote terminal 114 can be programmed to monitor the usage of printing and/or facsimile receipt facilities against known materials/consumables reserves in the guest room, for example, paper, ink and/or toner. Consequently, the remote terminal 114 can generate an alert to indicate paper, ink and/or toner replenishment is required. Additionally, or alternatively, ink/toner-low sensors and/or any paper sensors provided in the multifunction facsimile device 102 can be monitored by the monitoring device 104 and ink/toner and/or paper levels communicated to the remote terminal 114 for responsive action.

Alternative embodiments of the invention can be implemented as a computer program product for use with a computer system, the computer program product being, for example, a series of computer instructions stored on a tangible data recording medium, such as a diskette, CD-ROM, ROM, or fixed disk, or embodied in a computer data signal, the signal being transmitted over a tangible medium or a wireless medium, for example, microwave or infrared. The series of computer instructions can constitute all or part of the functionality described above, and can also be stored in any memory device, volatile or nonvolatile, such as semiconductor, magnetic, optical or other memory device. Whilst the above examples have been described in the context of current sensors, it should be appreciated that other techniques can be employed to monitor activity of certain facilities of the multifunction facsimile device, for example, outgoing telephone call activity, on/off power switches, activity of circuit components, processor activity, buttons for initiating and stopping scanning and/or printing and/or facsimile functions, lights/Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for identifying starting and stopping of scanning activity and/or printing and/or facsimile activities, or activity logs stored, for example in a memory, by the multifunction facsimile device 102. Of course, although the above example describes a multifunction facsimile device 102, other multifunction devices can be employed that possess a different combination of functions than those described above.

Although a multifunction device has been described in the above examples, it should be appreciated that other, single function, devices can be employed in place of the multifunction device, for example, a facsimile machine, a photocopier, a printer or a scanner.

Whilst not described above, the multifunction device 102 can comprise a media interface port for receiving data, such as data corresponding to media, by coupling a storage device or other electronic device thereto. Of course, it is conceivable that the monitoring device 104 can monitor parts of the multifunction device 102 to be monitored through coupling the monitoring device 104 to the media interface. As mentioned above, the monitoring module 104 can be provided externally to the multifunction facsimile device 102. For example, the monitoring module can be provided as a separate module coupled between the power source and the multifunction facsimile device 102 in order to sense the characteristic of the power signal applied to the multifunction facsimile device 102, as well as, of course, being coupled to a communication line to enable the usage data to be communicated to the remote terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a clerical device having at least one clerical facility; a communications port; and a monitoring device coupled to the communications port, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor, when in use, use of a clerical facility of the clerical device.

2. An apparatus for monitoring a clerical device having at least one clerical facility, the apparatus comprising a communications interface for interfacing to a communications port, a device interface for interfacing to the clerical device, and a monitoring device coupled to the device interface and the communications interface, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor, when in use, use of a clerical facility of the clerical device and to communicate the monitored usage via the communications port.

3. An apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the clerical device includes a motor for enabling a clerical facility, and the monitoring device is arranged to monitor operation of the motor.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the monitoring device monitors use of a clerical facility of the clerical device by sensing a current signal flowing through the motor.

5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the monitoring device monitors use of a clerical facility of the clerical device by sensing a characteristic of a power signal applied to the clerical device.

6. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a modem device for communication of usage data.

7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the monitoring device may be remotely contacted to download usage data.

8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to record use of the clerical facility of the clerical device.

9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising remote control means whereby the apparatus can be enabled and/or disabled remotely.

10. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising remote control means whereby a predetermined facility may be specifically enabled/disabled remotely.

11. An apparatus according to either claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the enablement and/or disablement of the apparatus or the predetermined facility is executed by the monitoring device in response to an instruction received from a remote source.

12. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the clerical facility of the clerical device includes at least one facility from the group of clerical facilities including: scanning; printing; copying; facsimile reception; and facsimile transmission.

13. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the clerical device comprises a multifunction device.

14. A method of monitoring usage of a clerical device having at least one clerical facility, the method comprising the steps of; monitoring use of a clerical facility of the clerical device; and communicating monitored usage data to a remote terminal.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of storing the monitored usage data prior to the step of communicating the monitored usage data.

16. A method according to either claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring use of a clerical facility of the clerical device comprises monitoring operation of a motor of the clerical device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the step of monitoring use of a clerical facility of the clerical device comprises sensing a current signal flowing through the motor.

18. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the step of monitoring use of a clerical facility of the clerical device comprises sensing a characteristic of a power signal applied to the clerical device.

19. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the clerical facility of the clerical device includes at least one facility from the group of clerical facilities including: scanning; printing; copying; facsimile reception; and facsimile transmission.

20. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, further comprising the steps of remotely enabling the clerical device, remotely requesting the monitored usage data to be communicated to the remote terminal, and remotely disabling the clerical device after the monitored usage data has been communicated to the remote terminal.