Managed print service automated and integrated system

摘要

A managed print service (MPS) system is used to analyze the costs associated with creating hardcopies on document output devices in end user customer environments, develop proposals to optimize the placement and use of document output devices based on the end user customer's desired workflow, and manage the resulting optimized document output device fleet in the replenishment of supplies. MPS providers can also use the system to manage break/fix services to maintain the uptime, or availability, of the fleet of document output devices. The system provides a predictive supplies replenishment module that accounts for variations in user behaviors when determining whether a replacement supply is needed and identifies replacement supplies according to multiple trigger thresholds that are based on calculations of the remaining days of the supplies in the devices. The system also provides device-specific routing labels for different supply parts that are sent to the same shipping address.

主权项

1. A system for analyzing, optimizing and managing a plurality of document output devices that are operatively connected to data collection systems over a communications network, comprising:
a communications interface for receiving device-specific data for the document output devices from the data collection systems through the communications network, wherein said device-specific data is comprised of a plurality of formats according to the respective data collection systems from which said device-specific data is received; a computer processor in operative communication with said communications interface, wherein said computer processor comprises a reconciling module to transform said plurality of formats for said device-specific data into a standardized device-specific dataset, said computer processor further comprising at least one module selected from the group consisting of a service evaluation module, a supply replenishment module, a routing label module, a service monitoring module, a service ticketing module, and any combination thereof; a database in operative communication with said computer processor, wherein said database comprises a logical correlation between a plurality of user accounts and corresponding sets of the document output devices and a memory storage containing said standardized device-specific dataset according to said logical correlation; a replenishment supply part used in one of the document output devices; and a portable printer in networked communication with said computer processor and said database through said communications interface, wherein said computer processor queries said database, determines an in-service replenishment supply part is at a replacement level, and automatically communicates a print job to said portable printer through said communications interface for said replenishment supply part, wherein said print job instructs said portable printer to print a supply routing label having a unique device location identifier for one of the document output devices, and wherein said supply routing label is affixed to said replenishment supply part.