US2004177124A1PendingUtilityA1

Reporting the state of an apparatus to a remote computer

47
Priority: Jul 28, 2000Filed: Mar 19, 2004Published: Sep 9, 2004
Est. expiryJul 28, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James R. Hansen
G06F 11/2294G06F 11/3068G06F 2201/875G06F 11/3086G06F 11/3013
47
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

The state of an apparatus is reported to a remote computer using an embedded device in the apparatus. The embedded device detects the state, generates an electronic mail message that reports the state using a self-describing computer language, and sends the electronic mail message to the remote computer. The remote computer receives the electronic mail message and extracts the state of the embedded device from the message.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for using a device embedded in an apparatus to report the state of the apparatus to a remote computer, comprising: 
 detecting the state of the apparatus;    generating an electronic mail message that reports the state of the apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    sending the electronic mail message to the remote computer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the state comprises receiving the state from the apparatus.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the state comprises retrieving the state periodically from the apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the state comprises: 
 obtaining an identifier for the apparatus, the identifier relating to the state of the apparatus; and    reading the state from the apparatus using the identifier.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 determining if the state of the apparatus has changed;    wherein the electronic mail message is generated if the state of the apparatus has changed.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining comprises comparing the state received from the apparatus to a previous state of the apparatus.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic mail message is generated using a predefined template, the electronic mail message being generated by: 
 obtaining one or more variables relating to the apparatus; and    inserting the one or more variables into the template.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state of the apparatus is included as part of a body of the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the state of the embedded device is included as part of an attachment to the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method for obtaining a state of an apparatus from a device embedded in the apparatus, comprising: 
 receiving an electronic mail message that reports the state of the apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    extracting the state of the apparatus from the electronic mail message.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the apparatus.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising passing the state of the apparatus to a customer relationship management system.  
     
     
         18 . A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for reporting the state of an apparatus to a remote computer, the computer program comprising instructions that cause an embedded device in the apparatus to: 
 detect the state of the apparatus;    generate an electronic mail message that reports the state of the apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    send the electronic mail message to the remote computer.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the apparatus.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 19 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein detecting the state comprises receiving the state from the apparatus.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein detecting the state comprises retrieving the state periodically from the apparatus.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein detecting the state comprises: 
 obtaining an identifier for the apparatus, the identifier relating to the state of the apparatus; and    reading the state from the apparatus using the identifier.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions that cause the embedded device to: 
 determine if the state of the apparatus has changed;    wherein the electronic mail message is generated if the state of the apparatus has changed.    
     
     
         25 . The computer program of  claim 24 , wherein determining comprises comparing the state received from the apparatus to a previous state of the apparatus.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         27 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the electronic mail message is generated using a predefined template, the electronic mail message being generated by: 
 obtaining one or more variables relating to the apparatus; and    inserting the one or more variables into the template.    
     
     
         28 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the state of the apparatus is included as part of a body of the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         29 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the state of the apparatus is included as part of an attachment to the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         30 . A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for obtaining a state of an apparatus from a device embedded in the apparatus, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to: 
 receive an electronic mail message that reports the state of the apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    extract the state of the apparatus from the electronic mail message.    
     
     
         31 . The computer program of  claim 30 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         32 . The computer program of  claim 30 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the apparatus.  
     
     
         33 . The computer program of  claim 32 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         34 . The computer program of  claim 30 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to pass the state of the apparatus to a customer relationship management system.  
     
     
         35 . A device embedded in an apparatus for reporting the state of an apparatus to a remote computer, the embedded device comprising circuitry which: 
 detects the state of the apparatus;    generates an electronic mail message that reports the state of the apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    sends the electronic mail message to the remote computer.    
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the apparatus.  
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein detecting the state comprises receiving the state from the apparatus.  
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein detecting the state comprises retrieving the state periodically from the apparatus.  
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein detecting the state comprises: 
 obtaining an identifier for the apparatus, the identifier relating to the state of the apparatus; and    reading the state from the apparatus using the identifier.    
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein: 
 the circuitry determines if the state of the apparatus has changed; and    the electronic mail message is generated if the state of the apparatus has changed.    
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein determining comprises comparing the state received from the apparatus to a previous state of the apparatus.  
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the electronic mail message is generated using a predefined template, the electronic mail message being generated by: 
 obtaining one or more variables relating to the apparatus; and    inserting the one or more variables into the template.    
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the state of the apparatus is included as part of a body of the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the state of the apparatus is included as part of an attachment to the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the circuitry comprises a memory which stores executable instructions and a processor which executes the instructions.  
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the circuitry comprises one or more of an application-specific integrated circuit and a programmable gate array.  
     
     
         49 . A first apparatus for obtaining a state of a second apparatus from a device embedded in the second apparatus, the first apparatus comprising circuitry which: 
 receives an electronic mail message that reports the state of the second apparatus using a self-describing computer language; and    extracts the state of the second apparatus from the electronic mail message.    
     
     
         50 . The first apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the self-describing computer language comprises eXtensible Markup Language (XML).  
     
     
         51 . The first apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the state is indicative of an error condition in the second apparatus.  
     
     
         52 . The first apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the error condition comprises a variable that deviates from an acceptable value or a predetermined range of acceptable values.  
     
     
         53 . The first apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the circuitry passes the state of the second apparatus to a customer relationship management system.  
     
     
         54 . The first apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the circuitry comprises a memory which stores executable instructions and a processor which executes the instructions.  
     
     
         55 . The first apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the circuitry comprises one or more of an application-specific integrated circuit and a programmable gate array.  
     
     
         56 . A system comprising: 
 a first device comprising circuitry which generates an electronic mail message reporting a state of an apparatus using a self-describing computer language, and    a second device, in communication with the first device, the second device comprising circuitry which receives the electronic mail message from the first device.    
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the circuitry in the second device extracts the state of the apparatus from the electronic mail message.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the first device is embedded in the apparatus and the second device comprises a remote computer.

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