Patent Application
20080056753
The FIGURE illustrates the general components of an embodiment of the system of this invention.
The drawing shows a marking apparatus 1. However, any color or monochrome apparatus can be used in the present system. A non-business user 2 would use the apparatus 1, would be identified as the user and this information conveyed to the administrator supplier such as Xerox Corporation 3. The apparatus 1 would include a component to identify the user and a component that will convey and transfer this and other information to the administrator 3. In the system, a component will be provided to receive information from the apparatus 1 and sent information from the administrator to the business apparatus owner 4 such as usage, user and owner's commission. Thus, the marking prints 5 made by employee 2 will be a source of income to employer 4. The term “employee” includes anyone other than the owner of apparatus 1. “Provider” includes the supplier of the equipment and “Employer” includes any owner of the equipment or machine.
In summary, the embodiments herein described provides a process of allowing employees to use their employer's marking equipment for employee's personal use. This process comprises a supplier providing at employer's facilities said marking equipment. The employee will pre-pay or make other payments to said supplier for a predetermined periodic fixed fee for this service. The supplier is enabled to administer service via communication(s) from equipment and subsequently reimburse employer at least part of the fee received from employee.
The user has an account with the supplier that is administered to enable the user to make copies on the equipment within parameters of the account.
The marking equipment is selected from the group consisting of electrostatic and non-electrostatic color printers, color copiers, monochrome printers, monochrome copiers, fax machines, multifunction machines and mixtures thereof.
The supplier periodically pays the owner an amount or commission based upon the user's incurred costs for said use.
In one embodiment said equipment is a color printer or color copier.
In one or all embodiments there is provided a method of initiating or increasing revenue derived from a marking machine. This method comprises a system wherein a provider installs the machine at an employer-owner's location. The provider is supplying a component in the machine which identifies an employee-user and provides another component enabled to record specifics of use by the user. Also, a communication component between the machine and the provider is used for arranging payments made to the provider by the user. Subsequently, said provider will share said payments with said employer-user.
The provider administers substantially the entire said system with little or no involvement by the employer.
This system permits the employee to make personal copies on the machine within parameters of an arrangement with the provider.
In an embodiment, the provider deducts from any balance owed by said employer-owner any amounts of payments due the employer-owner.
Obviously, said system is agreed upon by the employer prior to initiation and administration.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
