Wireless printing service

• US 20040133525A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Harpreet, Ormond, Louis
• Application Number:
  US10/335,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A multifunction peripheral equipped with a communications system to communicate with wireless devices to initiate print jobs for printing and charge users for wirelessly printing documents. The system comprising a multifunction peripheral with a wireless communication server and a central server. A user of a wireless device, such as a laptop or PDA, approaches the multifunction peripheral and wirelessly connects to the peripheral. The system offers a web based user interface for the wirelessly connected user device to setup a print job and select a payment method. The system them calculates a cost and obtains user approval. The document is then printed, a central server then archives all transaction details and records for later retrieval.

Claims

1. An image apparatus, comprising:

an image processing apparatus adapted to receive a document and produce an image based on the document;

a wireless communication system communicatively coupled to the image processing apparatus, the wireless communication system adapted to receive a document from a wireless device;

authentication means communicatively coupled to the wireless communication system adapted to authenticate the wireless device; and

a payment processing system coupled to the image processing apparatus suitably adapted to process financial transactions associated with the production of the image.

2. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the image processing apparatus is a multi-function peripheral.

3. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the image processing apparatus is at least one of the group consisting of a facsimile device, a copier, and a printer.

4. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system is at least one of 802.11 compliant and Bluetooth complaint.

5. The image apparatus of claim 1, the authentication means comprises a network connection to an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting server.

6. The image apparatus of claim 5 wherein the Authentication, Authorization and Accounting server is a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service server.

7. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the payment processing system comprises a connection to a credit card authorization means.

8. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the payment processing system comprises a connection to a prepaid accounts database.

9. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the payment processing system comprises means adapted to obtaining coupon information.

10. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the payment processing system comprises means for connecting to a partner account system over a network and to verify a partner account.

11. The image apparatus of claim 1 wherein the payment processing system comprises an archiving system adapted to archive all transaction details and records for producing the image.

12. The image apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a calculating system adapted to calculate a cost to produce the image.

13. The image apparatus of claim 12, the calculating system further comprising means adapted to obtain approval of the cost to produce the image.

14. A method for an image apparatus to produce an image, the steps comprising:

receiving specifications of a document from a remote device

calculating a cost of producing an image of the document

obtaining approval from the remote device; and

producing the image.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising sending user approved charges to a payment entity.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising archiving all transaction details and records.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising presenting the remote device with a web browser interface adapted to obtain document production parameters.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the remote device communicates with the image apparatus over a network.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the remote device is a wireless device that communicates with the image apparatus via wireless communication.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising authenticating the wireless device.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the wireless device is authenticated by an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting server communicatively coupled to the image apparatus by a network.

22. A computer-readable medium of instructions, comprising:

means adapted to receive specifications of a document from a remote device

means adapted to calculate a cost of producing an image of the document

means adapted to obtain approval of the cost; and

means adapted to produce the image.

23. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 further comprising means adapted to send user approved charges to a payment entity.

24. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 further comprising means adapted to archive all transaction details and records.

25. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 further comprising means adapted to present the remote device with a web browser interface adapted to obtain document production parameters.

26. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 wherein the remote device communicates with the image apparatus over a network.

27. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 wherein the remote device is a wireless device that communicates with the image apparatus via wireless communication.

28. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 22 further comprising means adapted for authenticating the wireless device.

29. The computer-readable medium of instructions of claim 28 wherein the wireless device is authenticated by an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting server communicatively coupled to the image apparatus by a network.