PRINTING DEVICE SHARING SERVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20120212768A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Evanitsky, Eugene S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1217 achieving reduced idle time at the output device or increased asset utilization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1227 Printer definition files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services

Abstract

Methods and systems of brokering printing device capacity are disclosed. A broker computing system including one or more broker computing devices receives a print request including one or more print parameters from a print requester computing device and availability information from one or more print supplier printing devices. The broker computing device selects one of the one or more print supplier printing devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device. The print request may be transmitted to the selected print supplier printing device. Alternately, a link for the selected print supplier printing device may be transmitted to the print requester computing device. The link enables the print requester computing device to directly contact the print supplier printing device.

Claims

1. A broker computing system in operable communication with and remote from one or more print requester computing devices and one or more print supplier printing devices, wherein the one or more print supplier printing devices are remote from the one or more print requester computing devices, wherein each print supplier printing device is associated with a print supplier, wherein the broker computing system comprises:

a processor; and

a processor-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor, wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

receive a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters,

receive availability information from at least one print supplier printing device,

select a print supplier printing device based on the one or more print parameters and the availability for the selected print supplier printing device, and

transmit the print request to the selected print supplier printing device.

2. The broker computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a registration request for a print requester from a print requester computing device, wherein the registration request comprises a payment method, one or more user preferences and one or more preferred print suppliers; and

transmit an approval for the registration request to the print requester computing device.

3. The broker computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a registration request from a print supplier associated with a print supplier printing device, wherein the registration request comprises one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device; and

transmit an approval for the registration request to the print supplier.

4. The broker computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

determine a cost to prepare the print request based on the one or more print parameters;

transmit the cost to the print requester computing device;

receive payment information for a print request from the print requester computing device; and

provide a credit to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device for performing the print request on the print supplier printing device.

5. A broker computing system in operable communication with and remote from one or more print requester computing devices and one or more print supplier printing devices, wherein the one or more print supplier printing devices are remote from the one or more print requester computing devices, wherein each print supplier printing device is associated with a print supplier, wherein the broker computing system comprises:

a processor; and

a processor-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor, wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

receive a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters,

receive availability information from at least one print supplier printing device,

select a print supplier printing device based on the one or more print parameters and the availability for the selected print supplier printing device, and

transmit a link for the selected print supplier printing device to the print requester computing device, wherein the link enables the print requester computing device to directly contact the print supplier printing device.

6. The broker computing system of claim 5 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a registration request for a print requester from a print requester computing device, wherein the registration request comprises a payment method, one or more user preferences and one or more preferred print suppliers; and

transmit an approval for the registration request to the print requester computing device.

7. The broker computing system of claim 5 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a registration request from a print supplier associated with a print supplier printing device, wherein the registration request comprises one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device; and

transmit an approval for the registration request to the print supplier.

8. The broker computing system of claim 5 wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

determine a cost for the print request based on the one or more print parameters;

transmit the cost to the print requester computing device;

receive payment information for a print request from the print requester computing device; and

provide a credit to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device for performing the print request on the print supplier printing device.

9. A method of brokering printing device capacity, the method comprising:

receiving a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters;

receiving availability information from one or more print supplier printing devices;

selecting, by a broker computing device, one of the one or more print supplier printing devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device; and

transmitting the print request to the selected print supplier printing device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a registration request for a print requester from a print requester computing device, wherein the registration request comprises a payment method, one or more user preferences and one or more preferred print suppliers; and

transmitting an approval for the registration request to the print requester computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a registration request from a print supplier associated with a print supplier printing device, wherein the registration request comprises one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device; and

transmitting an approval for the registration request to the print supplier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device comprise one or more the following:

one or more acceptable print job types;

a range of acceptable print job sizes;

hours of operation;

a list of restricted print requesters; and

one or more methods of enabling a print requester to receive one or more documents resulting from a completed print job.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a cost for the print request based on the one or more print parameters;

transmitting the cost to the print requester computing device;

receiving payment information for a print request from the print requester computing device; and

providing a credit to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device for performing the print request on the print supplier printing device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more print parameters comprise one or more of the following:

a geographical location;

a due date or time;

a method of payment;

a print job size;

a print job quality; and

one or more finishing options.

15. A method of brokering printing device capacity, the method comprising:

receiving a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters;

receiving availability information from one or more print supplier printing devices;

selecting, by a broker computing device, one of the one or more print supplier printing devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device; and

transmitting a link for the selected print supplier printing device to the print requester computing device, wherein the link enables the print requester computing device to directly contact the print supplier printing device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a registration request for a print requester from a print requester computing device, wherein the registration request comprises a payment method, one or more user preferences and one or more preferred print suppliers; and

transmitting an approval for the registration request to the print requester computing device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a registration request from a print supplier associated with a print supplier printing device, wherein the registration request comprises one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device; and

transmitting an approval for the registration request to the print supplier.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more policies regarding use of the print supplier printing device comprise one or more the following:

one or more acceptable print job types;

a range of acceptable print job sizes;

hours of operation;

a list of restricted print requesters; and

one or more methods of enabling a print requester to receive one or more documents resulting from a completed print job.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a cost for the print request based on the one or more print parameters;

transmitting the cost to the print requester computing device;

receiving payment information for a print request from the print requester computing device; and

providing a credit to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device for performing the print request on the print supplier printing device.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more print parameters comprise one or more of the following:

a geographical location;

a due date or time;

a method of payment;

a print job size;

a print job quality; and

one or more finishing options.