Methods and systems for local configuration-based imaging device accounting

• US 8,115,944 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Hanzhong, Lovat, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, LENNIN ROBINSON
• Application Number:
  US11/192,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 705/400, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1219 with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1221 with regard to power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1273 Print job history, e.g. logging, accounting, tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for receiving job configuration data, deriving detailed job parameters and calculating job costs in relation to an imaging device job. Some aspects relate to the receiving display content for use as a prompt to obtain job configuration data. Some aspects relate to display of display content for prompting a user to input the job configuration data.

Claims

1. A method for imaging device accounting, said method comprising:

receiving imaging device (IDev) user interface (UI) display content at an IDev via an IDev UI application programming interface (API) residing on said IDev, wherein said IDev UI display content is received from a remote computing device (RCD) with an RCD application in communication with said UI API;

displaying said IDev UI display content on an IDev UI display, wherein said IDev UI display content comprises a prompt for IDev job configuration data;

receiving job configuration data at said IDev in response to said displaying, wherein said job configuration data relates to a job to be performed on said IDev;

generating pixel data for said job to be performed on said IDev;

deriving detailed job parameters from said job configuration data and said pixel data wherein said detailed job parameters consist of quantity of impressions per page, pixel count data, image resolution, color attributes, color depth, color quantity, contrast media consumption, monochrome attributes, grey-scale attributes, scan destination, print destination, power consumption and job type;

sending said detailed job parameters to said RCD for calculation of a job cost;

receiving a job cost account compliance message from said RCD, wherein said job cost account compliance message communicates whether a job cost based on said pixel data represented in said detailed job parameters complies with accounting restrictions for a user account; and

receiving automatically-modified job configuration data and an accounting authorization when said job cost does not comply with said accounting restrictions, wherein said automatically-modified job configuration data complies with said accounting restrictions.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said job configuration data is received from user input at an imaging device user interface (UI).

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said job configuration data is received from user input entered at another device and transmitted to said imaging device over a communication link.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said job configuration data is received from another device as a data structure via a SOAP method call.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said deriving detailed job parameters comprises calculation of a parameter that is not directly input by a user.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said deriving detailed job parameters comprises measurement of a parameter that is not directly input by a user.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said measurement of a parameter that is not directly input by a user comprises measurement of consumable resources.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said job cost is proportional to an aggregate cost of all materials and resources used for the imaging job.

9. A method for imaging device accounting, said method comprising:

receiving imaging device (IDev) user interface (UI) display content at an IDev via an IDev UI application programming interface (API) residing on said IDev, wherein said IDev UI display content is received from a remote computing device (RCD) with an RCD application in communication with said UI API;

displaying said IDev UI display content on an IDev UI display, wherein said IDev UI display content comprises a prompt for IDev job configuration data;

receiving job configuration data for a job at said IDev in response to said displaying;

generating pixel data for said job;

deriving detailed job parameters from said job configuration data and said pixel data wherein said detailed job parameters consist of quantity of impressions per page, pixel count data, image resolution, color attributes, color depth, color quantity, contrast media consumption, monochrome attributes, grey-scale attributes, scan destination, print destination, power consumption and job type;

sending said detailed job parameters to said RCD for calculation of a job cost; and

receiving job cost data from said RCD, wherein said job cost data is based on said pixel data represented in said detailed job parameters;

sending said job cost data to a remote accounting application for job authorization;

receiving a job authorization for said job at said IDev when said job cost data complies with accounting restrictions;

receiving automatically-modified job configuration data from said RCD when said job cost data based on said pixel data in said detailed job parameters does not comply with said accounting restrictions.

10. A method as described in claim 9 further comprising automatically modifying said job when said job does not comply with accounting restrictions.

11. A method as described in claim 9 further comprising prompting a user to modify said job when said job does not comply with accounting restrictions.

12. A method as described in claim 9 wherein said deriving detailed job parameters comprises calculation of a parameter that is not directly input by a user.

13. A method as described in claim 9 wherein said sending is accomplished via an XML/SOAP method call.

14. A method as described in claim 9 wherein said receiving a job authorization is accomplished via an XML/SOAP method call.

15. An apparatus for imaging device accounting, said apparatus comprising:

an imaging device (IDev) user interface (UI) comprising an IDev display and an IDev user input device,

an IDev UI application programming interface (API) for providing a remote computing device (RCD) application with access to said IDev display and user input received at said IDev user input device and for providing said RCD application with control over IDev functions,

at least one IDev function processor for performing an IDev job;

a display content receiver for receiving UI display content at said IDev via said IDev UI API;

a display content browser for displaying said UI display content;

a user interface (UI) receiver for receiving job configuration data for a job at said IDev, wherein said receiving is in response to said displaying;

a pixel data generator for generating pixel data for a job based on said job configuration data;

a processor for deriving detailed job parameters from said job configuration data and said pixel data, wherein said detailed job parameters consist of quantity of impressions per page, pixel count data, image resolution, color attributes, color depth, color quantity, contrast media consumption, monochrome attributes, grey-scale attributes, scan destination, print destination, power consumption and job type;

a sender for sending said detailed job parameters to said RCD for calculation of job cost data;

a receiver for receiving job cost data from said RCD, wherein said job cost data is based on said pixel data represented in said detailed job parameters;

a transmitter for sending said job cost data to a remote accounting application for job authorization;

an authorization receiver for receiving a job authorization for said job when said job cost data complies with accounting restrictions; and

a modified job receiver for receiving automatically-modified job configuration data from said RCD when said job cost data based on said pixel data in said detailed job parameters does not comply with said accounting restrictions.

16. An apparatus as described in claim 15 wherein said transmitter uses an XML/SOAP method call to accomplish said sending.

17. An apparatus as described in claim 15 wherein said authorization receiver uses an XML/SOAP method call to accomplish said receiving.

18. An apparatus as described in claim 15 further comprising a modifier for automatically modifying said job when said job does not comply with accounting restrictions.

19. An apparatus as described in claim 15 further comprising a prompter for prompting a user to modify said job when said job does not comply with accounting restrictions.