Apparatus and method for metering, monitoring and providing real time enterprise printing information
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring all printers in an enterprise, comprising:
- for each transaction, authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtaining a session ticket from a remote server;
executing a printer list fetcher for downloading from the remote server a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location within the enterprise;
executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans;
executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers;
compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server; and
transmitting the file in the external server to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relate to an apparatus and a method for monitoring all printers in an enterprise. The method includes for each transaction, authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtaining a session ticket. The method also includes executing a printer list fetcher for downloading a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise and executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans. The method further includes executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, executing a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and executing a port scan to obtain information for all non-cataloged printers. The method also includes compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server and using the file in the external server to provide printer status information and usages for each printer in the enterprise.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring all printers in an enterprise, comprising:
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for each transaction, authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtaining a session ticket from a remote server; executing a printer list fetcher for downloading from the remote server a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location within the enterprise; executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans; executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers; compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server; and transmitting the file in the external server to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A monitoring component of a computer network, the monitor being configured to monitor all printers in an enterprise, the monitor comprising:
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an authentication unit configured to authenticate a customer associated with the enterprise and obtain a session ticket from a remote server, for each transaction; a printer list fetcher configured to download from the remote server a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise; a scheduler configured to implement different categories of scans; an executing unit configured to execute a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers; a complier configured to compile all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file; a dispatcher configured to dispatch the file to an external server, wherein the file in the external server is transmitted to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus, comprising:
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an authentication module for authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtain a session ticket from a remote server, for each transaction; a first executing module for executing a printer list fetcher for downloading from the remote server a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise; a second executing module for executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans; a third executing module for executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers; a compiling module for compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server; and a module configured to transmit the file in the external server to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise.
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24. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising program code for controlling a processor to execute a method for monitoring printer usage and status of all printers in an enterprise, comprising:
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authenticating a customer associated with the enterprise and obtaining a session ticket from a remote server, for each transaction; executing a printer list fetcher for downloading from the server a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise; executing a scheduler for implementing different categories of scans; executing a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers; compiling all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in a file and dispatching the file to an external server; and transmitting the file in the external server to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise.
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25. A computer network configured to monitor all printers in an enterprise, comprising:
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a server configured to authenticate a customer associated with the enterprise by communicating with a remote server and provide a session ticket, for each transaction; a monitoring component configured to obtain the session ticket and to transmit a file with scanned results from the computer network to the remote server where information from the file is transmitted to a relevant technician to provide printer status information and usage information for each printer in the enterprise, the monitoring component comprises a printer list fetcher configured to download a list of in-service printer and print scan load frequency for each location with in the enterprise, a scheduler configured to implement different categories of scans, an executing unit configured to execute a network scan on a computer network to obtain information for all printers attached to the computer network, to execute a local scan on each computer that is attached to a non-network printer to obtain information for all non-network printers in the enterprise and to execute a port scan to obtain information for all non-catalogued printers, a complier configured to compile all scanned information, obtained from executing the network scan, the local scan and the port scan, in the file; and a dispatcher configured to dispatch the file to the server.
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Specification