Methods and systems for brokering printing device capacity
First Claim
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 isassociated 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,transmit a poll request to a plurality of print suppliers, the poll request comprising the one or more print parameters of the print request,in response to the poll request, receive availability information from a plurality of print supplier printing devices,select a print supplier printing device from the plurality of print supplier devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device,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,receive payment from the print requester for processing the print request, andtransfer at least a portion of the payment to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device,wherein the link corresponds to an address for the print supplier printing device,wherein the link enables the print requester to transmit a print job corresponding to the print request to the print supplier such that the print job is not received by the broker computing device but instead is sent directly from the print requester computing device to the print supplier printing device via the link.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
61 Citations
18 Claims
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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, transmit a poll request to a plurality of print suppliers, the poll request comprising the one or more print parameters of the print request, in response to the poll request, receive availability information from a plurality of print supplier printing devices, select a print supplier printing device from the plurality of print supplier devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device, 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, receive payment from the print requester for processing the print request, and transfer at least a portion of the payment to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device, wherein the link corresponds to an address for the print supplier printing device, wherein the link enables the print requester to transmit a print job corresponding to the print request to the print supplier such that the print job is not received by the broker computing device but instead is sent directly from the print requester computing device to the print supplier printing device via the link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a processor; and
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9. A method of brokering printing device capacity, the method comprising:
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receiving a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters; transmitting a poll request to a plurality of print suppliers, the poll request comprising the one or more print parameters of the print request; in response to the poll request, receiving availability information from a plurality of print supplier printing devices; selecting, by a broker computing device, one of the plurality of 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; receiving payment from the print requester for processing the print request; and transferring at least a portion of the payment to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device, wherein the link corresponds to an address for the print supplier printing device, wherein the link enables the print requester to transmit a print job corresponding to the print request to the print supplier such that the print job is not received by the broker computing device but instead is sent directly from the print requester computing device to the print supplier printing device via the link. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification