Methods and systems for imaging device accounting server recovery

• US 7,873,718 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Lovat, David J., Zhang, Hanzhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza; Faruk
• Application Number:
  US11/192,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709217-221, 709223-224, 358/1.15, 358/496
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for maintaining imaging device (IDev) accounting data in the event that an imaging device'"'"'s primary accounting server becomes unavailable.

Claims

1. A method for recovering imaging device accounting data to an accounting server that has been brought back into service after a failure, said method comprising:

a) sending a recovery message from a recovered primary accounting server (PAS) to at least one network device, wherein said PAS is a computing device maintaining a financial accounting record of jobs performed by users of an imaging device (IDev) with user accounts and said IDev is connected to said PAS with a communication network, wherein said PAS has experienced a period of inactivity during which said IDev has reported its activity to a lightweight accounting backup server (LABS) maintaining a temporary IDev activity log (TIAL) and wherein said TIAL comprises a financial accounting record of jobs performed by said IDev during said period of inactivity of said PAS;

b) establishing the reporting of current activity data from said IDev to said PAS;

c) sending a temporary IDev activity log (TIAL) request to said lightweight accounting back-up server (LABS);

d) receiving said TIAL; and

e) updating a primary IDev accounting log (PIAL) on said PAS with data from said TIAL such that said PIAL now comprises a financial accounting record of jobs performed by said IDev during said period of inactivity.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said recovery message is sent to said IDev.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said recovery message is sent to said LABS.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said recovery message is sent to said LABS and to said IDev.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said TIAL request is part of said recovery message.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said TIAL is received from said IDev.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said TIAL is received from said LABS.

8. A system for recovering imaging device accounting data to an accounting server that has been brought back into service after a failure, said system comprising:

a primary accounting server (PAS) for maintaining a financial accounting record of jobs performed by users of an imaging device (IDev) with user accounts, said PAS comprising;

a sender for sending a recovery message, after a period of inactivity during which said IDev has reported its activity to a lightweight accounting backup server (LABS) maintaining a temporary IDev activity log (TIAL), from said PAS to at least one network device , wherein said TIAL comprises a financial accounting record of jobs performed by said IDev during said period of inactivity of said PAS;

a current data receiver for receiving current activity data from said IDev;

a requester for requesting a temporary IDev activity log (TIAL);

a log receiver for receiving said TIAL; and

an updater for updating a primary IDev accounting log (PIAL) on said PAS with data from said TIAL such that said PIAL will comprise a financial accounting record of jobs performed by said IDev during said period of inactivity.

9. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said at least one network device comprises an IDev.

10. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said at least one network device comprises a LABS.

11. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said requesting a TIAL comprises a request to said IDev to request said TIAL from an associated lightweight accounting back-up server (LABS).

12. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said requesting a TIAL comprises sending a request directly to said LABS.

13. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said requesting a TIAL is part of said recovery message.

14. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said TIAL is received from said IDev.

15. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said TIAL is received from said LABS.