Device-initiated image processing transaction system and method

A computer-readable medium operable with an imaging appliance disposed in a network, said computer-readable medium carrying a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processing subsystem associated with said imaging appliance, causes the following steps to be performed:

• if said imaging appliance does not include a local processing engine capable of processing an image captured by said imaging appliance in a select manner, initiating by said imaging appliance a transaction session with an image processing service provider coupled to said at least one imaging appliance via said network;
• and
• effectuating one of an image push operation whereby said image is transmitted to said image processing service provider for processing in said select manner by a host processing engine co-located thereat and a pull operation whereby said host processing engine is downloaded for locally processing said image by said imaging appliance in said select manner.