System and method for authorizing printing services
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDarrel Cherry, James Clough
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for proper authorization of printing services is described. The system and method allows networks to control which users have access to printing services and the type of services they may utilize. In one exemplary implementation, the system supports a communications link, an agent, and a server. The agent provides an interface connection between a user and the communications link. The agent also assigns an authorization code to a header of a print job sent by the user. A monitoring device for the communications link receives the print job and verifies whether the authorization code is valid, prior to permitting the print job to be sent to a printer.
Claims25
A method comprising:
- retrieving an authorization code;
- sending a print job with the authorization code;
- and
- checking whether the authorization code is valid, prior to enabling or disabling the print job from printing.
In a public computer service center where multiple computers can be connected to a communications link associated with the service center, a method comprising:
- creating a request to log on to the communications link;
- retrieving an authorization code from a host located on the communications link;
- sending a print job to a printer with the authorization code embedded in a header of the print job;
- and
- checking whether the authorization code is valid, prior to enabling or disabling the print job from printing.
A system comprising:
- a communications link;
- an agent, configured to provide an interface between a computer and the communications link;
- wherein the agent assigns an authorization code to a print job sent by the computer, and
- a monitoring device, attached to the communications link, configured to receive the print job and verify whether the authorization code is valid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.