Policy-based printing system and methods using a mobile device

A policy-based method using a mobile device, the method comprising:

• sending authentication information from a mobile application on the mobile device to a public server;
• selecting a document stored on a private server using the mobile application;
• sending a request for the document to the private server through the public server;
• receiving a notification from the private server that the request is approved;
• sending an instruction to the public server to retrieve the document;
• downloading the document to the mobile device from the public server;
• and
• sending the document to a printing device, wherein the printing device prints the document.

A mobile device for use in a policy-based printing system, the mobile device configured to

• send authentication information from a mobile application on the mobile device to a public server;
• select a document stored on a private server using the mobile application;
• send a request for the document to the public server;
• receive a notification from the private server that the request is approved;
• send an instruction to the public server to retrieve the document;
• download the document to the mobile device from the public server;
• and
• send the document to a printing device, wherein the printing device prints the document.

A policy-based document retrieval method comprising:

• authenticating a user of a mobile application to send a request to a private server using a public server;
• selecting a document stored on the private server using the mobile application;
• sending the request to retrieve the document from the mobile application;
• applying a policy by the private server to determine whether the request is acceptable, wherein the policy corresponds to the user and is stored at the private server;
• retrieving the document from the private server to the public server if the request is acceptable;
• and
• downloading the document at a mobile device from the public server, wherein the mobile application executes on the mobile device.