Printed card to control printer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsTerry P. Mahoney, Kenneth L. Oakeson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of controlling a printing operation using information printed on paper or similar material. Information data is input via an input processor, such as a computer, and the information data is converted to a descriptive indicia, which can be printed on a data card. The data card can be used with a peripheral device, such as a printer to allow access to a data, such as a print job.
Claims17
An information processing method for a user of a printer in a printing system in a business environment for access to data to be printed by said printer in a network having a plurality of printers and a plurality of input devices enabling access to a printer of said plurality of printers comprising:
- providing user information at a first location in said network using an input device at said first location in said network;
- receiving a data card comprising a low cost disposable material consisting of one of a paper sheet and a piece of card stock by a user by the printing of said data card at a first location using a first printer of said plurality of printers in a business system for facilitating the billing for printer consumables for use of said printer by a user of said printer, said data card including printed indicia descriptive of user information of at least one of information about a sender of said data and information about a recipient for said data and data information of at least one of credentials for authorization of a print job, credentials for authentication of a print job, information for decryption of a print job, and information for identification of a print job, said printed indicia comprising access credentials for access to said data;
- reading said printed indicia to use said user information and data information to verify said access credentials at any desired printer at any desired location of a printer of said plurality of printers in said printing system in a business environment;
- providing access to said data to said recipient in response to said access credentials that have been verified;
- printing said data using any desired printer of said plurality of printers in said printing system in a business environment at any second location in said network different than said first location in said network;
- and
- collecting statistical data of the location of the printer of said plurality of printers in said printing system used for printing said data.
A system for processing information in a network having a plurality of processors and having a plurality of printers in a printing system in a business environment for a user of a printer for access to data to be printed by said printer comprising:
- a processor located at a first location in said network capable of executing the following process:
- providing a printed card comprising a low cost disposable material consisting of one of a paper sheet and a piece of card stock;
- reading indicia from the printed card descriptive of user information of at least one of information about a sender of said data and information about a recipient for said data and data information of at least one of credentials for authorization of a print job, credentials for authentication of a print job, information for decryption of a print job, and information for identification of a print job, said indicia comprising access credentials for access to said data;
- verifying said access credentials based on said indicia;
- providing access to data in response to said verification of said access credentials for access to said data;
- printing of said data at any printer located at a second location in said network different than said first location of said processor;
- and
- collecting statistical data of the location of a printer of said plurality of printers in said printing system used for printing said data.
A system for processing information for a user of a printer in a printing system in a business environment for access to data to be printed by said printer comprising:
- a computer located at a first location operably coupled to an external peripheral device to form a network having a plurality of computers and having a plurality of printers connected thereto, said network being operable to:
- receive a data card comprising a low cost disposable material consisting of one of a paper sheet and a piece of card stock, said data card including printed indicia descriptive of user information of at least one of information about a sender of said data and information about a recipient for said data and data information of at least one of credentials for authorization of a print job, credentials for authentication of a print job, information for decryption of a print job, and information for identification of a print job, said indicia comprising access credentials for access to said data;
- read said indicia to access said user information and data information for verifying said access credentials;
- provide access to said data on the basis of said verifying said access credentials;
- printing of said data at any printer located at a second location in said network different than said first location of said computer;
- and
- collecting statistical data of the location of the printer in said printing system used for printing said data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.