System and method for accessing and using a commercial print service

A method for sending a print job to a remote publisher for printing, the method comprising:

• receiving a print request at a local client computing device;
• creating a printable file in response to the print request;
• displaying a remotely served print interface on the local client computing device;
• requesting and receiving via the remotely served print interface, a printing parameter relating to the print request;
• sending the printing parameter to a selected remote publisher;
• and
• sending the printable file to the selected remote publisher for printing in accordance with the printing parameter.

A print service system for use by a user, comprising:

• a local client computing device configured to connect to a wide area network;
• a remote publisher server configured to connect to the wide area network;
• a remote repository server and associated database, the repository server being configured to connect to the local client and the remote publisher server via the wide area network;
• and
• a remote print service workflow application server configured to connect to the local client and the remote publisher server the wide area network;
• wherein the local client computing device is configured to contact the print service workflow application server in response to receiving a print request, and the remote print service workflow application server is configured to instruct the local client computing device to upload a printable file associated with the print request to the remote repository server for storage in the repository database;
• and
• wherein the print service workflow application server is configured to instruct the remote publisher server to download the printable file from the remote repository server for printing.

A program storage device readable by a machine, the storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for use in utilizing a print service, the method comprising:

• receiving a print request at a local client computing device;
• and
• displaying a print interface on the local client computing device, the print interface being downloaded from a remote print service workflow application server and being configured to request a printing parameter relating to the print request;
• receiving via the print interface, a printing parameter relating to the print request;
• and
• sending the printing parameter to the workflow application server to direct execution of the print request in accordance with the printing parameter.

A program storage device readable by a machine, the storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for use in sending a print job to a remote publisher for printing, the method comprising:

• receiving a print request at a local client computing device;
• creating a printable file in response to the print request;
• displaying a remotely served print interface on the local client computing device;
• requesting and receiving via the print interface, a printing parameter relating to the print request;
• sending the printing parameter to a selected remote publisher;
• and
• sending the printable file to a selected remote publisher for printing in accordance with the printing parameter.