Apparatus and method for metering and monitoring print usage at non-network printers

A printer component for monitoring usage on non-network printers, comprising:

• a desktop component installed on a network computer to which a non-network printer is attached, the desktop component being for obtaining printer status information from each non-network printer attached to the network computer;
• a server component installed on an external server, the server component being configured to patrol the computer network to identify each desktop component and to request printer status information for each non-network printer,
• wherein during installation of the desktop component a job listener is attached to the network computer to obtain printer status information for each non-network printer,
• wherein when the desktop component obtains printer status, a socket server is started to listen to a port and return non-network printer objects, and
• wherein the server component merges information obtained from the desktop component with previously stored printer information to provide printer status information for all network and non-network printers within an enterprise;
• and
• an application layer interface which supports requests for services and provides numerous structures for returning information about the network computer and the peripherals attached to the network computer;
• an intermediate layer configured to connect the application layer interface with an upper layer;
• and
• the upper layer configured to read files created by the application layer interface, to transform information from the file into objects and to send the objects to the server component.

A method for monitoring usage on non-network printers, comprising:

• attaching a job listener to a desktop component installed on a network computer to obtain printer status information for each non-network printer by listening to a job queue;
• obtaining printer status information from the desktop component installed on the network computer to which a non-network printer is attached, by starting a socket server to listen to a port and return non-network printer objects, the printer status information being for each non-network printer attached to the network computer;
• patrolling, by a server component installed on an external server, the computer network to identify each desktop component and to request printer status information for each non-network printer;
• and
• merging, by the server component, information obtained from the desktop component with previously stored printer information to provide printer status information for all network and non-network printers within an enterprise.

A method for monitoring usage on non-network printers, comprising:

• attaching a job listener to a desktop component installed on a network computer to obtain printer status information for each non-network printer;
• obtaining printer status information from the desktop component installed on the network computer to which a non-network printer is attached, by starting a socket server to listen to a port and return non-network printer objects, the printer status information being for each non-network printer attached to the network computer;
• patrolling, by a server component installed on an external server, the computer network to identify each desktop component and to request printer status information for each non-network printer;
• merging, by the server component, information obtained from the desktop component with previously stored printer information to provide printer status information for all network and non-network printers within an enterprise;
• and
• providing, in the desktop component, an application layer interface for supporting requests for services and providing numerous structures for returning information about the network computer and the peripherals attached to the network computer;
• providing, in the desktop component, an intermediate layer for connecting the application layer interface with an upper layer;
• and
• providing, in the desktop component, the upper layer for reading files created by the application layer interface, for transforming information from the file into objects and for sending the objects to the server component.

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product being configured to execute a method for monitoring usage on non-network printers, comprising:

• attaching a job listener to a desktop component installed on a network computer to obtain printer status information for each non-network printer by listening to a job queue;
• obtaining printer status information from the desktop component installed on the network computer to which a non-network printer is attached, by starting a socket server to listen to a port and return non-network printer objects, the printer status information being for each non-network printer attached to the network computer;
• patrolling, by a server component installed on an external server, the computer network to identify each desktop component and to request printer status information for each non-network printer;
• and
• merging, by the server component, information obtained from the desktop component with previously stored printer information to provide printer status information for all network and non-network printers within an enterprise.

An apparatus for monitoring usage on non-network printers, comprising:

• attaching means for attaching a job listener to a desktop component installed on a network computer to obtain printer status information for each non-network printer by listening to a job queue;
• obtaining printer status information from the desktop component installed on the network computer to which a non-network printer is attached, by starting a socket server to listen to a port and return non-network printer objects, the printer status information being for each non-network printer attached to the network computer;
• patrolling means for patrolling, by a server component installed on an external server, the computer network to identify each desktop component and to request printer status information for each non-network printer;
• and
• merging means for merging, by the server component, information obtained from the desktop component with previously stored printer information to provide printer status information for all network and non-network printers within an enterprise.