Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing electronic documents is provided. A request, from a first user, to issue an alert to a second user that may have submitted a print request to the printing device is received at the printing device. The printing device may be attempting to process the print request submitted by the second user when the printing device receives the request from the first user. The first user may not know the identity of the second user. The printing device consults contact data that identifies how to contact the second user. The printing device thereafter issues the alert to the second user in accordance with the contact data. Upon receiving the alert, the second user is informed of the current condition of the printing device, e.g., the printing device may be experiencing a problem that prevents the second user's print request from being fully processed.

Abstract: A technique is provided for automatically registering a printing device with a printer manager. An agent process associated with the printer manager receives notification data from the printing device that indicates that the printing device is available to process requests for printing electronic documents. In response, the agent process generates and transmits to the printing device a request for attribute data of the printing device. The agent process receives, from the printing device, attribute data that includes one or more attribute values for one or more values of the printing device. In response, the agent process registers, based upon the attribute data, the printing device with the printer manager.

Abstract: A device management system is provided for processing client requests. When a client request is received, the device management system selects a particular network device from a plurality of available network devices to process the request. The selection is based upon user preference data and network device attribute data. The user preference data indicates one or more attributes that a user associated with the client request would like a network device that processes the request to have. The user preference data may also indicate a relative priority of desired network device attributes. The network device attribute data indicates one or more attributes of the plurality of available network devices. Examples of the attributes indicated by the user preference data and device attributes include performance attributes, such as resolution, speed and finishing options, as well as other device attributes, such as location.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method and an apparatus for organizing digital media, particularly digital photos, using face recognition. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a computer-based method for organizing digital photos comprises: extracting objects of interest from a plurality of photographs; cropping said plurality of photographs to generate images of isolated objects of interest; applying a recognition algorithm to determine the similarity of isolated objects of interest with a reference; displaying a plurality of objects arranged as a function of the determined similarity; and receiving user input to associate said objects with a particular classification.