Abstract: A Web-based management system operating method automates collection and analysis of information from a plurality of networked devices, as well as creation of metrics, and independently assembles and displays data related to the networked device information on a distributed network. The networked devices may include one or more copiers, printers, facsimile machines and multifunction devices. Internal and external data is gathered from the networked devices. At least one of graphical, textual, statistical, metrics and status data is generated using a network database concurrently. This data is assembled and presented to a user on demand as one or more Web pages.

Abstract: Web-based event/state-driven mechanisms and methods for simplifying communication between networked multifunction devices, such as copiers, printers, facsimile machines and multifunction devices using a networked database for the creation and presentation of device metrics and status data. Web-based multifunction performance metrics and calculations themselves are created within concurrent (multiple instances) of Web objects, wherein a Web object is a self-contained entity with data and a state machine lifecycle. State changes inside and outside the Web object are made by sending events to event queues and routing them to other state machines within other Web objects or instances of the same Web object. Data and events between Web objects are formed into a regular event syntax providing a simpler method of communication than those of procedural programming approaches.

Abstract: A representation of a shared structured container type data object with related data bases can be used to present information in a hierarchy or multi-level mode about the activities and status relating to the shared container type structured data object and related data bases and its content of a plurality of structured data objects as well as other information affecting or tracking the shared container type structured data object content in multi-levels. Further, user access control also provides exclusivity or privacy to invoked changes to parts of the shared container type structured data object and related data bases without interference from other users but with an indication to the other users of access control attributes thereby providing coordinated consistency among users relative to changes to all parts of the shared container type structured data object.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of accessing and displaying hierarachical files on an electronic workstation screen that includes: (1) an Open Next-To operation that opens a separate window for a file to prevent the window from which the file was originally opened from being obscured, (2) a combination of both Open Next-To and Open-Within operations for opening different combinations, (3) "Chording" for displaying general options and depth display options to give the user a choice of a window OPEN method and hierarchical display depth as well as a choice of selecting "display all levels" format, (4) a FIND capability that enables finding of strings in a folder display, including forward and backward search and automatic text type conversion based on selection, (5) Iconic Pretty-Printing, that is, the icon optionally combined with text is offset as a function of its depth in a hierarchy including, (6) Folding of the display when the indentation reaches a desired column width, (7) a visual method of indicating the extent