Abstract: A system and method is provided for asynchronous reporting of printer maintenance data in a printer. The method can include the operation of setting a hardware trap for a printer power-on event in the printer. The hardware trap is configured to report to a harvesting server in response to generation of the hardware trap. A further operation is generating the printer power-on event using the hardware trap when the printer is powered-on. Another operation is collecting printer maintenance data in response to the printer power-on event. In addition, the printer maintenance data that has been collected is sent to the harvesting server in order to update the printer maintenance data stored by the harvesting server.

Abstract: A self-adapting plug-in service that runs on a plurality of platforms and obviates the need to develop a different version of the plug-in service for each platform. A self-adapting plug-in service according to the present techniques includes code that generates a platform access using a common plug-in API and a translation layer that translates the platform access into a platform-specific access that is adapted one of the platforms that is running under the self-adapting plug-in service.

Abstract: According to a particular embodiment, a method of analyzing and servicing an imaging device involves receiving data from the imaging device; determining whether the received data matches existing data; upon determining that the received data matches the existing data, selecting an action to be taken that correlates with the matched existing data; and adding the received data to the existing data.

Abstract: A method of controlling a device via the Internet comprising the steps of; generating a device instruction, encoding the device instruction using an Internet protocol, transmitting the encoded device instruction to a message broker, and transmitting a message request to the message broker encoded using an Internet protocol to receive device information received by the message broker.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for asynchronous reporting of printer maintenance data in a printer. The method can include the operation of setting a hardware trap for a printer power-on event in the printer. The hardware trap is configured to report to a harvesting server in response to generation of the hardware trap. A further operation is generating the printer power-on event using the hardware trap when the printer is powered-on. Another operation is collecting printer maintenance data in response to the printer power-on event. In addition, the printer maintenance data that has been collected is sent to the harvesting server in order to update the printer maintenance data stored by the harvesting server.

Abstract: The present invention provides for servicing a device by receiving a service request signal from a serviced device, the service request signal corresponding to a need for service to the serviced device and having an identifier which identifies the serviced device; identifying a service agreement that is applicable to the serviced device based upon the received identifier; retrieving entitlement information corresponding to the service agreement, the entitlement information defining at least one attribute of service that is to be provided under the service agreement, and the attribute of service corresponding to the need for service; determining a response specifying a service that corresponds to the need for service; communicating a message to an entity with instructions to provide the service; and receiving a service completed signal from the serviced device, the service completed signal corresponding to a condition indicating that the need for service has been provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling a device via the Internet comprising the steps of;

Abstract: The invention is utilized in the context of a peripheral device that is coupled to a network via a firewall which blocks unwanted incoming message traffic, except for incoming message traffic that is responding to a message dispatched from the peripheral device. A remotely located diagnostic device, which includes code for diagnosis of causes of peripheral device malfunctions, is connected to communicate via the network. The peripheral device includes a memory for storing a diagnostic application that is adapted to execute one or more diagnostic subroutines for diagnosing a cause of a device malfunction. The peripheral device is enabled to dispatch an event message to the remote diagnostic device and to receive a response message from the remote diagnostic device (all via the firewall and the network). The response message causes a diagnostic application to execute a subroutine on the peripheral device in an attempt to determine the cause of the event.