Abstract: In a web-based imaging environment, a user accesses a destination service (e.g., representing a printer), which retrieves user's imaging data and configures available production options for a processing job. The user selects desired production options, after which the destination service estimates the time duration required to process the user's job based on the selected options. If the estimated time required is greater than a predetermined threshold, the option of processing is disabled and a message is normally displayed to the user. If not, the option to process is enabled. In variations, the user's ability to process is reevaluated as the user selects differing options. In other variations, an administrator specifies the threshold, or specifies multiple user-specific thresholds, and/or thresholds specific to time of day and/or day of week and/or month. In another variation, if the user cannot process to this production device, a link to an alternative device is provided.

Abstract: In a web based imaging environment, a user accesses a destination service representing a printer having manual duplex printing capability, and selects a manual duplex option. If the selected printer is unfamiliar to the destination service, it guides the user through a training process describing the paper input path of the printer. The destination service prints an image on a page, asks the user to reload the page in a certain orientation and prints an image on the page again. The user provides feedback about the orientations of the printed images, which the destination service uses to formulate instructions to later guide the user through manual duplex printing using the selected printer. In a variation, the destination service stores the manual duplex instructions formulated for various printers, thus avoiding the need to retrain.

Abstract: From a client browser, the user accesses a destination service representing a production device, e.g., printer, which downloads web content into the browser and retrieves the user's imaging data, e.g. from user's identity or from a hard disk. The destination service displays in the browser a menu including production options to process the user's imaging data and a list of charge-back account IDs. In some embodiments, the display includes only charge-back IDs that are customized to the user. The user selects production options and can specify a charge-back account ID. In some embodiments the charge-back account ID is required for certain options or for the entire production job to proceed. In some embodiments a cost breakdown is calculated and/or displayed for the job.

Abstract: Web content is downloaded into a browser from a destination service representing e.g., a printer concurrently with the printer's public encryption key. Image data is encrypted by the web content using conventional public key cryptographic techniques and is then sent to the printer, which contains the private key counterpart of the printer's public key. The encrypted image data is then decrypted using the printer's private key. Since the printer has exclusive control of the private key, secure printing is performed. Each time the browser accesses a different printer, new web content and a new public encryption key are downloaded. The user remains in control of the process, since for each printer accessed the web content and the printer's public encryption key are both downloaded into and operable from the user's browser. In some variations, this capability is applied broadly to web services in addition to printing.

Abstract: A computing system is described. The computing system includes a personal computer, a primary printer and an alternate printer all connected to a network. The primary printer is a multifunctional printing device and can be used for remote printing and walk-up copying. The primary printer can serve a first program to the personal computer upon request. The first program enables the personal computer to print a document using the primary printer. The first program further enables the computer to provide the user with an indication that document printing will be delayed due to intervention by a walk-up user. When such an event occurs, the user is given the option to print his/her document using the alternate printer.

Abstract: In a web-based imaging environment, a user accesses a destination service representing a production device, which retrieves user's imaging data and configures available processing job options. The user selects production options, after which the destination service estimates the time required to process user's job. The user is provided an option of reserving a deferred start time for the processing job. If the user opts to reserve, then a deferred start time is selected, avoiding periods when the production device is unavailable, for example when previously reserved, and user's job is stored until the deferred start time. Advantageously, resources for the job are estimated, reserved, and monitored, displaying until deferred start time. Other jobs cannot consume these resources, which are reported with a warning message as if already consumed, whenever a reserved resource is depleted to a quantity insufficient for the deferred processing.

Abstract: A printing system that includes a personal computer and a printer having multiple output trays. The printer operates both as a server and a printer. The printer serves a program to the personal computer upon request. The program enables the personal computer to print a document using the printer. The program also enables the personal computer to display an image of the printer while the printer is printing the document. The image indicates the printer output tray receiving the document. The image further indicates the present capacity of the output tray to receive additional media.

Abstract: A printing system that includes a personal computer, a primary printer and an alternate printer is described. The primary printer and the alternate printer each include an embedded Web Server. The primary printer can serve a first program to the personal computer upon request. The first program enables the computer to use the primary printer to print a document. In addition, the first program enables the computer to display a hyperlink referring to a second program if the primary printer fails to successfully print the document. The second program enables the computer to print the document using the alternate printer.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for printer processing comprising the steps of: receiving a print designation to print a document; constructing an ordering of graphics; selecting a graphic to send to a printer; getting graphic data for the selected graphic; and sending the graphic data for printer processing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for converting imaging data so that grayscale representations are eliminated are described. In accordance with one embodiment, imaging data is represented in a print format. The print format is a format that can be understood and used by a printer that is to print the imaging data. The print format is processed in a manner such that any representations within the print format that would result in a grayscale other than pure black or pure white being printed are modified. Modification of the print format can ensure that only black or white appear on a printed page, without any grayscale values therebetween. In one embodiment, a document conversion service for converting grayscale to either pure black or pure white is provided in a network environment and can be accessed and utilized by users via a network such as the Internet.

Abstract: A system for recognizing devices connected in a distributed processing environment is disclosed. The system includes a client computer including a browser coupled to a network, a server computer coupled to the network, and a database coupled to the network, the database containing information that identifies devices coupled to the network. The client computer browses to a predefined web page and discovers from the database the presence of devices coupled to the network.

Abstract: A program product, method and system including machine readable code for accessing compositions, comprising: code for providing access to a plurality of user profiles, with each different user profile including a reference to a different composition store and a different graphics store; and code for selecting one of the plurality of user profiles. In one embodiment, the plurality of user profiles include an internal user profile including a reference to an internal composition store inside a firewall and a reference to a default internal graphic store inside the firewall; and an external user profile including a reference to an external composition store outside the firewall and a reference to a default external graphic store outside the firewall.

Abstract: A method for redirecting a browser, comprising the steps of: receiving redirection initiation to redirect the browser; getting a direct or indirect reference to a destination; and causing the browser to browse to that destination. Various example embodiments comprise a printer list destination, a printer destination, and a print now destination.

Abstract: Private printing using network-based imaging allows a user of a client computing device to select an option to enable private printing via a network service or web page. Additionally, in accordance with another aspect of the private printing, both an identification of a user and a print request is received at a network service representing a printer. The printer then waits to print the requested document until the user is in close physical proximity to the printer.

Abstract: Methods and systems for printing in a distributed environment are described. In one embodiment, at least one network service causes a user interface to be presented on a client device. The user interface is configured to notify a user that a printer selected by the user for printing a print job does not support a media type upon which printing is intended, A network service then performs a scaling operation so that the user's print job is printed on at least one different media type.

Abstract: A system for web based imaging comprising: at least one graphic store for storing a plurality of different graphics; a group composition store for storing a plurality of compositions, with each different composition referencing at least one graphic in a graphic store that is external to the group composition store and including data to place the referenced graphic within the composition; and a plurality of different user profiles, each for a different imaging client, with each user profile including a reference to the group composition store.

Abstract: A web service method, system, and program product for providing imaging conversion services on content, comprising the steps of: receiving content; obtaining a style sheet; selecting an imaging conversion program based on a criteria; converting the content using the selected imaging conversion program to obtain converted content; and transmitting the converted content to a desired location.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for operating a web imaging system for use with a browser on an imaging client, comprising the steps of: receiving a request from external web content for a reference to a resource; translating the request to an imaging client specific command; creating an opaque reference that is mapped to the imaging client specific command; and providing this opaque reference to the web content, without supplying a reference to the resource or the imaging client specific command to the web content.

Abstract: A method, system, and program product for printing comprising the steps of: receiving a print designation to print a document; receiving a description of graphics contained in the document; obtaining one of the graphics; determining if a preprocessed form of the graphic is available for reuse, and if so, retrieving the processed data therefor from preprocessed graphics storage; and formulating a print job.

Abstract: A selection method, program product and system for determining an appropriate destination, comprising the steps of: automatically selecting one of a plurality of destination methods based on a criteria; calling the selected destination method; and getting at least one direct or indirect reference to the selected destination. In a preferred embodiment, selection is made from at least two of a printer list destination method, a printer destination method, and a print now destination method.