Abstract: An apparatus, method and non-transitory computer readable medium for generating a graphical representation to motivate a plurality of employees in a call center are disclosed. For example, the apparatus includes a display comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each one of the plurality of pixels represents one or more of the plurality of employees, a computer-readable medium storing the graphical representation and a processor in communication with the display and the computer-readable medium, wherein the processor receives an indication from an endpoint device of one of the plurality of employees when the one of the plurality of employees achieves a call center objective and the processor causes a pixel of the plurality of pixels associated with the one of the plurality of employees to turn on in accordance with the graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation comprises a pixel art shape.

Abstract: A computer implemented tactile user interface (TUI) and a method of manipulating objects with a virtual magnet are provided. The TUI includes a display comprising a touch-screen. The display is configured for displaying a set of graphic objects, each graphic object representing a respective one of a set of items, such as documents, e.g., text documents or images. A virtual magnet is caused to move on the display, in response to touching on the touch-screen, e.g., by dragging a finger or other implement across. The magnet is associated with a particular function command such that a subset of the graphic objects exhibits a response to the virtual magnet (e.g., is caused to move, relative to the virtual magnet or exhibits another visible response), each graphic object in the subset moving or otherwise responding as a function of an attribute of the underlying item represented by the graphic object.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying constraints to reducing consumable usage includes acquiring print job information for a set of print jobs submitted for printing by a set of users. A print job representation is computed for each of the print jobs from the print job information. Provision is made for user-annotation of a note associated with the submitted print jobs including a reason for printing the print job. User-annotations are received for at least some of the submitted print jobs. The print jobs may be clustered into clusters based on the print job representations and annotations. A representation of the set of print jobs includes a user dashboard and a group dashboard is generated which is based on the users' annotations and other users' included in a group to provide a structure for collaboration among the group members to identify the constraints to reducing consumable usage and/or provide solutions to reduce consumable usage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system of differential processing a print job including one or more original documents to render an obfuscated version of the print job. According to an exemplary method, the differential process replaces letters of an original document with randomly selected characters of substantially the same size and location as the original document and objects such as images/graphics are replaced with blurred versions of substantially the same size and locations as the objects in the original document. The differential process creates an obfuscated version of the print job which is illegible and useful for further processing where privacy of documents included in the print job is required.

Abstract: Methods and systems determining customer satisfaction in a work environment via prescriptive analytics. Self-reported data related to the perception of an agent with respect to customer satisfaction in a work environment (e.g., a call center) can be collected via an interface (e.g., an agent dashboard) that allows the agent to enter the self-reported data regarding the customer satisfaction. The self-reported data can then be correlated with an actual customer satisfaction score associated with the agent to derive data indicative of an interaction between the agent and a customer(s). Feedback data can then be provided via the interface indicating a correctness of the self-reported data based on correlating the self-reported data with the actual customer satisfaction score.

Abstract: Methods and systems input an energy consumption profile for each of a plurality of different sleep modes available for a device, and input a probability distribution of interjob times for the device. The methods and systems then compute the optimal time-out period for each sleep mode based on the energy consumption profile of each sleep mode and the probability distribution of interjob times. Further, such methods and systems monitor the usage of the device to determine the current interjob time, and switch between sleep modes to relatively lower power sleep modes as the current interjob time becomes larger.

Abstract: A system and method for generating separations between jobs in a batch of scanned pages are provided. The method includes, for each of a set of jobs, capturing an image of a representative page of the job. Thereafter, the method includes scanning the set of jobs as a batch to generate a set of scanned pages. The captured images are compared with scanned pages in the set of scanned pages to identify, for at least one captured image, a respective scanned page which matches the captured image. At least one separator is generated for separating the set of scanned pages based on a location of the matching scanned page(s).

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method and system to promote the reduction of an environmental impact by one or more users of a printing system. According to an exemplary embodiment, a printing system includes a motivational platform and an operatively associated printer driver, the motivational platform recording the historical print activity of a plurality of users associated with a group and communicating the historical print activity to the print driver which is configured to provide an active user recommended selectable printer settings for a print job, prior to being submitted, which are based on best practices within the group.

Abstract: A method for generating procedures includes receiving a log of a troubleshooting session. The log includes device data including a sequence of detected operations performed on the device causing respective components to change states. Steps of a candidate operating procedure are generated, based on the log, each corresponding to one of the detected operations. Missing steps may be identified, based on state charts and/or stored operability constraints for the device. The candidate operating procedure is compared with existing operating procedures stored in a knowledge base for the device to identify at least one existing operating procedure which includes steps which match at least some of the steps of the candidate operating procedure and, based on the identified at least one existing operating procedure, generating a textual description based on the textual description of the matching steps. The candidate procedure can be presented to an editor for validation.

Abstract: A power meter generates a time series of observations of power drawn by a device configured to operate in an active mode and to transition through a sequence of inactive modes comprising one or more intermediate inactive modes each having a bounded time duration terminating in a final inactive mode of unbounded time duration, and further configured to transition from any of the inactive modes to the active mode in response to a device activation signal. An electronic data processing device is programmed to determine statistical characteristics of the power draw of the device in each of the inactive modes by fitting a state model to the time series of observations. The state model represents each intermediate inactive mode including its bounded time duration and further includes a probabilistic representation of the transition from any of the inactive modes to the active mode in response to a device activation signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices automatically monitor printing activities of a user using a tangible processor, and automatically analyze the printing activities of the user to determine the printing history of the user over time using the tangible processor. Also, these methods, systems, and devices automatically compare the printing history with previously established printing data (using the tangible processor) to produce an analysis of user printing activity, and automatically change the appearance of a graphic screen item on a graphic user interface based on the analysis of the user printing activity. Further, these methods, systems, and devices display details of the analysis of user printing activity on the graphic user interface in response to user interaction with the graphic screen item.

Abstract: A method and device for polling a device such as a multifunction printing device. For example, the method includes sending a first polling request to a device to be polled after an elapsed first period of time, receiving a first polling response from the polled device, determining a mode the polled device is operating in based upon the first polling response, and if the polled device is operating in a high power state, sending a second polling request to the polled device after an elapsed second period of time. The method can further include receiving a second polling response from the polled device, determining a mode the polled device is currently operating in based upon the second polling response, and if the polled device is operating in a high power state, sending a third polling request to the polled device after an elapsed second period of time.

Abstract: Systems and methods receive user feedback during user interaction with at least one printing apparatus to record user annoyance measurements for one or more users into memory of at least one computerized device. The systems and methods automatically calculate one or more user annoyance curves for the users from the user annoyance measurements. The annoyance curves relate to one or more performance characteristics of the printing apparatus. The systems and methods automatically select a specific annoyance curve from the annoyance curves depending upon which of the users is utilizing the printing apparatus. The systems and methods automatically determine a performance characteristic level for the printing apparatus that will maintain user annoyance below a predetermined standard for each of the users using the specific annoyance curve for each user. The systems and methods automatically set components of the printing apparatus to operate so as to achieve the identified performance characteristic level.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for generating specialty imaging effects from layered documents are provided. The method includes providing a layered document that contains one or more effect layers and one or more visual layers. For each visual layer, the method includes identifying visual graphical elements within the visual layer. For each of the visual graphical elements, the method identifies, as a next effect layer, a closest effect layer above the visual layer which includes an effect graphical element that overlaps, at least in part, the identified visual graphical element. A new graphical element is created by merging at least part of the identified visual graphical element with at least part of the overlapping effect graphical element. The merging may be performed with regular specialty imaging techniques. The input layered document is transformed by replacing the identified visual graphical element on the visual layer with the new graphical element.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying constraints to reducing consumable usage includes acquiring print job information for a set of print jobs submitted for printing by a set of users. A print job representation is computed for each of the print jobs based on features extracted from the print job information. Provision is made for user-annotation of the submitted print jobs with a task category and a constraint category. Each of a plurality of task categories represents a respective task with which the printing of a print job is associated. Each of a plurality of selectable constraint categories expresses a different reason for printing the print job. User-annotations are received for at least some of the submitted print jobs. The print jobs are clustered into clusters based on the print job representations and task category annotations.

Abstract: A system for pairing two devices includes a monitoring system and a server. The monitoring system receives a request made by a local submitter, such as servicing device or a technician operating the servicing device, for accessing diagnostic data of the monitoring system. The monitoring system initiates a request made to the server for connecting the monitoring system with the servicing device. The server generates pairing information and transmits the pairing information to the monitoring system. The server determines that a pairing key is received as input at the servicing device and/or monitored device and determines if the pairing key matches the pairing identification. If the server determines that there is a match, the server relays diagnostic data received from the monitoring system to the servicing device.

Abstract: A method of configuring a widget and a tactile user interface which displays the widget are disclosed which enable menu-setting operations with minimal touch gestures and occupation of screen space. The interface includes a touch sensitive display device and memory which stores instructions for displaying the widget and a set of graphic objects together on the display device. The widget has two or more virtual sides, each of the sides being associated with a respective functionality. The widget is flipped, in response to a recognized touch gesture, from a first of the sides to a second of the sides, whereby the functionality of the widget is changed. The graphic objects are associated, in memory, with respective items having attributes. The graphic objects exhibit a response to the widget functionality of a currently displayed one of the sides of the widget based on the attributes of the respective items.

Abstract: The application discloses systems and methods for physically sharing a hard copy of a document. The systems and methods include presenting to a user a graphical user interface having printing options for printing the document, where the graphical user interface has an input for receiving an indication by the user that the user is willing to share the hard copy of the document; presenting to the user options for defining characteristics of the hard copy of the document in response to receiving the indication; and publishing at least one of the defined characteristics within a profile page of the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems feed print media from a print media storage device to a scanner positioned along a paper path, and feed the print media along the paper path from the scanner to a marking device positioned along the paper path. The scanner is positioned between the print media storage device and the marking device along the media path. The scanner scans the print media as the print media travels along the paper path before the print media reaches the marking device. The methods and systems control actions of the marking device based upon patterns of markings detected on the print media by the scanner using a processor operatively connected to the scanner and the marking engine, and print markings on the print media using the marking device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying constraints to reducing consumable usage includes acquiring print job information for a set of print jobs submitted for printing by a set of users. A print job representation is computed for each of the print jobs based on features extracted from the print job information. Provision is made for user-annotation of the submitted print jobs with a task category and a constraint category. Each of a plurality of task categories represents a respective task with which the printing of a print job is associated. Each of a plurality of selectable constraint categories expresses a different reason for printing the print job. User-annotations are received for at least some of the submitted print jobs. The print jobs are clustered into clusters based on the print job representations and task category annotations.