Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

William Kendall Meade, Ii

Clint S Cuzzo

Paul E Leclerc

James S Tagg

A virtual media tray causes a print device to perform one or more operations in response to a request to print a document. The operations may include storing, emailing, or faxing a copy of the document to another location. The operations may also include adding text in the form of a header, footer, or watermark when the document is printed. An operation associated with a virtual print tray may also have an associated condition such that the operation is performed when the associated condition is satisfied.

Virtual media tray

An appliance control system of the present invention comprises an appliance and a mobile computing device configured for controlling the appliance by at least one of determining an available content for the appliance, selecting the content used by the appliance, and applying user preferences to the appliance. A method of controlling an appliance of the present invention comprises establishing a wireless communication link between an appliance and a mobile computing device, and controlling the appliance with the mobile computing device includes at least one of determining an available content for the appliance, selecting the content used by the appliance, and applying user preferences to the appliance.

System and method for a mobile computing device to control appliances

An apparatus for tracking usage information for an image forming device is provided which includes an image forming device, processing circuitry and memory. The processing circuitry is associated with the image forming device and is operative to detect consumable usage information at the image forming device. The memory is coupled with the processing circuitry and is operative to store a data file containing the user information, the output job information, and the usage information. A method is also provided.

Hard copy cost recovery systems, an apparatus for tracking usage information for a hard copy device, hard copy devices, and a usage accounting method

An apparatus for, and a method of, organizing and utilizing networked peripheral device include peripheral devices, which are aware of their respective geographical location and operational capabilities, and self-organization of the peripheral devices into a cluster of networked peripheral devices based on the operational capability of each respective peripheral device and the relative physical proximity with respect to each other. The host computer is also made aware of its geographical location. One or more peripheral device(s) that are optimally suited to fulfill the request is selected based on the physical proximity of the selected peripheral device(s) to the requesting user host computer and/or the capabilities of the selected peripheral device(s). The selection of the optimal peripheral device(s) is made by the networked peripheral devices without requiring the user of the host computer to know the topology of the network, e.g., the locations and capabilities of each of the networked peripherals. Device driver(s) for the selected peripheral device(s) may be dispensed to the host computer as required in order for the host computer to utilize the selected peripheral device(s). In an embodiment, the host computer may include its geographical location in a request for a peripheral device service. The service request including the geographical location information of the user host computer may enable an on-line service provider, e.g., a provider of an on-line printing service, to direct the service request to the closest service center that may be able to fulfill the request by the user.

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Eagle, ID, United States of America

William Kendall Meade, Ii