Patent ID: 8982384
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A broker computing system in operable communication with and remote from one or more print requester computing devices and one or more print supplier printing devices, wherein the one or more print supplier printing devices are remote from the one or more print requester computing devices, wherein each print supplier printing device is associated with a print supplier, wherein the broker computing system comprises: a processor; and a processor-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor, wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive a print request from a print requester computing device, wherein the print request comprises one or more print parameters, transmit a poll request to a plurality of print suppliers, the poll request comprising the one or more print parameters of the print request, in response to the poll request, receive availability information from a plurality of print supplier printing devices, select a print supplier printing device from the plurality of print supplier devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device, transmit a link for the selected print supplier printing device to the print requester computing device, wherein the link enables the print requester computing device to directly contact the print supplier printing device, receive payment from the print requester for processing the print request, and transfer at least a portion of the payment to the print supplier associated with the selected print supplier printing device, wherein the link corresponds to an address for the print supplier printing device, wherein the link enables the print requester to transmit a print job corresponding to the print request to the print supplier such that the print job is not received by the broker computing device but instead is sent directly from the print requester computing device to the print supplier printing device via the link.