Patent ID: 9015261
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: G03G,G06F,G06Q,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring usage of an image output device, comprising: receiving, from an image output device, a real-time status message transmitted using an Internet application-layer protocol over a network, the received message including usage information related to usage of the image output device by a registered user of the image output device, the usage information being at least one of information of a capability of the image output device, status information of the image output device, and an alert; extracting, from the received message, identifying information of the image output device; extracting, from the received message, the usage information related to the usage of the image output device by the registered user; storing the extracted usage information in association with the identifying information in a database; and transmitting a message over the network to a predetermined destination, when the extracted usage information indicates that a usage level of the registered user exceeds a predetermined threshold.