Patent ID: 6856430

Claim:
In a computer network including a host computer, a print server and at least one image-forming device that utilizes a marking material to create images on a print media, a method for calculating an amount of the marking material for a print job, the method comprising: converting the print job to a universal format file; transmitting the universal format file to a print server; copying the universal format file to generate a copied file; and as a first task: converting the universal format file to a page description language (PDL) file; processing the PDL file including at least selecting an image-forming device for the print job; transmitting the PDL file to the selected image-forming device to print the print job; and as a second task, separate from the first task: converting the copied file of the universal format file to raster data; counting the number of image elements corresponding to the print job contained in the raster data; and calculating the amount of the marking material for the print job based on a predetermined amount of marking material for printing an individual image element.