Patent ID: 8095631

Claim:
A method for automated remote access, the method comprising: detecting a portable storage device connecting to a retail imaging device selected by a user; connecting the retail imaging device to a central application server via a network, the central application server being uniquely identified by a unique Uniform Resource Identifier (URI); in response to receiving a user selection via a graphical user interface at the retail imaging device, creating a user account and password at the central application server and generating remote access instructions for the retail imaging device, the remote access instructions including the unique URI, the user account and password, and configuration information record for the retail imaging device including an identification and software and hardware feature sets of the retail imaging device; writing, at the retail imaging device, the remote access instructions for the retail imaging device to the portable storage device; communicating the remote access instructions for the retail imaging device written in the portable temporary storage device to a user device; initiating the automated remote access from the user device to the retail imaging device by accessing the portable storage device for the remote access instructions, comprising: connecting the user device to the central application server using the unique URI and providing the configuration information record to the central application server, wherein the central application server configures a software application for the user device that provides local feature sets that match the software and hardware feature sets available at the retail imaging device according to the configuration information record, the local feature sets including a local graphic user interface that matches the graphical user interface provided to the user at the retail imaging device; downloading the configured software application to the user device; and executing the configured software application by the client device to remotely access the retail imaging device.