Patent ID: 8248637

Claim:
A method for providing printing access to a mobile device, comprising the acts of: sending a message from the mobile device to a printer over a local communications subsystem of the mobile device, the message requesting information from the printer uniquely identifying the printer; receiving the information over the local communications subsystem of the mobile device; sending the information from the mobile device to a network communications subsystem of a mobile network over a network communications subsystem of the mobile device; receiving a print authorization from the network communications subsystem of the mobile network over the network communications subsystem of the mobile device, the print authorization identifying whether revenue sharing arrangements exist between the printer and an operator of the mobile network based on the information; and sending, responsive to receipt of the print authorization identifying that revenue sharing arrangements exist between the printer and the operator of the mobile network, a print request from the mobile device to the printer over the local communications subsystem of the mobile device.