On demand software for print workflows

摘要

When providing cloud-based software services to a print customer or print shop for executing a print job, information related to one or more vendors that supply downloadable software that satisfies a print consumer's specified print job requirements is obtained and software from a selected vendor is downloaded. The downloaded software is inserted at a selected point in a print job workflow, and the print job is executed. The print consumer is charged on per-use basis for use of the downloaded software by providing a hashed payment word for each subsequent use of the downloaded software. A payment word chain comprising the initial hashed payment word and each successive hashed payment word is then provided to the vendor of the downloaded software, who performs a hash algorithm to verify the payment words and redeems the payment words for micro-payments.

主权项

1. A method of providing cloud-based software services to a print customer, comprising:
requesting information related to one or more vendors that supply downloadable software that satisfies a print consumer's specified print job requirements; receiving the requested information; selecting one of the one or more vendors; downloading the software from the selected vendor; inserting the downloaded software at a selected point in a print job workflow; executing a print job using the print job workflow with the inserted software; and billing the print consumer on per-use basis for use of the downloaded software.