System and method for users of mobile computing devices to print documents

Abstract

A print service is provided on a network, such as the Internet or a corporate intranet, for mobile computing devices, such as laptops, PDA's and Web cell phones, etc., to print documents. When the user of a mobile device wants to print a document, the mobile device is used to access the print service and send a print request that specifies the location the document on the network in terms of URL. In response, the print service validates the print request, retrieves the document, renders the document for printing, and prints the document as requested by the user. Alternatively, the document may be directly provided by the mobile device to the print service.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to perform steps for providing a print service on a network, comprising: 
 presenting a service interface for a client communicating with the print service over the network to enter print request data for a print request, the print request data including data identifying a document to be printed;    validating the print request and providing feedback to the client;    obtaining the document to be printed;    rendering the document into a format for printing; and    printing the rendered document in accordance with the print request.    
     
     
         2 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the network is the Internet.  
     
     
         3 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 2 , wherein the service interface includes a Web page via which the client enters print request data.  
     
     
         4 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 2 , wherein the data identifying the document to be printed include a URL of the document to be printed, and wherein the computer-readable medium includes further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of retrieving the document to be printed from said URL.  
     
     
         5 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 4 , wherein the step of retrieving the document to be printed includes using credentials of the user to gain access to said URL.  
     
     
         6 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 2 , wherein the step of obtaining the document to be printed includes receiving a transmission of the document to be printed from the client over the Internet.  
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering includes running a local application corresponding to a format of the document to be printed to render said document.  
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the step of rendering includes invoking a remote printing rendering service to render the document to be printed.  
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the step of printing includes printing the document on a local printer of the print service.  
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the step of printing includes printing the document on a remote printer.  
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable medium as in  claim 1 , wherein the network is an intranet.  
     
     
         12 . A method for a user of a mobile computing device to print a document, comprising: 
 using the mobile computing device to connect to a network on which a print service resides;    accessing a service interface presented by the print service for receiving print requests;    entering, via the service interface, print request data for printing the document, the print request data including data identifying the document to be printed; and    receiving a confirmation from the print service acknowledging receipt of the print request data.    
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the network is the Internet.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein the service interface includes a Web page via which the user enters print request data.  
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the step of entering print request data includes entering a URL of the document to be printed.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the step of entering further includes providing credentials of the user for accessing the URL.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the step of entering further includes sending the document to be printed to the print service over the Internet.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the network is an intranet.  
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the mobile computing device is a Web cell phone.  
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the mobile computing device is a laptop computer.  
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the mobile computing device is a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device.  
     
     
         22 . A print service system accessible through a network, comprising: 
 an interface component for presenting a service interface accessible by a client over the network for the client to enter print request data for a print request, the print request data including data identifying a document to be printed;    a request processing component for validating the print request obtaining the document to be printed and printing the rendered document in accordance with the print request.    
     
     
         23 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , further including a rendering component for rendering the document into a format for printing.  
     
     
         24 . A print service system as in  claim 23 , further including at least one application corresponding to a format of the document to be printed and invokable by the rendering component for rendering said document into the format for printing.  
     
     
         25 . A print service system as in  claim 23 , wherein the rendering component is programmed to invoke a remote print rendering service to render said document into the format for printing.  
     
     
         26 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , wherein the network is the Internet, and wherein the service interface includes a Web page via which the client enters print request data.  
     
     
         27 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , wherein the service interface is configured to receive a URL identifying a location of the document to be printed as a parameter of the print request data.  
     
     
         28 . A print service system as in  claim 27 , wherein the request processing component is programmed to access the URL to retrieve the document to be printed.  
     
     
         29 . A print service system as in  claim 28 , wherein the request processing component is programmed to use credentials of the user to gain access to said URL.  
     
     
         30 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , wherein the service interface is configured to receive the document to be printed from the user over the network.  
     
     
         31 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , further including a pool of printers selectable for printing the document.  
     
     
         32 . A print service system as in  claim 22 , further including a logging and billing component for handling logging and billing for processing of print requests.