The Concept and Design of an Open, Integrated Print Charging System

High end print management systems offer integrated credit reception and efficient, parametrized accounting for the use of resources. Thus, print management inherently conforms with the rationale and mentality of green and eco-friendly technologies which also relate with the ethos of the open source movement in IT. The current paper presents the design of an open system that integrates the provision of automated credit reception with accounting services in order to produce an open solution that fully automates the process of print charging. The objective of the system is to decide and design the necessary automations for credit reception so that it can be realized without any human intervention, to plan the integration with a suitable open print accounting system and to specify any complementary utilities and tools necessary for pilot and production installations.