A universal printing system of the present invention is provided for remotely
accessing
and printing documents on any internet addressable printer. The universal printing
system includes at least one remote communication device (RCD), a printer object
or "remote printer", and a network addressable device linked to the RCD and the
remote printer. The network addressable device is constructed of various software
components or processes operating on a communications network, such as the Internet
for example. The network addressable device includes a document storage assembly
and a universal remote interface assembly linked to the document storage assembly
and the printer object. The universal remote interface assembly receives a document
command from the RCD via a document command message sent in a SMTP code structure.
The document command is provided for accessing the document storage assembly and
for transmitting a print job command to the printer object in an internet addressable
protocol code structure. In addition, the document command may include the additional
operating instructions of finding a document and synchronizing between documents
as well as publishing a document content index. Optionally, with a document contact
card attached with the document command message, the network addressable device
optimally references a desired document for implementing a document command thereto.
In effect, through the network addressable device, a user of a RCD stores, retrieves,
and/or prints documents on a remote printer in an internet addressable protocol
code structure.