Method and apparatus to communicate data associated with media processing devices

1. A media processing device residing on a network, the media processing device comprising:

a monitor configured to:

collect observational data associated with the media processing device in accordance with a configuration file stored on the media processing device; and

communicate the observational data to a first device external to the network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the first external device; and

a controller configured to:

receive an operational instruction from a second external device via a second persistent connection between the media processing device and the second external device, wherein:

the second persistent connection is independent of the first persistent connection; and

the second persistent connection has a first channel and a second channel; and

implement the operational instruction on the media processing device, wherein the operation instruction controls media processing hardware of the media processing device, and wherein at least one of the monitor and the controller is implemented via a logic circuit.

2. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first persistent connection is a first WebSocket having one channel, and the second persistent connection is a second WebSocket including two or more channels.

3. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an authenticator to establish the first persistent connection via a first authentication session, and to establish the second persistent connection via a second authentication session.

4. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first persistent connection is prohibited from communicating data capable of controlling the media processing hardware.

5. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is configured to communicate the observational data in accordance with an interval defined in the configuration file.

6. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is configured to, via the first persistent connection, convey an indicator of a version of the configuration file to the first external device.

7. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is configured to, in response to receiving an update from the first external device via the first persistent connection, modify the configuration file.

8. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is configured to provide an opt-out option to disable the collecting of the observational data.

9. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the observational data is a type of data unable to control the operation of the media processing hardware.

10. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is to determine whether a prohibitive condition is present before communicating the observational data via the first persistent connection.

11. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the operational instruction is a print command and the media processing hardware includes a printhead.

12. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the operational instruction is a modification of a print setting, and the media processing hardware is controlled by the print setting.

13. A method for use in a media processing device residing on a network, the method comprising:

collecting, via a logic circuit of the media processing device, observational data associated with the media processing device in accordance with a configuration file stored on the media processing device;

communicating, via the logic circuit, the observational data to a first device external to the network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the first external device; and

in response to receiving an operational instruction from a second external device via a second persistent connection between the media processing device and the external device, implementing the operational instruction on the media processing device, wherein:

the second persistent connection is independent of the first persistent connection;

the second persistent connection has a first channel and a second channel; and

the operational instruction controls media processing hardware of the media processing device.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first persistent connection is a first WebSocket having one channel, and the second persistent connection is a second WebSocket including two or more channels.

15. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising establishing the first persistent connection via a first authentication session, and establishing the second persistent connection via a second authentication session.

16. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first persistent connection is prohibited from communicating data capable of controlling the media processing hardware.

17. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein communicating the observational data comprises communicating the observational data in accordance with an interval defined in the configuration file.

18. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising conveying an indicator of a version of the configuration file to the first external device via the first persistent connection.

19. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising, in response to receiving an update from the first external device via the first persistent connection, modifying the configuration file.

20. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising providing an opt-out option to disable the collecting of the observational data.

21. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the observational data is a type of data unable to control the media processing hardware.

22. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising determining whether a prohibitive condition is present before communicating the observational data via the first persistent connection.

23. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the operational instruction is a print command and the media processing hardware includes a printhead.

24. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the operational instruction is a modification of a print setting, and the media processing hardware is controlled by the print setting.

25. A tangible machine-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

collect observational data associated with the media processing device in accordance with a configuration file stored on the media processing device;

communicate the observational data to a first device external to the network via a first persistent connection between the media processing device and the first external device;

receive an operational instruction from the external device via a second persistent connection between the media processing device and a second external device, wherein the second persistent connection is independent of the first persistent connection, and the second persistent connection has a first channel and a second channel; and

implement the operational instruction on the media processing device, wherein the operational instruction controls media processing hardware of the media processing device.

26. A media processing device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first channel is dedicated to a first type of operational instruction, and the second channel is dedicated to a second type of operational instruction different than the first type of operational instruction.

27. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first channel is dedicated to a first type of operational instruction, and the second channel is dedicated to a second type of operational instruction different than the first type of operational instruction.