EP0847002A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for processing and printing documents
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1997-11-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-11-18
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method and system for efficient image handling. The invention includes an image server (10) with which image files are registered. The image processing requests are sent to the image server to produce image data representing the processed image file. In one embodiment of the invention, a document processing application obtains (60) an image file for printing. The application registers (62) the image with the image server. The image server returns an identifier (68) identifying the image file which is used for subsequent image processing requests. The application initiates a print job, sending (90) the image identifier and selected print parameters to a printer driver (300). In response, the printer driver negotiates image processing requests (70) with the image server to modify the image file in accordance with the selected print parameters. Finally, the processed image data is retrieved (72) from the image server and sent (92) to the printer. The image server and printer driver may be separate and independently executing processes. In an alternate embodiment, the application, image server and printer driver are loaded on two or more networked computers.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert B. Taylor, Iii
- 👤 Kirt Alan Winter
- 👤 Robert Chou
- 👤 Sachin Naik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1201; G06F3/1278; G06F3/1285; G06F3/1288; G06F3/1202; G06F3/1218; G06F3/122; G06F3/1223; G06F3/1237; G06F3/1244; G06F3/1247
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of processing images, comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining (60) a digitized image; (b) specifying transformation parameters indicating a desired
appearance of said digitized image; (c) registering (62) said digitized image with an image server (10); (d) in response to said step of registering, receiving (68) an image
identifier handle from said image server; (e) sending (70) image processing requests to said image server to
produce image data of said digitized image in accordance with said
transformation parameters, including sending said image identifier to
said image server to identify said digitized image, whereby said desired
appearance of said digitized image is produced; and (f) retrieving (72) said image data from said image server.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 further including loading a user application
and said image server (10) as concurrently and independently executing
programs (100) on a computer (40), said user application performing said
substeps (a) through (f).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 further including loading first and
second user applications (100) on a computer (40), said first user
application performing said substeps (a) through (e) for a first digitized
image, said second user application performing said substeps (a) through
(e) for a second digitized image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 3 further including loading a user
application (100) on a first computer (40) and loading said image server
(10) on a second computer, said user application performing said
substeps (a) through (f).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further including: loading a user application (100), said image server (10) and
a printer driver (22), each as a concurrently and independently executing
program unit, said printer driver being configured to communicate with a
first type of printer; said user application performing substeps (a) through (d); transmitting (90) said image handle and said transformation
parameters from said user application to said printer driver subsequent to
performing said substep (d); said printer driver performing said substeps (e) and (f); and transmitting (92) said image data from said printer driver to
said first type of printer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 5 further including a step of loading a second
printer (24) driver on said computer as a concurrently and independently
executing program, said second printer driver being configured to communicate
with a second type of printer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 5 further including loading a user application
(100) on a first computer (42) and loading said image server and said
printer driver on a second computer (44).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
214 words
A system for printing documents from a document processing
application, said system including: a first memory store (30) containing a plurality of
documents, said documents having document locators which specify the
location of said documents in said first memory store; an image processing server (10); and a printer driver (300); said image processing server being an independently
executing program unit; said image processing server having circuitry (1 1 ) for
generating a document identifier upon receipt of a document locator, said
document identifier identifying the document specified by said document
locator; code (301) for initiating a print job, including code for communicating
one of said document locators to said image processing
server, code for obtaining a corresponding document identifier from said
image processing server and code for communicating job parameters to
said printer driver, said job parameters including print parameters and
said corresponding document identifier; said printer driver having code for manipulating image data
of the document identified by said corresponding document identifier,
including code for sending image processing requests to said image
processing server in accordance with said print parameters; said printer driver having code for obtaining said manipulated
image data from said image processing server, and further having
code for transmitting said manipulated image data to a printer of a first
kind.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said document processing
application, said image processing server (10) and said printer driver
(300) are resident in a single computer (40).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5559933A
Cited
US5579087A
Cited
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