Multi-protocol network interface

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which a network protocol processing circuit of the plurality of network protocol processing circuits receives print job information having a header containing a first address and receives priority information having a header containing a second address and processes the print job information in accordance with the first address in its associated header and processes the priority information in accordance with the second address in its associated header.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 in which the print job information in a first network protocol includes a first type of header and the priority information in the first network protocol includes a second type of header, the plurality of network protocol processing circuits including a first network protocol processing circuit for processing the first network protocol and distinguishing the print job information with the first header from the priority information with the second header.

Claim 9

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in any of said plurality of network protocols and said priority information in any of said plurality of network protocols; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, comprising at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols on a first channel, and at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process priority information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols on a second, alternate channel; said priority information being processed substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said print job information is being processed via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with a printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols, and (ii) said priority information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 10

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in any of said plurality of network protocols and said priority information in any of said plurality of network protocols; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, comprising at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols on a first channel, and at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process priority information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols on a second, alternate channel; said priority information being processed substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said print job information is being processed via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with a printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols, and (ii) said priority information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 11

The interface as recited in claim 6 wherein said transmitter circuit is configured to transmit substantially immediately said priority information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols in the form of a message that is interspersed between packets of said print job information associated with one of said plurality of network protocols, even though a portion of said print job information may remain to be transmitted to said printer.

Claim 12

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive both said print job information and said priority information in a plurality of network protocols; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, each said network protocol processing circuit being configured to process (i) said print job information associated with a single network protocol of one of said plurality of network protocols on a first channel, and (ii) said priority information associated with the same single network protocol on a second, alternate channel, said priority information being processed separately from said print job information; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer (i) said print job information associated with said single network protocol of one of said plurality of network protocols, and (ii) said priority information associated with the same single network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information being transmitted from any of said plurality of network protocol processing circuits.

Claim 13

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive both said print job information and said priority information in a plurality of network protocols; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, each said network protocol processing circuit being configured to process (i) said print job information associated with a single network protocol of one of said plurality of network protocols on a first channel, and (ii) said priority information associated with the same single network protocol on a second, alternate channel, said priority information being processed separately from said print job information; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer (i) said print job information associated with said single network protocol of one of said plurality of network protocols, and (ii) said priority information associated with the same single network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information being transmitted from any of said plurality of network protocol processing circuits.

Claim 14

The interface as recited in claim 8, wherein said transmitter circuit is configured to transmit substantially immediately said priority information associated with the same single network protocol in the form of a message that is interspersed between packets of said print job information associated with the same single network protocol, even though a portion of said print job information may remain to be transmitted to said printer.

Claim 15

The interface as recited in claim 8, wherein said transmitter circuit is configured to transmit substantially immediately said priority information associated with the same single network protocol in the form of a message that is interspersed between packets of said print job information associated with a different one of said plurality of network protocols, even though a portion of said print job information may remain to be transmitted to said printer.

Claim 16

The interface as recited in claim 8, wherein said plurality of network protocols comprise at least two of LexLink, Novell NetWare, Apple Talk, and TCP/IP.

Claim 17

The interface as recited in claim 8, wherein each said network protocol processing circuit is further configured to process both (i) print job information having a header containing a first address and in accordance with said first address, and (ii) priority information having a header containing a second address and in accordance with said second address.

Claim 18

The interface as recited in claim 8, wherein said print job information corresponds to a first network protocol and includes a first type of header, and said priority information corresponds to said first network protocol and includes a second type of header, and wherein one of said plurality of network protocol processing circuits is configured to process said first network protocol and to distinguish said print job information with said first type of header from said priority information with said second type of header.

Claim 19

The interface as recited in claim 9, wherein said receiver circuit is further configured to receive both said print job information and said priority information associated with the same single network protocol; and one of said plurality of network protocol processing circuits is configured to process said priority information via said second, alternate channel substantially simultaneously while processing said print job information via said first channel, thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job.

Claim 20

The interface as recited in claim 14, wherein said receiver circuit is further configured to receive both said print job information associated with a different one of said plurality of network protocols, and said priority information associated with the same single network protocol; and one of said plurality of network protocol processing circuits is configured to process said priority information via said second, alternate channel substantially simultaneously while processing said print job information via said first channel, thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job.

Claim 21

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in a single network protocol and said priority information in the same said single network protocol; (b) at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with said single network protocol on a first channel, and configured to process priority information associated with said single network protocol on a second, alternate channel; said priority information being processed substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said print job information is being processed via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said at least one network protocol processing circuit, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with said single network protocol, and (ii) said priority information associated with said single network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 22

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in a single network protocol and said priority information in the same said single network protocol; (b) at least one network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with said single network protocol on a first channel, and configured to process priority information associated with said single network protocol on a second, alternate channel; said priority information being processed substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said print job information is being processed via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said at least one network protocol processing circuit, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with said single network protocol, and (ii) said priority information associated with said single network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 23

The interface as recited in claim 16, wherein said transmitter circuit is configured to transmit substantially immediately said priority information associated with the same single network protocol in the form of a message that is interspersed between packets of said print job information associated with the same single network protocol, even though a portion of said print job information may remain to be transmitted to said printer.

Claim 24

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in a first network protocol and said priority information in a second network protocol; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, comprising a first network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with said first network protocol on a first channel, and a second network protocol processing circuit configured to process said priority information associated with said second network protocol on a second, alternate channel; said second network protocol processing circuit being further configured to process said priority information substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said first network protocol processing circuit is further configured to process said print job information via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with said first network protocol, and (ii) said priority information associated with said second network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 25

An interface used in a printing system including a multi-protocol network of host computers and a printer, said interface comprising: (a) a receiver circuit that is in communication with said multi-protocol network of host computers, said network of host computers being configured to transmit both print job information and priority information in a plurality of network protocols, said receiver circuit being configured to receive said print job information in a first network protocol and said priority information in a second network protocol; (b) a plurality of network protocol processing circuits, comprising a first network protocol processing circuit configured to process said print job information associated with said first network protocol on a first channel, and a second network protocol processing circuit configured to process said priority information associated with said second network protocol on a second, alternate channel; said second network protocol processing circuit being further configured to process said priority information substantially simultaneously via said second, alternate channel while said first network protocol processing circuit is further configured to process said print job information via said first channel, said priority information thereby bypassing the print job information without said printer having to first complete a pending print job; and (c) a transmitter circuit that is in communication with said printer and with said plurality of network protocol processing circuits, said transmitter circuit being configured to transmit to said printer both (i) said print job information associated with said first network protocol, and (ii) said priority information associated with said second network protocol, said priority information being transmitted substantially in real time to said printer regardless of the status of any portion of said print job information.

Claim 26

The interface as recited in claim 18, wherein said transmitter circuit is configured to transmit substantially immediately said priority information associated with said second network protocol in the form of a message that is interspersed between packets of said print job information associated with said first network protocol, even though a portion of said print job information may remain to be transmitted to said printer.