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US6020973A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Centralized print server for interfacing one or more network clients with a plurality of printing devices

Assignee: Google LLC
•
Filing: 1997-04-15
•
Granted: 2000-02-01
•
Expires: 2017-04-15
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Abstract

Abstract A method for use with a printing system of a type in which one or more clients communicate with a plurality of printers by way of a network and print server is provided. The print server includes a communications layer with a plurality of connectivity modules, and each of the connectivity modules communicates with at least one of the plurality of printers. The method includes the steps of generating a document processing function call in the print server, in response to a request from one of the one or more clients, and selecting one of the plurality of connectivity modules. In turn, the document processing function call is transmitted to the selected one of the plurality of connectivity modules; and, in response to analyzing the document processing function call with the communications interface, a set of information is obtained with the selected connectivity module. The set of information is transferred between the selected one of the plurality of connectivity modules and the one of the plurality of printers to perform an operation with or obtain a set of information from the one of the plurality of printers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jonathan D. Levine
  • 👤 Barry G. Gombert
  • 👤 James L. Mayer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1201; G06F3/1202; G06F3/1203; G06F3/1223; G06F3/1229; G06F3/1232; G06F3/1237; G06F3/1244; G06F3/1247; G06F3/126; G06F3/1278; G06F3/1285; G06F3/1288

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
A method of operating a print server in which a client communicates with one of a plurality of digital printers, comprising the steps of: providing, within the print server, an application layer, the application layer generating a document processing function call in response to a request from the client; providing, within the print server, a plurality of connectivity modules, each connectivity module being associated with at least one of the plurality of printers, each connectivity module converting a function call and argument from the application layer to a form understandable by a digital printer associated with the connectivity module; and selecting a connectivity module associated with a digital printer desired to be used, and directing a function call from the application layer to a connectivity module associated with the desired printer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 131 words
A method of operating a print server in which a client communicates with one of a plurality of digital printers, comprising the steps of: providing, within the print server, an application layer, the application layer generating a document processing function call in response to a request from the client; providing, within the print server, a plurality of connectivity modules, each connectivity module being associated with at least one of the plurality of printers, each connectivity module converting a function call and argument from the application layer to a form understandable by a digital printer associated with the connectivity module; and selecting a connectivity module associated with a digital printer desired to be used, and directing a function call from the application layer to a connectivity module associated with the desired printer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an HTTP server interposed between the application layer and the client, for communication between the client and the application layer, the application layer converting messages received through the HTTP server to function calls to the connectivity modules.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of retaining, in a database, information about each of the plurality of digital printers which are accessible through the connectivity modules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of time-stamping information about individual digital printers as the information is placed in the database.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of checking information about a selected digital printer in the database before sending a function call to the connectivity module associated with the selected digital printer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 5, the checking step including checking that a digital printer being requested by a client is associated with a connectivity module.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 5, the checking step including when a client requests that a digital printer is added to a set of digital printers serviced by the print server, checking the database if the requested digital printer is already associated with the print server.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5113494A Cited
US5220674A Cited
US5179637A Cited
US5784622A Cited
US5457797A Cited
US5625757A Cited
US5881213A Cited
US5781711A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-01-31 2003-08-02 2004-02-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-01-31 2007-08-02 2008-02-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-01-31 2011-08-02 2012-02-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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