US6721286B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for device interaction by format
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 1998-04-14
•
Granted: 2004-04-13
•
Expires: 2018-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices is described. Such information handling devices might be a printer 342, a personal computer 343, or a scanner 344. Means for communication of information between information handling devices in the form of a network 341 and network connection means 345 exist.The information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby.Advantageously, the receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to the transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy, and all data formats comprise one or more of a plurality of data format types, and wherein for each data format type, there exists a data format receivable by all information handling devices supporting that data format type. It is advantageous in implementation if the method of passing information further comprises requests for content data for a chosen path through the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Michael Williams
- 👤 Patrick Simon Arnold
- 👤 Frederik Willerup
- 👤 Anthony Sowden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L69/00; H04L69/28; H04L69/24; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; H04L67/00; H04L67/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 66
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between information handling devices, wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby, and wherein a receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to a transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between information handling devices, wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby, and wherein a receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to a transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein all data formats comprise one or more of a plurality of data format types, and wherein for each data format type, there exists a data format receivable by all information handling devices supporting that data format type.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said data format hierarchy is comprised in a description of a surface, wherein the surface is a representation of an internal state of one of the information handling devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein transmitted together with said data format hierarchy is content data for one or more of the choices available in said data format hierarchy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein all the data format hierarchy is not contained in a single message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the method of passing information further comprises requests for additional parts of the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a data format hierarchy comprises a hierarchical structure, a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each data format hierarchy comprises a single encoding, where each encoding represents a different basic form in which information can be presented.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein one choice of encoding is an image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein one choice of encoding is as text.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein one choice of encoding is as a binary file.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein one choice of encoding is as a plane, wherein a surface having a plane encoding may have child surfaces comprising information for rendering on that plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the data format hierarchy contains information determining the ordering of child surface information on the plane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said plane possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the plane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the plane possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information on one side of the plane can be perceived from the other side of the plane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the data format hierarchy determines whether the position of child surfaces in a plane or association encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein one choice of encoding is an association of child surfaces each comprising information to be processed together.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein plane or association encodings may be nested within other plane or association encodings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the data format hierarchy contains reference to child surfaces, the order in which the child surfaces are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
An information handling device adapted to send information to or receive information from another information handling device according to the method claimed in claim 1 .
Claim 22
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between handling devices, wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby and wherein the method of passing information further comprises requests for content data for a chosen data path through the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between handling devices, wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby and wherein the method of passing information further comprises requests for content data for a chosen data path through the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising: sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance; receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising: sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance; receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said tree structure further comprises at each node thereof a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the tree structure does not contain all available data format choices, and wherein the method comprises after sending the tree structure of data format choices; receiving from the information processing appliance a request for further data format choices; and sending a further tree structure of further data format choices to the information processing appliance; wherein the selected data format choice is one of said further data format choices.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the tree structure contains a node which defines a basic data type of the information to be provided.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the basic data type is an image.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the basic data type is text.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the basic data type is an assemblage of discrete elements of information, wherein each discrete element of information has its own data format.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the order in which the discrete elements of information are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the information processing device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein one of said discrete elements of information is itself an assemblage of discrete elements of information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the basic data type is an association of said discrete elements of information.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the basic data type is a page, wherein said discrete elements of information are to be rendered on the page.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein said page possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the page.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the page possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information rendered on one side of the page can be perceived from the other side of the page.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the tree structure of data format choices contains information determining the ordering of said discrete elements of information on the page.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the tree structure of data format choices determines whether the position of discrete elements of information on a page may be modified by the information processing device.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as claimed in claim 37 , wherein one of said data format choices in the tree structure is a default data format adapted to be displayable or renderable by all information processing appliances adapted to select a data format choice.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising: sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance, wherein at least one of the data format choices is represented by information provided in an associated data format; receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising: sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance, wherein at least one of the data format choices is represented by information provided in an associated data format; receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as claimed in claim 39 , wherein said tree structure further comprises at each node thereof either a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords or an identification of a data format and the information provided in said data format.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
62 words
A method by which an information processing appliance receives information from an information source, the method comprising: receiving a tree structure of data format choices and selecting a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance; sending the selected data format choice to the information source; and receiving the information in the selected data format from the information source.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
62 words
A method by which an information processing appliance receives information from an information source, the method comprising: receiving a tree structure of data format choices and selecting a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance; sending the selected data format choice to the information source; and receiving the information in the selected data format from the information source.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method as claimed in claim 42 , wherein the tree structure does not contain all available data format choices, and wherein the method comprises after receiving the tree structure of data format choices; determining that further data format choices are required, and sending a request for further data format choices to the information source; and receiving a further tree structure of further data format choices to the information processing appliance; wherein the selected data format choice is one of said further data format choices.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 42 , wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
89 words
An information processing appliance adapted to process information in one or more data formats, the appliance having a communications interface and a processor programmed to select a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance from a tree structure of data format choices received from an information source through the communications interface, the processor being further programmed to request the selected data format choice from the information source wherein the information processing appliance is adapted to process the information when received in the selected data format.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
89 words
An information processing appliance adapted to process information in one or more data formats, the appliance having a communications interface and a processor programmed to select a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance from a tree structure of data format choices received from an information source through the communications interface, the processor being further programmed to request the selected data format choice from the information source wherein the information processing appliance is adapted to process the information when received in the selected data format.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
32 words
The information processing appliance as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the information processing appliance is a printer, and wherein the information processing appliance processes the information by rendering it for printing.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
33 words
The information processing appliance as claimed in claim 45 , wherein the information processing appliance comprises a display apparatus, and wherein the information processing appliance processes the information by rendering it for display.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said data format hierarchy comprises status information.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each data format hierarchy comprises a single encoding, where each encoding represents a different basic form in which information can be presented.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein one choice of encoding is an image.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein one choice of encoding is as text.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein one choice of encoding is as a binary file.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein one choice of encoding is as a two-dimensional planar object, wherein the two-dimensional planar encoding may have children comprising information for rendering on the two-dimensional planar object.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as claimed in claim 53 , wherein said two-dimensional planar object possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the two-dimensional planar object.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as claimed in claim 53 , wherein said two-dimensional planar object possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information on one side of the two-dimensional planar object can be perceived from the other side of the two-dimensional planar object.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as claimed in claim 53 , wherein where a data format hierarchy determines whether the position of children in a two-dimensional planar encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein where a data format hierarchy contains reference to children, the order in which the children are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein one choice of encoding is an association of children, each child comprising information to be processed with information from the other children in the association.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as claimed in claim 58 , wherein two-dimensional planar encodings or association encodings may be nested within other two-dimensional planar encodings or association encodings.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 58 , wherein where a data format hierarchy determines whether the position of children in an association encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.
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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) | 2007-04-13 | 2007-10-13 | 2008-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-04-13 | 2011-10-13 | 2012-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-04-13 | 2015-10-13 | 2016-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |