Printer communicating with a computing device that has access to a target-device script that initiates a control object to control a target device

• US 10,108,949 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takasu, Kazuhiro, Tsutsumi, Koichiro, Ikeda, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rust, Eric A
• Application Number:
  US14/979,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 358 113, 358 115, 705 16, 705 21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1209 resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1246 by handling markup languages, e.g. XSL, XML, HTML
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1279 Controller construction, e.g. aspects of the interface hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1291 Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1294 Status or feedback related to information exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1298 Printer language recognition, e.g. programme control language, page description language
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 : with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32 : Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device H04N1/38, H04N1/387 take precedence

Abstract

A device control system has a terminal 3 with a web browser 31, and a printer 5 that controls a connected device. The terminal 3 calls an object that controls a device and is instantiated by the device API 33 to support the device, and sends a request to the printer 5, by the web application 32; and the printer 5 executes a device control script 502 that controls the device, receives requests sent through the device API 33, and controls the device.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a first computing device that has access to a target-device script that, when executed, initiates a control object configured to control a target device;

one or more connection ports configured to connect to the target device; and

a controller configured as a command interface between the first computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports;

wherein;

the printer is further configured to receive instruction requests from the first computing device, the instruction requests being generated by the control object by use of the script for controlling the target device;

the controller is configured to apply commands via the one or more connection ports to the target device for executing the received instruction requests and send back to the first computing device any data responses received from the target device;

the target device is selected from among a plurality of periphery devices;

the one or more connection ports are configured to connect to each of the plurality of periphery devices;

the controller is configured to execute a device control script that controls the target device;

the device control script, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to connect to the control object, receive the instruction requests sent by the first computing device, and issue commands that control the target device connected to the one or more connection ports in accordance with the received instruction requests;

one of the instruction requests is a start-control request specifying the target device connected to the one or more connection ports and instructing starting control of the target device;

the command sent in accordance with the start-control request is a start-control command instructing starting control of the target device;

the controller is configured such that, when the controller receives the start-control request from the first computing device, the controller sends the start-control command to the target device specified by the start-control request, and enables control of the target device by the first computing device;

the controller is configured to communicate with a second computing device that has access to a second target-device script that, when executed, instantiates a second control object configured to control the target device, and the controller is configured to optionally function as a command interface between the second computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports;

the second computing device is configured to optionally control the target device by using the second target-device script to cause the second control object to send second instruction requests to the controller, the controller applying the received second instruction requests to the target device and sending back to the second computing device any data responses received from the target device; and

the controller is configured such that, if the target device is currently being controlled by the first computing device and the controller receives a second instruction request from the second control object requesting control of the target device, the controller does not allow control of the target device by the second computing device.

2. A printer comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a first computing device that has access to a script that, when executed, initiates a control object configured to control a target device of a plurality of devices connectable to the printer;

one or more connection ports configured to connect to the target device; and

a controller configured as a command interface between the first computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports, wherein

the controller is configured to receive a first communication from the first computing device in a first format incompatible with the target device, and generate, based on the first communication from the first computing device, a second communication in a second format compatible with the target device for controlling how the target device operates,

the printer is further configured to receive instruction requests from the first computing device, the instruction requests being generated by the control object by use of the script for controlling the target device,

the controller is configured to apply commands via the one or more connection ports to the target device for executing the received instruction requests and to send back to the first computing device any data responses received from the target device,

the target device is selected from among the plurality of devices,

the one or more connection ports are respectively configured to connect to the plurality of devices,

the controller is configured to execute a device control script that controls the target device,

the device control script, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to connect to the control object, receive the instruction requests sent by the first computing device, and issue commands that control the target device connected to the one or more connection ports in accordance with the received instruction requests,

one of the instruction requests is a start-control request specifying the target device connected to the one or more connection ports and instructing starting control of the target device,

the command sent in accordance with the start-control request is a start-control command instructing starting control of the target device,

the controller is configured such that, when the controller receives the start-control request from the first computing device, the controller sends the start-control command to the target device specified by the start-control request, and enables control of the target device by the first computing device,

the controller is configured to communicate with a second computing device that has access to a second target-device script that, when executed, instantiates a second control object configured to control the target device, and the controller is configured to optionally function as a command interface between the second computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports,

the second computing device is configured to optionally control the target device by using the second target-device script to cause the second control object to send second instruction requests to the controller, the controller applying the received second instruction requests to the target device and sending back to the second computing device any data responses received from the target device, and

the controller is configured such that, if the controller receives a second instruction request for controlling the target device from the second computing device when the target device is being controlled by the first computing device, the controller sends to the second computing device a report indicating that the target device is busy.

3. A first printer comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a first computing device that has access to a target-device script that, when executed, initiates a control object configured to control a target device;

one or more connection ports configured to connect to the target device; and

a controller configured as a command interface between the first computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports;

wherein;

the first printer is further configured to receive instruction requests from the first computing device, the instruction requests being generated by the control object by use of the script for controlling the target device;

the controller is configured to apply commands via the one or more connection ports to the target device for executing the received instruction requests and to send back to the first computing device any data responses received from the target device;

the target device is selected from among a plurality of periphery devices;

the one or more connection ports are respectively configured to connect to the plurality of periphery devices;

the controller is configured to execute a device control script that controls the target device;

the device control script, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to connect to the control object, receive the instruction requests sent by the first computing device, and issue commands that control the target device connected to the one or more connection ports in accordance with the received instruction requests;

one of the instruction requests is a start-control request specifying the target device connected to the one or more connection ports and instructing starting control of the target device;

the command sent in accordance with the start-control request is a start control command instructing starting control of the target device;

the controller is configured such that, when the controller receives the start-control request from the first computing, the controller sends the start-control command to the target device specified by the start-control request, and enables control of the target device by the first computing device;

the controller is configured to communicate with a second computing device that has access to a second target-device script that, when executed, instantiates a second control object configured to control the target device, and the controller is configured to optionally function as a command interface between the second computing device and the target device connected to the one or more connection ports;

the second computing device is configured to optionally control the target device by using the second target-device script to cause the second control object to send second instruction requests to the controller, the controller applying the received second instruction requests to the target device and sending back to the second computing device any data responses received from the target device;

the target device is a second printer configured to print; and

the controller is configured such that, if the controller receives a second instruction request for controlling the second printer from the second computing device when the first printer is being controlled by the first computing device, the controller enables the second computing device to control the second printer by the device control script based on the second instruction request.