Method and apparatus for managing remote devices and accessing remote device information

• US 10,270,866 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Berarducci, Thomas N., Kurian, Thomas, Gerskovich, Philip, Barboza, Valik Solorzano, Beinat, Euro, Ricci, Carolyn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Gabriel I
• Application Number:
  US15/083,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20160212227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 358 11- 118, 358402
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1222 Increasing security of the print job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1224 Client or server resources management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1293 Printer information exchange with computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1805 Receiving printer configuration commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/44 Secrecy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function

Abstract

An example device for providing device information to a device management infrastructure includes a memory subsystem; a communication interface to: receive, from a first device, first device information in a first device-native format; receive, from a second device, second device information in a second device-native format different than the first device-native format; transmit the first device information to a remote server in a device-agnostic format; and transmit the second device information to the remote server in the device-agnostic format; and a device information processor to convert the first device information and the second device information into the device-agnostic format.

Claims

1. A gateway device for providing device information to a device management infrastructure, the gateway device comprising:

a memory subsystem;

a communication interface configured to;

receive, from a first legacy device, first device information in a first device-native format;

receive, from a second legacy device, second device information in a second device-native format different than the first device-native format;

filter one of the first device information and the second device information based on one of the first legacy device and the second legacy device corresponding to a predetermined device type, wherein the predetermined device type includes a wireless tag reader;

transmit the filtered one of the first device information and the second device information to a remote server in a device-agnostic format; and

a device information processor configured to convert the filtered one of the first device information and the second device information into the device-agnostic format.

2. A gateway device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device information processor is configured to convert the first device information into the device-agnostic format by encoding the first device information in a JavaScript®

Object Notation (JSON) object.

3. The gateway device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined device type is an RFID reader.

4. An apparatus comprising:

first communications circuitry configured to enable the apparatus to communicate a device information message by formatting the device information message in a device-native format;

second communications circuitry configured to enable the apparatus to communicate the device information message by formatting the device information message in a device-agnostic format; and

a processor configured to determine which of the first communications circuitry or the second communications circuitry to use to communicate the device information message, wherein the apparatus is configured to filter device information messages communicated by a predetermined device type, the predetermined device type including a wireless tag reader.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is a printer and the device information message comprises a printer command.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the printer command is encoded in a printer control language.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the printer control language is Zebra Programming Language.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the predetermined device type is an RFID reader.

9. A method for managing devices via a device management infrastructure, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway device from a first device, a first set of device information in a first device-native format;

receiving, by the gateway device from a second device, a second set of device information in a second device-native format different than the first device-native format;

filtering one of the first set of device information and the second set of device information based on one of the first device and the second device corresponding to a predetermined device type, the predetermined device type including a wireless tag reader;

converting, by the gateway device, a filtered one of the first set of device information and the second set of device information to a device-agnostic format; and

transmitting, by the gateway device to a remote server, the filtered one of the first set of device information and the second set of device information in the device-agnostic format.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device-agnostic format is JavaScript®

Object Notation and the first device-native format is Zebra Programming Language.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first and second devices is a printer.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined device type is an RFID reader.