Output controller systems and method for universal data output

• US 20020099884A1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christina Ying Liu, William Ho Chang
• Original Assignee: Christina Ying Liu, William Ho Chang
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Application Number:
  US10/054,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099884A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• 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 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• 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 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A data output controller method controls interaction between an output device and an information apparatus in connection with the output device rendering content accessed with the information apparatus. The method includes managing a communication channel with the information apparatus. An output device profile associated with the output device and enabling at least part of the content to be rasterized for rendering at the output device is provided to the information apparatus over the communication channel. An intermediate output data that includes one or more raster output images is received by the output device over the communication channel for rendering. The raster output images correspond to at least part of the content and are conformed at least in part with the output device profile.

Claims

1. Data output controller method that controls interaction between an output device and one or more information apparatus in connection with the output device rendering content accessed with the one or more information apparatus, comprising:

managing a communication channel with the one or more information apparatus;

providing over the communication channel an output device profile associated with the output device, said output device profile enabling at least part of the content to be rasterized for rendering at the output device; and

receiving over the communication channel an intermediate output data that includes one or more raster output images for rendering at the output device, said one or more raster output images corresponding to at least part of the content and being conformed at least in part with the output device profile.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing one or more image processing operations on the one or more output images included in the intermediate output data, the one or more image processing operations includes one or more of a color correction operation, a color matching operation, a color management operation, a scaling operation, an interpolation operation, a color space conversion, a compression operation, and a halftoning operation.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising conforming the intermediate output data into an output data that is acceptable for rendering by an output engine included in the output device.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the output device is a printing device and the method further comprising conforming the intermediate output data into a print data that is acceptable to a printer controller associated with the output device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the intermediate output data for rendering by the output device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication channel includes a short-range wireless communication channel.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least part of the output device profile to the information apparatus in response to a service request received from the information apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least part of the output device profile to the information apparatus in more than one communication session with the information apparatus.

9. In a computer readable medium, data output controller software that controls interaction between an output device and an information apparatus in connection with the output device rendering content accessed with the information apparatus, comprising:

software for storing at least part of an output device profile;

software for providing over a communication channel an output device profile associated with the output device, said output device profile enabling at least part of the content to be rasterized for rendering at the output device;

software for receiving over the communication channel an intermediate output data that includes one or more raster output images corresponding to at least part of the content for rendering at the output device and conformed at least in part with the output device profile.

10. The medium of claim 9 further comprising software for performing one or more image processing operations on the one or more output images included in the intermediate output data, the one or more image processing operations includes one or more of a color correction operation, a color matching operation, a color management operation, a scaling operation, an interpolation operation, a color space conversion, and a halftoning operation.

11. The medium of claim 9 further comprising software for conforming the-intermediate output data into an output data that is acceptable for rendering by an output engine included in the output device.

12. The medium of claim 9 further comprising software for conforming the intermediate output data into a print data that is acceptable to a printer controller associated with a printing device.

13. The medium of claim 9 in which the output controller software is included in the output device.

14. The medium of claim 9 in which the output controller software is included in a server, an external station, a board, a card, and a data access point separate from the output device.

15. The medium of claim 9 further comprising software for calculating and collecting payment information as compensation for rendering of the content by the output device.

16. The medium of claim 9 further comprising software for implementing job management functionalities with one or more of data output job queuing and spooling.

18. The medium of claim 17 further comprising software for converting the intermediate output data into an output data that is acceptable for rendering with the output device.

19. The medium of claim 18 further comprising software for passing the output data to the output device for rendering.

20. The medium as of claim 17 including software for providing over the communication channel information related to one or more of an output device identification, an intermediate output data indicator, a quality of service indicator, a price indicator, a status indicator, an output device attribute, a rasterization parameter, a format indicator, a language indicator.

21. The medium as of claim 17 further including software for receiving intermediate output data that includes at least one output image corresponding to at least part of the content for rendering at the output device.

22. The medium as of claim 17 further comprising software for retrieving image data from the intermediate output data and performing at least one image processing operation on the image data, the image processing operation including one or more of a color correction operation, a color matching operation, a color space conversion, a color management operation, a scaling operation, an interpolation operation, and a halftoning operation.

23. The medium as of claim 17 further comprising software for conforming the intermediate output data into a print data that is acceptable to a printer controller associated with a printing device.

24. The medium of claim 17 further comprising software for posting or broadcasting the output availability for service.

25. The medium of claim 17 further comprising software for calculating and collecting payment information as compensation for rendering of the content by the output device.

26. The medium of claim 17 further comprising software for implementing job management functionalities with one or more of data output job queuing and spooling.

27. The medium of claim 17 further comprising software for implementing authentication procedures that limit access to the rendering provided by the output device.

28. The medium of claim 27 including software for storing in a memory component an access control list specifying an information apparatus for which the output device will render content.

17. In a computer readable medium, data output controller software that controls interaction between an output device and one or more information apparatus in connection with the output device rendering content accessed with the one or more information apparatus, comprising:

software for managing a communication channel with the one or more information apparatus;

software for providing over the communication channel at least an indication related to one or more data formats acceptable for rendering the content at the output device; and

software for receiving over the communication channel an intermediate output data that includes data in accordance with the one or more data formats, the intermediate output data corresponding to at least part of the content.

29. A data output controller method that controls interaction between an output device and one or more information apparatus in connection with the output device rendering content accessed with the one or more information apparatus, comprising:

managing a communication channel with the one or more information apparatus;

providing over the communication channel at least an indication related to one or more data formats acceptable to the controller in connection with rendering content at the output device; and

receiving over the communication channel an intermediate output data that includes data in accordance with the one or more data formats, the intermediate output data corresponding to at least part of the content.