Method and apparatus for providing output from remotely located digital files using a remote printer

• US 20030005050A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Senshin Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Senshin Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Puri, Anish N., Pineau, Richard A., Vigneau, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/191,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1209 resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1232 Transmitting printer device capabilities, e.g. upon request or periodically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for coupling a printer to a communications network (such as the a Plain Old Telephone Service network), downloading printing information (such as a digital image) to the printer over the communications network, and using the printer to print output based on the printing information. A user may use the printer to connect to a printing server that serves the printing information. Prior to transmission of the printing information to the printer, the printing server may process the printing information to tailor the printing information based on the capabilities of the printer. The printing server may communicate with the printer using one or more printing protocols. The printer may be equipped with a controller for communicating according to the printing protocol. Downloads of printing information to the printer may be interrupted and subsequently resumed from the point of interruption.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

(A) receiving from a transaction server, data in a structure that allows easy outputting to an output device; and

(B) processing, rearranging and converting the data into a form suitable for output;

(C) providing the rearranged and converted data to an output device over a network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data contains audiovisual information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a POTS network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a wireless network.

5. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a transaction server, data in a structure that allows easy outputting to an output device; and

means for processing, rearranging and converting the data into a form suitable for output; and

means for providing the rearranged and converted data to an output device over a network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the data contains images.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the data contains audiovisual information.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the network comprises a POTS network.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the network comprises a wireless network.