Direct printing from internet database

• US 20030030840A1
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Parry, Travis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/925,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20030030840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1803 Receiving particular commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/32778 using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink

Abstract

A printing method, comprising the steps of: receiving data at a printer; determining whether a URL or external network option is enabled; detecting if a network address in the received data; sending on the Internet or other network an access request for a document to the network address; retrieving the document from the network address; and printing the document.

Claims

1. A printing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving data at a printer;

determining whether a URL or external network option is enabled;

detecting if a network address in the received data;

sending on the Internet or other network an access request for a document to the network address;

retrieving the document from the network address; and

printing the document.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the external network address is a URL.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the detecting a network address step comprises detecting a barcode in the received data and translating the barcode to the network address.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein, if the URL or other external access option is not enabled, then printing the untranslated barcode.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling/disabling the URL or external network access option.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting a display to a user or control entity to enable/disable the URL or external network access option.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the display is provided from a printer driver.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling/disabling the URL or external network access option from a control panel.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the control panel is at the printer.

10. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the control panel is at a remote administrator location.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of sending of a user name or password to the remote administrator location.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically enabling/disabling the URL or external network access option based on a criteria.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the criteria is whether the URL or external network device meets a security requirement.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the security requirement is the receipt of an authorized user name and/or password.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving data step comprises receiving an e-mail containing said data.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving data step comprises receiving an e-mail with an attachment containing said data.

17. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said translating step

comprises translating the barcode to obtain a PIN#;

and

wherein said sending step includes sending the PIN# with the access request to the external network address for determining if the request is authorized.

18. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the detecting a network address step comprises interpreting a wrapper indicating that the wrapped data is a barcode.

19. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the translated barcode includes

information on printing the document inside another document;

and

further comprising the step of printing the document inside the other document in accordance with the printing information upon receipt of the document at the printer.

20. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the document inside a master document.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the detecting of a network address step further comprises

obtaining at least one identifier that designates the type of contents in said document;

and

determining a location of the document within the master document based on said identifier.

22. A program product including machine readable program code for causing a machine to carry out the following method steps:

receiving data at a printer;

determining whether a URL or external network option is enabled;

detecting if a network address in the received data;

sending on the Internet or other network an access request for a document to the network address;

retrieving the document from the network address; and

printing the document.

23. The program product as defined in claim 22, wherein program code for performing the detecting a network address step comprises program code for detecting a barcode in the received data and translating the barcode to the network address.

24. The program product as defined in claim 22, further comprising program code for performing the step of enabling/disabling the URL or external network access option.