Web browser for network printer

• US 20030048470A1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Garcia, Elias S.
• Application Number:
  US09/949,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048470A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/1271 Job submission at the printing node, e.g. creating a job from a data stored locally or remotely G06F3/1238 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A printer of the present invention comprises a printing mechanism and a user interface including a web browser. A method of printing of the present invention includes obtaining information using a web browser of the printer and printing that information on the printer.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a printing mechanism; and

a user interface including a web browser.

2. The printer of claim 1 wherein the user interface further comprises:

a display screen; and

a pointing device.

3. The printer of claim 1 and further comprising:

an embedded web server configured to produce a web page associated with the printer for controlling the printer with the web page being configured for access by the web browser of the printer.

4. A printing system comprising:

a printer including a web browser; and

a computing network including a network server configured to support the printer and to provide access for the web browser to the World Wide Web.

5. The printing system of claim 4 wherein the network server of the computing network includes application programs configured to perform tasks and to be operable through the web browser of printer.

6. A printer web browser comprising:

a graphical user interface including;

printer-related upgrade functions configured for updating through the internet including at least one of a firmware or software-based printer function, a documentation, and a uniform resource locator library of the printer.

7. The printer web browser of claim 6 comprising:

a status monitor configured to report a status of the printer using electronic mail.

8. The printer web browser of claim 6 wherein the uniform resource locator library comprises a compilation of information-based uniform resource locator addresses for accessing web pages with content suitable for printing on a printer associated with the printer web browser.

9. A method of upgrading a printer comprising:

establishing a link between a printer support web site and a web browser of a printer; and

using the web browser of the printer to download from the web site a printer software function of the printer.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising:

installing, with the web browser, the printer software function in the printer.

11. A method of printing web pages comprising:

accessing a web page using a web browser of a printer; and

printing the web page using the printer.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising:

providing a library of uniform resource locators for web pages available through the web browser of the printer.

13. A method of sending information comprising:

accessing a web page using a web browser of a printer; and

sending, at least one of a printable portion of a web page and a document from a web page, to at least one of facsimile machine, an external printer, an electronic mail address, and a digital sender.

14. A method of printing a document comprising:

accessing, with a web browser of a printer, a document on a computer through a web page generated by an embedded web server of the computer; and

directing, with the web browser of the printer, printing of the document on the printer.

15. A method of printing information comprising:

obtaining information externally from a printer using a web browser of the printer; and

printing that information on the printer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein obtaining information comprises accessing a web page using the web browser of the printer.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of upgrading a printer, the method comprising:

establishing a link between a printer support web site and a web browser of a printer; and

using the web browser of the printer to download from the web site a printer software function of the printer.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of printing web pages, the method comprising:

accessing a web page using a web browser of a printer; and

printing the web page using the printer.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of sending information, the method comprising:

accessing a web page using a web browser of a printer; and

sending, at least one of a printable portion of a web page and a document from a web page, to at least one of facsimile machine, an external printer, an electronic mail address, and a digital sender.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of printing a document, the method comprising:

accessing, with a web browser of a printer, a document on a computer through a web page generated by an embedded web server of the computer; and

directing, with the web browser of the printer, printing the document on the printer.