Wireless print hub systems and methods

• US 20030090701A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Crane, Ron, Keely, Grant
• Application Number:
  US09/992,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090701A1
• 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 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• 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 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function

Abstract

Systems and methods of a print hub for wireless transmission of information corresponding to print tasks is disclosed. A representative print hub system has a master printer that has a master printing mechanism capable of printing information corresponding to the print task. The master printer also has a master wireless network module adapted to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to the print task. In addition, the master printer can be configured to determine an intended destination of the print task. Further, the master printer can configure the information corresponding to the print task for wireless transmission. Another representative of the print hub includes one or more servant printers. Each servant printer has a printing mechanism that is adapted to print the information corresponding to the print task. In addition, the servant printer includes a servant wireless network module adapted to communicatively couple with the master wireless network module and receive the information corresponding to a wirelessly transmitted print task.

Claims

1. A print hub system for wireless transmission of information corresponding to print tasks, comprising:

a master printer including a master printing mechanism capable of printing information corresponding to the print task and a master wireless network module adapted to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to the print task, the master printer being configured to determine an intended destination of the print task and to configure the information corresponding to the print task for wireless transmission.

2. The print hub system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one servant printer, each at least one servant printer including a printing mechanism and a servant wireless network module, the printing mechanism being adapted to print the information corresponding to the print task, the servant wireless network module being adapted to communicatively couple with the master wireless network module and receive the information corresponding to a wirelessly transmitted print task, and wherein the master printer is adapted to wirelessly transmit the information corresponding to the print task to each servant printer

3. The print hub system of claim 1, wherein the master wireless network module includes a Bluetooth device that operates using a Bluetooth specification.

4. The print hub system of claim 1, wherein the master wireless network module includes an IEEE standard 802.11 wireless local area network card that operates using a IEEE 802.11 wireless standard.

5. The print hub system of claim 2, wherein the servant wireless network module includes a Bluetooth device that operates using the Bluetooth specification.

6. The print hub system of claim 2, wherein the servant wireless network module includes a IEEE standard 802.11 wireless local area network card that operates using a IEEE 802.11 wireless standard.

7. The print hub system of claim 1, wherein the master printer includes means for transmitting the information corresponding to the print task.

8. The print hub system of claim 2, wherein the servant printer includes means for receiving the information corresponding to the print task.

9. The print hub system of claim 2, wherein the servant printer can only receive information corresponding to the print task via wireless transmission.

10. A print hub system for wireless transmission of print tasks, comprising:

at least one servant printer, each at least one servant printer including a printing mechanism and a servant wireless network module, the printing mechanism being adapted to print the information corresponding to the print task, the servant wireless network module being adapted to receive the information corresponding to a wirelessly transmitted print task.

11. The print hub system of claim 10, further comprising:

a master printer including a master printing mechanism capable of printing information corresponding to the print task and a master wireless network module adapted to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to the print task, the master printer being configured to determine an intended destination of the print task and configure the information corresponding to the print task for wireless transmission, the master printer is adapted to communicatively couple with each of the servant network wireless network modules, each servant printer is adapted to communicatively couple with the master printer, and each servant printer is adapted to receive the information corresponding to the wirelessly transmitted print task.

12. The print hub system of claim 10, wherein the servant printer can only receive information corresponding to the print task via wireless transmission.

13. The print hub system of claim 10, wherein the servant printer includes means for printing the print tasks.

14. The print hub system of claim 11, wherein the master printer includes means for configuring the information corresponding to the print task to be wirelessly transmitted.

15. A method for wireless transmission of information corresponding to printing tasks, the method comprising:

receiving information corresponding to the print task that is to be printed, the information received at a first device capable of printing the information corresponding to the print task;

determining an intended destination of the information corresponding to the print task;

configuring the information corresponding to the print task to be wirelessly transmitted; and

transmitting wirelessly the information corresponding to the print task.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the wireless transmission of the information corresponding to the print task.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

printing the information corresponding to the print task.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting wirelessly includes a Bluetooth device that operates using the Bluetooth specification.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting wirelessly includes a IEEE standard 802.11 wireless local area network card that operates using the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard.