CLIENT SIDE CACHING OF PRINTER CONFIGURATION

• US 20030115256A1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Appiah, Madan Mohan R, Brockway, Tad Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 6,842,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A server-client system is configured to store, on a client, server configuration information relating to a peripheral device connected at the client and parameter settings for the peripheral device. The information is updated as changes occur. After the client has been disconnected from the system and the peripheral device uninstalled, the peripheral device is automatically installed and the parameter settings restored without requiring significant user interaction when the client reconnects. The automatic installation and restoring is performed even if the client is connected to a different server than it was originally.

Claims

1. In a system having a server and a client, a method comprising:

installing server support for a peripheral device attached at the client

transmitting server support configuration information related to the peripheral device to the client; and

storing the transmitted server support configuration information at the client.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the server support configuration information from the client to the server upon reconnection of the client and the server.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

disconnecting the client from the server;

establishing a new connection between the client and the server;

transmitting the configuration information stored at the client to the server;

utilizing the transmitted configuration information at the server to automatically restore the server support for the peripheral device without requiring significant interaction from a user.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

disconnecting the client from the server;

establishing a new connection between the client and a different server;

transmitting the configuration information stored at the client to said different server;

utilizing the transmitted configuration information at said different server to automatically install server support for the peripheral device without requiring significant interaction from a user.

5. The method recited in claim 1, the peripheral device having peripheral device settings, the method further comprising:

transmitting the peripheral device settings from the client to the server upon the establishment of a connection between the client and the server;

transmitting the peripheral device settings from the server to the client together with the configuration information; and

storing the peripheral device settings at the client.

6. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising retransmitting the peripheral device settings from the client to the server whenever a peripheral device setting is changed.

7. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the peripheral device settings are transmitted contemporaneously with the configuration information.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises a printer.

9. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

uninstalling server support for the peripheral device attached at the client;

transmitting new server support configuration information to the client, the new server support configuration information indicating that server support for the peripheral device has been uninstalled; and

deleting the stored configuration information related to the uninstalled peripheral device from the client.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the deleting is accomplished

by overwriting the stored configuration information with the new server configuration information.

11. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

renaming a queue associated with the peripheral device that was created when the peripheral device was installed on the server;

transmitting subsequent configuration information from the server to the client, the configuration information denoting the renamed queue; and

storing the subsequent configuration information denoting the renamed queue at the client.

12. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes one or more of the following:

peripheral device name, port name, queue name, queue redirection information, redirected port information, and driver name.

13. One or more computer-readable media having a computer program which, when executed on a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

14. In a system, a server method comprising:

installing server support for a peripheral device attached at a client; and

transmitting server support configuration information related to the peripheral device to the client.

15. The method recited in claim 14, further comprising:

uninstalling the server support for the peripheral device; and

transmitting updated server support configuration information to the client indicating that support for the peripheral device has been uninstalled.

16. The method recited in claim 14, further comprising:

uninstalling the server support for the peripheral device in response to the client being disconnected from the server;

receiving the server support configuration information from the client upon reconnection with the client; and

installing the server support for the peripheral device on the server in accordance with the received server support configuration information.

17. The method recited in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving peripheral device settings from the client, the peripheral device settings pertaining to the peripheral device attached at the client;

transmitting the peripheral device settings to the client.

18. The method recited in claim, further comprising:

receiving peripheral device settings from the client, the peripheral device settings pertaining to the peripheral device attached at the client;

transmitting the peripheral device settings to the client together with the server configuration information.

19. In a server/client system, a client method comprising:

transmitting information to a server identifying a peripheral device attached at a client;

receiving server configuration information relating to installation of the peripheral device at the server; and

storing the server configuration information.

20. The method recited in claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting information to the server regarding a peripheral device that has been detached from the client;

receiving updated server configuration information indicating the removal of data structures associated with the detached peripheral device; and

storing the updated server configuration information.

21. The method recited in claim 19, wherein the peripheral device attached at the client has peripheral device settings, the method further comprising:

transmitting the peripheral device settings to the server;

receiving the peripheral device settings from the server; and

storing the peripheral device settings at the client.

22. The method recited in claim 21, further comprising retransmitting the peripheral device settings when a peripheral device setting is changed.

23. The method recited in claim 19, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.

24. The method recited in claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting information to the server to change a name of a queue associated with the peripheral device;

receiving updated server configuration information including the changed name of the queue; and

storing the updated server configuration information.

25. A server/client system, comprising:

a server;

a client;

at least one peripheral device connected at the client;

the server being configured to install the peripheral device and transmit configuration information related to the peripheral device to the client; and

the client being configured to store the transmitted configuration information.

26. The server/client system recited in claim 25, wherein:

the client is further configured to disconnect from the server, reconnect with the server, and transmit the stored configuration information to the server; and

the server is further configured to receive the configuration information transmitted from the client, and automatically reinstall the peripheral device utilizing the configuration information without requiring significant interaction by a user of the system.

27. The server/client system recited in claim 25, wherein the client is further configured to disconnect from the server, reconnect to a server in a second server/client system, and automatically provide server configuration information to the second server enabling the second server to automatically install the peripheral device on the second server without requiring significant user interaction.

28. The server/client system recited in claim 25, wherein:

the peripheral device comprises peripheral device settings;

the client is further configured to transmit the peripheral device settings to the server, receive the peripheral device settings from the server, and store the peripheral device settings on the client.

29. The server/client system recited in claim 28, wherein the client is further configured to transmit the peripheral device settings in response to a change in the peripheral device settings.

30. The server/client computer system recited in claim 25, wherein the one or more peripheral devices comprises one or more printers.

31. The server/client computer system recited in claim 25 wherein:

the server is further configured to uninstall the peripheral device and transmit updated configuration information to the client, the updated configuration information indicating that the peripheral device has been uninstalled; and

the client is further configured to overwrite the stored configuration information with the updated configuration information.

32. The server/client computer system recited in claim 25 wherein the server is further configured to create a virtual port that is utilized by the client, and include information regarding the virtual port in the configuration information sent to the client.

33. A server system, comprising:

a printing subsystem configured to install a printer connected to a client and create a printer queue associated with the printer; and

a configuration tracking unit configured to determine server configuration parameters related to the installed printer and transmit the server configuration parameters to the client.

34. The server system as recited in claim 33, wherein the printer includes printer settings and the tracking unit is further configured to receive the printer settings from the client and transmit the printer settings to the client.

35. The server system as recited in claim 33, wherein the printing subsystem is further configured to uninstall the client printer, receive the server configuration parameters stored on the client, and automatically reinstall the printer without requiring significant user interaction.

36. A client for use in a server/client system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

an operating system executable on the processor;

server configuration information stored in the memory;

at least one printer port;

a printer connected to the printer port;

wherein the operating system is configured to transmit information to a server indicating that the printer is connected to the client, to receive server configuration information from the server, and store the server configuration information in the memory.

37. The client system as recited in claim 36, wherein the printer comprises printer parameter settings, and the operating system is further configured to transmit the printer parameter settings to the server, receive the printer parameter settings from the server, and store the printer parameter settings in the memory.

38. The client system as recited in claim 37, wherein the operating system is further configured to transmit, receive and store the printer parameter settings whenever the printer parameter settings are changed.

39. The client system as recited in claim 36, wherein the operating system is further configured to transmit information to a server indicating that the printer has been disconnected from the client, receive updated server configuration information from the server reflecting that the printer is no longer installed, and store the updated server configuration information in the memory.

40. The client system as recited in claim 36, wherein the operating system if further configured to transmit the stored server configuration information to the server upon reconnection with the server, thereby enabling the server to reinstall the printer without significant interaction with a client user.

41. The client system as recited in claim 36, wherein the operating system is further configured to transmit the stored server configuration information to a second server upon connection with the second server to enable the second server to automatically install the printer without significant user interaction.

42. One or more computer-readable media having a computer program, when executed by a computer, performs the following steps:

identifying one or more peripheral devices connected at a client;

installing the one or more peripheral devices at a server connected to the client;

transmitting server configuration information related to the one or more peripheral devices from the server to the client; and

storing the server configuration information on the client.

43. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 42, wherein the computer program further comprises the steps of:

disconnecting the client from the server;

reconnecting the client to the server;

transmitting the server configuration information from the client to the server; and

automatically installing the one or more peripheral devices utilizing the transmitted server configuration information without requiring significant user interaction.

44. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 42, wherein the computer program further comprises the steps of:

transmitting peripheral device parameter settings from the client to the server;

receiving the peripheral device parameter settings from the server to the client; and

storing the peripheral device parameter settings on the client.

45. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 42, wherein at least one of the one or more peripheral devices is a printer.

46. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 42, wherein the computer program further comprises the steps of:

requesting that a queue associated with an installed peripheral device be renamed;

renaming the queue;

transmitting updated server configuration information from the server to the client, the updated server configuration information including the new queue name; and

storing the updated server configuration information on the client.