Creating a locally managed instance of a network printer

• US 20030169444A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Carcerano, Christopher John, Kemp, Devon James
• Granted Patent: US 7,253,915 B2
• 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 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

Creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network by selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer, inputting an identifier of the printer, in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier, automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and creating the locally managed instance of the printer. The printer configuration information and the print driver information may be automatically obtained from a remote device on the network, such as an FTP server, and a port for communication with the printer may be automatically created. The unique identifier may be a network address of the printer, such as an IP address, a printer name, a DNS name or a NetBios name, and the printer may be a virtual printer, rather than an actual printer installed on the network.

Claims

1. A method for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, comprising the steps of:

selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer;

inputting an identifier of the printer;

in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier;

automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

creating the locally managed instance of the printer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a network address of the printer.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the network address is an IP address.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

10. Computer-executable process steps for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, comprising the steps of:

selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer;

inputting an identifier of the printer;

in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier;

automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

creating the locally managed instance of the printer.

11. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a network address of the printer.

12. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 11, wherein the network address is an IP address.

13. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

14. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

15. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

16. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

17. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

18. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

19. A computer-readable medium on which are stored computer-executable process steps for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, the computer-executable process steps comprising the steps of:

selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer;

inputting an identifier of the printer;

in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier;

automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

creating the locally managed instance of the printer.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the identifier is a network address of the printer.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the network address is an IP address.

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

23. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

24. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for executing computer-executable process steps; and

a memory for storing the computer-executable process steps for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, the computer-executable process steps comprising the steps of (a) selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer, (b) inputting an identifier of the printer, (c) in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier, (d) automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and (e) creating the locally managed instance of the printer.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the identifier is a network address of the printer.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the network address is an IP address.

31. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

32. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

33. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

34. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

36. An apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.