System, method and recordable medium for printing services over a network

• US 20040057075A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Craig Jacobs, David Uyttendaele, Doug Fink, Jeff Stewart, Jennifer R. Pinco, Shawn Robert
• Original Assignee: Craig Jacobs, David Uyttendaele, Doug Fink, Jeff Stewart, Jennifer R. Pinco, Shawn Robert
• Inventors: Robert, Shawn, Fink, Doug, Uyttendaele, David, Stewart, Jeff, Jacobs, Craig, Pinco, Jennifer R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,114 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 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1224 Client or server resources management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1268 Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention generally relates to sending data (e.g. print data or a document), in a network environment, to a port monitor, and to upload the data to an upload manager for storing in a database. Relevant data may be sent from a print spooler to the port monitor invoking an upload manger to convey (e.g. securely or non-securely) print data to a web server. A version manager determines whether the print driver being used to print data is authentic, and data are written to a web server as packets of information and sent to a database for storage. Additionally, a system, method and recordable medium are recognized whereby a pass through (e.g. a port monitor filter) is inserted between a print spooler and a port monitor in order to detach the port monitor from the print spooler such that object code can be upgraded for future versions of software.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

uploading the document from a client to a storage unit via the network, after print driver information is verified; and

downloading the document from the storage unit to a facility for printing.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.

6. The method according claim 1, further comprising:

providing a print driver to be selected by a user from an application residing on the client in order to print the document;

authenticating the print driver by comparing information about the selected print driver with predetermined information;

storing the document, including relevant document information, in the storage unit; and

delivering the document at the facility located at a location based on the relevant document information.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a web server, and the document is a print file.

2. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

providing a print driver to be selected by a user in order to print the document from an application residing on a client; and

uploading the document from the client, upon selecting the document to be delivered, to a web server via the network.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

launching an interface to view the document selected for delivery;

downloading the document from the web server to a delivery facility for delivery; and

sending the document to a location designated by a user.

22. The method according to claim 3, wherein the delivery is at least one of printing, displaying or shipping.

4. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

receiving an uploaded document from a client and storing the document at the received location; and

sending the document to a facility for delivery.

7. A system for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

a client having an application that allows a user to select a print driver for printing the document, wherein the print driver creates a print file from the document and the print file is uploaded over the network.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a web server receiving the print file uploaded over the network; and

a delivery facility to receive the document downloaded from the network.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an upload manager launching a web browser for viewing the document on the client.

10. A system for delivering a document, comprising:

an upload manager to upload the document from a client to a storage unit, via a network, after print driver information is verified;

a printing facility, accessible via the network, receiving the document downloaded form the storage unit for printing.

11. A system for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

an interface on a client to download a print driver from the network, the print driver creating a print file from the document;

an authentication manager to verify that the print driver is valid by comparing predetermined information with components of the print driver the print file;

an upload manager, residing on the client, managing uploading of the print file over the network and launching the interface for viewing the document;

a web server to receive the print file uploaded from the client, the print file including file information; and

a printing facility downloading the print file from the web server and delivering the document to a specified address.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the file information includes at least one of a handle identifying the location of the printer, a printer name, a job id, a printing level, color information, binding information or other relevant document information.

13. A system for delivering a document, comprising:

a client uploading the document to a web server unit via a network, after print driver information is verified; and

a delivery facility downloading the document from the web server for delivery.

14. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

downloading a print driver located on a client from the network, the print driver creating a print file from the document to upload over the network;

verifying that the print driver is valid by comparing predetermined information with components of the print driver stored in the document;

launching an interface for viewing the document;

receiving the document uploaded from the client at a web server, the document including file information; and

downloading the document from the web server and printing the document according at least to the file information.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

storing the print file in the storage unit, wherein the storage unit is a web server;

downloading the document from the web server to a delivery facility accessible via the network; and

delivering the document to a specified location.

15. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

receiving a request to print the document;

building objects using a print driver such that the document can be communicated over the network as a print file; and

uploading the print file from a client to a storage unit over the network.

17. A computer readable medium including instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, performing the function of:

providing a print driver to be selected by a user in order to print a document from an application residing on a client; and

uploading the document from the client, using the selected print driver, to a storage unit via a network.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, the instructions further performing the function of:

launching an interface enabling a user to view the document selected for delivery.

19. A computer readable medium including instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, performing the function of:

receiving a request to print a document;

building objects using a print driver such that the document can be stored as a print file and communicated over a network; and

uploading the print file from a client to a web server over the network.

20. A method for delivering a document over a network, comprising:

uploading the document from a client to a web server via the network; and

downloading the document from the web server to a facility for delivery.

23. A system for delivering a document, comprising:

an upload manager to upload the document from a client to a web server, via a network; and

a delivery facility, accessible via the network, receiving the document downloaded from the web server for delivery.