Printing to a client site from an application running on a remote server

• US 20040100651A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Leone, Anthony J. III, Kavanagh, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1211 Improving printing performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A method for printing at a local printer using the resources of a networked remote application server in which the networked remote application server responds to a print executable request from a local client by downloading a print proxy executable that obtains printing parameters. Upon receipt of printing parameters from the print proxy executable, the networked remote application server generates a printer-dependent data stream and downloads the data stream to the print proxy executable running on the local client. The print proxy executable then uses local printer utilities to execute the print job.

Claims

1. A method for printing a document residing on a networked application server at a printer controlled by a local client, the method comprising:

sending a print executable request from the local client to the networked application server;

causing the execution of a print proxy executable at the local client, the execution including obtaining a print processing parameter;

transferring to the networked application server a print specification command, the print specification command including the print processing parameter; and

receiving, at the print proxy executable, a printer-dependent data stream conditioned by the print processing parameters in the print specification command, the printer-dependent data stream being rendered at the networked application server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the printer-dependent data stream from the print proxy executable to the printer controlled by the local client.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of transferring the printer-dependent data stream comprises the step of controlling said printer using an LPR printer software utility.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving the print proxy executable from the networked application server.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the print proxy executable is an applet encoded using one of Java commands and Active-X control.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing the print proxy executable at the local client obtains print processing parameters from an operator.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of sending a print executable request, transferring a print specification command, and receiving a printer-dependent data stream employ an HTTP communication protocol.

8. A method of operating a networked application server, the method comprising:

receiving at the networked application server a print executable request from the local client;

receiving at the networked application server a print processing parameter from the a print proxy executable residing on the client;

rendering a document at the networked application server in accordance with the print processing parameter to provide a printer-dependent data stream; and

transferring, from the networked application server to said print proxy executable, the printer-dependent data stream, wherein the print proxy executable causes the printer-dependent data stream to be transferred to a printer controlled by the local client.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising transferring the print proxy executable from the networked application server to the local client in response to the print executable request.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the print proxy executable is an applet encoded using one of Java commands or Active-X control.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein in the step of transferring a print proxy executable, the networked application communicates with a browser application on the local client.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the print processing parameter is received in a print specification command.

13. A method of operating a networked application server, the method comprising:

receiving a print executable request from a local client;

in response to said print executable request, causing a print proxy executable to be executed at the local client;

receiving a print specification command from the print proxy executable, the print specification command print including a print processing parameter;

in response to the print specification command, rendering a document at the networked application server to obtain a printer-dependent data stream; and

transferring the printer-dependent data stream to the print proxy executable.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of causing a print proxy executable to be executed at the local client includes transferring the print proxy executable to the local client.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein in the step of transferring the print proxy executable, the networked application communicates with a browser application on the local client.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said print proxy executable is an applet encoded using one of Java commands and Active-X control.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein in response to receiving the printer-dependent data stream, the print proxy executable causes the printer-dependent data stream to be transferred to a printer controlled by the local client.