Wireless mobile printing
First Claim
1. A method of selecting a printer on a network to receive a file to be printed on the instigation of a mobile device, the method comprising:
- sending at least one user preference from the mobile device to a networked print controller, the print controller having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers, matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference, and selecting the printer that is to print the file in accordance with the results of matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A printer on a network is selected to receive a file to be printed on the instigation of a mobile device. At least one user preference is wirelessly sent from the mobile device to a networked print controller. The print controller has access to the predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers. At least one of the predetermined properties of the printers are then matched with the at least one user preference, which results in the selection of one or more printers which are suitable for printing the file. The predetermined properties of the networked printers can include the strength of signals between a wireless communications point on the network and the printers to identify the closest set of printers, and/or the size of paper the printer holds, the number of print jobs in the print queues, etc.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A method of selecting a printer on a network to receive a file to be printed on the instigation of a mobile device, the method comprising:
-
sending at least one user preference from the mobile device to a networked print controller, the print controller having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers, matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference, and selecting the printer that is to print the file in accordance with the results of matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of printing a file to a networked printer at the instigation of a mobile device, the method comprising:
-
selecting a networked printer comprising;
sending at least one user preference from the mobile device to a networked print controller, the print controller having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers, matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference, and selecting the printer that is to print the file in accordance with the results of matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference; and
transmitting the file to the selected printer for printing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An apparatus adapted to select a network printer to receive a file to be printed on the instigation of a mobile device, the network having at least one communications point for providing access to devices on the network from the mobile device, the apparatus comprising:
-
a print controller connected to the network and having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers;
the print controller being arranged to receive at least one user preference from the mobile device via the communications point; and
a matching arrangement adapted to match at least one of the predetermined properties of the printers with the at least one user preference, and to select the printer that is to print the file in accordance with results of the match.
-
-
23. A program storage device, readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of selecting a printer on a network to receive a file to be printed on the instigation of a mobile device, the method comprising:
-
sending at least one user preference from the mobile device to a networked print controller, the print controller having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers, matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference, and selecting the printer that is to print the file in accordance with the results of matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
-
25. A program storage device, readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of printing a file to a networked printer at the instigation of a mobile device, the method comprising:
-
selecting a networked printer comprising;
sending at least one user preference from the mobile device to a networked print controller, the print controller having access to predetermined properties of a plurality of networked printers, matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference, and selecting the printer that is to print the file in accordance with the results of matching at least one of the predetermined properties of the plurality of networked printers with the at least one user preference; and
transmitting the file to the selected printer for printing. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
Specification