Method of snmp printing device/user communication for detecting imaging device proximity

• US 20040203972A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Christiansen, Robert D., Sandfort, Patrick O.
• Application Number:
  US10/104,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/517
• 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 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32117 in a separate transmission or protocol signal prior to or subsequent to the image data transmission, e.g. in digital identification signal [DIS], in non standard setup [NSS] or in non standard field [NSF] for mode signalling H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for determining a unique identifier of an imaging device. Such structures of this type, generally, detect the closest imaging device to the user by having the user'"'"'s mobile device query the online/off-line status of all the imaging devices in the current network list. The user then presses a key on the imaging device. The user'"'"'s mobile device then polls all the imaging devices in the list to see which imaging devices have made online/off-line transition. A message is posted on the control panel of the imaging device as a means of providing confirmation to the user that this is the imaging device the user desires to print from. Finally, the imaging device returns a unique identifier, such as a network address, to the user'"'"'s mobile device so that the user can download the print job information from the mobile device to the imaging device and the document can be printed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an imaging device proximity, comprising the steps of:

using a mobile device to interact with a network list of imaging devices;

changing a variable operating condition of a desired imaging device;

using said mobile device to determine which imaging device on said list changed said variable operating condition;

uploading, by said imaging device, of a unique identifier of said imaging device to said mobile device; and

printing a document on said imaging device.

2. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said step of using said mobile device to interact with a network list of imaging devices is further comprised of the step of:

using said mobile device to query said variable in said network list.

3. The method, as in claim 2, wherein said variable is further comprised of:

an on-state/off-state of said desired imaging device.

4. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said step of changing said variable operating condition of said desired imaging device is further comprised of the step of:

activating an on/off button on said desired imaging device.

5. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said step of using said mobile device to determine which imaging device on the list has changed the variable operating condition is further comprised of the step of:

utilizing a common communications protocol between said imaging device and said mobile device.

6. The method, as in claim 5, wherein said common communications protocol is further comprised of:

a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

7. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said unique identifier is further comprised of:

a network address of said imaging device.

8. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said mobile device is further comprised of:

a laptop computer.

9. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said mobile device is further comprised of:

a personal digital assistant.

10. The method, as in claim 1, wherein said imaging device is further comprised of:

a printing device.

11. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform method steps for detecting imaging device proximity, comprising of the steps of:

using a mobile device to interact with a network list of imaging devices;

changing a variable operating condition of a desired imaging device;

using said mobile device to determine which imaging device on said list changed said variable operating condition;

uploading, by said imaging device, of a unique identifier of said imaging device to said mobile device; and

printing a document on said imaging device.

12. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said step of using said mobile device to interact with a network list of imaging devices is further comprised of the step of:

using said mobile device to query said variable in said network list.

13. The method, as in claim 12, wherein said variable is further comprised of:

an on-state/off-state of said desired imaging device.

14. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said step of changing said variable operating condition of said desired imaging device is further comprised of the step of:

activating an on/off button on said desired imaging device.

15. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said step of using said mobile device to determine which imaging device on the list has changed the variable operating condition is further comprised of the step of:

utilizing a common communications protocol between said imaging device and said mobile device.

16. The method, as in claim 15, wherein said common communications protocol is further comprised of:

a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

17. The method, as in claim 11, wherein said unique identifier is further comprised of:

a network address of said imaging device.