Network printing mode automation

• US 20040223179A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Brett J., Mentze, Duane E.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223179A1
• 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 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1289 in server-client-printer device configuration, e.g. the server does not see the printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a method of providing network printing mode automation, includes: storing attributes in a network printer device, where the attributes indicate an intended printing model for a printing infrastructure; reading the attributes by a client to determine the intended printing model; and configuring the client based upon the intended printing model so that an appropriate print path is created from the client to a destination. In another embodiment, an apparatus for providing network printing mode automation, includes: a communications network; a network printer configured to store attributes, where the attributes indicate an intended printing model for a printing infrastructure; and a client coupled to the network printer by the communications network, the client including an installer configured to read the attributes to determine an intended printing model and configured to set the client based upon the intended printing model so that an appropriate print path is created from the client to a destination.

Claims

1. A method of providing network printing mode automation, the method comprising:

storing attributes in a network printer device, where the attributes indicate an intended printing model for a printing infrastructure;

reading the attributes by a client to determine the intended printing model; and

configuring the client based upon the intended printing model so that an appropriate print path is created from the client to a destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes include a network pointer to a driver that will be required to be used by the client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing model is a peer-to-peer model.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the appropriate print path is from the client to the network printer device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing model is a client-server model.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the appropriate print path is from the client to a spooling server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intended printing model is determined by a network administrator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes are stored in memory.

9. An apparatus for providing network printing mode automation, the apparatus comprising:

a communications network;

a network printer configured to store attributes, where the attributes indicate an intended printing model for a printing infrastructure; and

a client coupled to the network printer by the communications network, the client including an installer configured to read the attributes to determine an intended printing model and configured to set the client based upon the intended printing model so that an appropriate print path is created from the client to a destination.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the attributes include a network pointer to a driver that will be required to be used by the client.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the printing model is a peer-to-peer model.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the appropriate print path is from the client to the network printer device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the printing model is a client-server model.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the appropriate print path is from the client to a spooling server.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the intended printing model is determined by a network administrator.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the network printer device includes a memory configured to store the attributes.

17. An apparatus for providing network printing mode automation, the apparatus comprising:

means for storing attributes in a network printer device, where the attributes indicate an intended printing model for a printing infrastructure;

means for reading the attributes by a client to determine the intended printing model; and

means for configuring the client based upon the intended printing model so that an appropriate print path is created from the client to a destination.

18. A method of providing network printing mode automation, the method comprising:

reading attributes stored in a network printing device to determine an intended printing model; and

performing device configuration based upon the intended printing model.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the attributes include a network pointer to a driver that will be required to be used by the client.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the printing model is a peer-to-peer model.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein an appropriate print path is from the client to the network printer device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the printing model is a client-server model.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein an appropriate print path is from the client to a spooling server.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the intended printing model is determined by a network administrator.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the attributes are stored in memory.

26. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to;

read attributes stored in a network printing device to determine an intended printing model; and

perform device configuration based upon the intended printing model.