Approach for managing printer driver settings

• US 20070253010A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Selvaraj, Senthil
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.130
• 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 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

An approach is provided for managing printer driver settings. According to the approach, printer driver settings specified by a user for electronic data are maintained as a “print tag”. Print tags may be stored, either local to a client device or remotely to a client device, and later retrieved when electronic data is to be printed again. This allows printer driver settings to be maintained on a per electronic data, e.g., electronic document, basis and re-used any number of times. It also allows printer driver settings to be persistently maintained when the execution of application programs and print drivers is terminated or in the event of failures. Print tags may be shared among different users to allow multiple users to easily and conveniently use the same printer driver settings to print the same electronic data, without each user having to manually enter the printer driver settings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing printer driver settings, the computer-implemented method comprising:

at a client device, a printer driver causing a graphical user interface to be displayed, wherein the graphical user interface allows users to specify printer driver settings values for a particular printing device;

receiving, from a first user via the graphical user interface, particular printer driver settings values for the particular printing device;

receiving, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to save the particular printer driver settings values specified by the first user;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to save the particular printer driver settings values, generating printer driver settings data that specifies the particular printer driver settings values;

causing the printer driver settings data to be stored; and

the printer driver using the particular printer driver settings values to process electronic data and cause a printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to retrieve the printer driver settings data;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to retrieve the printer driver settings data, retrieving the printer driver settings data;

the printer driver using the particular printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data to process the electronic data and cause a second printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication to save the particular printer driver settings values includes file name data that identifies a file and the causing the printer driver settings data to be stored includes storing the printer driver settings data to be stored to the file identified by the file name data included in the indication.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

the printer driver validating the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then notifying the user via the graphical user interface that one or more printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

the printer driver validating the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then the printer driver automatically using one or more substitute printer driver settings values in place of the printer driver settings values that are not compatible with the particular printing device, wherein the one or more substitute printer driver settings values are compatible with the particular printing device.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the printer driver settings data includes identifying information that is printed on the printed version of the electronic data.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6, further comprising causing the printer driver settings data to be stored on a network device, wherein access to the printer driver settings data on the network device requires user authentication.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the electronic data and the printer driver settings data to a second user on a second client device, wherein the second client device is different than the first client device.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic data represents one or more of an electronic document, an email or an electronic spreadsheet.

10. A machine-readable medium method for managing printer driver settings, the machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

at a client device, a printer driver causing a graphical user interface to be displayed, wherein the graphical user interface allows users to specify printer driver settings values for a particular printing device;

receiving, from a first user via the graphical user interface, particular printer driver settings values for the particular printing device;

receiving, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to save the particular printer driver settings values specified by the first user;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to save the particular printer driver settings values, generating printer driver settings data that specifies the particular printer driver settings values;

causing the printer driver settings data to be stored; and

the printer driver using the particular printer driver settings values to process electronic data and cause a printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

11. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

receiving, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to retrieve the printer driver settings data;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to retrieve the printer driver settings data, retrieving the printer driver settings data;

the printer driver using the particular printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data to process the electronic data and cause a second printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

12. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the indication to save the particular printer driver settings values includes file name data that identifies a file and the causing the printer driver settings data to be stored includes storing the printer driver settings data to be stored to the file identified by the file name data included in the indication.

13. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

the printer driver validating the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then notifying the user via the graphical user interface that one or more printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device.

14. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

the printer driver validating the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then the printer driver automatically using one or more substitute printer driver settings values in place of the printer driver settings values that are not compatible with the particular printing device, wherein the one or more substitute printer driver settings values are compatible with the particular printing device.

15. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the printer driver settings data includes identifying information that is printed on the printed version of the electronic data.

16. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes the printer driver settings data to be stored on a network device, wherein access to the printer driver settings data on the network device requires user authentication.

17. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes sending the electronic data and the printer driver settings data to a second user on a second client device, wherein the second client device is different than the first client device.

18. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the electronic data represents one or more of an electronic document, an email or an electronic spreadsheet.

19. An apparatus for managing printer driver settings, the apparatus comprising:

a printer driver configured to;

at a client device, cause a graphical user interface to be displayed, wherein the graphical user interface allows users to specify printer driver settings values for a particular printing device;

receive, from a first user via the graphical user interface, particular printer driver settings values for the particular printing device;

receive, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to save the particular printer driver settings values specified by the first user;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to save the particular printer driver settings values, generate printer driver settings data that specifies the particular printer driver settings values;

cause the printer driver settings data to be stored; and

use the particular printer driver settings values to process electronic data and cause a printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer driver is further configured to:

receive, from the first user via the graphical user interface, an indication to retrieve the printer driver settings data;

in response to receiving the indication from the first user to retrieve the printer driver settings data, retrieve the printer driver settings data;

use the particular printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data to process the electronic data and cause a second printed version of the electronic data to be printed at the particular printing device.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the indication to save the particular printer driver settings values includes file name data that identifies a file and the causing the printer driver settings data to be stored includes storing the printer driver settings data to be stored to the file identified by the file name data included in the indication.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer driver is further configured to:

validate the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then notify the user via the graphical user interface that one or more printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer driver is further configured to:

validate the printer driver settings data values contained in the printer driver settings data; and

if any of the printer driver settings values contained in the printer driver settings data are not compatible with the particular printing device, then automatically use one or more substitute printer driver settings values in place of the printer driver settings values that are not compatible with the particular printing device, wherein the one or more substitute printer driver settings values are compatible with the particular printing device.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer driver settings data includes identifying information that is printed on the printed version of the electronic data.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the printer driver is further configured to cause the printer driver settings data to be stored on a network device, wherein access to the printer driver settings data on the network device requires user authentication.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer driver is further configured to send the electronic data and the printer driver settings data to a second user on a second client device, wherein the second client device is different than the first client device.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the electronic data represents one or more of an electronic document, an email or an electronic spreadsheet.