Method and System for Communicating Between a Remote Printer and a Server
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In order to enable downloading to a mobile printer data items from a server, a method comprising the steps of establishing communication connection end points (“sockets”), communicating with the server, where the communication includes sending a request for authentication to the server, receiving an authentication response, requesting print data portions from the server, receiving the requested print data portions, and notifying the server after each print data portion has been printed. The method also includes the step of terminating their communication connection when a printing session ends or if an error occurs. The method constitutes a printer-server protocol.
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Citations
108 Claims
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1-63. -63. (canceled)
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64. A method for enabling a mobile printer to download data items from a server, said data items comprising print data portions to be printed, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an interprocess communication mechanism comprising a connection end point and a network address, said network address identifying a server in a network; communicating with said server, said communication comprising;
sending a request for authentication to the server from the mobile printer;receiving from the server an authentication response; requesting from the server print data portions to be downloaded, if the authentication is successful; attempting to receive from the server print data portions to be printed or viewed, repeating the attempting step if the attempting step fails to receive all of the print data portions; notifying the server after print completion; and
, terminating the communications connection when a printing session ends or if an error occurs. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method for enabling a server to provide data items to a mobile printer said data items comprising print data portions to be printed, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a process to control communications through a communication connection endpoint to another communication connection endpoint, upon said another communication connection endpoint being established; communicating with said mobile printer, said communication comprising; sending an authentication response, upon receipt of an authentication request from the mobile printer; sending print data portions to be printed, upon receipt of a request from the mobile printer for print data portions to be downloaded; and
,optionally sending one or more ping commands to the server to inform the server to keep the communications connection open; and
,attempting to receive from the mobile printer notification after completion of printing; repeating said attempting step if the attempting step fails to receive the notification; sending status information in response to receipt of notification after printing; and
,terminating the communications connection when a printing session ends or if an error occurs; - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A printer comprising:
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a processor; at least one computer-accessible memory, said at least one computer-accessible memory having computer instructions embodied therein, said instructions comprising; means for establishing an interprocess communication mechanism comprising a connection end point and a network address, said network address identifying a server in a network and an entry point into an application at said server; means for communicating with said server, said communication comprising; sending a request for authentication to the server from the mobile printer; receiving from the server an authentication response; requesting from the server print data portions to be downloaded, if the authentication is successful; attempting to receive from the server print data portions to be printed; repeating the attempting step if the attempting step fails to receive all of the print data portions; optionally sending one or more ping commands to the server to inform the server to keep the communications connection open; notifying the server after print completion; and
,terminating the communications connection when a printing session ends or if an error occurs. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. A server providing data items to a mobile printer, said server comprising:
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a processor; at least one computer-accessible memory, said at least one computer-accessible memory having computer instructions embodied therein, said instructions comprising; means for establishing a process to control communications through a communication connection endpoint to another communication connection endpoint, upon said another communication connection endpoint being established; means to measure the time since the last command from said mobile printer was received and to terminate the communications connection if this time exceeds a timeout constant; means for communicating with said mobile printer, said communication means comprising; means for sending an authentication response upon receipt of an authentication request from the mobile printer; means for attempting to send print data portions to be printed, upon receipt of a request from the mobile printer for print data portions to be downloaded; means for repeating the attempting step if the attempting step fails to send all the print data portions; means for receiving from the mobile printer notification after print completion; and means for sending status information in response to receipt of notification after printing. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
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107. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium having computer readable code stored therein for enabling a mobile printer to download data items from a server, said data items comprising print data portions to be printed, said code causing a computer system to; establish an interprocess communication mechanism comprising a connection end point and a network address, said network address identifying a server in a network; communicate with said server, said communication comprising; sending a request for authentication to the server from the mobile printer; receiving from the server an authentication response; requesting from the server print data portions to be downloaded, if the authentication is successful; repeating the attempting step if the attempting step fails to receive all the print data portions; and notifying the server after print completion; and
,terminate the interprocess communication mechanism when a printing session ends or if an error occurs.
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108. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for enabling a server to provide data items to a mobile printer said that items comprising print that portions to be printed, said code causing a computer system to; establish a process to control communications through a communication connection endpoint to another communication connection endpoint, upon said another communication connection endpoint being established; communicate with said mobile printer, said communication comprising; sending an authentication response; attempting to send print data portions to be printed, upon receipt of a request from the mobile printer for print data portions to be downloaded; repeating the attempting step if the attempting step fails to send all of the print data portions; receiving from the mobile printer notification after print completion; sending status information in response to receipt of notification after printing; and
,terminate the communications connection when a printing session ends or if the time between commands received exceed a timeout constant or if an error occurs.
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Specification