REMOTE CREATION OF PRINTER INSTANCES ON A WORKSTATION

• US 20100134819A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Carcerano, Christopher John, Kemp, Devon James
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.130
• 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 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

Remotely installing a new printer in a printers folder on a client workstation that communicates via a network with a control point terminal by, in the control point terminal, performing an operation to add the new printer in the printers folder of the client workstation, and in response to the operation being performed, the control point terminal transmitting identification information of the new printer being added to an agent in the client workstation, and in the client workstation, the agent receiving the identification information from the control point terminal, in response to receiving the identification information of the new printer, the agent automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the received identification information, the agent automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and the agent creating a locally managed instance of the printer. The operation may be simply selecting the new printer and the workstation that the printer is to be added to. The printer configuration information and the print driver information may be automatically obtained from a remote device on the network, such as an FTP server, and a port for communication with the printer may be automatically created. The unique identifier may be a network address of the printer, such as an IP address, a printer name, a DNS name or a NetBios name, and the printer may be a virtual printer, rather than an actual printer installed on the network.

Claims

1. A method of remotely installing a new printer in a printers folder on a client workstation that communicates via a network with a control point terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

in the control point terminal,

performing an operation to add the new printer in the printers folder of the client workstation; and

in response to the operation being performed, the control point terminal transmitting identification information of the new printer being added to an agent in the client workstation; and

in the client workstation,

the agent receiving the identification information from the control point terminal;

in response to receiving the identification information of the new printer, the agent automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the received identification information;

the agent automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

the agent creating a locally managed instance of the printer.

2-36. -36. (canceled)