PAPER SIZE SUPPORT FOR A PRINT SYSTEM

• US 20100225933A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Selvaraj, Senthil K., Xiao, Zhenning
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.200
• 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 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00

Abstract

Techniques are provided for allowing a print driver to recognize a paper size that is not supported by the print driver. A printing device informs the print driver (executing on a client device) that an input tray of the printing device supports a particular paper size. Alternatively, the printing device informs the print driver that a feature and/or option supported by the printing device has changed. The print driver requests the new paper size (or the set of features and options) from the printing device. The print driver receives the new paper size data from the printing device and updates its user interface to allow a user to select the new paper size as a supportable option.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media for printing to a Web services-enabled printing device, the one or more computer-readable media storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

a print driver executing on a client device and retrieving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, paper size data that indicates a particular paper size that the Web Service-enabled printing device is currently configured to support, wherein the particular paper size is not supported by the print driver;

in response to retrieving the paper size data, the print driver updating, based at least upon the paper size data, printer description data, associated with the print driver, to indicate the particular paper size, wherein the printer description data specifies display data for one or more features and options from the plurality of features and options currently supported by the Web Service-enabled printing device;

the print driver generating, based at least upon the display data contained in the printer description data, graphical user interface data which, when processed at the client device, causes at least the particular paper size to be displayed on a graphical user interface;

the print driver receiving, from an application program, application data generated by the application program, wherein the application data indicates the particular paper size;

the print driver generating, based at least upon the application data, print data and a print job ticket; and

the print driver causing the print data and the print job ticket to be transmitted to the Web services-enabled printing device.

2. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, further storing additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

in response to retrieving the paper size data, the print driver creating a form that corresponds to the particular paper size, wherein the form indicates the particular paper size;

a second application program generating, based at least upon the form, second graphical user interface data which, when processed at the client device, causes at least the particular paper size to be displayed on a second graphical user interface;

the print driver receiving, from the second application program, second application data generated by the second application program, wherein the second application data indicates the particular paper size;

the print driver generating, based upon the second application data, second print data and a second print job ticket; and

the print driver causing the second print data and the second print job ticket to be transmitted to the Web services-enabled printing device.

3. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 2, further storing additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

in response to receiving the second application data, the print driver replacing, in the second application data, first data that indicates that the particular paper size is a new paper size with second data that indicates that the particular paper size is a customized paper size.

4. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, further storing additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

a port monitor, associated with the print driver, sending, to the Web Services-enabled printing device, an event subscription message, a portion of which conforms to a Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event subscription message indicates that the port monitor subscribes for changes in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

the port monitor receiving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, an event notification message, at least a portion of which conforms to the Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event notification message indicates a change in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

wherein the print driver retrieving the paper size data comprises in response to the port monitor receiving the event notification message, the print driver, sending, to the port monitor, a request to query the Web Service-enabled printing device for the change.

5. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 4, wherein the event notification message is generated in response to an input paper tray with a new configuration being inserted into the Web Services-enabled printing device.

6. An apparatus for printing to a Web services-enabled printing device, the apparatus comprising a memory storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

a print driver executing on a client device and retrieving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, paper size data that indicates a particular paper size that the Web Service-enabled printing device is currently configured to support, wherein the particular paper size is not supported by the print driver;

in response to retrieving the paper size data, the print driver updating, based at least upon the paper size data, printer description data, associated with the print driver, to indicate the particular paper size, wherein the printer description data specifies display data for one or more features and options from the plurality of features and options currently supported by the Web Service-enabled printing device;

the print driver generating, based at least upon the display data contained in the printer description data, graphical user interface data which, when processed at the client device, causes at least the particular paper size to be displayed on a graphical user interface;

the print driver receiving, from an application program, application data generated by the application program, wherein the application data indicates the particular paper size;

the print driver generating, based at least upon the application data, print data and a print job ticket; and

the print driver causing the print data and the print job ticket to be transmitted to the Web services-enabled printing device.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the memory stores additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

in response to retrieving the paper size data, the print driver creating a form that corresponds to the particular paper size, wherein the form indicates the particular paper size;

a second application program generating, based at least upon the form, second graphical user interface data which, when processed at the client device, causes at least the particular paper size to be displayed on a second graphical user interface;

the print driver receiving, from the second application program, second application data generated by the second application program, wherein the second application data indicates the particular paper size;

the print driver generating, based upon the second application data, second print data and a second print job ticket; and

the print driver causing the second print data and the second print job ticket to be transmitted to the Web services-enabled printing device.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the memory stores instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

in response to receiving the second application data, the print driver replacing, in the second application data, first data that indicates that the particular paper size is a new paper size with second data that indicates that the particular paper size is a customized paper size.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the memory stores additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

a port monitor, associated with the print driver, sending, to the Web Services-enabled printing device, an event subscription message, a portion of which conforms to a Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event subscription message indicates that the port monitor subscribes for changes in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

the port monitor receiving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, an event notification message, at least a portion of which conforms to the Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event notification message indicates a change in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

wherein the print driver retrieving the paper size data comprises in response to the port monitor receiving the event notification message, the print driver, sending, to the port monitor, a request to query the Web Service-enabled printing device for the change.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the event notification message is generated in response to an input paper tray with a new configuration being inserted into the Web Services-enabled printing device.

11. An apparatus for printing to a Web services-enabled printing device, the apparatus comprising a memory storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:

a print driver executing on a client device and retrieving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, paper size data that indicates a particular paper size that the Web Services-enabled printing device is currently configured to support, wherein the particular paper size is not supported by the print driver; and

in response to retrieving the paper size data, the print driver creating, based at least upon the paper size data, a form that corresponds to the particular paper size, wherein the form indicates the particular paper size;

an application program generating, based at least upon the form, graphical user interface data which, when processed at the client device, causes at least the particular paper size to be displayed on a graphical user interface;

the print driver receiving, from the application program, application data generated by the application program, wherein the application data indicates the particular paper size;

the print driver generating, based at least upon the application data, print data and a print job ticket; and

the print driver causing the print data and the print job ticket to be transmitted to the Web services-enabled printing device.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the memory stores instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

in response to receiving the application data, the print driver replacing, in the application data, first data that indicates that the particular paper size is a new paper size with second data that indicates that the particular paper size is a customized paper size.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the memory stores additional instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes:

a port monitor, associated with the print driver, sending, to the Web Services-enabled printing device, an event subscription message, a portion of which conforms to a Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event subscription message indicates that the port monitor subscribes for changes in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

the port monitor receiving, from the Web Service-enabled printing device, an event notification message, at least a portion of which conforms to the Web Services Eventing specification,

wherein the event notification message indicates a change in one or more of the features or options supported by the Web Services-enabled printing device;

wherein the print driver retrieving the paper size data comprises in response to the port monitor receiving the event notification message, the print driver, sending, to the port monitor, a request to query the Web Service-enabled printing device for the change.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the event notification message is generated in response to an input paper tray with a new configuration being inserted into the Web Services-enabled printing device.