PRINTER WITH SELECTABLE CAPABILITIES

• US 20150002886A1
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell International Technology, Ltd. (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Technology, Ltd. (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Bledsoe, James D., Carlson, Gregory F., McClelland, Todd A., McKinley, Patrick A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1224 Client or server resources management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/123 Software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal

Abstract

A system comprising a processor and a memory comprising firmware is provided. The firmware is executable by the processor to cause the processor to operate a print mechanism in accordance with a first state associated with a capability of the print mechanism, change the first state associated with the capability to a second state in response to receiving first information from an external interface, and operate the print mechanism in accordance with the second state associated with the capability.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A controller for performing a hardware related process comprising:

at least one interface to a first hardware component, a second hardware component, and a memory, wherein the first hardware component is configured to be involved in a first hardware related printing process and is configured to be enabled before an input is received from a user via a user interface, wherein the second hardware component is configured to be involved in a second hardware related process and is configured to he inoperable before a state of the at least one capabilities indicator is set to a second state enabling the second hardware component, and wherein the memory is configured to store at least one capabilities;

wherein the controller is configured to;

control an operation of the first hardware component and the second hardware component according to a first state of the at least one capabilities indicator, the first state corresponding to the first hardware component being enabled and the second hardware component being inoperable;

receive verification from a server authorizing a previously inoperable hardware component to be enabled by changing a state of the at least one capabilities indicator; and

in response to receiving the verification, change the at least one capabilities indicator from the first state to a second state, the second state corresponding to the second hardware component being enabled in response to the verification received from the server.

22. The controller of claim 21, wherein the second state enabling the second hardware component is set to expire at a time identified in a license.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the set expiration time identified in the license corresponds to a trial period.

24. The controller of claim 22, wherein the trial is a predetermined number of uses of the second hardware component.

25. The controller of claim 21, wherein the second hardware component is at least one of a scanning component, faxing component and a modem component.

26. The controller of claim 21, wherein the first hardware component is configured to perform a first printing process;

and

wherein the second hardware component is configured to perform a second printing process.

27. The controller of claim 21, wherein the first hardware component and the second hardware component are print cartridges or print heads.

28. The controller of claim 21, wherein the first hardware component and the second hardware component are media trays.

29. The controller of claim 21, wherein the second hardware component includes a scanner.

30. The controller of claim 21, wherein the second hardware component includes a scanner.

31. A controller for a printer comprising:

an interface to a memory, the memory configured to store at least one upgrade indicator, a first software component and a second software component;

wherein the controller is configured to;

control an operation at a first level of performance according to an execution of the first software component, wherein at the first level of performance, the first software component is executable by the controller to modify image data received by the printer before an input is received via a user interface from the user, and the second software component is non-executable such that the second software component cannot be executed by the controller to modify any image data received by the printer before the input is received from the user;

receive a verification from a server wherein the verification is responsive to information sent to the server based on the input from the user;

in response to receiving the verification from the server, change a state of the at least one upgrade indicator in order to transition from the first level of performance to a second level of performance, the second level of performance enabling the previously non-executable second software component to be executable such that the second software component is enabled to cause the controller to modify image data received by the printer; and

control an operation at the second level of performance according to an execution of the second software component.

32. The controller of claim 31, wherein the first software component is firmware, and the second software component is a firmware upgrade.

33. The controller of claim 31, wherein changing the state of the at least one upgrade to the second state is made according to usage rights associated with the second state that enables the execution of the second software component;

and

wherein the second state enabling the second software component is set to expire at a time identified in the usage rights.

34. The controller of claim 33, wherein the set expiration time identified in the usage rights corresponds to a trial period.

35. The controller of claim 31, wherein the operation to set a state of the at least one upgrade indicator comprises to permanently set the state of the at least one upgrade indicator to the second state in response to the verification received from the server.

36. The controller of claim 31, wherein the second level of performance corresponds to an operation for increased print speed, increased print resolution, or increased image quality.

37. The controller of claim 31, wherein the second level of performance corresponds to an operation for photo image enhancements comprising at least one of image correction, sharpening adjustment, contrast adjustment, or red eye correction.

38. The controller of claim 31, wherein the second level of performance corresponds to an operation for enabling access to one or more media trays of the printer that were previously inaccessible.

39. The controller of claim 31, wherein the second level of performance corresponds to an operation for enabling additional communication capabilities with devices that were previously disabled.

40. The controller of claim 31, wherein the first software component is firmware, and the second software component is a firmware upgrade.