INFORMATION APPARATUS AND SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS SUPPORTING PRINTING OF DIGITAL CONTENT OVER A NETWORK TO A REGISTERED PRINTER

• US 20180024790A1
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Granted Patent: US 10,481,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• 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 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Software applications and information apparatus supporting output of digital content over a network (e.g., Internet) to an output device (e.g., printer) are herein disclosed and enabled. To output digital content, an application for accessing a service provided over the network is installed, the information apparatus is connected to the local area network of the output device, the output device in the local area network (e.g., IEEE 802.11) is discovered, output device information is received from the discovered output device, and the output device information is transmitted to the service for registering the output device. Subsequent to registration, the information apparatus using an application (e.g., Internet browser, email, document) and having appropriate security or authentication information may transmit digital content to the service to output digital content at the registered output device. The output of digital content does not require a device specific driver that is installed in the information apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for outputting digital content from an information apparatus to an output device by using one or more application software executable at the information apparatus, the information apparatus includes:

one or more processors;

a user interface for interacting with a user;

wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication;

a memory or storage component; and

one or more application software stored, at least partly, in the memory or storage component, the one or more application software includes at least one of an Internet browsing application, an email application, a document creation application, or a digital imaging application, individually or in any combination;

wherein the one or more application software is executable by the one or more processors to facilitate output of digital content from the information apparatus; and

wherein the method comprises;

(1) wirelessly establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry of the information apparatus, a wireless local area network connection to a wireless local area network;

(2) wirelessly discovering, via the communication interface, an output device that is in the wireless local area network;

(3) wirelessly receiving, by the one or more application software and via the wireless communication circuitry, output device information from the output device discovered in (2), the output device information includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to the output device;

(4) obtaining, by the one or more application software, security information or authentication information for accessing one or more servers operated, at least in part, by a service provided over a network;

(5) accessing, by the one or more application software, the one or more servers based, at least in part, on the security or authentication information obtained in (4);

(6) registering, using the one or more application software, the output device discovered in (2) with the service, by transmitting at least part of the output device information received in (3) to the one or more servers in (5); and

(7) transmitting, using the one or more application software and from the information apparatus to the one or more servers, a digital content object that includes at least part of the digital content for outputting at the registered output device in (6).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets, the one or more chips or chipsets are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing the wireless local area network communication.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein output device is a printer, and the discovered output device is a discovered printer, and the registered output device is a registered printer, and the method is a printing method;

and wherein outputting or printing at least part of the digital content at the registered printer does not require a printer driver that is specific to the printer to be installed in the information apparatus.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the printing method further comprises:

(8) receiving, by the one or more application software at the information apparatus, output data from the one or more servers, the output data related to the digital content and is device specific for outputting at the registered output device in (6), and the receiving of the output data is based on having transmitted the digital content object in (7); and

(9) wirelessly delivering, over the wireless local area network, at least part of the output data received in (8) to the registered output device in (6).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting of the output device information in (6) is for storing the at least part of the output device information at the one or more servers operated, at least in part, by the service, the storing of the output device information at the one or more servers is for sharing with one or more mobile devices having appropriate security information or authentication information for accessing the service, the one or more mobile devices including a client application software installed in the one or more mobile device;

and wherein, subsequent to having registered the output device with the service, the method further comprises transmitting, using the client application software at the one or more mobile devices and to the one or more servers, a digital content object that includes at least part of a selected digital content for output at the registered output device in (6).

6. A method for outputting digital content from an information apparatus to an output device by using one or more application software executable at the information apparatus, the information apparatus includes:

one or more processors;

a user interface for interacting with a user;

wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication;

a memory or storage component; and

one or more application software stored, at least partly, in the memory or storage component, the one or more application software is executable by the one or more processors to facilitate output of digital content from the information apparatus; and

wherein the method comprises;

(1) establishing, using the wireless communication circuitry of the information apparatus, a wireless local area network connection to a wireless local area network;

(2) obtaining, by the one or more application software, output device information related to an output device that is available in the wireless local area network in (1), the output device information includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination;

(3) obtaining, by the one or more application software, security information or authentication information for accessing one or more servers operated, at least in part, by a service provided over a network;

(4) accessing, by the one or more application software, the one or more servers based, at least in part, on the security or authentication information obtained in (3);

(5) registering, using the one or more application software, the output device in (2) with the service, by transmitting at least part of the output device information obtained in (2) to the one or more servers in (4);

(6) providing, by the one or more application software, a list of one or more registered output devices that are registered with the service for user selection via the user interface of the information apparatus, the list of one or more registered output devices include the output device registered in (5);

(7) receiving, by the one or more application software, an indication of a selected output device from among the list of one or more registered output devices in (6) provided for user selection; and

(8) obtaining, by the one or more application software, selected digital content for outputting at least part of the selected digital content at the selected output device in (7).

7. The method of claim 6, further comprises:

(9) providing, by the one or more application software, an output item or output function control over the user interface of the information apparatus for user selection, the output item or the output function control is for outputting the selected digital content in (8); and

(10) receiving, by the one or more application software and via the user interface of the information apparatus, selection of the output item or the output function control in (9) for outputting at least part of the selected digital content at the selected output device in (7).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein subsequent to having received the selection of the output item or output function control in (10), the output method further comprises:

(11) transmitting, by the one or more application software, a digital content object from the information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the digital content object includes at least part of the selected digital content or at least a reference or a pointer to the selected digital content, individually or in any combination;

(12) receiving, by the one or more application software at the information apparatus, output data from the one or more servers, the output data related to the selected digital content for outputting at the registered output device in (5), and the output data corresponding to the digital content object transmitted in (11); and

(13) delivering, over the wireless local area network, at least part of the output data received in (12) to the output device in the wireless local area network registered in (5).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the output device information in (2) is received from the output device, and the output device information includes identification information related to the output device, the identification information includes one or more of a name, a model, a brand, an identifier, a registration, a URL, a security key, a PIN, or an IP address, individually or in any combination.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes one or more chips or chipsets that are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards or Bluetooth specifications for wireless communication;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

wirelessly discovering, via the wireless communication circuitry of the information apparatus, the output device in the wireless local area network; and

wirelessly receiving the output device information from the output device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein output device is a printer, and wherein the discovered output device is a discovered printer, and wherein the registered output device is a registered printer, and wherein the method is a printing method;

and wherein outputting or printing at least part of the selected digital content at the registered printer does not require a printer driver that is device specific to the printer to be installed in the information apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more application software is at least one of an Internet browsing application, an email application, a document creation application, an output manager software, or a digital imaging application, individually or in any combination;

and wherein the information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an information pad, an Internet appliance, an e-book, or a digital camera, individually or in any combination.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining output device information includes an input from the user of the information apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded therein software program executable, at least partly, by one or more processors of an information apparatus to perform an output method, the information apparatus includes:

the one or more processors;

a user interface for interacting with a user;

a communication interface for establishing a local area network connection to a local area network; and

wherein the output method, comprises;

(1) accessing, by the software program, one or more servers operated, at least in part, by a service provided over a network, the accessing of the one or more servers is based, at least in part, on having obtained, by the software program, appropriate security or authentication information for accessing the service;

(2) discovering, via the communication interface, an output device that is in the local area network;

(3) receiving, by the software program and via the communication interface, output device information from the output device discovered in (2), the output device information includes at least one of identification information, capability information, address information, status information, or attribute information, individually or in any combination, related to the output device;

(4) transmitting, using the software program, at least part of the output device information received from the output device in (3) to the one or more servers accessed in (1); and

subsequent to having transmitted the output device information to the one or more servers, the method further comprises;

(5) obtaining, by the software program, at least a pointer or reference to selected digital content for output at the output device in (2);

(6) providing, by the software program, an output item or output function control over the user interface of the information apparatus for user selection, the output item or output function control for outputting the selected digital content in (5); and

(7) receiving, by the software program and via the user interface of the information apparatus, selection of the output item or output function control in (6) for outputting at least part of the selected digital content at the output device.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the output method further comprises:

(8) transmitting, by the software program, a content object from the information apparatus to the one or more servers over the network, the content object includes at least part of the selected digital content or at least a reference or a pointer to the selected digital content, individually or in any combination;

(9) receiving, by the software program at the information apparatus, output data from the one or more servers, the output data related to the selected digital content included in the content object transmitted in (8); and

(10) transmitting, via the communication interface and over the local area network, at least part of the output data received from the one or more servers in (9) to the output device for outputting at least part of the selected digital content at the output device.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication interface, and wherein the wireless communication interface includes one or more chips or chipsets that are compatible, at least in part, with at least part of a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection, and wherein the local area network in (2) is a wireless local area network;

and

wherein discovering the output device in the local area network in (2) includes wirelessly discovering, via the wireless communication interface of the information apparatus, the output device in the wireless local area network.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the output data received from the one or more servers is device specific for rendering at the output device;

and wherein the output data is related, at least in part, to the output device information transmitted to the one or more servers in (4); and

wherein the output device is a printer and the output method is a printing method; and

wherein outputting or printing at least part of the selected digital content at the printer does not require a device specific printer driver that is specific to the printer to be installed in the information apparatus.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the output data received from the one or more servers includes an encryption scheme for ensuring the security of the output data that is device specific for rendering at the output device.

19. The medium of claim 16, wherein the output device is at least one of a printer, an audio output device, a display device, a television, or a controller connectable to a television, individually or in any combination;

and

wherein the output device information received from the output device in (3) includes identification information related to the output device, the identification information includes one or more of a name, a model, a brand, an identifier, a registration, an URL, a PIN, a security key, or an IP address, individually or in any combination; and

wherein the identification information of the output device is to facilitate one or more client devices to select the output device for service; and

wherein, subsequent to transmitting the output device information from the information apparatus to the one or more servers in (4), the output device information is further accessible by the one or more client devices that has subscribed to the service for outputting digital content, the accessing of the output device information by the one or more client devices is based, at least in part, on the one or more client devices having appropriate security or authentication information for accessing the service provided over the network, the one or more client devices includes the information apparatus.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the software program is at least part of application software that is at least one of an Internet browsing application, an email application, a document creation application, an output manager application, an operating system software component, or a digital imaging application, individually or in any combination;

and wherein the output method further comprises;

(a) providing, by the software program, a list of one or more registered output devices registered with the service, the list of one or more registered output devices for user selection on the user interface of the information apparatus, and the list of one or registered output devices includes the output device discovered in (2), and the providing of the list is based on having transmitted the output device information in (4); and

(b) receiving, by the software program, an indication of a selected output device from among the list of one or more registered output devices in (a) as the selected output device for outputting at least part of the selected digital content in (10).