Method and system for matching the software command language of a computer with the printer language of a printer

• US 5,165,014 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Vassar, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US07/580,984
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 395/101, 395/112, 395/113, 395/114, 395/275, 395/500, 400/62, 400/76, 358/402, 358/442, 358/141, 358/445, 358/470
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• 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 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1248 by printer language recognition, e.g. PDL, PCL, PDF
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/263 Language identification

Abstract

A method and system for matching the software command language of a computer with the printer language of a printer wherein the nature, character and frequency of a stream of data generated from computer software is sensed to determine the particular command language in which the computer is operating. In response to this sensing function and in the detection of the presence or absence of certain preselected ASCII characters within a predetermined number of characters initially scanned, an automatic selection is made between the computer or computer workstation and either one of a plurality of available printers operating in this same language or to a correct language conversion card connection within a single printer. In this manner, manual language matching keycap selection and problems associated therewith at the computer keyboard are eliminated.

Claims

1. A method for determining a command language in which a computer or computer workstation is operating which comprises the steps of:

a. scanning a predetermined number of characters in the data stream from said computer and within a group of printable non-command characters,

b. counting the existence in said data stream of the presence of a plurality of individually selected printable non-command characters to generate a plurality of count output values only after a larger predetermined number of characters have been scanned,

c. adding certain ones of said count output values to establish a plurality of numeric conditions, some of which are indicative of a first printer command language and some of which are indicative of a second printer command language, and

d. comparing said plurality of numeric conditions in sequence to a corresponding plurality of reference values to thereby generate output data representative of either said first printer command language or said second printer command language.

2. A system for determining a command language in which a computer or computer workstation is operating including, in combination:

a. means for scanning a predetermined number of characters in a data stream received from said computer and within a group of printable non-command characters,

b. means connected to said scanning means for counting the existence in said data stream of the presence of a plurality of individually select characters to generate a plurality of count output values only after a larger predetermined number of characters have been scanned,

c. means connected to said counting means for adding certain count output values to establish a plurality of numeric conditions, some of which are indicative of a first printer command language and some of which are indicative of a second printer command language, and

d. means connected to said adding means for comparing said plurality of numeric conditions in sequence to a corresponding plurality of reference values to generate output data representative of either said first printer command language or said second printer command language.