Deferred printing
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a computer running a program and a printer configured to receive print jobs in a device-specific format for executing print jobs, the program for directing print jobs each to a particular printer, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- (a) in response to a first user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer among a plurality of printers, initiating a first print job from the program to print on the printer;
(b) when the first print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is coupled to the computer such that the computer can communicate with the printer;
(c) in response to steps (a) and (b), spooling the print job to the printer in a device-specific format;
(d) in response to a second user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer among a plurality of printers, initiating a second print job from the program to print on the printer;
(e) when the second print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is decoupled from the computer such that the computer cannot communicate with the printer; and
(f) in response to steps (d) and (e), spooling the print job in a device-independent format rather than the device-specific format for later despooling when the printer is coupled to the computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Facilities are provided within an operating system for supporting deferred printing of print jobs. The process of spooling a print job and the process of despooling the print job are decoupled, such that a printer need not be available at the time of spooling. Print jobs are spooled in a device-independent format, such as the enhanced metafile format. The print jobs may be spooled without a printer driver being installed for a target printer or without the target printer being connected to the system. Later, when the target printer becomes available, the print job is despooled and printed. A configuration database holds different printer configurations that list available printers in different environments. For example, a user may have a different configuration for printers available when he uses his computer at home, at work and on the road, respectively. The configurations help the user to identify the printers that are currently available and those that are available in other settings. When a currently active machine configuration changes, the system checks for spooled jobs on printers that were previously unavailable and are now available and asks the user if the user wishes to start printing these spooled print jobs.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a computer running a program and a printer configured to receive print jobs in a device-specific format for executing print jobs, the program for directing print jobs each to a particular printer, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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(a) in response to a first user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer among a plurality of printers, initiating a first print job from the program to print on the printer; (b) when the first print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is coupled to the computer such that the computer can communicate with the printer; (c) in response to steps (a) and (b), spooling the print job to the printer in a device-specific format; (d) in response to a second user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer among a plurality of printers, initiating a second print job from the program to print on the printer; (e) when the second print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is decoupled from the computer such that the computer cannot communicate with the printer; and (f) in response to steps (d) and (e), spooling the print job in a device-independent format rather than the device-specific format for later despooling when the printer is coupled to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a system having a portable computer and a network that includes at least one printer, a method comprising the steps of:
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while the portable computer is connected to the network, (i) initiating a print job to the printer in the network in response to a user request to print on the printer; (ii) based upon a determination that the portable computer is connected to the network, spooling the print job in a device-dependent format; while the portable computer is disconnected from the network, (i) initiating a print job to the printer in the network in response to a user request to print on the printer; (ii) based upon a determination that the portable computer is disconnected from the network, spooling the print job in a device-independent format; reconnecting the portable computer to the network; in response to reconnecting to the network, determining that the printer for the print job that has been spooled is now available; and despooling the print job to execute the print job on the printer. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A computer system comprising:
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a printer for executing print jobs, said printer being coupleable to and decoupleable from a processor and configured to receive print jobs in a device-specific format; and the processor for running a program having a means for initiating print jobs to the printer in response to a request by a user to print on the printer and an operating system having a spooler for spooling print jobs to be printed on the printer initiated by the application program, the spooler spooling print jobs in a device-dependent format when the printer is coupled to the processor and spooling print jobs in a device-independent format rather than the device-specific format. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. In a computer system having a computer running a program and a printer for executing print jobs initiated in response to the program and provided in a printer-dependent format, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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(a) recognizing that the computer knows of the printer but the printer has not yet been installed at the computer; (b) in response to the program, initiating a first print job from the program to print on the printer before the printer has been installed at the computer; (c) in response to steps (a) and (b), spooling the first print job in a printer-independent format rather than a printer-dependent format for later despooling when the printer is installed at the computer; (d) recognizing when the printer is installed at the computer; (e) in response to the program, initiating a second print job from the program to print on the printer after the printer has been installed at the computer; and (f) in response to steps (d) and (e), spooling the second print job in a printer-dependent format for printing on the printer. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A computer-readable storage medium for use in a computer system that has a computer running a program that initiates a print job and a printer configured to receive print jobs in a device-specific format for executing print jobs, wherein a user requests that the print job be executed on the printer, said medium holding instructions for:
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(a) in response to a first user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer among a plurality of printers initiating a first print job from the program to print on the printer; (b) when the first print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is coupled to the computer such that the computer can communicate with the printer; (c) in response to steps (a) and (b), supporting the print job to the printer in a device-specific format; (d) in response to a second user request to print on the printer that identifies the printer, initiating a second print job to print on the printer (e) when the second print job is initiated, recognizing that the printer is decoupled from the computer such that the computer cannot communicate with the printer; and (f) in response to steps (d) and (e), spooling the print job in a device-independent format rather than the device-specific format for later despooling when the printer is coupled to the computer.
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13. A computer-readable storage medium for use in a computer system running a program and having a printer for executing print jobs initiated in response to the program and provided in a printer-dependent format, said medium holding instructions for:
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(a) recognizing that the computer knows of the printer but the printer has not yet been installed at the computer; (b) in response to the program, initiating a first print job from the program to print on the printer before the printer has been installed on the computer; (c) in response to steps (a) and (b), spooling the print job in a printer-independent format rather than a printer-dependent format for later despooling when the printer is installed at the computer; (d) recognizing when the printer is installed at the computer; (e) in response to the program, initiating a second print job from the program to print on the printer after the printer has been installed at the computer; and (f) in response to steps (d) and (e), spooling the second print job in a printer-dependent format for printing on the printer. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method in a computer system for deferring the printing of a print job directed to an unavailable printer, the method comprising the steps of:
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under the control of a program, issuing printing commands to the operating system identifying a printer, the printing commands being issued by the program to print a print job immediately on the identified printer; under the control of the operating system; receiving the issued printing commands; determining that the identified printer is presently unavailable; in response to determining that the identified printer is presently unavailable; persistently storing information from the printing commands in device independent format, such that the stored information may be used to print the print job on the identified printer at a later time; and though the print job was not actually printed, returning to the program an indication that the issued printing commands were successfully completed and the print job was printed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to defer the printing of a print job directed to an unavailable printer by performing the steps of:
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under the control of a program, issuing printing commands to the operating system identifying a printer, the printing commands being issued by the program to print a print job immediately on the identified printer; under the control of the operating system; receiving the issued printing commands; determining that the identified printer is presently unavailable; in response to determining that the identified printer is presently unavailable; persistently storing information from the printing commands in device independent format, such that the stored information may be used to print the print job on the identified printer at a later time; and though the print job was not actually printed, returning to the program an indication that the issued printing commands were successfully completed and the print job was printed. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification