Client/server printer driver system

• US 6,003,069 A
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Cavill, Barry Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US08/991,380
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.33, 395/200.35, 395/200.31, 395/681, 709/203, 709/205, 709/201, 709/301
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1237 Print job management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A client/server printer driver including a client-side subsystem capable of transmitting a print job to a server-side subsystem capable of receiving the print job from the client-side and processing the print job and sending the processed data back to the client-side for output. A client/server printer driver including a client-side subsystem capable of dividing the print job into portions to be processed client-side and server-side and then transmitting the server-side portions of the job to a server-side subsystem capable of processing the client-side portions of the print job to create and receiving the processed server-side portions. The system has a server-side subsystem capable of receiving the server-side portions from the client-side subsystem and processing these portions to create processed server-side portions and transmitting the server-side portions to the client-side.

Claims

1. A system for processing a print job utilizing a client/server printer driver for use with a client-side computing means in communication with at least one server-side computing means, the system comprising:

(a) a client-side driver subsystem comprising means for transmitting the print job to a server-side driver subsystem of the server-side computing means;

(b) a server-side driver subsystem comprising;

(i) means for receiving the print job from the client-side driver subsystem transmitting means;

(ii) means for processing the print job to thereby create a processed server side print job; and

(iii) means for transmitting the processed server-side print job to the client-side driver subsystem,

wherein the client-side driver subsystem further comprises means for receiving the processed server-side print job from the server-side subsystem; and

(c) means, in communication with the client-side driver subsystem, for outputting the processed print job to a signal processing means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing means comprises a printer capable of receiving and printing the print job.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the client-side computing means is a network computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server-side computing means is a computer operating on a network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the network is a local area network.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the network is the Internet.

7. A system for processing a print job utilizing a client/server printer driver for use with a client-side computing means in communication with at least one server-side computing means, the system comprising:

(a) a client-side driver subsystem comprising;

(i) means for dividing the print job into one or more portions to be processed client-side, server-side, or a combination thereof;

(ii) means, responsive to the dividing means, for transmitting the server-side portions of the print job to a server-side driver subsystem of the server-side computing means;

iii) means for processing the client-side portions of the print job to thereby create one or more processed client-side print job portions; and

iv) means for receiving the processed server-side print job portions;

(b) a server-side driver subsystem comprising;

(i) means for receiving the server-side portions of the print job from the client-side driver subsystem transmitting means;

(ii) means for processing the server-side portions of the print job to thereby create one or more processed server-side print job portions; and

(iii) means for transmitting the one or more processed server-side print job portions to the client-side driver subsystem; and

(c) means in communication with the client-side driver subsystem for outputting the processed client-side and server-side print job portions to a signal processing means.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal processing means comprises a printer capable of receiving the client-side and server-side print job portions and printing the print job.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the client-side computing means is a network computer.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the client-side portions of the print job correspond to textual information.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the server-side portions of the print job correspond to graphical information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the server-side computing means is a computer operating on a network.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the dividing means further comprises means for determining the amount of communication between the client and server-side computing means and, if the amount is within a predetermined threshold range, dividing the print job whereby one or more portions to be processed client-side, server-side, or a combination thereof are favored based upon minimization of the communication between client and server-side computing means.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the network is a local area network.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the network is the Internet.

16. A client/server method of processing a print job for use with a client-side computing system in communication with at least one server-side computing system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting, from the client-side, the print job to the server-side computing means;

(b) receiving, on the server-side, the print job from the client-side transmitting means;

(c) processing, on the server-side, the print job to thereby create a processed print job;

(d) transmitting, on the server-side, the processed print job to the client-side;

(e) receiving, on the client side, the processed print job; and

(f) outputting the processed print job to a signal processing means.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal processing means comprises a printer capable of receiving and printing the print job, the method further comprising receiving the print job and printing the print job on the printer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the client-side computing means is a network computer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the server-side computing means is a computer operating on a network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the network is a local area network.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the network is the Internet.

22. A client/server method of processing a print job for use with a client-side computing means in communication with at least one server-side computing means, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing, on the client-side, the print job into one or more portions to be processed client-side, server-side, or a combination thereof;

(b) transmitting, from the client-side, the server-side portions of the print job to the server-side computing means;

(c) processing, on the client-side, the client-side portions of the print job to thereby create one or more processed client-side print job portions;

(d) receiving, on the server-side, the server-side portions of the print job from the client-side transmitting means;

(e) processing, on the server-side, the server-side portions of the print job to thereby create one or more processed server-side print job portions;

(f) transmitting, on the server-side, the one or more processed server-side print job portions to the client-side;

(g) receiving, on the client side, the processed server-side print job portions; and

(h) outputting the processed client-side and server-side print job portions to a signal processing means.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the signal processing means comprises a printer capable of receiving the client-side and server-side print job portions and printing the print job.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the client-side computing means is a network computer.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the client-side portions of the print job correspond to textual information.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the server-side portions of the print job correspond to graphical information.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the server-side computing means is a computer operating on a network.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the dividing step further comprises determining the amount of communication between the client and server-side computing means and, if the amount is within a predetermined threshold range, dividing the print job whereby one or more portions to be processed client-side, server-side, or a combination thereof are favored based upon minimization of the communication between client and server-side computing means.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the network is a local area network.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the network is the Internet.