Method and system for establishing a standard peripheral interface server

• US 6,282,590 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Liu, Tom, Ellis, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US09/153,775
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8, 710/10, 710/62, 710/63, 709/201, 709/203, 395/114, 358/0.001, 358/0.15
• US Class Current: 710/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/005 with electric or electronic computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00056 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00322 Communication between components/modules/parts, e.g. printer, printhead, keyboard, conveyor or central unit

Abstract

The invention is a method and system for providing a standard interface between a client and a plurality of peripheral devices. The interface is established through creating an interface object and/or a peripheral object in an object oriented development environment of a data processing system. The method and system includes both the object creation environment and the method of object utilization. In one embodiment, the client requests and stores an interface object from a server and establishes an interface object by storing object methods and object properties within the interface object by utilizing a programming interface. The user selects a peripheral device from a collection of devices; the client then request; the server to create a peripheral object corresponding to the selected peripheral device. The peripheral object is created and stored within the client. Communication between the client and the peripheral device is established by implementing the created object'"'"'s methods and properties. The system establishes and utilizes the interface and/or peripheral objects by employing data processing means for manipulation of data; peripheral module means for storing a plurality of data tables for use by the data processing means; input means for inputting data to the system; and, output means for outputting data from the system.

Claims

1. A system for providing a standard interface between a client and a plurality of peripheral devices comprising:

(a) a set of one or more peripheral devices;

(b) a set of one or more human interfaces;

(c) data processing means inter-operatively connected with said set of one or more peripheral devices and said set of one or more human interfaces for processing data;

(d) said data processing means further including;

(i) a client;

(ii) a server;

(iii) a microprocessor establishing a communication link between said client and said server; and

(iv) data storage means for storing data from said server;

(e) said server further including;

(i) a server interface;

(ii) a peripheral module; and

(iii) a server kernel establishing communication between said server interface and said peripheral module;

(f) said data processing means further comprising;

(i) first object requesting means for requesting through said client an interface object from said server;

(ii) object establishing means for establishing said interface object by;

(1) storing a first set of object methods within said interface object by utilizing a first programming interface; and

(2) storing a first set of object properties within said interface object by utilizing said first programming interface;

(iii) first storage means for storing said interface object within said client;

(iv) selecting means for selecting a peripheral device from said set of one or more peripheral devices;

(v) second object requesting means for requesting through said client a peripheral object from a server;

(vi) peripheral object establishing means for establishing a peripheral object corresponding to said selected peripheral device by;

(1) storing a second set of object methods within said peripheral object by utilizing a second programming interface; and

(2) storing a second set of object properties within said peripheral object by utilizing said second programming interface;

(vii) second storage means for storing said peripheral object within said client; and

(viii) implementing means for implementing said first and said second properties and said first and said second methods thereby communicating between said client and said selected peripheral device under the direction of said client.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second set of object methods comprise action instructions, said action instructions further comprising printing instructions to instruct said data processing means to print data on output means.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral module further comprises a set of data tables.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said set of data tables comprises a set of gravity compensation tables.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprise a zip code directory.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprise an area code directory.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprise a grid directory.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral device is a scale.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral device is a motor.

2. A system for providing a standard interface between a client and a plurality of peripheral devices comprising:

(a) a set of one or more peripheral devices;

(b) a set of one or more human interfaces;

(c) a data processing system inter-operatively connected between said set of one or more peripheral devices and said set of one or more human interfaces wherein said data processing system further comprises;

(i) a client;

(ii) a server;

wherein said server further comprises

a) an interface;

b) a peripheral module; and

c) a server kernel establishing communication between said interface and said peripheral module;

(iii) a microprocessor establishing communication between said client and said server;

(iv) storage means for storing information from said server;

(v) selecting means for selecting a peripheral device from said set of one or more peripheral devices;

(vi) requesting means for requesting through said client a peripheral interface object from said server;

(vii) establishing means for establishing said peripheral interface object corresponding to said selected peripheral device by;

(1) storing a set of object methods within said peripheral object by utilizing a programming interface; and

(2) storing a set of object properties within said peripheral object by utilizing said programming interface;

(viii) storing means for storing said peripheral interface object within said client; and

(ix) implementing means for implementing said object properties and said object methods,

wherein said data processing system utilizes said peripheral interface object to communicate between said client and said selected peripheral device under the direction of said client.

11. The system according to claim 2, wherein said set of object methods comprise action instructions, said action instructions further comprising printing instructions to instruct said data processing system to print data on an output device.

12. The system according to claim 2, wherein said peripheral module further comprises a set of data tables.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said set of data tables comprises a set of gravity compensation tables.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprises a zip code directory.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprise an area code directory.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said gravity compensation tables comprise a grid directory.

17. The system according to claim 2, wherein said peripheral device is a scale.

18. The system according to claim 2, wherein said peripheral device is a meter.