Status-based control over printer

• US 6,594,028 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Tetsu, Cheng, Peter L., Yamada, Akitoshi, Masumoto, Kazuyuki, Aichi, Takao, Hamamoto, Akihiko, Noyes, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORDY, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US09/291,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1-5-, 347/14.17
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device

Abstract

A printer driver executable in a computer connectable to a driven printer. In response to initiation of a print job, the print driver obtains current status of the printer. Based on the status of the printer, the print driver modifies operational parameters of the printer prior to commencement of the print job, so that the operational parameters are different from default ones of such parameters. In addition, the print driver modifies its own operational sequence based on the printer status, so that the operational sequence of the printer is different from a default sequence without such status information.

Claims

1. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including printer temperature, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying default functionality, which includes a default color correction table, of said print driver in accordance with the printer temperature, a modified color correction table results in an amount of ink ejection by the printer that is different from an ink ejection amount of the default color correction table;

a data generating segment for generating print data in accordance with the modified color correction table; and

a sending segment for sending the print data generated by said data generating segment to the printer over the bi-directional interface.

13. A method in a print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, the printer being driven by the print driver in accordance with default functionality, said method including steps according to any of claims 1 to 12.

14. Computer executable process steps stored on a computer readable storage medium, the computer executable process steps for effecting a print driver over a bi-directional interface, the printer being driven by the print driver in accordance with default functionality, said computer executable process steps including steps according to any of claims 1 to 12.

15. A storage medium for storing computer executable process steps to effect a print driver over a bi-directional interface, the printer being driven by the print driver in accordance with default functionality, said process steps including steps according to any of claims 1 to 12.

2. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including printer temperature, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying operational parameters used in the printer so as to reduce smear in accordance with the printer temperature; and

a sending segment for sending the modified operational parameters to the printer over the bi-directional interface.

3. A print driver according to claim 2, wherein operational parameters for reducing smear include smear density threshold.

4. A print driver according to claim 2, wherein operational parameters for reducing smear include smear time delay between page ejections.

5. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including printer temperature, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying a sheet feed speed operational parameter in the printer in accordance with the printer temperature; and

a sending segment for sending the modified operational parameter to the printer over the bidirectional interface.

6. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including printer temperature, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying a printer prefire timing intervals operational parameter in the printer in accordance with the printer temperature; and

a sending segment for sending the modified operational parameter to the printer over the bi-directional interface.

7. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including printer temperature, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying a printer recovery operation speed operational parameter in the printer in accordance with the printer temperature; and

a sending segment for sending the modified operational parameter to the printer over the bidirectional interface.

8. A print driver according to claim 7, further comprising an obtaining segment to obtain time of day from the computing equipment, and wherein said modifying segment modifies the printer recovery operation speed operational parameter in the printer in accordance with both current temperature and time of day.

9. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including status of a recovery operation in the printer, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying functionality of the print driver in accordance with current status of the recovery operation; and

a sending segment for sending the modified functionality to the printer over the bi-directional interface.

10. A print driver according to claim 9, wherein modification includes a step to display a warning message to a user to delay insertion of a manually fed sheet into the printer.

11. A print driver executable on computing equipment connectable to a printer driven by the print driver over a bi-directional interface, said print driver comprising:

a querying segment to query the printer to obtain current status over the bi-directional interface, the current status including firmware capability of the printer, the querying segment querying in response to initiation of a print job on the computing equipment;

a modifying segment for modifying a format of print data transmitted over the bi-directional interface in accordance with firmware capabilities of the printer; and

a sending segment for sending print data of the modifies format to the printer over the bi-directional interface.

12. A print driver according to claim 11, wherein said modifying segment selects a format of uncompressed print data when the firmware capabilities include capabilities for direct memory access, and selects a format of compressed print data when the firmware capability does not include capability for direct memory access.