Apparatus for and method of updating a software routine

• US 6,607,314 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: McCannon, Martin D., Anderson, Mark N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US09/679,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 400/61, 400/62, 395/114, 395/115, 347/7
• US Class Current: 400/62
• 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 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1244 Job translation or job parsing, e.g. page banding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A printer attached to a computer using a driver routine includes an appropriate interface configured to receive, from the computer, an intermediate, device non-specific code such as a Page Description Language (PDL) message generated by an active printer driver routine and provide a corresponding bitmap. The computer may be a standalone workstation connected to the printer or a server providing printer services to a network of users. The printer also has a print engine configured to print an image corresponding to the bitmap. A communications interface is connected to receive a latest version of the printer driver routine which is then stored in a local memory that is part of the printer. The printer further includes a local processor for selectively supplying the computer with the latest version of the printer driver routine from the local memory. The local printer processor may be responsive to a version designation of the active printer driver routine (i.e., the routine installed in the client computer or local server) for selectively supplying the latest version of the print driver routine. The printer may be connected to the computer over a dedicated printer channel, such as a parallel or serial printer port. The communications interface for receiving updated driver routines may include connectivity to a wide area network, such as the Internet, to provide access to a centralized database of printer servers including the latest versions of the drivers.

Claims

1. A printer, comprising:

a communication interface;

memory; and

a processor for processing data received via said communication interface, wherein said processor, when operating under control of instructions stored on said printer, is operable to download a driver from a remote resource via the Internet utilizing said communication interface to store said downloaded driver in said memory, wherein said driver defines instructions for generating print messages for said printer and is associated with a first version identifier, said processor being further operable to parse a second version identifier from a print message when a client system communicates data to said printer via said communication interface, wherein said processor communicates said downloaded driver to said client system when said processor determines said second version identifier does not match said first version identifier.

2. The printer of claim 1 wherein said print message is a page description language (PDL) message.

3. The printer of claim 1 wherein said print message is received when said client system communicates data to print a document.

4. The printer of claim 3 wherein said processor ceases generation of a bitmap image from data communicated by said client system for said document to be printed, when said processor communicates said downloaded driver to said client system.

5. The printer of claim 1 wherein said processor communicates a message to said client system to indicate that said downloaded driver is available, before said processor communicates said downloaded driver.

6. The printer of claim 1 wherein said remote resource is a database.

7. The printer of claim 6 wherein said database is accessible by said processor through a web site.

8. A method of operating a printer, comprising:

downloading a driver from a remote resource by said printer, wherein said driver defines instructions for generating print messages for said printer and is associated with a first version identifier;

storing said driver in memory of said printer;

receiving, by said printer, a print message from a client system;

parsing a second version identifier from said print message; and

communicating said downloaded driver to said client system when said second version identifier does not match said first version identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said print message is a page description language (PDL) message.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said print message is received when said client system communicates data to print a document.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

ceasing generation of a bitmap image from data communicated by said client system for said document to be printed, when communicating said downloaded driver to said client system.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising;

communicating a message to said client system to indicate that said downloaded driver is available, before communicating said downloaded driver.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said remote resource is a database.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said database is accessible through a web site.

15. A printer, comprising:

network interface means for communicating data in a network;

memory means for storing data;

means for downloading a driver from a remote resource via said network interface means, wherein said driver defines instructions for generating print messages for said printer and is associated with a first version identifier;

means for storing said driver in said memory means;

means for processing a print message from a client system;

means for parsing a second version identifier from said print message; and

means for communicating said downloaded driver to said client system when said second version identifier does not match said first version identifier.

16. The printer of claim 15 wherein said print message is a page description language (PDL) message.

17. The printer of claim 15 wherein said print message is received when said client system communicates data to print a document.

18. The printer of claim 15 further comprising:

means for generating a bitmap image from data communicated by said client system for said document to be printed, wherein said means for generating ceases operations when said means for communicating said downloaded driver to said client system is operable.

19. The printer of claim 15 further comprising;

means for communicating a message to said client system to indicate that said downloaded driver is available, before said means for communicating said downloaded driver is operable.

20. The printer of claim 19 wherein said remote resource is a database that is accessible through a web site.