Client print server link for output peripheral device

• US 6,678,068 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronics For Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronics For Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Richter, Bradley S., Holtzman, Rafi
• Primary Examiner(s): GARCIA, GABRIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/267,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.8, 358/1.9, 358/1.11, 358/1.12, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/296, 707/101, 707/201, 707/526, 707/200, 707/202, 707/203, 707/220, 707/248, 707/253, 345/133, 345/326, 345/348, 345/352
• 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 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• 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 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A client print server link is provided, which uses two-way communication between a client computer and a printing system typically comprised of networked output devices and print servers. The client print server link provides detailed information regarding each print server and connected device within a printing system. The client print server link allows a client user at a client computer to access information and control each of their print jobs quickly and efficiently within a single application, without requiring the user to access a plurality of separate utilities. The client print server link groups and displays information that is relevant to print jobs sent by a single client user to one or more all connected print servers and output peripheral devices. An administrative print server link is also provided, which also uses two-way communication between a computer and a networked printing system. The administrative print server link provides detailed system information and control for multiple client users, print servers and output devices.

Claims

1. A printing system, comprising:

a network;

an output printing device connected to the network capable of receiving print jobs from the network and printing print jobs, the output device having a plurality of features, the output printing device having at least one of the plurality of features output to the network;

at least one client computer connected to the network, the at least one client computer having at least one print job; and

a client print server link on at least one of the at least one client computers for receiving and displaying the at least one of the plurality of features from the output printing device through the network connection, for filtering information relevant to the client computer, and for receiving and displaying status of each of the at least one print job sent to the output printing device from the client computer, based upon the filtered information.

2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the output printing device is a printer.

3. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the output printing device is a copier printer.

4. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of features is a paper input tray information.

5. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of features is a toner level information.

6. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of features is fuser level information.

7. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of features is paper output tray information.

8. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of features is output printing device service information.

9. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a print server located between the network and the output printing device, the print server capable of receiving the print jobs from the network and sending the print jobs to the output printing device, and capable of receiving the at least one of the plurality of features from the output printing device and sending the received at least one of the plurality of features through the network connection to the client computer.

10. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an administrative print server link located connected to the network, the administrative print server link capable of receiving and displaying the at least one of the plurality of features from the output printing device, and displaying the status information regarding each of the at least one print jobs sent to any of the output printing devices from each of the client computers.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the feature information is output printing device service information.

12. A process for displaying and controlling a plurality of print jobs at one or more printing output devices and displaying information regarding the one or more printing output devices at a client computer, comprising:

receiving feature information from the one or more printing output devices at the client computer;

sending at least one of the plurality of print jobs from the client computer to the at least one or more of the printing output devices;

receiving information from the one or more printing output devices at the client computer;

filtering the status information from the received information, the filtered status information regarding the at least one of the sent plurality of print jobs from the at least one or more of the printing output devices sent from the client computer; and

displaying the feature information and the filtered status information within a single application at the client computer.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more printing output devices is a printer.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more printing output devices is a copier printer.

15. The process of claim 12, wherein the feature information is a paper input tray information.

16. The process of claim 12, wherein the feature information is toner level information.

17. The process of claim 12, wherein the feature information is fuser level information.

18. The process of claim 12, wherein the feature information is paper output tray information.

19. The process of claim 12, further comprising:

locating a print server between the network and one of the output printing devices, the print server capable of receiving the print jobs from the network and sending the print jobs to the output printing device, and capable of receiving the at least one of the plurality of features from the output printing device and sending the received at least one of the plurality of features through the network connection to the client computer.

20. The process of claim 12, further comprising:

providing an administrative print server link connected to the network, the administrative print server link capable of receiving and displaying the at least one of the plurality of features from at least one of the one or more output printing devices, and displaying the status information regarding each of the at least one print jobs sent to any of the output printing devices from each of the client computers.