Method and apparatus for device interaction by format

• US 6,721,286 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Arnold, Patrick Simon, Williams, Peter Michael, Willerup, Frederik, Sowden, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Anh Vu H
• Application Number:
  US09/059,909
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 370/276, 370/464, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/469, 370/473, 370/912, 370/282, 709/203, 709/204, 709/220, 709/227, 709/224, 709/229, 709/230, 709/237, 707/400, 707/514, 707/517, 707/522, 707/526
• US Class Current: 370/282
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices is described. Such information handling devices might be a printer 342, a personal computer 343, or a scanner 344. Means for communication of information between information handling devices in the form of a network 341 and network connection means 345 exist.

The information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby.

Advantageously, the receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to the transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy, and all data formats comprise one or more of a plurality of data format types, and wherein for each data format type, there exists a data format receivable by all information handling devices supporting that data format type. It is advantageous in implementation if the method of passing information further comprises requests for content data for a chosen path through the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.

Claims

1. A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between information handling devices, wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby, and wherein a receiving device determines the format in which the data is then received by a response to a transmitting device comprising a path through the data format hierarchy.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein all data formats comprise one or more of a plurality of data format types, and wherein for each data format type, there exists a data format receivable by all information handling devices supporting that data format type.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data format hierarchy is comprised in a description of a surface, wherein the surface is a representation of an internal state of one of the information handling devices.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein transmitted together with said data format hierarchy is content data for one or more of the choices available in said data format hierarchy.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein all the data format hierarchy is not contained in a single message.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method of passing information further comprises requests for additional parts of the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a data format hierarchy comprises a hierarchical structure, a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein each data format hierarchy comprises a single encoding, where each encoding represents a different basic form in which information can be presented.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one choice of encoding is an image.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one choice of encoding is as text.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one choice of encoding is as a binary file.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one choice of encoding is as a plane, wherein a surface having a plane encoding may have child surfaces comprising information for rendering on that plane.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data format hierarchy contains information determining the ordering of child surface information on the plane.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plane possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the plane.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plane possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information on one side of the plane can be perceived from the other side of the plane.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data format hierarchy determines whether the position of child surfaces in a plane or association encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.

17. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein one choice of encoding is an association of child surfaces each comprising information to be processed together.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein plane or association encodings may be nested within other plane or association encodings.

19. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data format hierarchy contains reference to child surfaces, the order in which the child surfaces are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.

20. An information handling device adapted to send information to or receive information from another information handling device according to the method claimed in claim 1.

48. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data format hierarchy comprises status information.

49. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each data format hierarchy comprises a single encoding, where each encoding represents a different basic form in which information can be presented.

50. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein one choice of encoding is an image.

51. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein one choice of encoding is as text.

52. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein one choice of encoding is as a binary file.

53. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein one choice of encoding is as a two-dimensional planar object, wherein the two-dimensional planar encoding may have children comprising information for rendering on the two-dimensional planar object.

54. The method as claimed in claim 53, wherein said two-dimensional planar object possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the two-dimensional planar object.

55. The method as claimed in claim 53, wherein said two-dimensional planar object possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information on one side of the two-dimensional planar object can be perceived from the other side of the two-dimensional planar object.

56. The method as claimed in claim 53, wherein where a data format hierarchy determines whether the position of children in a two-dimensional planar encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.

57. The method of claim 1, wherein where a data format hierarchy contains reference to children, the order in which the children are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.

58. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein one choice of encoding is an association of children, each child comprising information to be processed with information from the other children in the association.

59. The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein two-dimensional planar encodings or association encodings may be nested within other two-dimensional planar encodings or association encodings.

60. The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein where a data format hierarchy determines whether the position of children in an association encoding is controlled by the device providing the data format hierarchy or may be modified by the device receiving the data format hierarchy.

21. A method of passing information between two or more information handling devices, there being a means for communication of information between handling devices,

wherein said information transmitted comprises a data format hierarchy, wherein a device intended to receive transmitted data evaluates the data format hierarchy and determines the format in which the data is then received thereby and wherein the method of passing information further comprises requests for content data for a chosen data path through the data format hierarchy and responses to such requests.

22. A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising:

sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance;

receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and

providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said tree structure further comprises at each node thereof a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the tree structure does not contain all available data format choices, and wherein the method comprises after sending the tree structure of data format choices;

receiving from the information processing appliance a request for further data format choices; and

sending a further tree structure of further data format choices to the information processing appliance;

wherein the selected data format choice is one of said further data format choices.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the tree structure contains a node which defines a basic data type of the information to be provided.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the basic data type is an image.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the basic data type is text.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the basic data type is an assemblage of discrete elements of information, wherein each discrete element of information has its own data format.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the order in which the discrete elements of information are provided may be chosen to be fixed or determinable by the information processing device.

30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein one of said discrete elements of information is itself an assemblage of discrete elements of information.

31. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the basic data type is an association of said discrete elements of information.

32. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the basic data type is a page, wherein said discrete elements of information are to be rendered on the page.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said page possesses two sides and information may be rendered on either side of the page.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the page possesses variable opacity, said opacity determining the degree to which information rendered on one side of the page can be perceived from the other side of the page.

35. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the tree structure of data format choices contains information determining the ordering of said discrete elements of information on the page.

36. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the tree structure of data format choices determines whether the position of discrete elements of information on a page may be modified by the information processing device.

37. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein one of said data format choices in the tree structure is a default data format adapted to be displayable or renderable by all information processing appliances adapted to select a data format choice.

39. A method of passing information to an information processing appliance in a data format suitable for processing by the information processing appliance, comprising:

sending a tree structure of data format choices to the information processing appliance, wherein at least one of the data format choices is represented by information provided in an associated data format;

receiving from the information processing appliance a selected data format choice; and

providing the information in the data format of the selected data format choice to the information processing appliance.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said tree structure further comprises at each node thereof either a set of keywords relating to properties of information transmitted and values associated with each of said keywords or an identification of a data format and the information provided in said data format.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.

42. A method by which an information processing appliance receives information from an information source, the method comprising:

receiving a tree structure of data format choices and selecting a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance;

sending the selected data format choice to the information source; and

receiving the information in the selected data format from the information source.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the tree structure does not contain all available data format choices, and wherein the method comprises after receiving the tree structure of data format choices;

determining that further data format choices are required, and sending a request for further data format choices to the information source; and

receiving a further tree structure of further data format choices to the information processing appliance;

wherein the selected data format choice is one of said further data format choices.

44. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the data format choices each represent a format for display or rendering of data by the information processing appliance.

45. An information processing appliance adapted to process information in one or more data formats, the appliance having a communications interface and a processor programmed to select a data format choice suitable for processing by the information processing appliance from a tree structure of data format choices received from an information source through the communications interface, the processor being further programmed to request the selected data format choice from the information source wherein the information processing appliance is adapted to process the information when received in the selected data format.

46. The information processing appliance as claimed in claim 45, wherein the information processing appliance is a printer, and wherein the information processing appliance processes the information by rendering it for printing.

47. The information processing appliance as claimed in claim 45, wherein the information processing appliance comprises a display apparatus, and wherein the information processing appliance processes the information by rendering it for display.