Creating a locally managed instance of a network printer

• US 7,253,915 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Carcerano, Christopher John, Kemp, Devon James
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon; King Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORDY, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US10/092,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,979 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/1.15, 710/8, 710/16, 370/312, 370/338, 709/220, 709/218, 709/222, 709/226
• 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 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

Creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a workstation which communicates to the printer over a peer-to-peer network by selecting an option to create a locally managed instance of the printer, inputting an identifier of the printer, in response to the input identifier, automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the input identifier, automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and creating the locally managed instance of the printer. The printer configuration information and the print driver information may be automatically obtained from a remote device on the network, such as an FTP server, and a port for communication with the printer may be automatically created. The unique identifier may be a network address of the printer, such as an IP address, a printer name, a DNS name or a NetBios name, and the printer may be a virtual printer, rather than an actual printer installed on the network.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a host computer which communicates print data to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, comprising the steps of:

selecting an option of the host computer to create a locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer, wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing a configuration of the printer at the host computer;

the user inputting an identifier of the printer, including a communication address of the printer, to be installed on the host computer;

in response to the user inputting the identifier including the communication address of the printer, the host computer obtaining printer type information via a network by communicating with the printer using the input identifier, and determining the printer type from the obtained printer type information;

based on the determined printer type information, the host computer automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information;

the host computer automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver for the printer based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

the host computer creating the locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer and setting up the host computer by using the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information,

wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing the configuration of the local printer at the host computer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication address is a network address of the printer.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the network address is an IP address.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

39. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the host computer includes a database in which printer identification information and printer configuration information are managed,

during said selecting step, printer identification information is input in response to selecting a printer object, and

during said obtaining step of obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information, the database is searched and print driver information and printer configuration information are obtained from the database by using the printer type information as a search key.

10. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium, the process step for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a host computer which communicates print data to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, comprising the steps of:

selecting an option of the host computer to create a locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer, wherein the locally managed instance provide a user with the capability of changing a configuration of the printer at the host computer;

the user inputting an identifier of the printer, including a communication address of the printer, to be installed on the host computer;

in response to the user inputting the identifier including the communication address of the printer, the host computer obtaining printer type information via a network by communicating with the printer using the input identifier, and determining, the printer type from the obtained printer type information;

based on the determined printer type information, the host computer automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information;

the host computer automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver for the printer based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

the host computer creating the locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer and setting up the host computer by using the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information,

wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing the configuration of the local printer at the host computer.

11. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the communication address is a network address of the printer.

12. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 11, wherein the network address is an IP address.

13. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

14. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

15. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

16. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

17. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

18. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 10 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

19. A computer-readable medium on which are stored computer-executable process steps for creating a locally managed instance of a printer on a host computer which communicates print data to the printer over a peer-to-peer network, the computer-executable process steps comprising the steps of:

selecting an option of the host computer to create a locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer, wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing a configuration of the printer at the host computer;

the user inputting an identifier of the printer, including a communication address, to be installed on the host computer;

in response to the user inputting the identifier including the communication address of the printer, the host computer obtaining printer type information via a network by communicating with the printer using the input identifier, and determining the printer type from the obtained printer type information;

based on the determined printer type information and the input identifier, the host computer automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information;

the host computer automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver for the printer based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information; and

the host computer creating the locally managed instance of the printer on the host computer and setting up the host computer by using the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information,

wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing the configuration of the local printer at the host computer.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the communication address is a network address of the printer.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the network address is an IP address.

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

23. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

24. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 25, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

28. An computer apparatus which communicates print data to a printer over a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

a processor for executing computer-executable process steps; and

a memory on which the computer-executable process steps are stored, the process steps for creating a locally managed instance of the printer on the computer apparatus comprising the steps of (a) selecting an option of the computer apparatus to create a locally managed instance of the printer on the computer apparatus, wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing a configuration of the printer at the host computer, (b) the user inputting an identifier of the printer, including a communication address of the printer, to be installed on the host computer, (c) in response to the user inputting the identifier including the communication address of the printer, the computer apparatus obtaining printer type information via a network by communicating with the printer using the input identifier, and determining the printer type from the obtained printer type information, (d) based on the determined printer type information, the computer apparatus automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information, (e) the computer apparatus automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver for the printer based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and (f) the computer apparatus creating the locally managed instance of the printer and setting up the computer apparatus by using the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, wherein the locally managed instance provides a user with the capability of changing the configuration of the local printer at the host computer.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the communication address is a network address of the printer.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the network address is an IP address.

31. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the identifier is a DNS name.

32. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the identifier is a NetBios name.

33. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the printer is a virtual printer.

34. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the printer configuration information and the print driver information are automatically obtained from a remote device on the network.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the remote device is an FTP server.

36. An apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising automatically creating a port for communication with the printer.

37. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

managing means for managing a database which manages device driver information corresponding to a peripheral device, configuration information of the device driver, and information indicating a type of the peripheral device;

input means for a user to input an identifier, including a communication address, of a peripheral device to be installed on the information processing apparatus;

obtaining means for obtaining information indicating the type of the peripheral device by communicating with the peripheral device by using the input identifier;

first determination means for determining device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device obtained by the obtaining means by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining means;

second determination means for determining configuration information of the device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining means; and

execution means for executing an install process for the device driver information by using the device driver information determined by the first determination means.

38. An information processing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said configuration information relates to a port corresponding to the peripheral device which is used by the device driver information and which is registered to a memory of the information processing apparatus.

40. A computer implemented method for an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

managing a database which manages device driver information corresponding to a peripheral device, configuration information of the device driver, and information indicating a type of the peripheral device;

a user inputting, into the information processing apparatus, an identifier, including a communication address, of a printer to be installed on the information processing apparatus;

obtaining information indicating the type of peripheral device by communicating with the peripheral device by using the input identifier;

a first determination step of determining device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device obtained by the obtaining step by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining step;

a second determination step of determining configuration information of the device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining step; and

an execution step of executing an install process for the device driver information by using the device driver information determined by the first determination step.

41. A computer readable medium on which are stored computer executable process steps for a method for an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

managing a database which manages device driver information corresponding to a peripheral device, configuration information of the device driver, and information indicating a type of the peripheral device;

a user inputting, into the information processing apparatus, an identifier, including a communication address, of a printer to be installed on the information processing apparatus;

obtaining information indicating the type of the peripheral device by communicating with the peripheral device by using the input identifier;

a first determination step of determining device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device obtained by the obtaining step by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining step;

a second determination step of determining configuration information of the device driver information corresponding to the peripheral device by using said information indicating the type of the peripheral device by referring to the database using the information obtained by the obtaining step; and

an execution step of executing an install process for the device driver information by using the device driver information determined by the first determination step.

42. A computer implemented method for a computer which communicates with a printer, comprising the steps of:

managing a database in which print driver information of the printer, printer type information and printer configuration information corresponding to the print driver for a communication with the printer are managed;

receiving printer identification information of the printer in response to selecting a printer object implemented by a graphical user interface;

in response to receiving the printer identification information, obtaining a type of said printer by communicating with the printer, and obtaining said printer configuration information for the communication and print driver information managed in the database by using the obtained printer type information as a search key for the database;

installing a print driver; and

configuring the print driver to set up the communication configuration information for the communication based on the obtained printer configuration information for the communication and the print driver information.

43. An information processing apparatus which communicates with a printer, comprising:

management means for managing a database in which print driver information of the printer, printer type information and printer configuration information corresponding to the print driver for a communication with the printer are managed;

receiving means for receiving printer identification information of the printer in response to selecting a printer object implemented by a graphical user interface;

obtaining means for, in response to receiving the printer identification information, obtaining a type the printer by communicating with the printer, and obtaining said printer configuration information for the communication and print driver information managed in the database by using the obtained printer type information as a search key for the database;

an installer for installing a print driver; and

configuration means for configuring the print driver to set up the communication configuration information for the communication based on the obtained printer configuration information for the communication and the print driver information.

44. A computer readable medium on which is stored computer executable process steps for a method for a computer which communicates with a printer, comprising the steps of:

managing a database in which print driver information of the printer, printer type information and printer configuration information corresponding to the print driver for a communication with the printer are managed;

receiving printer identification information of the printer in response to selecting a printer object implemented by a graphical user interface;

in response to receiving the printer identification information, obtaining a type of said printer by communicating with the printer, and obtaining said printer configuration information for the communication and print driver information managed in the database by using the obtained printer type information as a search key for the database;

installing a print driver; and

configuring the print driver to set up the communication configuration information for the communication based on the obtained printer configuration information for the communication and the print driver information.