Creating devices to support a variety of models of remote diagnostics from various manufacturers
First Claim
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1. A method of obtaining status information of a monitored device by a monitoring device, comprising:
- querying the monitored device for an identity of a manufacturer of the monitored device;
storing in a memory the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained;
querying the monitored device, using the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, for an identity of a model of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained;
storing in the memory the identity of the model of the monitored device, if the identity of the model of the monitored device was obtained;
creating a software device object, in the monitoring device, corresponding to the monitored device according to information stored in the memory, wherein the software device object is an interface that enables the monitoring device to communicate with the monitored device; and
obtaining the status information from the monitored device using the software device object, wherein the software device object sends an information request to the monitored device and receives information returned from the monitored device,wherein the monitored device is an image printing device and the status information is related to an operational condition in the image printing device including supplies, consumables, and a paper path,if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained but the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the monitored device or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one known model of the identified manufacturer of the monitored device, andif the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was not obtained and the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained, the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all image printing devices or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one manufacturer of monitored devices.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to creating device objects for maintaining communication between a interfacing device and a controlling device. These device objects are software object or software programs that are created according to information that is queried from the interfacing device. As a device object is created for each interfacing device, computer system resources are preserved during operation.
25 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of obtaining status information of a monitored device by a monitoring device, comprising:
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querying the monitored device for an identity of a manufacturer of the monitored device; storing in a memory the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; querying the monitored device, using the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, for an identity of a model of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; storing in the memory the identity of the model of the monitored device, if the identity of the model of the monitored device was obtained; creating a software device object, in the monitoring device, corresponding to the monitored device according to information stored in the memory, wherein the software device object is an interface that enables the monitoring device to communicate with the monitored device; and obtaining the status information from the monitored device using the software device object, wherein the software device object sends an information request to the monitored device and receives information returned from the monitored device, wherein the monitored device is an image printing device and the status information is related to an operational condition in the image printing device including supplies, consumables, and a paper path, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained but the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the monitored device or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one known model of the identified manufacturer of the monitored device, and if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was not obtained and the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained, the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all image printing devices or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one manufacturer of monitored devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A monitoring device for obtaining status information of a monitored device, the monitoring device comprising:
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a processor configured to; query the monitored device for an identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device; store in a memory the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, if the monitoring device was able to obtain the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device; query the monitored device, using the identity of the manufacturer, for an identity of the model of the monitored device if the monitoring device was able to obtain the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device; store in the memory the identity of the model of the monitored device, if the monitoring device was able to obtain the identity of the model of the monitored device; create a software device object, in the monitoring device, corresponding to the monitored device according to information stored in the memory, wherein the software device object is an interface that enables the monitoring device to communicate with the monitored device; and obtain status information from the monitored device using the created software device object, wherein the software device object sends an information request to the monitored device and receives information returned from the monitored device, wherein the monitored device is an image printing device and the status information is related to an operational condition in the image printing device including supplies, consumables, and a paper path, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained but the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained the processor creates a software device object that is common to all devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the monitored device or the processor creates a software device object that is common to at least one known model of the identified manufacturer of the monitored device, and if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was not obtained and the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained, the processor creates a software device object that is common to all image printing devices or the processor creates a software device object that is common to at least one manufacturer of monitored devices.
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21. A monitoring device for obtaining status information from a monitored device, the monitoring device comprising:
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means for querying the monitored device for the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device; means for storing in a memory the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; means for querying the monitored device, using the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, for an identity of a model of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; means for storing in the memory the identity of the model of the monitored device, if the identity of the model of the monitored device was obtained; means for creating a software device object, in the monitoring device, corresponding to the monitored device according to information stored in the memory, wherein the software device object is an interface that enables the monitoring device to communicate with the monitored device; and means for obtaining the status information from the monitored device using the software device object, wherein the software device object sends an information request to the monitored device and receives information returned from the monitored device, wherein the monitored device is an image printing device and the status information is related to an operational condition in the image printing device including supplies, consumables, and a paper path, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained but the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained the means for creating creates a software device object that is common to all devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the monitored device or the means for creating creates a software device object that is common to at least one known model of the identified manufacturer of the monitored device, and if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was not obtained and the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained, the means for creating creates a software device object that is common to all image printing devices or the means for creating creates a software device object that is common to at least one manufacturer of monitored devices.
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22. A computer program product embodied on one or more storage media, the computer program product causing a computer to obtain status information of a monitored device by performing the steps of:
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querying the monitored device for an identity of a manufacturer of the monitored device; storing in a memory the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; querying the monitored device, using the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device, for an identity of a model of the monitored device, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained; storing in the memory the identity of the model of the monitored device, if the identity of the model of the monitored device was obtained; creating a software device object, in the monitoring device, corresponding to the monitored device according to information stored in the memory, wherein the software device object is an interface that enables the monitoring device to communicate with the monitored device; and obtaining the status information from the monitored device using the created software device object, wherein the software device object sends an information request to the monitored device and receives information returned from the monitored device, wherein the monitored device is an image printing device and the status information is related to an operational condition in the image printing device including supplies, consumables, and a paper path, if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was obtained but the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the monitored device or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one known model of the identified manufacturer of the monitored device, and if the identity of the manufacturer of the monitored device was not obtained and the identity of the model of the monitored device was not obtained, the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to all image printing devices or the creating step comprises creating a software device object that is common to at least one manufacturer of monitored devices.
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Specification