Mobile device-based printing system and method

• US 7,701,602 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Burke, Paul Michael, McGlashan, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Park; Chan S
• Application Number:
  US11/053,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 726/3, 710/20
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1265 Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1268 Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing

Abstract

A mobile device-based printing system and method is described. The printer system for network printing includes a communication network adapted to transfer messages between a mobile device and a printer. The printer is connectable to the communication network to receive a print message, including a reference to a document to be printed, via the communication network. The printer has a phone number for receiving print messages via said communication network. The mobile device is connectable to the communication network to transmit the print message on the communication network. A method for printing from a mobile device to a printer using a communication network includes transmitting a print message to a phone number of the printer from the mobile device where the print message includes a reference to a document to be printed.

Claims

1. A printer system for network printing, comprising:

a communication network adapted to transfer messages between a mobile device and a printer;

said printer connectable to said communication network to receive a print message via said communication network, said print message including a reference to a document to be printed by said printer, said printer having a phone number for receiving print messages via said communication network;

said mobile device connectable to said communication network, said mobile device adapted to transmit said print message on said communication network;

wherein said printer is adapted to generate and transmit a request message on said communication network, in response to receiving said print message, to request the document to be printed; and

wherein said request message comprises the received print message reference.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said print message is a short message service message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device transmits said print message directly to said printer at said printer phone number via said communications network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said print message reference is a network address.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said request message is transmitted to a destination specified in the print message.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said printer is adapted to receive the document requested in the request message transmitted on said communication network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication network is one of a high bandwidth network and a low bandwidth network.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a server connectable to said communication network, said server having an interactive voice response system for receiving user-input commands including said print message, wherein said server is adapted to transmit said print message to said printer in response to the received user-input commands.

9. A method for printing from a mobile device to a printer using a communication network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a print message to a phone number of the printer from the mobile device, wherein the print message includes a reference to a document to be printed;

generating a request message at the printer in response to receiving the print message, wherein the request message comprises the print message reference to the document to be printed; and

transmitting the request message from the printer using the communication network to request the document to be printed.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the print message is a short message service message.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the print message is transmitted directly to the printer.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the print message reference is a network address.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the request message from the printer to a destination specified in the print message;

receiving a reply message at the printer, wherein the reply message includes the referenced document to be printed.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of:

printing the received referenced document at the printer.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication network is one of a high bandwidth network and a low bandwidth network.

16. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transmitting step further comprises the step of:

transmitting user-input voice commands including the print message from the mobile device to a server; and

in response to the user-input voice commands, transmitting the print message from the server to the printer.

17. A networked printer having a phone number, comprising:

a print engine for printing;

a message handling processor; and

a communication interface;

wherein the communication interface is adapted for receiving a print message transmitted to the networked printer phone number and transmitting the print message to the message handling processor, the print message having a reference to a document to be printed on the print engine; and

wherein the message handling processor is adapted for receiving the print message, generating a request message comprising the print message reference to request the referenced document, retrieving the referenced document from a reply message responsive to the request message, and transmitting the referenced document to the print engine to be printed.

18. The networked printer as claimed in claim 17, wherein the print message is a short message service message.

19. The networked printer as claimed in claim 17, wherein said print message reference is a network address.