Web installer driver and management through a remote network
First Claim
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1. A system for installing a printer driver on a remote information terminal through a network, said system comprising:
- a printer database storing printer information corresponding to a plurality of printers, the printer information including driver information for one or more printer drivers for each printer; and
an installation application including a driver search tool to search in said printer database according to a search key and find a printer having corresponding printer information in the printer database including the search key,wherein the installation application utilizes selected driver information from the corresponding printer information to download a corresponding printer driver and driver installer,the installation application further includes a driver configuration function configured to obtain device options information through the network from said printer and to configure the printer driver according to the device options information, andthe installation application applies the driver installer to install on the information terminal the printer driver configured according to the device options information, andwherein said installation application further includes an uninstall function that is automatically performed at a predetermined time after installation of the printer driver, andwherein said installation application allows a user to specify at a time of installation of the printer driver whether to perform the uninstall function automatically.
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Abstract
An improved system and method for installing a printer driver on a remote information terminal through a network are provided. A method for providing a network-based driver management service is also provided.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for installing a printer driver on a remote information terminal through a network, said system comprising:
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a printer database storing printer information corresponding to a plurality of printers, the printer information including driver information for one or more printer drivers for each printer; and an installation application including a driver search tool to search in said printer database according to a search key and find a printer having corresponding printer information in the printer database including the search key, wherein the installation application utilizes selected driver information from the corresponding printer information to download a corresponding printer driver and driver installer, the installation application further includes a driver configuration function configured to obtain device options information through the network from said printer and to configure the printer driver according to the device options information, and the installation application applies the driver installer to install on the information terminal the printer driver configured according to the device options information, and wherein said installation application further includes an uninstall function that is automatically performed at a predetermined time after installation of the printer driver, and wherein said installation application allows a user to specify at a time of installation of the printer driver whether to perform the uninstall function automatically. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for installing a printer driver on an information terminal through a network, said method comprising:
searching in a printer database storing printer information of a plurality of printers to find in said printer database a printer having corresponding printer information matching a specified search key, said corresponding printer information of the printer in said printer database including information of one or more corresponding printer drivers and driver installers; utilizing the printer information in the printer database to locate a corresponding printer driver, and downloading the printer driver and a corresponding driver installer through the network to the information terminal; providing an installation application including a driver configuration function configured to obtain device options information through the network from said printer and to configure the printer driver according to the device options information; and applying the downloaded driver installer to install the printer driver configured according to the device options information, on the information terminal, wherein said installation application further includes an uninstall function that is automatically performed at a predetermined time after installation of the printer driver, and wherein said installation application allows a user to specify at a time of installation of the printer driver whether to perform the uninstall function automatically.
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28. A method for providing a network-based driver management service, said method comprising:
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providing a printer database storing information for a plurality of printers, said printer database including a printer information table storing for each of the printers, data specifying one or more corresponding printer drivers and driver installers; providing a printer driver installation system, said system including a search tool for searching the printer database for printer information matching a search key; and installing on a remote information terminal a printer driver corresponding to a printer selected based on search results returned by the search tool, wherein said printer driver installation system further includes a driver configuration function configured to obtain device options information through a network from a printer and to configure the printer driver according to the device options information, and the printer driver configured according to the device options information is installed on the remote information terminal, and wherein said installation application further includes an uninstall function that is automatically performed at a predetermined time after installation of the printer driver, and wherein said installation application allows a user to specify at a time of installation of the printer driver whether to perform the uninstall function automatically. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification