Methods and systems for displaying content on an imaging device

• US 8,120,793 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lovat, David J., Zhang, Hanzhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, LENNIN ROBINSON
• Application Number:
  US11/192,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 358 111- 118, 400/74
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for sending content to an imaging device display using a browser and an embedded application. Some aspects relate to an interruptive process whereby a browser process is interrupted in order to display new browser content. Some aspects relate to an interruptive process whereby alarm or error content is pushed to the browser.

Claims

1. A method for interruptive content display on an imaging device display, said method comprising:

requesting a URL via a remote server application with an imaging device (IDev) browser;

displaying initial content from said URL on an IDev display using said IDev browser;

detecting an error condition at said IDev;

determining whether said error condition is recoverable;

if said error condition is recoverable, resolving said error condition by interacting with a device management application programming interface (API) on said MFP, wherein said interacting consists of requesting a device status report, requesting job queue and history information, retrieving data security settings and configuring said MFP or rebooting said MFP, and sending an error resolution notification from a web service on said IDev to said remote server application;

if said error condition is not recoverable, sending an error notification from a web service on said IDev to said remote server application;

receiving an error message URL at said IDev web service from said remote server application in response to said sending an error notification or said sending an error resolution notification;

pushing error message content to said IDev browser from said IDev web service using a ShowScreen method call that identifies said error message URL;

terminating said displaying initial content in response to said pushing; and

displaying said error message content on said IDev display with said IDev browser.

2. A method for interruptive content display on an imaging device display, said method comprising:

requesting a URL via a remote server application with an imaging device (IDev) browser;

displaying initial content from said URL on an IDev display using said IDev browser;

detecting an error condition at said IDev;

determining whether said error condition is recoverable;

if said error condition is recoverable, resolving said error condition by interacting with a device management application programming interface (API) on said MFP, wherein said interacting consists of requesting a device status report, requesting job queue and history information, retrieving data security settings and configuring said MFP or rebooting said MFP, and sending an error resolution notification from a web service on said IDev to said remote server application;

if said error condition is not recoverable, sending an error notification from a web service on said IDev to said remote server application;

receiving an error message URL at said IDev web service from said remote server application in response to said sending an error notification or said sending an error resolution notification, wherein said URL indicates an error message file on said remote server;

pushing error message content to said IDev browser from said IDev web service using a ShowScreen method call that identifies said error message URL;

downloading said error message file from said remote server at said IDev in response to receiving said ShowScreen method call at said IDev browser;

terminating said displaying initial content in response to said receiving said ShowScreen method call; and

displaying said error message content on said IDev display with said IDev browser.

3. An imaging device, said device comprising:

a web service in communication with a remote server application;

an IDev browser in communication with said web service;

a display;

an error detector in communication with said web service;

an error condition identifier for determining whether said error condition is recoverable;

an error condition resolver for resolving said error condition by interacting with a device management programming interface (API) on said MFP, if said error condition is recoverable, wherein said interacting consists of requesting device status report, requesting job queue and history information, retrieving data security settings and configuring said MFP or rebooting said MFP, and sending an error resolution notification from a web service on said IDev to said remote server application;

wherein said web service is configured to send an error notification to said remote server when said error condition is not recoverable and to send an error resolution notification when said error is recoverable, and to receive an error message URL from said remote server;

wherein said web service is further configured to send a ShowScreen method comprising said URL to said IDev browser; and

wherein said browser is configured to display initial content on said display, connect to a resource identified by said ShowScreen method URL, retrieve new content from said remote server and interrupt said display of initial content to display content at said URL.