Wireless networked peripheral devices
First Claim
1. A method of utilizing one or more peripheral devices by a host computer over a network, comprising:
- providing a geographical location determination capability to said host computer, said geographical location determination capability allowing said host computer to determine a current location of said host computer automatically without an intervention by a user of said host computer;
sending a peripheral device service request from said host computer to said network, said peripheral device service request including a location information indicating said current location of said host computer;
selecting ones of said one or more peripheral devices being in close proximity with said host computer based at least in part on said location information; and
fulfilling said peripheral service request by said selected ones of said one or more peripheral devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for, and a method of, organizing and utilizing networked peripheral device include peripheral devices, which are aware of their respective geographical location and operational capabilities, and self-organization of the peripheral devices into a cluster of networked peripheral devices based on the operational capability of each respective peripheral device and the relative physical proximity with respect to each other. The host computer is also made aware of its geographical location. One or more peripheral device(s) that are optimally suited to fulfill the request is selected based on the physical proximity of the selected peripheral device(s) to the requesting user host computer and/or the capabilities of the selected peripheral device(s). The selection of the optimal peripheral device(s) is made by the networked peripheral devices without requiring the user of the host computer to know the topology of the network, e.g., the locations and capabilities of each of the networked peripherals. Device driver(s) for the selected peripheral device(s) may be dispensed to the host computer as required in order for the host computer to utilize the selected peripheral device(s). In an embodiment, the host computer may include its geographical location in a request for a peripheral device service. The service request including the geographical location information of the user host computer may enable an on-line service provider, e.g., a provider of an on-line printing service, to direct the service request to the closest service center that may be able to fulfill the request by the user.
65 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of utilizing one or more peripheral devices by a host computer over a network, comprising:
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providing a geographical location determination capability to said host computer, said geographical location determination capability allowing said host computer to determine a current location of said host computer automatically without an intervention by a user of said host computer;
sending a peripheral device service request from said host computer to said network, said peripheral device service request including a location information indicating said current location of said host computer;
selecting ones of said one or more peripheral devices being in close proximity with said host computer based at least in part on said location information; and
fulfilling said peripheral service request by said selected ones of said one or more peripheral devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of utilizing one or more peripheral devices by a host computer, comprising:
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providing each of said one or more peripheral devices a geographical location determination capability, said geographical location determination capability providing a geographic location of an associated one of said one or more peripheral device;
detecting, by at least a first one of said one or more peripheral devices, presence of one or more peripheral devices within a predetermined distance from said at least first one of said one or more peripheral devices; and
organizing said detected ones of said one or more peripheral devices into a cluster of peripheral devices, said cluster being configured to fulfill a service request from said host computer collectively as one logical device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A networked peripheral devices system, comprising:
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a communication network; and
a cluster of one or more peripheral devices, each of said one or more peripheral devices having a geographical location determination capability, said geographical location determination capability providing a geographic location of an associated one of said one or more peripheral device, said one or more peripheral devices being within a predetermined distance from each other, said cluster being configured to fulfill a service request from a host computer received over said communication network collectively as one logical device.
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Specification