SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE FOR CABLE TELEVISION HOME PRINTING

• US 20030133145A1
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: KOPPICH, GEORGE, OTALA, TAPANI, PURPURA, DON FRANCIS, BARR, DOUGLAS RICHARD, GACEK, PAUL NICHOLAS, YEUNG, MICHAEL LEE
• Granted Patent: US 6,636,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00098 via a television channel, e.g. for a series of still pictures with or without sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• 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 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00294 for printing images at a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A software architecture for printing to a home printer via a cable television communication network includes complementary clients and servers executing on each of the internet components participating in the internet-based printing. A client executes at the remote internet-based site that originates the print job, and transmits the print job to a complimentary server at the cable head end. A server at the cable head end spools the print job and preferably converts the print job into a format more suitable for a next-downstream device, such as a cable set top box. The cable head end further includes a client which transmits the print job from the cable head end'"'"'s server to a server at the set top box. The server at the set top box spools the print job to an attached printer. Preferably each of the clients and each of the servers is nearly identical to all other clients and servers, and each communicates to other applications including client applications through a consistent and uniform application programming interface.

Claims

1. A software architecture for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network, with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, the software architecture comprising:

a client which functions to receive print jobs from a client application, and to transmit the print job to a next-downstream internet site; and

a server complementary to said client, said server functioning to accept a print job from a client executing on a next-upstream internet site, said server being configured to create a spooler which includes a logical printer that functions to render a print job through a form tailored to a next-downstream internet site;

wherein the client and the server both include application programming interfaces that permit access thereto by other applications including the client application; and

wherein said application programming interfaces are identical for each client and each server.

2. The software architecture according to claim 1, wherein a first client and a first server are implemented at a cable head end, the first server being configured to receive a print job from a next-upstream internet site and including a server that renders the print job from a printer-independent format into a printer-dependent format;

and

wherein said first client transmits the print job in the printer-specific format to a next-downstream server at a set top box.

3. The software architecture according to claim 2, wherein a second server is implemented at the set top box, a second server for transmitting the print job in the printer-specific format to a printer connected to the set top box.

4. The software architecture according to claim 3, further comprising a third client at a remote internet site that originates the print job, the third client for transmitting the print job in a printer-independent format in said first server in the cable head end.

5. A method for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network, with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, the method comprising the steps of:

executing a client which functions to receive print jobs from a client application, and to transmit the print job to a next-downstream internet site; and

executing a server complementary to said client, said server functioning to accept a print job from a client executing on a next-upstream internet site, said server being configured to create a spooler which includes a logical printer that functions to render a print job through a form tailored to a next-downstream internet site;

wherein the client and the server both include application programming interfaces that permit access thereto by other applications including the client application; and

wherein said application programming interfaces are identical for each client and each server.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a first client and a first server are implemented at a cable head end, the first server configured to receive a print job from a next-upstream internet site and including a server that renders the print job from a printer-independent format into a printer-dependent format;

and

wherein said first client transmits the print job in the printer-specific format to a next-downstream server at a set top box.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a second server is implemented at the set top box, the second server for transmitting the print job in the printer-specific format to a printer connected to the set top box.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a third client at a remote internet site that originates the print job, the third client for transmitting the print job in a printer-independent format in said first server in the cable head end.

9. An apparatus for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network, with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, comprising:

a program memory for storing process steps executable to perform a method according to any of claims 5 to 8; and

a processor for executing the process steps stored in said program memory.

10. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said computer-executable process steps for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network, with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, said computer-executable process steps comprising process steps executable to perform a method according to any of claims 5 to 8.

11. A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network, with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, said computer-executable process steps comprising process steps executable to perform a method according to any of claims 5 to 8.