Information sharing device

• US 20040030772A1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Stringham, Gary Glen, Newell, Lawrence Bert
• Granted Patent: US 7,152,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN

Abstract

Systems and methods for information sharing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for information sharing includes a host device, an external device that is used in conjunction with the host device, an external bus that the host device and the external device use to communicated with each other, and an information sharing device that is connected to the external bus so as to be able to monitor communications transmitted over the external bus between the host device and the external device, the information sharing device being configured to share information about at least one of the host device and the external device with a user of those devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a user, comprising:

connecting to an external bus used by a host device and an associated external device to communicate with each other;

monitoring communications between the host device and its external device; and

presenting information about at least one of the host device and the external device from information obtained through the monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting to an external bus comprises connecting to an external bus used by a peripheral device and an external paper-handling device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring communications comprises monitoring communications made in a controller area network (CAN) protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting information comprises presenting information in a display of a separate information sharing device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of presenting information further includes presenting at least one of images and graphical representations of a device in the display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting information comprises presenting information in at least one web page served by an embedded web server of a separate information sharing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting information comprises presenting detailed information regarding at least one of device configuration, device capabilities, and device status.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using information acquired through monitoring to obtain other information about at least one of the host device and the external device, and presenting the other information to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of using information to obtain other information comprises using an identification string obtained through monitoring to access more information via a network.

10. A system for providing information to a user, comprising:

means for connecting to an external bus that supports communications between a peripheral device and an associated external device;

means for monitoring communications transmitted across the external bus; and

means for presenting information obtained from the monitored communications, the information comprising information about at least one of a device configuration, capability, and status.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for monitoring comprise an independent information sharing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for presenting information comprise a display of the information sharing device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for presenting information comprise an embedded web server of the information sharing device.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for obtaining information regarding at least one of the host device and the external device via a network.

15. A method for providing information to a device, comprising:

connecting to an external bus used by a host device and an associated external device to communicate with each other;

monitoring communications between the host device and its external device;

obtaining information about at least one of the host device and the external device; and

presenting information about the at least one of the host device and the external device taken from the obtained information to the other device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of connecting to an external bus comprises connecting to an external bus used by a peripheral device and an external paper-handling device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring communications comprises monitoring communications made in a controller area network (CAN) protocol.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of obtaining information comprises obtaining information via a network using an identification string obtained during communication monitoring.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of presenting information comprises downloading the obtained information to at least one of the host device and the external device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein downloading comprises downloading the obtained information via the external bus.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising obtaining a code update for at least one of the host device and the external device via a network.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising downloading the update to the at least one of the host device and the external device via the external bus.

23. A system, comprising:

a host device;

an external device that is used in conjunction with the host device;

an external bus that the host device and the external device use to communicated with each other; and

an information sharing device that is connected to the external bus so as to be able to monitor communications transmitted over the external bus between the host device and the external device, the information sharing device being configured to share information about at least one of the host device and the external device with a user of those devices.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the host device comprises a peripheral device and the external device comprises a paper-handling device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the information sharing device comprises a display with which information can be communicated to the user.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the information sharing device comprises a web server with which information can be communicated to the user.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the information sharing device comprises a web browser with which information regarding at least one of the host device and the external device can be retrieved.

28. An information sharing device for use with a host device and its associated external device, the information sharing device comprising:

a processing device; and

memory including a communication module that is configured to interpret communications transmitted over an external bus used by the host device and the external device to communicate with each other, the communication module facilitating monitoring of host device and external device communications such that information obtained from the communications can be shared with a user.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the memory further comprises an embedded web server with which information can be communicated to the user.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the memory further comprises a web browser with which information regarding at least one of the host device and the external device can be retrieved.

31. The device of claim 28, further comprising a display with which information can be communicated to the user.

32. Information sharing code stored on a computer-readable medium, the code comprising:

logic configured to interpret communications that occur between a peripheral device and an associated external device over a shared external bus; and

logic configured to present information obtained through the interpretation.

33. The code of claim 32, further comprising logic configured to obtain additional information using the information obtained through communication monitoring, and present the additional information to the user.

34. The code of claim 32, further comprising logic configured to obtain information using the information obtained through communication monitoring, and present the information to at least one of the host device and the external device.

35. The code of claim 32, further comprising logic configured to facilitate downloading of firmware updates to at least one of the host device and the external device.