System and method for resolving a hardware identifier to a network address of networked device

• US 20070133041A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Tredoux, Gavan, Cote, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/618 Details of network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A printing system is provided having a plurality of networked printing devices, each printing device of the plurality of printing devices having a communication port for operatively communicating with another printing device of the plurality of printing devices via a network. Each of the printing devices of the plurality of printing devices is assigned a respective network address for use when communicating via the network. A first printing device of the plurality of printing devices includes a first communication device having circuitry for being sensed by a second printing device of the plurality of printing devices independently of the network. The second printing device includes a second communication device having circuitry for sensing the presence of the first communication device of the first printing device independently of the network, and a processor for executing application software for determining the network address of the sensed first printing device via the network.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising:

a plurality of networked printing devices, each printing device of the plurality of printing devices comprising;

a communication port for operatively communicating with another printing device of the plurality of printing devices via a network, wherein each of the printing devices of the plurality of printing devices is assigned a respective network address for use when communicating via the network;

a first printing device of the plurality of printing devices comprising a first communication device having circuitry for being sensed by a second printing device of the plurality of printing devices independently of the network; and

the second printing device comprising;

a second communication device having circuitry for sensing the presence of the first communication device of the first printing device independently of the network; and

a processor for executing application software for determining the network address of the sensed first printing device via the network.

2. The printing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the first communication device further includes circuitry for storing a hardware identifier which is associated with the first printing device; and

the circuitry for sensing of the second communication device further retrieves the hardware identifier stored by the first communication device of the first printing device.

3. The printing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the processor of the second printing device executing the application software for determining the network address of the first printing device correlates the retrieved hardware identifier with the network address of the first printing device.

4. The printing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the processor of the second printing device executing the application software for determining the network address of the first printing device further generates a query message for transmission via the network to the plurality of printing devices, the query message including the retrieved hardware identifier and requesting the network address of the printing device having an associated hardware identifier which substantially matches the hardware identifier included in the query message.

5. The printing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the processor of the second printing device executing the application software for determining transmits the query message via at least one of a multicast and a broadcast.

6. The printing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first printing device comprises a processor executing software application for generating a reply message responsive to the query message for transmission via the network, wherein the reply message includes the network address of the first printing device.

7. The printing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein each printing device of the plurality of printing devices having a first communication device further comprises:

a storage device for storing the hardware identifier that is stored by the first communication device of the printing device; and

a processor in operative communication with the storage device, wherein the processor executes application software for determining if the hardware identifier included in a received query message substantially matches the hardware identifier stored by its associated storage device, and upon a positive determination generates a reply message responsive to the received query message for transmission via the network, wherein the reply message includes the network address of the printing device transmitting the reply message.

8. The printing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second communication devices are radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, and the sensing is performed using RFID technology.

9. The printing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the circuitry for sensing of the second communication device includes an RFID reader device for performing RFID interrogations;

the circuitry for being sensed of the first communication device includes an RFID tag for storing the hardware identifier and transmitting the hardware identifier when being interrogated, and the hardware identifier is an RFID identifier.

10. A method for communicating via a network between devices of a plurality of networked devices each device assigned a respective network address, the method comprising a first device of the plurality of devices:

sensing the presence of another device of the plurality of devices independently of the network;

determining via the network the network address of the sensed device; and

communicating with the sensed device via the network using the network address.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein:

each device of the plurality of devices has an associated hardware identifier; and

the sensing includes retrieving the hardware identifier associated with the device being sensed.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the determining the network address of the sensed device includes correlating the retrieved hardware identifier with the network address of the sensed device.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of determining the network address of the sensed device includes transmitting a query message via the network to the plurality of devices requesting the network address of the device that has an associated hardware identifier that substantially matches the retrieved hardware identifier.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting the query message includes transmitting the query message via at least one of a multicast and a broadcast.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of determining the network address of the sensed device further comprises the sensed device replying to the query message via the network including sending a reply message including the network address of the sensed device.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises each of the devices of the plurality of devices that receive the query message:

determining if the hardware identifier included in the query message substantially matches its associated hardware identifier; and

replying to the query message upon a positive determination by transmitting a reply message via the network that includes the network address of the device transmitting the reply message.

17. The method according to claim 10, the method further comprises:

providing each device of the plurality of devices with a radio frequency identification (RFID) device storing its associated hardware identifier, wherein the associated hardware identifier is a unique RFID identifier; and

wherein the step of sensing further comprises retrieving the RFID identifier stored by the RFID device of the device being sensed using RFID technology.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the devices of the plurality of devices are printing devices.

19. A processor associated with a first device of a plurality of networked devices comprising:

a software application module for receiving a hardware identifier associated with a second device of the plurality of networked devices which was retrieved from the second device independently of the network; and

a software application module for communicating via the network with the plurality of networked devices for determining a network address for the second device.

20. The processor according to claim 19, wherein each of the networked devices has

an associated hardware identifier operable for retrieval independently of the network, the processor further comprising:

an application software module for transmitting a query message via the network to the plurality of networked devices requesting the network address of the networked device that has an associated hardware identifier that substantially matches the hardware identifier received by the application software module for receiving.