METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRINTING A WEB PAGE

• US 20100202010A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Xiao, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/17 Web printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1219 with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1242 Image or content composition onto a page
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1246 by handling markup languages, e.g. XSL, XML, HTML
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device

Abstract

A method and system for printing a web page include converting the web page content to an image and segmenting the image into a plurality of regions. At least one of the regions is selected, and the selected region is printed.

Claims

1. A method for printing a web page, comprising:

converting the web page content to an image;

segmenting the image into a plurality of regions;

selecting at least one of the regions;

printing the selected region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein segmenting the image includes segmenting the image into foreground and background regions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein segmenting the image includes segmenting the image into text regions and non-text regions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein segmenting the image includes analyzing the text regions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the web page content to the image includes rasterizing the web page content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the region includes receiving input from a user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user input includes marking a selected region to deselect the region.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the user input includes marking an unselected region to select the region.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the user input includes marking a first mark to select a region and a second mark to deselect a region.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving a print template for the web page based on the selected regions.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising saving the print template to a server.

12. A web page printing system, comprising:

a display device configured to display a web page;

a processor;

a memory accessible by the processor, the memory storing program instructions that when executed by the processor convert the web page content to an image;

segment the image into a plurality of regions;

select at least one of the regions; and

a printer configured to print the selected region.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an input device, wherein selecting the region includes receiving input from a user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory includes programs instructions for deriving a print template for the web page based on the selected regions.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a server connected to the processor, wherein the memory includes programs instructions for saving the print template to the server.

16. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that execute a method for printing a web page, comprising:

converting the web page content to an image;

segmenting the image into a plurality of regions;

selecting at least one region; and

printing the selected region.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein segmenting the image includes segmenting the image into foreground and background regions.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein segmenting the image includes segmenting the image into text regions and non-text regions.

19. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein converting the web page content to the image includes rasterizing the web page content.

20. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein selecting the region includes receiving input from a user.