Network peripheral server discovery method

• US 6,839,755 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, David L., Garcia, Glenn R., Kumpf, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/163,787
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/225, 709/217, 709/228, 709/226, 709/229, 358/1.15, 358/1.13, 710/3, 710/4, 710/15, 710/36, 710/42
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A multifunction peripheral server discovery method with reduced network traffic is disclosed. Peripheral servers on a network advertise their basic function, such as print, and clients seeking peripherals with an additional function, such as scan, retrieve ID strings of peripherals having the basic function to determine if the additional function is available. The method also permits a user of a client on the network to enter addresses of peripherals not discovered when the client searches for peripherals having the additional function. The method also permits selection of a network protocol to be used by the client. An additional preferred step in the method is a determination of whether discovered peripherals having the additional function are compatible with a software application run by the client.

Claims

1. A network client peripheral server discovery method for a client to discover peripheral servers having peripherals with an additional function in addition to peripherals with a basic function, the method comprising steps of:

announcing, by servers on the network, that they have peripherals having the basic function;

searching, by a client on the network, for announcements by servers having the basic function;

forming, by the client, a list of servers having peripherals having the basic function based upon announcements discovered in said step of searching;

retrieving, by the client, data including that which specifies whether the peripheral has the additional function from servers on the list of servers having peripherals; and

identifying, by the client, peripherals having the additional function by examining data retrieved in said step of retrieving from the list of servers.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

removing servers having peripherals lacking the additional function from the list of servers having peripherals; and

permitting a user to select from the list of servers having peripherals.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of accepting, by the client, a user specified peripheral not on the list of servers having peripherals.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said data comprises a peripheral ID string.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the basic function is a print function and the additional function is a scan function.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of assigning a network address to the peripheral having the additional function.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of assigning comprises adding a predetermined address increment to a network address for a peripheral having the basic function associated with a same server as the peripheral having the additional function.

8. A network client peripheral server discovery method for a client to discover peripheral servers having peripherals with an additional function in addition to peripherals with a basic function, the method comprising steps of:

announcing, by servers on the network, that they have peripherals having the basic function

searching, by a client on the network, for announcements by servers having the basic function;

forming, by the client, a list of servers having peripherals having the basic function based upon announcements discovered in said step of searching;

retrieving, by the client, data including that which specifies whether the peripheral has the additional function from servers on the list of servers having peripherals;

identifying, by the client, peripherals having the additional function by examining data retrieved in said step of retrieving from the list of servers; and

,

determining whether a peripheral having the additional function is compatible with a client software application.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of determining comprises sending a query to a server that serves the peripheral having the additional function to determine if a predetermined object exists on the server that serves the peripheral having the additional function.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the object is a management information database object supporting a specific operation of the additional function.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of assigning a network address to the peripheral having the additional function.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of assigning comprises adding a predetermined address increment to a network address for a peripheral having the basic function associated with the server that serves the peripheral having the additional function.