Method of printing information by a network kiosk

• US 7,130,889 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Francis, John Brian, Goodwin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/727,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/201, 709/223, 709/220, 709/224, 705/5, 705/26, 705/2, 705/14, 707/9, 707/104, 707/10, 707/100, 707/7, 707/1, 710/5, 715/523, 715/503, 715/744, 715/513, 715/16, 715/17, 358/1.15, 358/488, 717/100, 717/121, 382/306, 382/283, 463/42, 235/472, 700/235, 345/473, 101/483, 455/509
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk

Abstract

A method of printing information by a network kiosk which prints web page information, designed for printing on standard width paper, on narrower receipt paper. The method includes the steps of receiving a command to print information in a displayed web page, obtaining an address of the displayed web page, determining a format for printing the information on receipt paper using the address, creating a script to print the information in the format, and executing the script to print the information on the receipt paper.

Claims

1. A method of printing information by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a command to display a web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(b) receiving a command to print information in the displayed web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(c) obtaining an address of the displayed web page by the kiosk;

(d) determining a format for printing, the information from the web page on receipt paper smaller than the web page using the address by the kiosk;

(e) creating a script to print the information in the format by the kiosk; and

(f) executing the script to cause a receipt printer of the kiosk to print the information on the receipt paper by the kiosk.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step e comprises the substeps of:

(e-1) determining placeholders for the information; and

(e-2) arranging the placeholders in the script in accordance with the format.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein step e further comprises the substeps of:

(e-3) determining text to be printed with the information; and

(e-4) arranging the text in the script in accordance with the format.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein step e further comprises the substeps of:

(e-3) determining a graphic image to be printed with the information; and

(e-4) arranging the graphic image in the script in accordance with the format.

5. A method of printing information by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a command to display a web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(b) receiving a command to print web information in the displayed web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(c) obtaining an address of the displayed web page by the kiosk;

(d) determining a format for printing the web information from the displayed web page on receipt paper smaller than the displayed web page using the address by the kiosk;

(e) determining other information to be printed with the web information by the kiosk;

(f) determining placeholders for the web information by the kiosk;

(g) creating a script with the placeholders and the other information arranged in the format by the kiosk; and

(h) executing the script to cause a receipt printer of the kiosk to print the web information and the other information on the receipt paper by the kiosk.

6. A method of printing information by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a command to display a web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(b) receiving a command to print web information in the displayed web page in response to user operation of the kiosk;

(c) obtaining an address of the displayed web page by the kiosk;

(d) determining a format for printing the web information from the displayed web page on receipt paper smaller than the displayed web page using the address by the kiosk;

(e) determining text information to be printed with the web information by the kiosk;

(f) determining a store graphic to be printed with the web information by the kiosk;

(g) determining placeholders pointing to a location of the web information by the kiosk;

(h) creating a script with.the placeholders, the text information, and the store graphic, all arranged in the format by the kiosk;

(i) initiating execution of the script by the kiosk;

(j) printing the text information and the store graphic in the format during execution of the script by a receipt printer of the kiosk;

(k) obtaining the web information from the location during execution of the script by the kiosk; and

(l) printing the web information in the format during execution of the script by the receipt printer of the kiosk.

7. A network kiosk comprising:

a display for displaying a web page;

a receipt printer; and

a computer which receives a command to display the web page in response to user operation of the kiosk, receives a command to print information in the web page in response to user operation of the kiosk, obtains an address of the web page, determines a format for printing the information on receipt paper smaller than the web page using the address, creates a script to print the information in the format, and executes the script to cause the receipt printer to print the information on the receipt paper.

8. A network kiosk comprising:

a display for displaying a web page;

a receipt printer; and

a computer which receives a command to display the web page in response to user operation of the kiosk, receives a command to print web information in the displayed web page in response to user operation of the kiosk, obtains an address of the displayed web page, determines a format for printing the web information on receipt paper smaller than the web page using the address, determining other information to be printed with the web information, determines placeholders for the web information, creates a script with the placeholders and the other information arranged in the format, and executes the script to cause the receipt printer to print the web information and the other information on the receipt paper.