System and method for resolving a hardware identifier to a network address of networked device
First Claim
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 automatically 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 automatically sensing the presence of the first communication device of the first printing device independently of the network, the second communication device being in physical proximity to the first communication device; and
a processor for executing application software for determining the network address of the sensed first printing device via the network, for comparing an identifier corresponding to the first communication device to a stored list of identifiers, and for adding the identifier corresponding to the first communication device to the list if the stored identifier is not on the list, the processor further executing application software for resolving identifiers for establishment of at least one cluster with at least one other printing device of the plurality of networked printing devices;
wherein the establishment of the at least one cluster is (i) dynamic and spontaneous, (ii) based on one or more attributes selected by a user, the at least one cluster having a unique name associated therewith, and (iii) independent of an order in which each printing device of the plurality of printing devices joined the at least one cluster; and
wherein each printing device of the plurality of printing devices is permitted to join or remove itself from the at least one cluster at any time without affecting the other printing devices that have previously joined the at least one cluster.
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Accused Products
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.
32 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A printing system comprising:
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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 automatically 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 automatically sensing the presence of the first communication device of the first printing device independently of the network, the second communication device being in physical proximity to the first communication device; and a processor for executing application software for determining the network address of the sensed first printing device via the network, for comparing an identifier corresponding to the first communication device to a stored list of identifiers, and for adding the identifier corresponding to the first communication device to the list if the stored identifier is not on the list, the processor further executing application software for resolving identifiers for establishment of at least one cluster with at least one other printing device of the plurality of networked printing devices; wherein the establishment of the at least one cluster is (i) dynamic and spontaneous, (ii) based on one or more attributes selected by a user, the at least one cluster having a unique name associated therewith, and (iii) independent of an order in which each printing device of the plurality of printing devices joined the at least one cluster; and wherein each printing device of the plurality of printing devices is permitted to join or remove itself from the at least one cluster at any time without affecting the other printing devices that have previously joined the at least one cluster. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. 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:
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automatically sensing the presence of another device of the plurality of devices independently of the network; determining via the network the network address of the automatically sensed device; communicating with the automatically sensed device via the network using the network address, the plurality of devices being in physical proximity to each other; interrogating the automatically sensed device and comparing an identifier corresponding to the sensed device to a stored list of identifiers and adding the identifier corresponding to the sensed device to the stored list if said identifier is not on the list; and resolving identifiers for establishment of at least one cluster with at least one other device of the plurality of networked devices; wherein the establishment of the at least one cluster is (i) dynamic and spontaneous, (ii) based on one or more attributes selected by a user, the at least one cluster having a unique name associated therewith, and (iii) independent of an order in which each printing device of the plurality of networked devices joined the at least one cluster; and wherein each printing device of the plurality of networked devices is permitted to join or remove itself from the at least one cluster at any time without affecting the other printing devices that have previously joined the at least one cluster. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A processor associated with a first device of a plurality of networked devices comprising:
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a software application module for automatically 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; a software application module for comparing the hardware identifier corresponding to the second device to a stored list of identifiers and for adding the hardware identifier corresponding to the second device to the list if said hardware identifier is not on the list; a software application module for communicating via the network with the plurality of networked devices for determining a network address for the second device, the plurality of devices being in physical proximity to each other; and a software application module for resolving identifiers for establishment of at least one cluster with at least one other device of the plurality of networked devices; wherein the establishment of the at least one cluster is (i) dynamic and spontaneous, (ii) based on one or more attributes selected by a user, the at least one cluster having a unique name associated therewith, and (iii) independent of an order in which each printing device of the plurality of networked devices joined the at least one cluster; and wherein each printing device of the plurality of networked devices is permitted to join or remove itself from the at least one cluster at any time without affecting the other printing devices that have previously joined the at least one cluster. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification