WYSIWYG printing for web based applications

• US 8,248,636 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dayan, Tal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chacko, Sunil
• Application Number:
  US11/648,344
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.13, 717/120, 706/247, 706/224, 709/206, 709/223, 709/219, 715/274, 715/733, 345/619, 345/650
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1256 User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1287 via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1289 in server-client-printer device configuration, e.g. the server does not see the printer

Abstract

A container application is a native application that allows a web based application to access a computer'"'"'s system resources and windowing system. Web based applications are downloaded from application servers and run inside container applications. A web based application can alter or control many, or all, aspects of the container application'"'"'s content area and meta user interfaces (UIs). Access to printer settings, display settings, and printer meta UIs provides a web based application with the capability to lay out or format printed documents. The newly provided capabilities include WYSIWYG capabilities.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first computer; and

an application server running on the first computer that serves a web based application to a container application running on a second computer separate from the first computer,

wherein the web based application, served from the first computer, lays out web based application content in conformance with at least one printer setting associated with a printer driver installed on the second computer, wherein the web based application content is received from a content server;

wherein the web based application uses the container application to access at least one printer setting, the at least one print setting comprising a printer resolution and specifying a printer font;

wherein a window comprising a content area includes a displayed document comprising the web based application content; and

wherein the displayed document is laid out in conformance with a display resolution and with the printer resolution.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based application has direct access to the at least one printer setting.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based application has redirected access to the at least one printer setting.

4. A system comprising:

a first computer; and

an application server running on the first computer that serves a web based application to a container application running on a second computer;

wherein the web based application obtains a web based application content from a content server;

wherein the web based application uses a layout module to produce a displayed document from the web based application content;

wherein a window comprising a meta UI area and a content area displays the displayed document within the content area;

wherein the displayed document is laid out in conformance with at least one printer setting associated with a printer, the at least one printer setting comprising a print resolution and specifying a printer font and in conformance with a display resolution;

wherein a user can use a printer meta UI to instruct the printer to print the web based application content as a printed document; and

wherein the at least one printer setting is used to cause the printed document to be laid out the same as the displayed document.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the layout module is used to lay out the printed document such that the printed document and the displayed document appear the same.

6. The system of claim 4:

wherein the computer comprises a non-volatile memory; and

wherein the web based application obtains the web based application content from the non-volatile memory.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the web based application has redirected access to the at least one printer setting.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the displayed document is laid out in conformance with at least one display resolution.

9. The system of claim 4:

wherein the web based application has redirected access to the at least one printer setting.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

serving a web based application from an application server wherein the web based application runs inside a container application;

wherein the web based application uses the container application to access at least one printer setting, the at least one printer setting comprising a printer resolution and printer font;

wherein the window comprises a content area and a meta UI area;

presenting a displayed document within the content area and laying out the displayed document in conformance with a display resolution and the printer resolution.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the printed document and the displayed document appear the same.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a user selecting a meta UI control causes a printer meta UI comprising at least one page layout control to be presented to the user.

13. The method of claim 10:

wherein a window is associated with the container application and comprises a content area and a meta UI area;

wherein the displayed document comprising the web based application content is presented within the content area;

wherein a user selecting a meta UI control causes a printer meta UI comprising at least one page layout control to be presented to the user; and

wherein the displayed document and the printed document appear the same.