Method and apparatus for processing document requests at a printer server

[0002] This is a continuation-in-part application of a application entitled, “Method And Apparatus For Controlling A Peripheral”, application Ser. No. 08/599,373, filed on Feb. 9, 1996, issued Mar. 27, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,048.

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of printer peripheral devices used in conjunction with interconnected networks, such as the World Wide Web; more particularly, the present invention relates to directly controlling a printer via existing protocols used to access documents on such a network.

[0004] An important use of computers is the transfer of information over a network. Currently, the largest computer network in existence is the Internet. The Internet is a worldwide interconnection of computer networks that communicate using a common protocol. Millions of computers, from low-end personal computers to high-end super computers are coupled to the Internet.

[0005] The Internet grew out of work funded in the 1960s by the U.S. Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency. For a long time, Internet was used by researchers in universities and national laboratories to share information. As the existence of the Internet became more widely known, many users outside of the academic/research community (e.g., employees of large corporations) started to use Internet to carry electronic mail.

[0006] In 1989, a new type of information system known as the World-Wide Web (“the Web”) was introduced to the Internet. Early development of the Web took place at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory. The Web is a wide-area hypermedia information retrieval system aimed to give wide access to a large universe of documents. At this time, the Web was known to and used by the academic/research community only. There was no easily available tool that allows a technically untrained person to access the Web.

[0007] In 1993, researchers at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NSCA) released a Web browser called “Mosiac” that implemented a graphical user interface (GUI). Mosiac's graphical user interface was simple to learn yet powerful. The Mosiac browser allows a user to retrieve documents from the Web using simple point-and-click commands. Because the user does not have to be technically trained and the browser is pleasant to use, it has the potential of opening up the Internet to the masses.

[0008] The architecture of the Web follows a conventional client-server model. The terms “client” and “server” are used to refer to a computer's general role as a requester of data (the client) or provider of data (the server). Under the Web environment, Web browsers reside in clients and Web documents reside in servers. Web clients and Web servers communicate using a protocol called “Hypertext Transfer Protocol” (HTTP). A browser opens a connection to a server and initiates a request for a document. The server delivers the requested document, typically in the form of a text document coded in a standard Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, and when the connection is closed in the above interaction, the server serves a passive role, i.e., it accepts commands from the client and cannot request the client to perform any action.

[0009] Portions of documents displayed on the Web contain hypertext links. The hypertext links link graphics or text on one document with another document on the Web. Documents containing hypertext links are created prior to their “publishing” on the Web. That is, a document that is to be published is provided to a server which creates the document and, essentially, publishes the document by permitting its access by others on the Web. Each hypertext link is associated with a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that identifies and locates a document on the Web. When a user selects a hypertext link, using, for instance, a cursor, the graphical browser retrieves the corresponding document(s) using a URL(s).

[0010] By removing the economic barriers associated with printing and distributing (multi-media) documents, the Web allows individuals to become “publishers”. Many of these individuals are not information publishers, and, do not require high sophistication and complexity in publishing their information. To that extent, individuals utilizing the Web need to be able to create Web documents as well as retrieve information. Currently, tools for capturing images or other media do not perform the function seamlessly when attempting to integrate the captured information into Web documents. Any information captured must be converted into a hypertext document by a separate server.

[0011] Furthermore, because the Web represents a global standard for the exchange of documents, it may become the common currency in which companies and individuals publish both their external and internal documents. As the race to provide Internet (Web) services to every desktop and home continues, it is predictable that the number of “publishers” will continue to grow quickly. Similarly, the trend towards high quality, multi-media productions will continue to grow. Therefore, it is predictable that a great need for tools to create multi-media Web documents may exist. Many of these tools will be software applications, such as word processors.

[0012] Peripheral devices are typically connected to the Web to facilitate user interaction with the Web. In prior art systems, peripheral devices are used for a variety of specific application functions. For instance, a printer, is used to print data, while a scanner is used to scan data. These peripherals are usually connected to a host computer, via a bus, which controls the use of the peripheral. A typical system is shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, a computer 101 typically includes an application 102 which makes calls to a driver 103 of printer 104 that is running on the host computer 101, thereby causing control information and signals to be sent over bus 105 to printer 104 to control its operation. Thus, access to printer 104 is only through host computer 101 and its driver 103. Therefore, if an individual wishes to print a document, the individual must communicate their wishes to the computer, which then causes the printer to perform the desired function. If an individual does not have access to a host computer with the proper driver, then the printer cannot be controlled. Moreover, if an individual is at a remote site, one may not have access to the host computer, yet would still like to control a printer. Therefore, there is a need to be able to control printers directly, without relying on a host as an interface. Furthermore, it is desirable to allow the same control from a remote location.

[0013] According to one embodiment, a printer coupled to and for use with a network providing access to interconnected, on-line documents in response to document requests is disclosed. The printer includes a printer server for handling requests from one or more browser clients. The printer server is independent of the one or more browser clients

[0014] The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the invention. The drawings, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments, but are for explanation and understanding only.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a prior art computer system with a host computer and a printer;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a network printer in a network;

[0017] FIG. 3aillustrates a document printed at the network printer;

[0018] FIG. 3billustrates one embodiment of a print view page of a document displayed on a browser;

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a bookmaker page displayed on a browser;

[0020] FIG. 5aillustrates one embodiment of the contents of a Web page;

[0021] FIG. 5billustrates another embodiment of the contents of a Web page;

[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a book selection page displayed on a browser;

[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a book view page displayed on a browser;

[0024] FIG. 8aillustrates one embodiment of a table of contents page printed at a printer;

[0025] FIG. 8billustrates one embodiment of a page from a book of documents printed at a network printer;

[0026] FIGS. 8cillustrates one embodiment of a page from a book of documents printed at a network printer;

[0027] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a network printer in a network;

[0028] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a sales quote document displayed at a personal digital assistant (PDA); and

[0029] FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of a contract document printed at a network printer.

[0030] A method and apparatus for creating electronic documents and controlling printer peripherals is described. In the following detailed description of the present invention numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

[0031] Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

[0032] It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

[0033] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus.

[0034] The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose machines may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these machines will appear from the description below. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein.

[0035] The programs including executable instructions may be executed by one or more programming devices (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), processor, controller, etc.) in one or more personal computer systems, servers, workstations, etc.

[0036] A network printer is described that is coupled to a network and is able to respond to requests from the network. In one embodiment, the requests are associated with the World Wide Web (the WWW). The printers act as World Wide Web (WWW) servers.

[0037] That is, printers are directly coupled to a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) and “serve” data, such as images or other multi-media objects, that they capture or create to requesting agents on the network.

[0038] In one embodiment, the printer may print a document requested by a user or render a print view image or display a view page on a browser client. In addition, the printer may arrange and print a compound document from hypertext linked documents that are located within a received document.

[0039] In one embodiment, the printer uses a hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”) to communicate over the network with clients; such clients also communicate with the printer using the hypertext transfer protocol. This printer and these clients act as an HTTP server and HTTP clients respectively.

[0040] In one embodiment, the printer includes a processor and a memory and a computer readable medium, such as a magnetic (“hard disk”) or optical mass storage device, and the computer readable medium of the printer contains computer program instructions for printing, rendering and transmitting the data from the printer to the client's systems. The clients in the system will typically include a client processor and a memory and a computer readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical mass storage device, and the computer readable medium of the client contains computer program instructions for receiving data from the printer and for storing the data at the client.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a printer 250 in a network 200.

[0042] Network 200 also includes client 210 and servers 220 and 230. In one embodiment, network 200 comprises the Internet. However, other embodiments are not limited to retrieving and publishing documents on the “World Wide Web” or the “Internet.” The teachings disclosed herein may be applied to various networks, data and document storage and archival facilities, or other types of client/server systems that have documents or other information available upon request.

[0043] Client 210 requests documents from servers coupled to the network. Client 210 may comprise a program (e.g., a browser) that permits a user to access documents over network 200 that are located on servers 220 and 230. Servers 220 and 230 access and provide data to client 210 over the network 200 to a user in response to requests from the user via client 220. Printer 250 may be used to print a document requested by a user at client 210, as well as to render a print view image for display as part of a view page on the browser residing in client 210. Printer 250 includes printer server 255 that emulates a network server and may be a destination for HTTP PUT requests for storage or output of documents and HTTP POST requests for configuration forms. Printer server 255 may also emulate a network client, being the source for HTTP GET requests (for documents to be output) and PUT or POST requests (for document input). In addition, printer server 255 might also serve as a proxy.

[0044] According to one embodiment, server 255 is a agency that is used to provide a document-centric interface to a 250. Unlike a typical , a agency can transform documents or requests for documents (e.g., rendering a document in order to provide additional features). Thus, an agency represents a complex network client that operates on behalf of a user peripheral agency or on behalf of peripheral (many users) to manage input devices, output devices, storage devices as well as computational resources. The agency application is not described in further detail in order not to obscure the present invention. Nevertheless, the agency application performed by server 255 operates according to a protocol described in a co-pending application entitled, “Document Agency System”, application Ser. No. 08/718,858, filed on Sep. 24, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,083, and incorporated herein by reference. Server 255 may be a peripheral including a camera, scanner, facsimile machine, Web Kiosk, storage device, video or audio server, etc.

[0045] If a user requests, via client 210 or otherwise, that an HTML document be printed on printer 250, the user sends a request for the document to printer driver 255 within printer 250. Printer driver 255 obtains the document from a server 220 or 230 and renders it as it might appear on printer 250 (or a low-resolution version of the rendering).

[0046] FIG. 3aillustrates one embodiment of a document 300 printed at printer 250. Printer driver 255 also attaches control buttons to the retrieved document and transmits the print view version of the document to the user at client 210. FIG. 3billustrates one embodiment of a print view page 350 of a document displayed on a browser 320 residing in client 210. View page 350 includes control buttons 360 labeled “PRINT”, “OPTIONS”, and “STATUS”. The “PRINT” button contains a tag that causes printer server 255 to transmit the document for download to the digital hardware and print engine components of printer 250. The “OPTIONS” and “STATUS” buttons cause printer server 255 to serve up an option selection form and a printer status page, respectively.

[0047] In one embodiment, printer server 255 communicates using standard protocols. Accordingly, it is not necessary that all client and servers in network 200 share a common programming language, interface or operating system. Thus, printer server 255 may interact with client 210 even if they support different platforms. Moreover, client 210 may interact with printer server 255 even though client 210 is unaware of printer server 255. Further, printer server 255 may handle additional configuration tasks such as having the user select a printer by presenting the user with a network page showing printer locations and including a hypertext map of the printers.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3aand 3b, printer server 255 formats print view page 350 with controls not found on the original document, including the button controls 360 discussed above and a control indicating the URL of the page being viewed. The rendering function of printer server 255 provides an accurate print view. Accordingly, it is not necessary for manufacturers of browsers included with client 210 to code printer drivers for many different printers since functionality can change without change to the browser or host software.

[0049] Documents received at printer 250 may be in an HTML format upon arriving at printer server 255, enabling printer server 255 to perform document handling operations. According to one embodiment, documents are transformed from the HTML format to a page description using a template that specifies how each element of a document is to be rendered. Such operations are possible because a document to be printed is presented to printer server 255 in the form of a document, as opposed to rendering instructions such as a Postscript® file or a binary file. Therefore, printer server 255 is capable of interpreting the document.

[0050] One such operation is a user configuration at printer server 255 that renders documents as provided by the user, instead of the author of the document. For example, a user may specify that printer server 255 organize and print compound documents (e.g., a book) received at printer server 255. A user may select a book format by specifying that documents to be printed should be followed by one or more levels of linked documents. Printer server 255 may also create new documents as part of the document stream, such as a table of contents.

[0051] In one embodiment, client 210 may transmit a document request directly to server 220 and 230. Subsequently, the servers 220 and 230 transmits the document data to printer server 255 where the document handling operations and formatting are implemented. In other embodiments, document handling operations and formatting may be implemented at other servers (e.g., servers 220 or 230) prior to being received at printer server 255. For example, requests from client 210 may be received at server 220 and 230 wherein all of the document handling and formatting operations are performed prior to transmitting the document data to printer 250 for download.

[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of browser 320 displaying a “bookmaker” page 400. The bookmaker option is a document handling operation performed at printer server 255. Bookmaker page 400 includes control buttons 460 labeled “PREVIEW”, “PRINT”, “PREVIOUS”, “CREATE BOOK”, “STATUS”, “OPTIONS”, “TOGGLE PROXY BAR” and “CHOOSE CONTENTS FOR BOOK”. The “PREVIEW” button causes a view of pages selected by the user to be printed at printer 250 to be displayed on browser 320. The “PRINT” button contains a tag that causes printer server 255 to transmit the document for download to the digital hardware and print engine components of printer 250. The “PREVIOUS” button provides access to previously rendered/printed documents.

[0053] The “CREATE BOOK” button causes printer server 255 to organize selected hypertext links (links) included in a URL provided by the user. The “STATUS” and “OPTIONS” buttons cause printer server 255 to serve up a printer status page and an option selection form, respectively. The “CHOOSE CONTENTS FOR BOOK” button permits a user to select the links within the provided URL that are to be included in the book. The “TOGGLE PROXY BAR” turns the insertion of a control bar on and off. If browser 320 is using printer server 255 as a proxy server, printer server 255 may insert a control bar at the top of each document page. The control bar provides one click access to printing, book creation and/or other functions without having to cut and paste a URL.

[0054] Bookmaker page 400 also includes a control that allows the user to provide the web page (or pages) from which the book will be created. For example, a book may be created from a web page at the URL “WWW.acm.org/sigchi/chi97/proceedings/shorttalk/index.html”, as shown at bookmaker page 400. FIGS. 5aand 5billustrate the actual contents of the above-mentioned URL that may provide material to create a book. Referring to FIG. 5a, a web page including “CHI 97 Electronic Publications: LateBreaking/Short Talks” is displayed on browser 320. The CHI 97 page includes various links to other web pages. FIG. 5bshows the CHI 97 page after the browser 320 display has been scrolled down.

[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a book selection page 600 displayed on browser 320 after the selection of the “CHOOSE CONTENTS FOR BOOK” button. Upon selection of the “CHOOSE CONTENTS FOR BOOK” button, print server 250 fetches the web document with the URL specified in bookmaker page 400 (e.g., the CHI 97 page) and renders the document based upon a predetermined format. Selection page includes controls that allow a user to select links that are to be included in the created book. For example, book selection page 600 shows the “Emotional Usability of Customer Interfaces . . . ”, “World Wide Web as Usability Tester . . . ”, “Notes on Pattern Language . . . ”, and “Effective Product Selection in Electronic Catalogs” links of the CHI 97 web page shown in FIG. 5aand 5bas being selected to be included in a book.

[0056] After selection at book selection page 600, the selection data is transmitted to printer driver 255. Printer driver 255 waits for further instructions from client 210 on how to use the selected links. FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a book view page 700 displayed on browser 320. View page 700 is displayed after the selecting the “PREVIEW” button on create book page 400. View page 700 displays pages of links selected by a user to be printed in a book.

[0057] In addition, view page 700 displays a listing of the links from which the book document is created. Referring to FIG. 7, view page 700 displays print view pages of the CHI 97 web page links selected at book selection page 600. Further, the “Emotional Usability of Customer Interfaces . . . ”, “World Wide Web as Usability Tester . . . ”, “Notes on Pattern Language . . . ”, and “Effective Product Selection in Electronic Catalogs” links are listed in view page 700.

[0058] FIGS. 8a-8cillustrate one embodiment of a book of documents printed at printer 250 after a user has selected the “PRINT” button on page 400. According to one embodiment, printer server 255 creates a table of contents with the downloaded document. Referring to FIG. 8a, one embodiment of a table of contents page 800 printed at printer 250 is shown. The headings on table of contents page 800 correspond with links selected in creating the book.

[0059] Using the CHI 97 web page as an example, the “Emotional Usability of Customer Interfaces . . . ”, “World Wide Web as Usability Tester . . . ”, “Notes on Pattern Language . . . ”, and “Effective Product Selection in Electronic Catalogs” links are shown beginning at pages 1, 7, 14 and 20, respectively, of the book. In addition, table of contents page 800 lists the URL from which the book was created (e.g., the URL “WWW.acm.org/sigchi/chi97/proceedings/short-talk/index.html” page). Referring to FIGS. 8band 8c, pages from the “Emotional Usability of Customer Interfaces . . . ” link are included on pages 1-4 of the book.

[0060] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of another embodiment of printer 250 in network 200 wherein network 200 also includes a server 920 and a personal digital assistant (PDA) 930 implemented as a web browser. Server 920 provides data to PDA 930 and printer 250 over network 200 to a user in response to requests from the user via PDA 930. PDA 930 may be a small mobile hand-held device that provides computing and information storage and retrieval capabilities for personal or business use. In one embodiment, PDA 930 uses a Microsoft Windows CE®-based operating system. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that PDA telephone 100 may function using other operating systems (e.g., the Palm™ operating system of 3Com Corp.). Additionally, the operating system of PDA 930 includes a browser that facilitates network 200 access.

[0061] In one embodiment, PDA 930 accesses server 920 and printer 250 over network 200 via a wireless connection, such as a radio frequency (RF) modem or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) P802.11 standard modem. Alternatively, PDA may access server 920 and printer 250 via a modem included within PDA 930. Further PDA 930 may receive data from server 920 used to produce business sales quotes for products and services. FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a quote 1000 document displayed at PDA 930. Server 920 may comprise a business' home Web page that a user may access in order to retrieve the quote.

[0062] The quote may include information previously provided to server 920 (e.g., clients address, the PDA 930 user's name, etc.) from PDA 930. Referring to FIG. 10, quote 1000 is from an XYZ insurance company to Ogawa for insurance coverage of a small car quoted by A. Sales Agent for $1250. Quote 1000 also includes the address information for both XYZ and Ogawa, as well as the policy number.

[0063] Further, printer 250 may be used to print a contractual document (contract) based upon quote 1000 received. Printer server 255 is also included within printer 250 in this embodiment. In other embodiments, printer server 255 may be a separate portable device carried by a sales person that may be coupled to printer 250. As described above, printer server 255 is a printer agency that may be used to provide a document-centric interface to printer 250.

[0064] If a user requests, via PDA 930 or otherwise, that a contract based on a quote (e.g., quote 1000) be printed on printer 250, the user sends a request for the contract to printer driver 255. Printer driver 255 retrieves the document data from server 920, performs the appropriate formatting of the document data and transmits the document data to the digital hardware and print engine components of printer 250 where the contract is printed. For instance, FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of a contract 1100 printed at printer 250. Contract 1100 document includes the standard terms of the agreement between XYZ and Ogawa including the data provided by PDA 930 to create quote 1000. For example, the policy number from quote 1000 is included in contract 1100 and A. Sales Agent is listed as the agent.

[0065] From the above description, printer 250, in one embodiment, permits a client user to print a document without having to be concerned with whether the client includes the necessary print drivers. Moreover, printer 250 enables printing from a site that is remote from a printer. In another embodiment, printer server enables a salesperson to print documents from a PDA without interacting directly with printer 250. Specifically, the salesperson may retrieve quotes and generate contracts for products and/or services while visiting in a customer or clients office.

[0066] Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims which in themselves recite only those features regarded as essential to the invention.

[0067] Thus, a method and apparatus for generating printouts from network/markup language documents has been described.