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| United States Patent |
6,947,995 |
| Chang , et al. |
September 20, 2005 |
Mobile and pervasive output server
Abstract
Pervasive output capability is provided so that an information apparatus can
pervasively output digital content to an output device regardless of the
processing power, display screen size and memory space of the information
apparatus. This allows small mobile devices with limited display, processing
power, and memory to be able to output a digital document (e.g., PDF, HTML,
PowerPoint etc) in its full original richness, without resorting to downsizing,
truncating, reducing, clipping or otherwise altering the original document. Data
output server software in computer readable medium may include software for
receiving at a server a document object corresponding to output content managed
with an information apparatus, and software for receiving at the server an
output device object with one or more attributes corresponding to an output
device for rendering the output content, the server being distinct from the
information apparatus and the output device. There may also be software for
generating output data employing at least partly the document object and the
output device object, the output data relating to the output content for
rendering at the output device, and software for transmitting the output data
for rendering of the output content at the output device.
| Inventors: |
Chang; William Ho (Vancouver, WA);
Liu; Christina Ying (Vancouver, WA) |
| Assignee: |
Flexiworld Technologies, Inc. (Portland,
OR) |
| Appl. No.: |
992186 |
| Filed: |
November 18, 2001 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
709/231 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
| Field of Search: |
709/203,208,217,231
|
References Cited [Referenced
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Dec., 1999 |
Hamilton et al. |
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May., 2000 |
Anupam et al. |
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May., 2001 |
Lindblad et al. |
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Apr., 2002 |
Wallent et al. |
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Oct., 2002 |
Jerger et al. |
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Nov., 2002 |
Koeppel et al. |
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Sanai. |
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|
Primary
Examiner: Eng; David Y.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ipsolon LLP
Parent Case Text
This application claims benefit of No. 60/252,682 filed Nov. 20, 2000.
Claims
1. In a computer readable medium, data output server software,
comprising:
software for receiving at a server a document object
corresponding to output content managed with an information apparatus;
software for receiving at the server an output device object with one or
more attributes corresponding to an output device for rendering the output
content, the server being distinct from the information apparatus and the output
device;
software for generating output data employing at least partly
the document object and the output device object, the output data relating to
the output content for rendering at the output device; and
software for
transmitting the output data for rendering of the output content at the output
device.
2. The medium of claim 1 in which the transmitting of the output
data includes transmitting the output data to the information apparatus for
delivering the output data to the output device.
3. The medium of claim
1 in which the transmitting of the output data includes transmitting directly to
the output device via a network.
4. The medium of claim 1 in which the
transmitting of the output data employs a wireless network.
5. The
medium of claim 1 in which the receiving of the document object includes
wireless transmission.
6. The medium of claim 1 in which the output data
includes device dependent data.
7. The medium of claim 1 in which the
output data comprises one or more of a page description language, a markup
language, a file format, an image format, a graphics format, an audio file, and
a video file.
8. The medium of claim 1 in which the generating of the
output data comprises at least a partial raster image processing operation on
the output content.
9. The medium of claim 8 in which the image
processing operation includes one or more of an interpretation operation, a
conversion operation, a rasterization operation, a scaling operation, a
segmentation operation, color space transform operation, an image enhancement
operation, a color correction operation, a halftoning operation, a compression
operation, and an encryption operation.
10. The medium of claim 1
further comprising software for obtaining one or more output device attributes
corresponding to the output device from a network node other than the
information apparatus, with the one or more output device attributes not being
available in the output device object.
11. The medium of claim 1 further
comprising software for obtaining a digital document corresponding to the
document object from a network node other than the information apparatus.
12. The medium of claim 1 further comprising software for receiving a
job object with one or more attributes characterizing the rendering of the
output content.
13. The medium of claim 12 in which the job object
includes an output preferences attribute characterizing one or more output
preferences including one or more of output quality, layout, number of output
copies, number of windows per page, color or grayscale, and output size.
14. The medium of claim 12 in which the job object includes an
identification attribute characterizing one or more identification features
including one or more of a security setting, authentication, security
information, payment information, subscription information, and user
identification.
15. The medium of claim 12 in which the job object
includes a job attribute characterizing one or more job features including one
or more of a job priority or quality of service feature, job status information
indicating status of the output job, a job instruction feature indicating one or
more of job queuing, cancellation, execution, and output priority.
16.
The medium of claim 1 further comprising software for managing communication
with the information apparatus.
17. The medium of claim 1 further
comprising software for invoking a separate application for interpreting or
processing the digital document obtained and generating the output data.
18. The medium of claim 17 in which the separate application runs on the
application server.
19. The medium of claim 17 in which the separate
application runs at a network nodes other than the application server.
20. The medium of claim 17 in which the separate application includes at
least part of a device driver.
21. The medium of claim 1 further
comprising software for providing interaction between the data output server
software and one or more databases that store profiles of subscribers to an
output service supported by the data output server software.
22. The
medium of claim 1 in which the document object includes the output content.
23. The medium of claim 1 in which the document object includes a
pointer or reference to the output content.
24. The medium of claim 1 in
which the output content is stored on a device other than the information
apparatus.
25. The medium of claim 1 in which the document object
includes one or more document instruction attributes that include instructions
for one or more of viewing, obtaining, opening, interpreting, encoding,
decoding, converting, compressing, decompressing, rasterizing, authenticating,
encrypting, decrypting, or manipulating the output content.
26. The
medium of claim 1 in which the document object includes software code.
27. The medium of claim 1 in which the document object includes a
reference or pointer to another object.
28. The medium of claim 1 in
which the output device object includes an output device identification
attribute that includes one or more of an output device brand indication, a
model indication, an identification number indication, an output device type
indication, and a network address indication.
29. The medium of claim 1
in which the output device object includes an output device services attribute
that includes one or more of a color or grayscale output indication, a laser or
inkjet output indication, a duplex indication, an output quality indication, and
a price per page indication.
30. The medium of claim 1 in which the
output device object includes an output device language attribute that indicates
one or more output data languages supported by the output device.
31.
The medium of claim 1 in which the output device object includes an output data
format attribute that indicates one or more output data formats supported by the
output device.
32. The medium of claim 1 in which the output device
object includes a payment information attribute that indicates payment
information on one or more output services provided by the output device.
33. The medium of claim 1 in which the output device object includes a
security attribute that indicates one or more security or authentication
requirements supported by the output device.
34. A data output software
system in a computing device, comprising:
means for receiving at a
computing device a document object corresponding to output content managed with
an information apparatus;
means for receiving at the computing device at
least part of an output device object with one or more attributes corresponding
to an output device for rendering the output content, the computing device being
distinct from the information apparatus and the output device;
means for
generating an output data employing at least partly the document object and the
output device object, the output data relating to the output content for
rendering at the output device; and
means for transmitting the output
data for rendering of the output content at the output device.
35. The
system of claim 34 in which the transmitting of the output data includes
transmitting the output data to the information apparatus for delivering the
output data to the output device.
36. The system of claim 34 in which
the transmitting of the output data includes a wireless network.
37. The
system of claim 34 in which the transmitting of the output data includes
transmitting directly to the output device via a network.
38. The system
of claim 34 further comprising means for obtaining a digital document
corresponding to the document object from a network node other than the
information apparatus.
39. The system of claim 38 in which the digital
document is included in a file server.
40. The system of claim 34
further comprising means for obtaining one or more output device attributes
corresponding to the output device and not included in the output device object,
the one or more output device attributes being obtained from a network node
other than the information apparatus.
41. The system of claim 34 further
comprising means for receiving a job object with one or more attributes
characterizing the rendering of the output content.
42. The system of
claim 41 in which the job object is obtained selectively if information
corresponding to the one or more attributes characterizing the rendering of the
output content is not included in the document object or the output device
object.
43. The system of claim 41 in which the job object is obtained
in response to a query sent to the information apparatus from the server.
44. The system of claim 41 in which the job object is obtained as
default information stored at the computing device.
45. The system of
claim 34 further comprising means for managing communication with the
information apparatus.
46. The system of claim 34 further comprising
means for invoking a separate application for interpreting or processing the
digital document obtained and generating the output data.
47. The system
of claim 46 in which the separate application runs on an application server.
48. The system of claim 46 in which the separate application runs at a
network nodes other than the computing device.
49. The system of claim
46 in which the separate application includes at least part of a raster image
processor.
50. The system of claim 46 in which the separate application
includes at least part of a device driver.
51. The system of claim 34
further comprising means for providing interaction between the computing device
and one or more databases that store profiles of subscribers to an output
service supported by the data output computing device software.
52. The
system of claim 34 in which the output device includes a printer.
53.
The system of claim 34 in which the information apparatus includes a portable
computing device.
54. The system of claim 34 in which the computing
device includes a server.
55. A data output server software system in a
computing device, comprising:
means for receiving at a server at least
part of a document object corresponding to output content managed with an
information apparatus;
means for receiving at the server at least an
indication of an output device for rendering the output content, the server
being distinct from the information apparatus and the output device;
means for generating an output data employing at least partly the
document object and the output device indication, the output data relating to
the output content for rendering at the output device; and
means for
transmitting the output data to the information apparatus for delivering the
output data to the output device for rendering.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Present invention relates to
providing digital content to an output device and, in particular, to providing
pervasive output in which an information apparatus can pervasively output
digital content to an output device regardless of the processing power, display
screen size and memory space of the information apparatus.
BACKGROUND
AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As described herein, information
apparatuses refer generally to computing devices, which include both stationary
computers and mobile computing devices (pervasive devices). Examples of such
information apparatuses include, without limitation, desktop computers, laptop
computers, networked computers, palmtop computers (hand-held computers),
personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet enabled mobile phones, smart
phones, pagers, digital capturing devices (e.g., digital cameras and video
cameras), Internet appliances, e-books, information pads, and digital or web
pads. An output device may include any one or more of fax machines, printers,
copiers, image and/or video display devices (e.g., televisions, monitors and
projectors), and audio output devices.
For simplicity and convenience,
hereafter, the following description may refer to an output device as a printer
and an output process as printing. However, it should be understood that the
term printer and printing used in the discussion of present invention may refer
to a specific example used to simplify description or may be one exemplary
embodiment. The reference to printer and printing used here is intended to be
applied or extended to the larger scope and definition of output devices and
should not be construed as restricting the scope and practice of present
invention.
Fueled by ever-increasing bandwidth and processing power and
ever-increasing numbers of wireless mobile devices and available software
applications for pervasive devices, millions of users are or will be creating,
downloading, and transmitting content and information using their pervasive
computing devices. As a result, there is a need to allow users to easily output
content and information from their pervasive computing devices to any output
device. People need to output directly and conveniently from their pervasive
information apparatus, without depending on synchronizing with a stationary
computer (e.g., desktop personal computer) for printing, as an example.
To illustrate, an information worker at an airport receiving Email in
his hand-held computer may want to walk up to a nearby printer or fax machine to
have his e-mail printed. In addition, the mobile worker may also want to print a
copy of his to-do list, appointment book, business card, and his flight schedule
from his mobile device. As another example, a user reading a news article using
his/her Internet-enabled pager or mobile phone may want to print out the
complete article instead of reading it through the small screen on the pager or
mobile device. In still another example, a user visiting an e-commerce site
using his mobile phone may want to print out pictures of the product he/she is
buying because the pictures (image and/or graphics) may not be displayed on the
small screen of his/her mobile phone. In yet another example, a user who takes a
picture with a digital camera may want to easily print it out to a nearby
printer. In still another example, a user with a mobile device may want to
simply walk up to a printer and conveniently print a file that is stored on the
mobile device or that is stored on a network (e.g., Internet, corporate network)
and accessible from the mobile device, such as a PowerPoint® display application
document, word processing document, or a document in any other file format such
as PDF, HTML, JPEG etc. In addition, a user should also be able to print a web
page or a book or a report published on the Internet. Finally, a user may want
to output a complete web page or any document or file to a larger display screen
nearby, even though the small screen of his/her mobile device cannot completely
display or open a document of such a size.
Conventionally, an output
device (e.g., a printer) is connected to an information apparatus via a wired
connection such as a cable line. A wireless connection is also possible by
using, for example, radio communication or infrared communication. Regardless of
wired or wireless connection, a user must first install in the information
apparatus an output device driver (e.g., printer driver in the case the output
device is a printer) corresponding to a particular output device model and make.
Using a device-dependent or specific driver, the information apparatus may
process output content or digital document into a specific output device's input
space (e.g., printer input space). The output device input space corresponds to
the type of input that an output device (e.g., a printer) understands (herein
referred to as output data or print data in the case the output device is a
printer). For example, the printer input space or print data may include printer
specific input format (e.g., one or more of an image format, graphics format,
text format, audio format, video format, file format, and data format),
encoding, language (e.g., page description language, markup language etc),
instructions, protocols or data that can be understood or used by a particular
printer make and model.
Output data may be proprietary or published or a
combination of the two. An output device's input space or output data is
therefore, in general, device dependent. Different output device models may have
their own input spaces specified, designed or adopted by the output device
manufacturer (e.g., the printer manufacturer) according to a specification for
optimal operation. Consequently, different output devices usually require use of
specific output device drivers (e.g., printer drivers) for accurate output
(e.g., printing). For example, a printer driver may control, manage,
communicate, and output print data to a printer. Sometimes, instead of using a
device driver (e.g., printer driver), the device driving feature may be included
or as part of an application software.
Installation of a device driver
(e.g., printer driver) or application may be accomplished by, for example,
manual installation using a CD or floppy disk supplied by the printer
manufacturer. Or alternatively, a user may be able to download that particular
driver or application from a network. For a home or office user, this
installation process may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours
depending on the type of driver and user's sophistication level with computing
devices and networks. Even with plug-and-play driver installation, the user is
still required to execute a multi-step process for each printer or output
device.
This installation and configuration process adds a degree of
complexity and work to end-users who may otherwise spend their time doing other
productive or enjoyable work. Moreover, many unsophisticated users may be
discouraged from adding new peripherals (e.g., printers, scanners, etc.) to
their home computers or networks to avoid the inconvenience of installation and
configuration. Therefore, there is a need to provide a manner in which a user
can more conveniently or easily output digital content to an output device
without the inconvenience of finding and installing new device drivers or
printer drivers.
In addition, conventional output or printing methods
may pose significantly higher challenges and difficulties for mobile device
users than for home and office users. The requirement for pre-installation of a
device-dependent driver diminishes the benefit and concept of mobile (pervasive)
computing and output. For example, a mobile user may want to print or output
e-mail, PowerPoint® presentation documents, web pages, or other documents in an
airplane or at an airport, gas station, convenient store, kiosk, hotel,
conference room, office, home, etc. It is highly unlikely that the user would
find at any of these locations a printer of the same make and model as is at the
user's base station. It is usually not a viable option to preinstall all of the
possible hundreds, or even thousands, of printer drivers or device drivers
available to the user's information apparatus.
As a consequence, the
user would currently have to install and configure a printer driver each time at
each such remote location before printing. Moreover, the user may not want to be
bothered with looking for a driver or downloading it and installing it just to
print out or display one page of email at the airport. This is certainly an
undesirable and discouraging process to promote pervasive or mobile computing.
Therefore, a more convenient or automated printing and output solution is needed
so that a user can simply walk up to an output device (e.g., printer or display
device) and easily output a digital document without having to install or
pre-install a particular output device driver (e.g., printer driver).
Another challenge for mobile users is that many mobile information
apparatuses have limited memory space, processing capacity and power. These
limitations are more apparent for small and low-cost mobile devices including,
for example, PDAs, mobile phones, screen phones, pagers, e-books, Internet Pads,
Internet appliances etc. Limited memory space poses difficulties in installing
and running large or complete printer or device drivers, not to mention multiple
drivers for a variety of printers and output devices. Slow processing speed and
limited power supply create difficulties driving an output device. For example,
processing or converting a digital document into output data by a small mobile
information apparatus may be so slow that it is not suitable for productive
output. Heavy processing may also drain or consume power or battery resources.
Therefore, a method is needed so that a small mobile device, with limited
processing capabilities, can still reasonably output digital content to various
output devices.
Finally, some small mobile devices with limited display
screens, such as mobile phones, may in some cases be limited to display only a
few lines of text. Browsing the Internet with such devices can be a
disappointing experience when viewing, for example, complex web pages containing
rich formats, graphics, and images. Furthermore, some small mobile devices may
not have appropriate applications to display complex documents or languages such
as PDF-format files, word processing documents and PowerPoint® presentation
documents etc. Typically, if an application is available, displaying complex
original documents on small mobile devices may require downsizing the document
or page into, for example, a few lines of text. As an example, WAP protocol,
I-Mode, and web clipping among others may downsize, reduce or truncate
information on the original web page for display on mobile devices. Therefore,
it is desirable to allow mobile users to output from their small information
apparatuses to an output device the full richness of the original document
content.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One implementation of
the present invention provides an easy, friendly and convenient process for
digital output. Unlike conventional output or printing, a user does not have to
manually pre-install a device driver (e.g., printer driver) from a CD, floppy
disk, or download the driver somewhere from a network. This is well-suited for
providing output capability to small and lower-cost mobile devices with limited
memory space, power supply and processing capability to still be able to output
or print to an output device.
In addition, this allows small mobile
devices with limited display, processing power, and memory to be able to output
a digital document (e.g., PDF, HTML, PowerPoint etc) in its full original
richness, without resorting to downsizing, truncating, reducing, clipping or
otherwise altering the original document. A user can output the original content
or document even when the small mobile device cannot display or fully display
the original digital document or content.
Finally, one implementation
provides a convenient method allowing users to output to an output device with
or without connection to a static network. Through local communication and
synchronization between information apparatus and output device, hardware and
software installation for static or permanent network connectivity may not be
necessary for the output device.
Additional objects and advantages of
the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the
preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block
diagram of a pervasive output system that can implement the process and
apparatus of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams
illustrating exemplary configurations of hardware components of wireless
communication units.
FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate various configurations and
implementations of output controller with respect to an output device such as a
printer.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a pervasive output process of the
present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an exemplary
implementation of a discovery process optionally included in the output process
of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary client application
process included in the output process of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a flow
diagram of an exemplary server application process utilized in the output
process of FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary final output
process for pervasive output.
FIGS. 9A-9F show a series of exemplary
graphical user interfaces (GUIs) rendered at different times on a display screen
of an information apparatus.
FIG. 10A is an exemplary block diagram of a
conventional printing system or printer with a conventional printer controller.
FIG. 10B is an exemplary block diagram of a conventional output system
or an output device such as a printing system or printer that does not include a
conventional printer controller.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
Sets forth below are definitions of terms that are used in
describing implementations of the present invention. These definitions are
provided to facilitate understanding and illustration of implementations of the
present invention and should in no way be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention to a particular example, class, or category.
Objects
An object may refer to a software and data entity, which may reside in
different hardware environments or platforms or applications. An object may
encapsulate within itself both data and attributes describing the object, as
well as instructions for operating that data. For simplicity of discussion, an
object may also include, for example, the concept of software components that
may have varying granularity and can consist of one class, a composite of
classes, or an entire application.
It is important to note that the term
object is not limited to software or data as its media. Any entity containing
information, descriptions, attributes, data, instructions etc. in any
computer-readable form or medium such as hardware, software, files based on or
including voice, text, graphics, image, or video information, electronic signals
in analog or digital form, etc., are all valid forms of object definition.
An object may also contain in one of its fields or attributes a
reference or pointer to another object, or a reference or pointer to data and or
content. (The terms reference and pointer may be used interchangeably herein.) A
reference to an object or any entity or content may include one or more, or a
combination of, pointers, identifiers, names, paths, addresses or any
descriptions relating to a location where an object, data, or content can be
found. Examples of reference may include universal resource identifier scheme
(URI), uniform resource locator (URL), IP address, file names, directory
pointers, software object and component pointers, and run-time address, among
others.
By way of example, a document object described in the present
invention may contain or encapsulate one or more digital documents and/or one or
more pointers or references to digital documents. Therefore, moving or passing
document objects in connection with the present invention may include moving or
passing (1) actual digital content or (2) reference to the actual content or (3)
both. It will be appreciated that the document object can be quite small and
lightweight if it does not also contain the digital document. These are examples
of valid implementations and may be used in the description of present
invention. Different implementations in different situations can be easily
discerned and recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the art.
An
object can reside anywhere in a network and can be transmitted to different
environments, platforms, or applications. Downloading or transferring an object
over the network may involve protocols such as file transfer protocol (FTP) or
hypertext transfer protocol (http), among others. Transferring an object may
also involve using messages or other methods through an object or component
model. Three major objects used and described in present invention are output
device object (or printer object in the case the output device is a printer),
job object, and document object.
Output Device Object (or Printer Object
in the Case the Output Device is a Printer)
An output device object may
contain one or more attributes that may identify and describe, for example, the
capabilities and functionalities of a particular output device such as a
printer. An output device object may be stored in the memory component of an
output device. As described below in greater detail, an information apparatus
requesting output service may communicate with an output device. During such
local service negotiation, at least a partial output device object may be
uploaded to the information apparatus from the output device. By obtaining the
output device object (or printer object in the case of a printer), the
information apparatus may learn about the capability, compatibility,
identification, and service provided by the output device.
As an
example, an output device object or printer object may contain one or more of
the following fields and or attribute descriptions. Each of following fields may
be optional, and furthermore, each of the following fields or attributes may or
may not exist in a particular implementation (e.g., may be empty or NULL).
- Identification of an output device (e.g., brand, model, registration, IP
address etc.)
- Services and feature sets provided by an output device (e.g., color or
grayscale output, laser or inkjet, duplex, output quality, price per page,
quality of service, etc.)
- The type of input languages, formats, and or output data (e.g.,
PostScript, PCL, XML, RTL, etc.) supported by an output device.
- Device specific or dependent profiles (e.g., output device profiles,
printer profiles, color profiles, halftoning profiles, communication profiles
etc.). Device profiles may include information such as color tables,
resolution, halftoning, dpi (dots-per-inch), bit depth, page size, printing
speed, etc. One or multiple profiles may exist.
- Payment information on a plurality of services provided by an output
device.
- Information or security requirements and type of authentication an output
device supports.
- Date and version of the output device object (e.g., printer object).
- Software components containing algorithms or instructions or data, which
may be uploaded to run in an information apparatus, as described with
reference to FIG. 1. For example, a graphical user interface (GUI)
software component may be uploaded to an information apparatus. The software
component may be incorporated into or launched in the information apparatus by
a client application of present invention to capture a user's preferences
(e.g., print quality, page layout, number of copies, number of card per page,
etc.). The client application may capture these user preferences and create a
job object, as described below.
- Pointer or reference to any one or more output device parameters (output
device parameters include one or more of the above described output device
object fields and or attribute descriptions). For example, a more up-to-date
or original version of output device parameters may sometimes be stored in a
network node. An output device or may include pointer or pointers to these
output device parameters.
- Pointer or reference to another object or objects, including output device
object, job object (described below) or document object.
Job
Object
A job object may contain attributes and information that describe
an output job. A user may provide some or all of these attributes, preferences
and or information about the output job consciously by, for example, specifying
his/her preference through a GUI or through defaults in his/her information
apparatus. Alternatively or in combination, a job object may be obtained without
active user intervention. In one instance, default parameters may be provided,
obtained, negotiated or calculated without user knowledge.
Examples of
attributes and information contained in a job object may include one or more of
the following, among others. Each of following fields may be optional, and
furthermore, each of the following fields or attributes may or may not exist in
a particular implementation (e.g., may be empty or NULL):
- Preferences such as print quality, page layout, number of pages, number of
cards per page, output size, color or grayscale, among others.
- Information on security, authentication, payment, subscription,
identification among others.
- Information on priority or quality of service.
- Status information of the output job or process.
- Job instructions such as queuing, cancellation, execution, output priority
among others.
- Version or date of the job object.
- Sets of default parameters or instructions. The defaults may be stored in
an output device, in the information apparatus, or in any network nodes.
- Pointer or reference to any one of the above mentioned information,
instructions, preferences and defaults.
- Pointer or reference to another object or objects.
Document Object
A document object may contain
attributes and fields that describe a digital document and or reference or
references to digital document or documents. The term digital document as used
herein may refer to any digital content or data content that an output device
may output. A digital document may contain text, graphics, image, sound, voice,
forms, and video, among other content types. Examples of a digital document may
be any one or combination of file types: HTML, VHTML, PostScript, PCL, XML, PDF,
MS Word, PowerPoint, JPEG, MPEG, GIF, PNG, WML, VWML, CHTML, HDML, ASCII, 2-byte
international coded characters, etc. A digital document can be composed of any
format, language, encoding, data or combination, and the digital document may be
partially or totally proprietary or otherwise. A digital document may be used
interchangeably with the term output content or data content in the descriptions
of present invention.
A document object may contain one or more of the
following attributes, fields, or descriptions. Each of the following fields may
be optional, and furthermore, each of the following fields or attributes may or
may not exist in a particular implementation (e.g., may be empty or NULL).
- The actual digital document or output content.
- A pointer or reference to a digital document or output content and or
instructions of where a digital document can be found and or retrieved. A
digital document may be located in a user's information apparatus, in an
application, or anywhere in a network node (e.g., in a content or file
server). Using a pointer or reference to a digital document may reduce the
size of the document object. Therefore, this may be beneficial, for example,
when passing or uploading a document object from information apparatus to
server application through a narrow bandwidth communication link.
- Date and version of the digital document.
- A history with the dates and descriptions of any changes, modifications,
and updates made to the document since its creation.
- Descriptions and instructions for viewing, obtaining, opening,
interpreting, encoding, decoding, compressing, decompressing, rendering,
converting, describing, processing, and manipulating the digital document.
- Status and state of the digital document. For example, one of the fields
may provide priority or instructions of when or where to use the reference to
digital document or the actual digital document itself if they are both
contained in a document object.
- Pointer or reference to another object or objects.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a pervasive output system 98 that can implement the
process and apparatus of present invention. In one implementation, electronic
system 98 includes an information apparatus 100, an application
server 110 and a content server 114 (sometimes referred to as
"network nodes") that are connected together through network 108.
Electronic system 98 may also include an output device 106 that
communicates with information apparatus 100 through a communication link
116.
Network 108 generally refers to any type of wire or
wireless link between multiple computing devices. Examples of network 108
may include, but are not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN), or a combination of networks. In one embodiment of the present
invention, network 108 may include the Internet. In another embodiment,
network 108 may contain multiple networks, including local area networks
or wide area networks such as the Internet.
Information apparatus
100 is a computing device with processing capability. In one embodiment,
information apparatus 100 may be a mobile computing device such as
palmtop computer, handheld device, laptop computer, personal digital assistant
(PDA), smart phone, screen phone, e-book, Internet pad, communication pad,
Internet appliance, pager, digital camera, etc. It is possible that information
apparatus 100 may also include a static computing device such as a
desktop computer, workstation, server, etc.
Information apparatus
100 may contain components (not shown) such as a processing unit, a
memory unit, a storage unit and an input/output control unit. Information
apparatus 100 may also contain an interface (not shown) for interactions
with users. The interface may be implemented in software or hardware or a
combination. Examples of such interfaces include, without limitation, one or
more of a mouse, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive or non-touch-sensitive screen,
push buttons, soft keys, a stylus, a speaker, a microphone, etc.
Information apparatus 100 typically contains at least one network
communication unit that interfaces with other electronic devices such as other
nodes in network 108 or output device 106. The network
communication unit may be implemented with hardware (e.g., silicon chipsets,
antenna), software (e.g., protocol stacks, applications) or a combination.
Sometimes an information apparatus 100 may contain more than one
communication unit in order to support different interfaces, protocols, and or
communication standards with different devices and or network nodes. For
example, information apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 may communicate
with output device 106 through a Bluetooth standard interface while
communicating with other network nodes (e.g., content server 114 or
application server 110) through a cellular telephone modem interface.
Information apparatus 100 may be coupled to network 108
through wired or wireless connections, or a combination of them. As an example,
information apparatus 100 may subscribe to a wireless data network in
which packet data is transmitted through, for example, radio links between
information apparatus 100 and a plurality of base stations. A wireless
communication connection may include a cellular telephone communication channel.
As another example, information apparatus 100 may be connected to network
108 through wired lines such as, without limitation, telephone lines,
Ethernet, WAN links (e.g., T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25) or broadband connections (e.g.,
ISDN, Frame Relay and ATM), among others.
In one embodiment of present
invention, interface 116 between information apparatus 100 and
output device 106 is a wireless interface. As an example, the wireless
interface may be a short-range radio interface such as those implemented
according to the Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 standard. However, the interface may
be realized by other means of wireless communication such as radio, infrared,
ultrasonic or hydrophonic among others. The HomeRF Shared Wireless Access
Protocol (SWAP) and one of many standards for cellular communication may
constitute alternatives to the Bluetooth standard. Wired line connections such
as serial or parallel interface, USB interface and fire wire (IEEE 1394)
interface, among others, are also possible. Connection to a local network such
as an Ethernet or a token Ring network, among others, may also be implemented in
the present invention for local communication between information apparatus
100 and output device 106. Exemplary hardware components of
communication units that may be used to implement wireless interface between the
information apparatus 100 and output device 106 are described
below with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
Information apparatus
100 may be a dedicated device (e.g., email terminal, web terminal,
digital camera, e-book, web pads, internet appliances etc.) with functionalities
that are pre-configured by manufacturers. Alternatively, information apparatus
100 may allow users to install additional hardware components and or
application software to expand its functionality.
Information apparatus
100 may contain a plurality of applications to implement its feature sets
and functionalities. As an example, a document browsing application 103
may be implemented to help a user view and perhaps edit, partially or entirely,
digital documents written in certain format or language (e.g., Page description
language, markup language, etc.). Digital documents may be stored locally in the
information apparatus 100 or in a network node (e.g., in content server
114). An example of a document browsing application is an Internet
browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, or a WAP browser. Such
browsers may use one or more standard protocols (e.g., HTTP, WAP, web clipping,
I-Mode, etc.) to retrieve and display digital content written in mark-up
languages such as HTML, WML, XML, CHTML, HDML, among others. Other software
applications may also constitute examples of the document browsing application
of the present invention. For example, a document editing software such as
Microsoft Word™ also allows users to view and edit digital documents that have
various file extensions (e.g., doc, rtf, html, XML etc.) whether stored locally
in the information apparatus or in a network node.
In some instances
restrictions may be imposed on the format or size of digital content that may be
transmitted to information apparatus 100, such as when information
apparatus 100 has limited processing power, screen size, memory space, or
a limited application, or when bandwidth is a valuable resource in the
transmission link to information apparatus 100 (such as in some wireless
data network). As a result, there are situations where a user may not be able to
view on information apparatus 100 the full content of a digital document
in its original form using a document browsing application. For example, some
images, tables, graphics, fonts and formats in a digital document may be
"clipped" out or completely or partially altered from the original content
before or during the transmission process. Such restrictions may be, sometimes,
imposed by a service providing the content, or by the application rendering the
content, or by the user to avoid slow transmission etc.
To address the
difficulties described above, information apparatus 100 includes a
pervasive output client application 102 that provides pervasive output
capability of the present invention. Client application 102 may include
software and data that can be executed by the processing unit of information
apparatus 100. Client application 102 may be implemented as a
stand-alone software application or as a part or feature of another application
software, or in the form of device driver, which may be invoked, shared and used
by other application software. Pervasive output client application 102
may also have means to invoke other applications (e.g., a document browsing
application, a communication manager, etc.) to provide certain feature sets, as
described below. Client application 102 may be variously implemented in
an information apparatus 100 and may run on different operating systems
or platforms. As an example, client application 102 may include one or
more of the following functionalities:
- Obtain output device object as a result of communication or negotiation
with output device 106.
- Obtain document object (1) from user input or selection, or (2) from other
applications (e.g., a document browsing application) residing in the
information apparatus 100.
- Coordinate with a server application 112 residing in application
server 110 to manage the process of communication and transmission of
objects or data to and from application server 112.
- Coordinate with output device 106 that include an output controller
104 to manage the process of transmitting output data (or print data in
the case of printers) received from the server application 112 for
output.
The client application may also optionally comprise
one or more of the following functionalities:
- Communicate directly or indirectly (such as through an operating system or
component or object model or message, etc.) with other applications residing
in the same information apparatus 100 to obtain objects, data, and or
content needed, or relating to the pervasive output process of present
invention.
- Directly or indirectly manage and utilize functionalities provided by
hardware components residing in its host information apparatus such as the
communication unit, storage unit, memory unit, etc.
- Provide a graphical user interface (GUI) in its host information apparatus
100 to interact with user.
- Obtain job object. Job object may be obtained (1) by user input through a
GUI, or (2) by using default values stored in a network node or in the output
device, or (3) the combination of the above. Default values may be pre-set or
may be obtained calculated or generated by the client application as result of
communication or negotiation between client application 102, output
device 106 and or server application 112.
- Launch or provide an interface, session or emulation for server
application 112.
- Further process output data or print data received from server application
112 before sending the data to output device 106 for final
output. The processing may include converting the output data into a form
(e.g., format, language, or instruction) more acceptable to or compatible with
the associated output device 106. The processing may also include at
least in part one or more raster image processing operations such as
rasterization, scaling, color management, color conversion, halftoning,
compression, decompression, etc.
- Launch, invoke, integrate or involve a helper application to assist at
least in part in the processing of the output data.
The above
functionalities and process of pervasive output client application 102
are described in further detail in the pervasive output process with reference
to FIG. 4.
Output device 106 is an electronic system
capable of outputting digital content or data content regardless of whether the
output medium is a substrate (e.g., paper), display, projection, or sound. A
typical example of output device 106 may be a printer, which outputs
digital documents containing text, graphics, image or any combination onto a
substrate. Output device 106 may also be a display device capable of
displaying still images or video, such as, without limitation, televisions,
monitors, and projectors. Output device 106 can also be a device capable
of outputting sound. Any device capable of playing or reading digital content in
audio (e.g., music) or data (e.g., text or document) formats is also a possible
output device 106. A printer (including a fax machine, copier, etc.) is
frequently referred to herein as the exemplary output device 106.
However, it should be recognized that the present invention applies also to
output device 106 other than printers.
Outputting a data content
or output content at an output device (e.g. printers, display devices,
projection devices, sound output devices etc.) includes rendering the output
content on a specific output medium (e.g., papers, display screens etc). For
example, rendering an output content at a printer generates image on a
substrate; rendering an output content at a display device generates image on a
screen; and rendering an output content at an audio output device generates
sound.
A conventional printing system includes three basic components: a
raster image processor, a memory buffer, and a marking engine. The raster image
processor converts digital content into a raster suitable for printing; the
memory buffer holds the rasterized image ready for printing; and the marking
engine transfers colorant to a substrate (e.g., paper).
Marking engine
may use any of a variety of different technologies to transform a rasterized
image to paper or other media or, in other words, to transfer colorant to a
substrate. The different marking or printing technologies that may be used
include both impact and non-impact printing. Examples of impact printing may
include dot matrix, teletype, daisywheel, etc. Non-impact printing technologies
may include inkjet, laser, electrostatic, thermal, dye sublimation, etc.
The marking engine and memory buffer of a printer form its printer
engine, which may also include additional circuitry and components, such as
firmware, software or chips or chipsets for decoding and signal conversion, etc.
Input to a printer engine is usually a final rasterized print data that is
generated by the raster image processor. Such input is usually device dependent
and printer specific. The printer engine may take this device dependent input
and generate output pages.
FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary block
diagram of one conventional printing system or printer 1000A that
includes a printer controller 1010, a memory buffer 1004, and a
marking engine 1006. The printer controller 1010 includes an
interpreter 1001 and a raster image processor 1002.
The
Raster image processor (RIP) may be located within an output device itself (as
shown by raster image processor 1002 in FIG. 10A) or externally
implemented as hardware, software, or a combination (not shown). As an example,
RIP may be implemented in a software application or device driver in the
information apparatus 100. A RIP may also reside within a printer
controller 1010 (as shown by raster image processor 1002 in FIG.
10A), a print server or an output controller 104 of present
invention. Examples of raster image processing operations may include image and
graphics interpretation, rasterization, scaling, segmentation, color space
transformation, image enhancement, color correction, halftoning, compression
etc.
When a RIP 1002 is located inside an output device
106, the RIP 1002 is usually included in a printer controller
1010 (as shown in FIG. 10A). A printer controller 1010 may
interpret, convert or rasterize input print data in the form of a page
description language (e.g., PostScript, PCL), markup language (e.g., XML) or
other special document format or language into a final format, language or
instructions that printer engine 1008 can understand.
A variety
of other page description languages, markup languages, image formats, graphic
formats, and file formats may be used as input print data to a printer
1000A or output device 106. Examples of possible inputs other than
PostScript and PCL may include without limitation, EMF, XML, HTML, among many
others. Some printer manufacturers may also employ a combination of proprietary
or non-proprietary page description languages, markup languages, file formats,
graphics and image formats, color spaces, metafiles, encoding, decoding,
compression or decompression etc. for the print data. The print data sent to a
printer with printer controller 1010 is usually an intermediate
description of a digital document that may require further interpretation,
processing or conversion before the print data can be sent to a printer engine
1008 for output. A printer controller 1010 may interpret and
process the input intermediate print data into a final format that can be
understood by the printer engine 1008. Regardless of the type of print
data, conventionally, a user may need a device-specific driver in his or her
information apparatus 100 in order to output the proper language, format,
or file that can be accepted by a specific printer or output device 106
FIG. 10B shows another exemplary conventional output system or an output
device 1000B. An output system or output device may include one or more
of a printing system or device, a display system or device, a projection system
or device, or a sound system or device. In the case that the output system or
device is a printer, the printer with reference to FIG. 10A does not have a
printer controller 1010. A typical example of printer 1000B is a
lower-cost inkjet printer. RIP operations in this example may be implemented in
a software application or device driver in an information apparatus 100
that outputs to such a printer 1000B. Conventionally, a device-specific
driver or application may need to reside in the information apparatus 100
to rasterize and convert the digital document from its original format into
final print data (for example a compressed CMKY data with one or more bits per
pixel) that can be understood by a particular printer engine 1008B.
Regardless of type or sophistication level, different output devices
106 conventionally need different printer drivers or output management
applications in the information apparatus 100 to provide output
capability. Some mobile devices may have limited memory and processing power to
store or process multiple device drivers. It may also be infeasible to install
or preinstall multiple device dependent or specific printer drivers in such
mobile devices. In pervasive output operations of the present invention
described below, various device specific drivers or applications may be
available and may be executed completely or partially in a remote application
server 110, thereby reducing the workload of information apparatus
100 and realizing device-independent pervasive output.
In one
implementation, output device 106 includes at least a communication unit
or adapter to interface with information apparatus 100, as described
below in greater detail. Output device 106 may sometimes include more
than one communication unit in order to support different interfaces, protocols,
or communication standards with different devices. For example, output device
106 may communicate with a first information apparatus 100 through
a Bluetooth interface while communicating with a second information apparatus
100 through a parallel interface, and so on. Exemplary hardware
components of a wireless communication unit are described below with reference
to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
Output device 106 may also include an output
controller 104 to help manage communication and negotiation processes
with information apparatus 100. Output controller 104 may be
dedicated hardware or software or combination of both for at least one output
device 106. Output controller 104 may also be integrated,
installed, or connected externally to one or more output devices 106. In
such cases the output controller 104 may sometimes be referred to as
print server or output server.
The difference between output controller
104 and printer controller 1010 should be noted. Printer
controller 1010 and output controller 104 are both controllers and
are both dedicated hardware and or software for at least one output device
106. Output controller 104 refers to a controller with feature
sets, capabilities, and functionalities of the present invention. Printer
controller 1010 may contain functions such as interpreting an input page
description language, raster image processing, and queuing, among others. Output
controller 104 may also contain partially or all the features of a
printer controller 1010, plus the feature set, functionalities,
capabilities, and processes of present invention.
In one embodiment,
output controller 104 does not include a communication unit, but rather
utilizes or manages a communication unit residing in the associated output
device 106. In another embodiment, output controller 104 may
include or provide a communication unit to output device 106. For
example, an output controller 104 with a wireless communication unit may
be installed internally or connected externally to a legacy printer to provide
it with wireless communication capability that was previously lacking.
FIGS. 3A-3C show exemplary implementations of output controller
104 to illustrate that it may be implemented in a variety of ways. The
output controller 104 may be connected externally to an output device
106 or integrated internally into the output device 106. FIG. 3A
shows that output controller 104 may be implemented as a circuit board or
a card that is installed inside an output device 106 and may include
software, hardware, or both. FIG. 3C shows that output controller 104 may
be implemented as an external box or station that is wired or wirelessly
connected to an output device 106. Such an external box or station may
contain its own user interface. One example of such an implementation is a print
server connected to an output device 106. FIG. 3B shows another
configuration in which the functionalities of output controller 104 may
be integrated into an existing printer controller 1010 (referred to as
"combined controller") which can be internally or externally (not shown)
connected to output device 106. A combined controller 104B has
functionalities of both printer controller 1010 (e.g., input
interpretation and or raster image processing) and output controller 104
of the present invention. Under this configuration, the functionalities of
output controller 104 and printer controller 1010 may share the
same resources, such as processing unit, memory unit, etc.
Other
possible implementations of output controller 104 may include, for
example, a conventional personal computer (PC), a workstation, and an output
server or print server. In these cases, the functionalities of output controller
104 may be implemented using application software installed in a computer
(e.g., PC, server, or workstation), with the computer connected with a wired or
wireless connection to an output device 106. Using a PC, server,
workstation, or other computer to implement the feature sets of output
controller 104 with application software is just another possible
embodiment of the output controller 104 and in no way departs from the
spirit, scope and process of the present invention.
Regardless of its
manner of implementation, the output controller 104 will usually include
hardware, software, or a combination. For example, an output controller
104 may include components using one or more or combinations of an
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor
(DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), firmware, system on a chip, and
various communication chip sets. Output controller 104 may also contain
embedded processors with software components or embedded application software to
implement its feature sets, and functionalities.
Output controller
104 may contain an embedded operating system. With an operating system,
some or all functionalities and feature sets of the output controller 104
may be provided by application software managed by the operating system.
Additional application software may be installed or upgraded to newer versions
in order to, for example, provide additional functionalities or bug fixes.
Output controller 104 typically includes a memory unit, or may
share a memory unit with, for example, printer controller 1010. The
memory unit, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory and disk drive among others, may
provide persistent or volatile storage. The memory unit may store objects,
codes, instructions or data (collectively referred to as software components)
that implement the functionalities of the output controller 104. Part of
the software components (e.g., the printer object) may be uploaded to
information apparatus 100 during a data output operation.
Functionalities and components of output controller 104 for the
purpose of providing pervasive output may include:
- Input components and operations for receiving service requests from a
plurality of information apparatuses 100.
- Storage components and operations for storing partial or the entire
printer or output object in a memory component.
- Transmission components and operations for transmitting partial or the
entire printer or output object to the information apparatus 100
requesting pervasive output service. The output controller 104 may
transmit the output device object in one or multiple sessions.
- Receiving components and operations for receiving output data (e.g., print
data) from information apparatus 100 and sending the data to output
device 106 or output engine (or printer engine) 1008.
In addition to the above functionalities, output controller
104 may further optionally include one or more of the following:
- Response components and operations to respond to service request from an
information apparatus 100 (e.g., in a discovery process, described
below) by providing at least a partial output device object (e.g., printer
object for printers).
- Broadcast components and operations to broadcast or advertise the services
provided by a host output device 106 to an information apparatus
100 that may request such services.
- Payment components and operations for implementing payment processing and
management functions by, for example, calculating and processing payments
according to the services requested or rendered to a client (information
apparatus 100).
- Components and operations for implementing job management functionalities
such as queuing and spooling among others.
- User interface components and operations for providing a user interface
(e.g., display screen, touch button, soft key, etc.) when it is implemented as
an external box connected to an output device 106.
- Security components and operations for implementing security or
authentication procedures. For example, the output controller 104 may
store in its memory component (or shared memory component) an access control
list, which specifies what device or user may obtain service from its host (or
connected) output device 106. Therefore, an authorized information
apparatus 100 may gain access after confirming with the control list.
- Processing components and operations to further process the output data.
The processing of the output data may include converting the output data into
a form (e.g., format, language, and or instruction) at least more acceptable
to or compatible with the associated output device 106 or output engine
or printer engine 1008. The processing may also include at least in
part one or more raster image processing operations such as rasterization,
scaling, color management, color conversion, halftoning, compression,
decompression etc.
When output controller 104 is
implemented as firmware, or an embedded application, the configuration and
management of the functionalities of output controller 104 may be
optionally accomplished by, for example, using controller management software in
a host computer. A host computer may be a desktop personal computer (PC),
workstation, or server. The host computer may be connected locally or through a
network to the output device 106 or the controller 104.
Communication between the host computer and the output controller 104 can
be accomplished through wired or wireless communication. The management
application software in the host computer can manage the settings,
configurations, and feature sets of the output controller 104.
Furthermore, host computer's configuration application may download and or
installed application software, software components and or data to the output
controller 104 for the purpose of upgrading, updating, and or modifying
the features and capabilities of the output controller 104.
Output device 106 in one implementation includes or is connected
to output controller 106 described above. Therefore, functionalities and
feature sets provided by output controller 106 are automatically included
in the functionalities of output device 106. The output device 106
may, however, implement or include other controllers and/or applications that
provide at least partially the features and functionalities of the output
controller 104.
Therefore, the output device 106 may
include some or all of the following functionalities:
- Components and operations to receive multiple service requests or queries
(e.g., a service request, a data query, an object query etc.) from a plurality
of information apparatus 100 and properly respond to them by returning
software components, which may contain data, codes, instructions and/or
objects.
- Components and operations to receive, from information apparatus
100 device-specific output data containing the digital document
intended for output.
- Components and operations to output final output data or print data on a
substrate or in another medium such as display screen.
An
output device may further comprise optionally one or more of the following
functionalities:
- Components and operations for establishing and managing a communication
link with an information apparatus 100 requesting service;
- Components and operations to store and/or further process input print data
or output data.
- Components and operations for storing partial or the entire output device
object (e.g. printer object) in a memory component.
- Components and operations to advertise or broadcast services provided or
available to an information apparatus 100 that may request such
services.
- Components and operations for implementing payment processing and
management functions by, for example, calculating and processing payments
according to the services requested by or rendered to a client (information
apparatus 100).
- Components and operations for implementing job management functionalities
such as queuing and spooling among others.
- Components and operations for providing a user interface (e.g., display
screen, touch button, soft key, power switch, etc.).
- Components and operations for implementing security or authentication
procedures. For example, the output device 106 may store in its memory
component (or a shared memory component) an access control list, which
specifies what device or user may obtain service from it. Therefore, an
authorized information apparatus 100 may gain access after confirming
with the control list.
- Components and operations to process the output data. The processing of
the output data may include converting the output data into a form (e.g.,
format, language, and or instruction) more acceptable or compatible to the
associated printer controller 1010, output engine or printer engine
1008. The processing may also include at least partially one or more
raster image processing operations.
Application server
110 is a node on network 108. An application server 110 may
include computing capability, data storage capability, and mechanisms for
servicing requests from a plurality of client computers (referred to as
clients), including the information apparatus 100, needing computational
or data storage resources. A server typically includes processing unit, memory
unit, storage unit, input/output control unit, and a communication unit, among
others. Application server 110 may also include an interface to interact
with users. The interface may be implemented with, for example, display screen,
touch-sensitive screen, keyboard, mouse, stylus, push button, microphones and
speakers among others.
Application server 110 preferably includes
at least an operating system for supporting a plurality of application software
to implement the functionalities of the application server 110 and to
provide services to its clients (e.g., information apparatus 100). To
provide services to multiple clients at the same time, the application server
110 may run a multi-user operating system that enables multiple
concurrent users to log on and run applications in separate, protected sessions.
Application server 110 typically includes a server application
112 that may include software and data to be executed in the processing
unit of a server node. The server application 112 may include one or more
of the following functionalities:
- Components and operations to receive data and/or objects (with at least a
output device object and a document object) from client application
102.
- Components and operations to process the objects received to generate
device-dependent output data acceptable to one or more output devices
106 selected by a user. The server application 112 may perform
the processing function independently or in combination with other
applications.
- Components and operations to transmit output data back to the client
application 102.
The server application 112 may
optionally include one or more of the following functionalities:
- Components and operations to obtain digital document (output content) from
other network node if it is not included or completely included in the
document object received from client application 102.
- Components and operations to obtain output device parameters if they are
not included or completely included in the output device object received from
client application 102.
- Components and operations to obtain job object or relating parameters if
it is not included or completely include in the composite message received
from client application 102. The server application 112 may
obtain job object by querying user or by assuming default values. For example,
if a user did not specify print or output range, the server application
112 may assume the default by printing or outputting all pages.
- Components and operations to manage and coordinate communication with an
information apparatus 100 requesting output service.
- Components and operations to identify, invoke and or incorporate
appropriate applications (residing in the application server 112 or in
other network nodes) to help interpret and or process the digital document
obtained and generate output data. The processing of the digital document may
include converting the digital document into an output data related at least
in part to the output device object. The processing may also include at least
in part one or more raster image processing operations such as rasterization,
scaling, color management, color conversion, halftoning, compression,
decompression, etc.
- Components and operations to interact with (e.g., store, update, verify,
etc.) one or more databases that store profiles of information apparatuses
100 and/or users who have subscribed to output service provided by the
server application 112.
- Components and operations to implement an independent computing
architecture where the execution of the server application 112 may
occur entirely in the application server 110. The GUI of the
application 112, keystrokes and mouse clicks are transmitted over the
network 108 to and from the client such as a user's information
apparatus 100.
It should be noted that, in the example
shown here, server application 112 is illustrated as the only application
in application server 110. But in actuality, more than one application
may exist in the application server 110 and the applications may provide
various services to different clients. It is also possible that the
functionalities and feature sets of the server application 112 may be
implemented with multiple applications residing in the same server, multiple
servers (e.g., in a server farm), or network nodes or combination.
Content server 114 may represent one of a plurality of server
nodes on network 108 that may store digital documents 116. The
digital documents stored in content server 114 may be viewed or edited by
a user using an information apparatus 100. As an example, the content
server 114 may be a web server that hosts a plurality of web pages
written in mark up languages such as HTML, WML, XML, HDML, CHTML, among others.
A user may view web pages using an Internet browsing application such as
Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, a WAP browser, etc. As another example,
the content server 114 may be a file server that allows multiple clients
to store and share digital files with appropriate security or authentication
procedures. These digital files or documents may contain one or more of image,
text, graphics, sound and video. The files may be saved in various file formats
(e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, Postscript, JPEG, GIF, MPEG, etc.). A
user may need to have appropriate application on his/her information apparatus
100 to access, view and edit these files.
It should be noted that
in FIG. 1 content server 114 and application server 110 are shown
as distinct server nodes. However, it is possible that application server
110 and content server 114 belong to the same domain, or the
functionalities of these two servers may be implemented with different
applications executed in a single network node or server.
Further
description of the functionalities and feature sets of different devices and
applications illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided below in reference to a pervasive
output process shown in FIG. 4.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are block
diagrams illustrating two exemplary configurations of hardware components of
wireless communication units. Referring to FIG. 2A, a radio adapter 200
may be implemented to enable data/voice transmission among devices (e.g.,
information apparatus 100 and output device 106) through radio
links. A RF transceiver 214 coupled with antenna 216 is used to
receive and transmit radio frequency signals. The RF transceiver 214 also
converts radio signals into and from electronic signals. The RF transceiver
214 is connected to a RF link controller 210 by an interface
212. The interface 212 may perform functions such as
analog-to-digital conversion, digital-to-analog conversion, modulation,
demodulation, compression, decompression, encoding, decoding, and other data or
format conversation functions.
RF link controller 210 implements
real-time lower layer (e.g., physical layer) protocol processing that enables
the hosts (e.g., information apparatus 100, output controller 104,
output device 106, etc.) to communicate over a radio link. Functions
performed by the link controller 210 may include, without limitation,
error detection/correction, power control, data packet processing, data
encryption/decryption and other data processing functions.
A variety of
radio links may be utilized. A group of competing technologies operating in the
2.4 GHz unlicensed frequency band is of particular interest. This group
currently includes Bluetooth, Home radio frequency (Home RF) and implementations
based on IEEE 802.11 standard. Each of these technologies has a different set of
protocols and they all provide solutions for wireless local area networks
(LANs). Interference among these technologies could limit deployment of these
protocols simultaneously. It is anticipated that new local area wireless
technologies may emerge or that the existing ones may converge. Nevertheless,
all theses existing and future wireless technologies may be implemented in the
present invention without limitation, and therefore, in no way depart from the
scope of present invention.
Among the current available wireless
technologies, Bluetooth may require relatively lower power consumption.
Bluetooth has its own protocol stack and is designed for short range (10
meters), point-to-multipoint voice and data transfer. It is based on a
frequency-hopping version of spread spectrum. Seventy-nine hop frequencies are
utilized beginning at the lowest frequency of 2402 MHz and each of the 79 hop
frequencies is 1 MHz above the next lower frequency. Bluetooth-enabled devices
operate in piconets, in which several devices, using the same hopping pattern or
sequence, are connected in a point-to-multipoint system (piconet). There is one
device (master) in each piconet that determines how the bandwidth is allocated
to other devices (slaves). As many as 10 piconets of 8 devices each can operate
simultaneously.
Referring to FIG. 2B, one or more infrared (IR) adapters
220 may be implemented to enable data transmission among devices through
infrared transmission. The IR adapters 220 may be conveniently
implemented in accordance with the Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standards
and specifications. In general, the IrDA standard is used to provide wireless
connectivity technologies for devices that would normally use cables for
connection. The IrDA standard is a point-to-point (vs. point-to-multipoint as in
Bluetooth), narrow angle, ad-hoc data transmission standard designed to operate
over a distance of 0 to 1 meter and at speeds up to 4 Mbps.
Configuration of infrared adapters 220 may vary depending on the
intended rate of data transfer. FIG. 2B illustrates one embodiment of infrared
adapter 220. Transceiver 226 receives/emits IR signals and
converts IR signals to/from electrical signals. A UART (universal asynchronous
receiver/transmitter) 222 performs the function of
serialization/deserialization, converting serial data stream to/from data bytes.
The UART 222 is connected to the IR transceiver 226 by
encoder/decoder (ENDEC) 224. This configuration is generally suitable for
transferring data at relatively low rate, for example 115.2 kbps or below. Other
components (e.g., packet framer, phase-locked loop) may be needed for higher
data transfer rates.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate exemplary hardware
configurations of wireless communication units. Such hardware components may be
included in devices (e.g., information apparatus 100, output controller
104, output device 106, etc.) to support various wireless
communications standards. Wired links, however, such as parallel interface, USB,
Firewire interface, Ethernet and token ring networks may also be implemented in
the present invention by using appropriate adapters and configurations.
FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate various configurations and implementations of
output controller 104.
In the configuration illustrated by FIG.
3A, output controller 104A may be installed, for example as one or more
boards or cards containing both hardware and software, inside output device
106(A). The output device 106(A) may or may not have inside it a
printer controller 1010 (FIG. 10). In the case that output device
106(A) includes a printer controller 1010 (not shown), the output
controller 104 may co-exist with the printer controller 1010 and
other components of the output device 106(A). One example of this
implementation is to connect or cascade output controller 104A
sequentially or serially with the printer controller 1010.
In
another implementation shown by FIG. 3B, the functionalities of output
controller 104 and printer controller 1010 (FIG. 10) may be
combined into a single controller, sometimes referred to as combined controller
104(B). The combined controller 104(B) may be implemented, for
example, as one or more boards or cards containing both hardware and software,
inside output device 106(B). This implementation may help to reduce the
cost of material when compared to implementing two separate controllers. As an
example, the combined controller 104(B) may share common processors,
memories, and storage units to run the applications and functionalities of the
two types of controllers and, therefore, may have lower component cost. The
combined controller can also be implemented as an external box or station (not
showed) connected to the output device 106. This connection could be
wired or wireless.
In the third implementation shown in FIG. 3C, the
output controller 104C may be implemented in a separate box or server or
station connected externally to output device 106C. The communication
link between output controller 104C and output device 106C may be
a wired or wireless link. The output device 106C may or may not have
inside it a printer controller 1010 (FIG. 10). If the output
device 106C does not contain a printer controller 1010 inside, the
externally connected output controller 104C may optionally contain the
functionalities of printer controller 1010 and therefore, provide raster
image processing capability as an additional feature.
The above are
exemplary implementations and configurations of output controller 104.
Other implementations are also possible. For example, partial functionalities of
output controller 104 may be implemented in an external box or station
while the remaining functionalities may reside inside an output device
106 as a separate board or integrated with a printer controller
1010. As another example, the functionalities of output controller
104 may be implemented into a plurality of external boxes or stations
connected to the same output device 106. As a further example, the same
output controller 104 may be connected to service a plurality of output
devices 106. Variously implemented output controllers 104 should
not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention provided that they
all support the functionalities and feature sets described herein.
FIG.
4 is a flow diagram of a pervasive output process 401 of the present
invention. Pervasive output process 401 allows an information apparatus
100 to output digital content or document in its original form to an
output device 106 regardless of processing power, display screen size, or
memory space of information apparatus 100. Pervasive output process
401 may include or utilize:
- A client application 102, in an information apparatus 100,
obtaining objects; with at least one object including a document object and
another object including an output device object (or printer object in the
case of a printer);
- A client application 102 transmitting objects to a server
application 112;
- A server application 112 obtaining and processing the document
object and converting it into output data, reflecting at least in part a
relationship to said output device object;
- A server application 112 transmitting output data to the
information apparatus 100 including a client application 102;
- The information apparatus 100 including a client application
102 transmitting output data to an output device 106;
- An output device 106 generating output with the output data.
Pervasive output process 401 may be initiated by a user
in step 400. Typically, a user initiates output process 401 by
invoking a client application 102 in his/her information apparatus
100. The client application 102 may be launched as an independent
application or it may be launched from other applications 103 (such as
from a document browsing, creating or editing application) or as part of or
component of or a feature of another application 103 residing in the same
information apparatus 100. When launched from another application
103, the client application 102 may obtain information, such as a
partial or an entire document object, from that another application 103.
This can be accomplished, for example, by one or combinations of messages or
facilitated through an operating system or a particular object or component
model etc. The client application maybe a device driver in this example.
During output process 401, a user may need to select one or more
output devices 106 for output service. An optional discovery process step
404 may be implemented to help the user select an output device
106. During the discovery process step 404, a user's information
apparatus 100 may (1) search for available output devices 106; (2)
provide the user with a list of available output devices 106; and (3)
provide means for the user to choose one or more output devices 106 to
take the output job. An exemplary discovery process 404 is described
below in greater detail with reference to FIG. 5.
The discovery
process 404 may sometimes be unnecessary. For example, a user may skip
the discovery process 404 if he or she already knows the output device
(e.g., printer) 106 to which the output is to be directed. In this case,
the user may simply connect the information apparatus 100 to that output
device 106 by wired connections or directly point to that output device
106 in a close proximity such as in the case of infrared connectivity. As
another example, a user may pre-select or set the output device or devices
106 that are used frequently as preferred defaults. As a result, the
discovery process 404 may be partially or completely skipped if the
default output device 106 or printer is found to be available.
In
stage 406, the client application 102 may interact with output
device 106, the user, and or other applications residing in the same
information apparatus 100, to obtain (1) a document object, (2) an output
device object and (3) any other optional objects such as a job object. These
objects may be obtained sequentially, concurrently, or in any order. It should
be noted that some of the objects or partial objects might have been acquired in
prior steps. For example, the client application 102 may have obtained
partially or entirely document objects or related information when the client
application 102 was launched from or by another application. As another
example, a partial output device object may have been uploaded to the
information apparatus 100 during the optional discovery process
404. The client application 102 may create a composite message
including these objects (document object, output device object and other
optional objects) and transmit the composite message to server application
112 for processing, as described below in greater detail with reference
to FIG. 6.
The server application 112, after receiving
such a composite message from the client application 102, may in step
408 processes the document object or objects contained in the composite
message and convert it or them into output data. Additional helper applications
may be needed to help in this processing task. The processing and generation of
output data may reflect at least in part a relationship to the output device
object and or job object contained in the composite message received from client
application 102. The output data generated may be transmitted back to the
information apparatus 100, requesting output service or process
401 via network 108. An exemplary implementation of a server
application process is described below with reference to FIG. 7.
In step 410, information apparatus 100 transmits output
data, with or without further processing, to the selected output device
106 through a local communication link 116. Preferably, the output
data is in a format or language acceptable to or compatible with the output
device 106 selected by the user. When receiving output data from
information apparatus 100, an output device 106 may simply buffer
the output data before sending it to output engine (or printer engine)
1008 for final output. In cases where an output device 106
includes or is connected to a printer controller 1010, output controller
104 or a combined controller, such controllers may further process the
output data received from information apparatus 100 before sending the
output data to printer engine 1008 for final output. Further processing,
if it exists, may include at least partially conversion operations and or raster
image processing operations on the output data. The output controller 104
may also provide queuing or spooling or other job management features. An
exemplary implementation of such an output process is described below with
reference to FIG. 8.
The steps included in pervasive output
process 401 may proceed automatically when a user requests output
service. Alternatively, a user may be provided with options to proceed, cancel,
or input information at each and every step. For example, after the client
application process step 406 is finished, the user may be asked whether
or not he or she wishes to continue to communicate with a remote application
server. As another example, a user may cancel the output service at any time by,
for example, indicating a cancellation signal or command or by terminating the
client application or by shutting down the information apparatus 100 etc.
A printer is used as a primary output device 106 in this example.
It should be recognized, however, that pervasive output process 401
described above can be similarly applied to other output devices such as fax
machines, digital copiers, display screens, monitors, televisions, projectors,
voice output devices, among others.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an
exemplary implementation of a discovery process 520, which may be an
optional step to help a user locate one or more output devices 106 for an
output job. The discovery process 520 may, however, be skipped partially
or entirely. Implementation of discovery process 520 may require
compatible hardware and software components residing in both the information
apparatus 100 and the output device 106.
The discovery
process 520 may include or utilize:
- A client application 102 in an information apparatus 100
communicating with available output devices 106 to obtain information
such as partial or complete output device object or objects.
- A client application 102 that provides to the user information on
each available and or compatible output device 106.
- User selection or determination by a client application 102
(automatically or not) of one or more devices 106 for output service
from the available or compatible output devices 106.
Various protocols and or standards may be used during
discovery process 520. Wireless communication protocols are preferred.
Wired communication, on the other hand, may also be implemented. Examples of
applicable protocols or standards may include, without limitation, Bluetooth,
HAVi, Jini, Salutation, Service Location Protocol, and Universal Plug-and-play
among others. Other proprietary protocols or combination may also be implemented
in the discovery process 520. However, these different protocols,
standards, or combination shall not depart from the spirit and scope of present
invention.
In one implementation an application (referred here for
simplicity of discussion as a "communication manager," not shown) residing in
the information apparatus 100 helps communicate with output device
106, manage service requests and discovery process 520. The
communication manager may be a part of or a feature of the client application
102. Alternatively or in combination, the communication manager may also
be a separate application. When the communication manager is a separate
application, the client application 102 may have the ability to
communicate, manage or access functionalities of the communication manager.
The discovery process 520 may be initiated manually by a user or
automatically by a communication manager when the user requests an output
service with information apparatus 100.
In the optional step
500, a user may specify searching or matching criteria. For example, a
user may indicate to search for color printers and or printers that provide free
service. The user may manually specify such criteria each time for the discovery
process 520. Alternatively or in combination, a user may set default
preferences that can be applied to a plurality of discovery processes
520. Sometimes, however, no searching criteria are required¡ªthe
information apparatus 100 may simply search for all available output
devices 106 that can provide output service.
In step 501,
information apparatus 100 searches for available output devices
106. The searching process may be implemented by, for example, an
information apparatus 100 multi-casting or broadcasting or advertising
its service requests and waiting for available output devices 106 to
respond. Alternatively or in combination, an information apparatus 100
may "listen to" service broadcasts from one or more output devices 106
and then identify the one or more output devices 106 that are needed or
acceptable. It is also possible that multiple output devices 106 of the
same network (e.g., LAN) register their services with a control point (not
shown). A control point is a computing system (e.g., a server) that maintains
records on all service devices within the same network. An information apparatus
100 may contact the control point and search or query for the needed
services.
In step 502, if no available output device 106
is found, the communication manager may provide the user with alternatives
504. Such alternatives may include, for example, aborting the discovery
process 520, trying discovery process 520 again, temporarily
halting the discovery process 520, or being notified when available
output device 106 is found. As an example, the discovery process
520 may not detect any available output device 106 in the current
wired/wireless network. The specified searching criteria (if any) is then saved
or registered in the communication manager. When the user enters a new network
having available output devices 106, or when new compatible output
devices 106 are added to the current network, or when an output device
106 becomes available for any reason, the communication manager may
notify the user of such availability.
In step 506, if available
output devices 106 are discovered, the communication manager may obtain
some basic information, or part of or the entire output device object, from each
discovered output device 106. Examples of such information may include,
but not limited to, device identity, service charge, subscription, service
feature, device capability, operating instructions, etc. Such information is
preferably provided to the user through the user interface (e.g., display
screen, speaker, etc.) of the information apparatus 100.
In step
508, the user may select one or more output devices 106 to take
the output job. If the user is not satisfied with any of the available output
device 106, the user may decline the service. In this case, the user may
choose to try again in step 510 with some changes made to the searching
criteria. Alternatively, the user may choose to terminate the service request.
In step 512, with one or more output devices 106 selected
or determined, the communication link between information apparatus 100
and the selected output device or devices 106 may be "locked". Other
output devices 106 that are not selected may be dropped. The output
process 520 may then proceed to a client application process 601
referenced in step 406 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram
of an exemplary client application process 601 that may include or
utilize:
- A client application 102 that obtains an output object or objects
as a result of communication and or negotiation with an output device
106.
- A client application 102 that obtains a document object (1) from
user input or selection, or (2) from other applications (e.g., document
browsing application) residing in the same information apparatus 100.
- A client application 102 that coordinates with server application
112 to manage the process of communication and transmission of a
composite message (including at least a printer object and a document object)
to the server application 112 for further processing.
Step 600 indicates that client application 102
obtains a document object. To assemble or create a document object, the client
application 102 may need to obtain output content (or a digital document)
or pointers to the output content, or both. In cases where the output content is
downloaded or partially downloaded to a user's information apparatus 100,
the client application 102 may include both the output content and
pointers to the output content in its document object. In cases where the output
content is not downloaded to the information apparatus 100, the client
application 102 may include only pointers to the output content in the
document object.
There are various ways that a client application
102 may obtain a digital document or a pointer or reference to the
digital document. In one embodiment, the client application 102 may
provide a GUI with which a user can directly input the pointer or reference
(e.g., URL, IP address, filename, path, etc.) of a digital document stored
locally or in a network node. This manual process may be facilitated by, for
example, providing a GUI with which users may select one or more pointers from a
list of pointers or references of digital documents stored locally or in a
remote network node. For instance, through a GUI provided by the client
application 102, a user may see and select pointers of digital documents
stored in a remote file server. In this case, the document object created by the
client application 102 may contain only pointers or references to the
output content.
In another embodiment, the client application 102
may obtain output content or pointer to output content from another application
in the same information apparatus 100. As an example, a user may (1)
launch the client application 102, and (2) invoke another application
103 (e.g., document editing and or browsing application) residing in the
same information apparatus 100 to view or download the digital document.
As another example, a user may (1) run another application 103 (e.g.,
document editing and or browsing application) residing in the same information
apparatus 100 to view or download the digital document; and (2) launch or
invoke the client application 102. In these cases, the client application
102 may communicate with another application 103 (e.g., document
browsing application) to obtain pointers to the digital document and or the
digital document itself (if it has been downloaded locally for viewing) to be
included in document object.
It should be noted that the document object
may have been partially or entirely obtained by the client application
102 in previous steps such as in step 400 of FIG. 4 in which the
client application 102 is initiated. As an example, a user may (1) view
or download a digital document (stored locally or in a network node) by using a
document browsing application on the information apparatus 100, and (2)
request output service by launching the client application 102 (as in
step 400). The client application 102 may then communicate with
the document browsing application to obtain the document object (including
digital document and or pointers to the digital document). In this case, step
600 may be partially or entirely skipped.
In some instance such
as in document browsing applications, a user may be limited to viewing or
downloading only part of, or a reduced version of, the original digital document
stored in a network node. This may be due to small screen size, limited
bandwidth, memory size, and lack of application support, among other issues. In
these cases, the client application 102 may allow the user to choose to
output the original digital document or the reduced sized document. In the case
of the original document, the document object created by the client application
102 may, for example, contain only references or pointers to the original
output content stored in a server or network node. In the case where user wants
to output the reduced version document that has been downloaded locally, the
client application 102 may include in the document object one or more of
(1) the obtained reduced output content (2) the reference to the reduced content
in the server or network node, and (3) pointer or pointers to the original
output content.
In another instance, for example, with a document
browsing application, a user may see only the name or path to output content
without being able to download or open it due to, for example, no compatible
applications residing on the information apparatus 100, small display
screen etc. According to the present invention, however, a user may still be
able to output the original digital document by indicating to the client
application 102 the pointer or reference of the output content. For
example, the user may select or highlight the name or path of the output content
through a GUI provided by the document browsing application. In this case, the
document object created by the client application 102 may contain only
pointers to the output content.
A document object may also contain
instructions. Instructions in an object may provide description, operation, and
status information of the content or data of the document object, etc. For
example, instructions may provide information about the changes or differences
between an output content included in a document object relative to the original
output content (stored in a network node) that is pointed to by the reference
field in the document object. The output content included in a document object
may be an edited or altered version while the output content referred to by the
pointers may be the original version.
It should be noted that some
output content may be publicly available to all users (e.g., generic web pages)
while other output content may be restricted to one or a group of users (e.g.,
secure documents stored in a corporate network). In the latter case,
authentication information such as a password, user name, id number, biometric
information, digital certificate or security key, among others, may need to be
provided to the server application 112 for accessing and or fetching the
digital document with reference to a pointer or reference. In one example, such
authentication information may be included in document object, printer object,
or job object. In another example, server application 112 may prompt the
user to enter authentication information through a UGI in information apparatus
100 when necessary.
Step 602 indicates whether an output
device object is obtained. In the case where an output device object is not
obtained, then in step 604, with one or more output devices 106
selected, the client application 102 may communicate with the selected
output device or devices 106 to upload output device objects or related
information stored in memory or storage components of the output device or
devices 106. It should be noted that a partial or entire output device
object or related information might have been already obtained by the client
application 102 during the prior optional discovery process (520
and step 402 in FIG. 4). In this case, step 604 may be
partially or entirely skipped.
To successfully obtain the output device
object or objects from the selected output device or devices 106, several
additional optional processes may be involved. As an example, authentication may
be necessary when the selected output device 106 provides service to a
restricted group of users. A simple authentication may be implemented by, for
example, comparing the identity for the information apparatus 100 with an
approved control list of identities or elements stored in the output device
106. Other more complex authentication and encryption schemes may also be
used. Information such as user name, password, ID number, signatures, security
keys (physical or digital), biometrics, fingerprints, voice, among others, may
be used separately or in combination as authentication means. Such
identification and or authentication information may be manually provided by the
user or automatically detected by the selected output device or devices
106. With successful authentication, a user may gain access to all or
part of the services provided by an output device 106. The output device
object that the client application 102 obtains may vary according to the
type or quality of service requested or determined. If authentication fails, it
is possible that a user may be refused partially or completely all access to the
service. In this case, the user may be provided with alternatives such as
selecting another output device 106 or alternative services.
Another optional process is that a user may be asked to provide payment
or deposit or escrow before, during or after output service. Examples of payment
or deposit may include cash, credit card, bankcard, charge card, smart card,
electronic cash, among others. The output controller 104 may provide
payment calculation or transaction processing as optional feature sets.
It should be noted that a plurality of information apparatuses
100 may request to obtain output device object or objects from the same
output device 106 at the same time or at least during overlapping
periods. The output device 106 may have components or systems to manage
multiple communication links and provide the output device object or objects
concurrently or in an alternating manner to multiple information apparatuses
100. Alternatively, an output device 106 may provide components or
systems to queue the requests from different information apparatuses 100
and serve them in a sequential fashion according to a scheme such as first come
first serve, quality of service, etc. Multi-user communication and service
management capability with or without queuing or spooling functions may be
implemented by, for example, the output controller 104 as optional
feature sets.
Step 606 indicates that the client application
102 may optionally obtain a job object. A job object may include a user's
preferences and parameters relating to the output job or process. The client
application 102 may obtain a job object by, for example, capturing a
user's output preferences through a GUI. In one instance, the client application
102 may provide a universal GUI to a user regardless of what output
device 106 is selected. Through such an interface, the user may specify
some device-independent parameters such as page range, number of cards per page,
number of copies, etc. Alternatively or in combination, the client application
102 may incorporate device-dependent features and preferences into the
GUI provided to user. The device dependent portion of the GUI may be supported
partially or entirely by some information contained in or provided by the output
device object obtained from the selected output device 106. Examples of
such device dependent features may include quality of service, service fee,
print quality, color or grayscale, duplex or single sided, output page size,
among others.
It is possible that some or all components, attributes or
fields of a job object have default values. The client application 102
may have certain defaults such as those hard-coded in software or hardware or
pre-configured by the user or a manufacturer. In addition, the client
application 102 may access a file to obtain default values or by other
means such as communicating with the output device 106, the server
application 112 or other applications in the information apparatus
100 or in a network node. The client application 102 may also
create or calculate certain default values based on the information it has or
obtained during the output process. These default values may be related, at
least in part, to the output device object and or the server application
112 involved in the output process. In some instances, a user may or may
not have an opportunity to change or overwrite some or all defaults. The client
application 102 may obtain and use some or all defaults with or without
user intervention or knowledge.
In step 608, the client
application 102 may create or assemble a composite message. A composite
message may be any type of data transferred across network 108 that may
include one or more transmissions. A composite message typically includes
partially or entirely the objects (with some default values) obtained by the
client application 102 in previous steps.
In step 610, the
client application 102 transmits the composite message to server
application 112. The client application 102 may communicate with
the server application 112 using one or more or a combination of standard
network protocols such as WAP, Web Clipping, I-Mode, TCP/IP, SPX/IPX, PPP,
NetBEUI, Apple Talk, among others. Proprietary network protocols or a
combination that includes them may also be used. The communication link between
information apparatus 100 and application server 112 may be
implemented with one or a combination of standard network connections and
communication links such as telephone lines, LAN or WAN links (T1, T3, 56 kb,
X.25, etc.), broadband connections (ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM etc), wireless
connection (radio link, inferred, microwave, etc.) as well as the Internet or
corporate Intranets.
In addition to the composite message, the client
application 102 and server application 112 may also exchange
various types of messages back and forth to, for example, request service,
confirm service availability, configure protocol stack, or confirm or
acknowledge receipt of the previous message, among other messages. The server
application 112 may also prompt the client application 102 to send
or resend some components or objects of the composite message if such components
or objects are incomplete, missing or corrupted. The server application
112, however, may also try to fill in default values (if available) for
some or all of the information missing in the composite message. Encode/decode,
compression/decompression and/or encryption techniques may be used to facilitate
the transmission of the composite message.
There is a possibility that
the application server 112 only provides services to users who have
subscribed to such services. In this case, a user may be prompted to log in or
sign up when he or she requests service from the server application 112.
The server application 112 may receive composite messages or
service requests from a plurality of client applications 102 at the same
time or at least during overlapping periods. It is therefore, beneficial that
the server application 112 runs on a multi-user operating system that
enables multiple concurrent users to run applications in separate, protected
sessions.
It should be recognized that FIG. 6 illustrates only one
example of the client application process 406 described with reference to
FIG. 4. Other implementations are also possible. As an example, the
client application 102 may obtain document objects, output device objects
and optional job objects in any combination of order or sequence, or may obtain
them concurrently. As another example, step 610 (transmitting composite
message) may proceed before step 608 (creating composite message) is
finished. In other words, during the process when client application 102
is obtaining objects from the user, output device 106, or other
applications in the same information apparatus 100, the client
application 102 may also communicate with the server application
112 concurrently or in alternating times to transmit partially or
completely the objects it has obtained.
FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an
exemplary server application process 701. Typically, an application
server 110 is a much more powerful computing device than a mobile
information apparatus 100. The server 110 may contain a plurality
of applications to interpret, process, or rasterize digital documents into
output data. Therefore, in one implementation the core computation of an output
process is executed in the application server 110. The server application
process 701 may include or utilize:
- A server application 112 that receives a composite message
(including an output device object and a document object) from client
application 102.
- A server application 112 that processes the objects received to
generate device-dependent output data acceptable to one or more output devices
106 selected by a user. The server application 112 may perform
the processing function independently or in combination with other
applications.
- A server application 112 that transmits output data back to the
information apparatus 100 requesting output service or services.
In step 700, server application 112 receives a
composite message from client application 102. As mentioned earlier, the
composite message may include one or more of a document object, an output device
object and an optional job object.
After receiving the composite message
from client application 102, the server application 112 may
process the document object and convert it into output data. The output data
generated is preferred to be in a format or language acceptable or compatible to
the output device or devices 106 selected by the user.
In some
cases, the document object or output device object in a composite message may
include only references, pointers and or instructions. Such a configuration may,
for example, reduce the size of the composite message and therefore make it
easier to transmit through a network. In another case, the document object or
output device object in a composite message may include missing or incomplete
information. Digital document (e.g., output content) or output device parameters
may not be available or completely available in the document object or the
output device object, respectively. In these cases, as shown in step 704,
the server application 112 may need to find or fetch partially or
entirely the output content or device parameters from network nodes or otherwise
obtain the content or parameters according to the pointers, references or
instructions provided by the objects. For example, an output device object
received in a composite message may contain insufficient output device
parameters¡ªonly the brand name and model number of a selected output device
106 may be provided. In this case, the server application 112 may
either find or fetch the missing output device parameters according to pointers
or references provided in the output device object, or the server application
112 may consult a translation service or application in order to obtain
the complete output device parameters based on the partial or limited device
information that is available. If no further information or data can be found or
obtained, predefined defaults may be used to fill in missing information about
the output device 106 or alternatively a warning or an error message may
be provided to the user for either continuation or cancellation of the process.
Step 704 (obtaining output content and or device parameters) may
be entirely or partially skipped if the output content and output device
parameters are already included in the document object and output device object,
respectively.
In order to process a digital document into device
dependent output data, step 706 shows that the server application
112 may need to involve one or more helper applications. A helper
application is any application in the server 110 or other network node
that participates, helps or assists in the output process of the present
invention. Examples of helper applications may include, software components,
software applications, device drivers, printer drivers, etc. The helper
application or applications may perform one or more of the following tasks among
others:
- Open, parse, or interpret a particular digital document format or
language.
- Convert a digital document into an intermediate format, language or data.
- Process an input digital document into a raster format including, as an
example, one or more raster image processing operations such rasterization,
scaling, color correction, color matching, segmentation, halftoning,
compression, decompression etc.
- Convert or encode rasterized data into a device specific output data.
The helper applications may participate in the output process
in various ways. As an example, a server application 112 may involve one
or more helper applications to decode, parse, interpret, and or process a
digital document into an intermediate file, format, language or data. And then
the server application 112 may involve one or more helper applications to
further convert the intermediate result into output data. In another example,
the server application 112 may involve two or more groups of helper
applications. The first group of helper applications may decode, interpret, and
process a digital document into intermediate file, format, language or data. The
second group of helper applications may convert the intermediate results into
output data. A group may consist of one or more applications.
The server
application 112 may identify, locate, invoke, launch, and or integrate
the appropriate helper applications or its components based on the information
(e.g., output device parameters) provided in an output device object. A
translation service (e.g., database application, directory service) may provide
information to the server application 112 as to where to find, obtain, or
use the helper applications. The helper applications may reside locally in the
application server 110 or remotely in another network node. If a helper
application is located in another network node, the server application
112 may acquire or download the helper application to the application
server 110. Alternatively, the server application 112, considering
application availability or load balancing, may direct the digital document to
be processed in another server node where the helper application or applications
are run.
In some cases, however, the server application 112 may
have the ability to process and generate the correct output data without
involving additional helper applications and step 706 may be skipped. As
an example, the server application 112 may already contain software
components and feature sets capable of supporting and generating, different
print data or output data formats or language such as PostScript or PCL or XML
etc. Therefore, if the output device object indicates that the output device
106 is a PostScript printer or any other that it supports, the server
application 112 may not need to invoke, or download or incorporate a
helper application or a helper application component such as a PostScript
driver. The server application 112 may just proceed and convert the
digital document into a PostScript file as print data. PostScript is used here
as an example, other formats, languages, data used for other types of print data
or output data follows the same fashion.
When fetching output content or
device parameters or software components or drivers from other network nodes,
the server application 112 may need authentication information in order
to gain access. Such authentication information may be already stored in the
server application 112 (e.g., in a user profile), in the received objects
(e.g., job object, output device object or document object), or the user may
input authentication information as needed.
While processing digital
content in step 708, the server application 112 may also
distribute or send a presentation or GUI to a client device (e.g., information
apparatus 100) to inform the user of the processing status (shown in step
709). The presentation or GUI in the client device may also capture
user's preferences and inputs such as login information, security information
among other preferences or inputs. This client/server implementation described
here may provide an efficient computing environment. For example, logic for the
server application 112 may run in the application server 110 and
its distributed user interface may run in the client device (e.g., information
apparatus 100). Therefore, only data relating to keystrokes, mouse clicks
and screen updates may, as an example, travels through the network. This
client/server implementation may reduce bandwidth requirements. Such a GUI may
be implemented by, for example, instructing the client application 102 to
launch on the display screen of the client information apparatus 100 a
plurality of windows emulating the user interface of the server application
112. The presentation of the server application interface may be
displayed efficiently through these windows in the client application
102.
If the server application 112 receives no job object
or an incomplete job object in a composite message, the server application
112 may assume default values for the job object or optionally, as shown
in step 709, it may also launch a GUI in the information apparatus
100 as described above to obtain partially or entirely the job object
fields (job preference) from the user. Information provided in the job object
may be used in the process of generating output data (step 708).
It is noted that the output data (or print data in the case of a
printer) generated by the server application 112 may or may not be the
final output data or the final print data that can feed directly into an output
engine or a printer engine 1008. The output data sent to output device
106 through information apparatus 100 may in some cases need
further processing by an application in the information apparatus 100 or
by the output controller 104 or printer controller 1010 or
combination before finally being sent to output engine or printer engine
1008. All these different combinations of processes and tasks or load
distributions are possible implementations that shall fall within the scope and
spirit of the present invention.
In step 710, the server
application 112 transmits output data to the information apparatus
100 through network 108. Encryption techniques may be applied to
the output data to ensure security. Compression/decompression, encode/decode may
also be implemented to facilitate the transmission of output data over network
108.
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary final output
process 801 for pervasive output, which may include or utilize:
- A server application 112 transmits output data to information
apparatus 100.
- An information apparatus 100 transmits output data, with or without
further processing, to the output device 106 selected by the user.
- An output device 106 generates final output based on the input
output data with or without further processing.
After
receiving output data from server application 112, the information
apparatus 100 may then transmit the output data to the output device
106 selected by the user in step 806. In some cases, the client
application 102 may further process the output data (as shown in step
804). This further processing in the information apparatus 100 may
include one or more operations such as encoding, decoding, compression,
decompression, rasterization, scaling, color correction, halftoning,
watermarking, adding templates, name, time stamps, etc., as shown in step
804, before sending the output data to the output device 106
through communication link 116 in step 806. The client application
102 may involve other applications 103 for part or all of the
processing in step 804.
During the time when server application
112 processes a composite message, the communication link 116
between information apparatus 100 and output device 106 selected
by the user may be constantly maintained or it may be temporarily dropped and
then resumed for transmitting output data. Encryption techniques may be applied
to the output data to ensure security. Compression/decompression, encode/decode
may also be implemented to facilitate the transmission of output data over
communication link 116.
After receiving output data from
information apparatus 100, an output device 106 may simply buffer
the output data, as shown in step 810, before sending the data to output
engine (or printer engine in the case of a printer) 1008 for final
output. In cases where an output device 106 includes a printer controller
1010, output controller 104 or combined controller, such
controller may, jointly or individually, further process the output data (shown
in step 814) before sending the data to output engine or printer engine
1008 for final output.
It is possible that a plurality of
information apparatuses 100 may transmit output data to an output device
106 at the same time or at least during overlapping periods. It may then
become necessary to implement queuing or spooling functionality in the output
device 106. Preferably, the output device 106 stores output data
it receives in a queue until the output data can be processed. Such queuing and
spooling capability may be implemented partially or entirely by the output
controller 104 as an optional feature set. A user may be notified when
the output device 106 is ready to process a particular output job or the
status of the output job in the queue. Once the output device 106
completes the output service, the user may terminate the output process by
indicating such an intention through an interface on information apparatus
100 or by moving the information apparatus 100 out of the
communication range of the output device 106.
FIGS. 9A-9F show a
series of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) rendered at different times on a
display screen 901 of an information apparatus 100 to illustrate
one implementation of the output process 401 described with reference to
FIG. 4. The illustrated example of user interface can be implemented in
an information apparatus 100 with or without an operating system. The
user interface is illustrated here only as an example, other user interfaces may
also be implemented and in no way restrict the scope and claims of the present
invention.
Referring to FIG. 9A, screen 901 may be a part of an
information apparatus 100 such as, without limitation, palmtop, PDA,
mobile phone, pager, Internet appliance, web pads, e-book etc. In this
particular example, as shown in screen 901, a user is reading a news
article published on the Internet using a document browsing application in
information apparatus 100. Part of the article (e.g., photo 900)
cannot be fully displayed and so is indicated by a link or tag. The inability to
fully display photo 900 may arise from a variety of reasons including
limitations in display capacity, memory, processing power, or lack of support by
a service provider, application, communication protocols, or software protocols,
among other reasons.
As shown in FIG. 9A, a document browsing
application in the information apparatus 100 may have a plurality of
functions and feature sets available to the user through the GUI. A printing
function control 902 may be one of these features. The output or printing
functionality may be provided by accessing a client application 102 with
or without an operating system. In this illustrated example, the user may invoke
the output function by selecting the print function control or icon 902.
The user can make the selection by using, for example, any of a keyboard,
keypad, mouse, stylus, soft keys, push buttons, software command, touch
sensitive screen, voice-activated command, among others. Other display methods
or functionalities or feature sets such as a drop down list, a pull down menu,
among others, are also possible.
When the user selects Print function
control 902, the client application 102 may be invoked or
launched. The output process 401 described with reference to FIG. 4 may
then proceed. The client application 102 may obtain a document object
(e.g., the news article and or the pointer of the new article) from the document
browsing application. As described earlier, the user may be able to choose to
output the reduced digital document (e.g., without photo 900) as
displayed in the information apparatus 100 or to output the full digital
document in its original form (e.g., with photo 900). We assume for this
example that the user has preset the default to always output the full digital
document in its original form.
Since the user does not have a
pre-selected or default output device 106, a discovery process 520
may automatically proceed in this example. A communication manager may
coordinate the discovery process 520. As described earlier, the
communication manager may be part of the client application 102 or may be
a separate application that can communicate with the client application
102.
Assuming in this example that he or she did not specify any
searching criteria for the discovery process 520, the user may be
presented with all the printers 106, if any, that are available to take
the print job. In the case where no available printers are found (not shown
here), the user may also be notified and provided with alternatives as described
earlier in the discovery process 520.
Assume in this example that
three printers 106 are found. Their identities and service charges are
listed on the GUI illustrated in FIG. 9B. The user may select a "more
information" control or icon 904 to get more detailed information on each
available output device 106. The user may select a printer 106
from the list, for example, by moving a cursor to highlight the name of the
selected printer 106 and then selecting a "select" control or icon
906. The user may also withdraw the service request from any of the three
printers by selecting a "cancel" control or icon 907.
Assume in
this example that the user has selected the PH inkjet 260 printer. The
next GUI, as illustrated in FIG. 9C, provides the user with a confirmation.
Information included in the confirmation may include (1) address (pointers) of
the digital document intended for output, (2) printer selected, (3) service fee
that will be charged. Various payment types and methods may be used. The user
may also choose to provide payment, deposit or escrow in various forms. However,
for simplicity of illustration, only two are shown in this particular example.
If payment by credit card is selected, the user may be prompted to provide
credit card information. In one example, the user may then provide such
information through a GUI (not shown) on the information apparatus 100,
which then transmits the information to the selected output device 106.
In another example, the user may provide credit card information directly to the
selected output device 106 through an interface provide by the output
device 106. If the user has selected the cash payment option, cash may be
physically deposited into a cash collector installed or connected to the
selected output device 106. Or the user may transfer cash in electronic
form from the information apparatus 100 to the output device 106.
The user may or may not need to manually input payment information such as a
credit card number. A user profile and or a variety of payment information may
have already been saved in the user's information apparatus 100. The
client application 102 may automatically fetch necessary payment
information and process the transaction with the output device 106 or
with a remote transaction server. If the output service is free, no payment
information will need to be collected. If the output service is a subscription,
then membership, login, authorization, or security information may be collected
instead or in addition.
After the user confirms all the information and
provides payment or deposit as requested, the user may be prompted to describe
the job object as illustrated in FIG. 9D. Some of the selections for the
job object input illustrated here may be device-dependent while others may be
device-independent. The user can make selections by using, for example, radio
buttons among other controls. Some default values, such as items 908 and
909, may have been preset by the user or automatically calculated by the
client application 102 after negotiation with the output device
106. The user may also change all or some default values. After
describing the job object, the user may select the "Next" control or icon
910 to move to the next step. It should be noted that only some exemplary
or commonly used selections are displayed in the exemplary GUI of FIG.
9D. The user may make further selections by, for example, selecting the
"more option" control or icon 911 or by simply scrolling down the
display.
After the user submits the job object, the client application
102 sends a composite message 430 to an application server
110. The composite message 430 may include a document object, a
printer object, and a job object. The application server 110 may contain
server application 112. In this example, the server application
112 may need to fetch the output content (in its original format) based
on the pointers provided in the document object. The server application
112 may obtain or invoke helper applications to process the output
content (e.g., the news article) into print data that can be accepted by the
printer 106 selected by the user (e.g., PH Inkjet 260). The server
application 112 and or the helper application may perform one or more
raster image processing operations on the output content. During this server
application process 701, the sever application 112 may optionally
launch a GUI in a window 912 as shown in FIG. 9E to provide the user with
estimated processing time and or status. The user may choose to hide this window
by selecting the "hide" control or icon 914. The user may also choose to
abort the process by selecting the "cancel" control or icon 913.
After it has finished processing the output content and has generated
the necessary print data, the server application 112 transmits the print
data to the selected output device 106 through the user's information
apparatus 100. Transmission may be wired or wireless. The client
application 102 in the information apparatus 100 may or may not
further process the print data before passing it to the output device
106. The output device 106, after receiving the print data, may
queue the print job in its memory or storage component until it is ready to
process this particular print job. As shown in FIG. 9F, the user may be notified
when the original document is being printed or has been printed out. The user
may also be notified of the service fee that has been, for example, charged to a
credit card or deducted from a cash deposit. The user may be provided with a
"more option" control or icon 916. For example, the user may choose this
printer as a preferred default printer so that for the next output or print
operation a discovery process 520 may be skipped or shortened if this
printer 106 is found to be available.
FIGS. 9A-9F provides only
one example of output process 401 described with reference to FIG.
4. While the above descriptions contain many specificities, these should
not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as
exemplary embodiment thereof. Other user interfaces and embodiments may also be
implemented. The process may also be implemented with more or fewer steps. As an
example, security verification and authentication may be added to the steps
illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9F. As another example, the step illustrated by FIG. 9B
may be skipped as the user may have pre-selected or preferred a default printer.
These and other possible variations do not however depart from the scope and
spirit of present invention.
Having described and illustrated the
principles of our invention with reference to an illustrated embodiment, it will
be recognized that the illustrated embodiment can be modified in arrangement and
detail without departing from such principles. In view of the many possible
embodiments to which the principles of our invention may be applied, it should
be recognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not
be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Rather, I claim as my invention
all such embodiments as may come within the scope and spirit of the following
claims and equivalents thereto.
* * * * *
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