Computer printer control method
OwnerJan Olof Bjerre Aageseninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling print operations via a print server and a printer, the method comprising the steps of: routing a datastream representative of a document to be printed from a workstation to the print server; causing the print server to determine from the datastream the type of document to be printed; causing the print server to determine a print format for the document by reference to a first lookup table; and causing the print server to directly command the printer to print the document in the determined print format.
Claims21
A method of controlling print operations via a print server and a printer, the method comprising the steps of:
- routing a datastream representative of a document to be printed from a workstation to the print server;
- causing the print server to determine from the datastream the type of document to be printed;
- causing the print server to determine a print format for the document by reference to a first lookup table;
- and
- causing the print server to directly command the printer to print the document in said print format, wherein the step of commanding the printer to print the document in a selected print format is accomplished by a print command being sent by the print server to the printer, and the print command comprises an additional datastream element.
A method of allocating print resources within a network, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of workstations and printers arranged in a network;
- providing each workstation and printer with an unique address within the network;
- providing users of the network with a unique identifier;
- enabling a given user to log on to a workstation in the network using said unique identifier;
- and
- allocating to the workstation where the user has logged on adjacent print resources.
A method of allocating print resources within a network, the network including a plurality of print servers and printers, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a connection means to enable a portable workstation to be connected to the network;
- connecting a portable workstation to the network;
- allocating an address to the portable workstation;
- causing the portable workstation to interrogate the network to find a compatible print server;
- selecting a compatible print server which controls a printer having a physical location closest to the physical location of the allocated address;
- and
- causing print commands from the portable workstation to be sent to said selected compatible print server.
A computer program which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to analyze an incoming datastream, said datastream being representative of a document to be printed, to determine from the datastream the type of document to be printed;
- to cause the computer to determine a print format for the document by reference to a first lookup table;
- and to cause the computer to directly command a printer to print the document in said print format.
A computer program which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to recognize a user logging on to a workstation within a network, to transfer data particular to that user through the network to the workstation, and to allocate print resources to that workstation.
A computer program which, when run on a computer which is subsequently connected to a network, causes the computer to interrogate the network to identify a print server of the network of the computer, said print server being connected to one or more printers in the vicinity of the user, and to cause print commands from the computer to be routed to a print server thus selected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.