Operation of Multifunctional Printer over Peer to Peer Network Based on Port Detection

A multifunctional printer, comprising:

• a printer,
• a scanner;
• a processor configured to control said printer and said scanner;
• a communication interface in communication with said processor, wherein said communication interface opens a plurality of network ports each associated with a different port number;
• a memory device in communication with said processor;
• and
• an operation database stored in said memory device, wherein said operation database comprises preset associations between each said port number and an operation type, wherein said communication interface is configured to establish a connection with a client device over a peer-to-peer network and receive an operation request from said client device over said peer to peer network through one of said plurality of network ports,
• wherein said processor determines an operation associated with said operation request by finding the preset association between the port number of the network port through which said operation request was received and a particular operation type in said operation database,
• wherein said processor instructs said printer to receive and print a document from said client device when said operation is a print function,
• wherein said processor instructs said scanner to scan a document and send a scanned version to said client device when said operation is a scanner function, and
• wherein said processor instructs that said operation be performed in a particular manner when said operation request is received over said peer to peer network, regardless of how said operation is configured to be performed when said operation is initiated in ways other than receiving an operation request over said peer to peer network.

A method, comprising:

• providing a multifunctional printer having a plurality of network ports opened, each of said plurality of network ports being associated with a different port number;
• associating each port number associated with one of said plurality of network ports with a specific operation type in memory at said multifunctional printer;
• establishing a connection between said multifunctional printer and a client device over a peer-to-peer network;
• receiving an operation request at said multifunctional printer from said client device over said peer to peer network through one of said plurality of network ports;
• determining an operation associated with the port number of said one of said plurality of network ports through which said operation request was received;
• when said operation is determined to be a print operation, performing said print operation by retrieving a print document from said client device and printing said print document at said multifunctional printer;
• when said operation is determined to be a scan operation, performing said scan operation by scanning a scan document at said multifunctional printer and transmitting a scanned version of said scan document from said multifunctional printer to said client device;
• when said operation is determined to be a fax operation, performing said fax operation by retrieving a fax document from said client device and faxing said fax document from said multifunctional printer to an external fax machine;
• and
• when said operation is determined to be an upload operation, performing said upload operation by retrieving a file from said client device and storing said file in memory connected to said multifunctional printer,
• wherein said multifunctional printer is configured to perform said operation in a particular manner in response to receiving said operation request over said peer to peer network, regardless of how said multifunction printer is configured to perform said operation when said operation is initiated at said multifunctional printer in ways other than receiving an operation request over said peer to peer network.