System and method for remote printer emulation in a network
AssigneeQuotron Systems, Inc.
InventorsMohsen Farry, Harish K. Malhotra
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interactive computer system having one or more user terminals connected to at least one host server via a network system and having a printer connected to one of the host servers includes a print manager interface in each user terminal that detects output generated by an application, prepares the output for transmission to a host server, and initiates transmission of the prepared output in accordance with the network protocol, and also includes a host printer interface in each host server that receives prepared output from a user terminal and creates a host print process that initiates printing of the prepared output at a printer designated by the application process.
Claims34
A combination for use in an interactive computer system having one or more user terminals that are connected to at least one host server and communicate via a network system protocol and having a printer connected to one of the host servers, the combination including:
- a print manager interface in each user terminal that detects output generated by an application process of the user terminal and automatically stored by a user terminal print manager process, stores the output in a named output file according to a predetermined naming scheme, prepares the named output file for transmission to one of the host servers designated by the user terminal application process, and initiates transmission of the prepared output file in accordance with the network protocol;
- and
- a host printer interface in each host server that receives an output file from a user terminal and in response creates a host print process that initiates printing of the prepared output file at a printer designated by the user terminal through the application process.
A printer emulation system for use in an interactive computer system having one or more user terminals that operate in accordance with a terminal operating system and include terminal data storage, at least one host server that operates in accordance with a server operating system that is different from the terminal operating systems, a printer that receives print files from one of the host servers and prints them, and a network system that permits the user terminals to communicate with the host servers in accordance with a network protocol, the user terminals having one or more applications that execute and generate output, the printer emulation system including:
- a terminal-host printer interface in each user terminal that detects the creation of an output file created by a user terminal application according to one of a plurality of predetermined output file names, renames the output file to a unique temporary file name, and sends the renamed output file to a user-designated host server in accordance with the network protocol;
- a host server printer interface in each host server that detects a renamed output file from a user terminal, and creates a host server print process that receives the renamed output file and provides it to a user-designated printer.
A printer emulation system comprising:
- one or more user terminals;
- one or more host servers;
- a network system connecting a user terminal and host server for communication via a network protocol;
- at least one printer connected to one of the host servers;
- a print manager interface in the user terminal that detects output generated by an application process of the user terminal, prepares the output for transmission to one of the host servers designated by the application process, and initiates transmission of the prepared output in accordance with the network protocol;
- and
- a host printer interface in the host server that receives prepared output from the user terminal and creates a host print process that initiates printing of the prepared output at a printer designated by the application process.
A method of permitting a user terminal connected to a host server by a network to send output created by a user terminal application executing according to a terminal operating system to a printer connected to the host server and printing according to a host server operating system different from the terminal operating system, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the creation of application output from a user terminal application process and placing it in a data structure of the user terminal having a unique temporary print file name;
- sending the temporary print file and a predetermined host server printer protocol from the user terminal over the network if communication with the host server is established, and otherwise removing the temporary print file from the predetermined directory and indicating an error condition;
- creating a host server print process that prints the temporary print file at a printer designated by the user terminal application process and closing the host server print process.
A method of printing output from an application process of a user terminal operating according to a first operating system on a printer connected to a host server operating according to a second operating system, the user terminal and host server communicating via a network protocol, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing output generated by a user terminal application process to a user terminal temporary data structure;
- detecting the temporary data structure;
- renaming the temporary data structure to a temporary output file name in accordance with a specified host server and printer queue name specified by a user terminal in a user terminal initiation file;
- preparing the temporary output file for transmission to the host server designated by the user terminal application process by specifying a spooling process;
- opening a communication channel to a host server specified by the user terminal application process;
- initiating transmission of the prepared output in accordance with the network protocol;
- receiving prepared output from a user terminal;
- and
- creating a host print process that initiates printing of the prepared output at a printer designated by the user terminal application process in accordance with the spooling protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.