US 6,606,162 B1 · Network printer groups

Abstract

One or more printers on a network are grouped together to form a printer group. A printer group server contains a database of the printer groups on the network. The printer group database includes a list of printers assigned to each printer group in the database. The printer group server communicates with a printer group client and a print server. The printer group client subscribes to one or more of the printer groups. The printer group client resides on a print client device and manages a set of print queues on the print client device. Each printer queue represents one of the printers in the printer groups to which the printer group client subscribes. A printer group is updated by making changes to the printers in the printer group and updating the printer group database to reflect the changes. A change in the printer group database initiates a change in the print queues managed by the printer group client for printer group clients that subscribe to the updated printer group.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for sharing printers on a network, the method comprising:

(a) establishing at least one printer group;
(b) including at least one printer in the at least one printer group;
(c) creating a printer group database reflecting each printer included in each printer group;
(d) selecting one or more of the at least one printer groups for use by a print client;
(e) maintaining on the print client, a print queue for each printer included in each of the selected printer groups;
and,
(f) updating the printer queues of the print client to reflect changes made to the printer group database.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Network printer groups

Life of this patent

Network printer groups

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12