System for selecting a device over a network for a computer to use
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsShell S. Simpson, Matthew P. Howell, Kevin L. Porter
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Abstract
A computer automatically selects a device, such as a printer, over a network for the computer to use without a user having to provide the network address of the device. The computer identifies a group of devices connected to a network that meet certain pre-determined criteria. The computer then selects the device from this group that has the lowest uptime. This device is assumed to be the device the user wishes to configure their computer to use. After the device is selected, the computer then can operate to configure itself to use the device.
Claims17
In a networked system including a computer and a plurality of devices coupled to the computer over a network, a computerized method for selecting a device from the plurality of devices, comprising the steps of:
- (a) evaluating the uptime of each one of the devices to identify the device from the plurality of devices that has the lowest uptime;
- (b) selecting the identified device;
- and
- (c) configuring the computer to use the selected device.
A computer comprising:
- (a) means for identifying a plurality of devices coupled to a network;
- (b) means for selecting a device that has the lowest uptime from the plurality of devices;
- (c) means for configuring the computer to use the device;
- and
- (d) wherein the selecting means operates to evaluate the uptime of each one of the devices in order to identify the device that has the lowest uptime.
A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instruction executable by the computer to perform method steps for selecting a device coupled to a network, the method steps comprising:
- (a) identifying a plurality of devices coupled to the network that meet at least one pre-determined criterion:
- (b) selecting a device, from the plurality of devices, having the lowest uptime;
- and
- (c) configuring the computer to use the selected device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.