Document printing system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsShell S. Simpson, Ward S. Foster, Kris R. Livingston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing system that includes a personal computer, a primary printer and an alternate printer is described. The primary printer and the alternate printer each include an embedded Web Server. The primary printer can serve a first program to the personal computer upon request. The first program enables the computer to use the primary printer to print a document. In addition, the first program enables the computer to display a hyperlink referring to a second program if the primary printer fails to successfully print the document. The second program enables the computer to print the document using the alternate printer.
Claims19
In a computer, a method of printing a document, comprising:
- (a) initiating the printing of the document by a first printer;
- (b) detecting that the first printer has encountered an event;
- and
- (c) automatically displaying a selectable link referring to a network resource that enables the computer to print at least a portion of the document using a second printer;
- wherein step (c) is automatically performed in response to step (b);
- wherein the event occurs while the first printer is printing the document;
- wherein the event is an error condition that results in the first printer not printing a portion of the document;
- wherein the link is a hyperlink and the resource is Web content provided by a remote server.
A server, comprising:
- (a) means for receiving a request from a computer;
- (b) means for responding to the request by transmitting a first program of computer readable instructions to the computer, the first program for enabling the computer to;
- (i) initiate the printing of a document by a first printer;
- (ii) monitor the first printer to detect if the first printer encounters an event while printing the document;
- (iii) if the event is detected, display a selectable link referring to a second program of instructions that enables the computer to use an alternate printer to print at least a portion of the document;
- and
- (c) wherein the second program is Web content served by a remote server.
A printing device, comprising:
- a Web server configured to respond to a pre-defined request received over a network from a computer by serving a first program of computer readable instructions to the computer, the first program for enabling the computer to:
- (a) initiate the printing of a document by using the printing device;
- (b) detect if the first printing device encounters an event while printing the document;
- and
- (c) if the event is detected, display a selectable link referring to a second program of instructions that enables the computer to use an alternate printer to print at least a portion of the document;
- (d) wherein the first program is Web content.
A printing system, comprising:
- (a) a client;
- and
- (b) a server operable to receive a pre-defined request from the client and to respond thereto by serving a first program of instructions to the client;
- and wherein the first program of instructions enables the client to:
- initiate printing of the document by a first printer;
- detect if the first printer encounters an event while printing the document;
- automatically display a selectable link referring to a second program of instructions that enables the client to use an alternate printer to print at least a portion of the document;
- wherein the first program of instructions is Web content and the server is a Web server.
A server, comprising:
- apparatus to respond to a pre-defined request over a network from a client by serving a first program of instructions to the client;
- and wherein the first program of instructions enables the client to:
- initiate printing of the document by a first printer;
- detect if the first printer encounters an event while printing the document;
- automatically display a selectable link referring to a second program of instructions that enables the client to use an alternate printer to print at least a portion of the document;
- and
- wherein the first program of instructions is web content and the server is a WEB server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.