Back to results
US 7,070,250 B2Granted
Modular printing system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSamuel M. Lester, Jimmy Sfaelos
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a modular printing system. In one embodiment, the modular printing system includes a first printer and a second printer. The modular printing system further includes a connector system adapted to interchangeably connect the first printer to the second printer and a control link adapted for communications between the first printer and the second printer to process a print job without user intervention.
Claims19
A modular printing system comprising:
- a first printer having a first printer media path;
- a second printer having a second printer media path;
- and
- a connector system adapted to interchangeably couple the first printer to the second printer, and align the first media path with the second media oath to allow print media to pass between the first printer and second printer;
- wherein the first printer and the second printer each include a controller, and wherein the controllers are configured for communicating between the first printer and the second printer to negotiate and determine a master/slave relationship between the first printer and the second printer.
2 more elements
A printing system, comprising:
- a first printer including a first controller;
- a second printer including a second controller;
- and
- a print media path configured to transfer print media from the first printer to the second printer without user intervention;
- wherein the first and second controllers are configured for communication with one another to negotiate and determine a master/slave relationship between the first printer and the second printer.
2 more elements
A method for configuring a modular printing system, the method comprising:
- providing a first printer;
- providing a second printer;
- connecting the first printer to the second printer to provide a communication link between the first and the second printers and to provide a print media path between the first and second printers;
- negotiating between the first printer and the second printer via the communication link to determine which one of the first and second printers will be a master printer;
- and
- designating the first and second painters as one of the master and a slave based upon the determination.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.