Intelligent printer installation
AssigneeSharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
InventorEric Olbricht
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved system for installing a printer on a computer or a network of computers. The disclosed system is capable of installing and configuring a printer on a computer and a network to which the computer is connected. The disclosed system allows a user to specify an arbitrary and intuitive alphanumeric name for the printer so that it may be easily identified among many printers when it is used. The disclosed system allows a user to specify a descriptive location of the printer so that it may be easily located among many printers after it prints a print job.
Claims44
A printer installation tool for installing and configuring a printer on a computer or a network of computers, installation of said printer including (i) configuring said printer by associating a unique name and unique location of said printer relative to other printers installed on said network, and (ii) associating a driver with said printer, said installation tool comprising:
- (a) a search tool for discovering uninstalled printers available for installation on said computer or network of computers;
- (b) a display for displaying to a user a list of available uninstalled printers for installation, said display allowing said user to select one or more said uninstalled printers to be installed;
- (c) a configuration tool for configuring the selected said one or more printers, said configuration tool being capable of receiving a unique, arbitrary user-selected alphanumeric name for each one of the selected said one or more printers and associating said name with said printer on said computer or network of computers;
- (d) a filter for categorizing the discovered printers available for installation into a plurality of categories and wherein at least two of said plurality of categories are hierarchically arranged with respect to each other, and where said display is capable of selectively displaying selected ones of said categories of printers while not displaying ones of categories of printers not selected;
- and
- (e) a driver setup tool for associating a printer driver with each of the selected said one or more printers to be installed in response to the user selecting said one or more printers from a displayed said filtered list.
A method for installing and configuring a printer on a computer or a network of computers, installation of said printer including (i) configuring said printer by associating a unique name and unique location of said printer relative to other printers installed on said network, and (ii) associating a driver with said printer, said method comprising:
- (a) searching for uninstalled printers available for installation on said computer or network of computers;
- (b) displaying to a user a list of available said uninstalled printers for installation, where said user may select one or more said uninstalled printers to be installed;
- (c) receiving a unique, arbitrary user-selected alphanumeric name for each one of the selected said one or more printers;
- (d) associating said name with said printer on said computer or network of computers;
- (e) filtering the discovered printers available for installation into hierarchically arranged categories, and the step of displaying selectively displays one of said categories of printers while not displaying ones of categories of printers not selected;
- and
- (f) associating a printer driver with each of the selected said one or more printers to be installed in response to the user selecting said one or more printers from a displayed said filtered list.
A printer installation tool for installing and configuring a printer on a computer or a network of computers, installation of said printer including (i) configuring said printer by associating a unique name and unique location of said printer relative to other printers installed on said network, and (ii) associating a driver with said printer, said installation tool comprising:
- (a) a search tool for discovering uninstalled printers available for installation on said computer or network of computers;
- (b) a display for displaying to a user a list of available uninstalled printers for installation, said display allowing said user to select one or more said uninstalled printers to be installed;
- (c) a configuration tool for configuring the selected said one or more printers, said configuration tool being capable of receiving a unique, arbitrary user-selected alphanumeric name for each one of the selected said one or more printers and associating said name with said printer on said computer or network of computers;
- (d) a filter for categorizing the discovered printers available for installation into a plurality of categories, and where said display is capable of selectively displaying selected ones of said categories of printers while not displaying ones of categories of printers not selected;
- and
- (e) a driver setup tool for associating a printer driver with each of the selected said one or more printers to be installed in response to the user selecting said one or more printers from a displayed said filtered list.
A method for installing and configuring a printer on a computer or a network of computers, installation of said printer including (i) configuring said printer by associating a unique name and unique location of said printer relative to other printers installed on said network, and (ii) associating a driver with said printer, said method comprising:
- (a) searching for uninstalled printers available for installation on said computer or network of computers;
- (b) displaying to a user a list of available said uninstalled printers for installation, where said user may select one or more said uninstalled printers to be installed;
- (c) receiving a unique, arbitrary user-selected alphanumeric name for each one of the selected said one or more printers;
- (d) associating said name with said printer on said computer or network of computers;
- (e) filtering the discovered printers available for installation into categories, and the step of displaying selectively displays one of said categories of printers;
- and
- (f) associating a printer driver with each of the selected said one or more printers to be installed in response to the user selecting said one or more printers from a displayed said filtered list.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.