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US 8,806,013 B2Granted
Methods and systems for sharing a printer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDaniel Thero, Matthew D. Haines, William G. McCollom, Philip M. Walker, Gregory J. Lipinski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is provided, the system having at least one client computer and a server computer coupled to the at least one client computer via a network. The system also has a printer coupled to the server computer and shared by the at least one client computer. The printer is perceived by each client computer to be a local printer.
Claims18
A system, comprising:
- at least one client computer, wherein each client computer comprises a processor and a system memory having a local printer driver and a printer tunnel application, wherein the printer tunnel application is configured to cause print requests from the local printer driver to be forwarded to a virtual local printer address, and wherein the printer tunnel application is part of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) stack;
- a server computer coupled to the at least one client computer via a network;
- and
- a printer coupled to the server computer and shared by the at least one client computer, wherein the printer is perceived by each client computer to be a local printer.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- providing, by a server computer, a printer tunnel between at least one client and a printer attached to the server computer;
- enabling, by the server computer, the at least one client to share the printer via the printer tunnel as if the printer were local to each client;
- and
- receiving, by the server computer, a print request directed to a virtual local printer address from a printer tunnel application that is part of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) stack of each client.
1 more element
A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that upon execution cause a client computer to:
- establish, using a printer tunnel application that is part of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) stack in the client computer, a virtual local printer address;
- and
- transmit, by the printer tunnel application, print requests directed to the virtual local printer address to a printer attached to a server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.