Virtual printer interface node
AssigneeXerox International Partners
InventorsRussell Neville, Ashok Murthy, Yoshiaki Takahashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A virtual printer interface node enables a non-cloud-ready printer to communicate with a cloud-based service, residing on an internet. The virtual printer interface node includes a housing; a communication interface to provide communication directly to the network router; and a microcontroller operatively connected to the communication interface. The microcontroller converts commands, received through the communication interface, from the cloud-based service, residing on the internet, to native protocols of the non-cloud-ready networked printer and communicates the converted native protocols to the non-cloud-ready networked printer.
Claims27
An inline virtual printer interface node for providing communication between a cloud-based service, residing on an internet, and a non-cloud-ready networked printer through to a network router, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first communication interface to provide communication directly to the network router;
- a second communication interface to provide communication directly to the non-cloud-ready networked printer;
- and
- a microcontroller operatively connected between said first communication interface and said second communication interface;
- said microcontroller polling the non-cloud-ready networked printer to retrieve identification information associated with the non-cloud-ready networked printer;
- said microcontroller creating an authentication code based on the identification information retrieved from the non-cloud-ready networked printer and identification information associated with the inline virtual printer interface node;
- said microcontroller registering the created authentication code with the cloud-based service.
A system for providing communication between a cloud-based service, residing on an internet, and a non-cloud-ready networked printer, comprising:
- a non-cloud-ready networked printer;
- a network router;
- and
- an inline virtual printer interface node;
- said inline virtual printer interface node including,
- a housing,
- a first communication interface to provide communication directly to said network router,
- a second communication interface to provide communication directly to said non-cloud-ready networked printer, and
- a microcontroller operatively connected between said first communication interface and said second communication interface;
- said microcontroller polling the non-cloud-ready networked printer to retrieve identification information associated with the non-cloud-ready networked printer;
- said microcontroller creating an authentication code based on the identification information retrieved from the non-cloud-ready networked printer and identification information associated with the inline virtual printer interface node;
- said microcontroller registering the created authentication code with the cloud-based service.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.