Hewlett-packard Company

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Charles K Keyes

Randall Edward Grohs

Russell Campbell

James E Obert

Johnny MacArthur Lewis

Jeff H Papke

James M Sangroniz

David W Magnuson

Laura I Reardon

William A Cox

An apparatus for generating a data processing pathway in a hardware-ready format is provided which includes a computer-based client and an output device. The client has processing circuitry, memory, a raster formatter, and a software-based data compression apparatus configured to render a rasterized, bitmapped image into image data in a hardware-ready format. The output device communicates with the client and has hardware-ready program code and a hardware-assisted print device. The hardware-assisted print device includes a printer controller, with the printer controller including processing circuitry, memory, and a data decompressor. The hardware-ready program code is operative via the printer controller to receive the hardware-ready image data from the client and render output containing the image to the hardware-assisted print device. A method is also provided.

Printer pipeline bypass in hardware-ready format

The invention is utilized in the context of a peripheral device that is coupled to a network via a firewall which blocks unwanted incoming message traffic, except for incoming message traffic that is responding to a message dispatched from the peripheral device. A remotely located diagnostic device, which includes code for diagnosis of causes of peripheral device malfunctions, is connected to communicate via the network. The peripheral device includes a memory for storing a diagnostic application that is adapted to execute one or more diagnostic subroutines for diagnosing a cause of a device malfunction. The peripheral device is enabled to dispatch an event message to the remote diagnostic device and to receive a response message from the remote diagnostic device (all via the firewall and the network). The response message causes a diagnostic application to execute a subroutine on the peripheral device in an attempt to determine the cause of the event. In the case where the remote diagnostic device is adapted to download an executable diagnostic subroutine, the peripheral device executes the diagnostic subroutine.

Network-based remote diagnostic facility

A computer system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an environment having a single processing space, i.e. not designed for multiprocessing with a process switch. In such an environment, multiple application programs may refer to common library program specifications without conflict. For example, when a first application program requires instantiation of a library object, the library object is instantiated by a factory object of the library. Instance variables of a singleton factory object for each application program provide shared data between library objects. A method of integrating program specifications may include revising library classes to include a factory class, restating static class variables as factory instance variables, and recompiling the library to replace all references to static class variables with references to the factory instance variables. Multiple application programs, perhaps developed independently, may then be executed in a single processing environment such as a JAVA virtual machine designed for a single application program.

Computer system with single processing environment for executing multiple application programs

An imaging subsystem for a printer is configured to support multiple printer personalities. The imaging subsystem has an integrated display list that is accessed and used by all of the printer personalities. The printer implements a display list builder tool that assists each personality in posting its objects to the display list.

Integrated display list and building tool for multiple personalities

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Charles K Keyes