Oki America, Inc.

Oki Data Americas, Inc.

Children's Medical Center Corporation

Jon Hopkins

Samir A Nayfeh

Alexander H Slocum

Pedro J Del Nido

Nikolay V Vasilyev

Keith Durand

Zach Traina

Roman Orzol

Kevin Agatone

Ponna Arumgam

Tim Deppa

Christopher Dibiasio

A computer network is disclosed as including at least one network client memory, a network operating system executing in the network client memory for operating the computer network and for providing access to network services, and a network application executing in the network client memory for performing an application function. The computer network also has a plurality of network devices interfaced to the network operating system and available to the network application and the network operating system for performing the network services. Each network device provides at least one specific network service and has an object component in the network client memory representative of the network device. Each object component includes an interface such that the network application is in direct communication with the interface of each object component. Accordingly, the network application communicates directly with each of the object components. The network application need only communicate with a respective object component to request a respective network service, and the respective object component carries out all further communications necessary to have the requested network service performed.

Network object frameworks

The present invention discovery of a printer having a particular printer type in a network is disclosed. A socket having a socket identifier (ID)) associated with the printer type is provided to allow communication between the network and the printer. In a socket poll mode, the socket awaits and obtains outgoing data from the network tagged with the socket ID and sends the obtained outgoing data to the printer. In a socket listen mode, the socket awaits and obtains incoming data from the printer and sends the obtained incoming data to the network. A printer information object is provided for storing printer information associated with the printer once the printer is discovered. A timer provides a periodic timing signal TICK. The printer is periodically polled once every N TICKs. During each poll, the socket is placed in the poll mode, polling data is sent to the socket for receipt by the printer, the socket is placed in the listen mode, and a determination is made of whether the socket has obtained printer data from the printer. If printer data is obtained, it is determined whether the printer has been previously discovered based on whether the printer information object has stored printer information for the printer. If not previously discovered, printer information for the printer is created and stored in the printer information object.

Method for discovering a network printer by assigning dedicated sockets

Growing community of inventors

Brookfield, WI, United States of America

Jon Hopkins