The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1996
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1994
Stephen T Gase, Boise, ID (US);
Craig R White, Boise, ID (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A network includes plural client processors, a file server and plural printers. Each client processor has memory that stores a printer driver procedure which enables the client processor to interface with at least one printer type. The file server includes memory for storing a most updated printer driver procedure for each printer type coupled to the file server. The file server is responsive to a print request from a client processor to assign a printer to the requesting client processor. The file server then in combination with the client processor determines if a printer driver procedure for the assigned printer in the client processor is identical to a most updated printer driver procedure stored in memory in the file server. If not, the file server enables alteration of the printer driver procedure in the client processor to bring it into coincidence with the most updated print driver procedure. A printer utility is also installed in each client processor and provides the means for automatically determining network status and for indicating to the user whether the network is available or unavailable, and a message indicating the reason for the unavailability.