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:
Jun. 30, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1993
Alan P Haber, Ramot, IL;
Simon M Kahn, Jerusalem, IL;
ITI Innovative Technology Ltd., Jerusalem, US;
Abstract
A printer control device which operates via a cordless link to control a dedicated printer in a shared access mode, allowing access by an alternate computer. In the preferred embodiment, the cordless printer control device operates in an environment in which a host computer is directly connected to a dedicated printer which operates in a normal printing mode. The device is provided as a pair of compact add-on units, a transmitter unit connected to a portable computer and a receiver/switch unit connected to the dedicated printer. The pair of units operate to provide an infrared transmission link by which an alternate/portable computer can detect a break in the normal printing mode and temporarily access the dedicated printer for printing tasks. The receiver/switch unit is provided with a time-out switch which operates to allow the alternate computer to gain access to the printer only if during a predetermined interval, the dedicated printer is not busy with a printing task already assigned to it. Once the portable computer has gained temporary access, the time-out switch protects its continued use of the dedicated printer without allowing the host computer to regain control until the task is completed.