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:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1998
David A. Kumpf, Rocklin, CA (US);
Glenn R. Garcia, Grass Valley, CA (US);
Dean L. Scoville, Auburn, CA (US);
David L. Smith, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A network peripheral support method including a client with a general purpose software capability and a server connected to the peripheral. The server of the present invention waits for a client to attempt to open a connection with the peripheral. The client sends a peripheral connection request via a data packet to the server, and the server accepts the connection. The server determines an availability of the peripheral and locks the peripheral so that it cannot be used by other clients. Thereafter, the server opens a connection with the peripheral, if it is available, and notifies the client of the peripheral availability. The server then waits for predetermined data from the client, which when received, results in the client having control of the peripheral for at least a first predetermined time period, and when received sends the data to the client. The server closes the connection with the client upon completion of sending the data to the client.