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:
Feb. 04, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1999
Toyokazu Uda, Yokohama, JP;
Susumu Sugiura, Atsugi, JP;
Makoto Takaoka, Yokohama, JP;
Shigetada Kobayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A printer server connectable to a plurality of printers includes a receiver for receiving print data from an external apparatus, a first discrimination unit for discriminating a representation by which the received print data is described, and a selection unit for selecting, from the plurality of printers, a printer to print an image corresponding to the received print data. A second discrimination unit of the printer server discriminates whether the selected printer is capable of processing print data in the discriminated representation. When the selected printer is not capable of processing print data in the discriminated representation, a controller of the printer sever converts the received print data into print data in another representation and transmits the print data in the other representation. The controller transmits print data in the discriminated representation when the selected printer is capable of processing print data in the discriminated representation. The apparatus also includes a status receiver for receiving, from the selected printer, status information indicating that transmitting print data has been printed normally. A status sending unit of the apparatus sends the status information to the external apparatus.