Dynamic Print Server Generation in Distributed Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing in dynamic roaming environments, such as those involving thin-client devices and mobile devices, faces challenges due to administrative overhead from maintaining multiple print drivers and selecting compatible printers and print servers, especially with legacy printers and operating systems.
Innovation Solution
A distributed printing system that includes a central server capable of dynamically generating a print server by selecting a printer, mapping a driver, and loading an associated operating system in real-time to manage print jobs, reducing the need for drivers on individual devices and simplifying printer selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If print drivers are stored and maintained on each device, then printing functionality is available locally, but administrative overhead and maintenance issues increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts print drivers from individual devices and consolidates them on a central server. The system dynamically generates print servers on-demand by loading required operating systems and drivers from the server, eliminating the need for each device to store and maintain multiple drivers locally. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining local printing availability through centralized driver management.
Solution Approach 2:
The central server provides universal print driver support for multiple printers and operating systems. Instead of each device needing specific drivers, the server dynamically generates appropriate print servers for any printer-driver combination, making the system universally compatible across diverse devices and reducing administrative overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple print drivers are stored on mobile devices to support more printers, then printer compatibility increases, but device storage and complexity increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the driver storage burden from mobile devices and relocates it to a central server. The server maintains a library of operating systems and drivers, dynamically generating print servers on-demand. This allows mobile devices to support numerous printers without storing multiple drivers locally, resolving the contradiction between printer compatibility and device storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary preparation by pre-storing multiple operating systems and drivers on the central server. When a print job is received, the server quickly generates the appropriate print server using pre-prepared components. This eliminates the need for devices to store multiple drivers while maintaining compatibility with various printers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If legacy printers with specific drivers are supported, then printing capability for legacy devices is maintained, but compatibility issues with certain operating systems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic print server generation where the server adapts to each print job by selecting and loading the appropriate operating system and driver combination. Instead of static driver assignments, the system dynamically generates print servers matched to the specific printer and client operating system, ensuring compatibility while supporting legacy printers.
Solution Approach 2:
The central server acts as an intermediary between legacy printers and modern operating systems. It dynamically generates appropriate print servers that translate between different operating system interfaces and legacy printer requirements, resolving compatibility issues while maintaining support for legacy devices.
4Device complexity
If a centralized server dynamically generates print servers on-demand, then administrative overhead is reduced, but processing time and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary preparation by pre-storing multiple operating systems and driver components on the central server. When a print job arrives, the server quickly assembles the appropriate print server using these pre-prepared components rather than creating everything from scratch. This reduces the time penalty of dynamic generation while maintaining low administrative overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices are described for dynamic print server generation in a distributed printing environment. A data store may store multiple operating systems. A central server computer system is in communication with the data store. The central server computer system may receive notification of a print job, select a printer for the print job, map a stored driver to the selected printer, select an operating system associated with the driver from the data store, and dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server for the print job.