Server-Based Printer Discovery and Driver Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current printing methods require users to install specific printer drivers for each device, making it impractical for mobile users to print from unfamiliar printers without pre-installed software, as they often lack drivers for various printer models.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that uses a server to provide identification, location, and configuration information for nearby printers, allowing users to select and configure print jobs on their device without needing pre-installed drivers, with options to display maps for navigation and filter by printing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users install specific printer drivers for each device, then printing reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to the need to manage multiple drivers and software installations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the user device and multiple printers. The server stores printer drivers and configuration information, and automatically retrieves and applies the appropriate driver when a user selects a printer, eliminating the need for users to manually install drivers on their devices
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides universal driver management functionality that serves all user devices regardless of which specific printer they want to use. A single server installation can manage multiple different printer models and their respective drivers, making the system universally applicable across diverse printer configurations
2Adaptability or versatility
If users pre-install printer software for multiple devices, then printing versatility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the burden of managing multiple software installations
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that centralizes driver and configuration storage. When a user needs to print to a specific printer, the server automatically provides the necessary software components, eliminating the need for users to pre-install multiple printer software packages
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing all necessary printer drivers and configuration information on the server before they are needed. When a user selects a printer, the driver is automatically retrieved and prepared, so the user never experiences the need to manually install software
3Adaptability or versatility
If mobile users carry multiple printer drivers, then adaptability to different printers is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server serves as an external repository that stores all printer drivers and configuration information. Mobile users only need the client application that communicates with the server, while the actual driver files and configuration data remain stored on the server, dramatically reducing the complexity and storage requirements on user devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heavy driver and configuration data from user devices and places it on a remote server. Users only retain the lightweight client application that requests and receives driver information as needed, effectively removing the burden of storing multiple printer software packages locally
Data Source
AI summary
A method of printing includes providing a computer server linked to a plurality of printers, initiating a print job on a user computer device, querying the computer server for one or more available printers; transmitting identification information and location information of each printer from the computer server to the user computer device; displaying the information in the form of a list to the user computer device; selecting by a user one of the printers in the list; transmitting the selection to the computer server; transmitting configuration information for the selected printer to the user computer device; configuring the print data by with the configuration information; and transmitting the configured print data from the user computer device to the selected printer for printing.