Web Printing API Direct Printer Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web printing technologies limit user control over printing from within a web browser, requiring print requests to go through the web browser or third-party services, and do not allow direct access to printers or control over printing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an intelligent module connected to printers, with an embedded API that enables web applications to create and send documents directly to printers, controlling printer commands and receiving responses, allowing for direct web printing without relying on the web browser or third-party services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If web printing requests go through the web browser or third-party services, then printing functionality is provided, but user control over the printing process is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the printing control functionality from the web browser and third-party services, placing it directly in the web application through an embedded API. This allows the web application to create and send print jobs directly to the printer without intermediary control, thereby improving user control while maintaining system simplicity through direct communication protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an embedded API as an intermediary layer within the web application that enables direct communication with the printer. This API acts as a mediator between the web application's business logic and the printer's control interface, allowing fine-grained control over the printing process while maintaining a clean architectural separation.
2Productivity
If direct access to printers is enabled from web applications, then printing capabilities are improved, but security and access control become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and authorization checks within the embedded API before allowing print job submission. The system pre-establishes access control policies, user permissions, and printer availability checks, ensuring that only authorized users can send print jobs to specific printers, thereby maintaining security while enabling direct access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the embedded API continuously monitors printer status, job queue conditions, and user permissions. This real-time feedback allows the system to dynamically adjust access control decisions, reject unauthorized print jobs, and provide status information to users, ensuring reliable security control alongside improved printing capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If web applications directly create and send documents to printers, then dependency on third-party services is reduced, but the complexity of document formatting and printer control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal embedded API within the web application that handles multiple printing functions including document creation, formatting, conversion to printer-compatible formats, and job submission. This multi-functional API consolidates what would otherwise require separate third-party services, reducing external dependencies while managing complexity through a unified interface that abstracts printer-specific details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes to adapt the document formatting process to different printer capabilities. The embedded API dynamically adjusts format parameters, resolution, color profiles, and paper settings based on the target printer's specifications, allowing the same web application to work with diverse printers without increasing code complexity, thereby reducing third-party service dependencies.
Data Source
AI summary
A script language compatible with HTML is used to define methods or objects capable of communicating directly with an intelligent module for printing operations without going through a web browser's print selection option. A print API library provides the needed methods/objects for creating an HTML print document, and converting it to raster image data using a user-selected conversion method. The intelligent module may function to provide a communication bridge for conveying communication between a web page on a user terminal and a target printer. The print API knows the IP address of the intelligent module, and sends a created print document directly to the intelligent module by means of the known IP address. The API may be part of an application that provides tools for visually creating or editing an HTML document without the user knowing how to program in HTML.