Abstract: Disclosed are methods of displaying status information in a printer driver interface, and corresponding apparatus and computer-readable medium. The embodiments display a printer driver interface, the printer driver interface including selectable document settings, and display a status bar on the printer driver interface, the status bar displaying iconic status indicators, wherein the iconic status indicators include status indicators each conveying status information on a printer consumable.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of controlling operation of a printer, apparatus and computer-readable medium. The embodiments control operation of a printer by displaying to a user a print user interface including selectable document settings and a default/saved settings control, the default/saved settings control displaying a list of at least one saved default setting and command settings, the at least one saved default setting including selected ones of the document settings, the command settings allowing the user to create additional default settings and to delete the at least one saved default setting, and controlling printing of a document to print on the printer using the saved default setting and the selected ones of the document settings.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of controlling operation of a printer, apparatus and computer-readable medium. The embodiments control operation of a printer by receiving a print command for printing from a user, displaying a print user interface including selectable document settings, receiving an indication from the user of selected ones of the documents settings, receiving an indication from the user to save the selected document settings as a document default setting, and controlling printing of the document to print on the printer using the document default setting and the selected document settings.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of creating drivers for use in a network, the network including computers and devices, and corresponding apparatus and computer-readable medium.

Abstract: A method operative to automatically exclude unwanted or wasteful portions of a printing system job includes steps for, describing an unwanted portion of the job, and locating instances of the described portion within the job. For example, blank pages are located within a copy job and removed from an output stream, thereby conserving material, time, and reducing equipment wear. A printing system, such as, for example, an electronic document processor, fax machine or copier, operative to perform the method, includes a pattern detector and a portion deleter. The pattern detector searches input data for portions matching an unwanted portion description. When appropriate, the portion deleter removes unwanted portions from the input data.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and for requiring external authorization for a job prior to processing includes determining for a job if external authorization for at least one is item is approved and processing the job if the determining if external authorization is approved determines that the external authorization for the at least one item is approved.

Abstract: In a printing method, a user at a user terminal (10) having a physically connected mobile device (20) including non-volatile storage constructs an incomplete print job envelope (32) and completing data (34). The completing data (34) are stored on the non-volatile storage of the mobile device (20). The incomplete print job envelope (32) is communicated to a printing device (12). The mobile device (20) is physically disconnected from the user terminal (10), and physically connected with the printing device (12) to reconstruct the print job at the printing device (12) from the incomplete print job envelope (32) and the completing data (34).

Abstract: At a user terminal (10) operatively connected with a mobile device (20), a print job is formed into an incomplete print job envelope (32) and completing data (34, 40) including at least print job accounting information (40). The completing data (34, 40) including at least the print job accounting information (40) is stored on the mobile device (20). The incomplete print job envelope (32) is transmitted to a printing device (12). The mobile device (20) is operatively disconnected the from the user terminal (10), and is operatively connected with the printing device (12). After the operative connecting, the print job is re-constructed at the printing device (12), and the re-constructed print job is printed using the printing device (12). A cost of the printing is accounted for based on the print job accounting information (40) stored on the operatively connected mobile device (20).

Abstract: In a printing method, content of a print job is split into a main portion and a completing portion at a user terminal (10). The main portion is encrypted using the user terminal. The encrypted main portion (32) is sent to a printing device (12). The completing portion is encrypted using a mobile device (20) operatively connected with the user terminal. The encrypted completing portion (34) is stored on the operatively connected mobile device. The mobile device is operatively disconnected the from the user terminal, and is operatively connected with the printing device. After the operative connecting: (i) the encrypted main portion is decrypted using the printing device and the completing portion is decrypted using the mobile device; (ii) the decrypted main portion and the decrypted completing portion are combined to reconstruct the print job; and (iii) the reconstructed print job is executed using the printing device.

Abstract: In a method of generating hardcopy output, a printjob description is provided to a print operation. The print job is in a native format where the print job includes the print operation in the native format and the print job description. A modified print operation is formed in a meta-format in response to the print job description. The modified print operation is submitted in the native format to a print engine to perform the print operation.

Abstract: A printer driver enables a user to determine whether the features that are required to print a specified job are available to a selected network printer. The printer driver queries the selected printer to acquire the current status and other relevant information for each feature that is required to print the job, then provides the results of the query at a user interface. Accordingly, if any of the required features are unavailable to the selected printer, the user can print the job using another printer or take some other appropriate action.

Abstract: A document generation system includes a printing system and a computer. The printing system includes a print engine, a scanner, a controller and a user interface. The computer is remotely located from but coupled to the printing system. The computer includes software for generating an electronic document and software for designating an insertion point in the electronic document wherein a scanned image of a hardcopy document is to be inserted prior to generating a finished document including the electronic document and an image of the scanned hardcopy document. The controller includes software for identifying the insertion point and for holding the electronic document until the hardcopy document is scanned before generating the finished document including the electronic document and the image of the scanned hardcopy document.

Abstract: A method and system organizes multiple print jobs to be processed by a printing engine in a print queue and displays a listing of the multiple print jobs within the print queue. This listing identifies the order in which the multiple print jobs will be processed by the printing engine. After identifying an active user, the method highlights print jobs of the active user within the listing of the multiple print jobs and can simultaneously display a listing of most recently completed print jobs of the active user. The method and system can also simultaneously list jobs of the active user within other queues.

Abstract: A network management protocol can be used to enable a user to determine what features, functions and other characteristics are supported by a networked device and to extend the capabilities of the device without having to modify the existing software. While available systems and methods use the generic profiles that are provided with each client application, present systems and methods can be used to tailor client applications for use by a specific device. Accordingly, subsequent versions of a client application can provide new functionality to devices that have already been connected to the network.

Abstract: A method operative to automatically exclude unwanted or wasteful portions of a printing system job includes steps for, describing an unwanted portion of the job, and locating instances of the described portion within the job. For example, blank pages are located within a copy job and removed from an output stream, thereby conserving material, time, and reducing equipment wear. A printing system, such as, for example, an electronic document processor, fax machine or copier, operative to perform the method, includes a pattern detector and a portion deleter. The pattern detector searches input data for portions matching an unwanted portion description. When appropriate, the portion deleter removes unwanted portions from the input data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically updating a printer driver on a computer. At a designated time or upon a designated event, a program subroutine searches for an updated version of a resident printer driver at a specified remote location. If an updated version is found, the new version is downloaded to the computer and installed. The old version is uninstalled. The subroutine performing the update process may be associated with a printer driver or part of a separate install/upgrade program. The level of user interaction in the upgrade process can be adjusted to fit the preferences of the user.