Patents by Inventor John S. Steele

John S. Steele has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8014025
    Abstract: A universal output control system and method for outputting an output job at a target output location wherein a universal user interface facilitates access to and control of a plurality of output devices located on a network or at an output center such that specific details of each output device are encapsulated. The universal user interface provides searches of available output devices in a network, wherein printer drivers are automatically installed as needed. Alternatively, an output management application service stores an output job until output job data is generated for controlling the output of the output job on the selected output device, at which time the output job is output on the selected output device per the output job data. If the target output location is an output device on a network, an output device database service captures and generates the output job data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Steele, Edward B. Ghazalian
  • Patent number: 7957018
    Abstract: A method, and a system using the method, of managing and using a profile to be associated with a document. The method includes generating an identifier based on the profile and printing the identifier for use in scanning documents to be associated with the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Anthony Rudolph, John S. Steele
  • Patent number: 7619762
    Abstract: A multi-function network printing device includes customizable functions and user interfaces for one of several identified vertical industry spaces. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a multi-function network printing device; (b) identifying a business purpose having specialized needs; and (c) customizing the built-in functions and the associated GUI icons based upon the specialized needs of the identified business purpose. In a more specific embodiment, the customizing step includes the step of adding additional functions to the multi-function device and associated icons displayed on the graphical-user-interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: A. Greg Chavers, Christopher S. Faro, Kevin P. Goffinet, Timothy S. Seevers, Randy S. Sparks, John S. Steele, James F. Webb
  • Patent number: 7263661
    Abstract: A method for customizing the graphical user interface of a multi-function device includes the steps of: (a) providing a multi-function device including a multi-function unit and a document server, where the multi-function device includes three or more built-in functions such as copying, printing, scanning, faxing, and emailing, and the multi-function unit includes a graphical user interface originally configured to display standard icons representing the built-in functions, where the user may activate the standard icons to command the multi-function device to perform the associated built-in function; (b) selecting an additional function to be available on the multi-function device; and (c) automatically adding a new icon associated with the additional function to the graphical user interface of the multi-function unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: A. Gregory Chavers, Christopher S. Faro, Nathan K. Klemperer, Jennifer L. Krouse, John S. Steele
  • Publication number: 20040212823
    Abstract: A multi-function network printing device includes customizable functions and user interfaces for one of several identified vertical industry spaces. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a multi-function network printing device; (b) identifying a business purpose having specialized needs; and (c) customizing the built-in functions and the associated GUI icons based upon the specialized needs of the identified business purpose. In a more specific embodiment, the customizing step includes the step of adding additional functions to the multi-function device and associated icons displayed on the graphical-user-interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: A. Gregory Chavers, Christopher S. Faro, Kevin P. Goffinet, Timothy S. Seevers, Randy S. Sparks, John S. Steele, James F. Webb
  • Publication number: 20040216058
    Abstract: A method for customizing the graphical user interface of a multi-function device includes the steps of: (a) providing a multi-function device including a multi-function unit and a document server, where the multi-function device includes three or more built-in functions such as copying, printing, scanning, faxing, and emailing, and the multi-function unit includes a graphical user interface originally configured to display standard icons representing the built-in functions, where the user may activate the standard icons to command the multi-function device to perform the associated built-in function; (b) selecting an additional function to be available on the multi-function device; and (c) automatically adding a new icon associated with the additional function to the graphical user interface of the multi-function unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: A. Gregory Chavers, Christopher S. Faro, Nathan K. Klemperer, Jennifer L. Krouse, John S. Steele