Abstract: The system, method, and program of this invention provides a secure configuration of a digital certificate for a printer. The printer has a unique encryption key stored in it at manufacturing time. This key is also recorded in a database, securely controlled by a certificate authority, and the key is associated with the printer by model and serial number. The printer sends a message requesting a digital certificate to the certificate authority. In the message request, the printer sends the model number and serial number of the printer in the clear, i.e., not encrytped, which is needed by the certificate authority to look up the unique encryption key in the database. The message request also contains an encryption, using the built-in key, of some of the same information that was sent in the clear. The database needs the information in the clear to get the key.

Abstract: A conversion program selectively decomposes viewable files, such as PDF files, and generates a print-structured, bi-directional stream composed of print data objects, resource objects and command objects. The conversion program uses a mapping table to determine which resources have already been sent to the printer so that redundant resources are not re-sent to the printer. The resources and page data for each page are assembled in order and sent to the printer so that the resources necessary to render a page precede the page data. In this manner the printer always has the resources necessary to print each page. The print data, resource and command objects are sent from a print server which controls the print system to a printer by means of a containerized data stream which is bi-directional. A reply object is used to provide information concerning processing of the data from the print server to the printer.

Abstract: The system, method, and program of this invention enables a client system to pass authorization, received from a file source, to a printer to retrieve and print a file directly from the file source without the client system ever receiving a copy of the file. The client system, print server, and file source are communicatively connected across a network. When the client system requests authorization from the file source, the file source creates a “will-call” certificate which contains the distinguished name of the file source, a path to the file, a digital signature of the file source, a validity date, and a unique tracking number for that certificate created by that file source. The will-call certificate is sent to the client, which sends it on to the print server. The print server uses the distinguished name of the file source and path to the file in the will-call certificate to locate the file and request the file directly from the file source.

Abstract: The system, method, and program of this invention provides a secure configuration of a digital certificate for a printer. The printer has a unique encryption key stored in it at manufacturing time. This key is also recorded in a database, securely controlled by a certificate authority, and the key is associated with the printer by model and serial number. The printer sends a message requesting a digital certificate to the certificate authority. In the message request, the printer sends the model number and serial number of the printer in the clear, i.e., not encrytped, which is needed by the certificate authority to look up the unique encryption key in the database. The message request also contains an encryption, using the built-in key, of some of the same information that was sent in the clear. The database needs the information in the clear to get the key.

Abstract: A Thin Layer Protocol.TM. adds three new data stream commands--the WOCC, WOC and END commands--to the Intelligent Printer Data Stream.TM. ("IPDS.TM.") structured page description language. The WOCC command creates a container for encapsulating a foreign print object, such as a PostScript.TM. or PCL.TM. command stream The container includes information identifying the type of object it contains. The WOC command provides the foreign print object data for the container and includes information defining the length of the object. The END command unambiguously locates the end of the container to prevent confusion of encapsulated binary data with escape sequences. Long objects are partitioned using separate WOC commands, each providing the length of its partition. The object type information enables the printer to easily invoke an appropriate language interpreter. Alternatively, the printer may use the object type and object length information to skip over an object which it does not recognize.