Web-based imaging service providing manual duplexing

Details Web-based imaging service providing manual duplexing Web-based imaging service providing manual duplexing

2001-10-30

2004-12-07

Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2626)

Facsimile and static presentation processing

Static presentation processing

Communication

C358S461000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06829060

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to printing in a web based imaging environment and more particularly to manual duplex printing in a web based imaging environment.
BACKGROUND
There are differences in the manual duplex (double side) printing capabilities supported by various printers. Some printers do not allow manual duplex printing. For example, paper having been previously printed on one side can jam within some printers when reloaded in the proper orientation for printing the second side. Different printers require reloading the paper in different printer-specific orientations. Proper orientation is typically a matter of trial and error.
Duplex printing and manual duplex printing, including supporting software to print all the odd sides, instruct the user to reload the copies, then print all the even sides, are prior art technologies. Some of these technologies are application based and work only with a particular application. Other methods are more general, but are still platform- and operating system-dependent. For example, these methods capture a user's job from the Windows operating system and then use Windows-specific software involving a print dialog box to print only odd pages or even pages, thus enabling the job to be manually duplex printed if the paper is properly reoriented manually between the two printings. It would be desirable in the art to provide a platform-independent system and method for manual duplex printing that clearly identifies the manual duplex printing capabilities of a printer and removes the guesswork from reorientation of the paper printed on a first side when reloading for second side printing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system and method in which a user accesses a web-based destination service representing a printer that supports manual duplex printing. The destination service downloads content into the user's browser and displays production options for printing the user's image data using the printer. The user chooses the duplex printing option and elects to print. The destination service then retrieves in order and prints the first sides of the user's image data. The user is presented with status displays reflecting the printing of the odd pages (first sides), followed by a request to reload the copies. The destination service displays via downloaded content in the user's browser instructions specific to the printer for manually reloading the copies in a proper orientation for second side printing. After reloading, the user indicates that the pages have been reloaded, and the even pages (second sides) of user's image data are retrieved in order and printed onto the opposite sides of the odd pages. The printer provides a status display that the even pages are printing and eventually indicates that the job is complete.
In a variation, the printer automatically detects when the copies in the printer are reloaded by monitoring the status of the printer (for example when the paper tray is made unavailable and then available, the second side can begin printing). In another variation, the user can control whether or not automatic detection is used. In a variation, the web-based imaging service is a proxy service hosted on a machine other than the printer. In another variation, the printer prevents any alternative job from beginning during a timeout period after printing of the first sides, thus reserving time for the user to reload the copies. In another variation, this timeout period is displayed in the user's browser.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5488458 (1996-01-01), Benedict et al.
patent: 6018398 (2000-01-01), Bunker
patent: 2003/0088517 (2003-05-01), Medoff
patent: 2003/0112460 (2003-06-01), Simpson et al.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/712,336, Simpson, filed Nov. 13, 2000.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/874,184, Simpson, filed Jun. 4, 2001.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/874,427, Simpson, filed Jun. 4, 2001.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/924,058, Simpson, filed Aug. 8, 2001.

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