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`

`EK692265643US
`
`System, Method, Process, And Apparatus For Mobile And Pervasive Output
`
`Inventor: William Ho Chang and Ying Liu
`
`Field of invention
`
`5
`
`Present invention relates to pervasive output. More particularly, it relates to system,
`
`apparatus, process, and method where an information apparatus can pervasively output
`
`digital content in its original form to an output device regardless of the processing power,
`
`display screen size and memory space of the information apparatus.
`
`10
`
`Background
`
`An Information apparatus refers to both stationary computers and mobile computing
`
`devices (pervasive devices). Examples of information apparatus include, without limitation,
`
`desktops, laptops, networked computers, palmtops (hand-held computer), personal digital
`
`assistants (PDAs), Internet enabled cellular phones, smart phones, pagers, digital
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`capturing devices (e.g. digital cameras and video cameras), Internet appliances, e-books
`
`and digital or web pads. An output device may include fax machines, printers, copiers,
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`image and/or video display devices (e.g. TV, monitors and projectors), and audio output
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`devices. For simplicity and convenience, hereafter, we may refer to an output device as a
`
`printer and output process as printing. However, it should be understood that the term
`
`2Q,~,
`
`printer and printing used in the discussion of present invention may refer to a specific
`
`example used to simplify description or may be one of the preferred embodiment. The
`
`definition of printer used here should be easily applied and or extended to the larger scope
`
`and definition of output devices. In no way this should be construed as restricting the scope
`
`and practice of present invention.
`
`25
`
`Fueled by an ever-increasing bandwidth, processing power, wireless mobile devices and
`
`available software applications for pervasive devices, millions if not billions of users are or
`
`will be creating, downloading, and transmitting content and information using their
`
`pervasive computing devices or information apparatus. As a result, there is a need to allow
`
`30
`
`users to easily output content and information from their pervasive computing devices
`
`(information apparatus) to any output device. People need to output directly and
`
`conveniently from their pervasive information apparatus, without depending on
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`1
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P000S
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`synchronizing with a stationary PC for printing as an example.
`
`To illustrate, an information worker at an airport, receiving Email in his hand-held computer
`
`5
`
`(information apparatus) may want to walk up to a nearby printer or fax machine to have his
`e-mail printed. In addition, the mobile worker may also want to print a copy of his to do list,
`appointment book, business card, and his flight schedule from his mobile devices. As
`
`another example, a user reading a news article using his/her Internet-enabled pager or
`
`mobile phone may want to print out the complete article instead of reading it through the
`
`small screen on his pager or mobile device. Still, a user visiting an e-commerce site using
`
`10
`
`his cellular phone may want to print out pictures of the product he/she is buying. Such
`
`pictures may not be displayed on the small screen of his/her cellular phone. Yet in
`
`another example, a user with a digital camera after taking a picture may want to easily
`
`print it out to a nearby printer. Yet another example, a user may want to simply walk up to
`
`a printer with a mobile device and conveniently prints his/her PowerPoint, Word document,
`
`PDF, HTML,
`
`JPEG etc. stored in his/her mobile device or in a network (e.g. Internet, corporate
`
`. network). In addition, a user should also be able to print a web page or a book published
`
`on the Internet.
`
`2Q,,; Conventionally, output device (e.g. printer) is connected to information apparatus via wired
`
`connection such as through a cable line. A wireless connection is also possible by using,
`
`for example, radio communication or infrared communication. Regardless of wired or
`
`wireless connection, a user must first install in his/her information apparatus a printer driver
`
`corresponding to a particular printer model and make. Using a device dependent or specific
`
`25
`
`driver, the user's information apparatus may process output content or digital document into
`
`the printer's input space. Printer's input space corresponds to the type of input that a
`
`printer understands (here on refer to print data). For example, printer's input space or print
`
`data may include printer specific input format (e.g. image, graphics, file, data format),
`
`encoding, page description language, markup language, instructions, protocols or data that
`
`30 - can be understood or used by a particular printer make and model. Print data may be
`
`proprietary or published or combination. Printer's input space or print data is therefore, in
`
`general, device dependent. Different printer model may specify its own input, designed or
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`2
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P000S
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`adopted for optimal operation by the printer manufacturer according to a specification.
`
`Consequently, different printer usually requires using its own specific printer driver for
`
`accurate printing. A device driver (printer driver in this example) may control, manage,
`
`communicate, and output print data to a printer. Sometimes, instead of using a printer or
`
`5
`
`device driver, the device driving feature may be included or as part of an application
`
`software.
`
`Installation of a printer driver or application may be accomplished by, for example, installing
`
`manually using CD or floppy disk supplied by the printer manufacturer. Or alternatively, a
`
`10
`
`user may be able to download that particular driver or application from a network. For a
`
`home or office user, this installation process may take anywhere from several minutes to
`
`several hours depending on the type of driver and user's sophistication level with
`
`computing devices and networks. Even with plug and play driver installation, it still requires
`
`the user to execute multiple-step process for each printer. Nevertheless, this installation
`
`and configuration process is adding undoubtedly a degree of complexity and work to end(cid:173)
`
`user who may otherwise spend their time doing other productive or enjoyable work.
`
`Moreover, many unsophisticated users may be discouraged from adding new peripherals
`
`(e.g. printers, scanners) to his home computer or network only to avoid the hassle of
`
`installation and configuration. Therefore, there is a need to provide a method where a user
`
`20"''
`
`can more conveniently or easily output digital content to an output device without the
`
`inconvenience of finding and installing a new printer driver.
`
`Conventional printing method may pose significantly higher challenge and difficulty tor
`
`mobile device users than for home and office users. The requirement for pre-installation of
`
`25
`
`device-dependent driver is in conflict with the concept of pervasive computing and output.
`
`For example, a mobile user may want to print his e-mail, PowerPoint, web page, or other
`
`document at airport, in airplane, gas station, convenient store, kiosk, hotel, conference
`
`room, office, and at home. It is highly unlikely that the user finds at each of these locations
`
`printer of the same make and model. It is usually not a viable option to pre-install all
`
`30
`
`, possible (hundreds if not thousands of) printer drivers in the user's information apparatus.
`
`The user may have to install and configure a printer driver each time at each of these
`
`locations before printing. Moreover, the user may not want to be bothered with looking for
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`3
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`a driver or downloading it and installing it just to print out one page of email at the airport.
`
`This is certainly an undesirable and discouraging process to promote pervasive or mobile
`
`computing. Therefore, a more convenient or automated printing solution is needed so that a
`
`user can simply walk up to a printer and easily print his/her digital document without having
`
`5
`
`to worry about installing or pre-installing a particular printer driver.
`
`Another challenge for mobile users is that many mobile information apparatus have limited
`
`memory space, processing capacity and power supply. These limitations are more apparent
`
`for small and low-cost mobile devices including, for example, PDAs, mobile phones, screen
`
`10
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`phones, pagers, e-books, Internet Pads, Internet appliances etc. Limited memory space
`
`poses difficulties in installing and running large or complete printer drivers, not to mention
`
`multiple drivers. Slow processing speed and limited power supply create difficulties driving
`
`an output device. For example, processing or converting of digital document into print data
`
`by a small mobile information apparatus may be so slow that it is not suitable for productive
`
`output. Heavy processing may also drain or consume power or battery resources.
`
`Therefore, a method is needed so that a small mobile device, with limited processing
`
`"Ti capabilities, can still reasonably output digital content to various output devices .
`
`. Finally, some small mobile devices with limited display screens, such as mobile phones,
`
`20
`
`may in some cases be limited to display only a few lines of text. Browsing the Internet using
`
`such devices can be a disappointing experience when viewing, for example, complex web
`
`pages containing rich forms, graphics, and images. Furthermore, some small mobile
`
`devices may not have appropriate applications to display complex documents or languages
`
`such as PDF, word document and PowerPoint. Typically, if an application is available,
`
`25
`
`displaying complex original documents on small mobile devices may require downsizing the
`
`document or page into, for example, a few lines of text. As an example, WAP protocol, 1-
`
`Mode, and web clipping among others may downsize, reduce or truncate information on the
`
`original web page for display on mobile devices. Therefore, it is desirable to allow mobile
`
`users to output from their small information apparatus to an output device with full richness
`of the original document content.
`
`30
`
`Objects and advantages of the invention
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`4
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`It is therefore the object of present invention to provide an easy, friendly and convenient
`
`process for digital output. Unlike conventional printing, a user does not have to manually
`
`pre-install a printer driver from a CD, floppy disk, or download the driver somewhere from a
`
`network.
`
`5
`
`It is another object of present invention to provide output capability to small and lower-cost
`
`mobile devices with limited memory space, power supply and processing capability to still
`
`be able to output or print to an output device.
`
`10
`
`It is still another object of present invention to allow small mobile devices with limited
`
`display, processing power, and memory to be able to output a digital document (e.g. PDF,
`
`HTML, PowerPoint etc) in its full original richness, without resorting to downsizing,
`
`truncating, reducing, clipping or otherwise altering the original document. The user should
`
`be able to output the original content or document even when the small mobile device
`
`15
`
`cannot display or fully display the original digital document or content.
`
`Finally, it is another object of present invention to provide a convenient method allowing
`
`users to output to an output device with or without connection to a static network. Through
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`local communication and synchronization between information apparatus and output
`
`20
`
`device, hardware and software installation for static network connectivity may not be
`
`necessary for the output device.
`
`Detailed description of invention
`Before describing in detail the components and method of the output process of present
`
`25
`
`invention, it is useful to explain some definitions that are used in the following discussion
`
`and illustration of present disclosure. The definition of these terms is to facilitate discussion,
`
`understanding, and illustration of present invention disclosure. In no way, this should be
`
`. construed as limiting the scope to a particular example, class, or category.
`
`30
`
`. Objects definition
`
`An object may refer to a software and data entity, which may reside in different hardware
`
`environments or platforms or applications. An object may encapsulate within itself both data
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`5
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`and attributes describing the object and the instructions for operating that data. For
`
`simplicity of discussion, an object referred to in present invention may also include, for
`
`example, the concept of software components which may have varying granularity and can
`
`consist of one class, composite of classes, or the entire application.
`
`5
`
`It is important to note that, the term object defined herein may include a software and data
`
`entity. However, in no way it is limited to software or data as its media. Any entity
`
`containing information, description, attribute, data, instruction etc in any form or media such
`
`as hardware, software, voice, print, image, video, electronic signals in analog or digital
`
`10
`
`among others are all valid means of object definition used in present disclosure.
`
`An object may also contain in one of its fields or attributes a reference or pointer to another
`
`object, or a reference or pointer to data and or content. A reference to an object or any
`
`entity or content may include one or more or combination of pointer, identifier, name, path,
`
`1.5
`
`address or any description relating to the location where an object, data, or content can be
`
`found. In the discussion of present invention, the term reference and pointer may be used
`
`. interchangeably. Examples of reference may include universal resource identifier scheme
`
`(URI), uniform resource locator (URL), IP address, file names, directory pointers, software
`
`object and component pointers, run time address, among others. By way of example, a
`
`20
`
`document object described in present invention may contain or encapsulate a pointer or
`
`reference to a digital document. In this way, assuming the document object does not also
`
`contain the digital document, it is reasonable to assume that the object can be made small
`
`and lightweight. In this case, moving or transferring document objects is the same as
`
`moving or transferring reference or pointer to digital documents. Therefore, moving or
`passing objects in present disclosure may include moving or passing of (1) actual digital
`
`25
`
`content, or (2) reference to the actual content, or (3) both. These are examples of valid
`
`implementations and may be used in the description of present invention. Different
`
`. implementation in different situations can be easily discerned and recognized by an average
`
`engineer skilled in the art.
`
`30
`
`An object can reside anywhere in a network and travel around different environments,
`
`platforms, or applications. Downloading or transferring an object over the network may
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`6
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`involve protocols such as file transfer protocol (FTP) and hypertext transfer protocol (http)
`
`among others. Transferring an object may also involve using messages or other methods
`
`through an object or component model. Three major objects used and described in present
`
`invention are printer object, job object, and document object.
`
`5
`
`Printer (or output) object
`
`A printer object may contain a number of attributes, which may identify and describe, for
`
`example, the capabilities and functionalities of a particular output device such as a printer.
`
`During the process of present invention, a printer object may be stored in the memory
`
`10
`
`component of an output device. By way of example, an information apparatus requesting
`
`output service may communicate (described later in step 402) with an output device. During
`
`local service negotiation, at least a partial printer object may be uploaded to the information
`
`apparatus from the output device. By obtaining the printer object, the information apparatus
`
`may learn about the capability, compatibility, identification, and service provided by the
`
`15
`
`output device.
`
`As an example, a printer object may contain one or more of the following fields and or
`
`attribute descriptions. Each of following field may be optional, and furthermore, each of the
`
`following field or attribute may or may not exist in a particular implementation (e.g. empty or
`
`20
`
`NULL).
`
`1.
`
`Identification of an output device (e.g. brand, model, registration, IP address etc.)
`
`2. Services and feature sets provided by an output device (e.g. color or grayscale output,
`
`laser or inkjet, duplex, output quality, price per page, quality of service etc.)
`
`3. The type of input languages, formats, and or print data supported (E.g. Postscript, PCL,
`
`25
`
`XML, RTL, etc.) by an output device.
`
`4. Device specific profiles (e.g. printer profiles, color profiles, halftoning profiles, etc.).
`
`Device profiles may include information such as color tables, resolution, halftoning, dpi,
`
`bit depth, page size, printing speed etc. One or multiple profiles may exist.
`
`5. Payment information on a plurality of services provided by an output device.
`, 6.
`Information or security requirements and type of authentication an output device
`
`30
`
`supports.
`
`7. Date and version of the printer object.
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`7
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`8. Software components. Software components may contain algorithm or instructions,
`
`which may be uploaded to run in an information apparatus (described later in FIG 1 ). For
`
`example, a graphical user interface (GUI) software component may be uploaded to an
`
`information apparatus. The software component may be incorporated into or launched
`
`5
`
`by the client application of present invention in the information apparatus to capture
`
`user's preferences (e.g. print quality, page layout, number of copies, number of card per
`
`page, etc.). The client application may capture these user preferences and create a job
`
`object (described next).
`
`9. A pointer or reference where output device parameters (one or combination of item 1 to
`
`10
`
`8 listed above) may be found. For example, sometime a more up-to-date or original
`
`version of output device parameters may be stored in a network node. A printer object
`
`may include pointer or pointers to these output device parameters.
`
`Job object
`
`~5
`
`A job object may contain attributes and information that describe the output job. User may
`
`provide some or all of these attributes, preferences and information about the output job
`
`consciously by, for example, specifying his/her preference through a GUI or through defaults
`
`in his/her information apparatus. Alternatively or in combination, a job object may be
`
`obtained without active user intervention. In one instance, default parameters may be
`
`20
`
`provided, obtained, negotiated or calculated without user knowledge.
`
`Examples of attributes and information contained in a job object may include one or more or
`
`combination of the following among others. Each of following field may be optional, and
`
`furthermore, each of the following field or attribute may or may not exist in a particular
`
`25
`
`implementation (e.g. empty or NULL):
`
`"1. Preferences such as print quality, page layout, number of pages, number of cards per
`
`page, output size, color or grayscale, among others.
`
`2.
`
`Information on security, authentication, payment, subscription, identification among
`others.
`
`30
`
`3.
`
`Information on priority or quality of service
`
`4. Status information of the output job or process.
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`8
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`5. Job instructions such as queuing, cancellation, execution, output priority among others.
`
`6. Version or date of the job object.
`
`7. Sets of default parameters or instructions. The defaults may be stored in output device,
`
`in information apparatus, or in any network nodes.
`8. Pointer or reference to the above mentioned instructions and preferences and defaults.
`
`5
`
`Document object
`A document object may contain attributes and fields, which describe a digital document and
`
`or references to digital document among others. The term digital document used in present
`
`10
`
`invention may refer to any digital content that an output device may output. A digital
`
`document may contain text, graphics, image, voice, forms, and video among others.
`
`Examples of a digital document may be any one or combination of HTML, Postscript, PCL,
`
`XML, PDF, MS Word, PowerPoint, JPEG, MPEG, GIF, PNG, WML, VWML, CHTML, HDML,
`
`ASCII, 2-byte international coded characters among others. A digital document can be
`
`1,5
`
`composed of any format, language, encoding, data or combination. And it may be partially
`
`or totally proprietary or otherwise. A digital document may be used interchangeably with the
`
`term output content in the descriptions of present invention.
`
`A document object may contain one or more of the following attributes, fields, or
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`20
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`descriptions. Each of following field may be optional, and furthermore, each of the following
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`field or attribute may or may not exist in a particular implementation (e.g. empty or NULL).
`1. The actual digital document or output content.
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`2. A pointer or reference to digital document or output content and or instructions of
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`where a digital document can be found and or retrieved. A digital document may be
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`25
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`located in a user's information apparatus, in an application or anywhere in a network
`
`node (e.g. in a content or file server). Using a pointer or reference to a digital
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`document may reduce the size of the document object. Therefore, this may be
`
`beneficial, for example, when passing or uploading a document object from
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`30
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`·
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`information apparatus to server application through a narrowed bandwidth
`communication link.
`
`3. Date and version of the digital document.
`
`4. A history with date and description of changes, modifications, and updates made to
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`9
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`the document since its creation.
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`5. Descriptions and instructions for viewing, obtaining, opening interpreting,
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`encoding/decoding, converting, describing and manipulating the digital document
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`among others.
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`5
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`6. Status and state of the digital document. For example, one of the fields may provide
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`priority or instructions of when or where to use the reference to digital document or
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`the actual digital document itself if they are both contained in a document object.
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`10
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`FIG 1 illustrates an electronic system that can implement the process and apparatus
`
`of present invention.
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`The electronic system of present invention includes information apparatus 100, application
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`server 11 0 and content server 114 (herein and after may each be referred to as "network
`
`node"). These nodes are connected through network 108. The electronic system of present
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`15
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`invention may also include output device 106, which communicates with information
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`apparatus 100 through communication link 116.
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`Network 108 generally refers to any type of wire or wireless link between a plurality of
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`computing devices. Examples of the network may include, but not limited to, local area
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`20
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`network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or combination of networks. In one embodiment
`
`of the present invention, network 108 may include the Internet. In another embodiment,
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`network 108 may contain multiple networks, including local area networks and or wide area
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`networks such as the Internet.
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`25
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`Information apparatus 100 is a computing device with processing capability. In a preferred
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`embodiment, the information apparatus may be a mobile computing device such as palmtop
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`computer, laptop, PDA, smart phone, screen phone, e-book, Internet pad, Internet
`
`• appliances, pager, digital camera among others. It is possible that the information
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`apparatus may also include static computing devices such as desktop, workstation, server
`, among others.
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`30
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`10
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0O0S
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`Information apparatus may contain components such as processing unit, memory unit,
`
`storage unit and input/output control unit. The information apparatus may also contain an
`
`interface, which interacts with users. The interface may be implemented in software or
`
`hardware or combination. Examples of such interface include, without limitation, mouse,
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`5
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`keyboard, touch-sensitive or non-touch-sensitive screen, push button, soft key, stylus,
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`speaker, microphone, etc.
`
`The information apparatus of present invention typically contains at least one
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`communication unit that interfaces with other electronic devices such as other node in
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`10
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`network 108 and or output device 106. The communication unit may be implemented with
`
`hardware (e.g. silicon chipsets, antenna), software (e.g. protocol stacks, applications) or
`
`combination. Sometime an information apparatus may contain more than one
`
`communication units in order to support different interfaces, protocol, and or communication
`
`standards with different devices and or network nodes. For example, the information
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`15
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`apparatus illustrated in FIG 1 may communicate with output device 106 through Bluetooth
`
`interface while communicate with other network node (e.g. content server 114 or application
`
`server 110) through cellular interface.
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`Information apparatus 100 may be coupled to network 108 through wired or wireless
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`20
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`connections or combination. As an example, the information apparatus may subscribe to a
`
`wireless data network where packet data is transmitted through, for example, radio links
`
`between the information apparatus and a plurality of base stations. As another example, the
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`information apparatus may be connected to network 108 through wired lines such as,
`
`without limitation, telephone lines, WAN links (e.g. T1, T3, 56kb, X.25) or broadband
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`25
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`connections (e.g. ISDN, Frame Relay and ATM).
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`In a preferred embodiment of present invention, the interface 116 between information
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`apparatus 100 and output device 106 is a wireless interface. As an example, the wireless
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`interface may be a short-range radio interface such as those implemented according to the
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`30
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`Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 standard. However, the interface may be realized by other means
`
`of wireless communication such as radio, infrared, ultrasonic or hydrophonic. The HomeRF
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`Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP) and standards for cellular communication such as
`
`William H. Chang
`16900 SE 26th Driver, #94
`Vancouver, WA 98683
`
`11
`
`Docket No.: FLX00P0005
`Express Mail No.: EK692265643US
`Deposited November 20, 2000
`
`

`

`GSM (Global System for Mobile Telecommunication), D-AMPS (Digital Advanced Mobile
`
`Phone System), PDC (Pacific Digital Cellular), IS-95 (International Standard 95) and IMT-
`
`2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication) may constitute alternatives to the Bluetooth
`
`standard. Wired line connections such as serial or parallel interface, USB interface and fire
`
`5 wire (IEEE 1394) interfac