EP1068725A1 - Transmission automatique et impression par une imprimante a domicile via un reseau a usagers multiples - Google Patents

Transmission automatique et impression par une imprimante a domicile via un reseau a usagers multiples

Info

Publication number
EP1068725A1
EP1068725A1 EP99916330A EP99916330A EP1068725A1 EP 1068725 A1 EP1068725 A1 EP 1068725A1 EP 99916330 A EP99916330 A EP 99916330A EP 99916330 A EP99916330 A EP 99916330A EP 1068725 A1 EP1068725 A1 EP 1068725A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
information
network
host server
user
receiving unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99916330A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1068725A4 (fr
Inventor
Nicholas J. Colsey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sony Electronics Inc
Original Assignee
Sony Electronics Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sony Electronics Inc filed Critical Sony Electronics Inc
Publication of EP1068725A1 publication Critical patent/EP1068725A1/fr
Publication of EP1068725A4 publication Critical patent/EP1068725A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1278—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure
    • G06F3/1285—Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1202—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
    • G06F3/1203—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
    • G06F3/1206—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
    • G06F3/1237—Print job management
    • G06F3/1268—Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
    • G06F3/1269—Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself by broadcasting server

Definitions

  • This invention is related to a method and apparatus for obtaining information from a host provider over a multiple-user network and for automatically printing out the information.
  • the Internet is a global communications network, comprising a network of networks which are both public and private.
  • the world wide web (WWW) is a subset of the Internet.
  • the world wide web allows people to jump from one server to another simply by selecting a highlighted word, picture or icon about which they want more information. This is a maneuver which is called a "hyperlink.”
  • To use the world wide web a user loads a special navigation program, called a web browser, onto his or her computer which is connected to an Internet service provider, most typically by means of a telephone line.
  • the Internet service provider is connected to one of the networks making up the Internet.
  • search engine Some servers have provided what is called a "search engine.” These search engines can be accessed by a user via the Internet.
  • a search engine allows a user to submit information requests.
  • the search engine accesses a database, which has been previously established, looking for information which satisfies the information search request.
  • These servers which provide the search engines typically update their databases more or less continuously with new
  • Push technology allows data categories selected by a user to be delivered into the user's computer over the Internet or other multiple user network either at prescribed intervals or based on some event that occurs. This is in contrast with the "pull" technology model, in which a user specifically asks for something by performing a search or requesting an existing report, video or other data type.
  • PointCast® (a product of PointCast Incorporated) is a push model.
  • PointCast® was one of the first Internet push services to become extremely popular and offers users selected news and stock quotes which are delivered automatically into a user's machine at prescribed intervals. More recently, some companies are offering Internet browsers, such as Microsoft Corporation's Internet Explorer version 4.0, which incorporate push technology so that a user can select various information channels which will automatically download information from those channels at regular intervals and display them on the user's screen.
  • WebTV Networks offer a system wherein the user can watch television and, also, from the same television set, access the Internet. It is often desirable to printout the information because text is difficult to read on a television screen. Furthermore, information presented on the television's screen is not portable and cannot be shared conveniently. While the WebTV system allows information to be retrieved over the WebTV Network and printed out at the user's printer, printing while online is time consuming and wastes online time.
  • a system for automatically retrieving and printing information comprising a printer, a multiple-user communications network, a host server connected to the network for supplying information in digital form via the network in response to an information delivery request, and information database means connected to the host server for supplying requested information to the host server, and a receiving unit connected to the network and the printer for receiving the information in digital form supplied by the host server via the network and automatically controlling the printer to printout the received information in human readable form.
  • the receiving unit further has a user controllable means for initiating an information delivery request to the host server via the network.
  • the receiving unit further comprises a display means, such as a television set, for displaying information including an information channel menu presenting a plurality of user choices of information channels and a user interface control, such as a remote control device, for interactively selecting an information channel from the information channel menu displayed on the display means, and means for sending an information delivery request to WO 99/52280 P r C t T l /'US99/07328
  • the host server via the network in response to an information channel selected by the user using the interface control means.
  • the advantages of the system according to the invention are that the user obtains regular delivery of information, automatically, straight to the user's printer.
  • the delivery of the information is fast, that is, the new story can be delivered as soon as it happens.
  • the information printed out is customized information, that is, only news topics in which the user has an interest. And, of course, the information, because it is printed, is easy to carry and show to others.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information retrieval and automatic printing system according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is an illustration of a menu displayed on a television set of the system depicted in Figure 1.
  • a user terminal 10 for example a WebTV
  • Internet Terminal® is connected to a user's television set 12.
  • the terminal 10 is also connected to a television antenna or cable television system 14 which provides a source of broadcast television signals to the terminal 10.
  • the terminal 10 is connected through telephone lines 20 to an ISP host 22.
  • the host 22 is part of a multiple user network, e.g., the WebTV Network®.
  • the host 22 sends information signals via a commercial broadcast transmitter 24 to be broadcast over an antenna 26 or through a commercial cable system.
  • the information supplied by the host 22 to the transmitter 24 is high bandwidth data (lMB/sec.) which is embedded in the conventional TV broadcast signal.
  • a video modem (not shown) which can receive the high bandwidth signal embedded in the conventional TV broadcast and which can strip out the embedded data without disturbing the conventional TV broadcast signal. The stripped out data is then passed on to the television receiver 12.
  • the terminal 10 is actually a special purpose computer loaded with a form of a web browser which presents a display 30 on the television set 12 allowing the user to send and receive E-mail, visit chat rooms and use net groups, find local sites and services, and search and find subjects on the Internet as well as download full screen, full motion video and sound files.
  • the above-described existing system allows a user of the terminal 10 to browse the Internet or other information content provided directly to the ISP host 22 by a content provider 28 and to printout that information on the printer 16.
  • the above-described system does not allow a user to select information from a
  • the present invention provides this feature.
  • the user of the terminal 10 using the loaded web browser program, selects from a menu 30 (Fig. 2) displayed on the screen of the television 12 one or more information sources which are continually updated by their providers, e.g. CNN News, MNBC, etc. These are now being provided in the form of push
  • channels by such companies as PointCast Incorporated or with Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0.
  • the selection is by means of commands entered via the user input device 18.
  • a selection by the user causes an HTML command embedded in an HTML document to be sent to the host 22 via the network 20.
  • the host 22 then supplies the requested content either from the Internet or directly from a cooperating content provider 28 through the transmitter 24 and antennas 26 and 14 to the terminal 10, where the requested information is stripped from the television broadcast signal.
  • the requested information can include HTML printing codes.
  • the printing codes cause the printer 16 to automatically printout the downloaded information.
  • the network 20 e.g., a telephone line
  • the network 20 is not tied up awaiting delivery of the information so that it can be printed.
  • the user might arrange to have the information sent during the night, for example.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
  • Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système servant à récupérer et à imprimer automatiquement des informations, qui comporte une imprimante (16), un réseau (20) de communications à usagers multiples, un serveur (22) principal connecté au réseau et servant à fournir des informations sous forme numérique via le réseau (20) en réponse à une demande d'apport d'informations, une base de données (28) d'informations connectée au serveur (22) principal et servant à fournir des informations requises vers le serveur (22) principal, et une unité (10) réceptrice connectée au réseau (20) et à l'imprimante (16) qui sert à recevoir les informations sous forme numérique fournies par le serveur (22) principal via le réseau (20), et à commander automatiquement l'imprimante (16) pour imprimer les informations reçues sous une forme lisible par l'homme. L'unité (10) réceptrice comporte en outre une unité (18) pouvant être commandée par l'utilisateur, qui sert à lancer une demande d'apport d'informations en direction du serveur (22) principal via le réseau (20).
EP99916330A 1998-04-02 1999-04-02 Transmission automatique et impression par une imprimante a domicile via un reseau a usagers multiples Withdrawn EP1068725A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5406998A 1998-04-02 1998-04-02
US54069 1998-04-02
PCT/US1999/007328 WO1999052280A1 (fr) 1998-04-02 1999-04-02 Transmission automatique et impression par une imprimante a domicile via un reseau a usagers multiples

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1068725A1 true EP1068725A1 (fr) 2001-01-17
EP1068725A4 EP1068725A4 (fr) 2002-11-27

Family

ID=21988573

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99916330A Withdrawn EP1068725A4 (fr) 1998-04-02 1999-04-02 Transmission automatique et impression par une imprimante a domicile via un reseau a usagers multiples

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1068725A4 (fr)
JP (1) JP2002510832A (fr)
CN (1) CN1320330A (fr)
AU (1) AU3467799A (fr)
CA (1) CA2326832A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1999052280A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1334424A2 (fr) * 2000-11-13 2003-08-13 Hewlett-Packard Company Systeme de formation d'images sur web utilisant des mouchards electroniques pour fournir une option d'impression automatique
JP4215688B2 (ja) * 2004-07-22 2009-01-28 シャープ株式会社 データ出力装置、システム、方法、プリンタドライバ、及び記録媒体

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993005593A1 (fr) * 1991-09-10 1993-03-18 Hybrid Networks, Inc. Adaptateur de liaison a distance utilise dans un systeme de transmission de donnees de diffusion tv
US5504519A (en) * 1991-10-03 1996-04-02 Viscorp Method and apparatus for printing coupons and the like

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5606374A (en) * 1995-05-31 1997-02-25 International Business Machines Corporation Video receiver display of menu overlaying video
US5850520A (en) * 1996-07-01 1998-12-15 Electronic Data Systems Corporation Method and system for electronic publication distribution including return receipt
US5892909A (en) * 1996-09-27 1999-04-06 Diffusion, Inc. Intranet-based system with methods for co-active delivery of information to multiple users
US5790790A (en) * 1996-10-24 1998-08-04 Tumbleweed Software Corporation Electronic document delivery system in which notification of said electronic document is sent to a recipient thereof
US5850218A (en) * 1997-02-19 1998-12-15 Time Warner Entertainment Company L.P. Inter-active program guide with default selection control

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993005593A1 (fr) * 1991-09-10 1993-03-18 Hybrid Networks, Inc. Adaptateur de liaison a distance utilise dans un systeme de transmission de donnees de diffusion tv
US5504519A (en) * 1991-10-03 1996-04-02 Viscorp Method and apparatus for printing coupons and the like

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9952280A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU3467799A (en) 1999-10-25
WO1999052280A1 (fr) 1999-10-14
CA2326832A1 (fr) 1999-10-14
EP1068725A4 (fr) 2002-11-27
CN1320330A (zh) 2001-10-31
JP2002510832A (ja) 2002-04-09

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