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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for interfacing a printer with a computerized local area
network (LAN), said apparatus comprising:
a circuit board couplable to the printer and to the LAN;
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said circuit board, for
transmitting print data to the printer, for transmitting control
parameters to the printer, for transmitting printer status requests and
printer configuration requests to the printer, and for receiving printer
status data and printer confiquration data from the printer in response to
the printer status requests and the printer configuration requests,
respectively, the printer status data being generated by the printer and
comprising a current operational state of the printer, and the printer
configuration data being stored in the printer and being used to configure
the printer for operation;
a RAM, disposed on said circuit board, for storing the print data, the
printer status data, the printer configuration data, and a plurality of
application programs;
a LAN interface, disposed on said circuit board, for receiving the print
data, the control parameters, the printer status requests, and the printer
configuration requests from the LAN, and for transmitting the printer
status data and the printer configuration data to the LAN; and
a processor, disposed on said circuit board, for executing the plurality of
application programs on a multi-tasking basis so as to cause (a) the print
data to be received from the LAN over the LAN interface and to be
transmitted to the printer over the bi-directional interface, (b) the
control parameters to be transmitted to the printer over the
bi-directional interface, (c) the printer status requests and the printer
configuration requests to be received from the LAN over the LAN interface
and to be transmitted to the printer over the bi-directional interface,
(d) the printer status data and the printer configuration data to be
received from the printer over the bi-directional interface in response to
the printer status requests and the printer configuration requests,
respectively, and (e) the printer status data and the printer
configuration data to be transmitted to the LAN over the LAN interface.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said RAM comprises a dynamic
RAM.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board is
installable in the printer.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a PROM, disposed on
said circuit board, for storing the plurality of application programs, and
wherein said processor loads the plurality of application programs from
said PROM to said RAM upon power-up of said circuit board.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said PROM stores a further
plurality of application programs, and further comprising an NVRAM for
storing a configuration file identifying which of the plurality of
application programs and which of the further plurality of application
programs are to be downloaded from said PROM to said RAM upon power-up of
said circuit board.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, upon power-up of said circuit
board, said processor (1) reads the configuration file from said NVRAM,
(2) selects from said PROM a subset of the plurality of application
programs and the further plurality of application programs based on the
configuration file, and (3) downloads the selected subset of application
programs to said RAM for execution.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processor is adapted to
receive a new configuration file over the LAN, and wherein said processor
(1) stores the new configuration file in said NVRAM, (2) reboots said
circuit board, (3) reads the new configuration file from said NVRAM, (4)
selects from said PROM a different subset of the plurality of application
programs and the further plurality of application programs based on the
new configuration file, and (5) downloads the selected different subset of
the application programs to said RAM for execution.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bi-directional interface is
comprised of a data channel for transmitting said print data to the
printer, and a status channel for transmitting the printer status requests
and the printer confiquration requests to the printer and for receiving
the printer status data and the printer configuration data from the
printer in response to the printer status requests and the printer
configuration requests, respectively.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bi-directional interface is
a SCSI interface.
10. An interactive network circuit board coupled to a local area network
(LAN) peripheral, said interactive network circuit board comprising:
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said interactive network circuit
board, for transmitting data to the LAN peripheral, for transmitting
control parameters to the LAN peripheral, for transmitting peripheral
status requests and peripheral configuration requests to the LAN
peripheral, and for receiving peripheral status data and peripheral
configuration data from the LAN peripheral in response to the peripheral
status requests and the peripheral configuration requests, respectively,
the peripheral status data being generated by the LAN peripheral and
comprising a current operational state of the LAN peripheral, and the
peripheral configuration data being stored in the LAN peripheral and being
used to configure the LAN peripheral for operation;
a LAN interface, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for
receiving peripheral data, control parameters, the peripheral status
requests, and the peripheral configuration requests from the LAN and for
transmitting the peripheral status data and the peripheral configuration
data to the LAN;
a PROM, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for storing a
plurality of application programs;
a RAM, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for temporarily
storing at least some of the plurality of application programs; and
a processor, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for (1)
downloading at least some of the plurality of application programs from
said PROM to said RAM, and (2) causing the at least some of the plurality
of application programs to be executed out of said RAM on a multi-tasking
basis so as to effect (a) receipt of the peripheral data, the control
parameters, the peripheral status requests, and the peripheral
configuration requests over said LAN interface, (b) control over
transmission of the peripheral data, the control parameters, the
peripheral status requests, and the peripheral configuration requests to
the peripheral over said bi-directional interface, (c) receipt of the
peripheral status data and the peripheral configuration data from the
peripheral over said bi-directional interface in response to the
peripheral status requests and the peripheral confiquration requests, and
(d) transmission of the peripheral status data and the peripheral
configuration data over said LAN interface.
11. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 10, wherein
said bi-directional interface comprises a bi-directional SCSI interface.
12. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 11, wherein the
LAN peripheral comprises a printer.
13. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 10, wherein
said PROM stores a set of application programs for sending print data to
the printer over said bi-directional SCSI interface, and for receiving
printer status data and printer configuration data from the printer over
said bi-directional SCSI interface.
14. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 13, wherein
said PROM stores a second plurality of application programs for receiving
print data from the LAN, and for sending printer status data and printer
configuration data to the LAN over said LAN interface.
15. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 12, wherein
said PROM stores a set of application programs for sending control
parameters to the printer over said bi-directional SCSI interface, and for
receiving printer status data and printer configuration data from the
printer over said bi-directional SCSI interface.
16. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 15, wherein
said PROM stores a second plurality of application programs for receiving
control parameters from the LAN, and for sending printer status data and
printer configuration data to the LAN over said LAN interface.
17. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 8, wherein said
PROM stores first and second configuration programs for respectively
configuring said interactive network circuit board as an RPRINTER entity
and as a PSERVER entity.
18. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 17, further
comprising an NVRAM, disposed on said interactive network circuit board,
for storing a configuration file which corresponds to one of an RPRINTER
configuration and a PSERVER configuration.
19. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 18, wherein
said processor (1) reads the configuration file from said NVRAM, (2)
selects from said PROM application programs which correspond to the
configuration file, and (3) downloads selected application programs to
said RAM.
20. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 19, wherein
said LAN interface receives from the LAN a new configuration file which
corresponds to the other one of said RPRINTER and PSERVER configuration
files, and wherein said processor (1) causes said new configuration file
to be stored in said NVRAM, (2) reboots said interactive network circuit
board, (3) thereafter reads the new configuration file from said NVRAM,
(4) selects from said PROM configuration programs which correspond to the
read new configuration file, and (5) downloads the newly-selected
configuration programs to said RAM.
21. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 10, wherein the
LAN peripheral comprises an image input device, and wherein said
bi-directional interface comprises an SCSI interface for receiving image
data from the image input device.
22. A board according to claim 21, wherein said processor causes the
received image data to be transmitted to the LAN over said LAN interface.
23. An interactive network circuit board according to claim 10, wherein
said bi-directional interface is comprised by a data channel for
transmitting the peripheral data to the peripheral, and a status channel
for transmitting the peripheral status requests and the peripheral
configuration requests to the peripheral and for receiving peripheral
status data and peripheral configuration data from the peripheral in
response to the peripheral status requests and the peripheral
configuration requests, respectively.
24. A method of interfacing a peripheral to a local area network (LAN)
using an interactive network board which includes a bi-directional
interface and a LAN interface, said method comprising:
a first receiving step for receiving from the LAN, over the LAN interface,
peripheral data and at least one of a peripheral status request and a
peripheral confiquration request;
a first transmitting step for transmitting to the peripheral, over the
bi-directional interface, the peripheral data and the at least one of the
peripheral status request and the peripheral confiquration request;
a second receiving step for receiving from the peripheral, over the
bi-directional interface, at least one of peripheral status data and
peripheral configuration data in response to the at least one of the
peripheral status request and the peripheral configuration request, the
peripheral status data being generated by the peripheral and comprising a
current operational state of the peripheral, and the peripheral
confiquration data being stored in the peripheral and being used to
configure the peripheral for operation;
a second transmitting step for transmitting to the LAN, over the LAN
interface, the at least one of the peripheral status data and the
peripheral confiquration data;
a storing step for storing, in a PROM disposed on the interactive network
board, a plurality of application programs;
a transferring step for transferring a subset of the plurality of
application programs to a RAM disposed on the interactive network board;
and
a processing step for processing, on a multi-tasking basis with a processor
disposed on the interactive network board, the subset of the plurality of
application programs so as to (1) transmit the peripheral data to the
peripheral over the bi-directional interface in response to the receipt of
the peripheral data from the LAN, (2) transmit the at least one of the
peripheral status request and the peripheral configuration request to the
peripheral in response to the receipt of the at least one of the
peripheral status request and the peripheral configuration request from
the LAN, and (3) transmit the at least one of the peripheral status data
and the peripheral configuration data to the LAN in response to a receipt
of the at least one of the peripheral status data and the peripheral
configuration data.
25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the peripheral comprises a
printer, and wherein said storing step includes storing a first
configuration program which configures the interactive network board as a
PSERVER entity, and a second configuration program which configures the
interactive network board as an RPRINTER entity.
26. Method according to claim 24, wherein the peripheral data is
transmitted to the peripheral over a data channel and wherein the
peripheral status requests and the peripheral configuration requests are
transmitted to the peripheral and the peripheral status data and the
peripheral configuration data are received from the peripheral over a
status channel of the bi-directional interface.
27. A method according to claim 24, wherein said bi-directional interface
is a SCSI interface.
28. Apparatus for interfacing a printer with a local area network (LAN),
said apparatus comprising:
a circuit board couplable to the printer;
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said circuit board, for
transmitting printer control parameters to the printer, for transmitting
printer status requests and printer configuration requests to the printer,
and for receiving printer status data and printer configuration data from
the printer in response to the printer status requests and the printer
configuration requests, respectively, the printer status data being
generated by the printer and comprising a current operational state of the
printer, and the printer configuration data being stored in the printer
and being used to configure the printer for operation;
a RAM, disposed on said circuit board, for storing the control parameters,
the printer status data, the printer configuration data, and at least one
application program;
a LAN interface, disposed on said circuit board, for receiving the control
parameters from the LAN, for receiving the printer status requests and the
printer configuration requests from the LAN, and for transmitting the
printer status data and the printer configuration data to the LAN; and
a processor, disposed on said circuit board, for executing, on a
multi-tasking basis, the at least one application program stored in said
RAM to cause the control parameters to be transmitted to the printer and
to cause the printer status data and the printer configuration data
received via the bi-directional interface to be transmitted to the LAN
wherein said bi-directional interface is comprised by a data channel for
transmitting print data to the printer, and a status channel for
transmitting the printer status requests and the printer configuration
requests to the printer and for receiving the printer status data and the
printer configuration data from the printer.
29. Apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a PROM, disposed on
said circuit board, for storing the at least one application program, and
wherein said processor loads the at least one application program from
said PROM into said RAM upon power-up of said circuit board.
30. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said bi-directional interface
is a SCSI interface.
31. A system comprising:
a local area network (LAN) peripheral; and
an interactive network circuit board coupled to the LAN peripheral, said
interactive network circuit board comprising:
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said interactive network circuit
board, for transmitting data to the LAN peripheral, for transmitting
control parameters to the LAN peripheral, for transmitting peripheral
status requests and peripheral configuration requests to the LAN
peripheral, and for receiving peripheral status data and peripheral
configuration data from the LAN peripheral in response to the peripheral
status requests and the peripheral configuration requests, respectively,
the peripheral status data being generated by the LAN peripheral and
comprising a current operational state of the LAN peripheral, and the
peripheral configuration data being stored in the LAN peripheral and being
used to configure the LAN peripheral for operation;
a LAN interface, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for
receiving peripheral data, control parameters, the peripheral status
requests, and the peripheral configuration requests from the LAN and for
transmitting the peripheral status data and the peripheral configuration
data to the LAN;
a PROM, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for storing a
plurality of application programs;
a RAM, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for temporarily
storing at least some of the plurality of application programs; and
a processor, disposed on said interactive network circuit board, for (1)
downloading at least some of the plurality of application programs from
said PROM to said RAM, and (2) causing the at least some of the plurality
of application programs to be executed out of said RAM on a multi-tasking
basis so as to effect (a) receipt of the peripheral data, the control
parameters, the peripheral status requests, and the peripheral
configuration requests over said LAN interface, (b) control over
transmission of the peripheral data, the control parameters, the
peripheral status requests, and the peripheral configuration requests to
the peripheral over said bi-directional interface, (c) receipt of the
peripheral status data and the peripheral configuration data from the
peripheral over said bi-directional interface in response to the
peripheral status requests and the peripheral configuration requests, and
(d) transmission of the peripheral status data and the peripheral
configuration data to the LAN over said LAN interface.
32. A system comprising:
a printer; and
an apparatus for interfacing the printer with a computerized local area
network (LAN), said apparatus comprising:
a circuit board couplable to the printer and to the LAN;
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said circuit board, for
transmitting print data to the printer, for transmitting control
parameters to the printer, for transmitting printer status requests and
printer configuration requests to the printer, and for receiving printer
status data and printer configuration data from the printer in response to
the printer status requests and the printer configuration requests,
respectively, the printer status data being generated by the printer and
comprising a current operational state of the printer, and the printer
configuration data being stored in the printer and being used to configure
the printer for operation;
a RAM, disposed on said circuit board, for storing the print data, the
printer status data, the printer configuration data, and a plurality of
application programs;
a LAN interface, disposed on said circuit board, for receiving the print
data, the control parameters, the printer status requests, and the printer
configuration requests from the LAN, and for transmitting the printer
status data and the printer configuration data to the LAN; and
a processor, disposed on said circuit board, for executing the plurality of
application programs on a multi-tasking basis so as to cause (a) the print
data to be received from the LAN over the LAN interface and to be
transmitted to the printer over the bi-directional interface, (b) the
control parameters to be transmitted to the printer over the
bi-directional interface, (c) the printer status requests and the printer
configuration requests to be received from the LAN over the LAN interface
and to be transmitted to the printer over the bi-directional interface,
(d) the printer status data and the printer configuration data to be
received from the printer over the bi-directional interface in response to
the printer status requests and the printer configuration requests,
respectively, and (e) the printer status data and the printer
configuration data to be transmitted to the LAN over the LAN interface.
33. A system comprising:
a printer; and
an apparatus for interfacing the printer with a local area network (LAN),
said apparatus comprising:
a circuit board couplable to the printer;
a bi-directional interface, disposed on said circuit board, for
transmitting printer control parameters to the printer, for transmitting
printer status requests and printer configuration requests to the printer,
and for receiving printer status data and printer configuration data from
the printer in response to the printer status requests and the printer
configuration requests, respectively, the printer status data being
generated by the printer and comprising a current operational state of the
printer, and the printer configuration data being stored in the printer
and being used to configure the printer for operation;
a RAM, disposed on said circuit board, for storing the control parameters,
the printer status data, the printer configuration data, and at least one
application program;
a LAN interface, disposed on said circuit board, for receiving the control
parameters from the LAN, for receiving the printer status requests and the
printer configuration requests from the LAN, and for transmitting the
printer status data and the printer configuration data to the LAN; and
a processor, disposed on said circuit board, for executing, on a
multi-tasking basis, the at least one application program stored in said
RAM to cause the control parameters to be transmitted to the printer and
to cause the printer status data and the printer configuration data
received via the bi-directional interface to be transmitted to the LAN
wherein said bi-directional interface is comprises by a data channel for
transmitting print data to the printer, and a status channel for
transmitting the printer status requests and the printer configuration
requests to the printer and for receiving the printer status data and the
printer configuration data from the printer. |
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Claims |
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