Multi-protocol network interface
US5636333A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 3, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 3, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/18
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Multiple host computers utilizing multiple network protocols on a network are connected through an interface, or network adapter, to a printer having a printer controller capable of bi-directional communication with the computers on the network. The interface processes print job information and priority information for the printer separately for each network protocol supported. There is a common interface to the network and a common interface to the printer in the network adapter, but each supported protocol processes priority and print job information in a particular protocol separately. Each protocol processing section separately processes the priority information, and the interface to the printer communicates this priority information to the printer in preference to communicating print job information. In this way, no matter which protocol has priority information to be communicated to the printer, and whether this protocol or another protocol is currently sending print job information to the printer, any protocol can communicate priority information to the printer and receive a priority reply.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.