Method and apparatus for multiprotocol operation of a networked peripheral
US5784622A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jul 21, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/18
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for multiprotocol operation of an interactive network board which ties a peripheral to a local area network and which executes first and second peripheral servers for servicing jobs from respectively different operating systems. The first server checks its operating system job queue and receives job information from the operating system according to a first protocol. The first server seizes exclusive control over the peripheral and signals to other servers that the first server has control. In coordination with the first server, the second server checks its operating system job queue and receives job information from the operating system. When the first server relinquishes control over the peripheral, the second server can seize exclusive control over the peripheral so as to send its job information to the peripheral. Preferably, while each server has exclusive control over the peripheral, it checks with other servers to determine whether those other servers have pending requests for use of the peripheral. If there are pending requests, then control over the server can be relinquished at the end of a job, even though there are remaining jobs in the job queues, …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.