Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for controlling an input or output device over the internet

US6636891B1 · kind B1 · utility

56Cited by
29References
55Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 6, 1998
Grant dateOct 21, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N2201/3278
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a network having an initiator, a server, and an input/output (I/O) device remote from the initiator, the initiator transmits to the server a request containing the network location of data to be retrieved from an input device, such as a video camera, fax, or scanner, or output by an output device, such as a printer. Output requests are placed in a queue and scheduled for completion. When an output device is ready, the server retrieves the data from a network storage location different from the queue and transmits the data to the printer or output device for action. When an input device is ready, the server retrieves the data from the input device and transmits it to a network location based on the request. The server can also provide the initiator with status information about the request and the input or output device.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.