Patent ID: 6636329
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A software architecture for printing to a home printer over a cable television communication network comprising n Internet sites (where n&gE;3), with the cable television communication network connecting a cable head end to a home set top box to which the printer is connectable, the software architecture comprising:a first client at a first Internet site which functions to create a print job, and to transmit the print job to a second Internet site downstream of the first internet site; a first server at the second Internet site complementary to said first client, said first server functioning to accept the print job from the first client, said first server being configured to create a spooler which includes a logical printer that functions to render the print job through a form tailored to a third Internet site downstream of the second Internet site; and a second client at the second Internet site which functions to transmit the print job to a second server at the third Internet site, the second client being complementary to the first client, the first server and the second server, wherein the first and second clients and the first and second servers include an identical application programming interface that permits access thereto by a client application and other applications.