Patent ID: 6571293
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A data processing system comprising a single Host coupled by a local I/O communications channel to a single multifunction peripheral, the system comprising:the multifunction peripheral comprising a display, a user input device, a processor, a first memory for long term storage and a second rewritable memory for short term storage, and a communications interface, the multifunction peripheral for providing document scanning and document output functions; the Host comprising a processor, a first rewritable memory for long term storage and a second rewritable memory for short term storage, a communications interface, and a network adapter for communicating with a computer network; the communications channel comprises one of the group consisting of Bidirectional Parallel and Asynchronous Serial, and the Host including means for determining when it has data to transfer to the multi function peripheral, and means for executing a single SEND MESSAGE command before the Host transmits a combined data packet, coupling the communications interface of the multifunction peripheral and the communications interface of the Host; the Host including software for causing the processor in the Host the communications interface in the Host to: (i) prepare a first content packet from the data for transmission to the multifunction peripheral; (ii) prepare a first header packet containing information describing the first content packet; (iii) combine the first content packet with the first header packet into the combined data packet; (iv) transmit the combined data packet in a single transaction to the multifunction peripheral via the communications channel; the multifunction peripheral including software for causing the processor in the multifunction peripheral and the communications interface in the multifunction peripheral to: (i) receive the combined data packet from the Host; (ii) send an acknowledgment of receipt of the combined data packet to the Host via the communications channel.