Patent ID: 6266693
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of allowing a user at a workstation to control settings of an intelligent peripheral device under control of a file server, the method comprising:(a) the intelligent peripheral device determining operating conditions of plural predetermined aspects of the intelligent peripheral device;(b) the intelligent peripheral device deriving status information regarding the operating conditions of the intelligent peripheral device;(c) the intelligent peripheral device updating a first rewritable data storage device with the status information;(d) the file server generating a first signal to the intelligent peripheral device to request that the intelligent peripheral device transmit the status information to the file server;(e) the intelligent peripheral device reading the status information from a first data storage device;(f) the intelligent peripheral device transmitting the status information to the file server;(g) the file server receiving the status information from the intelligent peripheral device;(h) the file server storing the status information in a second rewritable storage device;(i) the workstation generating a second signal to the file server to request that the file server transmit the status information to the workstation;(j) the file server reading the status information from the second data storage device;(k) the file server transmitting the status information to the workstation;(l) the workstation receiving the status information from the file server;(m) the workstation storing the status information in a third rewritable data storage device;(n) the workstation displaying on the display the status information from the third rewritable storage device;(o) the workstation displaying on the display intelligent peripheral device settings available for change by the user;(p) the workstation providing a user interface to the user through which the user inputs at least one intelligent peripheral device setting which the user desires to be changed a the setting information;(q) the workstation storing the setting information in the third rewritable storage device;(r) the workstation generating a third signal to the file server to request that the file server accept the setting information from the workstation;(s) the file server generating a fourth signal to the workstation to request that the workstation transmit the setting information to the file server;(t) the workstation reading the setting information from the third data storage device;(u) the workstation transmitting the setting information to the file server;(v) the file server receiving the setting information from the workstation;(w) the file server storing the setting information in the second rewritable non-volatile data storage device;(x) the file server generating a fifth signal to the intelligent peripheral device to request that the intelligent peripheral device accept the setting information from the file server;(y) the intelligent peripheral device generating a sixth signal to the file server to request that the file server transmit the setting information to the intelligent peripheral device;(z) the file server reading the status information from the third data storage device;(aa) the file server transmitting the status information to the workstation;(bb) the intelligent peripheral device receiving the setting information from the file server;(cc) the intelligent peripheral device storing the setting information;(dd) the intelligent peripheral device modifying its operation in accordance with the setting information.