Abstract:
A computer implemented printer control system includes memory configured to provide an operating system and operative to store files representing at least one document to be printed and a display configured to provide an image of a graphical user interface in a viewing window. The graphical user interface is configured to allow user selection and modification of print engine options for printing the document. The control system also includes processing circuitry configured to display, in the graphical user interface, a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job and display a current status of the print job together with the list.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to printers and computer networks. More particularly, the invention relates to selection of print features.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Over the last several decades, computer systems have become increasingly complex, and, at the same time, have been modified to provide increasing numbers of options, capabilities and customization features for specific tasks. Printer technology is a dramatic example of the increased capabilities that even modest modern computer systems offer compared to those of a few decades ago. Widespread adoption of features allowing on-the-fly modification of print parameters (e.g., font, print size, mixed graphic/text output, selection of multiple printers, paper sources etc.) permit very complex printer operations to be carried out with relative ease, compared to what is possible with older print technologies, such as those using daisy-wheel printing systems.  
           [0003]    The increased capabilities found within modern printer systems requires increased sophistication in the commands that are sent to the printer in order to carry out the user&#39;s desired print options. In turn, the user has a larger number of options to select in composing a document to be printed. As a result, the need to be able to organize and to display printer options in a compact, organized and user-friendly fashion has grown dramatically.  
           [0004]    Typically, a print job is sent to a printer, and the user is provided with a status dialog box. The printing software carries out preliminary processing of the print job in order to be able to send formatted pages from the print job to the printer. While the print job is being processed, the software displays the status of the print job in the status dialog box. While the status is being displayed, the user has the options of letting the printing software continue to process the print job without intervention, canceling the print job or suspending the print job temporarily while the user reviews or modifies various printing options.  
           [0005]    When these options are presented using a status dialog box that is separate from dialog boxes used to modify the print job, the user has no idea what print features may be optionally modified, or of how those options are currently set. Prior to the print processing software beginning to send pages to the printer, the user can interrupt the process by clicking on an “Options” button. Aside from the vague clue provided by the label on the button, the user may have no idea what options may be available, or of how those options are currently set. A new user may be hesitant to explore the “Options” because it is not clear what this may lead to. Moreover, when the user does explore this setting, the user loses access to the status information.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of integrating print job status information and user options includes displaying a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and displaying a current status of the print job together with the list.  
           [0007]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an article of manufacture includes a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein to cause a display to depict a graphical user interface for setting printer options. The computer readable program code in the article of manufacture is configured to display, in the graphical user interface, a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and to display a current status of the print job together with the list.  
           [0008]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer implemented printer control system includes memory configured to provide an operating system and operative to store files representing at least one document to be printed and a display configured to provide an image of a graphical user interface in a viewing window. The graphical user interface is configured to allow user selection and modification of print engine options for printing the document. The control system also includes processing circuitry configured to display, in the graphical user interface, a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and to display a current status of the print job together with the list.  
           [0009]    Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a computer system and printer, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a simplified flowchart illustrating a process, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 shows a simplified view of a graphical user interface for controlling the printer of FIG. 1 using the process shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 shows a simplified view of a graphical user interface for controlling the printer of FIG. 1 using the process shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a computer system  10  and printer  12  coupled together via a bus  13 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The computer system  10  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  14  that is coupled to a data and address bus  16 . The data and address bus  16  is coupled to a memory system  18 . The memory system  18  includes nonvolatile mass data storage device  20 , which may include a CD ROM, floppy drive, hard drive, zip drive, floptical storage, optical storage, tape storage or other forms of data storage and retrieval devices known in the art. The memory system  18  also includes a read only memory (ROM)  22  and a random access memory (RAM)  24 . In one embodiment, the computer system  10  includes the memory system  18  or other computer readable medium bearing software that will be described below. A display  26  and a user interface  28  are also coupled to the CPU.  14  through the data and address bus  16 . The computer system  10  includes I/O devices  30  coupled to the data and address bus  16  to promote data communications between the computer system  10  and external data processing and conditioning devices, including the printer  12 . It will be appreciated that more complex computer systems are also used in conjunction with printers  12 , however, for clarity of explanation and ease of understanding, the present invention will be described in the context of the computer system  10  of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the user interface  28  includes a keyboard and a cursor manipulating tactile input device, such as a mouse or a touchpad. However, it is understood that other forms of input devices can also be used including voice recognition systems, joysticks, graphics tablets, data readers, card readers, magnetic and optical readers, other computer systems etc. The user receives visual feedback via the display  26 . According to one construction, the display  26  comprises a graphics display terminal, such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display. The user enters commands and text via the user interface  28  and observes feedback from the computer system  10  using the display  26 . The CPU  14  operates on data using modules composed of lines of code that typically are stored in RAM  24 , in response to the commands from the user, and provides results that may be stored in the memory system  18 , displayed on the display  26  or that may be communicated to other devices external to the computer system  10 , such as the printer  12 . The modules may or may not be defined by a subroutine separate from a main program. It will be understood that while the invention is described in terms of a computer system  10  and a printer  12 , it may also be practiced in systems that include multiple computers, such as servers and the like.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a simplified flowchart illustrating a process P 1  in accordance with one aspect of the invention. The process P 1  begins with a step S 1 . In the step S 1 , the user supplies a print command. In a step S 2 , the process P 1  displays a graphical user. interface, shown in FIG. 3, with a “Status” feature selected from a list of user-selectable features. The graphical user interface includes a print preview image and controls for a selected feature. In a step S 3 , the process P 1  displays the current status of the print job in the graphical user interface. In a query task S 4 , the process P 1  determines whether the user has selected a feature other than “Status” from a list of features in the graphical user interface of FIG. 3. When the query task S 4  determines that no other feature has been selected by the user, control passes to a query task S 5 . In the query task S 5 , the process P 1  determines if the print job has ended. When the query task S 5  determines that the print job has ended, the process P 1  ends. When the query task S 5  determines that the print job has not ended, control passes to the step S 2  to display the graphical user interface, which is then updated in the step S 3 .  
         [0017]    When the query task S 4  determines that the user has selected another feature, control passes to a step S 6 . In the step S 6 , processing of the print job is interrupted. In a step S 7 , controls for the selected feature are displayed in the graphical user interface. In a query task S 8 , the process P 1  determines if the user has changed a control for the selected feature. When the query task S 8  determines that the user has changed a control for the selected feature, control passes to a step S 9 . In the step S 9 , the print preview image is updated in response to user changes in the controls for the selected feature. After the step S 9 , or after the query task S 8  determines that no control has been changed for the selected feature, a query task S 10  determines if the user has selected “Print.” When the query task S 10  determines that the user has not selected “Print,” control passes to the step S 7 . When the query task S 10  determines that the user has selected “Print,” control passes to a step S 11 . In the step S 11 , the process P 1  resumes processing the print job with any changes that the user has made, and the process P 1  then ends.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows a simplified view of a graphical user interface for controlling the printer  12  of FIG. 1 using the process P 1  shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a first screen portion  50  and a second screen portion  52  separated by a first divider  54 .  
         [0019]    In one embodiment, a first affordance  55  is provided together with the first divider  54 . As used herein, the term “affordance” is defined to mean a visible feature having a characteristic from which the user infers (imagines) the operation method. In the illustrated example, the first affordance  55  is formed by vertical lines resembling ridges that are intended to suggest to the user that the first divider  54  may be moved by the user. In one embodiment, an input device in the user interface  28  of FIG. 1, such as a mouse, may be used to “click and drag” the first divider  54  or the first affordance  55  left or right to adjust relative sizes of the first  50  and second  52  portions. In one embodiment, the second screen portion  52  is separated into a first sub portion  56  and a second sub portion  58  separated from one another by a second divider  60  having a second affordance  61 .  
         [0020]    A third affordance  62  is formed by the intersection of the first  54  and second  60  dividers. In the illustrated examples, the third affordance  62  is denoted by a square positioned at a junction of the first  56  and second  60  dividers. Relative sizes of the first  50  and second  52  portions, as well as the first  56  and second  58  sub portions, may be simultaneously adjusted by a user by clicking on and then dragging the third affordance  62  in any direction.  
         [0021]    A list  64  of printer features is displayed in the first portion  50 , together with a scroll bar  66 . This allows the user to rapidly scan features in the list  64  and to select features in the list  64  for modification from their default settings, using, for example, a mouse-driven cursor. When the user selects a feature from the list  64 , that feature is shown in a first visually distinct manner in the list of features  64 . Selection of a feature from the list  64  will cause the controls displayed in the second sub portion  58  to change to the controls appropriate for the feature that is currently selected.  
         [0022]    The first sub portion  56  displays a print preview image  68 . The first sub portion  56  also displays a scroll bar  70  together with a scroll button  72 . The scroll bar  70  allows the user to select a specific page in the document for the print preview image  68 , using, for example, a mouse-driven cursor. The print preview image  68  shows the selected page as it will appear when it is printed.  
         [0023]    Status of the print job is shown in a display  74  contained within the second sub portion  58 . In the example of FIG. 3, page  12  is being received. A status message  78  is shown below the display  74 . In one embodiment, the graphical user interface of FIG. 3 is displayed for an interval that is set by a predetermined delay. The interval is intended to allow the user opportunity to see the list of features  64 . In one embodiment, the interval may be 15, 20 or 30 seconds. In one embodiment, the interval is user-adjustable and the user may select any interval of from 0 to 10 minutes. A remaining portion of the predetermined delay may be indicated by a pie chart display  80 .  
         [0024]    The graphical user interface also includes buttons  82 ,  84  and  86 , labeled “Print,” “Defer” and “Cancel.” The user may select the “Print” button  82  in order to restart the print job via steps S 10  and S 11 . Alternatively, the user may elect to defer printing by selecting the “Defer” button  84  or to cancel printing by selecting the “Cancel” button  86 . The status message allows the user to bypass the predetermined delay by selecting the “Print” button  82  to begin printing immediately.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 shows a simplified view of a graphical user interface for controlling the printer  12  of FIG. 1 using the process P 1  shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 4, the user has selected the “Watermarks” feature from the list  64  in the step S 4 . The print preview image  68  includes a watermark  76   b  displaying the legend “Secret” as it will appear when it is printed. In the example of FIG. 4, the user has set the “Watermarks” feature to “Secret” using a user-editable text box  98  in the step S 8 . When the user selects the print button  82  in the step S 10 , the print job is re-started.  
         [0026]    Advantages to the graphical user interface system illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 include providing the status of the print job together with a list of features that may be applied to the print job. The user is provided an opportunity to modify features of the print job and to see, using the print preview image  68 , what the print job will look like. The print features are clearly displayed, rather than being hidden behind a label such as “Options.” The user is also provided with flexibility in determining when the print job is executed. The inconvenience of a status dialog box that obscures print features and a print feature dialog box that obscures print job status is eliminated. The user has access to the status of the print job while exploring the list of print features  64 . The print job is suspended automatically while the user explores the available print features, and resumes automatically when the user selects the “Print” button  82 . When the user doesn&#39;t select any print features for modification, the print job executes automatically following a predetermined delay, avoiding unnecessary delay in the event that the user has, for example, gone for coffee while the print job is being executed.  
         [0027]    The protection sought is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, which are given by way of example only, but instead is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.