Google Patent Application Details Cloud Printing Service

News
By Wolfgang Gruener
published

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has published a patent application from Google that seeks to secure the rights to a cloud printing service.

The document, which was filed in March of last year, describes the Cloud Print service as one that is integrated into Google's Chrome web browsers.

"A print server may include an application manager configured to receive a print request over a network from an application executing on a device, and configured to provide, over the network, a print dialog to a user of the application […] A print job router may be configured to route the print job over the network from the print server to a print client associated with the selected printer, for printing by the selected printer, using the printer-specific format."

Included in the patent are claims to an application manager that authenticates a user via a user account. While cloud print is often seen as a technology to enable users to print from anywhere without a direct, physical connection, Google argues that there is a different benefit to cloud printing, which offers a solution to "conventional printers and printing paradigms [that] often provide a fragmented, expensive, resource-intensive, potentially unpredictable user experience which is sub-optimal at best and unworkable at worst for many users." Google argues that cloud print via a browser solves the problem of providing and maintaining printer drivers for various platforms, including smartphones, which "may have limited or no resources to execute a print driver." As a result, customer may see a benefit of "increased printing options and abilities," while printer manufacturers will not have to release as many driver updates for as many platforms as they had to do in the past.

In related news, Google has also filed a patent that largely covers the recently updated Omnibox location bar in the browser. The document describes Google's technology to provide the user a dynamically updated listing of search suggestions that are pulled from the history of prior search queries.

Wolfgang Gruener
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • alyoshka
    Isn't this something like way back with network printing? I don't think Google existed then.
    Reply
  • davewolfgang
    This should be DENIED. There shouldn't even be any thought about DENYING it.
    Reply
  • lashabane
    I have to be missing something but to me, "cloud" is synonymous with "server".

    How is this any different than sending a print job to a computer on a network other than sending it to an IP that's generally different than a network IP?
    Reply
  • Benihana
    Well right now, say you have say a network with 10 computers and 1 printer. Well, you have to install drivers onto each computer to access the printer. Some computers function as nodes that broadcast the driver out, so it makes it easier for future computers to print to the printer. But those computers still require drivers. With this new patented method, I'm guessing it'll be like 1 computer (A) directly connects to the printer, and all the other computers connect to that computer A. When you want to print, you send the job to computer A. Computer A then authenticates that you have permission to print, and relays your print job to the printer. No drivers required for the requesting computers. Drivers are only needed on computer A.

    The benefit is that ANY device that can access computer A, can print. Smartphones, tablets, netbooks, etc. Plus, now the printer developer only has to create drivers for computer A, rather than every device out there. Heck, if my Motorola RAZR (that original flip phone) can access computer A, then it too has printing capabilities.

    'Least that's my take on it. I could be (and probably am) wrong. :D
    Reply
  • sixdegree
    Google Cloud printing? does that means i could print my papers with their printers?
    Reply
  • flip_x
    sounds like HP's E-Print..
    Reply
  • It feels like they just use an old idea from the Unix world and apply it to microsoft world. Feels stupid that you can get patents in US (and some other countries) on things which has been done for ages and in no way new innovations.

    @Benihana:
    Just connect a phone to a computer wouldn't give you that capability, you would still need an application on the cellphone. At least my N900 does print nicely, but then it's a true Linux phone and you can have proper applications installed on it.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    This sounds just like printing over the web...just through a new buzzword called the cloud.
    Reply
  • Dyseman
    Google.comGoogle Cloud Print is a new technology that connects your printers to the web. Using Google Cloud Print, you can make your home and work printers available to you and anyone you choose, from the applications you use every day. Google Cloud Print works on your phone, tablet, Chromebook, PC, and any other web-connected device you want to print from.
    eddieroolzThis sounds just like printing over the web...just through a new buzzword called the cloud.
    Yup. Just makes your printer print jobs from yourself or whoever has proper credentials from over the net. But instead of Printing Over the Web, you must be signed into Google services to use.
    Reply
  • Camikazi
    lashabaneI have to be missing something but to me, "cloud" is synonymous with "server".How is this any different than sending a print job to a computer on a network other than sending it to an IP that's generally different than a network IP?It is, cloud is just another way to say server, it's all marketing. I can print to my home printer from my smartphone right now and from any printer in the world and it has nothing to do with the "cloud".
    Reply