Pull based computer output devices

Abstract

A job store for a pull-based presentation output system includes a job storage storing one or more jobs from a plurality of job submission clients; and a driver storage storing one or more drivers for converting a job into a format used by a corresponding presentation output device. The job store receives a job from a job submission client, stores the job in the job storage, receives a pull command from a presentation output device when the presentation output device is one of idle and nearly finished with a current job and without receiving further input from a user of the job submission client, retrieves the job from the job storage, applies a driver for converting that job into a format used by the presentation output device sending the pull command and outputs the job to the presentation output device sending the pull command.

1 . A job store for a pull-based presentation output system, comprising:
 a job storage storing one or more jobs from a plurality of job submission clients; and   a driver storage storing one or more drivers for converting a job into a format used by a corresponding presentation output device;   wherein said job store receives a job from a job submission client, stores said job in said job storage, receives a pull command from a presentation output device when the presentation output device is one of idle and nearly finished with a current job and without receiving further input from a user of the job submission client, retrieves said job from said job storage, applies a driver for converting that job into a format used by the presentation output device sending the pull command and outputs said job to said presentation output device sending the pull command.   
     
     
         2 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said presentation output device comprises at least one of a display device, a projector, an electronic paper device, a three-dimensional printer and a hologram generator. 
     
     
         3 . The job store of  claim 1 , further comprising a job store interface for use by said job submission clients, said job store interface converting said job into a neutral format used by said job store to store jobs in said job storage. 
     
     
         4 . The job store of  claim 1 , further comprising a job store interface for use by said job submission clients, said job store interface accepting an identification of a specific presentation output device to which a corresponding job is to be provided. 
     
     
         5 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said job store accepts said job from said job submission client in encrypted form. 
     
     
         6 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said job store receives user authentication information associated with a job and outputs that job to a presentation output device only upon receipt of corresponding user authentication information. 
     
     
         7 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said job is a print job and said presentation output device comprises a printer, said driver storage storing a printer driver corresponding to said printer. 
     
     
         8 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said job store provides said job to a second output presentation device if said job store receives a decline of said job from a first output presentation device. 
     
     
         9 . The job store of  claim 1 , wherein said job store comprises first and second job stores that are chained, said first job store being in communication with a job submission client and said second job store being in communication with said presentation output device such that said first and second job stores appear as a single job store to said job submission client and said presentation output device. 
     
     
         10 . A job store for a pull-based printing system, comprising:
 a job storage storing one or more print jobs to be printed from a plurality of job submission clients; and   a printer driver storage storing one or more printer drivers;   wherein said job store receives a print job from a job submission client, converts the print job into a printer-neutral format, stores said printer-neutral format converted print job in said job storage, receives a pull command from a printer when the printer is one of idle and nearly finished with a current print job and without receiving input from a user of the job submission client, retrieves said print job from said job storage, retrieves a printer driver from said printer driver storage, applies said printer driver to said printer-neutral format converted print job to convert the print job into a format suitable for the printer and provides said print job to said printer.   
     
     
         11 . The job store of  claim 10 , wherein said job store pushes said print job to a specified printer. 
     
     
         12 . The job store of  claim 10 , wherein said job store pushes said print job to a specified printer and wherein said print job includes an association to said specified printer. 
     
     
         13 . The job store of  claim 10 , wherein said job store provides said print job to another printer if said job store receives a decline of said print job by said printer. 
     
     
         14 . The job store of  claim 10 , wherein said job store comprises first and second job stores that are chained, said first job store being in communication with a job submission client and said second job store being in communication with said printer such that said first and second job stores appear as a single job store to said job submission client and said printer. 
     
     
         15 . The job store of  claim 10 , wherein said job store further comprises stored printer information comprising a name and address for each of a number of printers. 
     
     
         16 . The job store of  claim 15 , wherein said printer information further comprises, for each of said number of printers, either a printer capacity or printer location. 
     
     
         17 . A presentation output system, comprising:
 a digital computer network;   one or more job submission clients communicating over said digital computer network; and   a job store communicating over said digital network, with said job store accepting and holding output jobs from said plurality of job submission clients, and with said job store converting the output jobs accepted from the plurality of job submission clients into a neutral presentation output device format;   wherein said job store further comprises a driver storage that stores one or more drivers for the presentation output device, and with the job store converting the output jobs from the neutral presentation output device format to a format suitable for use by one or more presentation output devices pulling the output jobs from the job store;   wherein said job store receives a pull command from a presentation output device when the presentation output device is one of idle and nearly finished with a current job and without receiving further input from a user of the job submission client, retrieves an output job from job storage, applies a driver for converting that output job into a format used by the presentation output device sending the pull command and outputs said output job to said presentation output device sending the pull command.   
     
     
         18 . The presentation output system of  claim 17 , wherein a new presentation output device added to said output system automatically informs said job store that said new presentation device is being added. 
     
     
         19 . The presentation output system of  claim 17 , with said job store further comprising a decryption routine and wherein an output job is encrypted by a job submission client and is decrypted by a receiving presentation output device. 
     
     
         20 . The presentation output system of  claim 17 , further comprising a job store interface for use by said job submission clients, said job store interface accepting an identification of a specific presentation output device to which a corresponding output job is to be provided.