Device Display Object Infrastructure

Abstract

Multi-function devices expose multiple functions to device drivers or other lower-level software. Device function providers can interface with such drivers or lower-level software and can provide information, including device identifiers regarding such functions, to a device display object infrastructure. A device display object can then be created that encompasses one or more functions such that, in one embodiment, the device display object corresponds to a single, physical multi-function device. Alternatively, any combination of functionality from one or more physical devices can be combined into a single device display object representing a virtual multi-function device. Properties of the device display object can be set with reference to user-specified settings, remotely maintained metadata, locally available metadata, and information associated with each function. Functions can be ranked such that, if there is a conflict, information from more highly ranked functions is used to set the properties of the device display object.

We claim: 
     
         1 . One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for utilizing a multi-function device, the computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising:
 receiving, from a first device driver, information regarding a first function of the multi-function device and an identifier of the multi-function device;   receiving, from a second device driver, differing from the first device driver, information regarding a second function of a multi-function device, the second function differing from the first function, and the identifier of the multi-function device; and   generating, based on the first function and the second function both being associated with the same identifier, a single device display object representing the multi-function device, the single device display object comprising the first function and the second function.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the generated single device display object further comprises an icon representing the multi-function device. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , comprising further computer-executable instructions for storing information regarding the single device display object in a registration database, the stored information being categorized in the registration database according to only one of the first function and the second function. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , comprising further computer-executable instructions for exposing the single device display object through both a first existing user interface mechanism associated with the first function and through a second existing user interface mechanism, differing from the first existing user interface mechanism, the second existing user interface mechanism being associated with the second function. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable media of  claim 4 , comprising further computer-executable instructions for changing properties of the single device display object in accordance with user input directed to either the first existing user interface mechanism or the second existing user interface mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1  comprising further computer-executable instructions for:
 receiving, from a third device driver, differing from both the first device driver and the second device driver, information regarding a third function of the multi-function device, the third function differing from both the first function and the second function, and the identifier of the multi-function device; 
 identifying the already generated single device display object based on the identifier of the multi-function device received from the third device driver; and 
 updating the identified already generated single device display object to further comprise the third function. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the first function comprises one of: a printing function, a scanning function or a faxing function. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable media of  claim 1 , wherein the generated single device display object further comprises at least one of: a model identifier of the multi-function device, a manufacturer of the multi-function device, an indication of a type of communicational connection with the multi-function device, and an operational status of the multi-function device. 
     
     
         9 . A method utilizing a multi-function device comprising the steps of:
 receiving information regarding a multi-function device capable of performing at least a first function and a second function differing from the first function; and   generating, on a computing device communicationally coupled to the multi-function device, a single device display object representing the multi-function device, the single device display object comprising the first function and the second function.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the received information comprises information regarding the first function, information regarding the second function, and an identifier of the multi-function device that is associated with both the information regarding the first function and the information regarding the second function; and wherein further the generating the single device display object representing the multi-function device is performed responsive to a determination that the information regarding the first function and the information regarding the second function are both associated with the identifier of the multi-function device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of storing information regarding the single device display object in a registration database, the stored information being categorized in the registration database according to only one of the first function and the second function. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of exposing the single device display object through both a first existing user interface mechanism associated with the first function and through a second existing user interface mechanism, differing from the first existing user interface mechanism, the second existing user interface mechanism being associated with the second function. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of changing properties of the single device display object in accordance with user input directed to either the first existing user interface mechanism or the second existing user interface mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving, from a third device driver, differing from both the first device driver and the second device driver, information regarding a third function of the multi-function device, the third function differing from both the first function and the second function, and the identifier of the multi-function device;   identifying the already generated single device display object based on the identifier of the multi-function device received from the third device driver; and   updating the identified already generated single device display object to further comprise the third function.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first function comprises one of: a printing function, a scanning function or a faxing function. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the generated single device display object further comprises at least one of: a model identifier of the multi-function device, a manufacturer of the multi-function device, an indication of a type of communicational connection with the multi-function device, and an operational status of the multi-function device. 
     
     
         17 . A user interface, generated by a computing device, the user interface comprising:
 a single device display object icon representing a multi-function device;   a first function user interface associated with a first function provided by the multi-function device, the first function user interface being accessible through the single device display object icon; and   a second function user interface, differing from the first function user interface, associated with a second function, differing from the first function, provided by the multi-function device, the second function user interface also being accessible through the single device display object icon.   
     
     
         18 . The user interface of  claim 17 , further comprising a display, assessable through the single device display object icon, of at least one of: a model identifier of the multi-function device, a manufacturer of the multi-function device, an indication of a type of communicational connection with the multi-function device, and an operational status of the multi-function device. 
     
     
         19 . The user interface of  claim 17 , further comprising user interface elements for modifying properties of a single device display object represented by the single device display object icon, the single device display object representing the multi-function device, the single device display object comprising the first function and the second function. 
     
     
         20 . The user interface of  claim 17 , wherein the first function comprises one of: a printing function, a scanning function or a faxing function.