Systems and methods for enhanced printing of online content

Abstract

Methods disclosed permit the printing of online content in a manner that optimally uses printer capability. A method for printing web page content can comprise: receiving a print request for a first print data associated with the web page at a printer, wherein the print request includes the web-page URL; generating a request for a second print data, wherein the request for the second print data is based on the web-page URL, and the second print data is associated with the first print data; and printing according to the second print data received in response to the request. For example, for online maps, the first print data can be low resolution map data while the second print data can be higher resolution map data. For online images, the first print data can be RGB image data while the second print data can be CMYK image data.

1 . A processor implemented method for printing data associated with a web page comprising the processor implemented steps of:
 receiving a print request for a first print data associated with the web page, wherein the print request includes the URL of the web page;   generating a request for a second print data, wherein the request for the second print data is based on the URL of the web page, and the second print data is associated with the first print data; and   requesting a printer or a print engine to print according to the second print data received in response to the request for the second print data.   
     
     
         2 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising printing according to the first print data, if no data is received in response to the request for the second print data. 
     
     
         3 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed on a printer. 
     
     
         4 . The processor implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the printer is a trusted client of the application server serving the web page. 
     
     
         5 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving and generating steps are performed using a plug-in associated with a web browser and wherein the plug-in sends the second print data received in response to the request for second print data to the printer. 
     
     
         6 . The processor implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the plug-in is a trusted client of the application server serving the web page. 
     
     
         7 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the second print data received in response to the request is encrypted. 
     
     
         8 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first print data is low resolution map data and the second print data is higher resolution map data. 
     
     
         9 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first print data is RGB image data and the second print data is CMYK image data. 
     
     
         10 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first print data uses a font supported by a web-browser displaying content associated with the web-page and the second print data uses a font supported by a printer printing the content, wherein the font supported by the printer is different from the font supported by the browser. 
     
     
         11 . The processor implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed on a print controller coupled to a printer. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by a processor performs steps in a method for printing data associated with a web page comprising the processor implemented steps of:
 receiving a print request for a first print data associated with the web page, wherein the print request includes the URL of the web page;   generating a request for a second print data, wherein the request for the second print data is based on the URL of the web page, and the second print data is associated with the first print data; and   requesting a printer or a print engine to print according to the second print data received in response to the request for the second print data.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the method is performed on a printer. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the printer is a trusted client of the application server serving the web page. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the receiving and generating steps are performed using a plug-in associated with a web browser and wherein the plug-in sends the second print data received in response to the request for second print data to the printer. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the plug-in is a trusted client of the application server serving the web page. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the second print data is encrypted. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the first print data is low resolution map data and the second print data is higher resolution map data. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the first print data is RGB image data and the second print data is CMYK image data. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the first print data uses a font supported by a web-browser displaying content associated with the web-page and the second print data uses a font supported by a printer printing the content, wherein the font supported by the printer is different from the font supported by the browser. 
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable memory that stores instructions, which when executed by a processor performs steps in a method for printing data associated with a web page comprising the processor implemented steps of:
 receiving a print request for a first print data associated with the web page, wherein the print request includes the URL of the web page;   generating a request for a second print data, wherein the request for the second print data is based on the URL of the web page, and the second print data is associated with the first print data; and   requesting a printer or a print engine to print according to the second print data received in response to the request for the second print data.   
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first print data is low resolution map data and the second print data is higher resolution map data. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first print data is RGB image data and the second print data is CMYK image data. 
     
     
         24 . The computer readable memory of  claim 21 , wherein the first print data uses a font supported by a web-browser displaying content associated with the web-page and the second print data uses a font supported by a printer printing the content, wherein the font supported by the printer is different from the font supported by the browser.