Metadata retrieval for multi-function devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for retrieving metadata relating to a multi-function device. In some embodiments, metadata is retrieved using a plurality of identifiers (e.g., hardware identifiers each identifying at least one function performed by the device) received from the device. The plurality of identifiers are arranged into a sequence, and at least one of the identifiers in the sequence is associated with metadata specifying a characteristic of the device. Using the metadata that is retrieved, a client computer may present an graphical user interface displaying information relating to the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of configuring a peripheral device by a host device, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of functionality identifiers from the peripheral device, each of the plurality of functionality identifiers corresponding to a function of a plurality of functions that the peripheral device is operable to perform;   receiving at least one device identifier from the peripheral device, the device identifier corresponding to at least one of a model or manufacturer of the peripheral device;   retrieving, based on at least one of the received functionality identifiers and the received device identifier, metadata from a local metadata store, the retrieved data being associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers and with the received device identifier;   determining that the metadata retrieved from the local metadata store has a date stamp indicating that the metadata retrieved from the local metadata store was last updated before a particular date;   in response to the determination, transmitting a request to a server device, over a network, for additional metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers and with the received device identifier;   receiving the additional metadata from the server device; and   displaying at least a portion of the received additional metadata in a unified configuration interface that facilitates integrated configuration of at least two of the plurality of functions that the peripheral device is operable to perform.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is a multi-function device adapted to provide at least a printing function and a scanning function via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) link, a FireWire link, or a network link between the peripheral device and the host device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received additional metadata includes information relating to configuring the host device to interoperate with the peripheral device, the peripheral device represented in the unified configuration interface as a single entity instead of as separate entities for each function of the plurality of functions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received additional metadata specifies a manufacturer of the peripheral device, a model number of the peripheral device, at least one task relating to configuring the peripheral device, at least one function that the peripheral device is operable to perform, and a graphical representation of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 retrieving metadata from the local metadata store includes:
 constructing a query based on at least some of the received functionality identifiers and the received device identifier; and 
 executing the constructed query on the local metadata store; and 
   transmitting the request to the server device includes transmitting the constructed query to the server device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein constructing the query includes constructing the query based in part on the date stamp. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, in response to execution on a host device, perform a process of configuring a peripheral device for use by the host device, the process comprising:
 receiving a plurality of functionality identifiers from the peripheral device, each of the plurality of functionality identifiers associated with a function of a plurality of functions that the peripheral device is adapted to perform;   retrieving metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers from a local metadata store;   determining a deficiency in the metadata retrieved from the local metadata store;   in response to the determination of the deficiency, retrieving additional metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers from a server metadata store; and   displaying at least a portion of the retrieving additional metadata in a unified configuration interface, the unified configuration interface facilitating configuration of at least two of the plurality of functions that the peripheral device is adapted to perform.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the process further comprises receiving at least one device identifier from the peripheral device, the device identifier corresponding to at least one of a model or manufacturer of the peripheral device; and   retrieving the metadata from the local metadata store includes retrieving the metadata based on the at least one device identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral device is a multi-function device adapted to provide at least a printing function and a scanning function. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the peripheral device is represented in the unified configuration interface as a single entity capable of performing each of the functions of the plurality of functions. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the received additional metadata specifies a manufacturer of the peripheral device, a model number of the peripheral device, at least one task relating to configuring the peripheral device, at least one function that the peripheral device is adapted to perform, and/or a graphical representation of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein:
 retrieving the metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers from the local metadata store includes:
 constructing a query based on the at least some of the received functionality identifiers; and 
 executing the constructed query on the local metadata store; and 
   retrieving the additional metadata from the server metadata store includes transmitting the constructed query to the server device.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein determining the deficiency in the metadata retrieved from the local metadata store includes determining that the metadata retrieved from the local metadata store is older than a threshold age. 
     
     
         14 . A host computing device, comprising:
 a memory and at least one processor that are respectively configured to store and execute instructions that:
 receive a plurality of functionality identifiers from a peripheral device, the individual functionality identifiers of the plurality of functionality identifiers corresponding to functions of a plurality of functions associated with the peripheral device; 
 access metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers from a metadata store of the host computing device; 
 determining a deficiency in the metadata of the metadata store of the host computing device; 
 in response to the determination of the deficiency, access additional metadata associated with at least one of the received functionality identifiers from a metadata store of a remote computing device; and 
 display at least a portion of the additional metadata in a unified configuration interface that facilitates configuration of the peripheral device. 
   
     
     
         15 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the memory and the at least one processor are also respectively configured to store and execute instructions that receive a device identifier from the peripheral device;   the device identifier corresponds to a model and/or manufacturer of the peripheral device; and   the additional metadata is also associated with the model and/or manufacturer of the peripheral device.   
     
     
         16 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the instructions that access the metadata of the metadata store of the host computing device also:
 construct a query from at least some of the received functionality identifiers; and 
 query the metadata store of the host computing device with the constructed query; and 
   the instructions that access the additional metadata also transmit the constructed query to the remote computing device.   
     
     
         17 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the instructions that access the metadata of the metadata store of the host computing device also:
 construct a query from more than one of the received functionality identifiers; and 
 query the metadata store of the host computing device with the constructed query; and 
   the instructions that access the additional metadata also transmit the constructed query to the remote computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the additional metadata specifies a manufacturer of the peripheral device, a model number of the peripheral device, at least one task relating to configuring the peripheral device, at least one function that the peripheral device is operable to perform, and/or a graphical representation of the peripheral device. 
     
     
         19 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the deficiency in the metadata of the metadata store of the host computing device includes the metadata of the metadata store of the host computing device being older than a threshold age. 
     
     
         20 . The host computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the peripheral device is represented in the unified configuration interface as a single entity capable of performing each of the functions of the plurality of functions.