Intelligent system network interface architecture for document processing devices
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus is provided for operating a network based assembly for document processing when the assembly includes an intelligent Network Interface Controller (iNIC), a Document Processing Device (DPS) and a Digital Front End (DFE) for the DPS. Job data and control data communicated to the assembly through the network are communicated solely through the iNIC functioning as a threshold to the DPS assembly. The iNIC segregates any such data to identify job data that needs to be communicated to the DFE from other data that can be directly communicated to the DPS. Enhanced communication efficiency results from directly communicating control data to the DPS to avoid bottleneck communication of all data through the DFE.
1. A business to business communication system for controlling and monitoring a document processing device through network communications, comprising:
a document processing device responsive to remote communication signals and capable of issuing device operating status signals, the communication signals and status signals being received and sent, respectively, via a network system;
a network interface controller interposed between the document processing device and the network system for distinguishing the remote communication signals as job data or control data wherein the control data comprises object-oriented renderina data; and
a document processing device controller, disposed intermediate the network interface controller and the document processing device, for translating the job data, which is communicated from the network interface controller to the document processing device independently from the control data, into a data format executable by the document processing device;
while the control data is communicated to the document processing device directly straight from the network interface controller and independently from the job data and wherein the object-oriented rendering data distinguishes text, pictures and business graphics for enhancing document processing device operation.
2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the object-oriented rendering data comprises page description language data about a document to be made at the document processing device.