Transforming MFPs into Ubiquitous Computing Devices Diego López-de-Ipiña, Juan Ignacio Vazquez and JosuKa Díaz Faculty of Engineering University of Deusto Avda. de las Universidades, 24 48007 Bilbao, SPAIN {dipina, ivazquez, josuka}@eside.deusto.es Abstract these things at a cheaper price than ever, they offer excellent interaction tactile colour screens, Last generation multi-purpose printers or MFPs and more importantly, they even include a are very capable computational devices, often programming framework that enables extending equipped with a built-in programming framework their default functionality. Currently, some printer which eases its extensibility. However, they manufactures try to differentiate from competition include so much functionality that often it is too by not only selling the printing hardware but also hard to operate them. This paper describes two adding some software services running on the services which turn MFPs into Ubiquitous frameworks provided which are aimed to ease Computing devices, i.e. more intuitive, their customers’ main business processes. personalised, user-friendly, upgradeable and Unfortunately, configuring complex jobs on context-aware devices. For that, two novel an MFP printer is usually a tedious task, since first interaction models between users and MFPs are the functionality sought has to be found and then proposed, namely the “show ringcode and click” several button clicks are required in order to and the “install once, upgrade and run forever” complete the job configuration and finally instruct interaction models. the printer to start. In order to alleviate such situation the RingCode2Job service is proposed. 1. Introduction This service turns an MFP into a more intuitive and user-friendly device capable of undertaking user provided complex jobs by a single click on One of the main goals of Ubiquitous the printer’s start button. For that, RingCode2Job Computing/AmI is to add some degree of adds to an MFP the capability of recognising intelligence to everyday physical objects [1][4]. circular barcodes or ringcodes (from now on) Thus, our everyday objects will be able to react which represent jobs previously configured by and anticipate to our needs by executing or users. suggesting services proactively. Examples of such On the other hand, MFPs present ever future intelligent objects are: • improving input capabilities (scanning, tactile A teacup that changes colour depending on colour screens), even better output mechanisms its contents temperature or sugar (colour printing) and they are extendable (include concentration in order to alert people with a JVM where organisations’ business processes diabetes. can be implemented). Moreover, such devices are • A television that switches on with the often located in strategic locations within an program most likely to be watched by its office. Thus, MFPs seem ideal candidates to act as users, taking into consideration contextual control points for the devices and services attributes such as the day of week, who is deployed within an organisation. The actually sitting in front of the TV and their EnterpriseController service proposed aims to preferences and program watching history address this. patterns. The rest of this paper is divided as follows. Over the last few years, a type of electronic device Section 2 overviews some related work on which has experienced an interesting progression attempts to add intelligence to everyday objects is the enterprise multi-functional printer or MFP. and printers in particular. Section 3 explains the These devices are now not only capable of RingCode2Job service. Section 4 analyses the printing, scanning and faxing, but also they do Enterprise Controller service. Finally, section 5 system in order to exchange data. Examples of offers some conclusions and discusses further possible applications are: customised workflow work. applications for vertical markets such as retailing, direct printing of company’s news or financial 2. Related Work reports from the printer, or MFP integration with back-end systems such as CRMs, ERPs or One of the major current technological trends on databases. Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing research is The OSGi [7] specification is currently being to embed sensing, communication, computation used in many architectures for pervasive and actuation in physical artefacts leading to the computing, since it tackles the discovery, control creation of smart objects [1][4][11]. Current and management of ubiquitous services [3]. In industrial and academic research indicates that fact, even some printer embedded platforms include an OSGi server, such as the Ricoh Aficio smart objects might soon become an integral part of our daily lives with applications in series. The main reasons that suggest OSGI as an economically important areas [10] such as retail, ideal infrastructure for Ubiquitous Conputing are: supply chain management, asset management, and a) it implements a complete and dynamic SOA- based component model within a JVM, b) it safety critical situations in work places and healthcare. allows components (bundles) remote lifecycle Smart objects will be an important building management without reboot, c) it provides a block to bridge the gap between the physical and service registry to detect new and disappearing digital world [6] by providing information about bundles and it d) fosters cooperation among aspects of their physical environment. While bundles to accomplish functionality, i.e. it systems of smart objects clearly will need to build encourages code reuse. All those reasons justify on emerging technologies such as RFID [9] and our selection of OSGi for implementing the ubiquitous services proposed. wireless sensor networks [13], the envisioned ubiquity of smart objects raises important The work described in this paper contributes questions still to be resolved. Some of those towards adding intelligence to MFPs, in contrast unresolved research issues are: the digital with previous work, in the following aspects: • representation of physical artefacts, their The interaction between users and MFPs cooperation paradigms, integration into backend should be simplified making these devices infrastructures or the applications that will benefit job- and user-aware . Job-aware so that the and influence their design and development. user interactions with the printer in order to Lately, the leading MFP manufacturers have initiate a job will be minimised. User-aware released platforms that enable the core default so that the functionality offered to a user will functionality of a printer to be extended. be different depending on their job profile Examples of such platforms are Canon’s and personal preferences. • Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform MFPs can be configured as suitable control (MEAP) [2], Ricoh’s Embedded Software hubs for the dynamic devices and services Architecture (ESA) [8] or Xerox’s Extensible provided within an Intelligent Environment, Interface Platform (EIP) [14]. Such application in contrast with past work where printers development frameworks enable the creation of were used only to interact with business customized embedded applications that run on processes and other devices (mobile devices MFPs. Most of them are based on the Java ME and PCs) were considered more suitable for technology and provide packages to control most service discovery and control. aspects of a device operation, including the control panel GUI, network communication with 3. The RingCode2Job Service servers and core capabilities such as printing, scanning, faxing and saving files. Multi-functional printers (e.g. Ricoh MFP Aficio The applications developed in these embedded 3025) are very capable: they print, copy, send fax, platforms, termed Xlets [12] and presenting a include an application server, they are network similar execution model to MIDlets in Java ME, connected including HTTP and SMTP servers and usually connect to an organisation’s back-end so on. However, interacting with them and accessing this powerful functionality is organisation, whose reutilisation could bring cumbersome. It is difficult to find the about interesting time savings. functionality sought and it does require many clicks. 3.3. Service Architecture RingCode2Job aims to solve this by configuring complex jobs on MFPs in a simpler The RingCode2Job system follows a client/server manner. The core idea is to simplify user architecture, as shown in Figure 2, composed of interaction with an MFP by means of a “show two main components: the RingCode2Job Xlet ringcode and click” paradigm. This is, whenever a and the RingCode2Job Server. ringcode identifying a job is recognised by a MFP, The RingCode2Job Xlet , developed through start the execution of such job. Ricoh’s ESA Xlet SDK and installed on a Ricoh MFP Aficio 3025 fulfils a two-fold purpose: a) 3.1. TRIP Ringcodes provide a user interface for user interaction and b) communicate with the RingCode2Job server. RingCode2Job makes use of the TRIP [5] The RingCode2Job Server is a Java EE ringcode-based identification system. A application developed with the Struts framework, TRIPcode, see Figure 1, is a circular ringcode the postscript generator and translator Ghostview representing a ternary number, encoded within the and the Hibernate serialization framework over a 16 sectors of its two encoding rings. MySQL database. It runs on a Tomcat servlet The most remarkable feature of TRIP is that it container, located in the MFPs owner’s LAN, makes