Printer interface selection and control

• US 10,069,986 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lea, Perry V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Washington, Jamares Q
• Application Number:
  US15/111,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 358 115, 715702, 715701, 715711, 345179, 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00509 Personalising for a particular user or group of users, e.g. a workgroup or company
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A printer includes an interface selector to generate a signal that indicates whether a stylus has been installed with a printer. An interface controller monitors the signal from the interface selector to detect if the stylus has been installed with the printer and generates a first printer interface if the stylus has been detected and generates a second printer interface if the stylus has not been detected.

Claims

1. A printer, comprising:

an interface selector to generate a signal, the signal indicating whether a stylus has been installed with a printer or the stylus has not been installed, wherein the interface selector includes multiple contacts, wherein each contact of the multiple contacts indicates a type of stylus when the stylus is removed; and

an interface controller to monitor the signal from the interface selector to detect if the stylus has been installed with the printer and to display a first printer interface if the stylus has been detected and to display a second printer interface if no stylus has been detected,

wherein the first printer interface is a stylus interface and the second printer interface is a touch screen interface, the stylus interface being a higher fidelity interface than the touch screen interface.

2. The printer of claim 1, further comprising a stylus compartment that houses the stylus if the stylus has been installed with the printer or houses a plug if the stylus has not been installed with the printer, wherein the interface selector is operatively coupled to the stylus compartment to generate the signal.

3. The printer of claim 2, wherein the interface selector includes an electrical contact to generate the signal, wherein the electrical contact is closed via a contactor when the stylus or the plug is installed and the electrical contact is opened when the stylus is removed.

4. The printer of claim 2, wherein interface selector includes a spring loaded contact to generate the signal, wherein the spring loaded contact is closed by pressure when the stylus or the plug is installed and is opened when the stylus is removed.

5. The printer of claim 2, wherein the interface selector includes an electronic identifier (ID) to indicate a type of stylus when the stylus is removed.

6. The printer of claim 1, wherein the first printer interface is a hybrid interface that, receives input supplied by a stylus tip and input supplied by tactile feedback.

7. The printer of claim 1, wherein the first printer interface or the second printer interface is a capacitive interface screen, a resistive interface screen, or an infrared interface screen.

8. The printer of claim 7, wherein the capacitive interface screen, the resistive interface screen, or the infrared interface screen is adjusted for high fidelity input if a stylus is detected or adjusted for multi-touch fidelity if a plug is detected.

9. A printer, comprising:

a stylus compartment associated with a printer to house a stylus or a plug;

an interface selector in the stylus compartment to generate a signal, the signal indicating either (a) that the stylus is installed and has been removed from the stylus compartment or (b) that the plug is installed, wherein the interface selector includes multiple contacts, wherein each contact of the multiple contacts indicates a type of stylus when the stylus is removed; and

an interface controller to monitor the signal from the interface selector to detect if the stylus has been removed from the stylus compartment and to display a stylus interface if the stylus has been removed and to display a touch screen interface if the stylus or the plug is installed,

wherein the stylus interface is a higher fidelity interface than the touch screen interface.

10. The printer of claim 9, wherein the interface selector includes an electrical contact to generate the signal, wherein the electrical contact is closed via a contactor when the stylus or the plug is installed and the electrical contact is opened when the stylus is removed.

11. The printer of claim 9, further comprising an interface screen that is adjusted by the interface controller for high fidelity input if a stylus is detected or adjusted for multi-touch fidelity if a plug is detected.

12. A printer, comprising:

a stylus compartment associated with a printer to house a stylus or a plug;

an interface selector in the stylus compartment to generate a signal, the signal indicating either (a) that the stylus is installed and has been removed from the stylus compartment or (b) that the plug is installed, wherein the interface selector includes multiple contacts, wherein each contact of the multiple contacts indicates a type of stylus when the stylus is removed;

a processor to operate the printer;

a memory having computer executable instructions to be executed by the processor, the computer executable instructions to;

display a stylus interface if the stylus has been removed from the stylus compartment and to display a touch screen interface if the stylus or the plug is installed in the stylus compartment, wherein the stylus interface is a higher fidelity interface than the touch screen interface; and

detect if the stylus has been removed from the stylus compartment based on the signal from the interface selector.