Document communication systems for use in automobiles

• US 20030004626A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lipowicz, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,748,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00

Abstract

A document device, including an input scanner and printer, is installed in an automobile. The document device can transmit and receive image data wirelessly, and further interacts with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device within the automobile to determine the location of the automobile. Aspects of documents based on received image data, and the destinations of transmitted image data, can be made dependent on the location of the automobile at any time. Received image data is retained in memory and printed out when the car is in a predetermined condition, such as being turned on.

Claims

1. A method of operating a document device installed in an automobile, the document device including a printer, a memory, and means for accepting external signals, comprising the steps of:

accepting external signals and storing the external signals as input image data in the memory;

when the automobile is in a predetermined operating condition, indicating that input image data is in the memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined operating condition is that the automobile is turned on.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the input image data in the memory.

4. The method of claim 3, the printing step further comprising the step of combining the input image data with pre-stored image data in the memory to yield a printed document.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing the input image data in the memory in response to the automobile being in a predetermined operating condition.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined operating condition is that the automobile is stationary.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a title related to a set of input image data in the memory.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the displaying step occurs in response to the automobile being in a predetermined operating condition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined operating condition is that the automobile is stationary.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining a location of the automobile;

and

affecting an aspect of the input image data in memory as a result of said determination.

11. A method of operating a document device installed in an automobile, the document device including a selection interface, printer, a memory, and a transceiver for sending and accepting signals, comprising the steps of:

selecting, at the selection interface, a title relating to a data set;

sending a signal related to the title to a station;

receiving from the station image signals related to the title; and

the printer printing an image based on the image signals.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of combining the image signals with image data stored in the memory;

and

the printer printing an image based on the combined image signals and stored image data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the sending step occurs through a station-to-station connection and the receiving step occurs through a direct wireless communication.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the sending step occurs through a direct wireless communication and the receiving step occurs through a station-to-station connection.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of determining a location of the automobile;

and

affecting an aspect of the image signals to be printed as a result of said determining step.

16. The method of claim 15, the affecting step including deciding not to print an image.

17. The method of claim 15, the printing step occurring when the automobile is in a predetermined operating condition.

19. The method of claim 18, the document device having a memory associated therewith, at least a portion of said image data being stored in the memory before said accepting step.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of accepting image data associated with the instruction.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of when the automobile is in a predetermined operating condition, displaying a message relating to receiving said instruction.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of determining a location of the automobile;

and

affecting an aspect of the image data to be printed, based on the determining step.

23. The method of claim 18, the transmitting step involving station-to-station communication.

24. The method of claim 18, the transmitting step involving direct wireless communication.

26. The method of claim 25, the document device having a memory associated therewith, at least a portion of said image data being stored in the memory before said transmitting step.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of transmitting image data associated with the instruction.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the document device is installed in an automobile, and further comprising the step of when the automobile is in a predetermined operating condition, the document device displaying a message relating to receiving said instruction.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of determining a location of the document device;

and

affecting an aspect of the image data to be printed, based on the determining step.

18. A method of operating a document device installed in an automobile, the document device including a printer, comprising the steps of:

accepting an instruction from outside the automobile;

as a result of receiving said instruction, making image data available to be printed by the printer.

25. A method of communicating to a document device, the document device including a printer, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transmitting to the document device an instruction; and

as a result of receiving said instruction, the document device making image data available to be printed by the printer.

30. A method of operating a document device, the document device having associated therewith an input scanner for recording image data, means for determining a location of the document device, and means for transmitting image data comprising the steps of:

recording image data;

determining a location of the document device;

selecting a destination a result of the determining step; and

wirelessly transmitting at least a portion of the image data to the selected destination.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the destination is manifest as a facsimile number.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the destination is manifest as an electronic mail address.

33. The method of claim 30, the determining step including determining whether the document device is located in a first geographic zone or a second geographic zone;

and

the selecting step including selecting a first destination if the document device is located in the first geographic zone and selecting a second destination if the document is located in the second geographic zone.

34. The method of claim 30, the document device being installed in an automobile.