Printing device with reader for removable media storage container

• US 20030038971A1
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Renda, Arthur A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A printer has a removable media storage container reader and detects data in a file in a memory of a removable media storage container. The printer is capable of printing a report of the data upon detection without a user intervention.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading data of a predetermined audio visual (AV) format from a file in a memory of a removable media storage container detected by a removable media storage container reader integrated in a printing device; and

printing the preformatted data with the printing device, wherein;

prior to the reading, a user inserts the removable media storage container into the removable media storage container reader; and

after the reading, the printing is capable of occurring without intervention of the user.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising repeating the printing for each file in the memory of the removable media storage container that is in the predetermined AV format.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the AV predetermined format is selected from the group consisting of an encoded audio format, an encoded video format, and an encoded audio-video format.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the AV predetermined format is selected from the group consisting of a WINDOWS®

Media Audio (WMA) format and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

5. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 1.

6. A method comprising:

detecting a PC Card in a PC Card reader integrated in a printing device; and

printing a report on the printing device listing data read from a file in a memory of the detected PC Card that is in an AV data predetermined format, wherein after said detecting said printing is capable of occurring without a user intervention.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, further comprising repeating the printing for each file in the memory of the PC Card that is in a predetermined audio and/or video format.

8. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein, prior to the detecting, a user inserts the PC Card into the PC Card, and the printing occurs without intervention of the user after the detecting.

9. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the AV predetermined format is selected from the group consisting of an encoded audio format, an encoded video format, an encoded audio-video format, a WINDOWS®

Media Audio (WMA) format, and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

10. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 6.

11. A method comprising:

receiving an encoded audio file in a PC Card reader in communication with a printing device;

responsive to the receiving, identifying a portion of the encoded audio file that indicates the storage of additional information with the encoded audio file;

accessing the additional information based on the portion; and

printing the additional information with the printing device, wherein after said accessing said printing is capable of occurring without a user intervention.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying further comprises:

locating an additional information tag identifier in the encoded audio file; and

responsive to the locating;

determining a number of bytes of the encoded audio file that correspond to the additional information; and

determining an offset from the additional information tag identifier, the offset indicating a position within the encoded audio file containing the additional information, the additional information having a size based on the number of bytes.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying further comprises:

locating an additional information tag identifier in the encoded audio file; and

responsive to the locating, determining a location of a file that provides the additional information, wherein;

the accessing further comprises downloading the file from the location; and

the printing further comprises printing the downloaded file.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 11.

15. In a printing device having a PC Card reader integrated therein, a method comprising, after a user inserts a PC Card into the PC Card reader:

detecting the PC Card in the PC Card reader of the printing device;

reading a file stored in a memory of the PC Card;

determining if the file has data in a predetermined AV format; and

printing a report listing data derived from the AV formatted data, wherein after said determining said printing is capable of occurring without a user intervention.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising repeating reading, determining and printing for each file in the memory of the PC Card that is in a predetermined audio and/or video format.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the determining further comprises:

locating an additional information tag identifier in the AV formatted data; and

responsive to the locating, determining a location of a file at a remote location that provides additional information about the AV formatted data;

downloading the additional information about the AV formatted data from the remote location; and

the printing further comprises printing the downloaded additional information.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 15.

19. A method, comprising:

retrieving data from a file in a memory of the PC Card that is in an AV predetermined format with a PC Card reader integrated in a printing device;

assembling a key from the retrieved data;

downloading information identified by the key; and

printing a report utilizing the downloaded information, wherein after said retrieving said printing is capable of occurring without a user intervention.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein downloading information further comprises accessing a remote site and determining if the key is matched at the remote site in order to the download the information.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein downloading information further comprises accessing a telephone number of a remote access site in the key and utilizing the telephone number to locate and download the information.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein downloading information further comprises accessing a universal resource locator (URL) in the key and utilizing the URL to locate and download the information.

23. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 19.

24. A printing system, comprising:

a printing device having a removable media storage container reader in communication therewith; and

a processor configured to detect a removable media storage container in the removable media storage container reader and print a report on the printing device listing data read from a file in a memory of the detected removable media storage container that is in a predetermined AV data format, wherein;

the report is derived from the data in the AV data predetermined format; and

after the processor detects the removable media storage container in the removable media storage container reader, the report is capable of being printed without a user intervention.

25. The printing system recited in claim 24, wherein the data in the predetermined AV data format comprises a pointer that corresponds to an electronic representation of the data in the predetermined AV data format stored external to the printing device.

26. The printing system recited in claim 25, further comprising a network in communication with the printing device, wherein the processor:

initiates access to the network using the pointer to retrieve information about the data in the predetermined AV data format from the network; and

incorporates at least a portion of the information in the printed report.

27. The printing system as defined in claim 24, wherein the removable media storage container reader is a PC Card reader.