Electronic paper methods and systems

• US 20040041785A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sesek, Robert, Stevens, Chad
• Application Number:
  US10/231,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041785A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/107
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2108 for one picture only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

Electronic paper methods and systems are described. In accordance with one embodiment, an electronic paper driver is provided and is configured to receive a document in a first format from an application and convert the document in the first format to a second format that can be used for rendering a display on electronic paper.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an electronic paper driver configured to;

receive a document in a first format from an application; and

convert the document in the first format to a second format that can be used for rendering a display on electronic paper.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper driver is embodied in a document printer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper driver is embodied in a document printer, the document printer comprising a dedicated electronic paper printer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper driver is embodied on a host computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic paper driver is embodied in a scanner.

6. A computer readable medium embodying the electronic paper driver of claim 1.

7. A system comprising:

a software application configured to create a document for rendering on electronic paper;

an electronic paper driver associated with the software application and configured to;

receive a document in a first format from the software application, and

convert the document in the first format to a second format that can be used for rendering a display on electronic paper;

an electronic paper writer associated with the electronic paper driver and configured to process data associated with the second format for rendering a display on electronic paper.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the software application and electronic paper driver are embodied on a common computing device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic paper driver and electronic paper writer are embodied on a common computing device.

10. A system comprising:

an electronic paper driver configured to receive a document in a first format from an application and convert the document in the first format to a second format that can be used for rendering a display on electronic paper;

charge transfer means associated with the electronic driver and configured to transfer charge onto electronic paper for transferring an image associated with the second format onto the electronic paper; and

an address module associated with the charge transfer means and configured to cause the charge transfer means to selectively apply charge to the electronic paper.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the charge transfer means comprises a charge transfer bar.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a document that is to be rendered onto electronic media; and

processing, with an electronic paper driver, data associated with the document into a renderable format that can be used to render an image on electronic paper.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said act of receiving comprises receiving the document from a software application executing on a user'"'"'s computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said act of receiving comprises receiving a hard copy output.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising prior to said act of receiving, creating the document.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising prior to said act of receiving, creating the document, said acts of creating, receiving and processing being performed by a host computer.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising after said act of processing, using said renderable format to render an image on electronic paper.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said acts of receiving and processing are performed by a host computer.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said acts of receiving and processing are performed by a rendering device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said acts of receiving and processing are performed by a scanner.