Printer having keyboard function, a printing system and printing method using the printing system

• US 20040139248A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun-joon, Kim, Kwang-seuk
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence

Abstract

A printer, a printing system, and a printing method of the printing system where the printer is provided with a keyboard function, and the printer is connected with a computer via a Universal Serial Bus and includes a key operation section provided with a plurality of keys. The printer further includes: a switching key to select a keyboard function and a printer function; a Universal Serial Bus module to transmit keyboard equipment information and printer equipment information to the computer according to the selection by the switching key; and a key control section to map the keys of the key operation section to those of the keyboard or the those of the printer according to the selection via the switching key. Accordingly, the invention makes printing convenient by directly issuing a command from the printer to the computer to perform a task as requested by a user.

Claims

1. A printer having a keyboard function connected to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus port and having a key operation section with a plurality of keys, comprising:

a switching key to allow selection of the keyboard function and a printer function;

a Universal Serial Bus module to transmit one of keyboard equipment information and printer equipment information to the computer according to the selection via the switching key; and

a key control section to render the keys of the key operation section to function as a virtual keyboard or as keys of the printer in accordance with the selection via the switching key.

2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein upon selection of the keyboard function via the switching key, one of the keys to transmit a print command is generated by the key operation section.

3. The printer according to claim 2, wherein upon selection of the keyboard function via the switching key, one of the keys to select and execute a specific file in the computer is generated by the key operation section.

4. The printer according to claim 2, wherein upon selection of the keyboard function via the switching key, one of the keys to turn off the computer is generated by the key operation section.

5. A printer having a keyboard function connected to a computer, comprising:

a first Universal Serial Bus device connected to the computer and transmitting printer equipment information to the computer;

a printing section to print data transmitted from the computer through the first Universal Serial Bus device;

a key operation section to control the printing section;

a second Universal Serial Bus device connected to the computer and transmitting keyboard equipment information to the computer; and

a keyboard to input commands into the computer through the second Universal Serial Bus device.

6. A printing system connected to a computer, comprising:

a portable storage apparatus to store at least one file including a print-target-file; and

a printer, to which the portable storage apparatus and the computer are individually connected, wherein the printer;

generates a predetermined keystroke and outputs the keystroke to the computer upon input of a selection command to select the print-target-file based on the connection to the portable storage apparatus, and

prints the print-target-file as a result of a respective keystroke command executed by the computer.

7. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein the printer further comprises:

an interface providing separate connection of the portable storage apparatus and the computer;

a printing section to print the print-target-file;

an input section to allow input of the selection command; and

a control section to perform control to generate the predetermined keystroke based on the selection command inputted through the input section and outputted to the computer, and to print the print-target-file via the printing section based on execution of the respective keystroke command.

8. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the interface comprises:

a plurality of ports including at least one Universal Serial Bus port.

9. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the printer further comprises:

a display section to display a file name list of the at least one file, which the control section controls based on the connection of the portable storage apparatus to the printer.

10. The printing system according to claim 7, wherein the control section performs a control method comprising:

determining whether the print-target-file is an instantly printable file upon input of the selection command, and

upon determining that print-target-file is an instantly printable file, driving the printing section to print the print-target-file.

11. The printing system according to claim 10, wherein the instantly printable file has a predefined file extension.

12. The printing system according to claim 10, wherein the printer further comprises:

a storage section to store a control program that controls the printer, based on which the control section performs control so that the Universal Serial Bus port is recognized as a specific port.

13. The printing system according to claim 12, wherein the interface comprises:

a first slave Universal Serial Bus port connected to the computer and recognized as a keyboard port based on the control program; and

a second slave Universal Serial Bus port connected to the computer and recognized as a printer port based on the control program.

14. The printing system according to claim 13, wherein the control section performs control a control method further comprising:

generating a first keystroke corresponding to a drive command of an upload program stored in the computer upon determining that the print-target-file is not an instantly printable file, and outputting the first keystroke through the first slave port;

generating a second keystroke corresponding to an upload command to upload the print-target-file to the computer with the upload program upon determining that the upload program is driven, and outputting the second keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port;

generating a third keystroke corresponding to a drive command of an application program for the print-target-file upon determining that the print-target-file is uploaded, and outputting the third keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port;

generating a fourth keystroke corresponding to a file open command to open the print-target-file in the application program upon determining that the application program is driven, and outputting the fourth keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port; and

generating a fifth keystroke corresponding to a print command for the print-target-file upon determining that the print-target-file is open, and outputting the fifth keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port, which allows the print command to be recognized in the application program.

15. A printing method using a printing system, comprising:

individually connecting a portable storage apparatus, in which at least one file is stored, and a computer to a printer through an interface;

inputting a selection command to select a print-target file from the at least one file based the connection to the portable storage apparatus;

determining whether the print-target-file is an instantly printable file based on the inputted selection command; and

printing the print-target-file based on the determination.

16. The printing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a file name list of the at least one file based on the connection between the portable storage apparatus and the printer when the portable storage apparatus is connected to the printer.

17. The printing method according to claim 15, wherein the print-target-file is instantly printed upon determining that the print-target-file is an instantly printable file.

18. The printing method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of connecting the portable storage apparatus to the printer further comprises:

connecting the computer to a first slave Universal Serial Bus port of the interface and recognized as a keyboard port based on a control program to control the printer; and

connecting the computer to a second slave Universal Serial Bus port of the interface and recognized as a printer port based on the control program.

19. The printing method according to claim 18, wherein upon determining that the print-target-file is not a instantly printable file, comprises:

generating and outputting a first keystroke corresponding to a drive command of an upload program stored in the computer through the first slave port;

generating a second keystroke corresponding to an upload command to upload the print-target-file to the computer with the upload program and outputting the second keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port upon determining that the upload program is driven;

generating a third keystroke corresponding to a drive command of an application file for the print-target-file and outputting the third keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port upon determining that the print-target-file is uploaded;

generating a fourth keystroke corresponding to a file open command to open the print-target-file in the application program and outputting the fourth keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port upon determining that the application program is driven;

generating a fifth keystroke corresponding to a print command for the print-target-file and outputting the fifth keystroke through the first slave Universal Serial Bus port upon determining that the print-target-file is opened, whereby the print command will be recognized in the application program; and

printing the print-target-file based on the print command.