Image forming apparatus

• US 20040201712A1
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Acer American Holdings (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chung, Chih-Hsien
• Application Number:
  US09/905,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

The invention discloses an image forming apparatus comprising an interface unit outputting a control signal in a predetermined format to an output unit in accordance with a sensing signal from a sensor; an image capturing unit for capturing image; and a driving unit detachably coupled to the interface unit, wherein the driving unit having an input unit receiving the control signal for driving the image capturing unit in accordance with the control signal. The sensor of the image forming apparatus is changeable, and can be any device to generate the sensing signal with correspondence to the environmental conditions.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an interface unit outputting a control signal in a predetermined format to an output unit in accordance with a sensing signal from a sensor;

an image capturing unit for capturing image; and

a driving unit detachably coupled to the interface unit, wherein the driving unit having an input unit receiving the control signal for driving the image capturing unit in accordance with the control signal.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first coupling apparatus is provided in the interface unit, and a second coupling apparatus corresponding to the first coupling apparatus and detachably engaged in the first coupling apparatus is further provided in the driving unit.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first coupling apparatus and the second coupling apparatus each comprises corresponding sticking structures.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a storage unit for saving the image captured as an image record.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the image record is in digital format.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control signal comprises an impulse signal.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemo-sensor, a timer, an audiosensor, a photoelectric cell, an ultra red sensor, and a magnetic field sensor.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a switch.

9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the switch is given an external force to generate the sensing signal with a voltage change in the sensor.

10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an image identify device.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the image identify device generates the sensing signal corresponding to a result from comparing the image with a predetermined pattern.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image capturing unit is a digital video camera.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image capturing unit is a digital photo camera.

14. A signal generator for controlling an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus captures a control signal in a predetermined format, the signal generator comprises:

a sensor generating a sensing signal in accordance with environmental variations; and

an interface device detachably coupled to the image forming apparatus, the interface device generating the control signal in accordance with the sensing signal.

15. The signal generator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the interface device is further provided with a coupling mechanism for detachably engaging the image capturing apparatus.

16. The signal generator as claimed in claim 15, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises corresponding sticking structure.

17. The signal generator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the control signal comprises an impulse signal.

18. The signal generator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemo-sensor, a timer, an audiosensor, a photoelectric cell, an ultra red sensor, and a magnetic field sensor.

19. The signal generator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises an image identify device.

20. The signal generator as claimed in claim 19, wherein the image identify device generates the sensing signal corresponding to a result from comparing the image with a predetermined pattern data.