Output device, output method, radio communication device, and recording medium

• US 20050113025A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kiyoshi, Akamatsu, Hirotaka, Tanimoto, Akihito, Irikura, Masumi
• Application Number:
  US10/892,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20050113025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00493 Particular location of the interface or console
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

An output device includes a radio communication interface portion having a communication port that can receive data from a mobile terminal, a displaying portion for informing of a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port, and an outputting portion for executing an outputting process based on the data that are received via the radio communication interface portion. The displaying portion and the communication port are positioned in a same visual field as an operator who operates the mobile terminal to transmit the data from a position that is a maximum communicable distance away from the communication port.

Claims

1. An output device, comprising:

a radio communication interface portion, having a communication port capable of receiving data from a mobile terminal;

a displaying portion, informing a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on the data received via the radio communication interface portion,

wherein the displaying portion and the communication port are arranged in a visual field of an operator who operates the mobile terminal to transmit the data at a position that is a maximum communicable distance away from the communication port.

2. The output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein when a communication portion of the mobile terminal is placed the maximum communicable distance away from the communication port so as to oppose to the communication port, the displaying portion is arranged in a communicable area of the communication portion.

3. The output device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an indicator, displaying receiving progress information of the data while the data is received from the communication port,

wherein the indicator is provided at a position that satisfies same positional condition as the displaying portion with respect to the communication port.

4. The output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a screen of an operation panel is provided to a main body of the output device to direct upward;

and

wherein the displaying portion is provided onto a front surface or a side surface of the main body of the output device.

5. The output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication port is arranged at a position capable of receiving the data from the communication portion of the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being located at a maximum communicable distance away from the communication port, and the mobile terminal being loaded on a same plane as a loading plane on which the output device is loaded.

6. The output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outputting portion is a printing portion that executes a printing process as the outputting process;

wherein a paper discharge port is provided on a front surface of the output device, and

wherein the communication port is arranged on at least one side of both sides of the paper discharge port at the front surface of the output device.

7. The output device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication port is arranged at a height of 10 cm or less from a bottom surface of the main body of the output device.

8. The output device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a holder, holding the mobile terminal;

wherein the communication port is arranged at a position capable of communicating with the mobile terminal held in the holder, and

wherein the displaying portion is arranged at a position at which the displaying portion is not covered with the mobile terminal held in the holder and the holder.

9. The output device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a deciding portion, deciding the communication state;

wherein the displaying portion displays a result of decision of the deciding portion.

10. An output device, comprising:

a main body;

a radio communication portion, extractably inserted into a slot that is provided in the main body; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on data that is received via the radio communication portion,

wherein the radio communication portion, including;

a communication port, receiving the data from a mobile terminal; and

a displaying portion, informing a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port.

11. The output device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising an indicator, displaying receiving progress information of the data while the data is received from the communication port,

wherein the indicator is provided at a position that satisfies same positional condition as the displaying portion with respect to the communication port.

12. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a screen of an operation panel is provided to a main body of the output device to direct upward;

and

wherein the displaying portion is provided onto a front surface or a side surface of the main body of the output device.

13. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communication port is arranged at a position capable of receiving the data from the communication portion of the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being located at a maximum communicable distance away from the communication port, and the mobile terminal being loaded on a same plane as a loading plane on which the main body of the output device is loaded.

14. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the outputting portion is a printing portion that executes a printing process as the outputting process;

wherein a paper discharge port is provided on a front surface of the output device, and

wherein the communication port is arranged on at least one side of both sides of the paper discharge port at the front surface of the output device.

15. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communication port is arranged at a height of 10 cm or less from a bottom surface of the main body of the output device.

16. The output device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a holder, holding the mobile terminal;

wherein the communication port is arranged at a position capable of communicating with the mobile terminal held in the holder, and

wherein the displaying portion is arranged at a position at which the displaying portion is not covered with the mobile terminal held in the holder and the holder.

17. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the radio communication portion has a first deciding portion;

wherein the main body has a second deciding portion;

wherein the first deciding portion executes a first check of the data received by the radio communication portion;

wherein the second deciding portion executes a second check of the data transferred from the radio communication portion to the main body; and

wherein the displaying portion informs results of the first check and the second check.

18. The output device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the radio communication portion includes;

a first transferring portion, receiving the data from the mobile terminal; and

a second transferring portion, transferring the data to the main body; and

wherein the displaying portion informs an error occurrence when the error occurs in the second transferring portion after the first transferring portion completes a transferring process.

19. The output device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a deciding portion, deciding the communication state;

wherein the displaying portion displays a result of decision made by the deciding portion.

20. An output device, comprising:

a radio communication interface portion, having a communication port that receives data from a mobile terminal;

a deciding portion, deciding a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port;

a displaying portion, informing the communication state;

a display controlling portion, causing the displaying portion to display a result of decision made by the deciding portion; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on the data received via the radio communication interface portion.

21. An output method, comprising the steps of:

receiving data that is transmitted from a mobile terminal in a radio communication;

deciding a communication state upon receiving the data;

informing the communication state;

controlling a display mode in response to a result of decision of the communication state made in the deciding step; and

executing an outputting process based on the data received in the receiving step.

22. The output method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a step of displaying the communication state as character information.

23. The output method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a light emitting step of informing the communication state by a lightening mode of a light emitting portion.

24. The output method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a step of displaying image or character information to inform a content of the communication state.

25. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the display controlling step controls a lightening color of the light emitting portion in response to the result of decision.

26. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the displaying step displays a content that the data can be received when it is decided that the communication state indicates a data receivable state in the deciding step.

27. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the displaying step displays a content that the data are being received when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates that the data are in reception.

28. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the displaying step displays a content that a data reception is completed when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates a data-reception completion state.

29. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the displaying step displays a content that a receiving error occurs when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates an error occurrence state.

30. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the outputting process in the outputting step is a printing process.

31. The output method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the printing process is started after data reception from the mobile terminal is completed.

52. A computer-readable recording medium for causing a computer to execute the output method set forth in any one of claims 21 to 31.

32. The output device, comprising:

a radio communication interface portion, having a communication port which receives data from a mobile terminal;

a deciding portion, deciding a data received state via the radio communication interface portion;

a displaying portion, displaying a communication state decided by the deciding portion by using at least one of a character and an image; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on the data received via the radio communication interface portion.

33. An output device, comprising:

a main body;

a radio communication portion, extractably inserted into a slot that is provided to the main body; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on data received via the radio communication portion;

wherein the radio communication portion includes;

a displaying portion;

a deciding portion, deciding a validity of data received by the radio communication portion; and

a display controlling portion, controlling the displaying portion to a display mode in response to a result of decision made by the deciding portion.

34. An output device, comprising:

a main body;

a radio communication portion, extractably inserted into a slot that is provided to the main body; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on data received via the radio communication portion;

wherein the radio communication portion includes;

a displaying portion,

a deciding portion, deciding a validity of data received by the radio communication portion, and

a display controlling portion, causing the displaying portion to display a result of decision made by the deciding portion.

35. An output device, comprising:

a main body;

a radio communication portion, extractably inserted into a slot that is provided to the main body;

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on data received via the radio communication portion;

a displaying portion;

a deciding portion, deciding a validity of data received by the radio communication portion; and

a display controlling portion, causing the displaying portion to display a result of decision made by the deciding portion,

wherein the displaying portion is provided on the radio communication portion, and

wherein the deciding portion is provided on the main body.

36. An output device, comprising:

a main body;

a radio communication portion, extractably inserted into a slot that is provided to the main body; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on data received via the radio communication portion;

wherein the radio communication portion includes;

a displaying portion; and

a first deciding portion, deciding a validity of received data;

wherein the main body includes a second deciding portion which decides another validity, a content of which are different from the first deciding portion, of data received via the radio communication device; and

wherein the displaying portion displays results of decision made by the first deciding portion and the second deciding portion.

37. An output method, comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving data that is transmitted from a mobile terminal in a radio communication;

a deciding step of deciding a validity of received data;

a displaying step of displaying a result of decision in the deciding step; and

an outputting step of executing an outputting process based on the received data.

38. The output method as set forth in claim 37, wherein the displaying step displays a display mode in response to the result of decision made in the deciding step.

39. The output method as set forth in claim 37, further comprising:

at least one second receiving step of receiving data that is transmitted in another communication that is different from the radio communication in the first receiving step; and

a limiting step of limiting a simultaneous reception of the data in the first receiving step and the data in the second receiving step.

40. The output method as set forth in claim 39, wherein the deciding step decides whether or not a communication state is ready for receiving the data.

41. The output method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the displaying step displays a content that the communication state is ready for receiving the data when it is decided in the deciding step that the communication state is ready for receiving the data.

42. The output method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the displaying step displays a content that the data are being received when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates that the data are in reception.

43. The output method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the displaying step displays a content that a data reception is completed when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates a data-reception completion state.

44. The output method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the displaying step displays a content that a receiving error occurs when the communication state decided in the deciding step indicates an error occurrence state.

45. The output method as set forth in claim 40, wherein the outputting process executed in the outputting step is a printing process.

46. The output method as set forth in claim 45, wherein the printing process is started after data reception from the mobile terminal is completed.

47. The output method as set forth in claim 37, wherein the deciding step decides a validity of the received data on a basis of reference data, and

wherein the reference data is of type that is applicable to an output device that executes the outputting process.

53. A computer-readable recording medium for causing a computer to execute the output method set forth in any one of claims 37 to 47.

48. An output device, comprising:

a radio communication interface portion, having a communication port capable of receiving data from a mobile terminal;

an informing portion, informing a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port; and

an outputting portion, executing an outputting process based on the data received via the radio communication interface portion;

wherein the informing portion informs the communication state by a sound that is set previously to different contents in response to the communication state.

49. An output method, comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving data transmitted from a mobile terminal in a radio communication;

a first deciding step of deciding a validity of received data;

a second deciding step of deciding another validity, contents of which are different from the first deciding step, of the received data; and

a displaying step of displaying results of decision made in the first deciding step and the second deciding step.

54. A computer-readable recording medium for causing a computer to execute the output method set forth in claim 49.

50. A radio communication device, comprising:

a main body of the communication device, which is set extractably in a slot that is provided on a main body of an output device;

a communication port, receiving data from a mobile terminal, and provided on an exposed area of the main body of the communication device when the main body of the communication device is inserted into the slot; and

a displaying portion, displaying a display mode in response to a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port, and provided on an exposed area of the main body of the communication device when the main body of the communication device is inserted into the slot.

51. A radio communication device, comprising:

a main body, for being set extractably in a slot that is provided to a main body of an output device;

a communication port, receiving data from a mobile terminal, and provided to an exposed area of the main body when the main body is inserted into the slot;

a displaying portion, provided to an exposed area of the main body when the main body is inserted into the slot;

a monitoring portion, monitoring a communication state upon receiving the data via the communication port; and

a display controlling portion, controlling the displaying portion into a display mode in response to a monitoring result obtained by the monitoring portion.