Car display capture apparatus

• US 20050149239A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/023 with reduced dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/026 Stackable
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 7/00 Details or accessories common to the registering or indicating apparatus of groups G07C3/00 and G07C5/00

Abstract

An in-vehicle information retrieval system includes a data generating module for generating data within the vehicle. A data capture module is in communication with the data generating module for capturing data from the data generating module. A printing unit is mounted in the vehicle and is connected to the data capture module for printing desired information.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle information retrieval system including:

a data generating module for generating data within the vehicle;

a data capture module, in communication with the data generating module, for capturing data from the data generating module; and

a printing unit, mounted in the vehicle and connected to the data capture module, for printing information from the data capture module.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the data generated by the data generating module includes image data.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the image data include video data.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the data generating module includes a display means on which the video data are displayed.

5. The system of claim 2 in which the data capture module includes an image capture unit.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the data capture module includes a user terminal associated with the image capture unit, the user terminal being operable by a user to cause data to be captured on demand.

7. The system of claim 5 in which the image capture unit encodes data from the data generating module into a suitable format for printing.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the printing unit includes a printer and a printer controller in communication with the image capture unit, the printer controller receiving said formatted data from the image capture unit.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the printer is a full color printer.

10. The system of claim 9 in which said printer is a photo quality color printer.

11. The system of claim 10 in which the printer is an inkjet printer.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the printer comprises a pagewidth ink jet printhead.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the printhead comprises an array of nozzles, said array being fabricated by microelectromechanical techniques.

14. The system of claim 1 which includes a communications unit which communicates with the data capture module for enabling captured data to be sent to a remote location.

15. The system of claim 14 in which the communications unit also communicates with the data generating module for enabling the data generating module to generate data from a remote supplier of the data.

16. A method of retrieving information from within a vehicle, the method including the steps of:

generating data within the vehicle;

capturing at least certain of the generated data; and

printing desired captured data via a printing unit mounted in the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 which includes generating image data.

18. The method of claim 17 which includes generating image data including video data.

19. The method of claim 18 which includes displaying the video data.

20. The method of claim 16 which includes causing data to be captured on demand.

21. The method of claim 16 which includes encoding data into a suitable format for printing.

22. The method of claim 21 which includes, where the data include video data, encoding the data into a compressed image format.

23. The method of claim 22 which includes including supplementary information in the compressed image format.

24. The method of claim 16 which includes sending captured data to a remote location.

25. The method of claim 24 which also includes generating data sourced from a remote supplier of the data.

26. An in-vehicle information retrieval system which includes:

an onboard image viewing facility;

a control means associated with the image viewing facility for controlling data displayed on the image viewing facility, and

an onboard printing unit, connected to the image viewing facility, for enabling an image to be printed.

27. A method of retrieving information from within a vehicle, the method including the steps of:

viewing images on an onboard viewing facility;

controlling images displayed on the image viewing facility; and

printing a desired image via an onboard printing unit.

28. An in-vehicle information retrieval system which includes:

an onboard image viewing facility including an image output module and a display means for viewing the images;

an image capture unit, in communication with the image viewing facility, the image capture unit including a data compression means for compressing data relating to a captured image into a suitable format for printing; and

an onboard printing unit connected to the image capture unit for enabling said captured image to be printed.

29. The system of claim 28 which includes a wireless communications unit connected to the image capture unit for sending said captured image to a remote location.

30. The system of claim 29 in which the wireless communications unit is also connected to the image viewing facility for enabling video images to be downloaded from a remote supplier of said video images.

31. A method of retrieving information from within a vehicle, the method including the steps of:

viewing images on an onboard image viewing facility including an image output module and a display means;

compressing data relating to a captured image into a suitable format for printing; and

printing a desired image via an onboard printing unit.

32. The method of claim 31 which includes sending said captured image to a remote location by means of a wireless communications unit.

33. The method of claim 32 which also includes downloading video images from a remote supplier of said video images to the image viewing facility by means of the wireless communications unit.