Remote control apparatus for printer appliances

• US 20060282551A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tessera Technologies Ireland Limited (Adeia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Steinberg, Eran, Bigioi, Petronel, Mehra, Sumat
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

An apparatus for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance includes a remote control handset and a wireless receiver for connection to the appliance. The remote control unit is adapted to transmit data and control codes to the receiver. The receiver is responsive to the data and control codes to control the appliance to print the data. The remote control unit includes a reader for a storage medium for printing the data, or a cable or wireless interface to an image acquisition device such as a digital video or still camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance, comprising

a remote control unit including an interface for receiving printer data from an acquisition device;

and

a wireless receiver coupled to the printer appliance,

wherein the remote control unit is configured to transmit the data and control codes to the receiver, and the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes from the remote control unit to control the printer appliance to print the data.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control unit is further configured to directly control the printer appliance.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control unit is configured to indirectly control the printer appliance through the receiver.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receiver is configured to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said editing data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface of the remote control unit comprises a reader for a removable storage medium for data, such that data transmitted to the receiver is read from the storage medium by the reader.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said remote control unit further comprises an internal storage for storing data.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface of the remote control unit comprises a cable or wireless communication interface to the A/V device for receiving the data, such that said data transmitted to the receiver is read from the A/V device.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface and the data is wirelessly readable from the A/V device.

10. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said data is read from a storage medium on said A/V device.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said remote control unit comprises internal storage, wherein data is saved on said internal storage.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interface is configured according to PictBridge Protocol.

13. An apparatus as cited in claim 10, wherein said interface is configured according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital stills camera.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital video camera.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital audio player, and words contained within the audio are printed as text.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control unit comprises a display unit.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to directly control the printer appliance.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is connectable to a further electronic appliance and controls the printer appliance to print data via the further electronic appliance.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a digital camera.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a home server appliance.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a centralized remote control unit.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a docking station.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is incorporated in the printer appliance.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the wireless receiver is incorporated in the further electronic appliance.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control unit is configured for processing data prior to transmission to the wireless receiver.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is configured for processing the data prior to printing the data.

28. A method for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance, comprising

receiving printer data from an acquisition device at an interface of a remove control unit;

and

transmitting the printer data and control codes to a wireless receiver coupled to a printer appliance,

wherein the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes received from the remote control unit to control the printer appliance to print the data.

29. A method as in claim 28, further comprising directly controlling the printer appliance.

30. A method as in claim 28, further comprising indirectly controlling the printer appliance through the receiver.

31. A method as in claim 30, wherein said controlling indirectly through the receiver comprises controlling the receiver to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

32. A method as in claim 31, wherein said editing data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

33. A method as in claim 28, further comprising receiving at said interface a removable storage medium having printer data stored thereon, and reading the data for transmitting to the receiver.

34. A method as in claim 28, further comprising storing printer data at an internal storage.

35. A method as in claim 28, further comprising interfacing with the acquisition device via a cable or wireless communication interface for receiving the data for transmitting to the receiver.

36. A method as in claim 28, further comprising configuring said interface according to PictBridge Protocol.

37. A method as in claim 28, further comprising configuring said interface according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

38. A method as in claim 28, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital stills camera.

39. A method as in claim 28, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital video camera.

40. A method as in claim 28, further comprising processing data prior to transmitting to the receiver.

47. The one or more storage devices of claim 28, the method further comprising storing printer data at an internal storage.

49. The one or more storage devices of claim 28, the method further comprising configuring said interface according to PictBridge Protocol.

50. The one or more storage devices of claim 28, the method further comprising configuring said interface according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

41. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance, the method comprising

receiving printer data from an acquisition device at an interface of a remove control unit;

and

transmitting the printer data and control codes to a wireless receiver coupled to a printer appliance,

wherein the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes received from the remote control unit to control the printer appliance to print the data.

42. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, the method further comprising directly controlling the printer appliance.

43. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, the method further comprising indirectly controlling the printer appliance through the receiver.

44. The one or more storage devices of claim 43, wherein said controlling indirectly through the receiver comprises controlling the receiver to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

45. The one or more storage devices of claim 44, wherein said editing data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

46. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, the method further comprising receiving at said interface a removable storage medium having printer data stored thereon, and reading the data for transmitting to the receiver.

48. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, the method further comprising interfacing with the acquisition device via a cable or wireless communication interface for receiving the data for transmitting to the receiver.

51. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital stills camera.

52. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital video camera.

53. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, the method further comprising processing data prior to transmitting to the receiver.