METHOD FOR LOCATING AN ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20140233861A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Tan, Siow Kiat, Pawlik, Thomas D., Chinnayegappan, Senthilnathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/40 Details not directly involved in printing, e.g. machine management, management of the arrangement as a whole or of its constitutive parts computer driven print job management G06F3/1237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

A method for locating an electronic apparatus, the method includes identifying a mobile communication device that is proximate the electronic apparatus; receiving location information embedded in an image file by the mobile communication device and transferred from the mobile communication device; and storing the location information in the electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for locating an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

identifying a mobile communication device that is proximate the electronic apparatus;

receiving location information embedded in an image file by the mobile communication device and transferred from the mobile communication device; and

storing the location information in the electronic apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an image on the electronic apparatus; and

capturing the displayed image by a camera on the mobile communication device.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising transferring the captured image to the electronic apparatus, wherein the image file includes the captured image.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein transferring the captured image to the electronic apparatus includes wirelessly transmitting the captured image.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein transferring the captured image to the electronic apparatus includes sending the captured image through a wired connection between the mobile communication device and the electronic apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein transferring the captured image to the electronic apparatus includes:

removing a memory card from the mobile communication device;

inserting the memory card into the electronic apparatus; and

reading the memory card.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein transferring the captured image to the electronic apparatus includes sending an e-mail attachment to the electronic apparatus.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising using a controller in the electronic apparatus to compare the transferred image to the displayed image.

9. The method according to claim 3 further comprising using pattern recognition to compare the transferred image to the displayed image.

10. The method according to claim 3 further comprising using a controller in the electronic apparatus to compare a first time corresponding to when the image was captured to a second time corresponding to when the image was displayed.

11. The method according to claim 3 further comprising using the electronic apparatus to print the transferred image.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprising using a controller in the electronic apparatus to extract the location information from the image file.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the location information includes GPS position data.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a multifunction printer.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

scanning an item using a scanner of the multifunction printer to provide a scanned image; and

tagging the scanned image with the location information stored in the multifunction printer.

16. The method according to claim 1 further comprising advertising the location of the electronic apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein advertising the location of the electronic apparatus includes providing a physical location of the electronic apparatus to a network.

18. The method according to claim 1 further comprising monitoring the stored location information on the electronic apparatus using a networked computer.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising sending an instruction from the networked computer to the electronic apparatus to display a predetermined image on the electronic apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

capturing an image of the displayed predetermined image; and

sending location information of the electronic apparatus to the networked computer.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising:

comparing the location information from the image file corresponding to the captured image of the displayed predetermined image to a known location stored on the networked computer; and

authorizing the electronic apparatus to perform a function if the location information corresponds to the known location within a specified limit.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising terminating authorization to perform the function after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

23. The method according to claim 21 further comprising terminating authorization to perform the function after the function has been performed for a predetermined number of instances.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a computer.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a television.

26. The method according to claim 1 further comprising providing a selectable option on user interface of the electronic apparatus for setting location information.