Miniature portable interactive printer

• US 6,010,257 A
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Comtec Information Systems, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Genett, William F., Amani, Majid, Petteruti, Steven F., Perry, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Jr., Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US09/187,713
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 400/88, 340/825.69, 395/114
• US Class Current: 400/88
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material

Abstract

An intelligent, portable printer is provided having a controller and a printing mechanism. The controller includes a microprocessor which communicates with a terminal, which may be remote from the printer and may include or be a host computer, via cable, radio, or optical interfaces. The terminal supplies application programs and data representing commands and information to be printed. In one embodiment, the controller of the printer can operate the printer mechanism in accordance with received data when the data is preceded by a command addressing the product-type predefined for the printer. In another embodiment, the controller operates responsive to a wake-up signal from the terminal for automatically turning on the printer from a low powered state. In a further embodiment, an antenna in the printer receives RF signals from the terminal and circuitry is provided for enabling power to the controller from the printer'"'"'s power source when the RF signals received represent a wake-up signal or code, thereby turning on the printer.

Claims

1. A printer responsive to data from a terminal representing commands and information to be printed, said printer comprising:

a printer mechanism for a portable label printer;

means for receiving said data from said terminal; and

a controller for operating said printer mechanism in accordance with said received data having a command which addresses at least one printer product-type predefined for the specific printer.

2. The printer according to claim 1 wherein said printer is at least one of a plurality of said printers, and said data having said command is received by said plurality of printers and only those of said plurality of printers having at least one of the predefined printer product-types operate responsive to said data.

20. The printer according to claim 1 wherein said controller comprises:

means for operating said printer mechanism in a default state in accordance with said received data from said receiving means and discontinuing operation of the printer mechanism when said received data has a product-type command not defined for the printer.

21. The printer according to claim 20 wherein said controller has means for entering said default state in response to said received data having a certain product-type command.

3. A printer which can automatically be turned on from a terminal, said printer having an electronic controller and a power source for supplying power to said printer, said printer comprising:

means for receiving RF signals from the terminal; and

circuitry connected to said means for enabling power to be supplied from the power source to the controller when said RF signals are received from said terminal, thereby turning on said printer, wherein said printer weighs less than 2 pounds.

4. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said RF signals have an amplitude above a threshold level.

5. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said RF signals correspond to a bit pattern of at least one predefined wake-up code.

6. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said receiving means operates in a preset frequency range and said RF signals have a frequency within said frequency range.

7. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said enabling means enables power when said RF signals represent a wake-up signal from said terminal.

8. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said circuitry comprises:

first means connected to said receiving means for converting said RF signals into data signals when the amplitude of said RF signals is above a threshold level;

second means for receiving said data signals and providing an output signal when said data signals represent at least one predefined wake-up code; and

third means responsive to said output signal from said second means for enabling power to be supplied from the power source to the controller.

9. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said circuitry comprises:

first means connected to said receiving means for converting said RF signals into an output signal when the amplitude of said RF signals is above a threshold level; and

second means responsive to said output signal from said first circuit for enabling power to be supplied from the power source to the controller.

10. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said receiving means comprises an antenna capable of receiving said RF signals.

11. A printer which can be turned on responsive to RF signals, said printer having an electronic controller for operating said printer and a power source for supplying power to said printer, the printer comprising:

an antenna for receiving said RF signals;

a comparator connected to said antenna for converting said RF signals into data signals when the amplitude of said RF signals is above a threshold level;

a decoder for receiving said data signals and providing an output signal when said data signals having a bit pattern representing at least one predefined wake-up code; and

a flip-flop responsive to said output signal from said decoder for enabling power to be supplied from the power source to the controller, thereby turning on said printer.

12. A printer which can be turned on responsive to RF signals, said printer having an electronic controller for operating said printer and a power source for supplying power to said printer, the printer comprising:

an antenna for receiving said RF signals;

a comparator connected to said antenna for converting said RF signals into an output signal when the amplitude of said RF signals is above a threshold level; and

a flip-flop responsive to said output signal from said first circuit for enabling power to be supplied from the power source to the controller, thereby turning on said printer.

13. A printer responsive to a wake-up signal from a terminal for turning on the printer from a low powered state to enable printing, said printer comprising:

a printer mechanism for a portable label printer;

means for receiving one of an infrared signal and a RF wake-up signal from said terminal; and

a controller which turns on the printer mechanism responsive to said received wake-up signal, wherein said printer weighs less than 2 pounds.

14. The printer according to claim 13 wherein said wake-up signal represents data of one or more characters.

15. A system for operating a plurality of portable label printers responsive to said data received by the printers, said system comprising:

a plurality of portable label printers each of said printers being of at least one predefined printer type; and

means in each of said plurality of printers for enabling operation thereof responsive to data received by the printer when said data is addressed to only at least one of said plurality of printers by the printer type predefined for the printer.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said plurality of printers represent a network of printers.

17. The system according to claim 15 further comprising:

a terminal for sending said data to said plurality of printers.

22. The system according to claim 15 wherein different ones of said printers can be of the same predefined printer type.

18. A method for operating a plurality of printers responsive to said data received by the printers, said method comprising the steps of:

sending data to a plurality of portable label printers addressed to one or more of the printers by their printer product-type;

receiving said data at each of the printers; and

operating each of said printers in accordance with the received data when at least one of printer product-types predefined for the printer is addressed to only at least one of said printers.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of:

operating all of said printers in accordance with said data when a universal product-type identifier is addressed.